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Devices
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Wednesday, February 09, 2005
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Thursday, July 29, 2004
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@ Running on air...
As someone who does a bit of running to keep fit, I can testify to the psychological importance of measuring one's performance. Most of the time, I feel the need to time my runs. Of course, I am looking for improvement, or at least consistency.
I am also interested to know how far I have run. With a friend from Motorola, I brain-stormed possible measuring apparatus for precision distance measurement. Most of the time, we gravitated toward optical measurement solutions using cameras, akin to the way an optical mouse works.
I was intrigued to find out about a pair of training shoes, I think by Nike, that include a microprocessor. I instantly assumed this was for such measurements, but it turns out to be a real-time controller for pumping goo around the sole of the shoe to adjust damping. I did think this might prove useful, with some kind of bio-feedback, to help avoid injuries.
It seems that Philips/Nike have now addressed the measurement problem. As one might expect, the solution is also an entertainment device, centred on music - or audio, playback. MP3 of course, hence the name, MP3Run. Fantastically, the sensor that straps on the shoe, communicating via Bluetooth back to the main arm- or body-strapped unit, uses 2D accelerometers to do the sensing. As a user of an air-mouse, I have an enthusiasm for these groovy sensors, so I was enthused by their use in this application.
Just take a read of Philip's whitepaper about the device to appreciate the processing power of the solution:
When the player is used for the first time, the runner does not necessarily have to input information on aspects such as length of stride beforehand. The sensor on the shoe measures 1000 times per second acceleration/deceleration of each stride using a 2 dimensional acceleration sensor. This information is used by a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) to re-construct the actual gait and be finally able to give precise information about momentary speed and hence distance.
That’s what I called a usable system, at least on paper. No messing with stride measurements and the usual pedometer configurations – just strap, listen and run. Or, at least, I hope it isn’t listen, run and strap, after tripping on a kerb whilst fiddling with the controls. Let’s wait and see. I think I’m in the market for one of these goodies. Due out in August.
Now, how can we combine this unit with Spatial Messaging solutions? I'm thinking on that one......
9:29:00 PM 
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Wednesday, July 14, 2004
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@ WHOLE PRODUCT DESIGN....
How are we going to cross the chasm from techno-gadgetry to mass consumption whilst still not designing decent mobile services? We need "ENTIRE PRODUCT" design, not just itty-bitty applications that provide a function that no one can get to because the rest of the environment doesn’t allow it.
For example, take wireless email. Is the product "Wireless POP3 access to my mail server???" ABSOLUTELY NOT….this is not a product…this is a facility. If the interface sucks, then we can't get to this facility….if the air-interface is unreliable…we can't get to this facility…if we can't easily enter email addresses….we can't get to this facility….we need a WHOLE PRODUCT….not a facility.
Most "wireless email" solutions are still this bad....the Motorola v600 has an IMAP client with zero filtering. On GPRS, that means....sit and wait for ages poking buttons, enduring delays, until you get to the message you actually want. Why's it called messaging when it takes so much effort to get the message?
11:27:43 PM
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Sunday, July 11, 2004
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:: Is this the future ? ::
http://www.tapwave.com/zodiac.html
It's a mobile games device. It's got Bluetooth, which makes it interesting. It's also built on a Palm OS platform, which means any Palm app will run on it too. It would make an interesting platform for Visual Radio, although it lacks built-in cellular. Alternatively, what about a portable video player - http://www.iriveramerica.com/products/pmp-120.aspx.
I think these devices are not quite getting it right. Any portable device must be worth carrying. What compels someone to carry something around with them? In my opinion, it’s interruption that matters. The device must interrupt the user to grab his/her attention, preferably by receiving messages. What they say, and who sends them, is another matter – but messaging is a paradigm essential to portable devices.
1:05:59 AM
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Wednesday, June 09, 2004
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:: Blackberry patent woes (again) ::
As founder of the Blackberry Users Club on Ecademy in the UK, I am keeping my eye on Blackberry related stories.
From the BBC
"A Washington court looks into who should hold the US patent for the Blackberry, the mobile e-mail gizmo and boardroom status symbol. "
This is a topic that doesn't really affect us as end users, but has significance for those interested in developing wireless email solutions. RIM has long had significant patents on their "single mailbox" concept for the Blackberry. Their technical approach is rather difficult to avoid if anyone wishes to implement a similar solution for pushing mail to the device and for making actions on the device be reflected back on the desktop (e.g. Exchange client etc.)
3:59:58 PM
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Friday, May 21, 2004
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:: Cantenna ::
 I have recently been writing about the invention of the "Cantenna", or the Pringles Yagi, as I prefer to call it. Andrew Clapp is the original "discoverer" (his preferred accolade, rather than "inventor") and I was happy to hear from him that it is still going strong, linking up his flat to the nearest community WiFi point.
I was also impressed to find out that someone (Jason Brook) has gone and made a business out of it and taken the domain name Cantenna.com. Andrew mentions on his website that he doesn't know where the name came from. It emerged from several places at once. I recall "discovering" the name "Zingo" for a wireless portal project. The name later "emerged" as a trademark for a London taxi company's wireless hailing system. They trademarked it, whereas I didn't.
Apparently, the name of a business can make or break it, so reports David Kipen when reviewing the book "Word Craft" by Alex Frankel. You can even buy names on the Net, from the likes of Names Express - 12 names in 24 hours for just 70 USD.
Some people invent/discover things. Some people name things. Some people make money on things. Some people write about it. I've tried all of them.
10:16:27 AM
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Wednesday, May 19, 2004
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:: Yet more keyboard layouts ::
I thought i'd found every alternative keypad layout going, like the FITALY mentioned on this site last year. Scanning IBM's research, I found that they too have a project ("Atomik") to come up with non-QWERTY keypads optimised for stylus input.
11:25:08 PM
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© Copyright
2005
Paul Golding.
Last update:
3/26/2005; 8:58:09 PM.
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