Tired of the nine to five? Fed up with the board snubbing your left-field technology suggestions? Enjoy driving round in circles? Then Sneak has the answer. John Widdowson, chief boffin at Her Majesty's Government Communication Centre (HMGCC), and the man in charge of technology for MI5 and MI6, is stepping down and the government is now seeking a new real-life Q to take over. The successful candidate will have responsibility for James Bond's next wave of gadgets, overseeing efforts to improve the battery-life of bugs built into fountain pens, satellite phones that can fit in a tie pin and nanotechnology capable of controlling rats' brains so they can do our spook work for us, apparently. It's not all fun and games, however. Applying for the post would require a willingness to work at HMGCC's top secret lab. In Milton Keynes. But Sneak thinks it's a small price to pay for Queen and country.

20 Apr 2005