A new way to look at Data, Wolfram Alpha

After hearing about it, and a full interview with the man who created it, Stephen Wolfram on This Week in Tech podcast (see iTunes search TWIT).
I decided to, with the knowledge I had creamed from the interview, to take a look at Wolfram Alpha, (Sounds like a Blake's 7 episode title straight out of the bag). It is NOT a Google killer, Google has a little of Wolfram Alpha's functionality, but there it ends. Wolfram Alpha is a fact machine and not a search engine, using computer mathematics's to help it's answering mechanism.
So basic stuff like working out percentages, are achieved with ease. But also just one word questions like, putting your first or family name in the search field. Then after a minor waiting period, because it's finding facts not websites, and with the presumption there is something to find. Wolfram Alpha comes back with an answer like, how many people could have your name in a 1 in xxxx format, percentages of ethnic mix and so on. But this is not all it can do. Birth dates produces results, that I found very interesting.
But this is very banal compared with what inpotentia Wolfram Alpha is capable of. For student's in University, or even school this could really help in the understanding of the Sciences, and the research for learning there within. So if your parents don't understand what you have to do for your school physics homework, it might be possible to get help from Wolfram Alpha. Like I say the Potential for Wolfram Alpha is astronomical, it only gets better with amount of questions it is asked. Give it a try at http://www65.wolframalpha.com/about.html
And have fun with facts.

Good Copy - Bad Copy, or wake up MPAA and The Music Industry

I just got done watching a very interesting film, called Good Copy Bad Copy. It's a free download from the makers of the film, just do Good Copy Bad Copy as a Google search, and you will find the DivX file.
The subject of the film is Copyright, what's right and wrong, and perceptions of right and wrong. Also how the future of the Motion Picture Association of America and the Record Industry as a whole is limited, to the model their using, which I mentioned in my previous blog is severely dated.
It has interview's in Russia,Sweden (Yes that Pirate Bay country, and with the Pirate Bay guy's), Nigeria, Brazil and the US, with key people in each. I love documentaries which point out to the US what's wrong with their country, because, they are the only one's capable of changing something that is already highly corrupt. Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11 and Supersize Me just to name but a few which preceded Good copy Bad Copy doing exactly this.
A first for Good Copy Bad Copy, is that it's not made or produced by any US company, with a problem with their own country. This film comes direct out of, wait for it, Denmark, a land known only by it's slightly salted butter, and Hans Christian Anderson, has produced what I regard as one of thee best Documentaries I've seen ever, it's definitely on par with the one's I've already mentioned. Denmark a land who Say's what do you want to learn our language for? Because they regard it not so much as a language, but more of a throat infection. All I can say is I can't wait for the next project from Rosforth (sounds Scottish, but it would have something to do with the Vikings, if you know your history.) Who don't ask so much as a cent for a film. That despite being only an hour long, it should have been in the Cinema world wide in my humble opinion.
If you want to see a documentary film which interviews all sides this is the one, so check it out, and be so kind to leave a donation. http://www.goodcopybadcopy.net/about is the Address if you decide to check it out.

Battle of the Phone's or not?

So now as Palm have finally released the date for their Pre' phone, largely designed by Ex-Apple iPhone developers. The Media as a whole is wrapped up in themselves as to whether or not this phone from Palm is going to be an iPhone killer.
There is one short answer to that, and that is no. What should really be the question you may ask, well that question is, is the Pre' going to be a reasonable competitor or not. Because in a market flooded by so called "iPhone Killers" you really have to stand out with a product, that is not only as simple to use as an iPhone, but as intuitively straight forward. The word is intuitive, can friends of mine with little or no tech knowledge, use the Pre' without having to grab for the manual.
Once the iPhone is first switched on everything else is straight forward, the Palm Pre' has to do this as well if not better than the iPhone. Because in the end it doesn't matter if or how many back ground services, any Smartphone can run. What matters does it work, can I use this without trying to remember too hard "Now where do I, do that, and this." This is called intuitive design and with out being too much of a fanboy about it, Apple does this very, very well.
Many software and hardware businesses really need to look at what, and how Apple does things, instead of trying to bring them down or say why their lame product is better. Microsoft is the biggest of them all, saying that PC's are cheaper, in their US ad campaigns of the moment. Which means they have completely missed the point, and just like the Newspaper industry, Motion Picture Association, and Record Industry. They have business models that date back to the turn of the last century, Microsoft included. Throw out crap products and dominate the market, is the business model, and when something new comes and takes over, instead of embracing it try to crush it. What sort of model is that? Great for making obscene amounts of money, that then quickly disappears when the model no longer works, but the business concerned just like a Woolly Mammoth keeps on plodding along, and then expects to get bailed out by the Government.
Businesses should look towards, what I call the iPhone model for business. Is it intuitive, does it have room for expansion. Does it have the people who buy my products, waiting in anticipation for the next product to come out. Not as we have come to expect, which product which looks very much like the next one, and fails less, can I afford? That's the only point or problem with the iPhone model by Apple. Apple has always produced quality products, well since the return of Steve Jobs anyway, and that has always come at a price. So what Palm needs to do, if it's product the Pre' fulfills the iPhone model basic requisites, is put a price on it that makes it affordable to Joe Public on the street. I have no doubt there will be it's fans as well as it's detractors, it's success lays whether or not it can be seen by all as a REAL alternative, a REAL competitor and not just some wanna be.

A Picure of the main Night Event.

First Meeting. (James Naughton from Podshock Front, Me in the Kilt minus Sporren)

Hello and welcome

Welcome to this, which will hopefully be the first in many blogs. I am by admittance a Tech Head and Media Junkie.
I really love way too many Tech and Media things, and hope to use this to my advantage to fill this Blog.
At the Weekend (16 May 2009) it was time for Doctor Who, the longest running Sci-fi (and not sy-fy, though in the US this is where you can find it, and also BBC America) Series ever. Despite a lull in things due to a BBC Director (Who hated Sci-fi), from 1989 until a short TV film in 1996 and then subsequent revival in 2004/2005. This was bridged by BBC Radio dramatizations, in between.
Aranged by the Podcast "Doctor Who Podshock" (see iTunes or http://gallifreyanembassy.org/portal/) There was an Second Life meeting in the Gallifrey, New Gallifrey and Katrina enviroments. The first two enviroments were naturally the Doctor's home planet, but Katrina is a Replica of Cardiff dock area, complete with Doctor Who Museeum, and a few other interesting buildings. A main stage had also been constructed for the SL DJ of the Night to do his thing. All in all a good night, and most people attending, either dressed up as thier favourite charactor (Mine Being Jamie complete with Kilt, and with kind donation Sporren.) Other users, used the free character clothing that was kindly made available to all attending (Amoung which were, Daleks, Cybermen and U.N.I.T soldier, plus accessories.)
It seemed a good time was had by all, and it was a chance to meet the hosts of the Podshock Podcast, if not completely in person, but at least you could chat to them.
So until the next Tech or Media related blog
Aye.