rays

Ray Kurzweil joins Google as director of engineering

Ray Kurzweil, the famed inventor and futurist, said today that he would join Google, starting Monday, to work on "some of the hardest problems in computer science."

Kurzweil's title will be director of engineering. In a long statement on his Web site, he said he would focus on machine learning and language processing:

"I've been interested in technology, and machine learning in particular, for a long time: when I was 14, I designed software that wrote original music, and later went on to invent the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind, among other inventions. … Read more

Sneaker Speaker: Put on your dancing shoes

Despite the move to tiny portable music systems, some of us still long for the good old days of extremely noticeable boomboxes. You can indulge your nostalgia by dressing your iPhone up to look like one, or you could strap some wearable speakers to your feet.

The Sneaker Speaker from New York design group Ray Kingston Inc. wraps a set of speakers over the top of the shoe. Information about both the product and the designer is pretty sketchy so far.… Read more

The Audiophiliac's favorite music Blu-rays, DVDs, and CDs

Every now and then, I like to report on the best new discs that have come my way. Let's get started!

Amy Winehouse: "At the BBC" (CD/DVD) Fourteen stunning performances from 2004 to 2009 showcase aspects of her talent that the studio recordings gloss over. The DVD, "The Day She Came to Dingle," is a documentary featuring Winehouse at the height of her powers in December 2006 in a tiny church in Ireland. She's backed up with just guitar and bass, so her voice, in all its glory, is upfront and clear. Awesome!… Read more

Panasonic DMP-BDT220 Blu-ray player for $75 on Amazon

While it makes sense to buy a cheap Blu-ray player this holiday season, it makes even more sense to buy the best Blu-ray player at a huge discount.

Amazon is offering a limited-time "Gold Box" discount on the Panasonic DMP-BDT220, selling for just $75. The DMP-BDT220 is my top Blu-ray pick of the year, with integrated Wi-Fi, fast load times, and an excellent suite of streaming-media services.

If you miss the Gold Box deal, the standard Amazon price for the DMP-BDT220 is pretty nice, too, coming in at just $99.

Why you should buy a cheap Blu-ray player on Black Friday

Black Friday deals are often a mixed bag. You might save some cash up front, but often the best deals are for products of lower quality that you end up regretting later.

But if you have the chance to snag a cheap Blu-ray player, I'd say go for it. I've reviewed a bunch of midprice Blu-ray players this year, which typically add premium features such as built-in Wi-Fi and "Smart TV" streaming service like Netflix, Amazon Instant, and Hulu Plus. Though they're nice perks to have built into the player, the reality is that the &… Read more

Futurist Ray Kurzweil on smartphones, AI, and the human brain

MARANA, Ariz.--Inventor, author, and futurist Ray Kurzweil took to the stage here at the Techonomy conference in Tucson to offer his thoughts on a future where humanity is enhanced by technology.

Kurzweil spoke to Techonomy founder David Kirkpatrick about his new book on human thought, "How to Create a Mind," and the various themes that stem from it. Their talk was varied and at times scattered -- with a topic this big, you can imagine the temptation of tangents -- but Kurzweil had a few choice things to say along the way.

The highlights:

"I'… Read more

Should the White House have a 'made in the USA' hi-fi?

America may not design world-class cars anymore. We don't build TVs, phones, tablets, cameras, or all that much consumer technology, but we're still at the top of the heap in high-end audio! That's why the White House should have an American engineered and built hi-fi system for use by the president and his invited guests.

I'll volunteer my services to coordinate and help assemble such a system (presumably donated by the manufacturers). On a leap of faith, I'm assuming the president still plays LPs, so I'd recommend the Spiral Groove turntable and tonearm from … Read more

Apple Byte: The iPad Mini Retina rumors start early

Apple crushes its previous first weekend for iPad sales, proving that people will still buy the latest shiny Apple toy. Having two different iPad models probably helped as well. One thing we do know is that stores didn't sell out. If you're holding out for that Retina Display, and you believe the rumor mills, they're already working on it for you.

The future of the iMac is going to look a lot different after reports that Apple is looking to eventually stop using Intel processors in favor of its own mobile processors. Those next-gen iMacs are going … Read more

Ray turns Android phone into device for the blind

While sci-fi-style advancements like bionic eyes that help restore human vision might be getting closer to reality, everyday gadgets like smartphones can still pose major hurdles to the blind and visually impaired.

A new device called Ray aims to make the smartphone space friendlier to the sight-challenged by integrating standard smartphone capabilities with the functions of specialty devices that many blind consumers now pair with basic mobile phones to create a full smartphone experience.

Rather than having to rely on audio-book readers, navigation tools, raised Braille labels, special bar-code scanners, and large-buttoned and voice-enabled MP3 players, therefore, they can turn to just one device. … Read more

Police to position spies to stop drivers texting

I am not sure that texting drivers can ever be stopped.

They use sneaky methods. They try to keep the phone below dashboard level. Or they merely prop their cell phone on their steering wheel and multitask.

Texting is just too important, isn't it? You have dinners to plan, children's pickups to organize, and friends to constantly tell about your latest amorous pursuit.

And yet Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is not giving up. He has dedicated $550,000 to a new method of spotting motorized texters, a method that governments have used since before John Le Carre began writing: yes, spies.… Read more