"By emulating the behavior of ants and insects..."
(I wonder who played the Queen...)
I didn't know ants were this advanced! This must be the final proof that indeed insects are super-intelligent aliens come to earth to eat our... ehm... sugar-water... If only we can harness this power elsewhere! Maybe we should try milipede power-plants next... All that static electricity from all those legs must be harnessed!
"I wonder then what is the moral equivalence of the RIAA taking realized cash from people who do not download music?" That would be rape... or maybe just beating them up... but I'd still go with rape - seems more in style with RIAA and the likes;)
Though there are many things that can be said against laser weaponry, there are also a number of good things:
- Combined with the laser for the JSF (Joint Strik Fighter), dogfights and attacks against weapon factories, military headquarters and the like become much more precise, and as a result reduce the loss of civilian life.
- The technology seems to be easier to replicate than for example a missile shield, which might mean that in the end weaponry like nuclear missiles become obsolete. At least it is a step in the right direction... right?
- It just seems cooler;-) I mean - come on! Lasers!!
On another note, I was a bit dissapointed with the picture!:-( I had imagined something like a "real" sci-fi laser... I hope they are working on it... otherwise it might make a great "case mod" - right?
Well... though these things fail to catch my attention just as much as 3d-screens do, I did some reading up on it... and... well - it seems to me there are a couple of things wrong with the whole concept (besides it being completely stupid;).
First of, I am simply unable to see who the buyers are... Is it just me, or do "real" geeks look down on this stuff? Then who's left? Tech-geeks? Probably kids with (too) rich parents... which leads me to the second thing I don't get: THE PRICE OF THE GODDAMN SOFTWARE!
It seems, that you can modify your small doggish robot with some software... but the price is $ 449.00(!!) This puts it out of reach of most kids, as they wont be able to utilize it anyway. Maybe at a tenth of the price, the kids who get the robot in the first place can convince their parents to buy the software as well...
Hmm... anyone working on a open source program to replace the Sony stuff?;)
Ohh... and another thing: Sony should be ashamed of themselves for claiming that this is an example of AI! Really... the most advanced models (with the CPU clock speed of 384MHz) have only 75 responses. If it were to approach any kind of true AI, it seems to me that it would at the very least have to have a learning-routine and some storage (besides the 16 MB that can be used for stuff like storing snapshots...:| ).
/me waves a finger at Sony (NO, not the indecent one). "Shame on you Sony!"
I must admit this has a lot of potential! Especially the low cost is interesting, since it makes it available to a much larger group of consumers. But there is one thing I wonder about though: In the picture, although the robot does not look like some cheap, 99 cent item, it still appears to be... rather fragile.
I am not sure if the bipedal robot is the best design, simply because it seems rather unstable. And with cameras, advanced processors and so on, I would think that you do not want this thing to be just that - unstable. It seems to me that you would want it to be as stable and as sturdy as possible. Otherwise, all the great examples of home-use don't really seem like viable options for many families.
You would never let your expensive new laptop with built-in thermal detectors, and all sorts of other great gadgets walk up and down stairs unprotected... would you? I think we can all just picture the shiny little computer comming apart in slow-motion...
So before I would ever consider investing in something like this (which I at some time surely would), I would be VERY certain that it can stand up to the strongest natural force known to man: Children and stairs!
Well... I guess it's just me, but I really can't worry about a worm that sounds so much like that little monkey... what's his name... Curious George. I mean - if it gets to a point where the worm is doing serious damage, give it a banana! Or better yet - feed it pieces of a puzzle... that sent him to the hospital if I remember correctly...
The thing I would worry about, is what if that guy with the big yellow hat does something. With that kind of hat you could really do some damage to a network - think Oddjob on a MUCH larger scale!
In Denmark (where I live), it is legal to copy CDs for backup and personal use. Furthermore it is legal to lend your CDs to your friends, who may then copy them. It is even legal to copy CDs from your local library. All this copied music can be encoded as you choose, and as a result all my mp3s are legal.
This, of course, has caused tons of contreversy, but the fact is, that the Danish government has recognized the right of the individual to manipulate, compile and even share legally purchased music...
I am not sure if this harms the music industry, and there has been talk about putting a small price on getting CDs from the library, but for now, it is totally free, and totally legal.
Oh... btw - artist of course get the regular royalties from people getting their CDs at the library... so they DO earn some from it.
Seems to me, that at the prices people are willing to pay for these things, some pretty good new computer-screens could be bought. That's my way of watching DVDs and DivX movies - I simply use my good old trusty computer.
I know there are a lot of tech-geeks who are sooo excited about this, but I simply cannot se the charm OR the advantages over:
1. A cheap, LOW NOISE computer with video-out, that can easily fit behind or besides your tv.
2. A VERY big flat-screen for you computer so that you can simply use that as a substitute.
Well... I guess I am biased in a way since I have my computer near my couch, and linked to both my 5.1 sound system and my stereo... Uhh... and... by the way (I think no one beat me to it): Imagine a Beo... naahh... nevermind;-)
Slashdot Mirror
"By emulating the behavior of ants and insects..."
(I wonder who played the Queen...)
I didn't know ants were this advanced! This must be the final proof that indeed insects are super-intelligent aliens come to earth to eat our... ehm... sugar-water... If only we can harness this power elsewhere! Maybe we should try milipede power-plants next... All that static electricity from all those legs must be harnessed!
"I wonder then what is the moral equivalence of the RIAA taking realized cash from people who do not download music?" That would be rape... or maybe just beating them up... but I'd still go with rape - seems more in style with RIAA and the likes ;)
Though there are many things that can be said against laser weaponry, there are also a number of good things:
;-) I mean - come on! Lasers!!
:-( I had imagined something like a "real" sci-fi laser... I hope they are working on it... otherwise it might make a great "case mod" - right?
- Combined with the laser for the JSF (Joint Strik Fighter), dogfights and attacks against weapon factories, military headquarters and the like become much more precise, and as a result reduce the loss of civilian life.
- The technology seems to be easier to replicate than for example a missile shield, which might mean that in the end weaponry like nuclear missiles become obsolete. At least it is a step in the right direction... right?
- It just seems cooler
On another note, I was a bit dissapointed with the picture!
Hear hear! :) A real dog can NEVER be substituted by a robot. It is nice to see some support for "the real life" on slashdot :)
Well... though these things fail to catch my attention just as much as 3d-screens do, I did some reading up on it... and... well - it seems to me there are a couple of things wrong with the whole concept (besides it being completely stupid ;).
;)
:| ).
/me waves a finger at Sony (NO, not the indecent one). "Shame on you Sony!"
First of, I am simply unable to see who the buyers are... Is it just me, or do "real" geeks look down on this stuff? Then who's left? Tech-geeks? Probably kids with (too) rich parents... which leads me to the second thing I don't get: THE PRICE OF THE GODDAMN SOFTWARE!
It seems, that you can modify your small doggish robot with some software... but the price is $ 449.00(!!) This puts it out of reach of most kids, as they wont be able to utilize it anyway. Maybe at a tenth of the price, the kids who get the robot in the first place can convince their parents to buy the software as well...
Hmm... anyone working on a open source program to replace the Sony stuff?
Ohh... and another thing: Sony should be ashamed of themselves for claiming that this is an example of AI! Really... the most advanced models (with the CPU clock speed of 384MHz) have only 75 responses. If it were to approach any kind of true AI, it seems to me that it would at the very least have to have a learning-routine and some storage (besides the 16 MB that can be used for stuff like storing snapshots...
I must admit this has a lot of potential! Especially the low cost is interesting, since it makes it available to a much larger group of consumers. But there is one thing I wonder about though: In the picture, although the robot does not look like some cheap, 99 cent item, it still appears to be... rather fragile.
I am not sure if the bipedal robot is the best design, simply because it seems rather unstable. And with cameras, advanced processors and so on, I would think that you do not want this thing to be just that - unstable. It seems to me that you would want it to be as stable and as sturdy as possible. Otherwise, all the great examples of home-use don't really seem like viable options for many families.
You would never let your expensive new laptop with built-in thermal detectors, and all sorts of other great gadgets walk up and down stairs unprotected... would you? I think we can all just picture the shiny little computer comming apart in slow-motion...
So before I would ever consider investing in something like this (which I at some time surely would), I would be VERY certain that it can stand up to the strongest natural force known to man: Children and stairs!
Well... I guess it's just me, but I really can't worry about a worm that sounds so much like that little monkey... what's his name... Curious George. I mean - if it gets to a point where the worm is doing serious damage, give it a banana! Or better yet - feed it pieces of a puzzle... that sent him to the hospital if I remember correctly...
The thing I would worry about, is what if that guy with the big yellow hat does something. With that kind of hat you could really do some damage to a network - think Oddjob on a MUCH larger scale!
Well... as I said - maybe it's just me...
- L to the amer, B to the unny.
In Denmark (where I live), it is legal to copy CDs for backup and personal use. Furthermore it is legal to lend your CDs to your friends, who may then copy them. It is even legal to copy CDs from your local library. All this copied music can be encoded as you choose, and as a result all my mp3s are legal.
This, of course, has caused tons of contreversy, but the fact is, that the Danish government has recognized the right of the individual to manipulate, compile and even share legally purchased music...
I am not sure if this harms the music industry, and there has been talk about putting a small price on getting CDs from the library, but for now, it is totally free, and totally legal.
Oh... btw - artist of course get the regular royalties from people getting their CDs at the library... so they DO earn some from it.
- Tha Lamer, Tha Bunny...
Seems to me, that at the prices people are willing to pay for these things, some pretty good new computer-screens could be bought. That's my way of watching DVDs and DivX movies - I simply use my good old trusty computer.
;-)
I know there are a lot of tech-geeks who are sooo excited about this, but I simply cannot se the charm OR the advantages over:
1. A cheap, LOW NOISE computer with video-out, that can easily fit behind or besides your tv.
2. A VERY big flat-screen for you computer so that you can simply use that as a substitute.
Well... I guess I am biased in a way since I have my computer near my couch, and linked to both my 5.1 sound system and my stereo... Uhh... and... by the way (I think no one beat me to it): Imagine a Beo... naahh... nevermind
- Tha LamerBunny...