Reflecting on the Tech Behind One of the Most Iconic Celebrations

For many, the New Year is a time of renewal and fresh starts, allowing us to turn the page and begin our next lap around the sun on the right foot. That said, the holiday is also steeped in traditions—for instance, the Times Square celebration, where a massive ball is slowly dropped to signify the countdown until the calendar officially shifts from one year to the next. This tradition has a fascinating history, based mainly on the technology of the times.

Why the Development of AI Could Be Considered “a Race to the Bottom”

Want to be a business without hearing how artificial intelligence is changing the industry? Good luck; it’s a big deal that this technology has flourished in recent years, and businesses have found all kinds of ways to implement it. While AI has significant capacity for growth and to be an excellent tool to help human society, a lack of AI regulation has led some to believe that it’s only a matter of time before something bad happens that ruins a good thing for everyone.

Should There Be a Tax on Cryptocurrency?

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ve probably come across articles on blockchain before. This week, we’re shifting gears to explore a new topic: should cryptocurrency, which is enabled by blockchain technology, be subject to taxation by state, federal, and international authorities? Let’s dive into what blockchain is, how it supports cryptocurrency, and the ongoing debate about potential taxation.

The NFL Is at the Forefront of Sports Technology

The big game was this past Sunday, and if you are like millions of other people, you tuned in to see the spectacle of the game, the halftime show, and Taylor Swift. Behind the scenes, the National Football League has been utilizing emerging technologies to help them solve some of their biggest problems. Let’s go into three ways the NFL is using technology to improve their product.

The Interesting New Tech Announced at CES 2024

Every year in January, the Consumer Electronics Show brings thousands of technology exhibitors to Las Vegas to showcase the up and coming innovations that will drive industries forward. It’s a fun time to be a tech nerd, because we get to see some pretty impressive stuff and how it might shape the future. This year has some pretty exciting and interesting new technologies, and we wanted to share some of them with you!

Your (Far From Comprehensive) Guide to Google’s Secrets and Easter Eggs

Since its domain was first registered on September 15, 1997, Google has exploded from a relatively simple search engine to the massive assortment of platforms and services that fall under the Alphabet umbrella. That being said, most people tend to think of very specific aspects of Google’s Search function… like the amusing Easter Eggs that the platform has become somewhat famous for. Let’s explore some of the many, many jokes and entertaining features that Google has added to Search over the years. Who knows, you might find out about a new favorite. Full Disclaimer: Google Has WAY Too Many Easter Eggs to Cover Here Comprehensively Honestly, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. With these Easter eggs first being secreted into Google’s assorted offerings back in 2000, the sheer volume of these hidden features has grown to be truly significant. Plus, some of them are no longer active, being tied to a specific day or event—for example, the search for “2/22/22” made the phrase “Happy Twosday 2You!” appear on that day, but no longer.  Others have been rendered inoperable with Google’s shift to an infinite scroll format, rather than pages, as the “Goooo…gle” indicator housed many of these Easter eggs as well. Many, many of them, however, are still active, with more being added all the time… just do a quick search for “Barbie” for a practical example of how up-to-date these Easter eggs are kept. So, let’s explore some that are (as of this writing) still active. A Tiny Sample of Google’s Easter Eggs Searching for “dvd screensaver” will cause the Google logo in the top left corner to begin bouncing around the screen, changing colors as it goes, similarly to—you guessed it—the screensaver that DVD players would display after remaining idle for too long. Searching for “text adventure” and then using the Ctrl+Shift+J shortcut to open the developers console will give you access to a Google-themed text-based adventure game, where you set out in search of the letters in the word “Google.” As a bonus Easter egg within an Easter egg, responding “no” to the introductory prompt “would you like to play a game” produces a reference to the 1983 movie WarGames. Searching for “puppy/puppies/dog/canine” or “kitten/cat” will produce a button that, when clicked, will cause a paw belonging to the corresponding animal to swipe up and leave a paw print behind. Searching for “define anagram” asks you if you meant to search for “nerd fame again,” which itself is an anagram of “define anagram.” Searching for “pi” will produce the Google calculator with the pi symbol prominent. Clicking it will start a memory game that takes the player through the digits of pi. Searching for “meteor shower” will darken the screen momentarily as three meteors pass by, shifting back to the way it was once they have passed. Searching for “netwon/Isaac Newton” will produce a button with an apple tree on it, which causes an apple to fall down the screen when clicked, just as the legend goes about how the physicist conceptualized the theory of gravity. Searching for “han/greedo shot first” will show the alternate result, posed as a “Did you mean” at the top of the screen.  Searching for “the one ring” will ask if you meant “my precioussss,” in a nod to Gollum […]