iPhone becomes Wheelchair based command center [iPhone App]

Just when I thought I’ve seen the most clever use an iPhone app can take on I pleasantly get surprised. The fact of the matter is, even though the title says “iPhone”, controlling a wheelchair with a consumer device is actually open to a few more Apple branded devices: iPhone 3G, 3GS, iPod touch V2.0 and 3.0. Right off the bat, I’m sure many of you are filling your heads with endless and meaningless (in my head) code that will need to be executed in order to get the hardware above speaking and controlling the compatible wheelchair systems: Dynamic Controls DX2, DX or Shark wheelchair. That’s the beauty of this whole union — the chairs don’t need to be reprogrammed. Plug-n-ride entertaiment!

The obvious benefit is the ability to control normal movement with the iPhone/iPod Touch screen. But the developers and engineers behind this project didn’t stop at simple navigation. Besides navigation controls, chair riders can see many other diagnostics of their chair, talk to and recognize other devices connected to the chair, as well as pull a charge from the chair battery. Modern gadgetry coming together with practical medical uses is always fun to see for us and I’m sure extremely exciting and life changing for those who depend on it. Pretty sweet huh? Almost makes me want to buy a motorized wheelchair and zip along all future-like. Wanna join my wheelchair gang?

9to5 Mac

9to5 Mac > Dynamic Controls

Cut the cords and go wireless: “World’s first” wireless external USB drive.

Whenever we hear “world’s first”, “best ever”, or any other hype up words, my attention immediately tanks and my hopes trying desperately to lift the ten ton weight off of their shoulders. In the case of this “world’s first” wireless USB Drive, the “Imation Pro WX”, I’m only slightly inattentive. You see, the drive isn’t the first to connect to a host device via the wondrous radio waves around us. Many other NAS type storage devices offer up wireless connections via WiFi. The Imation Pro employs a slightly different form of wireless technology by way of a USB transmitter with an accompanying receiver built into the actual drive.

Kind of misleading? Ya, a tad (AT&T back away….). But only in the sense that it isn’t really the first cord-free way to transmit digital bits. With as common as WiFi networks are now becoming as well as the the fact that most people who don’t connect to storage drives over a WiFi network do so with a stationary desktop that never moves. A stationary desktop doesn’t require wireless storage unless it’s an older machine with limited storage on board. A couple of sticking points that will keep a fair share of end users away is the $500 sticker price. Sure it gives you easy and network free wireless transfers, but is it worth $500? Not to mention, the whole issue of speed comes into play. The max transfer speed for the Imation Pro is a paltry 15MB/s. Novel concept but I’ll pass. Anyone else feel differently?

Dvice > Gizmodo

“Laserwalks” to save humans, vaporize ignorant drivers?

Nothing says hi-tech and “futuristic” like a good ‘ol fashioned laser beam (even better when attached to shark heads…..) As more people take to the streets on foot, collisions with the metal giants that are automobiles increases. It’s a sad part of life. Technology is a great thing that makes the world go round more efficiently. Why not use that technology in new and innovative ways? Introducing the “Laser Walk”.

The point of the Laser Walk is to first and foremost replace traffic lights. Pretty cool. Second, protecting humans who venture into the paths of large numbers of metallic mass that whiz by mean these little electrons have plenty to watch out for. Whether or not it will actually save many if any added lives of course remains to be seen.

I’m interested though in how they’re going to create lasers that are robust enough to project images in the air and at the same time not blind anyone stupid enough to look into the posts that the beams will surely originate from. Of course, if these lasers are red-light-running-vaporizers, well, then a few scorched eyeballs are to be expected.

Geekologie > Wired

UK to soon see the end of the internet? Above the law “Pirate-Finder” being created to police the web, invade privacy and freedoms!

Living in the UK and using the internet, particularly any type of torrent or P2P software/service whether legal or illegal is soon going to become a nightmare. The reason for the hoopala is because of an planned change to the Digital Economy Bill currently under debate by Pariliament. The person seeking those changes, Secretary of State Peter Mandelson, is aiming to create a “secondary legislation” that can amend laws and bills at will and without debate or approval from any other government party as long as it’s in the name of “copyright protection”. Bullshit. This guy is a f’ing idiot. It gets worse…

Ubuntu 10.04 says buh-bye to Gimp

Used Gimp lately? You know, the completely free, open source Photoshop replacement? Apparently its become too good and what it does as the developers behind Ubuntu 10.04 have removed Gimp from the basic distro install. The dev’s reasoning is that Gimp has become too big, too complex for most users and that any basic to medium-range photo editing can be done via F-Spot.

I’m not your typical tech beginner so I don’t find Gimp too complex in the slightest. Though I can see true beginners getting hung up on the program do to its ever increasing library of features and functions. As always, you can download whatever your little heart yearns for on linux. If the newer Gimpless Ubuntu distros have you feeling empty, reclaiming the photo-editing prowess is but a few clicks and keystrokes away.

While I understand the push to make Linux more consumer friendly, in this case Ubuntu, I can understand making it easier. I just hope they don’t go too far in dumbing down the distro as Linux users in general don’t mind complex. They like to tinker. Do you think it was a good decision given their reasoning , or should they have found other ways to reduce size?

Slashdot

Truphone getting in on the holiday cheer. Free Thanksgiving Day calls to all US numbers.

The notion that big business doesn’t care about us little guys, that all they care about is making more and more money no matter the toes they step on, can be set aside for at least one company — Truphone. Why am I getting all soft on a VoIP provider? Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to join each other and enjoy each others company. Various obstacles and circumstances can prevent people from traveling to see their loved ones. Truphone understands and is offering up quite a heartfelt promotion.

On Thanksgiving Day from 7am – 7pm (EST), Truphone will “open the airwaves” so that any and all US based calls between said time are free. Landline or mobile makes no difference. Its all fair game according to Truphone. It really is nice when compaines reach out and show a little human compassion. Seeing that a brick and mortar or big time cloud company actually has some human feeling gives the company a more personal connection with users. Such a connection is extremely vital as it leads to loyal customers. Loyal customers who spend money on your products and services.

If you didn’t use Truphone before, is their Thanksgiving Day gift enough to woo you over?

JK

Apple tablet delayed because of OLED screen?

You can’t technically label a gadget delayed until it’s had a release date announced — or at least been announced at all. With that said, many analysts and tech reporters were pegging a March-ish release date for the wonder tablet (a.k.a. “The Apple Tablet”). THe original goal was to keep costs down and quality high. According to a new report and by comments from DigiTimes, Apple has decided to go for both quality and price. For the quality side of things, they have decided that they will continue on with a 10.6″ LCD based model and introduce a slightly smaller 9.7″ OLED model. The OLED will as many of you know look amazing — much better than the LCD while also consuming less energy. But OLED’s aren’t cheap and releasing one too soon would drive prices up to a point no one except the most loyal Apple fans would even touch. Because of that, the report says we can expect a several month delay pushing the Apple tablet into the later summer and early autumn months of 2010. Not exactly what you wanted to hear, I know. But doesn’t the mention of “OLED” make you at least a little bit happier/excited?

Should we trust DigiTimes? As ElectricPig notes, DigiTimes was spot on with their Nokia Netbook rumors. However, there’s also been many times they haven’t been so “spotted”. Know what I mean? We shall see…

ElectricPig > DigiTimes