The point of an operating system like Windows is that it allows applications to talk to the hardware. By throwing away the hardware but not the OS, nivio has things back to front.

If it's as good as they say it is, I wonder if you can build other things out of it. Roof tiles? Car bodywork anyone?

Environmentally aware shopping site EcoCentric has just launched a chopping board made entirely from recycled cardboard. Made from layers of compressed packaging, the finish is apparently ‘slate-like’ and meets health and safety guidelines (for the home at least, I wonder if it’s restaurant friendly? I’ve asked the PR, along with a question about what the manufacturing process specifically entails and if other materials are used – the release says not) It’s certainly tough for a paper-based product, reckoned to be heat resistant to 175 degrees Celsius and dishwasher proof.

EcoCentric claims that the production process, aside from using no raw materials in the board or packaging, consumes around 70% less energy than manufacturing a board from new.And, of course, at the end of its life you can just recycle it again – although I’ve never thrown away a chopping board in my life I don’t think. Do they actually wear out?

Makes me a bit angry that the local council simply composts all our cardboard. Think of the things you could make with this stuff.

I’m a big fan of EcoCentric’s products – I looked at one of their laptop bags made from old leather belts and recylced jackets last year for a feature in Stuff and it was absolutely lovely. Higher quality feel than most new bags, in fact.

The random thought for today is about online video. It’s been around for ages, obviously, but I’ve never been a fan. I can count the number of times I’ve visited YouTube’s homepage, rather than just following a link, on one hand, and have always been deeply skeptical of friends who go off to set up online video channels. I was sort of involved with one a couple of years back, and rapidly lost interest – what was the point with no viewers?

I’ve just finished doing a video feature for PC Gamer‘s next issue, though, which I’m quietly hoping makes it to the website too. And I know that the next chance we have to get a major traffic spike at LearnAsOne will be when Nerys and Steve start uploading video. I’m really excited about the fact that Response Network has the Flip which was donated to LearnAsOne, so that they’ll be able to film George’s reaction to the first cheque that gets sent over.

Which means that somehow, without me noticing, online video clips have become quite important to me. To the point that I’m noticing their absence from sites I write for like TechRadar. And I think it’s because of Twitter. Being constantly alerted to videos that might actually interest me – like Linsey’s preview of the HTC Hero this morning – is very different to the spammish emailing of comedy clips, which was all that ever seemed to arrive by email. Perhaps I’m just late to the party, and everyone else knew this before, but suddenly I’m very interested in online video reporting and want to do more of it.

Of course, there are some rules that sites posting videos should stick to (and many don’t). Like being able to embed their video files when linking to them. The fact many don’t is why there aren’t more examples of good videos in this post, and the opening HTC Hero vid is from a site I don’t work for, rather than one I do.

Cretalia, in the jacket, Bernard and their sister. Whose name I missed.

Lovely night last night at Ross Atherton’s (editor of PC Gamer) leaving party. He’s off to do exciting things in Paris. As it was also the first time I’d met up with Bath people since getting back from Zambia, obviously there were lots of questions about how it all went. Mostly the evening was spent deflecting questions – I won’t feel proud of the trip until we’ve actually raised some serious cash – but it did make me think of this story from the Economist, which I read while overseas.

The premise is that living overseas enhances your creativity. Sounds like a romantic notion cultivated by want-to-be Hemmingways, but psychologists reckon they’ve found a link. It’s a couple of weeks old now, as a story, and I only mention it because it’s rung very true for me this week.

I’ve written a lot since I got back – mostly laptop reviews for Stuff and finishing off bits and bobs for Gamer. (An aside – The Samsung X360 is awesome, by the way, although I don’t think I’ll be trading in my Eee 901 for anything else any time soon after its performance in Africa.) I’ve not had any time to work more on the LAO blog, or post much here. The thing is, while we were in Zambia, I couldn’t stop writing – I was exercising all kinds of journalistic skills that have lain dormant for a while and really enjoying work again. There are even – heaven forbid – a few short stories plotted out among my notes.

Now there’s a real danger of falling back into the same old routines again – working to deadlines, only writing for money, feeling exhausted because of the enforced early mornings which having a three year old daughter brings. This must be avoided at all costs – but it feels strangely hard.

One of Brendas stunning images from Simakakata

So, two new targets are set. First up, I need to help Steve actually gain some profile for LearnAsOne and raise the money we need to build the school in Simakakata. Secondly, I need to find a job overseas. I don’t think I’ll ever move as a freelance, it’s just too much of a risk.

So this entry is really about a warm up for that. Pretty much what I suspect this blog will turn into, as well as a method for getting the first-person urges out of my system in a magazine world that remains solidly communal in its terms of address. Although I think I have more leeway than I suspect with Systems, must remember to ask Ross about that.

Other exciting things to play around with today: new iMac and 17inch MacBook Pro for Stuff.tv. Which reminds me – the Inq believe Orange is about to start doing discounted Apple products along with phone tariffs. Annoying as I really want a 13inch MacBook, but also want to leave Orange the second my current contract runs out.

It’s not that they haven’t been good over the years, but no coverage in my house, terrible tariffs for data and no decent handsets on the horizon are forcing me to quit after nearly 10 years with them.