For those that didn’t get the memo, physical keyboards are well on their way out… Say hello to virtual, sensor embeded peripherals like Minebea’s “Cool Leaf” line, for they are for sure the future. An amalgam of technologies developed for the design and development of Minebea’s keyboards, lighting devices (light guide plate-type backlights), measurement devices (force sensors), etc. The company recently disclosed a keyboard, remote control and calculator of the Cool Leaf series March 2, 2010, in Japan.

Easily cleanable and apparently impermeable to dirt and dust, Minebea plans to expand the use of the Cool Leaf to digital devices other than PC keyboards and remote controls, such as communication devices, residential devices, medical devices and much more. A few more examples below…

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Rim certainly is utilizing their partnership with BEP, as this promo video seems to put more emphasize on the Pop group, and dancing in general then the actual features of OS 6. We understand that RIM has been lagging in the consumer sector, as Apple and Android continue to infringe on their market share, and we understand it is essential for RIMs survival need to cater to that demographic… But all that crazy dancing seems to be a smoke screen to the fact that OS 6 simply isn’t that revolutionary, and could quite possibly be too little, too late. Watch the video after the break, and whats your opinion on the new OS 6 folks?

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Introducing the the Multitoe floor, and with this emerging technology users will be able to be identified solely (get it?) by their footprints. So for those of you that’ve aspired to be able to cut a rug, and simultaneously input data, your day has almost arrived. Also featuring full body tracking to the most acute recognition, the possibilities for practical application seems limitless with “Multi-Toe”. A few more examples after the break as well as a video demo…

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So this past weekend Team NWS sat down with T-Mobile’s impending flagship device dubbed the “HD 2″ for a bite to eat at Downtown LA’s The Pantry. This HTC designed mobile device is a high end media powerhouse, and T-Mo intends to market it as such when it’s released March 24rd…

The first thing you’ll notice about the HD 2 is its 480 x 800 pixels, 4.3 inches screen, which was is quite possibly the most crisp and gorgeous mobile display we’ve ever laid our eyes upon, and is even visible in direct sunlight. Featuring a TFT capacitive touchscreen with 65K colors, we almost couldn’t believe the clarity as we skimmed through the preloaded versions of Transformers 1 & 2.

So after we salivated as it’s screen for a few minutes, we couldn’t help but dive into the main entrée, or the accompanying software. The HD 2 will be powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon processor in tandem with 448MB of RAM, but all this juice seems in vain once we acknowledge that this is Windows Mobile 6.5! But, HTC’s Sense provides an almost effortless transition between programs, is intuitive by nature, and has been so assimilated into the UI that at times it almost doesn’t feel like a Windows Mobile device.

The device is fairly large coming in at 120.5 x 67 x 11 mm and weighs 157g which is extremely feasible, and the metal backing definitely adds to the asthetic feel of the device. Data input is as smooth as a babies bottom, was quick, responsive and the haptic feedback was nice touch. We felt that after a week or so on that device, anyone would be able to type as fast, if not faster on the HD 2 than a device with a physical keyboard. Of course the wide screen has some interplay to that.

Now to the issues at hand, navigation although fluid, was at times tedious, an optical (or physical) trackball would definitely smooth navigation further. And what if we wanted to take those preloaded transformer flicks to our Big Screen TV? The addition of an HDMI output would of definitely taken this device up another notch. Now to our biggest gripe, the Windows Mobile OS, regardless of the near flawless incorporation of HTC’s sense. The perfect analogy would be; The HD 2 is like a Kia with incredible styling, handling, and a v12 engine under the hood. But regardless of all the perks and performance we still can’t get past the fact that… it’s a Kia.

Just unveiled in Japan last week, Toshiba’s new “Wheelie” utilizes inverse pendulum principle to balance and navigate it itself around, à la the Segway. Catch it in action below the break, and what other practical applications for the “Wheelie” can you think of?

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Japanese designer Yoshi Akai concocts electronic musical instruments from the most uncanny and unexpected objects, such as telegraph machines and stylophones. Now the Lego Step-sequencer (above) is 3 channels 8 steps sequencer that allows for creating complex musical pieces, being that the different Lego pieces each have their own unique sound. Yoshi Akai elaborates that this is more so building, than playing sound. Get a gander at the “Lego Sequencer” below…

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With 69 keys, a touchpad and laser pointer, Brando notes the “Rii Mini” as portable and can be used for travel, school, or any other working environment. This bad boy will fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, and features useful LED backlit keys for dim environments, rechargeable batteries, and an ample sized touchpad. Snatch one up for $92.

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BBLeaks has the exclusive on the very first images of the impending Blackberry slider, tentatively dubbed titled the Storm 3 or Bold, nobody knows for sure. And as someone whose stuck by Blackberry for 3 + years, disappointment is an understatement. This has got to be the most grotesque device RIM has ever spawned, and with Android storming the marketplace, Palm’s promising WebOS, and you can’t forget Windows Mobile 7, and Nokia’s Maemo, I fear this may be the final nail in RIM’s un-innovative coffin. If this mystery device is indeed the real deal, the accompanying OS 6.0 better be the most revolutionary, and magical software update the Canadian company has ever released…

Introducing “Skinput”, a conceptual technology that reads and responds to finger taps to that of a user’s epidermis. Currently under development from Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft, the user must wear a specialized armband with “piezoelectric cantilevers, or sensors that measure pressure, acceleration and force”. Skinput also utilizes a pico-projector to create images like menus on the user’s arm (above), or to even play Tetris which you can see in the live footage below…

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