Britain Chooses SneakerNet For Digital Cinema Network
The BBC is reporting that the world's first ever digital cinema "network" will be constructed during the next year and a half. Some 150 theaters will be outfitted with high-def projectors and servers. You might assume that digital movies would be "downloaded" over high-speed networks, but you'd be wrong. The plan is to load movies onto portable hard drives and physically deliver them to the theaters.
Suspect's Cell Phone Rings, Shows Cops Evidence Of Crime
Two men suspected of shooting people with an AK-47 rifle were in the middle of denying any knowledge of such a weapon when one of their phones rang and sealed their fates. As one cop tried to silence the phone he noticed on-screen "wallpaper" showing one of the suspects holding -- you guessed it! -- an AK-47.
When a Single Camera In Your Phone Just Isn't Enough
Nokia, Samsung, LG and Pantech are all reportedly planning to release phones sporting not one but two cameras in them. The purpose is to offer dedicated camera modules for video and still pictures and enable the video camera to capture your face during calls.
At least 100 seniors at a high school in Korea were caught cheating on the national university entrance exam Wednesday using cell phones. The students reportedly bought 40 phones, rented a motel room and practiced cheating. (It might have been less effort just to study.) Here's how the scam worked: Students pre-identified specific test takers who were really good in certain subjects. Those A students then sent their answers during the test via SMS to scam ring leaders outside the classroom, who then relayed the answers back inside to others still taking the test. Police believe the scam was repeated at an unknown number of schools across the country.
Samsung plans to release in March a mobile phone that lets you zap, slap or tickle the person you're talking to over the phone. Sensations can be selected from a menu, then bundled along with text messages or sent directly and immediately to the phone of the person you're talking to.
Don't Try This At Home: Hamster-Controlled MIDI Sequencer
Cornell University student Levy Lorenzo -- for reasons unknown -- built a hamster-controlled MIDI sequencer. Several hamsters are placed in a special, wired cage. The movements of some produce beats, and others, melody though some engineering techniques that neither the hamsters, nor I, understand. (props to Gizmodo)
It turns out EverQuest II has a hidden pizza command. Just type /pizza and your web browser launches Pizza Hut's online ordering page. Fill in your address and go back to playing the game. The pizza will be delivered. (props to Joystiq) (Update: A Sony executive told AP in a wire piece released February 25 that Sony plans to add auto-payments to the pizza function. Sony will pay for your pizza, then add it to your monthly Everquest bill so you don't have to waste precious game time giving your credit card information.
The Lego People Must Be Stopped: Steve Jobs Character For Sale
An artist named Tomi honored Apple CEO Steve Jobs on his 50th birthday by creating a Jobs Lego character. The PodBrix web site is selling 300 of them at $17 each starting at 9pm Pacific time tonight right here. (props to Cult of Mac)
CNET, The Deal to Launch "Tech Confidential" Print Magazine
The Deal LLC and CNET News.com reportedly inked a deal to work together in launching in May a new bi-monthly print magazine called Tech Confidential. According to a release, the magazine will "present insights on the strategies that companies use to innovate on a global basis," so I have no idea what the magazine will be about. CNET will contribute by handing over articles that already ran on CNET, and in exchange will be allowed to reprint Tech Confidential articles on CNET's news.com site.
The good people at Treo Central posted a review of a flip lid case for the Treo 650 called the i-Volution T66. I usually agree with what I read at Treo Central, but they actually loved this thing. Basically, the case takes the sleekest, most accessible and advanced smart phone in the history of man, and buries it, resulting in a bloated, unwieldy, heavier, noxious-looking flip-phone from the 80s. You have to remove the Treo from this thing to take pictures and synchronize. Dozens of the most brilliant engineering minds in Silicon Valley toiled night and day for two years to squeeze all those features into a relatively thin device. The i-Volution doubles the thickness in an instant. (Of course, I'll probably drop and smash my Treo at some point, and wish I had one of these things...)
Honda Motor will reportedly unveil April 28 plans to add built-in GPS navigation to some of its motorcycles. Voice commands give instructions, and a button on the handlebar controls the device. Just make sure you keep your eyes on the road.
Some computer geeks at Hansei University in Korea have invented a mouse-replacement system that enables you to point, click and move a mouse pointer by moving your nose, tongue and eyelids. (Imagine launching a web site by folding your arms and blinking like "I Dream of Jeannie") A cheap web cam watches you, and special software interprets your spastic facial movements to control the pointer. The invention is promising for people with limited movement, but something of a nightmare for those who suffer from facial ticks. (props to Gizmodo)
Don't Look Now, But Here Comes the 'Hello Kitty' iPod
Japan's Sanrio -- irresponsibly -- is offering a limited-edition Hello Kitty iPod Mini. The 6 gigabyte music player is available in any color you want, as long as you want bubble-gum pink. They're selling only 2,000 starting tomorrow. (props to TechJapan)
The Lego People Must Be Stopped! Robot Hands Play Ukulele
Two Lego enthusiasts named Mike and Jarvis have built a Lego rig that plays reggae on a ukulele. They built two Lego hands mounted to the ukulele, and control them with a remote control unit. They also programmed the hands to play a song by themselves.
If you live in Southern California, put an anti-electromagnetic condom on your cell phone. The Cabir virus, which spreads via Bluetooth, is infecting gadgets in Santa Monica, California.
Several web sites have posted dozens of unauthorized Star Wars III pictures (Warning: Major spoiler info). Check 'em out quick before the Lucas Empire strikes back. They've already shut down a few. Here come the pictures.
I told you in October about a "Gigantor" movie that was coming out and pointed you at a teaser trailer. Now the real trailer is out. Here comes the video.
Forget the Oscars. Here Comes the Product Placement Awards!
Forget the Oscars. Finally there's an award for the REAL business of Hollywood: Product placement. Companies pay millions to buy the "placement" of their product in movies and TV shows. (Have you ever wondered why 99 percent of the PCs in movies are Macs?) Now Brandchannel is honoring those that dishonor the craft of film making. Here comes the Brandchannel Product Placement Awards!
Folks, I'm not making this up: Microsoft is working on a vaccine for HIV. Applying anti-spam software technology, the company is showing how medical researchers can use machine-learning, data-mining and other software techniques to comb through millions of strains of HIV to find the genetic patterns necessary to train a patient's immune system to fight the virus. Here comes the video.
The brand-new Big Tiki Drive from TikiMac is the world's first high-speed USB flash drive in the form of a Tiki idol. (There's probably a good reason why no company has done this before.) The four-inch high peripheral works with Macintosh OS X 10.x and OS 9.2.x computers as well as Windows PCs running ME, 2000, and XP. It's available in 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB and 4GB capacities and costs between $59 and $429. Here comes the video.
Police in Northumbria, UK, are gearing up police dogs with wireless cameras on their frickin' heads so cops can safely monitor what the dogs see as they enter dangerous buildings, chase crooks and sniff the butts of other dogs.
Unanticipated Convergence: Wheels For Your Cell Phone
A nutty Japanese company called Omnicl has introduced stick-on wheels for mobile phones that transform them into toy cars. Why, I have no idea. (props to TechJapan)
Record Cell Calls On Phone Itself With New Software
New software from Israeli startup Natural Widgets called Natural Recorder enables users to automatically record cell phone calls directly on the phone itself. It can be set to record all conversations. The user determines the maximum number of minutes to record; when that maximum is reached, the software erases the oldest calls to make room for the new one. (props to Textually)
