Time Warner to bring live video to Android 4 ICS users finally.

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A product manager for Time Warner cable has announced that the company expects to finally bring a live video app to Android before Memorial Day, but the app will be limited to Android 4.x (Ice Cream Sandwich, or ICS) due to it being "the only version of the Android OS that allows us the security and stability necessary to distribute video over our private network." The cable giant created a live video app for iOS early last year.
Saying that developing a live video product for Android is like "tweezing one's eyebrows while using a disco ball as a mirror," author Jeff Simmermon admitted that the challenge of coding the product for a wide range of devices did not compare favorably to iOS saying it was "much easier" to develop a live video app on Apple's platform. He pointed out the advantage that iOS is made by the same company that manufactures the hardware, making it easy to make the experience consistent across devices.

The post expresses some frustration with the fragmentation aspects of Android, cautioning users that "it's up to the device manufacturer or sometimes the data carrier when or if ICS will be deployed" to their devices. He gave an example that a Motorola device user on Verizon might get an update at one point, while a Samsung owner on AT&T may get the ICS upgrade in a very different timeframe. "We're going to get there," Simmermon said, "but it's going to happen one facet at a time."

Android 4.0 is thus far only on just under three percent of all Android devices, and while some devices are still awaiting updates, the majority -- particularly those running on the 2.x version of Android -- will likely never be updated, as carriers and manufacturers have a strong incentive to keep newer updates for newer devices, both to ensure the best experience as well as providing an inducement for users to keep upgrading hardware.

Simmermon's reference to "security and stability" likely refers to the digital rights management that makes live streaming possible on mobile devices, suggesting that earlier versions of Android will not be considered for future expansion of any video apps. Users whose devices came with or have been upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich will, however, be able to watch live video over a Wi-Fi and perhaps an LTE connection (the company didn't specify) with "no problem at all" when the app is released, sometime in the coming month or two.

Time Warner has an existing, free TWC TV app for Android that doesn't handle live video but does offer a program guide, DVR management, set-top box tuning and program searching.

Soon To Launch OS X "HackStore" Could Bring Cydia Experience To Mac

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Jay Freeman (a.k.a. @saurik) from the Jailbreak scene for IOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad was working on a Cydia Store for Mac 10 months ago but it has never emerged. Cult of Mac recently shared an article about Andrey Fedotov, a Russian programmer based in the United States, for a while now, he’s been working on an application called the “HackStore,” a Mac App Store-type OS X application for non-MAS apps. Could this be the Cydia for Mac app we’ve been waiting for?
It certainly sounds like this is the case. Fedotov argues that countless OS X applications will find a home in his HackStore, due to the limits Apple imposes on its Mac App Store ecosystem. Cult of Mac explains:
The HackStore (Andrey is open to name suggestions) will be a place for hosting content like third-party tweaks and programs, or to link directly to other developers’ websites. With the HackStore, power users will be able to easily browse and discover all the great apps that wouldn’t make it into the Mac App Store.
A user login won’t be required initially for downloading apps from the HackStore, but there will be a sidebar on the home page for developers to create an account and upload their packages. Everything will be free, but Andrey hopes to work with devs and offer paid apps and tweaks in the future.
The HackStore app itself is structured almost exactly like the Mac App Store. Everything users expect is already there: top charts, categories, featured content, search, promotional banners, and so on.
When you click an app, you’ll be able to read a description, look at screenshots, see user ratings and leave a review.
Sounds great, right? Here are a couple of screenshots:

iExplorer

Plex
Hopefully, the HackStore will be available in the coming months. As always, we’ll follow this story and update you if there are any more developments. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts on the HackStore in the comments.

Soon To Launch OS X "HackStore" Could Bring Cydia Experience To Mac

www.tech-sanity.com

Jay Freeman (a.k.a. @saurik) from the Jailbreak scene for IOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad was working on a Cydia Store for Mac 10 months ago but it has never emerged. Cult of Mac recently shared an article about Andrey Fedotov, a Russian programmer based in the United States, for a while now, he’s been working on an application called the “HackStore,” a Mac App Store-type OS X application for non-MAS apps. Could this be the Cydia for Mac app we’ve been waiting for?
It certainly sounds like this is the case. Fedotov argues that countless OS X applications will find a home in his HackStore, due to the limits Apple imposes on its Mac App Store ecosystem. Cult of Mac explains:
The HackStore (Andrey is open to name suggestions) will be a place for hosting content like third-party tweaks and programs, or to link directly to other developers’ websites. With the HackStore, power users will be able to easily browse and discover all the great apps that wouldn’t make it into the Mac App Store.
A user login won’t be required initially for downloading apps from the HackStore, but there will be a sidebar on the home page for developers to create an account and upload their packages. Everything will be free, but Andrey hopes to work with devs and offer paid apps and tweaks in the future.
The HackStore app itself is structured almost exactly like the Mac App Store. Everything users expect is already there: top charts, categories, featured content, search, promotional banners, and so on.
When you click an app, you’ll be able to read a description, look at screenshots, see user ratings and leave a review.
Sounds great, right? Here are a couple of screenshots:

iExplorer

Plex
Hopefully, the HackStore will be available in the coming months. As always, we’ll follow this story and update you if there are any more developments. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts on the HackStore in the comments.

Soon To Launch OS X "HackStore" Could Bring Cydia Experience To Mac

www.tech-sanity.com

Jay Freeman (a.k.a. @saurik) from the Jailbreak scene for IOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad was working on a Cydia Store for Mac 10 months ago but it has never emerged. Cult of Mac recently shared an article about Andrey Fedotov, a Russian programmer based in the United States, for a while now, he’s been working on an application called the “HackStore,” a Mac App Store-type OS X application for non-MAS apps. Could this be the Cydia for Mac app we’ve been waiting for?
It certainly sounds like this is the case. Fedotov argues that countless OS X applications will find a home in his HackStore, due to the limits Apple imposes on its Mac App Store ecosystem. Cult of Mac explains:
The HackStore (Andrey is open to name suggestions) will be a place for hosting content like third-party tweaks and programs, or to link directly to other developers’ websites. With the HackStore, power users will be able to easily browse and discover all the great apps that wouldn’t make it into the Mac App Store.
A user login won’t be required initially for downloading apps from the HackStore, but there will be a sidebar on the home page for developers to create an account and upload their packages. Everything will be free, but Andrey hopes to work with devs and offer paid apps and tweaks in the future.
The HackStore app itself is structured almost exactly like the Mac App Store. Everything users expect is already there: top charts, categories, featured content, search, promotional banners, and so on.
When you click an app, you’ll be able to read a description, look at screenshots, see user ratings and leave a review.
Sounds great, right? Here are a couple of screenshots:

iExplorer

Plex
Hopefully, the HackStore will be available in the coming months. As always, we’ll follow this story and update you if there are any more developments. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts on the HackStore in the comments.

Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone Review

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Microsoft and Nokia have teamed up in the hope of offering an appealing third choice in the smartphone market. Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system has struggled to attract either buyers or app developers. But on April 8, Nokia and AT&T will begin selling the first high-end, 4G LTE, Windows Phone model released in the U.S., the Lumia 900.
The Lumia 900 looks rather different from other smartphones. It’s a solid, sturdy, single slab of rounded blue plastic—yes, blue—with a large, thin, bright screen that appears to lie on top, instead of being inset. (For the less adventurous, it also comes in black, and, in a few weeks, white.)
Plus, for an unspecified “limited time,” it costs just $100, half the typical $200 price of most other top-of-the-line competitors. That price requires a two-year AT&T contract whose fees start at $80 a month for a very minimal amount of data and voice minutes, plus unlimited texting. (It’s $60 without the texting plan.)
I’ve been testing the Lumia 900 and found that it provides the best home yet for the attractive Windows Phone software, but still doesn’t measure up to rival smartphones.
The screen is a roomy 4.3 inches—much larger than the iPhone’s—but the phone itself, while larger than an iPhone, isn’t as big and bulky as some recent Android models. I found it comfortable in the hand and the pocket.
When on an LTE network, the phone delivered download speeds of between 10 and 15 megabits per second in my tests, faster than most home Internet connections. Voice calls were clear and reliable, and the rear camera delivers 8 megapixel resolution.
Also, the Lumia 900 features the three biggest advantages of the Windows Phone platform—a handsome, distinctive, tile-based user interface; a mobile version of Microsoft’s Xbox Live gaming network; and a mobile version of genuine Microsoft Office, which allows you to edit documents and share them with PCs and Macs, or store them in the cloud.
But, overall, I consider the Lumia 900 a mixed bag. Unless you are a big Windows Phone fan, or don’t want to spend more than $100 upfront, I can’t recommend the Lumia 900 over the iPhone 4S, or a first-rate Android phone like Samsung’s Galaxy S II series.
I was underwhelmed by the battery life, the browser, and the quality of its photos.
Plus, the Windows Phone platform has only a fraction of the third-party apps available for its rivals—about 70,000, versus nearly 600,000 for the iPhone and more than 450,000 for Android.
It also has a weaker content ecosystem. For instance, there is no way to buy TV shows or movies directly from the phone, and far fewer magazine and newspaper apps are available.
And if LTE—which I consider the only true 4G network in the U.S.—matters to you, bear in mind that AT&T offers that service in just 31 markets, versus 203 for Verizon. In most places, the Lumia, like other AT&T phones, including the AT&T version of the iPhone, delivers a slower version of 4G, which is really just a souped-up version of 3G.
The Windows Phone software itself on this new phone hasn’t changed. Instead of multiple pages of icons, as on iPhone and Android, it offers a scroll of tiles that show information. And it still has “hubs” that combine information like contacts and social-media updates for people you know.
Still, despite its flaws, including the likelihood of a lot of scrolling to get to apps, it remains a refreshing change from the dominant competitors.
My biggest problem was with the Web browser, a mobile version of Internet Explorer.
Back in January, when I tested the same browser on an entry-level Nokia Windows Phone, it worked fine on both the cellular network and on my Wi-Fi network. But the Lumia 900 stalled frequently when rendering websites on my fast, home Wi-Fi network, though the phone did fine on LTE.
To make sure my Wi-Fi wasn’t faulty, I tried some of the same sites, in the same spot, on an iPhone, an Android phone and even an older Samsung Windows Phone. All worked perfectly. Nokia had no explanation for this problem.
I found that, in light use, the battery lasted through a typical day. But in heavier use, including lots of email usage and Web browsing, streaming a one-hour TV show via Netflix, and conducting an hour-long phone call, the battery drained more quickly and was almost gone by late in the afternoon. This was especially true if I was using LTE much of the time.
While the Lumia 900’s processor is single-core, not the common dual-core found on other high-end phones, I found the phone worked smoothly and quickly, and played videos fine.
The screen resolution of 800 by 480 is lower than the iPhone’s, and I found the display generally less sharp than the Apple’s. The screen visibility was a bit better outdoors than most other phones I’ve tested, but not dramatically so.
The camera, despite having the same resolution as the new iPhone, took notably worse pictures of the same scenes in my tests. To my eye, colors were oversaturated, and details were less sharp.
There were a few other issues. The Mac version of Microsoft’s Windows Phone syncing software wouldn’t recognize the Lumia 900, though the PC version did. The on-off button isn’t labeled, or easily distinguishable, from the dedicated camera button.
Bottom line: If you’re looking for a $100, high-end smartphone, or are a Windows Phone fan who has been waiting for better hardware, the Lumia 900 is worth considering. But the phone had just too many drawbacks in my tests to best its chief competitors.

EU Regulators Open Two Antitrust Cases Against Motorola.

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Our previous article on Google found guilty and now Motorola (who of course is being bought by Google) being probed. Not a good week by the looks of things. On Tuesday, the European Commission opened two antitrust cases against Motorola Mobility for possible patent abuses, following complaints by Apple and Microsoft.
“… The commission will investigate … whether by seeking and enforcing injunctions against Apple’s and Microsoft’s flagship products such as iPhone, iPad, Windows and Xbox on the basis of patents it had declared essential to produce standard-compliant products, Motorola has failed to honor its irrevocable commitments made to standard setting organizations,” the Commission said in a statement.
Also subject to the Commission’s probe: Allegations by both Apple and Microsoft that Motorola has refused to license standards-essential patents on the fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms by both the Commission and standard-setting organizations.
Apple complains that Motorola has demanded from it “a maximum per-unit royalty of 2.25 percent” on each iPhone sold for the standards-essential patents used in the device. And Microsoft says Motorola is demanding royalties of $22.50 on every midrange laptop that makes use of its portfolio of 50 patents on the H.264 video standard. Both companies argue that those rates are vastly inflated compared to the rest of the industry. More to the point, they don’t seem fair or reasonable. But they do seem to run contrary to the principles of FRAND licensing commitments by which Motorola is expected to abide.
So it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. The Commission can fine companies up to 10 percent of their worldwide annual income if it finds them guilty of antitrust violations. It can also force them to change their business practices. In other words, the potential consequences here are quite serious, not just for Motorola, but also for Google, which is acquiring it.
“If and when Google closes the deal, it will effectively buy itself into two more EU antitrust investigations,” FOSS Patents’ Florian Mueller observes. “It’s time for some people in Mountain View to realize that a multi-front war against competition authorities, on three continents in parallel, is a war that they won’t be able to win.”
Google, for its part, is steeling itself for the double probe.
“We haven’t finalized our acquisition of Motorola Mobility, but will work with the European Commission to answer any questions they might have,” a company spokeswoman told us “We have longstanding concerns about patent abuses, including lawsuits and royalty demands targeting the Android ecosystem.”
Good luck.

Google found guilty!

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An Australian court has ruled that Google misled its users in the country by showing "misleading and deceptive" advertisements with its search results. The decision overturns an earlier ruling on the issue following an appeal by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Google was found guilty of displaying advertisements for competitors of the company searched for — for example, a search for Harvey World Travel returned ads for STA Travel with the query included in the headline. The court ruled that this was likely to mislead customers into believing that there was an association between the two companies, and ordered Google to set up a compliance program so that it doesn't make the same infringement in future.
The ACCC's legal action was intended to make Google responsible for its content, and while the cited examples of misleading advertisements were all from a few years back, the ruling sets a potentially important precedent for the future in how Google returns its results. The company, for its part, tells Bloomberg that it has changed the way it displays search results in recent years and is examining its legal options.

European Commission looking closely at Motorola

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Spurred to action by complaints by both Microsoft and Apple, the European Commission is mulling whether to open an investigation into Motorola Mobility’s handling of standards-essential patents.
“I am considering whether we need to investigate these complaints formally to help bring more clarity into this area of competition control,” EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said during a recent speech in Washington, D.C.
At issue here are the complaints made by Microsoft and Apple that the royalty rates Motorola is demanding from them for its standards-essential patents run contrary to the “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory” licensing terms (FRAND) by which it is expected to abide. From Apple, Motorola has asked for “a maximum per-unit royalty of 2.25 percent” on each iPhone sold. And from Microsoft, Motorola is demanding royalties of $22.50 on every midrange laptop that makes use of patents on the H.264 video standard. Both companies insist that those rates are vastly inflated, and claim the reason for that is to improperly hamstring them.
Almunia seems to think there may be some merit to those allegations; enough to sound off about them in public, anyway.
“The holders of standard-essential patents have considerable market power,” he said. “This market power can be used to harm competition; in some cases, the holders of standard-essential patents can effectively hold up the entire industry with the threat of banning the products of competitors from the market. This is unacceptable, and I am determined to use antitrust enforcement to prevent such hold-up by patent holders.”
A somber warning to Motorola and its soon-to-be owner Google, which says it’s just fine with its acquisition’s patent tactics.

Hackers Steal Account Details From 1.5 Million US Credit Cards

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Over the weekend, Global Payments—a massive international credit-card processor—announced that it suffered a security breach. Hackers managed to acquire customer information from up to 1.5 million accounts across North America.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the news came to light when Visa withdrew from using the company's services as a result of the problem. Though card and account information was exported from the the servers of Global Payment, it's currently thought that the criminals didn't obtain card-holder names, addresses or Social Security numbers.
A spokesperson from Global Payments told the Wall Street Journal that "[b]ased on the forensic analysis to date, network monitoring and additional security measures, the company believes that this incident is contained."
The move by Visa to stop using the services of Global Payment is a big one: it's a rare occurrence in the industry, so signals a complete lack of trust. It's not yet clear whether others will follow suit. As of Friday, banks were taking extra care to monitor accounts for suspicious activity. [Wall Street Journal]

HTC One X review

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Don't call it a comeback. HTC certainly was in the running for King of Mobile World Congress 2012 (an award that would be way cooler if it existed) with the new HTC One line, and the HTC One X specifically. When you stop and think about it, however, it's also a logical progression.
HTC started 2011 with the eventually disappointing Verizon ThunderBolt, which was thick, heavy and a battery hog — due in no small part to its LTE radio. The prevailing winds started to shift later in the year, however, with the likes of the Sensation and Amaze 4G, and you started to get a sense (pardon the pun) that the Taiwanese manufacturer was starting to regain its footing. (That shift was further indicated by the likes of the Windows Phone HTC Titan line.)
And that brings us to 2012 and the HTC One X, the pinnacle of the trio of Android smartphones that make up the HTC One line. (The others are the HTC One S and HTC One V.) There actually are two versions of the One X — the GSM version with a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, and another with a dual-core Qualcomm Krait processor and an LTE radio for 4G data.

The HTC One X review that follows is of the international quad-core version. We'll follow up with AT&T dual-core, LTE version of the One X when it becomes available.
A great camera, equally great display, and all the power of NVIDIA Tegra 3 that we've come to expect. Sense 4 meshes nicely with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Free 25GB of online storage thrown in via Dropbox. Impressive design and build quality. Battery life is pretty good.

That said, the non-removable battery and lack of microSD card may be a sticking point for some. The 4.7-inch phone may be too large for small hands. The protruding camera lens can be easily scratched and isn't easily replaceable.

The leader of the next-generation HTC One series of smartphones has been a breeze to use. Android 4.0 has been improved upon with HTC Sense 4 while still retaining the overall look, feel and function of Ice Cream Sandwich, which in and of itself has an excellent user experience. The camera is a high point, Beats Audio makes music sound better, and you get a bunch of online storage thrown in for free. HTC easily has a winner in the One X.

Samsung spinsoff Display division into 'the world's largest display manufacturer'

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The new Samsung Display Co. is now a separate 20,000-employee entity under the Samsung umbrella, forming the world's largest display company, the company announced today. Despite LCD sales of 22.7 trillion won (about $20.1 billion) in 2011, the company took a 750 billion won (about $665 million) loss last year, prompting the spin off. Just as planned, Samsung has formally separated from its display business, which will begin solo operations "in earnest" April 3rd. The newly created -- and still 100 percent Samsung Electronics owned -- Samsung Display comes into existence immediately as "the world's largest display manufacturer" with 20,000 employees and five production facilities around the world. New president Donggun Park reiterated the company's stance that this move will better allow the display unit to stay ahead of the market, although what that might mean in LCDs, OLED or any other new technology isn't clear yet. Competitor LG has had a separate LG Display unit since 1999, which was originally a joint venture with Philips before that company sold all of its shares in 2008. As you can see from the new logo above not a lot has changed so far, but we'll see what "customized products" it can develop in the future.

HTC Sense 4.0 video review

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Online travel agency Expedia (and a dozen others) on Friday accused Google of breaching EU rules

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Google seems to be in more trouble as the EU watchdog is now investigating the world's most popular search engine after rivals, including Microsoft, accused Google of abusing its dominant position in the market for Web search engines.
EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said earlier this week that he would decide after Easter whether to formally charge Google or drop the investigation.
Expedia said it had details of specific business and search practices by Google that violated EU competition and consumer protection laws.
"The complaint offers evidence of how Google's conduct harms not only competition, but consumers," Brent Thompson, senior vice president of government affairs, said in a statement.
"Expedia believes that strong action is needed by the European Commission to restore a fair and competitive marketplace in online search that respects consumers' rights," he said.
Google said it has not been informed of the complaint yet.
"We haven't seen the complaint yet, but we've been working to explain how our business works, cooperating with the European Commission since this investigation began," Google spokesman Al Verney said in a statement.
"Because there's always room for improvement, we're happy to discuss any concerns the Commission might have," he said.
There are now 12 complaints with the EU watchdog, the majority of them small competitors across Europe, which claimed that Google demoted their sites and promoted its own services. Google has denied that it stifles competition.
U.S. enforcers are also investigating Google which controls more than two-thirds of the global search market.
EU privacy regulators are also scrutinizing Google's new privacy policy which came into effect on March 1.

Apple Invents a Killer 3D Imaging Camera for iOS Devices

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Apple has invented a killer 3D imaging camera that will apply to both still photography and video. The new cameras in development will utilize new depth-detection sensors such as LIDAR, RADAR and Laser that will create stereo disparity maps in creating 3D imagery. Additionally, the cameras will use advanced chrominance and luminance Sensors for superior color accuracy. And if that wasn't enough, the new cameras will not only include facial recognition but also facial gesturing recognition. Intel discussed the coming 3D revolution back in 2010 and it appears that Apple wants to be one of the first to introduce this killer 3D camera. While others may have beaten Apple to market first, the technology described in today's invention will definitely provide iOS devices with the ability to view killer 3D images that could only be appreciated on Apple's "Resolutionary" Retina Display. Apple's resolutionary experience has only begun. With the ability to view stunning 3D imagery, photos and videos on our new iPad displays, the resolutionary experience is only going pop our brains even further.  
 
Today's Cameras with Limited 3D Capabilities
 
Existing three-dimensional image capture devices, such as digital cameras and video recorders, can derive limited three-dimensional visual information for objects located within a captured area. For example, some imaging devices can extract approximate depth information relating to objects located within the captured area, but are incapable of obtaining detailed geometric information relating to the surfaces of these objects.
 
Such sensors may be able to approximate the distances of objects within the captured area, but cannot accurately reproduce the three-dimensional shape of the objects. Alternatively other imaging devices can obtain and reproduce surface detail information for objects within the captured area, but are incapable of extracting depth information.
 
Accordingly, these sensors may be incapable of differentiating between a small object positioned close to the sensor and a large object positioned far away from the sensor.
 
Apple's Advanced 3D Camera Solutions
 
Apple's invention relates to systems, apparatuses and methods for capturing a three-dimensional image using one or more dedicated cameras.
 
According to Apple, one embodiment may take the form of a three-dimensional camera configured to capture at least one image including one or more objects, comprising: a first sensor for capturing a polarized image, the first sensor including a camera and a polarized filter associated with the first camera; a second sensor for capturing a first non-polarized image; a third sensor for capturing a second non-polarized image; and at least one processing module for deriving depth information for the one or more objects utilizing at least the first non-polarized image and the second non-polarized image, the processing module further operative to combine the polarized image, the first non-polarized image, and the second non-polarized image to form a composite three-dimensional image.
 
Another embodiment may take the form of three-dimensional imaging apparatus configured to capture at least one image including one or more objects, comprising: a first sensor for capturing a polarized chrominance image and determining surface information for the one or more objects, the first sensor including a color imaging device and a polarized filter associated with the color imaging device; a second sensor for capturing a first luminance image; a third sensor for capturing a second luminance image; and at least one processing module for deriving depth information for the one or more objects utilizing at least the first luminance image and the second luminance image and combining the polarized chrominance image, the first luminance image, and the second luminance image to form a composite three-dimensional image utilizing the surface information and the depth information.
 
Still another embodiment may take the form of a method for capturing at least one image of an object, comprising: capturing a polarized image of the object; capturing a first non-polarized image of the object; capturing a second non-polarized image of the object; deriving depth information for the object from at least the first non-polarized image and the second non-polarized image; determining a plurality of surface normals for the object, the plurality of surface normals derived from the polarized image; and creating a three-dimensional image from the depth information and the plurality of surface normals.
 
Sample image sensing devices include charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors, complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor sensors, infrared sensors, light detection and ranging sensors, and the like. Further, the image sensing devices may be sensitive to a range of colors and/or luminances, and may employ various color separation mechanisms such as Bayer arrays, Foveon X3 configurations, multiple CCD devices, dichroic prisms and the like.
 
Devices that will use the new 3D Capturing Technology
 
Apple states that in some embodiments, the image sensing device may be configured to convert or facilitate converting the captured image into digital image data. The image sensing device may be hosted in various electronic devices including, but not limited to, digital cameras, personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile telephones, a standalone camera, or any other devices that can be configured to process image data.
 
Components Integrated into a 3D Image Capturing Camera
 
Apple's patent FIG. 1A below is a functional block diagram that illustrates certain components of one embodiment of a three-dimensional camera.
 


As shown in FIG. 1A above, the three-dimensional imaging apparatus/camera 100 may include a first imaging device 102, a second imaging device 104, and an image processing module 106. The first imaging device 102 may include a first imaging device and the second imaging device 104 may include a second imaging device and a polarizing filter 108 associated with the second imaging device.
 
Generating Stereo Disparity Maps
 
The fields of view of the first and second imaging devices 112 and 114 noted above may be offset so that the received images are slightly different. For example, the field of view 112 of the first imaging device 102 may be vertically, diagonally, or horizontally offset from the second imaging device 104, or may be closer or further away from a reference plane or point. Offsetting the fields of view of the first and second imaging devices 112 and 114 may provide data useful for generating stereo disparity maps, as well as extracting depth information.
 
Depth-Detection Technique Options: LIDAR, RADAR and Laser
 
Apple states that the first imaging device 102 noted in FIG. 1A above may be configured to derive an approximate relative distance of an object 110 by measuring properties of electromagnetic waves as they are reflected off or scattered by the object and captured by the first imaging device.
 
In one embodiment, the first imaging device may be a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor. The LIDAR sensor may emit laser pulses that are reflected off of the surfaces of objects in the image and detect the reflected signal. The LIDAR sensor may then calculate the distance of an object from the sensor by measuring the time delay between transmission of a laser pulse and the detection of the reflected signal. Other embodiments may utilize other types of depth-detection techniques, such as infrared reflection, RADAR, laser detection and ranging, and the like.
 
Utilizing Microlenses
 
Apple invention also touches on the fact that their 3D capturing camera will utilize microlenses that overly subfilters that focus on polarized light. The microlenses can be formed from any suitable material for transmitting and diffusing light through the light guide, including plastic, acrylic, silica, glass, and so on and so forth. Additionally, the light guide may include combinations of reflective material, highly transparent material, light absorbing material, opaque material, metallic material, optic material, and/or any other functional material to provide extra modification of optical performance.
 
In one embodiment, the microlenses may be convex and have a substantially rounded configuration. Other embodiments may have different configurations. For example, in one embodiment, the microlenses may have a conical configuration, in which the top end of each microlens is pointed.
 
In other embodiments, the microlenses may define truncated cones, in which the tops of the microlenses form a substantially flat surface. Additionally, in some embodiments, the microlenses may be concave surfaces, rather than convex.
 
As is known, the microlenses may be formed using a variety of techniques, including laser-cutting techniques, and/or micro-machining techniques, such as diamond turning. After the microlenses are formed, an electrochemical finishing technique may be used to coat and/or finish the microlenses to increase their longevity and/or enhance or add any desired optical properties.
 
Chrominance and Luminance Sensors
 


Other essentials noted in the 3D camera design include the use of a first chrominance sensor (202) and a luminance sensor (204). The luminance sensor may be configured to capture a luminance component of incoming light. Additionally, each of the chrominance sensors may be configured to capture color components of incoming light. In one embodiment, the chrominance sensors 202,206 may sense the R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) components of an image and process these components to derive chrominance information.
 
Other embodiments may be configured to sense other color components, such as yellow, cyan, magenta, and so on. Further, in some embodiments, two luminance sensors and a single chrominance sensor may be used. That is, certain embodiments may employ a first luminance sensor, a first chrominance sensor and a second luminance sensor, such that a stereo disparity (e.g., stereo depth) map may be generated based on the offsets of the two luminance images. Each luminance sensor captures one of the two luminance images in this embodiment.
 
Facial and Gesture Recognition
 
In another embodiment, the three-dimensional imaging apparatus may be used for recognizing facial gestures. Facial gestures may include, but are not limited to, smiling, grimacing, frowning, winking, and so on and so forth. In one embodiment, this may be accomplished by detecting the orientation of various facial muscles using surface geometry data, such as the mouth, eyes, nose, forehead, cheeks, and so on, and correlating the detected orientations with various gestures.
 
3D Models Created by Rotating Objects
 
In another embodiment, the three-dimensional imaging apparatus may be used to scan an object, for example, to create a three-dimensional model of the object. This embodiment may be accomplished by taking multiple photographs of the object or video while rotating the object. As the object is rotated, the image sensing device may capture more of the surface geometry and use the geometry to create a three-dimensional model of the object.
In another related embodiment, multiple photographs or video may be taken while the image sensing device is moved relative to the object, and used to construct a three-dimensional model of the objects within the captured image(s). For example, a user may take video of a home while walking through the home and the image sensing device could use the calculated depth and surface detail information to create a three-dimensional model of the home. The depth and surface detail information of multiple photographs or video stills may then be matched to construct a seamless composite three-dimensional model that combines the surface detail and depth from each of the photos or video.
 
The coming 3D Revolution was first discussed in our report titled "Intel's CES Keynote 2010, Apple and iLife 3D." The Intel rep stated that it would take 8 to 16 processors to pull off 3D in simple to use consumer applications. Fitting this into a camera would be stunning.
 
Patent Credits
 
Apple's patent application was originally filed in Q3 2011by inventors Brett Bilbrey, Michael Culbert, David Simon, Rich DeVaul, Mushtag Sarwar and David Gere and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Google's Opening An Online Tablet Store

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When Google first announced plans to buy Motorola last year, most pundits agreed that Google had no intention of actually owning Motorola, that it was just buying Motorola for the patents.

We, on the other hand, argued that Larry Page might be buying Motorola because he actually wanted to get into the gadget business--on account of the fact that Apple was producing much better smartphones and tablets than Google.
In the year or so since the deal was announced, it has become more and more clear that Larry does, in fact, want to make gadgets.
In the latest evidence of this, Google is now planning to open an online tablet store in which it will push Android-based tablets, Amir Efrati of the Wall Street Journal reports.
In this store, Google will initially sell tablets that are manufactured by its tablet hardware partners like Asus and Samsung. But the tablets may be co-branded as Google tablets.
And then, when the Motorola deal finally closes, Google's tablet store will sell Google tablets.
Why is Google opening an Android tablet store?
Because sales of Android tablets have been horrible.
In the smartphone market, Google was able to partner with carriers to push Android-based smartphones. These distribution channels were effective, and Android quickly amassed the leading global market share (although in the U.S., Apple has been clawing back share and closing the gap).


On a positive note, Google making its own gadgets could begin to cure the Android fragmentation problem.
The tablet distribution market, however, is completely different: Google and its hardware partners have to rely on retailers to sell the tablets. And if those retailers also sell Apple products, they have had to agree to give Apple products much more visibility and promotion. So Android tablets have largely been ignored by consumers.

The one Android tablet that has been successful is Amazon's Kindle Fire, but that tablet is "Android" in name only--Amazon has significantly modified and customized the platform to serve its own goals. And Amazon has sold a lot of Fires, in part because it owns the most powerful online distribution channel in the world.
Apple, meanwhile, now owns a global network of retail stores in addition to its online store and third-party retailing partners. So there's huge distribution for the iPad.
Add all that together, and Android tablets (Kindle Fire excepted) have basically been dead on arrival.
So Google wants to fix that.
And the way it's going to try to fix that is to open an online tablet store.
Google has been in the ecommerce business before, briefly, when it sold its Nexus One smartphone in a soon-to-be-aborted attempt to disrupt the wireless carrier control over the smartphone market. It sold about 100,000 Nexus Ones and then pulled the plug.


Daniel Goodman / Business Insider
Hate to say it, Google, but if you're really serious, you're going to have to build some of these.
A Google tablet store would presumably be a longer-term effort.

Would it make much of a difference in the tablet market?
It would probably help. Especially if Google matches or beats the Kindle Fire pricing of $199.
To really make an impact in the tablet market, though, Google will likely have to either drastically undercut the iPad on price (which it would if its sells them for $199) or build tablets that are close to being as good as the iPad.
And, even then, it would be at a huge disadvantage relative to Apple, because of the power of the Apple stores as a distribution channel.
So if Google is really serious about competing against Apple, Google may well have to start building retail stores.
And it will have to build retail stores while also running its core business, search, and all of its other web-based business. And it will have to do that while also trying to kill Facebook in social and Microsoft in the enterprise. And while trying to build self-driving cars, building wind farms, and doing all the other things that Google does.

Flexible E-Ink Display's available mid year.

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The future of digital reading is flexible. And by flexible, I mean bendable, not multipurpose. Now, LG has announced the first malleable, plastic e-ink display, and while it's hardly Retina, it will be appearing in devices as early as this summer.
The six-inch display is made of plastic, which allows it to bend at an angle of up to 40 degrees. It's also thinner—at just 0.7 millimeters—and lighter than its glass counterparts, weighing in at 14 grams.
The craziest part is that the display is already being shipped to factories in China, and LG hopes to have products on the market by "the beginning of next month." That sounds ambitious, but you definitely expect to see the display in devices by the summer

Microsoft Plans to Speed Up the Web

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Microsoft wants in on the drive to speed up the web. The company plans to submit its proposal for a faster internet protocol to the standards body charged with creating HTTP 2.0.
Not coincidentally, that standards body, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), is meeting this week to discuss the future of the venerable Hypertext Transfer Protocol, better known as HTTP. On the agenda is creating HTTP 2.0, a faster, modern approach to internet communication.
One candidate for HTTP 2.0 is Google's SPDY protocol. Pronounced "speedy," Google's proposal would replace the HTTP protocol - the language currently used when your browser talks to a web server. When you request a webpage or a file from a server, chances are your browser sends that request using HTTP. The server answers using HTTP, too. This is why "http" appears at the beginning of most web addresses.
The SPDY protocol handles all the same tasks as HTTP, but SPDY can do it all about 50 percent faster. Chrome and Firefox both support SPDY and several large sites, including Google and Twitter, are already serving pages over SPDY where possible.
Part of the IETF's agenda this week is to discuss the SPDY proposal, and the possibility of turning it into a standard.
But now Microsoft is submitting another proposal for the IETF to consider.
Microsoft's new HTTP Speed+Mobility lacks a catchy name, but otherwise appears to cover much of the same territory SPDY has staked out. Though details on exactly what HTTP Speed+Mobility entails are thin, judging by the blog post announcing it, HTTP Speed+Mobility builds on SPDY but also includes improvements drawn from work on the HTML5 WebSockets API. The emphasis is on not just the web and web browsers, but mobile apps.
"We think that apps - not just browsers - should get faster," writes Microsoft's Jean Paoli, General Manager of Interoperability Strategy.
To do that, Microsoft's HTTP Speed+Mobility "starts from both the Google SPDY protocol and the work the industry has done around WebSockets." What's unclear from the initial post is exactly where HTTP Speed+Mobility goes from that hybrid starting point.
But clearly Microsoft isn't opposed to SPDY. "SPDY has done a great job raising awareness of web performance and taking a ‘clean slate' approach to improving HTTP," writes Paoli. "The main departures from SPDY are to address the needs of mobile devices and applications."
SPDY co-inventor Mike Belshe writes on Google+ that he welcomes Microsoft's efforts and looks forward to "real-world performance metrics and open source implementations so that we can all evaluate them."
Belshe also notes that Microsoft's implication that SPDY is not optimized for mobile "is not true." Belshe says that the available evidence suggests that developers are generally happy using SPDY in mobile apps, "but it could always be better, of course."
The process of creating a faster HTTP replacement will not mean simply picking any one vendor's protocol and standardizing it. Hopefully the IETF will take the best ideas from all sides and combine them into a single protocol that can speed up the web. The exact details - and any potential speed gains - from Microsoft's HTTP Speed+Mobility contribution remain to be seen, but the more input the IETF gets the better HTTP 2.0 will likely be.

Apple Updates Logic Pro and Express, May Be Fast-Tracking iPhoto Patch

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Apple’s pro audio users were blessed with a couple of software updates on Tuesday, while a “highly reliable source” claims that Cupertino is hard at work putting a new iPhoto 9.2.3 patch on the fast track to address stability issues with this month’s update.

AppleInsider is reporting on a trio of software updates for Apple’s creative applications. On Tuesday afternoon, Cupertino pushed out updates for the company’s pro audio applications Logic Pro and its stripped-down sibling, Logic Express, bringing both apps to version 9.1.7.

The 195.66MB Logic Pro 9.1.7 update “improves overall stability and addresses some minor issues” which include:

- Resolves several issues related to the download and installation of content
- Updates compatibility with GarageBand for iOS projects
- Fixes a problem that produced an error message when editing fades on numerous regions

Meanwhile, the prosumer-focused Logic Express 9.1.7 weighs in at 139.92MB and also offers improved stability while patching a few different issues:

- Updates compatibility with GarageBand for iOS projects
- Fixes a problem that produced an error message when editing fades on numerous regions
- This update is recommended for all users of Logic Express 9

Finally, AppleInsider has also received insider information from “a highly reliable source” who claims iPhoto 9.2.3 may be just around the corner. In addition to the usual “overall stability” patches, the update also promises to address “an issue that could cause iPhoto to quit unexpectedly on systems with multiple user accounts.” A pre-release version of the update is packed into a 256.9MB download, although there’s no word on when it might actually land in your Software Update window.

Intel's Unreleased Ivy Bridge Core i7-3770K Running Mac OS X Lion

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Thanks to TonyMac for this info
Well it's official- Intel's upcoming Ivy Bridge platform runs great on Mac OS X Lion. Here's a few screenshots of the Core i7-3770K running at stock 3.5GHz on a Z77 motherboard submitted to us via an anonymous tip:



 
Because there are no Macs yet with Ivy Bridge, the tipster had to use a modified kernel to boot. We can't wait to test out these chips to see what else they can do. Intel's official release date for Core i7 and Core i5 desktop CPUs is April 29th. Check out the Hardware News and Rumorssection of the forum for more information on upcoming products. 

For discussions on this and other topics, register today at tonymacx86.com!

Accidentally upgraded to 5.1? Downgrade Your A5 Devices To iOS 5.0.1

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Hacker iH8Snow is known for making some incredible contributions to the jailbreak scene, and now he has come along with another huge one. He tweeted about an exploit he discovered in Apple’s appticket system that will allow users to revert their iOS devices with A5 chips back to iOS Found a loophole in Apple's apticket system. Restored my iPad 2 to 5.0.1 from 5.1. Works on all A5 devices. :)
Just as it always has been when reverting an iDevice back to a previous version of its firmware, you will need to have your SHSH blobs stored for the older version of the firmware. Devices featuring the A5 chipset are notoriously hard to revert back, even with SHSH blobs. This new exploit could change that completely. Before this loophole, users who accidentally upgraded would be stuck waiting for a jailbreak to launch for iOS 5.1, and if the struggle to jailbreak iOS 5 and 5.0.1 on A5 devices is any indication, that could be a very long wait.
This doesn’t mean you should go ahead and update your device just because you may be able to bring it back. If you are sitting on iOS 5.0.1, you should be happy and enjoy the pleasant experience of owning a jailbroken iOS device. Even though he had success reverting his device back, it does not necessarily mean it will work for everyone.
Sadly, this will not help users who purchase a new device with iOS 5.1 already installed, as their SHSH blobs will not be stored for iOS 5.0.1. If you are one of these poor souls, you will have to wait until they figure out an exploit to jailbreak the latest firmware.
At this point, we only have this tweet to work with, and he has not said when this will be made available to the general public. Still, for users who made this fatal upgrade mistake, it is fantastic to know that the end of being stuck with an unjailbroken device is in sight.

XBMC 11.0 - Eden released

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It's been over a year in development so it's great news that the latest major release of XBMC (11.0) is finally ready and available for download. You can find XBMC 11.0 here.


XBMC 11.0 Milestones include Addon Rollbacks, vast improvements in Confluence (the default skin), massive speed increases via features like Dirty-region rendering and the new JPEG decoder, a simpler, better library, movie set scraping, additional protocol handling, better networking support, better handling of unencrypted BluRay content and structures, adjustable display refresh rate in OSX (to match the already available feature in Windows and Linux), AirPlay support, an upgraded weather service with geoip lookup, and much, much more. Check out the highlights in the summarized changelog.

The new Confluence

In addition to our many software improvements, we’ve increased our reach in the realm of hardware support since Dharma was released. Eden marks the first in-sync stable release for the Apple TV2, iPad, and other iOS devices. We’ve vastly improved the method by which we handle input, including heavily upgrading JSON-RPC support, making remote control support much, MUCH simpler in Windows, and enabling unique methods of device communication with hardware. And now even AMD devices are supported for GPU video decoding in Linux to some extent, thanks to the inclusion of VAAPI.
Beyond XBMC 11 for Windows, Linux, OSX, and iOS, we are also happy to announce XBMCbuntu Final.
XBMCbuntu is very similar to past versions of XBMC Live. By default, the user boots directly into XBMC, and if he/she chooses, he or she will never see the underlying OS. However, unlike Live, XBMCbuntu is now built upon a full LXDE desktop environment, which has a web browser (Chromium) with a fully updated (and updatable) version of Flash built-in and a GUI package manager ready to install and update all of the normal Ubuntu programs a typical Linux user might use. The user may now toggle between XBMC, which auto-starts, and a normal desktop if he or she chooses. And, perhaps most exciting for many users, XBMC will now be upgradeable, both from command line and from the GUI package manager, without fear of crashing the XBMC experience.
Naturally, those users who do not want to see the desktop will never need to. When you boot your computer, you will be booted directly into the XBMC homescreen, just as you are right now. The only clear difference is the new power underneath the hood. Those users who have already installed the Beta version of XBMCbuntu can upgrade to final using the apt-get upgrade commands.
There are truly an incredible number of updates and improvements between Dharma and Eden. But don’t take our word for it. Download XBMC 11.0 Eden now.

Intel said readying SSD 320, 720 for May with 800GB space

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Intel SSD roadmap for 2012 leaks out

I LOVE SSD's. They are by far and away the best thing you can upgrade in your computer and see a huge speed increase in most cases so this is good news.
Intel's SSD 520 should be joined by two multi-model launches this year. New roadmap leaks to Digitimes have Intel unveiling a new budget 300 series drive, Maple Crest, and a new 720 series, Ramsdale. Both would be based on a 25-nanometer, multi-level cell design, which would help the 720 series start at 400GB and peak at 800GB.
Ramsdale would be a PCI Express-based design for servers and workstations, where the new 300 by implication would be a typical SATA drive for mainstream users.

A second wave was reportedly due in the fall. Jay Crest and Oak Crest (300 series), King Crest (500 series), and Taylorsville (700 series) would all use an even more space-efficient 20nm process. Other than Taylorsville having cheaper 100GB and 200GB options along with 400GB and 800GB, little was uncovered about what they would entail.

The new drives will most likely focus on performance as well as cost. Most SSDs still cost hundreds of dollars, in part as it takes larger amounts of flash memory chips to work. Smaller manufacturing lets Intel use fewer parts or get more usable chips from a production yield, lowering its own prices.

Facebook privacy policy tweaks, more reasons to run

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A section of the proposed changes to Facebook's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities for users.
(Credit: Facebook)
Privacy advocates in the U.S. and the European Union are on edge over changes Facebook is enacting in its language governing its terms of service.
Their upset comes as Facebook is proposing modifications to its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (PDF) that, at least on the surface, seem fairly minor and don't indicate any radical shift in thinking or practice in terms of privacy.
Specifically, the revised document says that the "Privacy Policy" is now called "Data Use Policy," wording that was changed in the company's actual privacy guidelines more than a year ago, spokesman Barry Schnitt told CNET today. "We're just making the Terms consistent."
The document also has other wording changes, but they do not outline any meaningful modifications to the company's practices. For example, the document now specifies that a user's data is shared with the apps that friends use. This has been the case for about five years and is explained in the privacy policy, but wording was added to the terms of service to clarify, according to Schnitt.
"Facebook is a social Web site and so is our platform," he said. "Apps need data from friends to develop these social experiences and that is the whole purpose for our platform. If you're not comfortable with that bargain, you can use your app settings to control what friends can share about you, block individual apps, or you can turn off the platform altogether."
But Sarah Downey, privacy analyst and attorney at online privacy company Abine, said with the changes Facebook is acknowledging that its focus is on collecting user data.
Schnitt insists that no changes are being made to Facebook's privacy policy and the clarifications "do not change one thing about how your data is used."
German officials are complaining that Facebook isn't doing enough to provide users control over their data and is instead giving users more duties and less rights. In a statement issued yesterday, the officials accuse Facebook of giving itself the right to "comprehensive tracking of registered and un-registered users."
Facebook added the words "and non-users who interact with Facebook" to a provision in the terms of service that say users consent to having personal data transferred to and processed in the U.S., and other conditions. Another section says "You will not tag users or send email invitations to non-users without their consent" and the words "or tag users if you know they do not wish to be tagged" were added to the end of that sentence.

Moritz Karg, spokesman for the data privacy and information freedom authority in Hamburg, argues that Facebook should be responsible for blocking tags on people who don't want them, instead of individual users, and is worried about Facebook's use of facial recognition technology.

"If you don't want someone to be able to tag you, simply block them," Schnitt responded. "If you're tagged by someone else and want to remove it, we make that easy. We also created an easy way to complain directly to the user about a photo you don't like."
Downey of Abine also noted that Facebook tracks non-users on other Web sites using JavaScript code that grabs IP address, site visited, and other information when people visit a site with a Facebook "Like" button on it. "I don't think people realize that if you go to a non-Facebook site the 'Like' button can track you, even if you don't click on it," she said. "They consider you interacting with it if you're merely viewing the page."
"Rumor is that post-IPO Facebook will try to launch its own ad network. So this tracking across the Web on non-Facebook sites suggests that," Downey said. "Facebook is a data collection machine and that's how they make their money."
The German officials also complain that Facebook didn't give users enough time to provide feedback on the changes. The company notified users via the Facebook Site Governance page a week ago and gave them until 5 p.m. PT today to comment. As of this afternoon, there were more than 700 comments, many of which were negative but not related specifically to the proposed terms of service changes.
"Rather than simply imposing changes on users, we propose them and invite feedback," Schnitt said. "We are the only site that I know of that proposes changes, solicits feedback, answers questions, and makes changes before the documents are official."
Facebook settled a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about its privacy practices last year, agreeing to let users "opt in" to changes that alter how their data is shared with advertisers and other users, among other things.
Online privacy and, in particular, privacy policies are a hot topic right now as companies grapple with balancing how to make money off advertising without violating users' privacy rights. For instance, Google has suffered the wrath of the public over changes it made to its privacy policy earlier this year that will allow it to combine user data from across its broad swath of services. The move has provoked a backlash from privacy advocates and lawmakers.

New Google Voice update brings folders and dialer integration for ICS

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If you're a Google Voice user there's quite the update waiting for you in the Google Play store this afternoon. The newest version (0.4.2.54) features tight integration with the Ice Cream Sandwich dialer, a new voicemail option, and the inclusion of labels (think folders) for your inbox. Here's the not-so-fun part -- unless you have a phone with Ice Cream Sandwich, you won't get to see most of it.
All phones will get the inbox labels, which is one thing many folks, myself included, have been waiting for. If you use your Google Voice inbox as a catch-all storage and never delete anything you can now attempt to keep things organized and access it all from your phone. This is the best change for me, but the others are nice as well.
Voicemails are now able to be played through the native Ice Cream Sandwich dialer, just like carrier voicemail. You can adjust the speed to play them faster or slower (handy when skipping to the good part). You enable this in the Google Voice settings, and it's a great way to manage two numbers if that's how you roll. That is how I roll, and it's really handy. Too bad it's ICS only. Hit the break for a couple screenshots of all this, and the download link if you need it.