A rather difÂferÂent angle on the DisÂcovÂery’s final launch. The view from 35,000 feet.…
via BoingÂBoÂing
The Facebook Obsession
Are we obsessed with FaceÂbook? It’s hard to argue with the numÂbers preÂsentÂed visuÂalÂly in this artisÂtic litÂtle video by Alex Trimpe. One data point that struck me (if true): 48% of young AmerÂiÂcans learn about the news, about what’s hapÂpenÂing in the world, through FaceÂbook. A big shift in the way inforÂmaÂtion gets into peoÂple’s hands.
And that’s part of a trend we’re seeÂing here too. More and more, Open CulÂture fans are joinÂing our FaceÂbook page, letÂting our daiÂly posts trickÂle into their FaceÂbook News Feeds, then sharÂing the intelÂliÂgent media with friends. You can join our FaceÂbook Page here, or also folÂlow us on TwitÂter where we tweet and re-tweet extra culÂturÂal goodÂies 24/7.
Thanks Ian for the heads up on the FB video…
Kasparov Talks Chess, Technology and a Little Life at Google
GarÂry KasÂparov, still the highÂest-ratÂed playÂer in the hisÂtoÂry of chess, pulled through Google late last year and fieldÂed quesÂtions from the Googlers. (Don’t miss Conan O’Brien’s hilarÂiÂous riff on that term.) As you might expect, the quesÂtions often driftÂed back to KasÂparov’s famous 1996–97 matchÂes against IBM’s Deep Blue (a preÂcurÂsor to WatÂson) and more recent batÂtles between humans and comÂputÂers. The 65 minute Q&A includes a lot more good chess talk, but it also gets into the curÂrent state of RussÂian polÂiÂtics (KasÂparov has opposed Vladimir Putin and ran for presÂiÂdent in 2008), plus the chess masÂter’s varÂiÂous theÂoÂries about leadÂerÂship and strateÂgic thinkÂing…
PS Be sure to read KasÂparov’s thoughts on WatÂson writÂten immeÂdiÂateÂly after watchÂing the much pubÂliÂcized JeopÂardy! proÂgrams last week.
The First Talk Radio Show on the Net (1993)
Back in the earÂly 1990s, while most of us were still tryÂing to wrap our heads around this new thing called the interÂnet (don’t miss this amusÂing bit), NPR’s SciÂence FriÂday startÂed pushÂing the enveÂlope and hostÂing the first interÂnet-based radio talk show. This marked the first time that lisÂtenÂers could “phone into” a proÂgram via the web and talk togethÂer – in this case about the creÂative uses of this emergÂing techÂnolÂoÂgy. The broadÂcast, which sinÂgleÂhandÂedÂly brought the interÂnet to a crawl, has now resurÂfaced online. You can lisÂten below (or here).
via @Alyssa_Milano and ExtremeÂTech
IBM Supercomputer v. Humans on Jeopardy! Next Week
Next MonÂday, the long-runÂning AmerÂiÂcan game show, JeopÂardy!, will air a tourÂnaÂment of chamÂpiÂons, pitÂting its two biggest winÂners, Ken JenÂnings and Brad RutÂter, against WatÂson, IBM’s newest superÂcomÂputÂer. And it will proÂvide an occaÂsion to answer an imporÂtant quesÂtion: Can comÂputÂers underÂstand the subÂtleties of lanÂguage? Can they answer quesÂtions when they’re posed in less than straightÂforÂward ways? When, for examÂple, the quesÂtions use wordÂplay and puns? IBM worked on the project for four years, and the earÂly indiÂcaÂtions sugÂgest that comÂputÂers can undoubtÂedÂly masÂter these subÂtleties. (Just watch this WatÂson match against less accomÂplished JeopÂardy! playÂers.) This artiÂcle does a good job of explainÂing the fairÂly stagÂgerÂing things hapÂpenÂing on the backÂend of the new IBM comÂputÂer, and how this research might shape the future of comÂputÂing. The Watson/human faceÂoff begins next MonÂday, with two matchÂes takÂing place over three days. Once video becomes availÂable, as it inevitably will, we will tweet it on our ever-flowÂing TwitÂter stream.
PS NOVA aired a proÂgram last week dedÂiÂcatÂed to the Watson/Jeopardy! chalÂlenge. If it’s not geoblocked, you can watch it right here. H/T to @eugenephoto for flagÂging the proÂgram.
What’s the Internet? That’s So 1994…
Now makÂing its way around the interÂnets, a litÂtle semi-vinÂtage clip of Bryant GumÂbel and Katie Couric, then hosts of The Today Show, tryÂing to sort out the new, new thing called “The InterÂnet.” This bit was recordÂed on JanÂuÂary 24, 1994, just months before Justin Bieber came into the world and Kurt Cobain exitÂed stage left…
What Technology Wants: Kevin Kelly @ Google
Kevin KelÂly, the co-founder of Wired magÂaÂzine and forÂmer editor/publisher of the Whole Earth CatÂaÂlog (now free online), pubÂlished a new book this past OctoÂber: What TechÂnolÂoÂgy Wants. ReviewÂing his own book on BoingÂBoÂing, KelÂly sumÂmaÂrizes a few key points. “TechÂnolÂoÂgy is the most powÂerÂful force on the planÂet.” In fact, humanÂiÂty is a tool itself, and, like all livÂing things, techÂnolÂoÂgy evolves, demonÂstratÂing cerÂtain unconÂscious “urges” and “wants” in the process. TechÂnolÂoÂgy canÂnot be held back. But we can try to optiÂmize its benÂeÂfits for human culÂture, even while potenÂtialÂly tryÂing to limÂit the amount of techÂnolÂoÂgy in our own lives. It’s a heady book, and, perÂhaps fitÂtingÂly, Kevin KelÂly pulled through Google in NovemÂber and disÂtilled his new theÂoÂry of techÂnolÂoÂgy in a 40 minute talk. Watch it above…
Bonus: You might also want to check out this conÂverÂsaÂtion recordÂed at the New York PubÂlic Library. It feaÂtures Kevin KelÂly and Steven JohnÂson (author of Where Good Ideas Come From) in conÂverÂsaÂtion with Robert KrulÂwich, co-host of Radio Lab.
“They Were There” — Errol Morris Finally Directs a Film for IBM
In the late 1990s, Errol MorÂris, the acclaimed direcÂtor, was hired to make a film for an “in house” conÂferÂence of IBM employÂees. EvenÂtuÂalÂly IBM canÂceled the conÂferÂence, and the film was scrapped. (Watch a clip of it here.) Now more than a decade latÂer, IBM has brought MorÂris back, this time to direct a film meant to comÂmemÂoÂrate the 100th anniverÂsary of the comÂpaÂny’s foundÂing. The 30-minute film, They Were There, appears on IBM’s YouTube ChanÂnel, and it notably feaÂtures music by Philip Glass.
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RelatÂed ConÂtent:
FilmÂmakÂer Errol MorÂris Gives Us “11 ExcelÂlent ReaÂsons Not to Vote?”
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