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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."

17 of 331 comments (clear)

  1. 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. :(

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

    Be afraid. Be very afraid.

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
  3. 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.
  4. 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"

  5. 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...

  6. 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
  7. 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

  8. 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
  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. 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
  12. 15 characters by thatguywhoiam · · Score: 5, Funny

    NOONECARESNOKIA

    --
    If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
  13. Re:Innovation? by Vihai · · Score: 5, Funny

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

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

    Only if I can get the Hello Kitty version!

  15. 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
  16. 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.