Alright, I admit it, I don’t know if Justin Bieber has swine flu, but you could be forgiven thinking that if you typed “What are the symptoms of swine flu?” into Ask.com: You’re seeing two things: An over-reliance on algorithms. They’re showing other questions asked by people who also asked “What are the symptoms of… Continue reading Justin Bieber has Swine Flu!
Category: Technology
The Modern Arabic Novel
Back in January, the New Yorker had a great article reviewing the state of the modern Arabic novel. It’s worth reading as, I’m guessing that, like me, you know absolutely nothing about Arabic novels – and there’s a lot to know (and a lot of it is very subtle). If you want to skip the… Continue reading The Modern Arabic Novel
Algorithms are Hard :(
Yesterday I was listening to a podcast that referenced Cajmere’s Coffee Pot – commonly referred to as “Percolator” or “It’s time for the percolator”. I was wondering how the original song went, so I figured I’d listen to in on YouTube. All good, but check out that “featured video” in the upper right corner. I’m… Continue reading Algorithms are Hard 🙁
A Glimpse of Google’s Future?
You may or may not know, but Google tests hundreds of different versions of their search service every day. They’ve turned their users into a giant set of unwitting testers who are constantly providing them feedback on how to improve their product. This unparalleled ability to conduct tests is one of the skills that makes… Continue reading A Glimpse of Google’s Future?
Maptastic
In my opinion, one of the greatest innovations of the past five years is how location has become a part of everyday life. Google Maps or its equivalent has become a standard tool in many people’s life. When you’re looking for directions, a place, etc. you simply call it up; no more guessing where you… Continue reading Maptastic