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Lifehacker
As we all know, driving while using a mobile phone makes for some dangerous driving. Now, a new key fob will allow parents to jam their kids' mobile phone while they're behind the wheel.
While some of us invest points into intelligence to become doctors, others of us pour those stats into perception and agility to take a different route...
There are skilled locksmiths out there that can reproduce a key from high-resolution images, but new software developed by computer scientists at UC San Diego has simplified the process to a frightening degree. In fact, their "Sneakey" system can reproduce a key with only a grainy mobile phone image or, in one case, a picture taken from 60 metres away with a five-inch telephoto lens.
In collaboration with Nissan and NTT DOCOMO, a Japanese mobile operator, Sharp has developed what they claim is the first mobile phone that also functions as a keyless entry and ignition device for cars. Rather than building a new system from the ground up, Sharp has simply opted to include Nissan's existing Intelligent Key technology in a phone. The system will function like any of the many other wireless keyfobs on the market today, authorising the driver to enter, exit and start his or her car without ever poking any keys around.
Brando's Aexea KeyXpress flash drives are designed to really make key-ring data portability true: they're shaped like keys, and are about as thin as your average door or car key (about 3mm thin.) They're in three colours, have 4GB of flash storage aboard, come with a similarly tiny lanyard and that's about all you need to know. Oh: they cost US$27. [Brando]
Keytars! Not just the tools of '80s bands and '80s revival bands, they're slip-covers for your keys to differentiate them from each other. Our buddies at Gama-Go made these wonderful things for just $6 each. Instead of having to look closely to see which key is slightly shorter or fatter than the other (difficult when drunk), just look at their colour. It's the next best thing to Keyport, except these guys don't keep your keys for 7 months and stop responding to emails. While you're grabbing this, go ahead and grab some shirts and hoodies. They're quality. [Gama-Go]
Posted by Nick Broughall at 12:06 PM on May 23, 2008
The problem with Chinese made cars in the year 2008 is that they're complete shit. It's true. Maybe in a few years they'll catch up to the Koreans, the Japanese, the Americans and the Germans, but for now they'll have to be satisfied with unlocking their cars with their watches. Who wouldn't?
You could pay US$300, send Keyport all of your keys and wait for months for your sweet keyfob and get nothing back, except for maybe your money. But then you're still out a Keyport. Or, you could build your own for about US$20 and an hour of time your time, using a Leatherman Micra modded with a little elbow grease and key-grinding to hold all of your keys in a compact unit with flip-out action. And just think of how manly and awesome you'll feel after messing around with real tools and sweating. Hit the link for a step-by-step. [EDC Forums via Toolmonger, Thanks Keith!]
Now we're not sure what's going on with Keyport now. Two weeks ago they managed to ship a unit to NOTCOT to fool around with, but apparently there's SOMETHING going on in the manufacturing process that makes it unsuitable for shipping it out to paying customers. Keyport told Josh five months after he paid and shipped them his keys that they were going to refund his money, but keep his keys. Wha?
