Real Time View

This past weekend I was thinking about Monte Carlo. It was during my first term as ITUG Chairman, in 2004, that I took a Mediterranean cruise, spent the weekend in Monte Carlo and watched the Formula One (F1) Grand Prix. My brother’s wife is related to the Australian F1 racer Mark Weber, and I was quick to tell anyone prepared to listen of my strong ties to the F1 community. The picture above is of me on the Friday of the Grand Prix weekend as I stand above the pit area, looking across the circuit towards the inner harbor. Australians everywhere are immediately drawn to sporting events whenever there’s a fellow Australian competing. The first time I had even heard of Mark Weber was in 1999 during an evening news broadcast when film of him spectacularly taking his Mercedes-Benz CLR sports car prototype airborne in the lead-up to the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans. Weber was later exonerated from all blame, fortunately, when the same fate befell German teammate Peter Dumbreck five hours i

Returning to my coffee shop this morning for one more latte before I start writing, I took a quick look around the tables and noticed that everyone was heads-down working on one PDA or another. There were several tables where Blackberries and iPhones were being put to good use, and there were even a couple of new iPads to be seen. Perhaps the most novel set-up was that of my friend Mark who has been bringing his iPad to the coffee shop for some time, but this morning, he proudly showed off his latest addition. Pictured above is his iPad with a regular Bluetooth keyboard, propped up with a very inexpensive yet innovative plastic “commemorative” plate stand, of the type I routinely see in gift shops around the world! The iPad can be optioned with an iPad keyboard dock, but seeing Mark’s iPad resting on the plate stand, caused quite a stir and comments came thick and fast! Mark was even advised that he should post his latest creation on eBay as the iStand, promoting the inexpensive plat