Omar McFarlane
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Cellphones are dangerous/not dangerous, inconclusive edition
by Omar McFarlane 
posted Jan 30th 2007 at 3:00PM
Just when we thought we had this whole cellphones do / don't cause cancer bit was behind us, here comes another study to say that they in fact do. The study, which was put together by Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, suggests that people who used cellphones longer than 10 years were 40 percent more likely to develop gliomas (a nervous system tumor) on the side of the head where the cellphone's radiation would enter the head. While we are aware of several studies that go either way on the matter, Microwave News' editor Louis Slesin thinks it is "compelling evidence" because, "We now have two tumor types found among people who use mobiles for more than 10 years shown by two different research groups." Of course, a rebuttal from the Mobile Operators Association said otherwise: "The findings related to tumor location are difficult to interpret." It's hard to really form an opinion considering the amount of data that consistently contradicts itself, but you can decide for yourself when the findings are published in International Journal of Cancer later this year. For now, we will have faith in our mobiles and pray that later on down the line we're not on the wrong end of the impending "I told you so."
MARIUS: emergency SMS alerts from helicopters
by Omar McFarlane posted Jan 29th 2007 at 5:45PM
Officials taking advantage of the ubiquitous nature of cellphones to ensure the safety of the public is nothing new to us, but with its newest project, the European Commission is definitely taking it to a new level. The "Mobile Autonomous Reactive Information System for Urgency Situations" or MARIUS as it will be more affectionately referred, allows rescue teams to send SMS alerts from helicopters with built-in miniature wireless networks to areas, regardless of whether there is a functioning network in place. The project, which is being facilitated by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), Thales, BAES, Selex, Eurocopter and Swapcom, is designed to allow for the rapid deployment of "autonomous Command Posts" which function in any sort of disaster. The project was successfully tested last month in a laboratory and July will mark the first one site testing in Valencia, Spain. It should be said though, while we definitely enjoy seeing technology used in this sort of capacity, it is does make us wonder where it will leave certain folks in such moments of crisis. [Via Textually]
Nimbuzz lets you call your IM buddies
by Omar McFarlane posted Jan 26th 2007 at 4:54PM
We've all been there -- you need to get in contact with your friends; they're not answering their phones. You know they're online, but you need to have an actual voice conversation. Well, rejoice, our frustrated friends -- for Nimbuzz plans to bridge the gap between instant messaging and cellphones. Its currently-in-beta (no surprise there), free-to-download app supports "more than 500 [Java-enabled] mobile devices" and allows you to call and initiate voice chats with your buddies on Google Talk and MSN / Windows Live Messenger. In addition to keeping you on top of your online friends, it lets you make international calls to other cellphones at local rates, so long as whomever you are calling also has Nimbuzz installed on their device. Besides that, you also get free text messaging and the ability to have Group Calls with up to five buddies on your contact list regardless of how they are connected, and Nimbuzz says it is currently working on getting your AIM, ICQ, Yahoo! and Skype friends into the mix. Now that you know, we hope you don't mind as we run and make a few overdue calls to our pals across the pond and in the far East.Mega Plotter: create graffiti with your cellphone
by Omar McFarlane posted Jan 26th 2007 at 3:25PM
Now that playing games on buildings has become passé and controlling mannequins wasn't as exciting as we hoped it would be, we are back on the hunt for other things to take command of with our cellphones. For the third year running, interactive designer Mads Wahlberg has brought the Mega Plotter installation to the Skanderborg Festival. The installation is a set-up of red, green, blue and yellow spray guns on a cellphone controlled X-Y plotter in front of a 16 x 23-feet canvas. Once users dial into a specific number, they can use their keypad to choose colors and move the plotter up, down, left, right, and diagonally to create their own renditions of their fave Bansky pieces.
British Open closed to cellphones
by Omar McFarlane posted Jan 24th 2007 at 4:50PM
Ahh, another day, another ban -- David Hill, Director of Championships for The R & A, has recently announced that for this year's British Open cellphones will not be permitted. After numerous complaints by the players regarding last year's event, no spectator will be allowed to have a phone on the course and to make sure that happens, security checks will be done at the pay gates. We're glad to see that the British Open is now in line with all the other major golf championships, as we were tired of listening to people chatting it up with their friends at home wondering if they could be seen on TV or not. So, can we get a round of golf claps for the ban -- anyone?[Via Tech Digest]
Your cellphone asks: "What are you watching?"
by Omar McFarlane posted Jan 24th 2007 at 3:17PM
Whether ECHELON is true or not is debatable, but for now we know that Integrated Media Measurement, Inc. is, in fact, real. The IMMI has developed special cellphones that can eavesdrop on conversations, so it can find out what you are watching or listening to. The devices work by randomly recording 10 seconds of "room audio" every 30 seconds, and then comparing it to digital signatures on IMMI servers. The signatures, which can be determined up to two weeks later to accommodate for TiVo users, are then matched and grouped with your demographic data for marketers' consumption. However -- before you run for your Reynolds Wrap -- like Neilsen ratings, this is an opt-in program, so unless your already enlisted we're pretty sure your phone won't judge you for enjoying Beauty and the Geek.[Via Futurismic]
Study says cellphones dirtier than toilets
by Omar McFarlane posted Jan 24th 2007 at 12:00PM
Seems as though the attack of the cellphones has escaped our hospitals and entered our homes. According to research done research by UK retailer Dial-a-Phone, our mobile devices contain more bacteria than the bottom of our shoes and even the ol' porcelain throne. Apparently, between coming in constant contact with our hands and face, and being tucked away in our dark pockets and purses all day -- the perfect breeding ground for germs -- cellphones build up an astonishing amount of skin bacteria. So unless having your immune system fight off diseases caused by staphylococcus aureus is your thing, take heed and wipe your phone with an antibacterial wipe once in a while. Or, do like us and just invest in a phone cleaner.[Via Wired]
MOTOFONE loses all sense of decency and gets naked
by Omar McFarlane posted Jan 17th 2007 at 12:50PM
The unboxing and dissecting of gadgets has become so commonplace that we're almost amazed when new and noteworthy devices aren't taken apart and photographed in the nude for all of the tech world to see. Today, Motorola's MOTOFONE joins such greats as the 2G iPod Nano and iRiver Clix, as it becomes our latest inductee into the illustrious "Hall of Splayed." So, if the images of internal components and bare circuit boards are your cup of tea, check out the Flickr gallery of gadget faithful John P., where he puts everything the MOTOFONE has to offer out in the open.[Thanks, John P.]
Honolulu bans ringtones on buses
by Omar McFarlane posted Jan 7th 2007 at 11:13PM
[Via Textually]
Uzbekistan bans cell phones while driving
by Omar McFarlane posted Jan 7th 2007 at 9:23AM
This New Year, while everyone is making resolutions to lose wieght and save money, Islam Karimov -- president of Uzbekistan -- is promising safer roads. Come January 1st, Uzbekistan will join the 77 other countries worldwide already banning cellphones while driving. The change comes with the addition of Article 1281 to their Code, which results in a penalty fee of at least one minimum wage if charged. There is no mention if the ban includes using hands-free headsets -- which we have already claimed to be asinine -- but we can hardly fault Karimov for wanting safer highways and byways.[Via Textually]
Your cameraphone -- an iris scanner
by Omar McFarlane posted Nov 15th 2006 at 2:30PM
Japanese company Oki Electric has announced it is working on technology to turn any cameraphone or camera-equipped PDA into an iris scanner. Able to differentiate between photograph and actual eyes, and boasting an accuracy of 1 error in 100,000 scans, Oki hopes this will improve the security of cellphone payment systems. Though, you will have to wait until March of next year to get your James Bond on; and do watch out for Wesley Snipes, we hear dude's got a thing for gouging.LG and Schneider-Kreuznach for better cameraphones
by Omar McFarlane posted Nov 9th 2006 at 7:48AM
[Thanks, Sam]
Virgin Mobile starts recycling program
by Omar McFarlane posted Nov 9th 2006 at 3:57AM
Not unlike Apple and Dell, Virgin Mobile USA is getting into the recycling business -- sort of. Their new program, announced yesterday, provides buyers of Virgin's prepaid phones with a prepaid envelope inside the box to return an old phone in. As part of its new partnership with ReCellular, your unwanted handsets, like the vintage Kyocera K9 or classic Motorola StarTAC, will be refurbished and then sold or donated. And so you won't feel so bad at the thought of someone else using last year's model, all the sale proceeds will go to helping homeless youth, which we're hoping will restore your faith a bit in phone donation programs. It should be noted though, Virgin isn't the only carrier being a good samaritan with what might be otherwise discarded devices -- Verizon and T-Mobile have also been spotted distributing mailers with new purchases.
