Singularity University

Singularity has announced its birth — as a nontraditional Silicon Valley institution starting off with short-term programs, backed by big names in technology (including Google and NASA), and boasting of the very large ambition of addressing “humanity’s grand challenges.” The curriculum will focus on interdisciplinary study in 10 fields: future studies and forecasting; networks and computing systems; biotechnology and bioinformatics; nanotechnology; medicine, neuroscience and human enhancement; AI, robotics, and cognitive computing; energy and ecological systems; space and physical sciences; policy, law and ethics; and finance and entrepreneurship.


http://insidehighered.com/news/2009/02/03/qt

http://singularityu.org/

 

And I thought Singular was now the new AT&T

 

That is Cingular not Singular.

 

Cellphone jokes aside, this venture was launched at the TED conference. TED talks are some of the most interesting and engaging talks you'll come across, and lots of them are available for free download from Apple's iTunes Music Store (look in the podcasts section).

 

Perhaps I'm hopelessly old-school, but I'm very happy with my mobile phone that can just call other phones. No text messaging, no iTunes, no calendar schedule, no e-mail, just the ability to punch 10 buttons, and then actually talk to someone.

 

Bruce: "Perhaps I'm hopelessly old-school, but I'm very happy with my mobile phone that can just call other phones. No text messaging, no iTunes, no calendar schedule, no e-mail, just the ability to punch 10 buttons, and then actually talk to someone."

John: I'm with you, Bruce. But not very persuasively, I guess. My wife gets her iPhone tomorrow afternoon. She asked for it and got it as the 'advance' (in lieu of money) from the publisher of her next book.

In Victor Borge's act, back when digital phones were the wonder of the age, he was showing the audience his new complicated watch. Then he stared at it for a long time, and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is high tide in Melbourne."

 

Ditto here.

 

You are not alone on this< I am usually 3 years behind the technology frenzy.

 

What a bunch of luddites! Just kidding!

Unfortunately (for my wallet), I've been a technophile for years now. It probably all started when I was a recording engineer. In addition to learning more about my craft, I was always lusting after the next piece of gear that would improve my sound.

Nowadays, I just have a fancy cellphone (the T-Mobile G1, which is an excellent phone BTW). With that said, I have to say that sometimes I do miss having actual buttons on my phone, as just about every function on the G1, including dialing numbers is performed on the touch screen.

 

Same here.

Well said, Bruce.


Roscoe

 

All about multitasking

Your cellphone delivers your school lectures, perhaps we can hand in our work with our taxes?

 

Yes, except you move to Africa right now.

 

It looks like an interesting programme if you are a technocrat and supported by a considerate work environment. I worked out on my abacus that it was a little expensive for me.

I am with Bruce on the phone thing. When you buy one, you probably need to go Singularity to learn how to use it. Well, I had better go.The cave fire is getting low and the wife has just finished cleaning the road kill. I had better fetch the water in for the cooking pot.

 

I work with IT people all day with I-phones, whatever the next generation of non Apple I-phone is (I can't remember) I see I-pods, Blue tooth everything, Blackberries galore and I have my little 10 button Samsung that doesn't make insect sounds, play songs, etc. It rings or vibrates or both but that's it. Every time I'm in a big group of people if they hear an actual phone ring, everyone knows right away it's me.

Heck I'm still pretty fascinated with my digital watch (a little Douglas Adams...for my fellow Hitchhikers)

By the way, does anyone else think Dr. Ray Kurzweil (Chancellor) looks like Woody Allen?

 

I'm still using a manual wind Omega watch, 50s vintage. While I implement some of the most high end technology I just don't want my personal life to exist in the same realm, I like it simple, except for my video/audio electronics.

I was forced to take a new phone several years ago, but that was only after I successfully fought off a blackberry. I'm still thinking two tin cans and some string are pretty adequate.

 

Sell out...I've been thinking of going old school, that's right, smoke signals baby!