Well, that is changing. Take a look at the following picture:

Yup, it’s a wall socket with two USB ports built-in. And this device is a near reality and is currently pre-ordering for less than $20.00. Here’s the link to the manufacturer’s site which explains the specifications and gives some more information about the socket: http://store.fastmac.com/product_info.php?products_id=458. I love it when technology moves in the right direction.

There are hundreds of these out there, go look for your own (just search for sleeveface).

Head over to http://www.windowsphone7series.com/ for demos and general buzz. Notice that they want to call it Windows Phone, and not Windows Mobile 7. They are going to be very strict with manufacturers on the phone specifications (a leaf out of Apple’s book, I guess). Here are a couple of screenshots to get you started.

For a quick understanding of what’s new and what’s it all about, check out the coverage on MobileCrunch: http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/02/15/microsoft-announces-windows-mobile-7-now-officially-dubbed-windows-phone/

We’re planning to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States. We’ll deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We plan to offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.

Well, I wish some of this high bandwidth stuff would come into India. Anyway, it would be interesting to see what people come up with for these type of bandwidths speeds. Google is hoping to see some innovation. So are we.

These days there are so many options available when it comes to buying a mobile phone. The reason is that there are so many more requirements that the consumer has of their phone – making calls (of course), using the internet, listening to music, taking photos, social networking with friends, and many more. One of the phones that fulfills most of these requirements is a a device by LG called LG Chocolate Touch. This phone has a lot of neat features that have the potential to make this a phone of choice.

Let’s look at some features. If you listen to music on your phone, then you won’t be disappointed because it incorporates the Dolby Mobile technology for crystal clear sound. This means you don’t have to lug around that mp3 player with you anymore. A dedicated key for social network messaging allows easy access to send status updates to Twitter, Facebook or whichever social network that you are active on. The 3.2 megapixel camera and recorder eliminate the need to carry your point-and-shoot as well as your camcorder with you wherever you go.

These features combine with the great software which gives you very beautiful visual displays, great text and voice messaging capabilities, and cute features such as rhythmic vibrations which cause the phone to vibrate in sync with the beat of the music. All in all, it makes a great little package which should be a good option for people on the move who want to stay connected with their friends.

As you can see in the image, you can set a location for where you are, and see what the people there are talking about. I am guessing that Twitter will use the geolocation information for finding out which tweets are coming from where.

You have to set your location for this to work. However, you are going to be disappointed if you do not live in either Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, UK, or the USA. Because these are the only countries for which local trends are supported right now. You can also further fine tune the local trends if you live in any of the 15 cities that are supported right now. A long way to go, but I am guessing now that the basic functionality is up, its just a matter of adding support for newer locations. Anyway, even now, you can see what people in Chicago are talking about, and whether its the same as what people in Atlanta are tweeting.

Nice going, Twitter.

Flickr is just full of awesome photos of an object which is basically a bunch of cardboard boxes put together in the shape of a robot. As you can see in the photos, it is much more than just a collection of cardboards. I have picked out the best ones that I like on Flickr (by various photographers) – each one links to the photo page on Flickr, from where you can find many more Danbo photos by the same photographer.

I could just keep posting these over and over, but here’s the mother load link on Flickr, sorted by interestingness – http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/danbo/interesting/

Baby harp seal

Baby Asian elephant

Baby lynx with mom

Baby black bear with mom

Baby leopard playing with mommy’s tail

Baby bobcat

Mom helping out a baby polar bear

3 cheetah cubs hanging out with mom

A black bear kid learns how to climb trees

A baby crocodile being born

I hope you enjoyed this little collection as much as I did. Of course, the Nat Geo website is a treasure trove for such photos. I will try to gather more photos and post on this site on a more regular basis.

If you liked them, for some of them you can even order prints from Deviant Art.