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Software

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RESEARCH WATCH

Software to detect objects inside videos

By Jeff Salton

23:57 November 3, 2009 PST

Researchers hope that their software will be able to detect certain objects or people (inc...

Researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) are developing software that would enable computers to perform video analysis tasks, such as alerting emergency services if a video surveillance camera detects a person falling and not getting up. The software could also be used to search inside videos and look for certain objects, such as basketballs or footballs, hence reducing the time taken to locate a certain game or scene. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Microsoft launches long awaited Windows 7

By Mick Webb

20:13 October 22, 2009 PDT

Microsoft launches Windows 7 worldwide

After much anticipation and speculation, Microsoft has finally released its long awaited Windows 7 operating system. Aiming to make it easier for users to “do the things they want to do on a PC”, Microsoft’s successor to the largely ill-conceived Vista brings a host of new features to the table. Read More

SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

The interactive 3D Virtual Autopsy Table

By Paul Ridden

16:17 October 20, 2009 PDT

The Virtual Autopsy Table is demonstrated by Prof Anders Persson, CMIV, at the Health mini...

Swedish researchers have developed an interactive touchscreen 3D autopsy table that allows pathologists to examine virtual representations of real bodies in minute detail and from numerous viewing angles. Using data provided by scans of an actual body, the table allows the user to remove layers such as skin and muscle, add or remove tissue and circulatory systems, zoom in and out and cut through sections with a virtual knife. The video below is a "must watch". Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

CyberLink TrueTheater Enhancer gives YouTube videos a spit and polish

By Darren Quick

01:10 October 16, 2009 PDT

Even drunks look a bit better with the Cyberlink TrueTheater Enhancer. Image without (left...

I’ve always considered YouTube an example of “two steps forward, one step back.” Although it has provided a seemingly endless supply of video to keep us entertained, if not informed, it does so with often low quality video at a time when television services around the world have shifted to digital broadcasts offering improved high definition (HD) picture and sound. CyberLink is looking to bridge the divide with its TrueTheater Enhancer software that is designed to give YouTube content a spit and polish. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Belkin’s Easy Transfer Cable for Windows 7 makes upgrading smoother

By Dario Borghino

05:11 October 10, 2009 PDT

Belkin's Easy Transfer Cable makes upgrading to Windows 7 easier by transferring your data...

Upgrading to a new operating system is a notorious mess — you need to find all of your data and user settings (often spending hours doing so), burn them to a DVD or other support and then copy them all to the new OS. Belkin's "Easy Transfer Cable" for Windows 7, a USB 2.0 cable with accompanying software aims to make the whole process much easier by guiding you through the transfer process, automatically finding your data and settings and streamlining the transition from XP or Vista to the upcoming Windows 7. Read More

CAMERAS AND IMAGING

That's him, officer - the Police sketch artist evolves

By Darren Quick

23:59 October 6, 2009 PDT

Dr Christopher Solomon and a composite sketch of him generated by the EFIT-V system

Human memory is a notoriously unreliable thing that can be easily influenced. That’s good news for criminals and bad news for law enforcement agencies that often rely on eyewitnesses to provide a description of a criminal. Around the world, law enforcement agencies employ sketch artists to piece together faces in a process similar to assembling a Mr. Potato Head toy. The witness describes key features, such as hair length, nose size or sharpness of the chin, and the artist combines them to create a likeness. Research into psychology suggests that this kind of method doesn’t take into account how the memory actually works, so researchers have developed new software that helps witnesses recreate and recognize suspects using principles borrowed from the fields of optics and genetics. Read More

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

Flash 10.1 coming to Windows Mobile, Palm Pre, BlackBerry, Android and Symbian

By Darren Quick

21:36 October 5, 2009 PDT

The Palm Pre is just one of the many smartphones that Adobe's Flash Player 10.1 will run o...

Adobe claims that Flash content is present on more than 85 percent of the top 100 websites, and that approximately 75 percent of all web-based videos use Flash. In good news for the growing numbers of people accessing the Internet on their mobile phones, Adobe has unveiled its Flash Player 10.1: Full Flash software to bring an integrated Flash experience to browsers on Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, WebOS and Windows Mobile smartphones – but not iPhone. Read More

ECOGIZMO

Google investigating smart charging solution for electric vehicles

By Paul Ridden

02:52 October 5, 2009 PDT

Google's small fleet of plug-in hybrid cars is now testing software which allows the cars ...

A lesser-known fact about the operator of the world's most popular Internet search engine is that it's been running a small fleet of hybrid vehicles for the past few years to support its effort to reduce CO2 emissions, cut oil use and stabilize the electrical grid by accelerating the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles. Google engineers have put the cars through numerous tests to both prove and improve electric vehicle technology whilst publishing the results on the Internet. More recently, Google has confirmed that the fleet is currently running smart software to enable communication between the grid and the vehicles. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Cyber 'ants' patrol PC networks against computer worms and other threats

By Dario Borghino

00:46 September 29, 2009 PDT

Even though individually unintelligent, digital ants exert highly intelligent group behavi...

In looking for highly efficient ways to solve complex problems, we've often seen researchers mimic the solutions found by nature over billions of years: smart fabrics inspired by pine cones, spectrum analyzers modeled after the human ear and powerful search-and-optimization genetic and evolutionary algorithms, to name just a few. The latest piece of news comes from Wake Forest University, where the group dynamics of ant colonies have inspired security software to fight computer worms and other threats. Read More

CAMERAS AND IMAGING

DEMO: Xerox 'Color By Words' uses simple language to get great pictures

By Jeff Salton

19:22 September 24, 2009 PDT

Karen Braun, Xerox color research scientist, helped develop a natural language that allows...

If you’re not a graphic designer, you may have struggled in the past to get your personal photos looking their best when relying on your printer’s color adjustment settings. Complex color wheels, sliders, brightness and contrast editors, and highlight tools all look handy – until you try to use them. Xerox has devised Natural Language Color Editing technology that allows you to adjust the colors in your printed documents by accessing plain English phrases. A drop-down Color By Words menu on your computer offers phrases like: ‘Make the blues a lot more vibrant’, which will then do just that across the entire document or image. Combining words can form thousands of different phrases to deliver the results you want. You can watch the demo video below or test drive the technology for yourself via the link at the end of this story. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Freeze your hard disk with the USB Windows Icebox

By Dario Borghino

15:16 September 20, 2009 PDT

Windows IceBox plugs into an USB port and freezes the data in your hard drive protecting i...

Almost every PC user knows about the importance of making regular data backups — often from their own, unfortunate personal experience. But, due to laziness and technical difficulties, only a small percentage of users actually performs regular maintenance other than updating antivirus software. The Windows IceBox is a convenient solution to this problem that plugs into your USB port and immediately freezes changes on your selected hard drive partitions, virtually eliminating the need for maintenance. Read More

MUSIC

Native Instruments announces Komplete 6 bundle for music creation

By Paul Ridden

16:06 September 13, 2009 PDT

Native Instruments Komplete 6 brings together seven powerful digital music applications fo...

Native Instruments has just announced a recession-busting update to its impressive arsenal of digital musical instruments and effects - Komplete 6. The bundle not only comes with improved versions of amp and effects simulator Guitar Rig, the powerful sound manipulator Absynth and over 44Gb of sampling joy in the form of Kontakt, but it's also being offered at a significantly reduced price too. Read More

MUSIC

iTunes 9 gets some worthy additions

By Darren Quick

00:09 September 10, 2009 PDT

Apple gives iTunes a spit and polish with iTunes 9

Hardware wasn’t the only thing getting attention at Apple’s Rock and Roll event. Apple has also shown its all-conquering iTunes software some love with a slight makeover and a few new features. The iTunes 9 interface now includes a persistent navigation menu for improved store navigation, a full window iTunes store for people who think the sidebar takes up too much room, and the ability to access previews from anywhere in the store instead of having to drill down through many pages. Read More

CAMERAS AND IMAGING

Frankencamera: Digital cameras get the open source treatment

By Darren Quick

02:15 September 4, 2009 PDT

Marc Levoy, professor of Computer Science and of Electrical Engineering and graduate stude...

Open-source started with the Netscape Navigator browser and has expanded to include operating systems for PCs (Linux) and mobile phones (Android). Now photo scientists at Stanford University are out to bring the advantages of open-source development to digital photography with the creation of an open-source digital camera giving programmers around the world the chance to create software that will teach cameras new tricks. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Logitech C600 webcam and Vid calling software review

By Darren Quick

17:01 August 13, 2009 PDT

The Logitech C600 Webcam

Logitech recently released a raft of new webcams and we've spent the last week putting the C600 through its paces. Despite the fact that the unit offers superior imaging capabilities over the little black circle above the screen on my laptop, it wasn’t the webcam itself that impressed most, but the included Logitech Vid software. But we’ll get to that. First to the webcam. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Fragrance abuse - the next internet phenomenon

By Paul Ridden

17:26 July 7, 2009 PDT

NTT Com is hoping volunteers will help test the digitally-controlled i-Aroma

Japanese telecommunications company NTT Com is currently seeking volunteers to test a pungent bit of kit which produces different smells at the request of programs downloaded from the Internet. There will be two separate trials of the i-Aroma conducted in Japan from mid-July to the end of August. One course will send out smells matching "the rhythm of daily life" while the other will release odors based on an ancient astrological system. Read More

CAMERAS AND IMAGING

Magic Lantern unofficial firmware for the EOS 5D Mark II shows Canon how it's done

By Darren Quick

17:06 July 1, 2009 PDT

The Magic Lantern firmware gives the Canon 5D Mark II a few new tricks

Canon might want to consider putting a certain Trammell Hudson on the payroll. Hudson has developed an enhancement to the firmware of the Canon 5D Mark II digital SLR camera to make the already impressive camera an even more attractive option for shooting professional video. Dubbed ‘Magic Lantern’, the new firmware includes both audio and video fixes and is a completely open platform, meaning users are free to extend the Magic Lantern firmware themselves. Read More

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Using math to combat jet lag

By Darren Quick

00:14 June 24, 2009 PDT

Jet lag is one of the major downsides of air travel (Photo: Noel McKeegan/Gizmag)

Research has established that exposure to light is the key to resetting the body’s internal clock to overcome the effects of jetlag. We’ve seen a number of devices that utilize this knowledge such as the Litebook and LED light glasses. Now researchers have developed a software program that could increase the effectiveness of such devices by prescribing a regimen for timed light exposure. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Mac OS X Snow Leopard set for September release

By Darren Quick

03:57 June 9, 2009 PDT

Snow Leopard may look like Leopard, but packs some performance improvements

Since Snow Leopard, aka OS X 10.6, was previewed at last year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) Mac users have been waiting patiently for release details. Now, courtesy of this year’s WWDC, they have them. With most of the improvements of the under-the-hood variety, the upgrade for Mac OS Leopard users will be available from September at the Global Financial Crisis friendly price of USD$29. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Efficient Load - Optimal road freight trip and load planning

By Mike Hanlon

16:19 May 13, 2009 PDT

Efficient Load - Optimal road freight trip and load planning

How can companies maximize truck capacity utilization and at the same time plan trips so that the burden on the environment and transport costs are reduced? A new software system couples cargo space utilization and trip planning, to optimize transshipment, order combination, loading sequence and route planning. An up-and-running version which can be integrated into existing trip planning software is expected by the end of 2009. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

NVIDIA SLI Multi-OS empowers world’s first virtualized graphics workstation

By Darren Quick

00:19 April 1, 2009 PDT

The stickers to look out for

NVIDIA has introduced the NVIDIA SLI Multi-OS, a technology that allows users and visualization applications, for the first time, to take full advantage of multiple NVIDIA Quadro GPUs from a single graphics workstation in a virtualized environment. NVIDIA claims their new technology provides application performance nearly identical to systems configured with a dedicated operating system and GPU while delivering cost savings, more efficient workflow and maximized productivity in markets such as digital content creation, sciences, manufacturing, and oil and gas. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Dell’s all-in-one Studio One 19 PC with multi-touch

By Darren Quick

20:46 March 12, 2009 PDT

The all-in-one Dell Studio One 19

Dell has embraced the migration of the PC from the study with their new all-in-one Studio One 19 system that is designed to be as home in the living room or kitchen as it is in the study. The new system features optional multi-touch and facial recognition security capabilities, the option of Intel Celeron, Dual Core Celeron, Pentium Dual Core, Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad Core Processors, either nVidia GeForce 9200 or GeForce 9400 integrated graphics and up to 4GB of RAM. Read More

MUSIC

Disney Star Guitarist: Guitar Hero with a real guitar

By Tim Hanlon

13:01 January 14, 2009 PST

Disney Star Guitarist

US Music Corp., parent company of several music brands including Washburn Guitars, have partnered with Disney to create the Disney Star suite of applications - which unlike console-based music games, will teach children to play a real guitar or piano using familiar songs from Disney franchises like Hannah Montana and High School Musical. Read More

MUSIC

Roland's DT-HD1 drum tutorial software will teach you to play the drums

By Tim Hanlon

22:36 January 10, 2009 PST

DT-HD1's Notation Screen

While it's awfully easy to sit in front of Guitar Hero or Rock Band for hours on end, having the discipline to practise a real instrument for the long hours required to reach proficiency (and mastery) is much harder. Roland's Drum Tutorial DT-HD1 is the first of many products we've seen at CES 2009 that will help change this. Read More

MUSIC

GarageBand '09 will teach you how to play guitar and piano

By Tim Hanlon

10:52 January 6, 2009 PST

Credit: James Martin/CNET Networks

Today at MacWorld 2009, Apple unveiled the next feature to be added to their entry-level music production application GarageBand, that is sure to capitalize on the mass of budding musicians created by games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. The software ships with nine included lessons for the guitar and piano, and an integrated store that allows you to buy "Artist Lessons" from famous musicians such as Sting and John Fogerty. Read More

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