The German version of MIT's Technology Review reports that the German electronics giant Siemens may be working on a mobile phone that can administer a blood-alcohol test or do other gas-related sensing -- for example, act as a smoke detector. Real phones based on the research would not be available on the market for at least two years, according to the article. Nokia is also looking into similar technology.
People with Korea Telecom Freetel phones have their germ-infected phones sterilized with ultra violet light at an ice cream joint in Myongdong. (props to Engadget)
America's best magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, has eliminated free content on its web site, instead reserving full access to paid print subscribers only. Trend or aberration?
Rise of the Machines: Israeli Helicopter Robot Now Available
An Israeli company is now selling to military purchasers the killer helicopter robot I reported stolen back in November. The fully autonomous flying drone comes with a built in camera and can be purchased only $125 thousand.
A company called Directron.com has a lot of balls, and they'd like to sell you one. Their Ball PC is a, well, a PC in a ball. The perfectly round PC case opens in the center to reveal drive bays, etc. (Not to be confused with the Bandai Robot PC.)
Kiosk Lets Old Folks Scan Letters and Send As E-Mail
A kiosk device called MyPostie, designed mainly for older folks who can't or don't want to send e-mail from a computer, scans their hand-written letters, posts them on a web site and alerts the grandkids with an e-mail so they can read the letter online. It costs money to send "e-mail" but it's free to receive.
