This is the week when our children’s children will look back and ask “Didn’t they honestly know?” - the week we pass laws enabling State ID cards. And what’s the hottest story of the day? A mouse with a microphone!

The mouse is real. Every story written about it looks like they think it must be a joke; but it isn’t. It has a microphone in it.

Stick one of these little bugs in your ear, and you’ll be able to hear everything that the mouse user says.

Endoacustica makes wireless microphones, and wireless audio receivers to work with them. It’s an Italian-based firm which specialises in spyware; digital bugging devices, spy cellphones, shotgun microphones and even voice changers (so you can make a call and sound like it isn’t you). And of course, counter-measures.

In the case of the spy mouse, you’re warned. If someone gives you a mouse looking like this, you can obviously tell it’s not a standard Microsoft or Logitech mouse, and adjust your conversation to suit.

In the case of the Government’s ID plans, you’ve also been warned. It’s one thing being relaxed about Tesco building up a database of all your shopping tastes and preferences. It’s quite another to allow the Government to record details of where you go, who you see, and what you spent money on.

Oh, and like the mouse, what the Government is showing us today, may change in appearance as time goes by…

On this day, years gone by ...

• Voipfone Broadband: A Managed DSL Service VoIP Users - 2008
• Brake Lights Gain Intelligence - 2008
• Texas Instruments Demos Mobile Phone Projector - 2007
• Smaato Offers Free RSS Reader For Smartphones - 2007
• Microsoft Vista Shifts 20 Million Copies - 2007
• iRiver T50 PMP Coming Soon - 2007
• VDSL delivered VOD - 2002
• Australian government review broadband take-up - 2002
• Verizon mount objection to FCC - 2002