TriMo Blog » Technology Focus

Google will now be on your TV

TriMo Staff — Mon, 24 May 2010 12:31:38 +0000

Last week Google announced the launching of their Google TV service. An alliance with Sony, Logitech and Intel, Google will be the first to market “Google TV”. Essentially, Google will provide the software, embedded in the TV or from an attached device that will run over its numerous services, starting with its search engine.

Below is a video that explains Google TV further:

Nintendo Wii finally has competition from Sony

TriMo Staff — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:45:22 +0000

Last week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Sony announced the Playstation Move, the final name for its Playstation 3 Motion Controller.

The Playstation Move is a small device resembling a microphone. According to Sony, players will feel like they were actually in the game, thanks to the device’s ability to detect movements, angles and positions with accuracy.

“The Move motion controller delivers unmatched accuracy through its advanced motion sensors, including a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer, and a terrestrial magnetic field sensor, as well as a colour-changing sphere that is tracked by PlayStation Eye camera,” said Sony.

Move is Sony’s bid to gain control over the motion controller wars that are currently led by Nintendo, with its Wii controller, and which many think will be dominated by Microsoft and its Project Natal controller system.

The video below is a trailer Sony provided to demonstrate functionality and features of the Move.

Playstation Move is expected to be released in Fall 2010 with close to 40 game developers including Activision, Capcom and Electronic Arts confirming that they will build games for the Move system.

Google Launches Tool to Search Public Data

TriMo Staff — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:30:03 +0000

This week Google launched a tool that would help anyone to obtain useful statistics based on a public data search. This tool, named Google Public Data Explorer, is the result of a partnership with the World Bank and many other prominent statistics gatherers and is displayed visually with easy sharing and embedding capabilities.

The idea of Google Public Data Explorer came about through Google’s analysis of the type of searches we perform using their search engine. Last year Google released a public data search tool that allowed persons to obtain useful statistics. However, it was seen as being ideal to use the public data search tool as a way to complement various information and data search requests. Therefore, persons who search for data on oil prices, minimum wages, exchange rates, salaries or even school comparisons for example can use Google Public Data Explorer for enhanced results.

The example below illustrates one of available search datasets that was embedded for sharing purposes.

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The chart above displays unemployment numbers for the last sixty-two years and breaks these numbers down by sex. Additionally, these numbers are based on persons over twenty years of age. If you press the play button you will see the changes in unemployment statistics that have occurred over the sixty-two year period.

Click here for a complete list of some of the datasets that are currently preset for Google Public Data Explorer organized by statistics gatherers. Also I have provided a presentation below to show how to use this exciting tool.

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Microsoft Finally Joins the Mobile Party… Again

TriMo Staff — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:13:46 +0000

Microsoft has finally rejoined the party. Windows Mobile 7 has been unveiled today at the Mobile World Congress in Spain. Now called Windows Phone 7 Series, there is now not only multi-touch capabilities but also XBOX Live and Zune integration. Expect to have the first phones with Windows Phone 7 Series released by Christmas 2010 according to Microsoft.

Windows Phone 7 Series Features

Microsoft’s new OS was much anticipated as the mobile operating system wars have been in full force ever since Apple’s iPhone release. Mobile operating system developers have been busy at work in an attempt to keep their operating systems up-to-date in order to compete. In the last 2 years we’ve seen Google release the Android operating system, Palm release its WebOS operating system and Blackberry and Symbian release numerous operating system updates. Therefore, it was inevitable for a release from Microsoft.

Now the first question on everyone’s minds has to be whether Windows Phone 7 Series can compete against Apple, Google or even Palm. Microsoft has been dubbed by many as “loosing their touch” with understanding what works in an evolving technology market. Can Windows Phone 7 Series remind us of Microsoft’s relevance in the mobile phone market?

I can guarantee that the months leading up to the release of the first phone boasting Windows Phone 7′s operating system will be very exciting based on the news, reviews and also critical responses. Stay tuned folks.

Viewing Controls are now Official on YouTube

TriMo Staff — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:52:35 +0000

YouTube is a household name when one it comes to online video. With the diverse collection of videos currently available for streaming there is no effective means to filter certain offensive and violent content. For example, a quick search of the term “freak” produces 411,000 results. Browsing these results reveal material unsuitable for certain age groups and even to persons easily offended by such material.

YouTube now has a solution that may assist with this dilemma. Today they announced a feature named Safety Mode. To use this feature, one would click on the link at the bottom of any video page. One can even lock his or her choice on that browser with a YouTube password.

The video below explains this feature in detail:

Responses may be mixed regarding this new feature. However, it is a positive step in the right direction for YouTube. Although it may not be 100% free of any loopholes or potential issues one can see this feature as a building block toward an online setting that everyone can utilize comfortably.

What are your thoughts on this new feature? Was this feature long overdue? Or will it prompt over online video streaming providers to respond with their own security feature additions?

BREAKING: Google Goes Social with Google Buzz

TriMo Staff — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:08:11 +0000

It’s official: Google has just announced Google Buzz, its newest push into the social media foray. This confirms earlier reports of Gmail integrating a social status feature.

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Google leaps language barrier with translator phone

TriMo Staff — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:22:07 +0000

GOOGLE is developing software for the first phone capable of translating foreign languages almost instantly — like the Babel Fish in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

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FBI wants records kept of Web sites visited

TriMo Staff — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:57:44 +0000

Internet providers should keep logs for two years, says head of FBI’s digital evidence section. But what about the practical and privacy issues?

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Priest introduces fingerprint check for kids at Mass

TriMo Staff — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:35:35 +0000

There are those who believe that enterprise has no place in religion. They are, however, very few in number.

Churches must use every commercial means available to attract devotees, be it advertising, be it incentivizing, or be it the latest in electronic surveillance.

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Office 2010 hits the release candidate stage

TriMo Staff — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:34:24 +0000

Microsoft has provided some early testers with a near-final “release candidate” version of Office 2010 as the software maker works to make the suite broadly available in June.

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