Matt T

Top 10 technology trends of 2008

according to the BBC include people having rather scary head transplants.

Labels: Technology, Web

posted by Matthew @ 1/02/2008 08:55:00 AM Comments: 0

Shame on the No.6 bus

You've all been on a bus when a bunch of 'hoodies' (or whatever teenagers are called nowadays) get on and start playing music very loudly out of their mobile phones. Well the fightback has started here, with me. On the no.6 bus winding its way through the mean streets of Kensal Rise, I was trying to get my new mobile phone to play a soundclip I had downloaded. I didn't have the Nokia headphones with me, but I thought maybe you could play it through the speaker on the phone you listen to when having a normal phone call.

You can't. And also pressing 'clear' which usually stops any function, doesn't (I suppose for obvious reasons) stop the background player. And then you have to go through about five menu options to find the player to stop it again.

So there I was, on the no.6 bus with teenagers and grannies, and my phone on full volume blasting out through its stereo speakers..."Welcome to today's Daily Telegraph podcast. Britain's best-selling quality newspaper".

Labels: London, music, Technology, Telegraph

posted by Matthew @ 4/23/2007 09:07:00 PM Comments: 2

Newsnight debate on Road Pricing

I think they must have chosen two people (one for, one anti) designed to make those who support or oppose it change their mind when hearing their own argument made. Who was that dreadful man? And who was that awful woman? Then there's that interior designer, who seems to have all the ills of the world on her shoulders.

I was a supporter of the congestion charge extension when I lived in the zone (though I was somewhat concerned about what happened if you were forced to move your car during the day because the parking bays were suspended) and I still support it now I live outside (but on the edge). However I think the critics have some valid points which haven't really been answered.

Most people, despite what you might read in the newspapers, don't drive into Inner London on a weekday. So this is really a bit of a sideshow. Proper road pricing however will affect, at least at some point, most people. I haven't really made my mind up about it. On the one hand, I think congestion is a problem, with much of the costs hidden (by forcing one to change one's habits) and (I think it was David Aaronovitch who pointed out) the motoring campaigners do appear to believe that we are still living in the 1950s. But on the other hand I imagine road pricing will be implemented badly, and I have some qualms, which I can't quite explain, about charging people to move around the country. Also given the supply of roads is essentially fixed I'm not quite sure markets will work as well as everyone seems to think.

Labels: economics, England. environment, Technology

posted by Matthew @ 2/19/2007 10:51:00 PM Comments: 5

Nokia N73 on Three

The BBC writes about the Nokia N73, which reminds me that so was I. Yes, it's pretty brilliant. Skype calling is a novelty, and only Skype-to-Skype at the moment, but it is useful if you know people on Skype, especially if they live abroad. The camera, 3MP, is pretty good too. But the best feature is the web browser (though Nokia keep it well hidden, witht the default setting being more of wap browser). This is a proper, fully-featured web browser which shows webpages in their entirety - you can check your online bank account, listen to Test Match Special - I even got logmein.com to work on it in a fashion - seing your PC desktop on your mobile phone is quite strange.

Labels: Technology

posted by Matthew @ 2/14/2007 11:49:00 AM Comments: 5