Introducing the new desktop additions working to inspire me through 2011 and beyond. Meet Docomodake, Tengu and Android. Each one symbolises a goal in language, music and technology respectively.
Boris Johnson's Barclay's Cycle Hirescheme is a great first step towards aggressively promoting the benefits of cycling in a city which (let's be honest) would otherwise be too busy to take notice. However, it is only one step forward. To bring about a deeper cultural change, efforts should be made to encourage the average commuter to switch to the bicycle because (a) intercity trains are overcrowded, unreliable and overpriced and (b) finally more high-rise accommodation is being built centrally in Zone 1. In a nutshell, I'm referring to bike parking (storage) and security, something Japan is light-years ahead in.
The smartphone era is fast rendering the humble telephone box into an anachronistic oddity, under threat from urban de-cluttering (just look at Oxford Circus).
In my mind, this icon isn't going anywhere fast - it is a globally recognised brand and part of the tourist trade fabric. With a little vision, they could even deserve such attention: free-call zones, Wi-Fi hotspots, touch-screen maps/guides, Oyster reader, even プリクラ...