Daily Bits

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The Harry Potter Franchise

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Without a doubt, J.K. Rowling has changed the landscape of the fantasy genre with the series of Harry Potter books that she came up with. The only billionaire author, Rowling has influenced popular culture with her creation. The books have received critical acclaim, and so have the movies. Of course, there will always be naysayers, but no one can contest just how influential Harry Potter is.

We’ve created an interactive infographic that gives you the dish on the books, movies, and characters of the Harry Potter franchise.

BlackBerry Tablet to Be Revealed Next Week

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By this time next week, BlackBerry enthusiasts might be buzzing about the latest tablet computer to hit the market – the BlackPad.  The rumor is that RIM (Research in Motion Ltd.) is going to reveal its take on the tablet in San Francisco next week at a developer’s conference.  Needless to say, the news has got certain groups excited.

The tablet, which – according to an insider from RIM – is being dubbed the BlackPad (surprise!).  According to The Wall Street Journal, the BlackPad is going to have a new operating system – one that is totally different from what the current BlackBerry devices are using.  The sources who have leaked the information say that the new OS is built by QNX Software Systems.

More so, the tablet computer is supposed to NOT have the capability to connect to cellular networks on its own; that is, it has to connect to another BlackBerry device to go online.  That’s a seriously major bummer which just might turn potential buyers off, don’t you think?

Other specs (rumored as of now) of the BlackPad include:

  • 7-inch touchscreen
  • camera (one or two, nothing’s confirmed)
  • Bluetooth
  • Broadband connectivity

For sure, BlackBerry users will be keeping their eyes peeled for this new tablet.  With the drawback of not being able to connect to cellular networks, though, I wonder if the BlackPad will appeal to a lot of people who are not currently using BlackBerry?  (Plus consider the fact that the competition is not to be taken lightly.)  We’ll find out soon enough – in a week or so.

Photo via The Wall Street Journal

A Library Without Books?

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Being a trained librarian, I don’t find the idea of an online collection that strange at all. After all, some of the courses in school were all about electronic collections. What with e-book readers becoming so popular these days, it is but expected that libraries will expand their collections to electronic format more and more.

The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Applied Engineering and Technology Library’s collection is something else altogether. Its collection is not a simple mixture of “real” books and electronic material, but is instead composed of ONLY electronic books. In essence, the library has no “real” books at all!

This has been the trend in the past years. Academic libraries across the United States have been reducing the number of bound volumes they keep in the premises – especially those books which are rarely accessed by their patrons. As you can imagine, having to keep print copies can take up a lot of space and cost the libraries in maintenance. With electronic copies, costs are reduced considerably and access is made even easier.

This development could very well open the floodgates for collections that are fully electronic. This is quite interesting, as there is sure to be criticism coming from those who adhere to old school principles. Yours truly things that bound volumes will always have a place in libraries, but we must adapt to changes in order to make information as freely available as possible. That’s not to say that I do not want to see old school libraries totally die out. What say you?

Catholic? Do You Have These iPhone Apps?

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I am sure you’ve heard of the current Pope’s visit to the UK.  While we have devouts on one end of the spectrum, there are also critics on the other end.  It’s a fact of life – you can’t please everyone.

This post is for Catholics who lean towards the developments in technology, courtesy of the Telegraph.  They put together a list of iPhone apps that would certainly catch your fancy.  I am not a Catholic, but I would be interested in getting hold of these apps if I had an iPhone/iPod Touch for cultural/educational value.

Popes

For $0.99, you can get this app which will give you all the information you need on the Roman Popes – from Saint Peter to 2010. Think about it, even non-Catholics just might find this kind of information useful.

Way of the Cross

Even though I follow a different faith, I have heard of the Way/Stations of the Cross many times. This app serves as a guide to all the stations of the Cross and also includes passages from the Scriptures. It should prove to be useful come Lent.

Holy Rosary Deluxe

Think of this app as high tech Rosary Beads. This app can take you through the whole Rosary, complete with tactile feedback via the vibrate function.

These are only three of the apps that the Telegraph listed, and I am sure there are more out there. In keeping with the spirit of the Pope’s visits, then I suggest downloading these apps for your iPhone/iPod Touch. After all, technology doesn’t have to clash with faith, does it?

Mind Control: The Future of Our Gadgets

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Do you think the way your smart phone changes the display orientation when you flip it is cool?  Or maybe you have lots of fun playing around with voice commands.  I’m sure that your smart phone can do a lot of awesome stuff, but that’s nothing when compared to what Intel is working on.  If they make any progress on what they call “context-aware computing,” we just might be playing with gadgets that can read our minds!

When I first read about context-aware computing, I mentally shouted “Scary!”  At the same time, I cannot suppress the surge of excitement.  This technology is BIG.  The scary part, I think, is the result of watching/reading too much science fiction – that, and the recent news about lying robots.

So anyway, a group of Intel researchers announced that they are working on this technology that will ultimately be able to gather and process information from the behavior of the user.  This data will then be used to predict the mood and the feelings of the user.  Based on the predictions, the gadgets will be able to provide suggestions.  Pretty cool, huh?

Justin Rattner, head of the research group excitedly shared the potential of this technology:

“Future devices will learn about you, your day, where you are and where you are going to know what you want. It gives devices almost this sixth sense of anticipating what a user will need in the future, whether that’s the next few moments or at dinner later in the day.”

If I were the user, the gadget will not have too many problems in predicting what I will need:  Chocolate, steak, and Jack Daniels.

Photo credit: Mr Thinktank

The Birth of Real-Life Decepticons?

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I know that we’d all like to think that there are Decepticons in real life, but in rare moments of connecting with reality, even the most avid believers in the Masters of Deceptions just might acknowledged that they are not, well, real.  Then again, I just might be wrong in saying that.

A group of researchers from Georgia University have developed real-life robots that might eventually turn out to be masters of deceptions!  What they’ve done is to come up with an algorithm that allows the machines to make decisions as to whether or not deceive other robots.  If you think that’s pretty cool, you’ll think this awesome: the algorithm also equips the robots with the capability to deceive humans!

How were they able to determine if the algorithm actually works?

They engaged the robots in several games of hide-and-seek!  Simplicity is beauty, so they say, and it seems to be the case here.  David Teeghman describes this interesting version of the childhood game that we all loved to play:

During the games, colored markers were lined up along three potential pathways to locations where the robot could hide. The hider selected a location from the three location choices, and moved toward that point, knocking down markers along the way. Once it reached a point past the markers, the robot changed course and hid in one of the other two locations, making sure not to hit any markers by its actual hiding spot.

Developing this algorithm required interdependence theory and game theory that tested the value of deception in a specific situation. The game satisfied two key conditions that the robots needed to warrant deception: There must be conflict between the deceiving robot and the seeker, and the deceiver must benefit from the deception.

I have to say that while the concept – and the fact that it actually worked – is nothing short of amazing, but I can’t help but think of the Cyclons and all other movies/shows that relate how man created robots and how the creations turned on their masters eventually.  At present, the researchers say that the main purpose for these robots is simply for the battlefield – to save lives and all that.  Still, who is to say that real life events will not somehow get turned into a science fiction plot? Or is this just paranoia?