Nokia Aeon - A Wearable Concept Phone

Nokia's Aeon is a "full surface screen" cellphone concept is one of the most futuristic phone that I've seen lately. Nokia's research and development team have kicked it up a gear with an attractive "aeon" concept phone showing up in the R&D section of the company's website about a year and half ago. The most prominent design feature of aeon is a touchscreen that stretches over the full surface area of the phone, similar to BenQ-Seimen's Black box concept phone.

A thin candybar phone, Nokia's Aeon is said to have two touch-sensitive panels mounted on a fuel-cell power pack. The complete phone is virtual and the panels can be used for voice calls/sending messages and enjoying the musical experiance from any panels. It can also merge itself into other local products using the inbuilt sensors with the complete design similar to synaptics onyx and BenQ-Siemens’s Black box, replacing the need for the complete tradional keypad. Aeon is said to be about 13.7mm thick and, oh yeah, may be priced around a cool $2,000.

Aeon concept isn't as far out as it seemed when first announced almost a year ago, but it will probably do it all by the time it's released...say in a year or two, but watch out Nokia, we might see some knock-off come out of China before that.

And when I say China, actually there is a surprise for all of those who have been eagerly awaiting the dual-touch display of the Nokia AEON. You might be either frustrated or excited to know that a clone device is already available in China called The GF-W168, which is said to be designed to resemble the AEON device and probably launched in November 2o07.

The GF-W168 (Dual sim mobile phone +bluetooth mobile phone +mp3 mobilel phone + MP4 mobile phone+Camera mobile phone ) features the similar dual touch feature of the Nokia device, with the keypad nixed for a touch interface. Sporting a 3 MP camera, 2.2 ' TFT screen, 3D stereo music, Bluetooth, a media player, dual band GSM (900/1800 MHz), and support for 3GP and MP4 video formats, the clone device matches much of what the AEON would offer.

More on the GF-W168 here including specs, additional features, etc. etc. for all of those who are interested in it. Well, close enough to the real thing, but still not the same...I suppose.

New "smart" plug that will switch off your electrical devices if you forget

An 'intelligent' plug is being developed that will switch off TVs, desk lamps, and other electrical devices when they are not being used. It is part of an electrical system designed at the University of Essex in Colchester to cut household power bills by keeping watch over energy use. Home owners will be told how much power every device is soaking up, and when equipment is operating needlessly.

The system will also detect and switch off devices that have been carelessly left on in empty rooms. Researchers hope to see the plugs fitted as standard to all domestic appliances within a few years. The plug, which will look no different from a normal 13 amp one, is also said to contain an 'integrated motion sensor,' which will detect when there is little activity in a room where a device such as a TV has been left on or not. The plug will alert the central controller by transmitting the information to a central control point in the home, which can then switch the device off.

The plug is being developed with a £90,000 award from the Carbon Connections Development Fund, a green initiative managed by the University of East Anglia.

A batch of prototypes should be ready within six months and will be tested in Essex University's 'iSpace' department, where hi-tech gadgets can be tried out in home surroundings. It is estimated that the plugs would cost less than £1 each; however, with mass production this should be possible.

More on this stuff here with a pretty interesting comment made by Jimmy Richardson from Scotland.