February 2012
20 posts
Gesture Contols for Windows 7
I hadn’t seen this - video of how the gesture controls for Win 7 work. Its very cool…and just a little bit like a Jedi would use the force to work an operating system……
Research into soldiers using armed Avatar robots.
DARPA, one of the research arms of the Pentagon, are researching controllable, avatar like bi pedal armed robots that can be controlled remotely by US soldiers instead of them going into battle. *cough*skynet *cough*.
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/02/darpa-sci-fi/
Is Myspace coming back????
Myspace may be coming back. It is presently focusing on its band members who have used the site to post a *lot* of free music. I must admit, the free music and band promotion stuff on Myspace was very cool. Anyways, they say they have stopped losing members had have actually picked up membership
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/myspace-comeback-site-gains-a-million-new-users-in-a-month-20120214-1t2t5.html
Social media sites growth by registered users - 2004 to 2012
Social media sites, growth by registered users: 2004 - 2012
Table shows growth by registered users, not unique visitors/traffic.
Sources: Various
Where multiple figures were available for any year, a mid year figure was used.
In short, Google + and Tumblr are doing well, Twitter appears to be doing well, though Twitter traditionally suffers from the register once, never return factor. This may also be a factor with Google plus, as people register to see what its like, but then don’t use it.
MySpazz, of course, is well and truly in the toilet.
D800 Nikon - Officially released.
Reviewers have finally got their hands on the D800.
Quick details
- It is full frame
- 36 megapixels
- Live View
- Better contrast autofocus
- Bigger than the D700 (slightly taller)
- Full HD 1080 Video
- HDMI output
Cost is about $3000 USD, available in March.
Here’s a nice article from Gizmodo with lots of technical detail.
http://gizmodo.com/5882583/nikon-d800-its-not-what-you-wanted-but-it-is-a-36+megapixel-mini+monster
The History of Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy is 25 this year.
Starting off as a obscure, basic, 8 bit chunky graphics game, it has grown to be one of the most well known games, with a reputation for great graphics, and has generated associated media including motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise.
Final fantasy pioneered a lot of roleplaying game aspects, now taken for granted. Technologically, it also was one of the first games to look at 3d, and the first to use 360 degree views of characters.
Play
Creepy Japanese Robot interacts with shoppers
Japan is of course at the forefront of Robot technology. As part of a Valentines Day promotion, a Japanese Dapartment store installed the a robot to interact with shoppers.
The Robot is very lifelike, capable of 60 expressions, and reacts to people around it. The robot is by Dr Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9TayMJ1pqzo
Hawaiian Internet tracking law pronounces dead.
Hawaiian state legislature were pushing for a law that would force ISPs to track users. ISP’s would have to see where users went, what they did there, track and record this, and then keep a dossier on each user.
This bill was not popular with civil rights groups.
Fortunately the main supported of the bill has admitted it is dead in the water.
http://www.41nbc.com/news/entertainment-news/10200-honolulu-kills-bill-to-trace-internet-activity
