Intelligent Machines

All-Purpose Handheld

Apr 22, 2008

Stripped naked, the Modu is slightly larger than a domino, with a small screen, a seven-button keypad, and one gigabyte of data storage. It’s a working cell phone, but it can also be popped into larger gadgets–called “jackets” and “mates”–that borrow its wireless connection, processor, and stored data. Mates are things like PDAs and GPS receivers that work fine on their own; jackets work only with the Modu inside and are mostly larger phones with added features and bigger screens.