Friday, September 30, 2005

Monday, September 26, 2005

Book of the Year: "Singularity is Near" by Ray Kurzweil

Keywords: technological singularity, Ray Kurzweil

"At the onset of the twenty-first century, humanity stands on the verge of the most transforming and the most thrilling period in its history. It will be an era in which the very nature of what it means to be human will be both enriched and challenged, as our species breaks the shackles of its genetic legacy and achieves inconceivable heights of intelligence, material progress, and longevity.

For over three decades, the great inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil has been one of the most respected and provocative advocates of the role of technology in our future. In his classic The Age of Spiritual Machines, he presented the daring argument that with the ever-accelerating rate of technological change, computers would rival the full range of human intelligence at its best. Now, in The Singularity Is Near, he examines the next step in this inexorable evolutionary process: the union of human and machine, in which the knowledge and skills embedded in our brains will be combined with the vastly greater capacity, speed, and knowledge-sharing ability of our own creations.

That merging is the essence of the Singularity, an era in which our intelligence will become increasingly nonbiological and trillions of times more powerful than it is today—the dawning of a new civilization that will enable us to transcend our biological limitations and amplify our creativity. In this new world, there will be no clear distinction between human and machine, real reality and virtual reality. We will be able to assume different bodies and take on a range of personae at will. In practical terms, human aging and illness will be reversed; pollution will be stopped; world hunger and poverty will be solved. Nanotechnology will make it possible to create virtually any physical product using inexpensive information processes and will ultimately turn even death into a soluble problem.

While the social and philosophical ramifications of these changes will be profound, and the threats they pose considerable, The Singularity Is Near maintains a radically optimistic view of the future course of human development. As such, it offers a view of the coming age that is both a dramatic culmination of centuries of technological ingenuity and a genuinely inspiring vision of our ultimate destiny."
Source: Singularity.com

Discuss:
Ray Kurzweil's "The Singularity is Near" - Slashdot
KurzweilAI.net

Interview:
In Search of the Sixth Sense - Fast Company

Audio:
Ray Kurzweil - The Long Now Foundation
Rise of the Machines - On Point
Ray Kurzweil - IT Conversations
Ray Kurzweil - Podtech.net

Speculation:
The Day You Discard Your Body - Marshall Brain

See also:
Event of the Week: Accelerating Change 2005 - The World 2 Come
Book of the Week: "Accelerando" by Charles Stross - The World 2 Come

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Person of the Day: Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

Keywords: Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

"Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935), outstanding Russian self-taught scientist, inventor and engineer. 'The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but who spends all their life in a cradle?' he said and evolved principles for calculating rocket propulsion and developed a design of the first cosmic rocket to study inter-planetary space. Tsiolkovsky is considered the father of human space flight and the first man to conceive the space elevator."
Source: ESA

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Book of the Week: "On Intelligence" by Jeff Hawkins

Keywords: cognitive science, Jeff Hawkins, artificial intelligence

"Jeff Hawkins, the high-tech success story behind PalmPilots and the Redwood Neuroscience Institute, does a lot of thinking about thinking. In On Intelligence Hawkins juxtaposes his two loves--computers and brains--to examine the real future of artificial intelligence. In doing so, he unites two fields of study that have been moving uneasily toward one another for at least two decades. Most people think that computers are getting smarter, and that maybe someday, they'll be as smart as we humans are. But Hawkins explains why the way we build computers today won't take us down that path. He shows, using nicely accessible examples, that our brains are memory-driven systems that use our five senses and our perception of time, space, and consciousness in a way that's totally unlike the relatively simple structures of even the most complex computer chip. Readers who gobbled up Ray Kurzweil's (The Age of Spiritual Machines and Steven Johnson's Mind Wide Open will find more intriguing food for thought here. Hawkins does a good job of outlining current brain research for a general audience, and his enthusiasm for brains is surprisingly contagious."
Source: Amazon.com

Reviews:
On Intelligence

Discuss:
Cognitive Science - tribe.net

Audio:
Jeff Hawkins - STVP Educators Corner

Blogs:
Brain Waves - Corante
CogNews
Cognitive Daily
Mind Hacks
Neurodudes
PsychNotes

Learn:
How Your Brain Works - Howstuffworks
Brain and Cognitive Sciences - MIT OCW

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Findory Feed Reader

Keywords: Findory

"Findory just finished adding a Bloglines-like feed reader to our personalized news site. It is available on our My Favorites page."
Source: Greg Linden

Reviews:
Findory Feed Reader Adds Import - InsideGoogle
Findory Completes Release of Personalized RSS Reader - SEW Blog

Profile:
Findory is your Personalized Newspaper - Techcrunch
Findory Adds Self-Evolving Feed Reader - Techcrunch

Does IT Matter?

Keywords: Information Technology (IT)

Paradigm Gang
"Nick Carr joins the Gang–Doc Searls, Dana Gardner, and Dan Farber. Does IT still matter in the wake of Oracle buying Siebel, Skype stinging eBay, and Microsoft tipping its hand. It’s all about services and the rise of utility computing, and how long Microsoft has before its Window closes."
Source: Gillmor Gang

Blogs:
Steve Gillmor's InfoRouter - ZDNet.com
Rough Type: Nicholas Carr's Blog
The CIO Weblog
IT Blogwatch - Computerworld Blogs

News:
IT Services - Topix.net

Discuss:
IT - Slashdot

How the internet killed the phone business

Keywords: VoIP

"The acquisition by eBay of Skype is a helpful reminder to the world's trillion-dollar telecoms industry that all phone calls will eventually be free."
Source: Economist

Opinion:
Economist Cover - "How the internet killed the phone business" - MyDoctorate.com
Economist falls for Skype-hype: wrongly predicts end to mobile voice calls - Communities Dominate Brands

News:
Telecom - Topix.net

Blogs:
Om Malik
EuroTelcoblog

Analysts:
Ian Fogg - JupiterResearch Analyst Weblogs

Finance:
Telecom - The Internet Stock Blog

Audio:
VoIP Blog and Podcast by Erik Lagerway

See also:
eBay buys Skype - The World 2 Come

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Sunday, September 18, 2005

Event of the Week: Accelerating Change 2005

Keywords: technological singularity

"Artificial intelligence ('AI'), broadly defined, improves the intelligence and autonomy of our technology. Intelligence amplification ('IA') empowers human beings and their social, political, and economic environments. As in previous years, a collection of today's most broad-minded, multidisciplinary, and practical change leaders will consider these twin trends from global, national, business, social, and personal foresight perspectives."
Link

Blogs:
Future Salon : AC2005
Jon Udell
Saturday, September 17, 2005 - Scott Lemon
Sunday, September 18, 2005 - Scott Lemon
The Singularity is Near - Internet Time Blog
Accelerating Change 2005 (2) - Internet Time Blog
Accelerating Change 2005 (live) - Internet Time Blog

Search:
Google Blog Search
IceRocket
Feedster

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Apple: The Next Generation

Keywords: Apple, Steve Jobs

"Apple is once again involved in a transformation that has stoked the chatter. Its break with longtime processor provider IBM and its new alliance with Intel leave open a raft of questions about motive, implementation and risks. The company also faces the challenge of building on the unmatched success of its iPods and iTunes Music Store in the face of unrelenting competition. And theories abound on the path Apple will take as it aims for a central role in digital home entertainment."
Source: SiliconValley.com

News:
Apple - Topix.net
Apple - Google News

Blogs:
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
Apple - Corante

Opinion:
Apple's hardware/software/web platform - Web 2.0 Explorer ZDNet.com

Discuss:
Roundtable on Apple's Future - Slashdot

Finance:
AAPL - The Internet Stock Blog

Analysts:
Apple - JupiterResearch Analyst Weblogs

Photos:
Apple - Flickr

Presentation:
Steve Jobs: Master of the Demo - VentureBlog
Visual simplicity: Steve Jobs does it again - Presentation Zen

Search:
Apple - Technorati
Apple - IceRocket

Audio:
The Mac User Show - ThePodcastNetwork
MacCast
Apple - EarningsCast
Engadget Podcast 043 - 09.12.2005

See also:
The Future of Apple - The World 2 Come

Monday, September 12, 2005

eBay buys Skype

Keywords: eBay, Skype

It’s official! eBay buys Skype.
Source: Skype Journal

Press Release:
"London, September 12, 2005 – eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY; www.ebay.com) has agreed to acquire Luxembourg-based Skype Technologies SA, the global Internet communications company, for approximately $2.6 billion in up-front cash and eBay stock, plus potential performance-based consideration. The acquisition will strengthen eBay’s global marketplace and payments platform, while opening several new lines of business and creating significant new monetization opportunities for the company. The deal also represents a major opportunity for Skype to advance its leadership in Internet voice communications and offer people worldwide new ways to communicate in a global online era. Skype, eBay and PayPal will create an unparalleled ecommerce and communications engine for buyers and sellers around the world."
Source: Skype

Events & Presentations:
eBay to Acquire Skype - eBay

News:
eBay - Topix.net
Skype - Google News

Analysis:
Skype, PayPal and eBay - loose wire
Niklas and Meg 4-ever - EuroTelcoblog
Ebay set to seal Skype deal for over $2.6bn - Rodrigo A. Sepъlveda Schulz
Why eBay Is Buying Skype - Business Week
The Simple Reason eBay bought Skype - Ross Mayfield
Business as Usual at Skype Estonia - Ross Mayfield

Analysts:
Skype - JupiterResearch Analyst Weblogs
Ebay - Aqute Market Research

Insight:
"If you take the elements of eBay, including the micro-payments capability of Paypal and, now, the IP-based communications capabilities of Skype, we may be seeing the formation of the next Reuters."
Source: Some thoughts on eBay’s Purchase of Skype - The Jeff Pulver Blog
Why eBay bought Skype - poductivity
Ebay buys Skype: the deal of the decade? - The Mobile Technology Weblog
A different spin on eBay-Skype - Mark Sigal

Interviews:
The Secret to Skype's Success? - AO
Man on the Skype Interviews: What does the eBay-Skype deal mean to you? - Skype Journal

Discuss:
eBay To Buy Skype For $2.6 Billion - Slashdot
eBay to buy telephony group Skype - WebmasterWorld

Search:
Skype - Technorati
Skype - IceRocket

Finance:
EBAY - The Internet Stock Blog

Photos:
Skype - Flickr

Audio:
EBay Acquires Skype for $4.1billion - EarningsCast
EarningsCast-eBay-2005-Q2-EBAY

Questions:
"So, here's the question--Will Google buy eBay? Or Amazon?
I'd like to bet that big war chest goes for platform tools, not media."
Source: Susan Mernit

See also:
Search Wars: Google Talk - The World 2 Come
The Future of Media - 2 - The World 2 Come

Update:
eBay + Paypal + Skype + Shopping.com + Kijiji = ?

Update 2:
Skype's Product Development Roadmap Through February 2006 - Skype Journal

Friday, September 02, 2005

Topic of the Week: Hurricane Katrina

Keywords: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans

News:
Online coverage of Hurricane Katrina - OJR
BBC News
CNN
Yahoo News


Maps:

New Orleans / 2005 Hurricane Katrina - GlobalSecurity.org
Hurricane Katrina and Flooding - Google Earth Hacks
New Orleans - Google Maps

Blogs:
Times-Picayune Breaking News Weblog - NOLA.com

BlogPulse Highlights
The Interdictor
Metroblogging New Orleans
Slidell Hurricane Damage Blog
Hurricane Katrina Blogs - About.com
Metroblogging Houston

Timeline:
Katrina Timeline - Think Progress

Search:
Katrina - Technorati
Katrina - IceRocket

Help:
Katrina Help
HurricAid
HurricaneHelp
Helping the Victims of Katrina - Howstuffworks
Hurricane Katrina Relief Ideas - Working Podcast
PeopleFinderVolunteer - Katrina Help Wiki

Resources:
Instapundit
About.com
Katrina Overview - The Big Picture

Photos:
Katrina - Flickr
Hurricane Photos - NOLA.com
Katrina - AOL Journals
Operation Eden

Missing:
Hurricane Katrina Missing Person and Survivor Lists - Yahoo
Lists of lists of the missing - Buzz Machine

Forums:
www.chron.com/katrinaforums

Audio:
Katrina - NPR
New Orleans Mayor Interview - Ethan Zuckerman
Katrina - Podscope
Katrina Refugee Interviews - ZIP 71101
Katrina's Economic Impact - Radio Economics

Transcript:
Mayor to feds: 'Get off your asses' - CNN

Video:
Broussard: "We have been abandoned by our own country." - Boing Boing

Discuss:
DirectNIC Crisis Manager Braves the Chaos of New Orleans - Slashdot

Technology In Katrina's Wake - Slashdot
Katrina Help - tribe.net

Questions:
Leadership is about details (or “What if Giuliani was President right now?”) - Jason Calacanis
Katrina Disaster: Where is the Military? - Nova Spivack
Welcome to the Newest Third World Country: America - AO
ON TEN QUESTIONS REGARDING NEW ORLEANS - Michael Parekh
New Orleans Warzone: Lawlessness and Looting Add to Katrina's Savagery - The Mobile Technology Weblog
Tech Central Station

Insight:
Katrina's System Perturbation may feature many long horizontal scenarios - Thomas Barnett
Connect the Dots - Jim Kunstler

Security:
DHS WTF? - Defense Tech
Homeland Secure? - Defense Tech

Business:
Inc.com

Finance:
The Financial Impact of Hurricane Katrina - Seeking Alpha

Economics:
Economic, Market Impact Of Hurricane Katrina - The Big Picture

Bookmarks:
del.icio.us / tag / katrina+bush

Communities:
Hurricane Relief Supporters - Meetup.com

Communications:
Recovery 2.0: A call to convene - Buzz Machine
A Brilliant Idea for Helping Katrina Victims - Fractals of Change

Media:
Press dismay at Katrina chaos - BBC News

Learn:
How Hurricanes Work - Howstuffworks
Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness - FEMA

Thursday, September 01, 2005

The European Blogosphere

Keywords: Europe, blogosphere

Number of blogs, as of June 11th, 2005
Source: LoicLeMeur Wiki - The european blogosphere

Interview:
Loic Le Meur - Naked Conversations

NeoMarketing

Keywords: marketing

Source: Creating Passionate Users
[via BuzzMachine]