Phillips London Simplicity Event
Phillips unveils funky futuristic lifestyle concepts to make people’s lives healthier and simpler
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
NTT DoCoMo's forward-looking video overlooks the present
NTT DoCoMo's forward-looking video overlooks the present
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS
We've seen prophets get their agendas past the marketing department a time or two before, but NTT DoCoMo's latest peek into the "future" seemingly forgets to look at what's actually available right now. The lengthy spot showcases how mobile phones will "one day" be even more tightly integrated into our everyday lives, and while the ideas of using mobile-based keychains and passwords, geo-locators, and video telephony are certainly novel, deeming them events of the future seems a bit ignorant. Additionally, it demonstrates the phone's ability to assist with grocery shopping, take care of hailing a cab, act as a tutor, and prevent children from straying too far away -- all of which have either already been implemented or are quite a ways along the development pipeline. Of course, the pen-sized handset with retractable holographic display certainly hasn't hit mainstream channels just yet, but otherwise it seems we're all way ahead of our time. The pseudo-futuristic video awaits you in the read link.
[Via PSFK]
Folding Bike Bag Charges iPods
Folding Bike Bag Charges iPods
A backpack that recharges your gadgets isn't even news anymore, but what if it could also turn into a bike? Frag Woodall, a student of University of Technology Sydney, has designed a backpack, called the Everglide, that amazingly is a backpack bike than can charge your iPod.
The backpack can be carried normally, wheeled like luggage or, converted into a bicycle. Instead of utilizing photovoltaics, it charges handheld devices by using "frictionless magnetic dynamo technology." Carbon fiber and aluminum materials make it lightweight and durable. His inspiration for the Everglide came from wanting to address the problems of bicycles being heavy and difficult to store and carry after the user is done riding.
Despite it looking like a funky scooter, there definitely is a need for a convenient bike like this. In any case, it could always be a fun way to power a lightbulb during a power outtage... or your iPod.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Microsoft’s Mystery Product: Game Table? Yah, Probably
Microsoft’s Mystery Product: Game Table? Yah, Probably
Gizmodo’s got word that Microsoft will be releasing “something totally new coming out of the Entertainment and Devices division, and it’s going to change the way people interact with technology.” At first we thought it might be the watermelon Zune Phone, but then we started asking around. Three different internal MS worker bees mentioned it’s likely a game table.
No really, a table for playing video games. It’s partially a throwback to old tabletop arcade games the old-school pizzarias favored. But it also features touch-sensative controls and multi-touch, much like the iPhone. Also expect xBox Arcade interoperability.
We saw a rough prototype when visiting Microsoft’s campus last year, and we weren’t that impressed. The proto we saw, though, didn’t have multitouch as far as we know, so this could be much cooler. We guess we’ll see at midnight.
Top Secret Microsoft Product To Launch At Midnight [The Giz]
Cell Phones That Should Have Never Been Made
Cell Phones That Should Have Never Been Made
Once in a while you come across a cell phone that just looks like it was designed by someone who drew a few shapes and tacked on a keypad, check out a few after the jump.
Samsung/Bang & Olufsen Serene
This strange looking phone by Samsung definitely wasn’t designed with portability in mind. On the bright side, it offers a 2.1-inch QVGA TFT-LCD display, 0.3-megapixel camera, and Bluetooth.
[Source]
Monday, May 28, 2007
futuretech
Foster unveils green utopia in the desert
By Vikki Miller
May 8th, 2007
Foster + Partners says the walled city of Masdar in Abu Dhabi will be the world's first zero-carbon and zero-waste city. Foster + Partners has revealed these images of what it claims to be the first zero carbon, zero-waste city in the world.
The Masdar development in Abu Dhabi is a 6 km sq, car-free "walled-city" scheme. The development is being driven by Abu Dhabi's Future Energy Company and will include a new HQ for the company as well as a new university.
Norman Foster said: "The environmental ambitions of the Masdar Initiative – zero carbon and waste free – are a world first. They have provided us with a challenging design brief that promises to question conventional urban wisdom at a fundamental level. Masdar promises to set new benchmarks for the sustainable city of the future."
Unveiled today at the Cityscape conference in Abu Dhabi, Foster + Partners said Masdar would be a dense, walled development constructed in two stages. The first phase would see the construction of a large photovoltaic power plant, which would later become the site for the second phase.
The surrounding land will contain wind, photovoltaic farms, research fields and plantations, so that the city will be entirely self-sustaining, the architect said.
The development is set to open in late 2009.
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