In the next few months, the entire website will be getting an overhall. From the start, the way things were laid out were not 100% how I wanted them to be. So, over this past year, I have began to develop some new ideas and looks for the site. Things are about to get a little crazy around here…..

It’s not new news that computers are starting to take over our lives. We as a people have become very dependent on what they do for us in our daily lives. Computers will (in the not so distance future) be in control of just about everything, from how we drive our cars, to our banking system, and even how we make our daily coffee; they are vital to everything.

Given this, when I first heard about Watson, the IBM super computer, that was going to play Jeopardy, it didn’t come as much surprise. With recent developments in the artificial intelligence (AI) world, it was only a matter of time before someone developed something like Watson. IBM is not new to the world of AI, as back in 1997 they developed a chess playing computer named Deep Blue that took on (at the time) the top chess player in the world Garry Kasparov. But what makes Watson different from Deep Blue is in the way it thinks.

Chess is a game of math and strategy, something that computers are very good at doing. But the English language isn’t that simple. It’s filled with many complex words and sentences that only human brains can understand. A perfect example of this is the word “bat”. To a computer, the word bat could be either a baseball bat or the animal. Until now, a computer could not understand the different meanings of the word depending on the sentence. But with Watson, that has all changed.

Watson seems like something that only exists in movies, more specifically 2001: A Space Odyssey. But unlike HAL, it’s going to be a while before we have to worry about Watson taking over the world and ending all mankind. It’s not a question that Watson is smart, but there are things that it just doesn’t know. Recently during a final Jeopardy, it answered “What is Toronto?” when the final Jeopardy topic was U.S. Cities. Clearly, there is some work that needs to be done.
Watson, the IBM team, and artificial intelligence have come a long way since Deep Blue. And with computers becoming more and more paramount in our everyday lives, it’s left to ask: What’s next?

YouTube today announced it’s annual list of top 10 most-watched videos of the year 2010. It’s no surprise that Justin Bieber tops the list world wide with his song Baby, but what’s interesting is the global list that Youtube puts out excluding major record labels. On this list, the now famous Bed Intruder song takes the spot at number one. Below is the full list for world-wide including and excluding the major record labels:

The most-watched YouTube videos (excluding major label music videos) were:

1. BED INTRUDER SONG!!! (now on iTunes)
2. TIK TOK KESHA Parody: Glitter Puke – Key of Awe$ome #13
3. Greyson Chance Singing Paparazzi
4. Annoying Orange Wazzup
5. Old Spice | The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
6. Yosemitebear Mountain Giant Double Rainbow 1-8-10
7. OK Go – This Too Shall Pass – Rube Goldberg Machine version
8. THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE – Trailer
9. Jimmy Surprises Bieber Fan
10. Ken Block’s Gymkhana THREE, Part 2; Ultimate Playground; l’Autodrome

And globally, as of November 2010, the most-watched major label music videos were:

1. Justin Bieber – Baby ft. Ludacris
2. Shakira ft. Freshlyground – Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) (The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Song)
3. Eminem – Love The Way You Lie ft. Rihanna
4. Eminem – Not Afraid
5. Rihanna – Rude Boy
6. Justin Bieber – Never Say Never ft. Jaden Smith
7. Justin Bieber – Never Let You Go
8. Lady Gaga – Alejandro
9. Justin Bieber – Somebody To Love Remix ft. Usher
10. Lady Gaga – Telephone ft. Beyonce

YouTube also announced yesterday a new service called YouTube Trends, featuring:

New algorithmically-generated feeds that highlight trending videos and topics.

A twice-daily collection of videos called “4 at 4″ drawn from those feeds and from top video curation sites around the web.

A blog with more in-depth and contextual explorations of videos, trends, and cultural phenomenon as seen through the lens of YouTube, using YouTube’s own internal data.

And a brand new dashboard that allows you to quickly explore what’s popular in different cities in the United States and in countries around the world, as well as within specific demographic sets.

Check out the video below for more:

(Quotes from Mark Zuckerburg via CNET)

Well, it’s been over 4 months since my last post, so I figured that I would post something. Now that things have sort of calmed down a bit, I can get back to a somewhat regular schedule of posting. But we’ll see how long it lasts. In the next few months, I’m planing on redesigning the main site. So there is a lot of stuff in the works to look forward to. So check back soon!

For those who have followed me on Twitter or those who have followed my blog know that i’m a big Mac fan. In fact, you might call me a Mac geek. I have a 2007 MacBook, the first one with a Intel processor, a first generation iPod Touch, second generation iPod touch, an iPhone 3GS and a iPad which I got the first day it came out. So you would think that when I was in the market for a new computer, I would be looking into a Mac. But for my new computer, I just bough a Dell Studio XPS 8100 with Microsoft Windows 7. Now before I start to get a rash of e-mail telling me that i’m crazy, let me explain.

First off, I still love Mac. To me, they still lead the way when it comes to the latest technology and they still create the best looking products on the technology market. They are the only technology company that I know of that have so many rumors surrounding them at any given time (Mac Rumors), and the only ones to have an actual following of people that will but things (no matter what it is, how much it is, or if they need it) the day it comes out. Windows, or Microsoft on the other hand usually are in the news with problems. Take for example Windows Vista. I’m sure that most everyone, (regardless of being a Mac person or not) can agree that it was a failure. With all the bugs and security holes, and who could forget that annoying “Windows needs your permission to continue.” message. But then came Windows 7, with the promise that it would not only fix all the issues that vista brought, but have great new features. This called for Apple to fire back:

With all the problems that Visa had, I was happy to see that Microsoft was fixing the problems that had hurt them in PC sales with vista. So naturally, with Windows fixing all the problems, I decided to give it a shot and buy it for my Dad as his birthday gift. After installing it and playing around to actually see what the program could do, I was impressed. Not only has Windows gone through with their promise to fix Vista, but they did make it better. Which got me thinking about a PC as my next computer, and probably what led me to buy a PC. (That and the price of one.)

And then their was my Mac, it being almost 3 years old it has served me well. With all of my school work and my new found interstest in web design, it has handled all of that with no problems. Sure over the years I have had 2 HD crashes and the share of problems. But I still love it. And with this new computer, I’m not getting rid of it. In fact, i’m doing the exact opposite. I’m keeping it and using it as my podcasting computer, (http://www.silvys.com/discast/) and as a mobile work computer.

It has been plenty of fun years with my Mac, and I’m glad that when I made the choice 3 years ago, I got it. It has served me well and will continue to serve me well into the future.

Via. The Orange County Register

Disneyland quietly is testing a talking Mickey Mouse character who greets guests by name and has a moving mouth and blinking eyes.
Traditionally, the masked characters who interact with visitors don’t speak, only using sign language to communicate at the Disney parks. The test Mickey’s eyelids blink and his nose and upper lip move as he talks. His voice sounds like the cartoon character.
[...]
Michele Himmelberg, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman, confirmed that Disney is testing the talking Mickey. But she declined to comment about whether the character would be added to the park permanently.
For now, the talking rodent is greeting guests at Mickey’s House in Mickey’s Toontown.

What are your thoughts? Is this the next generation of character greetings in the parks?

With all the hype about the iPad in the past weeks, it’s nice to know that it was not the only thing that Apple was working on in the past months. And with the last refresh of the MacBook Pro line being more than 300 days ago, it’s something that’s long over due.

Many Mac enthusiasts have been wanting the i5 and the i7 Intel processors to come to the Mac, and they finally got their wish today as both the 15-inch and the 17-inch models include the chips. Apple also stated that the 13-inch has a “groundbreaking” built-in battery that can go 10 hours without recharging and has a graphics processor they claim is 80 percent faster than the current model’s. Apple also says that the 15-inch and the 17-inch models are up to 50 percent faster than the current models.

“The new MacBook Pro is as advanced on the inside as it is stunning on the outside,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing in a press release today. “With faster processors, amazing graphics and up to three more hours of battery life, the new MacBook Pro delivers both performance and efficiency.”
The prices as well as a full list of features for each model are as follows:

Read the rest of this entry »

First off, sorry for not posting here in a long time. But that will soon change as the summer draws closer. Anyway, it seams that the rumors of the iPhone going to Verizon have some truth to them as today, the CEO of Verizon confirmed that they are trying to get the iPhone. And in another announcement, Apple is set to announce details of the new iPhone operating system this thursday. All of this comes after Apple’s iPad release this past saturday. (April 3.) The only thing that I can say is that they boys in Cupertino are hard at work on some big stuff.

Via. CBS News/AP

Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg says the company has told Apple that it wants to carry the iPhone. But he declined to say when – or even if – the popular smart phone will be available for Verizon Wireless customers.

In remarks Tuesday before the Council on Foreign Relations, Seidenberg cited a recent Wall Street Journal report that said Apple is working on a version of the iPhone that would be compatible with Verizon’s network.

But he did not confirm the report or give any further details Tuesday.

AT&T Inc. has exclusive rights to the iPhone in the United States. The company has been silent about the reports on the new iPhone model.

Apple is expected to announce details on a new iPhone operating system Thursday in Cupertino, Calif.

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Here is an un-released Pixar Short featuring George and AJ, the two Shady Oaks workers who come to take Carl to Shady Oaks Retirement Home in the movie UP. Enjoy!

Pixar Short: George and AJ