What's holding back computing from its next quantum leap? It's not memory, that's for sure. We all have much more information stored in silicon than we do in carbon (Unless you count things like how to build a cell, or a brain, from food, in which case the carbon has it). Nor is processing speed any concern, unless you would like to model the climate, brownian motion in a glass of water, or nuclear attacks.

The problem is this stupid, century-old, meat-world keyboard:

QWERTYUIOP[]\
ASDFGHJKL;' RETURN
ZXCVBNM,./

Blogs are largely text-and-mouse driven, with nice photos here and there, because typing is our sole input method, unless you have ventured into voice. Still, even with voice, how much easier is it to say, "Open bracket. Ampersand. Dollar sign... Forward slash. End bracket." What's needed is something like what Jeff Han of New York University introduced at the TED2006 conference earlier this year. Watch his handiwork--enjoy--and hope he makes it!

[Photo Credit Jeff Han/NYU Courant Institute of mathematical Sciences]