| NIST researchers store two images in a cloud of gas, open new possibilities for quantum memory May 10th 2012, 22:40  Physicists have already been able to store a single image in a cloud of rubidium gas, but researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Maryland have now made a new breakthrough that could open up some new possibilities for quantum memory. As Technology Review's Physics arXiv blog reports, they've managed to store two sequential images in the cloud (not to be confused with "the cloud") and retrieve (or view) them at different times with about 90 percent accuracy -- something that could technically be called a movie. That was done using much the same technique that allows a single image to be stored in the gas, although storing multiple images apparently has the side effect of causing them to be retrieved in the reverse order of how they went in. As TR notes, however, even with that quirk, this new method could give rubidium gas a leg up over something like holographic storage, which has only been able to store and retrieve multiple images at the same time. NIST researchers store two images in a cloud of gas, open new possibilities for quantum memory originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 18:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Technology Review | Email this | Comments | | Leica teases our wallets with $50,000 Edition Hermès M9-P, $1,000 scarf sold separately May 10th 2012, 22:29  If you've ever wondered if designer names alone can send a product's price tag through the roof, this should suffice as confirmation. Hermès, the Parisian fashion giant best known for its prohibitively expensive wearable accessories, has teamed up with Leica for some creative marketing. Two special M9-P editions will be available -- a total of 300 Edition Hermès digital rangefinders will ship beginning in June for $25,000, while 100 "very special" (even more exclusive) Edition Hermès - Série Limitée Jean-Louis Dumas models will be available in July for, ahem, $50,000 (that's fifty thousand, in case you assumed it was a typo). Likely realizing that it would be insanely absurd to unload the M9-P for either price without lenses included, Leica has opted to offer both as complete kits. The less expensive version uses some fancy calfskin leather with a silver chrome finish, and ships with a Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH. optic. The "very special" version, on the other hand, includes a Leica Summicron-M 28 mm f/2 ASPH., a Leica Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. and a Leica APO-Summicron-M 90 mm f/2 ASPH -- all finished in anodized silver. It also comes with a bag and a book. Due to the incredibly limited production run, you'll probably want to pitch a tent (or have your assistant park their assistant's Maybach) outside the Washington DC Leica Store, beginning sometime later this month. Continue reading Leica teases our wallets with $50,000 Edition Hermès M9-P, $1,000 scarf sold separately Leica teases our wallets with $50,000 Edition Hermès M9-P, $1,000 scarf sold separately originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 18:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | iPhone was Japan's best-selling smartphone in 2011, Android more than comfy as well May 10th 2012, 21:47  It's deemed likely that Apple had the top-selling cellphone in Japan this past fall, but how did it do in all of 2011? Quite well, if you go by MMRI's estimates. The iPhone had 30 percent (almost 7.3 million) of the Land of the Rising Sun's 24.2 million sales among individual smartphone labels, or nearly double Sharp's 17.5 percent. Don't think that Android-powered smartphones like the Aquos SH-12C didn't make an impact, though: virtually every other smartphone in Japan, 69 percent, was running some flavor of Google's mobile OS. Apple managed to shake up a sometimes insular overall keitai market as well, having come just short of Fujitsu for the top spot in all cellphones. Researchers are expecting the smartphone space in Japan to grow by a healthy 15 percent in 2012, although it's still a wildcard as to whether or not KDDI's iPhone support will keep Apple riding high for another year. iPhone was Japan's best-selling smartphone in 2011, Android more than comfy as well originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  MacOtakara | MMRI (translated) | Email this | Comments | | Leica boosts compact portfolio with V-Lux 40 point-and-shoot, APS-C-equipped X2 May 10th 2012, 21:19  Leica has built a name for itself in the compact market over the years with a handful of Panasonic rebrands -- these Lumix models come equipped with a matte black housing, Leica lens and that famous red dot, with the inflated price tag to match. With this latest batch of cameras, the company appears to be taking a more respectable approach -- at least with its high-end X2. But first, let's tackle the V-Lux 40. On the Panasonic front, this camera looks strikingly similar to the Lumix DMC-ZS20 we saw emerge after CES. Both cameras include 14.1-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensors, a 20x, 24-480mm f/3.3-6.4 optical zoom lens and 1080p video capture. The housing has been modified slightly to include a recessed control panel, Panasonic branding has been removed and the Leica logo added. Such luxuries more than double the camera's price from $269 to $699. Ouch. You can pick up the V-Lux 40 beginning today, or you can grab two virtually identical ZS20s for the same amount, with significant cash to spare. You may remember the Leica X1, but you probably don't. This $2,000 shooter was determined to be overpriced when it launched way back in 2009, and now the APS-C-equipped series has returned for a refresh. Dubbed the X2, this year's flavor ups the ante with a 16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor (boosted from 12.2) while retaining that beloved $2k sticker price. The compact all-in-one includes a fixed 24mm Leica Elmarit f/2.8 ASPH lens, which the company validates as a "classical focal length for photojournalism," and a 2.7-inch 230k-pixel LCD on the rear. There's also an option to add a Viso-Flex 1.4MP viewfinder with a 90-degree swivel function, along with a shoe-mounted mirror finder. The $1,995 camera's price tag may be tough to swallow -- but only until you discover the gratis copy of Adobe Lightroom in the box. Both the ZS20 V-Lux 40 and X2 are available now. Snap past the break for the pitch from Leica. Continue reading Leica boosts compact portfolio with V-Lux 40 point-and-shoot, APS-C-equipped X2 Leica boosts compact portfolio with V-Lux 40 point-and-shoot, APS-C-equipped X2 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 17:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | |
