DARPA's CALO project, the militaristic Clippy, set to invade iPhones this year

Microsoft's little Clippy, the uppity paperclip who just wanted to help, never got a lick of respect in the ten years he graced the Office suite. He's long-since gone, but his legacy lives on through a DARPA project called CALO: the Cognitive Assistant that Learns and Organizes. It's intended for use to streamline tedious activities by military personnel, like scheduling meetings and prioritizing e-mails, but there are a few non-com spin-offs intended as well, like an iPhone app called Siri due to hit the App Store sometime this year. Siri will have more of a consumer angle, helping to find product reviews and make reservations, but we're hoping a taste of its military upbringing shines through.

[Via Slashdot]

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:35AM]

This is the beginning of a revolution.

[Spiraling Shape Posted Jul 30th 2009 10:51AM]

"Sir, it looks like you're trying to write a letter, Sir!"

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 11:41AM]

Reminds me of the UserFriendly webcomic where they send a few hundred/thousand/million over to China I think it was, as a terrorist attack

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 11:58AM]

It looks like you're trying to play a game...
Chess
Poker
Fighter Combat
Guerrilla Engagement
Desert Warfare
Air-to-Ground Actions
Theaterwide Tactical Warfare
Theaterwide Biotoxic and Chemical Warfare

GLOBAL THERMONUCLEAR WAR

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:36AM]

forget clippy. bonzi buddy buddy was my homie

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 12:09PM]

Oh god no...

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 12:57PM]

I actually liked Bonzi.

Not in it's crapware form though. A friend and me stole the "agent file" from it (what defines the graphics and animations) and planned to make it into a real, useful software.

That never got done..

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 1:29PM]

I actually liked Bonzi.

Not in it's crapware form though. A friend and me stole the "agent file" from it (what defines the graphics and animations) and planned to make it into a real, useful software.

That never got done..

[ixianradeon Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:41AM]

i think i would rather have the dog or may the early/globe thing in stead

[milkywayer Posted Jul 31st 2009 4:26PM]

in where?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:41AM]

I wish Cortanna had come with office.

[JKooL Posted Jul 30th 2009 10:04AM]

that would be nice...

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:42AM]

Oh must you bring back my nightmares?!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:43AM]

Wow, are you serious Engadget, 5 apple articles (or articles showing the iphone for no reason) in a row. Look, I'm a huge fan of the site, but at least try to be a little discreet about whose paying you for ads.

[LAY Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:47AM]

I dont think Apple is paying them for this. But seriously, out of all the tech news going on, they just happen, amongst several different posters, to ALL do that? Please. Who are they trying to kid!

So let's bet to see if the next story will be either Apple-related or have a gratuitous shout of some Apple device.

[LAY Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:54AM]

Woops, I lost.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 10:12AM]

Well... I went on a mission to defend Engadget.. and I sadly came to find out you are right. In their defense though, at least they couldn't help the Gorillamobile tripod picture... that site has pretty much pictures only with an Iphone. However, the MSI Wind battery charger article seems pretty unrelated to Iphones or apple, but they felt the need to specify that the phone was an Iphone, and the tags include the words: " iphone, iphone charger, IphoneCharger."

Hmm.. not tryin' to attack ya, Engadget... just pointin' out what I see.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 11:18AM]

Haven't you guys figured it out yet.

Paul A. Chappel RUNS ENGADGET!!

[orinjz Posted Jul 30th 2009 11:58AM]

Has the invocation of Paul A. Chapel's name become an Apple related meme in the same vein as the "new CPU/GPU -> OMGUZZLE CAN IS PLAY CRISSYS WIV IT" comments?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:45AM]

WHAT'S YOUR NAME FAT BODY!

[Ryan Trevisol Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:46AM]

Hey there, it looks like you've been playing a lot of 3 Point Hoops Lite and Beer Pong Lite.
- Order Fiber Plus from Amazon.com
- Visit CareerBuilder.com

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:49AM]

CALO?



Is it going to be Master Clip?

[WinRulez Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:58AM]

me want Bob!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:59AM]

Sounds like Captain Vimes' Personal Organizer Imp.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 10:06AM]

*dink* *dink* *dink*

Hey! Looks like your shooting up a bunch of unarmed villagers!
Would you like me to turn on AutoAirStrike to blow away any evidence?

Press F1 or click here for more information regarding the Geneva Convention.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 10:17AM]

This reminds me of an article Engadget posted a while back:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/17/cognitive-code-shows-off-silvia-artificial-intelligence-platform/

I wonder how Calo would stack up against SILVIA. I would still prefer SILVIA I think, even though she prefers movies that feature the squishing of meatbags by robotic or other computer AI controlled means. Who am I kidding, that's EXACTLY why I like her!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 10:21AM]

lol Full Metal Paperclip XD

[kaeljae Posted Jul 30th 2009 11:09AM]

Or perhaps Engadget just got the majority of their Apple news today from one source, thus making it lazier and easier to just dump all the articles in one slew. After all, there's non-Apple stuff up there now.

Engadget editors might also just be tweaking us, knowing how they stir us into a rabid frothing every time they mention Apple. Personally, I'm not sure why we CARE, because I look at this site as being more akin to, say, Mac Rumors and less akin to, say, Tom's Hardware.

Also, obligatory noting of the fact that it's their blog and they can post whatever they want to, including a post labeled: Apple, Apple, Apple, Apple. Sure, I might not read it, but hey...their choice.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 11:14AM]

Interesting concept bringing Clippy back from the dead for military duty... Was he even old enough to have to register for the Selective Service?

Also small FYI, "non-com" means a non-commissioned officer (such as a Sergeant), not "non-military."

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 11:34AM]

Awww, I loved that irritating little paper clip. Not at first of course, but love did blossom as time passed by. It was just so darn cute.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 11:55AM]

If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight!" Sun Tzu said that, and I would think he knew a little bit more about fighting than you do, because he invented it. And then he perfected it so that nobody could best him in the ring of honor.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 11:56AM]

Yay.
Teh annoying Clippeh iz invading ur iFonez.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2009 12:24PM]

"Why can you not have donuts Private Pyle?"

"Because I'm heavy Sir"

"Because you are a disgusting fat-body!"

[LloydChiro Posted Jul 30th 2009 12:33PM]

Clippy would make a great avitar.

[darkmax Posted Jul 30th 2009 1:17PM]

I much preferred that puppy than Clippy... and yes, he still gets no respect from me, SIR! LOL

[Eternal Density Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:47PM]

Does it come in khaki and black-ops black?