I guess the most interesting thing to take out of this is that at the rate at which texting is growing and the advances made in both cellular and mobile connectivity – we could see at some stage people only communicating via text! Which would mean teenagers predominantly would STOP TALKING – personally i think this is a good thing however it does mean that adults would crash alot more cars!

Confused? Just check the stats!

It’s works just like Google but it’s not so level (and neither are the search results).

Uneven Google.

The idea of space travel is really one of the greatest thoughts, and while we may be a long way away from the journeys depicted in sci-fi movies, this kind of stuff is a start.

This is the first image ever taken of Earth from the surface of a planet beyond the Moon. It was taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit one hour before sunrise on the 63rd Martian day, or sol, of its mission. (March 8, 2004)

From here.

Ok, they may not be coming for us just yet, but this advancement in robotic movement means that if they do (and there are people who believe that one day they’ll take over), it’s going to be a little bit harder to get away.

It’s really quite incredible.

Scientists are planning on creating a mini star by blasting some stuff with a giant laser! The result will be a whole lot of power. It’s very sci-fi and quite exciting. The guys at Eskom don’t think so. They say that all this futuristic talk of alternative energy is rubbish – coal is where it’s at.

From Inhabitat:

All that seems fine and dandy, but how does one go about building a star? First, build the largest laser in the world, and then split this humongous laser into 192 beams. Then, aim all of them at a single point that’s about the size of a BB pellet coated with deuterium and tritium (two reactive isotopes of hydrogen that can be extracted from seawater). Make sure to surround those atoms with a gold capsule that’s smaller than a thimble. Lastly, the fun part – fire the laser! If the whole Earth doesn’t implode (we’re just kidding, according to Lynda Seaver, a spokesperson for the project, there is no danger to the public), the resulting reaction will be more than 100 million degrees Celsius (hotter than the center of the sun) and will exert more pressure than 100 billion atmospheres. Then hydrogen isotopes will band together with so much force and heat that their nuclei will fuse, creating energy which, as you can imagine, will be plentiful enough to supply abundant power.

I suspect that this is testament to the simplicity of these songs as opposed to the brilliance of the particular iPhone app but it’s pretty cool nonetheless. Basically it’s the very cute Applegirl performing Lady Gaga’s Poker Face and Beyonce’s Irreplaceable to music created on a bunch of iPhones…

As you know we are serious fans of anything GOOGLE (well maybe except WAVE) but their latest proposed creation makes me all warm and tingly inside! GOOGLE are now actually going to BE your internet provider – sure its in early stages but they say pricing will be competitive and they will soon launch the first areas of service – wonder if Joburg is on that list

The Company announced that it is planning to build and test, fiber-to-home network capable of jaw-dropping 1gb/s speed. The proposal is under the scanner and responses are being collected (and scrutinized) till March 26, after which expect Google to settle the dust regarding the locations that will be served, how they will be served and at what price. Speaking of price, the search engine giant has indicated that prices will be competitive.

Google said in the announcement that its GOAL is to help make Internet access better and faster (easily guessed, huh?) for everyone. The reason behind thinking a gamechanger in Broadband can be illustrated as follows:

• Next Generation Apps - providing a platform for developers to make and users to experience never seen before ‘killer apps’ that would run wild on ultra high speed internet connection
• New deployment techniques - testing new ways to build fiber network and enlightening the world at the same time (this is the research part)
• Openness and choice - Google will operate an “open access” network wherein you will have a choice to select your service provider. The Company looks determined to maintain its ideology of transparency, non-discrimination and open environment for all. The Google Effect!

As a first step towards the experiment, Google has rolled out Request For Information (RFI) to identify interested communities. Here is your catch, want to try one (if you are an American)…. fill up an RFI (find it here) and populate it in your block!

Thanks to the Sony Dash.

Sure you can access your favorite parts of the internet at the touch of a finger, but that’s just half of the story. Listen to internet radio or your favorite MP3s by way of built-in speakers or the headphone jack. View photos and videos via USB or from online services such as Photobucket® and YouTube™. Also equipped with a clock, you can wake up to your favorite apps, music or built-in alarm sounds.

As a kid I used to love playing the aircraft version of Top Trumps. If you got the Blackbird, you were untouchable – that’s why I have such fond memories of this plane. I came across it again yesterday and was still amazed at how something developed half a century ago can still be such a technological marvel.

Some facts:

Manufactured by Lockheed
First service 1964
Top speed over 3 500 km/hr (actual top speed is classified)
Altitude of 85 000 ft which is roughly 26 km
Its defense against missiles was simply to accelerate and outrun them!

Here’s a cool story about one:

One day, high above Arizona, we were monitoring the radio traffic of all the mortal airplanes below us. First, a Cessna pilot asked the air traffic controllers to check his ground speed. “Ninety knots,” ATC replied. A twin Bonanza soon made the same request. “One-twenty on the ground,” was the reply. To our surprise, a navy F-18 came over the radio with a ground speed check. I knew exactly what he was doing. Of course, he had a ground speed indicator in his cockpit, but he wanted to let all the bug-smashers in the valley know what real speed was “Dusty 52, we show you at 620 on the ground,” ATC responded.

The situation was too ripe. I heard the click of Walter’s mike button in the rear seat. In his most innocent voice, Walter startled the controller by asking for a ground speed check from 81,000 feet, clearly above controlled airspace. In a cool, professional voice, the controller replied, “Aspen 20, I show you at 1,982 knots on the ground.” We did not hear another transmission on that frequency all the way to the coast.

Read some others here.

While similar toasters have been made in the past, this one is by far the coolest. The Zuse toaster is able to store images on it’s memory and then burn them line by line in 12 x 12 pixel resolution onto the bread. Only question is; is your toast still hot by the time it’s finished?

Thanks Dyl

It looks like Snoopy. It humps your computer. Just a pity it can’t type your work for you while it goes at it.

Thanks James

What’s the link with all of these? The Parrot AR Drone.

The quadricopter will be controlled using an iPhone connecting to the on board cameras via WiFi. Not only will you be able to fly the chopper, by the idea is for augmented reality to allow for flight within a video game.

It’s some hi-tech stuff -- watch the video for a better idea:

Thanks Dyl

While we’re undoubtedly going to look a little silly watching TV with our 3D glasses on, I can’t wait to have 3D at home (we discussed Avatar yesterday and apparently it must be seen in 3D). Picture it; you’re chilling on the couch, Mitchell’s in hand and watching something beautiful like it’s happening in your living room. The Megan Fox running/bouncing breast scene from Transformer’s II comes to mind. If that’s the case, you probably want to be watching it on something like this.

The new Sony NX900 3D

Thanks again James

Robotic sex dolls are no longer a futuristic possibility or fantasy (for some), but are now a reality.

The dark-haired, negligee-clad, life-size robotic girlfriend comes complete with artificial intelligence and flesh-like synthetic skin.

Standing five feet, seven inches tall, the doll weighs 120 pounds, comes with five “personalities”, and is “ready for action” her developers said.

What’s more, it can have a conversation with you about how bad Liverpool are this season. The dolls sell for roughly $7000 – $9000 which includes a laptop for personality adjustments! We’re waiting for the model which can cook and clean as well.

There are a number of videos on YouTube showing the doll but due to the nature of the content you’ll need to sign in to view it.

Walt Disney Co’s ESPN will roll out its 3-D network in June and will air a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year. ESPN’s first broadcast will be a World Cup soccer match between South Africa and Mexico. Separately, Discovery said it has joined ranks with Sony Corp and IMAX Corp to launch a dedicated 3-D network in the United States beginning in 2011.

The network will feature natural history, space, exploration, and adventure shows along with films and children’s programing from all three partners. Third parties may also provide entertainment. Following the blockbuster success of 3-D epic “Avatar,” many believe 3-D is poised to take over the home market and many 3-D technologies will be on display at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. “This will be a meaningful step to drive adoption of 3-D television sets and afford opportunities for our affiliates to create value through new product offerings, and our advertisers, who want fresh sponsorship opportunities,” Sean Bratches, ESPN’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, said in a statement.

A lack of 3-D programing, in particular for sports, has been one of the key barriers to adoption of 3-D TV, analysts have said. Having to wear special glasses is another. “The bottleneck has been content. What you are seeing is a feeding frenzy suddenly emerging for in-home 3-D, which is a step in the right direction,” said Piper Jaffray analyst James Marsh. But he noted that while theatrical 3-D success provides a beachhead for in-home solutions, the transition to widespread in-home 3-D adoption may prove more complicated due to challenges in convincing viewers it can be as enjoyable as inside the cinema.

Price also will be an issue for consumers who may have just recently upgraded their living rooms. Richard Doherty, analyst with Envisioneering Group, believes one household in 30 may embrace 3-D in-home technology by New Year’s 2011, and up to 20 percent by 2015. “There’s quite an effort among standards groups, broadcasters, cable and satellite operators and consumer electronics companies to get 3-D in the home quickly,” he said. Sports, perhaps even more than movies, is a prime driver of consumer sales for screen technology, including flat-screen TVs.

Along with up to 25 World Cup matches, ESPN said 3-D would be featured in broadcasts of the Summer X Games extreme sports, college basketball and college football, including the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, Arizona, on January 10, 2011. ESPN has been testing 3-D for more than two years and last fall produced the college football game between University of Southern California and Ohio State University in select theaters and on the USC campus.