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Smartphone app could help doctors detect opioid overdoses
A new mobile app could alert doctors to people who have overdosed on opioids by tapping into a smartphone's speaker and microphone. The "Second Chance" app, developed by a team of researchers from the University of Washington, turns your phone into a sonar device for measuring breathing. Though still in the trial stages, its creators say it detected early signs of overdose in the minutes after people injected heroin.
Boy Scouts of America go modern, make designing videogames a badge-worthy affair
Obvious truths: Boys love videogames. Videogames are fun. Earning awards for loving videogames and wanting to make them is ridiculous and pretty darn sweet. It's also now entirely possible if you're a Boy Scout (Cub Scouts have enjoyed this privilege for some time now). The organization that made khakis, neckerchiefs and canteens fashionable has now officially added Game Design to its array of merit badges. The new badge, devised in conjunction with several industry members and enthusiasts, requires young scouts to conceive, test and build a game prototype using such traditional methods as cards, die or a smartphone app. Yes, you read that right. Incredibly ambitious model-citizens-in-the-making can put all their 21st century knowledge and native digital know-how together to build a mobile gaming app to help them climb the ladder to Eagle Scout status. It's definitely a modern step for the century-old youth group. We just wish the "reward" were a little more substantial than a cloth cut-out.
Zipcar CEO talks mobile app improvements, predicts connected vehicle future
We wondered why Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith was slated as a keynote presenter at CTIA's MobileCon -- after all, what does renting cars have to do with mobile? Apparently, quite a lot. Griffith stated in his keynote that Zipcar's app and mobile services have taken a much more central role in the organization. The company is developing its own in-car device holder so that customers can hook up their phones for hands-free functions, and more importantly, the Zipcar smartphone app is due for a major update. The current version can be used to schedule rentals and remote unlock vehicles, but future iterations will transform it into more of an "in-car assistant." It'll let you know more information about the car, help you around town with a personal recommendation service, stream your iTunes playlist, and detailed trip feedback like fuel-levels and car conditions will be far easier to report. Zipcar hopes to add new members through the app as well -- just take a photo of your driver's license and get an approval "in minutes." According to Griffith, the connected car will change our urban landscape, especially with the combination of services like Lyft, Uber, bike sharing, and public transit. It's not quite the flying car, but the nerd in us is sufficiently pleased.
Connected To The Case to use Facebook for crowd-sourced crime solving
Ready the spandex and decide on a name for your alter ego, because come October 16th, you'll have the chance to fight crime from the comfort of your computer. On that date, the "Connected To The Case" website goes live with the aim of crowd-sourcing tips from its users to help the cops solve active investigations. You'll use your Facebook login for access, as the service pulls data from your profile to prioritize cases with which you might have a connection. Morgan Wright, CEO and Chief Crime Fighter of Crowd Sourced Investigations, told us its system looks at five key areas when digging for pertinent triggers: "date, location, time, relation and demographics." It then uses that data to tailor notifications of unsolved crimes based on -- for example -- proximity to your school, or where you used to work. Rest assured that you control the privacy settings, and if you've got useful info to share, you can do so anonymously. Law enforcement agencies can register to include their cases from today, with the initial roll-out targeting the US. The plan is to expand first to other English-speaking countries, with foreign language support in the future to build a global network of internet do-gooders. Including data from other social networks is also in the pipeline, starting with Twitter and later, Foursquare and Pinterest. A smartphone app is also on the agenda, so get your detective devices ready -- we can be heroes, if just for one click.
GE launches eye-pleasing WattStation Wall EV charger in Europe
Every EV needs juice, but GE likes to dispense it in style, and it's sticking to that mantra with its new, wall-mounted version of the WattStation. The weather-resistant charging point has been launched in Europe, and is available for your home or business in a buffet of custom colors. The WattStation Wall plays nicely with type 1 / 2 plugs and type 2 / 3 sockets under the supervision of GE's smartphone app for monitoring usage and remote charging. A networked version is also due in early 2013 for businesses that want greater control and billing options through the WattStation Connect platform. The PR mentions it supports connections common to Europe, USA and Japan, so we assume it'll also be sticking to walls outside the Continent before too long. If you're not sold on the design, maybe the saving on garage floor space will persuade you -- unless you're set on a Hiriko, of course.
Flickr Android app gets updated, touts refreshed UI and camera selection
Flickr's Android app has been around for nearly a year and was due for a tune-up to perform like its iOS sibling. First, a retooled UI touts a new navigation menu and the Explore section now does a better job of sorting shots according to nearby location and level of interest. In addition to the aforementioned photo library search, notifications, profile, camera and upload options fill out the rest of the main menu's tabbed options. Throughout the application, a pull down to refresh function keeps the most recent notifications and uploads at the top of the window. When the camera tab is tapped, you'll now be prompted to choose your camera or camera app of choice in order to capture the shot. Rounding out the improvements are improved overall search, the ability to edit details / metadata on pictures and HTML content in comments and descriptions. If you're looking to give the overhauled software a go, hit the source link below to snag it. %Gallery-163132%
The Joy of remote-controlled Cooking: LG's Lightwave oven makes mealtime mobile-operated
Advances in oven technology are more the province of Jack Donaghy's former GE overlords, but over in South Korea, LG's taking a real-world stab at making the fictional CEO proud. An update to its Lightwave line, this new, next-gen kitchen appliance employs halogen heaters to cut down on traditional cooking time, a range of menu pre-sets to accommodate your meal-making and, most worrisome of all, a wireless connection for smartphone control. With that last tidbit of information, you should be either horrified by the opportunities for absent-minded, accidental pants pocket activation or pleased and at ease with the convenience it affords (which means you likely have children and can now tend to that bottle of red undisturbed from the couch). So, what exactly can you do from the comfort of your own phone? For starters, you can set the timer while you're away, adjust the temperature and even activate the steam cleaning feature. It's not clear if all of this remote action's restricted to the company's own devices, but if you're living in the company's home territory and have a fancy for haute-tech cuisining, this one's for you.
Samsung Galaxy S III replaces check-in, keycard, TV remote and AC control in Olympic hotel
Samsung has turned the Galaxy S III into the ultimate hotel accessory in preparation for the Olympics. It's equipped 40 rooms in London's Stratford Holiday Inn to use the official smartphone of 2012 to check in and out, order room service, unlock doors and control the TV without moving. VIPs staying at the hotel for the games season will get first dibs on the technology that'll let them call up a snack whilst tweeting -- just as long as Cody Brocious doesn't work out how to intercept it.
Honda announces its HondaLink infotainment system, teams up with Aha Radio for the festivities
We've known about Honda's plans to bring Aha Radio along for the ride and the tech has already gotten cozy in Subaru and Acura autos. The company has officially outted its plan to partner with Harman to bring web radio, podcasts and both Facebook and Twitter audio news feeds to the in-dash systems of 2013 vehicles. Unlike what we saw in the BRZ, though, HondaLink will arrive with its own smartphone app in tow for pre-selecting content before hopping in the driver's seat. However, you'll still need a tethered smartphone in order to run things, the entire kit can be futzed with via steering wheel and on-dash controls. The system will also bundle Pandora and voice-to-text SMS messaging that has already made its way to some models. HondaLink will break from cover this fall in the 2013 Accord, but a peek at the preliminary interface awaits after the break.
Find My Car Smart app uses Bluetooth 4.0 to help iPhone 4S owners do the obvious
Do you have an iPhone 4S? Do you drive a car? Do you have amnesia? If you answered yes to at least two-and-a-half of these questions, you'll probably be interested in Find My Car Smart -- a Kickstarter project that wants to help dudes find their cars, with the help of Bluetooth 4.0 technology. The system is relatively straightforward, consisting of nothing more than an iOS app (available now on iTunes for $0.99), and a USB-based Bluetooth proximity adapter. All you have to do is download the app, stick the dongle in your car, and let your iPhone 4S automatically mark your parking spot. Whereas similarly-designed apps typically require users to manually record their car's location before leaving the lot, Find My Car Smart allows you to forget even that, since the app will automatically record your GPS coordinates. FMC Smart says it won't start shipping adapters until it reaches its Kickstarter funding goal, though it's aiming to deliver its first 500 devices by January. For more details, hit up the links below.
