I ran across this PC World Magazine article from a few years ago (Oct 2008) that reviewed some interesting predictions from the world of personal technology over the past 25 years. A few of the predictions fell a little short.

There was the 1987 prediction “When you walk into an office in 1998, the PC will sense your presence, switch itself on, and promptly deliver your overnight e-mail, sorted in order of importance.”

Then there was the 1994 prediction that “Within five years… batteries that last a year, like watch batteries today, will power [PDAs].”

My favorite prediction comes from 2000, “computers that pay attention to you, sensing where you are, what you’re doing, and even what your vital signs are… Products incorporating this kind of technology…could hit the market within a year.”

While it appears to be a long way until this technology is available to the mainstream market, what is readily available on the shelf at any tech retailer or mobile phone provider is remarkable.

We are tethered to nothing, capable of remote everything. We have access to more information on our phones that previous generations housed at the largest and finest academic institutions in the world.  And it’s getting more interesting all the time.

One prediction for the next 10-20 years is devices with sufficient sensory sophistication and massive information transmission power will give everyone the emotional experience of “being” anywhere. Stanley Williams, director of the quantum structures research initiative at Hewlett-Packard Labs, expects football fans will be able to experience a game “from the standpoint of any of the players on the field, or the referees. You could watch a drama or a comedy as some sort of disembodied spirit somewhere within the scene, or even from the perspective of one of the characters in the scene.”

If that one comes true, I could be really productive at work, or goofing off at a whole new level.

Today’s Markets

Stocks staged a late rally to finish in positive territory for the second day in a row, shaking off deep losses as optimism grew ahead of earnings and guidance from the Federal Reserve.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average erased triple-digit losses to finish up 75.53 points, or 0.74%, at 10229.96.  The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 1.1% to finish at 2222.49. The Standard & Poor’s 500-share index rose 1.1% to close at 1083.48.

The market started the day down heavily on the back of lower-than-expected corporate earnings, before launching a noontime surge that lasted the rest of the session.

Investors shrugged off the June slide in housing starts by a more-than-expected 5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 549,000. Economists had been expecting a 3.2% drop. However, June building permits increased 2.1%, more than the expected 0.7% rise.

Today’s Top Performers on the OTCBB

Company	Symbol	Last		Chg	%Chg	Open	High	Low	Vol
Energy Composites	ENCC	1.90		1.70	850.00%	1.89	1.90	1.89	2.5 k
Cell Kinetics Ltd.	CKNWE	0.009		0.008	800.00%	0.009	0.009	0.009	244
Vaughan Foods Inc.	FOODW	0.049		0.034	226.67%	0.05	0.05	0.049	15 k
Medical Makeover C	MMAM	0.01		0.006	150.00%	0.0043	0.01	0.0043	10 k
eLandia Internatio	ELAN	0.40		0.22	122.22%	0.40	0.40	0.40	100
Intelligent Living	ILVC	0.0043		0.0023	115.00%	0.0012	0.0043	0.0012	410.57 k
Cleartronics Inc.	CLRI	0.011		0.0056	103.70%	0.01	0.011	0.01	3.5 k
Unico Inc.	UNCO	0.0002		0.0001	100.00%	0.0002	0.0002	0.0001	3.2 m
InterlinkUSNetwork	IUSN	0.10		0.05	100.00%	0.08	0.12	0.05	52.29 k
Blackhawk Capital	BHCG	0.08		0.04	100.00%	0.08	0.08	0.08	2 k

Tuesday’s Newsmakers:

Welwind Energy International Negotiates Terms and Conditions for Inner Mongolia Financing — Opens Office in Hong Kong

Jul. 20, 2010 (GlobeNewswire)

HONG KONG, July 20, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Welwind Energy International Corp. (OTCBB:WWEI) (the “Company”) announces that Mr. Simon Wong, Director of Welwind Energy, has successfully negotiated terms and conditions for financing of the Company’s Inner Mongolia project. The financing is for $105 Million Rmb ($15.5 Million USD). Terms and conditions of the financing to be announced, along with the name of the funder, upon closing.

The Company would like to thank Mr. Wong for his success in coordinating the financing for the Company and his efforts in marketing Welwind Energy within the Hong Kong financial community. Mr. Wong continues to work on Welwind’s behalf on many aspects of finance, along with mergers and acquisitions.

In order to further the company’s finance and expansion efforts, Welwind has opened an Office in Hong Kong, to be headed by Mr. Wong. “Hong Kong has been ranked # 1 globally in 2009 for IPO fundraising — US$31.3 billion, and # 4 globally in terms of total funds raised, including post-IPOs, of US$81.4 billion. Opening an office in Hong Kong will allow Welwind to have access to these Asian investors,” said Larry McNabb, President of Welwind Energy. Adds McNabb, “With a large demand by Asian Investors wanting to invest in Welwind Energy, Welwind’s Hong Kong office will begin exploring the option of a dual listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Companies are attracted to listing on the Hong Kong Exchange to benefit from the market’s liquidity, attractive valuations and access to investors in Asia.”

ABOUT WELWIND

Welwind Energy International Corp. is committed to providing the best resource option available for renewable energy, protecting our environment, empowering communities, bolstering local economies and respecting the rights of future generations. Welwind Energy International was founded to build, own and operate wind farms on an international scale. The company’s goal is to become a leading provider of clean energy products for the residential, business and governmental consumer.

The Welwind Energy International Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3727

This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, risks set forth in documents filed by the company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, and whether made by, or on behalf of, the Company, are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany this news release.

CONTACT:  
Welwind Energy International
Larry McNabb, President
1-866-677-2072
1-866-677-2072      
ld@welwind.com

Express IR (XIR) is an electronic publication, and is for informational purposes only. The stocks profiled by XIR are only company profiles and are not intended to be and should not be accepted by you as recommendations to buy or sell in these securities. These profiles are compiled from publicly available sources. Our sources include, but are not limited to, online research, company profiles, member suggestions, magazines, newspapers, analyst suggestions, broker recommendations, contact with the company, company rumors, press releases and other similar information sources. All profiles are based on information that is accessible by the public. Investing in stocks involves risk. XIR is not and does not hold itself out to be a registered broker or dealer or other licensed securities professional. You should consult a qualified, licensed financial advisor or stock broker before making any decisions to invest in the securities of any company that is described in these profiles. For compensation and complete disclaimer click here.

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