Hasta La Gadget!

We usually hear about new tablets and smartphones at the Mobile World Congress, but this year Fujitsu also showed off a different mobile device. The Japanese company had a working prototype of a cane that downloads routes wirelessly and then guides its user using large arrows on its LED screen.

The next generation cane is obviously intended for the elderly. I’m just guessing here, but I think the prototype is based on the grand prize winner of a design contest that Fujitsu held in 2011. The idea is for someone – hopefully not a prankster – to make a route on a computer using the cane’s companion program. The cane will then download the route via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or 3G. With this information at hand, the cane will now tell the user which way to go using large green arrows. Should the user stray from the route, the cane will vibrate and reprimand the user with a red exclamation point. Then it shows the green arrows again.

What do you think this is grandpa, a leisurely stroll?! Make your way around the park in a predetermined, optimized and orderly manner!

I don’t see much point in just having a heart rate monitor. What’s an old person supposed to do with the data if he’s already having a heart attack or trying to run away from a thief? The cane does send its location back to the companion app so other people can track the user, but it would be more awesome if the cane could automatically call for help based on the user’s heart rate. It would be even more awesome if the cane could transform into a laser cannon. Yeah Fujitsu, screw the heart monitor. Just go with the laser cannon.

[via The Verge & Pocket-lint]

At midnight tonight, the federal government’s budget sequester kicks in. That means—if congressional leaders and President Obama can’t sort out their disagreements over the country’s finances—$85 billion will be cut from the 2013 budgets for government programs. Space exploration, medical research, and technology investment are just a few of the items on the block. More »

Big.Little technology allows a single processor to provide both high performance computing for tablets, yet also allow the kind of power saving capabilities that a low performance processor could provide. By using two sets of core, this may revolutionize tablets in the coming years.

This unique ball turns the beautiful game into the energy-generating game. Made by a small company called Uncharted Play, the Soccket is a football that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. In other words, you get electricity simply by playing with it.

As you roll and bounce Soccket around, a pendulum inside it cranks a small generator, which in turn is connected to a small battery.  I wouldn’t be surprised if a typical hand-cranked generator can convert energy more efficiently, but of course that’s not as fun to use as the Soccket.

The Soccket weighs 17 oz., just 1 oz. heavier than a normal football. Aside from its power generating capability, the Soccket is also water-resistant, is airless and will never deflate.

Pledge at least $89 (USD) on Kickstarter to get a Soccket. As of now, the electricity stored within the ball can only be used by one device – the complementary LED lamp. But Uncharted Play did say that they’ll come up with more complementary gadgets as well as a USB adapter if Soccket reaches its goal on Kickstarter. Can you imagine if all kinds of sporting balls in the world had a generator inside? We would hate ball games. Just kidding.

There were a lot of people who were excited when prepaid wireless carrier Leap Wireless, who operates the Cricket Wireless mobile phone brand, announced that it would be offering the iPhone 5. I think a bunch of people forgot that carriers like AT&T and Verizon offer big subsidies to get people to purchase the phones and sign up for new contracts. A network like Cricket Wireless that offers no subsidies requires you to pay for the entire device up front.

In the case of Leap Wireless and Cricket Wireless, that meant users needed to pay at least $500 for an iPhone 5. Many of the customers who shop prepaid carriers are looking for no contract and budget phones. It never seemed likely to me that they’d be willing to cough up $500 for a smartphone. It appears I was correct because Leap has announced that it believes it may end up with $100 million worth of unsold iPhones by the middle of 2013.

The company says that it is on pace to sell only half the number of iPhones that it committed to sell during the first year of its Apple contract. That contract is set to end in June and the poor sales comes despite the fact that Apple previously allowed the wireless carrier to sell the iPhone at a reduced price when compared to unlocked iPhones. Leap’s inability to sell the iPhone could make some of the national carriers such as Verizon and AT&T seriously reconsider their plans to reduce any subsidies on smartphones.

[via WSJ]