Super 8 app shoots awesome home movies
Now this is how you do a movie tie-in.Super 8, a new app named for the eponymous J.J. Abrams flick that opens June 10, isn't some lame collection of teaser clips or a slapped-together game. Rather, it's a full-featured video recorder designed to emulate Super 8 film cameras.In other words, it's like a Wayback Machine for your iPhone and iPad 2, allowing you to record home movies with a decidedly '60s flair. The only thing it's not is new: apps like 8mm Vintage Camera and Silent Film Director have offered this capability for a while.Ah, but Super 8 is free--and it's mighty slick. The entire interfaced is modeled after a Super 8 case, complete with vintage instruction manual, Super 8 "cassettes" (i.e. your library of recordings), and the camera itself.The camera comes with your choice of seven photorealistic "lenses," including color, sepia, negative, and even infrared. For any of them you can toggle a scratch-and-dirt overlay and a frame-shake effect; the latter literally makes the frame jump based on movement of the iPhone. (This effect is probably incomprehensible to anyone who's never watched old home movies--but it's seriously cool for those of us who have.)After you've shot some "film," you can organize (but not edit) your clips, then add titles and credits, insert an authentic-looking Super 8 film leader, and "develop" the movie for viewing with Super 8's "projector." (The attention to detail here is terrific: you have to pull down the "screen," and there are Reverse and Forward buttons you can hold to shuttle the playback in real-time.)When you're done, you can e-mail your movies to friends or copy them back to your PC via iTunes. Alas, there's no way to share via Facebook or YouTube.That's about the only thing wrong with this clever and entertaining app. It may lack a few of the features found in its aforementioned predecessors, but it's really a blast to play with--and you can't beat the price. For a limited time, Super 8 is free.
Is dynamic range compression destroying music-
Is dynamic range compression destroying music?
Dynamic range compression isn't new, it's been used by recording, mixing, and mastering engineers for many decades. A little bit of compression is fine, but over-compression can sound downright ugly. Most of today's music, whether it's on LP, CD, the radio or iTunes is over-compressed. Most remastered CDs are over-compressed.Before we go any further, I'm not referring to the lossy compression used in MP3s, or lossless compression used in Apple Lossless. They've got their own set of problems, but dynamic range compression is a very different predicament. To the casual listener compression can sound "good," mostly because it makes the music seem louder and punchier, and once music's natural soft-loud dynamic shifts are squashed flat music is easier to hear in noisy environments like cars or over iPods. Compression reduces the need to adjust playback volume--because it's always nearly the same volume--loud.Engineers worry that if they don't compress their recordings the music would seem too soft and low. That is, if a music listener went from really loud, compressed music to quieter, uncompressed music they probably wouldn't like uncompressed music--unless they turned it up! That way they would hear the music's natural soft-loud dynamics.Unfortunately, that's not an acceptable scenario to most engineers or record labels. They're addicted to over-compression, it's a hard habit to break. But the unnatural onslaught of compressed sound obliterates musical nuance, delicacy and emotional power. Compression's loud-all-the-time nature sucks the life out of music.Here's a great video that demonstrates the evils of compression.Well, it's one thing to describe the ill-effects of over compression in words; this excellent "Loudness War" YouTube video adds a visual perspective to make compression's destructive properties easier to understand. Like most things on YouTube there's a bunch of videos that explore the evils of compression, but "Loudness War" is one of the better ones.
Dynamic range compression isn't new, it's been used by recording, mixing, and mastering engineers for many decades. A little bit of compression is fine, but over-compression can sound downright ugly. Most of today's music, whether it's on LP, CD, the radio or iTunes is over-compressed. Most remastered CDs are over-compressed.Before we go any further, I'm not referring to the lossy compression used in MP3s, or lossless compression used in Apple Lossless. They've got their own set of problems, but dynamic range compression is a very different predicament. To the casual listener compression can sound "good," mostly because it makes the music seem louder and punchier, and once music's natural soft-loud dynamic shifts are squashed flat music is easier to hear in noisy environments like cars or over iPods. Compression reduces the need to adjust playback volume--because it's always nearly the same volume--loud.Engineers worry that if they don't compress their recordings the music would seem too soft and low. That is, if a music listener went from really loud, compressed music to quieter, uncompressed music they probably wouldn't like uncompressed music--unless they turned it up! That way they would hear the music's natural soft-loud dynamics.Unfortunately, that's not an acceptable scenario to most engineers or record labels. They're addicted to over-compression, it's a hard habit to break. But the unnatural onslaught of compressed sound obliterates musical nuance, delicacy and emotional power. Compression's loud-all-the-time nature sucks the life out of music.Here's a great video that demonstrates the evils of compression.Well, it's one thing to describe the ill-effects of over compression in words; this excellent "Loudness War" YouTube video adds a visual perspective to make compression's destructive properties easier to understand. Like most things on YouTube there's a bunch of videos that explore the evils of compression, but "Loudness War" is one of the better ones.
Apple wins patent for 4G MacBook connectivity
Apple wins patent for 4G MacBook connectivity
A new patent Apple has been awarded seems to hint that the company is considering bringing 4G connectivity to its MacBook line.The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today published a patent Apple won related to the way in which a 4G antenna is housed in a laptop. The invention describes how a 4G antenna can be hidden in a "conductive cavity" located behind the upper bezel around the computer's screen.Apple argues that the placement of the antenna at the top of the computer can enhance the likelihood of securing a strong signal, though the company did leave it open to placing the antenna in other cavities around the device.Patently Apple was first to report on the patent.Related storiesThe wait for a Mac with 3G/4G continuesApple wants its 3G MacBook prototype backApple secures 25 patents, including iMac, iPad Smart CoverApple wins patent for iTunes Store user interfaceFor years now, rumors have suggested that Apple is at least considering bundling mobile connectivity with its notebook line. Last year, a North Carolina man came across an Apple prototype notebook featuring an antenna that allowed users to connect to 3G networks. Soon after trying to sell it on eBay, Apple demanded its prototype back, prompting some to wonder if mobile connectivity would indeed make its way to its MacBook line.Although the patent might lend some hope to those who believe Apple will launch 4G connectivity in the MacBook, patents are by no means a smoking gun. Major companies like Apple file for a host of patents every year, and in many cases, never end up using the technology they develop. This could very well end up in that bin.Beyond that, Patently Apple found that the iPhone maker secured a host of other patents today, including one related to event processing of Web pages in iOS. Apple also was awarded six design patents related to an iPad keyboard dock, the iPad Nano's display module, and others.Apple declined CNET's request for comment on the patent.
A new patent Apple has been awarded seems to hint that the company is considering bringing 4G connectivity to its MacBook line.The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today published a patent Apple won related to the way in which a 4G antenna is housed in a laptop. The invention describes how a 4G antenna can be hidden in a "conductive cavity" located behind the upper bezel around the computer's screen.Apple argues that the placement of the antenna at the top of the computer can enhance the likelihood of securing a strong signal, though the company did leave it open to placing the antenna in other cavities around the device.Patently Apple was first to report on the patent.Related storiesThe wait for a Mac with 3G/4G continuesApple wants its 3G MacBook prototype backApple secures 25 patents, including iMac, iPad Smart CoverApple wins patent for iTunes Store user interfaceFor years now, rumors have suggested that Apple is at least considering bundling mobile connectivity with its notebook line. Last year, a North Carolina man came across an Apple prototype notebook featuring an antenna that allowed users to connect to 3G networks. Soon after trying to sell it on eBay, Apple demanded its prototype back, prompting some to wonder if mobile connectivity would indeed make its way to its MacBook line.Although the patent might lend some hope to those who believe Apple will launch 4G connectivity in the MacBook, patents are by no means a smoking gun. Major companies like Apple file for a host of patents every year, and in many cases, never end up using the technology they develop. This could very well end up in that bin.Beyond that, Patently Apple found that the iPhone maker secured a host of other patents today, including one related to event processing of Web pages in iOS. Apple also was awarded six design patents related to an iPad keyboard dock, the iPad Nano's display module, and others.Apple declined CNET's request for comment on the patent.
Apple wins design patents for slide-to-unlock, original iPhone
Apple wins design patents for slide-to-unlock, original iPhone
Apple was granted design patents today for the contentious slide-to-unlock user interface asset and the design for the original iPhone. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approved Apple applicationNo. D675,639 for "ornamental design for a display screen or portion thereof with a graphical user interface," which includes illustrations of the familiar horizontal bars with rounded corners found at the bottom of locked iOS screens since the original iPhone's debut in 2007.Slide-to-unlock functionality has become a major sticking point with handset makers. Apple, which was granted a patent for the feature in 2011, has charged both Motorola and Samsung with violating patents related to the functionality.Apple pressed the patent against Samsung's Galaxy Nexus in January 2012, only to discover that Google had filed a patent application in 2010 that described a manner in which users interact with a smartphone -- or PC -- to unlock the device and perform at least one command.An Apple patent infringement lawsuit filed in Germany against Motorola over the function was backburnered last March. The judge in that case said he wanted to wait until the German Patent and Trademark Office heard Apple's case before his court continued.Illustration accompanying Apple's design patent for the iPhone's appearance.Apple Apple was also granted approval for design patent No. D675,612, which covers the "ornamental design of an electronic device" -- specifically the rounded corners found on the iPhone. The design feature is key to Apple lawsuits against Samsung. A judge with the U.S. International Trade Commission, a federal agency with the power to block imports of devices found to infringe on U.S. patents, ruled last October that Samsung had violated Apple's iPhone design patent covering the look and feel of the smartphone's exterior. That ruling is currently under review, and a decision is expected next month.(Via PatentlyApple)
Apple was granted design patents today for the contentious slide-to-unlock user interface asset and the design for the original iPhone. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approved Apple applicationNo. D675,639 for "ornamental design for a display screen or portion thereof with a graphical user interface," which includes illustrations of the familiar horizontal bars with rounded corners found at the bottom of locked iOS screens since the original iPhone's debut in 2007.Slide-to-unlock functionality has become a major sticking point with handset makers. Apple, which was granted a patent for the feature in 2011, has charged both Motorola and Samsung with violating patents related to the functionality.Apple pressed the patent against Samsung's Galaxy Nexus in January 2012, only to discover that Google had filed a patent application in 2010 that described a manner in which users interact with a smartphone -- or PC -- to unlock the device and perform at least one command.An Apple patent infringement lawsuit filed in Germany against Motorola over the function was backburnered last March. The judge in that case said he wanted to wait until the German Patent and Trademark Office heard Apple's case before his court continued.Illustration accompanying Apple's design patent for the iPhone's appearance.Apple Apple was also granted approval for design patent No. D675,612, which covers the "ornamental design of an electronic device" -- specifically the rounded corners found on the iPhone. The design feature is key to Apple lawsuits against Samsung. A judge with the U.S. International Trade Commission, a federal agency with the power to block imports of devices found to infringe on U.S. patents, ruled last October that Samsung had violated Apple's iPhone design patent covering the look and feel of the smartphone's exterior. That ruling is currently under review, and a decision is expected next month.(Via PatentlyApple)
Apple wins 41 new patents, including hand-gesture controls
Apple wins 41 new patents, including hand-gesture controls
Apple has won 41 new patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including one that could eventually deliver Kinect-like functionality to Macs.According to Patently Apple, which obtained a copy of the patents Apple was awarded on Tuesday, the company has won intellectual property that will allow it to transfer user input from a keyboard and mouse to sensors that would be placed around a display.Related storiesPatents suggest stylus; Mode-based interface customizationKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIMCNET News Daily Podcast: Tech industry opens wallets for HaitiApple files patents to manage home energyApple seeks ban on U.S. Nokia importsThe technology, which in some ways dovetails on the technology found in Microsoft's Kinect, will automatically determine if a person is up close enough to a screen to use the mouse and keyboard or if they've moved away. In the event they've moved away, the computer automatically switches from mouse control to gesture control.Interestingly, Apple points to the technology's use in both desktops and televisions, further prompting questions over whether the company has plans for gesture control to be baked into any television it might be working on. The feature could ostensibly also find its way to iPhones and iPads.When gesture control is entered, the user can perform all kinds of actions, according to the patent, including scrolling, zooming, and selecting items. The option can work across the operating system and active applications, according to the filing.
Apple has won 41 new patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including one that could eventually deliver Kinect-like functionality to Macs.According to Patently Apple, which obtained a copy of the patents Apple was awarded on Tuesday, the company has won intellectual property that will allow it to transfer user input from a keyboard and mouse to sensors that would be placed around a display.Related storiesPatents suggest stylus; Mode-based interface customizationKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIMCNET News Daily Podcast: Tech industry opens wallets for HaitiApple files patents to manage home energyApple seeks ban on U.S. Nokia importsThe technology, which in some ways dovetails on the technology found in Microsoft's Kinect, will automatically determine if a person is up close enough to a screen to use the mouse and keyboard or if they've moved away. In the event they've moved away, the computer automatically switches from mouse control to gesture control.Interestingly, Apple points to the technology's use in both desktops and televisions, further prompting questions over whether the company has plans for gesture control to be baked into any television it might be working on. The feature could ostensibly also find its way to iPhones and iPads.When gesture control is entered, the user can perform all kinds of actions, according to the patent, including scrolling, zooming, and selecting items. The option can work across the operating system and active applications, according to the filing.
Apple wins 39 new patents on Smart Cover, pinch-to-zoom
Apple wins 39 new patents on Smart Cover, pinch-to-zoom
Apple has won dozens of new patents across a wide array of technologies, including how pinch-to-zoom works in software and its iPad Smart Cover's attachment features.Perhaps the most important patent is one that relates to how a touch screen reacts to a person's thumb and index finger during a pinch-to-zoom gesture. Sensors within the touch display change in size and shape based on the gestured detected by those fingers. If a thumb and forefinger start to move together, the sensory panels change around that. When they move apart, the sensors once again adapt. Other sensors around the screen, however, are not modified.The technology allows for pixels to change in size, as well, essentially creating more accurate representation of the person's touch-screen gesture.The Patently Apple blog site was first to report on the patents.All told, Apple was awarded 39 patents today. According to Patently Apple, three of those patents related to the way in which the iPad's Smart Cover attaches to the tablet. All three of those patents describe a method in which a magnet is attached to the slate to protect its screen and provide other benefits.The other patents Apple won today are decidedly less interesting. They describe everything from automatic audio adjustments to integrated noise reduction technology. Still, as the last few years of lawsuits have shown, they sometimes come in handy in legal battles.
Apple has won dozens of new patents across a wide array of technologies, including how pinch-to-zoom works in software and its iPad Smart Cover's attachment features.Perhaps the most important patent is one that relates to how a touch screen reacts to a person's thumb and index finger during a pinch-to-zoom gesture. Sensors within the touch display change in size and shape based on the gestured detected by those fingers. If a thumb and forefinger start to move together, the sensory panels change around that. When they move apart, the sensors once again adapt. Other sensors around the screen, however, are not modified.The technology allows for pixels to change in size, as well, essentially creating more accurate representation of the person's touch-screen gesture.The Patently Apple blog site was first to report on the patents.All told, Apple was awarded 39 patents today. According to Patently Apple, three of those patents related to the way in which the iPad's Smart Cover attaches to the tablet. All three of those patents describe a method in which a magnet is attached to the slate to protect its screen and provide other benefits.The other patents Apple won today are decidedly less interesting. They describe everything from automatic audio adjustments to integrated noise reduction technology. Still, as the last few years of lawsuits have shown, they sometimes come in handy in legal battles.
Apple will unveil new iPad Air on Sept. 9, says analyst
Apple will unveil new iPad Air on Sept. 9, says analyst
Apple may not wait until October to introduce its new iPad Air. At least, that's the take from one analyst. In an investors note from KGI Securities released Thursday and picked up by AppleInsider, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he believes Apple will show off its new iPad Air at next Tuesday's launch event packed with several key new features. If true, that would mean a departure for Apple, which typically unveilsits new iPad in October. That would also lead to a crowded schedule as Apple is also expected to unveil the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch editions of the iPhone 6 and potentially a wearable device on the same date. Would Apple really cram in all of these product announcements on the same day? It seems unlikely, but Kuo has been on the money with many of his past predictions. Feature-wise, the next iPad Air will adopt the same Touch ID fingerprint sensor that Apple added to the iPhone 5S last year, according to Kuo. That seems like a safe prediction as Apple would certainly want to expand the security feature to its popular tablet. Related storiesPhablets are going to be bigger than tablets, laptops, IDC saysHow to prepare your iPhone or iPad for iOS 8Apple iPhone 6 event officially set for Sept. 9 Further, the analyst said he believes the new iPad Air will come with an anti-reflective screen coating, a new gold casing, a fully-laminated touch panel, and a beefier A8 processor, AppleInsider said. But iPad Mini buyers looking for big changes in the next edition may be disappointed, at least based on Kuo's crystal ball. The analyst believes the new Mini "may" adopt the Touch ID sensor but might not see many other major improvements.Responding to a request from CNET, an Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on Kuo's prediction. CNET will also host a live blog of Apple's launch event on Tuesday, September 9. (Via AppleInsider)
Apple may not wait until October to introduce its new iPad Air. At least, that's the take from one analyst. In an investors note from KGI Securities released Thursday and picked up by AppleInsider, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he believes Apple will show off its new iPad Air at next Tuesday's launch event packed with several key new features. If true, that would mean a departure for Apple, which typically unveilsits new iPad in October. That would also lead to a crowded schedule as Apple is also expected to unveil the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch editions of the iPhone 6 and potentially a wearable device on the same date. Would Apple really cram in all of these product announcements on the same day? It seems unlikely, but Kuo has been on the money with many of his past predictions. Feature-wise, the next iPad Air will adopt the same Touch ID fingerprint sensor that Apple added to the iPhone 5S last year, according to Kuo. That seems like a safe prediction as Apple would certainly want to expand the security feature to its popular tablet. Related storiesPhablets are going to be bigger than tablets, laptops, IDC saysHow to prepare your iPhone or iPad for iOS 8Apple iPhone 6 event officially set for Sept. 9 Further, the analyst said he believes the new iPad Air will come with an anti-reflective screen coating, a new gold casing, a fully-laminated touch panel, and a beefier A8 processor, AppleInsider said. But iPad Mini buyers looking for big changes in the next edition may be disappointed, at least based on Kuo's crystal ball. The analyst believes the new Mini "may" adopt the Touch ID sensor but might not see many other major improvements.Responding to a request from CNET, an Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on Kuo's prediction. CNET will also host a live blog of Apple's launch event on Tuesday, September 9. (Via AppleInsider)
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