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ICYMI: Rock-like smartphone, stomach tap and more
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: The FDA has just approved a device for obese people that is first surgically inserted into the stomach, then used like a tap after meals to drain up to a third of the food inside. The Runcible 'anti-smartphone' is going up for sale for $300, designed to not make a single noise except to notify you of incoming calls. It includes a camera, bluetooth and touchscreen, but still clearly resembles a rock on the back. And finally, It is this show's first birthday, so we are touching on a few of our favorite stories from the last year. If you'd like to check out a brief clip of the pigeon video out of New York, that's here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Monohm's circular 'anti-smartphone' is up for pre-order
Back in 2015, while I was trawling the halls of Mobile World Congress, I stumbled upon a device known as the Runcible. It was a strangle, pebble-like object with limited functionality -- its creator, Aubrey Anderson, described it as a "quieter" gadget to help people relax and live slightly more disconnected lives. Since then I've heard almost nothing about the project, but that's all changing today -- Anderson and his company, Monohm, have announced that the Runcible is now available for pre-order, starting at $399 for the base model and $499 for the premium "adventure" version.
Relaxing with Runcible, the circular 'anti-smartphone'
The Runcible is both the strangest and most intriguing device that I've seen at Mobile World Congress this year. It offers many of the same capabilities as a smartphone, but it looks like a trinket you would find in a trendy vintage store. That's by design, though: Its creator, Monohm, wants the circular gizmo to challenge the now ubiquitous smartphone experience, which is increasingly defined by a relentless stream of notifications. Aubrey Anderson, the company's founder and CEO, describes the Runcible as a "quieter" gadget that can help people relax and live in the moment, while still staying connected online.
Design firm wants this round wooden phone to be your family heirloom
See that wooden round thing above? That's a smartphone -- a real, working smartphone with a high-res screen and a camera, and not just a concept that will never come to life. Just imagining how to take calls on it without a headset or how to access websites on it is giving us a headache, but it's sure a good way to stand out in a world dominated by rectangular devices. This circular oddity is called the Runcible, and San Francisco design firm Monohm modeled it after pocket watches and compasses: items it says we humans have been carrying with us for ages.
