Here are some audio and video trends for 2018.
Buying headphones in 2018 is going to be a fragmented mess because of a silent goodbye to the 3.5mm audio plug, Majority of new headphones introduced at CES were wireless and there are several different wireless systems. Bluetooth audio has historically sacrificed sound quality for convenience relative to a wired connection. However, there are a couple of standards now that promise “better-than-CD” audio quality. For wired connections where we once had the solid reliability of a 3.5mm analog connector working with any jack shaped to receive it, there’s now a divergence of digital alternatives:Lightning, USB-C, and Sony’s 4.4mm Pentaconn connector.
Voice, connectivity and AI took center stage at the Consumer Electronics Show. Alexa Skills and the Voice Experience is really getting off. With over 15 million Amazon Echo devices shipped and 244 million projected by 2022 it is expected to take lead with Google Home Assistant and Apple Homepod with Siri following. Also Google Assistant was mentioned a lot in CES. Google Sold 6.75 Million ‘Google Home’ Devices In the Last 80 Days. ‘Language assistants were a big topic at this year’s CES. More and more manufacturers like JBL and Creative are integrating smart helpers into their WLAN speakers. Alexa support comes to 2018 TVs from Sony, Hisense and LG. Google launches smart displays with JBL, Lenovo, LG and Sony. There will be also other competitors aiming to this market, for example “China’s Google,” shouted out most loudly for voice. Microsoft’s Cortana had a crappy CES so it seems that Amazon Alexa will soon arrive on Windows PCs (HP, ASUS, Acer and others). Introducing Single-Chip Solutions for Building Alexa-Enabled Products.Sony launches a bunch of new headphones and adds Google Assistant functionality to the line.
Binaural, ambisonic, spatial, surround, 3D will be talked about. The most accessible exhibitions of this technology are in Youtube VR and Facebook 360, where users can interact with 360º videos that contain spatial audio. AR/VR was hot topic at CES 2018.
Sound bars are popular for compact home theater setups. Traditional home cinema systems with AV receivers and large speaker arsenals are only used by film and sound enthusiasts who sacrifice space in the living room for this purpose.
People listen to four hours of audio content every day. Streaming platforms like Spotify take a big bit of that. Streaming accounts for 41% of music consumption was the 2017’s most jaw dropping statistic. People will also listen a lot of music from YouTube.
Acoustics-based NFC is being pushed to market as it requires only a microphone and speaker, eliminating tags and chips. Chirp and LISNR are two emerging companies facilitating soundwave communication.
Wireless headphones and speakers become more common. Portable loudspeakers without cables are more popular than ever with music listeners. Most popular connection technology is Bluetooth.More and more manufacturers are breaking away from the cable and are showing new models and updates of completely wireless in-ear headphones at the CES 2018.
There is a bit of nostalgia involved: Several traditional technology tries to make come-back in 2018. The traditionalists among the music lovers continue to use records, so new record players keep coming. Cassette tapes making a comeback thanks to young, independent artists. Artists like Justin Bieber, Eminem and Metallica have all put out material on tape recently as a recent blockbuster film “Guardians of the Galaxy” put a hero center stage with a Sony Walkman. Tube amplifiers are back for traditionalist audiophiles that think that tubes can make your music to sound better.
4K video resolution is hot and 8K going to be pushed to market. TV has progressed to the 4K ultra-high-definition stage with its 3,840 × 2,160 pixel resolution. LG Display has made a 65-inch rollable 4K OLED TV. LG displayed 8K OLED TV at CES. Samsung has technology scales the image resolution to a 8K with AI. LG, Panasonic, and TCL put the spotlight on the chips that do the video processing: For the foreseeable future, any advances in image quality will be coming from these chips, not from the displays themselves.
Welcome ATSC 3.0 in USA: In November, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued new rules that will let TV broadcasters adopt the next-generation wireless TV standard designated ATSC 3.0. This new standard defines the specifications for ultra-high-definition (UHD) or 4K over-the-air (OTA) digital TV. But over-the-air is minority in USA as roughly 75% of households pay for their TV reception for cable or satellite distribution.
Home theater headsets have come a long way. AR/VR is hot. Oculus partners with Xiaomi to launch the Oculus Go and Mi VR Standalone.
Wired peripherals and electronics are still a major part of the market. Cabling for AV systems will have new features: a new HDMI standard and how active cables will provide both power and video to consumer devices.
3D cameras are hot. HP’s Z 3D Camera puts Sprout’s scanning power on your PC. Intel’s new cameras add human-like 3D vision to any machine.
When almost all AV products are pushing more and more features, it seems that almost Everything is too complicated for an average Joe.
Sources:
https://www.smartbrief.com/original/2018/01/10-audio-marketing-trends-2018
http://www.computerbild.de/artikel/avf-News-Audio-Trends-CES-2018-11264743.html
https://www.marketplace.org/2017/11/22/business/cassette-tapes-make-comeback
http://aeaaudio.com/why-tubes-are-back-and-how-to-get-in-on-it/
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/coolest-best-audio-gadgets-ces-2018/
https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/18/16903516/headphones-wireless-analog-jack-future-ces-2018
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/08/alexa-support-comes-to-2018-tvs-from-sony-and-hisense/
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332845
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYhgJlEn880
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/7368-tekoaly-skaalaa-televisiokuvan-8k-tarkkuuteen
https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/6/16859102/lg-display-rollable-oled-65-inch-ces-2018
https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/08/eagle-wearable-home-theater/
http://www.electronicdesign.com/community-home/free-tv-keeps-getting-better-welcome-atsc-30
https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/18/intel-realsense-ready-to-use-depth-cameras/
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/01/hps-z-3d-camera-puts-sprouts-scanning-power-on-your-pc/
841 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Netflix and Amazon will have to make more European content by law
https://www.engadget.com/2018/09/04/netflix-amazon-european-content-quota-eu-law/?guccounter=1
A quota on local shows and movies will likely become official in December.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Karl Bode / Motherboard:
Report: after years of steady decline, BitTorrent usage is once again growing, thanks to the fragmentation of streaming services with exclusive content
The Rise of Netflix Competitors Has Pushed Consumers Back Toward Piracy
https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/d3q45v/bittorrent-usage-increases-netflix-streaming-sites
BitTorrent usage has bounced back because there’s too many streaming services, and too much exclusive content.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jon Fingas / Engadget:
Amazon unveils Fire TV stick with 4K, Dolby Atmos, and HDR10+ support, with a new Alexa Voice Remote, for $50, available for preorder now, ships October 31
Amazon’s latest Fire TV Stick offers 4K for $50
You can also buy the newer Alexa Voice Remote by itself.
https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/03/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k/
After years of offering 4K playback on its higher-end Fire TV devices, Amazon is ready to bring that extra resolution to its most affordable hardware. With a base of active users that’s 25 million strong, it’s launching the Fire TV Stick 4K, delivering Ultra HD and HDR streaming through an HDMI dongle that costs a modest $50. The stealthy device isn’t as affordable as Roku’s $40 Premiere, but it’s also billed as the first media stick to support Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and HDR10+. You won’t have to settle for lower-quality output just to save some cash or avoid using your TV’s built-in apps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Japan in 8K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1jY2VLCRmY
In collaboration with Nakanihon Air Service, Armadas presents a 8K video shot across Japan from 2017-2018.
The video: 8k
The REAL Reason we spent $140,000 on 8K Cameras – ft Corridor Digital
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W6JfiC-QBk
Why on earth does a YOUTUBE CHANNEL need to spend $140,000 on CINEMA cameras? Brandon explains…
Tomi Engdahl says:
This Camera Costs HOW MUCH?! – 8K RED Weapon Unboxing, HOLY $H!T Ep. 17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t1PQJmM8P4
Tomi Engdahl says:
VinylVideo Is Literally Video On Vinyl
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/01/vinylvideo-is-literally-video-on-vinyl/
It’s often said that the music etched into a vinyl record takes on a transcendent quality that you simply can’t find in a digital recording, but does that still apply when you add motion picture? The collaboration of [Sengmüller and Diamant] sure think so, because they are offering a new experience for the turntable with the introduction of their VinylVideo pre-amplifier. No tape reels here, this project shows the extend of what is possible through analog video.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Despite objection, Congress passes bill that lets U.S. authorities shoot down private drones
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/04/despite-objection-congress-passes-bill-that-lets-homeland-security-shoot-down-private-drones/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
U.S. authorities will soon have the authority to shoot down private drones if they are considered a threat — a move decried by civil liberties and rights groups.
The Senate passed the FAA Reauthorization Act on Wednesday
But critics say the new authority that gives the government the right to “disrupt,” “exercise control,” or “seize or otherwise confiscate” drones that’s deemed a “credible threat” is dangerous and doesn’t include enough safeguards.
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, have rocketed in popularity, by amateur pilots and explorers to journalists using drones to report from the skies.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The war over music copyrights
https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/30/the-war-over-music-copyrights/?sr_share=facebook&utm_source=tcfbpage
VC firms haven’t been the only ones raising hundreds of millions of dollars to invest in a booming market. After 15+ years of being the last industry anyone wanted to invest in, the music industry is coming back, and money is flooding in to buy up the rights to popular songs.
As paid streaming subscriptions get mainstream adoption, the big music streaming services – namely Spotify, Apple Music, and Tencent Music, but also Pandora, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, and others – have entered their prime. There are now over 51 million paid subscription accounts among music streaming services in the US.
There are two general types of copyrights for a song: the publishing rights and the master rights. The musical composition of a song – the lyrics, melodies, etc. – comes from songwriters who own the publishing right (though generally they sign a publishing deal and their publisher gets ownership of it in addition to half the royalties). Meanwhile, the version of a song being performed comes from the recording artist who owns the master right (though usually they sign a record deal and the record label gets ownership of the masters and most of the royalties).
Tomi Engdahl says:
LED-SCREENIN ELINKAAREEN VAIKUTTAVIA TEKIJÖITÄ
https://jumbodigital.fi/led-screenin-elinkaareen-vaikuttavia-tekijoita/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Firefox and Edge add support for Google’s WebP image format
https://www.zdnet.com/article/firefox-and-edge-add-support-for-googles-webp-image-format/
WebP image format gets new life courtesy of Microsoft and Mozilla. Apple is last browser maker without WebP support.
The WebP image format developed by Google for the past eight years has found a home this week in Microsoft’s Edge browser, and will also be added in Firefox next year.
WebP is a lossy and lossless image compression format that was born as a derivate project from Google’s work on the VP8 video format. It was released in 2010, and it was advertised as a replacement for PNG, JPEG, and GIF at the same time, supporting good compression, transparency, and animations.
Early benchmarks showed that WebP cut down PNG size by as much as 45 percent and animated GIF size with up to 65 percent.
The format was initially supported only by Google Chrome, but it was later also adopted by the Opera and Pale Moon browsers.
Major Google sites, such as Gmail, Google Search, Google Play, Picasa, and others were modified to use WebP, and defaulted to existing image formats if users’ browsers didn’t support it.
But despite its early success, WebP’s spread hit a wall in 2016, when both Apple and Mozilla showed initial interest in supporting it, but later backed down.
Apple similarly added WebP support in iOS 10 and MacOS Sierra, but later replaced it with HEIF, an image format based on the HEVC video compression standard (also known as H.265 and MPEG-H Part 2).
The latest version of the Edge browser that was launched this week with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update now fully supports WebP in all its glory.
“Mozilla is moving forward with implementing support for WebP,” a Mozilla spokesperson confirmed to CNET yesterday.
Apple has not announced plans to support WebP, leaving Safari as the last major browser not to support it. But with WebP supported in almost all major browsers and image editing software, Apple has little choice left.
Mozilla also said that besides WebP, Firefox would get support next year for AVIF, an even better image format based on the AV1 open-source video compression format developed by Google, Cisco, Mozilla, and other tech giants
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arista, NetworkSound release 4K video and multichannel audio system
https://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/10/arista-networksound-release-4k-video-and-multichannel-audio-system.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-10-08&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2261444
Arista Corporation, a manufacturer of video wall LCD displays, AV extenders, matrix switchers, AV multi-viewers, and related products for the AV installation and industrial markets, has announced a partnership that will streamline system cabling for audio-visual setups by delivering the industry’s first combined 4K video and multichannel audio over a single fiber or Cat 6 cable solution.
With the combination of video, audio, and Ethernet control on a single cable and nicely housed in a 3U carry-on rackmount case, the IP Flash Caster Combo for 4K Video and Multichannel Audio offers an ideal, streamlined solution for both AV installers and event production professionals to quickly establish a very capable AV setup.
Arista Corporation and NetworkSound Partner for 4K Video and Multichannel Audio Solution
http://www.lightingandsoundamerica.com/news/story.asp?ID=-T6GBOU
The combined Arista and Mamba Audio solution employs a single cable to deliver both 4K video and up to 64 x 64 channels of audio.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Paul Sawers / VentureBeat:
Google adds a new automated closed captions feature to Google Slides to create real-time subtitles from verbal presentations
Google Slides can now transcribe verbal presentations to create real-time closed captions
https://venturebeat.com/2018/10/08/google-slides-can-now-transcribe-verbal-presentations-to-create-real-time-closed-captions/
Google is adding a new automated closed captions feature to its Google Slides presentation program, one that creates real-time subtitles from the spoken word.
The feature is rolling out globally from today; however, it will be available in U.S. English only at first.
The new feature is broadly designed to help those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, and the general idea is that those who are presenting to a roomful of people can augment the written words that are already part of their slides with closed captions of their accompanying verbal presentation too.
Just before you start the presentation, hit the little “CC” (closed captions) button in the navigation box (you can also use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl-Shift-C” in Windows and Chrome OS or “⌘-Shift-C” on Mac machines). Google Slides will then access your computer’s built-in microphone to hear your voice, and then automatically convert it into text at the bottom of your presentation.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Google launches Live Albums, which uses AI to automate the sharing of photos with groups of people and displays them on the Home Hub as they are taken — Just ahead of today’s Google’s hardware event, the company quietly rolled out an update to its Google Photos application which introduces a new …
Google Photos adds automated sharing through ‘Live Albums,’ which can stream to Home Hub
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/09/google-photos-adds-live-albums-an-automated-way-of-sharing-people-pet-photos-with-anyone/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Magic Leap is real and it’s a janky marvel
Voila! After $2.3B, the AR headset gets its big debut
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/09/magic-leap-is-real-and-its-a-janky-marvel/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
After years of speculation, some mockery, and more than a little befuddlement, the Magic Leap augmented headset is arriving in the hands of developers and users — and its first product is a somewhat janky piece of magic.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The High-Res Mode of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
https://chriseyrewalker.com/the-hi-res-mode-of-the-olympus-om-d-e-m1-mark-ii/
The camera captures multiple images by shifting the sensor and then combining these images into one large, high-resolution RAW (or JPG) file.
Olympus makes use of the motors that are normally dedicated to stabilising the sensor and turns their movement into a ‘high frequency’ movements.
This allows the motors to move the sensor by exactly the amount needed to shift the photosites by one whole photosite unit.
The camera then only stores one RGB value, without borrowing the neighbour information and repeats this process until it has one Red, one Green and one Blue value per photosite location.
The result: The colour information now is 100% accurate for each Pixel. No ‘borrowing’ from neighbours needed. This makes the interpolation process redundant and the total amount of information has now been tripled
Tomi Engdahl says:
Peter Jackson Restored and Colorized 100 Hours of World War I Footage, and the Final Results are Remarkable — Watch
https://www.indiewire.com/2018/10/peter-jackson-world-war-one-footage-restored-colorized-1202010938/
The director’s new documentary, “They Shall Not Grow Old,” brings to life World War I on the big screen like never before.
World War I documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old.” Jackson utilized modern production techniques to restore and colorize nearly 100 hours of original WWI footage from Britain’s Imperial War Museum.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Facebook rolls out 3D photos that use AI to simulate depth
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/11/facebook-3d-photos/
What if you could peek behind what’s in your photos, like you’re moving your head to see what’s inside a window? That’s the futuristic promise of Facebook 3D photos. After announcing the feature at F8 in May, Facebook is now rolling out 3D photos to add make-believe depth to your iPhone portrait mode shots. Shoot one, tap the new 3D photos option in the status update composer, select a portrait mode photo and users on the desktop or mobile News Feed as well as in VR through Oculus Go’s browser or Firefox on Oculus Rift
To create the best 3D photos with your iPhone 7+, 8+, X or XS (more phones will work with the feature in the future), Facebook recommends you keep your subject three to four feet away, and have things in the foreground and background. Distinct colors will make the layers separate better, and transparent or shiny objects like glass or plastic can throw off the AI.
Originally, the idea was to democratize the creation of VR content. But with headset penetration still relatively low
Tomi Engdahl says:
Magic Leap is shipping across (most of) the US
https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/10/17960722/magic-leap-one-creator-edition-shipping-continuous-us
As Magic Leap holds the first developer conference for its Magic Leap One mixed reality headset, that headset has started shipping across the contiguous United States, instead of in a set of select markets. The Magic Leap One Creator Edition costs $2,295, just like before, but there’s now an installment plan that starts at $96 per month. All orders are supposed to arrive within 60 days.
The Magic Leap One Creator Edition went on sale in early August, and while Magic Leap has touted it as a fully functional device, it’s basically meant for people who want to design apps, games, or art for mixed reality. We were ambivalent toward the hardware, which we found limited, and we noted that Magic Leap hadn’t shown off a lot of material that showcased its potential.
https://www.magicleap.com/stories/blog/financing-direct-shipping
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tivi.fi/Kaikki_uutiset/38-musiikista-kuunnellaan-laittomasti-oletko-sina-syyllistynyt-suoratoistorippaukseen-6744796
Tomi Engdahl says:
Elisan uutuuspalvelussa myydään elokuvia – ostetuille leffoille ei kuitenkaan saa ikuista katseluoikeutta
https://www.mikrobitti.fi/uutiset/mb/e3ff0a2b-6628-429e-aa9a-8be436ebf419?ref=ampparit%3A6148
Tomi Engdahl says:
At 10 trillion frames per second, this camera captures light in slow motion
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/12/at-10-trillion-frames-per-second-this-camera-captures-light-in-slow-motion/?sr_share=facebook&utm_source=tcfbpage
Light is the fastest thing in the universe, so trying to catch it on the move is necessarily something of a challenge. We’ve had some success, but a new rig built by Caltech scientists pulls down a mind-boggling 10 trillion frames per second, meaning it can capture light as it travels along — and they have plans to make it a hundred times faster.
http://www.inrs.ca/english/actualites/worlds-fastest-camera-freezes-time-10-trillion-frames-second
Tomi Engdahl says:
IEEE forms study groups targeting extremely high throughput, Wi-Fi latency
https://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/10/ieee-forms-study-groups-targeting-extremely-high-throughput-wi-fi-latency.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-10-15&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2268410
IEEE and the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) announced the formation of a study group and topic interest group focused on advancing the technology and deployment of the IEEE 802.11 standard, commonly referred to as “Wi-Fi.” The groups are inviting stakeholder participation from around the world in their respective areas of focus: extremely high throughput and real-time applications.
The IEEE 802.11 Extremely High Throughput Study Group has been established to initiate discussion on new IEEE 802.11 features for bands between 1 and 7.125 GHz. The group is identifying requirements for a possible amendment to IEEE 802.11 that would increase peak throughput to support demanding applications such as video over wireless local area networks (WLANs), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
The IEEE 802.11 Real Time Applications Topic Interest Group is quantifying performance lags and stability issues that have been observed with real-time applications such as mobile and multiplayer games, robotics and industrial automation, as well as the range of mechanisms in the industry to address those issues. The group is working to document usage models and requirements metrics for real-time applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
THE CHALLENGE OF MAKING YOUTUBE A BETTER PLACE
https://www.wired.com/story/wired-25-susan-wojcicki-youtube-moderation/
SUSAN WOJCICKI HAS a difficult job. As CEO of YouTube, she leads one of Alphabet’s biggest money makers and most popular platforms. But the company she helms is very different than the YouTube that launched in 2005, when the mission was “Broadcast Yourself.” In recent years, and particularly since the 2016 election in the US, the service has found itself teeming with trolls and bad information.
“If we look at openness and all the advantages it’s had, it’s tremendous,” Wojcicki said at the WIRED25 Summit on Monday afternoon. “It’s really valuable, but we have to marry that with responsibility.”
Part of taking responsibility meant hiring content moderators, some 10,000 of them, to help remove the videos that violate YouTube’s community guidelines. In the second quarter of this year, the company, using a mix of those moderators and AI, removed 10 million videos that violated the guidelines; nearly 75 percent were removed without a single view.
In the two years since, as fake news proliferated and the video-sharing service generated millions of dollars in ad revenue, YouTube, under Wokcicki, made strides to improve the service, like implementing a tool that helps battle conspiracy theories on the service and increased (but also inconsistent) content moderation.
Such are the headaches when you have a service with more than 1 billion monthly active users pumping out hundreds of hours of content every minute.
But, as Wojcicki sees it, there is room for healthy growth, both inside her company and outside.
Tomi Engdahl says:
An Indian mental health clinic is treating its first Netflix addict
https://thenextweb.com/tech/2018/10/08/indian-clinic-treats-a-man-suffering-from-netflix-addiction/
Last week, the Service for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) clinic at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, India, treated a 26-year-old man who said he had been addicted to Netflix for more than six months. His compulsive habit caused fatigue, eye strain, and irregular sleeping cycles.
Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma, the head of the SHUT clinic said that binge-watching helped the patient forget his worries while he was unemployed for a long period of time:
“Whenever his family pressurized him to earn a living, or when he saw his friends doing well, he would watch the shows on offer continuously. It was a method of escapism. He could forget about his problems, and he derived immense pleasure from it.”
Clearly, many people spend a lot of time on Netflix, as it accounts for 15 percent of downstream traffic of the Internet. The company’s own data suggests that an average user spends 50 minutes per day on the service. Plenty of people have written about how Netflix can affect one’s mental health.
For what it’s worth, some tech companies are encouraging users to take care of their mental and emotional well-being through the use of, well, more technology. YouTube now prompts you to ‘take a break’ after you’ve watched videos for a certain amount of time, and phone makers like Google and Apple give you tools to monitor and control your screen time.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Full Photoshop CC Is Coming To the iPad In 2019
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/18/10/15/2337213/the-full-photoshop-cc-is-coming-to-the-ipad-in-2019?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot%2Fto+%28%28Title%29Slashdot+%28rdf%29%29
The “real version” of Photoshop is coming to the iPad next year, complete with a user interface similar to the desktop application and all the main tools.
The full Photoshop CC is coming to the iPad in 2019
Sports a proper touch interface and seamless cloud syncing to the desktop app.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/10/adobe-bringing-the-photoshop-to-the-ipad-next-year/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Magic Leap Looks for its Enterprise Footing
https://www.designnews.com/design-hardware-software/magic-leap-looks-its-enterprise-footing/178214645459633?ADTRK=UBM&elq_mid=6040&elq_cid=876648
A few brief announcements at Magic Leap’s developer conference beg the question of whether Magic Leap would be more comfortable in offices and factory floors than homes and arcades.
Tomi Engdahl says:
I’m totally going to give the world leader in security breaches and personal data sales a bunch of cameras in my house?
Facebook is building a camera TV set-top box
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/16/facebook-ripley-set-top-box/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
A mysterious product called “Ripley” appeared hidden beside Facebook’s new Portal smart displays in Facebook for Android’s code. Dug up by frequent TechCrunch tipster Jane Manchun Wong a week ago, Ripley’s name squared with Facebook’s VP of Portal Rafa Camargo telling us that “we’re already investing in expanding the product line with more products we want to launch next year.”
That Facebook device will be a camera-equipped device that connects to televisions to allow video chat and media content viewing, according to Cheddar’s Alex Heath.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Facebook is reportedly working on a TV camera that can stream video
What if your whole TV was a giant Facebook Portal?
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/10/16/17983378/facebook-tv-camera-stream-video-watch-set-top-portal-ripley
Earlier this month, Facebook announced Portal, a camera-equipped smart device that’s meant to compete with Amazon’s Echo Show. But the company’s hardware ambitions apparently go far beyond that: Cheddar is reporting that Facebook is working on a TV camera that would offer Portal-like video chatting on a bigger screen and allow users to stream content from Facebook Watch.
Was anyone really asking for a bigger Facebook Portal?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Manufacturing Bits: Oct. 16
World’s fastest camera; searching for bacteria.
https://semiengineering.com/manufacturing-bits-oct-16/
The Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) in Canada has developed what researchers say is the world’s fastest camera.
The camera, called T-CUP, is capable of capturing ten trillion frames per second. It’s possible to nearly freeze time to see various phenomena in the system. In a system, the technology can be used to take high-speed images of samples in various segments, such as biomedical, materials science and others.
Today, the industry uses several types of high-speed imaging systems. One type is based on a pump–probe measurement techniques. In simple terms, the system takes images using ultrashort laser pulses.
For this, the laser pulse must be repeated many times and the accuracy depends upon the precise repetition of the pulses. But when an event must be recorded in a single measurement, this technique is sometimes not applicable, according to researchers from INRS.
So, for this application, the imaging technique must capture the entire process in one shot, prompting the need for another technique–compressed ultrafast photography (CUP). CUP is said to take images at 100 billion frames per second.
INRS’ T-CUP technology makes use of an improved version of CUP. INRS makes use of traditional femtosecond streak camera in a system. It also uses another camera that acquires a static image.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Google Chromecast 2018 review: still $35, improved design, slightly faster performance, can stream 1080p at 60 fps but not 4K capable, not worth the upgrade
Google Chromecast (2018) review
Little in the way of new features
https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/16/17983296/google-chromecast-review-2018
Tomi Engdahl says:
Laura Hazard Owen / Nieman Lab:
A close look at the suit against Facebook on video metrics and a look back at many statements from publishers pivoting to video as Facebook touted the medium — “It will probably be all video.” — In June 2016, Nicola Mendelsohn, Facebook’s VP for Europe, the Middle East and Africa …
Did Facebook’s faulty data push news publishers to make terrible decisions on video?
http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/10/did-facebooks-faulty-data-push-news-publishers-to-make-terrible-decisions-on-video/
“It will probably be all video.”
In June 2016, Nicola Mendelsohn, Facebook’s VP for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, spent several minutes of a panel at a Fortune conference talking about how Facebook was witnessing video overtake text.
“We’re seeing a year-on-year decline on text,” Mendelsohn answered. “We’re seeing a massive increase, as I’ve said, on both pictures and video. So I think, yeah, if I was having a bet, I would say: Video, video, video.”
“Wow,” the moderator, Pattie Sellers, responded.
“The best way to tell stories, in this world where so much information is coming at us, actually is video,” Mendelsohn continued. “It commands so much more information in a much quicker period. So actually, the trend helps us to digest more of the information, in a quicker way.”
But even as Facebook executives were insisting publicly that video consumption was skyrocketing, it was becoming clear that some of the metrics the company had used to calculate time spent on videos were wrong. The Wall Street Journal reported in September 2016, three months after the Fortune panel, that Facebook had “vastly overestimated average viewing time for video ads on its platform for two years” by as much as “60 to 80 percent.”
A lawsuit filed by a group of small advertisers in California, however, argues that Facebook had known about the discrepancy for at least a year — and behaved fraudulently by failing to disclose it.
If that is true, it may have had enormous consequences — not just for advertisers deciding to shift resources from television to Facebook, but also for news organizations, which were grappling with how to allocate editorial staff and what kinds of content creation to prioritize. News publishers’ “pivot to video” was driven largely by a belief that if Facebook was seeing users, in massive numbers, shift to video from text, the trend must be real for news video too
Here are some of the most interesting parts of the court filings.
— The lawsuit alleges that “Facebook engineers knew for over a year” that the company’s metrics were “overstating the average time its users spent watching paid video advertisements,” and that “multiple advertisers had reported aberrant results caused by the miscalculation (such as 100% watch times for their video ads.”
— The Wall Street Journal had reported that viewership metrics were inflated by “60 to 80 percent,” figures that Facebook did not dispute.
— The suit alleges that there was a long lag between the time that the engineers realized the metrics were faulty and the time that Facebook corrected them, due to understaffing on the engineering team, and that
Even once Facebook decided to correct the false metrics, it chose not to do so immediately.
The surges in video viewership that we at Nieman Lab heard about in 2016 and 2017 didn’t seem to make intuitive sense in the context of news video. Who were all these people watching tons of video on Facebook when nobody we knew in real life, including ourselves, was actually watching video on Facebook?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jean-Michel Jarre: how we made Oxygène
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/oct/16/jean-michel-jarre-michel-granger-oxygene?CMP=share_btn_fb
‘Hi-fi shops played it as an example of state-of-the-art music. I didn’t tell them I made it with Sellotape in my kitchen’
Tomi Engdahl says:
Uusi HDMI siirtää pakkaamatonta 8K-signaalia
http://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8579&via=n&datum=2018-10-18_16:35:27&mottagare=31202
HDMI 2.1
8K-video
HDMI 2.1 -määritys hyväksyttiin vuonna 2017. Sen kaistanleveys on 48 gigabittiä sekunnissa eli 2,7 kertaa perinteisen HDMI 2.0:n kaistanleveys. Kaista riittää 8K-signaalin siirtoon kaapelilla pakkaamattomana.
Socionextin HV5-sarja on markkinoiden ensimmäinen HDMI 2.1 -yhteensopiva lähetinvastaanotin.
SC1H05AC01
Tämän hetken HDMI-laitteet vaativat neljä kaapelia siirtääkseen 8K-videota, mutta Socionextin piiri suoriutuu samasta vain yhdellä kaapelilla, yhtiö kertoo.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ben Schoon / 9to5Google:
Google quietly adds a channel shortcut to YouTube video embeds that, when hovered over, displays the full channel name, a subscribe button, and more
Google quietly redesigns YouTube video embeds w/ cleaner look, channel shortcut
https://9to5google.com/2018/10/18/youtube-video-embeds-redesign/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Massive Attack Reissue Mezzanine as DNA Spray
Paint (Yes, You Read That Correctly)
https://pitchfork.com/news/massive-attack-reissue-mezzanine-as-dna-spray-paint-yes-you-read-that-correctly/
Each can contains about one million copies of the album encoded into DNA
When Massive Attack’s Mezzanine turned 20, in April this year, the group celebrated by encoding it into DNA. That DNA will be released in the form of matt black spray paint inside an aerosol can, the group announced today (October 19). Each can contains about one million copies of the album, according to a press release.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Yashica’s ‘Unexpected’ Y35 Camera is Worse Than Anyone Expected
https://petapixel.com/2018/10/18/yashicas-unexpected-y35-digifilm-camera-is-unexpectedly-bad/
The Japanese brand Yashica stirred up a great deal of excitement in the photo world in 2017 by teasing its return to the camera industry. In October 2017, it unveiled the Yashica Y35 digiFilm camera and raised over $1 million on Kickstarter. Backers are now receiving their cameras, and the initial reaction has been overwhelmingly negative.
Yashica’s many teasers for the Y35 camera told photographers to “expect the unexpected.” The camera turned out to be a minimalist digital camera that features pretend rolls of film that are used to choose your photo style, aspect ratio, and ISO combinations (instead of being able to do so in-camera).
While the concept may be novel and fun for people yearning for the look and feel of film cameras while having the convenience of digital, execution appears to have been lacking.
The Phoblographer reports that the project was the result of a Hong Kong-based company that picked up the iconic brand name, and that the Kickstarter campaign
Unhappy Backers Report Multiple Issues in the Yashica digiFilm Y35
https://www.thephoblographer.com/2018/10/17/unhappy-backers-report-multiple-issues-yashica-digifilm-y35/
Tomi Engdahl says:
This shit don’t deserve b roll Yashica y35 angry review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvgDtEOzdVU
In conclusion, I regret the day I paid this. if Film is dead, this shit makes the film even dead-er. I rather buy a broken aps film piont and shoot, than this shit. literally, any camera is better than this.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Automotive camera module allows HD viewing
https://www.edn.com/electronics-products/other/4461158/Automotive-camera-module-allows-HD-viewing?
utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=ad&utm_medium=EDNPCBDesign-20181022
A joint reference design, the LI-X1B4-TI933 camera from Leopard Imaging packs an OmniVision OX01B40 image sensor system-
in-package (SiP), plus TI’s DS90UB933-Q1 or DS90UB935-Q1 serializer chip and TPS65000-Q1 power-management IC (PMIC) on a
single PCB. The design reduces cost, space, power, and heat, while reducing time-to-market for automotive rearview and
surround-view camera systems.
All components are AEC-Q100 Grade 2 qualified and are capable of operating over a temperature range of -40°C to +105°C.
The reference design can be integrated directly into vehicles or serve as a starter kit for Tier-1s and OEMs who want to
create their own camera modules.
OmniVision’s OX01B40 SiP combines a 1392×976-pixel color CMOS image sensor and image signal processor that streams video at up to 60 fps and consumes less than 40 mW of power.
It offers best-in-class low-light sensitivity and 120 dB high dynamic range
https://leopardimaging.com/product/LI-X1B4-TI933/
The lens of FPDLINKIII camera is unglued by default, which helps our customers to adjust the focus and/or change the lens. Therefore, this will disable the waterproof feature.
OmniVision CMOS 1.3M Image Sensor OX01B40
Support Rolling shutter
Output 12-bit DVP Output
Support 12V Power
Active pixel: 1392H x 976V
Optical format: 1/3.8″
Pixel size: 2.8 um x 2.8 um
Compact size: 23 x 23 x 25 mm
Part#: LI-X1B4-TI933
USB 3.0 Kit Part#: LI-USB30-X1B4-TI933
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why IGTV should go premium
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/17/why-igtv-should-go-premium/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
It’s been four months since Facebook launched IGTV, with the goal of creating a destination for longer-form Instagram videos. Is it shaping up to be a high-profile flop, or could this be the company’s next multi-billion-dollar business?
IGTV, which features videos up to 60 minutes versus Instagram’s normal 60-second limit, hasn’t made much of a splash yet. Since there are no ads yet, it hasn’t made a dollar, either.
Facebook worked with numerous media brands and celebrities to shoot high-quality, vertical videos for IGTV’s launch on June 20,
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chromecast 2018 review: The same, but better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYTfUFqP7ZI
The new Chromecast isn’t a massive overhaul and doesn’t even include 4K streaming, but it’s actually a decent upgrade.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Powered fiber cable drives video security
https://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-24/issue-2/features/security/powered-fiber-cable-drives-video-security.html
High-definition video cameras are increasingly popular as a means to secure sites such as hospitals and university campuses, but evolution in camera technology and the demands of specific venues are driving changes in the cabling systems used to connect these cameras. The need to bring power and high-bandwidth data resources to every camera in a broad-based deployment often means high construction costs and suboptimal placement of cameras. In this article, we’ll look at the changing technology in surveillance cameras, how this impacts the type of cabling used to connect them, and how hybrid cable systems can support future deployments.
According to Transparency Market Research, the demand for video surveillance systems is rising, expected to approach $40 billion USD by 2020. Similarly, securitysales.com predicts a market of $42 billion USD by 2019 with a compound annual growth rate for IP-based video surveillance in particular of 24.2 percent from 2013 to 2019.
Changing camera technology
In the past, lower-resolution analog security cameras have been widely deployed. But the quality of the video in these 920H and lower resolution cameras is far lower than the new wave of IP-based high-definition (HD) video cameras (meaning cameras with resolution of at least 720p).
With the advent of 4K video standards, security cameras are now supporting 3840 pixels by 2160 lines, or 2160p resolution, and camera makers are already experimenting with 8K video
4K video cameras are already making significant improvements in security. With high resolution, these cameras can be placed at considerable distances from the area they monitor and still allow digital zoom to pick up small objects.
In addition, sites are enhancing security by using low-cost facial recognition servers to process the video feed. One customer recently cited to us that for as little as $6,000
With higher resolution comes the need for higher bandwidth. Yesterday’s video cameras could be connected with coaxial cable because they needed fairly low bandwidth. Some estimates are that a single 4K camera video feed, with modern video compression, needs about 15 Mbits/sec minimum of bandwidth (without video compression the bandwidth need is much higher).
IEEE ratified a standard for delivering both power and data in a single Ethernet cable; it is called Power over Ethernet, or PoE. The standards 802.3af (PoE) and 802.3at (PoE Plus) define how power and data can be delivered at distances up to 100 meters via category cabling. More than a simple direct current (DC) power solution, the PoE standard incorporates excellent safety features, software handshaking, etc. into a truly useful solution.
nstallers will often want to use optical fiber to form connections. Singlemode fiber can carry nearly unlimited data, so it is more than ample for connecting 4K or 8K cameras, and its reach can extend for miles. Multimode fiber, especially newer 50-micron core-size Om3 and Om4 fibers, can handle distances in the “hundreds of meters” range and so is also a viable option for many situations.
So fiber is a great option for handling long-distance data transmission, but what about also delivering power?
A powered fiber cable system (PFCS) addresses the need for local power as well as the need for fiber data connectivity. The PFCS incorporates a rack-mounted power and optical-fiber termination point, a hybrid cable that includes both singlemode and multimode fiber and electrical conductors, and a remote termination node that plugs into the camera being powered.
In a PFCS, each cable is capable of powering any PoE-compliant device at a distance of up to 3 kilometers, giving the system 30 times the reach of standard PoE systems. An integrated media converter and PoE chipset work together to deliver a simple PoE or PoE Plus output in an RJ45 jack.
With a PFCS, deploying video cameras becomes a fairly straightforward process. The PFCS acts as a long extension cord for data and power connectivity to any location desired
The PFCS also eliminates the need for licensed electricians by staying within the National Electrical Code (NEC) Class 2 and Safety Extra Low Voltage (SELV) limits for low power, intrinsically safe electrical systems. Cables may be routed in the same cable pathways as Ethernet cable and other fiber-optic communications cables.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Above NYC – Filmed in 12K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN3uF3990Q0
Recently Gotham Film Works took delivery of the first
SHOTOVER K1 HAMMERHEAD Aerial Camera Array.
Over the last several years I’ve been specializing in long form, high
resolution, large format aerial cinematography. For the first shoot with this new aerial array we rigged the system with 3X RED Weapon Monstro 8K VV cameras, which once processed creates stunning 100 megapixel motion picture images with a sensor size of approximately 645 Medium Format Film.
The resulting 12K by 8K footage is 48.5 times the resolution of HD 1080p and full of captured detail.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Richard Lai / Engadget:
Qualcomm announces a reference design headset based on its QCC5100 Bluetooth audio chip to make it easier for manufacturers to build Alexa-powered headphones
Qualcomm wants to help build more Alexa-powered Bluetooth earbuds
The chip maker has come up with a smart headset reference design for this mission.
https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/22/qualcomm-amazon-alexa-bluetooth-earbuds-reference-design/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Piper Jaffray:
Survey: Netflix and YouTube account for 70.7% of teens’ daily video consumption in US, and Instagram is now teens’ most-used social platform, eclipsing Snapchat — Our 36th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens survey included results from 8,600 teens across 48 states with an average age of 16.
https://piper2.bluematrix.com/sellside/EmailDocViewer?encrypt=3aac149e-6526-47aa-af46-f75b785e29cf&mime=pdf&co=Piper&[email protected]
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why Nobody Buys Sound Cards Anymore?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWqip0qw2LA
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8599-samsung-patentoi-ikkunatelevision
https://nl.letsgodigital.org/televisies-tvs/samsung-the-window-tv/
Tomi Engdahl says:
HDMI 2.1 Explained – and why it’s a BIG DEAL | The Tech Chap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui5tCLvr_kc
HDMI 2.1 is a BIG upgrade over HDMI 2.0, which followed 1.4. Boasting 48 Gb/s transfer speeds – it offers 4K120, 8K60, Dynamic HDR and loads more. It’s great for Gamers too with Variable Refresh Rates (supported by PC & Xbox One X
Tomi Engdahl says:
Japanese Audiophiles Are Going to Extremes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJJy6VJvSCk&list=RDQcX_pjLQ7dc&index=2
Japanese audiophiles are spending thousands of dollars on high-end stereo systems. Some are even installing private utility poles for a personal source of electricity, all in a quest for aural perfection.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
NBC News announces its streaming news service, NBC News Signal, will launch in mid-2019, with shows now available on NBCNews.com, PlutoTV, YouTube, and Twitter — NBC News is joining the parade of traditional news outlets trying to capture the interest of a rising generation of news junkies …
NBC News Unveils ‘Signal’ Streaming-Video Service
https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/nbc-news-unveils-signal-streaming-video-service-1202992177/
Tomi Engdahl says:
10,000-Year-Old Camera Lens Takes Striking Pictures
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/25/1000-year-old-camera-lens/
The first photograph was taken sometime in the early 1800s, and through almost two centuries of development we’ve advanced through black-and-white, the video camera, and even high-speed cameras that can take thousands of frames per second. [Mathieu Stern] took a step back from all of the technological progress of the past two hundred years, though, and found a lens for his camera hidden in the glacial ice of Iceland.
I made a CAMERA LENS with an ICEBERG
https://www.mathieustern.com/blog/2018/10/22/l437fjpq58g619vlkm6t1iwhk8s6dr
Dreaming of creating weird lenses is my thing, sometimes i dream too much and it gets crazy.
after i made some researches online, i discovered that no one ever made a working ice lens.
How can i make something that would work if no one else ever made it work before me.
I made a lot of prototypes, worked on this project for 6 months to get the right shape, the right focus distance and get the right tools before i leave for Iceland.
Iceland glaciers takes 10 000 years to purify the particles inside the ice, and i want to use this amazing power to create a clear lens.
After 2 weeks around Iceland ,we arrived on the famous Diamond beach where big and small icebergs are stuck on the black beach.