ResearchBuzz

Let’s just keep riding that multimedia indexing bandwagon, shall we? The next stop is Snipp.TV ( http://www.snipp.tv/search ), which allows you to search audio and media files for keywords. Snipp.TV describes what it is doing as “keyword spotting,” so I’m not sure if entire transcriptions of clips are being generated and searched. I did have luck searching for names and less-common words which might not make good topics.

The search engine at Snipp is regular keyword (the search box does provide suggestions as you type, but it’s a little slow). I started with Wii Fit. I got 5 results. There’s a media player on the left and search results on the right. Search results include several screenshots, source and length, and a small summary. There’s also a list of topics covered by that clip. Check out the two icons with each search results. The icon that looks like a pair of glasses will show you a list of topics covered by that clip. You can click on any of the topics listed and explore related sets of keywords that way.) The other icon lets you add your search results to a playlist. Very nice. I wasn’t sure that Snipp.tv was indexing EVERYTHING in a clip, so I did a search for Tsuboi, which is the last name of a reporter at CNET. I got about 27 results. (At the same time I got only 5 results on a search for “Wii Fit”. Huh?)

I’m going to have do a lot more playing with this in order to understand how best to work the keywords — I’m really surprised “Tsuboi” did better than “Wii Fit”. (Wii got 34 results, so maybe I’m getting too specific in my searching.) I love the way the playlist option is laid out, and I like the topic lists. If the suggested searches were a little faster I’d really like those too.

Microsoft expands list of formats supported by Office. Including PDF.

American to start charging for all checked bags. Wrinkly twice-worn clothes are the new black.

Meryl’s blog is having a birthday celebration/contest and I’m kickin’ in a couple of books as prizes. There are other, much cooler, prizes as well, so check it out.

An introduction to Google Search Quality.

Microsoft and Live Search Cashbacks. I confess the first thought that popped in my mind is “Is this going to be more or less expensive than ponying up a bit more cash to buy Yahoo?”

Database of shipwrecks on Lake Erie.

New Web site for oral histories of southern Minnesota.

I do not sit around and say to myself, “Wow, I sure would like an online resource featuring engravings of 17th century Scotland,” but this is a nice site. John Slezer published his drawings in a book called “Theatrum Scotiae”, which has been turned into a Web site called “Slezer’s Scotland”. This Web site is available at http://www.nls.uk/slezer/ .

You can search by keyword, browse a subject list, or pick sites from a map of Scotland. If you just want to explore, though, may I recommend the highlights list? It’ll provide you a list of images and commentary.

Each engraving’s page has details about the location and the context of the times. You can zoom in and pan around large versions of each engraved image as well — and I mean seriously zoom. You can use a MrSid plugin if your browser has one, but you don’t have to.