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ICYMI: Snap Inc. knows people want its video sunglasses
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Snap Inc. dropped a Spectacles vending machine in Southern California and the sunglasses were snapped up in no time. If you don't have the thousands of dollars handy that you'd need to pay for them on eBay, you can virtually try them on inside Snapchat by taking a photo of the ghost logo on the Spectacles site (which is what I did in today's photo. Ugh.). The video of the vending machine giggling to earth is here. The story about Samsung filing a patent for a smartphone that folds in half is here. The Nature study about monkeys being able to walk again after paralysis is here. And while there are many things to catch up on this week, we recommend reading up on President-elect Donald Trump's pick for the Environmental Protection Agency's transition team. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Samsung submits patent application for speech-recognizing robot
Samsung will soon launch its Siri-style S Voice software on the Galaxy S III, but in the more distant future it could bring speech recognition technology to standalone robots. A patent application from the company details an automaton that can adjust its voice detection capabilities to account for ambient noise, letting it recognize when people are talking even in loud locations. It remains unclear just what the robot will do for you once it hears your commands -- maybe it will be on call for cooking you dinner and the like. Judging by that pic, at least, the concept looks like a good time for all involved.
Did Apple shrink the Samsung Galaxy S in Dutch lawsuit filing?
We haven't had a chance to head on down to The Hague to have a look-see for ourselves, but Dutch tech site Webwereld spotted some more inconsistencies in Apple's Samsung lawsuit filings. This time the culprit is a shrunken Galaxy S, standing side-by-side with an identically tall iPhone 3G -- when in reality the Samsung phone is seven millimeters taller than its Apple counterpart, and slightly wider as well. The image, filed in the Netherlands, is part of an intellectual property suit against Samsung, and came to light just days after accusations that Apple manipulated photos of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that it submitted to a German court. While misleading, this latest error isn't nearly as concerning as last week's shrunken Tab -- which could easily be described as image manipulation, considering that the tablet included in that filing represented an incorrect 4:3 aspect ratio, while the Samsung device has a 16:10 display. Update: The phone pictured above is the Samsung Galaxy S, not the Galaxy S II. [Thanks, Florian]
Did Apple alter photos of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in its injunction filing?
Previously, on Apple Versus Samsung: Cupertino's finest sued Samsung for making "similar" products -- a legal spectacle that most recently culminated with an injunction blocking the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 across Europe (with one exception). The case hinges on Apple's assertion that Samsung is ripping off its designs, but tech site Webwereld spotted signs that perhaps Apple's claims are exaggerated, and that the outfit might have even gone so far as to alter images of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to suit its case. The comparison shot you see up there is lifted from page 28 of a filing made by Freshfields Bruckhaus Derringer, Apple's European lawyers. Both devices look pretty identical with an aspect ratio of 4:3 -- except in reality, the Tab has a 16:9 16:10 aspect ratio and is far narrower than Steve's magical slate. Of course, we might never know if this was actually a malicious move on Apple's part -- certainly, Samsung's legal team isn't saying anything. For now, though, if you're game to play armchair attorney, head past the break for a comparison shot of the competing tabs as we actually know and love them. [Thanks, Jack]
Samsung camera patent application adds simulated depth-of-field to point-and-clicks
High-end DSLRs are pricey and a tad complicated for the everyday user, but that doesn't stop most folks from wanting to take professional-looking shots of their own. Enter Samsung with a patent application that could add simulated depth-of-field discernment to your average point-and-click and smartphone camera. According to the filing, a dual-lens setup -- similar to the 3D cameras we've seen hit the market -- delegates full-resolution image capture to a primary lens, while its secondary partner calculates object distances. The data is then merged with the initial image "to create a depth map" with simulated blur, saving you from tedious Photoshop drudgery. No word on whether this neat trick will make its way to consumers' hands -- but with 3D still the reigning buzz, we'd upgrade that possibility to a very likely.
