There was recent post on Core77.com about the ways in which the technology on an ipod can be used to communicate. The article refers mainly to the HBO television show called “Generation Kill”. In the show, the soldiers are left lacking many things that would generally be useful in a time of war (example: night goggles). However, not every soldier is out of touch with the world. Core77 stated that “Last year the Army spent $800,000 on 260 iPods for their 10^th Mountain Division”. These iPods were not the general music device though. They had software in them that allowed for communication and solar charging. The solar charging aspect immediately made me think of all the new led light displays that are now using solar energy.
The communication aspect of the technology also sparked a connection in my mind. The Nintendo DS, a portal gameboy type system, has a communication device in it. It allows people with a DS to send messages to someone else with a DS. I have read articles in the past that mountain climbers in extreme places, such as Everest, use this device to send messages because it can withstand the altitude changes.
It’s fascinating to think of the unspoken uses for our everyday technology.

http://core77.com/blog/default.asp?p=2