Scannable pyjamas contain bedtime stories
Most parents will know just how difficult it is to get their kids to bed at the right time, especially if work life means they don’t have much time to relax at home. While Japan has offered the Hug and Dream Minnie Mouse – a toy with a lulling mechanism that mimics slow breathing – our latest spotting is Smart PJ’s, pyjamas that make bedtime more engaging by enabling kids to scan the garment’s patterns to unlock new stories. READ MORE…
Parasol offers solar charging for mobile devices
As the summer season begins in the northern hemisphere, consumers will be spending more time outdoors – but how to keep all of those electronic devices charged? We recently saw the SUN&CLOUD digital camera offer battery boosts via solar energy, and now New York-based gadget store Hammacher Schlemmer claims to be offering the first available-to-buy mobile-charging parasol. READ MORE…
Hug simulation jacket lets parents calm kids via mobile devices
Toys designed specifically with autistic children in mind – such as the Auti – can help to make them feel more comfortable in their environment and improve their social behavior. With similar aims, the T.Jacket is a tablet-controlled jacket that uses embedded air pockets to simulate hugs and calm children without human contact. READ MORE…
App turns iPhone into a hearing aid
Many of those with hearing problems have consigned themselves to wearing a hearing aid – which can often be cumbersome and expensive. The SCS1000 smart watch has already made steps towards helping deaf people remain aware of their surroundings, and now UK-based project BioAid is harnessing the power of smartphones to provide an easier and cheaper way to amplify the sounds around them. READ MORE…
App lets smartphone owners use any device to call from their phone number
Smartphones and the information stored on them have become almost integral to our business and social lives, and we’ve already seen some companies offer mobile backup services for those whose handsets have been lost or stolen. But what if you’ve just left it at home and really need to get in touch with a contact whose number is stored on that very phone? A new app from Telefónica – TU Go – is enabling smartphone customers to use any device in place of their phone remotely, using the phone number. READ MORE…
Notes attached to phonecalls refresh the memory of smartphone users
Due to the large number of calls coming in each week, many people struggle to remember exactly what point conversations where at when they last concluded. RefreshMe is an app for Android phones that enables users to make notes during conversations to jog their memory the next time they call. READ MORE…
From Israel, smartphone designed for use while driving
Using a cell phone behind the wheel has largely been banned around the world, and we’ve even seen the RodeDog app help alert friends when drivers do try to pick up their device. However, Israeli telecoms company Accel has developed the Voyager, a car phone that aims to be more practical as well as safe for vehicle owners. READ MORE…
Mouth-controlled stylus makes touch devices accessible to disabled users
Much the way the Splash line of games uses special controllers to increase accessibility for disabled kids, so the Griffin MouthStick Stylus aims to provide wider access to touchscreen devices. Specifically, the mouth-controlled stylus aims to help those with limited use of their hands enjoy the benefits of smartphones and tablets based on touch technology. READ MORE…
With an e-ink display, Android phone aims to offer a week of battery life
Technology fans may recall the YotaPhone, a dual-screen device unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) earlier this year, but it’s apparently not the only mobile device in the works that features an e-ink display. E-ink is the basis for one of the YotaPhone’s two screens, but MWC was also the backdrop for a demonstration of an e-ink-only Android phone by Taiwanese E Ink itself. READ MORE…
Smart basketball and app analyze performance and challenge players
The Audi e-Bike Wöthersee has already proved that bikes can be reconfigured to include smart technology that analyzes rider performance, but bringing this gamified approach to simpler sports may well be more difficult. Undeterred, one company has created the 94Fifty, a smart basketball with built-in sensors that monitor player performance as well as challenge users to complete tasks. READ MORE…
