 We people are pretty visual creatures, even when talking about abstract concepts we "visualize them" to gain insights. I was thinking back to the idea of visualizing algorithms, and reflecting on how much it helps with insight and communication. All the more reason to have great visual search :)
The picture at right has been "kernelized" by eyesFinder's Vector Quantization algorithms, breaking the image into little circular regions. I've found this visualization is a great way to share how the algorithm works, even if the underlying math is hidden. Oh, and please click to enbiggen for the full effect.
 After giving IOS 8 betas the old college try, I've fallen back to IOS 7.1.2. IOS 8 is simply too buggy, there are too many things that don't work. And sadly it isn't any better; I was hoping Apple would retrench on some of their UI stupidity and go back to buttons that look pushable, sliders that look slidable, etc. I totally wish there was a supported way to fall back to IOS 6. I fear this "flat look" is going to be with us for some time to come, despite being both uglier and harder to use. I've mentioned before, I have an original iPad running IOS 5 which I use from time to time, and every time I pick it up I wish we could have that look and feel back. 
Apropos: the best way to get ideas is to suffer with something that doesn't really work. Amen. IOS 8 has given me a lot of good ideas :)
 Wow, the first trailer for Star Wars, in 1976. I remember exactly where I was when I first saw it - my room at college - and I remember exactly my reaction - I must see this! Never mind the crappy non-CGI spaceships... they had me at hello. Excellent.
Microsoft's CEO needs a new editor. "Tortured statements from CEOs mean one thing: I have something to hide." Um, yeah. This is one of the things we liked about Steve Jobs, when he had something to say he just said it. Oh, here is a translation.
 Awesome: 3D-printable version of Marcel Duchamp's art deco chess set. I love that we can do this sort of thing now, and so easily.
 Ah, but is it cooler than my 3D-printable Voronoi chess set? I don't know...
Dave Winer: comparing APIs. "I just spend 3 months wrangling with the current Twitter API, and got more or less the same functionality from Facebook in four days." I feel like Twitter never really wanted third-party adoption, while Facebook early-on realized it was a huge key to growth.
Also from Dave: Why doesn't Google have a Share This Search button? Great question. eyesFinder will have one :)
 Elon Musk donates $1M for new Tesla museum. Excellent. The Oatmeal strikes again!
I hope they get Arc Attack to play at the museum's opening :)
 Scientists claim creation of blackest black yet. Hmmm... this is tough to visualize :)
Does anyone outside of silicon valley want a smartwatch? Good question. I've been wearing my Pebble Steel off-and-on for the past week, and I kind of like it. I wish it looked cooler, but the functionality is pretty nice and occasionally even rises to "useful".
 One of my favorite ZooBorns ever: a Scops Owl chick. He looks like trouble :)
I have to say that of all the blogs to which I subscribe, ZooBorns most consistently puts a smile on my face :)
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