Playing tag (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Mobile technology: Crossing mobile phones with social-networking sites would help people find friends, and potential friends, nearby
Um, wouldn’t this make it easier for stalkers to stalk you, too?

Spreading the load (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Computing: A new wave of science projects on the web is harnessing volunteers’ computers in novel ways—and their brains, too

Watching as you shop (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Retailing: Big shops are using elaborate technology to monitor and influence the behaviour of their customers

Playing or processing? (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
The distinction between gaming and useful processing is beginning to blur, for both people and machines

Reality, only better (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Computing: Superimposing computer graphics on the real world, instead of displaying them on screens, has many potential uses

Hafnium and chips (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Semiconductors: A new recipe involving a hitherto obscure element is the latest way to make microprocessors even faster

Crystal clear (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Materials: Photonic crystals embedded in a sponge can be used to make electronic paper capable of displaying images in colour

Unmanned and dangerous (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Aviation: Unmanned aerial vehicles are a vital tool of modern warfare. Once-harmless drones are now deadly attack aircraft. Where did the technology come from, and where is it going?

Making waves (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Transport: Maritime engineers are already embracing electric propulsion for ships—and electric planes could be next

No fridge required (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Medicine: A technology that mimics nature should allow sensitive biological samples to be stored at room temperature

The eyes have it (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Medical technology: The techniques used to replace worn-out eye lenses are getting better, making the process simpler than ever

Accelerated progress (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Medicine: “Microdosing” borrows from archaeology to provide a novel way to test the effectiveness of new drugs without hurting anybody

Don’t invent, evolve (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Innovation: The inventor’s traditional trial-and-error approach can be automated by software that mimics natural selection

Shellfish desires (The Economist Technology Quarterly)
Fishing and the environment: A new invention makes trawling for fish much less harmful to coral, sponges, seaweed and other denizens of the seabed