Technology clicked into hyperdrive this week, with big brands such as Google, Canon and Apple giving us a peek into the future by turning hype into reality.
For instance, what if you could connect to US$70/month broadband service that’s faster than a wired network? That’s Google delivering on its promise of Google Fibre, starting off this week in a single test market. What if a speech recognition software program had its already astonishing accuracy improved by 20%? What if someone created a smartphone screen that was even better than Apple’s Retina display?
I’ll tell you what if: It would feel like you’ve taken a techno-leap of a few years rather than just seven days. Narrowing down thousands of gadgets, inventions, concepts and ideas, we found the 10 best for this week’s Top 10 Tech.
1. Daredevil Jump
What kind of guy leaps from a balloon-lifted capsule as it dangles 18 miles above the earth? Felix Baumgartner, that's who. And he hasn't even broken the world record yet, set by a jumper for the U.S. Air Force in 1960.
In what was a mere dress rehearsal for the upcoming record-breaking attempt, Baumgartner jumped out of a special capsule when it was 96,640 feet high on Wednesday, reaching a speed of 536mph on his way down. It took him more than 10 minutes to parachute safely to the ground.
If this is the dress rehearsal, what's the real thing going to be like? Baumgartner plans an even more daring parachute jump from 125,000 feet in the next few weeks, smashing the world record by a mile. Make that 4.2 miles - a world-record altitude from which any person has parachuted before.
2. Google Fiber
You heard the rumours right here last week, and now Google has officially announced Google Fiber, a combination broadband and television service that's set to light up the Kansas City, Kan. and Kansas City, Mo. area in a couple of months.
Here you see the Google Fiber network box, handling broadband duties, and costing those lucky Kansas city dwellers US$70 a month to take part in superfast service that offers unheard-of gigabit speeds for downloads and uploads. If you don't need that much speed, a flat fee of US$300 gets you 5Mbps download and 1Mbps upload speeds - about average for Internet service in the U.S. - and after paying that fee, it will be free. Or, you can pay that off in US$25 monthly increments for a year, and after that it's all free. Such a deal.
Google Fiber 2
If you're looking for TV service, too, Google will offer "Gigabit + TV" for US$120 per month. This gives you a digital video recorder with 1 terabyte of disk space, letting you watch what Google calls a "full channel TV line-up." Also included will be Nexus 7 tablet with which to control everything, a TV box and its associated storage box, as well as that network box for the gigabit connection.
Cable and broadband service providers must be shaking in their boots about this. At the very least, this experimental implementation by Google will spur possible competitors to attempt to follow suit. Google, I implore you, take this excellent idea nationwide. In the meantime, I'll be watching Google Fiber closely, curious about whether providing TV and Internet services at this unusually high speed (and low price) can actually be profitable.
3. Samsung High-Resolution Display
Apple, your Retina display might not be king of the smartphone screens for much longer - that is, if Samsung is actually testing this 350ppi (pixels per inch) OLED display. It's using an FMM (Fine Metal Mask), new technology that allows OLED screens to display pixel density at astonishing resolutions.
How does that 350ppi compare with the iPhone 4 and 4S's Retina display? Those displays - which, unlike this Samsung experiment, currently exist - rock a 326ppi resolution. That would be handily beaten by Samsung's new tech, that might also be able to deliver higher contrast and more vivid colours, a common characteristic of OLED screens.
4. iPhone 6? Already?
Designers must think they have the next iPhone design all figured out. Perhaps that's why one of my favourite conceptual artists, Antoine Brieux, came up with this dazzling concept for a possible iPhone 6.
iPhone 6? Already? 2
Brieux is the guy who blew us away with his liquid metal iPhone concept, and now he's topped himself, showing an iPhone whose home button is no longer bottom centre, but on the left side, just below the volume controls and controlled by the thumb.
iPhone 6? Already? 3
Will the back of the iPhone 6 still be made of glass, or is this some other exotic substance?
iPhone 6? Already? 4
If you thought the iPhone 5 concepts were thin, check this one out.
iPhone 6? Already? 5
This is a beautiful design. I like that little Apple logo on the bottom - it appears to be lighting up in these renderings.
5. Soul by Ludacris: Usain Bolt Edition
In honour of the Olympics, Soul by Ludacris has released a Usain Bolt Edition of its superb SL300 headphones with active noise cancellation. I took a close listen to the SL300s - my review unit was in shiny black with white accents - and I was astonished at the accuracy and punchy power of these comfortable cans.
Soul by Ludacris: Usain Bolt Edition
How do you like the wild colours of these US$349.95 headphones? They're supposed to suggest Jamaica, home country of the Olympic sprinter who's been called "the fastest man alive."
Soul by Ludacris: Usain Bolt Edition
Here's another view of the loud colour scheme, which seems appropriate given the super-loud volume you'll hear when you crank up these impressive headphones. By the way, if I didn't know better, I would think those were Green Bay Packers colours.
Soul by Ludacris
Here are the headphones I tested, relatively bargain-priced at US$269.95, showing off a way-cool feature: The ear cups have futuristic backlighting inside.
Soul by Ludacris
That little button just above the ear cups is how you turn on and off the backlighting. I didn't notice the backlighting running down the two AA batteries any faster than usual, even when those batteries were also handling the excellent active noise cancellation.
How well does that work? Droning noises and constant whines of cooling fans were almost completely silenced, working just as well as the noise-cancelling of Fanny Wang and Bose headphones.
Soul by Ludacris
These are some comfortable headphones, too. The padded headpiece got the plush factor just right - not too squishy and not too firm.
Overall these are exquisite headphones, and with their powerful (but not overwhelming) bass, clear midrange and scintillating high frequencies, I think they sound better than my previous favourite, Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Studio.
6. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12
One of my favourite software applications in the world was just upgraded: Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 will be available in a couple of weeks. Until I get my copy, I'll tell you about the one key improvement in this upgrade: Nuance claims it's 20% more accurate than its predecessor.
That's great news, because version 11.5 of NaturallySpeaking is already accurate to the point of seeming like science fiction. It's so good, I use it for everything I write. Can't wait to see if this new version can top it.
7. Shapeshifting Razer Ouroboros Mouse
Serious gamers, you want your mouse to fit your hand exactly. That's the idea behind the Razer Ouroboros Mouse, a elaborately adjustable ambidextrous pointing device for lefties or righties.
Shapeshifting Razer Ouroboros Mouse
It works either wired or wirelessly, and here it sits on its charging stand.
Shapeshifting Razer Ouroboros Mouse
You can adjust the length of the mouse, as well as the width of its side panels. Even its back arch is adjustable.
Shapeshifting Razer Ouroboros Mouse
Powered by single AA battery, this bad boy sports an 8200dpi fourth-generation dual sensor system, using laser and optical sensors at the same time.
Shapeshifting Razer Ouroboros Mouse
I'm eager to try it, but Razer told me I'll have to wait until the fourth quarter of this year to get my hands on it.
Save up your US$129.99, because if you're having trouble finding a mouse that fits your hand just right, this one might actually be worth it.
8. OS X Mountain Lion
Mountain Lion has finally arrived, and it's bringing newfound speech recognition, better reminders, tighter iCloud integration, improved notifications and faster speed. In addition, Apple has integrated Twitter into most of its apps, and to a much lesser extent, Facebook.
I especially like the progress Apple's made with its iChat application, now called Messages and incorporating more chat services including AIM and my favourite, Google Chat.
My only gripe? Apple took too long to deliver the special code to get a free version of Mountain Lion, given to all who recently bought a new Mac. It happened to me - just as I had given up and paid the US$19.99 price of Mountain Lion, the code arrived in my email. Why would that take more than 48 hours to deliver?
9. Canon EOS M
Digital cameras are going through a metamorphosis, losing those bulky mirrors and resulting in slim and beautiful cameras like this new Canon EOS M.
Canon EOS M 2
Available in white or black, this top view will give you an idea of just how thin this camera is, making it much easier to fit into a pocket or purse.
Canon EOS M 3
Checking out the back, you'll notice the lack of an optical viewfinder, a result of its mirrorless design. But the upside is an image sensor that's significantly larger than point-and-shoot cameras - the one inside the EOS M is the same 18-megapixel imager that's in the Canon T4i digital SLR.
Canon EOS M 4
Here's how this US$799.95 camera looks in black. I think I like the white one better.
Canon EOS M 5
Here's the lens that comes with the camera, a pancake-thin 22mm f/2 fixed focal length lens that's as portable as it is fast.
10. McLaren JetSet Concept
Take a look at this carbon fibre beauty from the future, a design concept by Marianna Merenmies that looks more like an aircraft than an automobile.
It looks like it's set to pounce with those two wing-like wheel wells, while the front takes some design cues from McLaren cars.
McLaren JetSet Concept 2
Take a look at how thin the back is, an example of what you can do when you only have one seat in the front and no backseat it all.
McLaren JetSet Concept 3
It certainly would be fun to drive a car that's just about as high off the ground as a go-kart, but I'd be concerned about whether other vehicles could see me in this minuscule projectile of a vehicle.
McLaren JetSet Concept 4
Of course, there have to be either gull-wing or scissor doors included in any outlandish design concept, and this McLaren JetSet does not disappoint.
McLaren JetSet Concept 5
Get an idea of the tiny size of this design concept in this illustration with a human figure standing next to the car.
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