Can we say Wolfram Alpha it Or just Google it?

Some internet geeks would know what I mean by this title. Yes, I am talking about http://www.wolframalpha.com – the new search engine on the block. It was released to the public in May this year and has already started making waves in the computational knowledge search.

Though this search engine is not that stealthy or robust as google, however, believe me, it gives some excellent search results when you are looking for some statistical comparisons or factual data. The company goes by its long term goal to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone.

Right now, if just type in WIPRO and search, we get a host of statistical information – latest trade price of the stock, financial overview, recent returns from the stock, its price history and performance comparison with major indices and a correlation matrix with them. Then we do get a daily returns analysis histograms, projections, daily returns scatter plot and some basic company information. Which other search engine would make handy such information for us and make it possible for us to down take it from there and start our analysis.

Try out say WIPRO with ICICI Bank, you will get a stock price comparison over a period of time, latest trade prices for each of them, financial comparison for them, relative price history, daily and annual performance comparison, volatility and annualised returns plot, projections and mean-variance optimal portfolio and expected volatility versus expected returns for these stocks. Try it out to experience it and enjoy the fun.

One would say that we can get all this information through other search engines too. But my dear friend, don’t forget that wolfram is making it so easy for us that we don’t have to trouble ourselves of even handling excel sheets and other softwares. Wolfram has kept all sought after information readily available and easily accessible.

To enjoy the fun, do try out say, type in your date of birth and see the results. I tried out mine – January 7, 1983 and got the following search: Time difference from today, official holidays or major observations on that day, notable events for that day, daylight information for that day and the phase of the moon on that day. Woah!! I am going mad at the pool of information made available!! Try out searching a city. I tried with my home town of Meerut and got result set containing information like present day population, metro area population, coordinates of the place, current local time, current weather, approximate elevation and a nearby larger city and its directional location.

Doesn’t that sound great and you fell like trying it out to delve into the deep waters of wolfram alpha sea or ocean, if I am allowed to call it so.

Happy searching!!