Must Have Gadgets

Stanford graduate student Ben Dodson demonstrates in the video below what may be one of the must have gadgets of the future.

He makes a finger drawing on his smart phone. He touches his phone to his friend's phone and instantly transfers the drawing. His friend continues the drawing on his phone and the changes instantly appear in real time on Dodson's phone.

Dodson then touches his phone to a television remote and the drawing appears on a big t.v. screen where it continues to be created simultaneously by Dodson and his friend using their smart phones.

Now imagine gathering with friends where multiple participants share a game by using these new smart phones. Each participant is now a player in the game using their own mobile devices.

But the game is also shared with the television remote so the participants can view and control their game play on a big screen.

Imagine sharing movies or music in this same manner by simply crowd sourcing content from these smart phones to a home theater or sound system.

The Square

Jack Dorsey, the co-inventor of Twitter, is promoting his latest invention called the Square.

The square is a small plug-in attachment to your mobile phone that allows you to receive credit card payments.

The idea originated from Dorsey's friend Jim McKelvey who was unable to sell some glass work to a customer because he couldn't accept a particular card being used.

Accepting credit card payments for something you're selling isn't always easy, especially if you are mobile like a tradesman, delivery service or a vendor at a trade show.

This latest invention uses a small scanner that plugs into the audio input jack on a mobile device.

It reads information on a credit card when it is swiped. The information is not stored on the device but is encrypted and sent over secure channels to banks.

It basically makes any mobile phone a cash register for accepting card payments.

As a payer, you receive a receipt via email that can be instantly accessed securely online. You can also use a text message to authorize payment in real time.

Retailers can create a payer account for their customers which accelerates the payment process.

For example, a cardholder can assign a photo to their card so their photo will appear on the phone for visual identity confirmation. Mobile devices with touch screens will also allow you to sign for goods.

There are no contracts, monthly fees, or hidden costs to accept card payments using Square and it is expected the plug-in attachment will also be free of charge.

A penny from every transaction will also be given to a cause of your choice.

As with Twitter, it's anticipated that Dorsey will direct the company based upon feedback from users.

Square Inc. has offices in San Francisco, Saint Louis and New York and is currently beta testing the invention with retailers in the United States.

Source: squareup.com

MobiSocial

Welcome to "mobisocial" and the new smart phones of the future.

Mobile and Social Computing Laboratory at Stanford University is developing this open-source mobile social media future with support from the National Science Foundation, Google, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and AVG.

They have created a suite of applications such as anytime-anywhere communications with friends, making purchases, transferring contact info, video and photo sharing.

These new smart phones would be operating independent of proprietary social networks and will be open-source to foster innovative uses while protecting personal data security.

These mobile devices could become the must have gadgets for users that want the best smart phone for interacting and sharing outside proprietary social networks.

Current social networking providers are closed networks and they often own your content posted to their servers. The content can also be searched, analyzed and used for advertising purposes.

MobiSocial platform will be based on widely adopted email technology, where providers and open standards have privacy of content and non-sharing with third parties.

Source: mobisocial.stanford.edu

Twine

This product has to be on our list of must have gadgets because it allows objects and spaces to communicate with you.

It's the creation of inventors and MIT graduates, David Carr and John Kestner.

Their invention known as "Twine" can tweet you when your laundry is ready, text you if your garage door is left open or send you an email if your basement floods.

Twine is a WiFi enabled sensor pad that is attached to an object. A simple web app allows you to instruct the pad on what information you want to collect and where to send it.

The 2.5 inch square pad is powered by 2 AAA batteries or a micro USB connection, and it will send you a text message if it needs charging.

The device contains a number of sophisticated motion, moisture and temperature sensors for collecting information about an object or a location.

Source: supermechanical.com