Bionic eye to help the blind see

By Amy Kraft | April 7, 2012, 9:02 AM PDT

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Giving sight to the blind has always been a dream of science — until now.

The Monash Vision Group at Australia’s Monash University is developing a direct-to-brain bionic eye system that allows blind people to see.

A patient wears a pair of glasses equipped with a digital camera that acts like a retina and captures low-resolution black-and-white images.

The images are wirelessly sent to a brain chip, which sends signals to electrodes that penetrate into the visual cortex, the part of the brain that controls vision.

“When those electrodes are stimulated they produce sensations of light in the brain in the visual field of the recipient,” the group’s general manager Dr. Jeanette Pritchard tells ABC Online. “They’re known as phosphenes and they’re almost like pixels on a TV screen.”

Although the images are too grainy to help blind people with reading or driving, Pritchard says this is a huge milestone for helping the blind see.

The team will start testing the system later this year on people who lost their sight in traumas. They are not sure yet if and how the bionic eye will work on people who have never seen.

Dr. Pritchard tells ABC Online:

“It’s important that for our first patient that they have had full adult vision so that we know that their brain can process these kinds of signals because it has done so previously,” Dr. Pritchard said.

“It will be a lot about how the patient can learn to interpret that information to the optimum level to get the most out of it.”

Future looks good for bionic eye prototype  [ABC Online]

Photo via Monash Vision Group

Get Mountain Lion For Less – Use Discounted iTunes Gift Cards [OS X Tips]

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Jonathan Zschau (5:06 am PDT, Mar 04)

The release of OS X Mountain Lion is still months away, but it’s never too early to save some money.

OS X Mountain Lion is going to be the first major OS X update sold and distributed exclusively through the App Store. This means that if you want to upgrade you must purchase and download it from the App Store. For savvy buyers out there, this might be a good opportunity to get a discount on your upgrade by taking advantage of special deals on iTunes Gift Cards.

There are two different types of Apple gift cards out there: the Apple Gift Card and iTunes Gift Card. You can use Apple Gift Cards for any merchandise purchase made at Apple Stores or the online Apple Store, but you cannot use it to purchase digital items sold in the iTunes Store (this includes the App Store and iBookstore) and, therefore, you will likely not be able to use it towards your Mountain Lion upgrade. If you’re shopping to save money on your Mountain Lion upgrade, skip the Apple Gift Card and go for the iTunes Gift Card.

iTunes Gift Cards may be used to purchase anything sold through the iTunes Store, App Store, or iBookstore. You may have seen the App Store and iBookstore variations of the iTunes Gift Card, but, practically speaking, there is no difference between the three – Apple treats them all the same and they all may be used to purchase the same things. When asked why Apple sells three different iTunes Gift Cards an Apple representative gave one reason: marketing. So next time you find yourself standing at a Best Buy kiosk, don’t be confused by the different iTunes Gift Card nomenclature. The takeaway here is that you will be able to use any iTunes Store gift card towards your Mountain Lion upgrade.

We still have a few months before the Mountain Lion upgrade goes live. If you expect that you’re going to want to buy the upgrade, then start shopping now and keep an eye out for deals on iTunes Gift Cards. Barring any changes to Apple’s iTunes Gift Card Terms and Conditions, using a discounted iTunes Gift Card may save you 15% — 20%+ on your Mountain Lion upgrade. These types of deals are frequent and recurring, but there may not be one available when the Mountain Lion upgrade is released so find a good deal and buy it in advance. Don’t worry about buying iTunes Gift Cards in advance because they do not expire.

We took advantage of a recent Best Buy sale, which offered iTunes Gift Cards at a 20% markdown. In addition to Cult of Mac, there are many other reputable sites out there such as Woot, which post notices about iTunes Gift Card deals from time-to-time. Keep an eye out for good deals and stay tuned.

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iTunes Voucher Codes Hacked

dealBoard for iPhone puts all of your deal services in one place

Cody, Mar 4, 2012

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Here at iDB, we love a good deal on well, pretty much anything. Who doesn’t? The problem is that finding deals on the stuff we actually want to buy is pretty tough — even with services like Groupon or LivingSocial.

That’s why we were excited when we came across the new dealBoard for iPhone app. The software searches over a dozen services, including the aforementioned Groupon and LivingSocial, to bring you deals on stuff you like…

The app itself is both well-designed, and easy to use. Once you’ve enabled location services and picked out your favorite stores and brand names, all that’s left to do is swipe through the deals gallery.

As far as the actual deals go, they’ll ultimately depend on your interests and location. I didn’t find much outside of a few local food and drink specials, but I also don’t live in a very large city. Also keep in mind that the deals change on a daily basis.

Regardless, using the dealBoard app is the easiest way I’ve found to search multiple deal sites and services. If you want to try it out for yourself, you can grab it from the App Store for free. (Note: some services may not be available outside of the US)

Have you found any awesome deals near you?

Top 10 iOS news of the week

Sebastien, Mar 4, 2012

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A new week is coming, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on what happened last week. If you think you may have missed a few of the top stories from last week, don’t sweat it, we’ve got you covered.

We’ve gathered the top 10 most popular stories from iDB last week for you to check out. As always, make sure that you’re friends with us on Facebook, Google+, and that you are following us on Twitter…

Video gets up close and personal with iPad 3 parts

Cody, Mar 3, 2012

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The entire tech world let out a sigh of relief last week when reports that Apple had sent out invites to a March 7th media event surfaced. Finally, after months of rumors and speculation, we’ll get to see Apple’s new tablet.

Can’t wait that long to see what the iPad 3 looks like? You’re in luck. The folks over at MIC gadget have gotten their hands on a number of iPad 3 parts, including its rear shell and front glass, and have put them all on video for your viewing pleasure…

The components in the clip fall in line with dozens of previous reports that the new iPad will be a bit thicker than its predecessor, but will otherwise look extremely familiar. Although iPad 2 cases aren’t expected to fit the new tablet, it appears that smart covers will work just fine.

It’s also worth noting that MIC gadget believes that the next iPad will feature Siri. We’ve heard a few whispers that Apple will be incorporating the digital assistant into the new slate, but have yet to see much evidence of that.

If you’re interested in seeing a fully-assembled iPad 3, make sure you tune into iDB next Wednesday. We’ll be providing full coverage of the media event, as well as giving our first impressions of Apple’s new tablet.

[MacRumors]

Suite anticipation

Microsoft Office for iPad expected in coming weeks

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  Photo: Matt Hickey / The Daily

By Matt Hickey Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Back in November, The Daily initially uncovered the existence of an iPad version of the Microsoft Office Suite. Sources now say that the app will soon be submitted to Apple for approval.

A brief hands-on with a working prototype of the software revealed a number of new things. The app’s user interface is similar to the current OneNote app, but it has hints of Metro, the new design language that can be seen in Windows Phone and in the as-yet-released Windows 8 desktop operating system.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint files can be created and edited locally and online. But it’s unclear if Microsoft will support other Office apps at launch or at all.

Sources close to the matter also commented that an Android version of Office is not in the works, and that an updated OneNote iOS app will also be released to reflect the Metro design language.

An exact launch date is unknown, but the design team has since wrapped up the project, meaning it could be released in the coming weeks.

– Matt Hickey

Earlier today we heard a report from AllThingsD claiming that Apple’s anticipated iPad 3 announcement is just a few weeks away. The site believes that we could see Apple unveil its next-generation tablet as early as the first week in March.

Now the New York Times is weighing in on the slate, claiming that it has also learned details about the next iPad. And according to its sources, the tablet’s [anticipated] Retina display looks “truly amazing…”

From the NYT:

“An Apple employee said that the version of the new iPad that is being tested inside the company is “essentially the same size and shape as the iPad 2,” with an improved and “truly amazing” screen. The tablet will include a faster processor, said the employee, who did not want to be identified because Apple is not fond of leaks.”

This information lines up with several previous rumors we’ve heard regarding the next-generation iPad’s upgraded components. It also lends some credibility to all of the gossip we’ve heard about its appearance. There have been a number of reports, and recent component leaks, suggesting that the iPad 3 will look extremely similar to its predecessor.

On top of a Retina display and faster processor, Apple’s next tablet is also rumored to feature high resolution cameras, Siri support, and 4G LTE technology.

[MacRumors]

iTunes Accounts Being Hacked to Steal Money From Store Credit

JS, Feb 9, 2012

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The amount of customers reporting that their iTunes account have been hacked is growing steadily on Apple’s Support Forum. Customers are reporting that their accounts are being hacked, and the hackers are then using the accounts to purchase gift cards, make purchases on the store, and even using their PayPal accounts.

The Globe and Mail reports customers that have been hacked are growing increasingly frustrated with Apple’s response to the issue…

Many of the iTunes users whose accounts have been hacked are increasingly frustrated with Apple’s customer service, saying the company at the very least has dithered in fixing the problem. Some accuse the tech giant of being indifferent to the problem.

To remedy the situation, Apple is refunding the money that has been stolen and quickly reverting the account back to their original settings. But according to the report, Apple’s customer service is not acknowledging there is a problem — even though the Support Forum continues to grow.

While some hacks are for personal financial gain, some crooked developers hack accounts to give themselves positive ratings on their own apps. A Vietnam developer allegedly hacked over 400 accounts two years ago to give himself five-star ratings on Apple’s iTunes App Store.

When The Globe and Mail reached out for comment from Apple, they responded, “Apple takes precautions to safeguard your personal information against loss, theft and misuse.”

While hacking is expected on almost any online marketplace, many users believe it’s more widespread on the iTunes Store than people think. They appreciate Apple refunding the money, but don’t think they’re seeing the bigger picture of hacking.

iOS 5.0.1 Bug Lets Anyone Make FaceTime Calls On Your iPhone, Even With Security Settings

JS, Feb 9, 2012

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Canadian tech blogger Ade Barkah has discovered a new security loophole in Apple’s most recent iOS update, iOS 5.0.1. It involves FaceTime, and lets anyone make a call out, even with the highest security settings in place.

The loophole has been confirmed to work on both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, and hopefully is addressed by Apple soon. Barkah details the bug on his blog…

We’re able to trick Voice Control to enumerate through the private address book and make live FaceTime video calls on a locked iPhone 4, even with Voice Dial specifically disabled in the settings.

Barkah set his iPhone 4 to the highest security settings with a passcode, and also turned off Voice Control. Even with the security settings in place, he could still make a call through the Emergency Call page, sending in commands through Voice Control, without having to type in his password. Luckily, actual voice calls didn’t go through, but rather he could look through contacts and even see contacts’ pictures. FaceTime calls did go through, however.

Now Voice Control leaks that I have two numbers for Lisa Klein: her “mobile” and another number at the “love shack“.  Had this been my jealous girlfriend probing my locked phone, I would’ve been totally busted! Remember, we’re getting all this info from a locked phone with Voice Dial explicitly disabled. So far we’ve only enumerated through the Contacts.  Can we actually complete a call from the locked phone?  With FaceTime, the answer is yes! Again starting from the Emergency Call screen, this time I say, “FaceTime <Lisa Klein>”.  

Obviously for iPhone 4S users, this will only work if Siri is turned off (default setting), because that’s when the iPhone 4S will begin using Voice Control. The iPhone 3GS doesn’t have this problem, because the older device doesn’t feature FaceTime, which was introduced with the iPhone 4. Someone could still sniff through your contacts, though.

This is a big problem. Anyone could snoop through your contacts, or even worse, call one of them. iOS 5.1, which is rumored to launch March 9th, will hopefully address this bug.

Really like the way this app works! Come for iPhone and Andriod