Category: Wireless home
Microsoft stole the Xbox 360 logo from a bunch of 17th century alien visitors
The full, bewildering explanation of that headline is as follows. A 1997 documentary entitled Area 51: Alien Interview featured the sketch reproduced below, which some people on the internet on a slow news day like today, have taken to be a representation of the Xbox 360 logo (inset).
The sketch portrays the supposed events of November 4, 1697, when the people of Hamburg saw “two glowing wheels” in the sky and, presumably, got a bit annoyed because they were hoping to get a Wii for Christmas not an Xbox 360.
We don’t believe this to be a true version of events. The Xbox 360 logo was actually…
Nokia developing Home Control Centre technology
Betting that within a few years every appliance we own will be hooked up to the internet, Nokia has announced plans for something called Home Control Centre. It’s basically software that will let you control everything in your home from your mobile device, from the heating to the toaster.
I know, we’ve all been there – gone out with some toast in the toaster, and forgotten that you actually wanted it on browning level three, rather than browning level five.
More seriously, though, this also has energy saving implications. You’ll be able to monitor energy usage from your mobile, and switch off anything that you don’t need remotely. Plus there’s a big convenience factor – preheat your oven 15 minutes before you arrive home, so you can just stick dinner straight in.
The only definite that Nokia has announced is some carbon footprint monitoring technology, from European energy firm RWE. That will use Wi-Fi enabled thermostats on each radiator. Nokia are promising to show this off in December at its annual Nokia World Conference. I wouldn’t be surprised if we heard a fair bit more about the broader too then, too.
(via Reg Hardware)
Related posts: How green is your kettle? | Ecobee – a Wi-Fi thermostat
Coffee shop calls you a cheapskate over the electromagnetic spectrum
A Dutch coffee shop has come up with a clever ruse to try and drum up business from the freeloaders who nurse one drink all day in order to leach off of the free internet: they’ve started slagging off customers by using their WiFi network names as a passive aggressive outlet.
Lightbulbs to replace Wi-Fi?
Researchers at the University of Boston have managed to come up with a way of transferring data through lightbulbs. It’s not quite as crazy as it sounds – fiberoptics uses light to transmit data, but in a much more focused way. The researchers propose to use LEDs flickering at imperceptible speeds to communicate with network-enabled devices at speeds of between 1 and 10Mbps.
Although that’s not very fast for video streaming or online gaming, it’s more than enough for an internet enabled fridge, photoframe or printer. Those kinds of devices are the target that these researchers are going after – bringing the digital home one step closer to reality…
Asus and Skype team up to create world's ugliest gadget – the AiGuru SV1 portable videophone
That deformed beast which looks like the remains of three microwaved mobile phones is an AiGuru SV1, the product of an alliance between globally beloved tech-maker Asus and quite loved chat-enabler Skype.
The SV1 is a self-contained video phone, using Skype software and its own little webcam to let users broadcast video calls from wherever there’s a wi-fi signal. In your bathroom, for example. There’s also an Ethernet socket, microphone…
Intel demos wireless electricity – magnetism used to avoid frying human flesh
It’s another entry in our occasional Future Made Real series, this time concerning fantasy sci-fi invention #261 – wireless electricity.
For some reason it’s chip-maker Intel that’s the latest company to show off some wireless electric kit, managing to power a 60 Watt light bulb (how energy inefficient of it) from a distance of three feet. That’s 90cm, if you’re reading this in the Benelux regions or France…
The Tech Chair deck chair looks ill-equipped for British summers
Experts from the computer retailer PC World have created this concept of a new breed sun longer; one designed for the modern gadget-dependent consumer.
Goodmans launches Wi-Fi enabled, internet radio playing, iPod docking, media streaming ÜBER alarm clock
Goodmans has just launched a clock radio alarm to end all clock radio alarms – the GWF101IP…
D-Link launches Quadband DIR-855 wireless N router
If you are looking to upgrade your router, the Quadband DIR-855 and its adapter from D-Link should be worth a look when it hits the shelves in May.
CES 2008: Samsung unveils more Bluetooth-enabled Home Theatre goodies
I am loving Samsung’s decision to slap Bluetooth into absolutely everything this year. The HT-X710 is another compact 2.1 virtual surround system, designed to match Samsung’s latest sexy looking HDTVs with A2DP and AVRCP Bluetooth included. The built-in DVD player will also upscale your movies to 1080p resolution.
