Games fans throw away 3D glasses at Nintendo 3DS launch.Video.

WorldWideTech & SCience. Francisco De Jesús.


Nintendo's launch of its handheld 3DS gaming system, the first device to offer 3D gaming without special glasses, was met with a big crowd, who throw away their 3D glasses . However competition from smartphones could threaten future growth.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play launches with 60 games.

WorldWideTech & SCience. Francisco De Jesús.

Sony Ericsson said that there are “more than 60” games available to support the launch of its Xperia Play smartphone, including products from Sony, Gameloft, Electronic Arts and Glu Mobile.

The device is now on sale in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, with further availability in an additional six markets over the next two weeks.

CDMA world´s leader crown is now in hands of China Telecom.

WorldWideTech & SCience. Francisco De Jesús.

It was reported that China Telecom’s subscriber base has passed 100 million, meaning it has overtaken Verizon Wireless to become the world’s largest CDMA network operator.

Since the start of 2010, it has invested in the buildout of its 3G network and has worked to bring more low-cost smartphones to market, with the average selling price of devices also falling.

2012 Olympics : Samsung and Visa to offer NFC handset.

WorldWideTech & SCience. Francisco De Jesús.

There was evidence of further momentum behind NFC this last week with the news that Samsung and Visa are to partner on a mobile payments scheme for the London 2012 Olympics.

 The two firms – both sponsors of the games – say they will provide a “contactless enabled Olympics handset to Visa and Samsung sponsored athletes” as well as make the handset available to consumers via “mobile network operators and other distributors.”

A Visa-enabled SIM card will be required for use with the device in order to make purchases at contactless retailers. To make payments, customers select the Visa mobile contactless application, select pay and hold the phone in front of a contactless reader at the point of purchase. 

Visa says it is already working with banks and retailers worldwide to roll-out acceptance for Visa contactless cards, as part of an industry wide initative. It notes that 60,000 merchants in London will be able to accept NFC payments in time for the games. The two firms say their stragteic alliance is designed to leave a “lasting legacy” in the market post-2012.

China Mobile and SK Telecom signed a joint R&D deal

WorldWideTech & SCience. Francisco De Jesús.

The top operators from China and South Korea – China Mobile and SK Telecom (SKT) – have forged closer links, with a deal that will see them jointly develop technologies focusing on next-generation networks, device platforms, machine to machine services and the booming apps market.

According to a statement from SKT, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both parties, signed in March 31^st,  focuses on the promotion of “joint research in the advancement of low cost, high efficiency next generation radio access network architecture, such as SCAN(Smart Cloud Access Network) and the set up of test beds for evaluation”; the upgrade of “device software platform to provide application developers with better development environments;” an effort to “lead global standardisation of new platform business including M2M by building a joint R&D laboratory;” and the combination of “both companies' capabilities in application stores while also cooperating in WAC related areas.”

This is not the first time the two companies have partnered. They have worked closely on the development of LTE technology, particularly TD-LTE. 

In order to seek new growth engines, SKT has been looking for ways to broaden its business portfolio and tap new sources of growth overseas to overcome the limited opportunities in South Korea's saturated mobile market.

 The latest deal with China Mobile underscores SKT's attempt to boost its presence in the world's largest mobile market amid increasing popularity of smartphones and tablet devices. SKT’s statement noted that “with this latest MoU in China, SK Telecom aims to establish itself as a 'Global ICT Leader' in the Chinese market and strengthen its technological leadership in the international market.” SKT previously held a 3.8 percent stake in China Mobile’s rival China Unicom, but sold it in September 2009.

LTE: 196 operators in 75 countries investing in LTE.

As we reported before LTE: Global Commitments to March 24th, 2011. 140 operators in 56 countries, here : LTE Global the GSA has made  a new map where are 56 pre-comminments trials in additional 19 countries for a grand total of 196 operators in 75 countries who are investing in LTE.


See the map below:

and the map we posted before:

France: Acer Iconia Tab A500 launch April 4th at EU 499.-

WorldWideTech & SCience. Francisco De Jesús.

According to Tablette-Tactile the Acer Iconia Tab A500 is about to launch in France this April 4th, at EU 499.-


Not clear who is going to carry and sell the device yet.


These are the tablet specifications: 


MarqueAcer > CARACTERISTIQUES GENERALES 
 DimensionN/C
 PoidsN/C
 OSAndroid Honeycomb (3.0)
 Batterie3 cellules
 Mémoire interne32 Go 
 Lecteur de carte 
µSD 
 CPUNvidia Tegra 2 double coeur 1GHz
 RAM1GO Chipset graphique-
 GPS 
  > AFFICHAGE 
 Résolution1280 x 800 rétroéclairage 
 Taille10,1 pouces
 Type d'écranTN 
 Multipoint
> MULTIMEDIA
APN (résolution)
5 Mp FlashN/C Webcam
1,3 Mp Vidéo (résolution, formats) 
  > CONNECTIQUES 
 Réseau 
 Bluetooth Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n USB HDMI 
  > AUTRES 
 Accessoires FournisNC 
 ApplicationsAndroid Market Autres-
 2 ports USB

Netherlands: 3D world's largest touch-screen. Video.

WorldWideTech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.


The team behind the world's largest touch-screen say the huge device changes the way we work and interact with data. The screen, at Groningen University in the Netherlands, is based on a 3D cinema screen 8.5m wide by 2.7m high (28x9 feet).

iPhone 5 Rumors:Sony may supply 8MP camera sensor.

WorldWideTech & SCience. Roberto Gómez.



Possible details about Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5 have emerged from an unlikely source: Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer.


While speaking with the Wall Street Journal‘s Walt Mossberg at a forum at New York City’s Carnegie Hall on Friday, Stringer made an off-handed comment that may indicate that the next-generation iPhone will come loaded with an 8MP camera — a significant boost from the iPhone 4′s 5MP camera.


The comment was made by the Sony CEO while he was talking about the one of the company’s plants Senai being damaged by the tsunami that hit Japan last month. So far, Apple has sourced mobile cameras from OmniVision, which provided the 5MP camera for iPhone 4 and the 3.2MP camera for the 3GS. But if interpretations of Stringer’s comment are correct, it would indicate that Apple may start buying cameras from Sony.


“Our best sensor technology is built in one of the (tsunami) affected factories,” said Stringer (as paraphrased by 9to5Mac founder Seth Weintraub, who caught the quote). “Those go to Apple for their iPhones…or iPads.  Isn’t that something?  They buy our best sensors from us?”


According to Electronista, interpretations that Sony is taking over Apple’s camera production are corroborated by a rumors in February that Sony was stepping in because OmniVision couldn’t have an 8MP camera sensor ready in time for Apple’s launch date.


Also, Sony’s sensor, which is currently used in its Xperia Neo  handset, would meet Apple’s demands of quality over megapixel quantity with its low-light, low-noise capabilities.


As 9to5Mac points out, The Street reported in April 2010 that Apple would adopt Sony’s 8MP camera for the iPhone 5. This was included in the same report that correctly predicted a 5MP camer for the iPhone 4.


Damages to Sony’s Sendai plant — which is located in one of the areas hardest hit by the devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami — could also explain why Apple is set not to be debuting the iPhone 5 during its WWD.


Source: 9to5mac

New Inventions: The Piano Maestro .

WorldWideTech & SCience. Francisco De Jesús.

PianoMaestro learning system on the keyboard, works with a PC software which translates standard MIDI files into musical notation onscreen, the computer is attached by USB cable to a strip of lights, and that is placed at the back of a full piano keyboard, letting you know which keys need to be pressed when. The system is said to make the learning process quicker and easier and, according to its creator, is just like having your very own teacher with you all the time, but one who has "infinite patience that does not charge by the hour."

The PianoMaestro learning system was the result of New York-born Ken Ihara's own frustration at his progress in learning a piece of music. When he saw the huge cost involved in upgrading to a digital piano with built-in guide lights, he decided to put his electronics tinkering experience to good use and make his own. "I was amazed with how things have changed for the better in the last 10 years," he said "Because of the internet and available tools, I feel like making hardware can be a cottage industry again. Its like being in Silicon Valley in the late 70s."


"Electronics used to be an art – getting all the timings and different chips to talk to each other," says the Harvard University electrical engineering graduate. "Now it is one integrated chip and a ton of programming. The PianoMaestro was designed and built entirely in Melbourne [Australia] in the comfort of my home office/spare bedroom."


The PianoMaestro system consists of some Windows PC software that is able to read standard piano MIDI files and display the musical notes on a screen, and a strip of LED lights that's placed at the back of a piano's keyboard – on top of the black keys. The lights show the learner which notes need to be played and when. The user can chop songs into manageable chunks of one or two bars at a time, and passages can be repeated until the section has been nailed before moving onto the next part. The user is also able to adjust the speed – to start slow and then gently increase the tempo up to normal speed.


"There are literally millions of pianos collecting dust in homes everywhere – it's really sad," said Ihara. "It would be great if we could make these wonderful instruments sing again. With the PianoMaestro, I can learn the notes of an unfamiliar piece in less time. That enables me to spend more valuable lesson time with my piano teacher working on the artistry and interpretation of a piece."


As you may have gathered by now, you need to already own a piano – one with an octave span of exactly 164mm (6.45-inches), along with a Windows notebook or suitably-positioned PC.


Ihara says that PianoMaestro is not intended to replace a good teacher. In fact, he recommends learning things like posture and hand position from a piano tutor so that progress-impeding bad habits can be avoided. His learning system is, however, claimed to help users to learn the right notes quicker and easier, and so motivate them to keep the dust from gathering on the keys.


The system is available now and carries a recommended retail of AU$229 (US$237), but is currently available for a good deal less as an introductory offer, go here: store.


 Exercises for beginners are included, along with 250 compositions from composers like Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Bach and Mozart. Users can also search online for MIDI songs and feed them into the software.


The PianoMaestro certainly looks to be a more convincing learning option than the Gigiway Piano and Violin learning pen a whole lot more portable – and cheaper – than ConcertHands.


You could of course try to learn the instrument using a tablet or smartphone app, but we're betting that it won't be anywhere near as beneficial as learning on the real thing.








Not just for begginers:





Link: Piano Maestro

3D Movies: Avatar 2 and 3 coming: J Cameron looking seriously at 48/60fps , instead 24 standard.

WorldWideTech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

James Cameron 'Fully Intends' to Make 'Avatar 2 and 3' at Higher Frame Rates

Championing the digital 3D movie revolution at a joint appearance at the CinemaCon exhibitors convention Wednesday, the high-powered trio of James Cameron, Jeffrey Katzenberg and George Lucas outlined their latest efforts to wow moviegoers.

Cameron said that shooting movies at a higher frame rate than the standard 24 frames per second will give them an added sense of reality. Katzenberg explained how advances in computing power are affecting how computer graphic artists create stories. Lucas related to the packed session that 2d to 3D conversion takes time and creative talent. 

As evidence of his belief in increasing frame rates, Cameron said he "fully intends" to make Avatar 2 and 3 at higher rates and is looking seriously at 48 and 60 frames per second. "When you author and project a movie at 48 or 60, it becomes a different movie," he said. "The 3D shows you a window into reality; the higher frame rate takes the glass out of the window. In fact, it is just reality. It is really stunning."

Cameron is scheduled to offer a demostration of the results Thursday during the Las Vegas confab.

DreamWorks Animation CEO Katzenberg revealed that he is working on scalable multicore processing, calling it a "quantum leap" in speed and power. Animators currently wait hours and even days for computers to render full animation based on their initial, low-resolution footage. But with the new processes, Katzenberg said, "our artists will be able to see and create their work in real time. I can't tell you how transformative that will be for our storytelling. ... That is an extraordinary and revolutionary change in the process."

Discussing the 2D-to-3D conversion process, Lucas said: "We have been working on conversion (for roughly seven years). It's not a technical problem, it's a creative problem getting really talented creative people to work in 3D."

Converting the original Star Wars to 3D will cost more than the original movie's budget, he added, saying, "It is not cheap. It is not fast. If you want do it right, you can do it right." 

Cameron said that converting movies shot in 2D to 3D is not practical in terms of normal postproduction schedules. "I do not believe you can effectively create the conversion process into the normal postproduction chain of a movie unless you are willing to take six to eight months to do the conversion," he said. "Who wants to sit on their $100-150 million (movie) for an additional six to eight months? That is going to cost you a hell of a lot more than shooting in 3D?"

Noting that 3D broadcast production is also evolving, Cameron added: "It is going to get harder to sit in a budget meeting and say 'I don't know how to shoot 3D as cost effectively' when the broadcast world is already doing it." 

The trio also discussed the theatrical experience. "Movie theaters will never ever go away," Lucas said, noting that theaters offer a social experience. "You can't get that on an iPhone." 

During one of the lighter moments during the discussion, Katzenberg turned to Lucas and asked: "So Chapter 7 will be shot in 3D?"

"Yes," Lucas responded. "But then that will be done as a hologram."

James Cameron and Jon Landau

Related post: CinemaCon 2011