Unstrung takes a look at a project by Umbrella.net to wire Umbrellas with bluetooth connectivity. Via an umbrella with a PDA embedded in the handle, users create an on the move (and rather drenched) Mesh network whenever it rains. According to the group, the goal of the project is to create "sudden, striking, and unexpected connections between people in public and urban space", if you're in to that sort of thing.
Someone's having fun. I gotta follow those links later and see who came up with this playful idea. Gotta be someone in the PNW. Nuts, of course, but fun.
EDIT 30 minutes later... HA! they're in Dublin and their site is down. Must not be raining there right now.
Okay.. I must be behind on my slang, what in the name of all that is sprinkly is a bumbershoot? (Other than a festival in Seattle, but I don't think that's what you meant).
Behind? More behind than you think! But, you are forgiven as it's an old, fallen term from Merry Old. Umbrella. That wondrous autumn event in Seattle is named "umbrella". Much more fun noun, eh?
In the summer Seattle does not have much rain at all, especially this year, but the rest of the year they have on and off rain. I could see this umbrella would have worked that one monday this year where Seattle beat its record for most rain in one day for that month or some record like that.
I can just see it now the Hari Krishna's set up such a system so everyone in the Airport with a Bluetooth umbrella suddenly hears Hari-Hari....Hari Krishna, Krishna,Hari Krishna.......:D