Custom Lego Computer Brings Out the Kid in All of Us

Image Courtesy of Total Geekdom

Legos have been a staple of childhood for years. Unlike some toys that come and go with the times, Legos have always reigned supreme and shown incredible longevity. Legos are so popular and so iconic, in fact, that Mike Schropp over at Total Geekdom created an entire computer out of Legos.....an entire, real, working computer.

Now this concept isn't new. Schropp made his first Lego computer back in 2011 but has since had tons of requests to reproduce the concept. People really took to the concept and inquired about getting one of their own and even asking Schropp about custom variations. However, the original concept wasn't one that was easily replicated.

With all the interest in the computer, Schropp has been trying to figure out a way to make one that wasn't hard to reproduce and one that could be purchased by anyone looking for a new computer with a unique twist. The challenge was to make a Lego computer that was compatible with a wide array of devices and one that is also capable of meeting the needs of modern users. This new device needed to be advanced in 2015 and still relevant in 2017 but could also be upgraded so that it might last as long as 2020.

With all this in mind, Schropp fine tuned the guidelines for his new Lego Computer System:

  Design

• Small Form Factor Design
• Intuitive Features
• Thermal Management Control

Connectivity

• Fully Wired Connectivity (USB 3.0, DisplayPort, HDMI, LAN, Audio)
• Wireless Connectivity (Wireless AC, Bluetooth)
• Optical Drive (DVD/CD Combo Standard, Blu-Ray Optional)
• Front USB 3.0 Ports

Powerful

• [Memory] Minimum 8GB RAM with 16GB RAM Support
• [Processor] Latest Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 Processors
• [Storage] Multiple SSD Drives (Optional HDD Storage Drive)
• [Graphics] Intel HD4600 Graphics

Efficiency 

• High Efficiency Energy Star Level 5 Rated Power Supply
• Low Energy Usage

Capabilities

• Multi-Tasking (Office, Internet, Video)
• HD 1080p Video Playback
• 4K Resolution Support
• Multi-Monitor Setup
• Light-Medium Gaming Capabilities
• Built-In, Intuitive System Backup
• Supports Windows 7/8/10 & Linux

With these guidelines, Schropp went on to create a completely new system unlike anything currently available on the market today. If you head on over to Schropp's post about the computer on Total Geekdom you can see a very, very in-depth and detailed article that goes through the entire process of building this new Lego computer. In the post Schropp adds tons of photos of different variations as well as customization and even internal pics of the building process.

This is definitely an incredible idea and one that a lot of people all over the world would be more than willing to get their hands on. I'm half tempted to get one right now! Truly an amazing accomplishment.

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Updated

Microsoft has just updated its Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 and posted a service pack with a plethora of new features and bug fixes according to a statement released by the company on Monday. The new features to Microsoft Exchange Service Pack 2 were designed based on feedback from customers, Microsoft said, and they reflect the expanding use of enterprise email, scheduling and associated functions across a wide range of devices and deployment scenarios.

One of the new features, known as Outlook Web Application (OWA) Mini, offers the user the ability to browse mailboxes and global address lists from low bandwidth and low resolution devices. This type of mini-internet browser can, in addition, be used as an alternative to synchronizing all Exchange data with the actual phone or mobile device, which can sometimes be prohibitive.

Another new feature allows administrators to segment enterprise global address lists (GAL) into smaller segments. By doing this, it allows administrators to create virtual groups. Previous versions of Microsoft Exchange also had this ability but this is the first time Exchange 2010 offers it in a way that doesn't require manual intervention from administrators.

In addition to these new features, the update includes the Hybrid Configuration Wizard designed for organizations wishing to deploy some mail accounts on Microsoft Office 365 and keep others on their internal systems. The wizard simplifies the process of archiving data and sharing things like calendar entries and secure mail across both the hosted and internal mail accounts.

The update also permits cross-site silent redirection for OWA, which could provide the basis for single sign-on across the entire enterprise platform. With a feature like this, an Outlook Web Application client request could be automatically transferred from one Active Directory implementation to another. In addition to that, the service pack includes multiple bug fixes and collects other features introduced in Service Pack 1 which was released back in August 2010.

Source: Computer World - Microsoft updates Exchange 2010

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Scientists Try to Make a Schizophrenic Computer

So, in my time as a blogger I have written about some pretty interesting things. I have also written about some pretty strange things and even some downright absurd things. However, this story may just be in a league of its own.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas in Austin along with researchers from Yale University was set on creating the thinking of a schizophrenic mind on a computer. Yeah, that's right, they are trying to make a computer a schizophrenic by using a virtual network.

Their research is based on something known as the hyperlearning theory of schizophrenia. This theory maintains that the disease schizophrenia stems from an inability to forget or ignore non-essential information.

In their work, the research teams taught a series of stories to a computer model known to them as DISCERN. Using natural language processing, the computer is able to map out the different stories in a manner similar to the human brain. In the researchers' model, a simulated dopamine release was used to mark significant information as DISCERN learned the stories. What this means is that DISCERN more or less forgot less and perceived more information as being important.

When the researchers asked DISCERN to recant the stories, the computer did so while producing strange and delusional narratives from the information it was given. According to the Science Blog, "After being re-trained with the elevated learning rate, DISCERN began putting itself at the center of fantastical, delusional stories that incorporated elements from other stories it had been told to recall. In one answer, for instance, DISCERN claimed responsibility for a terrorist bombing."

The Science Blog went on to say, "In another instance, DISCERN began showing evidence of "derailment" - replying to requests for a specific memory with a jumble of dissociated sentences, abrupt digressions and constant leaps from the first- to the third-person and back again."

Even though this study is very interesting and the computer did show similarities to actual schizophrenic symptoms that were disturbingly similar, DISCERN is not concrete proof of the hyperlearning hypothesis. It is simply a simulation and the relevance of the output is interpreted by humans. However, the unique approach to the study, modeling a cause of a brain disorder and comparing the results to actual cases, is stunning overall and could even prove to be a powerful new tool for doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists.

Source: Geekosystem - Scientists Attempt to Induce Schizophrenia on a Computer