Schuyler Null

"Now, as the business of data analysis begins, hypersonic planners are turning to what comes next...."

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:43:28 -0400

“Now, as the business of data analysis begins, hypersonic planners are turning to what comes next. Although the X-51A success marks a first step to the potential use of hypersonic propulsion for long-range reconnaissance, transport and even the first air-breathing stage of a space-access system, the near-term application will be a missile.”

- Hypersonic planner — best job name ever

Stunning capture from the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan’s...

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:01:34 -0400

Stunning capture from the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan’s flickr feed

"What Google TV needs is a makeover, and a splashy re-launch. It needs to shows us why it’s different..."

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:42:37 -0400

“What Google TV needs is a makeover, and a splashy re-launch. It needs to shows us why it’s different now, why it’s better. Google needs to convince users, developers, and manufacturers that the Android they love on cell phones can work on the big screen in their living room as well. Then Google needs to prove it, fast.”

- David Pierce: “Google TV: Silent But No Forgotten at I/O 2013”

Foot-dragging on Google TV seems like such a wasted opportunity, but I’m afraid it will take Apple’s long-rumored big TV move for Google to make any real effort.

U.S. Sports Are Anything But a Free Market

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:38:06 -0400

U.S. Sports Are Anything But a Free Market:

American pro sports leagues would be the stuff of Marxists’ wet dreams — MLS is a single entity owning all the player contracts fer chrissakes — except when we redistribute wealth, we do it exactly backward.

We have even turned our institutions of higher education (many of them public) into a farm system so that the player development costs for the likes of the NFL are essentially nothing (although the NCAA building a billion-dollar business on what’s essentially free labor is something that would give the corpse of Milton Friedman a priapism).

But then again, we’ve got a lot more parity.

Star-crossed mountain, by Dave Morrow

Thu, 16 May 2013 22:05:54 -0400

Star-crossed mountain, by Dave Morrow

"Our algorithms take into account human taste."

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:55:56 -0400

“Our algorithms take into account human taste.”

- Google’s Vic Gundotra

"…like the transitional H Street NE neighborhood near Dupont Circle…"

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:31:00 -0400

“…like the transitional H Street NE neighborhood near Dupont Circle…”

- As usual, The New York Times nails DC geography.

terra-mater: Earth from space: Dune 45 The Namib is the oldest...

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:27:20 -0400

terra-mater:

Earth from space: Dune 45

The Namib is the oldest desert in the world, stretching over 2000 km along Africa’s southwestern coast from Angola, through Namibia to South Africa. Sand dunes dominate the desert – some reaching over 300 m in height.

The blue and white area is the dry river bed of the Tsauchab – which only sees water following rare rainfall in the Naukluft Mountains to the east. Black dots of vegetation are concentrated close to the river’s main route, while salt deposits appear bright white.

Running through the river valley, a road connects Sossusvlei to the Sesriem settlement. At the road’s 45th kilometre, seen at the lower-central part of the image, a white path shoots off and ends at a circular parking area at the base of a dune. This is Dune 45, a popular tourist stop on the way to and from Sossusvlei.

Image credit: KARI/ESA

Amazing breaking-wave shots by Pierre Carreau (via PetaPixel)

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:45:42 -0400

Amazing breaking-wave shots by Pierre Carreau (via PetaPixel)

Google I/O Master Speculation Post (Updated)

Thu, 09 May 2013 22:10:00 -0400

This year’s Google I/O is shaping up to be a monster. With Android, Chrome, Google TV, Google Glass, Motorola, YouTube, Music, and all of Google’s various apps, there’s a ton of potential for significant updates and changes come mid-May. Here’s a list of all the I/O rumors I’ve heard so far, and a few extra, roughly by certainty:

Android 4.3 (near certainty)

Tablet love/optimizations? (speculation)
Unified Messaging (https://plus.google.com/u/1/100132233764003563318/posts/j2hjXkmx7zw and http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/google-expected-to-unify-chat-under-the-name-babble-20130318/)
Fixed/finished lockscreen widgets (speculation)
AirPlay competitor? (speculation)
Just a minor update? (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-57581909-251/android-4.3-could-debut-at-google-i-o-not-android-5.0/)
Gaming Center and focus (http://www.droid-life.com/2013/05/07/google-io-2013-predictions-speculation-and-rumors-new-nexus-q-android-4-3-chrome-dongle-new-gmail-and-more/, http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/05/01/google-io-schedule-reveals-heavy-gaming-focus/)

Major Chrome OS updates (near certainty)

Unified Messaging (https://plus.google.com/u/1/100132233764003563318/posts/j2hjXkmx7zw and http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/google-expected-to-unify-chat-under-the-name-babble-20130318/)
Google Now integration (https://plus.google.com/100132233764003563318/posts/idTrXBfoKN3)
Rich notifications (already on dev channel)
Native Apps (http://www.chromestory.com/2013/05/google-renames-old-apps-websites-packaged-apps-will-be-the-new-apps/, http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/22/google-ports-quickoffice-to-native-client-for-chrome-will-launch-with-full-editing-features-in-about-3-months/)
Quickoffice (http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/22/google-ports-quickoffice-to-native-client-for-chrome-will-launch-with-full-editing-features-in-about-3-months/ and https://plus.google.com/100132233764003563318/posts/LSihtsyDu1r)
Automatic G+ picture uploading on SD card (https://plus.google.com/u/0/100132233764003563318/posts/VPu9m4wbm2c)
Touch optimizations (speculation)

Google TV update (very likely: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GoogleTVDevelopers/posts/Zz3oBDgLGF7)

Google Fiber-influenced UI? (speculation)
New Remote app? (speculation, last updated 12/2010, minor refresh already: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/04/google-tv-remote-app-for-android-gets-its-first-update-with-voi/)

Nexus 7 refresh (very likely: http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2013/02/06/nvda-slips-pac-crest-cuts-tegra-estimates-on-apparent-loss-of-goog-nexus-7-tablet/)

Google Glass updates (very likely: 2013 release timing, last year’s show)

Explorer/Developer Edition released? (Google: “early 2013”)

Motorola X phone(s) info and/or launch (somewhat likely: http://androidandme.com/2013/03/smartphones-2/this-is-the-motorla-x-phone-and-its-going-to-level-the-playing-field/)

Chrome webstore update (plausible: https://plus.google.com/u/0/100132233764003563318/posts/d6NJKkhciVQ)

Nexus Q reboot as Android gaming console (plausible: http://www.droid-life.com/2013/05/07/google-io-2013-predictions-speculation-and-rumors-new-nexus-q-android-4-3-chrome-dongle-new-gmail-and-more/)

Google Watch (plausible: http://androidandme.com/2013/03/news/google-watch-could-launch-by-end-of-summer/)

Music streaming service (plausible)

Google Play and Youtube? (http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/5/4068254/google-cant-get-enough-of-subscription-music)

Nexus Q/Android@Home update (plausible: http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/24/is-there-still-hope-for-googles-disappeared-androidhome-and-nexus-q/)

New Chromebook hardware (plausible: http://www.omgchrome.com/quad-core-samsung-chromebook-coming-in-may/ and http://www.chromestory.com/2013/03/google-testing-chromebook-with-next-generation-intel-processor-haswell/ and http://www.chromestory.com/2013/04/a-little-more-information-about-chromebook-puppy/)

Google retail stores (plausible but unlikely for I/O: http://9to5google.com/2013/02/15/to-get-products-into-more-hands-google-will-open-its-own-stores-by-the-end-of-the-year/)

Nexus 4 refresh w/LTE and/or LTE (unlikely: http://www.droid-life.com/2013/04/21/weird-rumor-32gb-nexus-4-with-cdma-and-lte-to-be-announced-at-google-io/)

Google+ replacement for Reader (unlikely, pure speculation)

Google Play update (already released: http://officialandroid.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-fresh-new-look-for-google-play.html)

From USAF photographer Kenny Holston’s excellent,...

Wed, 01 May 2013 11:43:46 -0400

From USAF photographer Kenny Holston’s excellent, excellent flickr galleries

"If the moves Kelly has made over recent weeks are any indication, then I’m not so sure Chip Kelly is..."

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:41:00 -0400

“If the moves Kelly has made over recent weeks are any indication, then I’m not so sure Chip Kelly is trying to bring Oregon to Philadelphia. Instead, he might be trying to bring New England.”

- Chris Brown: “What Matt Barkley and the Eagles’ Offseason Say About Chip Kelly’s Plans”

"Mr. Karzai’s willingness to defy the United States — and the Iranians, for that matter — on an array..."

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:44:00 -0400

“Mr. Karzai’s willingness to defy the United States — and the Iranians, for that matter — on an array of issues seems to have only grown as the cash has piled up.”

- Matthew Rosenberg: “With Bags of Cash, CIA Seeks Influence in Afghanistan”

Saw Manufactured Landscapes last night on the incredible photos...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:34:00 -0400

Saw Manufactured Landscapes last night on the incredible photos of Ed Burtynsky

Florida Everglades, via NASA’s Marshall Space Flight...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:48:39 -0400

Florida Everglades, via NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

touchdisky: Switzerland by Lorana Gallery

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:17:23 -0400

touchdisky:

Switzerland by Lorana Gallery

"The planets are 1,200 light years away. A light year is almost 6 trillion miles. The planets circle..."

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:43:08 -0400

“

The planets are 1,200 light years away. A light year is almost 6 trillion miles. The planets circle a star that is 7 billion years old — about 2.5 billion years older than our sun.

‘If there’s life at all on those planets, it must be very advanced,’ said Borucki.

”

- AP

"More senators, 57, voted for a provision that would greatly expand gun rights — allowing people with..."

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:35:00 -0400

“More senators, 57, voted for a provision that would greatly expand gun rights — allowing people with permits to carry concealed weapons in their states to carry them nationwide — than supported expanding background checks.”

- Just how much power do lobbyists have? That much. (via The Washington Post)

"‘Of course the CIA missed all the revolutions in the Arab world,’ he said. ‘But we..."

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:55:00 -0400

“‘Of course the CIA missed all the revolutions in the Arab world,’ he said. ‘But we always miss the revolutions.’”

- Bill Keller: “Cowboys and Eggheads”

Follwing Facebook, Twitter Is Exploring New Ways For Android Users To Discover Tweets

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:45:00 -0400

Follwing Facebook, Twitter Is Exploring New Ways For Android Users To Discover Tweets:

This is exactly why Facebook Home is good thing for Android (though maybe not for Google and Google+ in particular).