Innovative Tech of the Week | QR Codes Still Going Strong

"More than 20 million U.S. mobile-phone owners used a mobile device to scan a QR code..." stated a recent article from CFO magazine. And so more than just marketers are looking to employ the dynamic bar codes for better data management and integration. Not only are QR codes becoming more and more popular at industry events for associating speakers, presenters, and exhibitors with their brands and further information, payment platforms and financial services are also exploring how QR codes can be incorporated into the 'mobile wallet.'

"Corporations beyond the retail sector are realizing the benefits of receiving quicker payments from the use of QR codes and other mobile-payment systems. In August, VeriFone, along with Google, Isis, and PayPal, teamed up with a number of banks, credit-card companies, and U.S. network operators to form the Mobile Payments Committee, a subgroup of the Electronic Transactions Assn. The group plans to educate merchants and the public about the growing use of all mobile payments. Your accounting firms could be next."

Click here to learn more about QR codes and how financial services firms are putting them to use

Innovative Technology of the Week | iCache Geode Mobile Wallet

We've written about technologies trying to replace your credit card with your smartphone, but one innovative product is simply hoping to merge the two, at least until the idea of all your financial data in your smartphone sounds less daunting. Enter the iCache Geode Mobile Wallet.

"Essentially, it is an iPhone sleeve outfitted with a fingerprint reader (for authentication), an E Ink display on the back for loyalty card barcodes and a single, dynamic credit card that can be temporarily and securely encoded with any of the credit cards you upload into the app. (It also comes with a detachable magstripe reader that you use to swipe and upload your cards into the secure element in the sleeve...)"

While it doesn't work/isn't accepted everywhere, the design seems intuitive and user-friendly, putting yet another every day function into a seamless mobile app. It'll be interesting to see how businesses and retailers adapt to facilitate future payment technology and how difficult such technology makes a risk manager's job. There's no doubt that payments of the future will go entirely digital at some point, the question is how long it will take and how secure it will end up.

Click here to learn more about the iCache Geode Mobile Wallet 

Innovative Tech of the Week | The Programmable T-Shirt

At long last, the “wearable, shareable, programmable and 100% cotton tshirt” is here. CuteCircuit's tshirtOS prototype is a washable tshirt with built in display and camera that can be operated from an app on a smartphone to display images, videos, Tweets, and anything else people will come up with. 

"Audio playback via a headphone jack is supported, and the company claims that the camera used in tshirtOS is the smallest in the world. In fact, it measures 2.5 x 2.9 x 2.5 mm and comes from Omnivision, though only captures at 32 x 32 resolution; still, the chest display itself only runs at 32 x 32, consisting of 1,024 ultrathin RGB LEDs."

Well, we know what we're getting our President for Christmas this year. 

Click here to learn more about the programmable tshirtOS or check out the video below 

Technology of the Week | The NBC Olympics App

"The "NBC Olympics Live Extra" app will let users watch more than 3,500 hours of live events on tablets and smartphones. But only customers who have a cable or satellite subscription will get full access -- and the app is available only on Apple devices and a "select" list of Android phones and tablets."

Not much else to say here other than download the app and GO TEAM USA!

Click here to learn more about and download the NBC Olympics Mobile App

And click here to check out our Infographic of the Month: 2012 London Olympic Village Construction

New Technology of the Week | A Laser in your Mobile Phone

Setting aside the Austin Powers "laser" jokes that come to mind, Measurement Devices, Ltd of England may have some pretty monumental technology on their hands. Even though it only weighs 43 grams (just over 1.5 oz). 

"Powered by a standard USB connector, the tiny Micro Laser Module (MLM), believed to be the smallest in the world, requires less than 70 mA to make hundreds of measurements a second of objects within a 120-metre radius and is now being marketed to original equipment manufacturers some of which MDL hopes will develop the software and interface so the micro technology can be applied to different products."

Such a laser could be incorporated into devices like smartphones to revolutionize smartphone camera imagery and measurement capabilities. 

Click here to read more about smartphone laser technology

Tech of the Week | JBKnowledge | The Desktop/Smartphone

"Using virtualization tools like Citrix and VMWare, Canonical says that IT departments could issue a single device that covers both the desktop and mobile needs of employees."

A new system called Ubuntu for Android will allow devices to run the Android OS for smartphone purposes, and switch to Ubuntu when connected to a keyboard and monitor via a dock - essentially a mobile phone and desktop all--in-one. 

"The system reportedly lets you share your smartphone’s contacts, media, and apps among both Android and Ubuntu. The Ubuntu environment also supports MMS/SMS and phones calls: a pop-up window appears when you receive a call, and you can simply mouse over and click to answer."

The system is expected to eventually come already installed in devices, so no further installation or purchase is necessary. While others, like Motorola, offer similar systems, the Ubuntu/Android partnership is expected to be much more advanced. 

Our only concern for this type of technology is that losing your phone will become all the more terrifying when it is also your desktop...

Click here to learn more about this mobile technology 

Tech of the Week | JBKnowledge | BlackBerry With Wrap Around Screen

Practical or not - the designs inspired by the competition between smartphone developers are pretty fantastic. It's not often you see a BlackBerry design concept, more often the iPhone or Android take the stage. But designer John Anastasiadis took a pretty good stab at a BlackBerry revamp with a wrap around screen you've probably never seen the likes of before. Before you mention it, he even says the phone can tell the difference between a touch command and someone simplying holding the phone. 

"John explains, 'The front and back cameras are positioned underneath the screens. When needed the area around the camera lens becomes transparent. The wrap around screen can allow for separate workspaces and/or a more three-dimensional interaction with the device. Obvious benefits apply to business, entertainment and navigation applications.'”

Click here to check out photos of this incredible BlackBerry design and learn more

Tech of the Week | JBKnowledge | Smartphone + Car Stereo = Dash

"Since the advent of portable electronics, man has been trying to jury-rig portable electronics into automobiles to replace the lowly car stereo. Those days may soon be coming to an end."

Dash, currently a project raising funds on Kickstarter, is essentially a device/system that turns your smartphone into your car's stereo system. The body (double din standard, 4inx7in) of the device is installed in the car, replacing the current stereo, and the interchangeable face plate on the front can be adjusted to fit whichever smartphone you insert to operate your stereo. Once placed into the body, your smartphone controls your entire entertainment system, from an interface you're already used to. Via your phone, Dash can access: your entire music library, streaming radio, bluetooth, video, car computer, phone calls, and more.

"The whole getup is scheduled to launch in July for $300, provided Dash meets its $45,000 fundraising goal. If it gets off the ground and works as advertised, we’ll have come a long way from the early days of in-vehicle entertainment. More importantly, we’ll be closer to a future where your phone is your main computer and you simply go around docking it into things."

Click here to learn more about Dash 

Tech of the Week | JBKnowledge | HzO's Waterblock Technology

By 'nanocoating' the most sensitive parts of an electronic device, like a smartphone, HzO's latest technology might be able to decrease the amount of "Need your number, phone fell in the toilet" Facebook groups. The process involves turning chemical into a gas which is then put in a vacuum chamber along with the innards of a smartphone. Once the molecules attach to the device's parts, not only are these parts indestructable by water, but are actually able to operate when submerged. While most companies are trying to figure out the best recipe for an outer waterproof case, this may be a popular new alternative. 

Click here to read more about HzO's Waterblock Technology 

Mobile Technology in Construction

The two most well quoted predictions in the mobile device industry are:
1) 50% of American mobile users will own a smartphone by Christmas 2011
2) One in three of Americans will own a tablet PC by 2015

comScore statistics from June 2011 show that with only a few months left until Christmas, the amount of smartphones users is only at about 34%. And we’ll give prediction 2 at least a year or two before cross-examining, but note that as of June 2011 still only 8% of Americans own tablets.

Click to read more ...