Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Short Text Messages In Mid-Air

Posted by timothy on from the clever-finns dept.

bahree writes "The BBC is running an interesting story on how Nokia is making a mobile that lets you write short text messages in mid-air. The messages are written using a row of LEDs fitted on the rear cover of Nokia's forthcoming 3220 phone. A motion sensor in the phone makes the lights blink in a sequence that spells out letters when the handset is waved in the air."

29 of 331 comments (clear)

  1. Innovation? by BWJones · · Score: 4, Insightful

    OK, the social engineering that is going on here is getting out of control. It's bad enough that you have someone talking on their phones in the elevator/restaurant/movie theatre or on the subway behind you about all sorts of things (many of which are quite personal), but now we are going to get people gesticulating madly, waving their arms back and forth to send messages.

    Lets have some real innovation, yes? Rather than fun and games with LEDs, what I would like to see some real innovation in in terms of interaction with cell phones much like iChatAV (prevents having to remember phone numbers etc...), whereby you could call someone wherever they may be over TCP/IP or have servers automatically negotiate phone calls through traditional land lines if the receiver of the call is not available on the iChatAV equivalent. It could be relatively easy to establish a hierarchy of places to contact a person starting with VOIP, then progressing on down to sending a voice to text message at the very last.

    Right now at least, we do have phones (V600) that will automatically negotiate networks (so I can have one phone to travel with internationally rather than having to keep two or three depending upon the networks), but most of these phones have maddening interfaces and that in of itself could use some thought and effort. Look, placing GUI interfaces on lots of stuff is OK if it streamlines your operation of the device, but the phone companies and even automobile manufacturers are using lousy GUI interfaces to perform simple tasks. (I absolutely refuse to consider the new BMW's because of that stupid GUI that has to be navigated through three screens to change the radio station or move the seat or change the temperature.

    Sorry for the rant.

    --
    Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
    1. Re:Innovation? by gregmac · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Look, placing GUI interfaces on lots of stuff is OK if it streamlines your operation of the device, but the phone companies and even automobile manufacturers are using lousy GUI interfaces to perform simple tasks.

      Maybe it's just the programmer in me, but there are many MANY device that I look at and think "wow, I could design such a better interface for that..". Even on my phone, there's a few tiny things I'd like to change (defaults, the dictionary for T9 input, placement of some menu items) but can't. A lot of things are trivially menu options, but probably left out because it would make menus too long and complicated looking.

      It would be nice if these developers used open source, and let people modify firmware on their phones or other devices. But I'll just go back to my day dreaming now..

      --
      Speak before you think
    2. Re:Innovation? by Vihai · · Score: 5, Funny

      When you let it fall by accident... will it write "OUCH!" while falling?

    3. Re:Innovation? by coopaq · · Score: 5, Funny

      Only if I can get the Hello Kitty version!

    4. Re:Innovation? by fiannaFailMan · · Score: 5, Funny
      but now we are going to get people gesticulating madly, waving their arms back and forth to send messages.
      You'd better not go to Italy then!
      --
      Drill baby drill - on Mars
    5. Re:Innovation? by snooo53 · · Score: 4, Insightful
      I too am disappointed that more companies don't make devices that let you configure things yourself. I too wish I could tweak menus and defaults. To me personally, it doesn't matter if it's open source or not... but it would be nice to have more control.

      I guess I can see a reason why companies don't like to do this... because inevitably people who manage to break their phones will complain and bog down the tech support/return centers. But all this could be solved by simply having a "reset button". Put a copy of the firmware in ROM... as soon as the button is pressed it reverts to that. Very simple. I can't think of a single reason not to do something like that. People would love having that much control of their phone. Look at how popular ringers and backgrounds have become.

      --
      The sending of this message pretty much inconveniences everyone involved.
    6. Re:Innovation? by SinaSa · · Score: 5, Interesting

      "Put a copy of the firmware in ROM... as soon as the button is pressed it reverts to that. Very simple. I can't think of a single reason not to do something like that."

      Maybe I can help. I can think of at least two or three reasons.
      1. Reflashing the firmware from ROM is the first thing you do after you steal a phone. It removes any trace of the phones previous owner is gone. In some cases, including the IMEI.
      2. If you leave a copy of the firmware on the phone, suddenly anyone who wants to hack with the firmware, it becomes a lot easier. A whole underground society exists of people who hack their phones. Where do they get the firmware? People who work at places like Motorola leak it to them. If phone companies started putting firmware on their phone, you'd have people releasing company design secrets at that exact second.

      Hmm that only looks like two reasons. Nevertheless, I think I've proved my point :)

      --
      --
      The last digit of pi is four.
  2. I had that toy... by soren42 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I used to have toy from Mattel back around 1983 or so that worked on this same concept - it was called a LightStick or some such. It was a long black paddle with a row of leds on the front, and a keyboard on the back. You just typed in a message, and wave the stick wildly back and forth in the air.

    As I recall the problem was, waving this thing around wildly was very taxing on the arms, and the message was sometimes unclear and difficult to read - especially after fatigue set it.

    Hopefully Nokia thought about this, and has made it a little less straining to use.

    --

    "Adventure? Excitement? A Jedi craves not these things."
    1. Re:I had that toy... by arudloff · · Score: 5, Funny

      They still sell something extremely similar at Disney World. Incrediably cool at first, for about 3 minutes, then you realize how retarded you look waving a plastic stick with mouse ears on. :(

  3. You know what comes next. by sulli · · Score: 5, Funny
    Airborne ascii art.

    Be afraid. Be very afraid.

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
  4. Pretty useful by Olaserov · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder if it has any pre-programmed messages already? A particularly useful one might be "HELP: HAVING A SIEZURE!"

    --
    * Olaserov is in the process of thinking up a signature.
  5. reverse mode by eegad · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hope it comes with reverse mode so I can wave messages to the car in front of me. think: "Green is for go"

  6. innovation?? i think not by fodi · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ahhh... this is what happens when your R&D dept. can't keep up with the marketing dept...

    gimmiks for the kiddies...

  7. This would be great for... by BodyCount07 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    writing messages to a DJ in a noisy club. I currently request songs by holding up my phone as close as possible, but that isn't always readable.

    --
    The Technonaut
    1. Re:This would be great for... by Johnathon_Dough · · Score: 4, Insightful
      As a part time DJ, I can say with some authority, that this is a good way to get your phone thrown across the room.

      It's bad enough being surrounded by bouncing people and seizure inducing light shows with out some jackass waving their blinking cell phone at me to play some song I have no intention of playing anyway.

      --
      If you are one in a million, then there are six thousand people who are just like you.
    2. Re:This would be great for... by patniemeyer · · Score: 4, Interesting

      So, I thought that was the rationale for why a D.J. is more than just some poser replacing a CD player... that they somehow responded to the crowd.

      If you don't want input from the jackasses in the crowd then what are you doing up there? Wouldn't you do a better job mixing up your stuff if you did it in a sound room and recorded it?

      Pat

  8. Freebird by The_Rippa · · Score: 5, Funny

    Nokia said the 3220's air messaging system could be used by friends to talk to each other across crowded rooms or open-air concerts.

    Great, all the artists need are 10,000 people waving "Freebird" in the air

  9. Holey Spokes by stoolpigeon · · Score: 4, Informative

    Kind of like Hokey Spokes but not as big or cool really. But it will sell with the junior high crowd I predict.

    --
    It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
  10. What need does this serve? by ethanrider · · Score: 4, Funny

    When someone developed the flamethrower it was because of the idea "You know, I'd really like to set that person over there on fire"

    I wonder what the analogous thought process was for this product if there was one...

    --
    ACMD eht detaloiv evah uoy ,erutangis siht no noitpyrcne eht gnikaerb yB
  11. Short Text Message by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Can't Afford Monthly Payments on Cell Phone - Please Help"

    You notice a cup with a few coins in it at their feet.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  12. What a gimmick by AlphaPB · · Score: 5, Funny
    From the article:

    Nokia said the 3220's air messaging system could be used by friends to talk to each other across crowded rooms or open-air concerts.

    So instead of picking up the phone and calling the other person, you're supposed to type in a 15-letter text message and wave your phone around in the air?! I can see how this can be fun... for 5 minutes.

    1. Re:What a gimmick by Johnathon_Dough · · Score: 4, Funny
      Yes, according to nokia at least

      My friends and I though, have this other method we have been using, I am actually thinking of patenting it:
      We walk across the room and (this is the neat part) hold a conversation using (get this...) only our voices.

      Revolutionary for the times I admit, but just watch, give it a few years, everyone will be doing it, if only so as to not have to try and pick the message directed to them from the sea of waving arms and blinking lights at the concert.

      --
      If you are one in a million, then there are six thousand people who are just like you.
  13. How does it know? by DanielMarkham · · Score: 4, Funny

    Whether you are waving your arm in a straght line? Seems like when you wave your arm it makes more of an arc than a line. I wonder if the phone compensates.

    And you wouldn't want to send a long message on a subway -- you'd end up whacking the people around you trying to work it out. Back up, buddy! I've got a phone here!

  14. Re:Prepare for some UGLY ascii art by somethinghollow · · Score: 5, Funny

    I deleted ./trolls right after I installed Red Hat on my PC. It's really a useless directory that clutters up the file system. It's always spamming dumb things like "first post" to my terminal. It's quite annoying. It kept coming back, so I got a Mac instead.

  15. Ugh! by Bill_Royle · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I can see two positive things happening with this technology:

    1. People using this who accidentally hit people in the process will be sued, prompting them to stop using it.

    2. People using this may develop carpal tunnel or dislocations, prompting them to stop using it.

    Enough's enough. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should - someone throw the engineer that came up with this off a cliff!

  16. when was it decided by bizpile · · Score: 4, Funny

    I want to know when it was decided that all the most annoying technology would be crammed into one device and then given to basically any idiot. I sure didnt vote on that.

  17. 15 characters by thatguywhoiam · · Score: 5, Funny

    NOONECARESNOKIA

    --
    If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
  18. I want one of this for my car! by Phybersyk0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you could make it print the characters in reverse it'd be awesome!

    My first messages would be:

    "Put Down The Phone And Drive"
    "Eat when you get home!"
    "I think you've eaten enough already"
    "Watch TV when you get home."
    "Nice stereo. Turn it down."
    "POLICE"
    "OMG WTF LOL"

  19. This has been done before (but not on a phone) by drewhearle · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Reminds me of propeller clocks (also here, here, here...)
    ...or the similar mechanically scanned displays.
    Spacewriter sells some very cool full-color displays. Their iBall 3D display is also sold at AudioVisualizers - check their site out for more animated demos.
    There's also the Virtual Game System (Google cache) which was amazing; unfortunately the site is down so you'll have to settle for text and no pictures.

    --
    -- If you can read this, you are too close to my signature.