Join Last Call movie uses an audience member’s cell phone for even more horror
I realize that most of you cannot stand it when someone’s cell phone rings during the theater, but imagine watching a film that was dependent on having a cell phone call from an audience member during the film.
This is the technology from Last Call from 13th Street, an interactive horror film. Sometime, during the movie, an audience member’s cellular phone will ring, and it is up to this audience member to give the character on screen directions.
You can watch a video after the jump to see how the startled damsel in distress from Last Call tries to escape from the mad slasher. Yes, she actually calls an audience member during the film, and his or her voice commands tell her to go left or right, up or down, and so on.
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COOL LEAF could change the face of mobile devices
I don’t know about you, but what I see in these pictures is the future of mobile devices.
This is actually the COOL LEAF, a new series of input devices designed by Minebea, a Japanese company. As you can see, the surfaces of this keyboard, calculator, and remote control have a mirrored surface to them that is just as good as a real mirror.
You may notice that there isn’t “stand-out” buttons on this guy, but these “non-physical” buttons are just as good. It looks like the mirrored surface is water-resistant, too.
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Mebot lets you talk to the little one on your desk
It would appear that when MIT isn’t working on top secret Flyfire Swarming Displays, they make Mebots.
What is a Mebot? Think of it as a way of being in the same room with someone, even though that other person is far away. Unfortunately, that other person has to take the form of a crab-like creature.
As you can see, the screen is made so the transmitted person’s head is oversized on this body, but the Mebot can also do an emoticon face as well. By the way, the neck on the Mebot is cable of “three degrees of freedom for simple emotional cues”.
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Wildcharger Pad vs. Powermat: The wireless charging pad showdown
Yes, we have covered the Wildcharger Pad and we have covered the Powermat, and I think it is about time for a Face/Off!
It would appear that the Powermat is winning as far as basic space is concerned. The Wildcharger Pad is an 8″ x 6″ space capable of holding 2 mobile devices, but the company says that it can hold five. That most be with the Wildcharge PowerDiscs. The Powermat can hold about three mobile gadgets.
So I suppose the Wildcharger has the Powermat beat for the number of mobiles. In all honesty, I don’t know a time when I needed to recharge five mobiles at any given time.
Now lets look at aesthetics. I like the Powermat’s look with its ebony black exterior, but the Wildcharger looks like a barbeque grill covered in aluminum foil.
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Imogen Heap’s Twitter dress at the Grammys
The Grammys were one gadget-filled event. When Stephen Colbert gave the award for Song of the Year, he read the nominees off of his iPad. As if we didn’t see enough of that Apple iPad last week.
What really made a techno-splash on the red carpet was UK singer Imogen Heap. Her gown was not designed by a huge and expensive fashion designer, but she claimed that this Twitter dress was her own creation.
Yes, this Twitter dress, or twitdress, is designed so she can keep up on her Twittering. You may think that her necklace looks more like a row of bullets strapped around her neck, but this keeps her updated on Twitter. Her purse is an iPhone or iPod Touch that allows her to see photos that people are sending her online.
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mPower Emergency Illuminator
To say that the mPower Emergency Illuminator is a flashlight is like saying a Rolex is a watch. Granted, it is a true statement, but this mPower Emergency Illuminator is like the flashlight of the gods.
Well, it was designed by the car gods, and, by that, I mean, Porsche. Porsche Design Studio equipped the mPower with two widely available CR 123 3 volt lithium batteries. But what makes this flashlight the tops is it also includes a “groundbreaking reserve lithium battery with a shelf life of at least 20 years”.
That’s right, a shelf life of 20 years. I have no idea how long of an actual shine you would have with this, but dang, that’s 20 years! Gilligan and his friends could have used this. By the way, he could have charged some electronic devices like mobile phones, since the device has an accessory USB connection. Maybe that’s how the castaways of Gilligan’s Island listened to that radio all those years. Am I the only one who ever noticed that the batteries of this portable radio never wore out?
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Google Goggles are the eyes of the future
Is it just me, or does Google have its hand in everything cool these days? I’ve already reported on Liquid Galaxy, and now Google Goggles.
What is Google Goggles? Simply put, it is a way of searching for information about something using only a photo. For example, let’s say you are at the bookstore, and you want to know more info on a certain book. Just take a picture of the book with your Mobile device, and it’s like you entered the precise title into a Google Search. From there, you can even order the book on Amazon.
There’s a video of it in action after the jump, but you will have to ignore the really poor animation of the creators. Instead, enjoy how Google Goggles works awesomely with business cards, and can identify paintings.
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Thanks to the WikiReader, I am the smartest person in the room.
I got a chance to try out the Wikireader that we reported on earlier, and I will have to say that I am now the know-it-all. I’ve become like Cliff Claven from Cheers, who seems to know all the useless facts in the universe, and comes off as amazingly annoying.
The Wikireader by Openmoko is a device with a tiny black-and-white screen that uses 2 AAA batteries that are included. It requires no internet connection as all the 3 million entries are inside.
There are no illustrations, and the touchscreen allows for scrolling. Scrolling up and down creates a blurry effect that makes it easy to lose your place. Find out after the jump how Cyber Monday got its name.
Continue reading » Thanks to the WikiReader, I am the smartest person in the room.
