The best ideas on the planet...

I want to share with you an awesome web site for anyone in the tech, entertainment, or design fields: TED.  TED (for Tech, Entertainment, Design) is a non-profit organization started in 1984 with the purpose of culling and spreading the best ideas.

The web site consists mainly of videos of prominent speakers giving talks on various tech, entertainment, or design topics.  Some of their more recognizable speakers include: Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Steve Jobs, Richard Dawkins, and Barry Schwartz.

Some of the more interesting videos are by people whose name you may not recognize.  One I particularly like is from an MIT researcher who has developed a very unique way to integrate tech with the physical world.  His name is Pranav Mistry.  He is the lead developer of the SixthSense system.  His video can be seen here; be sure to watch through to the end when he demos his system.

The TED web site can be found at http://www.ted.com/.

Pravna Mistry's talk on tech/physical interface is here:
http://www.ted.com/talks/pranav_mistry_the_thrilling_potential_of_sixthsense_technology.html

Evolution of Classroom Tech - A Visual Tour

The NY Times has put together a really neat visual tour of classroom teaching aids dating from the 1600s to today.  The "Magic Lantern" from the 1870s is my fav. 

It's funny how the Scantron from the early 1970s is referenced in the past-tense, but seems to be still alive and well at LSU.

Check them out here:
(http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/09/19/magazine/classroom-technology.html)

Microsoft Glasnost Fail

Russian police forces are cracking down on vocal, anti-government groups and organizations, often using legally questionable tactics.  Nothing new here, right?  But, what is interesting is who is involved in these raids – Microsoft.

This article in The New York Times, outlines the questionable tactics police are using to seize computers from environmental and other dissident groups.  Police are claiming they are searching for illegal Microsoft software and charging copyright infringement violations.  Even if they groups are in full compliance, it still takes months to get their equipment back and by that time, the legal fees are ruinous.   

Microsoft lawyers in Russia are reported to have initiated the claims on the urging of the various police forces.  Microsoft representatives in Redmond deny any illegal or wrongful activities in Russia.

Read the full article here.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/world/europe/12raids.html?_r=2

MIT brings supercomputing processing power to cell phones

Researchers at MIT have developed an app that performs complex engineering calculations (fluid dynamics, stress analysis, etc.) on regular smart phones.

Their approach is unique in that they run numerous calculations on a supercomputer, load the results into their app, and the app then calculates the best approximation based on user input.

I think that this is one of the first of many software applications to come in which a computer makes a “best guess” instead of performing time-consuming, precise calculations.

Read the full article here:
(http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2010/supercomputer-smart-phones-0901.html)

Online!

Welcome to Tachyon Flash, my personal blog of tech-related infomation and opinions.  I finally relented and decided to share myself with the world.  Admittedly, it was for a couple of classes at school, but I have always felt that I should share my thoughts and opinions with whomever wants to hear them. 

I also plan to use this as my online portfolio. I will have to upload some of my old work soon to get it started.

I will update the look and feel as soon as I get some free time; I have this neat logo I designed that I would like to use, but it is not quite finished yet.

Please send me any comments, questions, and/or suggestions.  I enjoy discussing tech with others - noobs or professionals alike.