0 Comments Google acquires BlindType

Touch typing on a small keyboard is a pain, period. This is one of the things I am afraid about. When I give up my HTC TouchDual and move to Desire, I will no longer be able to type with my Stylus (which is not easy, but easier than finger typing). But now, it seems, I might have reasons to be happy.

Google has recently acquired BlindType, an impressive new technology that recognizes the location of your fingers on the screen to accurately predict the text you want to type.

BlindType has been acquired by Google!

by BlindType team on 10/01/10

We are excited to announce that BlindType has been acquired by Google!

We want to thank everyone for their overwhelming support and positive feedback. We know that typing on your mobile device can be a frustrating experience, which is why we've worked hard to make touch typing easier and faster than ever - the way it should be.

We're excited to join Google, and look forward to the great opportunities for mobile innovation that lie ahead.

The BlindType team

You no longer have to worry about hitting the exact keys on your small touch phone keyboard. You can type anywhere on the screen as if there was a keyboard underneath and the application will figure out what you mean. You don't even have to worry about the size (scale) of your keyboard, or its orientation (see picture).  We can expect this to be available on an Android phone soon.

View the video demo…

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0 Comments Google for Non-Profits…

Another Google innovation, a toolkit for Non-Profits with a simple yet catchy punch line, “You're changing the world. We want to help.”

Google for Non-Profits is a bundle of Google products and services that non-profit organizations around the world can use to enhance their “business” of development. The bundle includes: Google Grants (a non-profit version of Google Ad Words); Google Checkout (to collect online donations); Google Analytics (to understand how users interact with your website); Google Maps & Earth; YouTube; and Google Apps (GMail, Docs, Sites and Calendar). Click on the image links below for tutorials for non-profits.

Here’s a small video that provides a testimonial from a small non-profit organization about the impact of deploying the Google for Non-Profits bundle of products and services.

Unfortunately, some of these services are only available in the US but hopefully, Google is working towards extending these services to every corner of the world.

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0 Comments Googling into the future…

Yes, I admit… I am a Google fan! But then, who isn’t? Here’s a preview of their latest innovation – Google Voice.

 

I like to keep informed about how Google is going to (pleasantly) surprise me next and this new service is no exception. I haven't tried it, yet... but the concept seems brilliant. Incidentally, Google sent me an invite to sign up the beta for Google Voice but since I am not in the U.S., I was unable to do so. 

I can’t wait to have my own Google Number… and you?

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0 Comments The Petabyte Age: Making science obsolete...??

1 Terabyte = 1,000 Gigabytes; 1 Petabyte = 1000 Terabytes

Did you know that Google's servers process 1 Petabyte of data every 72 minutes?

A recent issue of WIRED magazine carries a series of articles on how the Petabyte Age is changing the world. While all of them make a good read, one in particular seems rather bold, to say the least...and has created a controversy of some sort...

The End of Theory: All models are wrong, science is obsolete!

Click on the link to read the full article and judge for yourself. The author suggests that today we have so much data and data processing (computing) power at our disposal that we don't need models (simplistic representations of reality) and theories (generalizations that broadly explain the logic behind the data and the models). Rather far-fetched, I would think.

Every scientist, researcher and statistician understands that mere correlation between data means nothing for explaining causation. Petabytes of data on how many times this article was read, by whom, from where and for how long will say nothing about the quality of the article or agreement / disagreement among the readers. Sure, it might provide some hints, but data is JUST data...and will always remain that.

Interpreting data and converting it into information requires wisdom, which comes from knowledge, which comes from all the theories and science that constantly keep evolving. Garbage In, Garbage Out... and the more garbage you put in, the more of it will come out UNLESS it is processed scientifically.

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