Tiny drone-friendly 4K camera lets you swap lenses
If you want to fly an interchangeable-lens camera on a DJI Phantom-sized drone, there’s a few options, including Blackmagic’s incoming 1080p Micro Cinema Camera. But if you needed 4K, you were out of luck — until now. A company called Z Camera has launched the E1, a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) interchangeable-lens camera small enough replace a GoPro in many cases. There is a catch, of course. Z Camera is a startup company and the camera is launching on Kickstarter, making any purchase a roll of the dice. However, it is fully funded and being produced in cooperation with Panasonic, which built the 4K sensor and is supplying the bundled 14mm f/2.5 lens.
It weighs more than twice a GoPro Hero 4 (about half a pound), but if equipped with a small enough lens, you could still hoist it with a mainstream drone like the DJI Phantom 3. The company claims the E1 will deliver a noise-free image up to 6,400 ISO, with 10-11 stops of dynamic range, and shoot widescreen 4K (4,096 x 2,160) at 24fps, UltraHD at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps and 720P at 120fps. It’ll also capture 16-megapixel RAW and JPEG stills.
A smartphone app (Android or iOS) lets you power it on and stream video via WiFi or Bluetooth 4.0. The camera supports continuous autofocus and manual focusing, though the company didn’t say if you can focus using the smartphone app. There’s also no mention of stabilization, meaning a decent gimbal is likely a must.
If you’re keen and brave, you can order one for $599 (body only) or $799 with the aforementioned 14mm f/2.5 Panasonic lens. Following the Kickstarter launch, it’ll cost $699 for the body only. As mentioned, Z Camera has gained nearly $150,000 in pledges, well over the $42,000 goal. That means you’re committed to buying one if you chip in, but assuming it ships and works as advertised, you’d definitely get more professional-looking drone footage.
Source: Kickstarter
Updated Yureka Plus announced with new camera and 1080p display
It has been less than eight months since Micromax launched its Cyanogen OS powered Yureka smartphone, which offered compelling mid-range hardware specifications at a competitive price. The company has now announced an updated version of the handset with improved specifications, known as the Yureka Plus.
Gone is the old 720p display, which has been updated to a Full HD (1080p) pixel count. This is a more suitable resolution for the large 5.5-inch screen, which results in an excellent 401 pixels per inch. The smartphone’s rear camera has also been updated. The resolution remains at 13 megapixels, but there’s a new Sony IMX214 image sensor with 5 element Largan Blue lens and f/2.2 architecture, which should produce better looking snaps. The 5 megapixel front facing camera is the same module as before.
The rest of the smartphone’s internal hardware remains unchanged from the previous launch. The Yureka Plus still comes with an octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM, 16GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot, dual-SIM support, category 4 LTE, a 2,500mAh battery and Cyanogen OS 12.
The Yureka Plus is already available for pre-registration through Amazon India, which started today, and will go on sale on the 24th of July at 12pm. The smartphone will retail with a price tag of just Rs. 9,999 (approximately $155) and is available in a moondust grey and white finish.
Sony seeking beta users for new Android concept software
Sony Mobile looks set to bring wholesale changes to its Xperia UI as part of a new initiative dubbed “Sony’s Android concept”. Judging by the language used in its website, the program is designed to offers users the “opportunity to trial a new concept Android software build for [the] Xperia Z3“.
The program is limited to users in Sweden and the website clearly states that it allows users to “Enjoy a new user experience” before adding that users will “receive a concept Sony Android software version, with a fresh take on the Sony user experience“. Naturally the company hasn’t revealed any details about the concept software (other than, you know, that it’s a concept build) but based on the website, it looks like Sony’s Xperia UI could get its first major overhaul in several generations.
Over the past few years, Sony’s software and hardware have both followed similar patterns with small incremental upgrades to hardware matched with small tweaks and revisions to refine the software experience. Despite being one of the most refined interfaces on Android, the Xperia UI doesn’t have all the bells and whistles found in its rival’s interfaces and as such, the new concept Android software could become the new Xperia UI.
Xperia Z3 range in video:
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Sony opening the pilot to a limited number of users in Sweden – where its R&D department is incidentally, although the workforce there is rapidly diminishing – suggests that the software is in beta stage (and not alpha) and this could be telling, given the many many rumours that Sony will introduce an entirely new handset at IFA 2015 in just over six weeks.
Given some users have suggested that Sony needs to re-evaluate its product strategy, the concept Android software could be the first step towards an entirely refined and redesigned smartphone experience. In most industries, change is a bad thing but mobile tech is the opposite and the lack of major changes in Sony’s hardware and software has been one of the biggest criticism leveraged against the company. Could the concept Android software be the answer to this?
Samsung’s next Galaxy Tab S should be a whole lot wider
Don’t look now, but Samsung’s widescreen Android tablets might be going the way of the Dodo. Tabletmonkeys claims to have leaked images of the Galaxy Tab S2, and the high-end slate appears to be adopting the same wide, iPad-like aspect ratio as the Galaxy Tab A. In fact, it might lose size and resolution compared to the original Tab S lineup — instead of 8.4- and 10.5-inch 2,560 x 1,600 displays, you’d be looking at 8- and 9.7-inch 2,048 x 1,536 panels. That wouldn’t be so hot for your widescreen videos, but it’d be better for web browsing and anything else that benefits from portrait mode viewing.
Not that they’d be taking steps backwards in any other respect. Both S2 models are reportedly wafer-thin at just over 0.2 inches thick, and they’d be the lightest in their respective classes at just under 0.6 pounds (for the 8-inch version) and 0.9 pounds (for the 9.7-inch device). Not surprisingly, you could also expect Galaxy S6-class guts that include an eight-core Exynos 7420 processor and 3GB of higher-performance memory. Curious? You might not have to wait much longer to give these tablets a shot, since they could be announced as soon as July 20th.
Filed under: Tablets, Mobile, Samsung
Via: SammyHub
Source: Tabletmonkeys
Riding the $3,000 pickup truck of electric scooters
Scooters are known for having more storage space than the average motorcycle. Because the engine is actually connected to the rear wheel, that leaves a lot of room under the seat for stuff. It’s convenient, but it still limits the utility of the bike when you want to buy more than some milk and bread at the store. The new GenZe 2.0 electric scooter not only has that under-seat space, but also sports a relatively huge bed (called the “BackBay”) behind the seat. It’s like a tiny two-wheeled pickup truck that can handle a few pizzas, a backpack or your dirty clothes as you take them to the Laundromat. I didn’t have pizzas or filthy clothing to toss in the back, but I was able to take this urban utility scooter for a spin on Treasure Island before its launch in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, this fall.
Built in Michigan by India-based Mahindra, the aluminum-frame GenZe 2.0 — like a lot of scooters currently available and coming to market — is technically a moped. The onboard software keeps the top speed at 30MPH. You might not be able to keep up with traffic on streets with a 40MPH speed limit, but you also won’t need a motorcycle license to ride it.
The bike has three modes: Sport, Economy and Easy. Easy mode eases new riders into the wild and wooly world of traveling on two wheels by limiting acceleration. Once you’ve done that, you’ll never use it again. For me, Economy is only for when I realize I’m in danger of killing the battery on the ride home. Fortunately, it has a range of 30 to 35 miles on a single charge and the battery is removable, so you can park the scooter and take the battery inside with you to charge it. The rather heavy battery (Mahindra says a lighter one will be available next year) takes about three and a half hours to charge. Because I’m usually in a hurry, I picked Sport mode.
Acceleration is on par with other electric scooters regulated to moped mode. It’s smooth and eventually gets you to the top speed within about half a city block. While it’s not going to be flying down city streets, it’s a bit safer than the average scooter thanks to the 16-inch front wheel that makes it extremely stable. I could feel the bike trying to right itself as I leaned side to side while cruising down the road.
The large wheels (the rear one is 12 inches) also have the added advantage of making all those potholes your city refuses to fix less of a danger than if the GenZe used the smaller tires found on other bikes. Plus, that added stability also makes slow turns easier. I was able to pull tight circles while doing 2 MPH.
As for hills, Mahindra says the bike will tackle an 8 percent grade at 30MPH for half a mile. Helpful for topographic wonderlands like San Francisco. Unfortunately, Treasure Island was built to be as flat as a board, so no hill-climbing tests for the pickup-inspired GenZe.
Like an actual truck, the sitting position is upright. There’s no leaning forward; the high handlebar position keeps that from really being much of an option. My daily rider is a Vespa that also lends itself to an upright riding position, but this is far more pronounced. Right off the bat, the bike is trying to fix my horrible posture. After a few blocks, I got used to sitting at attention while riding.
On that high handlebar, though, is a 7-inch touchscreen that shows off your usual speed, battery and range stats. It’s also how you unlock the bike. As with a smartphone, a PIN code is needed to start the GenZe. But, the most exciting feature is the ability to adjust the power and regenerative-braking settings of the bike directly from the display. Riders can customize their experience with a few flicks and taps. These settings can also be adjusted via a companion app.
The features meant to woo urban gearheads don’t stop there. On the final production model, riders will also be able to top off their smartphones and other devices using two 12-volt charging ports. One will be located in the under-seat compartment so you can charge your phone while you store it. Oddly, the GenZe also has a reverse mode. I guess you could use it to back out of spaces. ¯_(ツ)_/¯.
As for the BackBay bed in the back, the stock bike will have the rather large bucket that housed my backpack and DSLR with plenty of room to spare. There will also be hooks on the production model for bungee cords so all your stuff doesn’t go flying into the street. But customers also have the option to upgrade the bay with a lockable lid and other accessories when the bike launches, which should be somewhere in either late September or early October. Expect it go for $3,000, with availability starting in San Francisco and Portland.
While the GenZe will be available for individual purchase, the company is also interested in fleet sales to colleges, resorts and rental services like Scoot. Don’t be surprised to see a few of these filled with coolers and towels the next time you visit a beach town or in a city where people want the freedom of two wheels, but still need to do things like go shopping for more than a loaf of bread.
Filed under: Misc, Transportation
UK says it’s once again illegal to rip CDs for personal use
Brits: we hope you enjoyed that brief, glorious year of legal media ripping, because you’re once again flouting the law. In the wake of a challenge from the music industry, the UK’s High Court has overturned regulation that allowed format shifting (such as ripping CDs and DVDs) for the sake of personal use. Supposedly, the government was in the wrong when it didn’t implement compensation for copyright holders when you dumped those albums and movies on to your hard drive. Officials could reintroduce exceptions, but they’d have to take a different tack if they want these measures to survive.
The industry unsurprisingly portrays the High Court decision as a big win for performers and writers. At one point, it had claimed that compensation-free format shifts would rob creatives of £58 million ($90.5 million) per year. However, that’s a tentative claim at best. After all, there’s no real way to know if someone is ripping media in the first place, let alone whether or not those copies are intended for piracy or convenience. This also overlooks the blows inflicted against teachers and researchers, who now can’t legally transcode media they need for presentations and studies. While it’s true that the damage to personal use rights is mostly symbolic (the UK can’t really enforce its new policy), the rule ultimately hurts more than it helps.
[Image credit: Jonathon Colman, Flickr]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage, HD
Via: BBC, Ars Technica
Source: UK Music
This is how ‘Shenmue 3’ raked in over $6 million on Kickstarter
Records, like rules, were made to be broken. Shenmue 3‘s Kickstarter campaign recently wrapped and upon doing so it set the bar for video-game projects on the crowdfunding platform by pulling in some $6.3 million in pledges. It’s pretty impressive when you consider that just last month the previous record-holder, the Castlevania spiritual successor Bloodstained, raised over $5.5 million in a similar span of time. Both games come from legendary game developers striking out on their own (thanks to risk-averse publishers) and both are more or less the sequels fans have been asking for for years.
There’s a big difference though: the side-scrolling action/role-playing game Bloodstained didn’t make its debut at E3, much less onstage at PlayStation’s media briefing ahead of the show. That gave Shenmue 3‘s open-world RPG a pretty significant head start, helping it reach its original $2 million funding goal in nine hours. And of course, it didn’t stop there. Along the way, an explanatory documentary about the series popped up and the development team took to Twitch to answer any questions you might’ve had.
The developers at Ys Net also revealed physical copies of the game for PlayStation 4, replicas of protagonist Ryo’s leather jacket and plenty of in-game content like additional quests and features as stretch goals. Of course, we got a brief glimpse of what the game looks like at the moment as well.
But how will Shenmue turn out, though? And further to that point, what about Bloodstained? The former isn’t anticipated to ship until December 2017 and the latter’s slated for March of the same year. If they follow the path of another Japan-developed, Kickstarter-funded game, Mighty No. 9, perhaps it won’t take nearly as long to find out — the latter was playable at E3 this year. For now we have to play the waiting game, though.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Kickstarter
‘Street Fighter V’ will give you free extras if you earn them
For most of the Street Fighter series’ history, you’ve had to pay for significant new content. Want to get those sweet new characters? Buy the Super Ultra EX Plus Alpha Turbo Championship edition. You won’t have to go through that rigamarole with Street Fighter V, though. Capcom is promising that any post-launch SFV material will be earnable for free, in-game — accrue enough “Fight Money” and that brawler will be yours. You can still use real cash if you want more content without putting in additional play time, but you’re no longer forced to splurge.
This economic aspect won’t show up until later in SFV‘s beta testing, and it’s not clear just how much effort you’ll have to put in to unlock content at no charge. Here’s hoping that it isn’t a grind, like you often see in free-to-play games. Either way, this could be a refreshing change from the fighting game world’s recent tendency to charge for extras. You won’t have to purchase whole ‘new’ titles just to compete at tournaments, and you only have to get the content that interests you. Ideally, this will keep the SFV community intact for as long as the core game remains current — and that’s good for both Capcom (which doesn’t split its fan base) as well as casual and cost-conscious players.
Filed under: Gaming
Source: PlayStation Blog
Boeing and Hacking Team want drones to deliver spyware
Forget safeguarding drones against hacks — if Boeing and Hacking Team have their way, robotic aircraft would dish out a few internet attacks of their own. Email conversations posted on WikiLeaks reveal that the two companies want drones to carry devices that inject spyware into target computers through WiFi networks. If a suspect makes the mistake of using a computer at a coffee shop, the drone could slip in surveillance code from a safe distance.
The conversation was still in the early stages as of the leak, so you don’t have to worry about drones planting bugs any time soon. It’s also unclear as to who the customers would be. While the NSA is fond of spyware, there’s no certainty that it or other US agencies would line up as customers. Still, don’t be surprised if military recon drones are eventually doing a lot more than snapping pictures.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Matt York]
Filed under: Robots, Networking, Internet
Via: The Intercept
Source: WikiLeaks (1), (2)
Ford’s high-tech lighting system makes driving at night safer
Ford is in the midst of developing a couple of advanced front-lighting technologies designed to prevent collision and keep drivers safe at night. The first one called “camera-based advanced front lighting system” takes two of the automaker’s older technologies — adaptive lighting system and traffic sign recognition — and transforms them into something better. It can interpret traffic signs and use GPS info to widen the headlights’ reach at roundabouts. In the absence of GPS data, it uses cameras to detect lane markings and move the car’s high beams according to the road’s curvature, or to spot dips in the road to illuminate them better.
The second technology called “Spot Lighting” is especially useful when driving in residential locations with no street lights. It uses an infrared camera attached to the vehicle’s grille to detect people and large animals on the road through their body heat. The high beams can shine a spotlight on up to eight pedestrians, cyclists and canines walking their human companions, but the system can also highlight them with yellow boxes on the in-car entertainment screen. Ford’s still not done making the Spot Lighting technology, but its camera-based front lighting system is ready to be deployed in the near future.
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Ford
AIVAnet 