Category: Technology

  • Map of whiskey producing countries

    For some time, I’ve been meaning to play with web friendly mapping and visualization tools such as d3.js, datamaps.js or crosslet.js. D3 is quickly becoming the defacto standard for displaying statistical visualizations on the web, and other libraries are hooking in to add additional capabilities, like mapping. Communicating data effectively is the future, if not […]

  • An internet dialogue about music, creation and ownership

    Emily White, an NPR intern, kicked off the discussion early in the week, stating she never made the transition from physical to digital consumption of music. I never went through the transition from physical to digital. I’m almost 21, and since I first began to love music I’ve been spoiled by the Internet. I am […]

  • Google and Duck Duck Go search results comparison

    I couldn’t remember what Apple’s pricing was for their print on demand publishing for books.  So, I googled. That’s… not helpful.  Let’s try Duck Duck Go. Helpful, easy to see what I need, and answers my question. (Note: screenshots are same size.) Just for fun, I blocked out all the non-search result content for the […]

  • The weight of data

    All that data that we’re collecting and using, what does it all mean? It requires context and a human element. An excellent TEDx talk by Jer Thorp.

  • Kaggle and data prediction competitions

    Competitions, where all things being equal, brings out the best results. Nine players on a baseball diamond work through nine innings against nine other players. Open bidding for contracts in response to a proposal to meet a business problem puts companies against each other for the best solution. Kaggle is a competition market where players […]

  • Bell Labs and innovation

    Bell Labs brought us into the future, making science fiction science fact. This is all due to forcing people to interact. ONE element of his approach was architectural. He personally helped design a building in Murray Hill, N.J., opened in 1941, where everyone would interact with one another. Some of the hallways in the building […]

  • Review of Doxie Go scanner

    It seems too good to be true, a wireless, portable scanner that can send documents to your computer or iOS device. Perfect for one’s office within a Starbucks. Kind of. Measuring a foot long, two inches tall and about 3 inches deep, weighing in at less than a half a pound, the Doxie Go is […]

  • Autoplay on the web is rage inducing

    Go to the grocery store. Grab your shopping cart, carefully choosing the one with four squeak less wheels. Liesurley browse for bananas, add the box of Cheerios, select the pepper jack cheese that’s on sale (bonus!). Now, browse to the frozen food section. Scan the frosty shel-. “HEY THERE SHOPPER. BUY SOME O’ THIS GOOD […]

  • Pinterest is the new women’s magazine

    I picked up my mother’s copy of Women’s Day.  Thumbing through a few pages I read about dinner (and cookie) recipes, household tips, clever pop culture items, quick style blurbs and general interest items. Scrolling Pinterest’s front page, I spy a recipe for a sugary confection, photos of style “looks”, make up tips, pictorial witticisms, […]

  • Twitter Stories

    Twitter splendidly presents stories of tweets or clever uses of its service in Twitter Stories. A guy who saved his mother’s book store. Fishermen who sell the day’s catch while still on the boat. Complete recipes in 140 characters. Twitter is finding a singular purpose–enabling people to communicate uniquely and directly to the entire world, […]