Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, November 07, 2013

YouTube flips the switch on its new conversation-style comment system powered by Google+

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/06/youtube-comments-google-plus/

Back in September, YouTube revealed its plan to overhaul comments on the video site with the helping hand of Google+. Now, that new system has gone live. Conversation-style commenting that ranks based on a number of key factors (like people you know), allows private notations solely for those in your Circles and serves up easy moderation in order to quell the naysayers like word filters and auto-approval. The new Google+-powered system should be popping up on YouTube channels that you frequent soon as the global roll out has already begun.

Filed under: Internet, Google

Via: TechCrunch

Source: YouTube

Verizon's LTE network won't support Nexus 7 (2013) until after KitKat upgrade

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/06/nexus-7-verizon-lte-android-kitkat/

Nexus 7 owners, you'll unfortunately have to wait for Android KitKat before you can connect to Verizon's LTE network. In September, the carrier revealed that the pint-sized slate would have to go through a month-long certification process before it can connect to the internet via LTE. Now, Big Red claims the fault lies with Android Jelly Bean, and that Google and Asus (the device's manufacturer) have advised the carrier to suspend the certification process until KitKat arrives. According to Mountain View, its newest mobile OS is coming in the next few weeks -- for now, (disappointed) Nexus 7 users can head past the break for Verizon's full statement.

Filed under: Tablets, ASUS, Google, Verizon

Source: Android Police

Amazon Kindle HDX 8.9 review: a high-end tablet at a mid-range price

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/07/amazon-kindle-hdx-8-9-review/

It's worth noting just how far Amazon has come since the early days of the Fire line. With the first generation, it was tough to see the tablet as anything more than a content-delivery device designed to keep users locked into the Kindle ecosystem. It was an uninspired bit of hardware that seemingly arrived off the same factory line as the BlackBerry PlayBook. Granted, Amazon's new HDX tablets still aren't the sexiest devices around, but the company's taken great pains to ensure they're some of the best. That means a stellar screen, some zippy internals and a slimmed-down body. Starting at $379 for the 8.9-inch model, the price has come along for the ride as well. It's hardly expensive, but we've long since stopped using the word "budget" to describe it.

Still, Amazon's managed to keep pricing down thanks to its content-centric business model, which assumes you'll continue buying stuff long after you open the box. This comes with some drawbacks, of course -- namely, an ecosystem that's far more closed-off than regular Android would be. But as long as you're stuck with Fire OS, the company's going to do what it can to provide the best experience possible with the addition of some compelling features. Does all that add up to a truly competitive device? Or has Amazon strayed too far from its budget roots?%Gallery-slideshow104327%

Filed under: Tablets, Amazon

Google Text-to-Speech hits the Play Store, brings charming British accent with it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/07/google-text-to-speech-app-play/

Google is continuing its trend of pushing Android's built-in apps directly to the Play Store with Text-to-Voice. The application isn't very flashy on its own, but when coupled with Google Books it can read you a bedtime story or even integrate with Google Translate for aural pronunciation examples. Mountain View also added Korean language support, which could be useful if you ever want to ask a question while touring Samsung HQ. However, to use the app you have to be running Ice Cream Sandwich at the minimum -- you're still out there, right?

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google

Via: Phone Arena

Source: Google Play

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite review: What does it take to make an $800 version of a $1,400 Ultrabook?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/06/samsung-ativ-book-9-lite-review/

Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite review: What does it take to make an $800 version of a $1,400 Ultrabook?

It is what it sounds like. The Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite, announced at the same time as the ATIV Book 9 Plus, is a mid-range version of the company's flagship laptop. Priced at nearly half the price ($800 vs. $1,400), it's made of plastic instead of aluminum, with an AMD chip instead of the usual Intel Haswell processor. But it has generally the same look, and is nearly as thin and light as the real thing. In fact, it stands as one of the most lightweight machines you can get for this price, even if it doesn't qualify as a bona fide Ultrabook. So is it worth getting this and saving yourself six hundred bucks? And how big a deal is the difference in specs?%Gallery-slideshow103483%

Filed under: Laptops, Samsung

The New Mobile Advertising Ecosystem Explained

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-new-mobile-advertising-landscape-2013-11

Mobile Advertising Graphic Final

Mobile advertising has carved out a significant share of overall digital ad revenues faster than many expected. But increased spending hasn't made the mobile ad ecosystem any less complex.

Ad networks, ad exchanges, real-time bidding platforms, and many other self-styled mobile ad "solutions," seem to offer everything to everyone, including the best data, the best and most varied targeting technologies, and access to the most premium sites and apps.

In a new report from BI Intelligence, we cut through the noise, identify the most meaningful shifts in the mobile ad landscape, and demystify the actual role played by the different entities and technologies, explaining each player's strengths and weakness. We also look at how the rise of programmatic buying will affect buyers and sellers across the mobile landscape.

Here are some of the key developments in the mobile ad ecosystem:

The industry is simultaneously consolidating, and growing more complex. Ad exchanges, supply-side platforms and mobile ad networks are all reaching for scale and the latest ad technology. Increasingly, the lines between these entities are blurring.
These companies are all vying for advertiser dollars and making big promises about the data and inventory they can provide buyers. But the fractured landscape makes it difficult to determine which companies have the best set of offerings to meet mobile advertisers' goals.
Programmatic is growing at a fast clip in developed mobile markets like the United States, 56% annually by some estimates. Within mobile programmatic, real-time bidding, which allows for the serving of personalized ads to app and site visitors, is particularly influential. We explain why RTB is crucial in mobile.
The rise of programmatic is leading to a reshuffle of the entire industry. Many of this year's mergers and acquisitions in mobile ads can be traced to either the need for scale or the rise of data-focused programmatic ad trading.
Demand-side platforms and agency trading desks face a major barrier to their rise as engines for the demand side of the programmatic equation: media agencies and media planners remain locked into their comfortable one-on-one relationships with traditional ad networks.

In full, the report:

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UK retailer offers 7-inch tablet with speedy Tegra 4 chip for Â£180

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/06/advent-currys-pc-world-dixons-tegra-note-advent-vega-stylus/

Hey, do you remember Advent? It turns out that the Dixons-owned brand has slapped its logo all over NVIDIA's Tegra Note reference design tablet in preparation for the holidays. Packing a 7-inch 1,280 x 800 display, the Advent Vega Tegra Note comes with a Tegra 4 paired with 1GB RAM, 16GB storage and Jelly Bean. 'Round back, you'll find a 5-megapixel primary camera and a 2-megapixel webcam up front, and there's micro-USB, micro-HDMI-out, Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11 b/g/n WiFi finishing off the spec list. As with the original, the slate comes with a stylus, which NVIDIA promises will be incredibly responsive thanks to its DirectStylus know-how. Pre-orders begin tomorrow, and the hardware will start hitting doorstops on November 15 for the rather reasonable sum of £180.

Filed under: Tablets, NVIDIA

Source: Advent Vega (PC World)

Swype 1.6 for Android adds mini keyboards for big screens

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/06/swype-1-6-for-android/

Nuance isn't letting SwiftKey's customizable keyboard layouts go unanswered. The company has just launched Swype 1.6, a big update to its Android add-on that provides a similar amount of control. Users with giant phones can choose separate mini keyboards for both landscape and portrait views, and exacting typists can either fine-tune the dimensions or pick a secondary language. There's also a pair of upgrades for those who don't like to type at all -- Swype now offers both continuous dictation as well as support for voice recognition in a different language than the keyboard. Whatever your input preferences, you can buy a fresh copy of Swype 1.6 for $4 from either Google Play or the Amazon Appstore.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Source: Google Play

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

I Bought an Apartment Just to Rent It Out on Airbnb

Source: http://gizmodo.com/i-bought-an-apartment-just-to-rent-it-out-on-airbnb-1458666661

I Bought an Apartment Just to Rent It Out on Airbnb

In 2012 I bought an apartment specifically to rent out on airbnb. I've been managing it remotely for the past year. This post includes everything I learned as well as some revenue numbers.

This Quadcopter Turns Into a Self-Balancing Rolling Wheel

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-quadcopter-turns-into-a-self-balancing-rolling-whe-1458696855

This Quadcopter Turns Into a Self-Balancing Rolling Wheel

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have managed to teach a quadcopter some impressive new tricks that vastly expand its capabilities past flying. Their Multi-ﬁeld Universal Wheel for Air-land Vehicle—or MUWA for short—features variable pitch propellers so the thrust can be directed in opposite directions, allowing it to balance on edge like an autonomous bike wheel.

Bubl's 360-degree camera records Street View-like spherical footage (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/05/bublcam-360-degree-camera/

Many of the 360-degree cameras on the market will only shoot footage on a horizontal plane, which isn't very helpful if a subject sails overhead. Bubl's upcoming, baseball-sized Bublcam should provide a more complete view of the world. The gadget's four cameras are arranged in a tetrahedral layout that captures seamless, spherical images; software for Android, iOS and PCs lets viewers pan anywhere in the shot, much like they would with Google's Street View. It's also relatively internet-savvy thanks to its built-in WiFi, which lets owners both stream to a nearby device and upload their recordings to Dropbox, Google Drive and Younity. Bubl is crowdfunding the project, with pledges starting at $399 CAD ($383 US plus shipping) for those who want a Bublcam to call their own. Should the company reach its $100,000 goal, backers should get their extra-immersive cameras beginning in May. Check out a demo of the playback software after the break.

Filed under: Cameras

Source: Kickstarter, Bubl

Good news, fitness freaks: Nike's Move app, which brings Fuelband functionality to the iPhone 5s usi

Source: http://gizmodo.com/good-news-fitness-freaks-nikes-move-app-which-brings-1458662128

Good news, fitness freaks: Nike's Move app, which brings Fuelband functionality to the iPhone 5s using its M7 motion-sensing co-processor, is now available in the App Store.

Square Enix's streaming service uses virtual supercomputers to kill game latency

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/04/square-enix-project-flare/

Streaming game services are nothing new, but Square Enix thinks they need a fix. Today, the company behind Final Fantasy and Deus Ex: Human Revolution (seen above) announced a new cloud gaming platform that it claims kills game latency dead. It's called Project FLARE, which it describes as a "technological breakthrough in cloud game architecture." It claims to harness the power of "virtual supercomputers" to offer powerful performance and incredible "Hollywood-level" animation that current streaming services just can't handle. Though Project FLARE is just exiting its R&D stage, Square Enix has already engaged Ubisoft as an early partner. It's currently shopping its technology around to other developers, and hopes to bring games to beta in about two years.

Jacob Navok, Square Enix's director of business development, tells us the secret sauce behind Project FLARE is a technology that lets them run CPUs and GPUs in separate servers to turn up the graphic potential and efficiency of any game. In a hotel room in San Francisco, the company showed several demonstrations of this, such as incorporating video streams into Final Fantasy gameplay, real-time camera switching in Agni's Philosophy and the ability to dramatically increase the number of objects on screen in Deus Ex without affecting the game's frame rate. Since developers can now fill the screen with lots of items, Navok hopes this will result in far more realistic battle and crowd scenes in the future.

Filed under: Gaming

Source: Project Flare

Nikon's $2,750 Df DSLR lets you shoot full-frame digital images like it's 1959 (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/04/nikon-df-camera/

Reincarnation is the new innovation -- the camera industry's latest salute to days gone by comes compliments of Nikon. The 16.2-megapixel Df blends a full-frame sensor and modern capabilities with a "timeless design." It may look like something you just dug out of your great grandfather's secret chest in the attic, but people on the other end of your images will assume those snappy shots are the product of a serious professional tool. And they'd be right -- even if pros prefer something more modern for their day jobs, the Df stands up extremely well on paper. In fact, it contains the same incredible sensor found on the flagship D4, along with the same level of weather proofing you'd get with the D800 -- all wrapped in a 710-gram (1.56-pound) body that feels great and is the lightest in Nikon's full-frame range.

Other key specs also stand up to scrutiny: the Df has an EXPEED 3 processor, a 204,800 top ISO, 39 AF points, a 2,016-pixel 3D matrix metering system and 5.5 fps burst shooting. In addition to the 3.2-inch, 921k-dot LCD, you can also frame shots using the pro-grade, glass pentaprism viewfinder, which has virtually 100 percent coverage and also lets you remove the visible AF points when shooting in manual focus -- something a lot of photographers will do if they're using very old lenses. Speaking of which, the Df is compatible with not only current AF, AF-S, DX and AF-D lenses, but Ai and non-Ai Nikkor glass going all the way back to 1959, the year in which the manufacturer introduced its first F-series SLR. This compatibility comes with enhanced functionality courtesy of a new metering coupling lever on the bayonet mount.

You also get a full array of dedicated dials, including EV, shutter speed and ISO, all of which have the same tactile gravitas you'd get on something like the 30-year-old Nikon F3. Additionally, Nikon is announcing a special edition 50mm f/1.8 lens, which is set to retail for $3,000 in a kit with the camera or $280 on its own. The Df will also be available individually in the US and ships later this month for $2,750.%Gallery-slideshow102871%%Gallery-slideshow103026%

Filed under: Cameras, Nikon

Monday, November 04, 2013

Get $200 at Target with any iPad Trade-In, Even A First Gen Model

Source: http://lifehacker.com/get-200-at-target-with-any-ipad-trade-in-even-a-first-1458268904/@Shane_Roberts

Get $200 at Target with any iPad Trade-In, Even A First Gen Model

If you've been thinking of upgrading up a new iPad Air, or if your old iPad is just gathering dust, Target is offering a rare opportunity to get decent trade-in value from your old model.

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