Gizmodo Australia » communications

Google Makes Wave With Limited Release

Chris Oaten — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:25:13 +0000

If you haven’t caught on to the phenomenon that is Google Wave, it’s probably about time you did. It’s Google’s game-changing application combining email, live collaboration and messaging, which goes only a small way towards explaining its potential. About 100,000 people have been invited to its beta workout. Here’s a snippet from Attack of the Show, via Techcrunch, that might help bring Wave’s potential into focus.

Fastest Data Connection In Space Comes From The Moon

Jesus Diaz — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:40:10 +0000

Right now, data is arriving across 384,300 kilometres at 100MBps (as in megabytes per second, not megabits), dwarfing every home internet connections out there. That’s a total of 461GB of data transmitted per day, thanks to this moon-orbiting device.

The 33 centimetre Travelling Wave Tube Amplifier is the first high data rate K-band transmitter on a NASA spacecraft. It’s on board the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is sending massive amounts of data, from images of its surface—like the first photos of the Apollo sites in 40 years—to 3D data points which are being processed into the most detailed topographical map of our satellite. [NASA]

A Skyscraper So Tall Builders Can’t Use Walkie-Talkies

Jesus Diaz — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:10:00 +0000

If you want to build a skyscraper 2,275 feet (693 metres) tall, you will face engineering challenges comparable to those of the Space Shuttle just because its sheer size. One of them is communications. When the unbelievable Burj Dubai started to get really high, the construction workers discovered one problem that seems obvious now: their walkie-talkies stopped working as they climbed the structure.

The reason was simple: distance. At the beginning of the construction they used walkie-talkies–which are light, durable, and have a long battery life–across the site. However, these stopped working after some time, as the tower kept raising over the desert. With unreliable communications, Samsung Corporation–the main contractor–had to turn to a different kind of link between workers to avoid misunderstandings that may have jeopardized the safety of workers (even more, because plenty of people have had fatal accidents in the tower) and delayed the project.

Fortunately for them, they turned to mesh networks, which are similar to the ones used in mobiles, but local. For that they used a company called Firetide, using several Wi-Fi-enabled VoIP phones over a HotPort wireless mesh, which also serves as the transport for the security video in the site.

FuChat Concept Phone Detects Then Displays your Emotional State

Kit Eaton — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:41:16 +0000

The FuChat concept phone is pretty, and kind of half-phone, half-Chumby as its surface is a concealed display used to show widgets: from weather displays, to showing a “keep out” sign on your door. But the emotional-sensing aspect got me intrigued. FuChat would be able to analyse your voice and body temp and guess at your emotional status… then display it back to you, supposedly enhancing the emotional aspects of communication. That sounds appealing, until you wonder what it’d be like to have a damn phone telling you you’re bloody angry in the middle of an empassioned rant to the ex. As well as being designed to hang on door handles or stand on desks, this thing would have to be “smashed onto the floor-proof” too. Just a concept. [Tuvie]

RhythmFish Helps Your Goldfish Say “I Love You” (or “You Suck”)

Wilson Rothman — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:45:00 +0000

RhythmFish is a suction-cupped USB webcam concept that sticks to the side of a fishbowl, tracking the movements of your little shiny-scaled compadres. Sensors inside the bowl measure the “currents” made by fish swimming, and your computer combines both data feeds into a visualisation meant for “inter-organism communication.” Talking to goldfish? From the looks of the invention, I thought designer Sangmin Bae had seen one too many Terry Gilliam flicks, but on second thought, he may just be addicted to American Dad. [Coroflot via OhGizmo]

Another Mobile Phone Watch To Help You Look Like A Dick (Tracy Impersonator)

Nick Broughall — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:13:22 +0000

The other day we saw a mobile phone watch that you could almost be comfortable wearing out in public. Well, here’s another one, although whether this particular model passes that “seen in public test” we’ll leave up to you.

It’s a tri-band GSM phone with a 1.3-inch, 128 x 160 screen, Bluetooth, built-in camera, MP3 playback, voice recording, 6 hours talk time and up to 150 standby. It even comes with a stylus for easy navigation, and will cost the bargain price of $399.

I don’t want to hate this product too much – as a child I always longed for a watch I could use to speak to my friends covertly without my parents knowing. But somehow, somewhere between childhood and becoming an adult, that dream died.

Hit the jump for a full-feature list, which just strikes me as overkill.

Mobile Phone Watch

What
could be better than calling friends from your wristwatch? With any GSM
SIM card inserted, this inconspicuous digital watch becomes a fully
featured power house of a cellphone, with bluetooth, MP3, camera and
personal organiser! Capture remarkable images and video with the built
in camera and then send them to friends easily over your mobile phone
network! Calls are simple too with the supplied bluetooth headset, or
by using the watches built in microphone and speakers.

Easy charging is achieved via USB, as is data transfer. The watch
itself features a durable rubber blend strap, gun metal gloss surround
and chrome detailing. The kit comes with two batteries, 512 MB micro SD
card, stand alone charger and a bluetooth headset, so you’ll be ready
to go straight out of the box.

With all of the features of a modern mobile phone slapped on your wrist
you’ll never have to worry about forgetting to carry your phone, and
you’ll lighten the load, and provide a unique talking point for your
friends.

NOTE: This product is compatible with GSM at 900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz
only, please check with your local provider if you are unsure.

Specification
* GSM Compatibility: 900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz
* Screen: 1.3 inch TFT LCD Touchscreen
* Screen Resolution: 128×160
* Screen Palette : 260,000 Colours
* Bluetooth Profiles: Handsfree and Headset
* Multimedia:
- Camera: Still 128×160, Video 128×104
- Movie Formats: MPEG4 (AVI), 3GP with audio
- Music Sound Formats: MP3, WMA, WAV, AMR
- Voice Recording: AMR
* Cell Phone Menu: Phonebook, Messages, Call History, Settings, Multimedia, Games, Profiles, Organizer, Services
* Support for GPRS and WAP
* Languages: English, French, Spanish, Portugese, Italian, Turkish, Arabic, Chinese
* Storage: Trans Flash / Micro SD card up to 2 GB (512MB included)
* Power Source: 3.7 Volt Li Ion Battery, USB Charging and Seperate Battery Charger
* Dimension: 50×17x45mm (LxWxD) Watch Face, 250mm Length with Strap * Bluetooth Headset
* Support: Version 1.2, Class 2 (10 Metres)
* Profiles: Headset, Handsfree, A2DP
* Battery Life:
- Talk Time: Up to 6 hrs
- Music Play: Up to 6 hrs
- Stand By: Up to 150 hrs
* Dimensions: 53.6×25.5×23.6mm (Main Body)

Features
* Tri Band Operation for Easy Roaming
* Stylus for precise navigation
* Multimedia Features: Camera, Image Viewer, Video Recorder, Video
Player, Photo Editor, Audio Player, Sound Recorder, File Manager
* Organiser Features: Calendar, To Do List, Alarm, Calculator, unit
Convertor, * Currency Converter, World Clock, BMI Calculation
* Games
* Stopwatch

Accessories
* Bluetooth Headset
* 512MB Micro SD Card
* Manuals
* 2 x Battery
* USB Bluetooth Kit Charging Cable
* USB Watch Charging / Data Transfer Cable
* Power Adaptor
* Stand Alone Battery Charger

What about you? Would you consider a mobile phone watch?
[Tesora]

Verizon, AT&T Respect Your SMS Privacy

Haroon Malik — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:20:00 +0000

Verizon and AT&T have both gone on record saying they do not record SMS communications. The privacy debate is one that, understandably, gets emotions stirred, but you can all rest a little easy knowing the official stances of two of the major cellular networks.

AU: Sure, it’s the US networks mentioned here, but this is an issue we should be carefully considering in our own backyard too.

Erica Sevilla, a Verizon spokeswoman, said:

I think people can feel comfortable we’re not storing information that can later be used against them. Unless you have something stored on your phone or on a recipients’ phone, it does not stay on our network for a long period.

AT&T said they do not store SMS messages beyond 72 hours, which are only kept for delivery purposes. In both cases, once deleted from the system, there is no conceivable way to check your text message communications short of physically going through your phone.

You may want to breathe a collective sigh of relief, but Rebecca Jeschke, spokeswoman for the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, seems to think otherwise:

“We trust so much of our communications and thoughts, even, to these third parties who are capturing this information and storing it in various ways. It’s time for us to think about it.”

Gosh, we just want our private willy jokes remaining private. After all, it’s not fair everyone knowing about Mark’s miniscule member. [AP]