Google is preparing to launch facial recognition for its image search. The feature will be an advanced search option when conducting image searches. This will make the popular activity of vanity searches available in image search. Initially this service will only allow users to distinguish between images of faces and those of objects, logos etc.
You can try out the new facial search by “&imgtype=face” to the end of the image search results URL, or try following the links bellow for a search for FORD with and without facial search.
One has to wonder when Google will look to monetize image search and how it will go about do this? If it is looking to improve and therefore drive more traffic to the service then surely it must be thinking about a business model. Perhaps it could put small image based ads down the right hand side of the results screen to fit in with the layout of the page…
Blackle is now back in action. We had some server issues to do with the sudden jump in visitors that we recieved recently. As a result our server had to be taken off line, but we are now back and we have taken measures to prevent this from happening again.
Thanks all of you for your support and patience. Remeber to set Blackle as your home page so you are reminded of the need to take small measures to save energy each time you go online.
Many of you have noticed that Blackle has gone down and are wondering why. First of all I want to thank all of you for showing interest in Blackle and supporting the energy saving search engine.
For anyone reading this that doesn’t know what Blackle is, it is an energy conscious search, based on the theory that a black screen uses less energy than a white screen. The real point of Blackle is to help remind everyone of the need to save energy in small ways every time you do a search (or access the web, if you have set Blackle as your homepage).
So why are you getting a 403 error page when you try to visit blackle.com?
Blackle has been crashing our servers due the number of people trying to visit it in the last few days. We are adding server capacity to get it back up ASAP.
I hope to get this sorted out very soon. Thanks for supporting Blackle.
A new computer game developed by Media Molecule for Sony Playstation has been unveiled at the Game Developers Conference 2007. The game called Little Big Planet is seemingly very simplistic with a cute rag doll character called ‘Sack Boy’ and retro 2D style game play.
There are three things that make Little Big Planet stand out and provide a glimpse into the future of gaming.
First is a real time physics engine that the game is built on. This allows every object in the game to act in the way that you would expect in the real world. So balls roll if pushed, and big balls take more effort to push than small balls. This makes use of the Playstation’s very powerful cell processor.
The second defining factor is that every level in Little Big Planet is built by players using virtual physical objects without requiring any programming skills.
The fact that the game is built by players and is thus constantly evolving makes it a social experience, but the final differentiator for Little Big Planet is that it takes social gaming to a new level. Again making use of the physics engine players can interact with the objects in the game and with each other by grabbing, pulling and pushing. The game requires players to work together to get through stages and it also encourages players to compete with each other in collecting the resources necessary for building their levels.
This constant interplay of co-operation and competition (sometimes called co-opetition) helps the game replicate real world social interaction.
By combining physical and social interaction Little Big Planet is making use of the power of the latest generation gaming consoles and is leading the way into a future of ever more immersive game play.
Game Developers Conference presentation - Little Big Planet
Cyworld is a clever name as it suggests a cyber world (think Second Life) but it also translates to “relationship world”. There are a lot of similarities between Cyworld and Second Life. Users set up their own avatars and their own “Minirooms” within Cyworld and can then visit their friends within these virtual spaces. The other key similarity with Second Life is that Cyworld uses its own currency “Acorns” to allow users to buy products to enhance their virtual space. Second Life uses Linden dollars and has been reported to have a gross domestic product of US$64 million just ahead of the Republic of Kiribati an island nation of 100,000 people located in the Pacific Ocean. In fact tax offices around the globe (Australia, USA) have been looking into how they can get their hands on this virtual currency.
It is fitting that in our ever more consumerised world it is now becoming common to spend real money to enhance our virtual lives with virtual goods. These not so virtual economies have shown themselves to be a key component of future social networks.
The question is will Westerners take to the more childish, cartoon like avatars of Cyworld. Perhaps Cyworld will fill a hole for those who do not want the completely immersive experience of Second Life but are bored with the flat page experience of social networks such as MySpace and Facebook. Only time will tell.
Every new media company needs an ad network at some stage. Here’s a list of them. This list will evolve over time. Please let me know if you know of any that are missing.
Music Nation is a site that allows independent artists to enter their music videos to be judged by the public and a panel of judges. At the end of the 15-week competition, winners will be crowned in each of our three genres: rock, pop and urban. The winners will receive recording contracts and will perform on Clear Channel’s exclusive in-studio performance series, Stripped.
I hope this site keeps going after the competition is over. It’s really good for finding new and interesting artists. This site is as much about the edgy video clips as it is about the music. I found a great video clip by a UK based surf band called the Fabs lead by South American songwriter Fabiola Gatti.
I like keeping an eye on alternative sports that require huge amounts of dedication, training, strength and skill like Parkour and Bike Trials. For those of you who don’t know bike trials riding is a form of mountain biking where the focus is on technical skill. Riders negotiate difficult man made and natural obstacles. It’s really entertaining to watch and one of the best I have come across (although I don’t follow it that closely) is Ryan Leech. I first found him on YouTube with the following clip. I particularly like the skills he shows on the railway tracks. Amazing skill!
I also like the sound track in this clip, it’s called Soweto and is by Goapele & Hieroglyphics.
I have finally decided to start a blog. It’s really just for myself but if you want to read it then by all means go ahead. I am constantly bookmarking things that interest me. They are often things that I intend to come back and look at… but I never do.
I am going to use this blog to make notes about cool things that I find (mostly on-line). That way I can come back at any time and look through my previous posts for inspiration.
