New York City Aims to Improve the Lives of Elderly

The challenges associated with growing old in some of the world’s largest, fastest, most-intimidating cities are not new. Crumbling side-walks, inaccessible public restrooms, stoplights that favor cars over pedestrians are problems that can be found in most modern 21st century cities.

What is a Mobile Economy? Let’s Look to Africa

In May, the research firm Generator Research published a report in which they projected that the worldwide market for mobile payments will grow to 633.4 billion by 2014; the report was picked up by Gigaom and a number of mobile-savvy blogs, getting enough dissemination to make most entrepreneurs drool over the possibilities for growth and [...]

Composting, New Hampshire

A new green business startup is helping restaurants save money and compost in New England. Inspired by San Francisco’s composting mandate—a law which requires residents to compost biodegradable materials such as produce food scraps– Ryan Bedard recognized the demand for alternative waste disposal services back home in Maine and New Hampshire and founded the company [...]

iPhone Banking

JP Morgan Chase’s new Banking application for the iPhone makes managing your personal finances unimaginably convenient. It may be that the days of rushing to the bank during your lunch hour and spending countless minutes waiting for a teller are over. With Chase’s new application, you can take a photo of any personal check (with [...]

World Cup Apps

In the spirit of the World Cup Season, I thought I’d point you football fans out there to a number of useful, and appropriately distracting World Cup Mobile Applications which can keep you informed whether you’re stuck in the office. Here are some of my top picks: 1) ESPN’s 2010 FIFA World Cup app is [...]

Museum Mobile Phone Apps

In the current issue of Museum Practice, a journal that focuses on trends in curatorial practices, Simon Stevens presents us with an informed perspective on the costs and benefits associated with implementing mobile applications in the museum-going experience. The premise of this piece is that it may serve many museums well to pause and think [...]

Toxin Sensing Mobile Phones

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have just finished the first phase of an initiative to develop a mobile sensor capable of detecting toxic chemicals in our environment. With a small startup called Rhevision Inc., the chief researcher on the project, Michael Sailor, has devised the sensor, a porous flake of silicon which [...]

A-Pix Image Sensors for Mobile Phones

In exciting news, the company Aptina has launched new A-pix image sensors for mobile phones that promise to allow mobile phone users to identify and catalogue images using the sensors. Watch the vide above to learn how Aptina sensors deploy new technologies that promise to change the user experience.

Quake Catcher Network

In the wake of the unlucky string of earthquakes around the world, I thought it would be appropriate to write about the Quake-Catcher Network (QCN). QCN is a collaborative initiative for developing the world’s largest, low-cost strong-motion seismic network by utilizing sensors in and attached to internet-connected computers.

A Museum Visit at the Airport

At the airport? Why not check out the latest exhibit? That’s right, the San Francisco International Airport is the only airport in the U.S. with a museum program accredited by the American Association of Museums. Exhibits are scattered through various terminals and change several times a month. At the moment, travelers can see 18th-century porcelain [...]

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