Playing with the Wolfram Alpha Answer Engine
Q: What is the square root of 2?
A: 1.414213562373095...
Q: Can I get an amen?
A: Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input.
Ugh, fine. I guess their team of poindexters didn't anticipate such 'fun' questions from this repository of useless witticism. I was wrong to imagine their scientists as the real-life equivalent of Fringe's Walter Bishop. Let's get W|A back on track, then try another zinger.
Q: What is the average IQ of American teenagers? (Now that I'm a grown-up, I loathe those darned kids at the mall with their baggy jeans and devil-may-care attitude)
A: Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input.
Ok, so W|A suggested another input to try: IQ of American, so I clicked the link, since I have been conditioned to accept links as possible reward mechanisms. The result? Movie info for the blockbusters I.Q. and American Wedding. Not quite what I expected.
I clicked the 'Tips for good results' link, and it turns out Wolfram|Alpha prefers succinct input over long, complete sentences. Okay, trying again.
Q: Tensile strength steel
A: A boatload of info, click the link for the full skinny.
Q: Winston Churchill
A: Full name, date of birth, place of birth, date of death, place of death
So, can Wolfram|Alpha find info on less than famous people?
Q: CJ Preece
A: Wolfram|Alpha interpreted my input as a geometry question. I guess I'm not that famous. YET.
Q: Periodic Table of Elements
A: Interpreted as 'hydrogen | periodic table location.' I expected more a history of the table and its constituent elements, the date of discovery and by whom, etc. I then tried 'Periodic Table of Elements history' and got the same answer...
It looks like Wolfram Alpha still has some work to do, but keep in mind it's still young, and could become a useful tool for students and curious adults.
More tech news below.
Palm Pre Official Release Date and Price from Sprint
AT&T to Cut iPhone Prices?
Android Cupcake Update Delayed
Zune and Xbox Love Child Named xYz?
More





del.icio.us
Digg
StumbleUpon
Yahoo! My Web
Facebook
Google Bookmarks
ma.gnolia
Newsvine
reddit
Windows Live



