If you’re looking for some exergaming action, but don’t have the rhythm — or lack of self awareness — for some existing sport game accesories, how about a game controlled by effort? Using your iDevice’s camera and accelerometer, BitGym has created a control system for playing iOS games while on your exercise equipment of choice (possibly not the trampoline though). The first release is a racer that converts rate of exercise to acceleration and head movement to steering. We’re told there’s an SDK too, so developers looking to trim-up can make their own gym-distractions. Fitness Freeway is available now, but if you want to see it in action, without breaking a sweat jog on over the break for a demo video.

Continue reading Face and ‘effort’ controlled iPad game helps you outrun the competition (video)

Face and ‘effort’ controlled iPad game helps you outrun the competition (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unless you chose today to get marooned on a deserted island, you’ve probably heard that Amazon has announced a series of new devices, including one called the Kindle Fire which has an iPad-style touchscreen and is powered by the Android operating system. On the content side, meanwhile, Amazon has also signed deals with some leading publishers to provide one-click access to their magazines and newspapers. But while it’s nice for media companies to have a strong competitor in the tablet market, dealing with Amazon puts them in the same boat they’re in with Apple: They provide the content, but the platform owner controls the relationship. And in some ways, Amazon might be worse.

The impetus for Amazon’s interest in new tablets is fairly obvious: Apple’s iPad has shown that there is a relatively huge and growing market of users interested in the convenience of a small form-factor mobile device for reading and playing games. So far, no one has come along that shows signs of playing a strong second fiddle to Apple in that market, so why not Amazon? The company has deep pockets — although not quite as deep as Apple’s — and it also has something that Apple doesn’t when it comes to the content side: an existing relationship with many users that’s based around subscribing to magazines, buying books, etc.

The need for the Kindle Fire was obvious: As soon as the first version of the iPad arrived, the Kindle looked more than a little antiquated, with its black-and-white screen, no touch interface, etc. That’s not to say there isn’t still a market for dedicated reading devices, for people who don’t like the distractions or the reflective screen of the iPad — and Amazon will no doubt continue to sell plenty of Kindles with touchscreens and other features added. But the sweet spot of the market is a device that can do many different things: stream video, stream audio, display magazines and newspapers and books in full color, and so on.

Amazon sees devices as a way to sell content

In some ways, Amazon and Apple are polar opposites, at least when it comes to the way they are approaching the tablet market. As my colleague Erica Ogg has pointed out, Apple’s main interest is in selling hardware, and it uses content as a way of doing that. It arguably had no real interest in becoming a music powerhouse, except that controlling access to those songs would give it a powerful lever with which to sell more iPods. Amazon, however, sees devices like the Kindle Fire as a way to sell more content, and that makes it simultaneously more appealing as a partner for media companies and at the same time a potentially more dangerous one as well.

The benefit for content publishers and media companies like Conde Nast and News Corp. is more or less the same as it is with Apple: They get access to the users who choose that device as a way to consume media, and Amazon handles the logistics of the relationship — the billing, the processing, and to a certain extent the marketing and promotions as well. They also get to put their content on a device that (in some cases, at least) seems to make users more likely to pay for things, which is something media companies have been wrestling with virtually since the Internet was invented — although they have to give the platform owner 30 percent of the proceeds, of course.

But the downsides of this relationship are also a mirror image of the relationship many media outlets have with Apple: The platform owner is in the driver’s seat, both in terms of what apps are allowed or not allowed, and also what information about the end user or subscriber is provided to the content creator — an issue that was a sticking point for many when Apple started trying to sign up publishers for the iPad. In the end, the platform owner is the gatekeeper of a media company’s relationship with its customers, which is the same kind of tradeoff media companies make by creating Facebook apps.

Amazon likes to compete with content partners

At least in Apple’s case, however, the hardware maker appears to have no real interest in becoming a media or content producer, since all it wants is content that makes people want more devices. In theory at least, it doesn’t particularly care where that content comes from, as long as it gets its 30 percent. Amazon is in a different boat; it has already indicated it’s happy to compete with its former publishing partners when it comes to books (its core business) by pressuring them to accept lower prices and also by signing up authors like Tim Ferriss — in effect, becoming a publisher.

Is Amazon suddenly going to get into the magazine business or the newspaper business? No. But its Kindle Singles program is appealing to more and more authors who are using that avenue as an alternative to both publishing traditional books and to magazine articles or newspaper features. Some newspapers and other publications have been using e-books and the Kindle as a tool to extend the life of their content, and that is smart — but Amazon has a clear interest in that business as well.

There’s no question that working with Amazon and a new platform like the Kindle Fire makes a lot of sense for publishers and media companies — it’s a win-win for both sides. And so long as Amazon’s interests align with those of its media partners, then everything should go swimmingly. But what about when they diverge?

Post and thumbnail photos courtesy of Flickr user Umberto Salvagnin

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
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• Connected Consumer Q2: Digital music meets the cloud; e-book growth explodes
• The state of the e-book lending market: Business models and challenges
• As E-book Sales Grow, So Does Disintermediation

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When Comcast announced that it would be partnering with Skype  to bring video chat to the living room of its subscribers, there was some question about whether or not it would succeed where other home-video-chat services failed. For the service to really take off, it would need to be drop-dead simple: After all, Mom and Pop aren’t going to sign up if it’s not as easy to make a video call as it is to make a phone call.

On the Comcast Voices blog on Thursday, the company showed off a couple of videos demoing exactly how it will do just that. The good news, not just for Skype but for Comcast subscribers, is that it looks like the companies succeeded in creating a service that virtually anyone can use.

The key to the service, from a user-experience perspective, is that it doesn’t try to do too much. In fact, it’s the lack of user distractions that really stands out. With a totally stripped-down user interface, the service is really just about making voice and video calls to other users. Meanwhile, even while viewers are making calls, or trying to, they’re still able to see TV that is playing in the background.

“We didn’t want to decorate the screen with elements that weren’t relevant,” Comcast Interactive Media user-experience guru Susan Oppelt said in one video.

Another key is in giving users other people to talk to. The application taps users’ existing Skype buddy lists, and it also connects with the Comcast Connect address book. So users can connect with any of Skype’s existing 660 million users, whether they are on the desktop or mobile apps. By connecting with Comcast Connect, the app also becomes presence-aware on any and every device, Michael Connelly, the VP of Product Development and Management said in another video demo.

The Skype integration goes beyond just bringing the video-chat experience to the TV, however. Connelly says in the video that Comcast is also blending Skype functionality into its Xfinity Mobile applications. By doing so, Comcast will enable its users to make and receive Skype calls on whatever device is best for them, he said.

While Comcast’s implementation of Skype video calling looks cool and seems to be pretty easy to use, its adoption will ultimately depend on the price at which it’s made available to users. So far, Comcast hasn’t mentioned how much it will cost. But the good news is that users won’t have to buy any new hardware to get up and running: Comcast plans to lease equipment to subscribers in the same way it leases DVRs and set-top boxes.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (subscription req’d):

• A 2011 Connected Consumer Forecast
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• In Q3, E-books and White Spaces Ruled

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The use of the iPad by mobile workers is on the rise, and that brings with it both boons and challenges for worker productivity. Here’s how you and your remote staff can stay on top of iPad usage, lest iPad usage controls you and your organization instead.

1. These Are the Apps You Need; These Are the Apps You Don’t

Keep your productivity and entertainment app worlds separate on your iPad. I know it’s too much to ask that workers who are mostly using their own personal devices in the work place to use them strictly for work purposes, but everyone will be happier and better able to focus on getting work done if you keep your fun and games-related apps in a separate folder or folders. Keeping the productivity and work-related apps out in the open on the app’s home screen will give them priority seating when it comes to your attention span, and the distractions will be left just a little bit beyond finger’s reach, where they’ll be less of a temptation.

2. Carry a Keyboard

The iPad is a great consumption device, but as we’ve seen, people aren’t crazy about using it for data input. Having a Bluetooth keyboard handy makes working on the iPad exponentially better. You have a few choices when it comes to which keyboard to carry. I’m personally a fan of the ZAGGmate keyboard/hard case combo, which comes in both original iPad and iPad 2 flavors, but the official Apple Wireless Keyboard is an attractive option, too.

3. Have a Wireless Strategy

If you want to use the iPad to make mobile working easier, you’ll hit a wall pretty fast if you don’t have access to a reliable data connection. For users with a 3G-capable iPad, this means checking to make sure you have an active plan ready to go with the carrier of your choosing, and ensuring that your carrier offers service in the place you intend to use your iPad. If it doesn’t, shop around for a temporary carrier/SIM card for your working destination.

Verizon iPad owners will want to make sure that they have something other than a simple SIM switch in place for most international destinations, which largely use GSM technology to power their networks. Finding a provider that offers a pay-as-you go mobile hotspot solution might be a good workaround. Companies can help by issuing globally-compatible mobile hotspot hardware to remote employees who travel internationally.

4. Have a Battery Backup

Battery backup offerings for the iPad are many and varied, but carrying a reliable one that has enough juice to give your iPad a decent bump is a good idea. You never know when you might lose your power cord, or forget to secure an adapter before a quick stopover in an international destination. Check out Dave Greenbaum’s roundup of iPhone and iPad battery backups for a good look at some of the better options out there.

5. Enable Find My iPad

Losing an iPad really sucks. But what’s worse is losing your iPad having not enabled Apple’s free Find My iPad service. Through MobileMe, Apple can help you locate a lost iPad if it’s enabled, or at the very least, you can use the service to remotely wipe your device, thereby protecting sensitive personal and work-related data. Enterprise is already nervous about the potential security hazards associated with consumer devices in the workplace; help make them less so.

6. Lock It Up

It may seem obvious, but even more important than enabling Find My iPad is setting up your device to require a passcode upon waking. You can do this in the iPad’s Settings app, under General > Passcode Lock. By default, the iPad will use a simple passcode consisting of a 4 digit number, but you can turn this off, which will let you set a longer password that can combine both letters and numbers. If you’re storing sensitive information on your device, you’re better off using a complex passcode lock.

7. Invest in a Good Headset

The iPad truly can be a communications hub — even for voice chat and phone calls. But it’s not perfectly suited to that task out of the box. If you get yourself a decent headset, however, you can better make and take phone calls on your device using VoIP apps, and you’ll even be better equipped for using the many video conferencing options available for the iPad 2, like that provided by Cisco’s WebEx.

Share your tips for more effective iPad working in the comments.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (subscription req’d):

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There has been a lot of change in the techniques and equipments in the photography field since 1980. Yet whilst the apparatus (the camera) used to capture the image and the final production of the image has changed dramatically. Even though the technology has changed a lot the techniques for filming images are still the same. You have to understand and master the basic tricks for using a camera so that you can point and click at thing view ending up with high quality images.

The most important principle for the photographer is to know your own camera. There are many difference between cameras of the same makes so you should spend some time learning the working of your camera from manuals and user interfaces. The understanding of the principles of the camera will allow you the freedom to apply what you have learned by clicking your practice shots.

1. All photographs will have a theme to shoot some excellent photographs. The image needs to tell a story. The idea or emotion you have in your front should be portrayed without missing the essence to the viewers.
2. There should be a central element that expresses the theme or focus of the story and to this end the image should focus or harness the attention of that element for the viewer.
3. There is not great photographic techniques required for capturing some eye catching photos. Ensuring that there are no distractions taking away from the central theme. distractions are common in the photographs but you can easily avoid them with little bit of care in the beginning later it will became a habit. A good image includes only those elements that are of importance to the theme of the image.

Once the operation of the camera and the three basic principles are fully understood there is really only one course of action left for the basics. Every time a photographer points the camera to take an image ask these three simple questions.

1. How are you going to capture the message and theme you have already planned.
2. Focal length should be planned in advance so that you can place your camera in the right position.
3. Does my proposed image include only those elements that are important to the theme, the story. Have I eliminated all non-essential and distracting information. Have I given myself a good clean clear simplified image that conveys my story.

Photography is one of the most interesting hobby and it is made easy with the evolution of digital photography. People who take it the hard way cannot keep away from the complexities of film cameras and Digital SLR cameras. No matter what camera you use there are still elements that require a degree of understanding to ensure a good end result.

There are more complex aspects associated with photography like depth of field, exposure and shutter speed which requires the need of digital SLR cameras for perfection. There is always the easy way around,. You can use the automatic settings present in the camera for easy photography. However even if that is all you do there is still one last remaining aspect that EVERY photographer should learn and that is Composition.

Author of this article loves to write about wedding photography poses . And you can click here for his other articles also.

To my mind, Microsoft Outlook 2010 is the foremost software for managing your email and personal information. Why? For years now, Outlook has offered powerful email management methods like rules and folders that are able to work with multiple different email accounts, liberating you from dealing with multiple different interfaces. And with all your personal information in Outlook, you could easily get an overall picture of your day and your life.

Now Microsoft Outlook 2010 is here, with a shiny new interface, and several new features that bring real plusses for you. While nothing is perfect, Microsoft Outlook 2010 might be the closest application so far to fulfilling all your digital communication needs at work, home, and school.

New Features

First thing you will see is the shiny new interface, with the Ribbon appearing all over the place, rather than just here and there, as it was in Outlook 2007. I think the latest design is a little cleaner in general, and the Ribbon does a fine job of making the commands you are most likely to need quickly available.

Conversation view is a great approach to group threads of messages so you can more easily focus on 1 thing at a time. Expand only the conversation you want to deal with so you can avoid distractions or getting sidetracked. Click View, then set the Show as Conversations checkbox and you are ready to go.

Do you find yourself continually repeating activities like assigning a category (Save for Attorney, Show to Friends) to every nasty message from your ex, then digging down through three levels of folders so you can file the vicious missive in the right folder?

Quick Steps is a new Outlook 2010 feature that can save you some effort here. You can use predefined Quick Steps or create your own custom ones to deal with situations like this. Your Quick Step can then deal with all the marking and digging and moving with a single click. This is likely to become a very popular tool.

Want to know more? Visit this Outlook 2010 site.