posted Feb 18th 2011 4:37PM 
Welcome back to our annual tradition of speculating on just when and how Apple will freshen up its laptop range. AppleInsider is citing multiple sources today in support of its assertion that the MacBook Pro line will be getting upgraded by Apple, potentially as soon as next week. The Mac OS vendor is reportedly briefing folks to be ready for a "significant product launch" soon, which is narrowed down to its laptop division by a couple more pieces of circumstantial evidence. Apple's Asian online stores have shifted their promised MBP delivery times from 24 hours to "one to five days," indicating potentially lower stock quantities, while Italian blog iSpazio has dug up five new product SKUs that could be the markers for new laptop models. None of that sets anything in stone, of course, but we're also hearing the expected upgrade to Sandy Bridge won't afflict Apple's new machines with that Cougar Point chipset flaw, so whenever Apple deigns to bring us this upgrade it should be nice and pristine. This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.
In a piece for Slate titled "My Puny Human Brain," former-Jeopardy-greatest Ken Jennings talks briefly through his experience playing against IBM's Watson. If you were hoping for some sour grapes, you won't find it here, but Ken gives a great insight into what it feels like to be an underdog human up against a PR darling supercomputer. "Watson has lots in common with a top-ranked human Jeopardy! player: It's very smart, very fast, speaks in an uneven monotone, and has never known the touch of a woman." Ken wraps it up on an uplifting, humans-are-going-to-be-alright-after-all note, and we seem to have something in our eye...