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Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Admin at www.cpccci.com — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 03:48:51 +0000

Statement from President Barack Obama:
“Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was among the greatest of American innovators – brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.
By building one of the planet’s most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity. By making computers personal and putting the internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun. And by turning his talents to storytelling, he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike. Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.
The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve’s wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him.”

Statement from Bill Gates:
“I’m truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs’ death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.
Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.
The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.
For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely. “

Statement from Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO:
“Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you.”

Statement from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen:
“My condolences to Steve Jobs family and friends. We’ve lost a unique tech pioneer and auteur who knew how to make amazingly great products.”

Statement from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
“Steve Jobs was a visionary who changed the way we live, an innovator whose products brought joy to millions, a risktaker who wasn’t afraid to challenge the status quo, and an entrepreneur who led one of the most creative companies of our time.
“His sage advice was respected by policymakers on both sides of the aisle. His courageous fight against cancer brought strength to many.
“I hope it is a comfort to those who loved him, especially his family, that so many grieve his loss and are praying for them at this sad time.”

Statement from Walt Disney president Bob Iger:
“Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined. Steve was such an “original,” with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started. With his passing the world has lost a rare original, Disney has lost a member of our family, and I have lost a great friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene and his children during this difficult time.”

Statement from California Gov. Edmund Brown:
“Steve Jobs was a great California innovator who demonstrated what a totally independent and creative mind can accomplish. Few people have made such a powerful and elegant imprint on our lives. Anne and I wish to express our deepest sympathy to Steve’s wife, Laurene, and their entire family.”

Statement from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg:
“Tonight, America lost a genius who will be remembered with Edison and Einstein, and whose ideas will shape the world for generations to come. Again and again over the last four decades, Steve Jobs saw the future and brought it to life long before most people could even see the horizon. And Steve’s passionate belief in the power of technology to transform the way we live brought us more than smart phones and iPads: it brought knowledge and power that is reshaping the face of civilization. In New York City’s government, everyone from street construction inspectors to NYPD detectives have harnessed Apple’s products to do their jobs more efficiently and intuitively. Tonight our City – a city that has always had such respect and admiration for creative genius – joins with people around the planet in remembering a great man and keeping Laurene and the rest of the Jobs family in our thoughts and prayers.”
Celebrities and Politicians Take to Twitter to Offer Condolences

Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post CEO:
“@ariannahuff: My thoughts go out to Steve Jobs’ family and friends. Thank you for changing our world.”

Steve Levitan, co-creator/executive producer of ABC’s “Modern Family”:
“@SteveLevitan: I’m so sorry to hear about the death of Steve Jobs. He was truly one of my heroes. He leaves one hell of a legacy. #iSad”

SnoopDogg, Rapper
“@snoopdogg: RIP Steve Jobs Rest in peace homie.”

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger:
“@Schwarzenegger: Steve lived the California Dream every day of his life and he changed the world and inspired all of us. #ThankYouSteve”

Former California first lady Maria Shriver:
“@mariashriver: I’m going to turn off my Apple computer, iPhone and iPad tonight at 8pm and honor Steve with a moment of

digital silence. Will you join me?”
“@mariashriver: I’m so happy that I knew him and was so blessed by his friendship. He impacted all of our lives and changed the world.”
“@mariashriver: My heart weeps for all who worked with Steve and who loved him, especially my friend Laurene and their children.”

Jon Huntsman, Republican presidential candidate
“@JonHuntsman: Sad to hear about the passing of Steve Jobs, a true inspiration and a great American innovator.”

Ryan Seacrest, “American Idol” host/radio talk show personality/producer
“@RyanSeacrest: ‘Have the courage to follow ur heart & intuition. They already know what u truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.’ – Steve Jobs”

Nancy Grace, TV host, “Dancing With the Stars” contestent
“@NancyGraceHLN: About to go to air & discovered news about Steve Jobs – My heart goes out to his family tonight. #RIP Steve Jobs”

Lebron James, Miami Heat forward
“@KingJames: R.I.P Steve Jobs. Someone who definitely left his mark on this world! Innovations that will live and last forever!!”

Neil Patrick Harris, Actor on “How I Met Your Mother”
“@ActuallyNPH: Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. Your genius will live on for generations to come…”

Zach Braff, Actor
“@zachbraff: RIP Steve Jobs. A legend. A visionary innovator.”

Nick Lachey, singer, host of “The Sing-Off”
“@NickSLachey: Best wishes to the family of #stevejobs. What an amazing man and amazing life! Certainly, his legacy will be with us all forever. #RIP.”

Survey of Executives Finds a Growing Fear of Cyberattacks

sparky3887 — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:12:23 +0000

Cyberattacks are a growing threat to the critical infrastructure underlining modern society, according to a survey of 600 computing and computer-security executives in 14 nations conducted by McAfee and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Study director Stewart A. Baker cites findings that 50 percent of respondents believe they have already been the target of sophisticated government hackers. More than half of the polled executives say that their own country’s laws do not adequately discourage cyberattacks, and the three most vulnerable nations are identified as the United States, China, and Russia. Forty percent of executives are anticipating a major cybersecurity incident in their sector within the next year, while all but 20 percent project such an incident occurring within five years. The report indicates that the growing use of Internet-based networks “creates unique and troubling vulnerabilities,” although the authors stop short of urging a complete partitioning of systems and the open Internet. “Remote access to control systems poses a huge danger,” warns McAfee’s Phyllis Schneck.

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General Motors, Virginia Tech Scientists Collaborate to Advance Neuroinformatics

sparky3887 — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:19:20 +0000

Technological advancements in sensing technology makes it possible to take more accurate measurements of brain activity, something computer scientists and neuroscientists say could lead to the discovery of the complex neuronal networks in the brain that allow for simple, automatic movements such as reaching for a glass of water. Virginia Tech and General Motors Research are opening the Laboratory for Neuroinformatics for the purpose of creating algorithms that process the massive amounts of data neuroscientists collect from the brain. The lab will be co-directed by Virginia Tech computer science professor Naren Ramakrishnan and General Motors research scientist K.P. Unnikrishnan. “Neuroscientists are making the transition from studying neurons to studying networks–the sequences of firings and spikes of activity across big groups of neurons,” Ramakrishnan says. “What we are trying to do is analyze all this data and discover something about the network–the connections and relationships.” Unnikrishnan says the many possible applications of neuroscience-related research include analyzing data from cars and maintaining vehicle health. But even greater applications are possible, Unnikrishnan says. “Creation of brain-machine interfaces is the next frontier,” Unnikrishnan says. “Giving senses to people who have lost them–vision, touch, hearing, and motor–would be a contribution to humanity.”
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Building Airplanes on a Computer

sparky3887 — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:18:47 +0000

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill computer scientists and Boeing researchers are developing a new set of hierarchical and multi-resolution algorithms and techniques to simulate digital assemblies of large computer-aided design (CAD) structures such as a Boeing aircraft. The algorithms enabled the researchers to produce real-time programs to ray-trace large models on PC workstations. Efficient algorithms for proximity computations also have been developed for the purpose of object placement and spotting interferences among the CAD components. The ultimate aim of the UNC project is the development of digital manufacturing environments that include three-dimensional representations of parts and assembly tooling that can significantly enhance assembly, disassembly, and re-assembly processes for manufacturing and maintenance.
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Next Generation Disaster Communications Technology Now a Reality With LifeNet

sparky3887 — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:18:30 +0000

The National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance has awarded a Sustainable Vision Grant to a Georgia Institute of Technology research team to migrate its ad hoc, infrastructure-free wireless communications network to the marketplace. The network, called LifeNet, lets one person share network connectivity with others through their computer and is particularly critical for supplying instant communications connectivity in post-disaster scenarios or in rural and developing areas. LifeNet consists of consumer electronic devices, such as laptops or smartphones, with each device serving as a host and a router at the same time. LifeNet can support incremental expansion or shrinkage by enabling any user to connect and disconnect from the network at will, and it covers areas ranging from a few hundred meters to a few kilometers in diameter. In addition, all devices throughout a LifeNet network can access the Internet if just a single device is connected. LifeNet will next undergo rigorous testing and implementation.
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PRACE Is Ready for Implementation: Applications Ported

sparky3887 — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:17:48 +0000

The Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE) has been researching promising petascaling techniques, as well as related work on optimization techniques and the study of software libraries and programming models suitable for petascale computing. The combined work has laid the foundation for the efficient exploitation of the upcoming Tier-0 systems. The applications studied cover a variety of scientific areas and represent European high-performance computing use, with most of them originating from the European scientific community. The applications were ported, evaluated, and scaled on the PRACE supercomputer prototypes. Each application was ported to an average of three prototype systems. Porting to cluster-based systems encountered the fewest problems, while programs that were ported to Cell-based prototypes required a major time investment. PRACE researchers say it was essential to tune the options and parameters used when compiling and running a program, such as the choice of numerical libraries and compiler options. The project developed a tool for studying optimal compiler options and platform-specific recommendations. PRACE researchers also explored the programming models and software libraries required by petascale applications, and completed a survey and analysis of the new upcoming programming models and languages suitable for such programs.

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All-in-One Computerised Scheduling Will Make Airports Greener and More Efficient

sparky3887 — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:16:47 +0000

A project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and led by University of Nottingham researchers is developing a new computerized approach to scheduling airport operations that is designed to reduce delays, speed up baggage handling, and decrease pollution. The project aims to computerize and coordinate the scheduling of take-offs, landings, gate assignments, and baggage handling. The end result will be a search engine capable of analyzing the billions of possible scheduling combinations to provide the controllers with the most efficient courses of action. Currently, these four areas are organized manually by staff members who make decisions based on observations, reports, and experience. The scheduling improvements will make flying easier for passengers and reduce pollution by minimizing the time planes spend on the ground with their engines running. The project will develop computational models for each of the four areas of operations and determine how to run those models in conjunction with each other. One of the critical issues is how long an airplane needs for preparation on the ground before it can take off. Preparation includes enough time for the safety briefing and warming the engines. Sending a plane to the runway before either of these steps has taken place will cause delays on the runway that could affect other flights.

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A 4.2 Million (Pound) Grant Ensures a Sustainable Future for Software

sparky3887 — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 23:19:02 +0000

Academics and software engineers from the universities of Edinburgh, Manchester, and Southampton have established the Software Sustainability Institute (SSI), which will partner with about 30 to 40 research communities across the United Kingdom to develop ways to keep their software current and to help them develop it to meet new requirements. SSI will optimize strategies for sustaining software and provide communities with best practices for improving it for future users. “The issue at the moment is that there are no coordinated ways of sustaining important research software once it comes to the end of its funding,” says SSI director Neil Chue Hong. “The creation of the SSI will ensure that important software is sustained so that it can continue to contribute towards high quality research.”
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3D Display Made of Flying Pixel-Copters in the Works

sparky3887 — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 23:17:31 +0000

Flying pixels have the potential to offer a more immersive three-dimensional (3D) viewing experience than 3D television sets, according to engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The engineers describe their unique 3D display, called Flyfire, as a flock of tiny aircraft carrying multicolored light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The pixels can hover in front of a viewer and form an image, but they also can change their position to add greater depth to the image. “It’s a 3D display with a dual aspect–it can show an image like a traditional display, but then those pixels can move and transform into another shape,” says MIT’s E. Roon Kang. The initial proof-of-principle experiments used quad-rotor helicopters more than 10 centimeters across, and the precise control of their altitude was within three centimeters. Kang says it could take at least five years to make a display with 1,000 or more of the small flying pixels. MIT’s Emilio Frazzoli says onboard controls and a central control system also will be needed to coordinate pixel movement.
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Nanomachinery Lights Up

sparky3887 — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 23:17:17 +0000

Nagoya University researchers have developed a light-activated switch to turn nanomachines on and off. The team used tiny triggered tweezers made of DNA to open and close in response to ultraviolet (UV) and visible light. “We are designing DNA nano-robotics that are mechanically operated by light rather than chemical fuel,” says Nagoya researcher Hiroyuki Asanuma. The researchers focused on a loop of DNA that looks like a hairpin with two arms. At the end of each arm, azobenzene groups are integrated into the DNA sequence. Under visible light, the azobenzene groups adopt the trans isomer, allowing the base pairs to join together. When UV light is applied, the azobenzene groups switch to the more sterically-constrained cis isomer. The system is fully reversible, allowing it to have great potential to be applied to other nanotechnologies that use DNA. “To be able to switch biomolecular conformational changes is of considerable interest for many applications in biomedicine and bionanotechnology,” says Technical University of Munich’s Friedrich Simmel.
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