Robots: The Next Tech Bubble?

Forbes.com (link) :
Gadgets and gimmicks and concept robots from huge corporations all presage the moment that open-architecture robots will catapult robotics out of its niche. As soon as the next generation of teen nerds can get their fingers into the brains of $200 'bots, robotics will be unleashed into the outward spiral of acceptance. The nerds will run with the technology and do for robotics what they did for computing in the 1970s and 1980s.

Yes. Hai. Ya. Agree.
Just a matter of time before I get my cold, grubby hands on some soldering equipments, and all hell will break loose. Got a few ideas now, like switching on/off the room fan from the bed. Till then, I'll just be learning Python and reviving the 10yr old PC to use Linux.

If I do eventually venture into the robotics field, heck even if I don't, I still would really, really want to see robots become the next PC. MOAR AUTOMATION AS WELL !!! Hope robotics become the next big-thing. That, and prosthetics. And my personal flying car.

Lynxmotion BH3-R Walking Robot

WANT!
Have a thing for a robo-spideys, courtesy of GitS Tachikoma. I've got a few nice 'applications' for this thing.

Uses Sony Playstation controller to navigate. Comes at USD750. Product page

[BBC]Girls 'more skilled at IT'

Boring month. Not many interesting news around. So, here's an obligatory dump.txt

Survey results show that more than boys have created MSWord docs, have a page on networking websites or uploaded a YouTube video....
....more acceptable for girls to be geeks....
meh, you don't even get a bit of geek cred if you haven't taken a philips screwdriver and pried open the cpu casing.

....Boys = Games, Girls = more involved....
I personally feel that playing PC games would get you more computer savvy than just browsing profiles on Friendster. For example, you're bound to come across more problems/jinxes while trying to get a (usually pirated) game to run compared to pointing, clicking and typing comments. BSODs, driver/hardware problems, getting around DRM, you know the drill.