Catching Up

The holidays have not been kind to me, or to this blog, and I apologize. Here are all the stories left lying around that aren’t going to get a full post:
Google Files Patent For Text Recognition In Images
It is now being reported that back in June, Google filed a patent for a machine recognizing the text in images, a very useful technology for Google Image Search, Google Shopping, signs in Google Maps Street View, and other Google products. Three days before Google filed for it, Microsoft filed for a very similar patent that includes many of the elements of the Google patent. If the patents are similar enough, it’s Microsoft’s patent that’s going to get passed, since it was first, so Google might have something to be worried about.
YouTube Brings Back Science & Technology Category
Shortly after retiring the Science & Technology category, YouTube has brought it back, […]

Original post by Nathan Weinberg