Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Real-Time Web Protocol PubSubHubbub Explained

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/readwriteweb/~3/SvbT55PKB1Q/real-time_web_protocol_pubsubhubbub_explained.php

Real-time web protocol PubSubHubbub's co-creator Brett Slatkin, an engineer at Google, gave a talk at Facebook headquarters today about how the new information delivery system works and how Facebook can support it.

He's published his deck on his blog and we've embedded it below as our Real-Time Web Article of the Day. If you're interested in making your content available in real time or more efficiently using real-time content syndicated from elsewhere, this presentation is a must-see.

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Each day leading up to the ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summit on October 15th we're highlighting one important article written by someone from outside our staff on the topic of the real-time web. Slatkin's 61-slide deck makes a great introduction to both the technical and strategic aspects of the PubSubHubbub protocol.

Slatkin starts out by explaining the value propositions of real-time data delivery, with an emphasis on social networking because he's speaking at Facebook. He then goes on to discuss how PubSubHubbub works and how to implement it. He also spends several slides discussing what he considers the technical shortcomings of other real-time protocols, particularly RSSCloud, but that's only a small part of the talk.

Slatkin will be participating in the Real-Time Web Summit next month. ("Foo-style [unconferencing is] always way better than talks," he said last week "See ya there!") He's got a very big vision of where all this is going to go; he's thinking of things like distribution of financial information and data from sensor networks in the physical world. This isn't just about social networking, and it certainly isn't just about Twitter, though that's what most people tend to think of when they hear the phrase real-time web. There's a whole lot more to it than that, as you can see from the list of questions some of our event participants have already said they want to discuss.

Here's what Slatkin has to say, a few of our favorite early slides are excerpted above the embedded slideshow in order to convince our subscribers to click through to the site and read the presentation.

What is PubSubHubbub?

pshbdeck4.jpg

Some of the Benefits

pshbdeck1.jpg

It's hard to explain "flow," of course - you know it when you see it. Others in the industry have described increased time-on-site for website visitors, or a more human and people-centric experience of the web.

pshbdeck2.jpg

The list of possibilities is endless and Slatkin encourages developers to "scale up to new use cases" - meaning that building real-time to scale will enable new activities that we can't imagine yet.

On Decentralization and Design

pshbdeck3.jpg

pshbdeck5.jpg

Those are just a few of our favorite slides, below is the whole presentation embedded. Please check it out and consider joining us at the ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summit to discuss this and other real-time technologies and their implications.

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GPU-Accelerated Flash Player Provides Smooth HD Video, Arrives Next Month [Flash]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/itet54d1zMQ/gpu+accelerated-flash-player-provides-smooth-hd-video-arrives-next-month

At last, here's a GPU-accelerated Flash player. That means two things: One, my laptop won't melt every time I run freaking Hulu. Two, since almost every Nvidia GPU is supported, even smartphones will be able to play HD Flash video.

Nvidia has been demonstrating builds of the GPU-accelerated Flash player around, and it's making an announcement on October 5. According to those who have seen it, it provides ultra-smooth high definition video playback, even on portable Tegra platforms.

About time. [Notebookjournal.de via Hexus]




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Toshiba Satellite T100 Series: $450 Buys Bigger And Better Than A Netbook [Notebooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nXHVzJbRH5Q/toshiba-satellite-t100-series-450-buys-bigger-and-better-than-a-netbook

Toshiba's Satellite T100 notebooks aren't netbooks, but they have the prices and battery life to match the small laptops. The $450 11.6-inch T115 and $600 13.3-inch T135 are thin, oh so light, and pack a decent amount of power.

Both systems weigh less than 4 pounds and are under an inch thin. They are surrounded by an array of ports, including HDMI out (since both can handle 1080p video). Packed with Windows 7 Home Premium and powered by Intel's ULV processors they have more oomph than any netbook with Intel's Atom inside. The ULV processors also promise extra long battery life — the T115 is rated for 9 hours and the T135 for 7.5.

LAPTOP Magazine got its hands on the T135 and found the $700 configuration to be pretty fast for its class and reports 7 hours of juice. Not too bad for a notebook under the $800 mark. I'm interested in how the $450 T115 runs, but those lusting after a notebook with better ergonomics and faster performance than a netbook now have at least two more picks. You have to wait a bit more time for the T115 and the T135; they will be on sale on Windows 7's October 22 launch. [Toshiba, Laptop Magazine]




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Courier Tablet Runs Windows 7, Hardware Made By Microsoft [Rumor]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/LpDv_keqW-E/courier-tablet-runs-windows-7-hardware-made-by-microsoft

More details on Courier, courtesy of Mary Jo Foley: Most interestingly, her sources say it runs Windows 7 underneath, the same way the Surface runs on top of Vista, and that Microsoft will actually make the tablet hardware.

There've been questions as to whether Courier is a software platform—meaning another manufacturer would make the actual hardware—or whether Microsoft will pull a Zune/Xbox 360. Mary Jo's sources say it's the latter (which makes sense, given that it's supposedly J. Allard's baby). But, Courier did actually start life as a "as a software idea on how one would really build OneNote from scratch if you could for the Tablet form factor. That then morphed into building a tablet."

So far, they're aiming for a "mid-2010" delivery, since it's further along than a Microsoft Research project, but not quite in the commercial pipe yet. Which puts it right in the Apple tablet's purported path. Oh, 2010 is going to rock. [ZDNet]




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VholdR ContourHD Helmet Cam Shoots Superwide 1080p Video, With Lasers [Helmet Cams]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/YuOES_Po-vg/vholdr-contourhd-helmet-cam-shoots-superwide-1080p-video-with-lasers

VholdR missed being FIRST! with a mainstream 1080p helmet cam by a few months, but they've got a different take on the concept anyway. For example, does your GoPro have dual sighting lasers? Hmm?

Ok, so the laser targeting deal isn't all that new for VholdR—it's been in some of their helmet cams since late 2007—and the general shape and feature set of the camera hasn't really changed since the first ContourHD, which only shot 720p, but the latest upgrade is nothing to scoff at: The ContourHD1080p shoots in full HD, 960p, and 720p 30fps and 60fps modes; records through a 135-degree, rotating wide-angle lens; lets you adjust metering, exposure, contrast and microphone gain; and comes with a three-hour rechargeable battery. On top of that, it's weather and shock resistant, but not quite waterproof without an extra case.

VholdR's also pretty excited about their new video sharing site, which accepts and plays back 1080p uploads, but I imagine most folks who would buy something like this already have specific plans for sharing their rad stunts, epic air, etcetera, so I'm not really sure what that's worth. The camera, however, is worth precisely $330, and will be available in time for Christmas. [VholdR]




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Zipcar App Finally Hits the Streets: Use An iPhone to Find and Unlock Your Rental Car [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/WPgzspyC1Es/zipcar-app-finally-hits-the-streets-use-an-iphone-to-find-and-unlock-your-rental-car

First shown at WWDC, the free app can extend reservations, browse available models, and find your car—on a map, or by honking the horn remotely. It's a polished effort, but you still can't forget your Zipcard. Here's why:

The RFID-equipped member card is still needed for the ignition system, and to unlock the car at the start of a session. That's a bit of a let down, but I guess it does make sense. Once that first step is out of the way, that's when you can use the iPhone to lock/unlock the car remotely.

Zipcar says it's working to add a visual snapshot of car availability (like you get on the Website), greater flexibility in reservation changes, and more detailed instructions to your parking spot.

If you have an iPhone (or iPod touch) and use Zipcar, this should probably be a no-brainer to test out. If you do, let us know how you go. [Zipcar (iTunes Link) | Zipcar]




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Lighthouse SQ7: A Tablet that Shouts at Twitter [Tablets]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/pwO-Ph4LsLY/lighthouse-sq7-a-tablet-that-shouts-at-twitter

I'm still holding out for the internet-surfing CrunchPad, but the $250 Lighthouse SQ7 is an interesting take on a tablet just for the couch (especially if you're super in to social networking).

The 7-inch (800x480) tablet runs Ubuntu and a browser based upon WebKit. The light footprint software allows its 667MHz ARM processor with 128MB of RAM (ick!), 1GB of RAM storage to browse the internet, Facebook and Twitter. (Given that we're talking Ubuntu, there's a world of other software you could run, too...if you can find the space))

But where the software/hardware shines is a one-button text-to-speech updates on social networking sites. Just hold the button and say things like "Today, I stepped in a pile of dog crap. The crap flicked off my shoe into my mouth. Then, out of nowhere, the girl I've had a crush on since first grade decided to kiss me for the first time. It happens that's she was not only disgusted but also deathly allergic to canine feces. I no longer have a date to the prom, and now my dad is making me go hunting instead. FML." Then they'll show up on Facebook or Twitter. You can also speak URLs rather than typing them in.

The SQ7 weighs slightly more than a pound and runs for a modest 5 hours per charge. But at just $250 this October, it's lower risk than it could be. We'll try to get our hands on one to test it out. You can also watch a demo here. [AdelaVoice via besttabletreview via ubergizmo]




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Motorola Cliq Android Phone Ships November 2 For $200 on T-Mobile [Cliq]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/AUHBrX4LArE/motorola-cliq-android-phone-ships-november-2-for-200-on-t+mobile

You will be able to buy the Motorola Cliq, their social networking-focused version of an Android phone, on November 2 for $200. If you pre-order the device from Oct. 19 to Nov. 1, you'll be guaranteed to receive it first.

T-Mobile also says that their voice plans start at $30 a month, with the accompanying data plan costing another $25 a month. [T-Mobile]




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MIT Scientist Explains OLEDs by Electrocuting a Pickle [Oled]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/_dRrNuT2qLE/mit-scientist-explains-oleds-by-electrocuting-a-pickle

How do Sony's and LG's OLED TVs work? MIT professor Vladimir Bulovic explains using a glowing pickle and an accent to die for.

Essentially, electrons pass through the pickle (or any other active organic matter) and charge the substance. When positive and negative charges collide, they release a photon (light). This pickle represents just one of millions of OLEDs in a potential display. It also means that Vlassic stock will skyrocket if they can only cut those Bread and Butter chips a little bit smaller. [MIT TechTV via PopSci]




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Yes, There Is Such a Thing as "Free" Energy [Wireless Power]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/jS5NHb_gIlI/yes-there-is-such-a-thing-as-free-energy

Perpetual motion machines are a thing of fantasy/delusion, but there's a lot of energy floating around that doesn't cost anything to harvest. The calculator and weather station shown here run off of microwaves from that TV tower in the distance.

Broadcasters pump out tons of of RF from their big microwave towers, operating on the mere hope that some of the RF will hit a TV antenna and deliver unto someone the evening news. Since power demands for electronic devices continues to reduce (see Moore's Law), those radio waves can now act as currents in a stream, turning the digital wheels inside small electronic devices. The catch is that the antenna harvesting the electricity has to be in line-of-sight with the microwave tower. On the bright side, the TV station (or cell tower or home Wi-Fi network) will never feel the burden of these added devices. It's just RF that didn't make it to its intended location.

The same team at Intel Labs Seattle also figured out a way to develop motion-sensing RFID tags that require the same off-the-shelf RFID transceiver used to simply count boxes and other simple tag apps—in other words, gear that's already in place in many buildings. By sticking the little tags on a bunch of household products in a room, the researchers could track what people were doing with 90% accuracy. Some people are already testing these Wireless Identification and Sensing Pla! tform (W ISP) RFID chips for use inside the human body (pacemaker location) and deep under the sea (testing seawater 1km below the surface).

The thing is, none of these technologies are going to charge your phone or power your laptop. For that, you'll need Intel's other wireless power initiative, Wireless Resonant Energy Link, first shown off in 2007. Currently, a demo model features a 45W lightbulb operating at full brightness at 1 meter with around 80% efficiency. And best of all, it doesn't electrocute people when they walk by. [Intel Labs Seattle]




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Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba and Sony align on Mobile High-Definition Link

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/nokia-samsung-toshiba-and-sony-align-on-mobile-high-definition/

Say it with us now: "Yippee!" Why such joviality? We'll tell you why. Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony and Silicon Image have all teamed up to create yet another new connector, with this one hoping to forever harmonize the strained relationship between mobile phones / PMPs and high-def displays. The so-called Mobile High-Definition Interface Working Group is seeking to create a new "industry standard" for connecting handsets and other portable consumer electronics to HDTVs and displays, though we're still wondering why exactly we need a replacement for HDMI, DisplayLink and the forthcoming Light Peak so soon. As with most of these things, details about the actual product(s) are slim, but trust us, they're working on it. And they're working hard.

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Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba and Sony align on Mobile High-Definition Link originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Imagio with WinMo 6.5 out October 6 on Verizon?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/htc-imagio-with-winmo-6-5-out-october-6/


As you know, Verizon is one of the carriers participating in the worldwide WinMo 6.5 rollout extravaganza bonanza on October 6, and that Microsoft has said they'll be ramping up to thirty smartphones for the OS by year's end, so the chance is pretty good that the HTC Imagio XV6975 is one of the new handsets we'll be seeing early next month. As reported by PhoneArena, this one is by all accounts Leo's little brother -- a CDMA / GSM device that sports a 3.6-inch WVGA display, 528MHz processor, Wi-Fi, Opera browser, 5 megapixel autofocus camera, microSD slot, and all the TouchFLO 3D lovin' you can handle. In addition, it will also be the first Verizon Smartphone to sport VCast MobileTV -- you know, if that's what you're into. No word on pricing or release date, but you'll know as soon as we do.

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HTC Imagio with WinMo 6.5 out October 6 on Verizon? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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C-motech shows off Snapdragon-powered Mangrove tablet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/c-motech-shows-off-snapdragon-powered-mangrove-tablet/


No, the device you see above is not simply a comically large smartphone (at least we don't think it is). It's actually a Snapdragon-powered, Windows Mobile 6.5-running tablet developed by the folks at C-motech. While complete details are still a bit hard to come by, this so-called "Mangrove" device reportedly packs a 7-inch touchscreen, along with a full range of connectivity options including WiFi, 3G and WiMAX, plus a pair of USB ports and a microSD card slot for a bit more flexibility. Of course, it is still just a concept at the moment, but C-motech is apparently looking at ways to bring it to market -- although your guess is as good as ours as to whether it'll actually hang onto Windows Mobile during that transition or not.

[Via jkkmobile]

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C-motech shows off Snapdragon-powered Mangrove tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 7 OEM pricing revealed by Newegg

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/windows-7-oem-pricing-revealed-by-newegg/



Well, it's not the fifty bucks that OEMs are said to be paying for a copy of Windows on the average PC, but the pricing for individual OEM copies of Windows 7 has now finally been revealed by the folks at Newegg and, as expected, it's still a good deal cheaper than the full retail price. Things start at just $99.99 (after a $10 discount) for a full version of Windows 7 Home Premium (compared to $199 retail), and move up to $134.99 for the OEM Professional edition, and $174.99 for the Ultimate edition (also after a pre-order discount that's good until October 20th). Of course, there are a few limitations if you decide to go the OEM route yourself (like not being able to transfer the license between PCs, and a complete lack of an upgrade option), but we're guessing that extra $100+ back in your pocket will more than make up for those drawbacks with plenty of folks.

[Via DailyTech]

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Windows 7 OEM pricing revealed by Newegg originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP Envy 15 FCC filing reveals magnesium casing, Linux options

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/hp-envy-15-fcc-filing-reveals-magnesium-casing-linux-options/

Okay, so here's a big way the HP's new Envy 15 isn't like the MacBook Pro: its case is made of magnesium, not aluminum. Take that, haters. Of course, there's still the note-perfect reproduction of the MBP's unibody looks, that buttonless glass multitouch trackpad, and the overall sense that HP's designers did their homework in an Apple store to deal with, but hey, at least you're getting a Core i7 processor when this thing launches on October 18th, right? Oh, and in case you're not into Windows 7, you're in luck -- there are quite a few references to Linux scattered about, so we'd expect a penguin-friendly configuration to be announced at some point. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via Wireless Goodness]

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HP Envy 15 FCC filing reveals magnesium casing, Linux options originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft unveils Barrelfish multi-core optimized OS

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/microsoft-unveils-barrelfish-multi-core-optimized-os/


With current operating systems, as the number of cores increases performance decreases. Microsoft Research has just announced an experimental OS, called Barrelfish, that they're developing in conjunction with ETH Zurich, in the hopes that they'll learn how to buck that trend -- both with current and future hardware. Building upon lessons learned with projects including Midori and Singularity, Barrelfish eschews share memory schemes in favor of message passing and a kind of database that shuttles information between cores. Heady stuff, for sure -- but just the kind of thing that sets off our Geek Alarms. If you can't wait to check this one out for yourself, hit the read link for the first release snapshot, in all its Open Source glory. The rest of us will probably remain content waiting to see how this new-found knowledge will trickle down to Windows 7 users in the future.

[Via DailyTech]

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Microsoft unveils Barrelfish multi-core optimized OS originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Use Google Docs to Convert Images to Text [Documents]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/3m1YBjEcJjw/use-google-docs-to-convert-images-to-text

It's not an official feature (yet), but Google Docs can perform OCR image-to-text conversions on high-resolution files you upload to it. They have to be pretty darned clear and crisp, but it's a nice freebie.

Those with webapps or services that upload to Google Docs can use this URL parameter to accept PNG, JPG, and GIF files for conversion, listed as an "experimental" feature at the moment.

Users, in the meantime, can try out a conversion using their own accounts at the Google Code Samples link. I tried uploading PNG screen grabs of Lifehacker and Wikipedia to Google Docs for conversion. Docs returned nothing with Lifehacker's text, and a somewhat muddled take on the Wikipedia entry for "life hack" with both PNG and JPG uploads (the full-quality JPG conversion, not pictured, fared just a bit better). Those were taken using nothing more than Ubuntu's screen capture tool and GIMP, however, so if you've got a better screen capture tool, or an actual camera shot of some relatively clear text, you'll probably do better.

Tell us how automatic Google Doc OCR might help you out in the comments.



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