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Filed under: Culture An armed robbery at a Columbus, Ohio Wendy's restaurant on Wednesday morning was thwarted mid-progress, partly due to an employee's Bluetooth headset automatically answering a call because of the robber screaming at her to do just the opposite. We've all learned to live with the wonky voice command features in our headsets and handsets, but on this occasion it actually turned out to be a benefit, as 35-year-old Keith Allen Sturgill's screams to NOT pick up an incoming call actually opened the connection, while the parolee and his three hostages waited for the safe to unlock before customers arrived . The caller, a friend of the employee who worked at a nearby bank, heard the screaming and called police, who were eventually able to talk Sturgill into surrendering -- but not before he had "rammed the gun to his own forehead until he bled," as you can see from his mugshot. Luckily for the habitual offender, he'll soon be back in a familiar place where neither cellphones nor their many accessories will bother him for a very long time. [Via UPI ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Culture , Misc Sure, we've seen a myriad of interactive billboards before, but Mark Ecko's latest eye-catcher could seriously make you miss your ride. This brilliantly designed ad sports an LCD that can be painted up by your Bluetooth cellphone, as it allows passers to use their mobile as a spray can to decorate the screen as they please. No word on whether this thing accepts multiple connections or not, but a tagging duel would be mighty fine entertainment whilst waiting on the next bus. [Via AdGoodness , thanks John] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Culture , Misc It's no secret that Bluetooth devices that are in discoverable mode are... well, discoverable, so we figure it was just a matter of time before an independent organization set up a massive network of transceivers to track their every move. That's exactly what the "Loca" project has managed to do in a number of environments by setting up the pictured battery / phone combo underneath an unsuspecting looking cinder block shell. By pinging nearby Bluetooth-enabled phones and logging the data, Loca can do super-creepy things like send you a text that says "You were in a flower shop and spent 30 minutes in the park; are you in love?" Ultimately, Loca's goal isn't nefarious -- in fact, it's billed largely as an art project -- but the members do point out that Loca clearly demonstrates the illusion of privacy in a modern world. Folks wanting to set up a high-tech tracker of their own can pick up the "Loca Surveillance Pack," code and blueprints for the whole shebang. Scary? Not really; the phone isn't emitting any personally identifiable information -- and again, the phone has to be in discoverable mode -- but it does serve as a bit of a wakeup call. [Via Bluetooth Source ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments