Now, enjoy 3D films without glasses

A new technology has been developed that will make it possible for viewers to enjoy three-dimensional programmes without those bothersome 3D glasses.

Though prototypes of these TV screens already exist, consumers will not have to wait much longer for the market introduction of these autostereoscopic displays.

Nevertheless, the content might be a bit problematic – the 3D movies currently available on Blu-ray are based on two different perspectives, i.e. two images, one for each eye.

 

However, autostereoscopic displays need five to ten views of the same scene (depending on the type). In the future, the number will probably be even more.

This is because these displays have to present a three-dimensional image in such a manner that it can be seen from different angles – indeed, there is more than one place to sit on a sofa, and you should be able to get the same three dimensional impressions from any position

Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz Institute, HHI in Berlin recently developed a technology that converts a Blu-ray’s existing 3D content in a manner that enables them to be shown on autostereoscopic displays.

“We take the existing two images and generate a depth map – that is to say, a map that assigns a specific distance from the camera to each object,” Christian Riechert, research fellow at HHI said.

“From there we compute any of several intermediate views by applying depth image-based rendering techniques. And here’s the really neat thing: The process operates on a fully automated basis, and in real time,” he said

Previous systems were only capable of generating such depth maps at a dramatically slower pace; sometimes they even required manual adaption. Real-time conversion, by contrast, is like simultaneous interpretation: The viewer inserts a 3D Blu-ray disc, gets comfortable in front of the TV screen and enjoys the movie – without the glasses.

Meanwhile, a hardware component estimates the depth map in the background and generates the requisite views. The viewer is aware of nothing: He or she can fast forward or rewind the movie, start it, stop it – and all with the same outstanding quality.

The flickering that could appear on the edges of objects – something that happens due to imprecise estimations – is imperceptible here

The researchers have already finished the software that converts these data.

In the next step, the scientists, working in collaboration with industry partners, intend to port it onto a hardware product so that it can be integrated into televisions.

Nevertheless, it will still take at least another calendar year before the technology hits department store shelves.

The technology will be unveiled at the IFA trade show in Berlin from August 31 to September 5.

Twitter’s API Changes: What’s In It for You

Changes are coming soon for how third-party applications can use Twitter’s application programming interface (API), the software tool an app uses for accessing Twitter content.

Despite a warning in June that changes were coming, the switch is drastic enough to raise debate from software developers and critics. Instapaper developer Marco Arment said the changes will make him think twice before adding any Twitter-based features to his software. Others argue that at least Twitter is giving clear guidance to developers about how to use Twitter.

But are Twitter’s changes anything for users to worry about? If you’re happily using Twitter through the service’s own client apps to check your tweet stream and send out tweets, then no. But if you are using a third-party application to access Twitter, here’s some good news and, possibly, some bad news for the future.

Better Refresh

If you access Twitter through a third-party application such as Hootsuite, Seesmic, or UberSocial, two major changes are likely. First, you will soon be able let your app refresh the Twitter stream more often than before without running up against Twitter’s rate limit. The rate limit is the number of times an app can request data from Twitter per hour or day, depending on the type of data your app requests.

Twitter’s current limits only allow apps to grab data 350 times per hour for all data types including direct messages, profile information, and new tweets. That rate will now change to 60 times per hour (once per minute) for each type of data, and up to 720 times per hour for the more popular data requests including new tweets.

As a result, you should see fewer error messages saying that your tweet stream can’t be refreshed or a search can’t be carried out and suggesting you try again later.

Artificial Limits

Twitter is also clamping down on third-party apps by imposing a 100,000-user limit on Twitter client software. Let’s say a company called Awesome Apps Inc. launches Big140, a brand-new Twitter client, on Friday. Big140 could never have more than 100,000 users unless Twitter gave Awesome Apps permission to expand Big140’s user base. Considering that Twitter in March 2011 warned developers to stop making Twitter clients, I am guessing the company will rarely, if ever, allow third-party Twitter clients to expand.

The problem is there are already third-party Twitter apps with millions of users. App maker OneLouder, for example, has between 5 and 10 million installs on Android alone for its Twitter client, Tweetcaster, according to stats Google Play.

Twitter will soon cap apps like Tweetcaster at 200 percent or double their current user base as of August 16. So if we imagine Tweetcaster had 20 million users on Thursday, then the app would max out its user base at 40 million users. As with newer apps, Twitter could give OneLouder permission to expand its user base beyond the imaginary 40 million user limit.

Doubling your user base is no easy feat, especially with the vast array of third-party Twitter clients to choose from, so it’s unlikely these apps will max out anytime soon. At some point in the future, however, a few Twitter clients may have to start offering wait lists before accepting new users or figure out some other remedy to deal with the new user cap.

Twitter plans a few other changes, such as how applications must authenticate with Twitter, but for the most part rate limits and a potential freeze on third-party Twitter clients are the ones with the direct effects — and biggest concern — for users. Twitter’s API changes could also cause developers to be wary of adding Twitter integration to apps or cautious about adding features that use Twitter data. Then again, the improved rate limits and Twitter’s attempt to move developers away from third-party client software could spark new ideas for how to use Twitter beyond simply sending and receiving tweets.

Twitter’s new API will launch in the coming weeks, and once released developers will have six months to comply with the new rules.

Sunny outlook for cloud computing

Cloud computing should be tagged as ‘infrastructure’ to spur growth and establish India as a data management hub.

Cloud computing has become a buzz word in the last few years. The idea of having easy access to powerful IT solutions without the huge cost implications of IT infrastructure is indeed an impelling value proposition. The technology allows storage of data and access to software on a pay-per-use model, thus helping companies cut costs. It also promises to revolutionise e-governance initiatives and fast-track healthcare and education delivery in the country.

The chief information officers, or CIOs, of global companies are already planning ‘asset-light IT architectures’ for the future. IT majors such as IBM and SAP are investing heavily in developing cloud infrastructure and capabilities.

The think-tank of Indian IT industry should ensure that we do not lose our sheen and rest on past laurels. The Government should take a holistic view of this sector and formulate policies to safeguard its interests by enabling a level playing field.

The Government has been mulling ways to deliver e-governance services through cloud-based IT services. This has opened up a whole new market for IT players. As cloud projects can enable quick and easy delivery of IT resources, it can help accelerate growth in the SME segment and generate employment.

A carefully deliberated cloud strategy is a must to ensure the country accrues maximum benefits while minimising risks. In essence, the Government should play a pivotal role in helping Indian entities take advantage of the cloud revolution for economic growth. One of the biggest challenges posed by the cloud’s fluid architecture is data security, which calls for amendments in current laws to prescribe security measures. Another key factor for the success of cloud-based products and services is the availability, location, security and quality of data centres. This is a key requirement for projecting our capabilities to global clients.

To develop the sector further, cloud should be categorised as ‘infrastructure’ — similar to telecom and education. Infrastructure development should become a key government initiative that will provide the land, power, technology and human resources to establish India as a data management hub. Currently, India lags developed countries in data centres. The economic benefits of hosting data management centres are huge, and the cloud policy should provide the vision for it. It should also take into account data sovereignty and governance issues, and study global practices in resolving jurisdictional conflicts. It should look into the changes needed in an organisation’s security practices to facilitate periodic review/ audit of critical cloud infrastructure.

The policy should also formulate a suitable mechanism allowing law enforcement agencies to collect and analyse personal and electronic data under existing laws. It should cover aspects such as access, storage format and information sharing, retention period, content regulation and regular reporting.

Last but not the least, the Government should focus on accelerating the adoption of cloud computing in India, especially for e-governance projects, by providing tax breaks or other incentives to cloud players. This will enable Indian companies to develop an effective cloud ecosystem and prove our credentials to the world.

Samsung Windows 8 Tablet Might Be a Laptop Killer

 

Clint Boulton

Reporter

While some CIOs may be waiting for a Windows 8-powered tablet to take on the iPad, the Samsung Series 7 device is unlikely to be a contender. However, this device—which can be connected to a docking station and an external keyboard—just might be a viable alternative to the laptop.

The Series 7 weighs about twice as much as an iPad, but less than many full-featured laptops. That lightweight form, the ability to boot up quickly, and a new operating system designed for touchscreens of all sizes, mean that this device might be the only computing device that some people need. And the Series 7 also might be appealing to CIOs who are looking for an easy-to-administer Windows computer.

After testing the software–officially, the “release preview” code, or the version directly before Microsoft shipped its “gold code” iteration to manufacturers–on Samsung’s Series 7 tablet for the last week or so, I was struck by how much the software maintained the usability of desktop versions of Windows, albeit designed for the touch screen experience

The opening Start screen does away with the traditional Start button long associated with the Windows platform. Instead of moving around the screen with a cursor and mouse, I tapped on small, square tiles like those found on the Windows Phone, and moved swiftly from calendar application to desktop programs, photos and maps. I enjoyed the dynamic tile icons Microsoft has introduced with the Windows 8 Start screen. They display live information. When a new e-mail arrived, a notification popped up on the tile to notify me. When the local weather report changed, the live weather tile updated accordingly.

My test unit came with Office Pro Plus installed, affording me access to 2010 versions of Microsoft Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and SharePoint, essential tools for modern office productivity. I navigated these applications and created documents with them smoothly, evidence that Microsoft had successfully transferred the Windows experience to a larger touch screen device. It felt a little strange to use finger gestures to navigate programs that I’ve accessed for the last decade with a mouse. But I got used to it soon enough.

Typing on the Windows 8 tablet was a pleasant experience. The character keys were wide enough to reduce my typos. And on the numeral page, Microsoft has separated the punctuation keys, which are on the left, from the number keys, which the company situated on the right. Separating these key sets on halves of the screen sped up my typing considerably. Creating an efficient typing experience is crucial for the success of Windows 8 on a tablet. CIOs considering Windows 8 tablets will want to make sure that employees type as effectively on the tablets as they can on laptops. For those who aren’t comfortable typing on a tablet, Microsoft has included a docking station and Bluetooth keyboard with the review units to approximate the user experience of a laptop.

As pleasantly shiny and new as Windows 8 feels, my recommendation comes with some caveats. First, logging in to use the tablet and its apps was cumbersome. I haven’t been a user of Microsoft’s online services for years. Consequently, to use the tablet I had to create a Hotmail account to associate myself with the device. When I tried to access Microsoft PowerPoint I had to enter a 25-digit product code supplied by Microsoft, which granted me access to PowerPoint and the rest of the Office Pro Plus suite. Other apps asked me for things like my SkyDrive password, which is essentially the Microsoft Live Web mail password.  To be fair, this set-up process is no different than when you buy a new Windows PC and enter software keys to download new software, but it slowed me down a bit.

Organizations with Active Directory network administration software should have a reasonably easy time configuring Windows 8. Seton Hall University CIO Stephen Landry, who has deployed roughly 450 Samsung Series 7 machines to faculty and students with the same software I’m testing, told me his process was much smoother because the school’s faculty, staff and students have been using Microsoft Live for e-mail since 2009. “We found provisioning very easy,” Landry told me Wednesday. He said he has a server on campus so that when students register at the school, they are assigned a Live account within minutes. Once joined to the Seton Hall domain, the tablets are enabled with WiFi access by Microsoft’s Active Directory network administration software.

The Samsung Series 7 weighs close to 2 pounds, or nearly double the weight of the iPad. Therefore, users may perceive this machine as more of an alternative to the laptop than other tablets. That may not cut it for some CIOs who like to carry their tablets from home to car and office. But if the reports from Microsoft are true, come October there will be a flood of Windows 8 tablets on the market, some of the lighter and some of them heavier than this Series 7 machine.

Microsoft has successfully developed a version of Windows that will run smoothly on a tablet, with Office applications that have been optimized for the touch experience. I can recommend this device for corporate road warriors tired of lugging around laptops. And CIOs seem to enjoy it. “I have to say I am a fan,” Terex CIO Greg Fell told me Wednesday. “I am using it inside the firewall and it works perfectly. I had an iPad the day it was first released, but it is in my desk and has not been turned on in two months. The Samsung has replaced my iPad and laptop with one device very successfully.”

Google to sink pirate websites in search rankings

SAN FRANCISCO: Google on Friday said it is tweaking its search formula to give higher priority to legal content and sink rankings for websites hit with piracy complaints.

“Starting next week, we will begin taking into account a new signal in our rankings: the number of valid copyright removal notices we receive for any given site,” Google senior vice president of engineering Amit Singhal said in a blog post.

“This ranking change should help users find legitimate, quality sources of content more easily — whether it’s a song previewed on NPR’s music website, a TV show on Hulu or new music streamed on Spotify.”

More than 200 “signals” are factored into Google’s secret search algorithm for determining what gets priority on results pages.

Since Google revamped its copyright removal process two years ago it has been able to gather much more data about pirated content popping up online, according to Singhal.

Google said that it receives more copyright removal notices daily – some 4.3 million in the past 30 days – than it did in all of 2009.

“Sites with high numbers of removal notices may appear lower in our results,” Singhal said.

Google provides “counter-notice” tools for website operators to challenge piracy accusations.

Motion Picture Association of America senior executive vice president Michael O’Leary said the film industry group was optimistic that change would help steer people away from “rogue cyberlockers, peer-to-peer sites, and other enterprises that steal the hard work of creators across the globe.”

“We will be watching this development closely — the devil is always in the details — and look forward to Google taking further steps to ensure that its services favor legitimate businesses and creators, not thieves,” O’Leary said.

Google to include personal email in web search results

Google is trying out a new feature which would enable its web search engine results to integrate information from users’ personal email accounts such as Gmail.

“Sometimes the best answer to your question isn’t available on the public web – it may be contained somewhere else, such as in your email,” Amit Singhal, Google’s senior vice president in charge of search, wrote in a post on the company’s blog.

“Starting today, we’re opening up a limited trial where you can sign up to get information from your Gmail right from the search box,” Xinhua quoted him as saying.

Singhal noted that the new feature is an attempt to make Google’s search results to be “truly universal.”

As an example cited by Google, when signed up users search for “my flights” on Google’s public web search engine, they will see their flight confirmation emails for any upcoming trips right on top of the search results.

Google said the field trial of the new feature is now only accessible on its search website google.com in English.

Singhal also announced that an enhancement to its search service, called Knowledge Graph, will now be extended to users in every English-speaking country after its launch in the US in May 2012.

With the Knowledge Graph, users will see a panel on the right-hand side of the Google search results page, which provides a summary of key facts about users’ search with the most useful and interesting information related to the particular topic.

According to Google, the Knowledge Graph feature is based on its database which now includes more than 500 million real-world people, places and things with 3.5 billion facts about and connections among them.

In another update to its search engine, Google Wednesday said that it will soon offer voice search in its search applications for users of Apple’s iPhone and iPad following the availability of the function on devices running Google’s Android operating system.

Windows 8 heads to computer manufacturers

Microsoft has announced that it has completed the product development and testing of Windows 8 and is releasing its next generation of operating system to computer makers. “The Windows 8 team is proud to share with you that a short while ago we started releasing Windows 8 to PC OEM and manufacturing partners,” said Microsoft’s Windows engineering team on their blog.

“This means our next milestone will be the availability of exciting new models of PCs loaded with Windows 8 and on-line availability of Windows 8 on October 26, 2012.”

The step, which is called “release to manufacturing” in the technology circle, means computer manufacturers now get the final version of Windows 8 and can start to install the system onto computers, reported Xinhua.

On Oct 26, Windows 8 will be available via retail and preloaded on new PCs and tablets. Consumers whose computers are running previous versions of Windows will be able to get the software by upgrading for $39.99.

Microsoft also has an upgrade offer for customers who buy a qualified PC running its current Windows 7 system between June 2, 2012 and Jan 31, 2013 to get the Windows 8 upgrade for just $14.99.

On the same day of the official release of Windows 8, Microsoft will also start to sell its tablet computer Surface, one of the company’s most-anticipated products in years.

The tablet will run mobile versions of Windows 8.

Windows 8 marks the biggest change Microsoft has ever done to its operating system as worldwide users have been used to the Windows 95 style for 17 years. Microsoft hopes the overhaul will allow it to regain ground in mobile computing lost to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems.

Is Microsoft changing its logo?

 

Update (3 Aug 2012 1000 GMT+8): Microsoft’s response is that this is not a new logo and the “traditional Microsoft logotype” will continue to be used. Here’s the complete statement.

This is not a new logo. Segoe is the font that we use in many of our product experiences and marketing materials. You will see the word Microsoft showing up from time to time in the Segoe typeface, which reflects the look and feel of the new experiences we are creating. We’ll also continue to use the traditional Microsoft logotype.

Today, we got hold of some new Microsoft accessories, the Wedge Touch Mouse and Wedge Mobile Keyboard. Subeditor Timothy Fernandez made an interesting observation about the Microsoft logo on the devices and boxes–it was different.

The Microsoft logo many of us are used to is italicized and has a cutout on the O. On all of the new products we received today, the logo sports the Segoe UI font, very much like the Windows 8 logo.

 

The first time we saw this logo was when it was flashed behind Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer during the announcement of the Surface tablets.

Microsoft has shown off this logo earlier in June, when it announced the Surface tablets. Some have (Neowin, The Verge comment) noticed it but no one could be sure if it was just the company was doing it as a once-off to complement its Windows 8-focused event.

However, given the regularity of it appearing on all these new hardware products, and the complete absence of the current Microsoft logo, it makes us wonder if the company is changing its corporate logo for real.

 

 

Aug. 2: Facebook Launches Facebook Stories

6:08 p.m. ET: Gabby Douglas, the pint-sized 16-year old gymnast, made history today becoming the first African-American to win gold in the all-around event.  She’s also the third straight US gymnast to snag the title.

With her win in today’s competition Douglas, known as the “Flying Squirrel,” brings her gold medal count to two and cements her position as one of the few women to win gold in the all-around, joining Mary Lou Retton, Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin.

Read more on Gabby Douglas inspiring story HERE

4:41 p.m.: Dunwoody Day Care Murder Update: Andrea Sneiderman, the wife of a man gunned down by Sneiderman’s boss and alleged lover, was indicted today on murder charges for her husband’s death. Full story here.

3:33 p.m.:The Romney spokesman who shouted “Kiss my ass” to reporters when the candidate was in Poland is in Time Out. Spokesman Rick Gorka is “taking some time off the trail” after a week abroad, per a Romney aide. Full story.

 

2:32 p.m.: Global warming has left the realm of theory and is starting to hit real life. A new law in North Carolina will ban the state from basing coastal policies on the latest scientific predictions of how much the sea level will rise, prompting environmentalists to accuse the state of disrespecting climate science. Full story:New Law in North Carolina Bans Latest Scientific Predictions of Sea-Level Rise

12:25 p.m.: Uh oh: Facebook’s getting into the news business. Sort of. Today is the launch of Facebook Stories, which collects stories from Facebook’s nearly 1 billion members. Here’s the full story.

                                                    (Image Credit: Facebook)

12:09 p.m.: Even during the NBC-broadcast Olympics, “Nightline” still has enough viewers to crash Warby Parker’s website after last night’s story. We, and they, thank you. Here’s the story if you missed it: Eyewear Designer Warby Parker Gives Sight to World’s Poor.

 

Microsoft replaces Hotmail by Outlook.com

With Hotmail no longer the ‘hottest’ email service in the town, Microsoft has launched Outlook.com, a new web mail service.

NEW DELHI: With Hotmail no longer the ‘hottest’ email service in the town, Microsoft has launched Outlook.com, a new web mail service, to take on Google’s extremely popular Gmail. The new email service comes with “virtually unlimited” storage and integrates Skype, the popular video chat service that Microsoft bought last year.

Just like other email services, Outlook.com too will serve advertisements to users. Though Microsoft is saying there would not be display advertisements. This seems to be in response to the complaints from people who use Hotmail, which serves banner advertisements.

Incidentally, Outlook is the name of the native email client that Microsoft has bundled with Windows operating software for years. Microsoft claims that Outlook is world’s most used desktop email client.

Chris Jones, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of Windows Live services, said that Outlook.com is available to users in preview form from today. “It offers the first major improvement to cloud mail in eight years,” he said. “We think the time is right to re-imagine personal email, from the datacenter to the user experience.”

Currently all Hotmail or Microsoft Live users can log into Outlook.com using their existing ids. Microsoft said that for now, Hotmail would continue to be available.

“Hotmail users can upgrade to Outlook.com and will get the new user experience but will continue to send/receive mail from their @hotmail.com address. Hotmail users that upgrade will use the same username/password to login; all their mail, contacts, and calendar items will still be available in the new user interface. Sometime in the future, we’ll upgrade all Hotmail users to the new Outlook.com user interface,” the company said.

Outlook.com has been designed using Microsoft’s Metro users interface. “The fresh, clean user interface gets the clutter out of a user’s way. The header has 60% fewer pixels and there are 30% more messages visible in inbox than the webmail most people are used to. And there are no display ads or large search boxes that take up extra space,” said Jones.