Note that I’m specifically not being all Christmassy today, partly because I’m editor of the Tech Section—not the Fun-In-A-Santa-Hat-Section; partly because I’m giving you a break from the relentless Xmas face-pounding that the Mad Men put you through at this time of year; and partly because I have no Christmas spirit myself. At least I did until yesterday when after 45 minutes on the phone to a certain, incumbent mail service, I was told that three of my nieces weren’t getting their Express posted Christmas presents.
Sorry little girls; I’ll make it up to you in the New Year.
Anyway, here are three cool things.
My regular readers (possibly just my year twelve intern and the TheVine’s chief editor) will know that I often spout crap about SkyNET. I’m rather paranoid that Hollywood is right about A.I. and that eventually, we’re going to be a) wiped out; b) enslaved; c) all of the above by our own creations (that’s if we don’t wipe ourselves out first). Which is why I will take this opportunity to bow down to our future, Chinese-made, gracious robot overlords!
Here’s an advancement that will see us one incremental step closer to that reality. According to Extremetech, Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed electronic circuits that can self-heal. DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR? NO? Then see this artist’s impression:
The basics of the tech ensure that when a printed circuit (on a) board (PCB: just think of the green silicon boards in your phone or PC) cracks, these small capsules of liquid metal which are stuck to the circuit also break, thus spilling their fluidy metallic seed all over the crack and sealing it up again. It’s so good that it can restore up to 99% of the original circuit’s conductivity 90% of the time.
Here’s what the technology would look like under the T-1000’s skin, if the T-1000 did exist:
I’ve made a few Siri jokes since the iPhone 4S came out. But now I tend to wince anytime a comedian even whispers her name. Anyway, it seems these nerds didn’t get my memo and they’ve gone on to make a Siri themed movie trailer. Please, if there is a deity that covers electronics and telecommunications, please don’t allow this to be made into a real movie.
I’m showing you this, not for the comedic value, for it has little, but because it should be another warning to us all—you can laugh at technology and send it up as if it’s never going to happen, but this Siri iPhone movie should be seen as a precursive metaphor for how technology is coming after us. It’s always there. It knows what your next move will be. BE AFRAID!
Finally, if you’re on the run from Siri, from the system and if they had smartphones in 1991, from SkyNET, then you would probably want one of these: the MIAmobi SilentPocket case for your iPad, iPhone or for anything with a signal.
No signal can get out. So when you’re on a big mission, plotting a murder, running from spooks as Sandra Bullock in ‘The Net’, put your mobile device in your SilentPocket and say, “I’m going dark.”
The silver lining here is… well it’s actually a “nano-silver” lining inside that does the job. Available in various sizes to suit popular devices. Check it here.
