Technology is useful: Official!

First there was the pub-detecting watch (http://www.silicon.com/a51470 ); now computers are being used to work out if roadmaps can be folded correctly.

Erik Demaine, an assistant professor from MIT's computer science department, has produced an 'origami algorithm' to establish whether or not an unfurled map can be returned to its original state.

His theory relies upon the relationship between mountain folds (those that stick up) and valley folds (those that point down). If they are aligned, the map will fold back neatly. If not, it won't.

So it is possible that some of those in-car arguments about the supposed ineptitude of the navigator were groundless: the map just didn't want to be refolded. Hurrah for clever men with technology.

They might like to put their minds to this little problem as well: it's emerged that 600,000 UK mobile phone owners dropped their handsets down the toilet last year.

Another 400,000 deposited theirs in a drink, while 200,000 popped theirs in the washing machine for a quick rinse.

Furthermore, 2.9m people broke their phones, 1.6m lost their handsets, and 1.3m were stolen.

So can we expect the boffins at Nokia et al to come up with water-proof (or should that be idiot-proof?) phones that are much harder to use after they're stolen?

Possibly not. If you add all those figures up (as Continental Research has done) you'll find that around 7m people had to replace their handsets last year through theft or accidents. Which is, of course, extra cash in the pockets of Nokia et al...

So next time you go to the toilet, take care. Spending a penny could cost you a new mobile phone.

When Ginger - or the Segway Human Transporter, to give it its proper name - was finally unleashed on the world following months of hype, the aforementioned world pointed, sniggered and said: 'Is that it?' (http://www.silicon.com/a49628 )

Or at least that's the impression we got at the time. But it seems that maybe - just maybe - there is some demand out there for these clever strimmer-like devices (with wheels) .

The first three Gingers are up for auction on Amazon.com as part of a charity fund-raising effort. After one day, bidding had reached $50,000 for each one.

Which is rather a lot of money. But not as much as the £250,000 or so a Mr Ben Webb pledged to marry the now infamous 'internet wife' and CEO of Tamba Internet, Kay Hammond.

[Insert Simon Bates' 'Our Tune' voice into your head now, if you can bear it]

Sadly, Kay's joy soon turned to sorrow as her attempts to track down Ben proved fruitless. She hunted high and low for the man she thought she was destined to spend the rest of her life with, the man who had done so much to deserve her love - he had all the qualities she wanted in a husband, such as an extremely large wallet.

But Ben has disappeared without a trace. No one knows what has become of him. And Kay? Well, Kay is understandably distraught. But the burning light of her passion remains undimmed, and her belief in true love unbowed.

She says: "I was very disappointed when I found out that the bids were not genuine. I would have been happy to marry anyone who came up with the cash. I am still looking for that special someone. But I am very busy at work at the moment. Now I am not sure I would have had time for a husband anyway."

Kay Hammond - a very special lady.

[You can get Simes' voice out of your head now. Apologies for putting it there in the first place]

The web has witnessed a more heart-warming development this week though. The legendary founder of open-source themed discussion forum slashdot.org has used the site to propose to his girlfriend - and he did it on Valentine's Day as well. Ahh, bless.

The posting by CmdrTaco (not his real name) read, rather charmingly: "Kathleen, I wanted to do this in the most potentially embarrassing way possible, and I figured doing it here and now, in front of a quarter of a million strangers, was as good a way as any.

"I love you more than I can describe within the limits of this tiny little story. We've been together for many years now, and I've known for most of that time that I wanted to spend my life with you. Enough rambling. Will you marry me?"

A quarter of an hour later, Kathleen posted her response. It had the subject line "Yes", and the message read: "Dork. You made me cry. :) Hazah! I'm getting married! :)"

If your cockles aren't warm and toasty now, they never will be.

The Round-Up wanted to go on to such weighty matters as temporary workers being given the same employment rights as permies, and Oftel's latest moves to cut the cost of broadband. But it seems a bit inappropriate after that, so you'll have to log-on to silicon.com instead. Sorry. See below for details.

Til next Friday, take care of each other (hang on, that's Jerry Springer, not Simon Bates... my mind is inhabited by c-list celebs. Please help...)