Amazon Alexa Programmers Twitch Channel

Twitch

Watch VOD: Deep Dive into Three Critical Aspects of Alexa's In-Skill Purchase API from amazonalexa on www.twitch.tv

One Look and you're in

Of course, they'll want better face scanning as this grows.



USA TODAY

“We’re removing the need for a customer checking a bag to present their passport up to four times per departure – which means we’re giving customers the option of moving through the airport with one less thing to worry about, while empowering our employees with more time for meaningful interactions with customers,” Gil West, Delta’s COO, said in a statement touting the airline’s effort to outfit Terminal F with the biometric technology.

The option also will be available to international passengers flying nonstop from Atlanta on Delta’s partner airlines Aeromexico, Air France-KLM or Virgin Atlantic.

They Will advertise like crazy the first projector enabled Smart Speaker

...especially on the NFL...

This is good news, it tells us these companies are all in on the space, will be competing for market share, and will shout about their new features.




BroadcastingCable


As the holiday shopping season closes in, we took a look at TV advertising trends surrounding a hotter-than-ever product category: smart speaker/displays for the home, and in particular the Amazon Echo, Google Home and the newest to market, Facebook Portal.

Data from iSpot.tv, the real-time TV ad measurement company with attention and conversion analytics from more than eight million smart TVs, reveals an interesting common strategy: these advertisers are more likely to spend big but air fewer ads than other top-spending brands — in other words, they’re making premium TV ad buys — and all three had the biggest budgets allocated to the NFL.

US ARMY Hololens

Hololens to Army, Bloomberg

Microsoft Corp. has won a $480 million contract to supply prototypes for augmented reality systems to the Army for use on combat missions and in training, the Army said. The contract, which could eventually lead to the military purchasing over 100,000 headsets, is intended to “increase lethality by enhancing the ability to detect, decide and engage before the enemy,” according to a government description of the program.

"Augmented reality technology will provide troops with more and better information to make decisions. This new work extends our longstanding, trusted relationship with the Department of Defense to this new area,” a Microsoft spokesman said in an emailed statement.

*********************

The U.S. Army and the Israeli military have already used Microsoft’s HoloLens devices in training, but plans for live combat would be a significant step forward.

HoloLens is one of the leading consumer-grade headsets, but a large consumer market doesn’t yet exist; a video made for the European Patent Office this spring said it had sold about 50,000 devices. That’s about half the number the Army expects to buy through its augmented reality program, which is called the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS.

With the contract, the Army immediately becomes one of Microsoft’s most important HoloLens consumers. It expects devices to vary from their consumer-grade counterparts in a handful of key respects. In a document shared with companies bidding on the contract, the Army said it wanted to incorporate night vision and thermal sensing, measure vital signs like breathing and “readiness,” monitor for concussions and offer hearing protection. It said the winning bidder would be expected to deliver 2,500 headsets within two years, and exhibit the capacity for full-scale production.

Women love Tech

Better with a screen.
Wants a small device
Moved to a larger screen

And that summarizes why Microvision's interactive display is perfect for this market.
(And third party players -- Google, Lenovo, JBL...)

Women love Tech

First things first – I really like the Google Home Hub for my home. As a not too huge a fan of voice-only smart home assistants, the display screen on the Home Hub is my favourite thing about it. But, a smart home assistant should do more than just look pretty. How does the Google Home Hub do overall – how does it fare compared to the Amazon Alexa smart devices, for example? How about other third party smart displays that have Google Assistant built in, such as the Lenovo Smart Display or the JBL Link View? Are there any features that Google definitely needs to improve on? Let’s have a look below.

The size and design – 10/10

You may think a perfect ten score for a tiny 7-inch screen is odd, but personally, I find the Google Home Hub’s screen size remarkably suitable for not just our apartment, but any size home. The screen size reminds me of my beloved Google Nexus 7 tablet that I used many years ago – one that fit my reading/sketching/video-viewing needs resoundingly well, before Google (and I) inevitably moved on to a 9 or 10-inch tablet.

Smart Homes, Google Assistant poll

Simple question. How often do you use Google Assistant?
Simple answer: A lot and more and more.

Very good news for us.

Android Police

The Author's Comments:

I find my own use increasing with time. I use it for things I probably don't even need to just because it's there, it's an option, and it allows me to externalize tasks — anything to ease my descent into monomania. But I know plenty of people that still eschew it entirely on privacy grounds (or even just the embarrassment of talking to a phone or empty room).

One of those reports...

In general I'm dismissive of such reports. (On this subject I'm doing the research myself.)

But this one had an interesting headline I haven't seen before that I agree with.


Pico Projector Market

Pico Projector Market will Generate Massive Revenue in Future- A comprehensive study on Key Player: Standalone

Pico Projector Market Report 2018

 Nidhi Bhawsar November 17, 2018

 

The latest release from HTF MI highlights the key market trends impacting the growth of the Global Pico Projector market. The study highlights influencing factors that are impacting or reinforcing market environment such as Government Policy, technological changes etc along with key market drivers. The research study forecast Revenue Opportunities and Sales Volume Area taken into consideration the primaries from industry experts and includes relevant data such as (revenue, market Size, growth rate, and product price) by important players such as Standalone.

Roku Wireless Speakers

I like to see this company getting into the smart speaker space. They're a very easy customer for display only in a product like this, and it wouldn't surprise me a bit to find that it's already on the agenda.

I see I missed their original announcement in July.

TechCrunch

In July, Roku unveiled its entry into the voice-powered speaker market with a pair of Roku TV Wireless Speakers designed to work with the company’s lineup of partner-built smart TVs. Those speakers will now begin to ship to customers starting on Friday, November 16. They’ll also go on sale in advance of Black Friday at a discounted price, Roku says.

The speakers were previously available for pre-order and will normally retail for $199.99.

However, Roku will sell them starting on Sunday, November 18 through “Cyber Monday,” November 26, for $149.99.

The company had earlier said the speakers would begin shipping in late October, so this is a bit of a delay on its part. But they’re still here before the holidays and in time for Black Friday, which is what’s most important.

History, Hololens and SLAM

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping -- An application for CONSUMER LiDAR.

Sure, you can use Hololens to view something programmed, and to design something new... but if you want to include something that already exists --- Laser scanning is where to go. (20 million points per second - 30 meters)

So, for education, training and collecting data SLAM with MVIS consumer LiDAR.

To experience it.... Near eye displays.... Microvision is there too.

When I look at this tech, instead of getting less enthusiastic about it, I get MORE enthusiastic about it, because it will revolutionize education, and make the people who use it much more productive.

40 years ago a lot of people wondered why people would want a computer in their home. There won't be any wondering about why people will want this and very few people have heard of this so far.


Holoforge





French History at Geekwire.


Regarding SLAM  GEO SLAM

E-mailed these guys about getting one of their units last year and they quoted a price of $34,000 and then you'd still need to purchase processing from them. I expect MicroVision's LiDAR to appear at an extreme discount to that price.

Sharp & Foxconn

When Foxconn made a bid for Sharp

Noticed this back in 2016, and somehow it get's posted as new news today. In 2016 we were sure, because of Robohon, that MicroVision had something going on with Sharp.

Maybe clickbait, or maybe for some other reason, it made the news feed.  This happens, but fairly infrequently... I'm not sure how or why it happens.


From Today Stocksbeat

New York Times 2016

Apple's Turmoil

Apple is in the middle of some turmoil.

They can't improve their phones enough to inspire a new flood of consumers for the new models.

That's good for us -- what phones need is a great new feature. 

Under all of that is that Foxconn has been rumbling for some time about making their own brand of smartphone (possibly through widely recognized name Sharp?)

If Apple has been treating Foxconn like they have often treated other suppliers, they may have created big trouble for themselves.


Apple Lacks and APP for Foxconn

Huawei AR Glasses

I think we have a good shot in being in all of them.

The leaks... they come from the developers, and they, like Apple, have developers building AR applications without the glasses... yet... expect it to explode on the scene.

And they seem to be tight with Foxconn

And Foxconn seems to be everywhere

CNBC

• Huawei is planning to launch its own augmented reality (AR) glasses, Richard Yu, CEO of the company's consumer group, told CNBC.
• Yu said the product would not be ready to be commercialized for at least "one to two years."
• Other technology giants like Facebook and Apple are reportedly working on similar products.

The Chinese technology giant already has augmented reality apps on its latest Mate 20 Pro smartphone.

But Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer business, told CNBC in an exclusive interview that AR glasses are in the works which could take the experience to the next level. These would be wearable spectacles that allow people to experience AR.

Samsung Foldable phone?

People are taking this seriously at $1700?

Projection that's less bulky with a much larger screen at half the cost seems pretty easy by comparison.


engadget

 the "Galaxy F" -- a name that's been floated about before, along with "Galaxy X" -- and will debut in March, around a month after a 5G-enabled S10. But it won't come cheap: Yonhap believes the bendy phone will be an exclusive device that could cost as much as $1,770, though it adds the company hasn't "settled" on a price.

Future of Education

I'm looking for a video I posted some time ago, and have been reviewing.

This was really cool.

Ed Sim Award

Hololens

This is going to be way huger than we think. This is making significant strides in enterprise applications while being nearly unheard of among the general public.

The other day I met someone who works for Thyssenkrupp. I mentioned a technology I follow that they're using and she immediately said "Hololens." It's Utility is well known.

I have 95% + Confidence, Microvision is in a coming significant release of this product. (And the product will "take the world by storm.")

Techspective

This week Microsoft had an update for their HoloLens technology which, I think, currently has the best shot at defining one of the major evolutionary pivots for personal computers. Right now, it reminds me a lot of the early days of the PC market. But instead of replacing calculators, typewriters, mainframe computers, and rolodexes this technology is replacing manuals, remote trainers, tablets, and wearable PCs.

What is particularly fascinating given how slow PCs came into hospitals, is that the HoloLens was just certified for medical procedures. This may help address my fear of hospitals by preventing problems like that poor woman that recently went in for back surgery and came out with one less Kidney (surprisingly she wasn’t particularly thankful).
But much like the PC evolved into a far more comprehensive tool, I expect HoloLens (and augmented reality (AR) in general) to evolve as well—not only in hardware (I’m really looking forward to seeing HoloLens 2 next year) but in how and where it is used. You see, I can foresee a time when we might put this thing on in the morning and not take it off until right before we go to sleep (if then).

Building Information Modeling Revolution

If you're following Microvision, you're way ahead of the curve on knowing about Mixed and Augmented reality. Most people seem to still think it's the stuff of science fiction and is a century away.

Read the enthusiasm in this article.

When people who are trying to get other things done see this, its utility is readily apparent, in practical use it has direct significant positive impact.

MicroVision's near-eye display is the best.

It will be part of everyone's AR solutions. 

Building.co.uk

"A revolutionary new technology using ‘mixed reality’ merges real and virtual worlds to visualise physical and digital objects co-existing and interacting. It is transforming the stairlift sector but its potential for the construction industry goes far wider – could it spark the BIM revolution we’ve been waiting for?"

**************

Now imagine the timespan from survey to installation drastically truncated fourfold to just 14 days. Also imagine a fully digitised workflow process that enables manufacturing of the stairlift to begin even before the end of the initial site survey visit. Picture too a means by which during that initial visit, both client and engineer are able to visualise a digital reproduction of the final stairlift design and make any alterations deemed necessary in real time.
Building Information Modeling

Comcast into Smart Homes

This space is going to be a gold rush.

....and this entry is interesting, as a content provider, it's going to have an even bigger urge to provide large screens in small packages...

Comcast.. C|Net
Comcast, however, has already built a platform that supports smart-home devices like connected door locks, thermostats and lights though the biggest screen in every house: the TV. Its X1 system primarily serves as way for Comcast's cable video subscribers to watch their TV programming, but it also supports smart-home devices already. X1 has also already integrating streaming video services like Netflix and YouTube, and it has a remote that responds to voice commands.

Foxconn may import skilled workers to Wisconsin Plant

I'm sure they will have some special skills needed which won't be readily available in Wisconsin.

France24.com

NEW YORK (AFP) - 

Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer Foxconn is struggling to find enough skilled workers for its planned facility in Wisconsin and may bring in personnel from China, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The report said Foxconn, which makes devices and components for Apple and other tech firms, is facing a tight labor market for the manufacturing plant, which is getting some $3 billion in incentives from the midwestern state.

The company has pledged to hire 13,000 workers at the southern Wisconsin site, but some reports say the total may be lower as Foxconn scales back its initial plans.

Nvidia Holodek

Watching their presentation now... new advancements being announced.

Laser scanning and Near Eye displays...

....Real time collaboration is the killer application.

.... extremely rapid penetration of the tech being used... 

Use in Architecture....

Really cool that they can visualize themselves inside a full-scale version of their own (potential) creation...

Much of this is about IBI using Holodeck in the real world to do work, and it's increased their productivity, improved their ability to collaborate -- they can explore a lot of design options quickly. The Avatars they use for non-verbal communication they find to be very important -- seems gimmicky at first, but key to using it to collaborate.

If the new video is available, I'll post it, it's amazing stuff. If you had any doubts about the future of AR / VR.... you can put them to rest.

Learning curve is very shallow.... easy to learn and use, people become quickly adept at using the tools. Very intuitive.


The video is from a year ago....

Galaxy Beam 5

First time my searches have hit on one of these in a while.

I would take this with a good deal of skepticism for the time being.

Yes, Foxconn does business with Samsung, and does assemble phones for them.

This isn't a mainstream publication, but doesn't have disreputable qualities...

Digital Overload

The users’ attention will definitely be drawn by Galaxy Beam 5’s stainless steel body and built-in projector. Buyers can choose from various colour options – Black and Midnight Blue. Besides, they will be happy to find out that the phone has extended autonomy: it can function for 25 hours without being charged even of the user plays movies. This is possible thanks to the 5,350 mAh massive non-removable battery.

These specs will turn Samsung Galaxy Beam 5 into one of the most wanted smartphones in 2019.

Bixby... Samsung

Samsung's Bixby voice assistant was specifically mentioned during a recent Microvision presentation. Much like Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa.

I think that some of the best early mainstream leaks will likely come from developers as they see interactive touch & projection accommodations in the code for these systems. 

Third-party developers are a lot less disciplined about secrets than in-house developers.

c|net

The mobile giant plans to open its Bixby voice assistant to third-party developersin an effort to compete with Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri and Google Assistant, according to The Wall Street Journal. At an event in San Francisco next week, Samsung will reportedly detail how developers can create "capsules," which work like Alexa's skills, to make Bixby do things like turn on a TV or find a recipe for dinner.