The Grammar Police is a separate department from the Spelling Authorities. They have all the same evidence, but sometimes they don't connect the dots....
I can't speak for Masnick, but I'll say that licensing deals are just fine... but the Wiggles or the celebrity who accepts those deals (or demands those deals) should know where the value is. If a knockoff sock-maker wants to put Wiggles faces on baby booties, the Wiggles should probably recognize that maybe there's a market for authentic Wiggles baby socks and instead of battling a fruitless legal claim -- try to create merchanidise that only the Wiggles can offer. Or if the Wiggles sock market isn't really worth their time, that it's actually a promotional benefit for someone else to be making Wiggles socks, even without their authorization....
Given Apple's design strengths, I'd think that they'll come up with something that is basically like a very small MacBookAir... with two screens and no keyboard, perhaps. That's just my guess. eBook readers are kinda clunky-looking, so Apple's tablet will most likely just be much thinner and sleeker than other tablets. And maybe it'll come in a few different colors... :)
Thanks for those interesting links on marketing and engaging consumers... I think the comments around here sometimes get a little testy, but there are gems of info every now and then.
We're always looking to have meaningful discussions around here!
ah. whoops. I guess if you just go to the D-Wave website:
D-Wave systems are architected around an innovative processor that uses a computational model known as adiabatic quantum computing (AQC). These processors exploit quantum effects to solve search and optimization problems in a new way. They are fabricated using superconducting metals instead of semiconductors and are operated at ultra-low temperatures in a magnetic vacuum.
Why don't more High Performance Computers use superconducting materials? Cray used to cool their supercomputers with liquid nitrogen back in the day... but I haven't seen too much of that anymore.....? (maybe I'm just not looking, tho)
Sure... Human customer support reps are good, but I was just pointing out that automated support is not all bad. I wouldn't want to be forced to talk to a human being for every transaction that I'm now accustomed to doing myself on an ATM. And I sometimes prefer the self-checkout lane at my local grocery store... Do I want them to get rid of all the cashiers? No way, because the human cashiers are much better at finding the prices for fruits and items that don't have barcodes on them.
So I think we're agreed that there are those 1% cases when a human is essential for good service. And there's also the "genius bar" examples -- where if the customer *knows* his/her problem can only be fixed by a human, that a human customer service rep should be readily available. The key is trying to augment those humans as much as possible with technology so that their efforts are maximized.
I'm not so sure the person-to-person contact equates to good customer support... The classic example is an ATM -- where there is only human-to-machine contact. ATMs are great for the purpose they serve, and there's no way to "escalate" an ATM into a human2human service (nor should there be).
The real trick is how to combine automated support with human support so that the automated support and the human support are provided when at the exact appropriate times....
From what I've seen, Google is only a research partner for D-Wave, not an investor? So if Google is getting free access to potentially cool new technology, there's no real drawback for them if D-Wave ends up NOT to have any quantum activity in their chips. The worst-case scenario seems to be that they have some specialized chips that may not be as good at solving complex calculations as quantum computers are supposed to be....
But... why eliminate the more advanced classes if the budget is the reason? I'm sure there are extra-curricular activities that are expensive, too... why not cut all the sports programs and teach kids that math/reading is more important than football?
How is it that anyone can argue that higher-level science education is a potentially less productive area, anyway?
On the post: Finding The Long Tail In Music
Re: typo
On the post: What The IFPI Report Left Out: Its Own Study Showed That File Sharers Do Buy
Re: Re: GRAMMER POLICE
On the post: What The IFPI Report Left Out: Its Own Study Showed That File Sharers Do Buy
Re: GRAMMER POLICE
On the post: Wiggling Their Way To Musical Success Without A Label
Re: Re: Go the Wiggles
On the post: Malaysia's New Copyright Act To Make Owning A Single Counterfeit DVD Illegal
Re: Link
On the post: BPI Insists UK ISPs Overstating The Cost Of Three Strikes; So Will BPI Pay The Difference If Wrong?
Re: fixed
On the post: Connect With Fans + Reason To Buy; The Contest
Re: don't listen to the ACs...
On the post: The Killer Feature I Would Design Into An Apple Tablet
the feature I'd bet on...
On the post: Connect With Fans + Reason To Buy; The Contest
Re: Re: Constructive Comments
Thanks for those interesting links on marketing and engaging consumers... I think the comments around here sometimes get a little testy, but there are gems of info every now and then.
We're always looking to have meaningful discussions around here!
Mike Ho
On the post: What You've Been Missing Over At ITInnovation.com
Re: Re: Quantum Computing
D-Wave systems are architected around an innovative processor that uses a computational model known as adiabatic quantum computing (AQC). These processors exploit quantum effects to solve search and optimization problems in a new way. They are fabricated using superconducting metals instead of semiconductors and are operated at ultra-low temperatures in a magnetic vacuum.
On the post: Use Whatever Works, Even 'Alleged' Quantum Computing Algorithms -- Then Publicize It
Re: What's going on here
I didn't realize that D-Wave was using superconducting processors...
http://www.dwavesys.com/index.php?page=quantum-computing
Why don't more High Performance Computers use superconducting materials? Cray used to cool their supercomputers with liquid nitrogen back in the day... but I haven't seen too much of that anymore.....? (maybe I'm just not looking, tho)
On the post: What You've Been Missing Over At ITInnovation.com
Re: Quantum Computing
Wow. Thanks a lot for that informative comment. I'll link to it here:
http://j.mp/7RPlN5
I didn't realize the D-Wave chips needed to be supercooled? Is that right? (citation please?)
Mike
On the post: What You've Been Missing Over At ITInnovation.com
Re: Google Gadget
Nope... not yet. We'll see about whipping one up.
Thanks!
Mike
Techdirt
On the post: Google's Communication Problems Continue: Blogger Can't Get His Blog Turned Back On After Six Months
Re: Re: Re: Paying Customers
So I think we're agreed that there are those 1% cases when a human is essential for good service. And there's also the "genius bar" examples -- where if the customer *knows* his/her problem can only be fixed by a human, that a human customer service rep should be readily available. The key is trying to augment those humans as much as possible with technology so that their efforts are maximized.
On the post: Google's Communication Problems Continue: Blogger Can't Get His Blog Turned Back On After Six Months
Re: Paying Customers
The real trick is how to combine automated support with human support so that the automated support and the human support are provided when at the exact appropriate times....
On the post: The Next Big Innovation Will Start Out Looking Like A Toy
Re: where are the facts?
http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/10/23/power-your-boat-with-kites-wind-power-by-kiteship/
. .. how about firecrackers to gunpowder...?
On the post: Court Dismisses Defamation Claim Against Consumer Complaint Site, Highlights Section 230 Protections
Re: fixed
On the post: Use Whatever Works, Even 'Alleged' Quantum Computing Algorithms -- Then Publicize It
Google isn't really "backing" D-Wave...?
On the post: Authors Take Up The Tiered Support Models Also
Re: I liked it
On the post: Berkeley High School May Dump Science Labs For Favoring White Kids?
Re: You sort of have to read the whole story
How is it that anyone can argue that higher-level science education is a potentially less productive area, anyway?
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