Dragon Search Now Available for Medical Professionals
September 2, 2010
One of my “real”, for-fee columns is about voice search. However, I wanted to capture this news item because it shows the niche influenza that is infecting search vendors at this time.
Dragon Search is a handy and popular iPhone search tool that allows users to use their voice to perform online searches. Users speak their search choice can receive results from several top search engine. According to “Dragon Search Now Available for Medical Professionals” Dragon Search creator Nuance Communications has released a medical version called Dragon Medical. Like the name hints it is geared towards physicians and other health care professionals and gives them the ability to search a variety of medical publications using their voice. Other information available includes current medical news, diagnoses and drug interactions. Users can also perform Google searches. Dragon Medical is being offered for free for a limited time. This is an Apple application so it can only be used on the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and users must have OS 3.1 or later. It can be downloaded from the Apple App Store iTunes. It’s like having the help of the best doctors in the palm of your hand.
April Holmes, September 2, 2010
Mango Thrives in the Warmth of Solr
September 2, 2010
Mango library catalog helps to search libraries for the particular book, video, CD, or an ISBN, ISSN, and call number using criteria’s like keywords, title, author, location, et cetera. The Mango statistics measure the end user’s interaction with the Web browser, e.g. text messaging, using the folders, or searching for articles. The Florida Center for Library Automation web site news “Mango is now Solr-Powered!” states that the Mango catalogs will now run on the production servers and use the Solr software.
The news reveals a new term ‘Solango’ that is described as “the combination of the Mango discovery interface with the open source Solr indexing software published by the Apache Software Foundation”. It will replace the Endeca software and become a fully independent discovery platform, which will be able to ingest numerous data sources with no record limits, providing a new powerful open source-indexing, facet, and search engine for Mango.
Open source could put more of a squeeze on already strapped library vendors.
Leena Singh, September 2, 2010
Click Hunting without Crazy Business Analyses
September 2, 2010
I wrote about the shotgun marriage of a consulting firm getting a competitor to critique another firm’s products. Now I want to highlight Business Week’s essay / opinion piece “Why Companies Need Less Innovation.” The subtitle is, “Businesses need most of their workers to carry out their primary duties with enthusiasm and consistency.” Tough to argue with this generalization, right?
I am not going to argue, I just want to point out some of the thoughts I had when I read this article and discussed it with a person who works on projects with me. Keep in mind that I am not objective. I worked at the “old” Booz, Allen & Hamilton before the recent “reinvention” of the firm. The person with whom I was working this weekend is a former Fortune 50 executive and a Wharton MBA. We don’t know the author, Pat Lencioni. I assume he is a blue chip person with a better track record than the addled goose.
However, some of his ideas –not the person – struck me as wacky. Here are the that I jotted down:
First, what the heck is the neologism “creatonomy”? I can’t pronounce the word, nor can I explain it. The goose does get playful with his metaphors in a free blog, but in my “for fee columns”, I use English, skip the Greek quotes and the speed with which I crank out the posts for this digital diary.
Second, organizations in trouble think they are pretty darned innovative. My view is that most organizations in trouble don’t know the key actions to take to make the business work. Confusing doing what’s needed with repetitive activity is fatal. I think the conflation of innovation and method is a big problem.
Third, I don’t know too many leaders who are into being specific. I know that getting clear messages from senior executives is difficult and getting harder. Here’s an example. One outfit wants me to do a briefing for its board. The date is six weeks away. I am buried. I alerted the top person to the need to tell me what to do. The answer I received today? “It will take me another week to get back to me.” That’s not clarity. That’s procrastination and a failure to know the exact action to take to get the needed result.
With America’s educational system failing Americans, I think that innovation may become even more difficult going forward. As a result, the problem takes care of itself, does it not?
Stephen E Arnold, September 2, 2010
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Could Oracle Tap into Android Revenue?
September 2, 2010
Google has been sued by Oracle, as reported by the siliconvalley.com blog post “’Mo Money Mo Problems’ for Google”, for the heavy use of Java by Google in its Smartphone Android. Oracle that acquired the Sun Microsystems, which had developed Java, claims that Android is infringing on Java copyrights.
The Android in fact is popular because it is open source, but even then according to the article, “Android users to bring in $10 billion a year for the company by using Google’s other services, which are supported by ads”. Therefore, we expect another Silicon Valley clash of the titans over the intellectual property and patent law that could cost the search giant a lot of money. This may cause some breathing problems for Google, which shows signs of losing agility.
Everybody uses Java, and now that Oracle desires to milk Sun’s intellectual property as a cash cow, would we see more of such suits?
Leena Singh, September 2, 2010
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Microsoft Seeks Rare Search Panda
September 2, 2010
I was not too surprised when I read “MS Seeks Net Search Partner.” The story said that Microsoft wanted to find a search partner for the China market. I thought Microsoft had Bing.com and nifty translation, Unicode, and lots of engineers with considerable China-related experience. My knowledge of Chinese search is shallow, but what do you expect from a goose? A Harvard Business Review person? According to the write up:
Simon Leung, Microsoft’s Chief Executive for greater China, told the Journal in an interview that the company plans to invest about US$100 million (S$ 134.8 million) in Chinese companies. Mr Leung told the paper that Microsoft will target companies in sectors including software, cloud computing and possibly even gaming.
I am not certain that Microsoft has enough dough earmarked for this new Chinese adventure. Spending less on the Windows 7 Phone marketing might be a good idea. Google and China have found a way to create an opportunity for Microsoft. Will Microsoft pull off a coup? I hope so. The timing is okay, but I wonder why Bing.com does not do what needs to be done? Microsoft needs a rare search panda, preferably one that is not nocturnal and one that is not unacceptable to the Chinese officials.
Stephen E Arnold, September 2, 2010
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Language Computer: Why Now for Swingly and Extractiv
September 2, 2010
I did some fooling around on the Language Computer Corp. Web site. The PR blitz is on for Swingly, the question-answering service that was featured in blogs and on the quite remarkable podcast hosted by Jason Calacanis. I listened to the Swingly segment but exited once that interview concluded. Instead of wallowing in the “ask a question, get an answer” just like Ask.com, Yahoo Answers, Mahalo, Quora, Aardvark, and others, I thought I would navigate to the Overflight archive and check out the Web site. The first thing I noted was that a click on the WebFerret button now renamed “Ferret” returned a 404 error. Okay. So much for that. I then punched the entity recognition demo which I had also examined a while ago. More luck there, but I had to dismiss an “invalid security certificate,” which I supposed would have been a deal breaker for the Steve Gibson types visiting the Language Computer Web site.
I uploaded one of my for-fee columns to CiceroLite ML.. The system accepted the file, stripped out the Word craziness, and invited me to process the file. I punched the “process” button. The system highlighted the different entities. What’s important is that Language Computer has for at least eight or nine years performed at or near the top of the heap on various US government tests of content processing systems. Here’s what the marked up text looked like. Each color represents a different type of entity. For example, red is an organization, blue a person, etc.
In operational use, the tagged entities are written to a file, not embedded in a document. But for demo purposes, it makes it easy to see that Language Computer did a pretty good job. Entity extraction is a big deal for some types of content activities. I find a tally of how many times an entity appears in a document quite useful. The big chunk of work, in my opinion, is mapping entities to synonyms and then to people and places. It’s great to know the entities in a document, but it is even more great to have these items hooked together. I quite like the ability to click and see the entities in the source document.
Language Computer Corporation has been around since 1995. It has an excellent reputation, and, like other next generation content processing systems, has been used by specialists in quite specific niche markets. I won’t name these, but you can figure out what outfits are interested in:
- Entity recognition
- Event time stamping
- Sentiment tracking
- Document summarization.
The plumbing for these industrial-strength applications is what makes Swingly.com work. Swingly.com is a demo of the Language Computer question answering function. In my opinion, I am not likely to do much typing or speaking of questions into a search box or device. I type queries and I shout into a phone, often with considerable enthusiasm. (I hate phones.)
If you want to explore the Language Computer function to turn Web content (heterogeneous and semi-structured content) into structured data, navigate to www.extractiv.com. You will need to register. In order to use the service you have to create a content job, perform some steps, and then know what the heck you are looking at. The system works.
The larger issue to consider is, “Why are companies like Language Computer, Fetch Technologies, JackBe, and others from the niche government markets suddenly bursting into the broader enterprise and consumer sector?”
The pundits have not tackled this question. Most of the Swingly.com write ups are content to beat on the Q&A drum. I don’t think question answering is a mass market service except on devices that allow me to talk. In short, the Web angle is silly. So I am at odds with the azurini. I don’t care too much about English majors and journalists who are experts in search and content processing. Feel free to fall in love. Just brush up on your Shakespeare because the plumbing in systems like Language Computer’s will mean zero to this crowd.
Google and the Unexpected Consequences of a Hot Property
September 1, 2010
I don’t know much beyond what I have read in “Google Making Extraordinary Counteroffers To Stop Flow Of Employees To Facebook.” The idea is a good one if you are a Googler, want to ride a rocket with a chance to land at Planet IPO, and are of interest to the Xooglers at Facebook. Heck, who wouldn’t jump ship to get a shot at a big pay day? One doesn’t have to relocate or even worry about fitting into the company, which I have heard has a number of Xooglers on staff.
What is interesting is that for the first time in the history of Google, the Mountain View giant has a true competitive problem that is not going to be easy, cheap, or quick to resolve. The legal matters are less tricky than a hot company with a targeted ad pitch and an opportunity to create a curated index for search and retrieval. I think Google can match Facebook’s technology. In some ways, Google can outgun Facebook. However, Facebook—despite its flaws—is not yet public. Employees lucky enough to get options at Facebook could make some dough. With Facebook’s user base growing and its targeted ad angle, Facebook may be putting the heat on Google to pull a rabbit out of its hat.
The case example of Microsoft’s effort to catch Google in search is now becoming a case example of Google trying to catch Facebook. Google finds itself chasing a bunch of smart folks who are not yet public and who have a service that defies understanding by some people. Nevertheless, Facebook seems to be on a roll. The irony for me is that Microsoft has a stake in Facebook, which in my opinion makes Microsoft look pretty sharp in the social investment department.
The summer of 2010 has been a challenging one for Google. One hopes its management team and management processes are up to the challenge of its social neighbor.
Stephen E Arnold, September 1, 2010
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Are There Two Threats to Google Editions?
September 1, 2010
Google continues to have a less-than-relaxing summer. Maybe life will improve when the leaves begin to fall? Almost lost in the buzz about Google’s new approach to Net Neutrality and the aftermath of the StreetView Wi-Fi privacy issue is Google Editions. Google has the resource to chase any market it wants. The e-reader market has grown immensely.
As more companies enter the arena the competition is heating up and some brands are going to be edged out by more popular models according to the article “Apple iPad, Kindle, Nook War Could Kill Google Editions, Others.” Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes and Noble’s Nook and the new Apple iPad are currently leading the e-reader market. These brands offer customers a variety of attractive features and options as well as a large assortment of e-books. Smaller e-reader companies, such as Plastic Logic are unable to keep up with the technology and price options that are dominating the market and have been forced out of business. Sony struggles to revamp its technology and Google has yet to release its much anticipated e-reader and at this stage in the game they could be taking a hug risk. It is clear that only the strong can survive.
This goose thinks that Amazon and Apple may have an edge. Can these companies thwart Google? If Google continues to make lawyers plump with litigation, Amazon and Apple may not have to do much more than keep on keepin’ on.
Stephen E Arnold, September 1, 2010
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Send Your RSS feeds in Global Languages
September 1, 2010
Now the non-English speaking natives can get the RSS feeds in their own language. The mediacastermagazine.com recent news “RSS Feed Translation for Bloggers and Social Networking Firms” informs that the Toronto-based YYZ Translations will make available RSS feeds, translating them into 80 languages.
According to the article, the company claims about its translations, “will be more accurate, culturally correct and contextually to the point than those executed by automated machine translation systems like Google Translate”. This facility will help weblogs, RSS feed publishers, and the other social media platforms reach to a wider international audience.
This useful service will use a combination of digital technology and human translators to make the RSS feeds as powerful and accurate as the source message, after undergoing a qualitative control process of translation, editing, and review. The concept is interesting, and worth a look. The goslings see an opportunity to disseminate information is interesting ways.
Leena Singh, September 1, 2010
Yahoo Search Seeks a Hug
September 1, 2010
Yahoo Search now features Bing results. You have to look closely to find the image file, but it was there the last time I looked. So what’s happening at Yahoo search? I am not sure. I did notice a Yahoo blog post.
After the announcement of a Search Alliance with Microsoft’s Bing many people were left wondering whether Yahoo was getting out of the search engine game. “Yahoo’s Shahshahani On Search Evolution” shows a discussion by the head of Yahoo Labs Search Sciences Dr. Ben Shahshahani on the future of the Yahoo search engine. The entire conversation is located on Yahoo’s Search Blog. Shahshahani wanted to announce Yahoo was not ending its Search options but instead improving their outlook on the process. He stated “We like to consider search not as a stateless, information-extraction, but sort of an ongoing dialogue between the user and the system.” They strive to make the search process easier and provide users with search suggestions “to give them the information they need before they even think to search.” Also Yahoo is going to integrate social platforms into its results. It seems Yahoo is clearing up the rumor mill and doing a little PR for its declining Search Engine.
Okay, Yahooligans. Come to Harrod’s Creek. The goose will give you a hug. I hope it helps because I still have to do a lot of clicking to see my Yahoo email, and I find the results of the same query on Yahoo.com quite different when I run the query on Yahoo’s international Web sites.
Stephen E Arnold, September 1, 2010
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