US government rules three Barth patents invalid, sends Rambus scrambling

Suing’s easy. It’s the “winning” that trips folks up. Such is the case with Rambus, who has been relying oh-so-heavily on the so-called trio of Barth patents to actively pursue just about every technology company on the planet. For those unaware, Rambus has christened itself as a “technology licensing company,” but with the last of three patents used to win infringement suits against NVIDIA and HP being declared invalid, it’s probably scrambling for new tactics. According to a Reuters report, an appeals board at the US Patent and Trademark Office declared the patent invalid a few days back, with the previous two being knocked back in September. A couple of months back, Rambus’ stock lost 60 percent of its value after a court decision led to the loss of a $4 billion antitrust lawsuit against Micron and Hynix, and we’re guessing things won’t be any happier when the markets open back up on Monday. The company’s next move? “We’re evaluating our options,” said spokeswoman Linda Ashmore

Continued here:
US government rules three Barth patents invalid, sends Rambus scrambling

MicroOLED viewfinder delivers 5.4 megapixels in 0.61-inch monochrome display

Photographers who’ve spent years looking through the window of a high-end optical viewfinder may never find an electronic version that fully satisfies them. But this new MicroOLED EVF may get us closer than ever to an acceptable digital replacement for the TTL OVF, which will never find a home in modern-day compacts and mirrorless ILCs. Developed with military and medical-industry heads-up displays and digital camera viewfinders in mind, the new microdispay is able to deliver a 5.4 megapixel (2560 x 2048) monochrome image, or 1.3 megapixels in full 16-million color — all in a 0.61-inch diagonal panel. The display boasts a top contrast ratio of 100,000:1, 96-percent uniformity and 0.2 watts of power consumption. There’s no word yet on when the new tech will start popping up in enterprise devices and digital cameras, or how much of a premium it’ll carry for electronics manufacturers, but it looks like we’re closer than ever to having an excellent electronic alternative to the optical viewfinder. Jump past the break for the full PR from MicroOLED. Continue reading MicroOLED viewfinder delivers 5.4 megapixels in 0.61-inch monochrome display MicroOLED viewfinder delivers 5.4 megapixels in 0.61-inch monochrome display originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:18:00 EDT

Original post: 
MicroOLED viewfinder delivers 5.4 megapixels in 0.61-inch monochrome display

Apple patent looks to create ‘secure magnets’ to unlock your device

It’s an Apple patent application: please be aware this is unlikely to wind up in your next device, please fasten seat belts and fix your tray table in the fixed and upright position. Inside the bezel of your iDevice or Mac is a magnet that operates a switch — that will only be activated when a “correlated” magnet inside a key-fob makes contact. That’s the thinking behind Cupertino’s newest patent application, attempting to turn magnets into a way of keeping your stuff secure. An example listed in the patent is using a stylus with specially encoded magnets to securely unlock an iPad, which we attribute to a zealous patent attorney and not a reversal of the ” they blew it ” rule. It may sound ridiculous when you first consider it, but given the magnetic-activation of the iPad 2′s smart cover , it’s not as outlandish as you believe. Still, we’ll believe it if we see it in a couple of years.

Here is the original post:
Apple patent looks to create ‘secure magnets’ to unlock your device

Company turns to bribery for 5 star Amazon reviews

In a world where word of mouth and the judgment of the hive mind is worth more than any ad or the ruminations of many professional reviewers, companies will do just about anything to ensure a strong rating on outlets like Amazon . It’s clear that dummy accounts simply aren’t the way to go, but what about bribing your existing customers? Apparently VIP Deals thought that route was perfectly acceptable and offered rebates to people who rated their products on Amazon. Now, the offer letter (which you can see at the more coverage link) doesn’t explicitly ask for a five star review, but it is strongly suggested that the company expects one in exchange for receiving the product for free — in this case, a leather Kindle Fire case. VIP’s reviews and its products have all since been booted from Amazon, but it certainly raises plenty of questions about the ease with which some companies are able to game the system and how a reputable outlet can protect its customers from ratings scams. Hit up the source for the full story. Company turns to bribery for 5 star Amazon reviews originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds

Excerpt from:
Company turns to bribery for 5 star Amazon reviews

South Korea’s Live Park uses RFID and Kinect to bring your Holodeck fantasies one step nearer

All those long, long drives to Florida in the family station wagon seemed worth it at the time, but now that we’ve found out that those lucky South Koreans have another crazy theme-park, we might just change our minds . Located near Seoul , Live Park uses 3D video, holograms and augmented reality, interacting with RFID wrist bands and Kinect sensors to stitch together a continuous immersive story. You (and your avatar!) have 65 attractions, over seven themed zones, and the world’s biggest interactive 360 degree stereoscopic theater to wave, jump and shout your way through. Two years and $13 million in the making, Live Park’s creator d’strict is now looking to license the concept out internationally, with locations in China and Singapore already earmarked. We’re not sure we could handle that long of a family drive just yet, but with a Hollywood entertainment “powerhouse” reportedly nibbling, maybe we won’t have to. Continue reading South Korea’s Live Park uses RFID and Kinect to bring your Holodeck fantasies one step nearer South Korea’s Live Park uses RFID and Kinect to bring your Holodeck fantasies one step nearer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds

See original here: 
South Korea’s Live Park uses RFID and Kinect to bring your Holodeck fantasies one step nearer

February 14th is Valen… Angry Birds day

Forget poking: from February 14th, show you love someone by flinging a mis-tempered avian toward them. It’s Valentines Day that Angry Birds will finally arrive on the ubiquitous social network — just in time to ensure half the coupled population of the world misses its dinner reservation, in order to get past one more level. The basic game will be free, but upgrades like the Mighty Eagle , double-sized birds, an earthquake weapon and a max-strength catapult will cost you. It’ll be launched in Jakarta around the same time you offer up that heart-shaped box of chocolates, so if you want to ensure the day remains romantic, we’d suggest waiting until the 15th before installing. Continue reading February 14th is Valen… Angry Birds day February 14th is Valen…

Continued here: 
February 14th is Valen… Angry Birds day

Lytro open to partnering with smartphone makers, executive suggests

Now that its famed light field camera has finally become official , Lytro is looking to the future, with an eye, apparently, toward the cellphone market. During a recent interview with PC World , Lytro executive chairman Charles Chi described his company’s new sensor in greater detail, and talked at length about its purportedly superior battery life. He also divulged a few hints about Lytro’s roadmap. When asked whether the firm would ever license its technology to a smartphone manufacturer, Chi confirmed that Lytro has “the capital to do that, the capability in the company to do that, and… the vision to execute,” before launching into an explanation of what it would take for such an initiative to succeed: If we were to apply the technology in smartphones, that ecosystem is, of course, very complex, with some very large players there. It’s an industry that’s very different and driven based on operational excellence. For us to compete in there, we’d have to be a very different kind of company. So if we were to enter that space, it would definitely be through a partnership and a codevelopment of the technology, and ultimately some kind of licensing with the appropriate partner

Read more from the original source: 
Lytro open to partnering with smartphone makers, executive suggests

Stat Alert: More connected phones than computers in key markets, says Google

There are obvious stats , bizarre ones , and then the good old informative ones. New data from Google revealed by Ad Age , falls into the latter category. According to Goog’s numbers, more people have a mobile internet-capable device than a PC or laptop in the five key markets it tested (US, UK, Germany, France and Japan). In the US, this figure is nearly 10% more, some 76% against 68%. The numbers were taken in September and October last year, which means any impact Christmas may have had won’t be taken into account. The trend away from featurephones towards smartphones is also drilled home, but that won’t be news to many people ’round these parts. No matter how you connect these days, any savvy netizen will tell you: it’s quality , not quantity that counts anyway. Stat Alert: More connected phones than computers in key markets, says Google originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:56:00 EDT

Go here to see the original:
Stat Alert: More connected phones than computers in key markets, says Google

Nook Simple Touch gets USB host mode support via hack, plays nice with low-power devices (video)

Codemonkeys exhibiting the kindness of strangers? Why, yes, this is such a tale. When XDA Developers member verygreen came across the pleas of one user obsessed with attaching an external USB keyboard to an eReader , he did what any decent hacker would and created a workable solution. Using a loaned Nook Simple Touch , this self-styled Make-A- Wish Hack was able to patch Barnes & Noble’s existing kernel, which already supported USB host mode, and send commands over ADB to enable the connection. It’s not a foolproof workaround, though, as only low-power devices will function without additional juice and even so, at a great cost to the greyscale device’s battery life. Sure, this may not excite you much, but it’s certainly made for one very satisfied forum dweller out there in cyberland.

Go here to see the original: 
Nook Simple Touch gets USB host mode support via hack, plays nice with low-power devices (video)

Rollin’ Justin learns to throw like a robot

Our pal Rollin’ Justin proved the old adage about teaching old robots new robo tricks wrong back in April , when he learned to catch balls by tracking moving objects, calculating their flight paths and then snapping shut his cold metal claws at the moment of impact. Now he’s besting himself, thanks to a handful of improvements imparted upon him by way of his fleshy masters at the German Aerospace Agency. Among the upgrades are are an improvement to old Justin’s dynamic performance — he’s now 1.5 times faster in his arms, thanks to new gear ratios, helping to make his game of robo catch two-sided, with the ability to actually throw. He’s also adopted the more flattering moniker Agile Justin. Video evidence of his new-found skills after the jump. Continue reading Rollin’ Justin learns to throw like a robot Rollin’ Justin learns to throw like a robot originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Next Page »