A look at gadget, game and geek happenings in the week ahead.
Apple hosting special event on Wednesday
Apple is holding a special announcement this Wednesday from the Yerba Buena Centre for the Arts in California.
The invitation to it showed a picture of a guitar and mentioned that the event would be shown at 6pm via satellite broadcast in London.
Speculation is rife in regards to what Apple will be unveiling.
Many analysts believe it could be in regard to an upgraded version of the iPod Touch range.
Others believe that there could be updates on the Apple TV project.
The event last year saw the return of Steve Jobs, after he took time out to have a liver transplant.
HP CTO teases on mysterious gadgets
Photos were posted by HP’s Mark Budgell on Twitter depicting three potential new HP gadgets blacked out.
The photos depict HP CTO’s Phil McKinney using a phone-shaped device and a tablet-shaped device.
In both photos, he is wearing a wristwatch gadget.
Budgell’s Twitter also promotes McKinney’s SXSW 2011 panel, where he is said to make “bold predictions for the future – backed up with a number of breakthrough prototypes” for what the future will look like in “5 to 10 years.”
Whatever these prototypes are, it seems we may not see them for quite a while yet.
Wii Balance Board to help disabled toddlers move
More unorthodox uses of the Wii Fit Balance board – the Ithaca College ‘Tots on Bots’ project has been working to help toddlers with physical disabilities become more mobile.
They project team has created a mobile robot equipped with a Wii Balance Board, which allows the child steer by leaning.
The vehicle also has sonar technology to avoid crashes and a remote control that allows adults to override whatever mayhem the toddler may get into.
The project will undergo further study to see how beneficial this technology is. Check out the two videos released of this technology to find out how it works.
Twitter helps train hopping cat find its owner
A cat lost in Dublin was reunited with its owner with the help of Twitter.
The cat, named Lilou, boarded a train and ended up in Pearse Street Station where it was discovered by train staff.
The staff went on the search for her owner by posting about it in Irish Rail’s Twitter, posting a photo of the wandering cat.
The staff also looked at security footage from the stations and found a shot of her entering the train, which helped the staff tweet where she came from.
Thankfully, Lilou was successfully reunited with her owner and is safe and sound. She was rewarded with a rail pass and a photo ID for her troubles.
