Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, September 26, 2013

drag2share: VisualPing Notifies You When a Web Site Visibly Changes

source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/vip/~3/ViV3R0bOO50/visualping-notifies-you-when-a-web-site-visibly-changes-1385449186

VisualPing Notifies You When a Web Site Visibly Changes

Whether you're trying to score a coveted pre-order or you're just keeping track of the news, nobody wants to sit around refreshing a web site until it changes. VisualPing is a simple service that monitors for changes to a site, and then sends you before and after screenshots once the site changes.

Change detection on web sites certainly isn't new, but VisualPing does things a little differently by monitoring the actual visual look of a site. This means it's great when you're waiting around for product launches or for updates to a page that doesn't have RSS. Simply set up the interval for it to check, how much a change you want it to watch out for, and then VisualPing does the rest.

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: Toshiba's new dual camera module brings 'deep focus' imaging to smartphones

source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/26/toshiba-dual-camera-module/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

Toshiba's new dual camera brings deep focus imaging to smartphones

Remember when dual camera modules on smartphones were all the rage? Toshiba is bringing them back -- only this time with technology that you're much more likely to use. Its new module uses two 5-megapixel cameras to record depth and images at the same time, producing a "deep focus" picture where everything is sharp. The technique offers a Lytro-like ability to refocus, even after you've taken the shot; it also provides gesture control and very fast digital autofocusing. You'll have to wait a while before you're snapping deep focus vacation photos, though. Toshiba doesn't expect to mass produce the sensors until April, and finished products will likely come later.

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

Sony's new 4K, HD projectors unveiled with prices all the way up to $28,000

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/26/sony-4k-1080p-cedia-2013-vpl-vw1100es/

Here at CEDIA 2013, Sony has just announced three new SXRD projectors, including two 4K models and one for the 1080p crowd. If you must have the highest res video output, only the new VPL-VW1100ES and VPL-VW600ES will do, with both tossing a DCI-approved 4,096 x 2,160 pixel count at the nearest display surface. The VPL-VW1100ES updates the VPL-VW1000ES introduced two years ago and remains at the top of Sony's projector line, bringing a bundled 4K player for a tidy $28,000. The VPL-VW600ES (pictured above) arrives with similar specs to the model introduced in Europe last month, offering that high pixel count with lower brightness and contrast levels in a smaller frame. As a result its $15,000 pricetag is lower too, although an option to bundle the FMP-X1 4K player and tablet controller will add an extra grand on top of that.

If your display space or budget aren't 4K ready yet the VPL-HW55ES continues Sony's 1080p line with "enhanced optical efficiency" and an improved cooling system that should make the lamp last longer, all for a price of $4,000. All three projectors are going on sale through custom installers this fall, with the VPL-HW55ES due in October and the VPL-VW600ES in November. If you're looking for the top of the line VPL-VW1100ES however, you're encouraged to check back in October to set up that service appointment. Check after the break for the complete specs, we'll get an in-person look at all three shortly.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony

drag2share: 21-Year-Old Who Raised A $25 Million Seed Round Teases His Mystery App With A Strange Ad

source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/RJwt23fAi_4/clinkle-ad-2013-9

richard branson lucas duplan

Lucas Duplan announced a monstrous $25 million seed round in June for a mysterious payment app, Clinkle.

Duplan still isn't ready to reveal to the world what his payment startup actually does, or how it's different than all the solutions that currently exist. But he recently won over a new investor, Richard Branson and the mystery of his startup has attracted more than 100,000 people to its waitlist. Branson said he's "excited to be part of the Clinkle revolution" in a release.

Duplan also spent a lot of time creating a strange ad that teases Clinkle and will be running on the company's website. He told AllThingsD he spent "more [time] than he should have" on the ad that shows people with missing body parts. It kind of reminds us of Kevin Bacon's movie, Hollow Man.

Here it is, below:

Clinkle: We’re All In This Together from Cl! inkle on Vimeo.

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: Broadcom announces WiFi and Bluetooth combo chips for in-car connectivity

source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/26/broadcom-automotive-wireless/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

Be it PCs, phones, televisions or wearables, if it can go wireless, Broadcom wants in on the action. Today the company has added one more category to that list, and it's the car. Indeed, its new line of wireless chips is specifically catered for automotive use, and is decked out with the latest 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth Smart Ready technologies for smoother streaming between mobile devices and in-car displays. But the technology's scope doesn't stop there. You could also use it for smartphone remote control of your vehicle's settings, high-speed connectivity via LTE hot spots, vehicle-to-infrastructure communications and even the syncing of biometric data to make sure the driver isn't fatigued or drunk when he or she's behind the wheel.

Broadcom's current automotive portfolio consists of the BCM89335 5G WiFi / Bluetooth Smart Ready combo chip and the BCM89071 Bluetooth and Bluetooth Smart Ready chip, which are now in the sampling stage. Of course, as this is still in development, we're not sure just which cars will incorporate such tech just yet. Seeing as how more cars are getting connected, however, you'll probably see it in action at your local auto dealership sooner than you think. For more on Broadcom's automotive initiative, check out the press release after the

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: LA officials may delay school iPad rollout after students hack them in a week

source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/26/los-angeles-school-ipads-hacked/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

Just a week after it began the first phase of putting iPads in the hands of all 640,000 students in the state, the Los Angeles school district already has a fight on its hands. In a matter of days, 300 children at Theodore Roosevelt High School managed to work around protective measures placed on the Apple tablets, giving them complete access to features -- including Facebook, Twitter and other apps -- that should otherwise have been blocked.

Students bypassed the security lock on the device by deleting a personal profile preloaded in the settings -- a simple trick that has the school district police chief recommending the board limit the $1 billion rollout before it turns into a "runaway train scenario." For now, officials have banned home use of the iPads while they assess ways to better restrict access -- they would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for those meddling kids.

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: AMD unveils Radeon R9 and R7 series video cards, unifying graphics code for PCs and consoles

source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/amd-unveils-radeon-r9-and-r7-video-cards/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

Graphics cards aren't normally our go-to choices for audio processing, but we may have to make exceptions for AMD's just-unveiled Radeon R9 and R7 lines. The R9 290X (shown above), R9 290 and R7 260X (after the break) will support TrueAudio, a new programmable pipeline that enables advanced audio effects without burdening a PC's main processor or a dedicated sound card. Not that the range will be lacking in visual prowess, of course. While the company isn't revealing full specifications, it claims that the R9 290X flagship will have five teraflops of total computing power versus the four teraflops of the previous generation. The boards will ship sometime in the "near future," with prices ranging from $89 for an entry R7 250 to $299 for the mid-tier R9 280X. AMD isn't divulging the R9 290X's price, but pre-orders for the card will start on October 3rd.

The firm has also revealed a new programming interface, Mantle, that makes the most of the Graphics Core Next architecture found in many of its recent processors and video chipsets. Developers who build the low-level code into their games should get better performance from GCN-based devices without having to re-optimize for each platform -- a title meant for Radeon-equipped PCs should still behave well on a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, for instance. Mantle will debut on Windows through a December update to Battlefield 4, and should spread to other platforms in the months ahead.

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

'Frontback' App Makes Selfies Meaningful By Taking A Pic Of You And The Thing You're Looking At Simultaneously

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-frontback-2013-9

For the last month or so, we've had a photo app called Frontback on our radar. Despite the over-saturation of the photo-sharing space, it seems to be catching fire. It's had 200,000 downloads recently. Why?

Maybe because it takes the embarrassment — or at least reduces the egomania — out of snapping a selfie.

The idea is simple: You take a picture of whatever you're looking at with the back camera of your phone and then get yourself in on the fun by snapping a selfie with the front camera. The app automatically stitches the two together, one on top of the other. So, "Thing," followed by your reaction to said "Thing." Your selfies become more meaningful because a Frontback image will show people what inspired the selfie in the first place.

We decided to try it out.

Like most social media sites, you have to create a username and register before getting started.

As a new user, you're encouraged to find your friends who are already using Frontback, or invite them to join.

You can see potential friends via your contact list, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Google Voice update adds short code support, warns you when you text 911

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/google-voice-short-code-support/

An update to Google Voice today brings a useful, if not earth-shattering, new feature: support for SMS short codes. If your primary phone number is the one associated with your Google Voice account, this means you'll finally be able to use these codes for online banking and other services without your message showing up as sent from your carrier number. Today's update also adds a warning message whenever you type the 911 short code -- a handy safeguard, if you ask us. Nab the Android app update via the source link below.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google

Via: Android Central

Source: Google Play

Set up a 3rd-gen Apple TV with a tap from your iOS 7 device

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/3rd-gen-apple-tv-setup-with-tap-ios7/

Have a third-gen Apple TV and an iDevice running iOS 7? If you've yet to set up Cupertino's set-top box, you can do so now by simply touching your iPhone or iPad to the Apple TV. Okay, Apple's take on Bump requires a few more steps than that; you'll first need to enable Bluetooth on your iOS 7 device, then connect to the WiFi network you'll use with the Apple TV. (Your machine also needs Apple TV software 6.0 or later.) Still, it sure beats the labor-intensive process of selecting letters on-screen with the included remote. Once you've tapped your iPhone to the set-top box, prompts should appear on both the phone and the TV screen, and you're good to go. Give it a whirl for yourself -- Apple's directions are available via the first source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile, Apple

Via: TUAW

Source: Apple Support (1), Apple Support (2)

UCSD engineers develop mini wide-angle lens that's ten times smaller than a regular one

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/ucsd-engineers-miniature-wide-angle-lens/

UCSD engineers develop mini wideangle lens that's ten times smaller than a regular one

What you see here, dear readers, is the image of a fiber-coupled monocentric lens camera that was recently developed by engineers from the University of California, San Diego. The researchers involved in the project say this particular miniature wide-angle lens is one-tenth of the size of more traditional options, such as the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L pictured above. Don't let the sheer magnitude (or lack thereof) of this glass fool you, however: UCSD gurus note that the newly developed optics can easily mimic the performance of regular-sized lenses when capturing high-resolution photos. "It can image anything between half a meter and 500 meters away (a 100x range of focus) and boasts the equivalent of 20/10 human vision (0.2-milliradian resolution)," according to engineers. As for us, well, we can't wait to see this technology become widely adopted -- don't you agree?

Filed under: Cameras

Source: UCSD Jacobs

Google+ introduces better RAW-to-JPEG conversion for over 70 cameras

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/google-introduces-better-raw-to-jpeg-conversion/

If you've been paying much attention to Google+, you already know that the social network is doing its damnedest to become the go-to destination for photographers. Accordingly, it's attracted a number of RAW format enthusiasts -- thanks to the ability to store full-size photos -- and to make their lives a little better, Google+ is introducing a new RAW-to-JPEG conversion method that offers noticeably better results. Over 70 cameras from Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic and Sony are supported as of today, and Google says that it'll add additional models over time. Since Google+ automatically converts RAW photos to JPEG for viewing purposes (while retaining the original), the new conversion method should be readily apparent. You can view the complete list of supported cameras after the break, and as for the improved quality of conversions, go ahead and have a look for yourself. Hopefully your eyes agree with Google's claim.

Filed under: Cameras, Internet, Mobile, Google

Source: Ronald Wotzlaw (Google+), Nik Photography (Google+)

drag2share: Mailbox for iOS Has a Huge Security Flaw (Updated)

source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/vip/~3/XMjK1gPY_cg/mailbox-for-ios-has-a-huge-security-flaw-1385847324

Mailbox for iOS Has a Huge Security Flaw (Updated)

Mailbox, the tidy iOS email app recently purchased by Dropbox, has a pretty wide-open hole that could allow bad actors to hijack your device. And unlike phishing attempts that should probably set off your sketchiness detector, this flaw involves emails that look completely innocuous.

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: Google Search adds support for hashtags, pulls related info from Google+

source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/google-search-hashtags-google-plus/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

The latest way Google is working social media into its search engine is with the use of familiar hashtags, but at least for now that doesn't include direct results from competitors like Facebook and Twitter. Available initially to users in the US and Canada, searches that include hashtags (like #ExpandNY, for example) will gain a right rail display relevant Google+ posts that were either shared publicly or to you. Even if you're not an avid user of the #, since Google+ autogenerates hashtags for many posts, it should be easy to find relate! d info f or pretty much any topic. According to Zaheed Sabur, there are also links to search said hashtag on other social sites, although which ones weren't specified. Even if you're in the right area you probably won't see the new feature just yet, as it's going live "within the next few hours."

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: Ginger is a new app for creating presentations, somehow tied to Adobe

source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/ginger-adobe-mobile-app/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

Ginger isn't available yet, but it is already generating buzz. Not for its marketing video, nor for its simple website, but for its potential tie to a massive company in the software world: Adobe. Ginger promises to enable users to "show your story to the world in minutes" via its upcoming mobile application -- you can create slides with audio and visual components and then push them to various social media. It sounds a lot like PowerPoint for mobile, albeit with fewer options (no mention of video, for instance) -- not exactly Adobe's first foray into mobile, but another interesting step for the company.

The Adobe tie-in pops up when signing up for Ginger's "keep me in the loop" email newsletter. A confirmation email from gingerfeedback@adobe.com arrives as confirmation, which tells us that either Adobe's involved or the company's been kind enough to Ginger to offer up free email hosting space (an unlikely scenario, we'd say). Of course, we've reached out to Adobe for furth! er detai ls and will let you know if we hear back.

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

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