Wolfram Computation Meets Knowledge

A Big Week for Wolfram|Alpha

There’s a lot going on in the Wolfram|Alpha project these days—and this week there’s a remarkable convergence of events.

Late last week we introduced the Wolfram|Alpha Webservice API, allowing outside developers to call Wolfram|Alpha from their websites or application programs.

Then yesterday we released the first mobile implementation of Wolfram|Alpha, in the form of an iPhone app.

Tomorrow, we’re doing something completely different: Wolfram|Alpha Homework Day—a 14-hour live webcast event for students and educators.

Oh, and starting on Thursday is the International Mathematica User Conference, which will show many advances in the core Mathematica technology on which Wolfram|Alpha is based.

In May we launched Wolfram|Alpha as a major website. But the website is really just the tip of an iceberg. Wolfram|Alpha is a whole technology that can be deployed and used in all sorts of ways.

This week we’re seeing some of the diversity of what can be done. The API as a tool for developers. The iPhone app as a consumer product. And Homework Day as a community event that Wolfram|Alpha enables.

My approach to managing R&D is to maintain a portfolio of ongoing projects, short-term and long-term. There’s an amazing amount in the pipeline for Wolfram|Alpha, which will emerge on timescales from weeks to years.

I’m very proud of the achievements of our various teams that we’re seeing this week. The diversity of what’s becoming possible with Wolfram|Alpha is surprising even us. There are a lot of very exciting things to come…

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156 comments

  1. This service has been supremely useful! My school uses Mathematica, but I don’t own it personally. It’s quite handy to be able to run simpler calculations using Alpha from my computer. Keep up the great work!

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  2. Are there any plans for releasing an Android application for Wolfram|Alpha? I’m quite interested.

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  3. Historically we have not thought too much of ubiquitous scientific computing. With the API, I see a vast variety of combined applications of the knowledge engine with specialized pre- and postprocessing, all widely accessible, if we want.

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  4. I can’t wait to start work!

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  5. Please work an equivalent WA app for Android! That OS is growing and the users are certainly the Mathematica type.

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  6. Just adding to the other requests for a Wolfram|Alpha application for Android. I know it must be annoying to have just developed one app you’re proud of only to have a bunch of people request the same app on another platform, but please do it anyway!

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  7. I like this app for the android too!
    Please

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  8. +2 for the Android platform app. We need our computational fix

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  9. I haven’t seen anything in “A new Kind of Science” yet that indicates this, but several simple programs are sensitive to the WIDTH of the display. 109 is especially sensitive. POD

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  10. I too would like to have this app for Android. However, seeing the price tag of the iPhone version, I don’t think it will happen anytime soon, especially since Android has at the moment far fewer mobile phones. So the price might be even higher than $50 for the Android platform. Even so, could we get an official statement regarding this request?

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  11. Android Application Please.. thanks

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  12. and what about an android app ? :)

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  13. same here. I will never use an iPhone simply because its Mac. Android please!

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  14. ++ Android ;
    // I want this app for android too !

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  15. Another vote for the android app! :D

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  16. I would also like to see an android application for this website. Android is a growing o s with, what someone said earlier lots of interested users. I’m using my android phone right now i’m not even typing I’m using the speech function to type the words. Awesome !

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  17. i too would like an android port

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  18. Is there any chance of a port to android?

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  19. Android App request ++ as well! I’ve been playing with the website interface and it’s amazing! Forget Jeeves, I’m asking Wolfram Alpha!

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  20. Came here looking for an Android app, if you make it I’ll use it!

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  21. Another voice in support of an android version of the application.

    We are the earlier adopters, and an open development environment makes interesting and unexpected hybrid applications based on alpha more likely.

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  22. yet some more support for the “give us an android app” vote ;-)

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  23. Please make this app for Android!!!

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  24. I agree with everyone else. Android app, please!

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  25. An android app would be greatly appreciated!

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  26. Another plea for an Android app!

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  27. +1 for android application. Would love to use this on my Nexus One. Would buy it in a heartbeat =D

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  28. I really really need it in my android phone. With the google nexus one released, i am sure many people are longing to have it. Hope wolfram will support the growing android community.

    +1 for Android

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  29. Please bring it to Android OS

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  30. Android App Please!!! Would be so helpful.

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  31. requesting android support, the android platform is going to be big. I probably wont buy another phone without it :)

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  32. Android please. Smart people dont use an iphone.

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  33. android app, +1. kindly please :)

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  34. umm guys.. almost every comment on iPhone app is a request for android app.. I think you made the app for the wrong platform :D

    +1 for Android :D

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  35. ANDROIIIIIIIIIIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!! please

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  36. Another vote for an Android app here! I’ll never use an iPhone as long as there’s an alternative as great as Android, it has come to stay so better just get it over with!

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  37. Once again +1 for android!! :D pretty please :)

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  38. One more for an Android version! Please :-)

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  39. why develop this for the iphone? smart people who need this app, have a android phone

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  40. Just adding to the pleas for an android app!! I will help port!

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  41. Android seems to be popular here. :-)

    Anyway, yes, I would make some use of an Android app. ;-)

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  42. Are guys even reading this? This is the first page to pop up when you search for “wolfram android”, hence the many requests. Because we would very much like to be noticed (android users, that is).

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  43. i vote for an android app version too

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  44. wolfram|alpha app for android plz :) I have so many questions and wolfram|alpha has so many answers!

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  45. Hi I work in IT support and Wolfram makes my life much easier! Would love to have an app on my Android phone, so +1 on android.
    P.S. If you’re a network geek check out the “Web and Computer Systems” examples here: http://www.wolframalpha.com/examples/WebAndComputerSystems.html

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  46. While [ WA_Port != anroid , request++ ] !!!

    I think android is the fastest growing mobile OS and is popular among the geeky type rather than iPhone (which btw is used mostly by “art” type of folk). Wolfram should considering porting the WA app to Anroid on priority.

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  47. Android please…more than alpha, any way I could just use Mathematica on DroidX?

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  48. Another vote for Android! I would note that making an iPhone app was a mistake in the first place: from what I see from various forums, you will get over an order of magnitude more Android users than those with iPhones.

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  49. Totally agree with Alex…

    Wolfram goes ANDROID !!!

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  50. I am typing this on my android. Guess my opinion from the previous comments.:)

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