2012 - year of the linux tablet!

Is the research group in a university? Most universities have a lot of computing power that sits idle for large proportions of the time in their undergraduate computing laboratories. There's a significant resource that could be exploited simply by deploying jobs to idle machines.

Never mind the lack of cell-phone towers - sound hadn't even been invented back then!

It is of huge significance in radiometric dating. If we can show that the half-life of a radioisotope is constant, then it increases confidence in these dating methods. Conversely, if it can be shown that decay rates vary significantly, then accurate dating becomes more difficult and merits further research.

Microsoft need to work on their overheating problems before they start on their console's aesthetic design. It beggars belief that new 360s still suffer from RROD. Sure, design flaws are often in products at release, but to do nothing about it and keep churning out the same shoddy goods for nigh on 4 years...? Bunch of cowboys!