Around 5pm it usually feels like it’s time for a rest. Today wasn’t much of an exception.

I was trying to get to the Microsoft website and for some reason I typed www.google.co.uk/microsoft into my browser. I was surprised by what I saw.

I’ve hardly looked at it, but it appears to return search results relevant to Microsoft. There’s a similar page for www.google.co.uk/linux. www.google.co.uk/mac gives you a “Search Mac Sites” box as well as some handy Google downloads for Apple.

Google: are you having a bit of fun or providing a useful service? I reckon it’s a bit of both.

The number 17’s one of the major bus routes in Reading, and actually the service isn’t usually too bad. The way the timetables are presented is pretty good as well: instead of posting the full timetable everywhere, each bus stop has an individual printout listing only the times buses arrive there.

Makes sense really; showing just the relevant information makes it easier to find what you’re looking for.

But there’s still room for improvement. I noticed this at a bus stop this evening. Two buses are listed at 2000 hours. One has NF by it, one F.

No, it’s not a reference to the National Front. The NF stands for “not Fridays”. The F means “Fridays only”. The difference between the two? There isn’t one. They leave at the same time and run to the same destination, with the same interim stops.

Extra lines, extra numbers – and there’s no reason for them. It just creates uncertainty and confusion. Sure, it’s a minor thing, but I bet it’s confused someone, at some point. And it would be easy to rectify. So why haven’t they?

It’s the same with websites. Is everything there for a reason? Because if it’s not, it’s just noise.

I got a new phone in January. It’s a SonyEricsson K800i on Vodafone, and while it’s not exactly the best handset can buy, it is pretty good.

I was playing about with the camera the other day when I found an addictive new feature. One-click blogging. Well, almost one-click blogging.

I pulled the menu up by accident when I pressed the wrong button. ‘Blog this’ it said. And it really did. All I had to do was enter a title and some text for the post, and it published it. Straight away.

Sure, blogging while on the move is nothing new. But it was the easy setup that got me. I didn’t have to do anything complicated or set anything up in advance. My new blog was created on the fly when I pressed ‘Publish’.

Just to make it a nice experience all round, I was texted some login details for www.blogger.com. These let me choose an address for the blog, change the design and everything.

I’ve no idea what it’s costing me in data charges, but it’s really addictive. I imagine I’ll keep it up at least until I get my next bill. See it for yourself.

I’ve never really had a decent reason to use data on my mobile before. It’s always been a bit of a novelty. But now 3G means everything loads nice and quickly. Between the blogging, National Rail’s live train departures and Gmail’s handy mobile email client, I really can do useful things on a tiny screen.