It's bad enough when exams have to cater to horrific spellers due to their SMS-based vocabulary, but we're doing everything we can to make ourselves believe this latest report simply isn't true. Reportedly, a social analyst in Australia somehow believes that the wide range in spellings in a few popular names is due in large part to the fact that we spend way too much time as a whole conjugating and hyphenating in order to get text-based messages across. Said analyst was even quoted as saying that "the use of a 'y' instead of an 'i' has hit epidemic proportions, as has the use of 'k' over 'c'." Realistically, we're not about to believe the SMS craze is actually affecting children's names en masse, but please, do your next born a favor and give him / her the vowels they deserve.

[Via textually]

The absurdity of that photo is usurped only by the stupidity of those who think that shaking a baby is effective child rearing. Enter the re-purposed (and tricked out) $28,200 crash test dummy which the University of Oslo will use to better understand the trauma inflicted on an estimated 2,000 shaken babies each year in the US -- half of whom die, the other half suffering brain damage. If research is successful, the resulting forensic evidence will help prosecute those guilty of this senseless abuse while defending those wrongly accused. Fine, now could somebody please research the trauma inflicted on babies dressed like iPods? That can't be good.

As the ongoing battle between the naysayers and the paranoid continues, Neil Bullock is making sure that those situated squarely in the latter camp have a way to "protect" their unborn child(ren). MummyWrap is a "sleeveless, loose-fitting garment for pregnant women made from a light-weight copper-based cotton fabric known as Swiss Shield," and according to its creator, it can "minimize the risk of electro-magnetic radiation (EMR)" warping your kid's brain before he or she ever sees the world. 'Course, we're not going to step in and suggest that you do / don't need this, but for those who'd rather be safe than sorry, you can order one now for $69.95. As an added bonus, it should go great with your Isabodywear underwear.

[Via Textually]

Let's face it, it's not exactly feasible (or safe) to rock the kid to sleep whilst manning the wheel down I-5, which is why you should seriously look Britax's way for your next baby-related purchase. This luxurious car seat reportedly sports a "Reflection Sound System" that cranks out tunes around the infant's head, and while we all know it's just a ploy to keep the youngster from wailing any longer, the manufacturer is boasting about the mental benefits of piping Bach into your kiddo's brain at an early age. Portable sounds aren't the only thing it's got going for it, however, as the safety factor is also pretty high considering the well-padded surroundings, height adjustable head guard, automatic shoulder belt adjusting device, and a soft mat on the bottom to protect your whip's interior. Click on through for another snapshot while you mull over the ₩710,000 ($767) pricetag -- hey, there's only 364 days 'til Mother's Day, right?

[Via AVing]

While dealing with a widespread problem of abandoned children is an issue we have no interest in tackling, Italy's Family Affairs Minister Rosy Bindi apparently feels that hooking up hospitals with "modern-day foundling wheels" is the best solution. Based on an idea that dates back hundreds of years, the sensor-laden hatches that are now being installed in Italian hospitals are accessible only from the outside, and feature a specially designed window in which an unwanted child can be deposited into a warm, cushioned bed. In a recent incident, the sensors alerted the staff at Casilino Hospital, which arrived in a mere 40 seconds to care for the infant and find him a proper home. In an effort to get the message out, flyers in six languages have been posted around hospitals that encourage troubled parents to bring their child to one of the newfangled incubators. Still, we're not experts on foreign policy nor on taking care of rejected youngsters, but going from the cold, ruthless streets to a heated cubicle doesn't seem like such a raw deal for the kiddos.

[Via MedGadget]

You'd think that Apple's, um, loving oversight of its trademarks and trademark applications would scare potential DAP manufacturers away from using any combination of the letters p, o, and d in their product name, so we assume that Calgary-based Peapod Toys hasn't been following the American legal scene all that closely. In any event, the small company has just announced its self-titled, baby-targeted MP3 player at the International Toy Fair, which allows the one-and-under crowd to rock out to up to two hours of their favorite Raffi tunes. But infants and electronics go together like elephants and antique shops, you say? Not to worry: the Peapod is wrapped in a soft rubber shell that promises to protect it from mushed carrots, multiple collisions with the wall, and even the occasional teething session. It also sports a built in speaker (babies + headphone wires = potential disaster), a claimed 40 hours of battery life from a single AA, and support for select educational content available on the Peapod website. No word so far on price or release, but we'll go out on a limb and assume that we're looking at "cheap" and "soon," respectively.

[Via Gadget Lab]

Seriously, one day this mayhem has to end, but we suppose today isn't that day, so we'll just take a look at yet another (admittedly useful) product that'll probably sell at least three times as well as sufficient alternatives simply because you can strap your iPod into it. The Pico-iPod (which comes in black and white, to no one's surprise) appears to be a suite of iPod-laced goodies to pamper your child, including a stroller, car seat, and diaper bag, all entirely more attractive than your average kid carrier due to its DAP connection. In the hood of the stroller you'll find a holster for your dock-connecting iPod, volume / track controls, and built-in speakers to drown out those piercing screams lull the kiddo to sleep. While there's no apparent pricing listed on their site, we're seeing that it'll run you right around $300 from other outlets, so your kid best really love music before you throw down on this.

[Via TUAW]