Concepts

EU proposes wireless "Road Trains"

An interesting EU-financed project is looking at the possibility of building "Road Trains" to carry cars in convoy over long journeys. Each road train would be comprised of up to eight vehicles (cars, buses, trucks, anything), all of which would following a professional...

VIDEO: Apple prototyping RFID iPhones?

Apple is rumoured to be testing some prototypes of a next-generation iPhone that includes an RFID reader built in. According to Einar Rosenberg, who runs LinkedIn's Near Field Communications group, "the reaction was very positive that we can expect this in the next gen...

Clever concept sees OS calculators created in real life

Whether you're a Mac or a PC (or a bit of both) this witty concept design has something for all-comers, with the clever design idea to create real-world versions of the calculators found in operating systems.

Just a concept at this stage, although we reckon...

"Connected Car" brings in-flight entertainment to your car

The humble car is about to be catapulted into the 21st century offering drivers and passengers a multimedia experience akin to enjoying an in-flight entertainment service sat on an aeroplane.

Although only at a "proof of concept" stage at the moment, Alcatel-Lucent...

VIDEO: What if the iPhone had Dashboard Widgets?

From the chaps that brought us the iPhone with Cover Flow multi-tasking, Apple's mobile gets Dashboard Widgets in this latest concept.

The clip from Ocean Observations shows one possible way the iPhone could offer Dashboard Widgets as seen in the Mac operating...

Ericsson reveals futuristic Spider Computer concept

We got invited to look into the future by Ericsson at the Taiwan Broadband show, as the company has done some studies on what the connected world will look like in 2020.

Ericsson was showing off a few concepts of what they expect to see in terms of consumer...

Bibliofile ebook reader concept design revealed

The ebook reader marketplace is becoming rapidly populated as manufacturers rush to produce a gadget that not everyone's got yet.

Some potential purchasers are said to be put off from making the leap from hardback to ebook due to the electronic version not offering...

VIDEO: iPhone concept shows Cover Flow multi-tasking

Ocean Observations has worked up a concept interface for the iPhone that takes elements of the Palm Pre's functionality, combines it with Apple's Cover Flow, and makes up their idea of what multi-tasking on the iPhone could look like.

"Our idea is to present...

VIDEO: Sneak peak into the future of Adobe Photoshop

Adobe has posted a video revealing what features future versions of its Photoshop software might offer.

Revealed online for those that could not make it to Photoshop World, Adobe says it's a "sneak peek of technologies we're working on in the Photoshop Labs".

Hit...

VIDEO: Panasonic's Fusion entertainment concept for aeroplanes

Panasonic Avionics has come up with a new concept for in-seat entertainment on aeroplanes. Dubbed the Fusion, it's for cattle-class seats, rather than for those that turn left. It gets an advanced touchscreen a USB port and iPod integration. When fitted into planes of...

VIDEO: Microsoft's Mouse 2.0 concepts

Newly revealed designs from Microsoft's Applied Sciences Group and Microsoft Research bring the world five new input devices - presented as the Mouse 2.0 - that combine mousing abilities with multi-touch capabilities.

"Our goal is to enrich traditional pointer-based...

Apple patents advanced multi-touch display

Apple's much-rumoured iTablet, or iPad as the most recent rumours have dubbed it, could get a highly advanced touchscreen.

A new patent application revealed by AppleInsider describes plans for a multi-touch surface that could work with two full hands and distinguish...

VIDEO: New app turns your iPhone into a tiny netbook

Would you like to transform your iPhone into a teeny, tiny netbook complete with weeny keyboard? Well, now there's an app for that. Hit play on the video above to see Manuel Eder's amazing demo. It's just a shame it sounds a bit noisy...

VIDEO: Honda's U3-X redesigns the Segway

Honda has revealed its new personal mobility device, aimed at the elderly, ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show.

The U3-X, part unicycle, part Segway, is just at concept at this stage, but is a lot smaller than most other designs.

The U3-X can stand up...

PlayStation 4 clear concept revealed

Forget your PS3 Slim, we're all over the PlayStation 4 as designed by Tai Chiem.

With see-thru being the new piano black, this PS4 concept gets a transparent touch-controlled console and matching controllers.

The fourth image along also features...

PHOTOS: UK folding plug and travel adapter

We brought you the video for Min Kyu Choi's folding plug, but we love it so much, we couldn't help but grab some hands-on time with a prototype of the plug and travel adapter whilst chatting to its designer.

The folding plug system was recently awarded third...

VIDEO: KDDI's futuristic phone-bot concept revealed

"Phone meets robot" is the title of this concept vision from Japanese operator KDDI showing off the "Polaris" handset of the future. Hit play to see its vision of what we can expect from our robotic phones in times to come...

Philips reveals uWand remote touch tech

Philips has revealed its uWand "remote touch" pointer technology for both PCs and TVs. The company says the solution "supersedes the traditional remote control" to give users "fluid 3D gesture control of electronic devices" in new "lean-back interaction".

Describing...

XSKN shows iPhone keyboard prototype

Chinese case manufacturer XSKN, which is infamous for correctly revealing the shape of the iPhone 3G, as well as offering a case for the "iPhone nano", also produces a range of keyboard skins for Apple software, like Final Cut Pro, and Logic.

However, in Berlin...

iPod slide concept revealed

A new concept design for a next-gen iPod has been revealed. From designer Tryi Yeh, the idea is that the small, square-ish device gets a slide up screen, possibly controlled via thermal sensors.

The hideaway screen would not only protect the display from damage,...

VIDEO: Multi-touch interface for Firefox

An intern at the Mozilla Foundation by the name of Felipe Gomez has, in a spare lunch break we assume, built a multi-touch interface for Firefox and produced a video showing the cool stuff that you could do with such a technology.

He demonstrates moving objects...

VIDEO: Clever tangle-free headphones concept revealed

A product designer has come up with a devilishly simple way of making sure headphones don't get tangled up when not in use.

The idea, said to have been thought up when the designer was on the bus untangling headphones, sees the two wires connected together...

Concept laptop gets built-in KoalaPad

Apple II users may remember the KoalaPad drawing tool accessory that allowed users to use both fingers and a stylus to create art on their PCs.

Now designer Victor Bivol has re-invented the retro peripheral by creating a concept laptop design that sees such...

56 Apple iTablet concept designs

While Apple has yet to announce anything official about the possibility of a tablet computer that will be a cross between an iPhone, iPod touch and MacBook, that hasn't stopped the internet creating numerous concepts of what it will look like.

Whether it's...

Chris Boardman unveils "Bike of the Future"

Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman has shown off what he reckons we'll all be riding in twenty years time. The concept bicycle combines a number of existing technologies into a bike that counts calories, plays music, and has an "unbreakable" locking device.

Computers...