Brilliantly Bad Weekend Edition

Smartphone bracelets, smart taxidermy, keyboard jackets, automatic umbrellas, cheap houses and more!

Oct 29, 2023

1. New smartphone concept bends to become a smartwatch

Lenovo’s Motorola subsidiary invented a concept Android phone with a super flexible screen that wraps around your wrist to become a smartwatch. The “Adaptive Display Concept” also bends to hold itself upright on a desk. The screen is a 6.9-inch Full HD Plus pOLED display.

2. Flying bird taxidermy to get AI, 5G and cameras, for some reason

Researchers at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology are using the bodies of dead birds to create actually flying drones. (The current purpose of the research is to learn more about bird flight patterns and formations — to reversion engineer birds to improve the efficiency of airplanes.) Now, they’re working on the addition of AI, 5G connectivity and cameras. They’re also working on mission drift: The upgraded birds could be tested for military or border surveillance, wildlife monitoring and even guiding living bird flocks away from airports. (From the perspective of birds, the robot zombies are coming!)

3. Would you wear this type of jacket?

Or doesn’t this style click with you?

4. This umbrella tilts toward the rain (so you don’t have to!)

A French entrepreneur named Yahya Koudhai is crowdfunding a product called the SmartBrella, which changes its angle based on where the rain is coming from. A rain sensor built into the umbrella detects the direction of rainfall, and a servo motor in the handle tilts the umbrella accordingly. Koudhai envisions the product for bicyclists, strollers and people with no hands free (or no hands).

5. Amazon is selling $15,000 houses delivered in two weeks

Amazon is selling a “Moon Dome” house for $15,000. The 986-square-foot two-bedroom, two bathroom home is made from wood and steel, and is a framing kit only. Assembly required. Also required: Plumbing, electricity and so on.

6. Dog robot gets ChatGPT and a voice. Somebody stop this.

Boston Dynamics’ robot dog, Spot, has been given voices, accents and ChatGPT for a brain. It also has a menu of personalities, including: “1920's Archaeologist,” “Precious Metal Cowgirl,” “Nature Documentary,” “Fancy Butler,” “Teenage Robot,” and “Shakespearean Time Traveler.” (We were promised jet packs.)

Mike’s List of Shameless Self-Promotions

The future of augmented reality is AI
Why cybersecurity training isn’t working (and how to fix it)
The Guardian joins the trend of using universal quantifiers to express a minority. Wait, what?
The American and Chinese economies both grew at the same rate in Q3: 4.9%
What to know about new generative AI tools for criminals
Read ELGAN.COM for more!

Mike’s Location: Silicon Valley, California

(Why Mike is always traveling.)