Special Software Archive

  • New technology helps to remotely monitor the health of the elderly around the clock

    New technology helps to remotely monitor the health of the elderly around the clock

    Remote monitoring systems for the elderly are nothing new, but Japanese conglomerate Marubeni's technology seems to be particularly advanced. And unlike you might think, it's not based on robotics, but on a sensor system. It enables families and medical institutions to remotely check the health of older people around the clock - as long as the person in question keeps wearing a small sensor on the chest.

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  • Virtual Mirror: augmented reality without glasses

    Virtual Mirror: augmented reality without glasses

    The Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute -- the same Fraunhofer that holds many of the patents on MP3 -- have a booth at CEATEC exhibiting some of their research efforts, shopping them around for potential licensees. Their Virtual Mirror display is, I think, a great example of augmented reality done right. It uses a camera, a display, and their special software to dynamically alter the image projected back to the viewer. Video inside!

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  • The xpPhone runs Windows XP and will probably be produced

    The xpPhone runs Windows XP and will probably be produced

    There is a good amount of quiet hesitation about the xpPhone around the interwebs this morning. It seems that everyone wants to believe that the xpPhone will make it to market, but it almost seems to good to be true. The specs list an unspecified AMD Super Mobile CPU powering the system and it will be configurable with a wide range of SSD and HDD options. But best of all, the company lets you select the 3G module needed for either AT&T, Vodafone, or Orange. That is, of course, assuming the xpPhone will actually be produced even though you can pre-order one today.

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  • Is the Nokia Booklet 3G just an overpriced netbook? This promo video says so.

    Is the Nokia Booklet 3G just an overpriced netbook? This promo video says so.

    Everyone, you can breath easy, the Nokia Booklet 3G is here. It's got an Intel Atom, 120GB HDD, 1GB of RAM, WiFi, HDMI, and 3G. So why the hell does it cost so much? Nokia has set the price of the 3G model - is there a non-3G model? - at 600 Euros, which is roughly $853 USD. That's a lot for a netbook. Especially for one that's basically a cloned version of the Acer Aspire One 3G 10.1-inch. Even the official promo video doesn't present a strong case of what sets this netbook apart.

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  • Review: Nokia N79 Active Edition

    Review: Nokia N79 Active Edition

    A few months ago I was touring Nokia’s headquarters in Espoo when I espied the Nokia N79 Active Edition. Announced around CES time, this phone combo included a heart-rate monitor and sports armband along with special software to record your distance, heart-rate, and route for each workout. The software includes a full complement of statistics [...]

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