Tech Talk Episode 16: Open Source Code, Flip Phones are Back, Bendable Electronics

Bring on the apocalypse. And the new flip phone! Yep, you heard me. . . . This is LA NPDT Tech Talk.

Open Source Code Safe in Disaster

Microsoft and more specifically GitHub is preparing for the apocalypse by creating copies of original source code from its major projects. They are putting this code on reels of film that are ultra-durable and coated in iron oxide powder. The reels are expected to last 750 years in normal conditions and 2,000 years if stored in a cold, dry, low-oxygen place. Which is exactly where Microsoft intends to put them. The code will be stored in the Arctic World Archive, just north of Norway. Yes, that is the place where all our plant seeds are stored – in case of nuclear or biological warfare. The source code will be tucked in a vault with Vatican archives and the recipe for McDonald’s “Special Sauce.”

Flip Phones are Back

Remember when you could end a phone call simply by flipping your phone shut? Soon, you’ll be able to do that again. The flip phone is back with the new Motorola Razr. With a 6.2 inch inner display and a 2.7-inch outer screen, the Razr gives you a chance to relive the nostalgia of 2006 while still having today’s smartphone. The outer screen lets you look at notifications and skip through playlists, while the inside screen is a full-fledged smart phone. Motorola says the phone is durable and the screen is scuff resistant. Guess we’ll find out when it’s released in January. The price tag? $1500.

Speaking of Bendable Electronics. . . .

A research team from KAIST has designed a new type of electronics that can soften and attach to your skin. Transformative Electronics Systems, as the platform is called can transform its shape, flexibility, and stretchability. Once the metal structure of the device, made from Gallium, comes in contact with a human body, it changes to a liquid state and softens the gadget, making it flexible and wearable. The electronics within the metal structure are also flexible and stretchable. Once you peel it off your skin, the device solidifies. Researchers believe with additional development, this technology can impact how we use our electronics in daily life.

And that’s a wrap of today’s tech talk. Leave a comment with your thoughts, and stay tuned for tomorrow’s Tech Talk brought to you by LA New Product Development Team.