Last night I was driving my youngest son home from soccer practice and we got into a conversation about the advances in technology and what he might see in his life time. I thought about it a bit and figured out the since I was born I have seen the rise of many things that he takes for granted. Calculators, PCs, cell phones, broadcast TV, cable TV, satellite TV, Central AC, seat belts, air bags etc.
We discussed why the air car has flaws that will not make it feasible (when you stop you fall), cars that drive themselves, holovision, and other technologies seen in the movies. My questions are:
1. Do you think the rate of technology development is accelerating?
2. Does the slowing of space exploration reduce the development of new technologies?
3. How does ScFi media affect the technologies that are produced?
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
District 9
Wow! I was totally blown away by this movie. It is sad that you have to look outside of Hollywood for great original plot lines. This movie was a political statement, an action film, a love story all layered in with great sci-fi. The effects were spot on, and the actors, all unknown in the US, were terrific.
I can imagine the cheesy dialog that the hero would have uttered if Hollywood would have made it.
Alien: (in Arnold voice) I'll be back
Wikus: (in Arnold voice) I'll be here
Go see District 9!!
I can imagine the cheesy dialog that the hero would have uttered if Hollywood would have made it.
Alien: (in Arnold voice) I'll be back
Wikus: (in Arnold voice) I'll be here
Go see District 9!!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Netflix prize so close
So the Netflix prize is close to being awarded, however, an interesting thing is occurring. The rules were that once one team achieved 10% improvement then all other teams would have 30 days to better that number. Obviously working on tweaking software that long you would probably be fresh out of ideas... so these teams are combining themselves, their techniques, and their code to win the prize.
I find it interesting that competition is driving the teams to consolidate. I'm glad that the rules allow it. Usually competition means ensuring that you have to have multiple players (economically speaking). I think this situation mirrors the business world (Microsoft, Oracle, GE) when they purchase a company to get the technology, customer list, talent, etc. I would expect too, that like companies that get bloated and fragmented when they gobble up other companies, the combined code for these teams will be bloated and slow. I would imagine too that combining the teams has led to some huge conflict and angst for the team members trying to manage the merge. There you have it, a software contest as a microcosm for the business world.
I find it interesting that competition is driving the teams to consolidate. I'm glad that the rules allow it. Usually competition means ensuring that you have to have multiple players (economically speaking). I think this situation mirrors the business world (Microsoft, Oracle, GE) when they purchase a company to get the technology, customer list, talent, etc. I would expect too, that like companies that get bloated and fragmented when they gobble up other companies, the combined code for these teams will be bloated and slow. I would imagine too that combining the teams has led to some huge conflict and angst for the team members trying to manage the merge. There you have it, a software contest as a microcosm for the business world.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
GM Volt to get 230 MPG in City
Sorry for my absence. I took a completely relaxing vacation to PAGOSA SPRINGS CO.
GM announced today that the new Volt model they will be marketing in 2010 will get 230 in the city. Understand in these hybrid cars that the gas engine does not kick on for the first 40 miles so it skews the in city mileage estimate. Don't get me wrong though, this is an impressive achievement because the electric for the first 40 miles will cost 40 cents at off peak rates( this is about 10 kilowatt hours ). WOW! Now the downside... just like any other new technology it takes time to cover the tooling and startup costs. This means the Volt will come in around $40,000. But the flood gates will be opened!
GM announced today that the new Volt model they will be marketing in 2010 will get 230 in the city. Understand in these hybrid cars that the gas engine does not kick on for the first 40 miles so it skews the in city mileage estimate. Don't get me wrong though, this is an impressive achievement because the electric for the first 40 miles will cost 40 cents at off peak rates( this is about 10 kilowatt hours ). WOW! Now the downside... just like any other new technology it takes time to cover the tooling and startup costs. This means the Volt will come in around $40,000. But the flood gates will be opened!
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