Singapore Airlines offers iPod-friendly skies

Every day it seems we get little closer to being fully wired--or unwired, as the case may be--in midair. And we think it's about time.

A day after iPass said it would provide in-flight Wi-Fi roaming, Singapore Airlines announced that it is now offering connectivity for iPods and iPhones on its KrisWorld in-flight entertainment system on its Airbus A340-500 planes, according to iLounge. That means you can plug the devices into the system with a standard 30-pin connector and then watch your own video on a personal 15.4-inch widescreen LCD (there's one at each seat in the section) or listen to your playlist on its noise-cancellation headphones, which will break in to tell you when you have to shut it off, presumably.

Other airlines have offered this kind of system, such as United, but they're still relatively rare. Plus there's always a catch, and in this case it's called business class. But it's a start. Just don't expect your precious gadgets to get a similarly warm welcome on ATA Airlines anytime soon.

Via Crave CNET

EMC, old phone made new

I'm probably old enough (and dating myself) to remember a time when we used those black bakelite telephones with rotary dial to make calls at home. Today, these antiques are considered vintage and some collectors even pay good money to get one. Too bad mum tossed ours when we embraced the digital age and modernized to the sterile cordless phones. So there's something nostalgic about seeing the EMC, or easy mobile calling, phone by designer Matthias Pinkert.

It's a groovy clamshell take on ye old telephone, but Pinkert keeps it too simple with only the bare necessities. Besides a built-in speakerphone and lanyard, there's only four keys for one-touch calling—enough naturally for four preset numbers. Surprise, surprise, there's also GPS tracking, which kinda cues us to the target audience this is painting a big bull's eye on. Is this really necessary? Today's babyboomer community of retirees are far more with with it and tech-savvy. Dial M for More?

Via Yanko Design

Touch-screen BlackBerry coming soon?

Research in Motion has a touchscreen BlackBerry in the works that should be out in the third quarter, according to a recent report. The Wall Street Journal has echoed a previous report from The Boy Genius Report that RIM's BlackBerry Thunder will arrive later this year exclusively on Vodafone and Verizon's networks. The device is seen as an answer to Apple's iPhone, which will likely be running on AT&T's 3G network by the time the Thunder arrives.

RIM is by far the leading smart phone company in the US, but Apple has come out of nowhere to take second place, and the competition should intensify with Apple's plans for business-friendly software and RIM's continued advance into the consumer market. RIM has started advertising the BlackBerry during consumer-friendly shows such as the NBA playoffs, and Apple's getting set for The Second Annual Month of iPhone Ridiculousness in the coming weeks.

Via Crave CNET | Picture is of BlackBerry Bold

Timex concept is a literal death watch

Years ago we came across a page called Deathforecast.com, which predicts how long you'll live depending on the answers to a couple dozen questions. That was morbid enough, but now there's something that does it one better by providing a constant physical reminder of one's mortality.

The Life Index Watch is a concept developed for a Timex competition that keeps track of your remaining days based on personal biometrics. And just to make sure you don't miss one nerve-wracking second, it's meant to be worn like a patch on the skin, according to ProductDose.

Why anyone would want something like this is beyond us. Then again, maybe it's meant to remind us that life is short, so remember to enjoy the important things while we're here.

Via Crave CNET

World's smallest MP3 player for swimmers

As any music-loving swimmer will tell you, the last thing you need while doing laps is something cumbersome strapped to your head. And while there have been waterproof MP3 players on the market, this latest wearable version makes that oft-repeated claim of being "the world's smallest".

Based on its appearance, Ubana's uCan does look less bulky than other models we've seen--and more important, it appears less likely to slip or fall off. The player has 1GB of built-in memory, claims 15 hours of playback time, and can be submerged up to 10 feet, according to Pocket-lint. And just in case it does slip off, it floats for "easy retrieval".

Via Crave CNET

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