If you ever think about your career, you'll enjoy this.

This is the Ted Talk I listened to the other day while walking around town. If you ever think about your career, what you should be doing, what does it all mean - do listen to this. It is sharp, funny and makes lots of sense.

Listening to the internet

Do you remember when using the internet meant reading something? Reading webpages etc. Now it feels like we mostly watch stuff on the internet. I'm not sure when this shift in our description changed.

Although these days, I often find myself listening to the internet on my iPhone while out and about. I like to listen to Ted Talks. Strongly recommend it.

TED Talks...in your pocket

A friend recently told me she had no interest in an iPhone. She just doesn't want one.

But I think she'll come around.

Perhaps when we think about internet on our phones, we still think functional - checking our gmail, searching Google for a phone number or finding other byte-size bits of information. But this really is changing.

The other weekend, as I walked to the local pub to watch the rugby, I listened to Bill Gates talk about ways to stop malaria. I was listening to him on the TED Talks application I downloaded. The app was free. The talk by Bill Gates was free. It was actually a video of Mr Gates talking, but as the iPhone was in my pocket, technically I was listening to it, not watching. But the video quality was great. (I live in the city centre, with 3G coverage.) Bill himself was pretty impressive.

And I couldn't help but think how interesting this is all going to get. Sure, TED is not for everybody. But the internet is perfect for niche interests or hobbies of every kind.

If you use the internet on your computer, you'd like the iPhone. Disclaimer, disclaimer....I sell iPhones. Or more accurately, I advertise them for O2. But my point is less about the iPhone, but rather my ramblings of optimism and enthusiasm for all the new phones on the way that let us have the real internet with us all the time.

If you're still not convinced, have a read of an earlier post 'Free books. And lots of them'.

Tim Brown on Creativity and Play.

Tim Brown, CEO of the famous design agency Ideo, talks about creativity and play - and the powerful relationship between them. His hospital example (around the 22nd minute mark) is particularly insightful.

One person dies every 20 seconds. But is extremely preventable

Came across this on Darragh Doyle's blog last week. And just now just saw it again featured on YouTube.

When James Nachtwey was awarded the TED Prize in 2007, he was given $100,000 and one wish to change the world.

This was his wish:

"I'm working on a story that the world needs to know about. I wish for you to help me break it in a way that provides spectacular proof of the power of news photography in the digital age."

I know it is obvious but was a reminder of how the internet can be used for real good. It literally took me just a few minutes in total to (1) learn enough about this strain of TB (2) email world leaders and (3) share it by posting it here.

We're told that one person dies every 20 seconds but this is extremely preventable. Visit XDRTB if you'd like to help or know more.