A University of Dundee scholar has been working on a wonderful tool that aims to evoke the emotional connection between autistic children and their parents. While we've seen novelties like the My Keepon in the past, any addition to the cause is always a pleasant one, and the Passive Play's no exception. The concept comes in the form of an interactive toy cube for the kid (pictured above), which pairs up with an iOS app and allows the parent to see any interaction the little one is having with the device. Passive Play's creator, Tom Kirkman, says his inspiration comes from "wanting to learn more about autism," and in case you happen to be in the UK, he'll be showing off the project at Dundee University later this month. For all those details, be sure to give the PR below a quick read.
It truly is the end of an era. In just under two weeks, Microsoft will follow through with its plan to shutter the Windows Mobile 6.x Marketplace for good. In a cautionary email, Redmond asked that those still using a WM device "install any available updates in advance of the [...] shut-down," scheduled for May 17th. Not all hope is lost for the antiquated mobile operating system, though, as the announcement reminds technology holdouts that application updates can be acquired directly from developers (good luck with that). If you're out on the town this evening having a few drinks with friends, remember to pour one out for Windows Mobile, a true OG smartphone operating system.
