Across the globe in the Philippines, teenagers think it’s “cool” to send mobile phone text messages in regional languages that show signs of endangerment, such as Kapampangan. Technology, long considered a threat to regional languages, now is being seen as a way to keep young people from forsaking their native tongues for dominant languages. YouTube [...]
Somali pirates aren’t content just floating around in their fishing boats, looking for victims. These days, pirates off the Horn of Africa are turning to a sophisticated mix of weaponry, jerry-rigged GPS devices, and ingenious hacks of shipping-industry databases to hunt down prey. The resulting technology isn’t just fascinating–it also has a real impact on [...]
Using a computer mouse can be a pain, sometimes literally for those suffering from repetitive strain injury, but mouse-killing technology is on the horizon that could also change the way we interact with computers and mobile devices. Earlier this year Chinese PC maker Lenovo unveiled a prototype laptop that could tracker a user’s eye movement, [...]
Back in 2005, all Ken Banks wanted was a simple way to use his cellphone to reach the community around South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Little did he know that his brainchild would help monitor nation-wide elections in Nigeria, provide market price information to fisherman in Indonesia, and just last week, become a finalist in [...]
For just $285, you too can own an iPhone-charging saucepan I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “boiling water in a saucepan over an open fire is so wasteful. If only there were some way to use that excess heat to charge my phone…” Luckily for you, dear Gadget Lab reader, I have unearthed the [...]
Mavis Nonkongozelo walks up to the Five Sisters convenience store here, then pulls a mobile phone from her bag and a few rands from her brassiere. She is ready to bank. With a few taps on her cellphone, the 34-year old preschool teacher connects to a nascent mobile-banking network aimed at Africa’s new consumers. The [...]
Experts gathered for Africa’s first mobile health summit on Tuesday hailed the use of phone technology as a new frontier in improving patient care in poor countries. But a government minister in South Africa, which is hosting the summit, called for caution over issues of regulation, confidentiality and cost to patients. The debate came as [...]
In today’s installment of our special “Mobile Message” series, Eric Blantz from Inveneo and Richard Anderson from the University of Washington explain how they apply a mix of mobile phones and other technologies to help solve a critical yet common drug supply problem throughout the developing world. Mobile message is a series of blog posts [...]
BMW launchs Don’t Text and Drive camapign. For details visit twitter @Don’t Tweet and Drive, BMW’s Don’t Text and Drive Campaign.
