Who says it’s boring in the technology world?
Today has proven to be the day for many technology firms to launch some of the most fascinating products and services. It seems also like a good day for the Linux inventor, Linus Torvalds, to move across to the “dark side” to Microsoft.
But first, let’s look to Nokia. The Finnish phone maker, which used to operate a paper mill before making electronic handhelds, is coming up with a microwave oven called the 5AM-TH1N6 Constellation, says its Conversations blog.
Sure, there’s a touch screen, but the star feature is “a superfast, water-cooled 8-core high-voltage transformer, which brings a combined performance of 5,000 watts to end-users, letting them heat up turnkey meal solutions within seconds.”
The site goes on to quote Olavi Huhtikuu, a Nokia director of “household innovation”, as saying: “Nokia has a proven track record and extensive IPR in working with microwave radios, so for us this was a logical next step. We can attack our competition in their core business.”
Not to be outdone on the innovation front, Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic has also unveiled plans for a plane with a glass bottom today. This, he promises, is an important breakthrough in aviation, along with a new domestic service to Scotland.
“And with an unrivalled view of Scotland I hope this gives Scottish tourism an even bigger boost,” he adds on his blog.
Speaking of personalities, Linus Torvalds, the inventor of Linux, is said to be dumping his open source roots and joining Microsoft. Going to the “dark side”, he will work on a new kernel for Windows 9 that makes the operating system less susceptible to malware, according to a free and open source software blog.
That’s just a sample of the unusual stories making their way to Facebook feeds everywhere today on April 1. And they have been drawing some rather funny reactions.
One that is sure to capture the imagination is a Google video on a new e-mail service called Gmail Blue.
It promises to be beautiful, fast and powerful. And yes, everything comes in blue, including the Compose button, the icons and just about everything you see on screen.
Just in case you haven’t noticed by now, it’s April 1. Have a good day!
