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Apple snaps up LinX Imaging for its advanced camera tech

Apr14
by on April 14, 2015 at 8:26 pm
Posted In: Around the Web

LynX
Apple has reportedly plunked down a cool $20 million for LinX Imaging, an Israeli company that specializes in developing tiny tablet and smartphone cameras, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal. It’s no secret that Apple has focused heavily on the iPhone camera, encouraging customers to use it to become better photographers and showcasing such work in retail Apple Stores. This acquisition signals even more improvements on the horizon. “LinX cameras are significantly smaller than any camera on the market today, leading the way to DSLR performance in slim handsets,” said a statement on the LinX Website. According to LynX, it’s multi-lens technology offers…

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The European Union will reportedly file antitrust charges against Google on Wednesday

Apr14
by on April 14, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

Google EU 2

According to the Wall Street Journal today, Europe’s antitrust regulator is planning to file formal charges against Google for breaking antitrust laws. The charges are expected to be announced tomorrow and would be the first significant charges since Microsoft was fined by the group over a decade ago. Recode also reports today that Margrethe Vestager, who took over as EU competition commissioner in November, is flying into the United States on Wednesday and may make a statement after a meeting of the European Union commissioners. The case against Microsoft took over sixteen years from initial complaint in 1993 to the…

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Latest Chrome update touts push notifications and security improvements

Apr14
by on April 14, 2015 at 7:26 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Design & Dev, Google, Insider, Product Launches

chrome-new
Chrome 42 has now arrived on the scene. The trans-platform update applies to Mac, Windows and Linux browsers and can be accessed via Chrome’s download page. The Chrome Blog announcing the update cites major improvements for the new version including new apps, extension, and Web Platform APIs, including the Push API. As reported by VentureBeat, these let sites push notifications to users even after they close the page — but only with specific permission. With such permission, developers can use Google Cloud Messaging to contact a service worker (a script run by the browser in the background, separate from a Web page) to implement the notifications. In this release, notifications must be visible…

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Foursquare’s new Pinpoint ad platform sells ads based on users’ location data

Apr14
by on April 14, 2015 at 6:06 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

Pinpoint

Foursquare is today introducing a new advertising tool called Pinpoint, which takes advantage of the platform’s location expertise to target users based on where they go in the real world. Foursquare says Pinpoint leverages Foursquare’s 7 billion check-ins and 55 million users to pull together its data. That includes information such as how recently  consumers visited a location, their affinity to particular chains, and aspects about their lifestyle. Foursquare says it’s already partnered with numerous brands, including Samsung, AT&T and FedEx, to provide some insights on consumers. It’s even prepared a nifty little video visualizing some of its data. The…

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Netflix is adding narration tracks for the visually impaired

Apr14
by on April 14, 2015 at 5:25 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

Netflix is about to become a little more convenient for the visually impaired. The streaming platform is today incorporating audio description tracks into select titles. These are essentially optional narrations that describe certain aspects of what’s happening on screen, such as movements, facial expressions, costumes and scene changes. To listen to the descriptions, you just choose the soundtrack as you would select a different language. It’s a neat way to help the visually impaired get a better sense of what’s happening on screen. Netflix is starting the roll-out with its new Daredevil series – likely a nod to that series’…

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