search

Robots in development can reach out and touch someone

Robotic prostheses may have a way to go before they work exactly like human limbs, but researchers are making great strides. A team out of Georgia Tech is working on new technology that could give these robotic limbs something akin to a sense of touch.

Thanks to tactile-sensing material that covers the entire prosthesis and software that integrates the gathered data, this robotic arm can maneuver through clutter and distinguish between hard and soft objects as it grips, pushes, and pulls more intuitively.

"Up until now, the dominant strategies for robot manipulation have discouraged contact between the robot's … Read more

Misspell Google search terms? It's probably hunger

It's hard to know whether those who can't spell are stressed, oppressed by excess multitasking, or merely uneducated.

The people behind the highly nutritious Snickers bar decided to prove that it might be none of the above.

It is, they posited, merely hunger that drives you to ignorance.

So, as AdAge reports, Snickers got together with Google to see whether they could encourage better spelling of Google search terms, as misspelling was causing Google's servers to seize up and spew smoke and curses.

I made up that last part.

As part of the campaign, the Snickers-sponsored machines … Read more

Google to integrate app activities into Search

NEW YORK--Google plans to integrate information on app activities into its Search page, giving users insight into what peers are doing and linking Google+ more closely with Google's other offerings.

The company in February launched its Google+ sign-on service that allows Google accounts to be used when logging into third-party apps and Web sites. Users taking advantage of the Google sign-in also can instantly download the Android app version without having to turn on their phones. The move was viewed as a way for Google to weave its accounts more tightly into the fabric of the Internet and a … Read more

Google Now gives iPhone users a taste of Android

CNET Update wants answers now:

One of the killer features of Android is now available to Apple devices. It's called Google Now, and iOS users will find it inside the Google Search app. Google Now can be thought of as a personal assistant app. It taps into your location and Google accounts to learn about you, and it displays info you might find interesting. For example, it can alert you to traffic on your commute to work or the latest score of the sports team you follow. On Android, Google Now is limited to devices with 4.1 Jelly … Read more

Your guide to Google Now on iOS

On Monday Google released an update to the Google Search app for all iOS users that added one major feature: Google Now. Until this release, Google Now was only available on Android devices, although there have been some indications that the service will eventually show up in Chrome. But this is likely the first time iOS users have seen the service, so you might be wondering what it does and how it works. Well, let's take a look.

Get Google Now on iOS On Android, Google Now is more or less a standalone app, but on iOS, Google had … Read more

EC details Google's proposed search concessions

Google's proposal for resolving a European investigation into anticompetitive practices in search includes labeling its own services in search results, showing services from rivals nearby, and letting specialized search services block Google from using their content.

The European Commission on Thursday published Google's proposed resolution for the long-running case and issued a request for feedback. (For the full proposal in detail, see below.)

That feedback now includes criticisms from rivals that say Google has unfairly squeezed them off the Web, promoting its own services even when they wouldn't merit top placement when judged on the basis of … Read more

Quicksilver for Mac 1.0.0 Review

Launching applications via keyboard shortcuts can increase your productivity. Quicksilver for Mac studies your habits and helps you achieve better control over your Mac. It functions very similarly to the Mac address/search bar, but with extra functions and even quicker launch options.

Quicksilver for Mac comes packed with its own installer, which makes the installation quick and easy. Once the free app has been installed, you can access it by pressing the Quicksilver hot key. To extend the functions of this app you can download some additional plug-ins available from the developer's Web site. There are default preset … Read more

CISPA permits police to do warrantless database searches

A controversial data-sharing bill being debated today in the U.S. House of Representatives authorizes federal agencies to conduct warrantless searches of information they obtain from e-mail and Internet providers.

Rep. Alan Grayson, a Florida Democrat, proposed a one-sentence amendment (PDF) that would have required the National Security Agency, the FBI, Homeland Security, and other agencies to secure a "warrant obtained in accordance with the Fourth Amendment" before searching a database for evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

Grayson complained this morning on Twitter that House Republicans "wouldn't even allow debate on requiring a warrant before a search.&… Read more

Google tweaks mobile search to deliver information quicker

Google introduced a pair of new features today intended to help speed mobile users' searches.

"When you're searching for information on the go, speed matters," Google software engineers Hiroshi Mizuno and Alex Fischer wrote in a company blog post explaining the features.

Starting today, mobile users will be able to use expandable site links to quickly access specific sections of certain sites, trimming the number of pages.

For example, instead of navigating the Rotten Tomatoes home page while looking for a new movie to see, mobile users will encounter a quick link for "In Theaters" … Read more

Swag Bucks: Yeah, it's still a thing

It was just over three years ago that I first encountered (and wrote about) Swag Bucks, a service that rewards you for completing various online activities.

I used it pretty hot and heavy for about a year, eventually accumulating some downright decent prizes, but then it dropped off my radar. Way, way off -- I kind of forgot it existed.

Come to find out, though, that Swag Bucks is alive and well -- and still a rather interesting way to score freebies just for doing stuff you might already be doing anyway.

For example, you can earn points ("swag … Read more