Nostalgic connections

This map showing cables running over the world in 1906 really shows Britain at the hub of the world - the empire and the special relationship.

Funny looking at something like this today it reminds you of a social network and how technology and connections have been hand in hand for many years - maybe there is a new type of social anthropology and technology discipline that people will be learning about in a few years.

Anyway its retro and cool.

Getting Video out of You Tube

I read something a month or two back about You Tube making it easier to get videos out of the site, I expect this is horribly out of date post but I found this service called KeepVid through a colleague and thought it worth mentioning if any of you ever need it.

It's probably a spin off from the fact that they have launched a iPhone service and therefore have to save out the videos as mp4 format anyway.

So its a nice example to show how some progress sometimes leads to exponential progress - not only serving the iphone but making it easier for everyone else who wants to show a youtube video in a ppt presentation for example - I like it that is good karma.

When your browser's, web address bar becomes creative

For years copywriters and earnest clients have spent many a long hour finding an available url that peaks the interest of the client or is relevant to the brand. Well now Sixt the German hire car company have taken browser address bars and urls to a new level of creativity - courtesy of the splendid Adverlab blog.

Here the Sixt guysa have created a new format of advertising on a 3rd party site, that has cars racing across the address bar using ascii characters, then a brand message - clever boys

Some more future gazing

I found a few interesting videos on the BBC Technology pages showcasing developments in retail, living, dining etc for the near future. Most of them seem to be developed by German's, oh well maybe its the technology equivalent of the towel on the deck chair.

Here are the links to 4 short videos (sadly the BBC hasn't quite grasped the concept of allowing people to embed their videos yet but perhaps that is in another video called the BBc of the Future - let's hope so).

• Inside the house of the future(04.54)
• Germany's 'robot' restaurant(01.49)
• Supermarket of the future(02.56)
• Germans create 'future hotel' (03.51)

What Tech Developments We Want To See 2009

A great post here on fast company about 6 major tech developments we want to see in 2009

1. Free National WiFi
2. Powerful Mobile Internet Devices
3. Linux On Everything
4. Connected Cars
5. 4G Wireless
6. Windows' Redemption

I wonder how many will come true.