From Pandora to the Pacific

One2ten: supercomputers  

Every six months researchers compile a list of the 500 fastest computers on the planet. Here we sum up the latest top 10 ranked according to their LINPACK benchmark performance score, which ranks each system according to both maximum and theoretical peak performance.

POS systems switch to self-service  

POS systems are evolving into a much more sophisticated role in providing customer satisfaction and retail revenue generation.

Big data: larging it up  

'Big data' is a buzz-term that is resonating big-time with IT solutions providers and end-user organisations. But are 'big data' applications really so different from the business intelligence and analytics tools that have been around for decades?

Cookie law - will it rumble or crumble?  

The latest bit of EU legislation aims to protect the privacy of anyone visiting UK-owned websites by notifying them of cookie usage – but it is also impairing the website experience and jeopardising revenue opportunities, its critics are claiming.

Paralympic technology  

Paralympians have been grabbing the headlines, as has the technology competitors use. Is the Paralympics a richer ground for innovation than the Olympics?

Solar water security for Bushmen  

In parched remote north-western Botswana the Bushman people are starting to feel the benefit of a clean, reliable water supply thanks to solar technology.

The new London Routemaster launched  

Designing a replacement for the illustrious Routemaster bus was a tough challenge.

The Fall and Rise of the LA Metro  

With gasoline prices sky-high, Los Angeles is falling back in love with public transportation, and has just opened the latest branch of its best kept secret: the LA Metro.

Fracking – will the public accept it?  

The expected emergence of unconventional gas as a prime energy fuel will depend on public acceptance of hydraulic fracturing.

Management success with a mountaineering twist  

Research shows that 80 per cent of leaders and managers are engaged in a battle 'not to lose'. We talk to an author whose new book discusses the 20 per cent who actively seek to win.

Rope access technology  

Have you got a head for heights? Join us as we hoist ourselves into the diverse and sometimes dangerous world of rope-access technicians.

WAN - chipping away at long-distance data  

Wide-area network optimisers use smart ways to gain more value from WAN links through new ICs.

The Ampere Strikes Back  

In his latest documentary 'Revenge of the Electric Car', Chris Paine investigates the rebirth of the electric vehicle.

Sci-fi on a shoestring  

Thanks to developments in software and ever increasing processing power, high-quality CGI is no longer the preserve of big budget blockbusters.

Geospatial technology: mapping the future  

There is a dramatic revolution happening in the way maps are made. Geospatial technologist at Google, Ed Parsons, says paper is on the way out as we turn to our digital devices for geographical information.

Does UK renewables uptake show permanent change?  

A series of governmental reports signal the energetic uptake of renewables, but also highlights the UK's ongoing reliance on imported fossil-fuel energy.

Digital cinema distribution finally killing off cinereel  

By 2015, the main movie studios will no longer distribute cinereel footage, but what will be gained? And what lost?

Caravans and engineers - a hitch made in heaven  

With a recent survey naming engineers as the second most common caravan-owning profession, we look at the changing face of the recreational vehicle.