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- Opera 11.10 beta to be unveiled at SXSW
- Google Earth shows off royal wedding route in 3D
- Updated: 10 best touchscreen phones for 2011
- Twitter used to exclusively reveal JJ Abrams' Super 8 trailer
- Sony NGP UK release date: 11 November?
- iPad 2 officially launches in US
- Interview: Facebook: DDoS attacks don't down the site, our screw-ups do
- Review: iOS 4.3
- Buying Guide: Best computer: how to choose the right one
- Branson: Virgin Galactic could get us to Oz in two hours
| Opera 11.10 beta to be unveiled at SXSW Posted: 11 Mar 2011 08:54 AM PST  Opera has revealed that it is to officially unveil Opera 11.10 at this year's SXSW. Originally announced back in February, Opera 11.10 goes by the codename of Barracuda and looks set to be a browser with a bit of bite. This is all because of the improvements it offers which, according to Opera, include: "CSS3 support by adding multi-column layout and gradients, support for WebP, Google's new image protocol, and the Web Open Font Format (WOFF)." More refinements And if that wasn't enough for the operatic lover, another Opera beta is being launched at the show. This one has the friendlier codename of Dragonfly. Opera Dragonfly is the title for the company's latest set of web authoring and debugging tools. "The Opera Dragonfly beta adds a number of refinements to make your life in front of the screen just a little easier," explained Opera. "A new breakpoints panel lets you slice and dice your JavaScript to find any problems. "New ways to inspect network loads, resource handling and cookies give you greater insight into how your site loads and performs. "Opera Dragonfly beta flaps its wings for the first time on 14 March." 
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| Google Earth shows off royal wedding route in 3D Posted: 11 Mar 2011 07:54 AM PST  Google has unveiled that it is putting its Google Earth 3D imagery to interesting use, showing off what the upcoming royal wedding route looks like in pixel form. In what is a pretty decent advertisement for the work that has gone into replicating London in 3D, the folks at Google Earth has made a video of the route the wedding will take. Royal rumble "With this new 3D data covering the royal procession route, you can indulge yourself in a 'royals'-eye' view to see the same sights that William and Catherine will see," said Phil Verney, program manager, Google Earth and Maps, in a blog. "This new 3D imagery isn't limited to the royal parade route. Thousands of buildings are available, so people from around the globe can digitally experience the beauty of London." And it's not just buildings but also trees, with Varney noting: "We've modelled five different species of trees, and virtually planted more than 12,000 individual trees in St James' Park, Green Park and Hyde Park." 
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| Updated: 10 best touchscreen phones for 2011 Posted: 11 Mar 2011 07:48 AM PST  Our best touchscreen phone article is constantly updated. Quite simply, touch screen technology is the innovation we now expect to see in some shape or form from every new smartphone that launches. Swapping a button-bashing existence for a softer sensing interface we can press, swipe, pinch and zoom, means we can now do a little bit more than simply stare into that pint-sized screen of ours. If the only QWERTY keyboard you want to see on a daily basis is the one nestled next to your office computer, here's our pick of the best touchscreen smartphones available right now in the UK. 1. HTC Desire HD
Sporting a massive 4.3-inch Super LCD touch screen display, the HD has plenty of room for slick manoeuvre around HTC's overhauled Sense UI. Incorporating the same 480X800 WVGA resolution as the original Desire does however mean it lacks the vividness and superior contrast ratios of Samsung's Super AMOLED displays. Most importantly though, your digits should be rewarded with a fluid interface interaction and the kind of satisfying pinch-to-zoom experience we saw with its predecessor. Read our full HTC Desire HD review 2. Apple iPhone 4
Putting Antennagate to one side, and there is plenty to laud over Apple's latest smartphone creation, particularly the 3.5-inch capacitive touch screen and new Retina Display which is a vast visual improvement on the 3GS. Admirably serving all your multi-touch, pinch, zoom, cut and pasting needs, the 800:1 contrast ratio and 960x640p resolution makes the iPhone 4 a suitable partner for all your widescreen movie-watching and looking back at your freshly-snapped photos. Read our full iPhone 4 review 3. Samsung Galaxy S
Setting the benchmark for immensely bright displays, the Galaxy S houses a 4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen that does not disappoint. Its 480x800 WVGA resolution is someway behind the iPhone 4 (640x960), but you can still expect vivid colours, true blacks and outstanding contrast ratio. Samsung's impressive smartphone performer delivers the kind of responsiveness needed to support multi-touch pinch-to-zoom gestures, and make the most of the new Swype text entry technology. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S review 4. HTC Incredible S
Finally finding its way onto British shores, the Incredible S hosts a 4-inch 800x480 WVGA Super LCD display. Matching the HTC Desire in the resolution department, the touchscreen is kinder on the battery life, and boasts Desire-like response for your digits. The screen size which measures in slightly smaller than the Desire HD, delivers bright colours and great contrast, which should be fitting for your 720p HD video and eight-megapixel pictures. Read our HTC Incredible S review 5. HTC Desire
Proving an admirable iPhone adversary, the first batch of Desires originally hosted a 3.7-inch AMOLED touch screen, which now due to shortages, has been replaced by Super LCD capacitive displays. User experience has been in no way lessened, so expect navigating round your smartphone to still be light and responsive. The 480x800 WVGA resolution display can be prone to suffer on a sunny day, but viewing images and web pages should still be a pleasurable experience. Read our full HTC Desire 6. HTC HD7
The biggest Windows Phone 7 launch handset in its most literal sense, the HD7 joins the Desire HD sporting an equally hulking 4.3-inch capacitive LCD touchscreen. The similarities do not end there, with the screen-dominated smartphone boasting Desire HD-like 800x480 WVGA resolution that should do justice to images and text against the white background. There's plenty of room to pinch-to-zoom your way through websites, and crucially is a suitably sized partner for Microsoft's sleek new tile-themed OS. Read our full HTC HD7 review 7. Samsung Wave II
The Wave is back and along with a new version of Samsungs' Bada OS, comes a new larger 3.7-inch 480x800 SUPER Clear LCD capacitive touchscreen. It may not boast the deep blacks and clear contrast of the Super AMOLED screen found on the Galaxy S, but against its mid-range rivals like the HTC Wildfire and LG Optimus One, it delivers slick, detailed 720p HD video, and enough zip under your fingers when navigating around the TouchWiz UI. Read our Samsung Wave 2 review 8. Google Nexus S
Having resurrected the Nexus brand, new suitors Samsung have packed Android 2.3 behind a curved 4-inch 800x480 WVGA Super AMOLED display. With 235ppi, the screen is exceptionally bright and sharp and as we've come to expect from AMOLED displays provides excellent contrast ratio for your pictures. 720p HD should make for prime viewing delivering deep blacks, while Samsung claims that it has 75% less glare than other screens, so should make it perfect for a sunny-ish day. Read our Google Nexus S review 9. Samsung Omnia 7
In the battle of the Windows Phone 7 handsets, the Omnia 7 has one feature that set itself apart from the rest, a gorgeous 4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touch screen. The 800x480 resolution will have colours looking bold and vivid, delivering deep contrast ratios, and showing off the Windows Phone 7 UI's slick, angular design. A tactile feel under the fingertips makes it easy to swipe around screens and get familiar with the new OS. Read our full Samsung Omnia 7 review 10. LG Optimus 2X
The Tegra 2 processor may get the most attention, but the Optimus 2X also features an impressive 4-inch 800x480 WVGA capacitive touchscreen. While in the resolution department it may not feel quite as sharp as the iPhone 4's Retina display, the screen is bright and colours will stand out nicely when viewed straight on. Crucially, its dual core prowess makes for slick maneuvering and zooming on pages, and smooth, detailed 1080p video in playback mode. Read our LG Optimus 2X review 
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| Twitter used to exclusively reveal JJ Abrams' Super 8 trailer Posted: 11 Mar 2011 07:31 AM PST  The official full trailer for Super 8 was revealed on Twitter today, marking the first time a major film distributor has used the microblog for such a purpose. Super 8, according to TechRadar's James Rivington (on Twitter no less), is ET meets Cloverfield meets The Mist meets The Goonies, and is a collaboration between Stephen Spielberg (producer) and JJ Abrams (director). The movie is being distributed by Paramount and the method to show off the trailer was Twitvid on Twitter. Twitter talk Super 8 has been shrouded in secrecy since it was announced back in 2010. There has been a viral feel to how the film has been marketed – its website Scariestthingieversaw.com is full of hints about what the movie could be – so it makes sense that Twitter was used as the main push for the new Super 8 trailer. Speaking about the trailer launch on Twitter, Amy Powell, Paramount's executive vice president of interactive marketing strategies, said: "With Twitter, fans are able to foster a real-time conversation in a communal viewing environment and we wanted people everywhere to have the chance to discover the Super 8 trailer here first." 
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| Sony NGP UK release date: 11 November? Posted: 11 Mar 2011 07:04 AM PST  It's possible that those residing in Europe will be able to get their grubby mitts on a Sony NGP before the year is out. This is according to MCV, who has speaking to "sources" about a Sony NGP UK release date and they have delivered with news that 11 November is being mooted as a probable launch date for at least one territory. The assumption originally was that the first place to get the device would be Japan, but Europe may well sneak the launch. PSP2 specs A worldwide simultaneous launch seems out of the question, due to the amount of NGP's you would need to make to satiate demand. The Sony NGP (it will probably end up being called the PSP2) is packing a phenomenal amount of hardware, which may not be up there with the pants-on-fire power of the PS3 but it does have an OLED touchscreen, a quad-core processor and it will have both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity. 
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| iPad 2 officially launches in US Posted: 11 Mar 2011 04:46 AM PST  The Apple iPad 2 has been released to the great unwashed in the US, with Apple stores in America stocking the device as of 4PM Eastern Time today and Apple.com shipping orders, although these are set to take three to five days to get to homes. Alongside the launch, Apple is offering up its Geniuses to set up the iPad 2 for customers so that things like emails are ready to use on the device. To be honest, as long as Angry Birds is loaded on to it that should keep the masses happy. As with all of Apple's core launches, there were queues outside the flagship stores, with Apple lovers braving the rain in New York to be among the first to touch an iPad 2. iPad 2 release Those back in Blighty will have to wait two more weeks for the iPad 2 UK release date, which is set for 25 March. For those hiding under an Android-shaped rock, the iPad 2 comes with an Apple A5 chip, is 33 per cent thinner and has two cameras for all your FaceTime needs. If you don't fancy the iPad 2, then Apple kindly released iOS 4.3 this week to give your original iPad an OS spruce. 
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| Interview: Facebook: DDoS attacks don't down the site, our screw-ups do Posted: 11 Mar 2011 03:30 AM PST  TechRadar met up with a number of Facebook engineers today, who explained the changes that were happening with the site in terms of implementing HTML 5 and how they work with the daily challenges of keeping the site upright. One of the things mentioned was how the company works to curtail DDoS attacks, which according to Facebook happen very rarely. "As far as I know, we have only had one or two DDoS attacks on the site," explained David Recordon, senior open programmes manager, at Facebook. "You would need a pretty big botnet to attack us and I don't think they would want to put all their effort into downing the site and expose their ways. "When we have site blips people think we are having an attack – it's not, it is usually us screwing up but it's fixed within an hour." Facebook attack To keep Facebook and its API free from attack, the site does have a number of teams in place that monitor the site for security flaws and try and fix them ad hoc. Recordon explained that there is a "site integrity team" in place whose sole job it is to check the site for imperfections and there are other techniques being used. "We use a combination of technology and the systems that we have built from scratch," said Recordon. Simon Cross, the first UK-based Facebook platform engineer, told to TechRadar that there are other security measures in place, one of which is protecting its Like button functionality from click jackers. "We have click-jacking prevention techniques that we don't talk about and we try and stop it within our code, but we also speak to browser vendors," said Cross.
"Click-jacking is a very clever hack that people are doing. There is an on-going dialogue across the whole industry to prevent this, though." Security response Jason Sobel, engineering manager at Facebook, explained to TechRadar that there were internal security procedures in place if the site is compromised, but there is also a reliance from external sources to let them know what is going on. "We have a number of levels of security response," explained Sobel. "We have a security incident team, and we get reports from white hat hackers who are trying to help us out which is great. "We have other security glitches that aren't reported to us directly but we try and fix them within hours of them happening. "We also have a team of internal white hats who find security holes before they are made public and this again is a massive help." Code red Interestingly, problems with Facebook that come from the site's code are ultimately down to the person who created it. So an engineer, no matter how low down the chain he is, could expect a midnight call if things on the site go awry and it is their code that is causing the problems. "There are 24/7 engineers who watch all the monitoring data we have and make sure that if there is something that crashes or there are unusual trends on the site, we can fix them," said Sobel. "If they don't know how to fix it, then we have app operations who know how to solve a vast number of problems. But the last resort is that we phone the engineer who created the code in the middle of the night to sort it." Cross, who recently came back from a Facebook boot camp where he created some code for the site's photo section, explained a bit more about the situation. "The developer has ultimate responsibility for the code, from its inception up until it is superseded. "So it is scary if you are that developer, but what that makes you do is write code in the right way. "It is all about relationship and accountability." 
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| Posted: 11 Mar 2011 03:22 AM PST  The latest revision of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 4.3, sneakily arrived on 9 March - a couple of days before its official release date. As with other versions of iOS, many of the changes are minor, but there are nonetheless fairly major updates to Home Sharing and AirPlay, along with the introduction of a long-awaited personal hotspot feature. Naturally, the release also retains revisions included in previous versions of iOS 4.x, such as multitasking, springboard folders, Find My iPhone, Game Center and enhanced Mail. Home Sharing Since iOS devices have utterly fixed storage, they are restrictive for anyone who has a large media library. Even the iPad 2 won't assist on this score, since it tops out (like the current-generation iPod touch) at a mere 64GB of storage (several GB of which is taken up by system software). This forces a pick-and-choose approach to media-syncing, but iOS 4.3's Home Sharing provides a logical and flexible alternative, streaming media from a Mac or PC on the same Wi-Fi network as your device.
HOME SHARING: this new feature enables you to play iTunes content from a Mac or PC on the same network as your device In use, set-up is simple, as outlined in TechRadar's Home Sharing tutorial, and playback appears efficient and robust. Our test Mac's relatively large media library, with over 90 GB of music, didn't cause crashes or lock-ups, and the library loaded in around ten seconds; subsequent audio playback was instantaneous, and switching between a remote and local library is child's play. Video is less impressive, since it's slower to begin playback over a network, and Apple's Videos app is bare-bones and buggy; during testing, it regularly forgot to apply thumbnails and titles to videos it found in a remote library.
VIDEOS: The Videos app proved buggy during testing, with both Home Sharing and AirPlay It's also worth noting that the revamped Home Sharing feature is not in any way a sync solution—presumably, wireless sync is still slated for a future version of iOS. AirPlay video The second major plus introduced in iOS 4.3 is AirPlay video support. In iOS 4.2, this feature was hobbled and only worked with a very limited number of built-in apps (iPod, Videos, YouTube); in iOS 4.3, it's open to third-party apps and other Apple software, including Safari and Photos. This was the feature Apple TV 2 users were most looking forward to, since it promised a means of unlocking the potential of a device starved of media (at least for anyone outside of the USA). In practice, AirPlay is a step forward from the version in iOS 4.2, but it's not without its problems.
SAFARI: You can now play Safari videos on an Apple TV On test, we found using AirPlay video fell into three camps: 'great', 'problematic' and 'the BBC'. Videos and slideshows from the Photos app played flawlessly on the Apple TV (once its software had been updated), as did on-device content, videos from YouTube, and videos in Safari that use the standard iOS player. Bandwidth issues made playing back network video problematic: the Videos app just threw up error messages, while playback using the Air Video app was a lottery—some formats live-converted and played back fine, whereas others (notably MKV files) needed buffering at regular intervals.
iPLAYER: Want to watch BBC content on your Apple TV over AirPlay? Tough And then there's the BBC: its apps (and even the iPlayer website) don't work at all with AirPlay. This isn't Apple's fault, since the BBC eschews the default player, but it's a pity there's still no way of getting iPlayer and BBC News on to your TV via the Apple TV. Here's hoping the BBC updates its apps soon. Hotspots, Safari and Settings The third and last of the major updates in iOS 4.3 is personal hotspot, an iPhone 4-only feature that enables the device to act as a Wi-Fi router for other devices (three over Wi-Fi, and up to two more via USB and BlueTooth). This brings iOS into line with Android's Mobile AP feature, and it appears to 'just work', but note that you need a qualifying data plan or risk being charged unexpectedly. Best of the rest Most of the other changes in iOS are relatively minor, but nonetheless welcome. Safari's JavaScript performance is noticeably faster—handy for a device more reliant than other platforms on JavaScript-heavy interactive web content (as opposed to Flash). In Settings, a rare Apple about-face enables you to define whether the side-switch on the iPad locks rotation or mutes the device (hurrah!); muting also remains available in the multitasking tray and by holding the volume-down end of the volume switch for a second.
SIDE SWITCH: The rotation lock is back! And all it took was a ton of bitchy emails to Apple! You can now set the number of times a Messages app repeat alert sounds (once, twice, three, five or ten times), find Location Services at the top level of the Settings app, and use the new Noteworthy font in Notes (but not Chalkboard, which has been taken out back and shot). Apple's also not entirely forgotten Ping: select it in the iPod app and you'll be asked if you want to be bugged with notifications regarding comments and follow requests.
PING: Now slightly less useless (i.e. still useless) Apple also claims you can 'like' songs from the iPod app's Now Playing screen, but if this is the case, there must be some kind of ninja-style protection, because we couldn't find the controls on any of our iOS devices. Fundamentally, Ping still seems broadly useless. Omissions and mothballed kit Of course, it wouldn't be an iOS review without some gripes about what Apple didn't include. AirPlay might have received some love, but AirPrint remains half-baked, working with only a very limited range of printers. It's a pity Apple doesn't enable you to print to shared network printers. Also, the iOS notification system remains intrusive and generally awful, and fancy new multitouch gestures splattered all over the rumour mill during iOS 4.3's beta run remain off-limits unless you're a developer. While some of these would have caused pain to developers, clashing with existing software controls, a fast means of app-switching would have been useful for power users. This update also unceremoniously officially mothballs the iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod touch. Given how rough iOS 4 has been on these devices from the start, this comes as no surprise, but it will disappoint users to learn devices that are under three years old have hit a software brick wall. For the rest of us, iOS 4.3 is a no-brainer upgrade. We tested the system on an iPhone 3GS, current-generation iPod touch and an iPad and it seemed both solid and stable, and it's clear that Home Sharing and AirPlay will further open up the potential for iOS to become a leading platform for media playback. Related Links
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| Buying Guide: Best computer: how to choose the right one Posted: 11 Mar 2011 03:15 AM PST  When buying a new computer, it's easy to become confused by the sheer volume of technical decisions that you'll have to make. You might wonder how much RAM you'll need, for instance, which CPU or which graphics card to pick, what display to look for, which hard drive will be best for you - there are so many issues that it's difficult to know where to begin. There is a simple way to at least begin cutting down the choices on offer, though. And that's to forget about the low-level technical specifications, and fine details like the brand of graphics card just for the moment and instead concentrate on something much more fundamental and important: what you will be expecting your new system to do. So read on to find out how to buy the best computer for your needs… Best computer: using your new PC Take a moment to think about the sort of applications you'll want to run on your new PC, as these will help to decide which features your system will need. If you only intend to run basic tasks - browsing the web, sending emails, running office-type software like Microsoft Word - then the good news is that most computers, even at the budget end of the market, will be able to cope with your requirements. An entertainment PC can handle those basic jobs, too, but might also be used to watch TV and movies, listen to music, play some games, perhaps share music and video files across a home network. Systems like this need a little more in the way of hardware power, like a larger hard drive to store all your music and movies, as well as a big screen, a good sound card and speakers, but they still don't have to be too expensive. If you want to play the latest games with the best possible performance, then you'll need a gaming PC. This can be much more expensive, as not only will you need a quality screen, a good sound card and speakers, but you'll also require a powerful graphics card, fast hard drive and a decent processor. And if you're not a gamer, but need to run some heavy-duty software - editing HD videos, say - then you'll need a high-end performance PC. This should include a powerful CPU, plenty of memory, and a large, fast hard drive, so expect a sizeable bill. But you may not need the large screen or powerful graphics card of the entertainment or gaming systems, which will help to keep prices down a little. Best computer: netbook, laptop or desktop? With the basic applications of your new computer resolved, it's time to think about the type of system that might be appropriate: a netbook, laptop or desktop? Netbooks are compact notebooks with small screens (typically 10 to 12 inches), and components that are more about saving battery life than delivering raw power. So expect a slow CPU, only a little RAM (1 to 2GB, usually), no DVD drive, not too much hard drive space, and so on. This is all that you need for basic web browsing, emailing and similar tasks, though. Their small size makes netbooks extremely portable (most are only around 1-1.5kg), battery life is usually very good at 4 to 10 hours, and you can buy some great systems from as little as £249. Our articles on the best cheap notebook and the top 15 notebooks in the world today will tell you more.
Laptops can seem bulky by comparison to their tiny netbook cousins: they might be more than twice the weight, with larger screens, and more powerful CPUs, which means battery life may struggle to reach 3 hours in some cases. Of course they can also handle much more powerful applications, though. If you'll be spending hours typing on the system then you'll appreciate the larger keyboard. The built-in DVD drive makes it easier to install software and create backups, and high-end laptops can even deliver very acceptable gaming performance. Again, we've a guide to suit everyone: The best cheap laptop under £350 focuses on budget systems, while our article on the best student laptops and the best 13" laptops cover a wider range of systems. The best gaming laptops guide reveals that you buy mobile gaming performance for as little as £599, while the more general Which laptop should I buy? article walks you through the buying process and explains how to make sure you get the right system for you. If you don't need a computer you can carry around, though, a desktop will be your best option. These are larger, but deliver more power for your money, and are generally much easier to upgrade or reconfigure. So if you decide you need better gaming performance, say, you can just buy another graphics card at a later date, something that won't be possible at all with most netbooks or laptops.
If you'd like an idea of what's available in the desktop world than our guide to What's the best desktop PC for you? will point you to some great systems. And if you're wondering whether you really need a PC at all - could a Mac be better? - then reading PC or Mac? should help you to decide. But if you've already got a list of preferred PC manufacturers then it might be more interesting to think about the hardware that your new computer should include - and there's plenty to consider. Best computer: technical specs In the past, one of the first questions to ask about your new PC has been how much memory you'll need. These days, though, even many budget PCs come with 4GB of RAM, the maximum a 32-bit Windows system can use. If you're short of cash and only want to run very basic programs, perhaps to browse the web or send emails, then you might just about get away with 2GB. Maybe. But opting for 4GB will help to improve your system's performance, even here, so avoid skimping on memory if you possibly can. If you're buying a more high-end system, though, you might also want to consider the type of memory it should include to deliver the best results. Our articles on DDR2 vs DDR3 and How to buy RAM will tell you more.
It's a similar situation with hard drives. If you're buying a budget PC (around £400, say) then look for the highest capacity you can afford; we'd recommend at least 500GB, although even many budget PCs now include 1TB drives. If you've more cash to spend, though, it's worth paying more attention to the technical details. Read How to buy the best new hard drive for a grounding in the basics. And if you've a big budget, then solid-state drives (SSDs) deliver the best performance around, though their capacities are low. Our guide to 12 top solid-state drives will highlight the key details you need. And of course there's the issue of your computer's processor: which one is best? The good news here is that even the cheapest PCs now include CPUs with two cores, essentially separate processors that allow you to run multiple tasks at the same time. But even if money is tight, look for something with more cores, if you can: something like Intel's Core i3-530 or AMD's Athlon II X4 640 offer decent performance at a budget price.
If you're looking to build a high-end PC that will keep you happy for a few years, however, you'll benefit from spending more on a processor, and once again we've plenty of guides to help, covering everything from value CPUs to gaming processors, our pick of the best desktop processors, and a roundup of the best 14 CPUs currently available. While we've hopefully covered most of your concerns here, there may be one or two other issues you want to consider. If you aim to play the latest games on your computer, for instance, the choice of graphics card will be critical. Let us help you out with our guides to the 10 best graphics cards under £100 and 10 best graphics cards under £200, and our roundup of the 15 best graphics cards in the world today. And whatever you're doing on your system, a quality LCD monitor will be crucial - so be sure to read our guide to the technical details you really need to know before you buy a monitor. It's a lot to consider, then, but doing your homework now will really pay off later. And that's because understanding the features you need (and the ones you really don't) will both save you money and help you choose the best PC that will serve you well for years to come. Which, of course, is the best news of all, because your systems' extended life means you won't have to go computer shopping again for a long, long time. 
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| Branson: Virgin Galactic could get us to Oz in two hours Posted: 11 Mar 2011 03:11 AM PST  Sir Richard Branson believes that the technology used for Virgin Galactic will also bring much faster transcontinental travel. In an interview with TechRadar and T3, the Virgin founder explained that flight times from London to the other side of the world could be cut to the same time as a short-haul flight to Europe. "I think that Virgin Galactic, our spaceship company, will initially be sending people into space and we're not that many months away from that happening," he said. Similar tech "But our engineers are also very keen to see if they can create transcontinental travel using similar technology that send people from London to Australia in a fraction of the time that it currently takes to go there, maybe two and a half hours, two hours," he added. "That's depending how much time it takes to get through the airport etc!" "When I talk about intercontinental travel it is possible that you'll travel into space on the way to Australia and pop back down again. "You can become an astronaut on your way to Australia. It is the most exciting thing Virgin has yet done."
The first flight of Virgin Galactic is already sold out, but you can still claim a ticket for later flights at just $200,000. But, those prices are expected to plummet back to Earth relatively quickly, and soon we could be getting used to whizzing across the globe via space, in a matter of a couple of hours. 
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