Saturday, August 05, 2023
iPHONE 15? 16? & 3D PHOTOS & VIDEOS
There are hints that the iPhone 15 will be announced on Sep 13, 2023, available for preorder on Sep 15, and available a week later.
There have been hints that the iPhone 15 would have dual cameras to enable 3D photos & videos. Other hints suggest 3D may be delayed to an iPhone 16, to wait to evaluate the response to the new Apple Vision Pro (AVP).
It should be noted that with AI it is now possible to
- take a 2D photo or video,
- create a depth-map,
- extrude the 2D+depth-map,
- recapture that in a 3D camera in an editor like DaVinci,
- and get a 3D photo or video from a 2D source (without a physical 3D camera).
Apple's Lidar could even create the depth map itself, without AI. Currently each step described above is separate, but with an API this could be automated. -- Nevertheless, personally, I still believe a good (real) 3D camera is a better way -- for now.
Labels: 3D photos, 3D videos, AVP. Apple Vision Pro, depth map, iPhone, Lidar
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
APPLE ANNOUNCEMENTS
The announcements from Apple today were significant in a few ways.
The announcements from Apple today were significant in few ways.
It was significant, I suspect, that Tim Cook did not begin with the usual status report. He said it was because there was so much to announce. But was it because the "status" did not have the status of his usual status report? There were, in fact, a lot of announcements, but they seemed all too lightweight. Was he trying to boost their significance, by going right to them?
The most interesting reveal was not that Apple+ would sell for only $4.99 per month ("for your whole family!" he exclaimed). It was that he was seeding the subscriber base for the service by giving away free subscriptions for a year with every new Apple product sold. (That's only $60 worth, of course, but a lot of new subscribers.)
At least two of the new shows seem very promising: the Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell, Reese Witherspoon series, THE MORNING SHOW, and a series, SEE, whose premise is that all humans have gone blind, but now children are born that can see. It may be just a "protect the baby" action flick, but if, as it claims in the promos, it delves into what humanity would be like if no-one could see, it could be profound.
The game streaming service, Apple Arcade, at $4.99 / mo, is also interesting -- although, since all the games are new and unique to Arcade, they come with no existing traction.
The hardware announcements were the usual improvements in almost every facet of hardware, but nothing new and exciting. The software improvements in camera technology may be useful for some people. Slow motion selfies, or slomofies, are likely to find both popularity and ridicule.
Several of the promotional/informational videos shown were brilliantly made.
In a discussion of the chip technology, it was mentioned that they now have built-in Machine Learning Hardware, right on your phone. While Apple has emphasized they respect privacy, this suggests a new, broad front for privacy invasion, as every manufacturer adopts similar technology: What is the phone learning about YOU, and who can learn what they -- the phone (and other objects you have around you all the time) -- are learning???
Prices were generally lower. With high resolution photos, home videos, videos from Apple+, plus more powerful Apps and games, many users may need to upgrade phones with lots of memory, raising the actual cost.
There was no mention of AR/VR/MR.
In summary, this seems to be a year of building the services segment, trying to maintain sales, and waiting for major new products (next year?) with: 5G capabilities, AR/VR/MR innovations (?), and (hopefully) some totally new ideas!
THE APPLE ANNOUNCEMENT
https://www.apple.com/apple-events/september-2019
THE MORNING SHOW TRAILER
THE TRAILER FOR: SEE
Labels: Announcements, Apple, Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, iPad, iPhone, Jennifer Aniston, machine learning, privacy, Reese Witherspoon, SEE, Steve Carell, THE MORNING SHOW
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
WHO KNOWS WHERE YOU WERE LAST NIGHT?
ANS: anyone with access to your phone (including hackers and perhaps your OS provider).
NBC Nightly News tonight reported that your phone may store the time, date, and location of everywhere you go, and store it, and possibly send it back to your OS provider.
My older Android phone does not seem to do this; at least I could not find it. I did find it on a iPhone.
You can find the information on your phone and delete or block it as follows:
For an iPhone:
Click on Settings from your home screen.
Click Privacy.
Next, click on Location Services.
Scroll down to System Services.
Click on Frequent Locations, where you can clear the history of where you've been, and then turn off Frequent Locations.
For an Android:
(Steps vary depending on phone model.)
Click on Settings from the home screen.
Click on Location preferences.
Disable the Google Location History and it will be turned off.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS
http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/your-phone-snooping-you-n350511
By the way, giving access to lots of services on your phone necessary (or not) for Apps to run can allow a lot of personal information to be retrieved by the App maker.
By the way, giving access to lots of services on your phone necessary (or not) for Apps to run can allow a lot of personal information to be retrieved by the App maker.
Labels: Android, iPhone, location tracking, privacy, snooping
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
APPLE UPGRADE - IOS7 iPHONE 5S
APPLE UPGRADE
IOS7 & iPHONE 5S
I found today's announcement underwhelming: solid improvements but uncreative. And also scary.
- The phone gets a significantly more powerful brain, and a 64 bit OS.
- The 8MP camera is improved in several ways including better lighting control, zoom, and an automated burst mode.
- 1080p HD video, 30 - 120 (slo-mo) fps.
- Small improvements in battery life.
- Improvements to SIRI.
- Improvements in design.
- International phone connectivity.
- Fingerprint security.
FINGERPRINT SECURITY
Apple announced a fingerprint security model. I find this scary.
They claim the fingerprints will be local to the phone and heavily encrypted.
But... Encryptions may eventually be broken, and phones may eventually be hacked to upload fingerprint data.
In the short run, the fingerprint ID will improve security on phones by providing an almost invisible layer of security protecting the phone. In the medium run, there will be inconvenience when a phone needs to be opened and the correct fingerprint is not convenient to apply. Also, medium term, violence to steal a phone and the fingerprint along with it could grow. In the long run, it is likely to result in anyone's fingerprint being globally available.
The sooner fingerprint ID becomes a common (or the default) security mode of mobile commerce, the faster fingerprint theft will become an issue.
SIRI
So far I have not been impressed with SIRI. I hope the improvements will be significant. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie HER (closing night at the New York Film Festival 2013) in which Scarlett Johansson's SIRI-like voice and computer self falls in love with Joaquin Phoenix.
POWER
For power, the announcement claims that iPhone5S/IOS7 has desktop power. Perhaps. I am looking for the ability to wirelessly link the phone to terabyte data storage, any large or small monitor or TV, a desktop keyboard, and a mouse or other convenient pointing device, making it effectively a portable/mobile desktop computer and media hub. (NOTE, however: that would greatly increase the security concerns of losing your cellphone.)
CAMERA
As for a camera, sharpness (a function of lens quality and small pixel size) is at least as important as lighting control. Macro focusing to distant zoom needs to be much greater. And, I'd really like to see a high quality 3D capture and processing system.
The iPhone 5S (and a simpler, cheaper, iPhone 5C) will be available later this month.
APPLE
www.apple.com
c|NET COMMENTARY
http://reviews.cnet.com/iphone-5s/
QPORIT ON HER -
SPIKE JONZE's "HER" WILL CLOSE NYFF 2013
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2013/08/spike-jonzes-her-will-close-nyff-2013.html
SHARE THIS STORY!
Labels: 64 bit, Apple, camera-phone, fingerprints, HER, IOS7, iPhone, mobile, security
Monday, June 07, 2010
APPLE NEWS
The Apple conference, at which Steve Jobs is expected to reveal the next version of the iPhone, is scheduled to start in a few minutes... at 1:00 New York time.
Engadget is blogging live every few minutes from the event:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/steve-jobs-live-from-wwdc-2010/
(Click on "LIVEBLOG" there for other events.)
Labels: Apple, iPhone, Steve Jobs
Monday, June 08, 2009
iPHONE NEWS
Continuous updates from the Apple World Wide Developer's Conference (WWDC) at:
http://www.macrumorslive.com/
iPhone:
=>Faster
=>More business friendly
=>Better battery life
=>Better camera + video
=>Voice control
=> also some price reductions and improvement in Mac lines.
See also www.engadget.com for more news.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
ENGADGET -- BLOGGING LIVE FROM CUPERTINO
It's the next best thing to a live video feed. (Is there a live video feed?) Engadget has a gadget (that is, they've used their expertise to set up a very efficient technology) that is sending photos and quotes from the Apple iPhone announcement in almost real time.
It's pretty impressive reporting. (By Joshua Topolsky.)
At this point, (second hand live reporting), Apple is announcing improvements to the iPhone developer system which enhances purchasing and ties to iTunes. They've implemented discovery technology (an iPhone discovers suitable nearby iPhones) that allows peer-to-peer conversations (for example for game playing; or perhaps business card & phone number exchange; or medical applications). There's enhanced mapping services. Push. An API for streaming audio & video. An API for "in-game" voice. Improvements in search, cut/copy/paste, calendar and stock apps, and more.
The API's are available to developers now. The upgrade will be available on phones - free - in the summer.
http://www.engadget.com/
Labels: Apple, Engadget blogging, iPhone, reporting
