It's the same Internet...just better

A decade ago we looked to the internet to solve communication and social networking problems. With Facebook and Linkedin we have our own personal databases composed of our friends, family members and colleagues. I’d argue that the problem has been over solved. I have over 700 friends on Facebook. As the friend list grows I grow more cautious of what I’m saying in my status updates. I’d go into this a bit more but that’s a big long post for another day.

There’s a NEW shiny problem we’ll encounter as we begin to realize the limits of Google’s ability to scale. Searching for things on the web is becoming increasingly difficult. Sometimes you don’t find what you’re looking for after the 2nd or 3rd Google search. As the internet grows (just think that ever user’s tweet creates a new webpage that can live forever) data becomes harder to find. So here’s the new problem:

Problem: We’re entering an age of trillions and trillions of webpages. Google can’t scale to crawl all of those pages.

Solution: Teach computers how to understand, sort and link data.

Caveat: That’s easier said then done. Several start up companies are striving toward the ideal of building a semantic web. They have yet to succeed but a committed and loyal group of people continue to discuss and collaborate create a smarter more intelligent way of organizing data on the internet.

I’ve had ideas of a “semantic web” knocking around my head for about two years. I even had a short stint as a semantic start-up in New York. This video got me thinking about the possibilities of an intelligently linked internet today. Watch it and let me know what you think.

I am not witty or interesting; I wont pretend to have anything profound to say. I am 26, female, divorced and spent most of my life feeling empty and hopeless. This may not help anyone, but these realizations helped me find my happiness.

This wonderful piece was written by reddit user, Alukima. She’s 26 years old, an avid gamer and seems to have stumbled upon the path toward true happiness.

Here it is:

They didn’t lie to you in elementary school, being different is awesome.

In high school and my early twenties I was teased for wearing video game related t-shirts. Now the the same girls who teased me often complain to me over facebook about being suck in generic relationships and “wish they had found something to love the way I love gaming”. Also, I recently made a bet that my $15 TMNT purse would get more compliments at a bar than a $900 coach purse. I won.

TMNT purse > a sea of cookie cutter Coach bags

The lesson: It’s ok if you don’t fit in. In fact, not fitting in is a blessing.

In fact, I’ve gotten more compliments on my $10 Thundercats Sweatshirt than I’ve received for my Knightsbridge UGGs.

For more quotables check out the rest of her post here.

“I do have an addictive temperment and that is gaming. I have a stack of games. I’ve never taken the covers off them because I feel that if I do…I’m finished.”

I feel the same way about my video games. I have a stack of them although the covers are off (I wish I had Sir Patrick’s self discipline).

If Patrick Stewart were on Twitter I’d ask him about his gaming collection.

The first movie about video games is being remade!
The trailer for Tron Legacy is out.

Lili vs. Asuka

All the action will start at 11:30 AM EST (17:30 CET) on Saturday and Sunday and last until 10:00 PM EST (05:00 CET).
Live Stream Link.

Don't Mess With My Dew!

Mountain Dew released a commercial featuring two female gamers in a commercial promoting mountain dew as “game fuel”.

Why this is new and compelling:

– It’s a gaming commercial that stars two women who aren’t panting over babies, fashion or losing weight.

– Instead of focusing on the typical girl fight we see the two women take on avatars of opposing genders. One transforms into a male Orc while the other transforms into a female Night Elf.

– These women are dead serious.

The commenters on Youtube are fulfilling many of the awful stereotypes about gamers. They’re actually complaining about using two women as the stars of the commercial.

[Via - Jezebel]

I don’t think so. I know at least 8 women that fit this description…including myself.

Dressing your iPhone with GameBoy

Slip this Infectious Skin onto your iPhone to transform it into a shrine of Nintendo gaming devices past.

Yummy Prototype!

I heart this photo. That isn’t a copy of Imagine Babyz in her adorable hands.

[Via - LiveJournal]

Woot! You did it!

I’ve been getting panicked emails and dms from some of you about this. Live is down for maintenance and it looks like the Xbox Ops team is still working on it.

While it was my fondest hope that we would come in well under the wire, we still have a bit to tidy up, and are likely to go close to midnight pst. The remaining list of issues is pretty small, however its important to us that we get some deep testing in with things at 100%. [ via - XBL Ops Blog]

Things should be cleared up by tomorrow morning though. I wonder if we get reimbursed or extended subscriptions for the time XBL is down?

[Via - Destructiod]