Ok, it's not the great dirigible filled future that so many science fiction stories and films have heralded (or in the case of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, re-imagined) but helium-filled, stratosphere-soaring, robotic aircraft could one day provide us with easily accessible wi-fi and cellular access almost anywhere in the world.

I love the idea that these things could eliminate the need for cellular towers, which at best disrupt the skyline, and at worst distrupt the skyline while attempting to look like a completely unconvincing pine tree. It's also the sort of high-flying network that could instantly bring first-world technology services to third-world countries, bypassing the need for expensive infrastructure.