Feb 25 2008Conceptual Frame Tablet Thingy Is Awesome
Okay I know how much some of you hate conceptual products, but this one is pretty damn cool. It's a picture frame tablet device that provides the user with information about whatever you're looking at through it. Designed by Tokyo native Mac Funamizu, the unit uses a camera/scanner along with GPS and internet connectivity to determine what you're looking at and provide information.
Just frame anything you desire behind the glass window, from a building, to a car or piece of art and the image will be analyzed and searched on any number of sites like wikipedia, google or google earth.
Sweet, they should have come out with these years ago. Just imagine not having to guess which house is yours when you come home drunk. I mean, you wake up on your elderly neighbor's couch three times in a week and all of a sudden you have a "drinking problem" and a "breaking and entering problem". If that old hag would've painted her shutters a different color like I told her to it never would have happened. As often. It wouldn't have happened as often.
Several more pictures showing the devices capabilities after the jump.
Window To The World [yankodesign]
Thanks to Claire, a beautiful rose, for the tip
Reader Comments
1. matt - February 25, 2008 5:37 PM
Thats so fake its unbelievable!
PHOTOSHOP!
Oh and FIRST!
2. Skeps - February 25, 2008 6:02 PM
N ow, I know you're being "funny" but the fact that he says conceptual in the first sentence should stop all photoshop jokes.
Anyways if they get this thing to work like they have imagined I would by one just to see what results I got when using it
3. BlighedArt - February 25, 2008 6:11 PM
I guarantee the first thing people would do after buying this... is hold it up to a porno video for laughs....
4. PB&J - February 25, 2008 7:00 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_intercourse
Sexual intercourse, in its biological sense, is the act in which the male reproductive organ (in humans and other higher animals) enters the female reproductive tract, called copulation or coitus in other reference.[1] The two entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may...
5. guate6 - February 25, 2008 8:16 PM
Now that's a surefire way to let everyone know you're a tourist.
6. The Mighty Quinn - February 25, 2008 8:56 PM
This is a concept that was in William Gibson's last novel "Spook Country". So all this guy did was steal his idea and spend 10 minutes in Photoshop...
I have higher expectations than this of you, Geekologie writer...
7. steve - February 25, 2008 9:19 PM
Conceptual is so stupid. What did he "design"
I have a concept for a gun I DESIGNED that fits inside my fingers and hand. So all I have to do is point my hand like a gun and I can shoot it.
I don't even have to use photoshop, I can just take a picture of my hand.
I also "designed" magic. So later I will be posting a mechanical dragon that flies me to bourbon and boob land whenever my boss gives me TPS reports to fill out.
8. muttermee - February 26, 2008 12:54 AM
@ #8. Try to bring a little more to the discussion next time.
9. jumb - February 26, 2008 3:16 AM
This is just asking for a "IT'S OVER 9000!!!!" joke.
10. graciiie - February 26, 2008 8:29 AM
i think this is pretty damn cool, even if it's not real
11. dlaranjinha - February 26, 2008 8:43 AM
It's not that hard. I know a portuguese company that uses the same principle, obviouly with a different equipment. They call it a "Virtual Sightseeing". Check the website and watch the DEMO:
http://www.ydreams.com/virtualsightseeing/eng/tour.html
12. Kevin Miller - February 26, 2008 11:06 AM
A big problem with the "hold it up" idea is that the tablet needs to know where your eyes are to create the overlay properly. If you're holding it at even a slight angle, the overlay stuff gets off-kilter and it looks like crap. Now, laying it on paper might be a little more realistic.
I had this general idea a long time ago, only as a pair of futuristic sunglasses, which wouldn't have nearly as difficult a time knowing where your eyes were. And would look 5% less dorky than waving a tablet around in the air. Either way you'd get your ass kicked, though.
13. drew - February 26, 2008 12:32 PM
Old news. Intel did a demo of an "augmented reality" device at this year's CES keynote.
http://intel_ces.edgesuite.net/2008/home.html
14. rj - February 26, 2008 1:56 PM
i wonder if it would be able to recognize people's faces. that could get interesting being able to look up random strangers on the street, that guy you met in a bar, etc. w/o even knowing their name...
15. berlinmassive - February 26, 2008 5:43 PM
@8: lol! awesome self-criticism
16. Maersk - March 2, 2008 2:32 AM
@15
roflcakes i was thinking the exact same thing