Google mulls over facial recognition

post from Ubergizmo on 19 May 2011 11:24:06 PM. © Ubergizmo

Facial recognition technology is something that might be employed by law enforcement agencies (at least that’s what we see in the movies, where the covert operations team has this high tech software that is capable of enhancing even the most grainy and blurry photo to excruciatingly high detail, running it against an international database of people based on facial recognition in mere seconds) to track down the baddies when cracking a case, but what happens when you put it into the hands of an Internet search Giant like Google? Google executive Eric Schmidt mentioned that the even he was surprised by the accuracy level of new facial recognition technology, but it was “unlikely” that Google would work on a database that is able to recognize people’s faces – without ruling out the possibility of some other company crossing that line instead.

Google mulls over facial recognition, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Motorola Xoom Review, Dell Streak 7 Review,

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http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/google-mulls-over-facial-recognition/

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Sony Smart AR integrated Augmented Reality
technology

post from Ubergizmo on 19 May 2011 11:17:32 PM. © Ubergizmo

Sony has just announced that they have been working on a new kind of integrated Augmented Reality (AR) technology that is known as Smart AR. What does Smart AR bring to the table? Well, whenever one captures visuals via a camera on a device like a smartphone, the technology will let extra information be displayed on the device?s screen, ranging from virtual objects to images and texts which are invisible if one were to rely on visual perception alone. The technology will make use of the markerless approach, where it will do away with any prior special requirements for special markers, including 2D barcodes. The object that is captured by the camera will be recognized in a jiffy, where it can also be tracked at a high-speed thanks to the camera’s movement.

Sony Smart AR integrated Augmented Reality technology, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Galaxy Tab 8.9 Preview, Dell Streak 7 Review,

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http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/sony-smart-ar-integrated-augmented-reality-techn
ology/

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Project Calliope wants to turn atmospheric
measurements into music

post from Ubergizmo on 19 May 2011 11:17:30 PM. © Ubergizmo

Project Calliope

In one of the more interesting Kickstarter projects we’ve seen recently, Sandy Antunes, has plans to send a satellite into space to convert the ionosphere into music that people can listen to. But he can’t do it without your help. Called Project Calliope, Antunes is almost done with the satellite but he needs the funds from the Kickstarter in order to finish the whole project.

When the satellite is launched into space, it will use convert the activity of the ionosphere ? the layer of space where low-earth satellites fly and where the auroras occur, into music. The music will then be shared to anybody interested in what space sounds like and will also be made available for musicians to remix, resample, play around with and basically make space-inspired music to be shared with the Project Calliope community. In essence, this is basically a project to make music from science.

Sounds like a good reasons as any for sending out a satellite into space. Head over to its Kickstarter page or the Project Calliope website to find out more details. If you plan to help you, you better hurry! It only has 37 hours to go (at this time of writing).

Project Calliope wants to turn atmospheric measurements into music, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Atrix Review, iPad 2 Review,

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http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/project-calliope/

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Apple concept paves the way for partial media
synchronization

post from Ubergizmo on 19 May 2011 11:11:32 PM. © Ubergizmo

In a patent that was filed by Apple in 2009 (albeit taking a couple of years to be published), touched on the topic of a “partial” media sync system. The idea would bridge a gap between keeping all content locally and complete dependence on streaming – acheiving a delicate balance in the process. Just to get a better idea on how things will work out, imagine iTunes users stashing away the beginning of selected songs locally, while the remainder of the song will remain stashed away on the server. If you decide to play a tune, then what’s left of the song will be streamed in a seamless manner.

Apple concept paves the way for partial media synchronization, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Blackberry Playbook Review, Dell Streak 7 Review,

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http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/apple-concept-paves-the-way-for-partial-media-sy
nchronization/

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Samsung Galaxy S II headed to Japan after FCC
approval

post from Ubergizmo on 19 May 2011 10:59:00 PM. © Ubergizmo

Samsung’s Galaxy S II seems to be a winner before it has even rolled out – after all, it scored more than 3 million units of pre-orders, and this figure does not look as though it is going to remain stagnant when the smartphone is released around the world. Even Japan, a land that used to be famous for their insulated universe where phones are concerned, will be getting the Galaxy S II after an FCC filing for the device showed that it will be made available in the Land of the Rising Sun via NTT DoCoMo, calling it by the model number SC-02C.

NTT DoCoMo has done its homework to prepare the launch of the Galaxy S II in their homeland by launching a product page, where it will be available from June onwards – sans a concrete release date, so we will just have to keep on guessing on this front (or just be patient).

NTT DoCoMo?s product page pointed towards a digital TV tuner on the Galaxy S II, which means you can enjoy your favorite TV drama series by watching One Seg TV broadcasts.

Samsung Galaxy S II headed to Japan after FCC approval, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Review, Blackberry Playbook Review,

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http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-headed-to-japan-after-fcc-ap
proval/

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Microsoft offers free Xbox 360 with PC purchase
to students

post from Ubergizmo on 19 May 2011 10:53:29 PM. © Ubergizmo

Is it a good time to be a student now with ever rising college fees and the high cost of living? Perhaps so if you’re a gamer, as Microsoft will be throwing in a free Xbox 360 4GB console with each PC purchase of $699 and above – from May 22nd onwards. This offer will be made available to online shoppers who purchase a PC from Dell.com, HP.com, or Microsoft’s very own online store. If you prefer the experience of touching or seeing the computer while interacting with real life humans over the counter, then the deal is also available at retail outlet such as Best Buy or Microsoft stores.

How would Microsoft know you’re a legit student for the free Xbox 360 giveaway? You will need to furnish them with an .edu e-mail address at the time of purchase, but if you do not have that, then present your student ID over at a retail store.

Microsoft offers free Xbox 360 with PC purchase to students, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Atrix Review, Dell Streak 7 Review,

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http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/microsoft-offers-free-xbox-360-with-pc-purchase-
to-students/

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Sony Ericsson Xperia Play on sale now

post from Ubergizmo on 19 May 2011 10:46:31 PM. © Ubergizmo

Xperia Play Verizon

After months since Sony Ericsson officially announced the world’s first Android gaming smartphone, we’ll finally be able to get our hands on the device on this side of the world. Sony Ericsson’s long awaited Xperia Play is now up for order on Verizon’s website.

In case you’ve been living under a rock all this while and thinking to yourself, “huh? Aren’t all Android phones capable of playing games?” Well, not every Android phone comes with a slide-out gamepad (the Xperia Play is still the only Android phone with a slide-out gamepad at this point in time), comes preloaded with high-quality Android games, and a dedicated app store.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play on sale now, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : iPad 2 Review, Dell Streak 7 Review,

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http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/sony-ericsson-xperia-play-on-sale-now/

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Playboy bares all online

Playboy is definitely an icon by itself, has just announced that they will embrace the digital revolution fully – that is, stashing away its full, uncensored archives online. Yes sir, you read that right – which means the gentlemen’s magazine that was kickstarted by Hugh Hefner will see all 57 years of issues stored on i.Playboy.com, a Web-based subscription service.

This new service will make available every single monthly issue to the masses – if they are willing to fork out $8 monthly, of course. For others who feel that they will be reading the mag more often than they thought, then one might want to invest in a $60 annual subscription or $100 for a two year subscription.

Playboy bares all online, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Droid Charge Review, Atrix Review,

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/playboy-bares-all-online/

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Bid adieu to unlimited data on Verizon Wireless

Are you using a smartphone from Verizon Wireless, and consume so much data that it was a no-brainer for you to sign up for the unlimited data plan beforehand? We hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but word has it that Verizon Wireless will no longer offer its unlimited smartphone data plan from this summer onwards, according to Verizon CFO Fran Shammo. In lieu of that, Verizon will be offering new tiered pricing plans – so you have at least one more month before you kiss your $30 monthly unlimited option goodbye.

Bid adieu to unlimited data on Verizon Wireless?, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Droid Incredible 2 Review, Galaxy Tab 8.9 Preview,

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http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/bid-adieu-to-unlimited-data-on-verizon-wireless/

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Mac Defender malware plagues some Mac users

Apple’s machines with the Mac OS environment have long been touted for their immunity to viruses, often being made a selling point when one is undecided between choosing a PC or a Mac. Since viruses and trojans are different, the emergence of Mac Defender as a trojan makes it fall under the malware community, and the idea of high levels of security on the Mac has been battered with the emergence of the Mac Defender, resulting in an epidemic of sorts that arose more or less overnight. Ed Bott, Jacqui Cheng and a bunch of other folks have dug deeper into the issue, realizing that AppleCare technicians are being greeted with an explosion of malware issues – and get this, Apple has allegedly been specifically directed support technicians to remain uninvolved.