Saturday 28 February 2015

Windows 10 to get "holographic" headset and Cortana

Microsoft has revealed that Windows 10 will bring its voice-controlled assistant Cortana to PCs.


It also unveiled a headset that it said would one day project the operating system over views of the real world.


In addition, the firm announced that the OS upgrade would be offered free of charge for devices running Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Phone.


The offer, which is limited to the Windows 10’s first year of release, may aid its adoption.


It marks a change in strategy from Microsoft’s previous policy of charging for major updates, and could help avoid a repeat of the relatively slow uptake of Windows 8.


One analyst suggested the firm had needed to renew interest in its ecosystem.


“Overall, we know that about only about 10% of computers are running Windows 8 and the adoption rate among companies is similar or lower,” said Frank Gillett, an analyst at the Forrester consultancy.


“Developers are not paying much attention to Windows for mass market consumer apps, and you could even argue that for enterprise software most of the energy is going into mobile apps for iPad and Android tablets.


“Windows 10 is in effect a huge invitation to software developers to write exciting, powerful applications that will draw consumers.


“My hunch is that they can succeed in getting a new generation of PC and tablet applications. The challenge is getting people interested in its phones.”


Holographic helmet


Microsoft’s chief executive Satya Nadella said the HoloLens headset represented a “magical moment” of “category creation” that developers lived for.


The wearable tech’s augmented reality see-through lenses represent a major leap forward over Google Glass and other existing eyewear – assuming the machine lives up to its on-stage demo, in which computer-generated elements appeared in the world surrounding the wearer.


The company said that the final version of the machine would not need to be linked to other devices to work, and should be released within Windows 10’s “timeframe”.


It revealed Nasa was already working with the kit, and said the US space agency hoped to start controlling its Mars rovers with a prototype version as soon as July.


Other demos involving the machine included the wearer:


  • playing Minecraft with the video game’s graphics appearing over living room furniture

  • seeing a Skype video appear as if it was taking place on a building wall

  • creating a model of a drone, which she saw in front of her face while shaping it by moving her hands and giving voice commands

“The true innovation HoloLens delivers will be determined by developer commitment in the months and years to come,” commented Geoff Blaber from the CCS Insight consultancy.


“Windows 10 is a defining moment for Satya Nadella early in his tenure as CEO.


“The collaboration required to deliver HoloLens to market is an encouraging sign that he’s breaking down the silos that slowed innovation and stalled execution in recent years.”


Cortana on PCs


Windows 10 brings the same operating system to devices of all sizes, rather than having different ones for PCs/tablets, mobile phones and the firm’s Xbox games console.


One of the key features that consumers will be able to use on PCs from “day one” is Cortana – the voice-controlled tool previously limited to Windows Phone handsets.


  • bring up Powerpoint presentation documents

  • locate photos taken during a specific month

  • dictate and send emails

  • tell the user whether or not the weather forecast indicates they should wear a coat later

  • show where their car is parked

In addition, Mr Belfiore showed how the software could be used to respond to requests that had been typed, rather than spoken into a PC.


Windows 8 had been criticised by some for placing so much focus on touch-centric commands rather than the mouse and keyboard.


But Mr Gillett said he thought the addition of Cortana’s voice controls could prove more popular.


“Voice is a going to complement other ways of interacting with the computer not be a substitute,” he said.


“If you had to say every command instead of touching or clicking, then that would be annoying.


“But if you can quickly say to Cortana, for example, schedule lunch with my mum next Tuesday, then that is powerful.”


Browsing with Spartan


Mr Belfiore also highlighted one of the core benefits of Windows 10: a single app will run on multiple types of device, with the user interface reformatting itself to suit the machine it is running on, rather than having a different program for phones, tablets and PCs.


He showed how this meant more advanced versions of the firm’s popular Office programs Excel, Powerpoint and Word could be brought to handsets running Windows 10 than were possible under Windows Phone 8. He also demonstrated a new “universal” Photos app that collates and sorts pictures taken with different devices.


Mr Belfiore also confirmed reports that the firm’s Internet Explorer web browser was being replaced by a new program codenamed Project Spartan.


This will have Cortana built-in to allow voice commands and provide extra personalised information – such as directions to a restaurant whose website is being looked at.


The software also includes a new “noting mode”, which will let users scribble or type over a page and then share it with others.


“Project Spartan shows a new Microsoft that is not afraid to depart from legacy in order to deliver a better experience,” remarked Carolina Milanesi from Kantar Worldpanel Comtech.


The new system also introduces the ability to stream Xbox One video games from the console to any other Windows 10 PC or tablet on the same wi-fi network.


This means that users will be able to play any game in their Xbox library on another device in another room of their home if the property’s main TV is being watched by someone else.


The facility is similar to the service Sony offers for its PlayStation 4 games machine that allows it to stream titles to Xperia phones and tablets and the PlayStation TV mini-console.


Some – like voice dictation on mobile, a cloud-based music service and auto-enhance for photos – are strikingly similar to those already available on rival operating systems.


But others are genuinely innovative – quite aside from its awe-inspiring holographic ecosystem.


Gamers will appreciate making the traditional gaming experiences more social and cross-platform.


Heavy web users may be tempted by the collaboration and offline features of the Spartan web browser, as well as the deep integration of Cortana.


And the addition of this powerful natural voice assistant on the desktop is groundbreaking too.


But the case for voice interaction on PCs is not as well-proven as it is on mobile – and Cortana needs to be well executed, otherwise the tried and tested keyboard and mouse could still prove too tempting for users.


The key question: will the combination of the familiarity of past versions of Windows and an enhanced feature set be enough to tempt users to upgrade?


Offering Windows 10 free for the first year is a huge incentive to kickstart adoption.


Windows 10 is well positioned to capitalise on the resurgence of PCs.


But Microsoft is hoping for more than this: it needs the OS to provide a much-needed boost for its mobile ecosystem – and in this regard Microsoft is betting that its universal approach to coding apps will be enough to tempt users away from rivals.


Source - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30924022

Wednesday 25 February 2015

What is an Acoustic Transducer?

From Wisegeek.com “What is an Acoustic Transducer?” (19 January 2008)

An acoustic transducer is an electrical device that coverts sound wave vibrations into mechanical or electrical energy. They have various practical applications, including sound recording and sound playback. A specialized model, called an ultrasonic acoustic transducer, can be used to measure distance to, as well as the mass of, an object.

Common types of acoustic transducers used in sound recording include microphones, earphones, and guitar pickups. These create electrical energy when moving parts inside the transducer, such as electrical plates or ribbons, are exposed to sound vibrations. The electrical energy produced inside the transducer is sent first to an amplifier.

The amplifier then sends this energy to its final destination, usually a loudspeaker or recording device. The loudspeaker reproduces the sound at a level that the human ear can hear. A recording device will retain the electrical signal information. The recorder will send the stored signal to a loudspeaker during playback.

An ultrasonic acoustic transducer can be used to measure distance or the mass of an object. The most common type is the piezoelectric acoustic transducer. These include a piezoelectric ceramic element that creates and distributes ultrasonic sound waves.

Sound waves travel to an object from a piezoelectric transducer through material called a couplant. The couplant is usually water. Sound waves bounce off the object and return to the transducer in the form of an echo. The time it takes for these echoes to return to the transducer is used to calculate the distance to the object.

Underwater sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) is a common use of an ultrasonic acoustic transducer. SONAR uses directional beams of sound waves. This enables the SONAR operator to determine the direction and distance to an object.

SONAR systems can be active or passive. An active system sends out sound waves and listens for echoes. A passive system listens for noises made by ships, fish, and landmasses.

An electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) is another form of ultrasonic transducer. Instead of a ceramic element, an electro magnet is the main component of an EMAT. This is a type of non-contact, or non-destructive transducer. Unlike piezoelectric transducers, EMATs do not need a couplant to carry sound waves. Instead, two electromagnetic fields are generated to disburse ultrasonic waves.

EMATs can easily be used almost anywhere since no liquid is needed. For example, EMATs can be used to check for flaws in underground pipes. A downside to EMATs, compared to piezoelectric transducers, is that EMATs create weaker sound fields.

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Headphones As We Know Them Will Soon Become Obsolete

They’re a staple even on cutting-edge smartphones, televisions, and Hi-Fis, but the jack plug was invented back in the 19th century to route phone calls. Imagine hundreds of them being rearranged with swift dexterity by switchboard operators.


Has any technical standard ever lasted as long?


Despite the jack plug’s age, it will still come as a shock when it disappears into obsolescence. Especially to those people who have just bought an expensive pair of headphones.


The original design was a quarter inch in diameter, which is still used on electric guitars, but it shrank to 3.5mm for headphones. It is showing its age, though, and even the smaller sockets are now hindering the gradual de-thickening of mobile phones. Which is why they’ll soon be replaced.


There are basically two main ecosystems for mobile phones today: Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. Both of them are well on their way to ditching the 3.5mm socket altogether.


At its developer conference last year, during a talk on designing accessories for the iPad and iPhone, Apple announced it was working on headphones that connect via the Lightning port. That odd, proprietary socket that replaced the original 30-pin iPod connector now provides audio as well as power.


Philips was first to develop a pair: the Fidelio M2L. So, just when you thought Apple couldn’t be any more of a walled garden, there now exist headphones that work only on its devices.


Perhaps it was a deliberate measure by Apple to not be the first to launch such a product through its recently acquired Beats brand, to avoid the same accusations of profiteering that cropped up when it dropped 30-pin connectors for Lightning. Certainly, much of Beats’ $3 billion price tag could be recouped if every iPhone owner bought a new set of Lightning-equipped headphones.


The latest version of Google’s Android operating system, known as Lollipop, also includes support for USB audio. This is effectively the same thing as Apple’s new feature but with a universal USB plug rather than proprietary connector.


headphonesFlickr/Garry Knight


What do these features mean for audio? Unlike a traditional headphone wire, which carries the analog signals produced by a chip inside the phone, the new headphones will take digital audio and convert it to an analog signal only when it reaches the speakers next to the ear.


In theory, if you buy decent headphones, this will provide better quality: not only will that DAC (digital to analog converter) most likely be better quality, but there will be less degradation along the wire thanks to digital error correction.


It could also allow phones to be made even thinner, as the round headphone socket is increasingly the bulkiest component, in terms of width, in svelte handsets. Whether or not we really need thinner phones when customers are complaining that their handsets bend in their pockets is another matter, but it certainly makes for easy marketing.


Another benefit is that noise-canceling headphones could draw power from the phone over the wire, as Philips has already taken advantage of, eliminating the need to charge yet more batteries. There’s also the ability to have a microphone on the same cable, and all sorts of buttons to control playback. You could even have apps running on the phone that tweak settings on the headphones, adjusting bass or treble.


So the advantages are clear and numerous, but there are also downsides: how do you charge your phone and listen to music at the same time when your charger and headphones use the same socket? Not a deal-breaker, but still an issue.


Most importantly, your current and potentially new and expensive headphones will become obsolete. You could use an adapter, but that’s far from ideal and will cost you on top of your phone.


Thankfully, this isn’t going to happen tomorrow. Although there’s nothing to stop you splashing out on digital headphones now if you want to adopt early.


The iPhone, for instance, alternates between a partial refresh and a total redesign with each new model. We had the 6 and 6 Plus in September and will most likely get the refreshed “6S” this year, so it’s easy to imagine the “iPhone 7″ losing its 3.5mm socket in September 2016.


Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment on this story, so we’ll have to speculate.


You’re probably more likely to retain a 3.5mm socket for longer if you use Android, as there’s a wide range of manufacturers on the platform, so you can choose the one that retains the plug longest.


The really interesting thing will be to see when manufacturers ditch the Lightning and USB ports entirely.


Wireless charging can already handle topping-up our batteries, and Bluetooth can deal with audio and peripherals. Losing the ports will also make devices sleeker and easier to waterproof.


So while it looks certain that the 3.5mm socket will become an anachronism within a couple of generations of phone, the USB and Lightning port may not be too far behind, and the headphones that you bought to replace the ones that became obsolete will also become obsolete. Such is the way of technology.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/headphones-as-we-know-them-will-soon-become-obsolete-2015-1#ixzz3Qb96ojii

Saturday 14 February 2015

How Many 2 way radios Can Run on one Channel?

Theoretically, you can use an unlimited amount of walkie-talkies on the same channel (although in practice you might experience a few problems if you took that suggestion literally). Basically, there isn’€™t really a set limit. You could use as many as you like provided they are set up correctly. Anybody set to the right channel and in range at the time of transmission would then be able to pick up the signal and respond to it.


Most radios have access to 8 channels. These channels each have 38 separate €˜identification tones€™. The user sets his/her channel up with the desired tone and then only other users who know the channel/tone will be able to hear the transmissions. As a result, there are, in any given area, about 304 different combinations, so signal interference is unlikely to affect you.


Please do not interpret this answer as saying that your radio has access to 304 possible channels. It does not. It will likely only have access to 8. Some less reputable manufacturers tend to falsely imply access to 304 channels; this is simply not the case. You will have access to 304 possible tone/channel combinations, that’s all.


To better explain the CTCSS codes and how they work; we’€™ll include a little information from Amherst.co.uk€™s FAQ page.


€œCTCSS stands for “Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System”. These codes are also often called “Privacy codes” If a CTCSS tone is selected; a CTCSS sub-audible tone is transmitted along with the regular voice audio by the transmitting radio. The receiving radio, set to the same CTCSS tone, will only receive audio if it contains that sub-tone. Interference from other users on the same frequency is therefore rejected (unless they are also on the same sub-tone). This is a way of allowing groups of users of walkie-talkies on the same channel to avoid hearing messages from other nearby users”.


So, in conclusion, you can probably use as many walkie-talkies as you like on the same channel. As long as the units in question are of the same type (either VHF or UHF) and have the same CTCSS setup, then you simply shouldn’€™t have a problem. You also shouldn’€™t suffer from signal interference due to other users (although you may still experience signal loss/interference/degradation from other sources). We have talked about combating signal loss elsewhere, so please see the other questions if you have any problems in this area.


SOURCES


http://www.amherst.co.uk/walkietalkie/walkie-talkie-radio-faq-basics.htm


http://www.homephonesonline.co.uk/information/qa-walkie-talkies.htm

Tuesday 10 February 2015

What is an Acoustic Transducer?

From Wisegeek.com “What is an Acoustic Transducer?” (16 January 2011)

An acoustic transducer is an electrical device that coverts sound wave vibrations into mechanical or electrical energy. They have various practical applications, including sound recording and sound playback. A specialized model, called an ultrasonic acoustic transducer, can be used to measure distance to, as well as the mass of, an object.

Common types of acoustic transducers used in sound recording include microphones, earphones, and guitar pickups. These create electrical energy when moving parts inside the transducer, such as electrical plates or ribbons, are exposed to sound vibrations. The electrical energy produced inside the transducer is sent first to an amplifier.

The amplifier then sends this energy to its final destination, usually a loudspeaker or recording device. The loudspeaker reproduces the sound at a level that the human ear can hear. A recording device will retain the electrical signal information. The recorder will send the stored signal to a loudspeaker during playback.

An ultrasonic acoustic transducer can be used to measure distance or the mass of an object. The most common type is the piezoelectric acoustic transducer. These include a piezoelectric ceramic element that creates and distributes ultrasonic sound waves.

Sound waves travel to an object from a piezoelectric transducer through material called a couplant. The couplant is usually water. Sound waves bounce off the object and return to the transducer in the form of an echo. The time it takes for these echoes to return to the transducer is used to calculate the distance to the object.

Underwater sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) is a common use of an ultrasonic acoustic transducer. SONAR uses directional beams of sound waves. This enables the SONAR operator to determine the direction and distance to an object.

SONAR systems can be active or passive. An active system sends out sound waves and listens for echoes. A passive system listens for noises made by ships, fish, and landmasses.

An electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) is another form of ultrasonic transducer. Instead of a ceramic element, an electro magnet is the main component of an EMAT. This is a type of non-contact, or non-destructive transducer. Unlike piezoelectric transducers, EMATs do not need a couplant to carry sound waves. Instead, two electromagnetic fields are generated to disburse ultrasonic waves.

EMATs can easily be used almost anywhere since no liquid is needed. For example, EMATs can be used to check for flaws in underground pipes. A downside to EMATs, compared to piezoelectric transducers, is that EMATs create weaker sound fields.

Monday 9 February 2015

Jawbone earpiece makes it easier to love smartphones

You can discover this orignal content at this website

Jawbone began making it easier to love Siri, Google Now or other virtual assistants in a hint at the future portrayed in the Oscar-nominated filmHer.

The San Francisco-based company behind sophisticated and stylish wireless ear pieces released a new ERA model packing big technology in a diminutive form and enabling users to speak more naturally with software on their mobile devices.

"I hope they don't fall in love with their operating systems, but they will at least rekindle a relationship with voice commands," Jawbone audio product manager Gernard Feril said while providing AFP an early look at the new ERA.

Feril was making a playful reference to the Spike Jonze film Her starring Joaquin Phoenix, who plays a man who falls in love with a personal computer operating system.

Advanced Siri and Google Now software, which combine natural language exchanges with contextual awareness and even anticipating what users might want, have created a place for an ERA ear piece with enhanced technology for speaking to smartphones as one would a person, according to Feril.



Jawbone built in wide-band audio, high-quality microphones, and NoiseAssassinsoftware to block out unwanted sounds to make voice quality closer to what is found in Internet telephone calls than in typical ear pieces.

Being able to speak commands and have spoken exchanges with virtual assistants through the ear piece frees people to either ignore smartphone screens or use them for other tasks, such as e-mail, games or maps.

"This device has become so powerful," Feril said of the smartphone in his hand, "that holding it to your face limits what you're doing."



And, as screen sizes of mobile devices have grown, they become awkward to hold up to faces, he noted.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show gadget extravaganza that played out recently in Las Vegas was rife with headsets. Jawbone set out to distinguish itself with a tiny, high-quality ear piece crafted with style and brains to complement smartphone lifestyles.

Feril billed ERA as the smallest, lightest, best-sounding ear piece available.

ERA was priced at US$99 (RM300) at www.jawbone.com, but could be purchased with a protective charging case for US$130 (RM390) to increase talk time to 10 hours from four. The ear piece was less than half the size of its predecessor.

Since ERA is tiny, Jawbone added a "locator" feature that signals an ear piece to chirp to disclose where it is.A Jawbone "Nerd" USB device can be used to automatically synch the ear piece to laptop computers.

"It's the Internet-of-me," Feril said. "It is not about the things, it is about the person. You can see that, at least in Spike Jonze's interpretation, the Internet is going to be with you at all times."