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HDCP 2.2 and the 4K era: get ready to renew your screens again

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HDCP 2-2

Whenever new screen technology comes out, companies expect us to run and update right away. In the case of 4k video, though, it might be a better idea to wait a bit.

HDCP 2.2 is the name of the latest standard of content protection for the 4K generation, and while 4K itself will make everything look incredible (the jump is as big as from DVD to Blu-ray) it also means bad news from some of the gadgets you already own. HDCP 2.2 is not backwards compatible with previous generations, and there’s even several 4K devices that don’t support it. Basically, if you got a 4k TV in the last year, there’s a chance you might still be behind the times.

HDCP 2.2 is the standard of protection meant to ensure the lack of (or at least reduce) piracy when it comes to the latest movies, shows, and digital content. It creates a secure connection in between the source and a display ensuring content can be copied. So far, the code remains unbroken and successful, but as everything else when it comes to these things, it’s only a matter of time. It doesn’t matter if you use HDMI, HDMI 2.9, DVI, USB or others, the new HDCP 2.2 is supposed to be there to ensure that, say, your copy of Captain America 2 doesn’t get copied.

The latest production batch of 4K TVs by Samsung, LG, Panasonic, and Sony amongst others are being created with the HDCP 2.2 compliance in mind, so if you’re not getting a first brand, be sure to check out the specs to ensure this compatibility. If this compatibility doesn’t exist, new 4K content will just not work on your TV and users will be greeted with a black screen instead of whatever they’ve chosen to watch.

This affects more than TVs, extending to soundbars or receivers that will also need to be HDCP 2.2 compliant. You don’t need to rush and dump your current set-up, though. This revolves exclusively around the 4K world, and if you’re planning to stick with 1080 for the meanwhile, there’s no reason to worry about it right now. Your current blu-rays, dvds, video game consoles and gear will still work, but the next generation might be something different. Keep it in mind, and do your research before spending your hard-earned money!

Via CNET

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PlayStation 4 brings back couch co-op… online

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ps4-image

The days of couch co-op, playing together and even passing the controller can be relieved in the most unique way thanks to Playstation. Keep reading to learn more.

Sony has been doing quite right by gamers as proven by their most recent console, the Playstation 4 selling over 10 million consoles in less than a year. Still, far from being complacent (let’s not forget, Microsoft scored a big one after naming Crystal Dynamics’ Rise of the Tomb Raider their most recent exclusive!), the Sony team are still looking for new ways to entice fans.  One of these ways comes in the form of an update for the PlayStation 4, which starting from update 2.0 will be able to do what Sony deemed Share Play.

Share play basically means that the couch co-op (that is, playing together with friends using two controllers, or just passing yours along) can be done remotely, via the Internet. This is more than just online multi-player, this means that gamers can play without having to buy two copies of the game: say, you’re playing Diablo 3, and your buddy can join right in without having to buy Diablo 3 himself, as if he/she was sitting right next to you. Just like the good old days, except without leaving the house. Gamers can take turns, or play simultaneously if the game allows it, which is literally a game-changer, as it means to bring gaming to the masses: gamers now get to play whether they own the game or not, as long as one friend does.

Sony named some games that are already working on getting this functionality up, amongst which we can count NBA2K, Towerfall and Child of Light for now. System software update 2.0 for PS4 will come out “this fall”, and will also allow gamers to upload footage to YouTube amongst other new functionalities.

 

Portable Bluetooth SSSSSpeaker Collapses to Make Different Sounds

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Portable Bluetooth SSSSSpeaker

The quality of sound can be easily altered by changing the shape of the source. Kiev-based aiia took advantage of this concept and introduced a portable Bluetooth speaker

SSSSSpeaker (the manufacturers probably assumed that the more they emphasize the first letter, the better the product is ) has quite an unusual design, being more similar in shape to a suction cup, then to a speaker. However, it’s exactly the silicone cone defining its shape that gives this item a specific versatility. Depending on how much it’s collapsed, the SSSSSpeaker can reproduce sound in three different ways. Have I mentioned that this portable Bluetooth speaker also doubles as an anti-stress ball when needed? That’s probably a useful feature when you don’t like the music that’s being played.

On Kickstarter, SSSSSpeaker raised a bit over $20K, out of the $30,000 goal that aiia set for this campaign. At press time, there were 8 more days to go, and with proper advertising, the campaign could be a success. Should the project be funded, anyone who pledged $16/19 or $21/26 will get their wired or wireless SSSSSpeaker, respectively, this September.

For $5,000 or more, people have the chance of attending an individual workshop in Kiev, a 3-night stay at a 5-star hotel and a distributor starter’s kit. In other words, for that kind of money, you can become a partner of aiia and have your say in the future development of this product. Believe it or not, someone has already pledged $5,000 and will benefit from all these things, even though going to a country where there’s a civil war at the moment may not be the best idea ever, regardless of the business opportunities.

The ones who are not satisfied with the default speaker can choose to have it customized with their name or logo right where the aiia logo is placed, in front of the speaker. Bear in mind that SSSSSpeaker is already available in three different bright and joyful colors, so the degree of customization is pretty high with this product.

aiia had also set some stretch goals for the Kickstarter campaign, but seeing how the project performs, it’s safe to say that those goals won’t be reached. Who knows, if this crowdfunding campaign fails, maybe the developers will find a way to make SSSSSpeaker even more appealing.

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Bistro: an all in one cat feeder and health monitor

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bistro-cat-feeder

Our cats are as important as anyone else living at our place, and that is why they too require special attention. That is exactly what Bistro helps ensure.

Believe it or not, cats eat every day. Despite this, how much they do eat depends on what the owner decides, and as anything that involves humans, we sometimes overdo it or don’t do it enough. That is why a group of cat lovers created Bistro, the ultimate cat feeder that ensures that taking care of your kitty friend is done just right via the proper use of technology.

Bistro uses a built-in camera that streams to a server capable of running face-recognition software (yes, face-recognition for cats!) and then dispenses food for them. If a different cat tries to trigger it, a smartphone app will let the owner know, and even allow him to change setting or decide on the fly. Bistro uses weight sensors, and keeps track a pet’s ingest levels, letting owners know how to keep the feline happy and healthy. Furthermore, the app allows users to see the feeding history and water intake, which is fantastic for the purpose of keeping track of the cat’s behavior. Learn more about Bistro in the video below.

Via Gizmag

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Apple Hires Tag Heuer’s VP of Sales, Is the iWatch On the Way?

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Tag Heuer Patrick Pruniaux

As rumours surrounding Apple’s iWatch device heat up, the company makes an interesting hire suggesting that the gadget is on the way.

Have you heard about the rumoured iWatch; Apple’s wearable device that’s said to have a fitness focus to keep you updated of notifications on your smartphone as well as giving you feedback about your health? Well plenty of us certainly have and Apple obviously have too, but they’ve kept completely schtum on the speculation with nary a statement offered to the media from the Cupertino, Calif. based company. They don’t really need to say or do anything for suggestions to continue, though the electronics company have now tempered the flames of the fire like a hosepipe of gasoline by hiring Patrick Pruniaux who was the VP of Sales at watch brand Tag Heuer.

The reason Pruniaux’s hiring is key is because he’s not a brainy engineer, or a man with a plan of what the iWatch’s features could be once the device comes to market but rather, he is the guy who can help Apple figure out which of the iWatch’s features will help it shift the most units. Pruniaux’s job will be to get the dang thing on our arms and make it seem like a must have item.

What Pruniaux’s hire also means is that the iWatch is perhaps quite far into development (if Apple are looking at how to sell the thing anyway) and that they need a way to one up other smartwatch offerings with Microsoft rumoured to be working on a professional wrist device too and even Google has released a form of their Android operating system specially for wearable devices. That all points to the iWatch being released later this year (after a reveal in September alongside the iPhone 6) while Pruniaux’s Tag Heuer background points to it being presented as a rather expensive luxury device that we’ll all clamour over ourselves to buy. But will the iWatch really be worth it? We’ll have to wait and see but we’ll keep you posted once we know more.

Source: TechCrunch

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Reward Your Children With Internet Time for Chores With Kudoso

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Kudoso Wireless Router

Aiming to get children away from the Internet and doing the things that they should be doing instead, Kudoso is a reward based Internet router.

Have you ever tried to get a teenager away form Facebook or Twitter by asking them to put in some elbow grease and clean the house? Exactly. You may as well be trying to remove your molars with a knife and fork, a bag of ice to serving as the anaesthetic. It’s not that physically painful of course but it’s probably pretty close because who really wants to do chores or housework, especially when you’re young and have selfies on Instagram to worry about over grey hairs and joint pain? Getting your children to do as they’re asked needn’t be such an effort though which is why the Kudoso wireless router helps provide you with the one surefire way to get a young person to do anything: take away their Internet.

‘Taking away their Internet’ isn’t quite the way the Kudoso wireless router pitches itself on Kickstarter, though, it actually boasts itself as being able to do the opposite; rewarding with Internet access rather than removing it, but the policies are all the same. How Kudoso works is that via its web interface, you can set a predetermined list of tasks that reward the user (your children or whoever) in question with points which they can in turn cash in for Internet time. The tasks can be whatever you like, it seems, so if on one day your teen’s bedroom rivals a pig sty after a post-piggy rave then you can add that to the list even if ‘wash the dishes’ and ‘do the laundry’ were only there previously. Alternatively, Kudoso’s pairing with learning group Khan Academy means that you can even make academia a task for points. There are also more specific controls that make going to certain sites more expensive so for example the price for Facebook might be higher than YouTube or Twitter, depending on your own choice.

Should Kudoso pass its $50,000 Kickstarter goal it’s looking at a release date of August 2014, which for most is just enough time to get your child in shape to study up ahead of a new school year, or maybe the Summer has just made them a little disobedient? The choice is yours and the reasons for using Kudoso aren’t even limited to your children, theoretically anyone in the family could be cut off from the Internet (even yourself) if you feel so inclined to set that up. Furthermore, it’s also said that FitBit compatibility is in the pipeline and that fitness activities will be able to be redeemed for points. That’s a stretch goal though and for now an amount of $89 will get you the Kudoso software (which is only compatible with a few routers) while forking out $119 gets you the Kudoso router itself, so if its features seem worthy, follow the link below to back to find out how to back the project.

Source: TechCrunch, Kudoso Kickstarter

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Facebook under investigation for “mood experiment”

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facebook social experiment

A recent mood experiment conducted by the Facebook team recently made the news, posing the question of whether it was ethical or not. Well, it’s won’t be up for debate for long, now the government themselves are taking cards.

A data watchdog from the UK is conducting an investigation that will attempt to determine whether Facebook Inc has violated data-protection laws while allowing a group of researchers to conduct a “mood experiment” on their users. The experiment was conducted on about 700,000 users in 2012, who were shown specifically more positive or negative posts in their respective newsfeeds in order to analyze their reactions. The idea? To determine whether Facebook could alter the emotional state of their userbase by prompting them to specific content.

Greg Jones, the watchdog responsible for the investigation, said it was “too early” to determine what part or parts of the law Facebook could have infringed, but the whole issue could lead to a fine of up to 500,000 pounds ($839,500 USD). Facebook answered by saying it would work with the regulators, and change anything that needs to be changed.

Matt Steinfeld, a Facebook  spokesman, explained that “It’s clear that people were upset by this study and we take responsibility for it. The study was done with appropriate protections for people’s information and we are happy to answer any questions regulators may have.”

Source: Huffington Post

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Twitter acquires TapCommerce, aims to improve mobile ads

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Twitter TapCommerce

Twitter is about to change the way you interact in their social network, at least when it comes to the ads thanks to the acquisition of TapCommerce.

TapCommerce is one of those really cool start-ups you might not have heard of: they help companies repurpose their ads based on user activity, in order to provide a better browsing experience, without making users have to sift through unrelated or uninteresting stuff. While this is a common practice for every desktop computer, it had not been possible to replicate on mobile devices until TapCommerce and their clever algorithms and statistical analysis trumped the lack of cookies. As Re/code’s Ina Fried reported, now the company is a part of Twitter in a deal that closed at $100 million.

The idea is for Twitter to improve the mobile app’s ads thanks to the know-how provided by TapCommerce. Twitter has claimed before that most of their revenue comes from mobile ads, so this should be huge for them. While it’s not clear when we’ll finally see TapCommerce’s technology applied to the Twitter interface, there’s a roadmap already underways and plans for the future. We’ll have to wait and see.

Source: TechCrunch

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Will This Docomo Sim Card Wearable Change How We Use Phones?

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Docomo Portable SIM

Japanese phone network Docomo have announced a new wearable that could potentially change the way that we use our phones, tablets and sim cards.

When you’ve owned a two or three mobile devices over a few years, you’ve probably come to terms with the sim card swap. If you have a contract that you quite like (with a massive great data offering, plenty of SMS messages and more minutes than you could shake an alarm clock at) for a relatively decent price, you want to take that contract with you, in the future, even when you get a new device. And you upgrade and get your shiny new phone with its far faster processor and upgraded visuals or the tablet that you’ve always wanted to use for professional reasons rather than playing Angry Birds on a bigger screen but what happens to the device you left behind? And what do you do when you’ve got plenty of devices that could make great use of your SIM card but you only have one SIM card to your plan? Well for that, Docomo’s new wearable ‘Portable SIM’ could solve that problem.

The main feature of the device is that the Portable SIM would use one SIM and a simple wave of your hand to wireless log into your devices via Bluetooth and NFC technology. Effectively being a standalone authentication device (or a key that unlocks all) there’s hope that Docomo’s wearable device would allow you to log into phone networks and even transfer information over them. From phone numbers to log-in details, the Portable SIM could make it easier to make a phone call or a text on someone else’s phone when your own mobile is out of use.

As Japan’s largest phone network, Docomo certainly have the chops to pull it off and you’d certainly want them to as well. One of these reasons is that not only could it potentially allow for multiple devices wireless connected to one SIM, it would even work across Android and iOS so if you’ve got a pricey iPhone and a cheaper companion Android tablet, you’d be able to transfer info between the two like the devices were created by the same company. Currently, the prototype is a little large (although they’re looking to shrink it down to a wearable size) and there are reportedly even plans to allow the Portable SIM to connect to TVs and car systems so while that’s very ambitious, it sounds interesting and we’ll keep you posted once we know more.

Source: Docomo

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