Google.org's human aims could be good business

A map of Mexico's forestry cover made with Google Earth Engine was created for
environmental reasons, but mapping the whole world with that and other environmental
measurements could prove to be an interesting business for Google.

(Credit: Google Earth screenshot - Tom Krazit/CNET)

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--Some of Google's next big opportunities may not come out of its
traditional product development organization; look out for the do-gooders.
It's been almost two years since Google announced a philosophy shift at Google.org to focus more on attacking "problems in ways that make the most of Google's strengths in technology and information," Larry Brilliant, the former head of Google.org, said at the time. One of the first successes from that shift--Google Earth Engine--may not only help developing countries get accurate data about their environments for the first time, but such a massive collection of information and sophisticated analysis could pay financial dividends as well.
Google does a lot of charitable giving, but tucked away in a corner of its sprawling campus is a group drawn from all parts of the company that is dedicated to something a little more Googly that simply giving money away: "Can we use our engineering skills to design our way out (of the world's problems)?" Megan Smith, general manager of Google.org, said in an interview with CNET.
Take Google Earth Engine, conceived and run by Rebecca Moore, a former member of Google's Geo team who now works for Google.org full time. Moore developed quite a reputation in the environmental community after using Google Earth to map out a proposed logging project in the Santa Cruz Mountains that was defeated after the graphical presentation showed the project's scope was larger than advertised. That led to Google Earth Outreach, a project which taught environmental groups and governments how to use Google Earth as a presentation tool.
Environmental scientists were impressed by the tool, but what they really wanted was a tool that could let them analyze and manipulate the data stored in those images in order to make decisions about environmental policy, such as how much to compensate local groups for protecting forests against logging. Moore recognized that what they needed was something "intrinsically parallelizable;" in other words, something perfectly suited to be broken up into thousands of small tasks and run across a distributed network of servers.
What other computing problems are like that? Web search, for one.
"I think we're (becoming) clear about what is our best lever: technology-driven philanthropy," Smith said. Google Earth Engine was demonstrated at the most recent round of world climate talks in Cancun, Mexico, allowing the Mexican government to produce the most detailed map--by far--ever assembled of its forestry footprint, Moore said. It plans to use that map to set wildlife habitat boundaries as well as antideforestation programs.
Google.org wants to find hard problems that are often too much for poorer countries with limited or nonexistent IT budgets to solve on their own and apply Google's vast resources of computing power and human talent.
Around 100 Google employees are affiliated with Google.org, and while their salaries are paid out of Google.org's estimated 2011 budget of $45 million, they generally maintain a strong connection to the Google.com working group from which they came.
Earth Engine is an example of a "pilot" project started by one or two engineers from the Geo team that grew into a full-blown Google.org project, Smith said. There are five major products at the moment: Google Earth Engine, Google Flu Trends, Google PowerMeter, RE<C (research into making renewable energy cost less than coal), and Google Crisis Response.

Another Google Earth Engine project allowed the Surui tribe in the Amazon to receive
compensation from the Brazilian government for maintaining the forests in their territory,
the green area in the middle of the picture with the clear borders. The yellow and pink areas
represent deforested land.

(Credit: Google)

While the projects are designed to tackle specific philanthropic needs, there are clearly commercial applications that can arise from this work. Truth be told, should the projects prove wildly successful, Google won't have much of a choice but to find some way to monetize them in order to make up for the drain on its computing resources: for just the Mexico project, Google donated 15,000 CPU hours of computing time to produce the map and plans to donate 10 million CPU hours to developing countries as they attempt to figure out how to measure the size of their forests while negotiating the REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) agreement reached in Cancun.
Google has discussed commercial applications of Google Earth Engine, but it's too early to have laid down any specific plans, Moore said. There will always be a free version of projects like Google Earth Engine available to developing countries, but don't be surprised to see a break-even pricing tier at some point that allows Google to recover its costs or even a for-profit version that could turn into its own business, she said.
Projects such as Google Earth Engine are extremely valuable to the world, for both humanitarian and commercial reasons. One of Google's clear aims for Google.org is to unlock generations of material--such as historical satellite imagery--stored on tape drives in musty warehouses by getting that information online, Smith said.
Moore cited the example of local researchers who were able to draw strong conclusions between changes in weather patterns and disease. A system that would allow countries to identify such weather patterns backed by years of historical data could lead to early-warning systems against crippling diseases, although Moore cautioned such an application is still in the conceptual stages.
This would also have obvious benefits for agricultural companies, for example. "We'll have to charge something," Smith said, in order to make these ideas work at a truly global scale, but for now the limited application of these practices allows them to remain completely philanthropic.
With strong support from Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, don't expect anything to change drastically at Google.org following Page's elevation to the CEO spot in April. Likewise, even as Google adds employees left and right in 2011, don't expect cultural support for the promises of Google.org to become diluted by new recruits.
If anything, younger people emerging from universities and graduate programs have even a stronger connection to this kind of work than the generation that helped build Google, Smith said.
"In a lot of ways, the Internet is like a shift like the Silk Road in its day: people were able to connect to each other in a way that's never been there before," Smith said. Younger workers "will demand" that their employers engage in this manner of using business strengths for humanitarian purposes, she said, and Google feels it has quite the head start.

The Rite

Inspired by true events, “The Rite” follows skeptical seminary student Michael Kovak (Colin O’Donoghue), who reluctantly attends exorcism school at the Vatican. While in Rome, he meets an unorthodox priest, Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins), who introduces him to the darker side of his faith.

Directed by Mikael Håfström (“1408”), “The Rite” is a supernatural thriller that uncovers the devil’s reach to even one of the holiest places on Earth. Contrafilms’ Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson (“The Exorcism of Emily Rose”) are producing the film. The screenplay was penned by Michael Petroni (upcoming “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”), inspired by the book by Matt Baglio. Christy Fletcher and Emma Parry are co-producing. Richard Brener, Merideth Finn and Robert Bernacchi serve as executive producers.

Hopkins stars as Father Lucas. An Oscar® winner for his iconic portrayal of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs,” Hopkins’ impressive career includes “The Remains of the Day” and this year’s “The Wolfman,” as well as the upcoming comics-based film “Thor.”

Making his feature film debut, O’Donoghue stars as Michael Kovak, the disillusioned American seminary student.

Alice Braga plays the role of Angeline, a journalist in Rome doing research on exorcisms. Braga will next be seen this summer in “Predators.” Her additional credits include “I Am Legend” and “City of God.”

Ciarán Hinds portrays Father Xavier. Known for his role as Gaius Julius Caesar in HBO’s “Rome,” Hinds will soon be seen in the upcoming “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” films.

Toby Jones plays the role of Father Matthew. Jones has appeared in such films as “Frost/Nixon,” “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and “The Painted Veil” and will soon be seen in “Captain America: The First Avenger.”

Veteran actor Rutger Hauer takes on the role of Michael’s father, Istvan Kovak. Hauer’s career includes roles in “Blade Runner,” “The Hitcher,” “Sin City” and “Batman Begins.”

Håfström previously directed the John Cusack thriller “1408,” and “Derailed,” starring Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston. His most recent film, “Shanghai,” also starring John Cusack, will be in theaters later this year. His film “Evil,” which he wrote and directed, was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2004 Academy Awards® and won three Swedish Guldbagge Awards, including Best Film.

Slated for release in January 2011, New Line Cinema’s “The Rite” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
                        

Sony unveils 'Next Generation Portable,' the new PSP

The new Next Generation Portable, from Sony. Known by many as the PlayStation Portable 2,
 the new device was announced at a live event in Tokyo on Thursday.

(Credit: Sony Computer Entertainment)

At a live event in Tokyo, Sony on Thursday unveiled what many had come to call the PlayStation Portable 2, its long-awaited, all-new handheld video game console. Known officially as the "Next Generation Portable," the device will be available this holiday season. Sony has not yet said what the new PSP will cost.

According to CNET sister site Gamespot.com, the new device will come in a brick form factor and feature a 5-inch OLED display with four times the resolution of current-generation PSPs. It has touch pads on both the front and the rear and dual micro analog joysticks. It also has both front- and rear-facing cameras and will use a Flash-based memory card. It will also offer 3G, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity, according to GameSpot. On-stage in Tokyo, Sony's Shuhei Yoshida said the new device boasts PlayStation 3-quality graphics.

Sony said that the device has an ARM Cortex A9 (core) CPU, and a SGX543MP4+ GPU. It also has a Six-axis motion-sensing system.

Games that will be offered for the Next Generation Portable (NGP) include Hot Shots Golf Next, Gravity Daze, Killzone, WipeOut, Resistance, LittleBigPlanet, Uncharted, Little Deviants, Reality Fighters, and Billiards, GameSpot reported.

Before unveiling the new PSP, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai also unveiled a new platform called PlayStation Suite that will ensure that first-generation PlayStation games will run on a wide variety of Android-enabled handsets and tablets. That could mean that a huge library of games will be available for the first time to Android users. Hirai also said that the Next Generation Portable is backward compatible, and will run downloadable PSP titles. And Toshihiro Nagoshi from Sega later said that it would be possible to port PlayStation 3 games to the NGP, according to Gamespot.

A view of the front of the NGP, showing its dual sticks, and its front-facing camera.

(Credit: Sony Computer Entertainment)

Nintendo's DS has dominated

Although Sony's PSP line, which first launched in 2004, has sold an impressive 65.7 million units worldwide, according to independent analyst outfit VGChartz.com, it has been overshadowed for years by the much more successful Nintendo DS line of handhelds. All told, according to VGChartz, Nintendo has sold 145.3 million of its portable devices--the DS, the DSi, and the DS Lite.

The slim PSP, which was released in 2007.

(Credit: CNET)

Sony has also tried to reinvigorate the PSP before, first with a slimmer version of the original device it put out in 2007, and then with a significant redesign that never really caught on known as the PSP Go. But neither of those devices were able to help Sony close the handheld sales gap with Nintendo.

And now, of course, the new Next Generation Portable will be going head-to-head with the very-well-received new Nintendo 3DS. That well-reviewed device, which offers users 3D capabilities without special glasses, will go on sale March 27, and cost $249. It will launch with six first-party titles, including Legend of Zelda and Nintendogs + Cats, and ten third-party games, including Electronic Arts' The Sims and Madden Football; Super Street Fighter IV 3D from Capcom; Dead or Alive: Dimensions from Tecmo, and others.

Still, the Next Generation Portable has a lot of people excited because of its rich collection of features.

The PSP Go, which Sony launched in 2009.

(Credit: Sony)

But while Sony got plenty of attention for the new NGP, it did not unveil at the Tokyo event a PlayStation phone, as many had expected. It appears, according to published reports, that such a phone, which could be based on Google's Android platform, and be known as the Xperia, will not be revealed in public until next month's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Additional coverage:

The Sony NGP/PSP2: what we still don't know

PSP2 gameplay video: Uncharted

Sony bringing PlayStation games to Android

Top 10 Nokia C6-01 Sports Apps

If you’ve managed to get hold of a Nokia C6-01 in the past month, you’ll be wanting to track down all the best apps. Sports fans should read on now, as we’ve put together the top ten sports apps for your Nokia C6-01, turning your mobile smartphone into the ideal sports accessory. Join us after the break to find out the best sports apps…
RaceChrono
If you’re a fan of motor racing, and love driving, the RaceChrono is well worth a look. Keep track of your own car’s 0-60 times, carry out standing starts on track, and download the latest circuit information to test yourself on track.
Nokia Sports Tracker
One of the most comprehensive sports apps there is, Nokia Sports Tracker should be one of the first apps that fitness fanatics download for their Nokia C6-01. Keep track of how far you’ve run or cycled, use it in conjunction with Ovi Maps to keep a route, and you can even buy a compatible heart-rate monitor for Nokia Sports Tracker.
ECB Cricket
As the title suggests, this one is for cricket fans only. ECB Cricket lets you keep up to date with live cricket scores from one-day tests and international matches at home and abroad, including tournaments such as Ashes.
Hockey Latest News
NHL isn’t big here in the UK, but there are plenty of National Hockey League fans across the world. If you’re one of them download Hockey Latest News for all the latest from the icy battlegrounds.
Sky.com
Get all the latest news and sports updates on your Nokia C6-01 with Sky.com – one of the top resources for sports fans. It’s ideally suited to the Nokia C6-01, offering easy to use pages and news that’s also easy to access.
Heart Rate Monitor
Heart Rate Monitor is an app for calculating your heart rate. To work it tap the screen of your Nokia C6-01 a few times as your heart beats, your heart rate will then show.
Boxing Community
This knockout Ovi Store app gives boxing fans fistfuls of the latest boxing news from all over the world. Videos, fight schedules, news. It’s all here.
Serie A
If you’re a fan of Italian football – and many of us are – it can be tricky to keep track of it in different countries. Lots of emphasis is placed on the Premier League, so the Serie A app is a godsend.
ESPNsoccernet
If your footballing tastes are more varied, then ESPNsoccernet is the one for you. Check out the latest news, match reports fixtures and far more with this handy app.
On The Line
If you like your tennis news fresh download On The Line for the latest from the world’s courts. Keep up to date with the latest battle for number one – can Federer regain the top spot, or is Rafa the new king?

Mac App Store Launched by Apple

The much awaited Mac Store was launched a few hours before with 1000+ apps. Now Mac users can use their iTunes password to download and install apps from App Store. App Store become popular by the introduction of iPhone as the users can choose from a a categorized list of apps, buy and install.
The store lets users browse through new and hot apps, staff favorites and top charts to find the best apps available. App categories include education, games, graphics and design, lifestyle, productivity, utilities and others.
For a sample of pricing, you can get Apple’s own iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand apps for $14.99 each; Pages, Keynote and Numbers are available for $19.99 each, while Aperture 3 costs $79.99.
You can check out the store either by downloading the latest Mac OS X update (v10.6.6) or by visiting apple.com/mac/app-store. Developers interested in creating apps for the Mac App Store can go to developer.apple.com/programs/mac for more info.

Most Anticipated Mobile Phones Of 2011

2011 is full of promise and the mobile market is always a good place to look if you are in need of some next-gen tech inspiration. Here is a quick look at the five phones which are the subject of serious speculation and most likely to win mainstream success in the next 12 months.
LG Optimus X2
The world’s first dual core smartphone, using the Tegra 2 chip from Nvidia to double the number of physical cores currently seen in common smartphones. It will run at 1GHz and feature version 2.3 of the Android operating system. It will also support full HD 1080p video recording and will be able to output at this resolution to your HDTV via an HDMI output.
Google Nexus S
Although it launched in the closing days of 2010, the Nexus S is very much a handset that could take 2011 by storm. With a curved, glass-fronted four inch Super AMOLED display, version 2.3 of Android onboard and 16GB of storage space it is every inch the modern smartphone and since it is branded with the search giant’s stamp it will be the first place to see updates to the Android platform arrive before anyone else gets a taste.
Apple iPhone 5
Although Apple has made no official announcement of the iPhone 5, its arrival is inevitable since there has been a new addition to this range every year since 2007. We can expect that the iPhone 5 will not change drastically from the hardware of the iPhone 4, with some rumours suggesting that it will have 4G LTE connectivity along with a Near Field Communication (NFC) chip like the one found in the Nexus S to enable mobile payments and hotspot interaction. Expect to see it touch down in the summer of 2011.
Windows Phone 7
The Microsoft mobile operating system was critically acclaimed but has yet to find the sales success that it deserves, but with handsets like the Acer E600 and manufacturers as diverse as Lenovo and even Nokia rumoured to be considering new mobiles based on the platform it is likely that 2011 will be the year for Windows Phone 7 to come of age.
Palm smartphones
In 2010 Palm died a small death despite the positive reviews of its WebOS platform and Pre smartphone but after a takeover bid by HP it is back on firmer ground. Expect to see multiple mobile devices sporting WebOS 2.0 arriving over the coming year, with an iPad-rivaling Palm tablet expected along with further smartphones that should be bolstered by the big-bucks backing from HP. Because of Palm’s relative obscurity you can also expect the best mobile phone deals to feature its handsets.

GTA 5

GTA series which is famous for its action, adventure, driving, and occasional role-playing, stealth and racing elements is planning to come up with its new installment in the series ; GTA 5. GTA 5 is expected to be released by the end of 2010 or the beginning of 2011. The game is expected to stay on top of the charts throughout 2011.