Top Stories for the Week of December 19, 2018

  • From Category5 Technology TV S12E11
  • December 19, 2018
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Here are the stories we're following for the week of Wednesday December 19, 2018


Samsung has Patented a Phone Display That Projects Star Wars-Like Holograms

Samsung has Patented a Phone Display That Projects Star Wars-Like Holograms

Samsung claims that it has invented a new holographic device that will actually project high-quality 3D images in the air without you having to look at a display from a specific angle, unlike the Nintendo 3DS.

The display, according to the patent published by the World Intellectual Property Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, uses a new type of spatial light modulator that eliminates ‘the limited viewing angle and low resolution of current holographic technologies’.

While it may sound like hype, Samsung is known to have been working on holographic technology for a while — perhaps they have indeed solved the bad quality and limitations that plague current holographic systems.

The document describes a series of micro-lenses arrays set on a flat surface that focuses the light beam emitted from the display to project the 3D image into mid-air thanks, to the company’s new spatial light modulator.

There is speculation that Samsung could be working on bringing this new patented technology to future phones. In the past, the company’s phone patents have mentioned 3D holographic displays without providing any implementation details. This is the first time that the Korean company has provided actual details. Of course, while this may show promise in the lab; we don’t know how far we are from an actual implementation.

Source: www.tomsguide.com

Sent to us by: Robbie Ferguson


Fitbit has rolled out OS 3.0 for Versa and Ionic with new apps, more stats, and a bright future

Fitbit has rolled out OS 3.0 for Versa and Ionic with new apps, more stats, and a bright future

It’s the season of giving, and Fitbit has a great gift for all Versa and Ionic owners. Beginning this week, the company is rolling out Fitbit OS 3.0 to all smartwatch models, bringing a slew of apps, features, and enhancements to help you get even more out of your new smartwatch.

At the center of the update is an extended on-device dashboard so you can both see and input more stats right on your wrist. While you could already monitor things like steps, exercise, and heart rate by swiping up to reveal the Today screen, OS 3.0 expands on the concept, letting you view sleep data as well as heart rate and hourly activity. You’ll also be able to see you weight and water log totals and update them right on your wrist.

There are also new apps and clock faces that leverage the sensors built into Fitbit and Ionic to create an even stronger link with your workout routine. Among the new apps are Couch to 5K, which offers insights and training programs for short and long races, Genius Wrist, which bundles four apps (Gym Genius, Gym Time Pro, Workout Builder and Workout Genius) to provide structured on-device workouts, and MySwimPro, which delivers custom guided swim workouts and uses real-time heart rate data to help you improve your performance. All of the new apps are free to download but some features require a separate smartphone app purchase.

To update your device, visit the Fitbit app on your iPhone or Android phone.

Source: www.macworld.com

Sent to us by: Robbie Ferguson


Yay - More Facebook security woes: the latest bug exposed the private photos of 6.8 million users

Yay - More Facebook security woes: the latest bug exposed the private photos of 6.8 million users

Facebook has revealed that a bug in application permissions allowed 6.8 million users' private photographs to slip into app developers' hands. The mistake went unnoticed for 12 days before being rectified.

Anybody affected by the bug already allowed the apps in question to take photos from their timeline. It's just that the bug then opened this up to images from Facebook Stories and Facebook Marketplace. It also allowed access to photographs uploaded to Facebook, but not posted, which Facebook says are stored for three days until they're removed.

Thanks to GDPR, if it turns out Facebook waited longer than 24 hours to report the breach, then it could be on the receiving end of a £20 million fine.

Source: www.theinquirer.net

Sent to us by: Robbie Ferguson


Capture, an iPhone 3D scanner app, hints at the future of augmented reality

Capture, an iPhone 3D scanner app, hints at the future of augmented reality

3D scanners don’t have to cost a fortune: As it turns out, you may already have one in your pocket. A new free app called Capture uses the TrueDepth sensors on X-series iPhones to make crude 3D models of small objects, which you can then plop into different settings through augmented reality or share with other folks through iMessage or other means.

With Capture, you can use an iPhone XS Max to scan a 3D model of say, Macworld’s old Macintosh SE, being careful to scan each angle. Once done, you can flip and spin the 3D model around inside the app as though the old Mac were a prop in a video game. You could also send it to a friend, who’d then be able to use their iPhone’s camera see how it looks on their own desk through augmented reality. This will work even if that user is on an iPhone 7, which doesn’t have the TrueDepth sensor built in.

Sounds revolutionary, right? For now it looks pretty basic. But don’t blame Standard Cyborg for this. Capture’s awkwardness springs from the current design of the TrueDepth sensors, which are made to read faces from only a few inches away. That means Capture only works well if you’re holding something in your hands (or scanning your face) as the iPhone only has TrueDepth sensors on the front-facing camera.

Capture is free, so it can be appreciated as a novelty that highlights the potential of TrueDepth.

Source: www.macworld.com

Sent to us by: Robbie Ferguson


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