Wearable click-free camera will capture a day in your life

A groundbreaking camera that decides itself when to take a shot will go on sale in Britain in November, in the first consumer application of technology developed by the British maker OMG Plc.

The device, called the Autographer, uses five in built sensors and software developed by Microsoft Corp to choose the best moment to capture an image without any intervention from the user.

The high-resolution pictures, which can number 2,000 in a day, can then be combined to create a visual record of an event like a party, a music festival or a typical day in the life of the owner.

The Autographer, which can be worn around the neck, clipped to clothing or placed in a particular vantage point, is the first consumer device from OMG, whose stop motion technology is used in fields ranging from computer game development to surveying roads.

The company originally developed a version of the Autographer as a memory aid for people with dementia, but said it decided to launch it to the broader market after finding users and their families were also using the devices to record and remember special occasions.
OMG Chief Executive Nick Bolton said the camera occupied a space between stills photography and video.

"It can capture really meaningful single images, but there's actually something about watching the day back in sequence," Bolton said. "It tells a story about the day you've just experienced."
The camera will be sold directly to the public for 399 pounds, Bolton said. He added that potential launches in the United States and Japan could follow.

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BSNL Penta T-Pad WS802C review

It's a season of tablets and there seems to be a new budget tablet being launched every other day. However, even in the midst of all these tablets, BSNL's Penta T-Pad WS802C looks like an interesting option for a number of reasons.

Most tablets that have launched in India so far are either 7-inch tablets or 10-inch options, with the only exception being Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, which has 8.9-inch screen. BSNL's Penta T-Pad WS802C is a bit different in this regards as it sports an 8-inch screen. Also, this tablet comes at a very interesting price point. Priced at Rs. 14,699 Penta T-Pad is placed exactly in between the entry level tablets and high-end tablets. So let's explore whether this tablet is a good buying option or yet another also-ran?
Design/ Hardware
BSNL's Penta T-Pad is an ivory white tablet 8-inch tablet, which looks an interesting tablet on first glance. However, the moment you hold the tablet in your hands, the first thing that one notices is its weight! It is on heavier side, which means that you cannot hold it in your hands for longer durations.

The front of the tablet consists of four physical buttons and a camera to the right of the display (while holding the tablet in landscape mode, which is the preferred mode, based on the markings on the button). There is a mic on the right panel along with the microSD card slot, HDMI, USB port, 3.5mm headphone jack, reset button and charging port. The USB port can be used to connect an external hard drive or mouse/keyboard to the tablet.
The volume rocker and the power button are placed on the top panel and the SIM slot is on the bottom panel. The top buttons are quite small and unless you have slender fingers, you may have to struggle a bit with these. Overall, this tablet looks decent without being great. The build quality seems sturdy. As mentioned earlier, the way keys are placed it seems more apt for using in the landscape mode than a portrait mode.
Display
Most of the other tablets in the same price are 7-inchers and the extra one-inch was quite handy while watching movies/videos and even surfing the net. The Penta T-Pad comes with a display of resolution 800x552 pixels and one of the brightest screens amongst budget tablets, as long as you stay indoors. The viewing angels are average and so is the under-sun visibility. We found e-books reading on the tablet to be an enjoyable experience. On the downside, the screen is a fingerprint magnet.
Software/ Interface
BSNL's Penta T-Pad comes loaded with Android Ice Cream Sandwich (version 4.0.3) and the tablet is quite responsive and smooth. In the budget tablet category, this tablet is able to provide best Android experience that we have had so far.
The tablet comes pre-loaded with some interesting apps such as ES File Explorer and Task Manager, Facebook, LinkedIn, FreeNote, Photo editor, Yahoo messenger, Skype, Movie Studio, Polaris Office, Radee PDF Reader, UTPlayer, VidTrim and MobiVision. These apps are handy for users who would want productivity and entertainment from their tablet.
Camera
Penta T-Pad comes with a 2MP rear camera and a 0.3MP front facing one. On the face value, we were not expecting the camera too be anything to rave about but this was the surprise element of this tablet. The image quality of both the camera was good. Even for pictures clicked in low light, the image quality was decent. However, on the downside the rear camera does not have auto-focus.

As this tablet comes with Skype pre-installed, one can use the front camera for video calls. The image quality on the video calls was decent.
Performance/ Battery Life
The moment you switch on the tablet, you are greeted by jarring opening sound, which is really irritating and there was no option to turn it off as well.
Powered by a 1GHz processor, this tablet feels quite smooth in terms of performance. We did not encounter any crashes while working on this tablet and multitasking was comfortable - perhaps the first budget tablet we can make these statements about
Penta T-Pad comes with a native Android browser and Opera Mini browser. The browsing experience on both was breezy but the Android browser had a slight edge in terms of performance
This tablet scores high on the entertainment as the quality of audio and video played is good. However, the earplugs that come with the tablet can be uncomfortable if used for a longer duration at a stretch.
One can make voice calls with the help of this tablet too but it is locked only to BSNL and as the SIM that was provided by the company did not work, we could not test the voice calling feature or the 3G connectivity.
BSNL Penta T-Pad WS802C comes with a 3000mAh battery but we had a disappointing experience. Our unit struggled to hold charge for any considerable duration of time. However, based on reports across the web, the problem could be limited to just our unit, and users can expect around 6 hours of backup with normal usage.
Verdict
There are plenty of affordable tablets that are currently available in the market but most of them are unable to provide a good experience but BSNL's Penta T-Pad is an exception in this regards. The only major disappointment for this tablet is its weight. Other than that, it is good value purchase especially for the early adopters in the tablet category!
Price: Rs. 14,699
Pros

• Runs on ICS
• Responsive
• Good display for a budget tablet

Cons

• Slightly heavy
• Battery issues (could be specific to our unit)

Ratings
Design: 3
Display: 3
Performance: 4
Software: 3.5
Battery Life: 3
Value for Money: 3.5
Camera: 3.5
Ecosystem: 4
Overall: 3.5

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Microsoft Prices Pro Version Of Surface Tablet At A Lofty $899

 Microsoft's Surface tablet running a full version of Windows 8 Pro will start selling in January for $899 and up, the company said Thursday. But you'll have to pay more if you want a keyboard cover and the popular Office suite of software.

The current Surface uses the slimmed down Windows RT operating system. As a result, it runs only specially designed applications from Microsoft and others sold through the company's online store. The Pro version of Surface will also run regular Windows applications written for desktops and laptops. "It's a full PC AND a tablet," Surface general manager Panos Panay wrote in a blog post Thursday.

The Surface represents Microsoft's first foray into manufacturing its own general-purpose computer. In doing so, the company is competing with some of its partners, the manufacturers of PCs and tablets.

The announced price is in line with Microsoft's earlier statements that the Pro version would cost about the same as slim, lightweight laptops known as ultrabooks.
 The price includes a stylus and software that disregards touches from one's palm while writing on the touch screen. But the detachable touch-sensitive keyboard cover is sold separately. The Touch Cover with keys printed on it costs $120, while the Type Cover with depressable keys is priced at $130.
 The Pro version of Surface will come with Intel's Core i5 processor, which Microsoft said gives it a graphics boost compared with the RT version.

 The $899 version will come with 64 gigabytes of memory, while $999 gets you 128 GB of memory. It was not immediately clear how much memory would be used up by the operating system and pre-installed apps. For the RT versions, the 32 GB model has only 16 GB of usable memory, while the 64 GB model has 45 GB available.
 The RT version of Surface, which starts at $499, comes with the popular Office programs Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote included. The Pro version does not, according to the specifications listed on a Microsoft website. The cheapest version of Office available is priced at $120. The RT versions went on sale October 26, the same day Windows 8 was out.

The RT versions are available only at Microsoft's stores and websites. The Redmond-based company did not say whether the Pro versions will be sold elsewhere as well.

All versions of Surface come with a slot to expand memory and a USB port for peripherals. The Pro version of Surface comes with a newer, faster USB 3.0 port, while the RT version has 2.0.

Reference:-http://ibnlive.in.com/news/microsoft-prices-pro-version-of-surface-tablet-at-a-lofty-899/308126-

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LG launches Optimus L9 with Android 4.0 for Rs. 23,000

LG has officially launched its Optimus L9 in India for Rs. 23,000. Last week, we had reported that this smartphone was up for pre-orders for Rs. 19,990.

LG Optimus L9 comes with 1GHz dual-core processor and 4.7-inch IPS display. It has a qHD (960x540 pixels) display and runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The smartphone also comes with 1GB RAM, 5-megapixel rear camera and high-density 2150 mAH SiO+ battery.
While Optimus L9 does come with premium design elements that were taken from Prada Phone for LG, the main focus seems to be on the software part. LG has bundled QTranslator, MY Style Keypad and QMemo apps on the smartphone.

According to Mr. Soon Kwon, President South West Asia Region & MD, LG India, "Smartphones today have become an essential part of life. People see it as an extension of themselves. Smartphones have come a long way from where they had started and today's smartphones are a far cry from their bulky ancestors. LG Optimus L9 has been designed in a way that it can cater to every need of smart consumers who demands a powerhouse of style, performance and efficiency in their smartphones."

"With LG Optimus L9, users can take advantage of premium smartphone features - a stunning display, a powerful processor and a long-lasting battery - in a sleek design. LG Optimus L9 is equipped with the an updated software, state-of-the-art hardware, and several new exciting features, helping it elevate user experience to a whole new level", added Mr. Soon Kwon.
Apart from LG Optimus L9, the Optimus L-Series of smartphones includes the Optimus L7, L5, and L3.

Key specs for LG Optimus L9

• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• 1GHz Dual-Core
• 4.7-inch IPS Display
• 1GB DDR2 (RAM) / 4GB e-MMC
• 5MP rear / VGA front
• 2150mAh SiO+ batttery
• 131.9 x 68.2 x 9.1mm / 125g
• DLNA

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Samsung launches Galaxy camera in Japan

South Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung Electronics Co is taking aim at its Japanese rivals with an Android-powered digital camera that allows users to swiftly and wirelessly upload pictures to social networking sites.

The Galaxy camera lets users connect to a mobile network or Wi-Fi to share photographs and video without having to hook up the camera to a computer.
While it's not the first to the market, Samsung's financial and marketing clout suggest it could be the biggest threat to Japanese domination of a digital camera industry which research firm Lucintel sees growing to $46 billion by 2017 and where big brands include Canon Inc, Sony Corp, Panasonic Corp, Nikon Corp and Olympus Corp.
"Samsung has a tough row to hoe against the likes of Canon and Nikon in the camera brand equity landscape," said Liz Cutting, senior imaging analyst at research firm NPD Group. "Yet as a brand known more in the connected electronic device arena, Samsung has a unique opportunity to transfer strength from adjacent categories into the dedicated camera world."
The Korean group, battling for mobile gadget supremacy against Apple Inc, is already a global market leader in televisions, smartphones and memory chips.
Samsung last year brought its camera and digital imaging business - one of its smallest - under the supervision of JK Shin, who heads a mobile business that generated 70 percent of Samsung's $7.4 billion third-quarter profit.
"Our camera business is quickly evolving and I think it will be able to set a new landmark for Samsung," Shin said on Thursday at a launch event in Seoul. "The product will open a new chapter in communications - visual communications," he said, noting good reviews for the Samsung Galaxy camera which went on sale in Europe and the United States earlier this month.
Aiming at pro-sumers
The Galaxy camera, which sells in the United States for $499.99 through AT&T with various monthly data plans, features a 4.8-inch (12.2 cm) LCD touchscreen and a 21x optical zoom lens. Users can send photos instantly to other mobile devices via a 4G network, access the Internet, email and social network sites, edit photos and play games.
The easy-to-use camera, and the quality of the pictures, is aimed at mid-market 'pro-sumers' - not quite professional photographers but those who don't mind paying a premium for user options not yet unavailable on a smartphone - such as an optical, rather than digital, zoom, better flash, and image stabilisation.
The appeal of high picture quality cameras with wireless connection has grown as social media services such as Facebook Inc drive a boom in rapid shoot-and-share photos.
"At a price point higher than some entry-level interchangeable-lens cameras, the Galaxy camera should appeal to a consumer willing to pay an initial and ongoing premium for 24/7 creative interactivity," said Cutting.
Traditional digital camera makers are responding.
Canon, considered a leader in profitability in corporate Japan with its aggressive cost cutting, saw its compact camera sales eroded in the most recent quarter by smartphones, and has just introduced its first mirrorless camera to tap into a growing market for small, interchangeable-lens cameras that rival Nikon entered last year.
Nikon has also recently introduced an Android-embedded Wi-Fi only camera.
© Thomson Reuters 2012

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Barnes & Noble's Nook loss deepens, book sales slow

Barnes & Noble Inc said the quarterly loss in its Nook division increased as the bookseller increased spending on its e-readers and tablets to keep pace with larger rivals Amazon.com Inc and Apple Inc.

Shares slid 9.6 percent to $14.51 in mid-day trade.
The top U.S. bookstore chain also said on Thursday that sales growth in its core bookselling business slowed in the quarter and declined over the Thanksgiving weekend, as the benefits from last year's liquidation of rival Borders Group waned.
In one bit of sunlight, the company reported that quarterly sales of its high-margin digital books and periodicals soared.

Nook segment revenue rose 6 percent for the three months ended October 27, largely on the strength of a 38 percent jump in sales of digital books, newspapers and applications.
But the company, which operates 689 stores, sold fewer Nook units at its owns stores.
The Nook business has been a driver of revenue since it was first introduced in 2009 as readers buy more digital books but product development and marketing costs to keep the devices competitive with Amazon's Kindle have made it an expensive project.

Chief Executive William Lynch told investors on a conference call that he stuck by his forecast that the Nook segment's loss would narrow this fiscal year.
Halfway through the fiscal year, the loss has increased 6.1 percent to $108.1 million as the company invested in developing the devices and prepared for its first international expansion to Britain.
The new Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets were launched after its fiscal second quarter ended October 27, and are taking on the Amazon Kindle devices and Apple's new mini iPad.
Barnes & Noble said Nook device sales over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend one of the busiest times of the year for U.S. retailers doubled from last year, helped by promotions by Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Target Corp.

Both stopped selling Kindles this year. Amazon reported similar growth for its devices.
"Barnes & Noble is holding on to market share at the expense of profit," said Morningstar analyst Peter Wahlstrom. The investments to keep pace with rivals will make it hard for the Nook unit to turn a profit, he said.
Lynch said Barnes & Noble has hung on to its 25-30 percent share of the U.S. e-books market.
Nook accounts for 8.5 percent of total revenue. In August, early in the quarter, Barnes & Noble lowered prices on several Nook devices.
In another worrisome sign longer term, Wahlstrom noted that same-store sales for books fell over the holiday weekend.
Overall revenue in the quarter slipped 0.4 percent to $1.88 billion, while retail sales, still its biggest segment by far, fell 2.9 percent to $996 million, hurt by flat same-store sales and a drop in sales on its website.
Revenue at its college bookstore chain, which generates much of the cash needed to fund Nook, edged up 0.4 percent to $773 million while same-store sales fell. Barnes & Noble expects growth in this business to come in part from landing new accounts.
On a net basis, Barnes & Noble reported quarterly income of $2.2 million versus a loss of $6.6 million a year ago.
Factoring in preferred stock dividends and accretion of dividends on preferred stock, it posted a net loss of 4 cents a share, compared with a loss of 17 cents a year earlier. On that basis, analysts expected a loss of 6 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
© Thomson Reuters 2012

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AMD planning to sell Texas campus in a bid to raise cash

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Inc is putting up for sale its Austin, Texas campus to raise cash, which analysts say is a positive move for the chip giant.

AMD said it will sell and lease back its 58-acre Austin, Texas campus for $150 million to $200 million. It hopes to close the deal in the second quarter of 2013.
AMD has struggled with a weakening PC market, aggravated by an uncertain economy.
Early this week, Chief Executive Rory Read said AMD is wrapping up a "perfect storm" of a year, with a "choppy" business environment anticipated in 2013.
Problems arose mainly due to the introduction of mobile gadgets like the smartphone and tablet, PCs have seen a strong decline in sales.
"I think it's a smart move," Williams Financial analyst Cody Acree said noting that AMD has to make investments as it faces "a secular decline in the PC space".
Evercore Partners analyst Patrick Wang said in a note that the move is "but a temporary fix," adding: "The quick cash fix would help alleviate management's current cash crunch over the next two to three quarters."
AMD is currently looking to sneak into other markets. In late October, the chip maker announced it was making 64-bit ARM processors for multiple markets. It's starting with its Piledriver Opteron 6300 Series, which will replace the Bulldozer-equipped Opteron 6200 Series.

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