By Evan Ackerman
All of us have stuff on our computers that we’d rather our friends and/or coworkers not know about. You know what I’m talking about. The Security Ring is a stylish way to ensure that as soon as you’re a set distance away from your computer, your computer will lock itself down until you return. Biometric stuff and all that…
While it’s possibly the best looking implementation [We’re still debating that at OG HQ. -Ed.]. of the proximity security idea, the Security Ring is only a concept at this stage, and honestly, it may be behind the times (So you’ve shaped the thing into a ring. Nice.). Pretty soon (already, in many cases) the GPS and short range Bluetooth built into some cell phones will undoubtedly become more integrated into everyday life. Your phone will be able to pay for stuff, unlock and start your car, turn the lights on when you come home, and keep your most shameful side safely hidden while you’re away from your desk.
VIA [ Yanko Design ]
I’m assuming you know this already based on your comments at the end, but I figure it’s worth mentioning for any readers that may see this- I’m not sure of a PC implementation, but as far as Macs are concerned, you can have your computer do various things based on if your Bluetooth-enabled cell phone comes into / goes out of range of your computer. For example, when I’m at my computer with my cell phone in my pocket, I can get visual alerts on screen of people calling, I can send/receive text messages from my computer (that go through my phone), and when I leave, my computer pauses iTunes, puts me away on my IM client (adium) and locks my screen. When I return, it all comes back to life. Pretty sweet if you’re in an office environment, but I work from home, so it’s really pointless overall… but it’s fun.
BluePhoneElite is a nice app for doing this.