For all those iPhone and iPod touch users who love recording, enhancing and sharing videos on YouTube, Google has launched the YouTube Capture app. Reed Morse, Software Engineer at YouTube, has shared in an official blog post that the newly launched app is the search giant's attempt at speeding up recording, enhancing and sharing videos for users to share with their friends or the whole world.
The app is ready to record as soon as you open it. Once you are done filming your video, you can write a caption, select the audience you want to share it with and then hit Share. The video continues to be uploaded in the background, even if you have minimised the app. Users can decide the audience they want to share their video with – be it private (only the user can see it), unlisted (only those with a link to the video will be able to view it) or public.
Here's a video to introduce you to YouTube Capture:
There are many enemies of a good video, shaky hands being one. As a solution to this common problem, the app allows you to touch up the video with YouTube enhancements like colour correction and stabilisation. Users can even trim the length and add free background music from YouTube. These edits can be added to existing YouTube videos on a user's device, and these can be reverted later on YouTube.com. Interestingly, the app will remind the user to rotate their phone to a horizontal position while recording the video. This way, not only will the videos be of high quality, it will also be devoid of the "Vertical Video Syndrome".
The app is up for grabs on the App Store. Users can upload their videos to YouTube, Google+, Facebook and Twitter simultaneously. The YouTube Capture app is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. To be able to use this app, users will need devices running iOS 5.0 or later. This app is optimised for iPhone 5. Needless to add, folks at Google are working to bring this app for Android users too.
By way of an official blog post recently, Raul Furnica, Vladimir Vuskovic and Pepijn Crouzen of the YouTube API Team, raised the curtain on the YouTube API version 3.0. YouTube API version 3.0 will enable users to to make better integrated video experiences. Elaborating further, the post adds that the new API is easy to use, courtesy the rich client library support, improved tooling, reference documentation and integration with Google’s common API infrastructure. “Version 3.0 only returns what you ask for and is using JSON rather than XML encoding for greater efficiency. The API introduces new core functionality including Freebase integration via topics, and universal search. If you develop social media management apps, you’ll love channel bulletin post and full subscriber list management, also new in this release. Version 3.0 of the API constitutes the API's biggest overhaul to date and we’re eager for you to try it today!,” the blog post explains.
http://tech2.in.com/news/ios/youtube-capture-for-ios-lets-you-record-enhance-and-share-youtube-videos/649932
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Tuesday, December 18, 2012
YouTube Capture for iOS lets you record, enhance and share YouTube videos
Instagram says it now has the right to sell your photos
In its first big policy shift since Facebook bought the photo-sharing site, Instagram claims the right to sell users' photos without payment or notification. Oh, and there's no way to opt out.
Instagram said today that it has the perpetual right to sell users' photographs without payment or notification, a dramatic policy shift that quickly sparked a public outcry.
The new intellectual property policy, which takes effect on January 16, comes three months after Facebook completed its acquisition of the popular photo-sharing site. Unless Instagram users delete their accounts before the January deadline, they cannot opt out.
Under the new policy, Facebook claims the perpetual right to license all public Instagram photos to companies or any other organization, including for advertising purposes, which would effectively transform the Web site into the world's largest stock photo agency. One irked Twitter user quipped that "Instagram is now the new iStockPhoto, except they won't have to pay you anything to use your images."
"It's asking people to agree to unspecified future commercial use of their photos," says Kurt Opsahl, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "That makes it challenging for someone to give informed consent to that deal."
That means that a hotel in Hawaii, for instance, could write a check to Facebook to license photos taken at its resort and use them on its Web site, in TV ads, in glossy brochures, and so on -- without paying any money to the Instagram user who took the photo. The language would include not only photos of picturesque sunsets on Waikiki, but also images of young children frolicking on the beach, a result that parents might not expect, and which couldtrigger state privacy laws.
Facebook did not respond to repeated queries from CNET this afternoon. We'll update the article if we receive a response.
Another policy pitfall: If Instagram users continue to upload photos after January 16, 2013, and subsequently delete their account after the deadline, they may have granted Facebook an irrevocable right to sell those images in perpetuity. There's no obvious language that says deleting an account terminates Facebook's rights, EFF's Opsahl said.
Facebook's new rights to sell Instagram users' photos come from two additions to its terms of use policy. One section deletes the current phrase "limited license" and, by inserting the words "transferable" and "sub-licensable," allows Facebook to license users' photos to any other organization.
A second section allows Facebook to charge money. It says that "a business or other entity may pay us to display your... photos... in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you." That language does not exist in the current terms of use.
Google's policy, by contrast, is far narrower and does not permit the company to sell photographs uploaded through Picasa or Google+. Its policy generally tracks the soon-to-be-replaced Instagram policy by saying: "The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our services." Yahoo's policiesservice for Flickr are similar, saying the company can use the images "solely for the purpose for which such content was submitted or made available."
Reginald Braithwaite, an author and software developer, posted a tongue-in-cheek "translation" of the new Instagram policy today: "You are not our customers, you are the cattle we drive to market and auction off to the highest bidder. Enjoy your feed and keep producing the milk."
One Instagram user dubbed the policy change "Instagram's suicide note." The PopPhoto.com photography site summarized the situation by saying: "The service itself is still a fun one, but that's a lot of red marks that have shown up over the past couple weeks. Many shooters -- even the casual ones -- probably aren't that excited to have a giant corporation out there selling their photos without being paid or even notified about it."
Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom speaks at the LeWeb conference in Paris. Click for larger image.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Another unusual addition to Instagram's new policy appears to immunize it from liability, such as class action lawsuits, if it makes supposedly private photos public. The language stresses, twice in the same paragraph, that "we will not be liable for any use or disclosure of content" and "Instagram will not be liable for any use or disclosure of any content you provide."
Yet another addition says "you acknowledge that we may not always identify paid services, sponsored content, or commercial communications as such." That appears to conflict with the Federal Trade Commission'sguidelines that say advertisements should be listed as advertisements.
Such sweeping intellectual property language has been invoked before: In 1999, Yahooclaimed all rights to Geocities using language strikingly similar to Facebook's wording today, including the "non-exclusive and fully sublicensable right" to do what it wanted with its users' text and photos. But in the face of widespread protest -- and competitors advertising that their own products were free from such Draconian terms -- Yahoo backed down about a week later.
It's true, of course, that Facebook may not intend to monetize the photos taken by Instagram users, and that lawyers often draft overly broad language to permit future business opportunities that may never arise. But on the other hand, there's no obvious language that would prohibit Facebook from taking those steps, and the company's silence in the face of questions today hasn't helped.
EFF's Opsahl says the new policy runs afoul of his group's voluntary best practices for social networks. He added: "Hopefully at some point we'll get greater clarity from Facebook and Instagram."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57559710-38/instagram-says-it-now-has-the-right-to-sell-your-photos/
Monday, December 17, 2012
HOW TO LAUNCH GOOGLE MAPS NAVIGATION USING SIRI WITHOUT JAILBREAKING
Millions of iPhone users rejoiced last week as the highly anticipated Google Maps app launched for iOS and put an end to users’ reliance on Apple’s (AAPL) awful Maps app.Who knows how many lives may have been saved? iPhone users aren’t completely out of the woods though, as Apple’s Maps app is still the default application used for mapping integration inside other third-party apps, and it’s also used by Siri when asking for directions. Using a simple trick that requires no jailbreak or hacking of any kind, however, users can easily bypass ties between Siri and Apple’s Maps app to get directions using Google Maps.
As noted by Cult of Mac on Saturday, adding “via transit” to the end of your sentence when asking Siri for directions jumps past Apple’s own mapping app and brings users to a screen that allows them to select Google Maps for directions. Google’s (GOOG) Google Maps app with then open with the destination already populated, and users will be given the option to get directions or navigate to the desired destination on foot, via public transit or in a car.
http://bgr.com/2012/12/17/google-maps-siri-trick-how-to-255870/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
10 James Bond Gadgets That Actually Exist—And One That Needs To
There have been 23 Bond movies made In the past 50 years—full of lethal, handy, futuristic, awesome, and sometimes funny gadgets. Most are still too fantastic to be real, but some have transcended the silver screen to become naturalized residents of the Real World. These are our favorites.
Homing beacon, Goldfinger (1964)
Tracking devices are a spy-world staple, now available to anyone, regardless of security clearance. In the photo are Digital Angel products made by Applied Digital Solutions; they provide satellite location tracking for individuals.
Photo: David Friedman/Getty ImagesLasers, Goldfinger (1964)
Remember when Auric Goldfinger tried to cut James Bond in half (nuts-first) with a laser powerful enough to cut steel?. Well, that same technology is now available to anyone interested in amusing a cat. And, thanks to the Internet, even the convenience store modelpictured can be turned into something a little more villainous.
Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Robert F. Bukaty/AP
Remote-Controlled Doors, Thunderball (1965)
In 1965 this technology only about ten years old, so the audience was surely awed when Emilio Largo pushed a button on a handheld device and opened a secret door to the SPECTRE briefing room. Today such doors are found in most suburban homes, concealing secret stashes of old VHS tapes, empty bottles ("gonna take those in this weekend, seriously"), and broken bicycles.
Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Wesley/Keystone/Getty Images
Gyroplane, You Only Live Twice (1967)
This is a Wallis WA-116 Series 1 gyroplane (codename Little Nellie). In the movie it has rockets, machine guns, flamethrowers, and missiles. Though only released in very limited quantities to private citizens, these little birds were real! Sans weapons, natch.
Fingerprint Scanner, Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Tiffany Case and her unique biometric scanner were fooled by Bond's fake fingerprint. These days the technology is so smart and widespread that there might be a small fingerprint scanner in your notebook computer-and it's probably way too sophisticated to be fooled by a lifeless prosthesis.
Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
Minox Camera, On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Bond uses a small Minox A IIIs Camera in this movie. Spy cameras became so popular in the late-sixties and on, that you could find classified ads most science and tech magazines. These days: eBay.
Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Hustvedt/Wikimedia Commons
Seiko Wristwatch, For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Who cares that the Seiko H357 5040 can't receive digital messages or be used as a walkie-talkie like in this Bond movie. It's still hot, and I'd wear one.
Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Vintage LCD
Polarizing Sunglasses, A View to a Kill (1985)
With these special circular polarized sunglasses, Bond could see through tinted windows. Big deal: Oakley made sunglasses that not only have polarized lenses, but integrated headphones, a 128 MB music player, and a built-in bounty hunter.
Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Reed Saxon/AP
Ring camera, A View to a Kill (1985)
Nowadays miniaturized cameras are everywhere-like in the "Camer-ing," which is a discreet digital camera built in a ring. This neat device is designed by Hyeonsik Studio & Jeon Yengwon, and we're counting the minutes until it reaches production.
Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Yanko DesignSony Ericsson K800 Casino Royale (2006)
Back in 2006, the Sony Ericsson K800i phone cyber-shot camera was a pretty nice bit of kit: GPS and a fast 3.2 megapixel digital camera is at your secret service. These days, well, it's declassified, to say the least.
Photo: Danjaq/Eon ProductionsProfile Touchscreen, Casino Royale (2006)
At MI6 headquarters, Bond's employers use a Profile Touchscreen Device in order to gather information about possible suspects. There's no magic in this digital table—it's basically theMicrosoft-Samsung PixelSense (formerly known as Surface).
Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//MicrosoftJetpack, Thunderball (1965).
At last: the coolest James Bond gadget ever featured. The Bell Rocket Belt—also known as the simulated Lunar Flying Vehicle (LFV). It was built by Bell Aerospace for NASA in the mid-Sixties. So, uhm, where's mine?
Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//NASA/USGS
http://gizmodo.com/5966242/10-james-bond-gadgets-that-actually-existand-one-that-needs-to?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_facebook&utm_source=gizmodo_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
MAJOR VULNERABILITY DISCOVERED FOR GALAXY S III AND GALAXY NOTE II
Samsung’s (005930) flagship Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II smartphones may be vulnerable to app-based attacks following the discovery of a security hole in the company’s line of Exynos 4 processors. XDA Developers forum member “alephzain” uncovered the problem and noted that a Play Store app could potentially access information from the phone’s RAM or even inject malicious code directly into its kernel. It has also been reported that the vulnerability could affect all devices that are equipped with a Exynos 4210 or 4412 processor and utilize Samsung’s kernel.
“The good news is we can easily obtain root on these devices,” the hacker said. “The bad is [that] there is no control over it.”
A spokesperson for the company reached out to CNET and confirmed that it is “currently in the process of conducting an internal review” of the issue.
This isn’t the first big security issue to hit Samsung’s Galaxy line of devices. Earlier this year, it was discovered that a number of TouchWiz-enabled smartphones could be remotely wiped after visiting a webpage containing a simple script. That specific exploit was fixed through an over-the-air update a few days later, however.
http://bgr.com/2012/12/17/galaxy-s-iii-galaxy-note-ii-malware-255834/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Has Started Selling its iPhone 5 in Russia
The U.S electronics giant, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), has officially started selling its iPhone 5 and iPad mini in Russia. Both the devices went on sale in the country on Friday.
The company has rolled out its latest iPhone 5 in Russia approximately three months after it was launched in the U.S and about 30 other countries. Apple’s iPhone 5 is 18% thinner and 20% less in weight as compared to its earlier version, the iPhone 4s.
Some industry sources revealed that the main reason behind this delay is a production shortfall at Foxconn, which is a key manufacturing partner of Apple. One of the key features of iPhone 5 is that it supports fast-speed LTE networks, however, users living in Russia will not be able to use this feature as none of the mobile vendors have networks compatible with iPhone 5.
The latest Apple (AAPL) device is expected to carry a price tag in between 35,000-45,000 rubles, or $1,140 to $1,330, on the basis of storage capacity. The company sold 5 million units of its iPhone 5 during the first week of its launch in September.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has introduced its iPad mini tablet in Russia much faster than the iPhone 5. The iPad mini made its way to the country just six weeks after its release in the U.S.
Initially, users in Russia will be able to purchase only the wi-fi versions of the tablet. Those including cellular capabilities will be introduced later. 16 GB version will carry a price tag of 14,990 rubles, or $490, while 64 GB model will be sold at $750. In the near future, Apple might start selling its TV digital media receiver in Russia, as the company has just launched its online iTune store in the country.
http://thepointdaily.com/apple-inc-nasdaqaapl-has-started-selling-its-iphone-5-in-russia/122798/
Friday, December 14, 2012
Facebook for Android goes native, iOS app gets an update
After less than a month of its previous update, Facebook has launched an update for its app on both Android and iOS. The rollout started with the Android app on which Facebook has ditched the HTML5 ‘webviews’ and has instead taken to native codes to make using the app a faster experience.
The Android app is now a native one as it has been built from scratch using Android’s Software Development Kit (SDK.) Facebook engineer Phillip Fung said in a statement, "It's twice as fast when looking at photos and opening up your Timeline, and noticeably quicker to launch." The iOS app had been completely rebuilt in August to version 5.0 making it faster and easier to use, and if that is anything to go by, the Android app promises to be as fast – almost 200 percent faster. The changes listed in the Play Store are:
Facebook has updated!
Hours after launching the iOS app, Facebook for iOS too received an update. The new app promises faster loading time for the Timeline and news feed as well as the ability to choose which album to upload an image to. Facebook seems to have stepped on the gas pedal when it comes to releasing updates for apps as soon as something new comes up. It’s a part of Facebook’s new ‘mobile-first’ strategy that is making it release updates at a great speed. In an update sent out a month ago, Facebook finally added the much awaited ‘share’ button that allowed users to share posts from their phones.
In previous updates, Facebook had rolled out a photo-sync feature for both Android and iOS that allowed users to sync images clicked by their phone cameras discreetly to their Facebook accounts without posting them. This private album is not visible to your friend list. Whenever you want to share an image, just pick and post the desired image, which will then be viewable by your friends on Facebook. The highlight of this feature is the fact that photographs are kept private once they are uploaded, and it’s up to the user to decide which photos they would like to share on their public feed. Users can also choose when and how the photos are uploaded by choosing between Wi-Fi and cellular, or they can simply choose to turn off sync. And in an unprecedented move, Facebook took cross-platform messaging apps head-on with an update to its messenger. Facebook has opened up its messenger service to people who aren't registered with the social network, and you can now use Facebook Messenger to chat using only your name and mobile number. Facebook updated its Android app in early December, to embrace a wider audience base by removing the necessity to be a Facebook member to use the messenger service. It is supposed it could help in enticing more non-members to use Facebook services while giving existing users a bonus by letting them chat with friends who are not on the social networking website. The breakneck speed at which Facebook seems to be rolling out updates and new features are not just doing wonders to their popularity, it’s a win-win situation for the company and users alike! Get the app here from the Play Store for Android and here from the App Store for your iOS devices.
http://tech2.in.com/news/apps/facebook-for-android-goes-native-ios-app-gets-an-update/644912
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App gifting reactivated on iOS by Apple
It is time to be jolly indeed as Apple has returned the ability to gift apps from the App Store back to iOS 6 devices. The gift option had previously disappeared rather mysteriously from iOS 6 before the launch.
This time round, though, the share function is found in the system-wide action sheet instead of the bottom of the app listing. Searching for the gift option may be a little annoying as it is tucked into a corner of the ‘share’ option rather than be kept in plain sight. It could be why, not a lot of people have discovered this option yet. 
Gifting comes back to the App Store!
The gifting option makes it the perfect launch to the countdown to Christmas with its ability to postpone sending the apps out as gifts. You can choose to send the gift ‘today’ or on any other date, upto 90 days in advance. A good move by Apple, this makes it convenient to send out more than one of the apps as gifts to multiple recipients for the holiday season. The gift function was available in devices running iOS 5 and was supposed to be a part of iOS 6 too, but for some undisclosed reasons, Apple scrapped the plan of putting the feature in the newer version. Previously, you only needed to scroll down to find the gift button, but this time round, it has been hidden within the action sheet. Devices running iOS 5 and lower can still gift apps from the link available on the store. iTunes gift cards and gifting via iTunes still remain popular modes of gifting. 
Postponing sending out an app is also possible
Meanwhile, iTunes Store finally hit India in the beginning of December, making purchases possible in the Store using Indian currency. The iTunes Store is widely used and loved in the United States as it is elsewhere, with convenient services where users can purchase tracks for as cheap as 99 cents. The service took really long to come to India and had not been accessible in Indian currency for this long. Users of devices such as the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch are now able to purchase local and international music from the iTunes store. Single songs are priced anywhere between Rs 7 to Rs 15 and entire albums start from Rs 70. The store now features Bollywood and Tamil film tracks as well as international music. Apple has also launched the iTunes Match service in the country. This service allows users to store all the music they’ve bought from sources other than iTunes to the cloud for easy accessibility. The Match service will cost Rs 1,200 a year, a decent price to pay for music lovers who cannot bear the thought of being away from their music collection. A great feature that the iTunes Store offers Indian consumers is the option to rent out movies instead of purchasing them. For example, the Salman Khan starrer Ek Tha Tiger in HD, which is available for purchase for Rs 290, can be rented for a one time watch for Rs 120. Non-HD movies are available for as low as Rs 190 for purchase and Rs 80 to rent.
http://tech2.in.com/news/ios/app-gifting-reactivated-on-ios-by-apple/645322
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Samsung Smart TV Security Hole Opens Millions to Attack
Britain's hunger for internet-connected smart televisions is growing at an unprecedented rate, with 15 percent of Britons owning one, but a security hole discovered in Samsung's Smart TVs leaves them wide open to attack.
Cybercriminals could potentially take over webcams integrated or connected to your TV, as well as gaining access to any device connected to the television.
According to Ofcom, almost one-in-seven Britons own an internet-connected smart television, letting them surf the web, play media from connected USB drives, and make video calls with friends and family, but a security consultancy has found that all of these smart features can be taken over and controlled by hackers.
Malta-based researcher ReVuln has uploaded a video demonstrating how it has been able to hack into a Samsung Smart 3D TV over its internet connection and gain complete root access to the TV and any connected USB drives. Samsung is the market leader in connected smart TVs in the UK.
The vulnerability can allow criminals to search USB drives connected to your TV for sensitive financial information, usernames and passwords; install malicious software, access the TV's SecureStorage accounts, and even watch and listen to viewers using built-in webcams and microphones.
ReVuln co-founder Luigi Auriemma told IDG News Service: "If the attacker has full control of the TV, then he can do everything - like stealing accounts to the worst scenario of using the integrated webcam and microphone to 'watch' the victim.
"The vulnerability affects multiple models and generations of the devices produced by this vendor, so not just a specific model as tested in our lab at ReVuln."
This isn't the first time Auriemma has found major security flaws with televisions. Back in April he came across a vulnerability in all current versions of Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players that would allow attackers to gain remote access. He added that the flaw could be found in all Samsung devices that use remote controllers.
'Televisions are just the beginning'
Auriemma added: "We have tested different Samsung televisions of the latest generations running the latest version of their firmware. Unfortunately we can't disclose additional information but we can only say that almost all the people having a Samsung TV at home or in their offices are affected by this vulnerability."
Samsung is the smart TV market leader and sold two million units in the first three months of being on sale last year, and this is why ReVuln says it chose the Korean company's products to investigate.
"We plan to invest more time and effort on the home devices security in the near future testing the products of many other vendors and moreover finding new types of attacks and ways to use such vulnerabilities. The televisions are just the beginning."
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/414715/20121213/samsung-smart-tv-security-flaw-hacked-revuln.htm
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