Being limited to strict formats did wonders for the sonnet and haiku.  One wonders where this highly impractical word-limit will lead as the future unfolds.

Here are the top 7 in the 2009 list:

1. Twitter — The ability to encapsulate human thought in 140 characters

2. Obama — The word stem transforms into scores of new words like ObamaCare

3. H1N1 — The formal (and politically correct) name for Swine Flu

4. Stimulus — The $800 billion aid package meant to help mend the US economy

5. Vampire — Vampires are very much en vogue, now the symbol of unrequited love

6. 2.0 — The 2.0 suffix is attached to the next generation of everything

7. Deficit — Lessons from history are dire warnings here

I would have thought the Middle East would be the first region to produce something like this but I guess the Dubai Debt news we've been seeing recently puts these kind of projects on the back burner.

For someone to even attempt something crazy like this shows how much the iPhone stands out from it's competitors. I can't imagine someone doing the same on a Nokia N95 or and LG.

"The man behind the bedazzler was Stuart Hughes. First he covered it in 22 cts gold plating, then slapped on a total of 190 diamonds – 136 on the front, 53 flawless diamonds on the logo, and one big ol’ 7.1 cts diamond replacing the home button."

WIFI was apparently temporarily banned in Beijing when the first batch were manufactured, so the next batch should get WIFI back.

I wonder how popular these expensive WIFI'less devices will prove to be. You can buy an unlocked 3GS with WIFI for 20% cheaper. We have to also bear in mind the huge population of China, so even a fraction of the user base could potentially mean massive sales figures for Apple and China Unicom.

For reasons of shooting video i've always preferred the Nokia N95 over the iPhone for obvious reasons. But watching this video totally changes the perspective on what's possible on the iPhone (albeit by hacking at this point in time).

Yet another development that makes the iPhone a step closer to being the one device that's all you ever need in your daily routine.

An interesting quote from TechCrunch:
"...none of these workarounds have been authorized or otherwise approved by Apple, but to see the quality and the possibilities with the iPhone 3GS really makes you think — what if Apple did approve this?"