Actually as any realist will tell you, this is a mixed blessing.

Last week the USS Ponce in the Persian Gulf deployed a serious laser cannon for blasting small aircraft and boats out of existence.

As opposed to the laser demonstrator of a couple of years ago, this thing doesn’t linger on the target to set it gently smoking and smouldering before eventually setting it on fire. This was a KABOOM! sort of affair.

While the cannon cost tens of millions of dollars, each shot is cheaper than a bullet at around 50 cents. This changes the military calculus dramatically compared to arsenals of expensive guided munitions running to millions of dollars each.

This is an experimental weapon, but it has been deployed for active service with rules of engagement authorising real world use.

Even better than “Star Wars” weapons, the beam is silent and invisible. Let us hope we can trust the US government with such a thing.

CLOSER to home, the banks are rolling out PayTag technology which basically turns your mobile phone into a credit card.

What’s the advantage over a credit card? Well, right now your PayWave credit card will cough up a payment to any terminal it’s exposed to for an amount under $100.

While burglary and robbery is being driven from the earth by CCTV, DNA evidence and ubiquitous mobile phones, credit card fraud is a real growth area.

A PayTagged mobile phone, on the other hand, gives you a switch to make the tag inert. You decide when your credit card account gets tapped. I recommend asking your bank about it.

IN other news, a year after hitting the market the Google Chromecast is mature and can be picked up at Dick Smiths and other similar stores for a near paltry $50.

The main problem with it is the people who would benefit most from it don’t realise why they need one.

Basically TV is, major news and sporting events aside, better enjoyed online at a time of your choosing rather than the TV networks’ caprice.

If you’re not a gamer with a modern gaming console or a smart TV, the $50 Chromecast lets you access the ABC’s iView, everything on YouTube, and much else besides. Even if you’ve got a smart TV, a phone or tablet makes for a much easier interface for finding the show you want to watch than a TV remote.

The Android phone most of you have will do the business, for Apple fans the AppleTV at twice the price does more in some ways.

The point is that if you haven’t got your TV online now is the time to do it.

Why stay home for fear of missing a show?

For those who are still resisting smartphones, the Chromecast also works with any tab in the Chrome web browser on your network (a free extension needs to be downloaded).

Just don’t go forgetting you’re broadcasting that browser tab to the family TV before retiring for some more private, intimate web browsing.

I’ve set one up for my parents for Christmas. If they make use of it I’ll get them two more for their other TVs.

If you haven’t had the joy, being able, at your leisure, to settle in for 90 minutes of your favourite band in concert from pretty much any era on a full screen TV is well worth doing.