Apple Hires Nokia’s Lumia Photography Lead to Work on the iPhone’s Camera
Apple has hired Nokia’s Lumia photography chief Ari Partinen, reports Engadget. Partinen stated on his Twitter that he will be “starting a new chapter in Cupertino” in June, later confirming that he will join Apple.
The Nokia 808 PureView with 41MP sensor
According to Partinen’s LinkedIn biography, his responsibilities at Nokia included “working with image quality characterization and tuning on camera module level”, while handling camera component production and quality control on a global scale. Partinen also lists the Nokia’s 808 PureView and Nokia N8 as devices he has worked on, which were regarded for their noteworthy photographic capabilities.
Partinen’s hire comes as Apple is reportedly looking to bolster the next-generation iPhone’s camera through optical image stabilization and other improvements. Nokia has focused heavily on the advantages of the camera’s on its devices throughout the past few years, recently launching the Nokia Lumia 1520 with a 20 MP PureView camera.
Apple just hired one of Nokia’s PureView camera experts
Today will be my last day working for the amazing #Lumia family. In June I will start a new chapter in Cupertino, California. Much love!
– Ari Partinen (@Partinen) May 9, 2014
@bharadc23 Thank you for great discussions and feedback! (And it is the company you are thinking assuming you are thinking Apple) =)
– Ari Partinen (@Partinen) May 9, 2014
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Nokia
Source: Ari Partinen (Twitter)
Colin Pillinger, Britain’s Mars-rover chief, dies aged 70
Colin Pillinger, one of Britain’s most famous space scientists, has died at the age of 70 from a brain hemorrhage. Professor Pillinger was the very definition of a plucky Brit, whose force of personality and optimism enabled him to oversee construction of the Beagle-2 Mars probe. Despite overwhelming odds, the academic convinced the European Space Agency to convey the device on the back of one of its rockets. Unfortunately, contact was never made with the probe, and it is believed to have crashed trying to land on the Red planet. Despite this, Pillinger was able to raise the profile of the British space program and bring together the nation’s various industrial and technical communities.
Filed under: Transportation, Science, Alt
Source: BBC News
Netflix hikes its European pricing, but current users get a two-year freeze
Remember that Netflix price hike we were warned about? Well, it’s finally happening, and it’s affecting potential streamers across Europe. We say potential because although the cost is rising by £1 and €1 in the UK and across Europe, to £6.99 and €8.99 respectively, it’ll only affect those signing up for the first time. The good news is that if you’re already a Netflix subscriber, you’ll pay the same amount you always have for at least another two years. At this time, Netflix remains quiet over it’s US plans (it’s not had the greatest of times when it’s adapted packages and switched pricing in the past) but has said previously that it will raise subscriptions by $1 or $2. Chances are US customers will see something similar to their European counterparts, giving Netflix the opportunity to sink more cash into future seasons of House of Cards.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Chrome Remote Desktop: An answer to your desktop access needs
Google has released an innovative new app that allows you to access your PC or Mac from your mobile device. This app is absolutely free and is accessible over WiFi, LTE, and 3G. It runs buttery smooth on a solid connection so 3G is not suggested unless you desperately need to send that important file you forgot to yourself.
Google has made it very simple to set up. If you already have Google Chrome for desktop all you need is to download the app for Chrome and then download the app for Android or iPhone.
Google has also hit all areas with this handy app making it available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. When you have finished the required downloads the app on your PC or MAC will ask some basic questions so that you can allow access to your mobile devices. Once you have gone through the set up and created your pin your PC will show up on the mobile app.
Google has really covered almost all bases with this app the only back draw to it is there is no way to disable the keyboard and mouse while you access. This is inconvenient in a work environment allowing other users to access your machine while you’re away and or seeing what you’re seeing. It is suggested to use a tablet and a mobile keyboard with trackpad. All in all though I give this is a very good app, allowing you to access any set up computer for free and fluidly, and we suggest you check it out.
The post Chrome Remote Desktop: An answer to your desktop access needs appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Report Claims Apple Will Launch 4.7-Inch iPhone 6 in August, Larger Model in September
A new report from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News (via Reuters) claims that Apple will unveil and launch the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 in August, with a larger 5.5-inch or 5.6-inch model to be released in September. The report also notes that Apple will produce 80 million iPhone 6 units this year, with Apple suppliers Foxconn and Largan Precision aiding with assembly and camera module production, respectively.
An August launch of the iPhone 6 would be a different strategy for Apple, as the company has typically released prior versions of the iPhone in September or October. The news also contrasts prior reports claiming that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will launch in September, with the 5.5-inch version not launching until later this year or early 2015 due to issues with the device’s battery life and display technology.
In addition to a larger screen, Apple’s next-generation iPhone is expected to include a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, and an improved camera. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also claimed last month that Apple is negotiating with carriers to raise the price of the iPhone 6 by $100.
Bitcoin is now approved for political donations
If your local politician starts soliciting donations in Bitcoins, don’t be surprised: the US Federal Election Commission just approved the cryptocurrency for political contributions. Now, politicians and political action committees (PACs) can accept Bitcoin, so long as donors list their names, addresses, occupations and confirm that they own the coins they’re sending over. Recipients can’t spend those contributions as Bitcoin, though: they first have to convert the money into US dollars and then deposit everything with the rest of their campaign funds. If the cryptocurrency donations aren’t instantly converted through a payment service, the recipients will have to declare their value based on the day’s exchange rates… and we all know how quickly those rates can fluctuate.
Wondering why the FEC considered recognizing Bitcoin donations in the first place? That’s because it was specifically requested by a PAC called Make Your Laws. The FEC’s yet to iron out the details, though, and while one commissioner claims there’s a $100 limit per donor per election, Chairman Lee Goodman says otherwise. The FEC head says the group actually classifies Bitcoins as in-kind donations, similar to works of art. If that’s indeed the case, you can spend up to $2,600 per politician and up to $5,000 per PAC of your choice for every election instead of just a hundred bucks.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Reuters, The Register, Arizona Daily Star
The 13 billion-year evolution of the universe, crammed into a four-minute video
Now you’ve got the basics of the universe down, try a dreamy tour through 13 billion years of stars and the space between them all. That’s what Nature’s offering, courtesy of MIT and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Prior attempts to scale and visualize everything ever were apparently hampered by a lack of computing processing power and the outright trickiness of the physics involved. The Illustris Project eventually took five years to craft and is apparently made of 10 billion minute cubes inside a virtual box measuring some 350 x 350 million light-years. It’s not the first history of everything simulation, but it’s the fanciest looking one — watch the whole thing after the break. Astronomer Michael Boylan-Kolchin adds, in a commentary of the study: “If this all sounds somewhat complicated, do not be fooled: It is extremely complicated.”
Source: Nature, CFA Harvard, Illustris Project
Beats CEO Jimmy Iovine in Talks to Join Apple as ‘Special Adviser’
Just a couple hours after the Financial Times reported that Apple was in talks to acquire Beats Electronics, the New York Post is reporting that Beats CEO Jimmy Iovine is in talks to join Apple as a “special adviser” to Tim Cook on creative matters.
Beats Electronics boss and veteran music industry executive Jimmy Iovine is in talks to join Apple as a “special adviser” to Tim Cook on creative matters, two sources close to talks tell The Post.
Iovine is also the chairman of Universal Music Group’s Interscrope Geffen A&M music labels, though his contract is set to expire at the end of 2014. However, it’s not clear if this is part of the potential purchase of Beats Electronics or separate from that deal.
Iovine has strong contacts in the music industry, allowing Apple to potentially leverage him for potential future negotiations with music labels. This would make him a strong addition even if Apple doesn’t purchase Beats.
If Iovine does join Apple, Iovine would be the second high profile executive to join the company after former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts. The Beats CEO also has a history with Apple, having pitched Steve Jobs on a subscription music service and meeting with Apple executives about Beats Music before it launched.
3D printing might save lives
Sure, 3D printers can make guns, but it can also be used for good: for instance, its capability to create whatever you want gives it a bright future in humanitarian efforts around the globe. Oxfam (an organization that seeks to eradicate poverty) agrees, that’s why it has partnered with online 3D printables platform MyMiniFactory for a mission in Lebanon. Their first collaboration? To find a printable water-efficient hand wash system for Syrian refugees who fled to the country in order to lower instances of diarrhea and other diseases. Here’s how the partnership works: MyMiniFactory will accept design submissions from anyone, and then select a few to email the Oxfam team. The org will then print and test these designs onsite, and then email MyMiniFactory on how to tweak them and make them better. Sadly, not every org out there comes with a 3D printer in tow, but a lot of humanitarians recognize the technology’s benefits and hope to take advantage of it soon. With the advent of more affordable 3D printers, that’s looking more and more possible. So, we wouldn’t be surprised if organizations start lugging around printers instead of actual equipment to produce everything from housing to medical supplies in the future.
Filed under: Misc
Source: MyMiniFactory, Oxfam
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