Thursday, July 19, 2012

Hollywood-Backed iOS App Vyclone Pioneers Social Filmmaking [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5927274/hollywood+backed-ios-app-vyclone-pioneers-social-filmmaking

The video featured above was created with Vyclone, the filmmaking app for iPhone and iPad that launches publicly today.

Vyclone is the brainchild of the British musician Joe Sumner, whose inspiration came from the hundreds of iPhones he'd notice waving in the audience, recording his performance while he played on stage. The problem with this, he thought, was that each phone only has the benefit of its own vantage point, while all around, scores of other audience members are doing the same thing, and getting a slightly different view.

WIth help from the deep pockets ($2.7million deep) of Ashton Kutcher, Guy Oseary (Madonna's manager), LiveNation, ThriveCapital, and Dreamworks, Sumner rounded up a team of 13 (9 of whom are engineers) and together they've come up with Vyclone: an app that allows up to four users standing within a 100-foot radius of one another to record 60 seconds of video.

With the finished clips, the app creates a sort of "mashup" movie, taking advantage of the various camera angles to come up with something a little more... dynamic, say, than the typical YouTube sigle-camera shot. The finished product is delivered to each of the users within just a few minutes and can be shared on both Twitter and Facebook and within Vyclone's own community. (Users can edit the mashup video themselves, afterwards, as well.)

I'm genuinely looking forward to try this app out... just as soon as I find three friends who've download it, too. [BusinessInsider]

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Bing Maps piles on 215TB of new Bird's Eye imagery, proves it's a small world after all

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/bing-maps-piles-on-215tb-of-new-birds-eye-imagery/

Bing Maps piles on 215TB of new Bird's Eye imagery, proves it's a small world after all

Did you think Microsoft was done with Bing Maps updates after it threw a whopping 165TB of satellite imagery at virtual explorers? You've got another thing coming. The mapping crew in Redmond has thrown another 215TB of data over the fence, this time targeting its Bird's Eye views. Most of the attention is on Australia, Europe, New Zealand and Tokyo, although Microsoft has seen fit to sharpen up some of its US visuals in the process. All told, there's over 88,800 square miles covered by the new and updated aerial shots -- enough to make sure that we'll never have trouble finding Cinderella Castle at Tokyo Disneyland.

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Bing Maps piles on 215TB of new Bird's Eye imagery, proves it's a small world after all originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Breakfast's super-speed reactive electromagnetic display is 44,000 dots of promotional awesome (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/super-speed-reactive-electromagnetic-display-is-awesome/

This superspeed reactive electromagnetic display is 44,000 dots of promotional awesome

TNT wanted to launch its new crime show Perception, in style, and we have to give it to 'em, this is pretty cool. Working with professional technological tinkerers, Breakfast, they created a 23 x 12 foot display made up of 44,000 electromagnetic dots. Imagine those ticker boards you see at train stations, jazzed up with a little modern flavor. The dots are white on one side, black on the other, and move at 15 times the speed of their typical rail-station counterparts -- giving a real-time effect. The installation is set up in Manhattan's Herald Square until July 29th, and is fully interactive. When pedestrians walk past, the board updates to reflect their movement, and this "silhouette" interacts with words and images on the screen. Extra sensory stimulation also comes from the noise the board makes, literally letting you hear your movements. If a picture paints a thousand words, then 44,000 dots in a video paints even more. Head past the break to see the beast in action, plus more details on how it was done.

Continue reading Breakfast's super-speed reactive electromagnetic display is 44,000 dots of promotional awesome (video)

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Breakfast's super-speed reactive electromagnetic display is 44,000 dots of promotional awesome (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 23:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel slips details of Poulson-based Itanium 9500 in advance, teases a big boost to 64-bit servers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/19/intel-slips-details-of-poulson-based-itanium-9500-in-advance/

Intel slips out Poulsonbased Itanium 9500 details in advance, tease a big boost to 64bit servers

If you think Intel took awhile to roll out the Xeon E5, imagine the mindset of Itanium server operators -- they haven't had any kind of update to the IA-64 chip design since February 2010, and they're still waiting. Much to their relief, Intel just dropped a big hint that the next-generation, Poulson-based Itanium is getting close. Both a reference manual and a Product Change Notification have signaled that the new, 32-nanometer part will get the Itanium 9500 name as well as a heap of extra improvements that haven't been detailed until now. We knew of the eight processing cores, but the inadvertent revelation also confirms about a 50 percent hike in the interconnect speed and a matching increase in the cache size to 32MB. Clock speeds also start where current Tukwila-running Itaniums stop, with four processors between 1.73GHz and 2.53GHz giving the line a much-needed shot of adrenaline. Few of us end users will ever directly benefit when Poulson ships to company server farms later this year; after these increases, though, don't be shocked when the database at work is suddenly much quicker on its toes.

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Intel slips details of Poulson-based Itanium 9500 in advance, teases a big boost to 64-bit servers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 01:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari, Logic3 team on headphones, may be closest we get to an Enzo's engine note

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/ferrari-logic3-team-on-headphones/

Ferrari, Logic 3 team on headphones, may be the closest we get to Enzo sound in our ears

Ferrari likes to brand just about everything. That said, the two new lines of in-ear and over-ear headphones it's introducing with Logic3's help seem like more natural fits for the supercar brand than for other gadgets. The speed-loving elite will inevitably swing towards the Cavallino series' premium materials and universal microphone remote. Us plebeians have to consider the more plastic-laden Scuderia range, which still manages to pack in some Formula 1 styling along with the remote control. Prices are high at $150 to $315 for the Scuderias, or $201 to $352 for high rollers eying the Cavallinos -- but it's hard to dispute that either series is much more likely to turn up at our houses than a hybrid Enzo.

Continue reading Ferrari, Logic3 team on headphones, may be closest we get to an Enzo's engine note

Ferrari, Logic3 team on headphones, may be closest we get to an Enzo's engine note originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 23:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

WD TV Play media hub revealed by the FCC, puts Texas Hold'em on the big screen

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/wd-tv-play-media-hub-revealed-by-the-fcc/

WD TV Play media hub gets a full reveal from the FCC, puts Texas Hold'em on the big screen

Western Digital must not want to leave casual TV gaming to the Roku crowd. Our friends at the FCC have just posted a filing that shows the as yet unannounced WD TV Play taking on its set-top rival with a dedicated gaming channel. We're only given a small peek into the new media hub's gaming universe through the pre-release user manual, but we know that a Texas Hold'em variant and other titles will find their way in through the gaming services Funspot and PlayJam. No signs have surfaced of a Roku-like motion control, either, although the remote has been given an overhaul compared to its WD TV Live cousin with prominent shortcut buttons for Hulu Plus, Netflix and Vudu. There aren't any immediate clues as to when the otherwise pedestrian-looking Play will take over store shelves -- that said, the virtually complete details hint that there's not long to wait.

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WD TV Play media hub revealed by the FCC, puts Texas Hold'em on the big screen originally appeared on Eng adget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 21:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTube add face blur tech to its videos, creates anonymous copies of your clips

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/youtube-adds-face-blur-tech/

Youtube add face blur tech to its videos, creates anonymous copies of your clips

YouTube has added another feature to its enhancements tool, allowing you to automate the process of blurring out people's faces in your photos. Its makers are quick to add that it's still an emerging technology, and that it may still miss out on faces depending on lighting obstructions and video quality. YouTube cites footage from human rights issues for bringing the idea forward, where identification of those involved could prove dangerous. You'll be able to preview how it looks, and if you choose to include the blurred option, a new copy is made to avoid losing the unedited original. The feature is rolling out to the site today -- now you just need a decent video camera.

Continue reading YouTube add face blur tech to its videos, creates anonymous copies of your clips

YouTube add face blur tech to its videos, creates anonymous copies of your clips originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung 75-inch ES9000 smart TV makes stateside debut: on sale in August for $9,999

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/samsung-75-inch-es9000-smart-tv-stateside-debut/

Samsung 75inch ES9000 smart TV makes stateside debut on sale in August for $9,999

The mammoth 75-inch ES9000 LED smart TV that Samsung recently unveiled for the Korean market is making its way stateside. Today the 3D-capable, LED-backlit set was on display in New York as part of the Sammy-sponsored SpaceFest marking the Space Shuttle Enterprise's arrival at the Intrepid. How smart TVs relate to Space Shuttle orbiters is beyond us, but the ES9000's US debut is welcome news for those with a massive living room to fill, and were disappointed after the ES8000 75-incher shown at CES and even given a price tag earlier this year failed to materialize.

Detailed specs are currently MIA, but as we noted before in our hands-on, the 75-incher's bezel measures just 0.31 inches, and the frame sports a rose-gold finish. There's also a built-in web camera that retracts when not in use, and the TV comes with four pairs of 3D glasses. Being a smart TV, this guy also includes the full suite of Smart TV features, such as Smart Interaction for enabling gesture and voice controls and Smart Content for sharing media across several devices. Samsung also used today's occasion to introduce a new Angry Birds app for its smart TVs, which lets users play the game entirely with gesture controls. The app will be available for a free download later this month, and the ES9000 will go on sale in August for a super-sized price of $9.999. Check ou! t the PR below for more info.

Continue reading Samsung 75-inch ES9000 smart TV makes stateside debut: on sale in August for $9,999

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Samsung 75-inch ES9000 smart TV makes stateside debut: on sale in August for $9,999 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google opens Web Lab at London's Science Museum, because 'the internet is incredible'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/google-web-lab-uk/

Google opens Web Lab at London's Science Museum, because 'the internet is incredible'

Still unable to resist its techno-philanthropic urges, Google has just unveiled the Web Lab at the Science Museum in London. Paid for entirely with Google juice and constructed in a basement area that was previously used for storage, the exhibition consists of five experiments that help us to "discover the power of the internet while we're on the internet." That might sound cheesy, but we've had a good play with each installation and they're actually very well thought out and accessible -- although, if you're already a hyper-connected nutcase then you might find it more appropriate for friends and family.

We won't give too much away in case it spoils your fun, but you can get a flavor from the attached promo video we saw back at Google I/O, plus our gallery and the PR after the break. In any case, it's safe to say that each experiment involves creating and sharing media in a way you've never tried before. What's more, everything you do is stored in a little personal account in the cloud that you can access using the unique "lab tag" shown in the photo above. (Incidentally, all those symbols floating around in the background represent other individuals who are also currently participating in the project -- which ought to give you some idea of the overall premise.)! The exh ibition opens to the public tomorrow, is free to enter and follows the same opening hours as the main museum -- although the lab's online dimension will remain active for a distinctly un-British 24-7-365.

Continue reading Google opens Web Lab at London's Science Museum, because 'the internet is incredible'

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Google opens Web Lab at London's Science Museum, because 'the internet is incredible' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 16:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Series 9 13-inch lands 1.9GHz Core i7, 256GB SSD edition for the power user set

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/samsung-series-9-13-inch-lands-1-9ghz-core-i7-256gb-ssd/

Samsung Series 9 13-inch angle

When we looked at the 13-inch Samsung Series 9, we lamented that there was only one version on offer: if anyone wanted more than a Core i5 and a 128GB drive, their dreams were crushed. Samsung must feel that there's hope for us yet, as there's now a higher-end spec that slots in a 1.9GHz Core i7 and doubles the storage to 256GB. That's good news to us, even if the 4GB RAM ceiling will still have some avid Ultrabook fans turning elsewhere. Springing for the new flagship will set shoppers back by about $300 more than the previous top of the line, or $1,700 -- still pricey relative to the competition, but much more palatable you're searching for a premium Windows 7 ultraportable and aren't willing to budge on screen size.

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Samsung Series 9 13-inch lands 1.9GHz Core i7, 256GB SSD edition for the power user set originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung updates MultiView camera lineup with MV900F point-and-shoot for $350, we go hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/samsung-multiview-mv900f/


Samsung updates MultiView camera lineup with MV900F pointandshoot for $350, we go handson video

When we were first introduced to Samsung's MultiView series with last year's MV800, we were certainly intrigued by the original design -- the LCD flips up to face directly forward, resting just above the main camera module and enabling front-sided operation, for self-portraits and the like. What the camera appeared to offer in ingenuity, however, it lacked in image quality -- shots looked quite mediocre during PC-based reviews, and when viewed on the low-res capacitive touchscreen display. This year's iteration, the MV900F, promises improvements down the 800's list of shortcomings, ranging from an f/2.5-6.3, 25mm 5x optical zoom lens to added WiFi, which brings the model's social feature set in line with other Samsung SMART cameras. There's also a 16.3-megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor on board, along with that 180-degree MultiView display, this time equipped with a 3.3-inch WVGA AMOLED panel. Physically, the camera is similar in appearance, but it's noticeably larger, to accommodate that larger touchscreen (the MV800 included a 3-inch display).

We were able to take an early look at the MV900F, and the display improvements were immediately noticeable. We weren't permitted to review sample shots on a computer, but with so much room to grow from its predecessor, it's safe to say that this lens/sensor combo should yield a noticeable image quality boost. The front-facing display is certainly the star of the show, even enabling gesture controls -- you can zo! om in an d out or capture a shot just by waving your hand (there's a tutorial on-board, but the movements aren't difficult to master). There's also a handful of WiFi options, including Facebook integration, along with instant uploading to sites like Picasa and YouTube, and integration with Samsung's other products, including TVs and Galaxy smartphones. Video capture has also been boosted from 720p to 1080p, letting you take full advantage of HDTV playback, while a variety of photo and movie filters let you get creative in-camera, including a twilight mode that combines three sequential frames in order to snap steady shots in low light. The camera is set to ship in late August for $349.99, and will be available in black and white, so if you were considering the MV800 but opted to hold out while Samsung worked out the kinks, this may be the time to jump. Catch the MV900F in action, including those nifty gesture controls, in our hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Samsung updates MultiView camera lineup with MV900F point-and-shoot for $350, we go hands-on

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Samsung updates MultiView camera lineup with MV900F point-and-shoot for $350, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM gets patent for logic-based text prediction, BlackBerry 10 keyboard now preserved for the ages

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/17/rim-gets-patent-for-logic-based-text-prediction/

RIM gets patent for logicbased text prediction, BlackBerry 10 says hello

For those of us who aren't fans of swipe gestures, the highlight of BlackBerry 10 is undoubtedly a unique keyboard that's often a step ahead of its user. It's a good thing for this last camp that RIM was just granted the final version of a related patent for logic-based text prediction. Instead of simply hunting for typos, the patented keyboard guesses the next word based either on the context of the words around it or on other criteria, like common expressions. About the only time the technique doesn't predict words is for passwords -- RIM would rather not be that clever. While there looks to be a few differences in the practical implementation of the patent as we've seen it in a pre-release BlackBerry 10, theory and reality are close enough that RIM won't be worried about anyone else poaching its seemingly mind-reading technology anytime soon.

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RIM gets patent for logic-based text prediction, BlackBerry 10 keyboard now preserved for the ages originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 22:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swarming quadrocopters complete trial recon mission for Japanese police (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/17/quadrocopter-recon-japan/

Swarming quadrocopters complete trial recon mission for Japanese police video

Formation-flying quadrocopters have already given us hours of entertainment, but now they've also accomplished something serious. Earlier this month, mini choppers developed at Japan's robot-loving Chiba University assisted in an emergency drill that simulated an explosion at a chemical plant. Four machines and a host computer (shown off after the break) used spherical markers, image processing and a heck of a lot of math to autonomously scan the site for survivors. The researchers claim the exercise went "very well" and that the local police force would like to "introduce this system" for genuine reconnaissance. That could include monitoring volcanic eruptions or inspecting power lines, but alas there's no mention yet of using quadrocopter swarms to sneak up on yakuza.

Continue reading Swarming quadrocopters complete trial recon mission for Japanese police (video)

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Swarming quadrocopters complete trial recon mission for Japanese police (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 23:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Etymotic Musicâ¢Pro 9-15 earplugs bring high-end hush to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safely

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/etymotic-music-pro-9-15-earplugs-bring-high-end-hush-to-audiences/

Etymotic MusicPro 915 earplugs bring highend noise blocking to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safelyPremium electronic earplugs usually find their homes with musicians eager to preserve their hearing at all costs; anyone within the crowd has more often been left to either use cruder plugs or cover their ears. Etymotic wants to bridge that difference with the Musico.Pro 9-15. The combination of ER-9 and ER-15 earplugs matches its namesake not just through the choice of components, but through active noise cancellation that removes 9 to 15 decibels from the sound only when the rock gets too raucous: listeners can hear fellow concert-goers and even boost their volume without skewing the sound of the band. Pricing plays its own part in reaching out to the crowd, too. As high as the new Musico.Pro set's $399 price might be compared to a typical pair of ear blockers, it's low enough that a dedicated fan of virtual Tupac can afford to go to the concert protected rather than voluntarily take on some hearing damage.

Continue reading Etymotic Music•Pro 9-15 earplugs bring high-end hush to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safely

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Etymotic Music•Pro 9-15 ear! plugs br ing high-end hush to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safely originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 01:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And Now For Something Completely Different: The 'Ultimate' Death Cross

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/and-now-for-something-completely-different-the-ultimate-death-cross-2012-7

James Ross, the University Architect at UNC Wilmington and an astute observer of the economy, called my attention to an amusing Business Insider piece published yesterday: The S&P Is On The Verge Of The Ultimate Death Cross. The piece mentions a note published Monday by Societe Generale analyst Albert Edwards, who points out that the S&P is on the verge of an "ultimate" death cross. And what, pray tell, is that? A 50-200 moving average crossover, based on months, not days (or even weeks).

So let's check this out. The S&P 500 only dates back to March 1957. Since that time the 50-month MA has never crossed below the 200 month MA. The closest it came was the June 1978 monthly close, which gave us a 2.09 point spread between the 50-month (92.09) and the 200-month (90.00). During the 55-plus years that the S&P 500 has existed, there has never been an "Ultimate" Death Cross.

At the end of last month, the spread was a little over 11 points.

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How disastrous would a trip to the "Death Zone" be? Let's look further back in time. The chart below uses the S&P Composite data set popularized by Yale professor Robert Shiller. It consists of the monthly averages of daily closes since 1871 -- over 140 years of US market history.

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The annotations on the chart speak for themselves.


Postscript: Yes, the title of this piece includes an allusion to a regular Monty Python feature, a favorite of many of my fellow Boomers.

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