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Showing posts from September 7, 2010

Hope for paralysed patients: ‘The brain speaks’

Hope for paralysed patients: ‘The brain speaks’ In what could let severely paralysed people speak with their thoughts, scientists claim to have found evidence that the human brain speaks. In a study, a team at University of Utah translated brain signals into words using two grids of 16 microelectrodes implanted beneath the skull but atop the brain, ‘The Journal of Neural Engineering’ reports. “We have been able to decode spoken words using only signals from the brain with a device that has promise for long-term use in paralysed patients who cannot now speak,” said lead scientist Prof Bradley Greger.Because the method needs much more improvement and involves placing electrodes on the brain, the scientists say it will be a few years before clinical trials on paralysed people who cannot speak due to so-called “locked-in syndrome“.In their study, the scientists showed the feasibility of translating brain signals into computer-spoken words. They placed grids of tiny microelect

Steve Jobs unveils upgraded AppleTV

Steve Jobs unveils upgraded AppleTV Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled a new AppleTV device on Wednesday, saying that it would allow users to download and view an unprecedented variety of movies and TV shows. The new device debuts four years after the company first introduced AppleTV, which Jobs acknowledged had not been a huge hit. But Apple’s new push into providing TV and film content comes as rivals such as Google, Amazon, Sony and Netflix are all ramping up their efforts to provide streaming and downloadable content over the internet for viewing on televisions. Sony announced earlier on Wednesday in Berlin that it would extend its Qriocity video-on-demand service to Europe soon. Apple’s second generation device, priced at $99, offers viewers high-definition film rentals from all major Hollywood film studios at $4.99, and TV shows from ABC and FOX for 99 cents. “We think the rest of the studios will see the light and get on board pretty fast,” Jobs said. The new AppleTV

Apple set to launch smaller, lighter iPod Nano

Apple set to launch smaller, lighter iPod Nano London: Apple is set to launch a new touchscreen iPod Nano which is almost half the size of its existing version and also 42 percent lighter. The latest device no longer has the familiar touchwheel for moving between tracks. The new device was part of an overhaul of the entire iPod range unveiled by Apple boss Steve Jobs, reports the Daily Mail. Jobs described it as "the biggest change in the iPod lineup ever". As part of the iPod overhaul, the new iPod Touch was unveiled which is thinner, has the same high-definition retina display screen as the iPhone and also comes with a front-facing camera. The new iPod Nano has volume buttons, VoiceOver, FM radio, Nike+, a pedometer and works in 29 languages, Jobs told a press conference in San Francisco, US. Jobs also announced that iPhone users will be getting a software update that offers the ability to upload high-definition video over WiFi. He said when people take ph

Sony to take on iTunes, launches Qriocity

Sony to take on iTunes, launches Qriocity Bangalore: Sony is all set to come up with a video and music streaming service in five European countries including Britain this autumn. This step taken by Sony is a challenge to Apple iTunes store, reports Salil Goyal of WATBlog.com. Qriocity will deliver video, music, games and e-books for use on Sony devices including TVs, the PlayStation 3 and Vaio computers. The company announced at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin that the service will be available via Sony's Bravia TVs, the PlayStation 3 game console, Blu-ray DVD players and Vaio personal computers. Another area where Qriocity would compete with iTunes is that, it is based on cloud. "Services powered by Qriocity will revolutionize the way that users play, listen, watch, share, communicate, learn, discover and create their digital entertainment content," said Chairman and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Kaz Hirai. Qriocity will enable users to dow