Microsoft, take a page from Wolfram Alpha. Spend ~$0, launch in social channels, let others call it "awesomer!" - http://ping.fm/WFmWP
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Wolfram Alpha and Google Tested Head-To-Head [Obvious]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/HdYuJgPpnh8/wolfram-alpha-and-google-tested-head+to+head
Its makers have never appreciated sensationalist "Google Killer!" labeling, and rightly so: Wolfram Alpha excels at interpreting huge data sets, and only at interpreting huge data sets. A revealing taste of the contrast from TR:
SEARCH TERM: Sydney New YorkWOLFRAM ALPHA: I got tables showing the distance between the two cities in miles, kilometers, meters, even nautical miles; a map of the world with the optimal flight path; and the fact that the trip spans 0.4 of the earth's circumference. I learned how long it would take to make the trip: 18.1 hours flying; 13 hours for a sound wave, 74 milliseconds for a light beam in fiber, and 53 milliseconds for a light beam traveling in a vacuum. I also got comparative populations, elevation in meters, and current local times.
GOOGLE: I got a mix of things: a form for finding flights between Sydney and New York; a Google Maps-plotted list of businesses in New York City that contain the word "Sydney"; and links to the municipal government of Sidney, a small town in upstate New York.
It's also a huge nerd:
SEARCH TERM: Aspirin TylenolWOLFRAM ALPHA: Alpha gave me molecular diagrams for aspirin and acetaminophen and lots of scientific information co! mparing their molecular weights, boiling points, vapor pressure, and so forth.
GOOGLE: Usefully (to nonchemists suffering from headaches), the top link was to a Wiki-answers page telling people whether they can take aspirin and Tylenol together. Other links gave information about toxicity, danger to kidneys, and the like.
In other words, Wolfram Alpha is like a beefed-up, research-oriented take on Google's extras (stock price, calculator, unit conversion), with Aspergers.
I'm aware of the theoretical differences between the two, and I'm sure Wolfram Alpha's creators' blood would boil at the thought, but the engine's most natural home might be as a direct complement to Google, as a tab on their homepage or as a replacement for their modest current nonsearch functions. Anyway, TR has plenty more comparative search tests, and they give a pretty full picture of what you can expect when this thing finally goes public. [Technology Review]
MSI Wind U123 netbook now being stocked by US retailers
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/05/msi-wind-u123-netbook-now-being-stocked-by-us-retailers/
[Via Portable Monkey]
Read - Newegg
Read - Amazon
Read - J&R
Read - Frosty Computers
Filed under: Laptops
MSI Wind U123 netbook now being stocked by US retailers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 05:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsEagleTec's NanoSac MicroSD Card reader makes mouse balls look big
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/05/eagletecs-nanosac-microsd-card-reader-makes-mouse-balls-look-bi/
[Via Brando]
Continue reading EagleTec's NanoSac MicroSD Card reader makes mouse balls look big
Filed under: Storage
EagleTec's NanoSac MicroSD Card reader makes mouse balls look big originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 05:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsRenesas's 1080p-decoding processor coming soon to a cell phone near you
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/05/renesass-1080p-decoding-processor-coming-soon-to-a-cell-phone-n/
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Renesas's 1080p-decoding processor coming soon to a cell phone near you originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 06:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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