Google's shouting loudly about it's new almost-as-fast-as-you-think Instant search powers, and it is indeed clever. But a programmer worked out how to do this for Microsoft a year ago. Could Bing have beaten Google?
The clever geeky search guru we're talking about here is Long Zheng. A year ago, he wrote a front-end engine for Microsoft's own search engine, using existing APIs and coding tricks, that does almost exactly the same sort of "updating as you type" tricks that Instant does on Google. Check it out by clicking this link, and entering any old search phrase that comes to mind.
Impressive, isn't it? Notice how similar it feels to using Google's Instant powers. Zheng wrote it in his spare time too. The Web paid a modicum of attention to the invention, back in August 2009, and this week Microsoft's got all excited about it. Bing's director Stefan Weitz has even spoken to USA Today about it—noting that Google's Instant "interface itself isn't anything new. There was a site put up last year that does the same thing with Bing APIs." Then he talks some smack about how Bing is a "decision engine" (even though we all know it's no Wolfram Alpha!) and while speed and fewer clicks are all very good from a user convenience point of view, but the real game is "not about giving you much more links faster, it really is about getting you the information you need to make a decision faster in the format that makes the most sense." Stefan blithely ignores all the thinking about how much of a boost this will give to the online advert trade, but at least he does acknowledge that "speed is important."
9/13/2010 01:01:00 AM
kenmouse
, Posted in
Android
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Froyo
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Google
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Mobile News
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1 Comment
Time to get down and boogie if you think the Android fragmentation issue is overblown. Google has dropped its latest platform version stats and Android 2.2, aka Froyo, has managed to corner a healthy 28.7 percent of all active Googlephones (those that accessed the Market within the two weeks leading up to September 1), rapidly closing the gap on version 2.1 and nearly matching in number the handsets still stuck on the Cupcake or Donut diet. When you consider that back in May those pesky 1.5 and 1.6 versions were on a whopping 62 percent of Android mobiles, you'll probably agree that phone makers seem to be getting their act together in terms of delivering Google's latest wares in a timely fashion. Who'd have thought it, the more practice they have, the better they're getting at their jobs!
9/13/2010 12:59:00 AM
kenmouse
, Posted in
Cpop
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E-Asian
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Elva Hsiao
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1 Comment
ELVA Hsiao’s new album doesn’t hit stores until September 24th, but all eleven tracks from "Miss ELVA" are already available online. Although there were some concerns that the songs were leaked, her company reassured it was not the case. They revealed she has actually been chosen by China Mobile to be its featured star, so fans can now sample the full album on their website.
To compensate those who have preordered a hard copy, each edition will come with a 24-page 36 x 26 cm photo book, as well as a MAC waterproof eyeliner or a pair of colored contact lenses. The bonus gifts will set her company back another 18.75 million NTD, but they are confident that fans will preorder a copy after listening to it online.
9/13/2010 12:59:00 AM
kenmouse
, Posted in
Cpop
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E-Asian
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Jolin Tsai
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1 Comment
Jolin Tsai will be celebrating her 30th birthday on the 15th. She will be rewarding herself with a five day vacation after all the non-stop promotion she’s been doing. Since Jolin is always the topic of gossip, the media asked if one of her birthday wish was to have less gossips, but Jolin laughed, “Gossips are like my love relationships. I make wishes regarding them every year, but it’s no use. I’m not going to waste my birthday wish on those this year.”
She originally planned to go to Thailand for her birthday vacation, but because she was afraid of getting even more tanned than she is now, she might go shopping in Tokyo Japan instead.
Jolin revealed that one of her future goals may be to go into acting, “I don’t have set plan for it, but I’ve received an invitation to act. It’s an opportunity to learn something new.”
9/13/2010 12:58:00 AM
kenmouse
, Posted in
Apple
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iPod Nano
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iPod Shuffle
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Technology
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0 Comments
It didn't take much effort for Apple to design the new iPod Nano and iPod shuffle. All they did was cut the old iPod nano in half.
[reddit via thedailywhat]
9/13/2010 12:58:00 AM
kenmouse
, Posted in
E-Asian
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Kpop
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SNSD
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1 Comment
Although it has been three days since SNSD released their Japanese debut single “Genie“, their album sales ranking has continued to rise.
On the 8th, SNSD debuted at 5th place upon the release of their single. According to the Japanese Oricon charts on the 11th, SNSD’s “Genie” rose to 2nd place on the daily singles chart.
SNSD’s potential to succeed in the Japanese market is confirmed by the Oricon charts. Although their Japanese debut wasn’t necessarily explosive, they have continued to rise on the Oricon charts. A day after their debut, they rose to 4th place and continued to rise until their current placement at 2nd place.
Chow Yun Fat's seen it all in the entertainment circle, but he still loves it, why is that? Because he loves being an actor, even if he's playing an elderly like a grandfather, he does not feel belittled. Chow Yun Fat accepted an exclusive interview with Oriental Daily. (TN: Only part 2 of the interview is translated.) 
On Saturday, singer Ai Otsuka (28) held a live performance in Yokohama, her first concert since announcing her marriage to RIP SLYME rapper SU (36) in June. During the concert's encore, right before her final song, she revealed to her fans that she is currently pregnant and is expected to give birth in spring of next year.
