Skype has confirmed that it is working on 3D video calling but is unable to release the development until camera and video capture technology catches up.

Mark Gillett, Microsoft’s Skype vice president said that the popular app has the potential to support 3D conversations in the future but it could be “many years” before we actually see it.“We’ve done work in the labs looking at the capability of 3D-screens and 3D-capture,” the senior executive commented. “We’ve seen a lot of progress in screens and a lot of people now buy TVs and computer monitors that are capable of delivering a 3D image. But the capture devices are not yet there.”

In order for 3D video calling to work, multiple cameras need to be added to a computer system, be precisely calibrated and pointed at the right angles to take suitable images. Skype’s exec said “we know how to make it work,” but the necessary devices to support 3D technology is limited.

Gillet also feels that video calling is likely to be low on the agenda when it comes to 3D applications, with TV, computers and smartphones taking the precedence.

So far 3D viewing has failed to live up to the hype that began with its launch, with companies like the BBC abandoning  its 3D channels because of poor user demand.

Until technology catches up with Skype’s 3D developments, Skype has said that it is developing ways to offer 1080p resolution video calls on devices other than the Xbox One

you can give me a call on skype,      jones1296  and we can chart about this

enjoy your weekend

Brain Signals Sent Via the Internet

In a press release, two scientists from the University of Washington claim to be the first to demonstrate brain-to-brain communication. A signal was sent from Rajesh Rao to the brain of Andrea Stocco via the internet, causing him to move his hand.

Chantel Prat, an assistant professor of psychology who also worked on the project said, “The experiment is a proof in concept. We have tech to reverse engineer the brain signal and transmit it from one brain to another via computer.” A lot of work was involved in achieving the results of the experiment.Rao had to spend time training his mind with feedback from the computer to emit the brainwave for moving the right hand so that it coulld be detected by the brain. “The intention can be as detectable as the movement itself,” Prat said. “Brain-computer interfaces have been capturing this with increasing accuracy over the last decade.”

The software detects the right signal and sends it via the Internet to a computer that is connected to a transcranial magnetic stimulation device, which is posistioned on the exact spot of the brain that controls the right hand. Although this may seem like a small advancement, the scientists believe it shows what is possible.

Prat explains, “Right now the only way to transfer information from one brain to another is with words. With advances in computer science and neuroscience, people could eventually perform complicated tasks, such as flying an airplane, and dancing the tango, by transferring information in a noninvasive way from one brain to another.You can imagine all complex motor skills, which are difficult to verbalize, are just chains of procedures.” There is a concern that people will not like the idea of this technology being used to control minds against their will but Prat says at the moment this is not possible. “The signal is being transmitted remotely through the Internet, but the humans are connected to physical equipment and must be trained to create the right signals. There is no way to control minds without their willingness,” she said. Who knows how this will develp in the future

Scientists have discovered a new brain scanning technique which can bring the old mind-reading party trick closer to reality. With the help of a high resolution MRI and a mathematical model, Dutch researchers were able to convert brain activity into an actual image.

The Radboud University’s team tested the technology on several subjects which had been shown various letters. The scanning technique helped researchers reconstruct an image of the brain in the process of recognizing the letters.

Scientists used a functional MRI (magnetic resonance imaging machine) to identify the parts of the brain that are active when someone is looking at a letter. The fMRI practically detects brain activity by identifying what parts of the brain have more blood flowing to them, a sign that that particular area is responding to stimuli.

Basically the fMRI scanned the occipital lobe of subjects who were shown the letters B, R, A, I, N and S. The scan created a speckled image that was then interpreted and translated into an image of the letters, with the help of a specifically designed computational model.

More specifically, the model was provided with previous knowledge of what the letters looked like and was therefore able to translate what seemed like a random fuzzy image as created by the MRI scan into a clear letter pattern.

This brain scanning technique may seem like just another trick, but Radboud scientists insist that the research is actually aimed at finding ways to model what our brains are experiencing, not just at reading our mind. The models obtained could be applied to subjective experiences such as dreams or even to working memories, researchers said.

The next step in the experiment is of course using a more powerful magnetic resonance imaging machine. The fMRI used in the research was able to scan at a resolution of 1,200 voxels but the team hopes to increase that to 15,000 voxels. And instead of letters, scientists will attempt to reconstruct images of faces shown to the subjects.

Even though it has a long way to go until developing into full mind reading capabilities, this brain scanning technology is nonetheless exciting. And scary at the same time. What do you think?

Smartphone Design: Innovation

The following question was asked: ''who is the biggest mover and shaker when it comes down to design innovation''. This time we are taking a look at three new manufacturers: LG, Motorola and Nokia. When put on paper it sounds pretty epic: the third largest smartphone maker on the globe against a Google owned company and an up-and-coming giant and market leader from Finland. However all three more or less fulfill the role of market misfits and this is normally why outsiders dare to go where no other smartphone maker has ever gone, design-wise that is. Is this the case for all of these three?In my own personal opinion LG compares to the automobile brand Audi, also in terms of design tendencies. Motorola on the other hand with its Kevlar and outlandish details is definitely something out of the ordinary. And the Lumia devices from Nokia can also be easily recognized. At least for the last two, design does seem to be something quite important. But do they dare to defy the norm with their flagships? Or was LG the only one who dared to be innovative and different?

Motorola Droids have always been something that has relied on personal taste. The individualism has clearly been retained by the Google subsidiary in their upcoming release of their flagship device. If one can accuse Samsung of sticking with a tried and true design time and time again, Motorola falls into the same category. Asides from the change in design of the Kevlar backing, you wouldn’t really be able to tell the difference between the two devices. From the front, the change to capacitive buttons and a little bit of a bevel on the bottom edge are the major changes. The side view shows the biggest change, both in the form of material and shape of the physical buttons

Nokia Lumia 920 – Lumia 925You can definitely see some major changes in the two iterations of the Nokia Lumia when you look at the large picture, notably the back and the side of the device. The sharp edges have been rounded, a more subtle choice of color tones, and a pure plastic body with aluminum edges. However, from the front the device, you can’t really tell that much has changed between the 920 and 925.

LG Optimus G – G2The Optimus G had a very simple angular design and begs to question as to whether the company has much of a design department. Although simplicity does lead to some pretty popular designs, the G2 brings something new to the table: the physical buttons found on the back of the device. For the first time, it feels like this isn’t a LG smartphone, but something completely else. The G2 has been completely revamped and almost looks similar to the Galaxy S4 from the front. Either way, kudos to LG for this iteration of their device, transforming it from a relatively cheap looking device to something resembling an actual flagship device.

Conclusion

If we were to award a prize to the most significant redesign, the winner would be LG . However, the Lumia from Nokia has undergone some major changes to the design, while still retaining an overall feel and look of a Lumia device. While the 920 and 925 do have some changes between the two, it’s easy to recognize the Nokia branding between the two.  Unfortunately, Motorola has really done nothing with their new design of their Droid device.

Final Conclusion

If we briefly recapitulate all the design comparisons we’ve done in this series, it is difficult to really choose clear winners or losers. However, for many, it would fall into the laps of HTC, LG, Nokia, and Huawei. These four have clearly done some major design changes on their devices and taken on some large risks in changing the look and feel of their phones. Sony and Google follow closely behind with Samsung, Apple, and Motorola lagging in the design department.

Hope you enjoy this  review!

We all know that Blackberry had plans to bring its Messenger service to other platforms. However,with the recent woes of the company and possible sale/merger of the once powerful company, it was a wonder whether this was still a go.  Further news that it would be Samsung that Blackberry would be partnering with to bring the messenger service to its Galaxy devices was even odder.                                 Well, according to some sources Samsung has begun to advertise in certain regions where Samsung sells its smartphone. A video has surfaced on Facebook and Youtube that highlighted BBM coming to Samsung devices in certain regions.  This, amongst other posts on social media confirms that the messenger service is still going ahead as planned in certain regions. What with all the options now for messaging (Viber, WeChat, WhatsApp, etc) it’s interesting to see this still going ahead as planned. However, will this low key advertising be enough to get people to adopt the service or will word of mouth alone of the once ridiculously popular service be enough? 

 What do you think? Have you been waiting for the Blackberry Messenger to hit your device?               

What is Apple up to for September 10th?

The launch of the brand new iPhone 5S and the public release of iOS 7 is supposedly scheduled to happen  for September 10th, 2013 according to various reports. Along with the new device and new operating system, there is a bunch of other rumors floating around as to what else Apple is going to announce at that time.While not everyone is super pumped on hearing about Apple’s products or releases, it sets a good standard for what other manufacturers and companies will either try to match or completely blow out of the water.  Here’s the latest and the greatest from the Californian company.

Exchange Program

                                                                                             

According to the latest, several Apple stores in the United States are reportedly testing out an exchange program in which customers can receive upwards of 200 dollars in credit for their old iPhones when they use them to purchase a newer model. Other retailers have had this program in effect for quite some time now, but this is the first time that Apple will try to wade into this style of program. Personally, it seems like the credit for the old devices seems to be a bit low and that consumers would be better off selling their old devices on their own if they want cash for a 

OS 7While we’re still unsure of what exactly is going to happen on September 10th, one of the biggest bets is a new device (which is standard for Apple each year) but also the possible release of a mid-range iPhone device as well with the name of the iPhone 5C.

Email has been around since before the Internet, but while the technology itself hasn't changed much since the 1970s, the volume of it has. Some people, in fact, receive hundreds of messages a day. That's a threat to a human's ability to process information.
It's a rare computer user today who isn't constantly battling email overload. Does that describe you -- or someone you know? Never fear. You're not alone, and there are steps you can take to tame the electronic avalanche and regain control of your computing life. Step 1: Shut down your in-box. Step 2: Unsubscribe -- again and again. Turning it all into a game can't hurt, either.

Step 3:Avoid distributing your email address

What is the best operating system and why?

      Operating system has a collection of software's that manages computer hardware. Operating system performs the vital tasks such as inputting text from user, displaying something on output screen . In this Technological world , we have less time & we need better performances . On the basis of this criterion , we have provided the list of best operating system of year 2013                                                 

                                                                                                                                                             What Is An Operating System?

     Operating System works as an intermediary between the application programs and the computer hardware, and also peripheral hardware and the computer hardware. It is not just computers which have OS's - even cellular phones and gaming consoles have them.
   1.Microsoft Windows 7 Operating Systems : Certainly the most popular among PC and Laptop users. The latest offering is Windows 8. It is revolutionary, having been designed for both desktops, laptops, phones and tablets. Windows 7 will be hard to push out of the market: it has received better reviews than the Vista Operating System. However, Vista and XP are still available                     Pros:

• The largest library of programs and applications.
• Some commercial games work only with Windows and DirectX.
• Almost all hardware has drivers which are compatible with Windows.
• Most widely used.

2.Macintosh Operating Systems : Mac OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard is the latest product in this category. Mac users are waiting eagerly for 10.7 Lion Version. Previous versions of the OS X are pretty popular too

Pros:

• Relatively simple and intuitive interface with many advanced features.
• Not a target for virus or malware attacks, generally: there are no Mac OS X viruses in the wild, and with its UNIX base, it is fairly resilient. There are a small number of trojans (malicious software) which have been known to take effect through applications running in Mac OS X, though they are almost always found on illegal-content-based websites and are not of significant concern. Apple has begun integrating malware blacklists into Mac OS X to prevent infection.
• Second-largest selection of software, with many high-quality Mac-only programs in existence, such as those found in iLife. Although at one point software for certain tasks were not Mac-compatible, most software is now either Mac-compatible or has an equivalent that is. Most advanced games have also recently became compatible with Mac OS X.
• Reliable and high performance.

3.Linux Based Operating Systems : In the past few years - Linux Based Operating Systems have become very popular. I personally use Ubuntu 10.04 LTS - the Lucid Lynx - released in April 2010 and supported until April 2013 - on my computer. Apart from Ubuntu some other popular ones are - OpenSUSE, Fedora, Debian, Red Hat Linux and CentOS Linux Operating Systems.

Pros:

• Low number of viruses and other malware, similar to Mac OS X
• Usually free
• Large selection of Linux distributions to choose from.
• Has a large amount of free and open source software equivalents to commercial Windows and Mac software
• More easily customizable
• Can run many Windows programs with the use of a compatibility layer such as Wine. (Programs such as Cedega can be used to run many Windows games)
• Reliable with good performance and low requirements.

 4 Ubuntu 12.10

PROS: 

. Elegant Graphics

. Superb Looks

. Faster Access

. Virus Free ( Since Viruses are mostly .exe , linux ignores it)

. Ultimate GUI (Graphical User Interface)

. Free Ubuntu One Cloud Storage Upto 5GB.

. Reduced Size of .iso image file ie., almost 700 MB.

. Better Stability ( Its Crashes few times )

. Awesome Software Center ( Having more than thousands apps & games )

. Built in Libra Office .( You don't need to install office its per-included in ubuntu distro)

. Free Updates & Upgrades
. 
. Free Operating system.

5Android6Apple iOS 7Symbian8 JavaOS9 BlackBerry

Google Quietly Introduces Helpouts

Google has quietly brought about its latest offering to the world in Google Helpouts. This new service Google is bringing promises to help experts earn money by helping other people to do something, perhaps via video calling. The expertise on offer can vary from probably helping someone bake a cake or perhaps helping someone understand some math problems in school.

Google Helpouts will use Hangouts to facilitate the communication aspect of the service since one can place video calls and also message other people using the service. The fact that Hangouts is being used for the service also means that anyone with a browser can use the service and to expand the service’s reach an Android app is also on the way. No word yet on whether there will be an iOS app for the service being released at the same time

There are some restrictions though on the service. You can only get help from someone using the service if you are 13 or older and you can only provide help if you are 18 or older.

As far as protection goes for the service, a hangout can be used for quality assurance if you opt-in for it. If you opt-out however, Google still reserves the right to record the hangout in the event that you flag the helper for abuse.

Also if a customer is unhappy with the service provided then they can request a refund within 72 hours and if the provider of the help is unwilling to refund the money, Google will step in to arbitrate.

One other thing to note is that Google will get a 20% cut of whatever is being charged so they can make money off their service.

Helpouts is not yet available to the mainstream public and to use it you have to get an invite from Google but who knows how long that could take?
is like helping someone assemble and install a satellite dish while u are not physically present there, or helping someone fix his bike that breakdown along a highway in the middle of nowhere 

A network service provider in the United States has recognized that Google Glass can play a really useful role, and wants to work together with Google with the great idea that in the future, all those who need to react quickly in a crisis situation are equipped with the data goggles.SWAT teams could send hostage-drama video streams in real time to resource planners in the crisis, doctors could quickly access the medical history of a patient on the spot and firefighters could be navigated from outside through burning buildings or directly view floor plans on the heads-up display - the potential applications are endless and impressively action-film-like. But they are also infinitely practical and clever.
The American network provider Mutualink therefore plans, at an upcoming security conference to introduce a symbiosis of its network services and Google Glass. Because data transmission must be reliable in emergency situations and be capable of being accessed quickly and safely, however, this symbiosis is not going to happen on publicly available channels.
Google Glass is still in the beta phase, But within the current year, the glasses will come onto the general commercial market. Mutualink has already been granted access to the equipment, so Google is officially involved in the project. The idea is clear and simple and I can very easily imagine that the use of Glass or similar devices in emergency situations, be they military or civilian, will be widely available in the very near future.

LG announces world's highest resolution phone display

Everybody likes higher pixel density, just like everybody likes higher resolution camera sensors. But with the megapixel count on smartphones cameras recently, there's a limit to what is actually useful. Well now we can add pixel count on smartphone displays to the approaching-overkill category as LG announce a Quad-HD display for 5.5-inch smartphones.

Quad-HD simply means there's four times as many pixels as found on a HD screen. So that's basically four HD panels (1,280x720p) stacked on top and beside one each other. Except they're squeezed into the same physical display size, so you're actually getting four times the pixels in the same space as you were previously. But can the human eye even measure that kind of resolution?

Yes and no – the science of optics comprehension relates to the ratio of rods and cones in your eyes, your visual acuity, receptor density, focal points, arcs and angles, viewing distance and so on. Suffice to say, it's over my head. But that sexy number of 538 pixels per inch (ppi) sure sounds great, right? It's basically Blu-Ray quality visuals on your smartphone and who wouldn't want that? Added to that, the display is just 1.21 mm thin with a 1.2 mm bezel, making it the thinnest, slimmest display in the world.

You may be saying the more the merrier, but keep in mind that Quad-HD resolution is normally the domain of 27-inch displays, not 5.5-inch displays. I did a little looking around on the web, and found that a 1,440p display at 10-inches has an optimal viewing distance of 1 foot. That means the new LG display is still basically double the pixel count of what could possibly be considered optimal, considering few of us use our smartphones closer than a foot from our eyes (the conclusion is based on an extrapolation, so please don't attack my maths). My point is simply do we really need super-dense pixel counts when we can't really perceive the difference, and drain the battery even faster?

Do you think this is just overkill? Or do you think this new display resolution will become the standard?

kill switches in highly portable and expensive devices, and it looks as though Samsung and LG have stepped up to the plate first with the news that devices for the Korean market will all be featuring the new security measure, effective immediately.

Smartphone-related thefts and robberies are out of control in many parts of the world – half the robberies in San Francisco last year were smartphone related, and one third of robberies nation-wide (in America) involve smartphones. Meanwhile, in the UK, although crime figures have been dropping generally, smartphone robberies have spiked 15% this year.

The Secure Our Smartphones (SOS) initiative – initiated by the District Attorney of San Francisco and New York State Attorney General and supported by the Mayor of London – has been gaining ground and both Apple and Samsung have been in high-level talks to include a kill switch in their smartphones and tablets. The feature would allow the owner of a device to remotely wipe contents, block formatting and render the device unusable to thieves, protecting your data and sending your phone to an early grave, rather than to a new home. This would, naturally, seriously impact the black market for these stolen devices.

In Korea, it was the government, not Samsung or LG, that took the idea to heart and on August 13th Korea's government introduced a new law that states all devices intended to be sold in Korea must include a kill switch feature. Interestingly the “Complete Preventive Measures against Illegal Use of Mobile Phone” act only states that devices must include this security feature until the second quarter of 2014. It seems very likely that this time frame will be extended indefinitely though. Both Samsung and LG devices in Korea will begin being manufactured with the kill switch immediately. A lesser-known Korean company, Pantech, has included the feature since February of this year, and now plans to add a GPS feature to its devices.

Considering the momentum the SOS initiative is gaining and the startling crime figures, it seems certain that we will very soon see the same feature in international versions of these devices too. The upcoming iPhone 5S (and most likely 5C) are also rumored to have the new feature, and may well become the first devices available in the American market to contain a kill switch. Combine this with Apple's and Samsung's interest in fingerprint scanners and we could be looking at a manufacturer-orchestrated dismantling of the smartphone black market.

Have you ever had a smartphone or tablet stolen?   

Would you like to see the same law passed in your country?

Asphalt 8: Airborne Apk Android will hit the stores this summer! And will be provided here as soon as it is released!

Release Date : August 22, 2013 for Android!

drop your asphalt ID so friends can play with you for online challenge You can also find new online opponents with the matchmaking system, The completely revamped multiplayer lets you take on up to 5 of your friends locally or online
the Asphalt franchise has already attracted several million players worldwide... Come and join the ride!

It emerged recently that Verizon had the exclusive on the LG G2 wireless charging feature in the United States, but that had many people talking about whether the feature was going to be available on devices in Europe. LG has confirmed that wireless charging will be available for devices outside Europe but it will only be through a separate casing and not on the actual phone itself.The latest version of LG's flagship super phone has a 2.26 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, a 2.1 MP front camera, a 13 MP rear camera and Adreno 330 graphics.

The LG Wireless charging feature is only available on Verizon phones / © LGG2 Wirel

LG is expected to release the new flagship superphone next month and the phone is set to first be available in South Korea before being rolled out into other major markets like the United States, Canada and Europe. More than 100 countries will receive the phone about two months after the initial launch in South Korea. The phone will be heavily tested as it is set to collide with a new release from Apple and probably a new Galaxy Note phone from fellow South Korean giant, Samsung.

What do you think of LG making wirelessly charging feature available here in Africa?