Larry Dignan

This Supercomputer Defeated Human Champions of a TV Game Show in 2011

Arik Hesseldahl in Enterprise on January 13, 2011 at 3:19 pm PT

Answer: What is IBM’s Watson? The supercomputer training for an expected TV debut next month on “Jeopardy” won a practice round today.

Who Will Buy Palm? If Not HTC, How About HP?

John Paczkowski in News on April 23, 2010 at 8:34 am PT

Well, this is a bit ironic, coming as it does on the heels of Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein’s “I believe Palm can survive as an independent company” proclamation Thursday: HTC has reportedly declined to bid on the company. So where will Palm look now?

My Bing-a-Ling

John Paczkowski in News on May 26, 2009 at 11:51 am PT

What’s in a name? Apparently, the answer to Microsoft’s many search problems. As we previously reported, the software behemoth plans to debut its new search service at our D: All Things Digital conference later this week, and when it does it may have a new name. Reports claim that Microsoft Live Search, once known as Windows Live Search, and prior to that as MSN Search, will henceforth be known as… Bing.

It's Actually About Figuring Out How to Sell the Sizzle and Not the Steak, Dean

Kara Swisher in News on April 7, 2009 at 12:01 am PT

BoomTown read a ton of the various columns reacting to the Associated Press’s announcement of a new initiative to–as near as I can tell–stop the Internet from being the Internet. I tease, as it is a lot more complicated than that. But AP board Chairman and MediaNews group CEO Dean Singleton seemed very exercised about his mission to “protect news content from misappropriation.” It’s going to surely be an interesting debate, kicked off by a very curious quote Singleton gave to paidContent.org: “Print is still the meat. Online’s the salt and pepper.” A tasty debate!

Dear Web 2.0: It's Still the Economy, Stupid!

Kara Swisher in News on September 15, 2008 at 8:15 am PT

Last week, one of the things that struck me about the coverage of the two main tech conferences devoted to start-ups, DEMOfall and TechCrunch50, was the almost complete lack of discussion–or, more appropriately, worry–about the troubled economy. This, even though the subprime mortgage crisis remains in full swing, along with the continuing turmoil around the stability of Wall Street financial firms, as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Also, let’s not forget those sky-high gas prices. The situation has worsened this past weekend with more dangerous developments in the financial sector, which eventually means that the popular Web 2.0 maxim of “growth before profits” is also in for a very bumpy ride.