Technology

While the concept would have been unimaginable twenty years ago, the ability to snap pictures and record videos using a mobile phone does little to amaze us in 2008. So what makes shooting videos using the new Qik feature so different? Qik lets you ... record videos from your mobile phone while others watch the content live and in real time over the Internet! Qik has partnered with Research in Motion to allow the broadcast of live video feeds from select BlackBerry models that run operating system 4.5 or above. In other words, the BlackBerry Bold, Pearl 8120, and Pearl 8130 will soon be able to ... (view more)

Fans of the BlackBerry will be pleased to hear that a brand-new flip version of the popular device is now available. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 is Waterloo, Canada-based Research in Motion's (RIM) first foray into the flip sector of the ... cellphone market. RIM first announced the Flip 8220 in September, but failed to release any conclusive details about its ultimate release date. In fact, the company only ball-parked a late fall launch; thankfully for the many BlackBerry fans anticipating the device's release it appears to be ahead of schedule and should be available in stores today. Like ... (view more)

Sony Ericsson plans to introduce the W595, a new-age mobile phone that will feature a "YouTube Uploader" button. The phone, expected to debut on the Italian mobile market first, will make videos shot on the W595 available to millions of YouTube ... watchers instantly, at the literal push of a button. Perhaps no other website is more recognizable right now than YouTube. For some, the popular online destination is seen as a bastion for anyone wanting to shape and create their own form of entertainment. For others, YouTube presents the perfect platform for some people to jump from "nothing special" ... (view more)

You are walking along, listening to the sounds of nature when all of a sudden you feel a slight rub or a tap on your inner thigh coming from inside one of your pant pockets. Don't worry. You are probably not the victim of a pickpocket. It's only ... your mobile phone informing you of an incoming call. Microsoft Research is currently working on mobile phone settings that are a little more "hands on" than previous features used for identifying an incoming call. Among the traditional "silent" and "vibrate" modes will be two new additional methods of transmitting information: moving a small ball or ... (view more)

Ever had your car stolen? The feeling one gets when approaching an empty parking space is of almost unsurpassed revulsion and horror. Well, now police are starting to fight back against car thieves, and they're doing it with a combination of ... technology and hard-nosed detective work. Car theft is certainly a rampant problem. In 2006, nearly 1.2 million cars were stolen in the United States, and although that's down about 3.5 per cent, the problem is still one of America's most concerning and popular crimes. (Source: auto-theft.info ) However, the popular "bait car" program might be ... (view more)

Feel like all those warnings about cellphones giving you cancer is just a load of baloney? You're probably right. However, dermatologists now warn that at the very least these mobile devices can cause awful skin breakouts! B.A.D., the British ... Association of Dermatologists, are now actively warning physicians in that country to be aware that "mobile phone dermatitis" is for real. The breakout appears as a rash that usually develops across the face and/or fingers. The ailment, which can be frighteningly red and painfully itchy, is actually caused by consistent contact with shiny cellphones. ... (view more)

Tests at the University of Washington have shown it's possible to reroute brain signals to move paralysed limbs. The results could eventually lead to treatment for spinal injury victims. The study works on the idea that, although spinal injuries ... damage the connections which carry nerve signals, victims usually retain both the muscles in the affected limb and the use of the motor cortex, the part of the brain which controls movement. Unlike some parts of the brain, which work on a 'use it or lose it' basis, studies have shown people can retain full control over the motor cortex even after ... (view more)

While none of us look forward to growing another year older, there are some birthdays that are better than others. Among the most prolific is our "sweet sixteen" where for many of us, the dream of being able to operate a vehicle on our own terms ... becomes a reality. The first few years are all the same: the constant begging to use the family car on any given weekend is matched with stressed warnings by our parents to reduce our driving speed, turn down the radio and buckle up for safety. While we always practice "safe driving" when our parents are riding with us, the rules all change when we ... (view more)

At first glance, the Fitbit Tracker looks like an ordinary exercise device used for counting steps, recording calories burned, etc. However, the small gadget has received a great deal of attention from many of the tech industry's major players. What ... makes the Fitbit Tracker so special? It is the first of its kind to use accelerometers for data extraction purposes. In a nutshell, accelerometers are chips that measure acceleration, movement and gravity forces. This is what fuels popular motion-sensitive products like the Nintendo Wii and Apple iPhone. The cost of implementing an accelerometer ... (view more)