8 things your webcam can do, that you dont know

HOME SECURITY SYSTEM 

THERE ARE PLENTY of free programs you can use to turn a webcam into a remote security system. Simply install Yawcam (Windows only) from www.yawcam. com or Vitamin D (Windows and MAC) from www. vitamindinc.com. Both are free and once installed, you can configure them to live stream video and monitor the feed remotely. The software can also be set to alert you or start recording when motion is detected in the frame of view — this is great because you obviously cannot monitor the feed from the camera all the time. For general surveillance, you can setup the software to take snapshots at set intervals and upload them to a remote FTP server. For Linux users, Motion (www.lavrsen.dk) does the same thing.

 
FUN & GAMING

A WEBCAM can literally put you into the action while playing a game. At www.newgrounds. com, you will find a collection of short, quick online games and Adobe Flash applets that use your webcam. Just head to the games section and webcam games subsection on the website. You will need to allow Flash Player to access your webcam when it prompts you — this has to be done for each game. There are plenty of games available on the site that you can play using your webcam and each of them has a different theme. Our favourites are the 3D Target Shooting (the game uses the webcam to detect your location and displays a 3D effect, relative to your position), Night of the Ninja (fend off angry ninjas by hitting them), Bunny Zap (zap bunnies before they hit the ground) and Dress Up Yourself (add spectacles, thought/speech bubbles, facial hair, accessories to your face).

 
LOGIN VIA FACE RECOGNITION

SOME COMPUTERS may have this feature built in, but if you have a PC running Windows and a webcam, you can enable login via face recognition easily. Head to www. luxand.com/blink or http://bananascreen.en.softonic.com and download the free software. In the initial configuration register your face with the software and set an auto-lock for Windows. Once active, the software will recognise your face and automatically log you in to Windows without the need for a password. Since the software recognises certain points on your face, it doesn’t matter if you have a different hairstyle or if you’re wearing spectacles one day. There is an easy way to break in though – if anyone just holds up a photo of yours to the webcam, the software may log in because it can’t recognise 2D or 3D shapes. 




OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION

OCR OR Optical character recognition using a webcam is a bit tricky as the image quality of most webcams is average. However, your webcam can double up as an OCR reader in a pinch. You can take an image using the webcam and then use software like Microsoft Document imaging, Google Docs and Abbyy FineReader Online to convert images to text. You can also try Evernote (free from www.evernote. com). Evernote is recommended software for OCR since it reads the image from the webcam and converts it into searchable text in real-time. You can use it to save notes, book pages, reports and business cards. Accuracy of converted text varies between 70-90% depending on the image quality and software used for OCR conversion.

 
PHOTOS WITH FUNNY EFFECTS

IF YOU go to www.cameroid.com, you can use any webcam to take funny photos — either with various filters, distortion effects, scenes or frames. You don’t need to install anything or even sign up — just give the site permission to access your webcam through Adobe Flash when prompted. Once you take a photo, you can either save it to the Cameroid public gallery or download the JPG file to your computer. You can also try out similar effects at www.seenly.com. You can also get software to create realtime effects while you video chat with someone using Skype or Google Talk. Videoskin.net offers some freeware while www.webcammax.com and www.shiningmorning. com offer trial versions of their software with thousands of different effects.


BAR CODE READER

READING BAR codes and QR codes is easy with a smartphone and a free app. But you can do the same thing on a PC with a webcam (doesn't matter if the webcam is built in or external, although external is probably better for this purpose). Download and install bcWebCam (get it free from www.bcwebcam. de) and it will automatically connect to your webcam to show the feed. Now just place the barcode or QR code in front of the webcam, the software will take a few seconds to recognise the embedded content and show you the text/link it contains. Mac users who need similar functionality can use Evobarcode (15day trial & US$30 post that) from www.evological.com or QuickMark (US$ 3.99) from the Mac App store.

 
TIME LAPSE VIDEOS

TIME LAPSE is a photography technique wherein multiple photographs, taken at the same location over a period of time are stitched together to form a video. The resulting effect is of time passing by very quickly, hence the name. Free software called Tilaphos (http://sourceforge.net/ projects/tilaphos) or Webcam TimerShot (available on http:// download.cnet.com) can do this for you without hassling you with too many technical details. An external webcam is recommended for time lapse videos because it is easier to keep it still. Also, it is much easier to place it at a location from where a wider frame can be captured — larger coverage would result in capturing of more movements, which in turn will make the video look good. It’s important that the laptop (or webcam) is kept perfectly still and that it receives constant power. After that, it’s just a matter of setting the time interval and recording the time lapse.

 
MAKE YOUR OWN FONT
 
YOU CAN use your webcam to create a font from your own handwriting. This font can be used to send emails or create documents with a personal touch. Head over to www.pilothandwriting.com, download and print the template provided. Now fill out the boxes in the printed form with the corresponding alphabets — using your handwriting. Once done, use your webcam to take an image of the form and upload it to the website. After upload, the site will show you the template and you can edit it to make the alphabets look better. Next, the website will generate a font based on your handwriting and then you can download the font to your computer and use it with any software of your choice.

Sabeer Bhatia launches free SMS app Jaxtr

Sabeer Bhatia, the founder of Hotmail.com, on Tuesday launched JaxtrSMS, a mobile application that lets users send unlimited free text messages to any other phone anywhere in the world.

He claimed JaxtrSMS is the world's first mobile-based application for sending SMS that is completely open as the recipients do not need to have the app installed.

It is already available as a free download for all major mobile operating systems - iOS, Android, Blackberry and J2ME. In fact, users in 197 countries have already downloaded the app within a few weeks since the soft launch, said Bhatia, who is CEO & co-founded Jaxtr with Yogesh Patel in US.

JaxtrSMS is unique in that a mobile user can send a text SMS to any mobile phone in the world without requiring the receiver to have the JaxtrSMS application installed on her phone. This "open" facet of JaxtrSMS distinguishes it from other free mobile messaging applications such as Whatsapp where messages can only be sent within a closed network to people who also have the same app installed. JaxtrSMS retains the number of the user and no new number is required while signing up for the JaxtrSMS service.

"15 years ago, we gave you Hotmail.com, the world's first webmail service that freed up e-mail from the confines of the desktop and aided the creation of a global communications network which was completely open and free for users. Today, we present JaxtrSMS which does to SMS what Hotmail did for e-mail.
Now, mobile users can leverage our free and open application to send messages to their contacts anywhere across the world without having to pay anything," said Bhatia.

"JaxtrSMS was completely developed in India. I am proud to showcase this as an example of Indian innovation and ingenuity," said Yogesh Patel, president & co-founder.

Dell Inspiron Duo tablet unveiled at IDF 2010

The Intel Developer Forum brought about some really interesting portable devices, where among them include the Dell Inspiron Duo tablet that features 10-inches of viewing goodness, powered by a dual-core Intel Atom processor as well as a full QWERTY keypad which can be hidden thanks to a swiveling tablet display. Dell has positioned the Inspiron Duo to be a consumer device that delivers both productivity as well as entertainment in a single package. Now where have we heard that before? Since it runs on the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, it will be able to play nice with a wide range of Microsoft applications. Dell claims that this is going to be the most powerful Windows tablet in the world. We concur with that, at least until someone else comes up with something more powerful.

Source: ubergizmo

RemotePC Lite lets the iPad access PC and Mac computers over WiFi

Being able to access files from your computer at work or home while you are mobile can be a lifesaver in some instances. For the business users it means that you can allows get files you might need whenever you are and the personal user can access their media. Remote access software has been around for a long time for PC to PC access.




A company called RemotePC has announced a new updated version of its iPad app called RemotePC Lite for iPad. The original version allows the user to access streaming music and video over a WiFi network using the iPad. The new updated version adds to the ability to access files remotely on the iPad.

The new update allows the user to get a full desktop view of files on PC and Mac systems using the iPad and a WiFi network. The iPad can now get all the audio and video files along with providing full desktop access. That means you can view all the files, programs, and connected resources for your computer right from the iPad.

Windows Live Essentials Beta Now Available For Download

The Program Called "Better than Mac For Photos" is Now Ready For Download

Beta testers can now get their hands on the massive Windows Live Essentials package, the software suite that’s been called “better than Mac for photos, hands down”. And you won’t believe what’s included in this setup.

What’s involved in the mammoth software package? Well, there’s plenty here, including Windows Live Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Mail, and Messenger. It used to be that these were included back when Windows Vista was released, but when Microsoft launched Windows 7, Microsoft figured that people could download the apps they wanted.

It does give you, admittedly, a note of flexibility that’s not usually associated with the old “bundle everything in sight” philosophy of Microsoft. Plus it also frees up some hard drive space in the opening minutes of starting your computer, especially if you’re gearing it more toward a home theater PC or a gaming PC. And the Windows Live package is designed specifically to blend in with things like SkyDrive and the Windows Live network.

If you’re wanting them for your Windows 7, they’re now available for download.

Blu-ray 100GB & 128GB BDXL Specification Finalized

The Blu-ray Disc Association seems to be keeping right on track with those original projections we mentioned back in April. The BDXL specification was originally designed with medical imaging and broadcast elements in mind, specifically, but we imagine that with all of the extra space the BDA is shoving into these discs, plenty of other outlets are going to jump all over it.



We’d say there’s not much different here, but that would be an understatement. There are still two sizes included in the new specification: a triple-layer 100GB version, which is either re-writable or write-once. Or there’s the 128GB quad-layer version, which is only write-once.

Don’t think that your current Blu-ray player is going to be able to handle all these awesome layers in its current state, though. Yes, with these upgrades to the discs themselves, and with the BDA throwing layer after layer into them, you’re going to start having to pinch your pennies now to afford the hardware equipment you’ll need to actually use these new discs, once they become widely available.

Press Release:

Blu-ray Disc Association Approves Final BDXL™ Format Specifications

Licensing Information and Applications Now Available

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) today announced the finalization and release of the specifications for BDXL™, the new multi-layer recordable Blu-ray Disc™ format with up to 128GB of capacity. With the completion and approval of the specification, manufacturers can now obtain licensing information and license applications needed to begin production of the high capacity write-once and rewritable discs and hardware (http://www.blu-raydisc.info/).

Targeted primarily at commercial segments such as broadcasting, medical and document imaging enterprises with significant archiving needs, BDXL™ provides customers with triple layer 100GB RE (rewritable) and R (write-once) discs and quadruple layer 128GB R discs. Possible consumer applications include capture and playback of HD broadcast and satellite programming in markets where set-top recorders are prevalent.

“The BDA worked diligently to create an extension of the Blu-ray Disc™ format that leverages the physical structure of the design of the disc to create even more storage capacity,” said Victor Matsuda, Blu-ray Disc Association Global Promotions Committee chair. “By using the existing Blu-ray™ technologies, we have created a long-term and stable solution for archiving large amounts of sensitive data, video and graphic images. We expect further growth of the Blu-ray Disc™ market as the introduction of 100GB/128GB discs will expand the application of Blu-ray Disc™ technologies.”

The BDXL™ specification was developed with specific market segments in mind, and newly-designed hardware addressing such markets will play back or record BDXL™ media. However, because the new media specifications are extensions of current Blu-ray Disc technologies, future BDXL™ capable recorders can easily be designed to play back existing 25GB and 50GB Blu-ray Disc™ formats.

About Blu-ray DiscTM

Blu-ray Disc™ is a trademark owned by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) and licensed for use on discs, players and other products that use BDA’s optical disc format for high definition audio-video and high capacity data software applications. A single-layer disc holds up to 25GB of data and a double-layer disc holds up to 50GB of data.

About the Blu-ray Disc Association

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) is responsible for promoting and developing business opportunities for Blu-ray Disc – the BDA’s optical disc format for high definition audio-video and high capacity data software applications. The BDA has approximately 170 members. Its Board of Directors consists of individuals affiliated with the following member companies: Apple Inc., Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, Hitachi, Ltd., Intel Corporation, LG Electronics Inc., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Pioneer Corporation, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, TDK Corporation, Technicolor, Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures and Television, and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Blu-ray DiscTM and Blu-ray DiscTM logo are registered trademarks of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

BDXL™ is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

Microsoft Kinect revealed : Project Natal got a name finally

We've heard it before, now Microsoft's Syed Bilal Tariq is repeating the October launch date for Natal. Speaking to GamerTagRadio, Microsoft's marketing manager for Saudi Arabia says that the Natal launch,

"is going to be somewhere in October and we will be in a position to confirm the date at E3, which is in June, but definitely it is going to be October 2010."

24diggsdigg Hot on the heels of getting leaked a wee bit early Microsoft has made official the rebadging of a device desperately seeking a new name: "Project Natal" is no more, replaced by Microsoft Kinect. At a circus- and celebrity-filled affair, MS wrapped everyone in high-tech panchos (pictured after the break courtesy of Joystiq) and then took the wraps off of the new title. Quite a few game demos were shown, ranging from Star Wars to tiger petting, the Kinect interface to the Dashboard was shown (said by some to be Minority Report-like), and a video chat app called, wait for it, Video Chat. Through here you can naturally talk to friends (up to four total people at once was "shown"), and also share photos.

Sadly, no hands-on time was given nor did MS reveal the two crucial bits of information we're waiting for: price and date. Naturally a holiday release is expected, to give the Xbox 360 a nice sales boost, but we're hearing price rumors as high as $150. These choice bits of intel will surely be unveiled at Microsoft's event tomorrow -- if someone doesn't beat 'em to it. The hardware is still looking exactly like the early picture above, shattering hopes of a slimmer design to match new Slim Xbox 360.

Chrome OS to Release in this Fall

Looks like Google’s mythic operating system Chrome OS will be out this fall.

“It’s something which we are very excited by … We expect it to reach millions of users on day one,” says Google’s vice president of product management, Sundar Pichai. Hey, Sundar, anything with the Google logo on it and available for free is gonna be big – no need to be modest or anything, now.

Questions are flying around such as what devices will feature Chrome OS, or whether the OS even poses a minor threat to Windows, but I’m not sure the latter is even a question – while it’s shaping up to look like a great little OS, hardcore PC users might not immediately bite. I don’t think Microsoft has anything to worry about just yet.

Source: ZDnet

The G-Speak Spatial Operating Environment - Exclusive - Just Like Minority Report

Remember Minority Report? If so, what about that scene where Tom Cruise is controlling a computer with hand movements that synced up to opera music? If your memory is fuzzy see it here. Well, the computer from that scene is actually a reality and has been in development since the early 90s. Who knew?

Oblong Industries, the developer of the g-speak spatial operating environment, actually worked on the set of Minority Report so there is a reason for the similarities between the machines.

The whole thing works with an I/O bulb, which looks out at the world and can tell the computation device what is going on in the room. Finger and hand motions are tracked in order to control the computer. Even two-handed and multi-user inputs are recognized by the bulb. But to really explain it… you need to watch the above video. It is pretty astounding to see in action.

Source: OblongIndustriesInc

New Bike Add-On Allows For Phone Charging - Go Green

The green movement has stopped being just about saving our dying planet and has become the fashionable thing to do. I am not sure if this is a good or bad thing, as on one hand it gets a group who wouldn’t normally care to be pulled into the movement involved, but on the other we lose the reason and passion of what began the movement in the process. This new phone charger from Nokia looks as if it will walk the line between the two, balancing green power and posh-ness.

Nokia has come up with a way to charge your phone using the static electricity created by your rotating tire on your bike, therefore charging your phone while riding around town. The bike charger kit will include a DC-14 phone charger, a phone holder that you can attach to your bicycle, a dynamo (used to power the batteries), and a bunch of other accessories to install the device on your bike. The charger will be compatible with any phone with a standard 2mm charging jack.

After it is installed, the kit will charge your phone when you ride the bike at speeds in excess of 6 km/h. Nokia has suggested that the speed of the bike should be over 12 km/h for best efficiency.
Now, Nokia has said it will be focusing on developing countries where electricity may be sparse; a pretty noble move in my eyes; it could do some good in countries like India or China where the bike is a common means of transport. The best part is that it will be completely affordable with an $18 price tag.
If this bike charger ends up being successful, Nokia has stated that they will be bringing it to European markets later this year; most likely North America will follow. And after that… I prophesize that the tabloids will be showing our “green-conscious” celebrities riding their bikes cell-phones in tow.


Source: Dvice, TechTree

New Skype iPhone App Allows Calls over 3G

Skype has launched a new version of its client software for Apple’s iPhone 3G allowing users who have downloaded the app to make calls to other Skype users on the 3G network. The best part? The service remains free at least until the end of this year.

Skype announced on Sunday that the new app is available for the 3G iPhone and that Skype-to-Skype calls over Wi-Fi will remain free until after the end of 2010. Skype has also said that they have not yet decided on what to charge for the calls.

With the new software, owners of the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and the second and third generations of the iPod Touch can make calls using the new app. The iPod Touch will need an additional headset and because it is not connected to the 3G network, it can only make those calls over Wi-Fi.

Other improvements to the new Skype software include improved start-up time and improved sound quality (about the same quality of a CD). There has also been a call quality indicator added to this version of the client to help users choose the best moments to make their call depending on the speed of their connection and traffic heaviness.

Overall, it looks like it could be a pretty solid new way of allowing your significant other or parent to check up on you. Everywhere you go.

Boogie Board Beats Pen And Paper

Trees are our friends these days, but we still have to chop down a whole bunch of our good buddies so we can write notes to our significant others to remind them that they should pick up milk if they’re at the store, and don’t forget to pick up the kids.

The paperless office was largely a bust, due to the fact that sometimes you just can’t beat a good note written in ink with a pen. Or can you?

The Boogie Board hopes to change all that. It’s an LCD touch screen that allows you to use a stylus as a pen to write in a single color, and then erase the message with the push of a button.

Like a blackboard, or a modern day etch-a-sketch, Boogie Board is a simple device with a simple goal, to eradicate the use for paper and pens around the home.

The real attention grabber is that the device costs a mere $35. It’s not too hard to see how it might be cheaper to buy one of these for the kitchen and living room than buying a load of paper pads.

Regardless of what Steve Jobs says, sometimes a stylus is the best tool for a job – using a finger for drawing takes some getting used to, but the device will work with fingers too.

This seems like a low-tech solution compared to an iPad, but sometimes it’s the most efficient, simple solutions that win through in the end. I’m curious to hear more about how this device performs in real world testing.
Source: Ubergizmo

We'll All Be Buying New TVs Again In 2015

Here’s some advice. Take the next five years to really get the most out of your binocular vision. Climb a tree. Play baseball. Do that thing where you put your hand in front of your face and wink back and forth for awhile. Trust me, you’ll miss it when it’s gone.

According to the Taiwanese Industrial Technology Research Institute, glasses-free 3DTV will be the hip new tech by 2015, and this week they demonstrated a 45-inch model showcasing the technology. It wasn’t exactly ready for primetime, but impressed nonetheless. Apparently, they can go as big as 65 inches.

Stephen Jeng, director of 3D systems & applications at ITRI cited that the tech, which employs a parallax barrier, would be used in things like photo frames and advertisements before making the jump to television, but agreed that glasses free has to be the future of 3DTV. It’s certainly the only way 3D’s gonna get into my living room – I wouldn’t pay 200 bucks for the glasses that keep me from being blind, let alone ones that allow me to watch Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs ‘the way it was meant to be seen’. Frankly, I wasn’t aware it was meant to be seen. But I digress.

Jeng revealed that one of the main issues that needed to be overcome to have glasses-free 3D available for public consumption was eye safety; I tend to agree. I hate to bring up the Virtual Boy again, as I often do, but remember the warnings plastered all over that thing? That was more or less glasses-free 3D, as well, and posed a great danger to the binocular vision of children, who, if I’m not mistaken, are the target audience of, like, eight out of ten 3D films. Then again, the Virtual Boy also basically shot lasers into your eyes. Maybe Jeng’s got nothing to worry about.

Source : PCWorld

Microsoft Tag Lets You Scan Products With Your Cell

Have you ever wanted a more in depth look at the functionality of a product before making up your mind on whether or not to take it home? I know I’ve been there and I’m sure you have too. Microsoft has answered our prayers with its new Microsoft Tag system.

Fresh into beta, the free app can be downloaded for the following platforms: Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm OS and it is also available for J2ME handsets.

Here is how it works: you point your phone at the desired product tag (unfortunately it has to be Microsoft’s own barcode tech, known as High Capacity Color Barcode, or HCCB), the phone then scans that particular barcode and instantly you are connected to the information you need to make your decision.

Microsoft Tag allows users to instantly link to mobile websites or videos, add someone to their address book, and create their own Tags with the Tag Manager.

If you are worried about limited functionality due to how new Tag is, Microsoft has assured us that over a billion tags have been printed worldwide on various products since its launch 18 months ago.

Source: MicrosoftTag, UberGizmo, Techi

Asus Eee PC Seashell 1201PN announced

ASUS has officially announced the Asus Eee PC Seashell 1201PN multimedia netbook. Asus Eee PC Seashell 1201PN is equipped with Intel Atom N450 processor, NVIDIA ION graphics, 2GB of RAM, 250GB hard drive and Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.

Asus Eee PC Seashell 1201PN also features 0.3-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, 10/100 Ethernet and Bluetooth 2.1, HDMI output, virtual 5.1 channel SRS Premium Sound, chiclet keyboard and multi touch touchpad. It has a 12.1 inch 16:9 widescreen high definition display with resolutions of 1366×768 pixels.
It comes with a 6 cell battery that provides up to six hours of battery life and measures 296× 208x 33.3 mm and weighs 1.46kg.

Asus Eee PC Seashell 1201PN is priced at 499 Euro.

Sharp develops mobile camera that films in 3D

SHARP has developed a 3D camera system for mobile phones and other portable devices and plans to begin production by the end of the year.
It will be the world's first 3D camera module for mobile devices capable of capturing high-definition video images, the consumer electronics giant said.
Different perspectives offered by each eye's line of sight enables the brain to process depth perception and therefore see images in three dimensions.
The system aims to exploit this by using two small lenses that can simultaneously capture separate images for the left and right eyes to create synchronised 3D pictures, said Sharp spokeswoman Miyuki Nakayama.
Sharp will start shipping samples in July and mass production will follow within a few months, Ms Nakayama said.

Source: news.com

Mac OS X 10.6.4 S Third-Build Beta Released

Apple has issued yet another build of its upcoming Mac OS X 10.6.4 update for their Snow Leopard system. The update contains mostly the same list of fixes as found in their last update.
The only change specifically mentioned by Apple is the improvement in VoiceOver compatibility with iMovie and GarageBand.

The focus area for the latest build, according to a developer currently busy testing the update, include graphics drivers, SMB, USB, VoiceOver and VPN. And so far, the only known issue found with the build is related to some incorrectly formatted marketing text.

The build, as with the last, resolves an issue that could cause keyboard or trackpad input to become unresponsive as well as a problem which prevented Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications from loading.
The latest build has also been said to improve the reliability of VPN connections, an issue that reared it’s head while editing photos in full-screen with iPhoto or Aperture, and also fixes a playback issue that arose while watching DVDs while the “Good Quality” de-interlacing option was checked.

The first beta of Mac OS X 10.6.4 was released in April, but still no word on when the product will be out of the beta phase.

Source: AppleInsider, Techi.com

Mini-ITX Test Bench Looks Like a Transformer

This robotic creature transforms into a Mini-ITX test bench.  The four adjustable legs create a spider-like effect.

Designer Lian Li created it primarily for open- air PC benchmarking; the design makes it easier to build up and tear down again. You will be able to purchase your creepy-crawly friend on May 21st of 2010. Spidey comes in three colors; silver, red and black.
Features:

• Unique eye catching design
• Available in red, silver and black colors
• For mini-ITX motherboards
• Supports one 5.25″ slim CD-ROM
• Adjustable leg angles
• Evolved spider design with only 4 legs
• Availability: Arriving at local distributors end of May
• Price: US$108+local VAT for black and silver versions and US$123+local VAT for red version
• Can be purchased wherever Lian Li products are sold

What do you think about this creative piece? Scrap metal for better use or the next big thing?


Source: Engadget,Dvice, Vr-Zone

Google's dangerous bravado could help Microsoft | Cloud Computing - InfoWorld

Google's cocky comments show an unearned confidence about its ability to beat Microsoft in the cloud

Google is taking potshots at Microsoft again over who gets the cloud better. As reported by Computerworld, a Google exec says, "Microsoft is a great company, but we think we're several years ahead in our ability to build and deliver cloud services that are reliable and useful and secure."

While it's true that Microsoft seems a bit late to office automation in the cloud space, the company has presented impressive Web-based Outlook apps for years, and moving to a complete cloud offering won't be as much of a reach as Google thinks. Indeed, when considered against the existing penetration of Google Docs and Gmail, which are a part of Google Apps, Microsoft still has a huge head start when it comes to understanding office automation.

[ Get the no-nonsense explanations and advice you need to take real advantage of cloud computing in InfoWorld editors' 21-page Cloud Computing Deep Dive PDF special report. | Stay up on the cloud with InfoWorld's Cloud Computing Report newsletter. ]

Microsoft is planning on coming out with its own cloud-based Office applications, and while Google argues that comes with a great deal of baggage, most people looking to use office automation software want to accomplish their tasks without a lot of relearning. They don't care how that happens, and for them, Microsoft clearly offers the path of least resistance within most enterprises.

This does not mean that Google won't have a compelling office automation story to tell; indeed, it has had great penetration into small business, as well as state and local government. However, the Global 2000 set of businesses is the prize in this space, and I don't see those firms moving toward Google Enterprise Apps unless Microsoft screws the pooch on its forthcoming cloud deployments (which could certainly happen).
Still, I don't view Microsoft as several years behind Google, and if Google is making those assumptions now, it won't out-innovate Microsoft enough to beat Microsoft.

There are other pressures to consider. New office automation applications, such as Evernote, and upstarts that are focusing on cloud-using mobile devices may find themselves collectively beating both Microsoft and Google as users carry out more tasks on, say, their iPads and iPhones -- I certainly am.
Now is not the time to be cocky, Google.

This article, "Google's dangerous bravado could help Microsoft," originally appeared at InfoWorld.com. Read more of David Linthicum's Cloud Computing blog and follow the latest developments in cloud computing at InfoWorld.com.

New Frequency Set to Turbocharge Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is about to lay claim to a new frequency band that could result in speeds at least 10 times faster than what’s currently available.
An agreement between the Wi-Fi Alliance and the Wireless Gigabit Alliance will let the Wi-Fi Alliance carve out specs and standards to support Wi-Fi operation in the 60-GHz frequency band in a bid to make Wi-Fi faster. By contrast, Wi-Fi today operates in the 2.4-GHz and 5- GHz bands.
“Today’s Wi-Fi speeds are measured in the low hundreds of megabits per second,” says Edgar Figueroa, executive director of the Wi-Fi Alliance.”The 60-GHz band allows for significant boost in performance, so we are talking about speeds in the gigabits per second range.”

Wireless Standards & Data Speeds
802.11g Wi-Fi: The basic and most widely used Wi-Fi connectivity offers speeds of up to 54 Mbps.
802.11n Wi-Fi: The faster W-Fi standard it offers data transfer at up to 300 Mbps.
Standard Bluetooth: Most widely used between cellphones and headsets, it offers top transfer rate of about 3 Mbps.
Bluetooth 3.0: The ‘high-speed’ successor to standard Bluetooth, its top transfer rate hover around 24 Mbps.
Wireless USB: It can offer speeds of up to 110 Mbps at a range of 10 meters and 480 Mbps over a range of 3 meters.
Wireless HD: Aimed at HD video transfer it can offer speeds of up to 4 Gbps (for 10 meters). Theoretical speed can go up to 25 Gbps.
WiGig: The newest kid on the block tantalizes with promise of speeds ranging from 1 Gbps to 6 Gbps.
Zigbee: This low-power wireless standard is for applications that require low data transfer but quicker response time such as remote controls.

Specifically, the move to 60 GHz could allow for speeds in the range of 1 gigabits per second to 6 gbps, in contrast to today’s theoretical maximum of 150 Mbps for 802.11n.
“Wi-Fi in 60 GHz band could mean some compelling apps, such as those connecting your Blu-ray player to your TV or sharing uncompressed video in real time without any degradation,” says Figueroa.
With the proliferation of multimedia such as photos, home video and HD movies, consumers are looking for faster ways to transfer data that can also cut through the cable clutter. Users who are hooked on Lost through Hulu or can’t resist watching Lady Antebellum videos on YouTube currently have to hook up their computers to a TV through an HDMI cable.
Wi-Fi in the 60-GHz band could be the first step toward helping consumers go truly wireless, says Xavier Ortiz, an analyst at ABI Research. The drawback is that the higher frequency waves have much shorter range and won’t go through walls well.
“The 60 GHz is like a beam of light — you have to have line of sight — but you can get multi-gigabit point-to point networking speeds with it,” he says.
The agreement between the Wi-Fi alliance and the Wi-Gig standard also helps two different standards to come together. Earlier, the Wi-Gig alliance, which has been advocating the 60-GHz band, had to work independently to get chip makers and gadgets manufacturers to get on board with its technology.
“Now we are going to rally the industry around a compelling subset of features and go through a process of testing compatibility and interoperability,” says Figueroa.
Still the new Wi-Fi frequency will have to find a way to work with other standards including Wireless HD and Zigbee to free consumers from being tethered to their devices. Chip makers such as SiBeam have said they will try to find a way to make the Wi-Fi and WiGig chips compatible with Wireless HD.
Figueroa estimates routers and other gadgets that have dual-band or tri-band capability, that is the ability to switch between 2.4 Ghz or 5 GHz and the 60-GHz band, will be available in about two years.