Modu: feast of vivid, confusing imagery teases new wireless product

So some new start-up is getting ready to come out of stealth mode and wow the world with its innovative, paradigm-shifting gadget -- but naturally, you've gotta build a little bit of buzz before you can cross that bridge. Modu's website is devoid of information that might lead us to conclude what kind of device the firm is prepping, but the teaser video is a psychedelic trip through a day in some Modu user's life during which we can make out a few ultra-brief moments of some pretty hot looking... something or other. About all we know is that there are cell radios involved; if we had to venture a guess, we'd say they're doing up sort of wireless module that can be popped into a variety of devices, providing voice and 3G data, contacts, multimedia stuff, and other digital miscellany -- sort of like Bluetooth, but the transport layer becomes a physical piece of equipment. Well, what do you think it is, eh?

[Beamey @ Jan 21st 2008 5:44PM]

I'm guessing its some type of un-blendable car-radio deck that comes with DOOM pre installed.

[EQB @ Jan 21st 2008 6:22PM]

Undoubtedly to be used solely be our mobility-loving robotic overlords no?

[Blackstar @ Jan 21st 2008 9:28PM]

It might be the 'Cloverfield' monster.

[ethana2 @ Jan 21st 2008 10:06PM]

That looks simple enough to blend.. an experienced blender user could replicate that shot in a matter of half an hour or less, imo.

[andrew wilson @ Jan 21st 2008 5:49PM]

yeah definitely a car radio. seconded!

[Captain Obvious @ Jan 21st 2008 5:55PM]

Since most of the management comes from a memory chip maker, msystems, I am guessing it is a new memory chip (with built in clock display!) using YAPI* that can be plugged into a car stereo or clock radio for music, or your phone for contacts, or your camera for picture storage, or...

*YAPI - Yet Another Proprietary Interface

[Shane @ Jan 21st 2008 5:56PM]

Looks kind of like an updated version of an old school boom box from that angle...
Anyone remember the bazooka bass tubes?

[CBobC @ Jan 21st 2008 5:58PM]

It's an identity module that you have to remember to unplug and take with you all the time. Keeps profiles, files, digital ID's bank account numbers all encrypted in memory.

I use my mobile for that....

Bob

[Lee @ Jan 21st 2008 8:52PM]

Oh my god! They killed Michael Winslow and turned him into a piece of plastic!

[atomicmatt @ Jan 21st 2008 5:58PM]

if you watch the video it looks like a mobile phone that can be used as a usb drive of sorts. PLugs into almost anything and can make phone calls.

[alitman @ Jan 21st 2008 6:01PM]

It a thingy that does everything. And like other thingys that do everything, they and up doing nothing. As a VC I would be pissed if I saw my company pissing away money on a fancy video..

[Raghu @ Jan 21st 2008 6:05PM]

This looks exactly like a device that I thought the world needed... before bluetooth. It probably still has some benefits. Imagine this...

* It's a normal cell phone
* Plugged into a base at home, your home phone(s) run off the same SIM, phone book, etc
* Plugged into the car, your car phone and music system interact with it
* You can use it as a stand alone music player
* In your computer, use it to store music or as a WAN wireless card

Pretty neat, but just a few years too late I think.

[alitman @ Jan 21st 2008 6:07PM]

This company is an Israeli company was previously known as Infone Tech. They are doing something that has to do with cell phone.. (duh!)

To me it looks like a com module that plugs into things. Such as a PDA, your car, you laptop, your PMP, game, etc. Adding to those cell connectivity. Such company can not make it with out high profile partners in each of those market places.. it will be interesting to see what this ends up being..

[Carlos @ Jan 21st 2008 6:38PM]

I think you nailed it - also Engadget gave it away with the Tags for this story 'cellphone'

[rav97 @ Jan 21st 2008 6:24PM]

Dear Engadget,

how about posting news about a new gadget only when details of said gadget become known?
As much fun as it is to play at "guess the mysterious object being advertised", I think it should take more than a site with a cryptic flash animation to get press coverage.
I realize we already do it with Apple and MWSF, but at least Apple has a solid track record when it comes to delivering gadgets (maybe not always the gadgets that fans hoped for, but gadgets nonetheless). This start-up might be dead next week, for all I know.

[Neoprimal @ Jan 22nd 2008 2:40AM]

Shush.

I like guessing.

[decypher44 @ Jan 21st 2008 6:34PM]

How about looking at the "jobs" link:

http://www.modumobile.com/jobs.html


That may give you a clue...

[DavilaDav @ Jan 21st 2008 9:03PM]

It is the ultimate way to connect all of your digital devices. With a cell radio, gps, and other functions, you can take it from home (connect it to a land-line telephone, listen to music, etc) to car (same functionality through the car stereo to computer (voice, internet access, gps, music sync, and more) to others. complete speculation, of course, but a guy can dream cant he?

[AnyKey @ Jan 21st 2008 9:04PM]

Rule #1 of writing: NEVER under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES should the words "vivid" and "imagery" be together.
My english teacher used to take off a ton of points every time I did that in my papers because it's too vague.
Not that you guys give a shit or anything...

[ChrisG @ Jan 21st 2008 9:27PM]

i think its an mp3 cellphone meets cassette player. And because they thought touch screens were overrated, its the most tactile phone ever. lol

[Neoprimal @ Jan 22nd 2008 2:54AM]

It's a wifi, cellular (gprs/edge/etc.), wimax enabled, external device powered 'drive' that:

1. stores user data and personal preferences (from cell phone contacts to gps waypoints/routes to music/movie/etc. favorites)

AND!

2. 'enables' cell/wifi access in their future devices. That is to say, this little rectangular drive will plug into different devices in order to 'customize' them based on the user.
I expect these devices to be the ones we'd use the most around the home and in the vehicle, the cell phone, the mp3/video player (maybe), the car stero, the gps unit...and more, if they actually you know - start up.

Scenerio: You and your partner are "modu'd". So you each have your Modu cell, a modu enabled car stereo system and a modu enabled gps. Each modu card has each users preferences so, Jack goes to the car, starts it up - sticks his modu card into the GPS which then pulls all his route info, waypoints, fave places, traffic alers for his routes blah blah blah up. The GPS basically 'pairs' with HIS card. Then he takes it out and sticks it into his car stereo, which pulls up his fave xm/sirius stations or maybe some playlists from the built in mp3 system. It also 'pairs' with that card as well so it learns and remembers whatever he does. It doesn't just have to be a stero system either mind you, some cars come with seat adjustment settings, window settings, etc. etc. etc. Finally, he sticks the card back into his cell phone which works while it's not inside it anyway because it's already constantly 'paired' with it.

If this isn't what this does...I'm going to patent these ideas myself.

[Coral @ Jan 22nd 2008 3:27AM]

So when are they going to develop a satellite radio that allows you to download the original file if you like a song?

[Ryan @ Jan 22nd 2008 7:48AM]

You can find more still frame pictures of the device here.
http://drop.io/moduphone

I imagine the name change from Infone to Modu had a lot to do with the fact that, as some have mentioned, they more than likely plan on releasing compatible "add-on" products. So Modu may be the Brand, and we are simply seeing one of its products. Somebody mentioned that it might possibly utilize proprietary interfaces. I imagine it utilizes PCIexpress connectivity (or a similar standard).

[midhel @ Jan 24th 2008 7:32AM]

Well, I would assume that the word "Modu" is shortened from "Modular" which is what the video seems to be depicting.

In any event, the device itself, from what i have seen in the clip looks sexy, but maybe as many previous posters have said, irrelevant.

While Bluetooth is all awesome and helpful and useful and stuff, I personally never use it. I would rather a physical object that I can move around, and feel that my life is on a little chip that fits into everything.

[tom @ Feb 7th 2008 5:27AM]

I regularly look avidly on this site because I love gadgets, but I'm not a bloody sheep that will follow just ANYTHING around.

My immediate reaction to this is 'Oh, God... not MORE bloody techno crap to get our heads round'. Yes, it's yet another format, another drain on your wallet to do what is done already in yet another slightly different way. Obviously, for some people, life isn't complicated enough already.