Even if current trends don't accelerate at all, by 2016 by far the most common interaction that most people will have with their bank will be through their smartphone.

BBC: Viewpoint: The end of High Street banking as we know it

"I'm very bullish but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't introduce policies that would both accelerate growth further and improve the quality of growth, " said Milan Zavadjil, senior representative for the International Monetary Fund in Indonesia.

CNN: Ramadan sales show Indonesia's growing economic feast

"Instead of being protective, they accelerate the disease, but we didn't understand why they switched to become the bad cells, " he told the BBC.

BBC: Macular degeneration: Cholesterol drugs 'may save sight'

One idea would be to set standards so cars could not accelerate so fast, or that the mass of cars didn't increase.

BBC: Savings needed to meet future demand for resources

" As you might expect, Ballmer was also asked about the recent shakeup at Microsoft, but he apparently wouldn't say anything more than that he "wouldn't predict any drastic changes" in strategy for the division, and that "we'll have to accelerate plans" -- although it's not exactly clear what will be "accelerated.

ENGADGET: Ballmer downplays Microsoft's shift in market value, says it's a 'long game'