Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook: 1/12/14 - 1/19/14

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Google's Chrome remote desktop app will come to iOS as well as Android

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/17/googles-chromoting-app-coming%20to-ios-as-well-as-android/

The desktop versions of Chrome make it easy to access remote PCs (and Chromebooks) linked together by your Google account, but this feature hasn't yet made the trek across to Chrome's mobile manifestations. We know that an official Android "Chromoting" app (an early build of which is shown in the screenshot above) has been in the works for a while, and now there's evidence it'll come to iOS too. Radio chatter between Chromium developers reveals that the iOS version is still at an "unpolished" design stage, but it also suggests that a good few devs have it on their to-do lists -- and although we have very little detail about how the final Chromoting app will work, these folks must believe that it'll do something different (or better, or easier) than the hoards of existing alternatives.

[Image courtesy of Chrome Story]

Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Google

Via: 9to5mac

Source: Chromium

Intel's Bay Trail CPU will usher Android into the 64-bit era this spring

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/17/android-tablets-64-bit-intel-bay-trail/

Sure, 64-bit support is all the rage nowadays in the mobile space, what with Apple setting off a trend with the introduction of the iPhone 5s. Now, according to Intel's CEO, tablets running Google's operating system are next and will soon be available with 64-bit compatibility. During an earnings call yesterday, Intel chief Brian Krzanich said that Android tablets using the company's new Atom-based Bay Trail processor are set to hit the market as early as this spring, bringing along a technology which so far has been limited to Windows 8.1 devices. It's also worth noting that while 64-bit slates may be arriving soon, the number of Android applications optimized to take advantage of the feature will be very low at first. Still, chances are developers will quickly take care of this as more and more 64-bit-ready phones and tablets start to become available.

Filed under: Tablets

Source: Ars Technica

Google is mapping the history of modern music

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/18/google-music-library-data/

It's no surprise that Google has been tracking music uploads, but what's unexpected is exactly what the search giant is doing with all of that info. Interactive maps of music's ongoing journey are charted through Play Music's users' libraries, found over on Google's Research Blog. You could, for example, trace the ebb and flow of a genre era by era (rock remains one of the biggies while electronica's presence is relatively new), or even identify which release from a band is the most prominent. Looking at the Deftones, their biggest album is 2000's White Pony, and they're near the top of the alt-metal heap overall. Music nerds could lose a few days poring over the various ins and outs of the soundtrack to their lives, so be careful who you share this with. Perhaps best of all, Google says this likely won't be the last collaboration we see between the research and music teams.

Filed under: Google

Source: Google Research (1), (2)

Amazon Has Patented A System For Shipping Your Stuff Before You Order It

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-anticipatory-shipping-2014-1

Cyber Monday Amazon

Amazon patented a system in December that will reduce logistics costs and dissuade customers from ever entering a physical store again by shipping your stuff before you order it, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Amazon software will predict when a customer will order an item, then push it through Amazon's shipping process. Packed orders would wait at shipping hubs until a customer's order arrives.

At this point, it can be dispatched to the customer's address far more quickly. It's a system aptly called "anticipatory shipping."

Keep in mind this is just a patent and Amazon hasn't announced any plans to implement such a service. But it does give us a hint at Amazon's thinking when it comes to getting stuff to you faster.

The 27-page patent is loaded with technical details that you can peruse at your convenience here.

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Friday, January 17, 2014

Rock mysteriously appears in front of the Mars Opportunity rover

Source: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/did-a-martian-throw-a-rock-at-a-mars-opportunity-rover-1503335556/@barrett

Rock mysteriously appears in front of the Mars Opportunity rover

Left: a photo taken 3528 days after the Opportunity rover arrival to Mars. Right: the exact same spot 12 Mars days later. Notice the difference? NASA JPL scientists did too: "It's about the size of a jelly doughnut. It was a total surprise, we were like 'wait a second, that wasn't there before, it can't be right. Oh my god! It wasn't there before!' We were absolutely startled."

This Is the World's First Working Cell Made From Plastic

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-is-the-worlds-first-working-cell-made-from-plasti-1503338685

This Is the World's First Working Cell Made From Plastic

Scientists have long been toiling to create artificial life, managing to produce man-made cell walls and even synthetic DNA. But now, a team of chemists has produced a functioning cell made from polymers.

Article: Hershey and 3D Systems team up to make 3D-printed chocolate candy | The Verge

The chocolate in the candy aisle could soon begin to look a lot weirder. 3D Systems announced today that it will partner with the Hershey Company to develop "innovative opportunities" in 3D-printed food. The multi-year agreement will have 3D Systems working with Hershey to come up with new ways o...

http://mobile.theverge.com/2014/1/16/5315248/hershey-3d-systems-3d-printed-chocolate-candy-partnership

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Article: Skype update for iOS brings two-way HD video chat to newer Apple devices

Did you get a new iPad or iPhone this holiday? If so, Skype has a treat in store for you -- it just updated its iPad and iPhone apps to support two-way HD video chat on all A7-equipped devices. Not that Skype is leaving older hardware without an upgrade, mind you. The same update lets the softwar...

http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/16/skype-update-for-ios-brings-two-way-hd-video-chat/?ncid=rss_truncated

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Article: Google is developing smart contact lenses that monitor blood sugar

Google's latest moonshot is a smart contact lens that diabetics can use to monitor their blood sugar levels. Led by Google's Brian Otis and Babak Parviz, the project envisions a painless, non-invasive, and accurate way for people suffering from diabetes to keep their blood sugar level under contr...

http://www.androidauthority.com/google-smart-contact-lenses-336438/

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Thursday, January 16, 2014

Scientists create winged-jellyfish drone…and it's beautiful

Source: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/scientists-create-winged-jellyfish-drone-and-its-beaut-1501888852/@caseychan

Scientists create winged-jellyfish drone…and it's beautiful

Researchers from New York University recently unveiled a drone that "mimics the movements of swimming jellyfish." Designed by Leif Ristroph, an applied mathematician at NYU, the drone was presented at a fluid dynamics conference in Pittsburgh. It's tiny and adorable and I want one.

Robots Vs. Humans In One Chart

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/robots-vs-humans-in-one-chart-2014-1

Here's a fun chart from BofA/ML (via @Fgoria)

Screen Shot 2014 01 16 at 5.43.39 AM

The chart is a bit unfair, since it's comparing global robots to US manufacturing jobs. Just looking at the number of robots in the US would be better.

But even stripping out the comparison, the rise of the installed base of global robots is worth watching, especially as the next few years are expected to see major growth.

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BYU image algorithm can recognize objects without any human help

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/15/image-algorithm-can-recognize-objects-without-any-human-help/

Even the smartest object recognition systems tend to require at least some human input to be effective, even if it's just to get the ball rolling. Not a new system from Brigham Young University, however. A team led by Dah-Jye Lee has built a genetic algorithm that decides which features are important all on its own. The code doesn't need to reset whenever it looks for a new object, and it's accurate to the point where it can reliably pick out subtle differences -- different varieties of fish, for instance. There's no word on just when we might see this algorithm reach the real world, but Lee believes that it could spot invasive species and manufacturing defects without requiring constant human oversight. Let's just hope it doesn't decide that we're the invasive species.

Filed under: Alt

Via: SlashGear

Source: Brigham Young University

Huawei's Richard Yu says octa-core HiSilicon chip is ready, will feature multi-mode LTE

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/16/richard-yu-on-new-hisilicon-chipsets/

It's been a year since Huawei's Richard Yu's teased his company's octa-core HiSilicon SoC, and according to the exec's recent Sina Weibo post (screenshot after the break), said product is finally ready. In fact, Yu revealed that his company's launched two new 28nm HPM chips. The octa-core model (likely the K3V3) features the usual quad Cortex-A15 plus quad Cortex-A7 big.LITTLE combo (as implemented by Samsung Exynos 5 Octa); and there's also a new quad-core Cortex-A9 model (likely the K3V2 Pro), which succeeds the 40nm K3V2 that features the same architecture. What's unclear is whether the octa-core chip will allow all eight cores to run simultaneously, but what we do know is that both chips come with a multi-mode LTE modem that will also handle both WCDMA and China Mobile's TD-SCDMA radios.

Yu also made a separate post to say we're entering the era of 64-bit octa-core processor (Cortex-A53 plus Cortex-A57) this year, but the message was deleted soon afterwards. What a tease. Anyhow, we have a feeling that Huawei will be showing off its first device powered by its own octa-core chip at MWC next month. That's not to say Huawei's saying goodbye to Qualcomm and MediaTek, though -- Yu confirmed that he'll have more "high-end" devices that will feature chips supplied by these two companies.

Filed under: Misc, Mobile

Via: Engadget Chinese

Source: Sina Weibo

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Science Finally Gives Us a Way to Authenticate Premium Chocolate

Source: http://gizmodo.com/science-finally-gives-us-a-way-to-authenticate-premium-1502035564

Science Finally Gives Us a Way to Authenticate Premium Chocolate

That fancy premium chocolate from Tanzania that you spent $10 on at Whole Foods last night might not be as fancy or premium as you think. Lower quality cacao is often mixed into even the best chocolate, which is precisely why scientists have now developed a method for authenticating the varietal purity and origin of cacao beans.

iOS users can now buy, rent or stream content from Google Play

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/15/google-play-movies-tv-apple-ios/

Apple's iTunes has long been the de facto virtual storefront for iOS users looking to buy or rent digital content, but now Google's elbowing its way into that tidy ecosystem. The search giant just dropped an iOS version of its Google Play Movies & TV app onto the App Store, giving users an alternate media library to browse. The service will also allow users to purchase films and TV shows from the desktop and view them from any iDevice. Just don't get too jazzed about the Chromecast streaming side of things. We've seen the service hiccup more than we'd like in our time using it. Your mileage may vary, but don't say you weren't warned.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, HD, Mobile, Apple, Google

Source: iTunes

Adafruit shows how to make your own touchscreen camera using Raspberry Pi (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/15/adafruit-raspberry-pi-camera/

Do you like the idea of building your own digital camera, but want something a little more sophisticated than Ikea's cardboard cam? Adafruit will be happy to help you out. It has posted instructions for making a point-and-shoot using little more than a Raspberry Pi, its matching camera module and Adafruit's PiTFT touchscreen. The resulting device won't rival any modern point-and-shoot for quality, but it's truly usable -- you can even slap on a WiFi adapter to upload shots to Dropbox. Whatever your experience with DIY photography, you'll find everything you need to know at the source link.

Filed under: Cameras

Via: Raspberry Pi

Source: Adafruit

HP Chromebook 11 with Verizon LTE now available at Best Buy for $379

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/15/hp-chromebook-11-with-verizon-lte/

HP's Chromebook 11 is one of the better Chrome OS devices on the market, power adapter woes notwithstanding, but it hasn't had a cellular version to please those who want always-on data. That won't be a problem after today, as Best Buy has quietly started selling a model with Verizon LTE. The 4G link boosts the ARM-powered laptop's price to $379 without otherwise changing the specs; if you attach it to a shared Verizon data plan, you'll also get a $50 rebate. The new computer probably won't change your mind if you didn't like the Chromebook 11 in the first place. Still, it's one of the cheapest LTE laptops on the market -- that's no doubt appealing to at least a few budget-conscious road warriors.

Filed under: Laptops, Wireless, Google, Verizon, HP

Via: Liliputing

Source: Best Buy, Altair Semiconductor

Adafruit shows how to make your own touchscreen camera using Raspberry Pi (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/15/adafruit-raspberry-pi-camera/

Do you like the idea of building your own digital camera, but want something a little more sophisticated than Ikea's cardboard cam? Adafruit will be happy to help you out. It has posted instructions for making a point-and-shoot using little more than a Raspberry Pi, its matching camera module and Adafruit's PiTFT touchscreen. The resulting device won't rival any modern point-and-shoot for quality, but it's truly usable -- you can even slap on a WiFi adapter to upload shots to Dropbox. Whatever your experience with DIY photography, you'll find everything you need to know at the source link.

Filed under: Cameras

Via: Raspberry Pi

Source: Adafruit

These Computer Simulations Teach Themselves To Walk, And The Results Are Hilarious

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/computer-simulations-teach-themselves-to-walk-2014-1

What we have here is a computer demonstration of "flexible muscle-based locomotion for bipedal creatures," but let's out it for what it really is: a video of 3D models figuring out how to walk and mostly failing at it to chuckle-worthy results.

The hijinks begin to pick up around the 57-second mark, when the first humanoid falls over, right onto his digitized face.

Here's the proper video description for those seeking a more formal explanation of what's going on:

We present a muscle-based control method for simulated bipeds in which both the muscle routing and control parameters are optimized. This yields a generic locomotion control method that supports a variety of bipedal creatures. All actuation forces are the result of 3D simulated muscles, and a model of neural delay is included for all feedback paths. As a result, our controllers generate torque patterns that incorporate biomechanical constraints. The synthesized controllers find different gaits based on target speed, can cope with uneven terrain and external perturbations, and can steer to target directions.

As future generations "evolve" inside the software and gain a better understanding of their "bodies," the bumbling simulated creatures tend to get things worked out. But most of those early ones just didn't have a clue.

Flexible Muscle-Based Locomotion for Bipedal Creatures from John Goatstream on Vimeo.

SEE ALSO: The NSA May Or May Not Be Building A Quantum Computer That Can Decrypt Basically Anything

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Article: Lomography Konstruktor review: the $35 DSLR you build yourself

As camera-makers trim their point-and-shoot lines in the face of encroaching smartphones, one company is keeping the faith and doing what it's done for the past three decades. Lomography's wide range of film cameras dates back to the early '90s, when some students in Vienna discovered the potenti...

http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/14/5307088/lomography-konstruktor-review

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Article: Google Chrome’s little helpers are offering hackers a backdoor to hijack your web browsing

Extensions are useful little programs written by independent developers to customize your browser experience, whether its by blocking advertisements, aggregating your newsfeed, or keeping you on task. But they may also offer a way for malicious coders to get past Google Chrome's notoriously tight...

http://qz.com/166322/google-chromes-little-helpers-are-offering-hackers-a-backdoor-to-hijack-your-web-browsing/

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Left Field Labs can make you a custom, 3D-printed music box

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/15/left-field-labs-music-drop/

We've seen 3D printing enable a nostalgic twist on music before, but there are few things quite so clever (or tiny) as Left Field Labs' Music Drop. The company's latest New Year's project lets you design a unique music box through a simple web interface; you just have to create a catchy song loop and Left Field will print out a finger-powered, tear-shaped machine that plays your tune. We're not sure how long Left Field Labs will be offering the Music Drop when each one is hand-made, so you may want to swing by its website before all the fun comes to an end.

Filed under: Misc

Source: Left Field Labs

Back off, NSA: Blackphone promises to be the first privacy-focused smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/15/blackphone-privacy-and-security-android-smartphone/

You may never have heard of Geeksphone, unless you take a particular interest in Firefox OS, but the Spanish manufacturer could be about to garner some global attention. It says it'll launch a new handset at Mobile World Congress next month that will prioritize privacy and security instead of all the intrusions that smartphone users usually have to put up with from carriers, advertisers and the occasional government agency. We're looking at an Android-based phone with a "top performing" processor and a cellular module that will be unlocked, free of geographical restrictions and compatible with any GSM network. In place of carrier bloatware, we're promised a skin called "PrivatOS" that will allow you to make and receive secure phone calls and text messages, store files securely and browse the web privately through an anonymous VPN -- services that are largely already available from Silent Circle, which happens to be a key partner on the Blackphone project. That's pretty much all we know for now, but pre-orders will begin sometime during the last week of February, and by then we hope to have hands-on impressions and a better understanding of how Blackphone will be different to! BlackBerry encryption, Samsung's Knox service and other more established rivals.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile

Source: Blackphone

This Vine compilation video of magic tricks and sorcery is so much fun

Source: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/this-vine-compilation-video-of-magic-tricks-and-sorcery-1501486570/@caseychan

This Vine compilation video of magic tricks and sorcery is so much fun

Here is a tummy tickling compilation video of Vines from Zach King, the magic wizard of Vine. He'll snatch cats out of computer screens, turn Rubik's Cubes into candy, fly through beds and doors, jump out of his clothes, magically change colors of any object and more. It's the most entertaining use of the 6 second medium because it's just short enough to make me feel like magic can be real.

This Video Shot With A Drone And A GoPro May Be The Most Incredible Surf Video Yet

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/gopro-drone-surf-video-2014-1

The "Pipeline" on Hawaii's North Shore is world renowned for its incredibly large and often dangerous waves, and a new video from aerial photographer Eric Sterman shows the area in all its glory.

Sterman attached a GoPro camera to a DJI quadcopter to capture this awesome footage of surfers on the pipe, according to The Next Web.

From The Next Web:

The result is a truly breathtaking video from a perspective which used to be impossible for filmmakers to achieve without hiring a helicopter. I’ve watched a few surfing films before (Billabong Odyssey and The Endless Summer are my personal favorites) but this is by far the best footage I’ve ever seen from Pipeline.

Check it out:

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