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News
Cuil Launches Biggest Search Engine on the Web
Cuil, a technology company pioneering a new approach to search, unveiled its innovative search offering, which combines the biggest Web index with content-based relevance methods, results organized by ideas, and complete user privacy. Cuil (www.Cuil.com) has indexed 120 billion Web pages, three times more than any other search engine.
Cuil (pronounced COOL) provides organized and relevant results based on Web page content analysis. The search engine goes beyond today’s search techniques of link analysis and traffic ranking to analyze the context of each page and the concepts behind each query. It then organizes similar search results into groups and sorts them by category.
“The Web continues to grow at a fantastic rate and other search engines are unable to keep up with it,” said Tom Costello, CEO and co-founder of Cuil. “Our significant breakthroughs in search technology have enabled us to index much more of the Internet, placing nearly the entire Web at the fingertips of every user. In addition, Cuil presents searchers with content-based results, not just popular ones, providing different and more insightful answers that illustrate the vastness and the variety of the Web.”
Cuil’s technology was developed by a team with extensive history in search. The company is led by husband-and-wife team Tom Costello and Anna Patterson. Mr. Costello researched and developed search engines at Stanford University and IBM; Ms. Patterson is best known for her work at Google, where she was the architect of the company’s large search index and led a Web page ranking team. They refused to accept the limitations of current search technology and dedicated themselves to building a more comprehensive search engine. Together with Russell Power, Anna’s former colleague from Google, they founded Cuil to give users the opportunity to explore the Internet more fully and discover its true potential.
“Since we met at Stanford, Tom and I have shared a vision of the ideal search engine,” said Anna Patterson, President and COO of Cuil. “Our team approaches search differently. By leveraging our expertise in search architecture and relevance methods, we’ve built a more efficient yet richer search engine from the ground up. The Internet has grown and we think it’s time search did too.”
Cuil’s methods guarantee online privacy for searchers. Since the search engine ranks pages based on content instead of number of clicks, personal data collection is unnecessary, so personal search history is always private.
July 28, 2008
Virgin Galactic Unveils "EVE" Mothership
Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceShipOne designer, Burt Rutan, unveiled the new WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft that will ferry SpaceShipTwo and thousands of private astronauts, science packages, and payload on the first stage of the Virgin Galactic sub-orbital space experience.
The rollout represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic’s quest to launch the world’s first private, environmentally benign, space access system for people, payload and science.
Christened “EVE” in honor of Branson’s mother, WK2 represents ground-breaking aerospace technology. It is the world’s largest all carbon composite aircraft and many of its component parts have been built using composite materials for the very first time. At 140 ft, the wing spar is the longest single carbon composite aviation component ever manufactured.
WK2 also has a unique heavy lift, high altitude capability and an open architecture driven design which provides for maximum versatility in the weight, mass and volume of its payload potential. It has the power, strength and maneuverability to provide for pre space-flight, positive G force and zero G astronaut training as well as a lift capability which is over 30% greater than that represented by a fully crewed SpaceShipTwo. The vehicle has a maximum altitude over 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast range will allow the spaceship to be ferried on long duration flights.
Large numbers of VIP’s, media and more than 100 fully signed-up future Virgin Galactic astronauts flew into Mojave for the rollout onboard a new Airbus A320 aircraft specially chartered from Virgin America. Commenting on the rollout, Burt Rutan said:
“WhiteKnightTwo represents the apogee of the application of carbon composites to aerospace and all of us at Scaled are tremendously excited at the capabilities of the Mothership for SpaceShipTwo. I believe the vehicle will be developed and sold for a variety of launch applications beyond the initial requirements of our launch customer, Virgin Galactic. We have set up a new business jointly with Virgin, The Spaceship Company (TSC), to develop these vehicles and we very much hope that its efficiency will herald a wake up call to the aerospace industry and the necessity of using new materials and technologies in the future. “
Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Galactic added:
“As usual, Burt and the Scaled team have created a beauty and this is a very proud day for us all. The rollout of WhiteKnightTwo takes the Virgin Galactic vision to the next level and continues to provide tangible evidence that this most ambitious of projects is not only for real but is making tremendous progress towards our goal of safe commercial operation.
Virgin Galactic is central to our ambition at Virgin to become the world’s leading group in the operation of energy and environmentally efficient transportation, in the air, on the ground and in space. We arrived here this morning on an aircraft operated by Virgin America, who run the most fuel efficient commercial fleet in the US, to roll out what by most definitions, is the most energy efficient aircraft in history. We are naming it EVE after my Mother, Eve Branson but also because it represents a first and a new beginning, the chance for our ever growing group of future astronauts and other scientists and payload specialists to see our world in a completely new light. I for one can’t wait!”
July 28, 2008
AOL Scaling Back?
AOL is reportedly shutting down three of its data-storage services, to cut costs and instead concentrate on advertising opportunities. Transition details are still being worked out, but existing users will most likely be given a way to migrate files to other services, or be given the ability to download copies of their individual files. AOL will reportedly inform its users of the changes this September.
July 25, 2008
Microsoft HealthVault and RelayHealth to Connect Doctors and Patients
Microsoft Corp. announced a strategic collaboration with RelayHealth where Microsoft HealthVault and RelayHealth will enable affordable patient connectivity with doctors’ offices and hospitals so patients can have online access to medical care, information and records. Physicians will be able to use the RelayHealth service through a Web browser as a means of helping them with the automation of their practice. The service can also integrate with electronic medical record systems which are already in use. Patients, on the other hand, will be able to access their personal health records and have online interaction with their physician.
“Until now, the ability for consumers to access and share appropriate health information online has not been possible, and as a result, personal health records (PHRs) have not been broadly adopted or consistently used,” said Pamela Pure, president of McKesson Technology Solutions. “Our relationship with Microsoft can change that. HealthVault offers consumers a convenient and accessible way to store and manage their healthcare and wellness data in one central place. The RelayHealth network then connects the consumer’s portfolio of information with the care provider and unifies the management of the personal health record.”
RelayHealth’s services give patients the ability to schedule appointments online, request prescription refills, pay bills, obtain results, and visit their doctor online using webVisit consultations for non-urgent care. HealthVault is a consumer health platform that allows people to collect, store, and share health information with family members and participating healthcare providers.
“Together, Microsoft and RelayHealth will make it easier for consumers and doctors to exchange information that is a part of our everyday lives, such as ordering and filling prescriptions, receiving lab results and other important exchanges that impact our health and well-being,” said Peter Neupert, corporate vice president of the Health Solutions Group at Microsoft. “Using the Internet to better connect patients and providers is a big step toward engaging people in their health decisions and ultimately improving the quality of patient care.”
July 24, 2008
Sony Reader Opening Up to Other Booksellers
Sony will be updating its Reader e-book device, to allow books from other booksellers to be able to be purchased and read by users. The unit will continue to be able to read books in text file and PDF formats, but will now also allow the addition of the Epub format, which is used by many publishers due to its ability to copy-protect e-books, to prevent piracy. The new update will also allow Sony to compete more closely with Amazon's Kindle e-book reader, which has proven to be the most popular reader device since its debut.
July 24, 2008
Microsoft Reorganizes Windows and Online Services Business
Microsoft Corp. announced that the Platforms & Services Division (PSD) will be split into two groups: Windows/Windows Live and Online Services, with both groups reporting directly to CEO Steve Ballmer. Microsoft also announced that PSD President Kevin Johnson will be leaving the company. Johnson will work to ensure a smooth transition.
“Kevin has built a supremely talented organization and laid the foundation for the future success of Windows and our Online Services Business. This new structure will give us more agility and focus in two very competitive arenas,” Ballmer said. “It has been a pleasure to work with Kevin, and we wish him well in the future.”
The Windows organization recently announced strong annual sales, with more than 180 million copies of Windows Vista sold globally, and it has driven more than 100 million installs of its Windows Live suite. The organization’s innovation pipeline includes a new version of Windows Internet Explorer, the next version of Windows and the next generation of the Windows Live product suite.
“Our Windows business is firing on all cylinders,” Ballmer said. “We see tremendous opportunity in search and advertising, and we have a clear strategy for investing in success today and growth in the future.”
“Microsoft is a special place and presents opportunity to so many,” Johnson said. “I have been so fortunate to have experienced 16 amazing years of building Microsoft’s business, learning from great leaders in the company and working with phenomenally talented people.”
July 23, 2008
Amazon Shopping Comes to TiVo
TiVo customers will soon be able to purchase items from Amazon without having to fire up their computers to browse. With the use of their remote control, TiVo users can purchase items discussed on a TV show being watched, and search for more information using TiVo's Universal Swivel Search. The new service is reportedly scheduled to launch Tuesday and will be available on broadband Internet connected Series 2, Series 3, and TiVo HD units.
July 22, 2008
CherryPal Brings Low-cost Computing to the Cloud
The CherryPal C100 desktop is reportedly around the size of a paperback book, while maintaining the performance of a full-size desktop computer. The PC, offered at $249, uses Freescale's triple-core mobileGT processor, has no moving parts, and has a reported lifespan of 10 years or more. CherryPal comes pre-installed with OpenOffice, iTunes, a CherryPal-brand media player, and a CherryPal-branded instant messenger that supports all common IM programs. It also features 50GB of free Internet storage space. Control of all of the CherryPal's functions and applications are done through the browser, with CherryPal's online administrators doing all of the system maintenance for you. Though not made for PC power users, at $249, this new cloud PC could be a popular solution for those who only use their PCs for Web surfing, e-mail, document creation, and other light computing tasks.
Specifications:
Freescale’s MPC5121e mobileGT processor, 800 MIPS (400 MHz) of processing
256 MB of DDR2 DRAM
4GB NAND Flash-based solid state drive
WiFi 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
Two USB 2.0 ports
One 10/100 Ethernet with RJ-45 jack
One VGA DB-15 display out jack
Headphone level stereo audio out 3.5mm jack
9vDC 2.5mm 10 watt AC-DC adapter power supply
Weighs 10 ounces
1.3” high, 5.8” x 4.2” wide
July 21, 2008
Yahoo Comes to Terms with Icahn
Yahoo Inc. announced that it will be giving investor Carl Icahn three seats on its board of directors, a move many see as a way to placate Icahn before a shareholder vote to take place on August 1st. Icahn will now hold three of the eleven seats on Yahoo's board, with Robert Kotick, a company director of Yahoo for five years, giving up his seat as part of the new arrangement. Chairman Roy Bostock and Chief Executive Jerry Yang will remain at the company's head. Icahn, however, still reportedly believes that Yahoo should be sold off in parts, or sold as a whole, so the battle that has been brewing is not over yet. Many of Yahoo's investors are still not pleased with how Microsoft's offer to buy Yahoo was handled, and as stock prices fall, they continue to lose money. How that will affect the August voting and the future of Yahoo as a whole remains to be seen.
July 21, 2008
Amazon to Bring Streaming VOD Service to PCs and Televisions
Amazon began testing of its streaming video-on-demand service this week, with 40,000 titles available for viewing on PCs and new televisions which will feature functions that will bring the video streams directly to the television screen. With announcements as well from Microsoft and Sony this week about video and entertainment services for their gaming consoles, it looks like the home theater entertainment experience is continuing to expand, offering more content and more choices to consumers.
July 18, 2008
iPhone Shortage Leaves Consumers Empty-Handed
Since it's debut one week ago, the iPhone 3G had already sold over one million units in its first three days, and consumers have been grabbing up the devices from Apple and AT&T retail stores as quickly as they can be added to store inventories. While good news to Apple, this demand has created a shortage of new iPhones, with many stores completely out of stock and others carrying only a few of the 8GB black models and 16GB white models. So, what about the 16GB black iPhones, you say? Good luck finding one of those anywhere. The 16GB black models have proven to be the most popular so far, and sold out early on. With supplies short, it looks like Apple may have underestimated the heavy demand for the new device, but new supplies are expected to start reaching retail outlets in the next few weeks. So, if you are one of the many who thought you would skip the crowds and pick up a new iPhone the following week, it looks like your wait might be a little longer than expected. With new phones on the horizon from competitors coming soon, though, you can bet Apple will be working quickly on restocking the new iPhone 3G, before promising new customers start looking elsewhere for alternatives.
July 18, 2008
YouTube Comes to TiVo
YouTube and TiVo have teamed up to bring YouTube streamed videos to customers of the TiVo entertainment service. Videos are scheduled to be available beginning this August. YouTube has already found great success in its pairing with Apple, providing content for Apple's iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV products. TiVo customers are expected to welcome the new content addtion as well, enhancing what many already consider to be the best digital video recorder and entertainment service available to date.
July 17, 2008
Sony Readies New 80GB Playstation 3
Sony announced that its new 80GB Playstation 3 console is expected to debut in September, and will sell for $399. The new console will have all of the features of the current 40GB model, with double the capacity for storage of entertainment content.
July 15, 2008
Sony Launches Playstation 3 and PSP Video Service
Sony announced that it would launch its new video delivery service on Playstation Store for Playstation 3 and PSP systems in the United States today, giving consumers the ability to download full-length movies, television shows, and original programming to their Playstation 3 consoles, as well as being able to easily transfer the content to their Playstation Portable systems for entertainment on the go. At launch, the new service will feature nearly 300 full-length movies and more than 1,200 TV episodes, many of which will be available in both standard-definition and high-definition formats. Content for rent and sale will include titles from 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate Entertainment, MGM Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros. Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Studios.
“Playstation Network’s video delivery service capitalizes on the superior value and entertainment potential of PS3 and PSP – not only for gaming enthusiasts, but also for the millions of consumers looking to buy the best, most versatile solution for their home entertainment system,” said Jack Tretton, President and CEO, SCEA. “The collaboration of Sony’s film, TV and entertainment business units, coupled with our hardware and content offerings, provide consumers with entertainment experiences unlike any on the market.”
July 15, 2008
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