The One True Search Engine
Up until a few months ago (or maybe even today), WolframAlpha was merely a name uttered in hushed (or noisy) halls filled with nerds trying to get their way around perplexing math problems. For instance, when they’d want a function integrated or a differential equation solved or a Fourier transform performed, they’d simply go to WolframAlpha, plug in their entry and be happy with the wealth of mathematical information it spit out. They’d seldom realise it, but the tool they were using was (and is) so much more. And now, with the release of WolframAlpha Pro, a paid set of features to an already formidable suite and the launch of their apps on to Android, Nook and iOS, Wolfram Research seems to be doing just what the doctor ordered.
Don’t know what WolframAlpha is? Well, to put it simply, it’s a search engine (though it likes to say “computational knowledge engine”) that relies on various types of inputs, using which, it processes raw data on its servers, procures useful information, compiles it into the forms requested and presents it all in a concise and beautiful way. Let’s take an example. Plug in any math query, say “plot x + y - 5”, and it obeys. Or ask it the population of Brazil, and not only does it spit out 195 million, it also presents a mind-numbing array of relevant data, like a graph of its population over the last 100 years, population density, and a whole load of schematics.
You can even go a step further and ask it to compare India and China. You’ll be surprised at the level of refinement the data presents itself in. If you find that this is just the kind of engine you’ve been looking for, you can go in for the paid Pro version, which costs you $4.99/month. This gives you the ability to interact with your mathematical data (like the dynamic change in the function plots with variable parameters), provide images as inputs (like Google Goggles, but much more far-reaching), or even analyse excel or sound or video files you upload to perform tasks on them (like counting the number of times the word “love” is used in the Titanic trailer). You can also save and download your results, and request additional computation time per query on their servers.
All in all, it’s an awesome deal, especially when you realise you’ll have all this convenience even on the go with the Android and iOS apps, which work effortlessly with the entire ecosystem. If you’re into this kind of computation, or are just curious about what you can find about the world, dig in at wolframalpha.com. You cannot be disappointed.
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Comments
particularly interesting
tomkeys265
25 May 2012 - 14:55
particularly interesting attribute of these of mathematical structure is how clear they were about what to prove. Their results turn out to be just what is needed to establish other results sometimes in an unrelated area.
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