REMOTE CAMERA SENDS IMAGES TO CELL PHONE
 Remember
this new acronym in cell phone technology. It's called "M2M" and it
stands for the new "machine to machine" communication paradigm. The
new technology lets machines use cellular telephone networks to
communicate directly with computer systems or other machines. The
first one to use M2M is Nokia when it will introduce a wall-mounted
surveillance camera that can send images directly to a cell phone.
Already being sold overseas, Nokia says it will be available in the
United States this summer. The under $500 Observation Camera will have
its own subscriber identification module or SIM card. That's the tiny
removable wafer that's found inside most of today's newer generation
cell phones. The SIM card contains key subscriber information such as
account numbers and pass codes. Using the M2M technology, the M2M
Observation Camera will literally have its own phone number. Any cell
phone can call it up and with the proper SIM identification and
passwords, the camera will reply by sending a photo of something
snapped just moments earlier. M2M has attracted some big-name
supporters, including Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Intel, which are all
trying to capture a bigger slice of the emerging market for wireless
monitoring gear. Worldwide sales of such M2M devices are expected to
grow to $28 billion a year by 2007. When the cameras become available,
they will be coupled with cellular service from either AT&T Wireless
or T-Mobile, both of which have approved the device for use on their
networks.
www.nokia.com
Time is getting fishy
A few months ago I wrote about a fascinating screen saver known as
Marine Aquarium from SereneScreen.com. This screen saver depicts an
aquarium filled with fish that look and swim so realistically that you
literally feel compelled to tap on your monitor's screen. It's
important to note these images are not mere movies of tropical fish
but are in fact mathematically modeled graphics that are entirely
computer generated. Since then, a newer 2.0 version of this amazing
program made its debut. The second version offers five additional fish
types and an improved interface. It makes the selection of fish as
well as other user options easier to navigate. But now the company has
taken this delightful screen saver to the next level.
 "Marine
Aquarium Time" is basically the same aquarium but with the addition of
a time-keeping translucent slate that sits atop of the rocks on the
bottom of the fish tank. This sheet of rock is translucent so that you
can still see any fish that happens to swim behind it. Seemingly
etched into the slate is an analog clock with a ticking second hand
that slightly bounces as it ticks off each second. But then the
ghostly clock image fades away and in its place appears a digital
calendar that displays in large lettering the day of the week, month
and day along with a digital clock. Once again that fades from view
and you see an entire month calendar with the current day circled,
plus a reduced size month and digital clock. Then the process begins
all over again. Marine Aquarium Time's preferences let you control how
long each display remains before switching to the next, or you can
elect to display only one of the three images.
Marine Aquarium Time continues to be a digital work of art that not
only relaxes its viewers, but now reminds them when the time has
arrived for them to stop staring. Marine Aquarium Time sells for
$19.95 but is only $9.95 for those who already own Marine Aquarium 2.0
and wish to upgrade.
www.serenescreen.com |
