AmbientDevices
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Ambient bringing InTouch Text messaging to 2009 devices
It's been a hot minute since we've seen a new creation emerge from the labs of Ambient Devices, but for the products that are evidently coming down the pike in 2009, we can expect one more feature to be included above the status quo. The new InTouch Text messaging service will enable Ambient products to receive and display important messages, greetings and reminders from owners via SMS, email or the web. As with everything this company does, the message integration will be seamless and easy to use, with a simple InTouch Logo button lighting up to signify that a message is waiting. Of course, phone calls, texts and Hallmark cards could certainly serve the same purpose, but where's the joy in that?
Ambient Baseball ScoreCast keeps you in the game
Sure, you've got a few wireless scoreboard options out there if you're not down with keeping tabs via your PC / handset, but for fans of MLB and fashion alike, Ambient Devices' Baseball ScoreCast really is in a league of its own. As with the firm's Market Maven, this device also relies on the InfoCast Network for updates, meaning that it doesn't require nearby WiFi to function. 'Course, InfoCast can reach "only" 90-percent of the US, but if you're blanketed, all you'll need to provide is four AA cells and input on which team is your favorite. The device receives data updates every half-inning, and if nine just isn't enough, you'll also be kept current with extra inning action. Of course, whether such a unit is worth $124.99 is another matter entirely. %Gallery-12593%
Ex-Palm CEO Carl Yankowski tapped to head Ambient Devices
It's been a while since we've heard from Carl Yankowski, the former CEO of Palm and Reebok -- not that we blame him for lying low these past few years, after guiding Palm through its 2000 spinoff from 3Com to a $30 billion market cap, only to see inventory of devices like the Palm V and IIIe pile up in warehouses and the company fall to less than five percent of its former value a year later. That's a hard act to follow, but it looks like he'll be getting a shot as the new CEO of Ambient Devices, makers of the Orb and other friendly glowing information appliances. Yankowski replaces David Rose, who founded the company in 2001 commercialize tech developed at the MIT Media Lab, and he sounds like he's ready to hand the company over, saying "With Carl leading the team, I am confident that our original vision for ambient information everywhere will become a reality for millions of consumers in the near future." What's interesting is that Carl's Wikipedia entry was last edited in November, and it says he's been running Ambient since August -- perhaps the puppetmaster has finally stepped on stage, eh?[Via News.com]
Ambient Devices updates 5-day Forecaster, unveils 7-day version
While we'd surely balk if Ambient Devices simply added two measly (albeit potentially important) days to its forecaster, the outfit made sure to update the overall look / feel of its weather display for good measure. The revamped devices will reportedly "receive updates from weather sources throughout the day via the Ambient Infocast Network," which currently reaches about 90-percent of US households. The 5-Day Forecaster will sport a four- by four-inch display while the 7-Day Forecaster boasts a six- by six-inch screen, and both units will show "current conditions and an extended multi-day forecast for 150 locations in the United States." Notably, the units will even feature "a color-changing backlight to indicate the current temperature at a glance (i.e. blue for cold, red for warm)," and those springing for the week-long version will be blessed with information about the UV Index, wind speed and direction, pollen alerts and air quality alerts. Look for the new Forecasters to land this winter for $149.99 and $199.99, respectively.[Via SlashGear]
Ambient Orb power-usage hack reduces energy consumption by 40%
We've seen some interesting uses for Ambient Devices' various "thin data" products, but Mark Martinez, a Southern California Edison power station manager, has probably hit upon the most interesting application we've seen: by reprogramming the device to reflect energy usage and costs, customers in his 120-person test program managed to reduce their energy consumption by 40 percent. Martinez chalks the results up to the "sentinel effect," saying that ""It's nonintrusive. It has a relatively benign effect. But when you suddenly see your ball flashing red, you notice." Ambient Devices actually sells a similar product called the EnergyJoule, and we've seen some other monitoring attempts before, but we think we like Martinez's hack better -- it brings a little mod flair to living green. Hopefully he'll let us know how he did it soon.[Via Inhabitat]
Ambient Devices' Market Maven watches stocks, tether free
It's been a long wait to see Ambient Devices' promise of "thin data" wireless devices finally come to fruition, but that doesn't mean all the charm has gone from idea. Case in point: this here Market Maven, which Ambient Devices is prepping to launch in September, might not do anything you can't already pull off with your Optimus Mini Three or even a simple desktop widget, but there's an undeniable beauty to the thing all the same. Of course, you might quickly forget how great this guy looks when you realize that all it can do is pull the DJIA, NASDAQ and S&P 500 activity every 15 minutes, tell you if the market is open, and let you know the time. That makes it hard to justify the $125 asking price, but the good news is that after you slap a few AAAs in this guy, it'll do its thing configuration free, with no pesky internet connection or subscriptions to deal with -- data comes courtesy of Ambient Devices' own Infocast Network, which reaches about 90% of US households. Oh well, we're still loving the umbrella.
Ambient's forecasting umbrella now on sale
For those of you who have been getting continually soaked in bad weather due to your unbelievable lack of knowledge concerning the possibility of rain, your day of suffering has come to a close. The Ambient Umbrella, which we introduced you to way back in the good-old-days of 2006 -- and then checked out intimately earlier this year -- is now available for purchase via the company's website. The device, if you'll recall, alerts you to upcoming rain via the colored LED ring located on the handle, which is updated wirelessly via Ambient's "Information Network", thus resulting in a generally drier commute. The magical umbrella is available now for $125, and your ability to check the weather before you leave the house is also available now, for free.
Ambient Devices' slew of conceptual displays
Although we've already been up close and personal with a number of Ambient's unique devices, a recent conference at the Ambient Information Systems Workshop brought a bevy of new (and old) conceptual devices back to the limelight. Aside from the Google Clock and Ambient Orb, David Rose spoke about the opportunity to present a multitude of interfaces with varying resolutions in a number of environments so that individuals could get updates on what's important to them with "just a glance." Among the ideas was a Weather Watcher display that could be tailored for sailors by divulging forecasts and current wind information, a Sailing Zone display that could easily pinpoint the "ideal situation for boating," and a thin wallet-infused display that could crank out pertinent information to the owner. Additionally, a energy tracking Home Joule is currently being trailed in New York that uses color to quickly convey data about how much juice is being consumed in a home. So if you're intrigued in the slightest, and can't wait to see how ubiquitous displays and the human race will inevitably work and play together in perfect harmony, be sure to hit the read link and cringe as you read over things you thought of years ago but kept to yourself.
Hands-on with Ambient's Weather Forecasting Umbrella
It may always be sunny in Philadelphia, but the weather can get pretty wild at Engadget HQ in NYC. Sure we could look out the window or watch the morning news to get a bead on the day's weather, but if we didn't employ some extraneous tech in our morning routine, we wouldn't be Engadget. Well were it to be available for purchase, our meteorological gadget of choice would be Ambient Devices' Weather Forecasting Umbrella -- but since it's not, our only chance to live the future came at Monday night's Showstoppers event. As you probably know by now, this umbrella features an LED ring at the base of the handle that lights up if rain is predicted (courtesy of Ambient's nationwide network); when you use it properly and store it handle-up, a quick glance is all it takes to decide whether or not you'll need some protection from Mother Nature later on. Unfortunately for our hands-on experience, it's pretty damn beautiful in Las Vegas this week, so our helpful demonstrator had to cheat and trigger the light manually to give us the full experience. After staring blankly at the ring of light for several minutes, we finally managed to avert our gaze long enough to suggest that the company hook up with the makers of NanoNuno to jack up the functionality even more. Team Ambient told us to stick to blogging and let them worry about product design. Anyway, check out some more shots in the gallery below... Hands-on with Ambient's Weather Forecasting Umbrella
