Noted launches a new social music discovery app
With the digital age, making a mix CD (or tape if you’re old school) is a lost art. Different platforms have attempted to recreate this youthful experience but few have come close. However, the newly launched app from Noted, formerly known as Nusiki, makes it easier and more enjoyable for friends to share and discover music with each other.
The self-described “smart social discovery music platform” blends the best of social media and technology for its users. Noted combines a user’s music library with their friends’ music listening on the app for a smooth, interactive experience. Users can post songs from different sources and follow friends to discover the music they’re listening to. Best of all, the app learns from a user’s activity to provide a more customized listening experience with its “secret sauce.
I know you are asking yourself where can I get Noted, visit www.Noted.fm or download the app in the App Store or Google Play and follow us RubyHornet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWw-EgowSJA
Amazon Acquires Video Game Streaming Service, Twitch, for Almost $1 Billion
Back in May, Google engaged in talks with Twitch to acquire the video game streaming site for over $1 billion. Over the past three months, however, those talks died down enough to where Amazon was able to swoop in and purchase the site themselves for an all-cash buyout of $970 million. For those unfamiliar with Twitch, the website offers video game streaming service in which gamers can stream their gameplay to a live audience while offering commentary, insight, jokes, etc.
With the native implementation of Twitch to the PlayStation 4, the service experienced a huge boost in traffic and new members as PS4 fans wanted to share their gaming videos with their friends and the world. As of January 2014, PS4 users made up 20% of Twitch's channels alone, which is a stunning number considering how many pre-established channels had been created since the site's launch back in 2011.
Twitch CEO Emmett Shear had this to say about the Amazon acquisition:
Today, I’m pleased to announce we’ve been acquired by Amazon. We chose Amazon because they believe in our community, they share our values and long-term vision, and they want to help us get there faster. We’re keeping most everything the same: our office, our employees, our brand, and most importantly our independence. But with Amazon’s support we’ll have the resources to bring you an even better Twitch.
The future's looking bright for Twitch, especially with last week's news that Sony has sold more than 10 million PlayStation 4s since last November, the install base of Twitch users is only going to continue to grow. Side note: Twitch is also available on the Xbox One, but who really cares about that?
[via Destructoid]
Here's How to Easily Create GIFs from YouTube Videos
GIFs are the greatest thing on the internet next to free porn and memes. For some, GIF creation comes easy; for others, we rely on GIF creating services. When it comes to creating GIFs out of videos, it's a whole other story if you don't have the source file. Thankfully, one website allows aspiring GIF artists to create endless loops from their favorite YouTube videos.
gifYouTube allows users to easily create GIFs by simply taking the URL of any YouTube, adding a "gif" before the link, and setting the start time and duration of the clip. For example, I took Ruby Hornet favorite ShowYouSuck's "Homies Help Homies" video, which can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw3OakY9bvc, add "gif" to the beginning of the URL so it reads https://www.gifyoutube.com/watch?v=iw3OakY9bvc, then begin creating your very own GIFs!
There's no telling how long the service will be up, so make as many as you can while it's available! Below, you can find two GIFs I made from the aforementioned "Homies Help Homies" video and Auggie the 9th and Supa Bwe's video for "Mahjik."
[via Wired]
Google Seeks Patent to Integrate Cameras Into Contact Lenses
Photo credit: Google
The tech super giant that we all know as Google, has applied for a patent that details a way to integrate a camera into a contact lens. As if announcing the development of a contact lens that could continually monitor blood glucose levels of Type 2 diabetics wasn't enough, they continue to outdo themselves with this latest patent that is intended to help people with visual disabilities. This sounds phenomenal.
According to I Fucking Love Science, the lens is meant to work like this: "a small camera will be embedded out of the way of the pupil so it will not obstruct vision. Blinking activates the sensor for the camera. An advantage to using this lens instead of something like Google Glass is that the camera is able to follow the eye’s precise movement. Even the smallest sideways glance will still allow the camera to face the point of interest. The data collected by the camera can be processed to recognize a variety of properties including faces, motion, color, light, and certain objects." Basically, by fitting a camera into a contact lens, users could process all kinds of data that could then be relayed to a connected smartphone. Developers also hope to add a zoom to the camera, reducing the need for binoculars.
For those with a visual impairment, the lens will give an auditory warning to let the user know when it is safe to walk in the direction they are heading. The chip in the lens will also help identify friends and family through facial recognition by connecting to a database.
Although there is no telling when the contact lens will be available to the open market, the patent is groundbreaking, and to some of us photographers, it's a dream come true. However, some have argued that the idea is intrusive and even creepy. What do you think?
[Via I Fucking Love Science]
Nikon Is Awarded $14.5 Million From Sigma In VR Patent Lawsuit
It looks like Nikon has finally won its lawsuit against Sigma for its patented VR image stabilization technology dating back as far as May 2011. Recently, Sigma was ordered by the Tokyo District Court to fork over 1.5 billion JPY or roughly around $14.5 million as compensation for the company deemed by the judge for using Nikon's technology in their lenses. As of right now, there is no telling what the future holds for Sigma as they move forward in producing new lenses, but it's unrealistic to think that they will stop making optically-stabilized lenses. Depending on the decisions they make, it may result in Sigma raising their prices on future lenses. They may be forced to develop new technology or perhaps reach a deal with Nikon and continue to use their technology by paying a royalty. Either way, each alternative is costly, so we'll have to wait and see.
[Via Nikon Rumors]
Facebook To Acquire WhatsApp
Most of us can just go ahead and download the WhatsApp app for free, but Mark Zuckerberg instead choose to buy the company for a reported $16 billion. After acquiring Instagram for a $1 billion two years ago, this latest move shows that Facebook is trying to stay at the top of the social network game and be the number one way to connect to people online.
Even though the popular messaging app is being acquired, it will retain its own brand and operate independently just like Instagram. WhatsApp has seen some huge growth with its message volume nearing the global telecom SMS volume, which is incredible for the start-up, which is only 5 years old. The company also has over 450 million users a month, with 70% of those users being online on any given day, and more than 1 million new users registering everyday. With this latest acquisition, it will be interesting to see how messaging services will evolve and its effects on mobile carriers. For more information on the acquisition, head on over to Facebook here.
[Via Facebook]
Nikon's New D4s Camera Could Be Announced Next Week
Photo by Phoblographer
It looks like Nikon is gearing up to announce the release date for their newest camera, the Nikon D4s. The date for the announcement will be February 25th, which comes on the heels of recent sightings of the D4s at both CES 2014 and the Sochi Olympics. The new flagship camera will be priced at $5,996.95 and will offer new features not seen in the previous Nikon D4 model, such as HD movie recording at 60FPS/1080p and a new focus mode for 3D tracking (you can see the rest of the rumored specs here). It will be interesting to see what this new Nikon will have built inside of it, but right now, it's all just rumors. My guess is Nikon will deliver the goods, since this will be its next flagship camera, so I would assume the camera will be built with quality.
[Via Nikon Rumors]
Earphones Just Got A Little Smarter With The Dash Smart Earphones
With all the smartphones and smartwatches out on the market, it was only a matter of time that we'd see a new product out. This time, though, the company Bragi has taken a different route and developed the Dash Smart Earphones. As the word "smart" suggests, these are not your standard run of the mill earphones that only offers sound; no, they offer so much more. The technology inside these small wireless earphones act not only as headphones, but an MP3 player, microphone, USB Stick, and fitness tracker all in one single bluetooth device. Through bluetooth, you are able to connect to your smartphone easily and listen to your music without the use of cords, and it also has 4GB of flash storage so you can upload songs to it directly in case you leave your phone at home. Another cool feature is the ability of being able to monitor your work outs with the Dash keeping track steps, oxygen saturation, heart rate and more. Also the built microphone can either cancel out sound when you need quite time as well as offering a way to hear whats going around like when your riding your bike on bust streets. As of right now, there are still being developed but you can head over to their website to learn more about the Dash Smart Earphones here and back their KickStarter campaign here.
[Via Bragi]