WE360 - Anytime now... Immersion for less... MPEG4 with special viewer?

Geonaute - Rumor is around $495 all in as above.  May need loading to their server.  Lets wish for independence and openess??

Old Raji - Now gone but True Blue

John Williamson

Hey, true blue
Don't say you've gone
Say you've knocked off for a smoko
And you'll be back later on
Hey, true blue
Hey, true blue

Give it to me straight, face to face
Are you really disappearing
Just another dying race
Hey, true blue

True blue, is it me and you?
Is it mum and dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standing by your mate?
When he's in a fight or will she'll be right

True blue, I'm asking you
Hey, true blue
Can you bear the load?
Will you tie it up with wire.
Just to keep the show on the road?

Hey, true blue Hey, true blue
Now be fair dinkum, is your heart still there?
If they sell us out like sponge cake, do you really care?

Hey, true blue
True blue, is it me and you?
Is it mum and dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standin' by your mate?
When she's in a fight or will she'll be right

True blue, I'm asking you
True blue, is it me and you?
Is it mum and dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standin' by your mate?
When he's in a fight or will she'll be right

True blue, true blue

Read more: JOHN WILLIAMSON - TRUE BLUE LYRICS 

Remote Wipe - Android Enterprise

Google Gives Admins More Power Over Android Phones

from Phone Scoop - Latest News by Eric M. Zeman

Google today armed its business customers with more tools to help secure their employees' Android smartphones. The company added more granular control over Android devices to the Google Apps Admin console. Admins can now perform selective device wipes, which removes Google Apps account data but leaves user data intact. Admins can also remotely wipe an SD memory card when performing a full device wipe. Security policies can now be enforced across a companies' fleet of devices with an updated Device Policy app. Finally, admins now have more control over Wi-Fi configuration and network access. Google believes these changes will help its business customers better manage their Android mobile devices.

Photosynth still kicking.... Micosoft has Bling to prove it?

Microsoft Will Bring 3D Imagery To Bing Maps For Windows 8.1, Will Launch With 100 Cities

from TechCrunch by Frederic Lardinois

Microsoft just announced that the Bing Maps app for Windows 8.1 will offer 3D imagery, just like Google Maps and Apple Maps. This previously unannounced feature, Microsoft’s corporate VP Gurdeep Singh Pall said while demonstrating some new capabilities of Bing for developers, will launch with Windows 8.1, though it’s not in the preview version yet.

Microsoft, he said, developed its own cameras to create these 3D images. As the company told me, all of this imagery for the 3D imagery is captured exclusively for this feature. Microsoft is not repurposing any of its previously captured aerial photographs for this.

It’s not clear what kind of coverage these 3D maps will provide, but the word on the street is that it will launch with about 100 cities at first. The company also plans to integrate the next version of PhotoSynth deeply into the new Maps app.

Developers will be able to use all of this imagery in their own apps, too.

The demo Microsoft showed today was actually quite impressive and at least on par — if not better — with what its competitors are currently doing. The fact that all of its competitors had already added 3D imagery to their maps did make Bing Maps look somewhat behind the times, but it looks like Microsoft is starting to catch up again

Google Earth Just keeps getting better and better.... for free!

Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth

from Google LatLong by Lat Long

To celebrate the sunny days of summer (in the northern hemisphere at least), we're unveiling new satellite imagery for all Google mapping products today. This stunning new imagery of the earth from space virtually eliminates clouds, includes refreshed imagery for regions of the world where high-resolution imagery is not yet available, and offers a more comprehensive and accurate view of the texture of our planet's landscape.

The new, even more beautiful global view in Maps and Earth.

In 2002 NASA released the Blue Marble, a global image of the earth with a resolution of one kilometer per pixel, based on data from NASA’s MODIS instrument. Updated in 2005 to twice the resolution, it has remained the canonical globally-uniform picture of the earth for over a decade.

With the Blue Marble as inspiration, we used Google Earth Engine technology to mine hundreds of terabytes of data from the USGS’s and NASA’s Landsat 7 satellite. The result is a seamless, globally-consistent image of the entire planet with a resolution of 15 meters per pixel, far finer than is possible with MODIS data alone.

To get a feel for the difference, here’s a comparison of the Grand Canyon, first from the Blue Marble Next Generation (courtesy NASA’s Earth Observatory), and then in our new Landsat-based imagery.

The Grand Canyon, as seen by MODIS and by Landsat 7.

The Landsat 7 satellite suffered a hardware failure early in its life that introduced striped artifacts into all of its images. By analyzing a large number of images we were able to virtually eliminate these stripes, as well as clouds and other atmospheric effects. The process was very similar to how we produced the global time-lapse imagery of the earth that we released last month.

Castellón, Spain: One example Landsat 7 image, and the final combined image.

The resulting 800,000 megapixel global image is so big that if you wanted to print it at a standard resolution of 300 dots per inch you would need a piece of paper the size of a city block!

Northwestern South America: before and after.

Mining data from a large number of Landsat images of each area allowed us to reconstruct cloud-free imagery even in tropical regions that are always at least partly cloudy.

Central Papua, Indonesia: before and after.

We prioritized recent data when it was available, so this update also includes refreshed imagery in many regions of the world, especially in areas where high-resolution imagery is not available, including parts of Russia, Indonesia, and central Africa.

Agricultural expansion in Saudi Arabia: before and after.

This new picture of the earth also reveals the texture of the landscape with greater clarity than ever before.

Continuing deforestation in Brazil: before and after.

We're proud of the progress we have made, but there is always room to keep improving. For example, although we have tried to minimize the impact of the stripe artifacts in the Landsat 7 images, they are still visible in some areas. There is more good news though: the new Landsat 8 satellite, launched earlier this year, promises to capture even more beautiful and up-to-date imagery in the months and years ahead.

Mongolia and surrounds, before and after.

You can see our new satellite imagery by going to Google Maps and turning on satellite view, or by launching Google Earth, and zooming out. Have fun exploring!


Posted by Matt Hancher, Tech Lead, Google Earth Engine

You will be absorbed....Garmin gets Smart and GETS ANDROID!

Garmin Goes Android with Monterra GPS

by GPS World staff on June 24, 2013 with 1 Comments in Latest News , LBS/Wireless News , Maps & Services , Mobile Devices ,OEM News , Recreation & Gaming

The Garmin Monterra.

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd., maker of popular GPS devices such as the nuvi, has announced its first Wi-Fi-enabled outdoor handheld GPS running the Android operating system, Monterra.

Monterra has a vivid, sunlight-readable touchscreen, and users can easily access the Google Play Store and download apps through an available Wi-Fi connection on the device. Developers can create new apps that are suited for the rugged, waterproof, and sensor-loaded handheld device.

“Monterra provides outdoor professionals and enthusiasts with the ultimate ability to customize their GPS device to perfectly suit their personal and professional needs,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “With a four-inch, color, multi-touch display, unique 3D MapMerge, and the ability to create new apps, Monterra takes the outdoor GPS to a whole new level, and users are able to take advantage of the features no matter how adverse the terrain may be.”

With the Android operating system, users are able to access popular outdoor-related Android apps, such as Peak Finder, as well as professional apps like construction estimators and ArcGIS to extend some office functions to the field. Monterra also has a built-in FM radio and NOAA weather radio with SAME alerts, so users can receive watches and warnings related to their location. Users can either listen with headphones or through the built-in speaker.

Monterra has a built-in 3-axis compass with accelerometer and gyro, which indicates the user’s direction even when standing still or not holding the device level. Its barometric altimeter has the ability to track changes in pressure to pinpoint precise altitude, and it can also plot barometric pressure over time to monitor weather conditions. It also has a built-in UV sensor so users can monitor the intensity of the sun, and reduce exposure if necessary. With its high-sensitivity, dual-band GPS and GLONASS receiver, Monterra finds its location quickly and maintains signal lock even in heavy cover and deep canyons.

New to the Monterra is a unique mapping feature: 3D MapMerge. With this feature, users can combine two maps — like TOPO, basemap, or BirdsEye Satellite Imagery — then view the new unique map in three dimensions. Hills, valleys, lakes, roads, and points of interest combine to give Monterra’s maps unequaled detail and richness. Combine BirdsEye with TOPO US 24K, or a GIS-based water table map with a shaded relief basemap, then zoom in, pan out, and rotate the 3D map using multi-touch.

Monterra has a built-in 8-megapixel autofocus digital camera that takes geotagged photos, plus a 1080p HD video camera with LED flash. Users can download photos and videos to their computer for either work or sharing using Garmin Adventures. Monterra has 8 GB of internal memory built-in plus a microSD slot for even more extra storage.

Monterra features a vivid and highly durable mineral glass display that uses sunlight in combination with the unit’s LED backlight to increase brightness and view-ability. It has an IPX7 waterproof rating and also uses a dual-battery system, which allows users the option of using the rechargeable Li-ion pack (included) or traditional AA batteries. It is also compatible with the same mounts as the Garmin Montana, so users can take Monterra anywhere.

Wireless sharing is easy with Monterra. It has WiFi, ANT+, Bluetooth 3.0 and NFC capabilities, which allows users to share data, maps, waypoints, tracks, routes, and geocaches with other wireless compatible devices. Additionally, Monterra is compatible with BaseCamp, a free software download that lets you view and organize maps, waypoints, routes and tracks.

The new Garmin Monterra will be available third quarter 2013 at a suggested retail price of $649.99 (Worldwide with preloaded worldwide basemap), and $699.99 (U.S. with preloaded TOPO U.S. 100K with Navteq roads).

Samsung has gone Gungho

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, 8.0 and 7.0 Coming To The U.S. July 7 For $399, $299 And $199

from TechCrunch by Darrell Etherington

Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab 3 line has been official for a little while now, but U.S. availability and pricing was up in the air until today. The relatively cheap tablets are going to be $199, $299 and $399 for the Galaxy Tab 7.0, 8.0 and 10.1, respectively, and will be available from retailers including Best Buy, Fry’s and Amazon beginning on July 7, with pre-orders starting tomorrow, June 25.

For those who aren’t familiar with these devices yet, the Tab 3 line comes in three size options, the 7.0 with a 7-inch 1024×600 display, the 8.0 with an 8-inch 12800×800 screen, and the 10.1 with a 10-inch 1280×800 display. Both the Tab 8.0 and the 10.1 get Android 4.2 and beefier processors, while the 7.0 runs Android 4.1 and has half the onboard storage with 8GB (though all are expandable via microSD).

The full stats of each device are available at Samsung.com, but maybe the most interesting thing about them is that they exist at all. Samsung’s Galaxy line of tablets have never been iPad-level successes, and Samsung has since introduced the Note line of tablets, which seems to be where it’s focusing most of its innovation energy and R&D resources. So why bother continuing with the Tab line at all? Isn’t that just fracturing its potential buyer audience for any one tablet device?

Samsung offers its own answer in the announcement for these devices, citing Forrester research to justify its wide-ranging multi-model lineup. Samsung says that since Forrester has found that around half of those who own both a smartphone and a tablet opt to use the tablet to get online, and since people use tablets for a wide range of different activities, it follows that Samsung should offer a tablet perfectly tailored to each different use case. That’s not the same conclusion I’d draw, however; given the same information, I’d argue that building one or two tablets that cover the range of consumer needs would be a better play, but I’m not Samsung, and I’m not an undisputed leader in mobile electronics.

Samsung’s massively diverse product line was recently visualized by U.K. consumer electronics buying guide “Which?”, revealing not less than 26 sizes for Galaxy devices released over the past few years. But to me it looks less like an attempt to cover the gamut of buyer needs, and more like a way to block out the competition by occupying every available niche. Individually, Samsung’s products, especially in the tablet category, aren’t runaway successes; but taken together, they represent a wall of minor wins and customers won over; nearly every consumer want is addressed, even the contradictory ones.

And it’s working: Samsung’s tablet share has ground 283 percent over the last year and make up 17.9 percent of all shipments worldwide, according to IDC’s most recent numbers. Once, all mobile players were looking at simplifying their product lines to be more like Apple, but now Samsung is surging on a scattershot approach, and it has the resources and the momentum to keep at it for a while to come.

HTML5 for DASH Video is Normal.... Google said so?

These little tid-bits are something really quite important. And as long as HTML5 and the browsers are anticipating DASH then all is good!!  What is not as certain is the eventual universal Codec that will play every where.  the DASH group is steadily movng to DASH-MPEG as MPG TS and MP4.  Apple and Google are trying to swim against the tide - Apple wants ProRes becasue "its is theirs" and Google wants

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Adaptive streaming is a core component of online video. It enables buffer control(less waste of bandwidth), fast seeking (to not-yet-downloaded parts), quality adjustments (during playback) and live streaming (possibly with DVR). Currently iOS is the only platform with adaptive streaming, supporting Apple's own HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol. Android introduced HLS support in 4.0, only to have it dropped again in 4.1.

Adaptive streaming formats, like video codecs, are not part of the HTML5 specification. Standardization may therefore come from another body than W3C. MPEG is the most likely candidate. It has just release a standard for adaptive streaming, called DASH, which has gained broad industry support. No browser supports MPEG DASH yet, but it may come. A first step in this direction are the Media Source Extensions Google and Microsoft are working on.

Note that every HTML5 browser supports seeking to not-yet-downloaded portions of the video by using HTTP 1.1 range-requests. Compared to Flash (which cannot do that), it reduces the need for adaptive streaming, as it enables the fast seeking feature.

The HTML5 specification defines an alternative approaches to loading captions. It leverages video files with embedded text tracks. iOS supports this today (without API support), but no other browser has yet committed to implement this mechanism. Embedded text tracks are easier to deploy, but harder to edit and make available for search.

HTML5 support for Google Drive videos

Released on 2/21/2013

 Videos stored in Google Drive are now available in HTML5. Videos will be served in HTML5 if Flash support is not available in the browser. This change allows users to play videos on their mobile phones without Flash support.

Test your Browser for HTML5 Ability...

The HTML5 test score is an indication of how well your browser supports the upcoming HTML5 standard and related specifications. Even though the specification isn't finalized yet, all major browser manufacturers are making sure their browser is ready for the future. Find out which parts of HTML5 are already supported by your browser today and compare the results with other browsers.

Microsoft supports HTML5 and DASH-MPEG

Microsoft Media Platform will support MPEG-DASH, a recently ratified ISO/IEC standard for dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP. Microsoft plans to support DASH and other open standards as part of an industry-wide initiative to establish reliable video delivery to Internet connected devices and enable true interoperability between adaptive streaming technologies from different vendors.

Microsoft Media Platform can be used to deliver content to a variety of client technologies including Silverlight, Windows 8, Xbox, iOS, HTML5 and embedded devices.

Microsoft was a key contributor in the development of MPEG-DASH. Microsoft chaired the MPEG working group that developed the DASH specification, and made significant technical contributions based on extensive experience with Microsoft Smooth Streaming. Much like Smooth Streaming, DASH uses Extensible Markup Language (XML) to describe media presentations in a manifest file which references media streams stored in ISO Base Media File Format. Combined with the standard HTTP protocol and existing Web content delivery networks, the DASH standard enables a better video experience for end users by automatically adapting to varying client and network conditions during playback. 

Microsoft will also add support for DASH to all its Smooth Streaming client development kits. The first step will be to enable DASH support in the Smooth Streaming Client for Silverlight, followed by support in Smooth Streaming Client SDKs for Windows 8, iOS, Xbox, Windows Phone and Smooth Streaming Client Porting Kit for embedded devices.

Microsoft plans to add MPEG-DASH support to all client development kits that currently support Smooth Streaming. These are: Smooth Streaming Client for Silverlight; Smooth Streaming Client for Windows Phone; Smooth Streaming Client SDK for Windows 8 Metro-style applications; Xbox LIVE Application Development Kit; Smooth Streaming SDK for iOS Devices with PlayReady; and Smooth Streaming Client Porting Kit.

Common File Format (CFF) is a DECE video specification titled “Common File Format & Media Formats Specification”used for content download. It specifies video files based on fragmented ISO Base Media files (MPEG-4 Part 12), optionally using Common Encryption, containing AVC video, AAC audio, SMPTE Timed Text and Graphics subtitles, metadata, and several optional audio formats. All parameters required for interoperability are sufficiently specified to allow independently implemented encoders, publishers, delivery services, and devices to reliably interchange and play the same files. Different “media profiles” are specified for high definition, standard definition, and “portable” definition devices.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/msmediaplatform/archive/2012/04/16/microsoft-announces-support-for-mpeg-dash-in-microsoft-media-platform.aspx
http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/MK-BQ351A_HTML5_G_20111110180025.jpg

Masterclass in HTML5 and CSS3 Photograph: guardian.co.uk

This course is also available in London, for details please click here.

This masterclass is run in association with the University of Salford
Overview

Whether you want to promote your business, host an online CV or explore a personal passion, building a website is a significant, but daunting, progression from blogging. But it's easier to master than you think.

This course is for anybody who wants a step-by-step guide to using the latest web standards – HTML5 and CSS3 – to design websites. It's a practical, no-nonsense guide to the essentials of the systems. Over the weekend you'll learn how to make your website function, and look, the way you want it to. By the end, you'll be able to build a basic framework for a website and have got to grips with all the fundamental elements like headers, paragraphs, links, images, tables and sidebars. You'll also be familiar with style and layout techniques, as well as learning some more advanced navigation effects to give your site a professional look and feel.

You'll leave having built a website, and with plenty of suggestions and directions for further learning. Students should be comfortable using computers, but no specific software knowledge is needed.

The HTML5 test does not try to test all of the new features offered by HTML5, nor does it try to test the functionality of each feature it does detect. Despite these shortcomings we hope that by quantifying the level of support users and web developers will get an idea of how hard the browser manufacturers work on improving their browsers and the web as a development platform.

The score is calculated by testing for the many new features of HTML5. Each feature is worth one or more points. Apart from the main HTML5 specification and other specifications created the W3C HTML Working Group, this test also awards points for supporting related drafts and specifications. Some of these specifications were initially part of HTML5, but are now further developed by other W3C working groups. WebGL is also part of this test despite not being developed by the W3C, because it extends the HTML5 canvas element with a 3d context.

The test also awards bonus points for supporting audio and video codecs and supporting SVG or MathML embedding in a plain HTML document. These test do not count towards the total score because HTML5 does not specify any required audio or video codec. Also SVG and MathML are not required by HTML5, the specification only specifies rules for how such content should be embedded inside a plain HTML file.

SPOT Global Phone

SPOT Global Phone Brings Affordable, Superior Voice Quality to the Outdoor Recreation Market

Portable, easy-to-use and affordable, the new SPOT Global Phone keeps users connected to family, friends and emergency services when their adventures take them off the grid

Covington, LA (May 14, 2013) - SPOT LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar, Inc. and leader in satellite messaging and emergency notification technologies, today announced the new SPOT Global Phone, a portable, easy-to-use and data-enabled satellite phone. Hunters, hikers, boaters, off-road travelers and all outdoor enthusiasts will find that SPOT Global Phone provides industry-leading, crystal clear voice quality where cell service won't work.



"Outdoor recreationists have come to appreciate SPOT as a brand that keeps them safe as they explore new ways of getting off the grid," said Jay Monroe, Chief Executive Officer, Globalstar. "As the first satellite phone available in major retail outlets such as West Marine, REI and Cabela's, SPOT Global Phone will not only provide a lifeline during these adventures, but an opportunity to connect with impeccably clear voice quality on a satellite network that is light years ahead of the competition."

SPOT Global Phone Features

Compact size: 5.3"H x 2.2" W x 1.5"D
Lightweight: 7 ounces
Satellite-based technology
Superior voice clarity with no noticeable delay or echo
Backlit color display optimized for outdoor daytime viewing
Long-life battery: 4 hours talk time, 36 hours standby
Data capable enabling email and file transfers
Quick online activation, ten-digit dialing with local phone numbers
Ergonomic design
Lighted keypad
911 emergency service access

SPOT Global Phone ensures users can connect with family, friends and businesses even when their adventures take them out of cell coverage. With patented Qualcomm-based CDMA technology providing crystal-clear voice quality from anywhere within the service footprint, SPOT Global Phone users experience superior performance. Critical communications happen in an instant, with no noticeable time delays on a network that transmits even a whisper. With the availability of Express Data on most data plans, guaranteed data speeds of 9.6Kbps provide up to four times the data speed of most other mobile satellite data services and enable emails, file transfers, and basic services to occur at high-speed.

Pricing and Availability

The SPOT Global Phone is the only satellite phone to be offered in major retail outlets and is also available online and through a dealer network, expanding the reach of the mobile satellite service (MSS) market beyond oil fields and commercial fishing. The SPOT Global Phone retails at $499 plus a required subscription service that provides industry-leading voice quality starting at $24.99 monthly or as low as 25 cents per minute. For more information on where to buy the SPOT Global Phone and other SPOT products and service offerings, visit FindMeSPOT.com or call 866-651-SPOT.

Moto - Back in the USA...

The most important message about Motorola's mysterious 'Moto X' phone

By JR Raphael

May 30, 2013 1:20 PM EDT

10 

Comments

After months of hype and anticipation, Motorola's finally spilling the beans on its mysterious new Android product -- the "Moto X" phone.

Well, sort of.

Speaking at a conference hosted by the website All Things D last night, Motorola chief Dennis Woodside talked about the top-secret phone for the first time publicly. He confirmed it would be called the Moto X and would mark the first product conceived since Google's purchase of the company.

Woodside shed a few details about the device, like the fact that it'd launch by October and would sport a series of special sensors that'd cause it to act differently when taken out of your pocket or traveling in a car.

Sensors -- right. That's cool. But that's not the most important thing Woodside divulged; the truth is that we're barely scratching the surface when it comes to this phone's technical feats. Rest assured, we'll hear all about that stuff in full detail soon.

Right now, the most important message about the phone is something far broader and more significant. And it's something that, on some level, we've known for a while. Take a deep breath:

The Moto X phone is not a "Google phone." At least, not in the way most people think of the term.

Sounds like a strange thing to say, I know. Let me explain.

In all the hubbub surrounding the Moto X, people have gotten pretty excited about the idea that a company owned by Google is getting ready to put out its first fully original (i.e. developed after the acquisition) product. People have wondered if the X phone would, to borrow words from one report, "provide a Google service experience like no other device before it."

Maybe it will. But unless Google is blatantly lying to us and everyone else in the world (and I'm sure a few "OMG-they're-evil-and-plotting-against-us" conspiracy theorists will happily weigh in on that topic), it won't do it in any way that couldn't just as easily be done by Samsung, HTC, or any other Android manufacturer.

When Google announced its plans to acquire Motorola in 2011, it made one thing abundantly clear: It would operate Motorola as a separate business and keep a firewall firmly in place between it and the Android development team.

During last night's talk, Woodside reaffirmed that stance, noting that Motorola is treated "as a separate company" from Android and that employees have no special access to private Android resources or unreleased Android code. 

So, yes, Motorola is now a part of Google. But using that connection to refer to a Moto product as a "Google phone," while not technically inaccurate, conveys a misleading message.

When it comes to Android, the Nexus program serves as Google's vision for what a mobile device should be -- "the best of Google," as the official Nexus site puts it. Nexus phones are without a doubt Google's flagship Android devices, developed with close involvement from the Android team and built to showcase what an optimal Android user experience can be.

Motorola's phones, while built within a division of Google, have nothing to do with this notion. From everything we've been told, they aren't being developed as -- nor will they be presented as -- "Google phones." That's what the Nexus program is for (and Google has said numerous times that the Nexus programwill continue as it stands uninterrupted, with multiple manufacturers "bidding" to be the official partner for each release).

It's an unusual dynamic, I know -- and ultimately, the distinction comes down to a matter of semantics. But that distinction is important. When news sites refer to the Moto X as a "Google phone," they're giving consumers the wrong idea.

Make no mistake about it: The Moto X sounds like an intriguing device with plenty of potential. For all intents and purposes, though, it'll be a flagship Motorola device -- not a "Google phone."

Task by Place

Location-Based Reminders from GeoTask

from xda-developers by Samantha

Maybe you want to be reminded to grab a coffee when you get to the office or make sure to check into the library when you’re on campus. The usefulness and practicality of being notified by your Android device based on where you are is brilliant in concept and idea, and this is exactly what GeoTask presents.

Developed by XDA Forum Member PariDevelopers, GeoTask allows users to set specific locations and a radius of up to 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) to trigger preset notifications. Creating new notifications is relatively straightforward. Selecting the ‘new task’ option in the app brings up a new screen where users can input the name of the notification and a description of the reminder. An expiration date for the reminder can also be set. The app then uses either your device’s GPS to locate and display the nearby surroundings with Google Maps , also allowing users to search for particular locations. Once you’ve entered the set vicinity or location, the app will then trigger a tone and notification in the slide-down notification area.

GeoTask can be extremely useful in so many different scenarios and occasions, which is why GeoTask may find itself to be an invaluable app for many. Available for free in the Play store in English, Italian, French, and Spanish, make sure to visit the original thread for more details.

Someday soon...

Graphene camera sensors said to be 1,000 times
more sensitive to light

By Stefan Constantinescu posted May 31st, 2013 at 8:31 AM122 

---

While we're still scratching around with Ultrapixels and OIS, scientists in Singapore claim they're working on something that could change the entire field of photography. Researchers at the Nanyang Technological University have developed an image sensor made out of graphene that's 1,000 times better at capturing light than traditional CMOS or CCD sensors, all while using 10x less energy. These new sensors may initially be used in surveillance equipment and satellites -- when they do eventually end up in regular cameras, however, they're promised to be five times cheaper than the sensors they're replacing. Combine this with the work being done on graphene batteries, and we're that much closer to the perfect smartphone.uroc go

Photo Sphere - not quite there..

Google+ widget lets you embed Photo Spheres on any website

from Engadget by Nicole Lee

One of the biggest highlights of Android's jump to 4.2 was the addition of Photo Sphere, a 360-degree panoramic shooting mode that pans vertically as well as horizontally. It's a neat trick, but the only way to share it was on Google+ or on a device running Android 4.2 or higher. Now, thanks to a new widget that utilizes the Google+ Platform API, you can embed an interactive 360-degree slideshow on any website you choose -- so long as your photos are stored on G+ and PicasaWeb. If you're willing to play around with a bit of code, have a peek at the source to get started

Go to Google's Developers Area for "Photo Sphere How to?"

Photo Sphere Review - dpReview

CAT Phone - Extra Durable floats in the river

Caterpillar CAT B15 ruggedised Android phone now available

from EuroDroid by Gary_C

Tweet

Another rugged monster has gone on sale in the UK, with manual labourer lifestyle brand Caterpillar launching its CAT B15 ruggedised smartphone. It’s powered by Android 4.1, running atop a 1GHz dual-core MediaTek chipset, with a 4″ 480×800 resolution display and “wet finger tracking” for use while immersed in unspecified and potentially hazardous fluids.

It’s pretty well featured for one of these extreme things, also offering dual cameras (5MP and VGA), SD card support, Gorilla glass and some very chunky external case protection…

 

… to ensure it can survive a 1.8 metre drop onto concrete. Your kitchen laminate would not trouble it in the slightest. If you can live with its looks, the CAT B15 can be purchased from the likes of Unlocked-Mobiles for around £299. Here are the specs:

CAT B15

Operating System: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

• Processor: MediaTek MT6577 Dual 1GHz Cortex™-A9
• Size: 125mm x 69.5mm x 14.95mm
• Weight: 170g
• Screen details: 4” WVGA 480×800 LCD, Capacitive Multi-touch, Gorilla glass, wet finger tracking
• Memory: 4GB storage + 512 RAM
• Camera: 5.0 MP Rear, VGA Front
• Video: 720P recording 30 FPS Codecs H.263, H.264/AVC, mpeg4/SP, VP8
• Talk time: Up to 9 hours
• Stand By: Up to 9.5 days
• Connections: microUSB, microSD 32GB, 3.5mm audio
• GPS: A-GPS mode
• Temperature Operational range: -20º C to + 55º C
• Drop testing: 1.80M Concrete
• IP rating: IP67 waterproof to 1m for 30 min Impervious to dust

June 3, 2013
By Army CIO/G-6


The Army published a new handbook this month to provide leaders of all levels with the information and tools needed to address today's cybersecurity challenges, and to ensure organizations adopt the necessary practices to protect their information and the Army network.

WASHINGTON (June 3, 2013) -- The Army published a new handbook this month to provide leaders of all levels with the information and tools needed to address today's cybersecurity challenges, and to ensure organizations adopt the necessary practices to protect their information and the Army network.

"We must change our culture, enforce compliance, and ensure that people are accountable for proper security procedures," Secretary of the Army John McHugh said in a Feb. 1 memo mandating Information Assurance/Cybersecurity awareness training.

Currently, all Army commands are developing Information Assurance/Cybersecurity awareness training to address areas of weakness identified by the Army Information Assurance Self-Assessment Tool. During the Army Cybersecurity Awareness Week, Oct. 15-18, commanders will train personnel based on command plans and highlight the importance of individual responsibilities.

"Beyond required security training, we need you to make certain that all of your Soldiers, civilians, and contractors understand the threat they pose to operational security by not complying with IA/Cybersecurity policies and practices," McHugh said, addressing all Army leaders.

McHugh also directed all commands to incorporate Information Assurance into their command inspection programs.

More information and guidance are on the Army Information Assurance One-Stop Shop portal which is CAC accessible.

Related FilesSecArmy Memo on Mandatory IA/Cybersecurity

Related Links
Army.mil: Inside the Army News
Army One-Stop Shop for Information Assurance (CAC required)
DOD Cybersecurity
Army Chief Information Office/G-6
U.S. Army Cyber Command

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