April's coolest gadgets
The month has been notable not just for some of the cool new products that
will be hitting store shelves soon but for a few interesting prototype products.
Four PC makers offered a glimpse of their upcoming Mobile Internet Devices
(MIDs). The PCs are part of a push by Intel and the manufacturers to extend
portable computing beyond laptops to even smaller devices that are a couple
of steps up from a cell phone. MIDs, offering full Internet access, should be
appearing soon.
Next up, Toshiba's cute ApriPoco robot (watch video) is promising a future where you'll no
longer be confused by all of the buttons on the remote control. Digital technology
has brought us so many advantages in the living room but 100-button remote controls
certainly isn't one of them! ApriPoco will just listen to what you want to do
and follow your orders.
Once you don't have to stress about controlling your gadgets it's time to take
your relaxation to another level with NTT's fragrance communications system (watch video).
Select a desired fragrance and your in-room fragrance emitter will mix up essences
to produce and waft it into the room.
Toshiba ApriPoco robot
If you've become hostage to a clutch of remote controls in your living room,
then Toshiba's ApriPoco might be the answer. The prototype robot can act as
a voice gateway to just about anything in the room that has a remote control.
When activated it watches for the infrared signals emitted by remote controls
and asks the user what each one means. From the voice reply it learns the meaning
of each signal and eventually can imitate the remote control when commanded
by voice. So all it takes is to say "switch on the TV" and the set
should spring to life. In a demonstration the ApriPoco was able to switch on
and off a TV, air conditioner and lamp in response to commands. Toshiba wants
to develop the robot into a commercial product but more development work needs
to be done, so at present there are no plans to put ApriPoco on sale.
Samsung Anycall Haptic
Samsung's Anycall Haptic looks like a thinner version of Apple's iPhone,
but adds a new dimension to the touch interface. For example, when the volume
of the radio is changed, the phone simulates both the sound and feel of the
"clicks" on an old-style volume knob on a real radio. There are 22
kinds of vibration in total built into the phone. There's a 3.2-inch widescreen
display, a 2-megapixel digital camera, full Internet browser, Bluetooth 2.0
and terrestrial digital TV reception.
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