Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Samsung updates MultiView camera lineup with MV900F point-and-shoot for $350, we go hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/samsung-multiview-mv900f/


Samsung updates MultiView camera lineup with MV900F pointandshoot for $350, we go handson video

When we were first introduced to Samsung's MultiView series with last year's MV800, we were certainly intrigued by the original design -- the LCD flips up to face directly forward, resting just above the main camera module and enabling front-sided operation, for self-portraits and the like. What the camera appeared to offer in ingenuity, however, it lacked in image quality -- shots looked quite mediocre during PC-based reviews, and when viewed on the low-res capacitive touchscreen display. This year's iteration, the MV900F, promises improvements down the 800's list of shortcomings, ranging from an f/2.5-6.3, 25mm 5x optical zoom lens to added WiFi, which brings the model's social feature set in line with other Samsung SMART cameras. There's also a 16.3-megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor on board, along with that 180-degree MultiView display, this time equipped with a 3.3-inch WVGA AMOLED panel. Physically, the camera is similar in appearance, but it's noticeably larger, to accommodate that larger touchscreen (the MV800 included a 3-inch display).

We were able to take an early look at the MV900F, and the display improvements were immediately noticeable. We weren't permitted to review sample shots on a computer, but with so much room to grow from its predecessor, it's safe to say that this lens/sensor combo should yield a noticeable image quality boost. The front-facing display is certainly the star of the show, even enabling gesture controls -- you can zo! om in an d out or capture a shot just by waving your hand (there's a tutorial on-board, but the movements aren't difficult to master). There's also a handful of WiFi options, including Facebook integration, along with instant uploading to sites like Picasa and YouTube, and integration with Samsung's other products, including TVs and Galaxy smartphones. Video capture has also been boosted from 720p to 1080p, letting you take full advantage of HDTV playback, while a variety of photo and movie filters let you get creative in-camera, including a twilight mode that combines three sequential frames in order to snap steady shots in low light. The camera is set to ship in late August for $349.99, and will be available in black and white, so if you were considering the MV800 but opted to hold out while Samsung worked out the kinks, this may be the time to jump. Catch the MV900F in action, including those nifty gesture controls, in our hands-on video after the break.

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Samsung updates MultiView camera lineup with MV900F point-and-shoot for $350, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM gets patent for logic-based text prediction, BlackBerry 10 keyboard now preserved for the ages

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/17/rim-gets-patent-for-logic-based-text-prediction/

RIM gets patent for logicbased text prediction, BlackBerry 10 says hello

For those of us who aren't fans of swipe gestures, the highlight of BlackBerry 10 is undoubtedly a unique keyboard that's often a step ahead of its user. It's a good thing for this last camp that RIM was just granted the final version of a related patent for logic-based text prediction. Instead of simply hunting for typos, the patented keyboard guesses the next word based either on the context of the words around it or on other criteria, like common expressions. About the only time the technique doesn't predict words is for passwords -- RIM would rather not be that clever. While there looks to be a few differences in the practical implementation of the patent as we've seen it in a pre-release BlackBerry 10, theory and reality are close enough that RIM won't be worried about anyone else poaching its seemingly mind-reading technology anytime soon.

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RIM gets patent for logic-based text prediction, BlackBerry 10 keyboard now preserved for the ages originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 22:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swarming quadrocopters complete trial recon mission for Japanese police (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/17/quadrocopter-recon-japan/

Swarming quadrocopters complete trial recon mission for Japanese police video

Formation-flying quadrocopters have already given us hours of entertainment, but now they've also accomplished something serious. Earlier this month, mini choppers developed at Japan's robot-loving Chiba University assisted in an emergency drill that simulated an explosion at a chemical plant. Four machines and a host computer (shown off after the break) used spherical markers, image processing and a heck of a lot of math to autonomously scan the site for survivors. The researchers claim the exercise went "very well" and that the local police force would like to "introduce this system" for genuine reconnaissance. That could include monitoring volcanic eruptions or inspecting power lines, but alas there's no mention yet of using quadrocopter swarms to sneak up on yakuza.

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Swarming quadrocopters complete trial recon mission for Japanese police (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 23:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Etymotic Musicâ¢Pro 9-15 earplugs bring high-end hush to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safely

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/18/etymotic-music-pro-9-15-earplugs-bring-high-end-hush-to-audiences/

Etymotic MusicPro 915 earplugs bring highend noise blocking to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safelyPremium electronic earplugs usually find their homes with musicians eager to preserve their hearing at all costs; anyone within the crowd has more often been left to either use cruder plugs or cover their ears. Etymotic wants to bridge that difference with the Musico.Pro 9-15. The combination of ER-9 and ER-15 earplugs matches its namesake not just through the choice of components, but through active noise cancellation that removes 9 to 15 decibels from the sound only when the rock gets too raucous: listeners can hear fellow concert-goers and even boost their volume without skewing the sound of the band. Pricing plays its own part in reaching out to the crowd, too. As high as the new Musico.Pro set's $399 price might be compared to a typical pair of ear blockers, it's low enough that a dedicated fan of virtual Tupac can afford to go to the concert protected rather than voluntarily take on some hearing damage.

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Etymotic Music•Pro 9-15 ear! plugs br ing high-end hush to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safely originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 01:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And Now For Something Completely Different: The 'Ultimate' Death Cross

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/and-now-for-something-completely-different-the-ultimate-death-cross-2012-7

James Ross, the University Architect at UNC Wilmington and an astute observer of the economy, called my attention to an amusing Business Insider piece published yesterday: The S&P Is On The Verge Of The Ultimate Death Cross. The piece mentions a note published Monday by Societe Generale analyst Albert Edwards, who points out that the S&P is on the verge of an "ultimate" death cross. And what, pray tell, is that? A 50-200 moving average crossover, based on months, not days (or even weeks).

So let's check this out. The S&P 500 only dates back to March 1957. Since that time the 50-month MA has never crossed below the 200 month MA. The closest it came was the June 1978 monthly close, which gave us a 2.09 point spread between the 50-month (92.09) and the 200-month (90.00). During the 55-plus years that the S&P 500 has existed, there has never been an "Ultimate" Death Cross.

At the end of last month, the spread was a little over 11 points.

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How disastrous would a trip to the "Death Zone" be? Let's look further back in time. The chart below uses the S&P Composite data set popularized by Yale professor Robert Shiller. It consists of the monthly averages of daily closes since 1871 -- over 140 years of US market history.

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The annotations on the chart speak for themselves.


Postscript: Yes, the title of this piece includes an allusion to a regular Monty Python feature, a favorite of many of my fellow Boomers.

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