Maybe some things shouldn't be replaced by technology

The Guardian reported this week that the U.K. Clinical Research Collaboration is in the process of developing a way for people to test themselves for sexually transmitted diseases using their mobile devices. If they are successful, users will be able to place their own urine or saliva on a small computer chip that plugs into the mobile device, which will then produce the test results.

According to the Guardian, the app is being produced with technology-savvy young people in mind – those that experts say may be too embarrassed to go to the doctor to be tested though their age group has the highest rate of STDs. The test is meant to be private and quick, much like a drug store pregnancy test, and to reduce the growing number of STDs, which have increased in frequency over the last decade in the U.K.

Appadvice points out that this news may mean one day doctorâ€s offices could be obsolete, or at least less frequently visited. If the average person can test themselves for an STD, whoâ€s to say people wonâ€t diagnose themselves and print out their prescriptions in the future?

We donâ€t see that happening until sometime very far into the future, and the app being developed does not seem to include a way for people to treat themselves in private as well. This could mean it will not actually reduce the rate of STDs. If someone is too embarrassed to see a doctor to be tested, they may be too embarrassed to be treated as well.

And now that weâ€ve discussed all the particulars can we take a minute to talk about how inserting your own urine or spit into your mobile phone is disgusting? Weâ€re sure the creators will have some way to keep the process totally sterile and clean, but weâ€re not planning on sticking anything up against our cheeks and ears that has once housed our own pee. Trying to stop the growing rate of infection any way possible is a great idea and should be commended, but how about educating young people about STD prevention and coming up with ways to make them feel more comfortable talking to their doctors instead?

We would suggest a moment of silence if we werenâ€t too busy wondering if we were the only ones who had assumed the Walkman was already out of production. Apparently Sony has still been making Walkmans, though they have become mostly obsolete with the advent of Mp3 players – namely, the Apple iPod, which was introduced around this time of year in 2001.

Dying, but not dead yet

Sony will continue producing Walkman devices in China and distributing them in the United States, Europe and some Asian countries, and the more updated (but still relatively old news) Discman is still made by Sony. Digital Walkmans that display lyrics and have improved digital noise-canceling technology are also available, though we wonder why Sony doesn’t just pull the proverbial plug. The LA Times spoke to an unnamed source at Sony who claims that someone out there is providing a “consistent but small demand.”

The Walkman, which saw its first model launched 31 years ago in 1979 at a retail price of $200, is largely regarded as the first big step in portable music – the ground work on which the Discman and iPod were created and thus an incredibly important gadget in the music biz. About 220 million have been sold worldwide to date. {The Washington Post}

Though the Walkman will likely be remembered most for making music widely portable, the fact that the device marked the beginning of customized music lists is equally as important. The Washington Post calls the Walkman the “father of the mix tape.” In this case, the Walkmanâ€s reach has far exceeded the boundaries of music and entertainment, as these days you can customize nearly anything – including chocolate bars.

Now letâ€s take that moment of silence for the Walkman.

Nike, whose logo appeared on those shoes, is reportedly working on sneakers that come with an automatic lacing system just like the ones in the movie. The company apparently filed a patent in 2009 for self-lacing sneakers that feature straps that run over the top of the foot and around the ankle as well as a button near the heel. The straps open and close to switch between a tight or loosened position when the button is pushed.

The system is driven by a tiny, battery-powered motor in the heel. {Daily Mail}

The New York Daily News obtained documents filed by Nike in regards to the high tech kicks, and an accompanying diagram shows the sneakers will likely be high tops.

It looks like the real 2015, the year Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) transports to in the popular 1980s film, might be quite like the movie version of the year, as a hoverboard that floats in mid-air much like the one in Back to the Future was also developed earlier this year. The hoverboard operated using electromagnets and lasers but had limited movement range and weight capacity. Its creator is reportedly working on a better version. {Daily Mail}

We wonder just how much Nikeâ€s fancy automatic sneakers will cost if they hit the mass market – not to mention how long the small battery used to operate them will last. On the down side, if you think it’s difficult teaching kids to tie their shoes now, if these actually come to fruition they may never learn! Okay, so it may not be that extreme, but we can see some parents wanting to hang on to the nostalgic milestone of a child learning to tie their laces, but what about you? Would self-lacing shoes be on your 2015 wishlist if available?

The next subdivision of social media may come down to what a new website calls “Service Networking.” Essentially, it means networking online to outsource tasks you need done and offer individual services that you can provide.

The term was coined by a Boston couple who started TaskRabbit (formerly runmyerrand.com). Their site was founded based on the popular conception that there is never enough time in the day to get things done, especially all the simple, common tasks of everyday life. The site suggests things like IKEA furniture assembly, airport rides and grocery runs but current tasks range from iPod playlist updating to mowing a lawn.

This is how it works: You post the task you need done to the “Task” section of the site, and then set an offer price for the task to be completed, or allow “runners” to place bids. When the task is complete, your debit or credit card is charged to pay the runner, who you are asked to rate for effectiveness.

Tasks can be anything from picking up dry cleaning, grocery shopping or moving furniture. It is important, however, to think carefully before setting a price for your task to be certain it includes the cost of gas and travel tolls in addition to ensuring itâ€s fair based on the amount of time it will take to complete, whether itâ€s time sensitive and how strenuous it is. {PrimeWriter}

The site doesn’t employ runners directly, but is instead meant as a platform for people who need extra help and those who can offer it to meet. “Runners” are stay at-home parents, young professionals, retirees, and college students, who are subject to background checks and chosen based on schedule and location.

For people assigning tasks, it’s almost like having a pay-per-task personal assistant for busy days. For those who need some extra cash but like a bit of flexibility in their schedule, it also seems to be a good idea. While a post on Craigslist would probably turn up similar tasks, and responses from local people looking for odd jobs, the background check option, feedback system and social elements add a much needed layer of confidence.

AirBnB (AirBed and Breakfast) gained a solid audience by applying similar features to vacation rentals, and if PriceRabbit can grow beyond their Boston base, there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t see similar success  by applying ratings and a bit more personality to the local service section of the classifieds.

“Bangs” that are received after midnight or from foreign countries will rack up more points for the user, and each day selected users will win prizes like Marc Jacobs clothing and bottles of the new fragrance. Just a few fortunate ones will eventually win the grand prize – an invite to one of Marc Jacobâ€s upcoming fashion shows. {Hint}

The name of the game is quite suggestive, though not nearly as racy as the Bang ads that cropped up on the Internet this May. Jacobs, who recently split from Brazilian PR Guru Lorenzo Martone, said the name of the new product has many meanings.

“When the word ‘bang†came to me, I liked that it was a sound and also that it felt like something was finished, done, end of story and, you know, kind of complete,” he told Elle.

The “bang” Facebook game is quite the clever marketing idea. With the success of social game makers like Playdom and the premium audience spending time on Facebook, the incorporation of social media, game mechanics and incentives sounds like a winning combination, and one that we hope to see extended beyond fragrance and beauty for more brands. Go Marc!

Condé Nast closed the doors on Gourmet last October, but President of Consumer Marketing for Condé Nast Robert Sauerberg said the brand was never completely shut down.

“By focusing on a new way to meet consumer needs, tap into our deep branding, and approach our content differently, we came up with a product that re-imagines Gourmet and revalues engagement,” CEO Chuck Townsend said. “We are extremely pleased with the magazine apps we have developed as part of our R&D efforts, however Gourmet Live is profoundly different. We approached this like a tech company, utilizing the rich assets of a media company, keeping Condé Nast at the forefront of content innovation.”

He said Gourmet Live aims to attract a younger, Web-savvy audience in addition to previous readers of Gourmet magazine.

Gourmet Live adds a twist to the future of magazines. Previously, it was commonly agreed upon that the future of magazines was on the Internet, but individual apps are a relatively new development.

What is most interesting is Townsendâ€s statement that a technological approach was taken. He also said Gourmet Live is “not a magazine and itâ€s not a digital version of a magazine.” What is it then? If other magazines choose to follow the same path, will the word magazine and/or our current idea of what that is become obsolete in the future? We also worry about the quality of the content for such apps if technology is considered foremost in development, though the bright side is the potential for struggling publications to find new footing in the digital realm.

Competition for eReading consumers†affection sizzled on Monday as Barnes and Noble dropped the price of its well received Nook e-book reader 23 percent to $199 and introduced the Nook WiFi at an even bigger bargain $149, though the latter device can only be used in a WiFi environment. Amazon, whose $259 price tag for their Kindle eReader (which comes with 3G technology by default) previously matched the Nookâ€s cost exactly, responded by dropping the price of the Kindle to $189, and they aren’t stopping their competitive advances there. Amazon.com plans to introduce a thinner Kindle with an upgraded screen this August. Sonyâ€s cheapest eReader is still $169. {Fortune}

Get yourself a price gun: the war for th eReader market is on

At this rate, eReaders will be cheaper than the actual books in their stores in no time.

In addition, Apple updated the iPhone and iPod Touch today to include available iBook software. The iPadâ€s price tag for the entry-level model remains near $500, though the additional tablet computer functionality give it an advantage over single purpose eReaders. It would be difficult to justify a $500 eReader purchase, but when that device doubles as a place to play games, browse the web and check on email, it’s a lot easier to rationalize.
“Their sales have obviously been impacted by the iPad,” Charlie Wolf, a senior analyst at Needham & Co. in New York, said. “These price cuts are almost an act of desperation.” {Bloomberg Businessweek}

Meanwhile, Kobo, the e-book retailer that offers eReading software for an array of devices, released free software on Monday that is available through the Android marketplace and allows eReaders to be used on Smartphones with the Android operating system. The e-book retailer already produces software for other Smartphones, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Palm WebOS and the newly released Kobo reading device.

Users who buy Kobo e-books with one device can read their purchase on any of the devices for which Kobo offers software.

“We’ve adapted the features our customers love and expect from Kobo to ensure that we provide the best reading experience for Android-enabled smartphones,” Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis said. {Publishers Weekly}

Borders is also holding steady with eReaders that began selling for $119.99-$149.99 in May. {Bloomberg Businessweek}

Need to catch your breath? We sure do! We canâ€t wait to see which devices prove most popular among consumers and how low the prices will need to go to woo customers who are interested in an e-reading device but not its expense.

The Site has introduced a bunch of new features (on top of their forays into live cricket streaming and HTML5 support) AND a new redesign.

First up? Yesterday, the YouTube Music Discovery Project, or “Disco.” Think of it as Pandora Radio with Video – you enter an artist/song, and presto! Or, rather, disco! Up comes your very own playlist that you can save for later.

Today, YouTube made available a new, cleaner version of the Site that viewers can opt into. With less clutter (although the same number of advertisements) and a Like/Thumbs Down icon (instead of those stars), the new YouTube is supposed to make for a more focused viewing experience. What do you think?

Then, starting tomorrow, January 22nd, YouTube will begin renting movies for $3.99 each. Now don’t get too excited – so far, YouTube only has the rights to 5 independent films from the 2009 and 2010 Sundance Film Festivals. The Indies – “The Cove,” “Bass Ackwards,” “One Too Many Mornings,” “Homewrecker” and “Children of Invention” – may not exactly be well-known, but we think it’s pretty cool that they’ll soon have such a wide-reaching platform. Plus, it’s only a matter of time before the major studios follow suit.

Read More {TechCrunch}

Read More {Gizmodo}

Buried alive under tons of wreckage, one man lived to tell the tale.

All thanks to an iPhone App.

Dan Woolley had arrived in Haiti to film the poverty-stricken nation for the mission organization Compassion International. He and his colleague were at their hotel in Port-Au-Prince when the earthquake struck.

Taking cover in an elevator shaft and sustaining a broken leg and a cut head, the situation was so dire that Woolley, fearing the worst, wrote his final goodbyes to his family in a blood-stained notebook.

Miraculously, however, Woolley was able to survive his 65-hour ordeal by following the advice of a First-Aid App on his iPhone, which taught him how to create a bandage and tourniquet for his leg. The App also advised against falling asleep should he be in shock – and so Woolley set his iPhone alarm to go off continuously every 20 minutes.

It’s striking to us how lucky Woolley was to have an Internet connection, the right App, and a functioning iPhone in that moment of need. We’re just thankful that Woolley had the right technology and the human strength to get home to his family alive.

Read More {MSNBC}

Read More {Wired}

That’s right kiddies, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) officially kicks off tomorrow in Sin City, but the tech world is already buzzing about the many goodies they’re going to see – including an onslaught of new tablets and some seriously tricked out televisions.

So what does the future of TV hold?

How about 3D programming on the Discovery Channel and ESPN? How about Skype enabled HDTVs that let you chat to your loved ones from your living rooms? How about Apps (to sites like Facebook, Pandora, and Flickr) for your TV? What about an App that brings live TV to your iPhone?

Even before CES kicks off, it seems official to us. 2010 will be the year your TV gets a serious upgrade.

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {Mashable}