Apple patent application for 3D viewing glasses

by Lin Edwards
From: http://www.physorg.com/news190620130.html

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(PhysOrg.com) -- Apple has filed a patent application for electronic video spectacles that will allow wearers to watch films in 3D on the inside of the glasses. Fans have already nicknamed the gadget iSpecs.

Users would attach their iPhone, iPod, or other device to the spectacles, which have a special lens that can split the image into two frames — one for each eye — and then project the image onto the spectacles. The two images would create a stereoscopic effect since they would appear to have been taken from slightly different angles, and this would simulate 3D.

According to the patent application (number 20100079356) the images would be equivalent to high definition in quality, and sensors inside the spectacles would detect the precise location of the wearer’s eyes to ensure the image is projected at exactly the right place and is comfortable to watch. The device could be controlled by the wearer’s head movements, such as nodding or head shaking, or by voice control. Sound would be provided by earphones fitted into the device. To enhance the viewing experience, the spectacles could even vibrate in response to content such as explosions.

The spectacles would also incorporate a small camera and infrared sensors embedded in the frames to stream video of the surroundings to a smaller screen in the glasses if anyone approached or tried to gain their attention while they were watching the film. The aim of this system is to make people feel more comfortable about wearing the glasses in public, such as during plane, train, or bus trips.

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There are already a few video glasses that can be plugged into an iPod to allow viewers to watch films, but none offer 3-D viewing or high-quality images. Another drawback of the previous gadgets is that wearers are unable to see what is happening around them, which makes them reluctant to wear them in public.

Some have suspected the patent application is a hoax since news of it was published on the Web on April 1st, but the US Patent and Trademark Office is unlikely to be involved in a hoax and the application was filed in late 2008. Apple never comments on patent applications.

© 2010 PhysOrg.com

Meebo Finally Launches on iPhone With Support for Dozens of IM Networks

The long-promised Meebo IM app for the iPhone and iPod touch [iTunes link] is now available in the App Store, and it’s both free and awesome.

Meebo () is a primarily web-based IM client — a place you can go in your browser to access almost every IM network you might want to use: Google Talk/Jabber, Yahoo!, AOL Instant Messenger, MySpace () IM, Facebook () — you name it.

Meebo demonstrated its app in the main presentation of the Apple event last March when iPhone () OS 3.0 was announced, which finally added push notification support to iPhone apps. Meebo’s app looked fantastic, and folks got really excited about it, but after a couple of weeks of hype it faded away from the public eye. Apart from a web-based version of Meebo for iPhone, nothing happened. But now the promised native app is finally here.

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First Impressions

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Meebo is arguably the best IM app for the iPhone because it’s lightweight and easy to use, and because it supports almost every network under the sun. Scroll to the bottom of this post for a complete list of supported networks; we’ll bet you didn’t even know that many of them existed.

Push notifications are unsurprisingly part of the feature set. But other cool things include syncing chat logs (and everything else, really) with the web app and the ability to move between active conversations by swiping from side to side with your fingers.

Mostly, though, we were impressed with the simplicity and speed of the app. Other solutions like BeejiveIM and IM+ seem bulky by comparison and their prices are comparatively bulky, too: $6.99 for the former and $4.99 for the latter for all the features. Meebo is totally free, and though it does lack a couple of the more advanced features that its competitors offer, most users won’t notice their absence.

Here are some pics of the app in action:

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Pics

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Supported Networks

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- AIM ()
- Are You Interested
- aujourdhui.com
- BasilMarket
- Batanga
- CafeMom
- Chess.com
- DailyStrength
- DanceTrippin
- Decayenne
- Dhingana
- EliteCastingNetwork
- eBaum’s World
- Fabulously40 ()
- Facebook
- Fanpop ()
- Flirtbox
- Flixster ()
- FooPets
- Footytube
- Fupa
- GGL
- GamerNook
- Gamevance
- GirlsAskGuys
- Google Talk
- ICQ
- imageChef
- Indianelement
- ibeatyou
- Jabber
- JacketFlap
- JamLegend ()
- Justin.tv
- Klikot
- MSN
- MingleVille
- MixPod
- MuchGames
- MySpace
- MyWorkster
- myYearbook
- Operation Sports
- OrangeShark
- Outspark
- Packed
- PlayedOnline
- Playfire
- Playlist
- Quepasa
- SocialSplash
- Sonico
- SparkPeople
- Sparkteens
- Starpulse
- Tehkseven
- Threadsy
- Ultimate Guitar
- Wadja
- Wixi
- Yahoo!
- Yonja
- Zinch
- Zorpia

Watch the iPhone Swipe a Credit Card

Square, one of a few iPhone peripherals hoping to turn the iPhone into a credit card swiper, sounds promising. But how does it work? YouTube shows us!
Through its own app, Square processes a credit card, produces a receipt and even takes a signature. But as you'll see in this clip, there's one petty but fixable problem to the system—the Square dongle. Watch as Rose needs to steady the plug with his finger to swipe a card without popping anything loose.
I mention this now because I'm hoping that Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Digg's Kevin Rose—who are both behind the project (Rose just financially)—don't each have an alpine garage full of these horribly designed dongles. Beef up the casing a bit to increase its surface area against the iPhone, just as Mophie has with their recently announced credit card scanner, and everything will be right as rain. [Kevin Rose via Ubergizmo]

Contact information for this author is not available.

Flash Player 10.1 on Google’s Nexus One

By: Stan Schroeder

From: http://mashable.com/

If you’re an iPhone owner, you probably don’t want to hear about Flash. Full support for Adobe’s rich media technology has been promised for the iPhone many times, but it’s still not there yet.
However, if you plan on getting the Nexus One, you’ll be one of the first users to be able try out Flash Player 10.1, currently in beta.
Adobe posted a video showing the latest Flash Player happily working on the Nexus One. It can be used to browse Flash-heavy sites and play online games, but it can also be used to deliver Flash-based ads. From what we can see in the video, Nexus One’s powerful Snapdragon CPU handles Flash with ease. Check out the video below.

CES: iPhone-controlled drone unveiled at tech show curtain-raiser

AR.Drone – a flying 'quadricopter' with on-board cameras and internal guidance system – shown at Las Vegas industry event

• Bobbie Johnson in Las Vegas
  

• guardian.co.uk, 

The Parrot AR.Drone: 'Easy to control and flies like a dragonfly.' Photograph: Andrew Gombert/EPA

Unmanned drones have become synonymous with controversial military action in some of the most dangerous warzones. But now a child's toy has been created using the same technology.
The AR.Drone, an iPhone-controlled helicopter powered by four separate blades, has been unveiled at the agenda-setting Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Boasting built-in military grade systems such as wind compensation and autopilot functions, the drone is able to hover for hours over a single spot – or fly under the command of a pilot using a wireless controller such as an iPhone.
The toy also boasts a number of other hi-tech embellishments, including a pair of on-board cameras and a computerised internal guidance system that allow it to track objects and react to the environment automatically.
"With video cameras and a powerful computer, we have developed a very stable drone that is easy to control and flies like a dragonfly," said Henri Seydoux, the founder and chief executive of the Paris-based company behind the toy, Parrot.
A spokesman for the company, which is better known for making Bluetooth headsets and in-car systems, would not say how much the AR Drone will cost – but confirmed that it would be available to buy later this year.
"Our first project was a Bluetooth race car. We've developed it, but I was not satisfied," said Seydoux. "So I started with the idea of a quadricopter."
The company was demonstrating the device at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, one of the world's biggest technology industry showcases.
Thousands of computer buffs and hi-tech entrepreneurs are expected in the city this week as the world's most powerful electronics brands fight it out for top billing. Among the 2,500 companies in attendance are Microsoft, Sony, Samsung and Nokia – who are all launching major new products at the event.
The show's organisers expect more than 100,000 enthusiasts to turn up over the next four days to get their hands on new products such as touchscreen tablet computers, record-breaking television screens and electronic books.
Despite the focus on expensive gadgets and gizmos, however, toys are an increasingly significant part of the show – with a manufacturers showing off robots and hi-tech contraptions aimed at youngsters.
The high levels of interest and excitement come despite a difficult period for the event, which is entering its 42nd year. In 2009 many exhibitors were left reeling by the global economic crisis, and many have scaled down their plans for this year's show.
Organisers say that visitor numbers could be even lower this week than they were this time last year, although more new companies have signed up to exhibit than ever - a signal that the excitement that was absent last year has returned.
"There's a great deal of enthusiasm leading into 2010 that just wasn't there in the 2009 show," said Jason Oxman, a senior vice-president of the Consumer Electronics Association, which organises the event.

Apple Enables Video on iPhone 2G and 3G

By Tim Difford
From: http://thenextweb.com/2009

Apple has enabled owners of its older 2G and 3G handsets to record video by admitting the new iVideoCamera app to the iTunes store. [as well as the UStream Broadcaster app for 3G handsets - update at foot of post]

Users can now legitimately record, share and save videos without having to ‘jailbreak‘ their handsets.

As reported on the Apple Blog, the app comes in at only 99 cents in the US store, and has similar entry-level pricing in other iTunes stores around the world.

Adding this third party application to an iPhone 2G or 3G handset means that there is even less incentive to move up to the 3GS model and may prompt those coming up to the end of their contracts to wait and see what iPhone news Apple has to announce in the spring before committing to an upgrade path.

Beware though, there are some significant limits to the app, and it is not helped by the camera installed in 2G and 3G iPhones. The app itself can only capture video at a maximum of three frames per second… far behind the 30 frames per second capacity of the 3GS. Quality is, therefore, limited as is the resolution which comes in at 160 x 213, compared to 640 x 480 on the 3GS.

On the upside, whilst there is no opportunity to share on Twitter yet, videos can be quickly uploaded to YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo from within the app itself.

Development team Laan Labs, creators of the iVideoCamera app, promise improved frame rates and quality in forthcoming releases.

UPDATE: The UStream Broadcaster app is another newcomer to the store and is available free. The app enables live streaming of video from 3G handsets or better over 3G and WiFi. Sadly, there’s no support for 2G iPhones, but 3G owners can enjoy live chat whilst broadcasting, as well as the ability to share on Twitter when going live.

Hat-tip to @technicalfault for the heads-up on UStream.

TomTom for iPhone en route

by Dan Frakes, Macworld.com

Among the third-party products demonstrated during June’s WWDC keynote, the one that may have generated the most anticipation was TomTom’s TomTom for iPhone. This combination of an iPhone app providing turn-by-turn driving directions and a hardware accessory, the Car Kit for iPhone, that enhances the app will enable the iPhone to take the place of a standalone GPS unit for many users. Unfortunately, TomTom CTO Peter-Frans Pauwels didn’t provide many details during that demonstration other than to say that TomTom for iPhone would be available “later this summer.” 26224338

Macworld recently had a chance to talk with with Tom Murray, Vice President of Market Development for TomTom, and while the company hasn’t yet announced a release date or final pricing information, Murray was able to expand on some of the information presented at WWDC. (You can see a video teaser of TomTom for iPhone on YouTube.)

iPhone challenges

While other vendors have announced, and in some cases already released, navigation apps for the iPhone (AT&T’s Navigator and Sygic’s Mobile Maps are a couple of the latter), Murray noted that TomTom for iPhone is unique because it’s a two-part solution. By combining software and hardware, the company says it can provide an experience that’s much more comparable to that of a standalone navigation unit than an app on its own.

According to Murray, the biggest challenge presented by an iPhone-based navigation solution is that dedicated navigation devices have better GPS reception than an unassisted iPhone. In addition, the iPhone doesn’t include any of the special technologies TomTom implements in its own navigation units; for example, gyroscopes and other hardware that allow a unit to better approximate its position when it loses the GPS signal in, say, a tunnel. The size of the iPhone is also an issue—4.3-inch screens are becoming the standard for standalone devices, while the iPhone’s screen is only 3.5 inches in size. And few iPhone owners have car mounts for positioning the phone safely while driving.

There are also logistical issues. For example, because the iPhone doesn’t support background processes, any navigation app must shut down during phone calls, making real-time tracking difficult—something that doesn’t happen on a dedicated GPS unit, even one that includes telephony features. And while the iPhone offers far more space for data storage than do most GPS units, the company recognizes that iPhone owners will want to use much of that space for apps and media, so navigation apps need to avoid abusing the opportunity.

Car Kit not required, but recommended

iPhone owners will be able to purchase and use the TomTom software and maps without the Car Kit hardware accessory; however, the Car Kit for iPhone was designed to enhance the software by addressing several of the limitations mentioned above. For starters, the Car Kit includes a separate GPS receiver that performs better than the one built into the iPhone; Murray said this receiver is closer to what you’d find in a dedicated GPS unit. The TomTom app uses this receiver when your iPhone is docked in the Car Kit, allowing for improved real-time navigation, especially in cities with large buildings or in locations with lots of trees or other natural obstacles. The Car Kit also includes a built-in speaker that provides better audio quality and considerably louder output, making it easier to hear spoken directions.

The Car Kit is also a car mount for placing your iPhone in a safe location for driving. The unit includes the same EasyPort mount as TomTom’s recent standalone GPS units, letting you adjust the cradle’s angle, rotation, and relative position (you can position the cradle sitting on or hanging from the mount). The mount locks in place when in use, and folds flat for easier storage. The Kit's power cable plugs into your car’s accessory jack or any USB power source and charges your iPhone while docked.

Finally, the Car Kit includes several additional audio features. For example, it includes a 1/8-inch audio-output jack for connecting the iPhone and Car Kit to any car stereo with an auxiliary-input jack; this lets you listen to both navigation directions and iPhone audio—including music—through your car stereo. You also get a microphone that lets you use the Car Kit as a Bluetooth speakerphone. (Yes, even though the iPhone physically connects to the Car Kit, it uses a Bluetooth connection for phone calls.)

We asked TomTom how the company will promote the TomTom for iPhone package, given that the software and hardware will necessarily be sold and distributed separately—the app through the App Store, the hardware through other outlets. The company says it intends to sell each separately, as well to bundle the two, but that making people aware of the hardware if they purchase the software first will be the biggest challenge.

TomTom features, iPhone UI

While the iPhone’s hardware can’t match that of a standalone GPS unit, Murray noted that TomTom is taking advantage of the iPhone’s own unique features to enhance the app. For example, unlike TomTom’s dedicated GPS devices, the TomTom app’s interface has portrait and landscape modes depending, of course, on how the phone is oriented. You can also use the iPhone’s multi-touch gestures—tap, swipe, pinch, and zoom—to navigate the interface and zoom in and out of maps. You’ll also be able to access your iPhone contacts from within the TomTom app, letting you quickly choose a destination or starting point from a contact’s information. (Integration with other apps has not yet been announced.)

Mapping and navigation will apparently work much as they do on the company’s standalone units, with a similar interface, most of the same core features, and similar voice-guided navigation. The app will include TomTom’s IQ Routes feature, which takes advantage of other TomTom GPS owners’ driving experiences to determine the actual speeds driven on particular routes at particular times of day. Murray said the “trillions of bits of data” lets IQ Routes provide accurate information about historical drive-speed norms, generating more accurate drive times and letting the software choose the actual fastest route, which may not be the same as the shortest route.

One feature Murray couldn’t yet confirm or deny is Map Share, which lets users make route corrections—for example, road closures or incorrect street information—on their devices and then sync those changes with TomTom’s servers to share them with other users.

(When asked which TomTom GPS unit the iPhone will most-closely compare with, Murray said there is none—the iPhone’s screen size makes it similar to the older, 3.5-inch-screen models, but features such as IQ Routes make its software more similar to that of newer models.)

Pricing and availability haven’t yet arrived

Unfortunately, TomTom wasn’t able to provide concrete information about pricing and availability—the company is still saying simply “later this summer.” However, Murray did tell us that the company is leaning towards a set price for the application and maps, rather than taking the subscription approach of AT&T. The application you purchase through the App Store will include the TomTom navigation software and the latest TeleAtlas maps for your area; North America and Europe will be the initial areas offered.

Due to the size of the maps, the download will be quite large for an iPhone app—close to 1GB. (TomTom doesn’t yet know if the download will be restricted to WiFi connections.) iPhone users will be able to update their maps, although the policy and process for updating—for example, via in-app purchasing, App Store updates, or using software similar to TomTom Home—has yet to be determined.

Those interested in more information on TomTom for iPhone can sign up for status updates at the TomTom site.

• See more like this:
• GPS,
• Mobile Mac

iPhone 3G speed performance compared in 13 U.S. cities

comparison of 13 eastern, middle and western cities in the United States of America.

click to enlarge

Image and original 6 page Source via ‘A Day in The Life of 3G’ [PC World] found via Lifehacker

iPhone 3G vs. iPhone 3GS – The S really does stand for speed.

The thing that intrigued me most about the new iPhone was the ability to take better stills and to record video. When I found out I was eligible for the upgrade, it was a no brainer. In the past few years I had narrowed my mobile devices down to three, I thought the new iPhone would narrow it down to one.

It has.

I LOVE the video recording feature and the stills are usable enough to leave the digital still at home. You won’t believe the sound quality on the video, it’s incredible. However, the thing that blew me away the most is the SPEED of the new iPhone.

[Video by Mr. Pence]

When I started to launch apps they were noticeably snappier. The ONLY issue I have had are some intermittent Wi-Fi issues. I’m betting that it’s a power management thing and it will be updated in a firmware fix.

The thing that’s REALLY exciting is the new graphics chip. This will not only improve video recording in future updates; it will also usher in a new era of mobile gaming.

If you’re eligible to upgrade and you’re on the fence… Do it.

Apple has made the ULTIMATE mobile device, now if they will just update Final Cut Pro.

Now We’re Talking: AIM With Push Support Hits The App Store

by MG Siegler

There’s been a lot of talk the past few days since the launch of the iPhone 3.0 software about the lack of Push Notification apps in the App Store. Well, today brings a big one: AOL Instant Messenger (AIM).

Instant messaging apps are perhaps the perfect use for Push Notification, which allows you to use such services without requiring that they be open at all time. In our test of the pre-release beta version of the AIM app with Push, the messages were sent almost instantaneously. In testing it out right now, it looks to be just as fast.

When you first fire up this new version of AIM, it asks you if you’d like to receive Push notifications. You can change this at any time in the settings. And you can also choose if you’d like the notifications to be brief (only say that you have a new IM), feature the sender’s name only, be normal size, or full size.

You can also set how you’d like Push messages to show up on your phone for each app in the device’s settings. You can have it pop up a message, play a sound, badge your icon or do any combination of those.

And Push works with both the free [iTunes link] and paid version [iTunes link] of the app. The $2.99 paid version removes all advertising.

Push is great for services like IM, but it doesn’t resolve the lack of iPhone background support for all apps. With Push you still can’t listen to Pandora while doing something else on the web, for example. I still believe it’s only a matter of time before we see some sort of third-party background task support as well.

Update: While users are reporting that they aren’t receiving notifications to update their apps yet, if you use the links above, it is the latest version with Push.

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CrunchBase Information

AIM iphone App

Company:

AOL

The Aim iPhone App allows you to send and recieve messages of WiFI, EDGE, or 3G networks. Learn More

iPhone

Company:	Apple
Website:	apple.com/iphone
Launch Date:	January 1, 2007

Apple’s iPhone was introduced at MacWorld in January 2007 and officially went on sale June 29, 2007, selling 270,000 units within 2 days of launch. The phone (as well as its newer self, the… Learn More

Information provided by CrunchBase

iPhone 3G S review

engadget.com — If it ain't broke, don't fix it -- right? We know countless reviews of the iPhone 3G S may begin with that cliché, but there's little chance you'd find a better way to describe the strategy that Apple has just put into play with its latest smartphone.

click here for the in-depth review...iPhone 3G S review

Angry iPhone owners blast AT&T over upgrade pricing

Thousands sign Twitter petition, want carrier to retreat from $200 surcharge on iPhone 3G S

By Gregg Keizer

Computerworld - iPhone users angry over AT&T's pricing policy for the new iPhone 3G S have taken their campaign to Twitter, where more than 4,400 have added their names to an instant petition.

They're mad as hell about AT&T's plan to charge them an additional $200 to upgrade to the iPhone 3G S if they haven't fulfilled most or all of their two-year contract with the carrier. "AT&T should give existing customers the same rate for the new iPhone 3G S that they do for new customers," the Twitter petition reads. "New customers or not, another 2-year contract is being made."

Apple's and AT&T's subsidized prices for the iPhone 3G S, which will launch on Friday, June 19, are $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB device. Those prices, however, apply only to new customers to AT&T, or to existing customers who are judged eligible for the lower-priced upgrade.

Meanwhile, people who already own an iPhone or have an existing AT&T contract, and are judged by AT&T as ineligible for another subsidized phone must fork over $399 for the 16GB, $599 for the 32GB.

AT&T doesn't reveal the criteria it uses to peg existing customers as eligible or ineligible, but Computerworld staffers who own iPhones have been told that they must run through as few as 12 months, and as many as 20 months, of their 24-month contracts before they'll qualify for the $199 and $299 prices.

That's made AT&T customers mad enough to sign the Twitter petition at a rate of about 250 an hour as of mid-day Wednesday. The petition was first posted yesterday.

They're also venting in other online venues. "This is all a slap to our face!" ranted a user identified as "irishlad1977" on a well-trafficked AT&T support forum thread labeled "No Subsidized Price For Loyal iPhone Users."

"Cry foul, all disappointed iPhone users!" added "tsfroggy" on the same thread.

"Why are we being punished for buying Apple products?" asked "Darksithscorpius" in a post to an Apple support forum. "I love the product, but the way that they let AT&T dictate how their customers are treated is terrible. Charging us the extra $200 for being loyal customers is flat out wrong!"

The company's policy, however, is standard for the wireless industry in the U.S., which ties subsidized phone prices to the completion of long-term contract commitments. That fact was quickly pointed out by others unsympathetic to the complainers.

"You do have a cheaper option once you live up to your side of the bargain," said "DWC1" on the AT&T forum. "If you want to upgrade early then you will have to pay full price with no subsidy discount. You can't blame anyone but yourself for your predicament."

AT&T did not respond to a request for comment about its pricing practices, or what it thought of the Twitter petition and the online postings by iPhone owners.

A similar Twitter-based petition for customers of O2, the U.K.'s exclusive carrier for the iPhone, had nearly 4,100 signatures by mid-day Wednesday.

The hubbub over pricing isn't the only negative press that AT&T's received since Apple unveiled the iPhone 3G S on Monday. The company has also come under fire for its slow moves to support MMS and its lack of a tethering plan to let customers connect laptops to the Internet via the iPhone. Other mobile carriers will offer both MSS and tethering when the iPhone 3G S debuts next week.

Aoyama Gakuin U. to hand out free iPhones to students

Aoyama Gakuin University is phasing out traditional methods of taking attendance at its School of Social Informatics, in favor of free GPS-enabled iPhones.

The faculty began providing Apple iPhone 3Gs to all 550 staff and students Friday, using the GPS function to determine whether they are in school or not. The university will initiate full operation of the system in the autumn. The school also has plans to expand their use to setting simple tests and questionnaires, submitting homework and reviewing class video materials.

The university is to pay the basic charges itself, ensuring no extra financial burdens will fall on students.

The same day, it also announced a tie-up with iPhone provider Softbank Mobile Corp., called "Mobile & Net Society Education and Training."