Google finally added "Presentation" against "PowerPoint" of Microsoft to complete its suite of Online Office in Google Docs and Spreadsheets. May be the name can change in near future.
I guess this tool can come really handy to all the presenters around the world since nobody it is such a thing that you want to share with someone else and hence on need to carry it to the place of presentation (of course, provided the place has Internet connection). With the addition of Presentation functionality, Google is now ready with weapons against MS`s Word, Spreadsheets and Powerpoint. Now these three application are ready for normal usage , but Google has to toil hard to make it professionally useful to make it look appealing to business world.
I tested with it by creating a slide as follows.
The competition between Google and Microsoft will be interesting to see from now onwards.
In the world of technology innovation, one name will always remain in the hearts of millions - Steve Jobs. His legs are always on the accelerator of innovation and he drive his competitors nuts with the launch of "WOW" products one after the other.Steve Jobs becomes very restless if he doesn`t ship out some fantastic product at least every year.Call his insecurity to be at the top of his product line, call his brilliance and passion towards designing such products, each and every product Apple comes out which shows a kind of taste of excellence and design wizardry.
After steve stongly covered the PMP market right from 1GB to 160GB , with such an elegant technology, every competitor must be doing something as follows !
iPhone is still just 2 months before story when the world went "Ga-Ga" over its beautiful touch screen technology. People started waiting for the same kind of technology update in iPods too. Jobs acknowledge that demand and released today the best PMP experience in the world ! iPods competitors hardly reached to a situation where they were able to replicate some of the functions of iPod in their products, with the launch of iPod Touch, they will be again left behind in dirt to figure out how to do that in their products again. Steve Jobs is such a person who stretches its company`s limits internally to that maximum for innovation and in turn compels the competitors to accelerate thier process of developing new products. With iPod Touch Apple again goes miles ahead of the other products of same category.
See it in motion to believe this marvel once again
People apart from USA were not able to use the iPhone since it was locked with providers and they had to wait till it comes through thier local providers. There were people in such countries who wished "Forget the phone, I want to use the rest of the iPhone". I was among them too :) And guess what, it really turned true.Now iPhone minus mobile phone function = iPod Touch is available to rest of the world for holiday season. The timing is so right. the people who really want the functionality apart from mobile phone functionality , they will buy it certainly. It comes with spectacular specs as below:
• Thinner than the iPhone - only 8mm • Same multitouch pinch & spread zooming controls for photos as the iPhone • Same coverflow as the iPhone • 3.5" diagonal screen • Wi-Fi 802.11b & 802.11g - it can save your home network setup • Home button • Slide to unlock - same as the iPhone • Sensor for auto-landscape viewing • Safari - connect to the internet via WiFi • YouTube via WiFi • 22 hours audio, 5 hours video playback • Shipping worldwide this month - already localized into many languages • 8GB - $299 • 16GB - $399
Apart from iPod touch - iPod Shuffle (red) and fatty nano with video and iPod Classic (Video) were also refreshed from the ground up all set for the holiday season.
One more thing..the iTunes Wi-Fi Music store and the partnership with starbucks is again a trend setting ventures in the digital age where people will buy songs on the go!
It was May 29, 2007 when google launched its new street search called "Street View" in selected cities of USA. Why is it that whatever new feature google launches become an instant hit. Everybody says "Oh my Gosh, I really wanted this ?" These all are simple and superb ideas which help us to navigate through life more conveniently.
Street View is such a simple concept where user is able to see the images of the street from a view equal to driving a car or bike or better walking.
Look at the video below to find out what it can do ? This is the demo from Google to explain what wonder can this thing can do when stitched together on Google Map Service.
When I saw it I got very curious about "How do they do it ?".First of all how can they take such snaps ? I could understand the satellite view maps are taken by satellite but Street Views ? How ? I soon discovered the trick.Those snaps are actully taken by a automatic 11 lens camera mounted on a top of a car running through the streets and clicking the roads.The camera is called Dodeca 360 which takes the snap and also records GPS co-ordinates for that place. I heard that the camera is 100 mega pixel camera which takes 30 frames per second. Google don`t do it themselves.A company named Immersive Media gets thsi job done for Google.Ths camera is capable of giving 360 degree view + Top view(i.e if you are on your vehicle then using this View you can see all the sides except just below you.) Excellent views, what else we can demand for ? Yes for Google map to have all the maps of the world they have to run the car throughout the world streets to ge it included in the map. Well its a hard way to do, but there is no shortcut for such tasks. The images are so crisp that you can read the Car Parking timings, hoardings and all which we can`t even see through naked eyes. Simply great. See the images of the car and the camera below, the real hero behind the "Street View"
The car carrying that Super-Camera:
The 11 lens camera at the top of vehicle:
We can guess where the future is going. First there were Paper Maps with rough maps. Since that was not enough more detailed street name maps came up. Then the digital form of it with Google Maps. While that was not enough there came satellite images and now street views. Still these are static images of the world we see.I guess with this pace people will wish that they could see the real 3D world that too in real time. Ya you guessed right for that you will require Video Camera shots from every nook and corner of the world instead of static images short and like we stitched images we will stitch videos to see everything come to life, real. Well just an imagination :)
We sometimes think that everything in technology is rocket science which is in reality based on such a simple aspect or idea on which Street view is based on. This street View concept is still new in the US, not even avilable in Japan, Europe yet, and Google is trying to cover US streets as far as possible.
Will such views will come to India too ? Not sure, since the present google earth or Microsoft`s Virtual Earth poses a danger to National Security. If this is done, then it may add to the trouble if we view it from sercurity aspects. What do you think ? Do we not deserve such detailed navigation in India too or should we found out some other way ? What can be that way ? If you have some inputs please share it here. Japanese people too feel a bit insecure with such detailed maps.
While the world politics and security related people are defending their stance, Google is buying companies like one goes for grocerry shopping. History proves that google has always bought the best of the lot like Youtube, Blogger, Writely, Panaromic and what not.And also finding it new ways to make the search as easy as posssible. Street View is just one more example to it.
P.S Earthmine way of collecting data.
Updated; I came to know about few such street video technologies like
If you have Internet Connection, Browser and a webcam then you can generate following results and can use these snaps in any of your "Web presence Sites" or can take the hard copy of it from your nearest photo developer store or you can just take it for fun to share with your family/friends.
You can have following fun with your snaps.
Clear :
Filter: (You can select any one of it by clicking on one option amongst them.)
Distorted: (You can select any one of it by clicking on one option amongst them.)
Scenes: (You can select any one of it by clicking on one option amongst them.)
Frames: (You can select any one of it by clicking on one option amongst them.)
So how do you do this ? The answer is pretty simple and straightforward ! MAC users must be quite aware of a built-in software called Photo Booth. This is its brother on internet which works both on MAC and Windows. So the process is as follows. 1. Fire Up your Browser 2. Go to this link. 3. It may ask you "Can I use Camera" Allow or Deny...? Choose `Allow`(at least it asked on MAC,) 4. Then you will see your snap on your screen. Then experiment with the right vertical strip on the right side.Try Different options and select your options like Clear, Filter, Distort, Scenes and Frames. Select your fav among it and then press "Camera" mark to take snaps.
When you are through taking the snap, you have three options to do, 1. You can save it to pulic Gallery 2. You want to download the taken snap 3. Print it to full page 4. Delete it
We will most of the time like to download, so download it and see the result. Use the snap then where ever you want, print it and have fun.So take some snap and share with me too if you like.
Technology like this one can really bring some fun in our lives.
This TV series was first aired in the United Kingdom, where it was hosted by Chris Tarrant.The first time it was aired was on Sept 4th 1998. So not so much old. The peculiar thing about this show is that, the emphasis is not on speed but its on the suspence the question create. Apart from that the concept of "Lifelines" and using real "cheques"is also unique.It was such a hit that after UK, many other countries like US, Australia, finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Japan and ofcourse our India and more countries also followed the same suit.
Yesterday i was seeing the Japan version of it. Everybody has seen KBC, but just thought about how Japan plays that game and discovered this following video which is a episode with legendary sumo wrestler "Konishiki".The sets are almost same but because of his size, the show had a special seat made for him. Also note the Japanese Version of "Phone a friend" which is actually in this version have people related to contestant (Friends, Associates and Teacher) called "Study" to help the contestents. That was kind of intrestign to me. Also see how they use 50-50 and the use of "Final Answer" in the end. Also see how everybody prays when the contests is waiting for the host(Minorikawa Norio also known as Mino Monta) to answer. That also reveals the emotions of this part of the world. A word about the host. "Minorikawa Norio" also known as "Mino Monta" is the host of this series in Japan.On November 28, 2006, he set the Guinness World Record for the television host who had appeared live for the most time (21 hours, 42 minutes) during a week.Also note how they introduce theie celebrity guest and see how the answer is explained in the end.
The clip below is a cam recording of TV itself, hence the poor quality but I guess above description whould help us to understand the clip.
KBC, is really a "food for thought" kind of game and really our TV Technlogy is helping us to improve on this aspect of our lives in each county in its own unique way. Do tell me what thoughts came to your minds when you were seeing it.
Was just wondering about the high speed trains(Long distance)in the world. In the process discovered some amazing facts about the high speeds train in the world ranging in the speeds.
First of all I started with the search on our Indian trains. Bhopal Shatabdi Express from Bhopal-New Delhi is the fastest train in India with the Commercial Speed (i.e., total distance covered divided by total time taken, including scheduled stoppages) of around 89.49 kms/h. The same train has recorded a top speed of 150kms/h recently. Mumbai Rajdhani is second highest in India with the commercial speed of 86.76 kms/h.
Feel the speed of Bhopal Shatabdi Express crossing a station.
Get a glimpse of Mumbai Rajdhani passing by on the tracks.
Then moved towards the international scene and discovered as follows. "MagLev" (MAGnetic LEVitation) of Japan is the fastest train under the sun which set the highest record speed of 581 Kms/h (Commercial Speed : 501 kms/h).
See this video to meet MAGLEV in person :
A normal Airbus A380 has a speed of aroung 900Kms/h.
Not all trains in Japan run with that speed. The average speed of long distance journey with Shinkansen (a.k.a Bullet Trains) is from 130 to 300 Km/h. Like for explample the distance between Tokyo and Osaka (like Mumbai to Delhi) is baout 550 km and with shinkansen it takes around 2.5 hours for the journey.
Who are the competitor to Japan`s Maglev then in the whole world. The Maglev is number one in the world using the unconventional track (magnetic-levitation), but in the uncocnvetional (non-magnetic) tracks its French TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) recorded a test speed of 574.8 Kms/h.
There are few more intresting trains in Italy(Direttissima: 254 kms/h), Germany(Transrapid 08 : 501 km/h), Taiwan (THSR: 335.50 kms/h) and South Korea (KTX : 300 kms/h).
So lot of latest technology is helping human being to reach to their destinations as fast as possible.
Man simply started with the invention of a wheel, then bullock/horse cart, bicyle (Speed : 15 km/h), then automated mopeds, then Cars, then Trains, then Planes, then Rockets and going towards making of time machine. May be soon in the near future the dream of human being "With the press of a button I am in India, With the press of button I am in Japan or anywhere else in the world " may come true. I don`t know that will we be able to witness that era. But whats wrong in hoping of such time since we have evidence of human progress in that direction.
It`s almost 2 months from the release of iPhone and people around the world were trying to free the iPhone so that they can use it with any GSM Service provider they like.
Now, iPhone can be finally used by "ANY" GSM carrier service across the world !
So finally team from "iPhoneSIMfree.com" have freed the iPhone from the clutches of AT&T and have provided evidence of their claims by demonstrating that they can used with T-Mobile (The Second carrier in US). Engadget confirms this news.
Below is the around 1 minute video from Engadget showing the proof of concept of Unlocked iPhone.
http://www.iphonesimfree.com/ has announced that they will start selling the SIMFree mobile very soon. For us it means that now iPhone lovers don`t have to wait till Apple ties to their countries` local carrier. If your country has GSM network you can buy it now instead of waiting for next year which was the prpbable release date for iPhone in countries other than US and Europe. To simplify it more, now if someone buys the iPhone from "iPhoneSIMfree.com", it can be readily used in countries like Japan, India, China and any country with GSM Service. So no more roaming charges. Use Local provders on the move.
History shows, when people were trying very hard to install windows on MAC, Apple relaeased "Boot Camp" officially to relieve the pain of the general users who are not so good at hacking. When people wanted iTunes with DRM free music , Apple fulfilled their wishes. Now when hackers have unlocked the iPhone, will Apple release a Unlocked phone itself ? Lets`s stay tuned when that happens.
Hey Steve, make the iPhone free. That`s what expected from you. That`s what this Unlocking of iPhone proves.
Update 1: iPhone Unlocking software delayed a bit due to the lawyers of AT&T
(Read this if you have uninterrupted peaceful 5 minutes with you. Will suggest you to see the below video in full screen mode.)
Ever thought where do our home/family/pets/friends/beloved stand as compared to whole earth ?Ever thought about where this earth came from ? What is the the comparitive size of the earth as compared to other space entities ? I am sure must have thought about it atleast once. So, as we go on searching about the answers, it turns out that earth is just a tiny little particle in the galaxy.
How can we compare it with other planets, stars? Well we can do it by observing the snaps of it from all possible distances from the earth. I guess the farther we will be able to send our spacecrafts from the earth the greater will be our understanding to understand the whole cosmos. Till that time enjoy the snaps in above video.
Just came across a lovely video which talks about how we should do Pranayama in much great details. It would be worth watching it again and again till you get it right. There are simple 3 basic steps to follow. Just have a look at it and tell me if it helps.
The omnipresent videos era are helping a lot to make us understand the life in more better ways. The video above is a link in the whole chain for such kind of experience. Earlier we need to go to some expert to know whats being explained in the clip.But things like youtube helps us a lot.
Yes , at last the wait is over of all Mac Fans...with Steve announcing the most awaited Apple Product of the decade "The iPhone" at MacWorld 2007, San francisco. A soon as i came to know that Synaptics is the partner Company of Apple then I started imagining the possibilities the future may have for all of us. The "onyx" concept of synaptics technologies...which are innovators in Human Interface for computers/devices is really a revolutionary within itself which says you don`t require any harware buttons for operating a device. See this link for that concept. http://www.synaptics.com/onyx/ But i was wrong in guessing the partner company for multitouch screen.There were independent researchers too like Jeff Van who demoed themultitouch screen concept on big screens in Feb ` 2006 itself about a year beforethis iPhone was intorduced.Video can be found here,http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=884017118027634444&q=multi-touchBut later i cam to knew that the company behing this tech is FingerWork ergonomicswhich was well know in making gesture pads for MAC and PC both.See one example of it.http://www.fingerworks.com/gesture_guide_web.htmlI also happen to visit some places on net which gave insights about what was Apple upto... http://hrmpf.com/wordpress/51/apple-multipoint-touchscreen/ http://hrmpf.com/wordpress/54/touch-sensitive-ipod/ http://hrmpf.com/wordpress/48/new-apple-patents/ Everything can be converted to a software and just a pointing device like "Stylus" or "Finger/s" will solve the purpose. As Steve Jobs said in yesterday`s key note (9th jan at MacWorld 2007) that we have solved this problem in computers 20 years ago, where you use a bitmap image as a button for any operation and a pointing device like "mouse" for this purpose. In the same fashion that solution has been finally introduced by Steve in the third revolutionary product "iPhone"....after "Macintosh" (revolutionized Computer Industry) in 1984 and "iPod" in 2001 (revolutionized the Music Industry). It is bound to shake it for Cell Phone Industry now and Oh boy...he introduced the "iPhone" in his own unique electrifying and captivating way. Apple loves uniformity in such a way, that they have kind of squeezed the MAC OSX and built it as a foundation for software in the mobiles. A solid MAC OS X foundation helped Apple to make waht they called "Desktop Standard" applications...which i take it as..fully functional applications...no crippled small adjustment kind of application. The look of the phone is similar to ultra-brightening shine of MAC OS X on Macbooks, MBP or iMacs...Its a sunshine phone... iPhone consists basically a combination of 3 devices.. 1. iPod (Music, Video, Photo and other) 2. Phone (SMS, Normal Calling, Conference CallingTouch Screen, BlueTooth, WiFi Enabled) 3. Internet Communicator (Mail, Safari, Voice Mails Visualizer) In addition to this it has three special sensors for sensing the proximity of your face so that when you are picking up the phone the video fades out, then for a light sensing (for adjusting lights according to surrounding light conditions) and for mode sensing (Portrait or Landscape for automatic fliping of screen) When you are scrolling a list, the faster you move your finger the faster will be the movement of list....and it would be like you are playing with a wheel. Stay tuned...more to come.... I think this is just a begining of real digital age. We wil also see more innovations from other companies too..since this "iPhone" has triggred a new race for out of the box innovations.
