Author: Paul Lamkin
Google presents incredible image recognition tool
Google is today presenting a paper at the Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition conference in Miami that indicates a huge step forward in image recognition technology.
The paper describes a system, not available in Google labs as of yet, that Google has developed using a complex indexing system that draws on data already available on the web to identify famous landmarks.
Currently their project can identify up to 50,000 landmarks with an accuracy rate of 80%. Impressive stuff eh?
It’s early days but Google’s announcement hints that the area of photographic recognition could develop incredibly over the next few years. They say: “We expect the insights we’ve gained will lay a useful foundation for future research in computer vision.”
(via Google)
VIDEO: 1cm folding plug on its way?
We poor old Brits must have the worst AC plugs in the world. Well, us Brits and also the 30 or so other nations who use the old type G, BS1363 AC power adaptor. Not only are they bulky, nay huge, and ugly it also hurts like hell if you accidental tread on one.
But, we may not have to put up with the old bulky adaptors for much longer if the video below is anything to go by:
It proposes a new design, measuring just an impressive 1cm thick that works by folding the three copper prongs into a nice, neat parallel line.
It’s just a concept at the moment, but surely someone has got to pick up on this and mass manufacture it. It looks brilliant. I’m going to go home tonight and hack of all of my old bulky plugs in anticipation.
(via Engadget)
Introducing the GameBone Pro – the oddest iPhone add on yet?
Bored of using the sophisticated touch screen input to play your iPhone or iPod Touch games? Want to use a more traditional D-pad and button setup?
Well, you can with the bizarrely shaped GameBone Pro. It’s basically a SNES control pad, but shaped like a bone. It has dual connectivity – Bluetooth or via the dock connection, a 2000mAh lithium-ion battery and also has built-in speakers, microphone and 3.5mm headphone jack.
These latter inclusions indicate that you should be able to use the GameBone Pro as a Bluetooth handset. If you wanted a bone shaped handset.
The thing that strikes me as the most odd about this device though is that you’ll need two hands to operate it, leaving you exactly zero hands to hold your iPhone. You could balance your very expensive iPhone on your knees I suppose.
Makers of the GameBone Pro, 22Moo, plans to ship the device with a horizontal and vertical stands for your iPhone but this would, in effect, make your iPhone a very small TV in a games based setup.
There is no price as of yet, as 22Moo are leaving pricing suggestions up to the public. It should be out mid September.
(via Kotaku)
Check out our video review of the slightly less weird, but still not entirely conventional Zeemote:
Intel to supply Nokia with mobile chips
Intel has reportedly struck a deal with Nokia to supply processors for the mobile phone giant. The arrangement would be a major coup for Intel who dominate the computer processor market but who have struggled to make an impact in the mobile phone market.
Intel’s Atom Processor, which is a low powered version of their x86 chip and is currently popular in the netbook market, is rumoured to be the chip that will be used. It will have to be lower powered than it currently is but if it proves successful it will come as a relief to the organisation who, in 2006, scrapped a $5billion investment into mobile chips as they thought they had missed the boat.
Most Nokia releases currently come with chips made by Texas, Qualcomm or Freescale. The single CPU, 434 MHz, ARM11 chip that powers Nokia’s latest flagship smartphone – the N97 – has faced early criticism for being sluggish.
This partnership could prove monumental in terms of the future of mobile phone development. Nokia are the world’s biggest manufacturer of mobile phones and Intel are the clear leaders in terms of CPU production. You do the math…s.
This deal should be confirmed later on today, so be sure to check back later for any updates.
(via Bloomberg)
Vodafone to launch 3G signal booster
If mobile phone coverage is a problem in your household then you may be interested in the Vodafone Access Gateway – a little box that plugs in to any broadband line to create a boosted 3G signal.
Vodafone is saying that the device is the first of its kind in Europe. Unfortunately, it only works on the Vodafone network but I suppose that is understandable – they’re hardly likely to want to improve the signal quality of their rivals.
The Vodafone Access Gateway will be available for free with some phone plans, as a one off payment of £160 or for a monthly charge of £5. It can handle up to four calls at once so would be perfect for a family home.
Get yours from Vodafone from 1st July and never miss a call again because of lack of coverage.
Mio Navman announces Spirit TV range
We gave you a sneak preview last month but now it’s official. The first satnav with a built-in TV is here. Actually the first two satnavs with built in TV are here as there are two different sized versions – the Mio Navman V735 which has a huge 7-inch screen and its little brother, the V505 which has a 4.7-inch screen.
Apart from the unique TV function, there are plenty of other features to justify the price of £299 for the V735 and £229 for the V505.
Navigation-wise it’s got everything you’d expect from the Mio Navman brand including TruMaps, smart economical routing, traffic data and safety camera data. There’s also a nice walking navigation side to the device with built-in 2D city maps specially designed for pedestrians.
Like other Mio Navman devices it also includes the NavPix geo-tagged photo navigation feature. This feature, combined with the walking navigation maps will come into its own on city breaks.
But you’re not really interested in all that are you? You just want to know about the TV aspect to the device. Well, it’s pretty straight forward – it has a built-in DVT tuner that will work right across Europe. In the UK that means you could pick up the complete Freeview spectrum, signal permitting. There’s a built-in aerial and there is also a socket to plug in a stronger aerial if required.
Obviously it’s not designed to be used whilst driving – that would be very naughty.
Check out our preview video:
For under £300, these models have come in a bit cheaper than we expected. Get yours direct from Mio Navman.
Nimbuzz to work even without 3G or Wi-Fi
Nimbuzz, who we’ve heaped praise on in the past, has signed a deal with Voxbone – a Belgian company who specialise in providing worldwide telephone numbers – so as users can still make VoIP calls even when there is no 3G or Wi-Fi coverage.
The service works by dialling a local area access number to connect to the internet over the 2G connection. This means that anyone with a 2G phone can use Nimbuzz to call their Skype or other VoiP contacts.
The service sounds perfect for PAYG customers, especially those who have some free call allowance included in their plan. It might also be useful whilst abroad, although be aware that even though roaming charges will decrease in July, it’s still not that cheap to roam.
BT to use ATMs as Wi-Fi hotspots
Cash machine company Cashbox, the company behind many of the fee-charging ATMs found in pubs and shops has signed a deal with BT to turn some of their cash-points into Wi-Fi hotspots on the Openzone network.
The deal is good news for BT Broadband customers as well as iPhone users on O2 who receive free connection to the Openzone network. For other customers who want to connect to Openzone, the cost is a wallet-worrying £5.88 for 90 minutes or £9.79 for a full day.
Cashbox has 2,500 cash-points in the UK. The plan is to introduce the Wi-Fi capabilities amongst them gradually, starting with just 10. Ciaran Morton, CEO of Cashbox says: “It’s really just the start of our rollout. We will look at extending coverage over the coming months.”
(via PC Pro)
Orange GlastoNav – your perfect festival buddy
Orange has released an update to their GlastoNav app ahead of this weekend’s festival. The app will work on most smartphones and across all networks.
GlastoNav will provide info on all the bands performing at the festival – with bios written by The Guardian. More useful than that is the stage-times feature which should work out a darned sized cheaper than buying one of those plastic lanyards at the site.
Also included is an interactive map which will provide details of the whole site, including opening times of specific venues and directions between stages. The interactive map will also be used for competitions and promotions across the weekend.
Another useful feature is the My Schedule where you can not only plan your Glastonbury experience but also save your friend’s schedules too.
GlastoNav is free direct from Orange although, at 350kb, some data charges may be applicable depending on your mobile plan. Interactive features may also require a data connection as well so be aware of that.
My Glasto tips: Go see Jarvis and don’t miss Blur. Wear plenty of protection – from the sun. Eat, drink and be merry but don’t eat the mushroom omelettes. Drugs are bad. Mmmkay?
Championship Manager 2010 – girlfriends beware
Eidos is to release the umpteenth instalment of the hugely popular Championship Manager series in September. The release date should mean that all squad data should be up to date as the transfer deadline would have been and gone.
I don’t need to bore you all with the features of the latest version, fans of the series will know that the update will merely be an improved version of last season’s game.
What is exciting, however, is the CM Season Live feature. Starting in October, with updates every month until April, players will be able to download a patch that updates all data on the game – from 49 major leagues – in line with what’s happening real life. League tables, results, goal scorers, injuries, transfers – the whole shebang.
Players will, therefore, be able to try and beat real life managers in real scenarios. Fancy having a go at winning Serie A with AC Milan when they’re 11 points behind neighbours Inter at Christmas? You can. Or fancy having a go at keeping Spurs up when they’re deep in the mire with only a handful of games left? Not likely, but you can give it a go.
Purists of football management games will argue that Football Manager is the king of the genre but the live feature of the latest Championship Manager release may just be enough to persuade a few doubters.
Not that I’ll be able to try it out though. My ‘champs’ days are well and truly over – things came to a head with the missus a couple of years back regarding the excessive hours I was putting into my ‘career’ and I was somehow convinced to retire from the game. It was a sad day – I had built up a Busby-esque reputation within the game.
Championship Manager 2010 will be available all over the place come September as well as direct from Eidos.
