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There are actually quite a few projects now taking similar, cortex-centric approaches to AI hard problems. Are we up to something here? The guys responsible of these projects are not wacko types at all, but established entrepreneurs and/or well-known researchers:

CCortex "A 20-billion neuron simulation of the Human Cortex and peripheral systems."
Cyc a knowledge base with vast collection of facts about the real world and logical reasoning ability. Financed by Paul Allen AI related investment company,Vulcan.
Numenta is developing a new type of computer memory system modeled after the human neocortex.

They seem to we well financed, and knowledgeable. Are we witnessing the start of something big here?

Well, Paul Allen funds a lot of good research.

I was part of Project Halo/Digital Aristotle, an AI project which aims to learn (and solve) conceptual problems in physics which was funded by Vulcan ventures.

In fact, Vulcan Capital funds a lot of really cool stuff.

In my opinion, Bill Gates and Paul Allen are doing the world a favour - they are businessmen who make money off one industry, but help in the progress of several others. When was the last time any of the CEOs of Walmart or Oil Magnates helped fund such things as research and the like?

And not to mention the fact that places like MSR do a lot of awesome research in and of themselves.

Well, Paul Allen funds a lot of good research.

I was part of Project Halo/Digital Aristotle, an AI project which aims to learn (and solve) conceptual problems in physics which was funded by Vulcan ventures.

In fact, Vulcan Capital funds a lot of really cool stuff.

In my opinion, Bill Gates and Paul Allen are doing the world a favour - they are businessmen who make money off one industry, but help in the progress of several others. When was the last time any of the CEOs of Walmart or Oil Magnates helped fund such things as research and the like?

And not to mention the fact that places like MSR do a lot of awesome research in and of themselves.

given that they are footing the bill ....

Check out the Flipstart. Still in development, but they've given a demo with one, so it's not just vaporware.

It's a complete, real computer.
4 inches by 6 inches and 1 inch thick. Runs Windows XP (actual full version).

Integrated 802.11g.
5.6" 1024 by 600 pixel screen.
Integrated 1.3 megapixel camera.
USB 2.0
Docking station provides access to optical drives and wired ethernet.
1 GHz processor (I don't know what kind.)
Some special software to access MP3s and e-mails without opening up the full screen.

I don't have any relationship to the company except a friend who just started working there. I'm jealous. Oh well, maybe I can convince him to let me be a beta-tester. :)

My friend is going to try installing Linux on it. I'll let people know how that turns out.

Actually, a new product like this will be released soon.
See the picture and specifications.

Key points:
* 4" by 6" by 1"
* runs XP (a real computer)
* 30 GB hard drive
* only 5.6" screen, but 1024 by 600 pixels
* integrated wireless
* USB 2.0 port
* docking station for optical drives, more ports, wired ethernet
* integrated 1.3 MP camera

Price is rumored to be about $1500.

Full disclosure: I don't have any affiliation with the company other than a friend who might work there.

Seems like a great option for a second computer in adition to a normal desktop. What do you other slashdotters think?

Actually, a new product like this will be released soon.
See the picture and specifications.

Key points:
* 4" by 6" by 1"
* runs XP (a real computer)
* 30 GB hard drive
* only 5.6" screen, but 1024 by 600 pixels
* integrated wireless
* USB 2.0 port
* docking station for optical drives, more ports, wired ethernet
* integrated 1.3 MP camera

Price is rumored to be about $1500.

Full disclosure: I don't have any affiliation with the company other than a friend who might work there.

Seems like a great option for a second computer in adition to a normal desktop. What do you other slashdotters think?

No, that's the Mini-PC from Vulcan Ventures, run by Paul Allen (MS cofounder & third-richest man in the world).

Here's an article describing OQO, Mini-PC and other ultra-portables, all of which are yet to come to market.

You *can* touch-type on a keyboard this small. Up until just recently, I was using a Jornada 720 for a lot of things, and it is about the size of this MiniPC. I could touch-type quite easily- and after a couple hours of getting used to it, was typing about as fast as I do on my iBook or on a desktop. I could type fast enough to use it as a definate iBook replacement- I used it for writing papers in LaTeX, coded, web browsing, SSH/telnet, email, even running apps remotely with XFree86. (And yes, all under WinCE)

However, I do notice one huge difference between this miniPC and the Jornada720 (or a Psion)- the keyboard of the latter was meant for touch typing, while the miniPC's keyboard doesn't look like it was. Look at a photo of it, and it looks to have little rubber chicklet keys rather than a regular low-travel spring keyboard mechanism. A keyboard built like a real one, just 25% smaller than full size, is why people can type so fast on a Psion or a Jornada 720.

The only reason I don't use it still is the screen isn't reflective like you find on most color PDAs now, making it useless during the summer, when I do these computing tasks outside on the porch or in the woods up against a tree.

Why can't one company make a device that does what so many of these different new small computers are aiming for? All of them seem to have some imperfection-

1. The Sharp Zaurus C700: The keyboard mechanism and size is way too small for doing any real typing on. It is a thumboard, although one slightly bigger than on the SL-5500. I guess a PXA255 XScale CPU instead of the PXA250 would be nice too.

2. The OQO may never come out, but would be damn close to the perfect thing if a good, yet small (75% of 'full size', size of most Psion and Jornada 720 keyboard) attachable keyboard is available.

3. This miniPC has the bad kind of keyboard and cannot be configured into a tablet mode like the C700. There doesn't appear to be a touch screen, so it does seem that the Vulcan folks really weren't thinking, and didn't consider a tablet mode. Any computer aiming to take the place of both a notebook and a PDA really should accomodate the wide variety of situations that are hindered by a keyboard that isn't needed hanging around by allowing the user to hide it and operate the computer with a touchscreen.

4. Almost all TabletPCs are too damn big.

According to this news story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (the local Seattle paper, the Seattle Times is for the suburbanites), Microsoft is in severe danger of losing their shorts to Linux with their release of Windows 2003.

Maybe Paul Allen was right in diversifying out of Microsoft stock ...

With thier major media outlet biases that are ingrained even though people don't realize it they forget to check those slightly "smaller" sources.

The Seattle PI

Seattle Times

Vulcan Ventures.

Hmm.. Perhaps Mr. Allen's own COMPANY might have a little use.

I don't see any references to Paul Allen on the Transmeta web site. However, at Paul Allen's own site, he says that he remains on the Microsoft board, though of course he is no longer an employee there (hasn't been since 1983). At the web site of his investment company, Vulcan (Flash-y), Transmeta is listed in the portfolio, but considering all of his other holdings, the fact that it isn't listed very prominently on his personal site, and he isn't on the board, I doubt that he identifies as much with Transmeta as he does with MS.

It does confuse one, though, to imagine Paul Allen and Linus Torvalds involved in the same company, doesn't it?