Remember when you came over your friends house just to download some music and....data because they had a broadband connection and you didn't want to wait around using your 56kbps modem? Well soon enough, current broadband speeds will feel just like that dial-up modem you dreaded for so long.

Scientists at the University of Sydney have demonstrated (by accident?) a theory that can speed up our internet speed up to 60 times faster. Here's what PopSci reports about the astounding discovery:

"Information from the Web can already travel at the speed of light across optic fibers. But because outdated electronics process this data, it’s all for naught. The Australian scientists took advantage of speedy optic fibers by creating a thumbnail-sized photonic integrated circuit, which can rapidly process data—to the point that it can change the path of information one million times in a second. At an initial demonstration, the scientists showed that the chip generates an Internet 60 times faster than it is today."

Just imagine if this would become a reality - digital downloads and streaming would conquer all, fantasies will be fulfilled and yes....data will be downloaded.

PopSci: The Fastest Internet Ever

The Daily Feed With Layla Kayleigh: 7.28.08

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Here's what happened today in the world of videogames, popular culture and technology.

• We get an exclusive interview with Publisher X about their new iPhone games.
• Electronic Arts could be looking at some big losses for the quarter.
• "Private security" firm Blackwater Worldwide recently mentioned airdropping Guitar Hero bundles to troops in Afghanistan.
• Warhammer Online gets a September release date?
• Okami 2 probably won't happen because of poor sales for the original game.
• Gaia Online's casual MMO enters closed beta.
• Konami rejects credit cards from over 30 countries for Metal Gear Online.
• Metal Gear Solid 4 is spotted in bargain-bins in Japan.
• We get a look at Demigod, a new RTS title from Chris Taylor.
• Age of Conan's troubles get examined and things aren't looking good for the new MMO.
• Ubisoft announced that Red Steel 2 will use the Wii MotionPlus.
• We got some new Too Human screenshots.
• The Dark Knight scores big at the box office again. It hit $300 million in two weeks.
• EA hits us with some new screenshots for Madden NFL 09.
• Everyone's favorite lawyer, Jack Thompson, is getting his own website.

The oft-quoted Michael Pachter offers up another "jewel" of observation to anyone that felt Nintendo's E3 offering was somewhat lacking. 

"Nintendo's recent financial performance has been spectacular and we expect this to continue in FY:09, ...Nintendo's Wii and DS appear to be selling even better in FY:09 than in FY:08, and we believe the momentum will last through the end of FY:09... some hardcore gamers were critical of Nintendo's failure to announce new Mario and Zelda games at the show... we think that Nintendo focused upon building upon its formidable lead with the mass market, and do not consider the lack of major hard core game announcements to be an abandonment of its core." - WedBush Analyst Michael Pachter

So, there you go... totally logical and endearing, no?  Pachter has finally seen the light and has experienced an awakening of epic proportions.  I mean who else would know the market better than financial research analyst who has a pristine track record? Discuss.

Go Nintendo: Pachter: Nintendo did not abandon core gamers

At Comic-Con 08, Midway was showing off their new crossover title, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, and in the process revealed 14 of the rumored 20 playable characters in the game. Want the total list? Well, you'll have to warm up that finger and do some clickin'.

Exotic....Tough....Sexy....

Alright, not sexy, but Electronics Arts Los Angeles decided to pull the plug on the PS3 version of Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3, stating that the system is "very tough and exotic to develop for." The game is still currently due out this October for the Xbox 360 and PC.

Producer Amer Ajami said to VideoGamer that the company did announce a PS3 version of the hit strategy title, but they decided to put it "on hold" last month. He said:

"We actually announced a PS3 version early on but that was when we were still doing a lot of technical exploration of the architecture. PS3 is a very powerful system but as you guys know, it's very exotic and tough to develop for and our engine really at the time wasn't designed for PS3."

However, Ajami concluded that the game may return in development for the PS3 in the future, but of course, nothing is confirmed. Perhaps they'll be back when they find the PS3 sexy....

EDGE: EA LA Describes "Exotic, Tough" PS3

LEGO Batman: The Videogame unveils a new villain, The Man-Bat! ...

...Okay so he's no Joker but you've got to feel for the "tragic" villains every now and then.  Akin, to Spider-Man's The Lizard, an amputee scientist harboring good intentions for experimental genetics who falls victim to anthropromorphic side-effects, you have in place Man-Bat, a going-deaf-scientist harboring good intentions for experimental genetics who falls victim to anthropromorphic side-effects. 

Man-Bat joins an impressive growing cast of villains in LEGO Batman: The Videogame which hits stores September 1st on the DS, Wii, PSP, PS2, PS3, PC, Mobile, and Xbox 360.

FileFront: Warner Bros. Reveals All New Villain in LEGO: Batman

The MPAA is under the assumption that they are responsible for the runaway success of The Dark Knight, based on their recent anti-piracy campaign. Never mind the fact that the movie has been more heavily anticipated than any in recent memory, and that the marketing campaign has been one of the most clever and pervasive that anyone can remember. The MPAA misguidedly credits themselves for the business.

Of course, this is all a paranoid smokescreen that the MPAA is using as a last stand so that they can point to their lawsuits and scream, "SEE! If you outlaw file sharing, we could all make this kind of money all the time!" However, what they fail to take into account is that almost all of the movies on Earth suck, and The Dark Knight is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Techdirt: MPAA Sti