Sharp IP team to be new entity under Foxconn

iam media

Just over a month since display maker Sharp came under the formal control of Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn), big changes to its IP operations are already in the offing. Nikkei Asian Review reported on Tuesday that the Japanese company’s IP function would be hived off into a separate IP management company on October 3rd, with one goal being to create more value from Sharp’s massive global patent portfolio. Speaking exclusively to IAM, Foxconn IP chief YP Jou confirmed how the responsibilities for the Sharp portfolio will be divided within the sprawling Foxconn IP apparatus, and revealed the team’s priority when it comes to monetization.

The new unit will be known as ScienBiziP Japan and based in Osaka, according to Nikkei. ScienBiziP is the same name used by Foxconn’s internal IP team when it formed its own independent entity in 2013. The Taipei-based ScienBiziP Consulting will own 20% of the new enterprise, with Sharp controlling 51% and the remainder split up among the executive team. The entire Sharp IP staff, numbering around 200 people, will make the move across, and the group will reportedly be led by a Sharp executive.

Augmented Reality Home Decor

I pulled the whole article, because it looks like a re-print of a complete press release. This is a natural fit for PicoP.


Yahoo News

There is a New Frontier to be Explored in Textiles!

NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Welspun (www.welspun.com), a conglomerate that specializes in home textiles, is thrilled to announce that it has secured the "Interactive Textile Article and Augmented Reality System" patent, which protects Welspun's new product line TILT. The patent covers a system that has textile material with a design motif and an augmented reality software application. The software application is designed to allow a user to scan the design motif on the textile material, and enter an augmented reality portal that is thematically related to the design motif. 

TILT by Welspun is a new brand that focuses on seamlessly integrating technology into textiles. The first product, Spin Tales, is an interactive and innovative bed set and rug for kids aged three and up. With innovative technology, a free app designed for the duvet cover and rug allows the user to experience adventures in augmented reality and engage in interactive games. Spin Tales is the first of many smart home textile products that will be introduced under the TILT umbrella.

"There is a new frontier to be explored in textiles - one that delights, engages, animates and connects - and as a company with global reach, it is important for us to protect the skills and knowledge needed to launch this new frontier of products," said Dipali Goenka, CEO and Joint Managing Director, Welspun India Ltd. "This patent will push forth avenues to engage users while fostering a learning environment with innovative and futuristic textiles. Welspun is excited to introduce products, that when enabled by technology, immerse the user to the point where imagination is intertwined with interactive learning experiences."

"Spin Tales is the first line of products to be launched under the TILT umbrella and we are excited to introduce it to the public at The Toy Insider's Holiday of Play event on September 21, 2016," said Qaizar Hassonjee, SVP & Head, TILT by Welspun USA. "TILT is about creating immersive experiences for users with innovative and futuristic textiles that incorporate technology."

For more information on Welspun go to www.welspun.com and for more information on TILT go to www.tilttextiles.com.

About TILT by Welspun Group:TILT by Welspun is an innovative smart home textiles company that creates interactive experiences through seamless integration of smart technology with home textiles. TILT will be launching their product line, Spin Tales, the first ever interactive bedding for children with a focus on storytelling, user experience and AR technology. The Spin Tales classic duvet and pillow case set allow readers to join Little Red, Three Pigs and Jack from Magic Beans on their adventures, or join Milo and friends in the Spin Tales Jungle rug to explore and learn about life in the jungle, by using an app that brings characters alive in 3D images. Spin Tales creates a unique bonding experience for children and parents; it draws them into an immersive world of stories and fosters learning in an interactive environment that is truly magical and playground cool. This is the first in a series of smart home textiles products that TILT is creating.

Welspun  -- Also makes Steel & Pipes -- and they are from India.

CastAR & Disney Infinity

This has my attention on a couple of fronts. One is CastAR -- any maker of augmented reality glasses is a possibility for Microvision's inclusion. (Nomad beats everything else I saw for field of view -- and any claims I've heard so far.)  

This also has "table top games coming to life" which was where we saw Microvision and Disney cooperating.  Disney (There's more, use the search)



Engadget  (much more at the source)

CastAR, the augmented reality company founded by two former Valve engineers, has set up a new studio in Salt Lake City with the goal of creating fresh mixed-reality experiences. To help fill the new digs, castAR scooped up a handful of developers who worked on the Disney Infinityseries at Avalanche Software until that studio was unceremoniously shut down in May.

***

CastAR, founded by Jeri Ellsworth and Rick Johnson, has been buliding a pair of augmented reality glasses that can be used in everyday and professional life. However, the company hasn't forgotten its gaming roots: One of its main goals is to create tabletop games that come to life with the castAR glasses. That's fairly close to what the folks at Avalanche were doing with Disney Infinity -- but instead of bringing reality to life, they fused it with the television screen.

Streaming & Mobile & Twitter

This hit the Drudge Report -- which is probably better than hitting any major news feed. 

Streaming and mobile is going mainstream and PicoP is going to make that rock.

Yahoo News

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Social media users were buzzing on Thursday as Twitter Inc prepared for its first broadcast of a National Football League game, a match up between the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills, which tests Twitter's strategy of putting big games on small screens.
The live CBS broadcast of the game will be available on Twitter's platform worldwide and is the first of 10 Thursday Night Football games the microblogging site plans to stream. Twitter users should be able to see tweet commentary running next to the game itself, complete with commercials.

Twitter has struggled with user growth and advertising competition, and livestreaming the games gives the social network a new avenue to attract users as it tries to catch up with rivals like Facebook Inc.

Media experts have said the NFL deal helps cement Twitter’s position as a venue for live video.

Twitter’s arrangement with the NFL comes as sports fans increasingly rely on the internet to watch video at the expense of traditional cable and satellite connections. Many already use Twitter to discuss events as they happen.

The broadcast will also be available through Twitter apps on Apple Inc TV globally and on Microsoft Corp Xbox One and Amazon Inc Fire TV in select countries.

Many Twitter users said they were excited to try out the new streaming platform.

"Not excited for @nyjets or @buffalobills tonight, but I will try watching #football on Twitter," tweeted Peter Katevatis (@CGWM_Katevatis).

Niantic Labs -- Games on the Go.

Pokemon Go is the first and the beginning of something quite new -- mobile computing. Gamers are always early -- When the maker of the games are looking at all of the other devices that could make mobile gaming more interesting... PicoP fits that quite well.

We'll keep watching for when, not if PicoP is involved --- PicoBit will make it possible.

At TechCrunch

“Our whole mission as a company is to evangelize this whole concept of playing games outside, real world games,” explained Hanke. “Apple Watch we think is a great vehicle for that,” he added, complimenting also the new Apple smartwatch hardware, which includes a standalone GPS and waterproofing, among other things.

“As other devices come on the market – if those are Android Wear devices or if they are devices from other quadrants that are interesting for gameplay and mobility, and being active – we’ll look into supporting those, too,” he said.

However, when asked about his longer term vision for the game, Hanke said that now the minimum viable product is out in the market, it’s really just the “tip of an iceberg” in terms of where the team wants to take the game.

“I think it will change substantially over the years.”

The only hint as to what’s in store was a nod to Ingress. “If you want to predict the future, you can look at the past,” said Hanke.

“A lot of what we’re doing with Pokémon, we learned through three years of hard work with Ingress and building up that community around the world, maturing that technology, the social aspect of it, the group gameplay, and the events for Ingress are really the lifeblood of that game,” Hanke said. “I think you can expect to see things like that in Pokémon Go.”

MPCL1A -

I'm not too thrilled with Sony about their new portable projector. It doesn't appear that there's much new here. 

I'm way more excited about the android equipped projectors - the Viewsmart, and the PicoBit from Celluon.

newatlas

On the short list of new features, this update adds the option to output the audio to wireless headphones or speakers via Bluetooth. It doesn't sound like that extends to input though, so users will have to connect to a media-playing device over Wi-Fi, HDMI or MHL.

Also new is a kickstand that folds up to form a lens cover, an included carrying pouch and the option to go for a gold unit, in addition to the standard gray model.

The MP-CL1A is set to launch in October for US$400.

Sony Blog

Video of Qualper Phone in action

Video

Found and posted on Reddit 

Diwali -- India's Gift Festival

"Not necessarily an American holiday."

I know when I'm going to be watching Micromax very closely..... 




Diwali Festival

Diwali is one of the biggest festival of Hindus, celebrated with great enthusiasm and happiness in India. The festival is celebrated for five continuous days, where the third days is celebrated as the main Diwali festival or 'Festival of lights'.

Different colorful varieties of fireworks are always associated with this festival. On this auspicious day, people light up diyas and candles all around their house. They perform Laxmi Puja in the evening and seek divine blessings of Goddess of Wealth. The festival of Diwali is never complete without exchange of gifts. People send for diwali to their near and dear ones.

Chinese Phone companies pulling out the stops

NEW DELHI: Smartphone makers Oppo, Vivo BSE 0.00 % and Gionee are pulling out all stops to make this a Chinese Diwali, spending over Rs 80 crore each on presence across retail stores and on marketing and advertising, double of what their Indian rivals are expected to spend.

Indian players including Micromax, Intex, Karbonn and Lava would be investing an average of about Rs 45 crore, as handset makers vie for higher market shares in the months that make up nearly quarter of the country's annual phone sales by value. Market leader Samsung and Apple will be fighting it out in the premium -- Rs 30,000 upwards -- segment, spending upwards of Rs 100 crore each.

"This year, we are going a step ahead and yes, we are investing more this year to serve our young consumers," said Sky Li, vice president of Oppo Electronics, which will use television ad slots as a major platform to reach a wider range of consumers, including metros, tier 2 and 3 cities.

From China -- Lack of innovation precipitates Apple's Decline

I scraped this one because it's good, and I don't know about the stability of the source.

Global Times, China

Apple's iPhone fever has apparently faded, however, the iPhone 7 announcement remains in the global spotlight. Despite a lot of rumors and leaks surrounding the new phone, expectations are generally low for Apple's next-generation phone, supposedly coming with processor and camera upgrades, new colors and a slightly different exterior style. These improvements suggest Apple has turned from a trendsetter - as it has been known as for years - into a follower of other manufacturers.

Next year will mark the iPhone's 10th anniversary. Over the past year, the global smartphone industry has been stuck in a downturn and only innovation can help revive and save the entire sector. Apple, however, seems to have been absent during the battle of innovation. The company's market capitalization touched $767.2 billion on April 28, 2015 before getting trapped in a downward spiral. Prior to the iPhone 7 launch event, Apple's market capitalization had lost nearly $200 billion from its peak.

In the fiscal quarter ended March 26, Apple reported its first revenue decline in 13 years. In its third fiscal quarter ended June 25, the company took a global hit. In greater China, Apple's revenue dropped 33 percent in the third fiscal quarter from the year before. A revenue fall to such an extent is generally considered a disaster, but luckily Apple still has over $200 billion in cash revenues.

In the global technology arena, it seems that Apple never invested heavily in research and development (R&D), but instead held to the lowest possible R&D investment. The iPhone maker that has focused on the smartphone world, in a stingy way, has for years failed to present any exciting innovations. In fairness, recent advances in the smartphone landscape have all represented a sustaining innovation, in the commercialization of virtual reality jointly pushed by Facebook and Samsung, camera breakthroughs unveiled by Huawei, curved phones from LG, phones outfitted with modular attachments such as speakers that Lenovo is betting on, or some so-called black technology - frameless smartphone display, curved screen, fast charging capability, dual-camera tech, and eye recognition features. But even in these little waves of change, Apple almost always goes missing.

When the iPhone fever cools and Apple's legend fades away, and as consumers embrace a return to reason, Apple should probably brace for a recession in the future. With smartphone users worldwide having just hit 2 billion this year, less than 30 percent of the world population and lower than the global online population of 3.5 billion, the curtain has only just risen on the smartphone era inaugurated by Apple. Smartphones have already become the most convenient and effective tool to enable Internet connection. At this time, we can't forecast who will be the next to stand out as the next huge innovator, but surely without Steve Jobs, it is less likely to be Apple.

Unlike Apple's previous new product events, Chinese consumers staying up all night to be among the first to get information about new phone details was no longer expected prior to the iPhone 7 launch event. The continued cooling of the consumption triggered by Apple's legend may still be good for the industry after all, making way for late-coming innovators to embrace new opportunities as well as open space.

Globally, sales of the iPhone have hit 1 billion, a record that may not be broken for quite some time. Banking on its iOS operating system and App Store that has gathered a galaxy of developers across the globe, and 600-700 million active users, it is unlikely that Apple will follow Nokia's path and tumble quickly. However, there are conspicuous signs that Apple is falling from its pinnacle. The fundamental reason behind the dismantling of the US tech giant's dominance is that with the Internet sweeping across the world, "Innovation is King" remains the supreme principle to achieve success. Thus Apple which rose to fame thanks to innovation may be destined to fade away because of a lack of innovation.

The author is the founder of technology think tank ChinaLabs. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn

New Products from Celluon at IFA - Check Reddit

Got Multiple alerts from some readers today about a post on the MicroVision forum from Reddit. I appreciate the heads up -- I'll be checking with Celluon's office outside Seattle to see if I can get up close and personal with this stuff this week.

Microvision on Reddit

Trade Korea

Haven't had time to post earlier this week. Visited Celluon @ IFA on Monday. I was really impressed by the PicoBit. They had several of them for exhibition.

They told me it is 50lm and is actually perceived 2 times as bright as the picoPro. The PicoPro was on the left for comparison and I can confirm it. Even though the ambient light conditions were quite bright, one could easily watch the saturated picture of the PicoBit. I found it very high quality.

Another nice thing is, that you now have an sd-card slot, as well as that you can connect with an iphone wirelessly, although they told me that you will just be able to show own content like pictures and so on, not yet downloaded content (and maybe also not streamed content).

The touchpad is a nice working feature allowing you to select pictures videos or anything else currently at display. Although I didn't find it as smooth as my iphone touch screen. But the reason for it might have been also my sticky a little bit wetted fingers.

There were even other projector devices presented, but unfortunately I didn't take enough time to try them out as well. I was told that the PicoBit will start selling at the end of September. At first from Celluon Website and later from Amazon. I was glad to hear that the PicoBit will be also available in Europe through Amazon. 

I am very looking forward to buy several PicoBits at the end of month :-)