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Researchers capture a single atom's shadow, has implications for quantum computers
A very small atom can cast a very large shadow. Well, not literally, but figuratively. Researchers at Griffith University have managed to snap the first image of a single atom's shadow and, while the dark spot may be physically small, the implications for the field of quantum computing are huge. The team of scientists blasted a Ytterbium atom suspended in air with a laser beam. Using a Fresnel lens, they were able to snap a photograph of the dark spot left in the atom's wake as the laser passed over it. The practical applications could improve the efficiency of quantum computers, where light is often used to transfer information. Since atoms have well understood light absorption properties, predictions can be made about the depth of a shadow cast, improving communication between the individual atoms performing calculations. The research could even be applied to seemingly mundane and established fields like X-Ray imaging, by enabling us to find the proper intensity levels to produce a quality image while minimizing damage to cells. For more info, check out the current issue of Nature.
Kodak loses ruling in patent fight with Apple
Struggling camera and film pioneer Kodak is going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy. While it deals with angry creditors, the company is also juggling a legal battle with Apple over the rights to several patents in its patent portfolio. According to Bloomberg, Kodak recently was handed a setback in its fight with Apple when US Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper told the camera maker the dispute would be processed as part of the bankruptcy proceedings and won't be fast tracked by the court. "An adversary proceeding will permit the parties to raise issues in an orderly and expeditious fashion and preserve all of their just rights," Gropper said in a hearing on Wednesday. The dispute involves imaging patents that Apple says it should own. The patents, Apple claims, are derived from technology it shared with Kodak when it worked with the camera company on the QuickTake 100, an early digital camera Apple sold in 1994. Apple says Kodak misappropriated this technology and patented it without Apple's consent. Kodak, however, claims it owns the patents and want to sell them to raise money for its bankruptcy proceedings.
Nokia to acquire Scalado, build a better Lumia (Updated)
Scalado has more than a few tricks squirreled away in its mobile imaging bag, tricks that have served the likes of HTC and RIM well. Now, Espoo want those tricks all to itself. After working with the Swedish firm for years, Nokia has decided to take its partnership with Scalado to the next level: acquisition. The imaging outfit will be turning over its developers, intellectual property, technology and moniker over to Nokia in the third quarter of 2012 -- although the terms of the deal are confidential. Finland's favorite smartphone manufacturer plans to use Scalado's technology to enhance "imaging experiences for Nokia Lumia devices." Sounds good to us. Check out the official (and brief) press release after the break. Update: Nokia has contacted us to amend its original statement somewhat. While it's acquiring the imaging company's developers, technologies and IP portfolio, it's not buying the company outright. We suspect that this is more a quirk of company law -- since Scalado still has obligations with HTC and RIM, it can't leave them in the lurch. We've included the follow-up statement after the jump.
Nokia 'sharpens strategy' by dropping three executives, laying off 10,000 and dumping Vertu
Nokia is still trying to turn things around after a slew of losses, and has made some tough decisions about how to move forward by announcing it will reduce staff by up to 10,000 people before the end of 2013. That's all part of a plan to close factories in Finland, Germany and Canada. as well as refocusing its marketing efforts, streamlining support staff and reducing "non-core" assets. Also on the outs are three executives including chief marketing officer Jerri Devard, executive VP of mobile phones Mary McDowell and executive VP of markets Niklas Savander who will step down from the company's Leadership Team effective June 30th. Replacing them July 1st are executive VP of mobile phones Timo Toikkanen, executive VP of sales and marketing Chris Weber and senior VP of communications Susan Sheehan. Additionally, it has sold the luxury brand Vertu to private equity group EQT VI in a deal that is expected to close during the second half of the year leaving just 10 percent of it in Nokia's hands. That's not the end of the bad news either, as Nokia will take a charge of 1 billion Euros ($1.3 billion) by the end of 2013 as a result of the restructuring and its efforts to return to profitability. Investments going forward including buying imaging company Scalado, extending its mapping technology to "multiple industries" and pushing more Series 40 and Series 30 devices. Check the press releases after the break for all the numbers and details currently available before it reports Q2 earnings July 19th, and we also may be able to glean more info from a call scheduled for 8AM ET.
ITC says again that Apple and RIM don't violate Kodak patent
Kodak hasn't caught a break lately, and that trend isn't easing up any time soon with a second rejection arriving in its main International Trade Commission (ITC) patent dispute with Apple and RIM. Despite having had its case remanded after a loss last year, Kodak is once more being told that BlackBerrys and iPhones don't violate a patent on previewing photos. The one violation was rendered moot through "obviousness," according to administrative law judge Thomas Pender. It's still an initial ruling, and Kodak is trying to put a positive light on the situation -- it's "pleased" there's still an infringement, even if the patent claim is invalid -- but the patent wars aren't looking good for a photography company that has already had to give up cameras to have a chance of staying afloat. Most of Kodak's hope, then, will be pinned on a second wave of ITC disputes that might stand a better chance of putting at least Apple's feet to the fire.
Kodak accuses Apple of interfering with patent sale
Things are getting heated in Kodak's patent battle with Apple. In a recent court filing noticed by Total Telecom, Kodak accused the Cupertino company of trying to interfere in its upcoming patent auction in order to avoid paying US$1 billion in penalties and royalty fees. According to the court document, Kodak says Apple shouldn't be allowed to claim ownership of a key Kodak imaging patent that describes a method of previewing a photo on an LCD. Kodak argues that the International Trade Commission and a US District Court have denied Apple's ownership claims. Apple, however, continues to assert that Kodak misappropriated its technology to get the patent. If Apple's ownership is upheld, then the company would not have to pay royalties or any infringement penalties to Kodak. It would also prevent Kodak from paying off its creditors by selling this valuable patent in an auction. Kodak asked the bankruptcy judge to consider this matter during a hearing scheduled for June 14. This would give the court a few weeks to make a decision before Kodak must file its patent auction rules and timeline with the bankruptcy court. Needless to say, Kodak's patent auction would go smoother if there wasn't an Apple ownership claim on one of the company's most important patents.
Scalado Album launches for Android, we go hands-on (video)
Scalado just released Album, its first ever Android app to land in Google's Play store. The company -- which is best known for imaging technologies such as zero shutter lag, Rewind and Remove -- usually provides software to device manufacturers instead of end users directly. Album is billed as "a simple to use, high performance, photo/video viewer with a clean and smooth user interface" that handles pictures up to 200 (!) megapixels in size. The app costs $0.99 and is available for both smartphones and tablets. It features some interesting touches, like the ability to browse geotagged images using a map view. We had the opportunity to take Album for a quick spin before launch and the app offers an intuitive and responsive user experience. Beyond organizing photos into the usual bins -- like the camera roll and the folders on your device -- the main screen lets you browse content by time (monthly) and location (including nearby). You can delete, share, rotate (in place) and crop pictures, plus display the file info and turn images into wallpaper. The grid view uses animated thumbnails for the videos and supports multiple selection. While not groundbreaking, Album is a solid app and the aforementioned map view is definitely worth checking out. Take a peek at our gallery of screenshots below (from our HTC One X) and hit the break for Scalado's demo video and PR.
Another reason to buy gold: nanoparticles help to kill brain tumors
Stanford scientists have used lab-made gold nanoparticles to highlight malignant tissue in the brain, making it easier for surgeons to cut out tumors while leaving healthy bits in tact. Measuring just five millionths of an inch in diameter, these tiny glistening orbs are injected into the patient and then left to bleed out through leaky blood vessels in parts of the brain that have been damaged by the disease. They then get stuck in the bad tissue itself, marking it out for the scalpel when viewed with the right type of imaging. It's not totally new -- we've actually seen gold nanotech deployed against the Big C in stem cells before, but better to be useful than avant-garde. [Brain image via Shutterstock]
Could future PureView devices support 4K video?
As we eagerly await the arrival of the 808 PureView, video professionals are pondering the usefulness of that 41-megapixel sensor. On paper, it's capable of shooting continuously-focusing 34-megapixel video that's then resampled down when compressed, but blogger James Burland wonders what it could do with less resampling. He claims that a member of Nokia's imaging team told him that shooting at 4K "might be possible," although there are plenty of issues that prevent it being achieved on the 808 handset itself. The hardware wouldn't be able to handle the storage or processing requirements, so it's unlikely Peter Jackson will be shooting on a Symbian-powered device any time soon -- but in any case it's an interesting pointer to the future of cellphone cinematography.
Nokia Creative Studio brings panorama capture to Lumia handsets (hands-on)
Nokia recently launched a new photography app called Creative studio which is available in the Windows Phone Marketplace exclusively for its Lumia handsets. Part panorama stitcher, part photo filter and part image editor, the app lets you take new pictures or chose shots from existing albums and tweak them to your heart's content. It features ten Instagram-like effects (including vignette and auto-enhance) plus seven common adjustments (such as crop and sharpness). We took the app for a spin and the UI is pretty slick, with an optional side-by-side before and after view of the photo you are currently editing. Once done, you have the option to continue applying additional effects and making further adjustments, save the image or share it. Twitter, Flickr and Facebook are supported, but sadly there's no integration with Windows Phone's People Hub -- you'll have to login to each service in the app itself. Check out the screen shots in the gallery below and hit the break for more impressions and some samples.
Instagram and Hipstamatic to announce photo-sharing partnership
Historically, Instagram has been the definition of closed. It's only available on one platform (iOS), and no third-party services were allowed to port content in via an API. According to Fast Company, that's changing today. It's bruited that Instagram will be opening its doors ever-so-slightly to one Hipstamatic, enabling users of the latter to tag their photos with lenses and filters, and then push them into the Instagram universe. It's being likened to Foursquare users pushing their check-in information to Facebook and Twitter, and it's bound to increase the visibility (and revenue) of Hipstamatic. Hopefully it's just the first deal of many to be cut, but on the real -- we're pretty sure an Android version of Instagram should've taken priority over this. Just sayin'.
MIT's laser-powered camera can detect objects hidden around corners (video)
One of the most thrilling things about human existence is that you never know what's lurking around the corner. It could be a newborn baby, a sweet job, a delicious churro -- doesn't really matter, because it's a surprise, and surprises are fun and surprising. Just don't tell that to the doldrum dwellers over at MIT, because apparently, they don't agree. The same team that created a camera with light-speed shutter rates has now expanded upon their project, with a camera capable of seeing around corners. Literally. To do this, the system uses a so-called femtosecond laser to send out extremely short light pulses -- so short, in fact, that their entire lifespan is measured in quadrillionths of a second. To capture an object lurking around a corner, the device aims its laser at a nearby wall, thereby allowing the light to bounce around the room before eventually landing on the concealed object. Once it hits the jackpot, the light will reflect back onto the wall, and eventually return to a detector, which can gauge the exact location of the object based on the distance the laser traveled. This happens over and over again at different angles, meaning that the system will ultimately be able to get a general idea of the hidden room's layout. Researchers hope that their system will eventually be used in emergency rescue situations, or to help drivers see what's around the bend, though there's no telling when any of that could actually happen. For a diagrammatic rundown, check out the video after the break.
Adobe Lightroom 4 is a 'substantial upgrade' with a 50-percent price drop
Still content with Lightroom 3.5? Check out Version 4, which has just emerged from public beta, and you may decide it's time for an upgrade. The revision brings a long list of new features, including improved highlight and shadow processing, better video support, geo-tagging and a Book Module for self-publishing photo books via the Blurb online service. Then there's the clement pricing: $79 as an upgrade or $149 new. Still not sure? DPReview has a detailed assessment at the link below, so don't be jumping to conclusions til you've read it.
PSA: Nokia 808 PureView not coming to North America
When we heard last year that the Nokia N9 wouldn't be coming to the US, we were left feeling a little letdown even though we half-expected the news. Espoo has assigned a similar fate to the esteemed 808 PureView -- our pick for the best innovation at Mobile World Congress -- and the same string of emotions overwhelmed us once more. According to Nokia's developer site, the 41MP-toting Belle device will enjoy a global release... with North America as the only listed exception. We assume this is in large part because carriers aren't expressing interest in subsidizing the device, but it doesn't necessarily mean interested folks won't have any way to snag an unlocked version to call their own. Several e-tailers, for instance, currently offer the PureView on pre-order. As long as this isn't purely an act of finger-crossing, we should at least be able to import it over to this side of the Atlantic soon enough -- at a much higher cost than the rest of the world.
Nokia pulls back the curtain on Carl Zeiss division, gives off that pro lens smell
Still not sure how the 808 PureView can best other pro camera rigs? Then take a trip over to Nokia's Conversations blog for an inside look at the obsessive scientists behind the Carl Zeiss Camera Lens Division. These are the men and women responsible for the module included in Espoo's 41-megapixel wonder and, of course, the Lumia line. So, what's the magic that makes these phones waft a "certain [professional] smell?" Why, that'd be their use of extremely aspherical, molded plastic lenses; a manufacturing process that creates sensors which lie closer to the surface and a dimple that allows for better refraction of light. The only downside to this high-end optical whizzery is the size required, so fans of anorexic handsets with exceptional imaging will just have to get used to those unsightly rear humps. Be sure to check out the source below for the full synesthetic quote and a more detailed glance at the world of mobile optics.
Visualized: Nokia's 41-megapixel PureView sensor (updated with video)
If you thought a bigger pixel count just meant bigger file sizes, then take a look above. That big guy at the bottom is the 41-megapixel sensor we saw unsheathed in our hands on, and responsible for those awesome Nokia 808 PureView shots we saw at MWC on Monday. The two above it are 8- and 5-megapixel sensors respectively, and give you an idea of the real-estate cost of packing a superior snapper. At two and a half times the physical size of the N8's prized optics, we think the PureView system earns its title as the biggest thing in mobile imaging somewhat convincingly.Update: In case you're still confused, one of Nokia's chief camera experts Damian Dinning gives a thorough walkthrough of the technology in our Engadget interview. There's also a Nokia video after the break.
Winclone tool for Boot Camp imaging comes back as paid app
Say the word "Winclone" to any Mac-centric IT person and you'll likely get a wistful sigh in return. The original Winclone utility, which provided a handy GUI wrapper around CLI tools such as the open-source NTFSprogs, did a spot-on job of backing up and restoring the Boot Camp partition of a dual-boot Mac. After Mike Bombich's NetRestore was EOL'ed, Winclone became a de facto standard; it made it into the workflows of enterprise desktop management systems like JAMF's Casper. (The NTFSprogs project, by the way, lives on as part of the NTFS-3G code and the commercial Tuxera NTFS driver for OS X.) Something so useful and free besides: it was bound to end, and so it did when the original developer of Winclone ceased work on it some years ago. Subsequent system updates broke the tool, and although third parties patched some of the underlying scripts to keep it limping along with Snow Leopard and Lion, it just wasn't all there. There are other tools, of course (like the open-source and powerful DeployStudio) but Winclone was so simple and straightforward. We missed it. I bring you good news, though, you toilers in cross-platform support land: Winclone is back, baby. New owner Tim Perfitt has revitalized the app and the twocanoes.com domain, and is now selling an updated and Lion-ready Winclone version 3 for a modest $19.99. Yes, it used to be free; yes, you could still muddle through with the hacked older versions -- but for anyone who's using Winclone in a professional environment, I strongly urge you to pony up for a license and support the resurrection of a vital Mac imaging tool. Hat tip to John Welch.
The Engadget Interview: Nokia Lead for Imaging Experience Damian Dinning at MWC 2012 (video)
Hot on the heels of yesterday's interview with Stefan Pannenbecker, we had a chance to sit down with Damian Dinning, Lead Manager for Imaging Experience at Nokia, to discuss the mother of all cameraphones -- the Symbian Belle-based 808 PureView -- which was announced yesterday at Mobile World Congress. With such incredible specs as a 41-megapixel sensor and f/2.4 Carl Zeiss autofocus lens, we wanted to get a better understanding of the technology behind this flagship shooter. Watch the video to find out how Nokia is redefining mobile photography by using sub-pixel interpolation and oversampling for high-quality digital zooming and image stabilization, plus improved low-light performance.
Ask Engadget: Best boardroom Skype gear?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Hugh, who wants his businesses conference calls broadcasted in eye-watering detail. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. Our office here in Sydney is getting some big screen HDTVs hooked up to a PC running Skype. We'd like to put together an amazing HD video conferencing setup with a webcam that can show the six or seven people around our table as well as a noise canceling microphone or USB table mic. Any suggestion anyone has would be great, thanks heaps!Let's improve the general standard of the traditionally dour boardroom IT setup by suggesting something world-class, okay chaps and chapesses? It's over to you.
Nokia teases with imaging-themed video ahead of MWC
Well what do we have here? Nokia just posted a delightful little video on its YouTube channel hinting at some kind of announcement during Mobile World Congress next week. The imaging-themed video entitled "Get ready to capture a pure view" shows beautiful snowy landscapes and uses words like detail, depth and definition. While we've enjoyed Nokia's recent foray into all things white, the company's current imaging flagship is getting a bit long in the tooth. Could this be about an N8 successor running Symbian Belle? Guess we'll have to wait until Monday to find out.
