The Intel Reader – Accessories, Anecdotes

This is a video I shot with a great guy, Ben Foss, from Intel’s Digital Health Group.  I also edited a shorter version here.

Ben invited me to his and gave me a first-hand look at the The Intel Reader,which takes pictures of text and read it aloud.

It’s designed to provide access to printed text for people with dyslexia, low vision or blindness.

Intel’s Digital Health Group researched and designed the mobile Intel Reader, which is built on the Intel Atom processor and run on the Moblin operating system.

I got to attend the San Francisco briefing today, where I got to see a few great tech writers from sites like VentureBeat, Ubergizmo, TechPulse360 and SiliconValleyWatcher.

Intel Reader - First Prototype and First Product

During the briefing, Ben showed the first prototype design, so I shot this photo showing the idea evolve into reality – and a set of photos here.

My take:  it’s interesting to learn about the blend of people and technology research that went into making the device.  It is purpose built and intended to assist people who have trouble reading text.  The ability to “on-the-spot” snap a photo of a newspaper, magazine or voter booklet and have the text read back to you slow or super fast is amazing.

And the fact that you can create a collection of documents and mp3 audio files for sharing (appropirately, not for commercial uses) makes this device ripe for our times.

I think it will help bring together young and older people who need help reading text — people with dyslexia, weak eye sight or other forms of blindness.

 

 

 

 

 

Intel Inside Cloud Computing and Micro-Servers

Intel provides updates on cloud computing infrastructure, including the Intel Cloud Builder Program, products and technologies enabling innovation in cloud/Internet datacenters, and a look at the new micro-server category. EMC join us as special guests to discuss our joint efforts in the cloud.

Investing in the Data Center During the Downturn

Intel CIO Diane Bryant leads an industry conversation on how investing in new data center servers during the economic downturn is saving Intel $250 million over eight years.

Future of Public Relations & Corporate Communications

Brian Solis visited Intel headquarters on August 7, 2009 to talk with the Global Communications Group, the public relations team that helps Intel share news, information and stories about the company at www.intel.com/pressroom.

Brian is an Intel Insider, a group of 10 social media advisors who help Intel evolve how the company communicates and participates with people online.

Women of the World and Technology

Dr. Genevieve Bell is an Intel Fellow and enthnographer implementing usability research into technologies being developed inside Intel’s Digital Home Group.

Here she share her research finding with a group of tech savvy women attending Intel’s Upgrade Your Life gathering at Intel headquarters in May 2009.

New Power Management From Intel Labs Helps Future MIDs

My mentor, Larry Bozman used to always say: Simma-down now!

This is a a Powwa down now demo from Research@Intel day on June 17, 2009. I got a sneak peek during set up and just had to record one of the main guys from Intel Labs who is bringing research.

This video was originally shared on blip.tv by Channel.Intel with a No license (All rights reserved) license.

Long day. Dream time.

Dreamiest Singer

(Text from Wikipedia — testing from Posterous.com)

Mazzy Star was an American alternative rock band formed in Santa Monica in 1989 from the group Opal, a collaboration of guitarist David Roback and bassist Kendra Smith. Smith’s friend Hope Sandoval became the group’s vocalist when Smith left the band.[1]

Mazzy Star is probably best known for the song “Fade into You” which brought the band some success in the early to mid 1990s and was the group’s biggest mainstream hit, earning radio and MTV airplay. Roback and Sandoval were the creative center of the band, with Sandoval writing most of the lyrics and Roback composing most of the music.

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Lose_Me_on_the_Way/7806206

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazzy_Star

http://www.mazzystar.nu/

http://www.mazzystar.nu/web/photos.html

Hope Sandoval

Besides vocals, Sandoval plays harmonica, percussions, and xylophone, and occasionally plays the guitar. She writes nearly all the lyrics, with occasional input from David Roback.

Hope Sandoval was born in 1966 and grew up in East L.A. in a Mexican-American family. She started her career with her high-school friend Sylvia Gomez (who later played on She Hangs Brightly) in a band called Going Home, a folk duo formed in 1986. Hope and Sylvia admired Kendra Smith as a teenage Dream Syndicate fan. Gomez handed Smith a demo tape which was performed by Sandoval on vocals and Gomez on guitar. Roback offered to produce some recordings for them and they went into the studio and recorded an album that to this day has yet to be released. Sandoval and Gomez played gigs in California throughout the mid 1980s.

During the Opal tour in December 1987, Smith left the band. Roback called Sandoval to see if she would be interested in taking Smith’s place in Opal. They found Kendra and had some discussions. They did two more shows together, but then Smith flew home. Keith Mitchell flew home as well, and the next day he got back with Sandoval.

Sandoval reveals: :”For me recording is better. Live, I just get really nervous. Once you’re on-stage, you’re expected to perform. I don’t do that. I always feel awkward about just standing there and not speaking to the audience. It’s difficult for me.” – Musician magazine[citation needed]

In 2000, Sandoval joined with Colm Ó Cíosóig (formerly of My Bloody Valentine) to form Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions. The project retained the laid-back, slowcore sound of Mazzy Star. In 2001 Sandoval issued her first EP with the Warm Inventions, At the Doorway Again, and followed it up with her debut full-length album, Bavarian Fruit Bread, a year later. She has also contributed on several songs by other artists, such as The Jesus & Mary Chain, Chemical Brothers, Bert Jansch, and Death In Vegas.

Minding Our Mobile Tech Manners

Are you a Gabby or a Gertrude?

I took the mobile etiquette quiz three times, so I guess it’s true. I’m a Gertrude.  Here’s what it told me:

You are a Mobile Misfit!  Do you feel other patron’s eyes on you as you take up one too many tables in a crowded coffee shop? With the amount of real estate you’re occupying, you may as well set up a desktop computer! Do you have bruises from walking into things (and people) because you’re too busy texting to pay attention to what’s in front of you? As a Mobile Misfit, mobile etiquette is not in your vocabulary. Mobile devices were created to make life easier for you and others, not to wreak havoc on those around you. It’s time for an intervention!

My Intel teammates and I had fun working with Intel Insider iJustine, who did a great job finding a creative crew in LA to shoot these.  We gave her a sneak peek at early survey results, and her crew came back with the Gabby and Gurtrude skit.  She did three Mobile Etiquette videos — Dating, Working, Privacy.  I liked that much better than the “Miss Manners” or “Do’s and Don’t” storylines.

My mobile tech pet peeves?  I’m pretty lenient.  Maybe because I hope others will treat me with the same freedom to tech.  But I believe I’m pretty considerate of people around me, and I never take a conversation into the bathroom.  But I can slip in a quick SMS or email lickety-split in almost any situation.  I like acknoledgements from others, so I’m quick to respond to people’s request when possible.  I find that a lot of communication is timing, nurturing and keeping things moving ahead.

When I got my first laptop from work in 2000, well it was awesome.  I could bring it home and almost anywhere, and have my everything I needed — as long as I could wait for the super slow boot up and slow Internet connection.  When I got my blackberry three years ago, it levitated me and allowed me to roam, and “be there” in more places while still on teh front lines of communications.

The June 17, 2009 Intel survey showed that nine out of 10 U.S. adults feel annoyed by some behaviors they see in public. Driving while texting (guilty!) and loud mobile phone talkers (not me) were top complaints, yet, most of didnt think they were culprits (ummm, well).

“It is hardly surprising that we are still working out what is socially appropriate and what isn’t we are still developing our techno-etiquettes,” said my pal and inspiration Genevieve Bell, an Intel Fellow and cultural anthropologist who studies technology and culture.

I hope we can include our Intel Insiders in more video projects because I always learn something new — features available in YouTube.

I’ll work on shedding my Mobile Misfit label…I am a parent after all, and I’d like to influence my kids by showing good examples!

If you take the quiz, let me know if you’re a Gabby or Gertrude, and how you feel about it.  Tech responsibly, but tech on!

Canon G9 Will Be Mine!

Today I found an unboxed Canon PowerShot G9 for $339 at Need4Digital.  So I watched the CNET video review again, recounted my experiences and advice about the camera…then placed my order.

I’ve had a hankering for the Canon G9 and G10 for a while now.  In the past few weeks, I met two talented social media creators and got to try their Cannon G series.

• Susan Bratton brought her shiny new Canon G 9 to the Traveling Geeks UK team meeting in May, and shot cool photos like this funky bunch.
• Veronica Belmont brought her trusty Canon G 7 to Intel headquarters in May for the Upgrade Your Life gathering of women bloggers.

During South by Southwest 2009, new media pioneer Eddie Codel showed me his Panasonic Lumix LX3, the same one he raved about to Rocketboom’s Ellie Rountree at the event.  Some of Eddie’s photos can be seen here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igxUgxEN1zI&feature=player_embedded

Eddie’s enthusiasm for the LX3’s ability to shoot in low light is something I’ve been carrying around with me.  I’m just not sure how well the Canon G9 shoots in low light.  I am glad it can capture video, but I’m not too jazzed that you can’t zoom while shooting video.

Well, I’ll put it all to the test in a few days and then I’ll consider some accessories:  better grip, thumb rest, UV filter and possible lens adaptor with telephoto lense.