Sandisk, Sony, and Nikon propose 500M...

Sandisk, Sony, and Nikon propose 500MBps memory card with more than 2TB capacity

from Engadget by Thomas Ricker

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While the CompactFlash Association scoots along at a maximum transfer rate of 167MB per second under its just released CF6.0 specification, Sandisk, Sony, and Nikon are already looking to the future. The trio have just officially proposed a new memory card format that switches from PATA to the PCI Express serial interface to achieve data transfer rates of up to 500 megabytes per second with a potential to extend maximum storage capacities beyond 2 terabytes. The proposed set of specifications hints at the high performance requirements we'll soon face as DSLRs and camcorders are updated to capture continuous burst shooting of massive RAW images and ever higher definition video. Naturally, the spec also enables photogs to transfer their troves of data more quickly to computers for post processing and combines high-speed transfer with a scaling system to extend battery life. The CompactFlash Association has already announced a new workgroup to study the proposal. Canon's Shigeto Kanda, CFA chairman of the board, had this to say about the proposal:

Future professional photography and video applications will require memory cards with faster read/write speeds. The development of a new high-performance card standard with a serial interface will meet the needs of the professional imaging industry for years to come and open the door for exciting new applications.

Sounds like tacit approval to us. And really, anything that brings Sony and Sandisk together on a future storage format should be seen as a positive step. Unless, of course, you're the SD Card Association or anyone who recently purchased a CFast card.

Continue reading Sandisk, Sony, and Nikon propose 500MBps memory card with more than 2TB capacity

Silicon Hive bringing photographic di...

Silicon Hive bringing photographic differentiation to phones

from (title unknown) by Paul Worthington

An Eindhoven, The Netherlands-based company says it will bring “unrivaled image and video capturing experience to smart phones” by combining imaging algorithms with parallel processing architectures.

Rapid introduction of new camera features requires upgrading application processors with software programmable image processing capabilities, says imaging developer Silicon Hive.  Its HiveGo CSS3205 processor “offers the best-in-class solution not only to future-proof mobile application processor for the emerging computational photography applications but also to leverage a global ecosystem of innovative imaging software application partners to provide a competitive camera experience.”

The company adds that the CSS3205 complements the image signal processing pipe in smart phone application processors with a power-efficient C-programmable application environment, “enabling rapid and comprehensive upgrades of smart phones with differentiating camera software applications.”

It includes face detection, tracking, recognition, and beautification, noise reduction, and multi-axis video stabilization including rolling shutter compensation.

The new system was announced at the 6Sight Future of Imaging conference, and we will have more information about it in an upcoming edition of The 6Sight Report.

Millennial Media Report Shows Android...

Millennial Media Report Shows Android Continuing To Take Over

from  by Aaron Gingrich

Millennial Media has released their Mobile Mix for October, and at first sight, the results are fairly impressive. Before diving in, though, it’s important to note that the statistics are based on ad clicks, rather than a population sample. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t help express the overall trends, so with that in mind, let’s take a quick look at the highlights.

· This month, for the first time, Android tied with iOS as the largest Smartphone OS on our network, with an 8% increase month-over-month and 37% impression share on our network.

Gartner: Android Share Jumps To 25.5 ...

Gartner: Android Share Jumps To 25.5 Percent, Now Second Most Popular OS Worldwide

from TechCrunch by Leena Rao

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Gartner’s third quarter smartphone data is out today and it looks like Android is continuing its assault on iOS devices. According to the latest report, Android accounted for 25.5 percent of worldwide smartphone sales, making it the No. 2 operating system, rising from a 3.5 percent marketshare in the same quarter in 2009. Apple’s iOS, on the other hand, dropped from last year, from 17.1 percent in 2009 to 16.6 percent in 2010. Symbian took the top spot with 36.6 percent of sales share.

Gartner also said that global mobile phone sales totaled 417 million units in the third quarter of 2010, a 35 percent increase from the third quarter of 2009. Smartphone sales grew 96 percent from the third quarter last year, and smartphones accounted for 19.3 percent of overall mobile phone sales in the third quarter of 2010.

In terms of North America stats, Apple’s share surged past Research In Motion (RIM) but it still falls behind Android. Gartner estimated that Android phones accounted for 75 percent to 80 percent of Verizon Wireless’s smartphone trade in the third quarter of 2010.

Android’s staggering growth isn’t surprising, considering there have been similar reports of the operating system’s ascent up the smartphone food chain. Recent Nielsen data showed that Android devices were the most popular choice for new smartphone purchases over the past six months.