Ford in Talks with Google to Build Self Driving Cars

Google is going all guns blazing to get its self-driving cars a better car manufacturer. It should be noted that last year Apple had talk with BMW to assess the manufacturing capabilities of self-driving cars. Apple wanted to get manufacturing support and assistance from the automotive major rather setting up whole manufacturing line but the talks went sour and some elite BMW officials lost their jobs.

Google is now initiating talks with the automaker Ford Motor Co. in order to secure help in building autonomous cars. As per the source, if the deal gets finalized then it might be revealed in the upcoming International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.

Google keeps mum on its talks with Ford

Google spokesperson has kept mum and declined to give any comment on this initiation of talks with Ford. But it should be noted that Google has increased its efforts in roping in new partners for the automobile world to give proper shape to its aims of bringing self-driving cars to the market by 2020.

Ford is an ideal partner for Google

It is quite logical for the Google to partner with an established automaker as it offers a remarkable way of building cars. It wouldn’t be feasible for the Google to ensure that tens of thousands of parts to be used in the cars could abide by the strict federal guidelines. Google will have to spend huge amount on developing plants and competencies, which are involved in building cars. But having Ford as the partner will help Google in leaving the manufacturing related decisions in the hands of seasoned car maker and it can lend its time towards improving the various aspects of the automation technology.

Ford looking for partners for its autonomous driving research

In the past year, Ford has been vocal about its autonomous driving research and it was actively looking for new partners. Ford was hoping to get some new startup and bigger companies to work together in order to improvise and revolutionalize the automotive industry on a bigger scale. The coming together of Ford and Google is a right as most of the automakers are planning the self-driving gradually by adding one feature at a time. But Google has aimed of bringing the first self driving car with complete automotive controls and devoid of any steering wheels or pedals.

Ford will benefit from partnering with Google

It is worth noting that Ford has been lagging behind most of its competitor and it has revamped its pace for developing the self-driving cars last year in order to get better of them. Ford has expanded its advanced safety technology, which includes a number of features from the automatic braking, hands free operation of cars and much more. Ford will be implementing most of its automotive functionalities and features in its global line over the next five years. Partnering with Google will benefit both the companies on a whole new level.

Java Plugin Malware Alert to be issued by Oracle

Oracle is widely known for being behind the popular programming language called Java. Java is used for variety of purposes by the developer from making apps, games to even other robust programs. Oracle has issued an advisory where it has warned millions of Java users could get exposed to a malware threat which results due to the flaw in the software update tool. This particular plug-in is installed on a large number of PCS’s which allows them to run small programs written in the Java language.

Oracle has issued an alert for this malware threat on the social media as well as on its official website. US’s Federal Trade Commission is currently investigating the Oracle for any wrongdoing which isn’t a good time for the malware to emerge.

The threat of the Malware target

The reason for launching an investigation on Oracle can be summarized from the FTC’s complaint which states that Oracle was aware of number of security issues in the Java SE (standard edition) plug-in when it bought Java technology from its creator Sun in 2010. FTC has highlighted the flaws in the security system of the Java will can easily allow hackers to craft malware providing access to consumer’s usernames and passwords for the financial accounts. Apart from this malware can even be designed to feed of other vital and sensitive information which results in the attack on the user’s privacy. FTC has alleged that Oracle has been fooling its customers by asking them to install its updates which would ensure that their PC’s remain safe and secure. But Oracle had the firm knowledge that the Java has existing security issues.

Reasons for security issues in Java

The presence of security issues in the Java language is mainly attributed to Sun as it didn’t deleted the original update process in the earlier versions of the software before passing it on to Oracle. FTC states that it offers a great way for the hackers to exploit and launch their attacks on the PCs running Java.

Oracle has tried to address this issue but its update tools were only able remove the issues in latest version of Java but it left the earlier editions behind. Oracle only managed to rectify the problem in August 2014. In the current investigation being carried out by the FTC Oracle is not liable to plead ignorance as internal documents dating 2011 has stated that Java update mechanism is not aggressive enough or simply not working.

Trouble days for Java

Java is currently used to power a wide number of web browser base games, hat tools, and calculator and performs some other essential functions. Java also happens to be one of the top three applications which are targeted by the criminals. Most of the people don’t even know that it comes pre-installed on a large number of machines. FTC is recommending the business to stop using the java application or to remove them from their systems in order to remain safe secure from cyber threats. FTC is basically corned about the update procedures which are followed by the Oracle and it will not simply settle the problem by imposing a financial penalty.

After SpaceX Sticks its Landing, Elon Musk Talks about a City on Mars

Elon Musk Space Company did everything right this time to successfully launch a rocket in the space and bring it back to the earth. It seems like SpaceX is riding on the success of the Star Wars: Force Awakens, pun intended. It should be noted that last time SpaceX launched a rocket it blew up like a fireball which left Elon Musk red faced.

SpaceX writes a new chapter in space history

This time rocket has a flawless launch then it reappeared in the hemisphere and quietly settled down on the landing pas at Cape Canaveral. It was the first time that rocket has been able to successfully land after delivering the required devices in the orbit. This rocket even created the sonic boom, which was a deafening sound to be heard across the station. This speed sound was created when rocket started travelling through the air than the speed of sound.

Features of the iconic SpaceX rocket

SpaceX rocket, which created a sensation in the space exploration towers some 15 stories tall. A number of people and agencies in the space community have appreciated the SpaceX achievement in shooting a rocket into the space and bringing its back on the earth. It will help in commercializing space with such rockets, which can be used again and again with better precision and control.

Incidentally, the ability recover and reuse the first stage of rockets is the most expensive part as it houses the engines. This feature will certainly help in dramatically lowering the cost of the space travel and it will help in making the space travel much more accessible. Elon Musk went say that it will be much like having an aircraft, which can be used many while other aircraft can only be used once.

SpaceX rocket key to lowering costs of space travel and rocket development

The savings brought by the reusing the rockets in upcoming will help in lowering both the space travel costs along with lowering the cost of building rockets. The Falcon 9 rocket which was used by SpaceX costs around $60 million to build and the fuel costs around $200,000. Given the fact it can be reused again the cost of building a new rocket is simply taken out of the equation.

Musk has revealed its main aim of colonizing the Mars and the successful launch & landing of Flacon 9 shows that the same technology can be used to build powerful rocket in upcoming future. Elon Musk was hopeful that with more advancement and better use of technology he will be able to build a city on Mars someday.

Currently SpaceX is focusing on perfecting the landings and other aspect of the rockets. Along with Boeing, SpaceX happened to have contract with NASA to launch astronauts to the International Space Station. The first flight for this purpose is expected to take place in 2017 and it will mark the first time when US has launched astronauts into the space from the American soil.

HoloLens: A Tour of Microsoft's New Developer Showcase

Virtual and augmented reality is relatively new and highly domain for major tech players to try their hands and stand out with remarkable products. Microsoft has shown a serious attitude to the virtual reality by developing a formidable and remarkable virtual reality device called HoloLens. HoloLens takes the virtual rending to a next level where one is not even required to wear goggles as HoloLens throws 3D simulations of holographic style experiences.

Many companies are gearing up to launch the first phase of VR devices by themed-2016 but Microsoft’s incredible HoloLens won’t be up for consumer sale for quite some time. Microsoft is planning to launch a $3000 developer edition of HoloLens next year. Here are some of the remarkable features of Microsoft’s HoloLens, which has been shown through demos.

Microsoft tryst with first demo HoloLens Game

Microsoft has first launched a HoloLens based game called Project X-Ray last year at the E3 video game expo. This HoloLens game came with a HoloLens headset, which scans the room with its 3D camera, and a host of glowing-ghost robo scorpions and drones starts to burst from the wall. A player is required to shoot these robo-scorpions with a head-mounted blaster. This particularly relies on the Xbox controller to showcase how the game can work in physical places.

Microsoft demo of second exciting HoloLens game

Microsoft showed the second demo for its HoloStudio which shows how the 3D designer can be created and done with the use of HoloLens in an exciting energetic manner. Herein one is required to simply open a virtual paint box and place it against the wall with the hell of finger. Users can pick up some models like island lagoon or X Wing fighter jet and starts painting with glowing colors just by waving the finger in the air. After playing with the 3D models one can even send the work to SketchFab for further sharing and changes. Microsoft is planning to bring support for the SketchFab with the HoloLens development kit next year. 3D models will even be printable in future with the help of 3D printers out.

Microsoft third demo brings holographic storytelling

Microsoft third demo brings the much captivating ‘holographic storytelling’ feature. The holographic storytelling essentially demonstrates how businesses, sales teams and other professionals can utilize HoloLens for building new ideas. In the demo Microsoft showed a glowing Swiss Smartwatch materialize on a square table in front of the public. Microsoft asserted that similar awe aspiring and captivating display can be used in the store which will lend a futuristic appeal to the audiences. The watch rendered by the HoloLens looked extremely alive, with impressive graphics and it almost seemed ticking like a real watch.

This futuristic display like features comes with a PowerPoint like deck control, which helps in editing the presentations along with adding new features. An analysis of glowing heat map shows a presenters details regarding the projection where people are most concentrating while watching the holographic and display and it also guides in added new details to capture interest to other parts.

Google Gets in on the Star Wars Fun with Clutch of Interactive Easter Eggs

After almost a decade Stars Wars saga comes live to the theatre this weekend and it has captivated the fans like cultural celebration frenzy. Google has even jumped the Star Wars bandwagon by rolling out the Easter eggs which offers an interactive way of fighting stormtroopers on the computers. Google has even gone further with overwhelming fan frenzy seen throughout the world by bringing Search text crawl with words –“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away”.

Google brings Stars Wars fun to browser

Google has introduced Lightsaber Escape on Wednesday, which is an old fashioned ‘rail shoooter’ style app which can be played in the Chrome browser. In order to play this highly interactive and simple game one has to have a fast internet connection.

Google has also launched a large Cardboard VR module specially designed for the Star Wars where users can interact with droids, watch the spaceship crashes like never and even receive about various alien worlds. It should be noted that this new Star Wars movie will reveal a new desert planet named ‘Jakku’.

Google has ascertained that marketing partnership during the run up for the Star Wars Force Awaken poses just minimal hardship to its staff. Clay Bavor, the vice president of product management at Google even said that their hall in data centers are filled with people dressed like Darth Vaders, stormtroopers and dogs dressed like Yoda, which shows the height of Star Wars frenzy.

Disney brings marketing push for Star Wars

Disney has launched a marketing blitz for Star Wars Force Awakens, which ranges into millions of dollars in expenses. It should be noted that Paramount has launched a similar marketing blitz to promote the Iron Man 2 where more than $100 million dollars were spent in marketing. Disney is known for utilizing its own platforms for cross-promoting the movies. Disney has launched the Star Wars promo and every Marvel trailer on its own TV network and on ABC during the Jimmy Kimmel Live show.

Disney gets together with Google for marketing push

Disney is feeling pressure of the shareholders after making $4 billion acquisition payout for the Star Wars. Disney is bringing some strategic advertising integration to make money out of the fan frenzy surrounding the Stars Wars saga new movie. The partnership with Google is a longstanding one which has been present since the launch of early smartphone Droid with branding partnership between Google Lucas Film and other popular hardware manufactures HTC and Motorola.

Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, has revealed in May that it will recruiting new fans along with some famous celebrities as a part of its adverting strategy for the film. Disney has justified its adverting and marketing spree around the Stars Wars by stating that a whole generation of people are not as much stepped in the Star Wars lore as the older generation. Hence, this marketing spree will help in connecting with the younger generation and it will educate them about the cultural significance of this incredible Star Wars franchise.

3D Video Games Can Improve Your Memory

3D Video Games – Improves Memory Retention

A new research published in the Journal of Neuroscience shows that 3D video games could improve memory retention in individuals.It has been observed by the researchers at the University of California Irvine – UCI that playing three dimensional video games could help people to perform better at memory tests.

The researchers trace the improvements in spatial and visual memory back to activity in the hippocampus, the area of the brain which is responsible for the spatial navigation and memory formation. When engrossed in a 3D game, the hippocampus tends to get stimulated and makes the subject more skilled at memorising spaces as well as creating mental maps of their surround.

 This discovery could be utilised in formulating new methods of preventing and treating dementia and memory loss. Researchers have encouraged that same part of the brain in virtual reality in experiments enabling mice with digital maze to run through, 3D environments, manufactured one could sharpen their memories in remembering spaces. It seems that the same stimulation tends to happen to humans while entering an immersive 3D game.

3D Performers Better than 2D Players

In order to test it, the researchers carried out a series of experiments with 3D as well as 2D games to observe if the 3D element or other type of immersion could be responsible in boosting the memories of the brain. For instance, in one experiment, the subject were engaged in playing Super Mario 3D World and Angry Birds for around 30 minutes daily in the course of two weeks.

Another group was monitored playing League of Legends – 3D and Super Smash Brothers Brawl, 2D comparatively. On playing these games, they were then given an image based memory test – MST-LDI, wherein they were asked to remember a set of images and relate whether an image in a set were included in the first. The individuals were also asked to navigate through a virtual version of a Morris water mazethat test for spatial learning as well as memory.

It was observed by the researchers that those who played 3D games seemed to perform much better on those memory tests than those who had only played 2D games. The results could be observed on how Super Mario players beat Angry Birds players on visual memory test over a period of two weeks.

Immersive Video Games – Beneficial/Enriching Experiences

The paper states that there is a possibility that by avoiding a narrow focus on single or small set of cognitive domains and by closely paralleling natural experience, immersive video games could be beneficial in providing enriching experiences which can translate into functional gains. Though the indications mention that 3D games tends to benefit memory in a way which 2D games do not, the study also cautions against bearing traditional video games in with games which are specially designed for training of the brain.

The study tends to highlight that it is still not known if the hippocampus is stimulated by the overall complication or only by the spatial exploration. They have stated that these observations could help in the development of new ways of keeping the hippocampus strong and active as the person tends to age.

The researchers have also stated that environmental enrichment such as 3D video games or real life mazes to navigate could be a system of reversing age related cognitive deficits. Professor Stark comments that `it is often suggested that an active, engaged lifestyle could be a real factor in stemming cognitive ageing’.

World's First Brain-Powered Car Being Developed

Car Controlled Through Brain Signals of Driver

Automotive companies such as Nissan, Tesla and Toyota have informed that self-driving cars are likely to show up soon though it may not be the only futuristic automotive tech coming up. According to a report, at China’s Nankai University, a team have created a prototype of a car which is controlled through brain signals of the driver.

 According to the publication, the team have been working on a technology utilising brain signals in order to control a car to stop, move forward, backward, lock or unlock. One of the project researchers, Zhang Zhao had explained that the headgear contains around 16 electroencephalogram – EEG sensors which tend to identify the activity of the brain that is worn by the driver.

They have developed a computer program which tends to select the related signals, translating them inthe control of the car. The computer tends to examine and decode brain signals and translate the same to the relevant automotive commands. Zhang has informed that the `tester’s EEG signals picked up by the brain signal reading equipment and transmits wirelessly to the computer.

The computer processes the signals to sort and recognize the intention of the person and translate them in controlling the car. The central point of the whole procedure is to process the EEG signals which are done by the computer.

Self-Driving Cars Soon a Reality for Consumers

Improvement in the field of consumer vehicles is great with the company at a point of delivering partly autonomous cars. After several years of testing out the technology, Google has exposed its intentions of releasing smart automobiles within the next five years which is also supported by Toyota as well as Nissan.

They have both fixed 2020 as the year wherein self-driving cars would begin to be a reality for their consumers. The technology is said to be in progress wherein the researchers are at the stage where their cars which has been provided by Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motors, could drive in a straight line with the use of brain power.

 The project is led by Dang Feng, associate Professor from the university’s College of Computer and Control Engineering. He highlighted that the technology is focused on serving human beings and there could be a possibility of combining brain controlled technology as well as driverless cars, like Google Self Driving Car – SDC.

Driving Method without Use of Hands/Feet for Disabled

He adds that driverless cars’ further improvement could bring about additional benefits since we can realise functions relating to brain controlling better, with the aid of the driverless cars’ platform. In the end, cars, irrespective of driverless or not and machines, would be serving people. In the project, it makes the cars better serving human beings.

The brain fuelled automotive project materialised from the desire to help physically handicapped people to drive, according to Duan Feng, an associate professor and project leader. There are two starting point of this project where the first one is in the provision of a driving method without the use of hands or feet for the disabled who may be unable to move freely while the second is to provide healthy person with a new and much more intellectualized driving mode according to Zhang. As per the team it is said that presently there are no plans to mass-produce the technology.

Five Must-Have Shopping Cart Features (And a Few Things to Avoid)

Aside from a great product or service and an engaging website, your shopping cart is probably one of the most important features of an eCommerce website. You want to find a design that's easy to locate, user-friendly and right for your type of business. Three are hundreds of options, designers and templates available, and each concept has its advantages and disadvantages. Here are five essential features that will make your shopping cart as efficient as possible, as well as common mistakes to avoid.

VISIBILITY

If your customers have trouble seeing the button or icon to make a purchase, they're likely to move on to another eCommerce site. Most shopping cart templates have several standard design layouts that are based on customer preferences and industry best practices to ensure optimal size and placement of critical features.

ONE-PAGE LAYOUT

Studies show that the more complicated the checkout process, the more likely you are to have problems with abandoned carts and canceled transactions. The most favorable checkout process consists of one checkout page that's accessible by a clearly identifiable button or icon from each page of your website. The checkout page should include a summary of shopping cart contents, product details and a mechanism for editing your order.

USE ICONS

Even if they spend hours browsing, when it comes to checkout time, most consumers want to complete their purchase and move on as fast as possible. One way to make the process easier for your guests is to provide icons in lieu of text whenever possible.

USE A SIMPLE DESIGN

In addition to one-page checkout systems, the design of the final order page should provide a simple table format, with large, easy to identify fields. Numeric fields should update automatically as items are added or removed, and any taxes or shipping costs should be clearly spelled out and added to the total in a line-by-line format.

PROVIDE SEVERAL HELP OPTIONS

A good way to provide superior customer support is to give the customer plenty of guidance to help facilitate their transaction. Features like providing sample text on or below input fields on your forms, clearly labeling basic elements and adding a clickable question mark icon to explain unfamiliar processes will help provide a more hassle-free process.

What NOT to Do

- Don't use cutesy names - pocketbook, basket, or 'My' anything - for your shopping cart. Simplicity is key; it's a shopping cart, leave it at that.

- Don't over-complicate the process

- Don't require registration before allowing visitors to buy

Not all shopping cart eCommerce software is created equally, so it pays to shop around for a provider who offers a variety of templates and designs, or who can customize your shopping cart to suit the needs of your business. If you're not sure what will work best, a web design company that specialized in eCommerce websites is a good place to start. You can also browse different websites to get an idea

Java Developers Can Dish Out Tastier Web Apps with JSweet

Java developers get a sweet treat this Christmas by the launch of the JSweet via open source. JSweet will the java developers in utilizing their Java skills for building much better and highly interactive and rich Web Apps with JSweet. This particular technology ‘transpiles’ from Java programming language to TypeScript and finally into JavaScript. TypeScript is essentially a Microsoft technology, which compiles programming codes into JavaScript. JSweet has been developed by a Paris based software engineering company, Chincheo, which aimed at making the life of Java bit fun and easier in building Web apps.

Thought behind developing JSweet

Cincheo CEO Renauld Pawlak has shed some light behind the reasons for developing JSweet. He stated that in last couple of years TypeScript found widespread usage as it helped in transpiling to JavaScript in an efficient fashion. Java developer were longing for a light and simple approach which can help in designing the Web application in Java with similar efficiency. Most of the developers were frustrated with the idea of running everything in Java on a JRE. While a large number of developers were impressed with what can achieved with distinction through using TypeScript/JavaScript on the front end.

JSweet thus helps in offering a light and simple solution for adding bits of Java syntax to TypeScript. It is a great alternative to the Java developers for developing real Web application with ease.

Java still a great language for developing various apps and programs

Java has been known to cause confusion with its elaborate and complex syntax and functions, which led to the rise in adoption of other coding languages. But Pawlak still considers the Java as a good platform and safer language for the programmers to develop more powerful and rich apps. Java still retains its supremacy in developing efficient and scalable large complex applications than any other language.

JSweet has also made the accommodation for Node.js, which is a popular server side JavaScript platform. Pawlak ahs elaborated that JSweet works in same tandem with Node.js as TypeScript does but the difference is that it adds types. It is a small but quite an interesting difference which it a more transparent way of handling commonjs module for the java programmers.

The benefits and difficulty associated with JSweet

JSweet comes with pre defined @Module annotation, which can be generated automatically when a programmer makes use of the APIs. Here a programmer is just required to import the right packages and that also without the need of knowing all about JavaScript modules.

JSweet is designed to cross validate the Java Programs and the Java API with TypeScript. It also has a JSweet API translator Tool which can make JavaScript APIs available in Java. But Pawlak has the cautioned the programmers from making its wider usage as there are few issues with this technology which needs to be remedied. Pawlak has also asked the Java developer to remain open minded while programming with JSweet as they have to do away with some Java logic.

Moto 360 Sport, Meet Your New Workout Partner

Android Wear market is growing through a crazy phase where every month new wearables are making to the stores and constant innovation is helping in bringing more features to the devices. The latest version of Moto 360 sport shows remarkable improvement over its predecessor Moto 360 in terms of design and features. It is quick and concise of review of the Moto 360 Sport on basis of its first impressions, which is very amazing and impressive.

Moto 360 Sport hardware stands out from the crowd

The Moto 360 Sport comes with integrated silicone band, which is not changeable though. The internals of the Moto 360 Sport 42 mm model is similar to the earlier model with an addition of a GPS receiver. There is new display on this Smartwatch, which is named Motorola AnyLight Hybrid Display technology, which easily adapts with the environment.

It works like a traditional backlit display in low light situation and in the sunlight as front-lit reflective display. Motorola has provided an extended back button, which is located on the upper right side, and mic is located on the lower side. Motorola has carefully positioned the heart rate monitor on the center of the back. Motorola has covered the display with Gorilla Glass 3 surrounded by a ring of metal, which makes it more elegant.

Moto 360 Sport is a performance driven Sartwatch

The Moto 360 Sport runs on the Android Wear 1.3.0.x OS which is based on the popular Android 5.1.1 and it performs flawlessly with no glitches. It has a 300 mAh battery and runs o the 1.2Ghz quad core QUALCOMM Snapdragon 400 processor and has a 4GB of interNal storage with 512 MB of RAM.

Motorola has added some new fitness focused apps as well as a fitness watch face. These apps are called Moto Body and Moto Body Running while the watch face is called Sport, which provides status right in the top of display and a tap for accessing more options.

Users can easily view their heart rate, set goals for various exercises and get some interesting and accurate stats in the results at the end. Moto 360 Sport has a Start button near the middle of the display, which launches the Moto Body Running app where users can select different options before they start their run. Motorola 360 Sport is great at tracking the different exercises along with the calories count burned.

How Moto 360 Sport fares in tests? 

Motorola Moto 360 Sport is very nicely designed and its performance is amazing even though very few tests were performed in short time. First of all this watch is incredibly responsive and it brings one of the best displays ever seen on an Android Wear watch. Motorola 360 Sport will be launching in US In January and it will come with a base price of $299.99. And if you are looking up a smart and a performance driven Android Wear in New Year then keep this watch in your buying list.

How Boring is Your Face? Ask the 'MemNet' Algorithm

Ever thought of knowing how good your face looks in the pictures captured by the selfie cameras. A group of scientists at the MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory has developed a unique computer algorithm which can easily measure ‘’how memorable an image is’. One is just required to feed the photo from the Instagram feed and the MemNet algorithm will simply show the portion of the images, which are most likely to stick in the memories of viewers. Scientist has even uploaded a version of this algorithm online for everyone to try out.

What is MemNet? 

MmeNet is a deep-learning algorithm, which is designed by the scientist at MIT. Deep learning algorithm is quite hard to develop as they are built to acquire and incorporate new information, which helps in improving their abilities without any manipulation or control of human programmers. Deep learning technologies work in its own unique manner as essentially mimics the neural pathways which area associated with the human learning. This helps deep learning algorithm in repurposing the same logic and understanding for various different skill sets.

MemNet to get better at reading images

MemNet is expected to improve its ability to read images and predict an images’ indelibility by simply processing more and more information over time. These computer scientists have released the MemNet version for the common users to try and with prediction; it will improve its ability of reading faces with more accuracy.

MemNet was first endowed with the basic required skill sets by the MIT scientists through uploading of thousands of images and associated data. The metadata fed to the MemNet basically included the information about each image’s popularity and the emotional impact as determined by the online viewers. When asked to predict the memorable parts within a picture MemNet performed as good as human.

The lead study author, Aditya Khosla, stated that understanding the memorability will help us in making systems, which can capture the most important information, and it can even help in storing the information which are most likely to be forgotten by the humans. Visual images are mostly preferred by a large number of institutions to send across the messages but MemNet can help it making more memorable than before.

Future prospect of the MemNet algorithm

MemNet is not much better at the task of measuring the memorability than any other human but researchers are hopeful it will get better over time. It creates a heatmap to show the memorable part and boring part of each image, which happens to the key elements in understanding the memorability level of the pictures. This algorithm can help the marketers and even the movie makers in editing their images in such a manner than it stays inside the head of the customers and viewers. MemNet can also help people in learning various things easily and efficiently too. People tend to assimilate and forget things more often but the research in developing MemNet opens up a new avenue. It has the potential to improve the people’s memory they are presented with the memorable images.

Facebook’s Artificial-Intelligence Software Gets a Dash More Common Sense

Artificial-Intelligence Researchers – Learn some of the Basic Physical Common Sense

In an attempt to discover how computers could learn some of the basic physical common sense, artificial intelligence researchers have undertaken a project for the same. For instance to comprehend unsupported objects tend to fall or a large object does not fit inside a smaller one, seems to be the main way human tend to predict, communicate and explain regarding the world.

Chief technology officer of Facebook, Mike Schroepfer, state that if machines are to be more useful, they would need the same type of good judgment of understanding. He had informed at a preview recently of results, he would share at the Web Summit in Dublin, Ireland, that they have got to teach computer systems to comprehend the world in the same way. Human beings at a young age, tend to learn the basic physics of reality and by observing the world.

Facebook had drawn on its image processing software in creating a technique which learned to predict if a stack of virtual blocks would tumble. The software tends to study by gaining access to images of virtual stacks or at times two stereo images like those that form a pair of eyes.

Crafting Software – Comprehend Images/Language of Deep Learning

It had been shown in the learning phase, that several various stacks some of which had toppled while the others did not. The simulation showed the learning software the result and after adequate examples, it was capable of predicting for itself with 90% accuracy if a certain stack would possibly tumble. Schroepfer comments that if one runs through a series of tests, it would beat most of the people.

Facebook’s artificial intelligence research group in New York had done the research. It concentrated on crafting software which could comprehend images as well as language utilising a technique of deep learning. Recently the group also showed off a mobile app with the potential of answering queries regarding the content of photos.

The director of the group, Yann LeCun who is also a professor at NYU, informed MIT Technology Review that the system for predicting when block would topple indicates that more complex physical simulation could be utilised in teaching additional basic principles of physical common sense. He added that `it serves to create a baseline if we train the systems uncontrolled and it would have adequate power to figure thing out like that’.

Memory Network

His group had earlier created a system known as `memory network’ which could pick up some of the basic common sense as well as verbal reasoning abilities by reading simple stories and now progressed, in helping in influencing a virtual assistant that Facebook tends to test known as M. M has more potential than Apple’s Siri or similar apps since it is powered by bank of human operators.

 However Facebook expects that they would steadily tend to become less important as the software learns to pitch queries for itself. Schroepfer informs that adding the memory network to M is showing how that could happen. By observing the interactions between people utilising M as well as the responds of customer service, it has learned already how to manage some of the common queries.

Facebook has not made a commitment of turning M into a widely available product; however Schroepfer states that the results indicate how it could be possible. He adds that the system has figured this out by observing humans and that they cannot afford to hire operators for the entire world but with the right AI system, they could organize that for the whole planet.

Gorilla Glass is Making to Cars after Becoming a Dominant Force in Smartphones

Almost every Smartphone nowadays features the Gorilla Glass because of its scratch resistant and strong protective feature. Corning Inc, which is behind the manufacturing of Gorilla Glass has stated that this glass is going to be used in cars after featuring on billions of mobile phones on global scale. Car makers will be making use of Gorilla Glass in order to save weight of their vehicles and to improve the fuel economy.
BMW and Ford set to use Gorilla Glass in cars

Gorilla Glass being used in the car isn’t new as BMW AG was the first car maker to utilize this in the interior panel of the i8 hybrid sports car. Ford Motor Co is all set to use the Gorilla Glass in the windshield and rear window for its upcoming new Ford GT sports car, which will go on sale next year. Ford GT will also feature a Gorilla Glass engine cover.

What makes Gorilla Glass much better than available options? 

The earlier windshields were made up of two layers of specifically heat treated annealed glass and it has a plastic layer in between. Therefore, traditional glass formed the spider web pattern when it broke down and the pieces remain stuck to the plastic layer, which helped in preventing injury to passengers. Gorilla Glass meets U.S. safety standards and it happens to tougher than traditional annealed glass, which makes it an ideal choice for cars.

Exceptions from using this glass

Gorilla Glass is great in every manner but it does have some limitations in usage. Ford won’t be using the Gorilla Glass for the side windows of the GT and it will be made of tempered glass. Automakers have to rely on suing the tempered glass on side windows because it can be breaking into pieces when someone has to exit the car in a crash. Having a Gorilla Glass will mean adding a layer of plastic over the glass, which will turn it into unbreakable, which can put people lives in danger during crash. However the business director of Corning’s automotive glass business has stated that they are working on a different version of Gorilla Glass which be used throughout the vehicle.

Everything isn’t in favor of Gorilla Glass

Gorilla Glass has been used in the consumer electronics since 2007 and Corning made its foray in the automotive glass in 2012. In order to meet the stricter fuel economy standards several automakers are looking at various options to reduce weight in cars. Weight happens to be the enemy of the car, which seriously hampers the process of reaching awesome fuel economy in automobiles. Corning Glass does offer help in saving weight but it is quite expensive than the traditional glass. Gorilla glass costs $2 to $4 more per pound in weight than the traditional glass. To summarize Ford will be able to save 12 pounds on GT, which will mean spending $12 to $48, more on the car. An expensive car like GT which comes at price tag of $400,000 can easily absorb this expensive but mainstream car can’t.

Google Brings Project Fi Data Service to iPads, Nexus and Galaxy Tablets

Google has unrelieved its Project Fi service quite a while back in order to offer a carrier like option and benefits to its users. Project Fi gained popularity for its ‘pay what you use’ mantra, which was available to only few devices. Now Google has brought its efficient Project Fi to a larger group of devices which at the moment is limited to five tablets but Google has maintained any tablet equipped with radio compatible T-Mobile’s network will work with it efficiently. The first four supported tablets include the iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2, Galaxy Tab S, Nexus 7 and Nexus 9.

What is Project Fi? 

If you are wondering what is Project Fi then it can be stated as a prepaid phone carrier offering from Google. It works by providing mobile data service on two mobile networks which any phone can switch automatically as per the use. It even makes use of WiFi for making calls, sending texts whenever it is available. Project Fi is essentially a prepaid carrier wherein consumers are to pay up front for the service, which is quite opposite to traditional carrier, which bills consumers after using the service. Project Fi works with a special SIM card and it requires a little software on user’s phone, which will help in authenticating both T Mobile and Sprint carriers.

How to get the Project Fi? 

Project Fi customers can order a data only SIM card by going to their account page. In the Project Fi there is no charge levied on the card and data usage is billed on the standard rate of service which is $10 per GB during the billing cycle.

It is worth mentioning that the data usage for the tablet simply shares the same billing account as standard voice, text and data plane in Project Fi. It even allows users to see the data usage for tablets each month separately from the data usage on phone. And the best feature about Project Fi is that just like the phone service if you don’t use full data allotment on tablet then you won’t be paying for it. Google happens to credit Project Fi accounts monthly, which in essence means you, are only paying for what you use.

Benefits of opting for the Project Fi

Some of the Project Fi users love the data only SIM offering. User can use their phone with Project Fi SIM to tether a tablet over WiFi. In case the battery dies, the tablet will cease to have any mobile broadband connection. People who have to travel a lot appreciate this new SIM card as it provides data in more than 120 countries all round the globe.

There is a small limitation in Project Fi data service, which is Google, only allows 9 data specific SIM cars on each FI account. It won’t be an issue unless you are carrying 10 devices with yourself. Google has brought the Project Fi service both the popular mobile platform of Android and iOS and you make most of it on your tablet with style.

Facebook Claims Future As It Builds On Chinese Rivals

Facebook doesn’t seem to sit back even after becoming the de facto social media giant in terms of daily active users and incredible reach round the globe. Facebook once again takes the world by storm by announcing its new feature for the Messenger users where they can order an Uber car from the Messenger app itself. Facebook has turned its simple messaging client into a wholesome platform and it is pushing it hard to be seen as a leader in the West.

How Messenger became a platform? 

The platform and its definitions have been heard since the inception of internet. First we have had CPU where operating system platform was heard, then Linux development brought the platform of kernerl and later on we were enveloped by the web as platform for the enterprise and finally even the web browser became a dominant platform in itself with the development of Chromebook. Facebook and some other websites are even proclaiming them to be a platform with various benefits and features.

Facebook has gradually worked and developed the Messenger to such a point where it is being pushed forward as a platform. The move of Facebook and Uber coming together on a single platform i.e. Messenger is interesting and it showcases the Messenger capabilities and might even help in making a dominant platform. But Facebook IM client-Messenger is not alone there are a lot of competition in Silicon Valley with players like WhatsApp, Apple Messages and Skype which offers more features, services and benefits as a platform.

Facebook takes the Chinese rivals head on

It will come as surprise for the consumers in west that Facebook and Silicon Valley is rather behind the curve on the idea of ‘’messaging as a platform”. China has been a remarkable force in the hardware production they have taken a huge leap in the ‘messaging as a platform’ by working on developer outreach, user education along with the commercial implementation and mass-market adoption. It was the China’s TenCent’s WeChat which came first as successful platform in messaging by offering voice and text messaging along with ability to purchase good and pay for various services. WeChat also allows a number of services to run on the top of the messaging app which makes it easier for the customers, clients and other businesses to interact with each other.

Messenger as a platform is soon to rise to the challenge

Facebook’s decision of allowing people to order an Uber cab via its Messenger opens up the idea of utilizing it as a platform on larger level. But competition will reach out to Facebook soon as other Silicon Valley companies are gearing up to allow running of more services on top of the messaging app. There is one distinct advantage which Facebook has over Chinese rivals that is Chinese platforms are mostly resting to China only which gives Facebook a whole world to try push its Messenger as a platform.

Samsung’s Patent Loss to Apple Is Appealed to Supreme Court

Samsung has been battling the patent infringement charges brought by Apple for years. Just few weeks ago it lost the patent battle in Federal District Court and it agreed to pay whopping $548 million in damages to Apple. But this wasn’t end for the road for Samsung as it has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court where it seeks rekindle the clash with an aim of getting better of Apple. The South Korean electronics giant Samsung is arguing that the legal framework which are utilized in the design patents are outdated for the current modern digital world. The legal framework for design patents is sitting right at the center of the suits provided in the software by both the companies.

How detrimental is the patent battle for both the companies? 

Though Samsung is just appealing to get its case heard in Supreme Court but if heard this can have far reaching implication for design patents, product looks and the financial penalties which are allowed under law. Design patents play a vital role in the software designed by the companies and apart from providing utility it also covers how a product functions and looks.

As per Samsung the legal framework for design patents is shaped as per the 19th century laws which were introduced to protect the designs of carpers, ornamental spoons and fireplace grates. In short it isn’t applicable or can justify or bring justice to the modern electronic device sin the same manner when patent battle is being heard.

Age old laws to judge modern complex electronic device

In the old times the design was seen as the heart of those products and seizing those designs to bring copycat products brought gains which were known as total profit rule and it was justified. But in the modern times complex products like Smartphone comes loaded with a dense bundle of intellectual property comprising of more than 100,000 patents which lays claim to every small aspect of the phone. A law professor at Stanford University named Mark A. Lemley stated that the law was written in the primitive age before the invention of smartphone which means it won’t be able to be fair with both the companies.

Apple has an upper hand in patent battle

Apple had simply publicly declined to comment on the Samsung appeal in Supreme Court. But over all these years Apple has maintained that the three major design patents infringed by Samsung represents the sense of its iPhone. Apple argues that Samsung is simply taken over its user interface, rectangular display and the rounded shape and the flat front which has become synonym for iPhone design. Even the jury at the Federal District Court agreed with the Apple view and defense.

Samsung gets huge support from the fellow technology companies which include Google, eBay and Facebook. They believe that if the ruling against Samsung in this patent case is left to stand then it will lead to absurd results and can have devastating impact on the companies.

Algorithm helps analyze neuron images

Mechanized Process to Analyze Images Precisely

Scientists who have been seeking ways to stimulate growth of neurons and spending time in carefully analysing microscopic images of cells growing in petri dishes can now get help from a new procedure which has been developed by Brown University researchers.

They have mechanized the process to analyse images much more precisely than earlier automated methods.The initial round of testing and the method have been described in Nature’s Scientific Reports. As the neurons tend to grow, they seem to extend tough appendages known as neuritis which form grave connection with the nearby cells.

The networks of neurons and neurites are needed for healthy function of the nervous system. Scientists are concerned in discovering new ways of encouraging neuron growth through drugs, electrical stimulation or any other means. In order to test the effect of these attempts, they have grown neurons in the lab, with the application of various treatments to see if they could stimulate growth.

It generally involves taking pictures of hundreds of microscope of neurons as they tend to grow over a passage of hours or days.

Neurites –Tiny Structures – Difficult to View Under Microscope

Tayhas Palmore, professor of engineering at Brown as well as the senior author of the new paper, comments that `one is left with this massive stack of photos and the needs to analyse the changes from one image to the next could be really laborious’.

Details in those images seem to be dangerous. Neurites seems to be tiny structures which are difficult to be viewed under a microscope at the time of live-cell imaging. However, measuring their length and thickness precisely is essential in assessing stimulated cell growth.

 A few methods are available which automate the image analysis, though they do not perform well. They tend to work by looking at individual pixels in an image, applying a uniform filter which tends to pick out pixels with the highest intensity and those high intensity pixels are presumed to be neuron and neurite structures.

The issue is that microscope images generally are not of high quality, thus making it difficult to discern cells structures from random artifacts which may be present in the image. This result in the filters often tends to include pixels which are not relevant to neuron structures, editing pixels which are important.

New Method – Neuron Image Analyzer – NIA

This seems to be a problem especially in measuring the tiny neurite appendages and the filters regularly fail to measure the complete extent of the neurite growth. A better solution was sought by a former graduate student in Patmore’s lab, Kwang-Min Kim who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford.

Inspired by the earlier work of Kilho Son, a graduate student in computer vision as well as a co-first author on the paper, he created a new method which dispenses with the uniform filters utilised in other approaches. The new approach known as Neuron Image Analyzer – NIA takes into consideration how pixels tend to be related to the nearby pixels.

He had commented that they don’t just look for high intensity pixels but look at the relational information between pixels. This way they can trace pixels which are connected to each other that help in tracing the complete neuron structure. Another procedure adopted by the method is a particular statistical test which is good in picking out circular or elliptical structures which is utilised to locate precisely and measure the soma, the blob shaped main body of a neuron.

Google Says It Has Proved Its Controversial Quantum Computer Really Works

Google’s Controversial Quantum Machine- Quicker than Conventional Computer

Google has informed that it has proof of a controversial machine bought in 2013, can use quantum physics to work through a kind of math which is critical to artificial intelligence and much quicker than a conventional computer. Governments together with leading computing companies like Microsoft, Google and IBM are putting in efforts in the creation of quantum computers due to which the improbability of quantum mechanics in representing data could unlock huge data crunching powers.

Computing giants are of the opinion that quantum computers can make their artificial intelligence software more commanding, unlocking scientific leaps in the field of materials science.

 NASA is expecting that quantum computers could be helpful in scheduling rocket launches and feign future missions as well as spacecraft. Rupak Biswas, director of exploration technology at NASA’s Ames Research Centre in Mountain View, California has commented that `it seems a disruptive technology which could change how we do everything. At media briefing at the research centre, Biswas had commented, regarding the agency’s work with Google on a machine which the company had bought in 2013 from Canadian start-up D-wave systems that it is the world’s first commercial quantum computer.

Superconducting Chip –Quantum Annealer

The computer has been installed at NASA’s Ames Research Centre in Mountain View, California, operating on data utilising superconducting chip known as a quantum annealer. Quantum computer is hard coded with system fitted to what is known as optimization problems that are common on machine learning and artificial intelligence software.

But in the case of D-Wave’s chips it seems to be controversial among quantum physicists and researchers in and out of the company have not been capable of proving that the devices could tap into quantum physics in competing with conventional computers. The leader of Google’s Quantum AI Lab in Los Angeles, Hartmut Neven, had stated recently that his researchers had delivered some firm proof of that.

 They had set up a series of races between the D-Wave computers that was installed at NASA against a conventional computer with a single process. He commented that `for a specific carefully crafted proof-of-concept problem, they had achieved a 100 million-fold speed-up.

Bug in D-Wave Design

A research paper describing the results online had been recently posted by Google though it has not been formally peer-reviewed. Neven had stated that the journal publication would be coming up soon. The results of Google were striking though if they were verified, would only represent fractional evidence for D-Wave. 

The computer which had lost in the contest with the quantum machine had been running a code that solved the problem at hand utilising a system to the one that was in the D-Wave chip. A substitute system is known which could have enabled the conventional compute to be more competitive or win by exploiting what Neven has called a `bug’ in D-Wave design.

Neven had stated that the test which his group had staged tends to be still important since that shortcut would not be available to the regular computers when they tend to compete with the future quantum annealers with the potential of working on larger amounts of data.

A physics professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Matthias Trover had said that making that to come true could be crucial if chips like D-Wave are to be useful. It would be essential to explore if there are issues where quantum annealing has advantage over the best classical systems and to identify if there are classes of application problems, where these advantages could be realized.

Moonfruit takes Websites Offline after Cyber-Attack Threat

Cyber attacks have been increased rapidly throughout the globe. Sony was hacked just a few months which caused leakage of emails, movies details and other. Snapchat has also been hit in the past and now every website is playing cautious when it comes to imminent cyber attacks. Recently Moonfruit took thousands of its hosted business and personal websites offline after being threatened by a cyber-attack.

What is Moonfruit and why it took websites offline? 

Moonfruit is a UK company which helps its consumers and small business to create websites and online stores. Moonfruit is highly popular among the users in UK for its affordable pricing and efficient website builder which makes it simpler and easier to create demanding websites with less coding. Moonfruit has taken thousand of its customer’s website offline after receiving threats about a cyber attack.

Moonfruit had stated that it has kept thousands of its customer websites offline for up to 12 hours in order to make necessary changes in its infrastructure and to safeguard its consumers. Moonfruit has also perceived problems last Thursday when it suffered from a 45 minute of distributed denial-of-service attack. In this attack Moonfruit computer were overwhelmed by unwanted traffic and it made the use of its legitimate services non-functional.

Moonfruit consumers suffers from being offline

Moonfruit has informed its consumers about the decision of taking down the websites for up to 12 hours from Monday and it has generated some angst among the consumers. One such consumer Reece de Ville, a filmmaker, has complained that Moonfruit has been slow in communicating this decision which has the potential to disrupt the website performance and reach.

Moonfruits users had complained that this is bad time for taking down the websites as the holiday season is in full swings which brings higher web traffic and increases the sales volume. Apart from losing money through sales another problem faced by the users is the loss of potential clients or new clients within a day. Online stores will sells items especially for the holiday season like gifts and greeting cards store will take a severe hit in this Christmas week.

Armanda Collective behind the cyber attack threat

Moonfruit has sent emails to its customers where it explained that a notorious cyber hack group called Armanda Collective is attempting to extort money out of the company. Armanda Collective had previously successfully attacked the websites of web mail companies which included Hushmail, ProtonMail, RunBox and quite a number of Greek banking institutions.

The customers have been furious and quite unhappy with the loss of sales and potential clients. But it should also be understood that Moonfruit is a victim too of unpleasant criminal act where cyber criminals are threatening its business for extorting money. Moonfruit is working with the law enforcement authorities regarding this matter and hopes to dissolve this threat at the earliest. In the mean time customers have to bear with the Moonfruit decision of keeping the hosted websites offline.

Revolutionary 'Flat' Camera Could Make Your Next Phone As Thin As a Credit Card

FlatCam – Miniature Camera – Sensor Chip with Grid Coded Mask

According to Rice News, a miniature camera developed out of the Rice University labs comprises of a sensor chip with grid like coded mask that enables various channels of light to reach the sensor. FlatCam is said to be similar to a microchip, which utilises computer algorithms to process whatever is detected by the sensor after which it tends to transfigure the measurements into videos and images.

An assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice, Veeraraghavan has commented that `as traditional cameras get smaller, their sensors also tend to get smaller and this means that they collect very little light. The low light performance of a camera is tied to the surface space of the sensor.

 However since all the designs of the cameras are generally cubes, surface space is tied to thickness. The design decouples the two parameters, offering the ability to use the enhanced light-collision potential of large sensors with a really thin device’.

The FlatCam could ultimately be turned into wearable, foldable as well as disposable cameras. However, the team state that photographers would be more likely to stay with lens-based systems.

Several Possibilities – Moving from Cube Design to a Surface

Developers state that the camera would be a necessary step in other applications. Baraniuk the Victor E. Cameron Professor of electrical and Computer engineering states that moving from a cube design to a surface without forgoing performance, gives rise to several possibilities.

 He added that they can make curved cameras, or wallpaper which is actually a camera and one can have a camera on credit card or a camera in an ultrathin tablet computer.The model tends to produce 512-by-512 images, a resolution which the researchers are expecting to increase as it tends to progress.

The models do not seem to have viewfinders, however if necessary, researchers state that a cell phone screen could someday do the job. Rice alumnus and assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, co-author Aswin Sankaranarayanan states that smart phone have already featured powerful computers and hence we can imagine computing at least a low resolution preview in real time.

Heritage Shared with Lens-less Pinhole Camera

FlatCam tends to share its heritage with lens-less pinhole camera though instead of a single hole it has a grid-like coded mask placed close to the sensor. Each aperture enables a slightly different set of light data to extentto the sensor. Raw data sent to the back end process, presently a desktop, is organized into an image and just as larger light field cameras; the picture tends to get focused to different depths after the collection of the data.

The lead author of the paper is Rice postdoctoral researcher, Rice graduate Salman Asif together with co-author Ali Ayremlou. Rice alumnus Sankaranarayan is now an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University while Baraniuk is the Victor E, Cameron Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice is Veeraraghavan.

The research team would be delivering a talk with regards to its work at the Extreme Imaging Workshop on December 17 in Santiago, Chile and published paper is also made available through ArXiv, an online service

Movavi Screen Capture Review

Are you able to record video footage directly from your screen? Despite what you may think it really isn’t all that complicated to do so – especially if you’re using the Movavi Screen Capture. More importantly, once you can capture video from your screen you’ll find that it’ll be extremely useful and allow you to record streaming videos and webinars, save Skype calls, or even create your very own ‘how to’ video guides or tutorials.

The reason why the Movavi Screen Capture excels at enabling you to record video footage directly from your screen is largely because of its unique approach. Unlike other software that is notoriously complicated and difficult to use, the Movavi Screen Capture has been designed so that it is as intuitive and straightforward as possible. In most cases, recording the video that you need will just take a couple of clicks.

For all its simplicity in terms of how easy it is to use however, the Movavi Screen Capture still comes with tons of features that will allow you a lot of flexibility. Some of the more interesting features include:

• Controlling all aspects of the capture settings, including the capture region, frame rate, and audio source.
• Setting the capture to also record keyboard and mouse actions by displaying the keys that are pressed on screen as well as highlighting the mouse cursor and playing a custom sound on mouse clicks.
• Easily manage the recording process through convenient hotkeys and timers to automatically stop the recording.
• Quickly and effectively optimize the videos that you capture for any device or platform using the hundreds of presets that are available.

With all these features, you should be able to capture exactly the video that you need and then save it in the best possible format for whatever device or platform you intend to use it on. As you can see you don’t need to know the first thing about video formats or settings to do so – which once again is part of the user-friendly design of the Movavi Screen Capture.

When it comes to video recording software, the Movavi Screen Capture really has no equal in terms of how easy to use and yet feature-rich it is. Once you give it a try for yourself you’ll be able to see firsthand just how quickly you’re able to familiarize yourself with the software and start recording the videos you require.

Samsung Patent Filings Reveal Exciting New Smartphone Designs

Samsung’s Foldable/Tab Style Design/Scrollable/Bendable Smartphone

Samsung’s patent for new folding and scroll style smartphone designs has been granted by the U.S. Patent and Trade Office recently wherein either of these designs would be substantial inventions for smartphone displays which tends to be led by square flat designs. The patent includes a foldable smartphone, tab style design, scrollable smartphone and a bendable smartphone design.

With the folding phone, the user has access to a screen even while the device tends to be folded and can access additional detailed commands when it is opened like a book. The patent filing also discusses anther sensational new design wherein the phone can roll up as well as unroll like an ancient scroll. The improvement of bendable, rollable, foldable smartphone displays has been reported for years.

Samsung had promoted a concept video on a clamshell style device on YouTube somewhere in 2013. However this patent filing offers some hope that smartphone display would make its way to the consumers. Samsung had already created the Galaxy Round, the first smartphone having curved display. Probably there could be more appealing designs coming up.

Flexible Displays

It is said that for years, Samsung had been working on flexible displays. As per Digital Trends, Samsung had revealed its first foldable phone prototype at the CES 2014 and it was rumoured that its foldable device would be making its debut in 2016. The most regularly depicted design invention in Venture Beat, is a handset which tends to unfold to a full sized tablet.

It eems like a horizontal clamshell wherein the single fold tends to open the same way as a book or a magazine and the device forms as a smartphone when folded and a tablet when unfolded. However, it is not known how the screen could be adapted when in a folded position. The device either tends to fold with the two halves of the screen touching when closed or it could in the opposition structure where both the screens tend to face outward.It has been described as a rollable device by Patenty Mobile.

Users have the option of changing the form of the device by taking the tab and rolling out the flexible display or by pressing a button or an icon which is available at one end of the scroll. This opens the scroll with the preferred app ready for use once the device is scrolled out.

Bendable Design – Bend at Certain Pre-set degree

When the calendar icon on the scrolled device is pressed for instance, the device tends to un-scroll with its full display, portraying the calendar app. The adjustable display of the display in scroll style could include an organic light which emits diode – OLED or flexible LCD display, replacing glass substrate in the display with flexible plastic materials.

The tab style design smartphone does not tend to fold in half like its earlier foldable design but folds, off-centre leaving a tab screen exposed towards the left end which displays the users’ favourite apps. Similar to the scrolled device, the tab style design can be unfolded whenever the user touches the app icon towards the left of the display.

The bendable design enables the smartphone to be folded by being bent and is likely to be bent at a certain degree pre-set by the users.

A Google Engineer is Testing USB Type-C Cables so you don't have to

USB Type-C – Reversible Design/Super-Fast Speed/High Power Output

USB Type-C is certainly the future cable, due to its reversible design together with super-fast speed and high power output. Apple as well as Google has both bet big on its normal predictable ubiquity by using it in the new MacBook as well as both of the Nexus phones. But it will still be some time before it would completely replace the usual Type-A and B connectors, which means that those who had rushed earlier would have to stock up on new cable, In other words there are quite a lot of third party cables which have not been fully tested and are likely to destroy the new device.

Fortunately, a Google engineer has been testing out possibly dangerous cables prior to purchasing them. Google’s Benson Leung works on the Chrombook Pixel line and is closely familiar with Type-C together with its requirements. Due to various devices gradually coming out which tend to support the standard, he took the initiative of holding third-party vendors liable, by reviewing their cables on Amazon stating that he had got fed up with the early cables from third party vendors which so blatantly display the specification.

Out-of-Spec Cables

There seems to be plenty out-of-spec cables but Leung’s Amazon profile indicates that there are handfuls ones which are reliable. Leung challenges this assertion as it applies to USB Type-C cables and the results are not too good. Leung who is a software engineer on the Chrome OS team and an engineer on the Chromebook Pixel as well as Pixel C team reviewed several multiple USB Type-C convertor cables.

He evaluated each of the cables manufactured by companies like CableCreation, Belkin, Frieq, iOrange, Juiced Systems, Orzly Monba, Kupx and Techmatte to find out if they met the USB group specifications. The results seemed to be mixed. The cables meeting the relevant USB-IF specifications for their respective features were Frieq, Belkin and iOrange while the rest have one of two serious issues.

CableCreation’s adapters have advertised as being 3A cables though do not cover internal circuitry capable of supporting that power level. Rather than utilising a resistor of value 56kΩ, CableCreation has used a 10kΩ pull up. The Kupx and Techmatte adapter tend to have the same problem while Monba’s adapter does not identify itself accurately at all.

Converters to Operate with Legacy Equipment

By marketing cable which have a Type-A plug on one side though a resistor which must only be utilised where there is a pure Type-C charging path, tends to risk damaging the older hardware with the out-of-spec cable. Some cables seem to be easy to test regarding functionality which may either work or not though several of them are not helpful.

Most of the USB Type-C cables which Leung tested will technically work but if it is connected to the correct hardware it may result in damaged equipment and this type of failure mode is invisible to the consumer. Users are under the impression that their chargers tend to work, unless they are presented with evidence to the contrary.If one tends to have a Chrombook Pixel of 2015 and would prefer to check if your USB Type-C cable contains the proper hardware, Leung has posted instruction on how to do the same over on Google+.

Though he is not signifying that these cables are inferior choice for anything but the Chromebook Pixel, the problem that he has recognized would be common to any hardware. It is especially important that companies need to get these issues corrected since USB Type-C naturally needs these converters to operate with legacy equipment.

Your Tablet Screen is Brought to You with the Aid of Carrots

Most of the people are looking forward to get some great deals on consumer electronic products like Smartphone, tablet, computer or TV during this holiday season. The common component among all these products, which help in enhancing the user experience, is the ‘display’. A German company named Merck KGaA is the world’s oldest chemicals and pharmaceuticals maker and it also happens to be the leading supplier of liquid crystals which are used in display. Currently Merck produces astonishingly more than 60% of all liquid crystals, which are sold on global scale. It is simply way ahead of its rivals companies from China and Japan in this area.

Liquid crystals bring better quality and definition in display

Horts Stegmeyer is a well known scientist and author of a variety of books on liquid crystals. He stated that millions of consumers who own the Smartphone, computer and televisions don’t know that their display contains the liquid crystals which helps in delivering high definition color reproduction. Stegemeyer further elaborates that almost 80% of fundamental research in the field of liquid crystals are done by Merck. Merck is also applauded for pioneering the innovation in this field.

The applications of liquid crystals are quite vast and it is even used as security holograms on the banknotes apart from being used in consumer electronics industry on wider scale.

What are liquid crystals? 

Liquid crystals were first discovered by two scientists namely Austrian Botanist Friedrich Reinitzer and the German physicist Otto Lehmann in 1888. These scientists were experimenting on the natural substances, which are found in the carrots, and they found a relatively strange phenomenon wherein few of the substances tend to have different melting points. At the arrival of first melting these natural substances simply melted into a cloudy liquid while reaching the second melting point cloudiness disappeared and a clear transparent liquid left behind. This particular new state of matter is known as ‘liquid crystal’, which has found dominant usage in the development of display panels.

At that time people didn’t know what to do with this new finding. Reinitzer and Lehmann sought the assistance of Merck in validating their finding and Merck started the production of liquid crystals way back in 1904.

Merck still pioneering the research in liquid crystal field

Merck family had kept a firm hold in keeping the research alive in the field of liquid crystal, which helped consumers in having magnificent displays in their phones, tablets, televisions and much more. At the beginning of the 21st century cathode ray tube started to phase out and finally be replaced by the flat panels. It was then Merck bet on aggressively researching and polishing the liquid crystals paved their way to gain some credible profit.

The slow and steady rise in the Smartphones and tablets began a trend where people were only looking flat panel display in more and more bigger terms. Merck has dominated the liquid crystal market and business for a long time and it generated huge profit from which are used to finance research for another screen technology called OLED.