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Thursday, 27 June 2013

Japan conversation robot ready for outer space

AAA??Jun. 26, 2013?7:16 AM ET
Japan conversation robot ready for outer space
By AZUSA UCHIKURABy AZUSA UCHIKURA, Associated Press? THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES AND PRINCIPLES

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES AND PRINCIPLES

Humanoid communication robot Kirobo, left, talks with Fuminori Kataoka, project general manager from Toyota Motor Corp., during a press unveiling in Tokyo Wednesday, June 26, 2013. The world?s first space conversation experiment between a robot and humans is ready to be launched. Developers from the Kirobo project, named after ?kibo? or hope in Japanese and ?robot,? gathered to demonstrate the humanoid robot?s ability to talk. Kirobo, jointly developed by organizations including Dentsu Inc., Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, Robo Garage Co. and Toyota., is scheduled to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center on August 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Humanoid communication robot Kirobo is shown during a press unveiling in Tokyo Wednesday, June 26, 2013. The world?s first space conversation experiment between a robot and humans is ready to be launched. Developers from the Kirobo project, named after ?kibo? or hope in Japanese and ?robot,? gathered to demonstrate the humanoid robot?s ability to talk. Kirobo, jointly developed by organizations including Dentsu Inc., Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, Robo Garage Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., is scheduled to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center on August 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Humanoid communication robot Kirobo, center, talks with Fuminori Kataoka, project general manager from Toyota Motor Corp., during a press unveiling in Tokyo Wednesday, June 26, 2013. The world?s first space conversation experiment between a robot and humans is ready to be launched. Developers from the Kirobo project, named after ?kibo? or hope in Japanese and ?robot,? gathered to demonstrate the humanoid robot?s ability to talk. Kirobo, jointly developed by organizations including Dentsu Inc., Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, Robo Garage Co. and Toyota., is scheduled to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center on Aug. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Humanoid communication robots, Kirobo, bottom left, and Mirata, bottom right, are held by Tomotaka Takahashi, left, CEO of Robo Garage Co. and project associate professor from the University of Tokyo, and Fuminori Kataoka, project general manager from Toyota Motor Corp., during a press unveiling in Tokyo Wednesday, June 26, 2013. The world?s first space conversation experiment between a robot and humans is ready to be launched. Developers from the Kirobo project, named after ?kibo? or hope in Japanese and ?robot,? gathered to demonstrate the humanoid robot?s ability to talk. Kirobo, jointly developed by organizations including Dentsu Inc., Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, Robo Garage Co. and Toyota., is scheduled to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center on August 4, 2013. Kirobo's land-based counterpart Mirata is not designed to go outer space but has the ability to learn through conversations it has. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

TOKYO (AP) ? The world's first space conversation experiment between a robot and humans is ready to be launched.

Developers from the Kirobo project, named after "kibo" or hope in Japanese and "robot," gathered in Tokyo Wednesday to demonstrate the humanoid robot's ability to talk.

"Russia was the first to go outer space, the U.S. was the first to go to the moon, we want Japan to be the first to send a robot-astronaut to space that can communicate with humans," said Yorichika Nishijima, the Kirobo project manager.

The experiment is a collaboration between advertising and PR company Dentsu Inc., the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, Robo Garage and Toyota Motor Corp.

Tomotaka Takahashi, CEO of Robo Garage Co. and associate professor at the University of Tokyo, said he hopes robots like Kirobo that hold conversations will eventually be used to assist astronauts working in space.

"When people think of robots in outer space, they tend to seek ones that do things physically," said Takahashi. "But I think there is something that could come from focusing on humanoid robots that focus on communication."

Because Kirobo does not need to perform physical activities, it is smaller than most robots that go into space. Kirobo is about 34 centimeters tall (13 inches) and weighs about 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds).

Its land-based counterpart Mirata looks almost identical but is not designed to go into outer space. Instead, it has the ability to learn through the conversations it has.

During the demonstration, Fuminori Kataoka, project general manager from Toyota, asked Kirobo what its dream was.

"I want to create a future where humans and robots can live together and get along," it answered.

Kirobo is scheduled to be launched from the Tanegashima Space Center on August 4, 2013.

___

Follow Azusa Uchikura on Twitter at www.twitter.com/auchikura

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2013-06-26-Japan-Robonaut/id-73736276605c45ddb60b7d6d5dc8e006

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'Back To The Future' LEGO Set: 'You Built A Time Machine Out Of Toy Bricks?'

As we approach San Diego Comic-Con, the amount of toys being released around the event or exclusively at the gathering is piling up and forcing us to try to keep our inner child in check. But, as Brick Fanatics points, out there might be one set too tempting to turn down. The "Back to the [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/06/26/back-to-the-future-lego-set/

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Deadspin Prosecutor: Aaron Hernandez "Orchestrated The Execution" Of Odin Lloyd | Gizmodo Galaxy S4

Deadspin Prosecutor: Aaron Hernandez "Orchestrated The Execution" Of Odin Lloyd | Gizmodo Galaxy S4 and HTC One Google Edition Hands-On: The Best Got Better | Jezebel Nancy Pelosi's Response to Michele Bachmann Is the Best Thing Ever | io9 Scientific Studies Explain the Best Ways to Talk to Children

Spotify's Top 10 most streamed tracks

The following list represents the top streamed tracks on Spotify from Monday, June 17, to Sunday, June 23:

UNITED STATES

1. Robin Thicke, "Blurred Lines" (Star Trak LLC)

2. Imagine Dragons, "Radioactive" (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records)

3. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, "Can't Hold Us" (Macklemore)

4. Kanye West, "Black Skinhead" (Def Jam Recordings)

5. Daft Punk, "Get Lucky ? Radio Edit" (Columbia Records)

6. Daft Punk, "Get Lucky" (Columbia Records)

7. Kanye West, "New Slaves" (Def Jam Recordings)

8. Miley Cyrus, "We Can't Stop" (RCA Records)

9. Justin Timberlake, "Mirrors" (RCA Records)

10. Kanye West, "I Am a God" (Def Jam Recordings)

UNITED KINGDOM

1. Robin Thicke, "Blurred Lines" (Star Trak LLC)

2. Naughty Boy, "La La La" (Naughty Boy Recordings Ltd.)

3. Passenger, "Let Her Go" (Nettwerk)

4. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, "Can't Hold Us" (Macklemore)

5. Daft Punk, "Get Lucky ? Radio Edit" (Columbia Records)

6. Rudimental feat. Ella Eyre, "Waiting All Night" (Asylum)

7. Bastille, "Pompeii" (Virgin Records)

8. Imagine Dragons, "Radioactive" (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records)

9. Olly Murs, "Dear Darlin'" (Epic)

10. Calvin Harris, "I Need Your Love" (Columbia Records)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/spotifys-top-10-most-streamed-tracks-152118302.html

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DirecTV GenieGo takes the fight to Sling, brings TV streaming anywhere on PC and iOS

DirecTV recently switched the name of its Nomad transcoding device to GenieGo to match its new DVRs, a change we first noticed on its Android app. On Windows PC and iOS the apps are about to get a new update that changes the name and lets users stream video from their DVRs over WiFi even when they're away from home (Mac and Android support is due later in the year.) Previously, it allowed users to stream live and recorded TV, or download recorded TV to a mobile device for viewing offline, but Slingbox-style streaming of live or recorded TV anywhere is new, and brings it closer to the device we thought it could be when it launched. Solid Signal and DBSTalk report the incoming update (not live yet, but it should pop up tomorrow) is easy to use, letting users stream recordings, start a recording so it can stream or remotely setting up the transcoder to make a mobile copy users can download once they get home. Satellite TV competitor Dish has brought deeper integration of Sling into its new Hopper DVRs, and now DirecTV has its own in-house solution, anyone thinking of switching sides?

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile

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Source: Solid Signal, DBSTalk, DirecTV

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/yH6tM72q-30/

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Ouya looks to make a dent in game console market

Julie Uhrman, chief executive of Android game console maker Ouya, is interviewed in New York, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Ouya, that went on sale Tuesday for $99, aims to challenge the dominance of the Xboxes, Nintendos and PlayStations of the world. The launch follows a successful funding campaign through the group-fundraising site Kickstarter, but it's unclear whether the console will enjoy broader success. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Julie Uhrman, chief executive of Android game console maker Ouya, describes the controller of the new console, during an an interview in New York, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Ouya, that went on sale Tuesday for $99, aims to challenge the dominance of the Xboxes, Nintendos and PlayStations of the world. The launch follows a successful funding campaign through the group-fundraising site Kickstarter, but it's unclear whether the console will enjoy broader success. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Ouya, maker of a bite-sized game console that runs Google's Android operating system, wants to take a bite out the video game triumvirate of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.

The console, which went on sale Tuesday for $100, lets players try games for free before buying them, a selling point Ouya (pronounced oo-yah) CEO Julie Uhrman often makes to underscore that gamers who use consoles made by "the big three" can't test games before they spend as much as $60 to purchase them.

"We are definitely disrupting the console market," Uhrman says. "I mean, there's been no startup that has had a meaningful impact on the market in decades, and we're the first. We offer something different."

So far, Ouya's pitch seems to be working. The underdog console had sold out on Amazon.com and on Target's website by Tuesday afternoon. It is available at other outlets, including Best Buy and GameStop.

The Ouya game cube measures about 3 inches on each side and hooks up to a TV set. The console comes with a single controller. Additional controllers cost $50.

There are nearly 180 games available for Ouya, ranging from the likes of "Crazy Cat Lady" to the more established "Final Fantasy III" from Square Enix. The company says more games are on the way. There are also some non-gaming apps, such as online music service TuneIn Radio.

The games are sold through Ouya's storefront, not Google Play, the app store where people buy games for Android tablets and mobile devices. Pricing is left up to individual game developers; many games are in the single digits. "Final Fantasy" is an exception at $16. Ouya takes a 30 percent cut from the game developers.

While you won't find "Grand Theft Auto IV" or the latest "Call of Duty" among the available titles, there are plenty of others from independent developers whose games may never make it onto the dominant consoles, Microsoft's Xbox, Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Wii.

"I don't think it's ever really going to challenge the big three, but it offers a lot to the more casual gamer," says Anthony Yacullo, a self-described "gadget geek" from Lawrenceville, N.J. Like thousands of other gamers and game developers, Yacullo already has an Ouya. He contributed at least $95 to the company through crowdfunding website, Kickstarter.

"When I'm out on the road for work and come home, I don't want to play 'Call of Duty," he says. Rather, Yacullo says he looks for games more like the ones on his phone ? except he doesn't want to be staring at his phone.

That's where Ouya comes in. Still, the new console is unlikely to present a serious challenge to high-end consoles coming out from Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp. later this year. Ouya lacks recent blockbuster games with high-end graphics. But at a fraction of the price (the Xbox One will cost $500 and the PlayStation 4, $400), it appeals to budget-conscious gamers, gadget geeks and those looking for an alternative to gaming power-trio.

Gartner analyst Brian Blau says the measure of Ouya's success will not be the number of consoles it sells but the amount of money game developers make ?and whether there is a steady stream of new games for the device. What's missing now, he adds, is the big-name video game brands such as Activision and Electronic Arts supporting Ouya.

That could come later.

The project to build the Ouya console launched on Kickstarter last July. On Aug. 9, 2012, Ouya's funding period ended with $8.6 million pledged, more than nine times the original $950,000 goal its creators had set. More than 63,000 people donated, with 12 pledging $10,000 or more.

"We brought it to Kickstarter because we wanted to know if anybody really wanted this," Uhrman says. "We had talked with developers and industry veterans like (video game designer) Brian Fargo and Ed Fries, who is one of the founders, basically, of Xbox, and there was a general feeling that there was a void in the market place for soemthing. But we wanted to validate it."

This May, Santa Monica, Calif.-based Ouya received another $15 million in venture capital funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, other VC firms, and chip maker Nvidia.

Ouya is not the first independent game console to attempt a challenge to the big three console makers. Four years ago, a startup called OnLive launched, offering games streamed over an Internet connection, similar to the way Netflix offers streamed movies and TV shows. OnLive's small game consoles went on sale for $99 in 2010, but they never gained broad appeal or even made a dent in the traditional console market.

Another early backer, Pedro Amador-Gates, thinks Ouya should "not even go after the consoles," but rather appeal to hobbyists and do-it-yourself folks.

"This is like a baby system compared to an about-to-be upgraded gaming system," he says, referring to the Xbox one and the PS4. But, much like it was with the early cell phone games, "it will only get better."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-06-25-Games-Ouya%20Console%201st%20Ld-Writethru/id-3ba7cff625b948e29b8023f95ff8d794

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