Researchers Come Up With a Device That Produces Energy from Human Breathing

A team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison managed to come up with a device that can produce power from airflow that comes from human breathing.

Initially scientists wanted to create a small and flexible apparatus that would utilize the low airflow speed of about 2 meters per second - a speed of normal respiration.

In order to reach their goal, the team decided to use a plastic microbelt made of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) that vibrates as it is being passed by low-speed airflow. PVDF allows the belt to collect electric charge during mechanical stress.

Microbelt produces enough electrical power from breathing to operate small electronic gadgets. In the image the belt is colored in yellow. The other components of the device make up a simulated lung that produces the airflow.

Scientists believe that someday their invention could be used as a power source incorporated into implantable medical devices.

World's First Battery Powered by Paper

Sony has recently announced it managed to come up with a battery powered by paper. However, the whole process is more complex than simply using a standard paper.

The batteries developed by the Japanese tech giant make use of enzymes in order to break down the glucose found in the cellulose of the paper (which by the way is made of wood pulp fibers).

Sony was able to demonstrate its bio-battery. The demo took place at the Eco-Products exhibition in Tokyo. During the presentation the paper was placed into a mix of water and enzymes. After a couple of minutes the liquid started generating enough power to activate a small fan.

After enzymes broke down the paper, they were left with sugar that was produced from cellulose. Then they were able to process the sugar to produce hydrogen ions and electrons. The latter then went through an outer circuit to produce power. Mixed with oxygen in the air, the hydrogen ions were then able to create H2O.

"This is the same mechanism with which termites eat wood to get energy. Bio batteries are environmentally friendly and have great potential as they use no metals or harmful chemicals," explained Chisato Kitsukawa, a PR manager at Sony.

LG's 55-inch OLED TV panel is world's largest, yet might be affordable

LG Display, a leading innovator of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) technology has developed the world's largest 55-inch OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) TV panel, today. It demonstrates the effective application of AMOLED technology to larger panel sizes at a more cost efficient level.

Dr. Sang Beom Han, CEO and Executive Vice President of LG Display, had this to say about today's announcement: "Our objective has always been to actively define and lead emerging display technology markets. Although OLED technology is seen as the future of TV display, the technology has been limited to smaller display sizes and by high costs, until now. LG Display's 55-inch OLED TV panel has overcome these barriers."

But unfortunately LG says they see the device as a step forward in popularizing the concept of large-sized OLED TVs. In other words, the TV is just a prototype at this point with neither a price tag nor a release date, and we might have to wait years before being able to actually buy one.

IBM predicts mind controlled computers and smartphones in 5 years

With the deployment of Siri on Apple’s iPhone 4S, not to mention the steady improvement of voice recognition technology, it would appear as though one of the ways that we could be controlling our smartphones and gadgets in the future would be accomplished through our voice. IBM on the other hand seems to think that technology would have advanced way ahead and that in five years time, we could be controlling our smartphones using our mind.

As part of their “5 in 5” series, IBM has predicted that by the year 2017, technology would have and could have advanced the point where our brain impulses could be used to transmit commands to our smartphones, thus allowing us to perform functions such as making a phone call or even typing up a message simply by thinking about it.

Is this merely wishful thinking (IBM doesn’t seem to think so), or do you think at the rate we are advancing that such a feat is possible in five years? If you’d like a more in-depth explanation of this “dream” that IBM has, check out the video below for a brief overview.

MIT Researches Create A Camera That Makes Light Look Slow

If you thought slow-mo videos of watermelons being exploded by bullets and chubby, jowled faces recoiling from slaps was as good as it gets, think again: MIT Media Lab has created a camera-and-laser rig that’s capable of capturing one trillion exposures per second; fast enough to visualize the speed of light and to see the effect of individual photons as they collide with surfaces.

This new camera uses a new technology called a streak camera, which uses a narrow slit as its aperture. One of the system’s developers, Media Lab postdoc Andreas Velten, says its the “ultimate” in slow motion. Explaining “There’s nothing in the universe that looks fast to this camera,”.

Particles of light — photons — enter the camera through the slit and pass through an electric field that deflects them in a direction perpendicular to the slit. Because the electric field is changing very rapidly, it deflects late-arriving photons more than it does early-arriving ones.

iControlPad - Transforms Your Smartphone into Wireless Personal Gaming Gadget

Today gamers do not have to sit at home to play their favorite video games. A lot of interesting games are now developed for smartphone. The latter, however, lack the control that gaming consoles have.

With this in mind, the British and German developers have come up with the iControlPad Bluetooth gaming controller. With its help gamers can make use of one directional pad, 4 action buttons, 2 analog gaming controls and Select and Start buttons. The rear of the device has left and right trigger buttons.

The device is compatible with nearly all smartphones. You simple have to attach your phone to the device and play. It also has a metal clamp to hold the handset securely over the controller (check out the image).

Initially the gadget was created as a clip-over, wired smartphone gaming controller but since then it has turned into a stand-alone wireless due to an incorporated Bluetooth module. This device can be connected to almost any tablet computer and fully-grown gaming consoles.

The controller has been tested with several smartphones for compatibility. The list of handsets tested with the iControlPad includes: Blackberry Torch, Samsung's Galaxy2 and 2S, the iPhone, HTC's Desire HD and the LG Optimus S.

Besides, the built-in 1350mAh battery can not only power the device, but also charge a smartphone using a USB adapter. Here's also a flash chip that can be used for upgrades.

The gadget can be used as an alternative for a Bluetooth mouse, keyboard, and Human Interface Device (HID) joypad.

BiKN - System that Helps You Find Lost Items

In case you often forget where you put your car keys then the BiKN (pronounced beacon) is the device for you.

The gadget represents a tracking system composed of an iPhone case, a special application and up to 8 tags that the user can attach to various items that are often forgotten.

BiKN is always there to help its user locate missing items. It can also be used to instantly located the current location on your child.

The device's case includes a black or white base that slides into an electronic unit used to gain accesses to the handset via its 30-pin connector.

It is possible to recharge the phone by placing it in the case. The latter can also track radio frequency tags that can be attached onto key chains, bags, or children's clothing. However, it should be noted that both the tags and case must be charged in order to function. The BiKN application informs about the current level of battery life.


There are 3 ways in which the user can keep track of their items or children. If Find mode is activated, the app is used to find lost items with the help of a visual display and an audio tone. In case the Leash mode is turned on, the user will hear an alarm on both the case and the tag, if a tagged item goes beyond a pre-determined distance from the case. The third mode is called Page mode and with its help the user can program several tags and/or other bases to sound an alert, which has the goal of catching the attention of tag-wearing people.

Due to the fact that the Leash and Page modes do note require the use of the application, they can be used when the handset is turned off.

New-Generation Contact Lenses Could Send Data from Internet Right to Your Eyes

Nearly everyday we can witness the appearance of new computers that are smaller in size than their predecessors. A lot of people around the world use their smartphones to surf the web, play games and use a myriad of applications, either for entertainment, business or both.

In case such trend continues to progress, in the future we could witness the appearance on the market of contact lenses that can project the user's emails right onto their eyeballs.

A group of researchers at Washington University has recently carried out tests of a new-gen contact lenses that can make it possible for their wearer to read emails and augment their vision with various data collected from the Internet.

The circuits inside the lenses are made of layers of metal that are just a few nanometers thick and include light-emitting diodes that are 1/3rd of a millimeter across.

But researchers still have to think about ways to supply power to these lenses. The lenses that have been tested work only in case there are several centimeters away from a wireless battery. There re also other issues that the team has to solve, like those linked with toxic chemicals.

According to researchers, in future their lenses could show complex holographic imagery - price comparison data, for example - when the user will look at a particular product.

Such invention could be widely used in medical field and home entertainment...

New Wireless Ultra-Mini Touchpad Keyboard

If you want to control your computer from a distance, there are all sorts of wireless devices, and if you’re looking for a similar device, today we might have the right thing for you!!

Wireless Ultra-Mini Touchpad Keyboard is a small and light keyboard that comes from SMK-Link Electronics Corporation and it is fully compatible with PC and Mac computers. With Wireless Ultra-Mini Touchpad Keyboard you can remotely send text messages, browse the web, and do all the things that you would usually do, but from a comfort of your favorite chair. As for the distance, this device can control your computer remotely from up to 30 feet distance. This keyboard has standard QWERTY keyboard, capacitive touchscreen, 20 function keys, seven hot keys and a dedicated Windows Media Center button...

Energy From Footsteps? Totally Possible With Pavegen

Simply put, you step on a Pavegen tile and it powers a small lithium battery. The energy stored can then be distributed to nearby city-owned infrastructure like street lamps or traffic lights. At least that’s the set up Pavegen are aiming to transform. This might be in a sidewalk near you sooner than you think.

Pavegen Systems are a small company who want to bring sustainable solutions to a crowded sidewalk somewhere. Thanks to the abundance of (mostly wasted) kinetic energy produced by purposeful everyday footwork, Pavegen tiles absorb countless steps and convert these into a viable power source. Problem is, when pedestrian traffic vanishes at certain hours—like night time for example—what then?

Turns out Pavegen is also designed to store energy. Each tile is made of recycled materials and stainless steel, engineered to be weather proof as well. They’re also tough enough to withstand lots of pressure. Probably the best place for Pavegen are large metropolitan areas. London and Tokyo come to mind. In fact, Pavegen’s biggest client to date is the upcoming London Olympics.

iPort LaunchPort chargers your iPad2 wirelessly

Charging your devices is always a tedious process, especially if you’re using wires and cables, and if you don’t want to deal with wires anymore, company iPort has released an interesting wireless charger for iPad 2, that might be perfect for you.

Latest charger from iPort is called LaunchPort and it is comprised out of three parts: a hard case for your iPad 2 with a built-in inductive charger, BaseStation charger that can be placed on any flat surface and a WallStation charger that mounts on your wall. As for the system, it works simple, and all that you have to do in order to recharge your iPad 2 is to place it on BaseStation or WallStation and the recharging process will start automatically.

If you’re tired from wires, iPort LaunchPort can be the perfect wireless charger for you, and we should see iPort LaunchPort available in the fourth quarter of 2011. As for the price, it remains unknown at the moment.

Helmet that Charges Cell Phones Using Solar and Wind Power

The latest invention coming from Pragnesh Dudhaiya and Aalok Bhatt, two students studying electrical engineering at the Nirma University in Ahmedabad, is a helmet that can be used as a cell phone charger.

By harnessing solar and wind energy, the helmet is able to charge a cell phone in about 40 minutes. The students announced that they are going to file for a patent for their latest invention. It is worth mentioning that the number of accidents in the city increases and more people get serious injuries due to the fact that they do not wear helmets.

According to Pragnesh and Aalok, their helmet will motivate people to use head protection while on the road. To be able to come up with the innovation, the students needed only three days. During the day the helmet uses solar energy to charge a cell phone, and at night it harnesses wind energy. Pragnesh mentioned that the price for helmet will be Rs. 1,000 (about $22).

Microsoft confirms USB 3.0 support for Windows 8

All PC users are waiting for Windows 8 with anticipation because it will feature all sorts of improvements, and if you’re waiting for Windows 8 as well, then we’re happy to inform you that Microsoft has just confirmed USB 3.0 support in Windows 8.

Today, most devices are using USB 2.0 connectivity, but as you know, that technology will surely be replaced with USB 3.0 in the near future, so it’s really no surprise to see that Windows 8 will have USB 3.0 support. We also have to mention that Microsoft won’t add USB 3.0 support on top of the USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 software stack, and it will write entirely new software stack for USB 3.0 instead, while keeping the USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 stacks separated.

Support for USB 3.0 in Windows 8 isn’t anything unexpected since we’re seeing more USB 3.0 devices with each passing day, but if you don’t own any USB 3.0 devices, don’t worry, Windows 8 will still have support for USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 devices.

Sulsa - World's First Plane Created Using 3D Printer

Making objects using 3D printers is not new today. Recently a group of researchers from the University of Southampton managed to come up with the world's first 3D printed aircraft.

The team also managed to make the plane is just one week. They also carried out the first test flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The trial took place at a site north of Stonehenge.

It would be interesting to note that the cost of the project was GBP5,000 and the name of the plane is Sulsa (short for Southampton University Laser Sintered Aircraft).

In order to make the plane more lightweight researchers decided to design it without undercarriage. They also equipped their aircraft with an electric-motor, making it eco-friendly. The wingspan of the UAV is 1.5 meters and it was printed out using hard nylon provided by 3T RPD, a company from Greenham Common, Berkshire.

According to the group of researchers led by Andy Keane and Jim Scanlan, 3D printing could bring a revolution in the field of aircraft design. They believe that in the future an unmanned plane might be printed out and built in just a few days.

Thanko Presents UDGZDC8M - Device that Combines Binoculars and Digital Camera

One of the most popular gadget developers in Japan, Thanko, recently unveiled a device called sophisticatedly UDGZDC8M, which combines binoculars and digital camera.

The gadget boasts a 4x digital zoom (8x zoom for binoculars). You can expand its memory using an SD/MMC card, with the device supporting up to 16GB.

In addition, its 8Mp digital camera can shoot photos at a resolution of 4,032×3,024. Among other features you can find a 1.5-inch TFT LCD and a USB 1.1 port.

You will also be able to shoot AVI videos in QVGA quality (320×240 at 30fps).

The device weights 450 grams and is available for $ 284.79.

World's First Self-Thinking Unmanned Stealth Aircraft

The world's largest defense contractor, BAE Systems, which also focuses on security and aerospace, has presented its semi-autonomous unmanned stealth aircraft called Taranis.

Using this new-gen aircraft it would be possible to bring cargo to the enemy's territory without notice and without any pilot. But the most interesting feature is that Taranis can think for itself.

The presentation of the aircraft took place in the U.K. where Taranis joined a number of other stealth unmanned aircrafts that are currently in the development stage.

It is worth mentioning that the unmanned stealth aircraft represents a part of the British initiative for the Ministry of Defense.

Some special equipment for the aircraft has not been developed yet and the first prototype will not carry weapons, but it will include two weapon bays.

"Should such systems enter into service, they will at all times be under the control of highly trained military crews on the ground," stated the British defense contractor.

Vibration-Powered Generating Battery

Brother Industries Ltd managed to come up with a vibration-powered generating battery that can be used to charge various portable devices.

The company's latest invention can be used to replace AA and AAA batteries and power gadgets that consume around 100 mW, such as flashlight or remote control.

Technically the device represents a small generator, which was developed in a way to fit in a battery-shaped case. Besides the generator, the case also features a capacitor that has a capacitance of around 500 mF.

Brother Industries Ltd thought about creating prototypes in which both the generator and the capacitor fit in a single case, and models in which the two have their own cases, with the case of the capacitor having a greater voltage.

In order to recharge the flashlight or other portable device, the user simply needs to shake it. The Techno-Frontier 2010 exhibition, in Tokyo, is where Brother Industries' latest invention was officially presented for the first time.

At the exhibition, the company's representatives carried out a demonstration that will include using the invention in an LED flashlight, a TV remote control, and a RC for lighting equipment.

Intel's Technology Allows Transmitting Thoughts to Computer Interface

In future it could be possible to send your thoughts to computer interfaces, without having any special chip implanted into your brain.

Researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University teamed up with those at the University of Pittsburgh to work on Intel's Human Brain project that involves the transmission of thought to the computer.

It would be interesting to note that the project makes use of EEG, fMRI, and magnetoencephalography in order to deduce what a person is thinking of based on their model of neural activity.

However, currently the process can only work with about 1,000 concrete nouns and is only able to state the difference between two nouns at a time. For example, if a person is thinking about the word "arm" the algorithm cannot tell on its on if the user is actually thinking about this word, but it is able to understand whether a person is thinking about "arm" or "shirt" or other nouns within the vocabulary.

According to Intel, the new algorithm is quite accurate, being able to figure out the person's thoughts in 9 out of 10 times.

The company hopes that in the future users will be able to wear a special headset that would allow them to control different computer devices. Currently the technology is far from being available commercially. Intel says that its new technology will be ready in about 10 year, but only if things go according to the plan.

Low-Cost Invisible Computer Mouse

A team from MIT's Media Lab needed only a few dollars to create their latest invention - an invisible computer mouse.

Researchers Pranav Mistry, Pattie Maes and Liyan Chang used an infrared laser beam and infrared tracking camera to develop a system that reads the movement of a user's hand and then translates it onto the display in form of a cursor.

It is worth mentioning that the laser beam's plane is aimed slightly above the surface of the user area and after the user's hand takes the form as if it is holding a computer mouse, the beam breaks at the points where each finger comes into contact with the surface.


Afterwards the infrared tracking camera registers the movements of the hand and interprets them accordingly. The camera can identify such actions as clicking and double-clicking.

Currently the team is working on improving the tracking and identification algorithms in their latest invention in order to obtain a large list of different commands, which could lead in the future to multi-touch gesturing.

The developers claim that their system has cost $20. Check out the video below to see how the system works.

Smart ATM can remember your face, fingerprints and voice

ATM machines aren’t that safe because anyone can access them if he has a PIN code and your credit card, and in order to improve the security of these devices Russian company is designing a new type of ATMs.

According to reports, Sberbank is currently testing several technologies such as vocal lie detection developed by Speech Technology Center. This software works like an average lie detector, and it measures emotional distress and nervousness. In addition, this software also analyzes the shape of your voice, and it can easily detect vibrations in your speech. Besides lie detector, this new type of ATM uses 3D facial mapping and recognition, as well as fingerprint scanning. Of course, this ATM still relies on customer’s credit card and history for identity verification.

Sberbank has decided to improve the security of its ATMs, and although this is a good thing, people are concerned about their privacy. However, Sberbank claims that they are not violating their clients’ privacy, so we can only wait and see how these ATMs work in action.

TouchPal Keyboard – the newest ultimate app for text input?

Entering text on a smartphone device can be a troublesome process especially if you’re not keen on mastering this skill. Luckily, there are all sorts of apps, such as Swype, that can make input process a lot simpler on touchscreen smartphones, now there’s yet another new app available called TouchPal Keyboard.

TouchPal Keyboard works in a similar way as Swype, so in order to enter a word, you just simply need to move your finger over the letters that you want to use. Thanks to the predictive text input similar to the one on SwiftKey app, you’ll get the list of the suggested words at the top of your keyboard so you can choose them quickly with a single touch. Of course, if you’re not a fan of sliding your finger all over the screen to enter a word, you can simply type the words and you’ll get the same suggestion box at the top of your keyboard so you’ll be able to enter words quickly.

TouchPal Keyboard is a great app that will be useful to many people, as for availability, TouchPal Keyboard will be available for both Android and iOS devices soon.

New computer technologies shown to expose personal information

Facial recognition software, social networking and cloud computing ... they're all technological advances that alone have thrown up questions regarding privacy. According to a recent Carnegie Mellon University study, however, the three technologies can be combined to learn peoples' identities and other personal information about them, starting with just a photograph of their face.

"A person's face is the veritable link between her offline and online identities," said Alessandro Acquisti, associate professor of information technology and public policy, and leader of the study. "When we share tagged photos of ourselves online, it becomes possible for others to link our face to our names in situations where we would normally expect anonymity."

Acquisti's team used "off-the-shelf" PittPatt face recognition software, cloud computing, and publicly-accessible information from social networking sites to identify individuals based both on photographs posted online, and on photos that the researchers took themselves in the real world.

In one experiment, they were able to accurately identify people whose pictures were posted on an online dating service, where the members only use pseudonyms to identify themselves. In a second experiment, they were able to identify students walking on the campus grounds, by taking photographs of them, then matching those up with their Facebook profile photos.

In a third experiment, they were able to predict personal interests and in some cases even the first five digits of the social security numbers of students, starting with nothing but a photograph. Apparently, knowing a student's date and place of birth was sufficient to guess their social security number "with great accuracy."

Overall, they were able to identify about one third of the people whose photos they analyzed.

The Carnegie Mellon team even created a one-off augmented reality smartphone app that displayed personal information about individuals in real time, as the phone's camera was trained on their face.

"The seamless merging of online and offline data that face recognition and social media make possible raises the issue of what privacy will mean in an augmented reality world," said Acquisti.

His team's findings will be presented this Thursday at the Black Hat Briefings security conference in Las Vegas.

Transparent Glass Able to Generate Electricity

Due to a number of important breakthroughs in the field of science and technology made it possible for New Energy Technologies to come up with its latest invention - the world's first glass window that can produce electricity.

The company was able to develop a glass window able to generate power using the world's smallest working organic solar cells.

These organic solar cells were created by Dr. Xiaomei Jiang at the University of South Florida, reports GreenDiary.

In contrast to the conventional solar systems, the solar cells developed by New Energy Technologies can produce power from both natural and artificial sources of light. These solar cells show a 10 times better performance than the solar and thin-film technologies used today.

Device that Projects Spoken Words on Glasses

Designer Kaitlyn Fox is the author of a device for people with hearing problems.

The gadget features a microphone and a built-in mini-computer. It is mounted on a pair of glasses and is able to record a person's speech and afterwards transform it into text that is displayed on the glasses.

Thus people who suffer from hearing loss can read the text and understand what other people are saying.

Fox's latest invention is called the EyeHear. This device makes use of special speech-to-text software that can convert spoken works into text. The latter is then displayed onto the bottom of the glasses' lens with the help of a small pico-projector. Everything is made in real-time.

Videotel V2200 DVD Player Can Run 24 Hours a Day for Years

Videotel V2200 DVD Player from Videotel is not just an ordinary DVD player - its most impressive feature is the ability to run 24 hours a day for five years.

The device comes with an 18 months warranty. It can auto start, skip unwanted commercials and menus and features an auto repeat function.

In case the main unit has problems, there will be no need to buy a new one - the user will only have to replace the internal loader for $ 168. The new loader can run for 3 to 5 years.

The Videotel V2200 DVD Player comes at a price of $ 286. But if you decided to place bulk order, you will pay $ 255.

Luxurious Yacht that Transforms Into Airplane

The French cabin designer for Airbus Yelken Octuri has come up with an idea of creating a yacht that can fly. He wanted to make a vehicle that would combine his talent as an aircraft designer and his passion of the seas.

Despite the fact that the luxurious "Flying Yacht" is so far only a design and considered by most a science fiction, it gathered a lot of attention when it was exhibited at Paris' Air and Space Museum.

However, the designer's idea may not a far from being brought into life. Octuri has already been approached by several engineers and airplane designers who were willing to actually realize the concept.

Octuri says that his 46-meter "Flying Yacht" can turn into an airplane using its mobile masts. When it is on the water, the four 40-meters high mobile masts can be individually adjusted using a double-jack system, which ensures best possible positioning, regardless of wind direction.

In case the "Flying Yacht" needs to be transformed into a jetplane, the masts are lowered, thus becoming horizontal wings. A point to note is that onboard the "Flying Yacht" there is a lower deck that includes main room, kitchen and toilet, and the upper deck, featuring three plush bedrooms and a luxurious bathroom.

Smart Book - Netbook that Turns Into Tablet, Touchscreen Smartphone

Recently Always Innovating has unveiled a device that really deserves a lot of attention.

The gadget is called Smart Book and the most interesting feature about this device is that can turn from a tablet into a netbook and vice-versa.

Apart from other devices like Fujitsu Lifebook T580 or Dell's Inspiron Duo tablet, the Smart Book from Always Innovating does not fold out or spins the display in order to turn into a handset or tablet.

The device features a removable screen that can be easily separated from the computer and become a tablet PC and a handset.

The tablet can be used for various purposes, including making VoIP phone calls. It is powered by an ARM Cortex-A8 processor with 512MB of RAM and 256MB of NAND flash storage. In addition, you get an 8G microSD card.

This Smart Book can run anything between Ubuntu Linux, Google Chrome or Android. You can view 720p HD videos on the device's 8.9 inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.

The Smart Book also has WiFi, Bluetooth for connectivity and 3 separate batteries: 12000mAh battery found in the keyboard, 6000mAh and 1500mAh batteries located in the tablet and handset respectively.

7 unique and creative uses for Google+

Other than being a social network, Google+ has the potential to become a journal or blog, an educational tool and even a podcasting tool. In no particular order, here are a few creative ways that you can use Google+.

Use Google+ to keep a travel journal

With its location-aware feature, both in the browser and mobile app, Google+ is the ideal tool for travel writers and anyone who wants to keep a detailed record of their trips. Google+’s mobile app is particularly useful when it comes to travel writing. Snap a photo, attach your location, and share it with your followers instantly.

Google+ as a blog

The setup can be compared to Tumblr, where you can share different types of media with your circles. That said, certain features do need to be implemented for this to be worth your while, including a search function, and some sort of SEO functionality to ensure that traffic is driven to your blog. It’s probably safe to assume that this won’t be much of an issue for Google. Other features that could come in handy include Google Analytics integration and possibly even themed profiles.

Google+ as an educational tool

Google+’s hangout feature can also be pretty handy in a variety of scenarios. Students from universities all over the world could have an online study group or brainstorming session. If Twitter can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom, Google+ adds a vast amount of features that blow Twitter out of the water.

Teachers can create Circles that include students from any given class, and share reminders, information, assignments and more through Google+. It can also be used to encourage class participation in the same way that Twitter is used here. Circles make it easier than ever to share content with specific people, provided everyone has created an identical Circle of course.

Use Google+ to crowdsource

Once Google+ is open to the public, it has great potential to be used as a crowdsourcing platform. Circles are to Google+ what hashtags are to Twitter. Using Circles to keep the information organized or labeled, people can contribute links, photos, and videos on any given topic.

If Google+ was to implement public Circles, crowdsourcing could thrive on the site. Giving users the option to create public circles, and allowing others to follow or mirror them, this would make it incredibly easy for a large group of people to share information.

This kind of use will of course only be truly useful with certain features the site is in desperate need of including, ironically, search.

Google+ as a podcasting tool

Over at Phandroid, they’ve come up with a way to use Google+ to create video podcasts using Hangouts. Most blogs, The Next Web included, have international teams who rarely find themselves in the same room together. Google+ gives these kinds of teams an easy way to create an online video podcast to share with their readers.

Phandroid has shared detailed instructions on how to set it up. The first step is to create a private Hangout with each of the members involved in the podcast. With Google+’s current restrictions, you can have up to 10 people participate in the podcast, which is plenty.

Of course, in order to share the podcast with others, you have to record the video on your screen. Phandroid recommends Camtasia to get this done, but if you’d prefer to use free software, you can go with something like Jing.

If Google+ enabled private participation but public viewership of Hangouts, it gives bloggers, and just about anyone who wants to create an online discussion or panel, the vehicle to do so. A comment on Phandroid’s video suggests a “record to YouTube” feature, which would eliminate the need for software like Camtasia. The possibilities are endless.

With a feature like that, Google+ has the potential to be used as a live-blogging tool where users can leave comments on live video podcasts. I don’t know about you, but I think that sounds pretty cool.

If you want to see this in action, check out Phandroid’s video below:



Google+ as a bookmarking service

There are many great online bookmarking services that you might already be plugged into, like Diigo, Delicious or even Google Bookmarks. That said, Google+ can actually be used as a private or public bookmarking service, depending on your preference.

If you want to create a private space to save your bookmarks, simply go to your Circles and create a new one without adding anyone to it. You can then share links to that private circle, and browse your saved links by visiting the Circle’s page.

Again, this is another concept that will only really come into its own once Google+ has a search feature, after which labeling bookmarks in the description box will make it easy to categorize your links.

Get directions from your friends

To get the most out of this concept, it’s best to create a circle ahead of time with your local friends who you don’t mind sharing your location with.

If you’re out and about and become lost, you can share your location with your friends so they know exactly where you are. They can then give you exact directions, preferably on the phone and not on Google+, on how to get to where you want to go, without going to the trouble of describing where you are. As a plus, if they’re at a computer, there’s no harm in writing the directions for you. If you completely lack a sense of direction, like I do, I’m sure those extra details would be appreciated.

Apple Developing New Charging Method For 2012 iPhone?

A new report published by the WSJ has revealed that Apple is currently looking at new ways to charge its six generation iPhone without the need for cables.

Its still unclear as to what method of iPhone charging Apple is working on, but induction charging might be a preferred way, allowing you to place your iPhone on a charging pad to top up your battery. This new method of charging and Apple’s new cloud storage might see the end of sync cables and docks.

Investors expect a bigger boost to Apple’s phone business next year. People briefed on Apple’s plans said the company is planning a major iPhone revamp then, with one person saying the company has been experimenting with features such as a new way of charging the phone.

Toshiba Qosmio F750 glasses-free 3D laptop to arrive in August

Toshiba has unveiled its first glasses-free 3D laptop - the Toshiba Qosmio F750-10Q. Powered by Intel Core i7 CPU, the laptop features a lenticular glasses-free 3D display, a full HD 15.6-inch screen and eye-tracking technology based on a HD web camera that maintains the 3D effect while the user moves. Both 2D and 3D content can be displayed simultaneously and the Qosmio F750 comes with a built-in Blu-ray XL drive capable of burning 128GB disks.

The Qosmio F750-10Q utilizes a lenticular display, which projects two sets of images at the same time, splitting them between the left and right eye. The built-in webcam "intelligently tracks the user's eye movements, allowing the Qosmio F750-10Q to adjust the 3D effect to match the eye position," Toshiba says. According to Engadget's hands-on, the technology deals with the common glasses-free 3D gadgets' "sweet spot" problem well when being viewed by one person at a time.

The laptop is also capable of converting 2D DVD content into 3D in real time. The CPU is an Intel Core 2.0GHz i7-2630QM and there's a NVIDIA GeForce 540M GPU on board. The Qosmio F750 also features Harman Kardon stereo speakers, a HDMI port, 1 x USB 3.0 port, Bluetooth 3.0, 640GB (7200rpm) HDD and 6GB DDR3 (1333MHz) RAM. It measures 387.6 x 266.8 x 31.6 - 36.7 mm (15.2 x 10.5 x 1.2-1.4 inches) and weighs 2.9 kg (6.4 lbs).

Asus presented its yet to be released, glasses-free Asus ROG G53 3D PC during CeBIT fair in March 2011, but the Toshiba Qosmio F750 looks set to be the first glasses-free 3D laptop on the market. The laptop joins Toshiba's REGZA GL1 television in the company's line of glasses-free 3D devices.

Here’s how to start using Facebook Video Calling now!

Facebook today said it is teaming up with Skype to bring video chat capabilities to users of the world's largest social network.

In a press conference at the company's Palo Alto, Calif. headquarters this afternoon, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's co-founder, unveiled the video calling and group chat capabilities.

The announcements come nearly a week after Zuckerberg teased that the company was working on an "awesome" event.

"The video calling is so great and it's so easy," said Zuckerberg, who today also confirmed reports that Facebook has surpassed 750 million users. "Your least-technical friend is going to be able to get online with video chat and get connected. You'll connect with your friends on the social network that already has all your friends."

To start video calling now, visit http://www.facebook.com/videocalling and click Get Started.



Once you’ve clicked the button, Facebook will lead you through the process of starting to use Video Calling. First, you’ll need to install an app, this may require that you allow it in your browser.



Once you’ve got it installed, you can request a chat with any available friend by starting a chat and clicking on the video camera icon.



Your friend will need to install the Video Calling app as well, once they have, you can start chatting!



If your friend is unavailable, you can record a video message to let them know you tried to reach them.

Supercharging touchscreen interaction, with Ringbow

Without a doubt, touchscreen technology has brought a whole new level of interaction with our devices. Israel's Efrat Barit and Saar Shai, however, believe that the functionality of touch-enabled devices could be greatly enhanced with the development of their Ringbow concept. Worn on the index finger, the ring-like device can be programmed to add extra capabilities to existing actions, activate entirely new touch options, or liberate the user's hands from the surface of the display for Kinect-like, spatial control over touchscreen device operation.

The evaluation prototype of the Ringbow concept is currently being issued to a limited number of application developers to test the kind of functionality and ergonomics destined for the production model. It communicates with a touchscreen device via Bluetooth and presently works only with the Android platform, but will be opened up for development on all touch-based platforms. It also looks a good deal chunkier than the product renderings on the company's website, but that's probably to be expected at this stage in the process.

To the side of the device and within easy reach of the thumb is a programmable 5-way directional control button. This can be used to add contextual flavors to existing touchscreen interaction, to toggle between menus or different interface displays, or to cater for the manipulation of virtual interface elements and their properties, or of offscreen visuals, and much more.


For example, the up, down, left, right and push inputs could be programmed to correspond to visual elements in a game or application, or add specific functionality to certain actions. Touching a point on the screen might open a browser, while touching the same point with the Ringbow activated might open the browser and head to a favorite site or simultaneously open a widget or app. Gamers needn't bother stretching for a weapon's magazine reload key, as this could be taken care of by the Ringbow.

The wireless nature of its connectivity also means that multi-touch input could be married with spatial gesture-based commands to improve performance and functionality, and certain interactions needn't require the user to touch the screen at all.

The current clip-on prototype sports a glowing strip to indicate device status and battery level, with charging undertaken via an onboard micro-USB port. Each Ringbow can be given its own unique ID so that different users can interact with the same touchscreen display, for collaborative work or multi-player gaming.

New ultraviolet laser technology could increase storage capacity of optical disc media

Although ultraviolet semiconductor diode lasers are widely used in data processing, information storage and biology, their applications have been limited by the lasers' size, cost and power. Now researchers at the University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering have overcome these problems by developing a new semiconductor nanowire laser technology that could be used to provide denser optical disc storage, superfast data processing and transmission and even to change the function of a living cell.

The breakthrough comes in the form of zinc oxide nanowire waveguide laser technology that the team says offers smaller sizes, lower costs, higher powers and shorter wavelengths than the current generation of ultraviolet lasers based on gallium nitride.

Until now, zinc oxide nanowires couldn't be used in real world light emission applications because of the lack of p-type (positive type) material needed by all semiconductors. Jianlin Liu, a professor of electrical engineering, and his colleagues solved this problem and created the p-type material by doping the zinc oxide nanowires with a metalloid element known as antimony.

They connected the p-type zinc oxide nanowires with n-type (negative type) zinc oxide material to form a device called a p-n junction node, that when powered by a battery results in highly directional laser light being emitted from the ends of the nanowires.

"People in the zinc oxide research community throughout the world have been trying hard to achieve this for the past decade," Liu said. "This discovery is likely to stimulate the whole field to push the technology further."

The team says the discovery could have a wide range of impacts. Because ultraviolet has a shorter wavelength than other lights, such as red used to read DVDs and violet used to read Blu-ray discs (even though Blu-ray lasers are referred to as "blue" they are in the violet range), the zinc oxide nanowires could be used to create denser optical disc storage.

The discovery also has applications in the fields of biology and medical therapeutics. Since the ultra-small laser light beam from a nanowire laser can penetrate a living cell, it could be used to excite the cell or change its function. It could also be used to purify drinking water.

Meanwhile, in the field of photonics, the ultraviolet light could provide superfast data processing and transmission and could also lead to the development of ultraviolet wireless communication technology, which is potentially better than state-of-the-art infrared communications technologies currently used in various electronic information systems.

Although the team has demonstrated the p-type doping of zinc oxide and electrically powered nanowire waveguide lasing in the ultraviolet range, Liu admits more work still needs to be done with the stability and reliability of the p-type material.

Scosche freeKEY roll-up wireless keyboard

Even though tablet computers are flying off the shelves at quite a pace, less-than-satisfying onscreen keyboard input can lead many to seek a more comfortable alternative. Scosche Industries has released a water-resistant, wireless solution which can be rolled-up so that, like the folding Bluetooth keyboards we've seen, it can easily be taken along for the ride.

Compatible with Windows, Android, Mac OS X and iOS operating platforms, the 12.4 x 4.44 x 0.43-inch (315 x 113 x 11 mm) freeKEY silicone keyboard has a wireless Bluetooth 2.0 range of up to 30 feet (10 meters)
and once paired with a device, there should be no need to re-pair.


The keyboard surface reminds of the kind of spongy keys you'd find on a ZX Spectrum way back when, and to its left is a rectangular block that contains the Li-ion battery, power switch and mini-USB charging port. On the top of this block, there's a connect button flanked on either side by LED status and charge indicators.

The roll-up, splash-proof freeKEY comes shipped with a retractable USB charging cable and costs US$59.99.

Retro telephone gets 21st century update

While most phones are getting smaller and being crammed with non-phone functionality, the "Sixty" cordless phone from French company Sagemcom harks back to an earlier age of domestic communications ... with an injection of 21st Century design and technology.

The Sixty delivers a new twist on the 1960's Bakelite telephone by transforming the stocky rotary form into a folded, slimline design and adding a digital time fascia and capacitive touchscreen. The non-retro functionality includes hands-free calling, caller ID, 150 name and number phone book, phone conferencing, multiple languages, and an integrated digital answer machine.

The drilling bell tone of yore has been replaced with more modern polyphonic ringtones, although these include a reproduction of the original "ring ring" for those who want to retain some of the old-skool feel. There's also rotating lights and sound effects during dialing.

ArmKeypad – NEC developing tap-control interface for portable devices

Fiddling with small buttons or touchscreens on your mobile device when you're running, riding a bike or even just crossing the street can be a frustrating – and dangerous – endeavor. NEC is looking to solve this dilemma by developing a system that enables users to operate devices by just tapping their arm. The ArmKeypad is made up of acceleration sensors worn on each wrist that determine the area of the arm tapped by a user and translate this into different input commands via a Bluetooth link.

Announced by NEC and spied at Interaction 2011 by DigInfo TV, the system can detect whether the arm has been tapped by the left or right hand or if the user has clapped their hands. It can measure the strength of the tapping vibration and the tap's location on the arm.

One of the obvious applications is to control music while running allowing the user to stop and start the music, adjust the volume and select tracks.

Simpler and easier to learn that a gesture control systems, NEC says the commands are "easy to remember and are nearly free from input errors."

The company intends to refine the technology to about the size of a watch or wristband and a commercial version is expected in one or two years.

If tapping isn't your thing, you might have to hold out for systems that turn your arm itself into a touchscreen to reach maturity.

Medical tech company creates world's smallest video camera

Medigus has developed the world's smallest video camera at just 0.039-inches (0.99 mm) in diameter. The Israeli company's second-gen model (a 1.2 mm / 0.047-inch diameter camera was unveiled in 2009) has a dedicated 0.66x0.66 mm CMOS sensor from TowerJazz that captures images at 45K resolution (approximately 220 x 220 pixels) and no, it's not destined for use in tiny mobile phones or covert surveillance devices, instead the camera is designed for medical endoscopic procedures in hard to reach regions of the human anatomy.

The miniature cameras are made with bio-compatible compnents and are suitable for diagnostic and surgical procedures. Potential applications include cardiology, bronchoscopy, gastroenterology, gynecology, and orthopedic and robotic surgery.

"Medical procedures that have not been possible until now become possible with the world's smallest camera," said Dr. Elazar Sonnenschein, CEO for Medigus Ltd.

The camera will be integrated into Medigus' own disposable endoscopic devices as well as sold to third-party manufacturers.

Medigus says it will begin supplying camera samples to US and Japanese manufacturers in coming weeks.

South Korea to digitize all textbooks by 2015, provide tablets for school kids

South Korea’s Education Ministry has announced plans to trash the textbook tomes that weigh down the bags of students and replace them with digitized versions. Primary schools will be first, with their educational materials digitized by 2014, followed by secondary and high schools in 2015. The scheme, dubbed “Smart Education”, will allow students to read their materials on a variety of electronic devices, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, and internet-connected smart TVs. There’s no mention, however, of whether the project will also be rolled out to the students with the largest textbooks: undergraduates.

Some 2.2 trillion yon ($2 billion) will be spent on the project. The digitizing of educational materials will obviously consume some of that funding, but most of the money will probably be spent on the infrastructure for distributing the materials — i.e. tablets and smartphones for students. The South Korean government hasn’t revealed whether it will use a commodity tablet like the homegrown Samsung Galaxy Tab, or create a new device specifically for educational purposes. Given the planned cross-platform interoperability, though, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some kind of HTML5ish solution — and if that’s the case, then students will be able to use whatever tablet they like.

To back up this complete overhaul of the system the Education Ministry gave some interesting (but rather obvious?) facts about Korean students. Not only are they the most computer-literate students in the world, but according to a recent OECD report, they are also the most amenable to computer-based learning. “That’s why Korean students, who are already fully prepared for digital society, need a paradigm shift in education,” said an official from the Ministry.

The same OECD report, incidentally, showed that computer use at school didn’t actually have much of an impact on exam results. Computer use at home, on the other hand, created a much more marked improvement in results. The report goes on to suggest that computers should be further integrated into the teaching curriculum — and that’s exactly what Korea is now planning to do.

Genius wireless Ring Mouse released

Genius has announced the release of its Wireless Thumb Cursor Controller, or ring mouse for short. The clicking and scrolling action of the lightweight mouse replacement is thumb-controlled, its proprietary optical touch technology offers users 1000 dpi sensitivity and it's said to last a month between charges.

The 1.15 x 1.32 x 1.25-inch (29.3 x 33.7 x 32 mm), 0.42 ounce (12 g) Ring Mouse has 2.4GHz wireless connectivity with a range of around 30 feet (10 meters), and links to a USB nano/pico receiver slotted into a spare port on a Windows-based computer or laptop. Worn on the index finger, left and right click and optical touch control tracking technology are set around the top for thumb control of an onscreen cursor.

Although its primary use is likely to be controlling a projected presentation or photo slideshow, it should also prove useful as a travel laptop mouse, for those who regularly find themselves having to work in cramped conditions, or for those who just don't like to use a trackpad. The tracking sensitivity might also make it useful for mobile gamers.

Thin-film flexible 'Paperphone' created

Researchers from the Human Media Lab at Canada's Queen's University have created a fully-functioning floppy E-Ink smartphone, which they also refer to as a paper computer. Like its thicker, rigid-bodied counterparts, the Paperphone can do things like making and receiving calls, storing e-books, and playing music. Unlike them, however, it conforms to the shape of its user's pocket or purse, and can even be operated through bending actions.

"This computer looks, feels and operates like a small sheet of interactive paper," said its creator, Roel Vertegaal, who is also the director of the Human Media Lab. "You interact with it by bending it into a cell phone, flipping the corner to turn pages, or writing on it with a pen."


The device has a 9.5-cm (3.74-inch) thin film flexible E-Ink display, underneath which is a flexible printed circuit incorporating resistive bend sensors. Those sensors allow it to be programmed to recognize different types of bending gestures, which will subsequently result in it doing things such as navigating menus, making calls, selecting songs, or any other function. A built-in Wacom tablet also allows users to draw on its screen – making it even more paper-like.

When not actually being operated, the Paperphone consumes no electricity. Vertegaal's team have also created a similar device, the Snaplet, which can be worn like a wristband. It operates as a watch when in a convex state, becomes a PDA when flat, and can be used as a phone when turned concave.

The technology is the result of a collaboration between Queen's University and Arizona State University. "This is the future," said Vertegaal. "Everything is going to look and feel like this within five years."