The Pen Is Mighty

The first time I tried out the LeapPad by Leapfrog at a department store(I was bored...), I was intrigued. Little wonder that this educational toy sold millions in the US. But I thought it was quite cumbersome as you had to place the book on the large pad to work and the pen is tethered to it.

Leapfrog finally has a new product called Tag coming soon next month in the form of a chubby digital pen. The technology behind this seemingly simple looking pen is actually quite fascinating which is based on pen-based reading technology created by a Swedish company called Anoto.

It works on books whose pages are imprinted with invisible dots that allow a small infrared camera at the tip of the Tag to recognize words or images on the page.

LeapFrog Hopes for Next Hit With Interactive Reading Toy | The Innovator’s Dilemma of a Toy Maker

There's also something for adults with the Livescribe's Pulse smartpen also releasing in the coming months. It is a note-taking pen that allows handwriting on special paper printed with invisible dots to be captured to a PC.

Take Note: Computing Takes Up Pen, Again

It will be interesting to watch how successful these digital pen products will be in the near future.

Tag by Leapfrog | Pulse smartpen by Livescribe

A tip for storing numbers

This is a neat yet obvious tip over at S60.com that's possible on any phone that records dialed numbers.

A tip for storing numbers: hotel room, taxi order etc. When ordering a taxi, the operator gives me a number (usually three digits) so that know which taxi is for me. It's essential information but needed only for max 10-15 minutes. As I have a bad memory, I make a call to that number and immediately hang-up. This way, the number is available in my made calls should I need it. No need for pen and paper. Works also for storing hotel room numbers etc. Any other tips for doing this?

I never found the need to use this since I can easily access the notes app. But this method is possibly the simplest and fastest way to store adhoc numbers on almost any phone.

Alternatively, you can use the camera like the guy in this ad to break the language barrier.

Opera Mini on your PC

There's a guide over at Opera community on how to run Opera Mini on your PC.

For those with slow connections this might make surfing the Web a whole new experience.

Imagine you're in a place where you can only connect to a 56k connection (or worse), but you really need to check out some stuff on the Internet... Well, one option is to use Opera Mini on your mobile phone, but it might be a hassle since text input can be a pain (and you're in a hurry), so what do you do?

This is similar to the Opera Mini Simulator on the Opera Mini website except that you run the Java app directly from a program window instead of using the web browser. This allows you to try out the latest Opera Mini 4.1. You can also use it to test out your wehpages formatted for mobile viewing.

Motorola /2

Motorola announces that the company will split into two separate companies.

Motorola Commences Process to Create Two Independent, Industry-Leading Companies Separate Publicly-Traded Mobile Devices Business and Broadband & Mobility Solutions Business Anticipated Company to Host Conference Call Today at 8:30 am ET SCHAUMBURG, IL – March 26, 2008 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that the Company’s Board of Directors has commenced a process to create two independent, publicly-traded companies. Today’s decision follows the Company’s January 31, 2008 announced evaluation of the structural and strategic realignment of its businesses and represents affirmative steps to position its Mobile Devices and Broadband & Mobility Solutions businesses for success, while creating value for all Motorola shareholders.

Full Press Release

Nokia Morph concept device

Featured in The Museum of Modern Art “Design and The Elastic Mind” exhibition, the Morph concept device is a bridge between highly advanced technologies and their potential benefits to end-users. This device concept showcases some revolutionary leaps being explored by Nokia Research Center (NRC) in collaboration with the Cambridge Nanoscience Centre (United Kingdom) – nanoscale technologies that will potentially create a world of radically different devices that open up an entirely new spectrum of possibilities.

Morph concept technologies might create fantastic opportunities for mobile devices:

* Newly-enabled flexible and transparent materials blend more seamlessly with the way we live
* Devices become self-cleaning and self-preserving
* Transparent electronics offering an entirely new aesthetic dimension
* Built-in solar absorption might charge a device, whilst batteries become smaller, longer lasting and faster to charge
* Integrated sensors might allow us to learn more about the environment around us, empowering us to make better choices

In addition to the advances above, the integrated electronics shown in the Morph concept could cost less and include more functionality in a much smaller space, even as interfaces are simplified and usability is enhanced. All of these new capabilities will unleash new applications and services that will allow us to communicate and interact in unprecedented ways.

Read more: Nokia Morph

I think if they manage to make only one of the nanotech elements possible within their estimated 7 years timeframe, it would still be quite amazing.