Next Great Thing

Just as John Stuart Mill argued that there were both simple and higher levels in the realm of pleasure, we continue to see many uses for cell phone technology beyond “Mice Love Rice” ringbacks.

This is especially true when it comes to healthcare. A few days ago, we presented the possibility of patient monitoring by way of cell phone. Now Berkeley researchers are looking at using cell phones as data transmitters in medical imaging. For those interested parties who can’t quite make it through the entire article in PlosONE, self included, Roland Piquepaille offers a more digestible summary on his Web site.

While medical imaging is usually easy to access for those in more developed countries, millions are not privy to the devices or expertise needed to obtain much-needed information. By allowing data to be translated and analyzed at a remote location, thanks to cell phone transmission, these researchers are poised to take a huge step in bringing modern medicine to the entire world. So, while many heralded the arrival of the Internet as the end of borders across the world, it seems as if mobile will become the road by which we travel.

UK blog Dialaphone put together a post on mobile as art in which they call out this cell phone sculpture from Samsung. The handset maker put this “mobile phone globe” on display at a mall in the Ukraine last year in an effort to gain visibility for the brand. Apparently it was not visible enough, though, as they felt the need to add mimes. We’re speechless.

If the words “digital music” still make you think of Kraftwerk, you may be a little behind the times. Although, Kraftwerk was ahead of its time, so you might … well, never mind.

As we talked about back in October, digital downloads and the digital music scene in general are more popular than ever. In fact, some artists are going completely inside the computer (yes, like Jeff Bridges in 1982’s Tron). Recently, Irish rockers Ash announced that their newest album, “Twilight of the Innocents,” would be their last conventionally produced and distributed release. Going forward, Ash has decided to concentrate on releasing singles digitally, therefore simplifying distribution and everything that goes along with it. Collectors already feared the death of the physical album – could the concept itself be in peril?

Though most artists may not convert themselves into singles-only projects, there is still much freedom to be had for the more conventional musician. Nine Inch Nails recently released “Ghosts”, a 36 track instrumental album, available for only digitally for only five bucks (and the first nine songs are free.)

Now that Madonna left her label and signed with LiveNation, she is focusing more on digital–and wireless. In the UK, Vodaphone sold a song a day from Hard Candy, her new album, the week leading up last Monday’s release. Verizon and Vodafone also announced that they will be providing a live, mobile simulcast of Madonna’s Roseland Ballroom show in New York City. This is in addition to her mobile-only remix of “Four Minutes”. Our question: do you really want to pay $1.99 to get that on your phone when you can download it for a dollar on your computer–or from limewire for free?

-Forest Taylor, NGT Contributor from FH Minneapolis

In the vein of Samsung’s mobile patient monitor, Myrimis, a “real-life” location based social network (LBSNS), launched a mobile version last week. Available for free on internet-enabled phones, the previously desktop-only service allows you to display the location of your family members, friends, pets, photos taken and even your personal assets (like a car or home) on a digital map. Think of it as a real-time Facemap.

The service has a tracker application that sends you regular updates on everyone’s locations and lets you message them (like Buddy Beacon, Loopt, uLocate and Sniff). It can tell you nearby points of interest like hotels and restaurants as well as give you turn-by-turn directions. It also has as a geotagging function for photos that you can use to create a visual diary a la Flickr.

All good stuff, but the really cool part here here is the ability to not only monitor, but care for things remotely. According to the press release, “The location information is so valuable for those who are alone, get loss or miss a meeting spot. Thus, appropriate actions or assistance can be provided by their loved one or friends at once.” This means you can “take virtual care of your kids or elderly” by setting up geo-fence functions that alert them when they leave a prescribed area or letting them alert you at the press of a button. You can even have other people watch them on their phones when you are busy. It also lets you control temperature, alarms and lights of your home, your cars, even your boat.

Another service from SK Telecom actually goes one step further, allowing users to feed their pets via mobile phone. When you dial in, a box on their end rings, calling your pet and let them know its chow time. Then you press a button to dispense the food and can watch them eat via streaming video from the device’s built in webcam. It’s classical conditioning using modern technology. Just make sure to press the button before they drool all over the webcam.

Anyone who remembers Friendster will appreciate this video from Current TV on “Social Networking Wars.” As we know, it’s easy splash your virtual self all over the web and whittle away hours online. There is a social network for any mood you’re in. But the question is: Can you ever to go back to the real world?