Abstract: The present invention relates to a system (1) comprising a controllable device (10) for executing a program; and a carrier (30) having a surface comprising a plurality of surface markings (34, 36), each marking being located over a RF tag embedded in the carrier, each RF tag comprising a unique identification code, wherein the program, when executed on the controllable device, is adapted to generate a plurality of selectable options, each of said options being selectable by one of the unique identification codes. In an embodiment, the system further comprises an RF reader (20) for communicating said identification codes to the controllable device (10), wherein the controllable device (10) is arranged to interpret each identification code as an input signal for said program. Such a system may be controlled by means of the carrier (30), thus obviating the need for button-based remote controllers. This is particularly useful in gaming applications.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a programmable device (10) comprising a controller (14) for processing a sequence of program instructions to control the programmable device; and a near field communication device (12) for retrieving the program instructions from at least one transmission tag (24) and for providing the controller (14) with the retrieved sequence of program instructions. In an embodiment, the controller (14) is arranged to receive individual instructions from respective transmission tags (24). This facilitates the programming of the device (10) by means of instruction-carrying transmission tags, which, amongst others, allows for easy programming of programmable toys such as robots.

Abstract: A method of providing travel related information to a user is disclosed together with corresponding apparatus for the same. The method comprising the steps of recording a history of journeys undertaken by the user, determining a current journey of the user, identifying one or more recorded journeys which correlate with the current journey; and providing travel related information to the user relating to that or those recorded journeys.

Abstract: A system for managing a computer network having a multiplicity of users, applications programs and servers, comprises a) user interface means for displaying a list of tasks appropriate to a given user at a given time, b) administration means comprising a software object including a set of rules defining the relationships between users, applications programs and servers, c) a module comprising database means and one or more LDAP compliant directories for storing user records, application program records, and server records, to enable updating of said records in a systematic way, and d) synchronisation means for managing the exchange of data between said administration means, module c), and the computer network. The administration means in use performs tasks such as user record or server creation, updating, and deletion; application program installation, commissioning, and program updating, in response to user input.