2007 trends - online and on life

I came across some fascinating maps today - they graphically represent trends in a style similar to that of London's tube map. The picture shown is of web trends.



Find the full article at Information Infosthetics (a great blog and source of much inspiration) and a map of more general social trends here (in pdf format).

My Web (Packet) Garden

I live in a small flat in a busy city - I have no green space, garden or yard - my skylight is my leaky window to the outside world - i miss daylight, animals flora & fauna.

So, from the home of innovative visualisations here is an organically growing garden that grows out of your web browsing habits - for Linux & Windows check it out & download it here.

What the Google?

I recently blogged about the scary amounts of data Google must have - I use quite a few of their services, and have enjoyed the likes of Blogger and YouTube for a while now - both Google entities these days. But I've hesitated from using their online word processor, spreasheet, Desktop & Picasa services - I've decided to spread my digital self amongst corporate entities for peace of mind - and seem justified having just read a post about a method recently exposed that meant all Google account information could be vulnerable.

It exploited the feature in Blogger that enables external hosting of a blog - and someone managed to host their blog from a Google domain - it's scary, in-depth techie stuff & the loophole seemed to have been closed in hours - but if you worry about your information in this connected age - read this!

Hang On

What with all the killing, shooting, hanging and what-not going on in the world - it's always nice to see that different people express their views - but this, found on the street just near Churchill Square shopping centre in central Brighton made me pause and wonder if the content swapping and knowledge sharing that israpidly enveloping global societies is serving to make this the most desensitised generation in human history - will our connectivity lead only to mutual barbarism, a renewed excitement in violence and ultimate self-destruction? Porbably - it's Monday morning so anything could happen...

iPhone, YouPhone, WiiPhone

A wireless network that's free, a finger and some friends. A wireless network that's free, a finger and some friends...Are you tired of Steve Jobs' KeyNote smugness too? Can you see what it is yet? Apple's HUGE announcement recently was about their all-singing, all-dancing breakthrough internet device - that's also a telephone and widescreen iPod.

Whilst it's great in terms of both design, features and groundbreaking useabiliy - I've been discussing with friends what's most interesting about this recent announcement.

WiFi & OSX - hmm - why do I need a mobile operator/GSM networks. I spend mostof my time within range of a wireless network - I use VOIP, Skype & GTalk to keep in touch with friends already - and I'm craving a mobile browsing device that supports full web pages, plugins & convenient zoom features - so with the iPhone, WiFi & bluetooth connectivity and some similarly minded friends I can ditch my 3 mobile simCard - get Apple to launch their own PAYG virtual mobile network in the UK (a la Virgin mobile), get an Apple PAYG sim-card and use it only when the absence of wireless coverage necessitates. Come on Steve - think BIG APPLE! - no Cingular-esque network deals - sell the iPhone as the decades tastiest piece of SIM-unlocked hardware and you'll make not only a killing but embrace the open-source, sharing-is-caring networked generation - do the right thing, eh?