Computer algorithm picks the world’s most creative art
Who would you trust to determine history’s most creative at? A room full of seasoned critics? Rutgers University researchers think a machine can do the job. They’ve developed a computer vision algorithm that ranks the creativity of art based on how similar it is to earlier works in terms of everything from color and texture to the presence of familiar objects. The code treats art history as a network — groundbreaking pieces are connected to later derivatives, and seemingly unique content may have a link to something produced in the distant past.
So what are the top picks? In many ways, they match what you’d expect. Edvard Munch’s iconic The Scream is considered exceptionally creative, as are Goya’s Christ Crucified and Monet’s Haystacks at Chailly at Sunrise. At the same time, though, the algorithm knocks classics like Auguste Rodin’s scuplture Danaid or Albrecht Durer’s portrait of his mother. However, it’s important to remember that the software is looking for originality, not whether or not artwork is good. Although the algorithm could easily apply to books and other artistic formats, it’s going to take considerably longer before computers develop a critical eye.
Filed under: Science, Software
Source: ArXiv.org
Line jumps from messaging to music with its own streaming service
When messaging giant Line signaled its intent to jump into music by acquiring Microsoft’s MixRadio, it wasn’t kidding around. Meet Line Music, a streaming music service for Japan that (to no one’s surprise) is tied closely to the company’s chat app. You can not only share tunes in your discussions and on your timeline, but play them without switching apps — helpful if you want to talk about a new playlist while you’re listening to it. The low pricing might also reel you in. It costs just ¥1,000 ($8) per month for unlimited access, and you can get away with ¥500 ($4) if you listen less than 20 hours per month. Students pay as little as ¥300 ($2). Line Music is available right now for Android and iOS users, and there’s a web version launching in July.
The service only has 1.5 million tracks at the moment (it should have over 5 million later this year), and there’s no mention of international expansion just yet. However, its real challenge might be changing attitudes toward digital music on Line’s home turf. Unlike many other parts of the world that have embraced downloads and streaming with open arms, Japan’s music sales are still dominated by CDs — in fact, online music sales have dropped in the country over the past five years. Line’s sheer ubiquity might put its new offering in front of a lot of people, but it’s far from certain that they’ll sign up.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile
Via: Reuters, Engadget Japanese (translated)
Source: App Store, Google Play, Line
Verizon’s Moto E (2015) gets the Android 5.1 OTA
The Verizon branded Moto E (2015) is now in the process of getting the update to Android 5.1, nearly a month after Motorola began pushing out the update.
The update brings with it some much needed UI improvements with Material Design. It also has some notification improvements and Factory Reset Protection. It should only be a couple of week’s before all Verizon Moto E (2015)’s are on the latest Android version, as updates like these do take a bit of time to roll out to everyone.
If you got the update, be sure to let us know what improved, what you like, and even what you hate about the software upgrade.
source: Verizon
Come comment on this article: Verizon’s Moto E (2015) gets the Android 5.1 OTA
Surprise, surprise – the Comet Smartphone campaign is moving to another crowdfunding site
Remember that completely legitimate Comet Smartphone Kickstarter campaign we told you about a few days ago? As it turns out, Comet Core, the company behind the finned smartphone, has cancelled the funding campaign after it raised upwards of $25K of its $100K goal. Apparently, Comet Core is unable to provide its backers with the Smart Earphones that were originally available in one of the Early Bird packages, due to some sort of violation of Kickstarter’s policies and procedures. From Comet Core:
Comet is designed with smart earphones as a package and we had promised the same to all our friends, family and all our promoters the same. However as per Kickstarter’s policies and procedures we had to remove the smart earphone reward from our campaign as they view this as a breach of regulations. We shall honour our commitments and wish to keep the earphone package together with our smart phone.
Whether you believe Comet Core’s reasoning for removing the campaign or not (and you probably shouldn’t), fear not! The company has announced that it’s moving its efforts to another crowdfunding platform! You see, Kickstarter doesn’t offer flex funding campaigns, which means if a project doesn’t raise its entire goal, no money is awarded whatsoever. But Indiegogo, on the other hand, offers such platforms, which is why it wouldn’t surprise us in the slightest if Comet Core moved the campaign there. The company has yet to announced that it’s moving to Indiegogo, but we should receive an update within a few days.
Before we get too far into what we can do about this scheme, let’s go over some of the features the Comet H2O (renamed from Comet because of a trademark blunder with the T-Mobile Comet) Smartphone aims to offer its users. For starters, the Comet H2O is the world’s first buoyant smartphone that’s the “next big thing in technology lifestyle.” It features fins that pop out of the chassis when the phone is submerged in water, mood-recognizing LED lights that change depending on what you’re feeling, and its very own “Bubble Messenger” platform that’s exclusive to Comet phone users. While details were pretty scarce regarding the impressive use of fin technology at the campaign’s start, it looks like the company has shed some light on how it works:
Just because Comet Core is moving to another site, doesn’t mean it will get away with taking consumers’ money, though. Earlier today, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it will begin taking legal action against fraudulent Kickstarter campaigns, just like this one. The first campaign that’s feeling the FTC’s wrath is The Doom That Came to Atlantic City, a board game that raised $122K but never delivered any rewards. It turns out that after an investigation, project creator Erik Chevalier “spent most of the money on unrelated personal expenses such as rent, moving himself to Oregon, personal equipment, and licenses for a different project.”
Unfortunately, just because we can clearly see that Comet Core’s project is a joke, doesn’t meant the FTC can take legal action right away. Until Comet Core fails to deliver its impossible promises, the agency can’t take action. So in this case, if the Comet H2O is moved to Indiegogo and placed in a flex funding campaign, backers are probably protected, but unfortunately nothing is guaranteed. We don’t even know for sure if the campaign is moving to Indiegogo, but there’s reason to believe that it will be.
If you want to receive updates on the future of the Comet H2O, visit cometcore.com for more information. We’ll be sure to let you know once the new campaign goes live. But until then, feel free to re-watch the company’s amazing promotional video one more time.
Deal: Grab the Mpow 3-Port Car Charger for 80% off, Splash Tunes Pro Waterproof Speaker for 47% off
Whether you’re spending your summer hanging out by the pool or going on a road trip, the AA Deals Store has you covered. Right now, you can pick up the Mpow 3-Port Intelligent Car Charger for a massive 80% off, or buy yourself a Splash Tunes Pro Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker for 47% off!
If you’ve ever been on a long road trip with multiple people, you’d know that keeping your mobile devices charged up can be a hassle. For those situations, we’d recommend trying out the Mpow Intelligent Car Charger. Packed with 6.6 amps of power and three separate USB ports, this sleek car charger will have no problem charging up to three of your USB devices at the same time. It supports both 12V &18V input for optimized charging, no matter what device is plugged in. It’s also small enough to fit into most cars’ sockets. The best part? This car charger can be yours for only $13.99!
Next up we have the Splash Tunes Pro Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker, which is perfect for use by the pool or in the shower. This durable floating speaker brings impressive volume, great battery life and a reliable suction cup that won’t come detached easily. For just $36.95, the Splash Tunes Pro can be yours.
If you’re interested in grabbing one of these awesome deals, head to the Android Authority Deals Store links below.
Angry Birds Fight claws its way to the Play Store
Complete with dramatic cut-scenes and bird vs pig mayhem, Angry Birds Fight is yet another chapter in Rovio’s seemingly never-ending Angry Birds saga. This time, Rovio took inspiration from games such as Candy Crush Saga, as well as RPGs and fighters, to create a unique gameplay style.
Angry Birds Fight has already been seen in the Asia Pacific region and has garnered over 3 million downloads. Now it has been released worldwide on Android and iOS, raking up over a million downloads on the Google Play Store.
As for how the game works? You are presented with your fighter bird, which is then matched up against another players’ bird. Next, you are shown the classic Candy Crush grid, except the candies are birds. You have 30 seconds to match as many bird trios as possible, and for every set you make, your bird gets buffed. For sets of four and five birds, there are also other cool powers. Once the time hits 0, the birds begin to duel, and you don’t have any further influence on how your bird does.
The winner is chosen when the other bird has no more health. If you have won the duel, then you may be presented with a variety of items, like a pencil or a hat, which you can equip to give your bird an extra boost in the next battle.
After playing Angry Birds Fight for a little while, part of me wanted to uninstall it because it seems like a cruel mashup of Candy Crush, an RPG, and a fighter game. Another part of me wanted to keep playing. It does need more work, but I feel it has the potential to not be terrible. Go ahead and give it a try, then let us know what your feelings are about the game down in the comments.
Gionee announces Elife E8 with 6″ QHD and 24MP camera, and Marathon M5 with dual batteries totaling 6,020mAh
It’s unfortunate that sometimes we have to sit and watch China get phone goodies we wish we would. I am sorry to say that the recent news from Chinese phone manufacturer, Gionee, won’t help. They’ve just launched two devices, very compelling in their own ways.
Elife E8
The Gionee Elife E8 is meant to be a super competitive flagship beast. It resides in the phablet territory with its huge 6-inch screen. The camera also takes the spotlight here, with a whopping 24 megapixels. Here’s a rundown of the loaded spec list:
- 6-inch QHD display (~490 ppi, AMOLED panel)
- MediaTek MT6795 (octa-core, 2 GHz, PowerVR 6200 GPU)
- 3 GB RAM
- 24 MP rear (OIS, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED) and 8 MP front cameras
- 64 GB of internal storage
- 3500 mAh battery
- Dual-sim and LTE support
- Fingerprint scanner
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
It is said that the camera app launches in just 0.8 seconds and the phase detection allows for autofocusing within 0.08 to 0.2 seconds. Also, the rear camera can actually produce images of up to 100 MP, offering lossless zoom at 3X. Pretty darn impressive, huh?
Marathon M5
The Gionee Marathon line takes a different approach, priority being on battery life. The allure of the M5 is that packs two 3,010mAh batteries, for a total of 6,020mAh. I know, insane! It utilizes dual-charging chips to charge both batteries at the same time, fast charging, and is rated to last four days of heavy use on a single charge.
With the huge focus on battery, the rest of the phone wasn’t given much attention. We’re looking at fairly midrange specs:
- 5.5-inch 720p display (~267 ppi, AMOLED panel)
- MediaTek MT6735 SoC (quad-core, 1.3 GHz)
- 2 GB RAM
- 13 MP rear and 5 MP front cameras
- 16 GB of internal storage with microSD expansion
- Dual-sim and LTE support
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
You might be wondering how two batteries would affect the thickness of the M5? It is at a manageable 8.5mm. And to further battery life even more, Gionee threw in some software optimization tweaks, such as background app management and smart power consumption.
The Elife E8 is said to be priced at CNY 3,999 ($645 USD), with availability on July 15th. The Marathon M5 is more affordable at CNY 2,299 ($370 USD) and available sooner, on June 25th.
Did Gionee leave you yearning for these devices make their way overseas?
The post Gionee announces Elife E8 with 6″ QHD and 24MP camera, and Marathon M5 with dual batteries totaling 6,020mAh appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Camera and battery improvements are on the way to HTC One M9
If you are an HTC One M9 owner then there is great news for you. HTC is to begin pushing out an update to One M9 users in Europe, the Middle-East and Africa today. This update will bring the software version to 1.40.401.5, and it is the same update update that was rolled out in Taiwan couple of weeks ago.
The update will fix battery related problems, camera issues and overheating issues while charging. The list of changes is:
Battery life:
Battery life was one of the first complaints about the HTC One M9 and is probably one of the most important features of any phone. This update will improve battery life by reducing the power consumption by the YouTube and Facebook app – two very popular apps that almost everyone uses on their smartphone.
Camera:
Though the HTC One M9 has a 20 megapixel camera, the image output of it is always average. This update will solve all the issues regarding camera by including greater auto-exposure balance that improves overexposure, and a reduction of blur and noise in low light conditions.
Heat Management:
The HTC One M9 uses Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 810 SOC and the primary concern of the chipset was the heating issues caused by it. This update will reduce overheating of the phone while charging through an update to smart charging.
Although this is only a small update and it will keep the Android version to Lollipop 5.0.2, the camera and battery improvements address two major flaws on the M9. Currently this update will be rolling out in Europe, the Middle-East and Africa, and the users in North-America will be getting the update later this month depending on the carrier.
The post Camera and battery improvements are on the way to HTC One M9 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Notti Smart Light review
W
hen the Notti Smart Light by Witti Design first came across my desk, I was largely uninterested. Great, another gadget to fill space and serve no significant purpose. After spending some time with it, I’m ready to eat humble pie. I severely underestimated both the usefulness and charm of this little light.
Notti, a sister product to the Dotti pixel light, is a 4-inch polygonal structure that immediately adds character to your room by lighting up via Bluetooth synchronization with your phone’s alerts and notifications. All of the colors are completely customizable, thanks to the Notti app (Google Play and iOS compatible), and can serve as incredibly useful. Let’s say you’re washing dishes in the kitchen and using your device to play music through a Bluetooth speaker. Your hands are soapy but with a quick glance in Notti’s direction, you can instantly tell if you have an update worth drying off and attending to.
When not lit, the device’s minimalist white design looked beautiful in my apartment. The Notti boasts an alarm mode that gradually lights up your room with warm hues to gently start your day. I wasn’t a candidate for this feature (my bedroom windows allow plenty of sunlight) but I could see it being a nice bonus for the right person. I found the Music Mode, which syncs Notti to your tracks and pulses in time, to be a fun feature and compliment to a lively social setting.
Notti has a battery life of over 700 hours in notification mode and 5 hours when using constant light. It charged easily via MicroUSB, which I kept plugged in for the majority of my time with the unit.
I enjoyed using this, not just for practical purposes, but for mood lighting as well. While I’m not quite ready to call it a must have or game changer, Notti is a natural byproduct of our evolving lifestyles and progression toward a completely connected home.
At best, it’s a smart device with the power to soothe or energize. At worst, it’s a cool conversation starter in any household. At $59.99, it may just have a place in yours.
The post Notti Smart Light review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
How to View Photos on Apple Watch [iOS Blog]
The Apple Watch may have a small screen, but it’s still large enough to show off those pictures of your little one’s dance recital to the grandparents. As long as you’ve got an album synced from your iPhone, you can even view pictures while your smartphone is out of range.
To help you get the most out of your photo viewing experience, we’ve put together this tutorial to explain how to set up and customize the Photos app on Apple Watch
Create an Album in Photos on iPhone
The first step to getting the most important pictures on your Apple Watch is to create an album for it in your Photos app on iPhone.
- Open the Photos app on the iPhone and select “Albums.” Then tap the add icon (+) to create a new one.
- Name the new album. For simplicity, I named mine Apple Watch Photos.
- Select the photos you wish to add to the album and select done.
AIVAnet 