Filed under: ComputersIf you were worried that your child wasn't being trained to be a good economic citizen, then check out this toy to make sure he or she grows up learning the value of plastic. The Children's Touch Screen ATM Bank comes with a card and a PIN for your tyke to manage an account of up to $999.99. The bank accepts bills of all kinds and coins.Some of you probably hope that this little gizmo will teach your kid the value of a dollar. It's more likely he or she will just learn that there's a machine that gives them money anytime they put their card in it. We're waiting for "Baby's First Massive Credit Card Debt Simulator" to hit the market.From Shiny ShinyRelated links:Yamaha's New Tenori-On Music Sequencer Instrument ThingComputer Training for TotsComputer Programing for Kids Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesThe U.S. arm of T-Mobile is joining the rest of America's cell-phone carriers in the 21st-century by preparing to deploy its high-speed 3G wireless data network... or so we assume/hope.The carrier began selling the Samsung T639 handset, the first T-Mobile device to be capable of running on a 3G network. The new phone carries a radio that allows it to work on a WCDMA network at 1700 Mhz, the same band of wireless real estate that T-Mobile licensed in 2006, presumably to build out its 3G network.T-Mobile is quite behind in the wireless data speed race though. Sprint and Verizon have had high-speed EV-DO networks since 2005, and Cingular joined the party with its HSDPA network in 2006, which means that subscribers to any of those carriers have been able to surf the Web or download songs and videos on their phones at near-broadband speeds anywhere there's a cell phone signal. All three networks have pretty good coverage and Sprint and Verizon are already talking up their 4G networks intended to make EV-DO look quaint.We're psyched about this news because T-Mobile has some pretty cool phones (first out of the gate with the BlackBerry Pearl, new Sidekicks) and fun, money-saving features (like MyFavs). From BetaNewsRelated Links:Beyonce's 'B Phone' for SprintLG Phone to Work All Over PlanetLG and Verizon Take on the iPhone Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  This silhouette wins the award for coolest thing we've seen all day -- and it's not just because the tiny dancer above is in the buff. This is a little test that will tell you whether the left or right hemisphere of your brain is more dominant.Instead of concentrating on her chest, concentrate on the woman's movement. If you see her spinning clockwise, that means you're using the right side, or more creative side of your brain. If she appears to be moving counter-clockwise, then that means the left side, or more logical side of your think muscle is superior. At the Switched office, some of us see her going clockwise, others see her spinning counter-clockwise. At least one of us claims to see both, while another one of us opened this animation in Adobe ImageReady in order to isolate the frames to see if there's any direction-changing funny business going on. There isn't. Take the test for yourself. Then, if you have time for a 50-question survey, compare these instant results to a more thorough diagnosis.From Gizmo WatchRelated Links:Video Games Rot Your Brain, Study FindsA New Game for Your BrainAre You a Cybercondriac? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, iPhoneEarlier this year, LG Electronics released a touch phone designed by Prada in non-US territories in direct competition with Apple's then upcoming iPhone. Some photos this week uncovered possible plans for the US-bound version of a new Prada phone, known as the CU920. The phone is rumored to be 3G (which would make its network connection faster than the iPhone's), run a mobile version of the Firefox web browser (the iPhone runs Safari) and have a similar finger-spread zoom function as the iPhone. Perhaps most interestingly, this new phone's service looks to be available through AT&T, the same company that offers the iPhone. That would give AT&T exclusive rights to both competing products.Initial reports, however, indicate that the CU920 is a bit more difficult to navigate than the iPhone and, curiously, has an antenna that reportedly breaks off quite easily.While the original Prada phone runs upwards of $700 in foreign markets, there is no information on price or date for the new US model.From CrunchgearRelated Links: LG and Verizon Take on the iPhoneSamsung and Armani to make Fashion Phone? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Video GamesThose supposedly random security searches at the airport aren't the only things that aren't as unpredictable as they should be. A recent study of security at Los Angeles' LAX airport found that the patrols of terminals made by guards are not random or unpredictable as they should be, but instead fall into predictable paths -- the result of normal human nature to make and follow comfortable patterns. The problem is, predictability is easily exploitable by potential criminals or terrorists; randomness is not. Enter a new simulation by Praveen Paruchuri, a PhD candidate at the University of Southern California. His software is a sort of video game for determining how random paths for security guards impact the behavior of simulated criminals. It applies so-called game theory to develop random paths through pixelated versions of LAX terminals, with each path rated according to rewards such as finding criminals, and penalties such as triggering terrorist explosions. The goal is to keep guards more alert by breaking routine -- which, for airport security, is a deadlier habit than suckling down cigarettes.Video-game simulations of dangerous real-life situations have been used in the past to train our military. You may remember an urban warfare game for the Xbox from a few years a go called 'Full Spectrum Warrior.' That game was actually a more consumer-friendly version of a simulation that had been developed by the military to help train soldiers. Today, there are several companies contracted by the military and law enforcement to make such games, including Will Interactive, which makes a series called 'The Incident,' for training police officers on such issues as domestic violence and suicide negotiation.This all makes 'Halo 3' look a bit trivial, don't you think?From New Scientist TechRelated Links: ATA Tries to Arrest Passenger for Using iPhone in "Airplane Mode" Lost Cell Phone Sparks Airplane Bomb Scare Gigantic Bird's-Eye Billboards Target Air Travelers  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesLast month, we reported that New York City's subway system was being wired to bring cell phone reception to its subterranean stations. Besides bringing the conveniences of e-mail and voice to this otherwise uncharted territory, many New Yorkers felt a sense of relief that emergency calls from underground would now be possible. However, it seems that's not exactly what the Metropolitan Transit Authority had in mind with last month's announcement. In fact, by the sounds of recent statements made by the MTA, an emergency is the last time it would want people to reach for their mobiles.MTA officials have indicated that during an emergency, all travelers should give their undivided attention to MTA employees -- not to their handsets. Additionally, the MTA fears that hundreds of panicked travelers simultaneously calling 911 to report the same emergency could flood phone lines unnecessarily if the emergency has already been reported. We saw similar outages occur during Hurricane Katrina and the Minneapolis bridge collapse, so this concern isn't completely without merit.Another concern raised by the MTA about cell phones in stations is much more ominous. According to MTA spokesman Jeremy Soffin speaking to the Daily News, a cell phone may serve as an "accidental detonator during such an [emergency] incident." Though Soffin, somewhat oddly, doesn't elaborate on this statement, he seems to be suggesting that during an underground emergency, a flurry of cell phone activity could potentially set off a device that just happens to be there waiting to go off, but has nothing to do with the current emergency. Are we then to believe that there are any number of explosive devices out there in New York's underground that the MTA doesn't know about?From textually.org and Daily NewsRelated Links: Bridge Collapse: Why Did Cell Phones Fail? NYC Subway Stations Wired for Cell Phones Camera Phone Nabs Perv on NYC Subway Cell Phones Versus Terrorists  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersA new ruling requires that Target.com and other sites allow for keyboard navigation and use alternate tags for images in order to make the sites accessible for the visually-impaired. These requirements sound simple enough, but may prove difficult for all of those dynamic, Flash-enabled pages that are popular among e-commerce sites. That means this ruling could cost site providers like Target, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy a lot of development money while web agencies rejoice.US District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel, of the Court for the Northern District of California, ruled that the case of the "National Federation of the Blind vs Target" is eligible for class-action status, meaning that the suit against Target can go forward in court and make the company liable for the site's accessibility issues. Patel ruled that "the inaccessibility of Target.com impeded full and equal enjoyment of goods and services offered in Target stores."Target has attempted to have the case thrown numerous times, but but has failed.From Tech CrunchRelated links:Judge Strikes Down Violent Video Game LawCalifornia Bans Cell Phone Use for TeensBreathalyzers Come Under Fire in Court Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Green Tech, iPhoneBack in May, Apple head Steve Jobs pledged that his company would become greener and that it would out-pace the competition when it came to removing toxic chemicals from the production of its devices. This was largely seen as a response to a Greenpeace-led campaign, which exposed the environmentally harmful nasties used in the production of Apple products and which named Apple one of the top environmental offenders. Now, Greenpeace is at it again, calling Apple out for taking a step backwards when it comes to the toxic chemicals found in the iPhone. The environmental group got its hands on one of Apple's new handsets and took it apart, analyzing the various bits and pieces inside and finding a number of toxic chemicals present. These include Bromine, a toxin used as a flame retardant, and Phthalates, a plastic softener banned in European toys thanks to its apparent impact on hormone levels in children. Greenpeace also knocks the phone's overall design, taking particular issue with the soldered-in battery, which is hard to replace and difficult to remove when it comes time to recycle the phone. Greenpeace claims that, "Apple is far from leading the way for a green electronics industry as competitors, like Nokia, already sell mobile phones free of PVC." Based on these findings it's hard to doubt that Apple took a bit of a step back from its green initiative to get the iPhone out the door. The question is, will the company respond to this Greenpeace challenge like it did the last?For now, see how Apple's environmental policies stack up to other tech manufacturers such as Dell, Samsung and Sony.From GreenpeaceRelated Links: Earth Day's Tech Losers Apple Getting Greener Not-So-Earth-Friendly Tech Hollywood Maestro Mark Mancina Loves His iPhone  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, CelebritiesAmerica loves Beyonce. This is a stone-cold fact -- a bewildering fact, but a fact nonetheless. And Sprint's faith in the country's love for Beyonce and anything associated with the R&B singer and Dreamgirls star became evident last week when the 'B Phone' by Samsung was unveiled. Available November 4th at a Sprint store or a Wal-Mart near you, this special edition Upstage phone features a dual-face handset, includes a digital power amp that significantly improves sound quality, Bluetooth, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and speedy PC syncing software.Naturally, the 'B Phone' is loaded with Beyonce-related material and will allow owners to download content such as an "exclusive" Beyonce photo gallery and a song she sang when she was 10-years old (sure, why not?) directly from Sprint.com.While we can't imagine owning the burgundy and gold-colored device ourselves, we imagine teenage girls everywhere will find the 'B Phone' irresistible.From GeeksugarRelated Links:On the Phone with Madonna and BeyonceKeyshia Cole on Texting Missy Elliott and More Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car Tech, Video Games In a sure sign that technology is working for us, Nissan has figured out how to make parallel parking easier. The company's new Around View Monitor, available this month in Japan's new Elgrand mini-car/van thing, synthesizes the images taken by the car's cameras (located on all four corners of the car) into a single image. The result? A top-down view of your vehicle, helping you do things like parallel park and back over your ex-girlfriend's stereo with the greatest of ease. It's like an old-school video game display of your vehicle, making all those hours and quarters wasted playing Spy Hunter in the arcade seem suddenly seem incredibly worthwhile. The tech will make its US debut in December, on the wheels of the new Infiniti EX35. What's next, dental floss that flosses for us? Someone please say yes.From EngadgetRelated Links:Nissan's Pivo 2 Concept CarDriverless Car Uses Lasers to Avoid Obstacles Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  So far this year, artists have stuffed a dead frog into a computer and allowed themselves to be shot at, but nothing beats the latest project by Stelios Arcadious, at least as far as shock value is concerned. After ten years if trying, the Cyprus-born artist finally found a surgeon to implant a third ear into his left arm.Cosmetically-speaking, it's a real ear, grown in a lab from cells, but so far it doesn't have any aural capabilities. Arcardious says he wants to add a Bluetooth transmitter and a tiny microphone to the ear, so that people "can listen to what my ear is hearing." Whether the sounds heard by an ear in an arm are all that different from the sounds picked up by regular ears on a head remains to be seen (or heard), but color us horrified -- and fascinated.From Daily Mail.Related Links:Artists Stuff Dead Frog With a ComputerIraqi Artist Wants to Be ShotVideo Game Picassos Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesIf you thought the bacteria-powered cell phones we reported on earlier this week might be a little too stinky for you, you might find a new power source from Samsung to be right up your alley. The maker of the popular Blackjack and Blast handsets has developed a new micro fuel cell that runs on just water. Inside the power pack, water reacts with some mystery metal to produce hydrogen gas. Hydrogen gas is then pumped into the fuel cell to generate power, supposedly enough to drive the device for 10 hours.Now, as we all know, a wet cell phone is not a good thing, but honestly, it sounds pretty tame to a potential mini-Hindenberg in your back pocket. Of course, traditional cell phone batteries have already proven their lethality, so maybe it is time for a change. Unfortunately, Samsung doesn't plan to have these ready until 2010, so we aren't safe from the exploding battery just yet. From textually.orgRelated Links: Cell Phones Powered By Bacteria? 10 Super-Fast, Super-Green Cars t/ Artificial Life in 10 Years, Says Scientist  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Celebrities, iPhoneYou may not have heard of the name Mark Mancina, but you've definitely heard one of his scores. Mancina has been tickling the ears of moviegoers for years, composing the soundtracks for such blockbusters as 'Training Day,' 'Bad Boys,' 'Con Air,' 'Twister' and 'Tarzan.' He's won three Grammy awards for some of his work and even dabbles in Broadway musicals where he's picked up a Tony award and co-written many of the songs for The Lion King musical. With his latest work on the film 'August Rush' set to debut next month, we caught up with Mancina for a chat about tech.What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set for down-time?MacBook and iPhone. What cell phone do you have right now and what do you love/hate about it?iPhone. Love it, but there's no GPS and I have a bad sense of direction. Who's the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?John Ondrasik. "Let's meet for coffee." He's written songs for the upcoming film 'August Rush,' and I wrote the score. What site or service do you head to pretty much every time you get online?Teach12.com. I'm a Teaching Company lectures addict. I'm currently listening to Robert Greenberg's "Bach & the High Baroque." He's amazing. Check him out. Name one thing you wish one of your gadgets could do that it doesn't do now?I wish my iPhone was international. I wish my iPod had higher sample rate. What upcoming gadget can you not wait to get your hands on?iPhone 3! You're stranded on a desert island: What gadget do you bring?My classical guitar. What's the most-played song or artist on your iPod?It's a toss-up between Stravinsky and Keane. Are you a Mac or PC person?I'm a composer and I'm completely Mac-based, which is a great place to be. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersYou may have heard of the SETI Institute, the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence Institute, thanks to its SETI@home program. For those who don't know, SETI is a "distributed" software program that people can run on their home computers to help analyze signals from distant galaxies in the hopes of identifying intelligent alien life-forms. In this way, millions of individuals can help. Yesterday the institute got a rather more sizable boost from a single individual: a new batch of telescopes made possible by a donation from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.The telescopes, which right now number 42, but at completion should number 350, will combine to form the world's largest radio telescope array. With radio telescopes, a number of smaller dishes can be spread out over the earth and, if moved in unison, act as one very, very large telescope that will put even the monstrous Arecibo Observatory (the one Bond fought Trevelyan over in 'Goldeneye') to shame. The "Allen Telescope Array" will probe galaxies far away looking for unusual radio signals that might be a sign of intelligent life. Paul Allen has fronted the initial $25 million to get the project off the ground, but another $25 million is still needed to buy the rest of the dishes and get them pointed in the right direction. So, if you've got a little extra pocket change, maybe you can get in on the alien hunting action.From BBC NewsRelated Links: Explore Millions of Galaxies With Google Sky Wired Celebrates 60 Years of Flying Saucers Ancient Pyramids Built Inside-Out  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments