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CNET UK Podcast 233: Why does tech all look the same?

Why are mobiles -- and the rest of our gadgets -- all starting to look the same? We also look at T-Mobile's new Facebook VoIP service and a £4,000 toilet.

With Apple suing Samsung for copying its phones, we ask why mobiles -- and the rest of our gadgets -- are all starting to look the same. Is it parallel evolution, or are we just stuck in a rut? These are the questions causing us to stroke our goatee beards ruminatively in this week's podcast. We also wonder how long we'll have to save up before we can buy Kohler's new £4,000 touchscreen toilet.


Many under-13s using Facebook
T-Mobile's Bobsled is a free, Facebook-based VoIP app
A third of employees admit to using work email 'inappropriately'

In other news, Virgin Media is trying out 1.5Gbps broadband in London's Silicon Roundabout, the PSP Go is gone, and hotels have started putting RFID tags in towels.


Flora: White iPhone 4
Rich:  Angry Birds Magic and Nokia phones flock together with NFC
Luke: Alienware M14x


Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it can still get you sued -- Apple is taking Samsung to task for allegedly copying its designs. Indeed, most mobile phones are starting to look the same. And that's not all -- cameras, camcorders and other gadgets are also following the same path.

Are we just too conservative to accept change? Or are manufacturers not brave enough to blow our tiny minds? Or is tech just evolving until we discover the absolutely perfect combination of size, shape and button placement? 


You've got questions. We've got answers. You've got comments. We've got thick skins. 

This week we hear what you could do for six days without any gadgets except a Canon EOS 40D and a tree, discover what the world would be like without phones, and find out whether bloatware is killing computer credibility.

Take your turn in the spotlight by leaving a comment in the section below or visiting our Facebook page


The section that makes us swear on the inside is back, featuring a toilet that has a touchscreen remote control, foot-warming air vents, and a beckoning, motion-activated seat with built-in lights. The toilet's a pinch, at four grand.

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