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- Norio Ohga, former Sony chairman and multimedia pioneer, dies at 81
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 shows up online, looks freakishly thin
- PlayStation Network outage caused by 'external intrusion,' continues for third day
- Couple in Atlanta finally gets a LiFe, courtesy of Wheego
- SLG 3000 scanline generator brings grimy gaming to modern displays (video)
- FlyNano plane is super-light, pretty cheap, a little scary
- GigaPan Epic Pro robotic camera mount gets upgraded to firmware version 171
- Mitsubishi i MiEV priced to move, rolls out slowly across US
- Ask Engadget: quickest booting / firing point-and-shoot camera?
- SARbot searches for victims underwater in Japan (video)
- Ford makes list of the 25 most EV-friendly cities, still likes selling cars to residents elsewhere
- Could the iPhone 5 look like a beveled iPod touch?
- DirecTV's iPad, iPhone, Android apps will (NOT) have HBO Go streaming May 2nd (Update)
- Karotz to start shipping, Nabaztag to return from dead for Easter
- Archos 7c tablet with Eclair, kickstand now shipping for $220
- Carnegie Mellon's GigaPan Time Machine brings time-lapse to panoramas
- Exclusive: White iPhone 4 lands at Vodafone UK
- Large Hadron Collider smashes beam intensity record, inches closer to discovering God particle
| Norio Ohga, former Sony chairman and multimedia pioneer, dies at 81 Posted: 23 Apr 2011 09:53 AM PDT  There's more sad news out of Japan this morning, we're afraid -- Sony is reporting that former chairman Norio Ohga passed away in Tokyo yesterday from multiple organ failure. He was 81. You may not personally remember a Sony under his reign -- Ohga helmed the company from 1982 to 1995 after decades of service in product planning -- but Norio Ohga was arguably the man responsible for turning Sony from a high-profile analog electronics manufacturer into a digital multimedia conglomerate. He helmed the deals that formed Sony Music, paved the way for Sony Pictures and established the very same Sony Computer Entertainment that would birth the PlayStation, and it was he who pushed the optical compact disc standard that all but replaced the magnetic cassettes and diskettes that held portable media. Without him, DVDs and Blu-rays might have fallen by the wayside, and that's another thought that brings tears to our eyes. You'll find Ohga's official obituary after the break. Passing of Norio Ohga, Senior Advisor and former President and Chairman, Sony Corporation Tokyo, Japan -- It is with great sadness that Sony Corporation today announced the loss of Norio Ohga, Senior Advisor and former President and Chairman, Sony Corporation. Mr. Ohga passed away at 9:14 AM on April 23, 2011 in Tokyo. The cause of death was multiple organ failure. He was 81 years old. A private wake will be held among family and close relatives, and a company service will take place at a later date. Commenting on today's loss, Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation said, "When I first joined Sony in 1997, Ohga-san was serving on the frontlines of Sony management as Chairman and CEO. His numerous and successful endeavors were well-known both inside and outside of Sony. Witnessing Ohga-san's leadership firsthand was truly an honor, and one I continued to enjoy and benefit from in countless ways in the years that followed. By redefining Sony as a company encompassing both hardware and software, Ohga-san succeeded where other Japanese companies failed. It is no exaggeration to attribute Sony's evolution beyond audio and video products into music, movies and game, and subsequent transformation into a global entertainment leader to Ohga-san's foresight and vision. I offer my deepest condolences on his passing and pray that he may rest in peace." Pivotal Contribution to Sony's Product Philosophy and Brand Image Mr. Ohga was a student at the Faculty of Music of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (now Tokyo University of the Arts) when he first met Sony founders Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita. Sony's founders immediately sensed in Mr. Ohga the makings of a leader, and someone whose expert knowledge of sound and electrical engineering would benefit the company greatly. Therefore, in 1953, while still a student, Mr. Ohga was appointed a consultant and advisor to Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation (now Sony Corporation) before fully entering the Company in 1959. After joining Sony, Mr. Ohga worked tirelessly to enhance product quality, functionality and design, while also revolutionizing the Company's marketing and advertising initiatives, paving the way for the launch of a succession of innovative and game-changing products. Mr. Ohga passionately advocated the creation of products that would be "attractive in the eyes of consumers", a philosophy that came to represent the principles of Sony's approach to design and engineering, and was key to the Company's worldwide success and growth. Mr. Ohga, together with Mr. Morita, shared a deep understanding of the importance of brand management, and together they took every opportunity to remind employees to think first and act later, emphasizing that every one of their decisions had an impact on the Sony brand. One of Mr. Ohga's favorite expressions was, "The four letters of the 'SONY' brand are our greatest asset." His efforts to spread the spirit of that message among every Sony employee were critical to enabling Sony to become the globally recognized brand it is today. Optical Disc Development Leading to Creation of New Markets Mr. Ohga was also a man of vision and foresight. Anticipating the future potential of compact optical disc formats, he personally drove Sony's initiatives to explore this new frontier. During the development of the CD, it was Mr. Ohga's instincts as a trained musician that led him to push for a 12 centimeter format, providing sufficient recording capacity at 75 minutes to enable listeners to enjoy all of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony without interruption. These negotiations resulted in the CD specifications still in use today. After Sony commercialized the world's first CD in 1982, sales grew rapidly, and by 1987, CDs had overtaken LP record sales in Japan, changing the way people listened to music. Mr. Ohga's efforts to establish the CD format also contributed to the launch of subsequent optical disc formats such as the MD, CD-ROM and the DVD, which not only revolutionized the consumer electronics and music recording industries, but also other areas of technology, such as computer memory and game software. "Hardware and software are two wheels on a car" Driven by his philosophy that "hardware and software are two wheels on a car", Mr. Ohga also led Sony's negotiations with CBS Corp, resulting in the establishment of CBS/Sony Records Inc. (now Sony Music Entertainment Inc.) in 1968. Taking an entirely new approach to record label management, which included the record company identifying and nurturing new artists itself, Mr. Ohga successfully grew CBS/Sony into a market leader that by 1978 - only ten years after its establishment - led the industry in both annual sales and profit. Mr. Ohga continued to push the boundaries of Sony's content strategy, venturing beyond music into motion pictures, with the purchase of Columbia Pictures in 1989. With this acquisition, the foundations for Sony's evolution into a comprehensive entertainment company were now firmly in place. Mr. Ohga also presided over the launch of Sony's game business. The establishment of Sony Computer Entertainment in 1993 and subsequent worldwide success of "PlayStation" quickly secured Sony's position at the forefront of this industry. Contribution to Domestic and Global Economic Development Mr. Ohga was also actively involved in a number of industrial and commercial organizations, promoting both domestic Japanese and global economic development. As Chairman of the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), he helped to bring discussions surrounding the decade-long U.S.-Japan Semiconductor Trade Agreement of 1986 to an amicable conclusion in 1996. In 1998 he was appointed Vice Chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), where he served as Chairman of the Committee on Administrative Reform, and later as Chairman of the Committee on New Business Development, contributing to Japan's economic development. Furthermore, as Vice Chairman of the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry he not only led initiatives to stimulate Japanese industrial development and local economic growth, but also sought to redefine the Chamber's role by promoting closer cooperation between large and mid-to-small-sized corporations, and by providing a forum to oversee the creation and development of new industries. Throughout his career, Mr. Ohga also remained true to his calling as a trained musician, tirelessly devoting his energy to providing a solid financial base for the struggling classical music industry in Japan. He rescued the Japan Music Art Promotion (JMARP) institution which was facing the threat of closure, and was subsequently appointed Director. The organization was renamed Sony Music Foundation, and embarked on a range of new initiatives, including assisting the development of aspiring young musicians, and supporting various concerts and musical events to promote the growth of classical music as an art form. Mr. Ohga received national recognition in 1988 when he was presented with the Japanese Medal of Honor with Blue Ribbon, and in 2001 when he was presented with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure. Nations around the world have also recognized Mr. Ohga's achievements, with France presenting him the country's highest decoration - the Legion of Honour - and Germany, Italy and Austria also bestowing Mr. Ohga with national awards of honor. |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 shows up online, looks freakishly thin Posted: 23 Apr 2011 08:53 AM PDT  [Thanks, Ivan]   |
| PlayStation Network outage caused by 'external intrusion,' continues for third day Posted: 23 Apr 2011 07:11 AM PDT  [Thanks, Christian]
|
| Couple in Atlanta finally gets a LiFe, courtesy of Wheego Posted: 23 Apr 2011 06:35 AM PDT  |
| SLG 3000 scanline generator brings grimy gaming to modern displays (video) Posted: 23 Apr 2011 05:27 AM PDT  |
| FlyNano plane is super-light, pretty cheap, a little scary Posted: 23 Apr 2011 04:33 AM PDT  [Thanks, Jani] Man Was Born To Fly |
| GigaPan Epic Pro robotic camera mount gets upgraded to firmware version 171 Posted: 23 Apr 2011 01:19 AM PDT 
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| Mitsubishi i MiEV priced to move, rolls out slowly across US Posted: 22 Apr 2011 10:26 PM PDT  2012 Mitsubishi i - At-A-Glance Thu, Apr 21, 2011 The breakthrough Mitsubishi i is the most affordable 100% electric-powered mass-market production vehicle available in North America. Its net MSRP* after federal tax credit is a very affordable $20,490 for the standard ES model and only $22,490 for the upgrade SE version, making the starting price for the all-new Mitsubishi i several thousand less than other mass produced electric vehicles available in the market. Powered by Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle (MiEV) technology, the rear-wheel drive vehicle's drive system includes a 49 kW (66 bhp) AC synchronous electric motor; an 88 cell, 330V lithium-ion battery pack for a peak storage of 16 kWh; and a single fixed reduction gear transmission. This electric motor is capable of producing its peak torque of 145 lb. ft. almost instantaneously when accelerating from a standstill; the vehicle has a top speed of approximately 80 mph. This electric vehicle's (EV) shift selector allows the driver to choose between three different drive settings in order to optimize driving fun, increase driving efficiency or to amplify energy recycling from the vehicle's regenerative braking system: "D"-position Allows the driver to experience maximum performance as it generates 100% torque in direct response to accelerator input. "Eco"-position Helps to reduce the rate of battery consumption to maximize "energy" economy. "B"-position Increases the regenerative brake biasing to augment energy recycling (power production is the same as in the "D" position). The Mitsubishi i can be recharged using three advantageous methods: A 240V/15A Level 2 home EVSE Eaton charging system (estimated charge time from very low battery to full charge – 6 hours; charging method recommended by Mitsubishi), a CHAdeMO Level 3 public quick charging station (estimated charge time from very low battery to 80% full – 30 minutes; requires optional DC charging port available as an option on SE trim level), and through the conventional 120V Level 1 portable charging cable that plugs into a standard wall outlet (estimated charge time from very low battery to full charge – 22.5 hours; included on all Mitsubishi i models),. The targeted driving range of the Mitsubishi i is a very robust 85 miles/charge (based upon the EPA LA4 city cycle). All Mitsubishi i models come with an 8-year/100,000 mile battery warranty. The Mitsubishi i may be compact in its overall dimensions, but this EV's clever packaging and design make for very roomy and comfortable accommodations for four adult-size passengers. With its relatively tall roofline, rear-mounted electric motor and battery pack placed safely and securely in a watertight, stainless steel safety cell underneath the floor of the passenger compartment, even the rear passengers will experience an exceptionally satisfying degree of legroom. There's even a small cargo area at the back of the vehicle that is more than capable of carrying numerous bags of groceries or purchases from the local mall. And with the 50/50 rear seats folded flat, the cargo capacity expands greatly, allowing the Mitsubishi i to become the preferred vehicle for weekend trips for bulkier items at a discount warehouse or home improvement retailer. Comfort and convenience features included on every Mitsubishi i include energy-efficient HVAC systems consisting of an electric manual air conditioner with micron filter and an electric compressor cabin heater, a driver's side heated seat, power windows/mirrors/door locks, a sweet-sounding 4 speaker 100-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3/WMA playback, auxiliary 12V DC power outlet, 3-spoke steering wheel, floor mats, vehicle security system and the very clever MiEV remote system that allows the battery pack to be charged via timer as well as pre-activating either the air conditioning or heater. Optional features available on the upgrade SE trim model include a Premium Package ($2790) that includes an HDD navigation system with rearview camera, FUSE Hands-free Link System™ with USB port and handy steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, and a DC quick charging port that allows the Mitsubishi i battery pack to be rapidly recharged from one of the many Level 3 chargers that are installed around North America (with more being installed every day) – only 30 minutes to take a very low battery level all the way up to 80% full! Residents of cold climate regions (ambient temperatures that can drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit) are strongly recommended to take advantage of the very reasonably-priced Cold Zone package ($150) that includes a Li-Ion Battery Warming system and heated outside side mirrors. This package is available on both ES and SE trim levels. Standard safety features on every Mitsubishi i include anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA); brake override system; Active Stability Control (ASC) and Traction Control Logic (TCL); Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS); and advanced dual front air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS), side air bags and side curtain air bags. Specialized EV-related safety items include a high-voltage cut-off system and an Approaching Vehicle Audible System (AVAS) to help alert pedestrians to the approaching vehicle. Mitsubishi anticipates an initial rollout of their game-changing EV into its dealership network in California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii by November 2011, followed by the northeastern U.S. market by March 2012 with nationwide availability expected by December 2012. *Includes federal tax credit of up to $7500. Retail MSRP of ES starts $27,990 and SE starts at $29,990 Key Specifications Wheelbase: 100.4 in. Length: 144.8 in. Height: 63.6 in. Width: 62.4 in. Curb weight: 2,595 lbs. Major Standard Features 145/65 R15 front and 175/60 R15 rear low rolling resistant tires 100-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3/WMA playback capability and 4 speakers On-board recharging system with 120V portable 8 amp charging cable MiEV remote system (pre-activated air conditioning, heater and timer battery charging) Front ventilated disc and rear drum brakes with regenerative brake power system Speed-sensitive Electric Power Steering (EPS) Approaching Vehicle Audio System (AVAS) for alerting pedestrians Electric manual air conditioning with micron filter Electric compressor cabin heater Driver seat heater Advanced air bag system with dual-stage supplemental front air bags 3-spoke steering wheel Driver and front-passenger seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags for front and rear-seat outboard occupant protection Anti-lock brake system (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and brake override system Active Stability Control (ASC) with Traction Control Logic (TCL) Tire Pressure monitoring System (TPMS) High voltage cut-off system Engine immobilizer anti-theft system Remote keyless entry Power windows, locks and mirrors LED rear combination tail lamps 50/50-split fold-down and recline rear seats Optional Cold Zone Package, includes Li-Ion battery Warming System, heated outer side mirrors Mitsubishi i SE adds: 15-in. alloy wheels 360-watt, 8 speaker deluxe audio system Leather wrap steering wheel and shift knob Upgrade seating material Fog lamps with DRL function Auto on/off headlamps Silver interior accents 2-tone instrument panel (brown/black) Passenger vanity mirror Optional Cold Zone package includes Li-Ion Battery Warming system, heated outer side mirrors Optional Premium package includes HDD navigation system with rearview camera monitor, FUSE Hands-free Link™ with USB port and steering wheel-mounted audio controls, DC port for quick charger, Li-Ion Battery Warming system, heated outer side mirrors |
| Ask Engadget: quickest booting / firing point-and-shoot camera? Posted: 22 Apr 2011 08:33 PM PDT  Fast? Camera? Got it. Got any recommendations? Shout 'em below... with haste! |
| SARbot searches for victims underwater in Japan (video) Posted: 22 Apr 2011 06:39 PM PDT  |
| Ford makes list of the 25 most EV-friendly cities, still likes selling cars to residents elsewhere Posted: 22 Apr 2011 05:19 PM PDT  So, you saw a Volt, Leaf, or Focus Electric and were convinced to go green, but are unsure whether your local municipality is as eco-friendly as you are. Well, Ford has done your homework for you (without even demanding your lunch money in return), and identified the "25 Most Electric Vehicle-Ready Cities" in the US. What makes a metropolis worthy of such status in the eyes of the Blue Oval boys? A utilities structure that allows off-peak charging, for starters, plus reduced red tape for getting your EV permits and inspections, incentives for offsetting up-front customer costs, urban plans for charging infrastructure, and EV-friendly city advisory committees. If your town's lacking in those areas, perhaps it's time to give your city counsel a ring -- part of being an eco-warrior is political activism, right? PR's after the break. Charged up: Ford Pushes for Electric Vehicle-Readiness across the U.S. Ford is working with cities and utility partners to identify key infrastructure building blocks that will enable metropolitan areas to be EV ready. Cities across the United States are and can take a variety of steps now to enhance the readiness of their communities for electric vehicle use and customer installation Ford considers infrastructure development an essential part of making EVs a viable option for consumers as more automotive companies release plug-in vehicles DEARBORN, Mich., April 13, 2011 – While Ford is gearing up to launch the all-new Focus Electric later this year and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid in 2012, cities around the country also are preparing for the arrival of new electric vehicles. Some of the key actions Ford has identified in working with cities and utility partners include: Utility rate structure that encourages "off-peak" or nighttime EV charging to minimize demand on the existing electric grid Streamlined permitting and inspection process to support customer and commercial EV infrastructure installation Integrated advisory committees that include participation from electric utilities, vehicle manufacturers and dealers, municipalities, EV customers and local coalitions Urban planning approach to optimize public/commercial EV charge locations Infrastructure incentives to offset a portion of customer costs for hardware/installation "As more and more electric vehicles come to market, it's incredibly important that cities develop action plans including infrastructure development and permitting solutions to ensure these vehicles are a viable solution for citizens," said Mike Tinskey, Ford's manager of Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure. "Ford continues outreach with cities across the country to spread best practices and work with multiple partners including local utilities, auto manufacturers, technology companies and others to support a successful integration of electric vehicles." Ford is working with a growing list of metropolitan areas that are stepping up their EV preparations and infrastructure, including: Atlanta Hartford, Conn Raleigh, N.C Austin, Texas Honolulu Richmond, Va. Baltimore Houston Sacramento, Calif. Boston Indianapolis San Diego Charlotte, N.C. Los Angeles San Francisco Bay Area Chicago New York Seattle Dallas Orlando, Fla. Washington, D.C. Denver Phoenix Detroit Portland, Ore. "Our electric grid has plenty of capacity to support electric transportation. The key for local utilities is to offer incentives so EV customers are encouraged to charge during the nighttime hours when plenty of capacity is available," said Tinskey. "Additionally, at a local level, we are encouraged many cities are taking an urban planning approach to public charge station locations – which will result in locations that are used more often and an efficient use of investment dollars. The best cities are learning from others and taking a best practices approach." Ford is also encouraged by specialized approaches some cities are taking to support electric vehicles. For example, Boston, New York City and Philadelphia are looking into opportunities to promote travel between the cities by electric vehicle. Additionally, each city is hiring an electric vehicle policy coordinator to help improve efficiency of the permitting processes. The power of choice Electrification is an important piece of Ford's overall product sustainability strategy. Ford's aggressive strategy includes the launch of five electrified vehicles in North America by 2012 and Europe by 2013. Ford launched the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van in 2010, will launch Focus Electric later this year and will introduce C-MAX Hybrid, a second next-generation lithium-ion battery hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid in 2012. The range of electrified vehicles allows Ford to meet a variety of consumer driving needs. |
| Could the iPhone 5 look like a beveled iPod touch? Posted: 22 Apr 2011 04:53 PM PDT  Update: The source has been updated with a note indicating that the bevel may be "a little exaggerated" in the above mock-up and that the back may not be metal after all. |
| DirecTV's iPad, iPhone, Android apps will (NOT) have HBO Go streaming May 2nd (Update) Posted: 22 Apr 2011 03:47 PM PDT  Update: We've just heard from DirecTV that this was a "mistweet", as it turns out they won't be adding HBO Go access through their own apps and DirecTV customers will have to use the native HBO Go app just like everyone else. Check the @DirecTV account for the latest tweets, we'll put this one on the shelf next to the DirecTiVo for now. |
| Karotz to start shipping, Nabaztag to return from dead for Easter Posted: 22 Apr 2011 02:51 PM PDT  |
| Archos 7c tablet with Eclair, kickstand now shipping for $220 Posted: 22 Apr 2011 02:08 PM PDT  Well, isn't today our lucky day? Just a week after debuting on video, the Archos 7c Home Tablet is shipping in the US for $220 -- more than a month ahead of its expected June arrival. As a refresher, this 7-inch tablet offers a capacitive (800 x 480) display, Android 2.1 (Eclair), and a Cortex A8 processor-RK2918 chipset combo that promises smooth 720p video playback. Other specs include 8GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, two built-in speakers, and that kickstand you see in the photo above. Of course, you'll also have to forgo niceties like wireless-N, cameras, and access to Android Market. Are those trade-offs worth the dirt-cheap price? That's a decision you're going to have to make for yourself. [Thanks, Elliott] |
| Carnegie Mellon's GigaPan Time Machine brings time-lapse to panoramas Posted: 22 Apr 2011 01:25 PM PDT  Carnegie Mellon Researchers Build Time Machine That Allows Visual Exploration of Space and Time Time-lapse GigaPans Provide New Way To Access Big Data Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa., is a distinctive, world-class research university that blends cutting-edge programs across many disciplines including business, computer science, the arts and sciences, engineering and public policy. PITTSBURGH, April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have leveraged the latest browser technology to create GigaPan Time Machine, a system that enables viewers to explore gigapixel-scale, high-resolution videos and image sequences by panning or zooming in and out of the images while simultaneously moving back and forth through time. Viewers, for instance, can use the system to focus in on the details of a booth within a panorama of a carnival midway, but also reverse time to see how the booth was constructed. Or they can watch a group of plants sprout, grow and flower, shifting perspective to watch some plants move wildly as they grow while others get eaten by caterpillars. Or, they can view a computer simulation of the early universe, watching as gravity works across 600 million light-years to condense matter into filaments and finally into stars that can be seen by zooming in for a close up. "With GigaPan Time Machine, you can simultaneously explore space and time at extremely high resolutions," said Illah Nourbakhsh, associate professor of robotics and head of the CREATE Lab. "Science has always been about narrowing your point of view -- selecting a particular experiment or observation that you think might provide insight. But this system enables what we call exhaustive science, capturing huge amounts of data that can then be explored in amazing ways." The system is an extension of the GigaPan technology developed by the CREATE Lab and NASA, which can capture a mosaic of hundreds or thousands of digital pictures and stitch those frames into a panorama that be interactively explored via computer. To extend GigaPan into the time dimension, image mosaics are repeatedly captured at set intervals, and then stitched across both space and time to create a video in which each frame can be hundreds of millions, or even billions of pixels. An enabling technology for time-lapse GigaPans is a feature of the HTML5 language that has been incorporated into such browsers as Google's Chrome and Apple's Safari. HTML5, the latest revision of the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) standard that is at the core of the Internet, makes browsers capable of presenting video content without use of plug-ins such as Adobe Flash or Quicktime. Using HTML5, CREATE Lab computer scientists Randy Sargent, Chris Bartley and Paul Dille developed algorithms and software architecture that make it possible to shift seamlessly from one video portion to another as viewers zoom in and out of Time Machine imagery. To keep bandwidth manageable, the GigaPan site streams only those video fragments that pertain to the segment and/or time frame being viewed. "We were crashing the browsers early on," Sargent recalled. "We're really pushing the browser technology to the limits." Guidelines on how individuals can capture time-lapse images using GigaPan cameras are included on the site created for hosting the new imagery's large data files, http://timemachine.gigapan.org. Sargent explained the CREATE Lab is eager to work with people who want to capture Time Machine imagery with GigaPan, or use the visualization technology for other applications. Once a Time Machine GigaPan has been created, viewers can annotate and save their explorations of it in the form of video "Time Warps." Though the time-lapse mode is an extension of the original GigaPan concept, scientists already are applying the visualization techniques to other types of Big Data. Carnegie Mellon's Bruce and Astrid McWilliams Center for Cosmology, for instance, has used it to visualize a simulation of the early universe performed at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center by Tiziana Di Matteo, associate professor of physics. "Simulations are a huge bunch of numbers, ugly numbers," Di Matteo said. "Visualizing even a portion of a simulation requires a huge amount of computing itself." Visualization of these large data sets is crucial to the science, however. "Discoveries often come from just looking at it," she explained. Rupert Croft, associate professor of physics, said cosmological simulations are so massive that only a segment can be visualized at a time using usual techniques. Yet whatever is happening within that segment is being affected by forces elsewhere in the simulation that cannot be readily accessed. By converting the entire simulation into a time-lapse GigaPan, however, Croft and his Ph.D. student, Yu Feng, were able to create an image that provided both the big picture of what was happening in the early universe and the ability to look in detail at any region of interest. Using a conventional GigaPan camera, Janet Steven, an assistant professor of biology at Sweet Briar College in Virginia, has created time-lapse imagery of rapid-growing brassicas, known as Wisconsin Fast Plants. "This is such an incredible tool for plant biology," she said. "It gives you the advantage of observing individual plants, groups of plants and parts of plants, all at once." Steven, who has received GigaPan training through the Fine Outreach for Science program, said time-lapse photography has long been used in biology, but the GigaPan technology makes it possible to observe a number of plants in detail without having separate cameras for each plant. Even as one plant is studied in detail, it's possible to also see what neighboring plants are doing and how that might affect the subject plant, she added. Steven said creating time-lapse GigaPans of entire landscapes could be a powerful tool for studying seasonal change in plants and ecosystems, an area of increasing interest for understanding climate change. Time-lapse GigaPan imagery of biological experiments also could be an educational tool, allowing students to make independent observations and develop their own hypotheses. Google Inc. supported development of GigaPan Time Machine. Follow the School of Computer Science on Twitter @SCSatCMU. About Carnegie Mellon University: Carnegie Mellon (www.cmu.edu) is a private, internationally ranked research university with programs in areas ranging from science, technology and business, to public policy, the humanities and the arts. More than 11,000 students in the university's seven schools and colleges benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real problems, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. A global university, Carnegie Mellon's main campus in the United States is in Pittsburgh, Pa. It has campuses in California's Silicon Valley and Qatar, and programs in Asia, Australia, Europe and Mexico. The university is in the midst of a $1 billion fundraising campaign, titled "Inspire Innovation: The Campaign for Carnegie Mellon University," which aims to build its endowment, support faculty, students and innovative research, and enhance the physical campus with equipment and facility improvements. SOURCE Carnegie Mellon University |
| Exclusive: White iPhone 4 lands at Vodafone UK Posted: 22 Apr 2011 12:29 PM PDT  As the story goes, the salesperson rang it up as a black iPhone to help facilitate the transaction, and shortly after the sale went down, Voda sent out a notice to halt sale of these gems "until next week." Just so you know, the MC604B/A model number shown here is particularly interesting when compared to our own in-house UK iPhone 4; the latter, which is also a 16GB edition, sports a model number of MC603B/A. We suspect we aren't going too far out on a limb by suggesting that the "3" and "4" are there to represent hue variations, and if you'd like to stretch the theory one step further, MC605B/A represents the 32GB black iPhone 4. In other words, don't be shocked when the white 32 gigger rolls in as MC606B/A. So, is this the first legitimate sign that a white iPhone 4 is but days away from going on sale? We're hardly experts in meteorology, but it sure felt like spring in Londontown today. P.S. - 9 to 5 Mac suggests that it'll be landing on April 27th, at least in the Netherlands. [Thanks, Anonymii] |
| Large Hadron Collider smashes beam intensity record, inches closer to discovering God particle Posted: 22 Apr 2011 11:51 AM PDT  LHC sets world record beam intensity Geneva, 22 April 2011. Around midnight this night CERN1's Large Hadron Collider set a new world record for beam intensity at a hadron collider when it collided beams with a luminosity of 4.67 × 1032cm-2s-1. This exceeds the previous world record of 4.024 × 1032cm-2s-1, which was set by the US Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory's Tevatron collider in 2010, and marks an important milestone in LHC commissioning. "Beam intensity is key to the success of the LHC, so this is a very important step," said CERN Director General Rolf Heuer. "Higher intensity means more data, and more data means greater discovery potential." Luminosity gives a measure of how many collisions are happening in a particle accelerator: the higher the luminosity, the more particles are likely to collide. When looking for rare processes, this is important. Higgs particles, for example, will be produced very rarely if they exist at all, so for a conclusive discovery or refutation of their existence, a large amount of data is required. The current LHC run is scheduled to continue to the end of 2012. That will give the experiments time to collect enough data to fully explore the energy range accessible with 3.5 TeV per beam collisions for new physics before preparing the LHC for higher energy running. By the end of the current running period, for example, we should know whether the Higgs boson exists or not. "There's a great deal of excitement at CERN today," said CERN's Director for Research and Scientific Computing, Sergio Bertolucci, "and a tangible feeling that we're on the threshold of new discovery." After two weeks of preparing the LHC for this new level of beam intensity, the machine is now moving in to a phase of continuous physics running scheduled to last until the end of the year. There will then be a short technical stop, before physics running resumes for 2012. Contact CERN Press Office, press.office@cern.ch +41 22 767 21 41 1. CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is the world's leading laboratory for particle physics. It has its headquarters in Geneva. At present, its Member States are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. India, Israel, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, Turkey, the European Commission and UNESCO have Observer status. |
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