Samsung unveils 20-megapixel WB110 bridge camera

Samsung's new bridge camera WB110 has a large zoom range and with an optical image stabilizer - for videos, it is sufficient. Samsung WB110: The bridge camera has a 26x zoom and optical image stabilizer. The lens Samsung WB110 features a 26x zoom. Converted into small format extends the focal length of 22.3 to 579.8 millimeters. These dimensions of the built optical image stabilizer are very important because such large focal lengths, no one can hold it in hand without aids such as a stand without shaking. Without stabilizer, the image section will always be in motion slightly. Samsung designed the WB110 from a CCD sensor to its size but the manufacturer makes no details yet. As information for now remains only the resolution of 20.2 megapixels. This would easily be enough for full HD video, but nevertheless, the Koreans have decided that the bridge camera captures only video in HD resolution. The screen on the back of the WB110 is three inches tall, and automatically adjusts its brightness to the lighting conditions of the environment. The light sensitivity of the camera ranges from ISO 80 to ISO 3200. In addition to "smart" recording programs, the bridge camera also holds a Live Panorama function. Samsung plans to release WB110 from July 2013 in market in two colours namely black and red. The suggested retail price is 229 Euros.

Oracle launches 89 patches

On the occasion of its Critical Patch Update, the editor corrects mass, including pourFusion, MySQL and Solaris. As usual, Oracle does not do things by half during its quarterly security. This time, it is not less than 89 patches that are available to address a multitude of flaws in its various products. Nearly half of these patches are considered critical, they fix vulnerabilities that can allow a takeover by a remote attacker. Oracle therefore recommends immediate updates. MySQL products particularly Solaris operating system are particularly spoiled with 33 patches. For the first, the most critical vulnerabilities affect the XML parser and the Outside In particular component used by Microsoft Exchange Server. For the second, they patched the holes in the TCP / IP and iSCSI protocol management. They also retain 21 patches (including 16 critical) for Fusion Middleware. Oracle Enterprise Manager Database families, Hyperion, E-Business and PeopleSoft are also concerned. Recall that the editor said earlier this year that the updates for Java will now be monthly from October. Meanwhile, the general public must now juggle; updates are available almost daily to protect their Web browsers zero-day vulnerabilities.

H.625 a next generation video compression solution

Very high resolutions videos (4K, 8K ...) are on the horizon, the current compression solutions no longer meet the requirements in near future. One of the most commonly used, the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Coding), if it remains effective with Full HD 1080p, but it is not fully capable and fast enough to decode 4k videos. Earlier this year, the characteristics of a new standard for video encoding have been ratified by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It is called MPEG-2 or H part H.265/HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) codec is intended to provide a comparable image quality H.264, with a reduced rate by half.

There are two ways to decode a video stream 4K Ultra HD; they are through a software-only solution or use a DSP (Digital Signal Processor or math coprocessor) specialized, often the GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), which will charge thousands of calculations to do. The hardware solution is the most efficient and faster. But it is more difficult to integrate into a mobile platform as an iPad or iPhone, because it will consume resources, including power and generate more heat. The 800 CPU Snapdragon Qualcomm recently introduced one of the most advanced solutions for H.265 video decoding. But none of this component based Smartphone is still available. Sony has announced a Smartphone that uses it, but the Xperia Z Full HD Ultra will be available in September. Rumor has it that Samsung sells soon a Snapdragon S4 Galaxy 800's version, but it is not known when it will be released out. Another competitor announced as Smartphone that can play H.265 videos, a model with a ZTE Tegra 4. He seems to have been delayed because announced for the first half of 2013, it is still not available. The only currently available and mobile terminal using the NVIDIA Tegra 4 is a "Tablet" REGZA Tablet AT703 by Toshiba has released in Japan. Unfortunately, the Japanese manufacturer seems to have passed on the H.265 video because it is not equipped with a HEVC/H.265 player.

One may wonder whether this is due to the relative lack of current or H.265 encoded videos in the case of concerns about the battery life. The software solutions side, many companies are currently working on projects or Player SDK (software development kit) allows developers to use the display H.265 video in their applications. But it is currently mainly available as beta, (i.e.) programs not yet finalized and available. IPhone / iPad especially, many companies around the world are working on solutions. Elecard Russian, for example, developed an SDK for different operating systems (iOS / Android / Windows Phone etc) that allow an ARM processor based mobile devices to play videos H.265/HEVC. German Rovi also announced Main Concept SDK HEVC for several OS including Linux, iOS, and Android. At IBC 2012, demos of the SDK were presented. In China, Strongene developing in partnership with Beijing University HEVC/H.265 a solution called xHEVC. A demo of a client for iPhone and iPad is available for download. And in Japan, NTT DoCoMo announced that its technology to disband read HEVC/H.265 videos.

The first really usable solutions will be created before the end of this year. All major companies are working on projects (encoders or decoders, player, system for H.265 video playback software layers etc) companies that develop operating systems (Google, Microsoft ...) first, and specialists in compression, as the French ATEME that sell solutions encoding or decoding video streams to many TV channels and professional dissemination of content on the Net. Apple's side, the engineers are working on video codecs for QuickTime, which will be built into the operating system. Will it be provided to all codecs owners of Mac OS X, or will he buy as additional codecs, as time QuickTime Pro? This will depend on how Apple sees H.265. If California is seen as a successor to H.264, i.e. as a mainstream solution that will gradually replace the majority of the H.264 encoded video on the Net, there is a good chance it is proposed free of charge to all users of Mac OS X. For iOS devices, a software solution would drive to recent iPad and iPhone (because they have a powerful CPU to decode H.265 format) can play H.265 videos with a simple system update. Apple will probably end up offering iPhone and iPad with a hardware solution to encode and decode this format with more performance than a software solution. The D5500 with the PowerVR presented there might just be a welcome applicant. This GPU decoding HEVC/H.265 videos and manages 4K. No mobile phone manufacturer has not yet announced its use so for. It will be remembered, in fact, Apple has established close relations with the British VideoLogic / Imagination, using its chips for many models of its products since the days of the Apple II GS graphics solutions up to its iPhone and iPad. In addition, Apple is one of the investors VideoLogic / Imagination, who in recent years increased its purchases of action to have almost 10% of the company.

Google X, a Secret Lab!

Google; the Mountain View giant just not only develops computer and internet solutions. In the shadow, future applications, future energy, future vehicles, artificial intelligence and future technologies etc are studied by laboratory Google X. But recently their secret projects are suddenly revealed to the public. It is very strange but Google seems to play the card of full transparency on its development division.. Google X lab was Founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 2010, this complex base is in Mountain View aims to develop the technologies of tomorrow and today we need to recognize that little was known about it until now. As odd as it may seem this department supposedly secret now finds itself in full light. This information were disclosed by some online sources, which tells more that the Mountain View giant has big and does not exclude any project if it is futuristic. Its latest acquisition in progress is also Makani Power. A startup that develops wind turbines mounted on drones and connected to the ground like kites. Eric Teller, the current director of Google X Lab, hopes the takeover lead to pioneering technology. As Larry Page said during the last conference Google I / O, Google develops IT solutions, but her current work allow it to connect with the real world. Regarding the acquisition of Makani Power no amount has been disclosed at this time, but in terms of the development possibilities are endless. "We look forward to working with our new colleagues at Google X for the turbine airborne something profitable," says Makani Power on its website. This may sound crazy, but "if you do not take your chance, no progress is made" believes Damon Vander Lind, chief engineer of the project. Such work on wind energy in the future could compete with fossil fuels, and especially to be a huge commercial success for Google. A niche where we do not necessarily expected. Constantly looking to the future, the main objective of Google is the same as its competitors in advance. How and in what direction? Nobody really knows, but the company's claim to want to save the future world; From all future problem of humanity, “we will find a solution and we will correct it," said the director of Google X Lab. Business Week says that since its inception, the lab seeks to impose itself as the heir of classical centers such as Bletchley Park, to whom we owe the modern cryptography, or the Manhattan Project, which created the first atomic bomb.

Today, companies withdraw from the research and prefer to turn to the side of innovation startups. By revealing its secret projects, Google seems to play cards on the table and show that it takes advantage of the situation to try to help. But then, the space elevator, teleportation ... It's the public fantasize and it stops there. Suddenly raise the veil on its secret department does not hide the fact that the company operates like any other. The purchase of small businesses is the best way to integrate new skills to innovate and expand its market by diversifying. For example Android, one of the biggest successes of Google, which were already existed at the time of the creation of Google X. The mobile OS is not born from a brainstorming session in Mountain View. Many people forget. This mobile operating now present on 75% of Smartphones worldwide system was originally developed by a startup acquired in 2005. Not sure today the acquisition of high-tech kites Makani Power works as well. Designed by Google and straight out of the X Lab, there is also the Google Glass. According to optimistic forecasts Business Insider Intelligence, 21 million pairs could be sold annually by 2018. If the price is around $ 500, this would be a market for Google to $ 10.5 billion over the next five years. But this is debatable. Currently, the geeks only seem to be really ready to wear. Such success will obviously depend on the interest of developers and especially the social integration of the product. Constantly be equipped with a camera that is not to the liking of everyone. Besides increased, signed a future innovations could be the reality namely Google Car.

 Testing vehicles already circulating throughout the United States and Director of Special Projects, Sergey Brin, has predicted that the unmanned autonomous cars will be on the market by 2017. "The world is no longer limited by IQ We are all limited by the bravery and creativity," said Eric Teller at a conference South by Southwest festival in Austin. A month ago, Eric Schmidt has surprised many by announcing that "by the end of the decade, everyone on Earth is connected to the Internet." Knowing that today 40% of the planet is connected to the Internet, the task seems very odd, but it may possible and Google has the skill to do it. To solve this problem, Google X Lab proposes to set up broadband transmitters on balloons sent at high altitude. Will keep for some time to head in the clouds. Seriously, all this comes at a cost! Who said research tells resources, and Google will give here a cold sweat to its investors. Mountain View can certainly afford such follies. For now, Google continues this and wants to show they like risk. Eric Teller believes that Google X Lab should not be judged solely on its financial performance, but also on the progress it brings. "We're still in our adolescence," he says. According to him, the research center will study two or three new projects per year. Google somehow becomes the Microsoft of the 2010s. With futuristic innovations in everything goes, the public will quickly dream. But in the real world, the more difficult will obviously sell these inventions and especially to get to the sale. While at Google X Lab are the open side research and development, it is much more difficult to obtain information on the work of Apple Technologies division led by Bob Mansfield. The iWatch is obviously one of great expectations, but Apple seems otherwise master its internal circuitry. Two modes of management opposed. On one side the transparency of Google, where one of the founders directs all, manages records and left a colleague freely invent the future. The other, a more decentralized method work and much less exposed. Apple is more discreet coordinating its research around small teams to think about the future of computing. Beyond imagination, Google remains to be seen which of the two techniques will be most productive.

Google Maps available for the first time on Android tablets and the iPad !

The major update of Google Maps comes with another novelty, since for the first time, the mapping application is available in a version for Android tablets and the iPad. In announcing a new version of Google Maps for Android and iOS, the U.S. giant has also filled a long history with the introduction of specific versions for tablets. It is already available for Android models and will soon available to the iPad. Google says that all the new features of the update for Maps are available in the edition for tablets. So the menu, a more fluid navigation, the ability to discover useful places (restaurants, shops, hotels) in terms of its geographical position as well as more detailed information on the real-time traffic information, and the ability to reroute if a better route appears along the way. Another important change for Maps is removal from service on August 9 Latitude to share its location with other users. This function is replaced by something equivalent in Google+ for Android and will "soon" available in the iOS version.