DNA tests for disease, Esther Dyson interviewed, the river of news, MP3 patents and much more

This week's print edition of the Technology supplement is online too..

• Genetic medics build high hopes
  Since the human genome went public, a raft of websites have offered to analyse our DNA - for a price. But, asks James Randerson, at what cost to our health?
• Why hasn't the UK built superfast trains?
  The Tories have embraced the world's quickest and safest rail system, but questions remain over cost.
• Free Our Data: Land Registry blocks plan for property website
  For at least three years, it has been official government policy to help entrepreneurs create new digital channels to public information. The policy works fine - until an entrepreneur comes up with an idea. Almost always, it then runs into a wall of obstacles.
• Gamesblog: Mother of God! Icons are making virtual visits
  Aleks Krotoski: In the 21st century, the place to make a personal appearance is cyberspace. And, proving she's as hip as Gorillaz, Duran Duran and the governor of Virginia, the Virgin Mary has joined in the party.
• Games
  N3: Ninety-Nine Nights | Dead Rising | Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run
• Newly Asked Questions:
  • Have I got the collywobbles?
    It's always hard to know what's wrong with you, but at least there's somewhere it should be safe to look. Search Medica, now in beta, is a specialised search engine aimed at doctors.
  • Can a TechGuy fix my Dixons Freetalk phone?
    Probably not, though he might fix your Vonage phone - because that's what Freetalk now belongs to.
• The answer is just a text message away
  Victor Keegan: Thanks to amazing search engines such as Google, we can get answers to almost any question for nothing. The irony is that one of the fastest growing industries at the moment involves paying for questions to be answered through text messages.
• Technobile
  Wendy M Grossman: Hang those who sell cute TV scheduling software that doesn't work and crashes computers.
• 'I'm an investor in a company working in this area ...'
  Esther Dyson is the editor-at-large of CNet, and has a long history as an investor in technology startups.
• Catching the power of the sea
  University researchers are seeking commercial backers for a renewable energy scheme using tidal stream generators.
• Dip your mobile into the fast-flowing river of news
  Jack Schofield: Dave Winer's "river of news" finally looks like catching on - at least on mobile phones and other portable devices. In fact, it was Winer getting a BlackBerry that kicked off the latest round of enthusiasm.
• MP3 patents' clean sweep
  Why would a maker of MP3 players not display anything at a consumer electronics trade fair? Because, in the case of SanDisk, which removed its digital music players from stands at the IFA show in Berlin this week, it's entangled in a patent licensing dispute.
• Ask Jack : This week's questions and answers. Send your questions and comments to Jack.Schofield@theguardian.com. Published letters will be edited for brevity, but include full details with your query.
  Please visit our Ask Jack weblog for daily updates.
• Letters and blogs
  Send your letters, comments, questions and rants to tech@theguardian.com, and please include your address and post town
• Newsbytes
  Art of Zen | MySpace in shorts | Skype via DECT | Skype via DECT too | Blu-ray coming | A quiet August | Google tops European chart