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Thursday, Januar y 6, 2011
ANGRY BIRDS FLY INTO 2011 CES WITH GEAR4
Consumer Electronics Daily News ing early adopters.” iisu™ is the de facto standard in gesture recognition middleware (GRM), with more than seven years of research and development behind its creation. Compatible with Adobe Flash, Unity 3D and 3DVIA Virtools development environments, its uses include video game projects as well as many other non-gaming markets including fitness, senior rehabilitation and e-learning. The versatile nature and openness of iisu makes it very compelling for developers interested in multi-platform compatibility (e.g. PC, console, set-top boxes) that allows apps to be released on Windows or Linux. The iisu™ SDK is compatible with most 3D cameras on the market, regardless of the type of underlying technology (structured light, time of flight
and stereoscopic). Developers interested in the early release of Softkinetic’s B2C Partner Program are recommended to apply now at www.softkinetic.net. A full launch of the program kicks off at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next month. Softkinetic and Optrima-Namuga will be demonstrating their latest technological advances in private meeting rooms at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show. For business appointments, contact Sean Karoonian at Softkinetic, s.karoonian @softkinetic.net. For press appointments, contact Wendy Beasley at TriplePoint, wbeasley@triplepointpr.com.
Softkinetic, the leading 3D gesture recognition software provider, recently announced the soft launch of the B2C Content Partner Program, in which developers will be able to purchase a combination of Softkinetic’s iisu™ middleware as well as a consumer 3D camera prototype, and an exclusive training and support program. The B2C Content Partner Program is targeted at game and application developers willing to dive into the new world of gesture-based application, with the opportunity to learn and prototype innovative applications for consumers through
Softkinetic’s training and support offering. Developers can apply immediately online at www.softkinetic.net. “We’re looking for partners with experience in building innovative input applications, such as Wii™, iPhone® and Microsoft Kinect™,” said Michel Tombroff, CEO, Softkinetic. “The consumer market for gesture-based application is in its infancy, and the opportunities are endless for those who are able to build immediate consumer projects. We want to provide the tools and support at a minimum price to the most talented shops out there while diligently support-
Vapor Corp. (Con’t. from p. 1)
customarily marketed tobacco products under the Tobacco Act. Of course, in the event that Congress prefers that the FDA regulate e-cigarettes under the FDCA’s drug/device provisions, it can always so decree,” the Court declared. “We are extremely pleased with this court ruling,” said Kevin Frija, President and CEO of Vapor Corp. “The ruling finally resolves any lingering doubt which has challenged the electronic industry for quite some time now. Vapor Corp. has always been proactive in taking many steps to ensure the responsible marketing of our electronic cigarettes. Vapor Corp. in no way markets its product as smoking cessation devices; we
market our product as an alternative to smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes,” added Frija. “There are over 1 billion smokers in the world today, and recreational tobacco is a 100 billion+/year industry. Vapor Corp. is the industry leader for electronic cigarettes, and we have been working diligently to enter into very visible distribution channels across the United States. With today’s legal victory, we are best positioned among our competitors to quickly capture an even greater market share for our products,” added Frija. About Vapor Corp. Vapor Corp., is a marketer and distributor
of electronic cigarettes, whose brands include Fifty-One, Krave, EZ Smoker, Green Puffer, and Smoke Star brands. Electronic cigarettes are electronic devices that vaporize a liquid solution, which simulate a smoking experience without the burning of tobacco, and as such, no smoke or noxious odor is dispelled from the device. The company currently sells its electronic cigarettes internationally and domestically through distributors, wholesalers and direct to consumers through its websites and direct response television marketing efforts. For more information, please visit http://smoke51.com or www.vapor-corp.com.
electronics devices are expected to be in the more than 800 million homes with broadband connections, and this proliferation of Web-enabled, smarter devices has consumers warming to the concept. For example, to meet the insatiable appetite for entertainment in homes, smarter algorithms in devices like TVs could adjust
programming and advertising to individual tastes, and TVs with Web browsers could host data from connected devices like lighting, thermostats and smart meters. In the kitchen, refrigerators could adjust cooling temperatures based on the volume of items stored, and on the health and well-being front customers could monitor their health
through tools like Internet-connected medical devices, such as a pulse oximeter that can determine if oxygen levels in blood are low and alert health professionals. To learn more, visit the Smarter Products for the Home knowledge center in the new IBM Electronics Virtual Briefing Center, www.tiny.cc/IBMElectronics.
life, 15 laser lumens, a category-leading 5,000:1 native contrast ratio, and the shortest throw ratio of any pico projector on the market. The SHOWWX+ displays large, bright images even in close or cramped environments, such as on the back of an airplane seat, a hallway or even an elevator. The shorter “throw” of SHOWWX+ allows users to project images that are twice as big as images from competing products from the same projection distance. SHOWWX+ offers a simple experience for expanding viewing experiences beyond a palm or pad-sized screen. Users simply connect Apple devices via the included high-quality video component cable and play media
from their own device to instantly project it. They can combine an iPhone with an application such as Netflix and SHOWWX+ to get a big-screen movie experience virtually anywhere. SHOWWX+ is powered by MicroVision’s PicoP® display engine, which uses patented laser-scanning technology to create large, vivid, uniform images that are always in focus, at the highest contrast, in the widest field of view. Unlike other pico projectors, SHOWWX+ does not require complex lenses, focus wheels or color wheels. The architecture of the PicoP display engine not only contributes to the slim size of SHOWWX+―about the same size as an iPhone―it also allows for efficient
power consumption enabling a longer battery life. With MicroVision’s laser-scanning technology, every pixel is the same intensity, creating vivid, saturated colors and brightness that are uniform from the center of the display to the edges. Images never experience color breakup or rainbow artifacts, even in fast-moving video scenes or when the projector or the viewer’s head moves. In addition, laser images are always in focus regardless of variations in projection distance or display surface, making SHOWWX+ ideal for emerging ultramobile applications like iPhone games that use accelerometers and gyroscopes or augmented reality.
“Intelligence” in the Intelligent Mobile Hotspot category. With the MiFi OS, GPS, on-board widgets and application support, the next generation of MiFi will allow any device with a browser to leverage its value-adding applications and widgets. By hosting critical applications on a MiFi, users no longer need to download and install the program on each individual machine, meaning applications like AutoVPN connection, file sharing and streaming video could
greatly improve efficiency for small workgroups. Also, because the MiFi comes with an embedded GPS-chipset, your devices will be able to use programs like local weather and locationbased services. As these 4G networks are rolling out across the world, take the intelligent approach to leveraging the faster speeds, improved reliability and more robust infrastructure. There are multiple 4G mobile broadband solutions to
fit your specific needs, whether it’s a USB modem, embedded in the device or a MiFi Intelligent Mobile Hotspot. Get yourself connected to the mobile 4G networks anywhere―in the home, in the car and on-the-go and you’ll be happy when you’re seamlessly communicating on your next online videoconference or blasting through the next season of your favorite show online. For more information, visit www.nvtl.com.
smoking cession aids, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration lacks the authority to regulate these products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”), and has no authority to block the importation of these electronic cigarette products. “Together, Brown and Williamson and the Tobacco Act establish that the FDA cannot regulate customarily marketed tobacco products under the FDCA’s drug/device provisions, that it can regulate tobacco products marketed for therapeutic purposes under those provisions, and that it can regulate IBM (Con’t. from p. 1)
into an “Internet of things,” and soon there will be more than one trillion connected devices. Though the concept of a smart home has been talked about for many years—by 2013, 1.2 billion connected consumer MicroVision (Con’t. from p. 1)
images and video on any surface, casting a 12-inch to 100-inch image depending on lighting conditions. SHOWWX+ works with many other devices as well, anything with video-out or VGA functionality, including mobile phones, notebooks, cameras and camcorders. Now, there’s no more squinting and huddling when mobile device users share content. With a 50 percent brighter display within the same slim size as the awardwinning flagship model, SHOWWX+ is the first laser pico projector to offer a big-screen, movie-length experience in a form factor that easily slips into a shirt pocket. It features two hours of battery Novatel Wireless (Con’t. from p. 52)
existing Wi-Fi enabled devices, just connect to the Novatel Wireless MiFi, and let MiFi provide your onramp to the 4G network. It doesn’t get much easier than that. In addition to simultaneously delivering seamless 4G speeds to multiple devices, the new 4G MiFi will be capable of going beyond pure connectivity to truly highlight the
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