[VIDEO] A photographer was taking pictures in Great Smoky Mountains National Park when a bull elk approached. A dangerous situation. There’s sadness ahead, so watch the video without reading further if you want to keep it light.
CodeWarrior shirts
This box arrived in the mail today. My brother Stu was cleaning out his garage and he ran across some of his (my?) old CodeWarrior shirts. He kindly packed them up and posted them to me. I must say, I was delighted and a big wave of nostalgia pushed me around a bit. [PICTURE in the main post]
Microsoft’s $2.5bn question: what if it doesn’t release Office for the iPad?
Tired of waiting for Office to be optimised for their mobile gadgets, a growing contingent of younger companies is turning to cheaper, simpler and touch-friendly apps that can perform word processing and other tasks in the “cloud” – on internet-based systems.
Take Artivest Holdings, a New York-based financial services startup that sells alternative investment products. The New York-based company uses an app called Quip, which combines word processing and messaging, to handle all but the most sensitive legal and financial files.
“There are no more Microsoft Word documents being circulated. If someone emails me a Word document, I’ll tell them to put it in Quip,” said Artivest’s chief investment officer David Levine.
I think this is dead on. My kids don’t use Office and they don’t own a watch. The world is definitely changing.
Bill Gates: The Rolling Stone interview
Bill Gates finally gets his smiling face in the Rolling Stone. Great interview.
Sampling colors in an image with the Mac OS X Color Picker
Consider my mind blown. I did not know you could drag and drop an image onto the Mac OS X color picker so you can sample colors from that image. This is incredibly useful. Read the article for all the details.
Apple adds dedicated selfie section to iOS App Store
A new App Store section. Not the app store section we needed, but the app store section we deserved.
Heh.
Craig Hockenberry on Apple, smart watches, and other wearables
There is a lot of food for thought in this article. Here’s just a taste:
Trends are always set by the younger generation. Especially with clothing, jewelry and other items that appeal to a demographic with a lot of expendable income. To me, this quote by Tim Cook is the most telling:
“To convince people they have to wear something, it has to be incredible. If we asked a room of 20-year olds to stand up if they’re wearing a watch, I don’t think anyone would stand up.”
This response to Kara Swisher’s question about Apple’s interests in wearable technology covers all the bases. It includes the target market (“20-year-olds”), product focus (“has to be incredible”), and most importantly, he’s seeing the same thing I am: people don’t need to wear watches because they already have that computer in their pocket.
Note also that in the response he doesn’t say “wear a watch”, it’s “wear something”. It’s implied, but not stated. Remember that he learned from the master of misdirection: Steve Jobs.
Absolutely worth a read. Thought provoking piece.
Duolingo, reCAPTCHA, and a magnificent piece of crowdsourcing
Luis Von Ahn is a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, but is perhaps best known as the creator of the free language learning app Duolingo, Apple’s 2013 iPhone app of the year.
Interestingly, Luis Von Ahn was part of the team that created CAPTCHA:
In the early years of his Ph.D. study, von Ahn had helped his advisor, CMU computer science professor Manuel Blum, develop a handy identity verification device known as a CAPTCHA. Think of those distorted words you’re asked to translate after attempting to log into your email too many times to verify that you’re human. Those are CAPTCHAs. Initially invented to help keep spambots out of chat rooms, these tests are effective because computers have a difficult time reading distorted text, while people are rather good at it.
What Von Ahn did next was a real stroke of genius.
The awesomeness of Pi
A few years ago, the New York Times ran an article explaining pi. Today being pi day (and only one year before Super Pi Day), I thought it’d be worth posting this.
True, the article is full of math, but I think it’s one of the most elegantly written explanations of the math surrounding pi you’ll ever see. And, if you make it to the very end, you’ll have a handle on the origins of calculus, which is no mean feat.
Happy Pi Day – One more year to go until Super Pi Day
Why next year will be Super Pi Day.
Apple expands animated iPhone 5c ads beyond Tumblr
After debuting a range of playful iPhone 5c ads on Tumblr in early March, Apple has expanded its campaign to the The New York Times and the front page of Yahoo.com. The Yahoo homepage currently features an ad block on the right side hand of the page that houses eight different iPhone 5c ads with the tagline “Find your colors.”
Each ad features a short animation, mirroring some of the original Tumblr ads. There’s a spot called “Catwalk,” for example, which features a series of lens flashes, “Baaaa,” which mimics a herd of sheep, and “99 Luftballoons,” which offers floating red dots with music from the popular song.
I checked both Yahoo.com and the NYTimes.com, did not see the ads in either place. I wonder if they are being tweaked.
How Apple fares at the annual Pwn2Own exploit festival
From the annual Pwn2Own exploit festival, held in Vancouver, the details on Safari takedown.
Rubber band machine guns
I really want one of these, but I don’t want to have bought one.
Pitch perfect Neil Young and James Taylor parodies
[VIDEO] I just can’t believe that the same person is singing both of these.
Secret Service seeking bids for new presidential limo
The presidential limo is definitely an awesome and unfortunately necessary piece of engineering.
The Secret Service is proceeding with development of a new presidential limousine to replace the Cadillac model currently used by President Barack Obama, according to a new General Services Administration contract posting. The new vehicle is expected to be ready for the inauguration of the next president—whomever she or he may be.
Classified armor development for the new rolling Oval Office has been underway since last year. The government is now seeking bidders to integrate that armor into a new design for “The Beast,” as the heavily-protected vehicle is popularly known, with options for the final construction stages. Details of the new design, like the old, are highly classified and contractors must meet strict security requirements just to get a peek at what they will be asked to build.
Just one suggestion: Make sure it comes with CarPlay, and let Apple furnish the touch screen.
The Amazon Prime price hike and what it means to Netflix
I’m a big fan of Amazon Prime, have been since the very first day. The original goal of Prime was to build loyalty. If I’ve already paid my $79 for the year, I get free 2nd day shipping on anything I order through Amazon. And if I already have free 2nd day shipping and the price of an item is as low or lower than anywhere else I could buy it, why would I go elsewhere? Very smart. Here’s why I think the new price hike for Amazon Prime is OK with me and good for Netflix.
Time: More evidence that Apple won the app wars
Earlier today, we posted about United Airlines offering a free in-flight movie service, available to folks running iOS but not available on Android.
Now Time writer Harry McCracken uses that info to make the case that Apple has won the app wars. Not sure I quite see it the same way, but I do get his point. No matter the market share, the trend continues to be to develop for iOS first, if not only.
Tim Berners-Lee does a Reddit Ask Me Anything
Sir Tim Berners-Lee:
On March 12, 1989 I submitted my proposal for the World Wide Web. 25 years later, I’m amazed to see the many great things it’s achieved – transforming the way we talk, share and create. As we celebrate the Web’s 25th birthday (see webat25.org), I want us all to think about its future and ask how we can help make it a truly open, secure and creative platform – available to everyone. The idea of an AMA is another great example of how the Web’s helping to connect and empower people around the globe and I’m really excited to be answering your questions!
Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s Next Cube computer goes on display in London
THE COMPUTER used by Sir Tim Berners-Lee to write his proposal for the World Wide Web has gone on show at the Science Museum in London to mark the 25th anniversary of the web.
The Next Cube computer arrived at the Science Museum on Tuesday, having been shipped from CERN in Switzerland, where Berners-Lee used to work as a software engineer. Berners-Lee wrote his proposal for the World Wide Web that he submitted on 12 March 1989 on this computer.
I find it amazing to think that the origins of the web were created on a Next machine. If you missed it, be sure to read the story of Steve Jobs and Tim Berners-Lee’s narrowly missed connection, as masterfully told by Stephen Fry.
Arduboy is a business card that can play Tetris and other games
[VIDEO] Could this be the future of business cards? Based on the Arduino Pro-Mini, the programming is done on a computer and downloaded into the chip. A lot of hand work and not flexible, but if the market likes this, I suspect automated manufacturing and a more flexible form factor will follow. Video embedded in the post.
Sweet!
Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam does Reddit Ask Me Anything
There’s lots of Python as well as discussion of his movies (like Brazil, my personal favorite).
Amazing footage of drone flying into active volcano
[VIDEO] Now this is the right way to use a drone.
Yasur volcano on Tanna island, Vanuatu. Amazingly no phantoms were harmed while filming!
FYI, the Republic of Vanuatu is about 1,000 miles (1750 km) east of Australia. Here’s the wiki page for Tanna Island.
Google’s move to open a brick and mortar store in New York’s SoHo
This story has been making its way around both tech and commercial real estate circles. Google is said to be locking up a lease on 131 Greene St in SoHo for an 8,000 square foot retail space. I find it an interesting choice for Google. Here’s why.
SoftBank CEO: how I got Steve Jobs to give me iPhone exclusivity for Japan
Good Steve Jobs anecdote. Interesting how this coincides with SoftBank’s campaign to merge Sprint (which it owns) with T-Mobile.
United Airlines to intro free in-flight movie service for iOS, not Android
From United Airlines:
Starting this April, we’re rolling out our new personal device entertainment system onboard select aircraft. With this new service, sponsored by the MileagePlus® Explorer Card, you can choose from over 150 movies and nearly 200 TV shows and watch them free of charge on your personal device.
And from the instructions:
Download the latest United app from the iTunes® App Store if you’ll be using a mobile device. Laptops do not require the app. (Android™ and other mobile devices are not fully supported at this time.)
Apple patents smart wrist pedometer
Bottom line, differentiating a step from, say, a bump or an arm raise is a difficult problem to solve. Arm biometrics is an important part of the future.
Scott Aukerman of ‘Between Two Ferns’ on how they got President Obama to play along
[VIDEO] Politics aside, President Obama’s appearance with Zach Galifianakis on Between Two Ferns was pretty big news. This interview with creator Scott Aukerman digs into the backstory on how they got the President on board. Video in the post.
From 25 years ago, here are the original web sites of some pretty famous companies
This is pretty cool. A collection of early on, old school web sites from companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, the BBC, CNN, and many more.
Video of a 17-year-old Alex Lifeson, Rush guitarist, arguing with his parents about quitting high school
[VIDEO] Whatever your feelings about Rush, this video is amazing. First, think of the odds on capturing such a seminal moment in a kid’s life? And then having that kid grow up to be a world class guitarist. Fantastic.
The cutting up of content
Fantastic piece from MG Siegler on the trend of producing high quality content traditionally reserved for films, making it longer, then cutting it up for television or for web consumption.