Clipmarks | tabsey's 'computers' clips

Researchers teach computers to search for photos based on their contents

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:51:38 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: One could imagine some very "job specific" details being used. Type in slime ball and see who comes up.

Clip Source: www.eurekalert.org

A pair of Penn State researchers has developed a statistical approach, called Automatic Linguistic Indexing of Pictures in Real-Time (ALIPR), that one day could make it easier to search the Internet for photographs. The public can participate in improving ALIPR's accuracy by visiting a designated Web site http://www.alipr.com, uploading photographs, and evaluating whether the keywords that ALIPR uses to describe the photographs are appropriate.

ALIPR works by teaching computers to recognize the contents of photographs, such as buildings, people, or landscapes, rather than by searching for keywords in the surrounding text, as is done with most current image-retrieval systems. The team recently received a patent for an earlier version of the approach, called ALIP, and is in the process of obtaining another patent for the more sophisticated ALIPR. They hope that eventually ALIPR can be used in industry for automatic tagging or as part of Internet search engines.

Tags: computers

'Intelligent' computers put to the test

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:42:04 GMT

clipped by: tabsey

Clip Source: richarddawkins.net

Can machines think? That was the question posed by the great mathematician Alan Turing. Half a century later six computers are about to converse with human interrogators in an experiment that will attempt to prove that the answer is yes.

In the Turing test a machine seeks to fool judges into believing that it could be human. The test is performed by conducting a text-based conversation on any subject. If the computer's responses are indistinguishable from those of a human, it has passed the Turing test and can be said to be "thinking".

The test will be carried out by human "interrogators", each sitting at a computer with a split screen: one half will be operated by an unseen human, the other by a program. The interrogators will then begin separate, simultaneous text-based conversations with both of them on any subjects they choose. After five minutes they will be asked to judge which is which. If they get it wrong, or are not sure, the program will have fooled them.

Tags: computers

Supremes Mull Whether Bad Databases Make for Illegal Searches

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:50:57 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Considering the trouble the White House occupants had with their emails and their lack of understanding of computers, how could their appointed judges know more?

Clip Source: blog.wired.com

If a false entry in a database leads to a unconstitutional police search that reveals illegal drugs, does the government get to hold it against you?

That's the question the Supreme Court will tackle on Tuesday in a case civil liberties groups such as the Electronic Privacy Information Center argue will have broad implications in a world where we are constantly being evaluated against databases and watch lists that are riddled with frustratingly persistent errors.

"In these interlinked databases, one error can spread like a disease, infecting every system it touches and condemning the individual to whom this error refers to suffer substantial delay, harassment, and improper arrest," EPIC director Marc Rotenberg argued in a friend of the court brief (.pdf).

Not surprisingly, the government disagrees.

Police officers in the field must be allowed to rely on information they receive from others when it is reasonable to do so," the Justice Department wrote in its brief

Tags: fear

Mathematicians discover new prime number

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 09:20:24 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: I hope that this is not the culmination of a life time's work for any of the mathematicians.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Mathematicians at the University of California could be in line for a $120,600 prize for finding a new prime number.

The newly discovered number is made up of 13 million digits.

Prime numbers are numbers that can only be divided by themselves and one.

The team in Los Angeles found the number by linking together 75 computers that were not being used to their full potential.

Tags: not, quite, a, eureka, moment, but, good

Trashed Tech Dumped Overseas: Does the U.S. Care?

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:48:23 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Our uranium sales are restricted because of the debate over the waste materials. No doubt we have similar situations here, and most countries are the same. We really are doing a good enough job wrecking the planet, without the global weirding* (TM BartendingBear).

Clip Source: www.sciam.com

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) knows that most of the 1.9 million tons (1.7 million metric tons) of discarded cell phones, computers and televisions, among other electronic goods, went into landfills, because those are the agency's own figures.

The EPA also knows that this so-called e-waste contains cadmium, mercury and other toxic substances, and it is responsible for making sure that lead-laden monitors and television sets with cathode-ray tubes (CRT) are disposed of properly and the parts recycled. But congressional investigators charge that the EPA has failed to even attempt to clean up the mess—or keep it in check. The agency has "no plans and no timetable for developing the basic components of an enforcement strategy," concludes a report released this week by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congress's investigative arm.

and found at least 43 recyclers willing to export the toxic e-waste from the U.S. in direct violation of EPA regulations.

Tags: pollution

Overheating fears lead to laptop recall

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:14:24 GMT

clipped by: tabsey

Clip Source: www.theage.com.au

Sony Australia is recalling 4300 laptops from its Vaio TZ series due to fears they could overheat, damaging the machines and potentially burning users.

The move is part of a global recall of 440,000 Vaio TZ laptops because of a wiring flaw that could cause "extreme high temperatures", Sony said.

It comes after Sony initiated one of the biggest technology recalls in history in 2006 following reports that its laptop batteries were exploding and injuring users.

About 73,000 Americans have been affected by the latest recall. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said last week that it had received 15 reports of overheating, including one of a consumer who suffered a minor burn.

It is not clear how many Australians have reported problems so far.

Sony Australia said in a statement that the flaw had the potential to affect models which were sold between May last year and July this year.

Tags: computers

New Maps Detail Solar System Objects

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:04:48 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: A must; even the Vogons are interested.

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

Galactic hitchhikers visiting our solar system, if they exist, would probably love to get their hands on a new guide that puts GPS to shame.

A planetary scientist has made the most detailed maps of our local planets, moons and asteroids yet by combining hundreds of spacecraft images to chart all the nooks and crannies of numerous surfaces, including the asteroids Phobos, Itokawa and Eros. Upcoming targets for mapping include the planet Mercury and eight of Saturn's moons, such as frozen Enceladus with its icy geysers, as well as Earth's moon.

"I have three computers crunching away right now," said Robert Gaskell, a planetary scientist based in Altadena, Calif., who works at the Planetary Science Institute. "One's working on the moon, one's working on Eros, and another's working on Mercury."

Angry China air travellers smash up airport

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:15:58 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Not happt campers. Could be some great sideshows for travellers.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Scores of Chinese air passengers have smashed computers and desks and clashed with police after a night stranded at an airport without accommodation, state media said.

More than 170 passengers were due to leave Kunming, capital of south-western Yunnan province, on three flights operated by China Southern Airlines late on Monday, but the flights were cancelled due to bad weather, Xinhua news agency said.

"All the passengers had to spend the night on the planes or in the departure hall," Xinhua said. "No one came to tend to their food and board."

The passengers clashed with airport police this morning, smashing computers and desks, Xinhua said, blaming the melee on China Southern staff's "inappropriate working attitude".

Around 2:00am (local time), many of the passengers - including toddlers and people over 60 - took taxis to a hotel where China Southern said they could stay, only to be turned away once they arrived, Xinhua said.

Tags: room, with, a, view

McCain, complete and utter netwit

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:19:14 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: It took me a couple of years with books and a recovering brain to understand computers. He has had plenty of time if he had the interest. My motivation was the search for information and I'm loving it. McCain feels he will be needing information if he becomes president. But not now?

Clip Source: www.theage.com.au

JOHN McCain has admitted he never uses email and has to be shown websites, as he is only just learning to get online.

If elected, Senator McCain, who turns 72 this year, would be the oldest candidate to enter the White House.

And in facing Barack Obama, 25 years his junior and making the internet a key campaign tool, he is risking claims that he is stuck in the past.

The former US Navy pilot, who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, did himself no favours when asked by The New York Times which websites he looked at, saying his aides did it for him.

"Brooke and Mark show me Drudge," he said, referring to the Drudge Report, a website that broke the Monica Lewinsky-Bill Clinton story. "Obviously, everybody watches, for better or for worse, Drudge."

"I am learning to get online myself, and I will have that down fairly soon," he said.

Tags: computorial, politics

40 Unusual Websites you should Bookmark

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 15:03:10 GMT

clipped by: tabsey

Clip Source: www.makeuseof.com

If you’re a long time makeuseof reader, at one point or another you may have seen several of these websites before. We have covered lots of lists and round-ups but this one is quite different: it lists undiscovered webservices that are original, rather unique, unusual, useful, free, and must-be bookmarked type. You won’t find any collaboration, storage or ToDo service here. Enjoy!

1. BugMeNot - instantly get disposable login details for any popular website that forces you to register.

2. DailyLit - read your favorite books by email (on your PC, mobile, etc.).

3. FranceRadio - neat MP3 Search Engine that lets you Find, Play and Download favorite MP3s for FREE.

4. Google SMS - provides mobile users with a quick access (via SMS) to a wide range of practical information and tools (i.e. business listings (pizzerias, shops, etc.), weather, movie listings, driving directions, currency converter and lots more.

Tags: computers

Experts tag jellyfish for study

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:25:15 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Interesting

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Scientists are tagging jellyfish to study their role in marine life off the Welsh and Irish coasts.

Although consisting of 98% water and some being the size of dustbin lids, biologists say they are "tough, robust animals", making tagging possible.

Around 10 Lion's Mane and 20 Barrel Jellyfish will be studied with particular interest in jellyfish as a food supply for leatherback turtles.

Experts from Swansea, Belfast and Cork will also examine how long they live.

Meanwhile, beachcombers who find any of the jellyfish washed up dead could claim a reward.

The research project is paying £25 for handing in the bright orange-topped tags, which are expected to begin washing up along the coast of Wales or the east coast of Ireland sometime over the next year.

The tags work as waterproof mini-computers.

Marine biologist Dr Jon Houghton said the idea "seems daft" but was necessary because experts know as much about jellyfish as they do about unicorns.

The study will take place at four sites

Tags: pins, and, jellyfish

Switch on a chip to boost internet speed

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:53:56 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: What a great improvement. Telstra is among the worst in the world, old equipment, just for starters. The comparison will show that this will make us as fast as the rest of the world.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

A new ultrafast optical switch on a chip could help speed up the internet in Australia by more than 6,000 per cent, say researchers.

Professor Benjamin Eggleton from the University of Sydney and colleagues will present their research at the Opto-Electronics and Communications Conference in Sydney today.

"This is a switch that's 64 times faster than anything that's happening in Telstra's networks," says Professor Eggleton, who is director of the Centre for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems.

Professor Eggleton and colleagues say they have developed an optical switch that can eliminate of one of the bottlenecks in Australia's internet infrastructure.

It replaces electrical switches that are used to convert optical signals to a spread of electrical signals that are then redirected to various destinations.

"We can create switches that are instantaneous, essentially," says Professor Eggleton.

"You just can't switch that fast with electronics."

Tags: computers

Firefox download record official

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:29:00 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Only Guinness record I'll be involved in I suppose.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

So far there have been more than 28 million downloads of Firefox 3.0

Mozilla has officially made history with a new Guinness world record for the largest number of software downloads in a 24-hour period.

The final record breaking 8,002,530 downloads for web browser Firefox 3.0 took place in June.

"The enthusiasm and creativity of Firefox fans was key to making this happen" said Marketing head Paul Kim.

Gareth Deaves of Guinness World Records called it "an extremely impressive accomplishment".

The official figure was confirmed after logs from download servers were audited and checked to ensure duplicate and unfinished downloads were not counted.

Mr Kim told the BBC News: "The notion of going for a world record, as gooky and nutty as it may have sounded, was a really sticky idea.

"It was an idea that translated really well across national borders and to all different kinds of people around the world."

Tags: computers.

Online Service Lets Blind Surf The Internet From Any Computer, Anywhere

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:09:59 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Wonder if they are using it here. Hope something is available.

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

A blind person goes to a library computer and uses WebAnywhere to read e-mail and consult an online bus schedule.

ScienceDaily (June 27, 2008) — Visions of future technology don't involve being chained to a desktop machine. People move from home computers to work computers to mobile devices; public kiosks pop up in libraries, schools and hotels; and people increasingly store everything from e-mail to spreadsheets on the Web.

But for the roughly 10 million people in the United States who are blind or visually impaired, using a computer has, so far, required special screen-reading software typically installed only on their own machines.

New software, called WebAnywhere, launched today lets blind and visually impaired people surf the Web on the go. The tool developed at the University of Washington turns screen-reading into an Internet service that reads aloud Web text on any computer with speakers or headphone connections.

Tags: computers

Travel back in time...

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:41:08 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Part of the blurb that goes with WayBack page search You can go to all the sites through web.archive.org.

Clip Source: web.archive.org

Yahoo!
www.yahoo.com

"Jerry's Guide to the World Wide Web" was started in 1994 by a couple of computer geeks in a trailer on the Stanford campus. Seven years and one name change later, we have the phenomenally successful Yahoo! Do you uh...
Go Wayback to Yahoo! on December 20, 1996 | See all dates

Trojan Room Coffee Machine
www.cl.cam.ac.uk/coffee/coffee.html

National Center for Supercomputer Applications

The Internet Movie Database
www.imdb.com

Created in 1989, and first arriving on the web in 1993, the Internet Movie Database has been dispensing movie trivia since the time when Brooke Shields starred in Brenda Starr.
Go Wayback to IMDb on November 19, 1996 | See all dates

Ultimate Band List
www.ubl.com

Started in the Summer of 1994 at Caltech U., UBL, originally known as the Web Wide World of Music, or WWWOM, quickly grew into a large and wildly popular directory of music links.
Go Wayback to UBL on December 27, 1996 | See all dates

Amazon.com

The White House

The Well

Tags: computers, now, have, a, history- short, though