Why Microsoft's Cortana should be more human than Siri

I once had a girlfriend like Siri.


At least, at first.



That's why I'm slightly excited about Cortana. This is rumored to be Microsoft's answer to Apple's self-assured assistant.… Read more

Artist designs gadget to thwart out-of-reach surveillance cams

Artist Ai Weiwei is a social activist who has championed human rights issues in China. He understands a thing or two about dealing with unwanted surveillance. Weiwei turned his artistry and knowledge into a set of instructions for making a spray-paint lifter to reach cameras in high places.

The instructions appear in Hans Ulrich Obrist's book, "Do It: The Compendium," a volume of instructionals from artists on how to make art. The CCTV spray project involves a stick, nylon rope, a screw, a brake bar, a bottle cage, a wine bottle opener, and a can of spray paint.… Read more

Autonomous military robots should be banned, group says (video)




Computer beats human pro at Japanese chess





LivesOn: Twitter ghost keeps tweeting when you're dead




Killer robots? Cambridge brains to assess AI risk




Futurist Ray Kurzweil on smartphones, AI, and the human brain



The highlights:

 "I'… Read more

Hoodie jacket with built-in goggles is creepy and cozy

Secretly, I want to carry a superhero costume with me at all times. I want to be able to step into a phone booth (if they exist anymore) and step out as the Masked Avenger. For $492, my fantasy could come true with the AI Riders on the Storm down jacket.

The jacket sounds pretty much like a regular coat with specs that include a two-way zipper and down stuffing. Look up, though, and things start to get weird. It has a detachable hood with built-in bug-eyed goggles that zip together right up the middle. Freaky, man. … Read more

Stairs and ramps can no longer save you from robots



Now Skynet can tell when you fake a smile

