Briefs

By TODD BISHOP, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER, March 7, 2005

Most people wouldn't want a message from work disrupting their day at the beach. But Eric Horvitz was so happy when it happened to him that he took out a camera and captured the moment in a photo.

The e-mail message had been singled out and sent to the Microsoft senior researcher's mobile phone by a special program that he and others in his group developed.

The program examined the message's contents, determined its importance and decided it warranted interrupting him during a family outing on Whidbey Island. The moment perfectly illustrated Horvitz's long-term vision for technology in the information age -- as something to augment and assist people, not overwhelm them.

In fact, Horvitz did consider the message urgent, and he was able to respond quickly, without being burdened by any of the more routine matters that remained in his in box, awaiting his return from vacation.

Here is the rest of the story.