Until recently, when people asked me what I was most scared of, I painted this scene:
Nuclear weapons were the nightmare of the ’80s, but today our nightmares are more distributed, more inventively horrific.
My father lectured on nuclear, biological and chemical threats while he was serving in the Royal Navy. He’s always told me that in the event of a nuclear strike the best thing you could hope for is instant death.
When it comes to chemical and biological agents, the answer is most probably the same. Exposure to some of the compounds that we are almost certain are in the hands of extremist groups means, at best, permanent disability.
But my terrifying vision of a terrorist – foreign or domestic – unleashing chemical hell on a city I love has only darkened over time.
Earlier this year, Paris understandably – given previous events – spasmed with paranoia as a series of reports about unidentified drones buzzing important sites came in. The fear was that cheap terror had now come to the skies.
In the end, those reports seemed to fizzle out, but the concern remains. Remember Public Enemy’s ‘Fear of a Black Planet’? I have fear of a drone planet and it is growing.
Drones are clearly enormous fun and have so many potentially useful applications – crop monitoring and maintenance, humanitarian missions, search and rescue – but they also bring air power on the cheap.
Tracking drones is tricky. They are getting cheaper with every passing month and the consumer versions get ever more powerful.
When someone recently strapped a gun to a drone , the drone planet fears in my head became more acute.
In that case it was a pushing of the boundaries of what is permissable, but as consumer drones become more capable, the threat of their use for malevolent ends increases.
Here’s just a few potential uses by malicious non-state actors that we should at least consider:
Ultimately, I’m pro-drone in terms of their potential to help us with tricky, tedious and terrifying jobs, but we need to think harder about their potential to become weapons for those who want us all dead.
Lenovo’s $899 modular ThinkPad X1 tablet lets you snap on a projector and 3D camera
Lenovo is gearing up to take on Microsoft’s Surface tablet this year with its all-new ThinkPad X1 . Scheduled to be announced at the CES expo in Las Vegas, the X1 lets you add modules for added functionality.
The 12-inch Windows tablet, powered by an Intel Core m7 processor, works with modules that you can attach to the the bottom. The ‘Presenter’ module lets you project a 60-inch display on a nearby wall; the ‘Productivity’ module adds USB 3.0 and HDMI ports, as well as an additional five hours of battery life; another module packs Intel RealSense 3D cameras that let you scan objects for working with 3D modeling software and printers.
The X1 comes with a 2,160 x 1,440-pixel display, USB Type-C ports and optional 1TB hard drive and LTE support. It also has a kickstand and a full ThinkPad keyboard with a TrackPoint and trackpad, and works with a $50 stylus as well.
It’ll hit shelves in February with an $899 price tag; The Productivity and 3D Imaging modules will retail at $149 each, while the Projector module will be available at $279 in May.
While the idea of a modular tablet sounds intriguing, you’ll probably want to try it before buying. The Verge reports that the modules are difficult to attach and the kickstand lets the X1 bounce around if you tap the screen.
Don’t miss our coverage on CES 2016 >
➤ Lenovo unveils pioneering modular ThinkPad X1 tablet [Lenovo Newsroom]
Jawbone’s UP2 activity tracker lands in the UK for £90
Jawbone’s UP2 activity tracker is now available to buy in the UK for just under £90.
Successor to the UP24 , the UP2 takes the same form factor as the UP3, except that it’s a little smaller. It’s a full 45 percent smaller than the UP24, which should make it more comfortable and less intrusive for round-the-clock wearing.
The company said it is now being made available worldwide, but only gave specific details of the UK launch. It’s available in ‘black diamond’ or ‘light grey hex’ from Jawbone’s website or via Apple’s UK site too. Traditional electronics retailers like Currys, PC World, Selfridges and John Lewis are also stocking it from today.
As with other members of the UP tracker family , the UP2 pairs with the UP app for iOS or Android devices.
Earlier this year the company launched its UP3 tracker in the US for the first time, following delays caused by scaling its manufacturing process .
➤ UP2
Update: The device will also be available in Australia, Korea, Japan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Russia and Thailand over the “next few weeks,” according to a spokesman for the company.
Read next: UP24 review: Jawbone’s newest activity tracker ups the ante for the quantified self