Apple’s latest purchase is an augmented reality company
Out of all the major technology companies, Apple is yet to reveal its plans for augmented or virtual reality. But still, chances are the Cupertino firm’s working on a project (or two) behind closed doors, as signaled by multiple patents that have surfaced over the past few years. To make matters more interesting, Apple has bought Metaio, a startup from Germany that’s been focusing on AR since it launched in 2003. “Pioneers in Augmented Reality and Computer Vision,” reads a message displayed in large font on Metaio’s website.
And if you look at its YouTube channel, you’ll also find hundreds of videos about AR, such as demos, tutorials, presentations and more — including one titled “The Industrial Augmented Reality Revolution,” which covers how the technology turns real-world info into virtual objects. We reached out to Apple for confirmation and it said this in an email: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.” While vague, that is the company’s usual response to any inquiry about its rumored acquisitions
It’s official now: #Apple has bought #Metaio. pic.twitter.com/FGrvm8jbY6
– Magdalena Rogl (@LenaRogl) May 28, 2015
Source: TechCrunch
Google’s Free, Unlimited Google Photos Service Now Available on iOS and Web
At its I/O developer event this morning, Google announced a new Google Photos platform that’s designed to compete with both photo sharing sites like Flickr and cloud services like iCloud Photo Library. Google Photos is cross platform and available on iOS, Android, and the web.
Both the iOS app and the web service are now live, letting those in Apple’s ecosystem make full use of Google Photos. The service is free for high-quality photos and it lets users upload an unlimited number of photos (up to 16 megapixels) and videos (up to 1080p).
Photos with resolutions that exceed 16-megapixels will be downscaled to 16MP, and videos with resolutions higher than 1080p will also be downscaled. Google offers an option to store photos and videos in their original quality, but only with the 15GB of free storage that comes with any Google account. Additional storage is priced at $1.99/month for 100GB or $9.99/month for 1TB.
16-megapixel downscaling is suitable for most camera phones and point-and-shoot cameras, but the free storage option may not be as appealing to DSLR users who need to store original-quality images. According to Google, photos uploaded with a 16-megapixel resolution or lower will look “essentially” the same when uploaded to the site using the free plan.
Google designed Photos around three central ideas: a “home” for all of your photos, deep organization, and easy sharing. On iOS, Google Photos is not unlike the default Photos app that Apple offers. It includes a main photos view that’s organized by when a photo was taken, and it’s possible to zoom in and out to adjust the view using pinch gestures.
You can organize your photos and videos into albums, but Google has also built in its own organizational tools. Google Photos will group images based on the person in the photo, an item in the photo (like a dog) or the place where it was taken. Google demonstrated the facial recognition features on stage at Google I/O, showing how it was able to recognize the same child at multiple ages, starting from birth.
In the iOS app, there are tools for quickly enhancing photos to improve color, lighting, and more, plus it’s possible to create collages, animations, and movies using the app’s tools.
Google Photos has quick selection tools for grouping up multiple photos, and this feature works alongside the app’s photo sharing tools. Users can create a link to any number of grouped photos, sharing all of them by simply sending the link. It’s not necessary for those who view the photos to log into the Google Photos app, but doing so allows the shared photos to be downloaded to one’s own library.
Sharing is also bolstered by a built-in Photos Assistant. This tool automatically makes videos, GIFs, and collages out of a series of photos, which can then be shared if so desired. Google Photos also includes tools to share photos to numerous social networks.
Google Photos for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Canadian man gets fined for using his Apple Watch while driving
Now that electronics manufacturers are releasing more and more smartwatch models, you might be wondering what the authorities’ stance is on using one while driving. Well, this clears things up a bit for our Canadian readers: a man named Jeffrey Macesin was recently pulled over and fined $120 for using his Apple Watch behind the wheel. Macesin told CTV News Montreal that the watch was inside a bag, and that he was only changing songs on it at that moment, since it was plugged into the car radio. He thought the cop only wanted him to get out of the way when he turned the cruiser’s lights on, but the officer obviously thought the device was a cause of distraction.
In the end, he got a ticket under Section 439.1 of the Quebec Highway Safety Code, which states “No person may, while driving a road vehicle, use a handheld device that includes a telephone function.” Technically, smartwatches aren’t handheld devices, but it has an LCD screen and smartwatch-like features, so they fall within a grey area. A lawyer who specializes in traffic violations, Avi Levy, told CTV News he believes a smartwatch is a Bluetooth device instead of a handheld, and “it has been established in the law that you’re allowed to use Bluetooth devices and it doesn’t constitute an infraction.”
In at least two other locations, New South Wales and Victoria, Australia, cops made it clear in April that if you use a smartwatch while driving, you could face penalties. As for everyone else outside those locations, it’s best to ask your local government or law enforcement agencies for now if you want to know your chances of being ticketed. Or, you know, you could just do the smart thing and keep your eyes off your shiny new gadget while driving.
Filed under: Misc, Wearables, Mobile, Apple
Source: CTV News Montreal
Wax Woz is coming to Madame Tussauds in San Francisco
Step inside the Madame Tussauds in San Francisco and you’ll find waxworks of Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg and other American icons. Steve Jobs is also present, but for many Apple fans there’s something amiss about his model. The problem? There’s no Steve Wozniak standing alongside him. Following a public competition to decide the next “tech innovator” waxwork, Madame Tussauds has agreed to immortalize the Apple cofounder next to his friend and fellow tech visionary. Woz now needs to visit the museum and conduct a two to three hour sitting, during which 250 measurements will be taken to ensure his model is accurate. Sculpting should take three to four months, and when the finished article is unveiled in the fall, Woz will be there for a quick side-by-side comparison. “I can’t wait to see my figure next to Jobs – it’ll be just like old times,” he says.
[Image Credit: Charlotte Observer via Getty Images]
Via: techeye
Source: Madame Tussauds
Google Brings ‘Cardboard’ Virtual Reality Headset to iOS With New SDK, iPhone App [iOS Blog]
Google last year debuted Google Cardboard, an inexpensive virtual reality platform that combined a cardboard mount and lens with a smartphone to create a virtual reality headset.
Up until today, Google Cardboard has only been available for Android users, but at its Google I/O event, Google announced a new Google Cardboard app for iOS. The new app lets the Cardboard system work with Apple’s iPhones for the first time.
With a Cardboard viewer and an iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6, or 6 Plus, the Cardboard app can be used to explore virtual environments, use a virtual kaleidoscope, view 3D objects in a virtual museum, and take hikes through cities around the world.
Google also announced a new version of Cardboard at its I/O event, which can accommodate phones as big as six inches. It also has a new activation “switch” that is constructed of cardboard instead of magnets, allowing it to work with all phones.
There are several third-party companies that have constructed Cardboard viewers based on Google’s Cardboard specifications, which can be purchased at prices that start at $20. Google also provides instructions that let users make their own Cardboard headsets.
Google Cardboard can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
‘Inbox by Gmail’ Now Open to Everyone, Updated With Trip Bundles and More [iOS Blog]
Google has announced that Inbox by Gmail can now be used by everyone with no invitation required, and the search company has also updated the email app with Trip Bundles, Undo Send functionality on mobile, the option to select “Delete” as the default swiping action, custom signatures, suggested reminders and more.
Trip Bundles combine all of your emails about a trip, such as flight times and hotel reservation numbers, enabling you to view them instantly after opening Inbox. Google’s screenshots below, for example, show a Trip Bundle for London that displays information for a flight from Austin to London, Hertz car rental from the airport and a weeklong hotel reservation at The Blue Hotel.
The latest version of Inbox improves upon many core features of the app, with new Undo Send functionality on mobile for retracting an email right after sending it in case you made a spelling mistake, contacted the wrong person or have second thoughts. Also new is the option to make “Delete” the default swiping action, custom signatures, suggested reminders and the ability to view HotelTonight or Eat24 reservations and food orders directly within Inbox.
Inbox by Gmail is free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]
Apple Purchases Augmented Reality Startup Metaio
Apple recently acquired augmented reality startup Metaio, reports TechCrunch. According to the company’s website, Metaio is a “pioneer in augmented reality and computer vision” that built the Metaio Creator, an augmented reality authoring tool. With the Creator, users could create augmented reality scenarios “within minutes.”
Metaio has stopped taking new customers and a shareholder document concerning the transferring of shares has confirmed that it was purchased by Apple. Apple also provided TechCrunch with its standard acquisition confirmation statement: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”
Metaio’s augmented reality tools have been used by several companies to create interactive experiences. Ferarri, for example, created an augmented reality showroom with Metaio, and it’s been used in Berlin with historical footage to let travelers see what the scene they’re viewing would have looked like when the Berlin Wall was still in place.
It is not clear how Apple plans to use Metaio’s technology, but there have been persistent rumors indicating Apple is interested in virtual reality and augmented reality. Based on patents, Apple has explored a video headset, a motion-sensing virtual 3D interface for iOS devices, and 3D “hyper-reality” displays.
It’s possible that Apple could use Metaio’s AR creation tools to introduce unique features to Maps and other apps. A 2014 rumor suggested Apple was considering adding augmented reality features to Maps, and a more recent rumor points towards Apple’s work on a “Browse Around Me” feature for iOS 9 that includes an augmented reality view.
Recent rumors have suggested that Apple has a small team working on augmented reality projects at its Cupertino headquarters, but it remains unclear exactly when we’ll see Apple incorporating AR and VR features into its products.
Google Announces Android ‘M’ Developer Preview, Android Pay and Unlimited Photo Storage
Google today previewed Android “M,” the next major version of its mobile operating system featuring Android Pay for mobile payments, app permissions, an improved web experience with Chrome Custom Tabs, app linking, Doze power management, USB-C support, direct sharing, simplified volume controls and a handful of other incremental improvements and bug fixes.
Android M prompts users with app permissions when access is required to certain elements of the operating system, including the microphone, location services, camera, contacts, phone, SMS, calendar and sensors. The new software version also features app linking, with verified links automatically redirecting to their related app without a cumbersome dialog popping up.
Android M delivers an improved web experience with Chrome Custom Tabs, which function as a Chrome web view overlaid in third-party apps with prefetched content. Google partnered with Pinterest, for example, to integrate Chrome Custom Tabs, providing all of Chrome’s benefits such as signing in, saved passwords, autofill and multi-process security. Chrome Custom Tabs are available on the Chrome developer channel today and in Q3 for the public.
Android Pay
Android Pay, essentially a rebranded and improved version of Google Wallet, is an NFC-based mobile payments service with virtually identical functionality as Apple Pay. Android Pay keeps payment information secure by generating a virtual account number and requiring fingerprint authentication for secure identification.
Android users can add their supported credit and debit cards to the Android Pay app and easily tap to pay at over 700,000 retailers and businesses that accept contactless payments, such as American Eagle, Bloomingdale’s, McDonald’s, Macy’s, Staples, Target and Walgreens. Android Pay can also be used for in-app purchases in supported apps.
Google announced that four major credit card companies in American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Discover will support Android Pay, alongside major financial institutions and AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile in the United States. More partners should be added in the future.
Project Brillo
Brillo is a slimmed-down version of Android that’s designed to power the Internet of things. It’s an operating system that will be made available to manufacturers, who can build it into devices like thermostats and lightbulbs. It includes support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.
Weave goes along with Brillo and serves as a communications layer that allows Internet of things devices to talk to one another. With Weave, Brillo devices, smartphones, tablets, and the Internet can communicate. Weave is cross-platform, so it can work with non-Android devices, and Android devices can auto-detect Brillo and Weave devices. Brillo will be available to devs in Q3, while Weave will be available in Q4.
Google Now
Google announced a new feature for Google Now in Android M: Now on Tap. With Now on Tap, you can tap on the home button of an Android device to get more information about what’s on the screen.
For example, when listening to music in Spotify, if you tap and hold on the home button and ask a question about the artist, Google Now understands the context and will reply. When tapping on the home button, Google Now is able to read the content of any app that’s running and bring up relevant, contextually aware Google Now cards. Apps don’t need to implement support — it works automatically.
Another example: On stage, a chat window with a discussion about laundry and a restaurant was brought up. A tap on the home button brought up a to-do card and cards for Maps, Yelp, and OpenTable.
Google Photos
Google announced a new Photos app centered around three ideas: a “home” for all your photos, deep organization, and sharing. Google Photos includes unlimited high-quality photo (16MP) and video (1080p) storage at no cost. It’s launching today on Android, iOS, and web.
Google Photos backs up all photos from an Android device, much like iCloud Photo Library. The smartphone app looks quite similar to the Photos app on the iPhone, supporting a main view with all photos with pinch gesture controls for zooming in and out on albums and timelines.
Google Photos includes auto-organization that organizes photos by people and place. Its facial recognition capabilities are impressive, able to recognize a person even as that person ages. A Photos Assistant feature automatically creates GIFs and videos from your content, which you can share or delete. Sharing is simple — you can group multiple photos and instantly get a link that lets other people see the images.
Juli Clover contributed to this report.
Apple’s Bid to Disqualify Antitrust Compliance Monitor Rejected [Mac Blog]
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York today rejected Apple’s bid to disqualify antitrust compliance monitor Michael Bromwich, who was appointed to watch the company since it was found liable of conspiring with publishers to fix e-book prices a few years ago, reports Reuters.
“The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York said a lower court judge did not abuse her discretion in rejecting Apple’s bid to disqualify Michael Bromwich as monitor, even though some of the company’s allegations against him ‘give pause.’”
In July 2013, Apple lost a significant e-book antitrust case that found the company to have colluded with publishers to raise the price of e-books. As a result, Apple was forced to submit to an external antitrust compliance monitor and $450 million fine as part of a settlement with several class action lawyers and state district attorneys. Last December, the lawsuit entered appeals court as Apple’s attempt to overturn the ruling.
Force Touch Now Planned for Both ‘iPhone 6s’ Display Sizes [iOS Blog]
A new report out of Apple’s supply chain in Taiwan today claims that the next generation of iPhones – tentatively designated as the “iPhone 6s” and “iPhone 6s Plus” – will both receive a version of Force Touch this year, according to Economic Daily News (via GforGames).
The supply chain source claimed to confirm that previous rumors regarding Force Touch’s exclusivity on the iPhone 6s Plus were in fact true, for a time, before Apple scrapped the plan and decided to move forward with installing the haptic feedback technology on both 6s models this year. Taiwanese manufacturing and R&D company TPK is still reportedly taking on the task of providing Force Touch sensors for the new iPhones.
Force Touch has been rumored as a standout feature on the new iPhone models a few times throughout the first half of 2015, leading into the first public interaction with the technology first when the new 12-inch Retina MacBook launched and then when the Apple Watch began shipping late in April.
Just this week, a new report suggested that iOS 9 was created “to be Force Touch-ready,” with Apple building the tools to create developer interest in using the technology within their apps. Given that the haptic feedback interaction allows a new form of communication with Apple’s devices, the introduction of Force Touch into the iPhone ecosystem could bring about a big overhaul of iOS if it in fact turns out to be the expected middle-of-the-road “s” upgrade this year.
Rumors about the new iPhones have begun piling up as the year moves forward, with most agreeing the device will have an upgraded 12-megapixel camera, A9 processor with 2GB of RAM, a possible new color option in Rose Gold, but with a similar form factor to the current iPhone 6. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also predicts that Apple will defy tradition and unveil the new iPhone in August with a planned September launch date.
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