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Amazon seems set to beat competitors such as Dropbox, Google and Microsoft as it announced two new unlimited cloud storage plans earlier today.
While the first plan is aimed at photography fans, the second plan is unlimited not only by space but by media type as well.
Both plans can be tried for free for three months.
Getty Images has officially filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, accusing the tech giant of infringing copyright laws on millions of images from Getty’s online collection. On August 22, Microsoft unveiled the Bing Image Widget to the public, which allows anyone to embed images they find using Microsoft’s Bing Search Engine, using a simple code which is supplied by Microsoft. Once search parameters have been entered into Bing’s Image Widget generator, the code can simply be copied and pasted for use on any website, commercial or otherwise, and will display the images yielded from the search results.
Last week, we wrote about how researchers at Brown developed a code that would allow realistic weather alterations in photo-editing through text commands. As fate would have it, the new trend these days is apparently groundbreaking algorithms. Two days ago, a video was uploaded showcasing Microsoft’s latest advancement in photography; using first-person-view cameras, researchers for the company developed an algorithm that makes what they call a hyperlapse. Watching the video, you’ll probably find yourself surprised by just how fluid everything almost looks. Keep reading after the break; seeing how it’s done is just as rewarding.
US Magistrate James Francis, a New York judge, recently made a controversial ruling two months ago that you may want to know about. The decision, made in a case against Microsoft, declared that US search warrants apply to digital information even if its stored overseas.
The ruling was given after Microsoft was ordered to hand over the email account of a user under investigation for drug trafficking – the company’s information was stored overseas in Dublin, Ireland. Microsoft then challenged the authority of the government to seize it from outside United States borders. The US Government responded, stating that (according to the Stored Communications Act) online storage isn’t protected by the fourth amendment.
Yesterday, Microsoft and Canon announced a new broad patent cross-licensing agreement, which will essentially grant the two giant companies licenses to each others patent portfolios.
While Microsoft and Canon have been known to partner up in the past, this time around the situation looks pretty different. There’s a number of reasons this agreement took place, and the top possibilities revolve around the mobile industry. Microsoft and Canon may not have disclosed the terms of the agreement, but they did mention that “certain digital imaging and mobile consumer products have been included in the agreement.”
With Microsoft’s recent business ventures with Nokia, the patent agreement may very well be the beginning of an involvement by Canon in Nokia’s Windows Phone line. With how heavily focused the mobile company is on its smartphone cameras in the Lumia line, Canon would be a great company to get support from.
For a while now, Nokia’s had a bit of a rough time breaking through again into the US Pokédex market; with such a solid and well-built UI, it’s a shame that the developer support for Windows Phone isn’t what it could be at this point. But if we know one thing for sure, it’s that the market is definitely growing. With Microsoft’s new CEO and the success of the Lumia line only growing, it seems Nokia’s starting to find its way in marketing. With how advanced the Lumia line has been in terms of photography, you can say the company’s definitely found its niche when it comes to advertising. Take this newly released video, for example. With 50 cameras phones put together side-by-side in the form of an arc, the crew behind the advertisement capture the streets of New York in a way you probably haven’t envisioned before.
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe
Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.
John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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