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Microsoft has never been shy about its ambitions for Kinect’s depth sensing abilities. A pair of patent applications, however, show that its hopes and dreams are taking a more Hollywood turn. One patent has the depth camera going portable: a “mobile environment sensor” determines its trajectory through a room and generates a depth map as it goes, whether it’s using a Kinect-style infrared sensor or stereoscopic cameras. If the visual mapping isn’t enough, the would-be camera relies on a motion sensor like an accelerometer to better judge its position as it’s jostled around. Microsoft doesn’t want to suggest what kind of device (if any) might use the patent for its camera, but it’s not ruling out anything from smartphones through to traditional PCs.

The second patent filing uses the Kinect already in the house for that directorial debut you’ve always been putting off. Hand gestures control the movie editing, but the depth camera both generates a model of the environment and creates 3D props out of real objects. Motion capture, naturally, lets the humans in the scene pursue their own short-lived acting careers. We haven’t seen any immediate signs that Microsoft is planning to use this or the mobile sensor patent filing in the real world, although both are closer to reality than some of the flights of fancy that pass by the USPTO — the movie editor has all the hallmarks of a potential Dashboard update or Kinect Fun Labs project.

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Gaming

Microsoft patent applications take Kinect into mobile cameras, movie-making originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fanhattan’s often been praised for offering a one-stop hub where folks can keep track of all their cherished entertainment shows, which has led it to become a crowd favorite amongst iOS users. Well, today the application’s expanding its TV guide services a little more, announcing it’s now showing content from 10 new providers, including HBO, Cinemax, NBC and, better yet, The CW — you know, because we just can’t miss out on the latest Gossip Girl episodes. In addition to these channel inclusions, Fanhattan’s also introduced a novel, Amazon-esque WatchList feature that pushes out alerts as soon as added shows (movies, too) are ready to be watched. If you’ve yet to give the handy application a try, you can do so now by grabbing it at no cost from Cupertino’s well-known app mart.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs, Software

Fanhattan updates iOS app with WatchList feature, content from Cinemax, HBO and NBC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 18:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Up until now, Box.net (otherwise simply known as Box) had been quietly snubbing the Windows Phone platform altogether, but today’s the day the cloud service finally ports its storage and sharing goods to Redmond’s mobile OS. As far as the app goes, Box is keeping things relatively simple — much like on iOS and Android — but adding a few tweaks to fit nicely alongside that Metro UI, including tidbits like pinning tiles to the Start screen for viewing updates on files. Of course, you’ll also be able to manage your content straight from the application, as well as locking any docs with a passcode in case “paranoia” is your middle name. Notably, Box knows it’ll have to compete directly with Microsoft’s own SkyDrive, to which Chris Yeh, VP of Platforms, says his company “will be watching carefully to see if SkyDrive gets the better integration” of the two. Regardless, folks can download the Box app now from the WP Marketplace, and best of all, it won’t cost you a single dime.

Filed under: Cellphones, Storage, Software

Box shares the app love with Windows Phone, hopes SkyDrive doesn’t get special treatment originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I have written about Pearltrees since the web application was in private beta back in April 2009, before the official launch in late 2009. To date, the free service counts more than 500,000 contributors and more than 25 million pearls.

Although I am not an avid user, however I love its aesthetics and the ease of use of its graphic interface. Content curation is a trending topic in the internet industry and Pearltrees is surely one of the most innovative startup to offer content curation and social networking based on the interest graph.

Today, Pearltrees launched its iPhone application nine months after the release of the iPad version.
All versions allow users to organize content found on the web in pearltrees, and each pearl is in fact a web page. The iPad version introduced the ability to discover new pearls and pearltrees with a touch interface, making them appear while swiping the screen. When in discovery mode, the new pearls that show up next to the ones you just swiped relate to similar topics, you literally browse your “interest graph” or “interest tree”.

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By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Moby: Private Location Sharing App with Battery Life Optimization, Google Search for iPhone updated,

If you snagged a Canon imageRUNNER or imageRUNNER Advance multi-function system for your printing needs, you’re in luck. You can now perform the aforementioned tasks along with scanning functionality from your BlackBerry or iOS device. Thanks to the Canon Direct Print and Scan for Mobile app, folks with a mobile device that wields either of the two operating systems can scan to and print from their Apple slate or BlackBerry smartphone. The announcement only mentions smartphone on the BB side of things and there’s no word on software that will show Android devices the same favor. If you’re in possession of all of the requisite hardware, hit the coverage links below to snag the application that suits your device.

Filed under: Peripherals, Software

Canon announces printing and scanning app for BlackBerry and iOS, makes Android devices lonely originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 03:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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