Monday, April 7, 2008

Virgle - The Adventure of Many Lifetimes


Everyone related to technology and computer knows what is Google. Probably a few among them may know the wonderful ideas, projects and products funded by Google. Google's prestigious search engine, Orkut, Google Earth, Blogger.. the list goes on... But the most amazing project plan I have been ever heard from Google came on early hours of this month. Here the story goes...

On the 2nd or 3rd of this month, I get a forwarded mail from one of my friend with a web link in it. The name in mail is completely new for me. Never heard about such a project or product name from Google or any other company. Just because it starts with the main domain Google.com, I assured myself that it is the one from Google itself. I navigate through the specified link and reach the homepage referring to the project plan details. The project is named Virgle - The Adventure of Many Lifetimes.

Here is the link for your reference: http://www.google.com/virgle/index.html

In search for the details
Let me guess; you have already gone through the link above. Noticed the 100 year plan given in the left side of homepage? Google team narrates their 100 year plan starting from 2010 through 2108.

One video by Larry Page and Sergey Brin on Virgle

The next section, 'Become a Pioneer' explains the benefits and dangers involved in joining the project. Yeah!! everyone is welcome to apply... Just what you need to do is to explain why you want to live on Mars and you could win a coveted slot on the earliest, most uncomfortable and dangerously untested manned space flights to the new New World - or a fabulous prize!






One button is provided to 'Apply' or 'To be a Pioneer' and it continues to an Application Form, the page with a bundle of questions and further asks to publish a you-tube video from the applicant. Next two sections explains the Google's ideas about the planet and founders messages.

Still you have some clarifications? AFAQ section is also provided. Go through the commonly asked questions and it's answers.

Ok ok. No more secrets...I think you got the point (if you have already gone though the site). Best April fool I have ever seen. 'Location, location, location.' hehe...hardly escaped!!

They designed it almost perfect with a lot of external references.
Blog - http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/announcing-project-virgle.html
Jobs - http://www.google.com/jobs/lunar_job.html
Discussion Board - http://groups.google.com/group/virgle/
A lot of you-tube videos which is posted by poor April fools..etc...

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Microsoft Research – The World-Wide Telescope, an Archetype for Online Science

For a long period, after seeing one of the most wonderful desktop application from google, which I think could be useful to our mordern day-to-day life going forward, I was thinking what is next after Google Earth. Last week while going through one of my favorite sites under Microsoft domain, I found something new, which virtually made my heart stop with astonishment, after looking out for the details in web. I never expected such a technology is ever possible with in my lifetime.

Yeah, it is all about existence and Competition. Like most of the successful enterprises having a potential for growth and innovative ideas that adds value to its goodwill, Microsoft is always one-step forward in its ideas. Now another technology is rising from Microsoft labs, World Wide Telescope. The shadow of the product is so cool that it already started spreading in the news.


What is all about?


As per Microsoft definition, World Wide Telescope is a rich visualization environment that functions as a virtual telescope, bringing together imagery from the best ground and space telescopes and terabytes of images, data, and stories from multiple sources over the Internet into a media-rich, immersive experience. World Wide Telescope, which is powered with Microsoft’s high-performance Visual Experience Engine, enables seamless panning and zooming across the night sky for guided explorations of the universe.

The WWT isn’t available yet, but you can see a demo below


TED talk - Microsoft World Wide Telescope - Video Demo

Seeing this everyone can get a clear understanding about what this project can do. Viewing the TED talk, it’s like a Google Earth for the sky, seamlessly integrating pictures and information in a single platform.


Microsoft plans to release this desktop product by spring 2008. At present, the homepage of WWT you can find in this link - http://worldwidetelescope.org/.

References:

Microsoft World Wide Telescope - Video Demo - http://www.labnol.org/software/download/video-demo-microsoft-
worldwide-telescope-universe/2434/


A PDF document from Jim Gray; Alexander S. Szalay & End Bracket
ftp://ftp.research.microsoft.com/pub/tr/tr-2002-75.pdf
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc163629.aspx

FAQ -
http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/buzz/FAQ.aspx

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