holodeck

Apple looks to be introducing a new iPad and perhaps something new to do with Apple TV at a press event on March 7. So far, the consensus seems to be that we should expect a faster iPad with a high-resolution "retina display," Siri integration, and perhaps some kind of haptic feedback.

That's what we're likely to see, but half the fun of Apple rumors is imagining what the "one more thing" will be--that new feature or device that changes how we do things on a daily basis, like iTunes, Siri, or the iPad itself. With that in mind, I'm going to take a moment to do something I normally try to avoid and turn the rumor mill way up. Today, the Apple rumor goes to 11.

Just in case I'm not making myself clear, most of these features probably won't be unveiled by Apple CEO Tim Cook in front of a live audience next month, but they are features Apple has applied or received patents for, so theoretically they could be in the works. And it would be pretty cool if they actually did become a commercial reality.… Read more

The day is fast approaching when a holodeck in our living room may not be so far-fetched. First shown at CeBIT 2008, the Fitness@home virtual training system (PDF) is a first step toward a simulated reality facility, though we can hear Star Trek fans snorting at its baby steps. Still, this brainchild of Berlin's Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Technology (FIRST) is the closest we've seen in conjuring up some virtual-reality wizardry to place you anywhere you fancy: Mt. Everest, if you plan to do some serious StairMaster climbing, National Geographic-style; the Beijing Olympics, if … Read more