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Windows 7 bug fixes to include multitouch zoom for Explorer

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Mar 13th 2009 at 2:15PM

After hearing of the thousands (hell, two thousands!) of bug fixes and enhancements that Windows 7 users will be seeing as they make the journey from Beta to Release Candidate, you'd have thought that we'd heard the last of all that for a bit. But not so! It seems that Microsoft's own Engineering Windows 7 blog will be letting the improvements trickle out as they are addressed. So brace yourself for some exciting plot twists, such as improvements to the taskbar thumbnail overflow and various jump lists, the trimming of sound schemes to enhance system performance, and our personal favorite, the addition of multitouch zoom to Windows Explorer. How cool is that? But there's plenty more to this saga -- hit the read link for all the saucy deets.

Windows 7 to get 2,000 bug fixes pointed out by testers

by Laura June posted Feb 26th 2009 at 5:37PM

Microsoft has been a bit lax in communicating with beta testers of its Windows 7 operating system who have reported problems or bugs to the company -- according to some of the testers, anyway. Well, apparently they've been really busy! Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president for the Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group at Microsoft, has just directly addressed the issue of bugs in a blog post, noting some pretty astounding figures. First, he says that over 2,000 bugs will be fixed in the release version of Win 7 because of feedback from the over 10 million downloaders of the beta OS, which ended on February 10th. Sinofsky says that at peak times in January, Microsoft was receiving one feedback report every fifteen seconds for a week straight, and has, to date, gotten over 500,000 of them. He assures testers that the company reads and considers every email and comment received. Hit the read links to find his entire post, as well as an update detailing of some of the fixes that are on the way!

[Via Daily Tech]

Read - Some changes since beta for the RC
Read - Feedback and engineering Windows 7

Fujitsu's in-car safety tech senses drowsiness, reacts to wake you up

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2008 at 10:13AM

Not that we haven't seen similar technology from other outfits before, but we'll take as many in-car safety advancements as we can get. It's bruited that Fujitsu is conjuring up a sophisticated sensor system that can actually detect when a driver gets drowsy or begins to sink into a deep, dark wonder-world of sleep. Put simply, the system would detect specific changes in the motorist's heart rate via the steering wheel, and once it determined that you weren't exactly "with it" any longer, the car could then roll its own windows down, blast the stereo or jolt the wheel in order to get your attention. In our minds, the biggest issue here is to not cause an accident by spooking a sleepy driver out of their slumber, and we presume that's exactly what the company is working on in its R&D labs.

[Image courtesy of MetroHealth]

Apple looking to Immersion for haptic technology on iPhone?

by Darren Murph posted Apr 26th 2008 at 12:13PM

Immersion, the same folks responsible for adding haptic technology (force feedback from touch panels, pretty much) in a fleet of Nokia handsets, could be looking to do the same with Cupertino's one and only. While VibeTonz isn't specifically mentioned by name, a recent report (which should certainly be filed as a rumor for the time being) is suggesting that bigwigs from both outfits are in ongoing meetings "over licensing and implementation issues of iPhone haptics." Interestingly enough, this news is flowing hot on the heels of Immersion appointing Clent Richardson as president and CEO; if that name rings a bell, he previously spent five years pretty high up the ladder at Apple. Of course, all the signs pointing to yes doesn't mean anything in and of itself, so we'll just twiddle our thumbs a bit longer and hope to have some feedback for 'em soon enough.

[Thanks, Chris]

Read - Rumors of Immersion bringing haptics to iPhone
Read - Clent Richardson becomes president / CEO of Immersion

Shoogle feedback mechanisms alert you of mobile messages, battery life

by Darren Murph posted Nov 27th 2007 at 9:50PM

We've certainly heard of (and heard, too) cellphones pretending to be something they're not, but Shoogle ups the ante by adding a level of utility that we wish was already widely available. By utilizing accelerometers, vibrators and internal speakers, the creators of Shoogle have conjured up software that enables users to check their mobile's battery life and for unread / unheard messages by just shaking the handset. Put simply, a variety of sounds and vibrations allow the cellphone to feel as if blocks or liquid is trapped within, and all it takes is a quick shake to determine if any contacts are waiting for your response or if you need to make haste in locating the nearest AC outlet. Currently, only basic trials have been conducted, but more widespread testing is already in the cards. Oh, and just in case you were crossing your fingers for a video demonstration, feel free to straighten your digits and click on through for a glimpse.

[Via NewScientistTech]

Continue reading Shoogle feedback mechanisms alert you of mobile messages, battery life

NTT's Tangible-3D prototype gives feeling to on-screen imagery

by Darren Murph posted Jun 21st 2007 at 9:24PM

Regardless of general consensus, it looks like 3D display technology is making a run for our wallets (and to a lesser extent, our hearts), and just days after getting wind of Philips' latest iteration, NTT is hitting back with a newfangled approach of its own. Based around an improved version of the company's original 3D display, this prototype system relies on a sophisticated array of cameras and an actuator-stuffed glove that can allow the wearer to "feel the image" that shows up on the LCD. As the object changes, the glove moves along in real-time to give the user a lifelike idea of what the on-screen matter actually feels like, but unfortunately, it doesn't allow the individual to react. Thankfully, a two-way system that will enable tactile transmissions to be channeled in both directions is in the works, but those parked in Japan can check out the current system at the Industrial Virtual Reality Expo later next week.

[Via Slashgear image courtesy of Mainichi]

earPod creation could add auditory menus to iPod, DAPs

by Darren Murph posted May 9th 2007 at 3:31PM

Rumblings about the layout and design of Apple's iPod scroll wheel in particular have been making the rounds for what seems like ages, but a new development from the Microsoft Research labs could nix the need to pull your DAP out and nearly collide with foreign objects whilst scrolling to a new tune. Aside from the glaring curiousness that stems from a Microsoft-derived project being dubbed earPod, the team has purportedly been working with scientists at the University of Toronto "on software that could make it possible to navigate the menus of gadgets that use circular touch pads with only audio cues." Essentially, touching the scroll wheel would provide audio clips to help you find your way through menus without ever seeing the screen, which would certainly prove useful on screenless DAPs. Currently, the system is quite limited in regard to the number of cues available, but here's to hoping that text-to-speech capabilities can become integrated as well so we can cycle through the thousands of artists and songs without even needing a display. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via TechnologyReview]

Take an actual walk in virtual reality with String Walker

by Darren Murph posted May 6th 2007 at 11:13AM

SIGGRAPH has certainly been the home of many virtual reality demonstrations, and this year yet another contraption that (partially) removes us from the world we know will be on display. Similar to the Powered Shoes and Virtusphere seen in years past, the String Walker is a "locomotion interface that uses eight strings actuated by motor-pulley mechanisms mounted on a turntable" in order to let users walk through virtual landscapes. Proprioceptive feedback allows the VR system to translate actual footsteps into the digital world, giving participants a reason to stroll around rather than just twiddling their thumbs. Reportedly, the biggest challenge was mastering the floor, which enables omni-directional walking that simple "treadmill-like" surfaces don't offer and in a simpler fashion than the "complicated" CirculaFloor. Next-generation DDR, here we come.

[Via Gizmag]

Head-mounted display helps disabled walk

by Darren Murph posted May 4th 2007 at 1:45AM

Although we've seen gait monitors and even prosthetic feet that assist individuals in regaining a more natural stride, scientists at Technion Institute of Technology in Israel have resorted to a head-mounted display for its rendition. This virtual reality device combines "auditory and visual feedback to improve walking speed and stride length in patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease," and provides the wearer with a "tiled-floor image" that apparently assists them in navigating nearly any terrain. The device is meant to take the place of normal muscle feedback mechanisms, and to provide said feedback to these disabled individuals so they can make adjustments and improve the efficiency of their walk. The HMD has already made its way to several medical centers and has purportedly yielded positive results, but there was no word on when this device would be commercially available.

[Via MedGadget]

Samsung SCH-W559 touts vibrating VibeTonz touchscreen

by Darren Murph posted Jan 17th 2007 at 4:51PM

Although Immersion's VibeTonz technology has been integrated into various Samsung handsets in the past, the shakin' technology was previously limited to ring tone and gaming enhancements. Today, however, Samsung is launching the keypad-less SCH-W559, which is the self-proclaimed "world's first" handset to utilize the VibeTonz system as a means of tactile feedback. The unit's QVGA touchscreen is meant to be a hands-on experience, and whether you use a stylus or the tips of your finger, the phone will provide a vibrating cue, which can be adjusted and customized within the phone's software, whenever you touch a virtual button. Immersion claims that its technology allows the on-screen buttons to feel more like "mechanical keys" rather than just a sheet of plastic. The device will be launching solely on China Unicom initially, will support both CDMA / GSM networks, and will feature a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, handwriting recognition capability, and audio / video playback functions to boot. Of course, users will be able to pimp out their ringtones with integrated buzzing, and while we're not sure how much Samsung plans on charging for the rumbler, we can't wait for it to start shaking things up here on American soil.

[Thanks, Peter S.]