iPhone? iPill? Same difference...

It seems like something you would see on a science fiction movie--but no.
This thing is real and it's here.

Philips's R&D unit is currently working on an 11-by-26-millimeter capsule. This tiny device is loaded with tiny sensors, a microprocessor, a fluid pump, a wireless transmitter, and medication. Patients can ingest it just like any other pill. This device permits doctors to deliver drugs directly to a specific area of the gastrointestinal tract. These kind of advances will help treat illnesses such as Crohn's disease.

What will they come up with next? Seriously.

A New Way to Play...

Recess will always be the best part of school.

When I was younger I loved recess. I loved the swings and the jungle gym; but after a while they lost their luster. There's only so much you can do on those things. My best recess memories were made without the aid of those metal structures. Me and my friends often came up with games and scenarios involving things found laying around or even nothing at all. We used our imaginations. Novel idea, huh?

Designer David Rockwell has taken notice of such non-structured recess play. He has developed a playground that promotes free play versus jungle gyms and swing sets that emphasize motor skills. Rockwell utilized basic elements such as building blocks, sand, water, and found objects in his 21st century, multi-level play space.

"It's the same thing you would have in the country with a hill or a series of rocks," Rockwell says, "It's space to explore."

Rockwell's playground, a figure eight shape, draws inspirations from famed architect Louis Kahn and sculptor Isamu Noguchi's 1960s design for New York's Riverside Park; which was never built.

It's an old concept with a new implemention. Building blocks help children develop cognitive and social skills. Rockwell's play space provides children with dense, oddly shapped, over-sized, germ-resistent blocks to create with. Rockwell will also include "found objects" such as milk crates and pool noodles, as well as scaffolding structures and drop cloths for making forts.

This 21st centruy playground brings the rural resources to the urban setting. Running water and a shallow pool provide children with the idea of playing in a real pond or creek. The water can be contolled by damming it up or diverting it to make water falls.

The first Imagination Playground is under construction in Lower Manhattan and is expected to be finished within the next year.

As if we needed one more way to be tracked...

There is yet another way to keep "tabs" on friends and family. Great, just what we need.

Most won't admit that they love the idea of this. But they do. A lot, actually.
What a bunch of creepers.

A couple days ago, Google announced a spiffy, new stalking-er- I mean, "mapping" feature called Latitude. It will soon be available for every major mobile phone platform, currently supporting Google maps. Soon, everyone will know where you are at all time. Yay?

But rest assured, there are "strict" privacy settings. Sense a hint of sarcasm? Users will have to manually turn on Latitude before it will broadcast their location. Users can also determine the specificity of their location--from an exact city block or just a city itself. Only friends on your contact list can see your location. Thank goodness.

You are in control, or at least that is what Google wants you to think Ha. You have the ability to accept someone's location and share back, accept their location and hide yours, deny their location or block them. So many options!

You can even change privacy levels for each friend. Latitude also allows you to post a "Twitter-like" message along with your location, like: "Getting lunch, come join me!" or "At the dentist, come join me!." Be creative.

Latitude has a leg up on the competition. The other "mapping" programs have a restricted user-pool because of certain phones and certain carriers. Latitude promises stalker-privileges to anyone with a halfway-decent phone. Latitude is also available for desktops and laptops.

Latitude's potential is huge. Anyone could see that. Theoretically, advertisers could tap into your location, match it up with the locations of their services and your browsing history, and provide a highly, intensive targeted ad. Kinda scary. Hello, Big Brother.

So, go ahead.
Give in.
You know you want to.
All the cool kids are doing it.