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Located in a Japanese mall called Canal City, this fountain is programmed immaculately to “paint” the air with falling water.
Canal City (Wiki) via Bits and Pieces
All you and I have to do to tell a fiction from a non-fiction is to read a piece of text – but how can a computer tell the difference? It’s tricky, but doable:
Joseph Stevanak and Lincoln Carr at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden have come up with a way to do it. They say that the key is to look at the networks that form when you examine how often words appear close together in each type of text.
The type of network they examined creates a graph in which each word in the text forms a vertex. A line connects two vertices if these words appear next to each other in the text. It is possible to explore longer range links by connecting vertices when they appear two or three or four words apart and so on.
Stevanak and Carr say that just two properties of this kind of network can help distinguish fiction from nonfiction stories. The first is the power law that describes the number of links to each vertex in the network. The second is the cluster coefficient which describes how well the vertices are connected to the rest of the network.
Measuring these two quantities alone can identify the type of story with remarkable accuracy. "Our analysis yielded a 73.8±5.15% accuracy for the correct classification of novels and 69.1 ± 1.22% for news stories," say Stevenak and Carr.
From the hard hitting newspaper, Weekly World News (motto: The World’s Only Reliable News!)
Spam, viruses, and piracy aren’t the only dangers on the web. James Mowery of Techi wrote an article about all the bad things that can happen online, but I’m particularly concerned over the ability of hackers turning my home computer into a … – wait, what’s that smell? Oh shi–
Dell computers have discovered what your prototypical high school student already knows: math is hard, and sometimes it can melt your brain.
After the math department at the University of Texas noticed some of its Dell computers failing, Dell examined the machines. The company came up with an unusual reason for the computers’ demise: the school had overtaxed the machines by making them perform difficult math calculations.
And I’m sure you can predict what would happen next if you continue to ship faulty computers to your customers. Five words: Dell, you’re getting a lawsuit!
See also: Dude, You’re Getting A Tequila! | Alphabet of Computing
Last year Google began offering free WiFi in 47 American airports. Other airports have added this feature to accommodate the needs of business travelers. Here’s a reminder that connecting to WiFi may open your laptop to strangers:
I was recently at New York’s JFK airport in the JetBlue terminal, where they have prominent signs offering free wi-fi, courtesy of the airline. But when I went to connect, I noticed that several options were available including one labeled “default” and another labeled “JetBlue free hotspot.” It turns out that the former was the actual free hotspot and the latter was the honeypot.
What tipped me off was that the “JetBlue free hotspot” was labeled in my Mac OS X “Airport” (i.e. wi-fi) menu as a “Computer-to-Computer network…” If you connect to this network on an imperfectly protected Windows laptop, this hacker will have access to your data from his own computer.
More at the link. The same principle would of course apply at non-airport facilities such as dining establishments.
Link. Photo: Device Magazine.
Remember the old Public Service Announcement "This is Your Brain on Drugs?" Well, forget drugs – there’s a new and more insidious danger for your brain: computers.
This is your brain on computers.
Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information.
These play to a primitive impulse to respond to immediate opportunities and threats. The stimulation provokes excitement — a dopamine squirt — that researchers say can be addictive. In its absence, people feel bored.
The resulting distractions can have deadly consequences, as when cellphone-wielding drivers and train engineers cause wrecks. And for millions of people like Mr. Campbell, these urges can inflict nicks and cuts on creativity and deep thought, interrupting work and family life.
While many people say multitasking makes them more productive, research shows otherwise. Heavy multitaskers actually have more trouble focusing and shutting out irrelevant information, scientists say, and they experience more stress.
And scientists are discovering that even after the multitasking ends, fractured thinking and lack of focus persist. In other words, this is also your brain off computers.
Matt Richtel of The New York Times explains: Link
Sean Murtagh of London, England was scheduled to marry Natalie Mead of Brisbane, Australia surrounded by family and friends in England. They had a civil ceremony in Australia already, and were on the way to the big British ceremony when they were stranded at an airport in Dubai due to the volcanic ash cloud that cancelled many European flights. Instead of canceling the wedding, they were married via Skype! Assembled wedding attendees in Ealing, west London, watched the couple take their vows aided by a laptop and a webcam at the airport.
Natalie Mead told Gulf News: “Passengers stranded in the hotel were getting excited for the first time in days when they heard about our wedding; some even helped me with my hair and make-up. It was also great to see everyone in the UK on our wedding day, even if it was via webcam.
“It has been an amazing day and we are just so grateful for everything that everyone has done for us. It is definitely a story to tell the grandchildren. There was no way we were going to let this volcano stop us [from] getting married.”
Caroline Black, a celebrant who conducted the online ceremony from London, said: “It was just like any other wedding except the bride and groom weren’t there.”
The airport donated flowers and a wedding cake for the celebration. Link -via Bits and Pieces
(TBT link)
Windows errors are annoying, but if you have enough of them you can dance! From Today’s Big Thing. -via b3ta
Personally, I prefer this version from a few years back that uses sounds from both Windows 98 and XP.
Iggy and his owner have discovered that the iPad was apparently developed for the convenience of cats. Unlike conventional laptops, it doesn’t have to be opened. The touch screen does not require opposable thumbs to use. Many programs do not require typing. There’s no mouse to tempt or distract. And the screen can lay flat on a surface. Purrrrfect! Watch Iggy use the iPad in this video. Link (embedded YouTube clip)
Is it time for fresh wallpaper for your computer? Ayesee’s imgur page has 188 fantastic, clever and cute backgrounds to choose from. Clockwise from top left- classic spiral galaxy, HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey, The mischievous pedobear is watching you, and Domo-kun stomp city.
Link -via Twisted Sifter.
Plenty of people talk about helping Africa, but never actually do anything about it. But not our very own Neatoramanaut Zavatone!
When he wasn’t busy correcting my tpyos and grammatical errors, Zavatone and his friends actually "bought" a school and donated laptops to school kids in Namibia:
In Namibia, up by Angola, next to the Okavongo river, is a high school full of 600 Namibian kids and 1/3 to 1/2 of them are orphans. I drove up to the Leevi-Hakusembe Secondary School (High School) in Rundu, Namibia at the request of the Ambassador and Minister of Foreign Affairs to speak and to donate some computers that I bought for them. It was an amazing and heartwarming opportunity, I wish I had more time to spend at the school. The trip is about a 3 day trip up and back from the capitol (Windhoek) and about 900 miles since you can’t drive at night.
He also took some amazing photos of the countryside along the way: Link
We’re proud of you, Zavatone! Keep up the good work!
What is this? It’s like a holographic Rube Goldberg machine! Just creative use of an iPod, a TV, 2 computer monitors and precision timing. They say there were no special effects used, which must mean there was no cheating in the making of the video, because the overall effect is special.
From the Upcoming 
ueue, submitted by Bopple.
Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss is a lot of fun, especially for someone like me who spent decades connecting audio-video equipment professionally. I’m sure you will enjoy it, too! Can you identify ten different types of connecting cables, both old and new? Good luck; I scored 80%. Link
Poor Scroll Lock. Have a look at more like this at AcidCow. Somebody help me out with On-Pause-Off… I don’t get it, is it a Mac thing?
Some people eat at their computers. Some smoke while computing. And some don’t change the filter on their heating and air system as often as they should. Many of us never open up our computers to see what’s inside, but that’s the first thing your computer repair expert will do. If your PC is anything like these computers, the next thing he/she will do is take a picture. The Register has six pages of these dirty, filthy pictures. Link -via Digg
Still from Blade Runner; Warner Bros. 1982
A long time ago they were called robots. That rather pedestrian term evolved into android, droid, cyborg, and artificial intelligence, among others. Plenty of movies have featured them in one fashion or another, and Unreality’s Madison cobbled together the ten best, with Blade Runner’s Roy Batty coming in at number 5.
Roy Batty, quite simply, is a bad, bad dude. As leader of the Nexus-6 replicants, Batty is a combat model used for military battles, and so his speed, strength, and combat skills are far beyond those of a human being. He also has a genius level intellect, which he employs to torment Deckard. He eventually shows empathy for Deckard, though, and Batty himself appears to be more human than the humans who sought out to have him destroyed.
Find out which cinematic circuit board made the top of the list.
Link (updated link has blasted malware worm away, all should be well).
Update 10/18/09 by Alex – delinked. The malware is in Unreality Mag’s ad server. There’s a rogue ad rotating amongst regular ads. Pls keep this delinked and do not remove/repost. Thanks!
Talk about computer viruses! Sculptor Forrest McCluer took salvaged 30 old PCs from the landfill and turned them into sculptures of viruses (the biological kind). This one above is inspired by the T4 Bacteriophage:
The “T9 Track Virus” is another version of the T4 Bacteriophage. It consists of PC power supply cables, CD-ROMs, sections of 9-track magnetic tapes, and parts of floppy drives. When the piece is on display, McCluer scatters a pile of unraveled 9-track tapes under it to represent the bacteria cells destroyed by the T9 Bacteriophage Virus.
Link | More at Forrest McCluer’s Website
Also at the Neatorama Shop: T4 Bacteriophage Plush Toy by Giant Microbes
It was 40 years ago today, September 2, 1969 that scientists connected two computers at UCLA with a 15-foot cable and the machines were able to communicate with each other. The test data was meaningless, but the breakthrough eventually led to the formation of the internet, but there were plenty of other milestones. Which date is the birthday of the internet?
September 2, 1969: First time two computers communicated with each other.
Oct 29, 1969: Message sent from computer to computer in different locations.
1971: The first email was sent.
Jan 1, 1983: ARPANET adopted the standard TCP/IP protocol.
March 1989: Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web.
April 22, 1993: Mosaic became the first web browser.
Which date should we designate as the birthday of the internet? Link -via Buzzfeed
(image credit: Flickr user lemonfridge)
Say what you will, but Goodwill can be a treasure trove of weird and wonderful stuff. Jonathan Ryan went to one a few days ago and found this gem: a pop-up book titled "Inside the Personal Computer" published in 1984.
The book describes – in delightful pop-up glory – everything from read/write heads to the inner workings of a CRT.
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by JonathanRyan.
Update 5/2/09 by Alex: Here’s a YouTube clip of the book in action.
Please note no effects or sampling was used. What you see is what you hear (does that even make sense?)
Atari 800XL was used for the lead piano/organ sound
Texas Instruments TI-99/4a as lead guitar
8 Inch Floppy Disk as Bass
3.5 inch Harddrive as the gong
HP ScanJet 3C was used for all vocals. Please note I had to record the HP scanner 4 seperate times for each voice. I tried to buy 4 HP scanners but for some reason sellers on E-Bay expect you to pay $80-$100, I got mine for $30.
I wonder if it takes requests? -via Arbroath
Who says being a geek isn’t sexy? Flickr user SA Steve has a large collection
of neat vintage computing ads from old magazines and other photos. Check it out: Link [Flickr Photoset]
Recompute is an unusual case for your computer. It’s green and sustainable … and made out of corrugated cardboards!
Recompute and other neat "green" technologies are competing in the Greener Gadgets Design Competition, hosted by Core77 (you can vote for your favorite green gadgets):
Rather than making a large tower constructed from numerous materials (ABS plastic, aluminum, steel, etc.), hundreds of manufacturing processes, and dozens of individual components, the Recompute case is made of corrugated cardboard (recyclable and renewable). There are four low-impact manufacturing processes to assemble Recompute: Die cutting, gluing (with non-toxic white glue), printing and electronic assembly. Recompute uses only three major electronic components: A motherboard with processor & memory, power supply, and a hard drive.
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by zeo.
Z1 Computer, via epemag
Dark Roasted Blend, one of my favorite blogs which sucks at least 30 minutes of my free time whenever I visit, has a really neat post about real and imaginary supercomputers. This one above is the Z1 computer, built by German engineer Konrad Zuse, who built the world’s first programmable computer.
Previously on Neatorama: The Wonderful World of Early Computing
Marko Calasan of Skopje, Macedonia is the world’s youngest certified computer system administrator at the age of eight. He could get a high-paying job, but he hasn’t yet completed third grade!
Marko learnt to read and write at the age of 2 and started working on computers immediately. The news of his extraordinary achievement turned him into a local celebrity and he has even had an audience with the Macedonian Prime Minister, Nikola Gruevski, who presented him with an IT lab with 15 computers to practise on.
His parents, who are IT experts and run a computer school for children, are considering sending Marko abroad to a specialised institute of learning for gifted children, as none exists in Macedonia.
Marko passed Microsoft’s tests for IT professionals. He says he wants to create a new operational system for computers …when he grows up. Link -via Arbroath
(image credit: Bojan Pancevski)
Wired celebrates the 40th anniversary of the unveiling of the first computer mouse on December 9th, 1968.
Computer scientist Douglas Engelbart kicks off the personal computer revolution with a product demonstration that is so amazing it inspires a generation of technologists. It will become known as “the mother of all demos.”
The presentation included the debut of the computer mouse, which Engelbart used to control an onscreen pointer in exactly the same way we do today. For a world used to thinking of computers as impersonal boxes that read punched cards, whir awhile, then spit out reams of teletype paper, this kind of real-time graphical control was amazing enough.
Englebert also demonstrated other computer abilities such as hyperlinks, windows, and videoconferencing, among other ideas we use today, although it took the computer industry decades to implement them. Link
In addition, Wired has a gallery showing the evolution of the computer mouse. Link
(image credit: SRI International)
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