We’re all aware of the SteamPunk phenomenon – time-rich nerd takes high tech device and fancies it up with some Victorian apparel. But sometimes going just a little old school is all that’s required.
The Compass Phone is a device designed by HaYeon Yoo. We’re off to a rocky start, since the device clearly has no actual phone functionality. So.. it’s a compass.
But not just any compass. It’s a compass that instead of pointing north, points to your friend and lets you know their distance and direction.
Through this ingenious collaboration of cutting edge technology and old school, no-nonsense cool stuff, any two people holding these devices can know exactly where each other is at any given time.
Of course, the device is a design prototype only, meant to explore the concept of mobile communications as a surveillance tool or “digital leash”.
Could this be the next Foursquare or Gowalla?
While I find the whole steampunk obsession a bit absurd at least most of that stuff actually works. This looks like an old wood grain clock radio with a compass on it. Not intriguing at all.