As Jamais Cascio points out, the future feels close enough to reach out and touch these days. What else can you say about a world where you can buy a 3D printer (or fabricator) for your business for a mere $40k? Oh, that might sound a bit pricey right now, but think how much the same tech will cost in a decade. Or two. Interesting times, ladies and gentlemen, interesting times.

So many programs, sites or systems we use every day need a password to keep them secure, and remembering them all can be a nightmare – especially if you follow the wise advice of the experts and don’t make the mistake of having them all set to the same four letter word. Help may be at hand for the forgetful, however, with the announcement of a webcam that can double as a visual user recognition device by scanning faces in 3D. After all, it’s pretty hard to forget to take your face to work.

Both New Wave’s, actually. Andrew Wheeler of the SF Book Club has posted up a handy potted history of the two science fictional literary movements that bore the New Wave moniker, one on each side of the Atlantic. Useful for those who, like myself, weren’t even born at the time it was going down …

Gareth L. Powell, an up-and-coming British science fiction writer, is offering you the chance to win a signed copy of the manuscript for an as-yet-unwritten story. All you need to do is suggest the name and nationality of the story’s female lead character.

Renowned science fiction author Gregory Benford has recently returned from a four week sojourn that took in Sri Lanka (hob-nobbing with Arthur C. Clarke, no less) India and Singapore. I’m insanely jealous, but at least we all get to read Benford’s account of his travels at Centauri Dreams, in which he speculates on the socioeconomic future of these developing nations.