It’s only been a few days since Apple releasediOS 5 beta 2, but we’ve already received a bevy of tips from developers who’ve spent some quality time with the update and uncovered a few of its more salient features. Here are some highlights.
It looks like Apple has blocked Applenberry’s Gevey SIM software, which allowed users to unlock devices running iOS 4.3 or iOS 5 beta 1 without having to jailbreak. (Read)
According to Dev Team member MuscleNerd, iOS 5 beta 2 can still be jailbroken using the RedSn0w 0.9.8b1 tethering tool, released earlier this month. (Read)
The beta refresh also brings a few tweaks to iOS 5’s notifications system. Traditional alerts and reminders now pop up on the lock screen in larger typeface, alongside their appropriate icon. If left unattended, the notifications will eventually be added to the Android-like banner menu, at the top of the lock screen. (Read)
Users can now create and curate photo albums directly from their iDevices, though the feature isn’t without its quirks. A tipster informs us that photos added to new albums remain in the original collection, as well. If you migrate an image from one album to another and delete the original, both pics will disappear.
The next beta release might be issued over the air. When a tipster checked for updates on an iPad running beta 2, he received a “No updates were found” message, suggesting that users may be able to find future refreshes without syncing their devices with iTunes. (Screenshot after the break.)
Update: We’re hearing from many of you that the gallery functionality was actually a part of beta 1. But, you’re encouraged to continue enjoying it here, in beta 2.
The utilitarian AMP II camera can capture a huge 20 stops of dynamic range
Great news, at least for filmmakers who like the candy-colored, eye-searing effects of HDR photography. The AMP II is a triple-sensor camera which will shoot high dynamic range video in real time.
In principle, the AMP II works like a high-tech Technicolor rig. The light coming through the lens is split into three beams and each is sent to a different image sensor. These sensors record highlights, mid-tones and shadows, and the three outputs are combined to make an HDR image. This is then “tone-mapped” to shrink the HDR data into an range that can be displayed on screen. It is this tone-mapping stage where the horribly bright colors can be introduced.
The prototype AMP records up to 17 stops of dynamic range, and the new AMP II 20 stops. This compares to 9 stops for a typical digital SLR sensor. The images are also recorded in full-resolution RAW format and processed in real-time, so you could shoot live TV in HDR if you wanted to (the signal is output through HDMI). These RAW streams can also be accessed separately for post-production tweaking.
The camera is due to be ready for commercial use in at the end of summer 2011, but you won’t be able to buy one. These boxy cameras are more like advanced experiments than finished products, but it’s possible that AMP’s patented tech could be licensed to other manufacturers. Imagine a super-high-res RED camera with AMP tech inside. Also, the name RED AMP is plain awesome.
Up till now, the ranks of 3D-capable smartphones were neatly organized by territory: Japan had the Sharp Aquos SH-12C, the US had the HTC EVO 3D, and Europe had the LG Optimus 3D. Now it’s all getting a tiny bit messier (and more competitive!) with HTC’s announcement that the EVO 3D has boarded a transatlantic liner and is en route to the green shores of Europa. Available “broadly” across the old continent, this Android 2.3 handset touts a 4.3-inch display with qHD (540 x 960) resolution and an added parallax barrier layer that allows it to deliver a glasses-free 3D effect. We call it an effect because real 3D it ain’t, but at least it’ll allow you to review the three-dimensional pics you snap with the included pair of 5 megapixel autofocus cameras. There’s also a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon purring within for the performance obsessives and a generous 1730mAh battery — perhaps the biggest advantage that we can see for this phone over the similarly specced (but 3D-less) Sensation. Jump past the break for the full spec sheet and PR or hit up our review to learn just how awesome the EVO 3D’s shutter button really is.
There are plenty of reasons to want to monitor what’s going on in the ocean, from whale migration, to the recent stylistic resurgence of hot crustacean bands. There are certain inherent difficulties, however, in creating a powerful underwater microphone, namely all of that water you’ve got to contend with. A team of scientists has taken cues from the design of orca ears, in order to develop a powerful microphone that can work far beneath the waves. The researchers developed membranes 25 times thinner than plastic wrap, which fluctuate as sound is made. In order to operate at extreme depths, however, the microphone must fill with water to maintain a consistent pressure. So, how does one monitor the minute movements of a membrane hampered by the presence of water? Lasers, of course! The hydrophone can capture a 160-decibel range of sounds and operate at depths of 11,000 meters, where the pressure is around 1,100 times what we’re used to on earth. So if the orcas themselves ever master the laser, at least we’ll be able to hear them coming.
This article was written on November 25, 2010 by CyberNet.
I do a lot of my shopping online, and a majority of my purchases come from either Newegg or Amazon due to their competitive pricing and speedy shipping. The big problem I have is that prices change on these sites so frequently that it can be hard to know whether the price has recently been raised or lowered.
A free Chrome/Firefox extension called Camelizer makes figuring that out a lot easier. If you’re shopping on Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Newegg.com, Backcountry.com, Overstock.com, or zZounds.com you can grab a quick price history chart for just about any item. One great example of when this can be useful is depicted in the screenshot above. You can see that Newegg is indicating the price of this particular computer memory “was $114.99″ and has dropped down to $89.99, and normally I’d have no way of knowing when that happened. With Camelizer I just click on the icon that appears in the address bar to instantly see a graph of the price history. Now I’m able to see that the price they’re referencing was from about 6-weeks ago, and had actually dropped to around $105 before it fell to the current price.
As you can imagine Camelizer is a great way to figure out how much money you’re really saving. If you decide that you want to holdout a bit you can set a price alert and Camelizer will send you an email or Twitter notification when the item drops below the threshold that you set.
Earlier this year, Pioneer, known for its wide array of electronics ranging from car navigation systems to home theaters, opened a showcase plaza in a fascinating looking building located in the heart of Ginza, one of the more upscale, luxurious shopping districts in Japan. We took a trip to Ginza to find out the latest technology that Pioneer has to offer to the public. The shop’s tagline, “Wanna See The Future?” clearly demonstrates Pioneer’s aim at establishing the newest hi-tech product innovations aimed at enhancing consumers’ lifestyles. Rather than merely showcasing their newest technology, visitors are encouraged to fully experience and interact with the digital products on display.
The Pioneer Plaza is spread out over three floors, each dedicated to a specific theme. As we walked into the first floor, out of the vast lineup of home electronics, the first thing that immediately grasped our attention was the Sound Cocoon. With beautiful alternating color lighting and an extremely cozy sofa, this intimate egg-shaped sound enhancement space was designed to provide ultimate comfort and relaxation for its users. It uses Pioneer’s Acco built-in amp system that can play music from any portable audio device, as well as online radio. With three speakers placed in strategic locations inside the cocoon, the intention was for a “peaceful environment in which the music blended in with the air and embraced the user.”
Our eyes then led us to the Floating Vision, which is an AR hologram monitor that allows users to encounter a 3D experience with their naked eye. What was particularly cool about this product was that it used an infrared sensor that allowed users to interact with the various characters displayed on the screen, introducing a new type of user interface programming. The screen is surrounded by a sensor-embedded frame that extends out about 10cm. It’s possible to virtually touch and manipulate objects, draw pictures, and interact with characters inside the screen just by making the actions in the field of the sensors.
The Floating Vision was made for personal home entertainment allowing users to connect a computer to the unit through a USB cable which then turns the product into a second display, offering a variety of applications. With a downloadable software program called FV_Tool, users can easily create their own hologram display by using visual files of their choice. Going one step further from digital photo frames, the technology makes it possible to upload any personal photos which can then be displayed in holographic 3D and interacted with, such as poking the hologram would “frighten it” and cause it to duck.
Pioneer also integrated the use of Felica with this technology to provide visitors with information about the store and their newest products. Deviating from the existing Felica information providers that merely generate a sound when applied, this particular device offers users with a variety of 3D visuals, adding a little “extra touch.”
Although still in production and not yet for commercial use, the Cycling Computer, attachable to bicycles and other motor vehicles such as mopeds, uses its built-in GPS system to collaborate with Pioneer’s audio and navigation technology. Shaped like a smaller version of an iPhone, the Cycling Computer was not only intended for navigation purposes but for entertainment as well. With a unique sensor that calculates the speed and amount of revolution of the wheel, the user is notified of the distance that they have traveled, their heart rate, and how many calories have been burnt off. Music and animations are played accordingly to different speeds and cycling style. Pioneer is planning to release applications for this device as soon as it hits the market, which would enhance the users’ experience, such as a navigating app that displays the most scenic routes to their destination.
The rest of the 1st floor was decorated with a number of other products that demonstrated product innovations aimed at space conservation, such as an ultra thin speaker, and a new type of thin LED lighting device that further reduces the use of electricity and has features such as its ability to bend, making it easily adjustable to any sort of placement.
As we reached the second floor, we were greeted with a beautiful arrangement of earphones and headsets which visitors could plug into their own portable audio player and try on, each with a unique concept and feature.
The rest of the floor was dedicated to Pioneer’s Carrozzeria car navigation series, which fully utilizes AR as well as the idea of using smartphones as navigators. Its AR Scouter Mode uses a built in camera to display front and rear view images that provides drivers with route and road information onto the actual navigation screen. Landmarks like gasoline stations and convenient stores, distance between cars, directions, and other information are displayed in real time above the front view image, providing drivers with a much easily visible guidance. With the newest UI (user interface) technology it acts as an iPod and DVD player, television, and built-in bluetooth system. This touch-panel navigator has other cool features such as a voice command search system and an added “Eco Navigator” that takes displays a route in which the driver would use the least amount of gas, calculating the weight and size of the car.
With similar brand spaces such as Shiseido’s Total Beauty Facility, there seems to be a general move towards a more effective utilization of store space, deviating from the traditional shop-and-go stores seen throughout Japan. Brands are leaning towards a more interactive orientation by providing customers with product demonstrations and allowing them to fully experience their products and services themselves.
If you have an Iconia Tab A500 and an unbridled passion for running the latest Android software, we’ve got good news for you. Acer’s 3.1 update for the 10-inch Tegra 2 slate has actually slipped out a little early and can now be downloaded at the source link below. It brings the resizable widgets and other goodies that Xoom and Eee Pad Transformer users have been savoring for a while, though that’s naturally not been enough for some and there are already custom ROMs built off this leak that augment the upgrade with superuser privileges. Alternatively, should you be disinclined to flash your own tablet, you can just wait for Acer to start beaming Android 3.1 over the air to its European A500s on July 5th.
We played this addictive gem of an award-winning app on a friend’s iPhone last year and actually considered cutting our friendly ties to Android just to get in on the action. Small wonder then that creator ZeptoLab caved in to pressure from the iOS rival’s community, making Cut the Rope a one-week GetJar exclusive. It’s a tactic we’ve seen competitor Amazon tackle before — one that should help boost this Silicon Valley-based app store’s visibility. String-slicing fiends can get to feeding their inner hungry, hungry Om Nom now, and give a much needed break to those over-slung simulated fowls.
Solid as HTC’s Thunderbolt may be from a software perspective, its battery life has proven to be less than striking — unless you’ve been rocking it with that ultra-chunky extended battery. In comparison, its streamlined and Qi-certified battery coverwas slated as another option, but there’s been nary a mention of it since that accidental tease on Verizon’s website in April. According to Droid Life, it’s actually now available from Verizon retail locations for about $30 to complement the $70 charging base — great for users who: a. hold disdain for cables, b. don’t mind a few extra charges, or c. wear skinny jeans. There’s no mention of when we’ll see the hopefully convenient accessory pop up on Verizon’s website, but at least it’s out there somewhere for those willing to look.
It came with a bang, but even Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play seems to have already become yesterday’s treasure in a world swamped with dual-core superphones. Still, the Play remains the only Android phone on the market with a full-on slide-out gamepad, and while the library’s still lacking, there’s oodles of promise here. And that, friends, is where you come in. For those that forked over whatever it took to snag one, we’re anxious to know how you’d do things differently. We’re guessing that SE didn’t sink an absurd amount of resources into this thing without a successor in mind, so what are you hoping to see in Revision B? A higher-res display? A few more buttons to mash? Ice Cream Sandwich? Get as crazy as you wanna be in comments below, won’t you?
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