Apple's innovation conundrum

At its Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500)is expected to unveil an update to its iOS mobile operating system, a new "iRadio" streaming music service, a refreshed MacBook lineup and potentially an Apple TV update.

For a company that's had such an amazing track record of successful product launches over the past decade, that lineup feels a bit dull -- particularly considering the long wait since CEO Tim Cook last took the stage.

At most companies, a year without a major new product release isn't cause for panic. But Apple isn't most companies.

Unlike more diversified tech competitors that sell everything from big data software to cloud solutions to servers, Apple gets 91% of its revenue from just four products: the iPhone, iPad, Macintosh computers, and the iPod. If you throw in app and music sales from the iTunes App Store, that share goes up to 96%.

Related story: Apple's profit problem

The problem with that business model is that it forces Apple to constantly come up with a groundbreaking new product. Apple has done a remarkable job at that: The iPod, iPhone and iPad have all defined their product category.

But competitors have eventually caught up to Apple, offering alternatives that look and perform just as well -- if not better. It happened with the iPhone, and it's beginning to happen with the iPad and Macintosh. The only product that didn't fall into that trap was the iPod, which was insulated by Apple's proprietary iTunes software and store. If anything, you can argue that Apple itself killed the iPod with the iPhone.

replacement to take on Google and Apple

Rdio, a top music streaming service, will appoint a new chief executive in order to sell more music and video subscriptions to compete with Google and Apple's move into the service.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Larner revealed that, "Momentum from last year has been tremendous, the best person to take this to the next level, it's probably someone with a different skill set. I'm a business guy and a deal guy. The next stage of the company is about building an enormous user and subscription base, and there are people out there better at that than I am."

An idea to combine Rdio's ad-free subscription service with its newer video streaming service, Vdio, is just one of the plans Larner wants the new CEO to push through.

Rdio have seen an increase in competition lately with Google launching its Play Music All Access streaming service and the anticipated launch of Apple's iRadio music service at WDC next week.

"Companies often outgrow their founding executive teams. Those who get the company off the ground aren't always the best at growing the company in the second stage into a mass-market product," Larner said.

Sony announces latest Google TV device, the NSZ-GS8 with voice control

Sony introduces voice control and more to the new Google TV set-top box, as announced in Sony's official blog.

According to the blog post users can operate Google TV with the Universal Voice-Activated Remote, "just say 'ABC' into the Sony remote and you're quickly browsing results. It's as easy as, uh, well, A-B-C."

Customers can also customise apps and share content from a mobile device to the new Internet Player, without the use of any wires or attachments.

Sony has also stated that you do not need an Android device in order to operate the sharing system, as the Airtight app can be downloaded for iPhone, iPad,iPod Touch and iTunes for £0.69.

The Airtight app operates in the background while using your device and enables airplay functionality with Google TV.

Sony's new Google TV product offers live TV, single episodes, entire seasons, games, websites and more - without switiching inputs or remotes.

When operating in Google Chrome, the new device allows for search terms rather than full URLs, as well as featuring a Flash Media Player for Flash-based video viewing.

Sony has stated that the NSZ-GS8 will launch in Sony stores and other electronics retailers in early July, priced at $199.

3D glasses

MOUNTAIN VIEW: While Google prepares to release eyewear that provides a window to the web, a start-up on the edge of its campus is readying glasses that overlay the internet on the world in 3D.
Atheer Labs on Thursday provided the first public look at prototype eyewear that lets people manipulate virtual objects, maps and more in the air in a style reminiscent of a scene in the film " Minority Report." 

"The whole idea is that technology is becoming smart enough to wrap itself around you," Atheer co-founder and chief executive Soulaiman Itanisaid while providing AFP a demonstration. 

"It is an opportunity of taking the internet and making it much more immersive, connected and helpful in a non-intrusive way; like our hidden guardian angel." 

Itani and Atheer chief technology officer Allen Yang described what their team is building as an extension of the trend of sophisticated mobile technology bringing internet services to people when they want.

"The next step, we believe, is natural interaction through computer vision," Itani said. 

"We worked hard to do that in portable fashion," he continued. "This is like putting the Xbox and the Kinect and the internet in your pocket running on a battery." 

Atheer is working on versions of the eyewear that access the internet by wirelessly connecting to smartphones or Wi-Fi hotspots and which have telecom chip capabilities to link to mobile phone networks. 

A prototype device in the Atheer office in a building on the Google campus in the Silicon Valley city of Mountain View allowed a virtual map to be scanned with the turn of a head and virtual objects manipulated. 

News stories could have images come alive with what Itani and Yang called "Harry Potter style" pictures. 

"It is like the internet now is stuck behind these windows we look through," Itani said. "Breaking that and putting it in 3D around you everywhere is a great shift." 

He gave the example of a wearer pausing to window shop and having discounts, exclusive items or other information pop up for them to see. 

Atheer is designing voice controls and camera capabilities into the Android-powered eyewear, which will keep internet imagery invisible until it is needed or until summoned with a gesture. 

"Our mobile 3D platform fundamentally alters the way people access information on the go, adding a natural interface that can be controlled with natural gestures and motions," said Itani. 

To address the kinds of privacy concerns that have been expressed about Glass, Atheer is developing a way for businesses or property owners to detect when devices enter and ask that camera features be turned off. 

"It is basically a system for letting people say that on their land, you can't take video without their permission," Itani said. 

The system will include a way to verify if someone has disabled the eyewear camera. 

"In the end, these things are really decided by society," Itani said. "Our role is to give them all the options. 

Itani and Yang would not discuss what, if any, talks they have had with Google about their project. 

"Google is really the pioneer in this field with Glass, and in many ways this complements that," Yang said. 

Atheer is building a network of developers to craft useful or fun applications for the eyewear and partners for making the gear fashionable. 

A product wasn't expected to be ready for consumers until next year. 

Google Glass was a common sight early this month at a software developers conference in San Francisco, where software savants here shared visions of games, weather reports, news and more delivered to the internet-linked eyewear. 

Glass connects to the internet using Wi-Fi hot spots or, more typically, by being wirelessly tethered to mobile phones. Pictures or video are shared through the Google Plus social network. 

Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt said recently that it will take "a while" before consumer versions of Glass are available.

A latest smart-lock is set to turn your smartphone into a key to lock or unlock the house doors

WASHINGTON: A latest smart-lock is set to turn your smartphone into a key to lock or unlock the house doors.

August Smart-Lock, designed by Jason Johnsonand Yves Behar, is a device attached to the door, which communicates with the smartphone via Bluetooth, reports ABC News.

The device's base plate is made of aluminum and attaches to the interior portion of the deadbolt and connects to the phone via Bluetooth.

The app on the phone then activates when in proximity to the base plate thereby locking or unlocking the door, depending on which side of the door the user is.

According to the report, the hardware is elegantly designed and all the functions are in the app and software.

The keys in the app can be sent to other people like an email and also allows the user to set permissions and check the lock status. It also allows the primary user to set access for another user by providing specific lock and unlock time.

Johnson argued that the soft key is safer than a physical key as users can password protect their keys and the back-end software is secure with a proprietary encrypted locking technology.

With other smart locks like Schlage Link wireless lock system and Kwikset's Kevo for 200 dollars, the August smart lock is priced at 199 dollars to be made available later this year, the report added.

bionic eye

A new bionic eye being developed at Monash University will help thousand of blind people to see light and shapes for the first time.

Future Land Rover Defender

Trust me i'm a mech

Colour Clock

Jan 2013

We’re suckers for innovative-looking timepieces and this watch which appears to have an iPod Nano as a screen, swaps conventional time-telling methods for shades of colour to indicate different times of the day. So, five to green means it’s time to get up and jump in the shower and if it’s half past red it’s time to power down the computer and leave the office.

Designer: Maxim Mezentsev

Papertab

       Hottest concept tech of 2013

One of the standout concepts from CES 2013 that might not be too far away from production, Paper Logic is hoping its 10.7-inch flexible paper tablet could usher in the next generation of slates. Running on an Intel Core i5 processor, PaperTabs can work together to help you get tasks done quicker. Sending an email? Simply type it on one tab then place it on another and off it goes.

SmartIron

Feb 2013

A virtual personal trainer, SmartIron uses a magnet to stick to plates, dumbbells and kettle-bells. Program in a workout routine and it’ll take you through it step by step, counting each hard-earned rep and uploading it to the cloud. You can then check your progress and set goals online.

Designers: Keith Nielson and Kevin Vann


Next January 2013: Ka-mu-ra

Hottest concept tech of 2013

Smart Hanger 

Hottest concept tech of 2013


Hang your clothes on this Korean design while you sleep and a stream of air infused with millions of negative ions helps sterilise bacteria. Meanwhile, a blast of far-infrared rays resists the development of mould. The “smart” deodoriser removes cigarette odors and helps your clothes smell peachy clean.

Designers: Beom-Seok Lee, Dong-Il Kim, Wan-Il So & Ki-Won Song


Next February 2013: SmartIron

Earth Simulator cost $400,000,000

Earth Simulator

The Japanese government estimates the Earth Simulator cost $400,000,000, making it the most expensive computer ever built. The budget for the Earth Simulator project was authorized for the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) and the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) in 1997, and NEC Corporation made the winning bid for the Japanese project.

Covini C6W 2012

2012 Covini C6W

It took nearly 40 years to bring this car from paper to the road. The project was started in 1974 but abandoned shortly after that because the lack of tech. This super car was built with safety, increased braking, and directional stability in mind and went to limited production of 6-8 cars per year.

Microsoft's new Amazing Technology

Microsoft's new Amazing Technology

Microsoft has Launched its Commercial Computing platform that enables the people to use touch and real world object and share the digital data at the same time. THe Microsoft platform consist of hardware and software that combines the vision based PC, Windows and 360 degree multiuser touch so as to create Natural User Interface for the Users.It was officially Launched on 29th May 2007 at the D5 Conference and afterwards was distributed to the end to end Software in 2008 to the clients .Microsoft and Samsung Partnered to announce the current version of Surface which is Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface

Ultra-fast helicopter in the works

Ultra-fast helicopter in the works 

Sokorskyx 

latest tech

The X2 first flew on 27 August 2008 from Schweizer Aircraft's (a division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation) facility at Horseheads, New York. The flight lasted 30 minutes.^[1] This began a 4-phase flight test program, to culminate with reaching a planned 250-knot top speed.^[10] The X2 completed flights with its propeller fully engaged in July 2009.^[11] Sikorsky completed phase 3 of the testing with the X2 hitting 181 knots in test flight in late May 2010.^[12]

On 26 July 2010, Sikorsky announced that the X2 exceeded 225 knots (259 mph; 417 km/h) during flight testing in West Palm Beach Florida, unofficially surpassing the current FAI rotorcraftworld speed record of 216 knots (249 mph) set by a modified Westland Lynx in 1986.^[13] The X2 flight was purposefully made 37 years to the date of the S-69's first flight

Latest Concept

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