Developages - Development and Technology Blog

Filed under: Gaming

You know how Go nerds are always going on about how magical they are since supercomputer AI hasn’t yet cracked the ancient board game, and rarely beats even an average Go player? No? Maybe those are just our nerdy friends. Well, those folks can wipe the smug grins off their faces as they’re faced with the sobering reality of defeat: Dutch supercomputer “Huygens” has defeated a human Go professional in an official match at the 24th Annual Congress of the game Go in Portland, Oregon. The newly-minted supercomputer was aided by the recently-developed Monte-Carlo Tree Search algorithm and a whopping 60 teraflops of processing power. Poor Kim MyungWan — who managed to beat the computer in three “blitz” games leading up to the actual match, and probably won’t be hanging up his Go hat just yet — didn’t stand a chance.

[Via Tech Digest]

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

G-Tec’s thought control hat has been out there making people look silly for some time now, but a group of researchers at Goldsmiths, University of London have now put it to a somewhat more unique (but equally silly-looking) use. As the BBC reports, they’ve effectively turned the device into a musical instrument, with the wearer only required to think about a note as they flash on a screen in order to play it. It’s apparently not quite a foolproof solution just yet, with it currently only able to play the correct note about six out of eight times, but the researchers see plenty of potential applications for the system, including helping composers struck down with multiple sclerosis or other physical disabilities. Hit up the read link below to check out a video demonstration.

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Original post by Donald Melanson

Filed under: Laptops

Surely you remember that G600 that MSI showcased at CeBIT, right? We know you’re sitting in stunned silence just thinking back, so we’ll move forward anyway. The crew over at TweakTown managed to get ahold of the GX600X TurboBook, and rather than just frolicking in fields of flowers with it, they put this puppy to the test. Unlike the vast majority of MSI lappies, this particular one manages to stand out somewhat, with a relatively loud design and a fairly potent set of components to boot. Reviewers found it to be a “peak performer” with “excellent overclocking capabilities,” and while the logos may catch a few eyes, these critics felt that those very decals may deter folks from buying an otherwise solid machine. Nevertheless, head on down to the full review — you may find yourself surprisingly attracted to an MSI. Imagine that.

[Via I4U News]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: CES, Portable Audio

It’s not like we haven’t seen miDocks before, but Polk Audio is enjoying the spotlight at CES and releasing a trio of newcomers to mingle with your iPod. Up first is the miDock Studio (pictured after the jump), which takes a subtle hint from the late iPod Hi-Fi in the design department and features a pair of 3.25-inch drivers and the ability to operate on AC power or from eight C-cell batteries. The miDock 10 (shown above), on the other hand, is entirely more suited for being hoisted over your left shoulder when pouncing down the street, while the diminutive Portfolio can be folded up for easy transport and operated on four AA cells for over eight hours. Notably, the Studio and 10 also sport USB inputs for direct computer connections, and the trio will run you $229.95, $179.99 and $119.95 in order of mention.

Continue reading Polk Audio intros miDock Studio, 10 and Portfolio for your iPod

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Original post by Darren Murph