Intel’s revolutionary Project Alloy takes the VR (virtual reality) movement to another level. An Intel Developers Forum wants your VR experience to be without restraint or restriction.
Project Alloy is a virtual reality system that is completely wireless. Not even leading VR devices, like Oculus Rift, can boasts this. Intl’s VR headset has all cameras, sensors and controls all rolled up into one. Intel CEO Brian?Krzanich’s motive is clear. He and his top colleagues want a free moving VR experience. This means no wires, no screen issues, no technological hangups whatsoever. Project Alloy relies on hand tracking technology and integrated sensors. They use Real Sense technology and lasers ?to capture people walking into a virtual world. Other successful virtual reality devices have great frame rates and clean screenings. These headsets depend on their wiring to ensure quality frames and screens. Intel is partnering with Windows. Windows Holographic and Project Alloy will combine forces and operating systems to build powerful applications. This system is very early in development, although Krzanich gave a public demo about it. I say this because Project Alloy probably won’t be made public anytime soon. It mid to late 2017, it will reveal the Project Alloy hardware. This is so Alloys Hardware and Windows Holographic can be easier to combine.
Let’s get back to wireless. Just how is Intel going to give us the quality we need by cutting wires? If I were a VR fan, I’d hope Intel would give us the quality and wireless technology to make this work. If they do, that alone would set them apart from the competition. That would be good for Intel business wise. That would be good for virtual reality customers and enthusiasts. But what about socially? I wouldn’t want people to live in their fantasy VR world 24/7. I know it sounds far fetched. But I think so many people are disillusioned by the real world that they’d be happy with 24/7 VR. What these wires do is limit VR headsets. In some ways, they keep us from going too far. I’m afraid of what we’d do with wireless VR. Would wireless VR mean social chaos?
Students at M.I.T. Media Lab want to make smart tattoos happen. So does Microsoft Research. They combine their talents to develop a temporary tattoo. This tattoo turns into a touchpad, and you control your smartphone with it. You can even share data using NFC chip technology. The tattoo’s formal name is DuoSkin. DuoSkin will be introduced to the world at a wearable technology conference next month. You design a circuit with graphic software. Use gold leaf because it conducts electricity. Other components make the tattoo interactive. The tattoo isn’t penned on like a regular one. It’s stamped on like a temporary one, along with the NFC chip, the gold leaf, and the other components. The marked part of your skin can be used as a trackpad. It can change colors and literally open doors. Perhaps the best part of DuoSkin is it’s temporary. That means you can peel it off anytime you want. You can apply another one easily. You can’t take a penned tattoo off and on.
Personally, I think that’s the only good thing about DuoSkin. At least you have a choice. I choose not to have anything to do with it. The fact you can use your body as a touchpad or tech control mechanism is creepy. Whatever DuoSkin offers can be done through another form of technology. For example, you can use can control your smartphone with a smart pen. Plus, there’s a lot we don’t know about DuoSkin. How much will it cost? Are there side effects? Will it work with all smartphones? The researchers behind DuoSkin have a lot of explaining to do. Would you get DuoSkin?
You forgot what coffee your friend wanted. You forgot what groceries you were asked to get. You forgot yet another password. You even forgot your wife/girlfriend’s birthday (Uh oh! You’re in big trouble!) There’s a device that helps you remember.
That device is a bot called Wonder. It’s fairly simple to activate. Go to their website. Give them your phone number. They’ll text back explaining how wonder works. Here are the instructions of Wonder. Text them the information you want remembered later. That information stays in the system until you’re ready. When you forget something, text Wonder the question. Wonder will text you back the answer. For example, you just redid your password for a certain site. Just text Wonder the password. When you forget your password, ask Wonder, “What’s my password for this website?” It will tell you. Wonder is the brain child of Univ. of Arizona student Jordan Singer and alum Shivkanth?Bagavathy. They built this bot using Twilio for texting, Wit.ai for language, and other software for other features. They were inspired by Siri’s voice reminders, but wanted a written, more tangible way to refresh someone’s memory. The Wonder bot is a free service. It’s only available in the United States and Europe…for now at least.
I appreciate Wonder helps us improve our memory. How many times do we forget the simple thing…on a weekly if not daily basis? So I’m glad Wonder helps with that. And I appreciate that it’s free. But Siri can help you remember stuff. Google Notepad helps me remember all the time. There are dozens of other apps to help you remember. So Wonder is a great service. My question is:What is Wonder doing different to stand out? I have another question, this one for the fellas: Can’t you remember your woman’s birthday on your own power? You can at least remember the anniversary, right?
In 2013, whistle blower Edward Snowden revealed the government uses technology to spy on US citizens. He was a hero to many. He was a traitor to others. But Snowden isn’t going away. Edward Snowden designs smartphone security.
Snowden is helping design an iPhone case that does more than prevent glass breakage. This case prevents governments, corporations, hackers, nosy family members and friends, and anybody else from spying on smartphones. Snowden believes smartphones are easily traceable. He and Andrew Huang work on a case connected to the phone. This case alerts the user when the phone makes transmissions. The case’s wires connect to the SIM card slot and read other smartphone components. The case has it’s own computer and display. The display alerts the user of any suspicious activity, no matter where it’s coming from. They nickname this case ‘introspective engine’. They submitted this patent at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Well, Huang did. Snowden is still living in Russia. He’s still virtually held hostage there a US fugitive. Nonetheless, Snowden promoted ‘introspective engine’ through a video conference. This introspective engine case is literally in it’s infancy. No smartphone company has dared picked up the idea. We don’t even know what MIT Media Lab thinks about it.
We’ll just have to stay tuned to this one. I believe Snowden and ?Huang’s hearts are in the right place. They want to do everything they can to stop spying. They want to ensure your privacy rights. I respect and applaud this. But is it practical? People can just use airplane modes. Some are turning off their smartphones whenever they’re not in use. How can their privacy be invaded when it’s not even on? Snowden’s device just warns you when you’re being invaded. It just doesn’t interfere and fight off the invaders. That’s just what’s wrong with this device, so far. Personally, I hope they can get it patented, back, and sold. It’s one more weapon against surveillance. We can never have too many of those. Does the ‘introspective engine’ have a chance?
This week, Apple holds the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Here, Apple shows off their hopes, dreams and new gadgets for the upcoming year. Apple is excited about iOS 10, introducing iOS 10 goodies.
Apple’s latest operating system should be available this fall. Apple promises many upgrades. One is Apple Messenger. There have been many gripes about Apple Messenger. But these messages have intelligent Siri responses. This messenger will let you watch You Tube videos and send links within messages. Website links will look better. Emojis will be bigger and have more features. The iPhone lock screen will be interactive. There’s a new feature called Rise to Wake. This turns on your phone whenever you lift it up. If you have an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus, you can interact with notifications through the lock screen. With photos, iOS 10 performs scene and object recognition. If you look for a certain thing in a certain city, the app will give you photos of those items. Siri will send messages through through third party apps like WhatsApp. We all remember what a fiasco Apple Maps was back in 2012. They have made tremendous improvements since then. With iOS 10, you’ll get the best routes for normal routes. The new software comes with Home, a hub for all your devices and apps.
I remember this commercial in which the people could only communicate with each other through emojis. With what I’m reading, iOS 10 could help people do just that. Nonetheless, I’m the Rise to Wake app could be a waste of time. I can turn on my phone with the push of a button. Lifting it a phone will only cut time by a fraction of a second. But I am very impressed by Apple Maps. I look forward to seeing how iOS 10 can enhance Apple Maps. I doubt Apple Maps will ever be as good as Google. But it’s nice to see Apple improve in this area. What are your feelings about iOS 10?
Have you ever owned a 360-degree camera before? Have you ever made your own? ?If you have, then you know the high maintenance software and equipment it requires. There might be an easier way.
The good people at Giroptic introduce their 360cam. It includes everything you need to take 36o-degree photos and videos, and you don’t have to add anymore software. It can fit into the palm of your hand. It has three lenses, one on each side, but none underneath. A 360-degree camera may seem complicated and intimidating, but this one doesn’t seem to be. It has one power button. The other button controls the camera’s modes, like video, photo, burst and time-lapse. It shows you the camera’s battery life and camera mode. It has lock in technology for your security and protection. It coincides with the Giroptic 360cam app, which can be downloaded on Apple and Android smartphones. There, you can easily share your photos on Facebook, You Tube and other social media sites. It’s definitely waterproof. I saw a cool demonstration of a man taking videos literally in a wishing well. Not only didn’t it short circuit, it got great views of the city while it was underwater! The Giroptic 360cam will cost you at least $500.
So is the Giroptic camera a good buy? It depends on the individual. If you’re going to spend $500, or more, on this, then you’d better use it regularly and take care of it…regularly. Fortunately, this camera is easier to take care of than if you built one yourself, then had to pay for the sophisticated software. Plus, a 360-degree camera can take pictures and videos like nobody else. If you can get a photo of an entire city spinning around without, and do so underwater, then do so! Just be ready to invest time, money and energy. Is Giroptic 360 camera the right investment for you?
