Investigadores y developers han desarrollado un sistema Open Source (En tu cara Microsoft) para rastrear una lap top perdida de manera gratuita, este servicio se llama Adeona.

Perder tu lap top en estos dias es como perder parte de tu vida: Le dices adios a tus fotos, juegos, archivos y demas cosas (incluido el porno, nooo) peor aun si tu lap top es de tu trabajo, eso significaria una brecha de seguridad grande para tu empresa y probablemente puedas hasta perder el empleo.

Pero ahora investigadores y desarrolladores de la University of Washington y la University of California en San Diego, han encontrado la manera de darte una oportunidad de recuperar tu lap top y tu vida (y probablemente tu empleo). El Lunes planean lanzar un servicio open source que podra rastrear tu lap top, el servicio se llama Adeona el cual es gratis y privado.

Nombrado asi en honor a la Deidad Romana que guia a los niños perdidos de vuelta con sus padres, Adeona usa software que ha estado en desarrollo desde el año pasado.

Asi es como trabaja: El usuario baja el software cliente en su lap top, lo ejecuta y ya. El Adeona comenzara a enviar notas encriptadas de manera anonima acerca de donde esta la computadora, que servidores utiliza, etc. Si la lap top se pierde el dueño baja otro programa, teclea su usuario y contraseña y recoge los datos que la lap top ha enviado, desde un servicio de almacenamiento gratuito que ha estado por años llamado OpenDHT.

La version MAC del Adeona usa tambien un programa llamado isightcapture el cual toma fotos de las partes en donde se esta usando la lap top a travez del Isight.

Adeona no provee exactamente el domicilio o el telefono de la persona que robo o usa tu lap top, pero te dice el IP (Internet Protocol) que tiene que si es usado de manera correcta se puede rastrear facilmente para localizar la posicion geografica real de tu lap top, la policia tiene esta tecnologia y se puede detener al malechor dice Tadayoshi Kohno, profesor asistente de la University of Washington. "Una vez que recuperes la informacion de tu lap top enviada por Adeona, probablemente quieras llevarla a la policia."

El servicio se ve bastante interesante, y aunque influyen mucho las circunstancias (ya que los ejemplos se dan en un marco imaginario y tu lap top no la roba un hacker que formatea el Disco Duro o no usa Proxy By pass) y no todas las veces se puede recuperar una lap top de esta manera si es un gran paso hacia adelante para poder, en un futuro no lejano, recuperar los objetos perdidos.... mmmm, pensandolo bien, tambien se podria utilizar en otros productos..... que tal como un carro, que por donde pase y exista una señal Wireless (que ya existen muchas con eso de los AMPM que las dan gratis) te enviara informacion de donde esta..... mmmm seria una buena idea, ustedes que piensan mis queridos geeks.

----------------

Recuperando lo robado desde PCWorld

This effects are available for G5 and Intel processor.
Some could be supported by PowerPC G4 (with Powerboost) in Photobooth or iChat.

Click Here

Note: These are Screensavers (Mac OS X - Tiger only)
-> Place Quartz Composer´s .qtz files into your “…/Library/Screen Savers/”-folder and configure with your SystemPrefs-Pane.

(Yes, some of you will have to create a new „Screen Saver” - Folder; e.g. if you, or your user, haven’t had any screensavers installed before). [via antenna-flog]

(See also the Isight Prank)

I as literally running around ALL day and then I cooked some food and afterwards I posted some QUICK FLASH CREATIONS on flickr which I must say look very good considering that they were produced with isight on my macbook and then thrown in photoshop for a flash edit!. I'm liking this idea of producing images because at the moment I have NO time at all with the maintence work on the house and I can produce images at a fast speed which fulfills my creative urges! and sometimes great art comes from really impulsive and intuitive working processes.

Logitech has announced its latest flagship cam that is Mac only :D. The QuickCam Vision Pro is USB 2.0, works with Skype and iChat, sports a 2.0 megapixel lens and a Carl Zeiss lens. It can also record VGA video at 30 fps.

I already have an iSight in my MacBook but I'd like to have another camera for webcasting. :D

These will hit shelves in July for $130. I'll have to wait on this one since I'm getting another important product in July.

[Read at Engadget]

It looks like Apple is working on a next generation iSight camera. The source for this (thanks MacRumors) is a QuickTime localization file which you can find here:

/System/Library/QuickTime/QuickTimeUSBVDCDigitizer.component/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/Localizable.strings

You can open the .strings file with either TextEdit, or a simple Quicklook, but either it its’ very clear that:

/* Next Generation USB iSight */
“iSight HD” = “iSight HD”;

Appears there plain as day. This doesn’t guarantee the release of a USB iSight HD camera, but it certainly lends a bit of validity to the idea that Apple plans to release one soon.

iBeginShare.attachButton('share-tool-30907473480', {title: '“strings” file reveals iSight HD possibility', link: 'http://www.applegazette.com/mac/strings-file-reveals-isight-hd-possibility/', content: 'http://www.applegazette.com/?ibegin_share_action=get_content&id=3642'});

(Via Apple Gazette.)

It looks like Apple is working on a next generation iSight camera. The source for this (thanks MacRumors) is a QuickTime localization file which you can find here:

/System/Library/QuickTime/QuickTimeUSBVDCDigitizer.component/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/Localizable.strings

You can open the .strings file with either TextEdit, or a simple Quicklook, but either it its’ very clear that:

/* Next Generation USB iSight */
“iSight HD” = “iSight HD”;

Appears there plain as day. This doesn’t guarantee the release of a USB iSight HD camera, but it certainly lends a bit of validity to the idea that Apple plans to release one soon.

iBeginShare.attachButton('share-tool-30907473480', {title: '“strings” file reveals iSight HD possibility', link: 'http://www.applegazette.com/mac/strings-file-reveals-isight-hd-possibility/', content: 'http://www.applegazette.com/?ibegin_share_action=get_content&id=3642'});

(Via Apple Gazette.)

Hoy uno de los rumores más sonados que circula por la comunidad mac internacional es el hallazgo por parte de Macrumors de unas referencias en un fichero de configuración de QuickTime a una “iSight HD”, es decir lo que podría ser una nueva versión mejorada de nuestras iSight con alta definición.

Sea en verdad o no, un posible hallazgo con base real lo que seguro es, que Apple va a ver el interés que toda la comunidad tiene ya desde hace mucho por una nueva iSight externa, a ser posible ya de pedir yo como siempre pediría que tuviera conexión ethernet para ya puestos sacarle verdadero provecho no  solo a través de iChat o iMovie.

La iSight nació como cámara externa halla por el 2004 según he podido encontrar en la documentación de Apple, nació como cámara externa pues de aquella nadie había podido aun integrar una cámara en un ordenador, y todas eran externas. Nació como toda un estrella pues su resolución era VGA de 640×480 y se conectaba a diferencia del resto de cámaras por puerto firewire. Hecha de una aleación de aluminio y con objetivo de autoenfoque en planos cortos de hasta 50 mm o en largos hasta el infinito, lo cual dejaba muy atrás a toda la competencia cuyas resoluciones andaban por los 320×280 y conexiones usb 1.1.

En 2006 la cámara iSight fue retirada del mercado europeo al salir una nueva normativa sobre materiales tóxicos. Tras este golpe Apple saco una nueva versión que fue capaz de integrar en las nuevas versiones de iMac y en los nuevos portátiles supuestamente con otros materiales alternativos y no tóxicos, pero que no tenía ninguna nueva característica. Esta nueva versión fue comercializada hasta 2007 momento hasta cual aun convivía con la antigua iSight externa en el mercado americano donde todavía se comercializaba.

En 2007 llego al fin una versión mejorada de la iSight que aumentaba la resolución a 1280× 1024 y además tenía por primera vez una resolución fotográfica de 1.3 Mp. A partir de entonces desapareció también del mercado americano la antigua iSight externa y con ella los maqueros nos quedamos un poco en precario a la hora de hacer videoconferencias pues solo teníamos un posible ángulo de emisión al venir ya la cámara integrada lo cual empeora o empobrece mucho la calidad  o posibilidades de las Videoconferencias.

Así que empezaron a surgir un mercado de cámaras de otras marcas y Apple saco revisiones de software para iChat y que pudieran utilizarse cámaras de conexión usb de otras marcas pues sino dejaba sin posibilidad de hacer videoconferencia a los usuarios del Mac Mini o del Mac Pro que han tenido que buscarse la vida desde entonces, y ya han pasado dos años. De la iSight actual lo más curioso es que Apple prácticamente no ha hablado de ella ni de sus mejoras en comparación con primera versión, es un tema olvidado, no mencionado, y que hasta hoy parecía al menos condenado al olvido. 

En fin, que esperemos que pronto Apple se decida y nos alegre la vida a los maqueros con una nueva iSight externa de mayor resolución que haga que no tengamos que buscar otras cámaras alternativas de peor calidad y más difícil integración con nuestro software. Esperemos que este rumor se haga realidad en este 2008, y por Dios! que le pongan una conexión ethernet.

Por Innuendo

One reader has found references to an unreleased High Definition USB iSight in Apple's QuickTime system files. The line is specifically labeled "Next Generation USB iSight" in QuickTime's localizable.strings and also carries a reference of 'iSight HD'. We're not sure how old this reference is, but a quick Google search shows no previous discussion of it. Still, it remains possible that this could be an old reference to a project that is no longer planned.

Me on the other hand think they should just put the iSight HD in all Macs and ALL Apple displays! If they do put in iSights on Apple displays i will be buying two 30 inch displays!

Personalmente solo utilizo la iSight para breves videoconferencias y para poco más, bueno ahora para reconocer códigos de barras con el excelente programa Delicious Library, del cual pienso hablar más adelante cuando trastee mas con él. En cualquier caso, siempre he pensado que la calidad que ofrece la iSight es mucho mayor que la mayoría de las Webcam que se encuentran por el mercado, y si encima se confirma el rumor de disponer de calidad HD, ya sería algo increíble. El poder ofrecer videoconferencias a una calidad de High Definition, es un paso que Apple tiene que dar tarde o temprano, sobre todo porque el mercado de las webcam va a obligar a la empresa. De momento yo no le doy más credibilidad inmediata que la cada uno le quiere otorgar, pero con Apple nunca se sabe.

Visto en Macrumors

I recently had this issue with my iChat, it was driving me kind of crazy. After a few hours of looking around the internet I finally found the answer. First off I tried a suggestion to reset my SMC, this did not work. What DID work was opening my Finder going to username(your username)/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iChat.plst, and hitting DELETE. I then restarted iChat and was able to initiate video conferencing.

BabyaTV

And it's really a tool for managing video transfers from your camera, but it has a handy little feature that allows you to capture video right from your iSight camera, which is included in all newer Apple machines.

Enjoy!
~Advait

Diggnation Episode 151

Here Are The Stories Talked On The Podcast:

Geeks Can't Ride A Roller Coaster Like Normal People
MUTO: An Amazing Wall-Painted Animation
Stolen MacBook Victim Uses iSight To Bust Thieves
The Stressful Life Of A Japanese News Reporter
Little Kid VS Tuba Player
Don't Throw Paper Clips At Your Co-Worker!
Pac-Man, Explained

추신: 이것은 중간에 발견한 것인데, iSight를 감시 카메라로 돌변 시키는 프로그램입니다.

For the last several years I've been using my miniDV camera for producing amateur movies, whether for fun work projects or family videos. In fact, I have a huge drawer full of miniDV tapes that have captured many of my family memories, and which I have used to create high school graduation retrospectives for my two oldest kids, and for some wedding videos. And although I'm a self-taught producer, I'm pretty pleased at what I've been able to create with relatively simple tools.

One thing that makes producing these videos, well...a production is the need to digitize the footage, connecting the camera to the computer via Firewire, and playing the whole tape to import files that can be edited in iMovie (or one of the Final Cut versions.)

But thanks to recommendations from Steve Lubetkin and Monty Flinsch, I've recently (this weekend) begun exploring the Flip camera as a video blogging alternative. My one-word review:

Amazing.

I've seen Scoble do his Qik gig, and it's pretty cool to have "a TV station in your pocket," which you can use to stream video live to the web. But while I personally find my life really interesting, I think most of my readers would prefer the edited version. And besides, the quality of the live video stream (even from a 3G phone) still needs some work.

That's what's so compelling about the Flip: for a ridiculously low price ($119 for 30 minutes, $149 for 60 minutes), you can get a camera that records 640 x 480 video with decent sound into files that you can edit instantly and upload to YouTube or another video blogging platform, or to Facebook.

In fact, I started shooting the segment you see below at 7:15 p.m. CDT Tuesday, using a Flip Ultra and a cheap tripod. It took a couple of tries to say something close to what I wanted. So I was done recording by 7:20. Then I plugged the camera's built-in USB extension that flips out (Get it? Flip?) into my computer's USB port, and completed the editing by 7:25 using QuickTime Pro. I exported at 30 frames per second and best quality, which took about four minutes for this 75-second clip. By 7:32 I was uploading to YouTube. Total time from shooting to uploading: 17 minutes.

Then my youngest son asked me to go out for a run (with him on his scooter), so I took a blogging break. I'm not sure how long the upload took because I was away while it finished, but that will vary for you anyway, based on your Internet connection speed.

One hour later...

I'm back after taking John for a two-mile run (and a stop at the A&W for a medium root beer float that undid any of the caloric benefit gained by my exercise), and my Flip video is now processed. Here it is:

I can't use the Flip to take video of itself (although I guess I could have done it in the mirror), but fortunately I have a built-in iSight camera in my MacBook, so I recorded and uploaded a demonstration video using YouTube's Quick Capture feature. That recording process was pretty straightforward, but it's much lower quality than what you get with the Flip, as you see below:

The one positive of the lower resolution is that the encoding is faster, so it's a quicker way to get video to YouTube. A drawback for Quick Capture is that you can't edit your video as you can with the Flip; if you make a mistake you need to cancel and try again.

The quality of the video I get with the Flip is excellent, at least equivalent to what either of my two miniDV cameras offers. It does have limitations, however. It uses two AA batteries, which is both a pro and a con. The negative is that you need to spend money for batteries or purchase more expensive rechargeables. The positives are that, unlike the toys of my youth, batteries are included (at least the first pair), and you don't need to charge the battery overnight before the first use, as you do with the iPod or many other digital devices with built-in batteries, such as cell phones. When the juice runs out you just pop in new batteries and continue recording. No recharging time.

Other Flip limitations include the fact that the zoom function only goes to 2x, and there is no audio jack that would let you use an external microphone. Still, as Kirk Mastin has demonstrated, with an adapter for your iPod you can record an audio track that you can synch with the Flip video. And the video he produced with a Flip is virtually indistinguishable from what he did with a $3,200 HD camera. Even if you can tell them apart, it would strain credulity to say the HD version is 21 times better than the Flip.

So, at least for close-range web video (which is what most video blogging is), the Flip is a high-quality, cost-effective, fast alternative to miniDV or higher-end tape formats.

I wonder whether Pure Digital would extend its $15-per-camera educational discount on the Flip to students at Social Media University, Global? I'm pretty sure they offer some volume discounts, too. If you're interested in getting in on a bulk purchase, let me know in the comments below, in the comments on the video in the SMUG group in Facebook, or by e-mail.

Optional Homework Assignment:

Do I really need to spell it out? Get a Flip video camera, and start exploring by creating a video greeting to your fellow SMUG students.

Then upload your video both to YouTube (as a response to mine) and to the SMUG Facebook group.

If you have a webcam, try Quick Capture in YouTube.

For everyone, whether you do the hands-on camera work or not, please share your comments and thoughts below.

My nephew on my Macbook iSight. Pretty good quality, huh? Ain't he adorable?

Δύο μοντέλα όμως δεν έχουν ενσωματωμένη κάμερα, το Mac Pro και το Mac Mini. Τι κάνει λοιπών κάποιος που θέλει μια κάμερα, αλλά έχει Mac Mini (όπως εγώ);  Η Apple δεν πουλάει πια την κάμερα ούτε στα κανονικά καταστήματα της, ούτε στο διαδικτυακό της κατάστημα. Ο καταναλωτής πάει λοιπόν στο ebay, κάνει μια εύρεση για την λέξη iSight και αγοράζεις μια εξωτερική firewire κάμερα.

Στην αρχή δεν νόμιζα πως η κάμερα θα ήταν κάτι χρήσιμο, αλλά όσο περνάει ο καιρός την χρησιμοποιώ όλο και πιο πολύ για video chat, για τρελές φωτογραφίες με το photobooth, και για να εισάγω βιβλία, παιχνίδια, και ταινίες στο Delicious Library (βάση δεδομένων – πολύ καλή ,την συνιστώ ανεπιφύλακτα).

Η iSight είναι πολύ καλά φτιαγμένη (μου έχει πέσει μια-δυο φορές και ακόμα λειτουργεί σωστά), υποστηρίζεται από iChat (φυσικά) και από Yahoo messenger (περιμένω ανυπομονετικά να υποστηρίζεται και από το Adium) και φυσικά όταν λείπεις από το σπίτι μπορείς να την στήσεις και ως αντικλεπτικό μηχανισμό ;-)

Αν ψάχνετε λοιπόν για κάμερα, iSight στο ebay!

This is my fishy, better than Sam's fishy:

But, Sam turned my fish into food!:

And then I did the same:

And then Sam countered with his POISON CLOWNFISH!:

But, he didn't know I had some dirt on him:

But Sam had dirt on me:

So, I threatened to beat Sam up:

But, Sam called on the knife wielding dolphins beluga whales!:

So, I called upon the forces of the Beanie Babie on monster thing with knife:

But Sam got a bigger bear, and a bigger knife!:

So, I got my crazy bear and crazy hat!:

But, Sam pulled out the CRAZY PURPLE JAGUAR plus TIKI MAN MASK:

So, as my last resort, I had to pull the single cutest thing in the world. Something Sam would not be able to resist:

BUT HE ATE HAMLET:

So, there was nothing else I could do. Sam had won, I had to admit defeat:

So, in the end, Sam won...:

But I'd be back:

Delicious Library allows you to catalog virtually any type of media using an innovative scanning feature which makes excellent use of the iSight camera built into Apple computers (if you have an earlier Mac, don't worry, a camera isn't required). All you have to do to catalog something is hold the bar code of the product up to the iSight camera and let the program scan it for you. A window pops up on the screen (similar to Apple's Photo Booth program) which has several red bars running through it. Once you have lined up the bar code across these lines (it doesn't have to be perfect, the code just has to hit a few of them) your item is entered into the virtual library. This feature works surprisingly well and actually makes cataloging your stuff fun. However, what if you don't have an iSight camera? Luckily, Delicious Library allows you to type in the title of the item and it will go out and retrieve the information for it, or you can manually type in the UPC, ISBN or ASIN code. I have found that just entering in the title of an item is usually the fastest method, although it is still fun to use the scanning feature.

What's neat about the program is how it retrieves the information about the items you are entering. Delicious Library uses Amazon.com's vast databases to gather information of everything from release date to the current value of an item. The program places all your items onto virtual wooden shelves and since it retrieves cover art information, it really does feel like you're browsing through a real library. Delicious Library's representation of items is simply breathtaking. Instead of just placing static images onto the shelves, Delicious Library actually places them within the packaging associated with that item. So, if you enter in a DVD, the cover art will appear inside of a virtual DVD case. If you bring in a CD, you will be treated to artwork seen through a virtual jewel case. All of the graphics are extremely sharp and are really a testament to how much emphasis the people at Delicious Monster (the company behind the program) placed on creating an actual experience. Delicious Library is just as much about cataloging as it is about viewing and showing your collection off to friends. I must say, it's actually fun to be able to just browse through your digital collection and admire all the beautiful artwork. Since Delicious Library gets its information from Amazon, there are sometimes instances where the cover art does not mesh well with the program's layout. For instance, if the default Amazon photo was shot at an angle, that is how the picture will be placed within the digital packaging, resulting in an awkward and unappealing cover. To fix this, you'll have to go onto the Internet and look for another picture that is straight-on, usually these aren't too hard to find, but still, it can be a hassle when Amazon doesn't provide what you'd like it to.

Delicious Library starts off with four default categories - "Books", "Movies", "Music" and "Games" for organizing your items. However, you get add additional "shelves" to organize your items even further. For instance, you could organize all of your video games by creating different shelves for each system (e.g. one for Wii, Xbox 360, etc...).

Since the program is tied to Amazon.com, it will offer recommendations for you based on the items in your library, just as Amazon does based on your purchases. You can even lend items out to other people. All you have to do is specify the number of days that the item will be on loan and Delicious Library automatically adds a due date event in iCal. Another neat feature is the ability to print out a list of your library. This is especially useful for insurance purposes. You can also add a Delicious Library widget to the Mac OS X Dashboard which allows you to quickly look up a particular item. Clicking on the item in the widget will automatically open up Delicious Library, bringing you right to that item's information. You can also use Spotlight to search for items, which will also cause Delicious Library to open once you've found what you're looking for.

So, you may be thinking, "Well, all that sounds great, but what if the item I want to enter isn't on Amazon?". Should this occur, you can enter all of the information by hand and can also usually find a picture online for the cover. While this may sound like a hassle, it's actually quite simple and doesn't take long at all.

You can download a trial version of Delicious Library from its website, which will allow you to scan up to 25 items, at which point you'll have to purchase a full license for $40. It should also be mentioned that Delicious Library can only be purchased online, there is no box or disc that accompanies the product.

Granted, Delicious Library is not for everyone. Some may find it difficult to justify spending $40 just to be able to catalog their items. However, for those who are into collecting, or who simply want an easy way to keep track of their different products, Delicious Library is definitely a must try. From its innovative way to scan in items to its beautiful layout and ease of use, Delicious Library is certainly unique. Although it may not be for everyone, Delicious Library is a useful and well-built program that will help you get organized and let you have fun while doing it.

noSight in sight

I wanted a walkie-talkie wrist watch since I first saw Dick Tracy. Then a few years ago I bought  some cool walkie-talkie watches. They were pretty sweet and came in handy for quick communication at a newspaper I used to work at. Total Recall made me want a video phone soooo bad and I drooled over a prototype I saw at Staples in the early '90s. It's 2008!!! ... I mean, we have the tech to fake a moon landing, but the iPhone can't make video calls?

Why doesn't the iPhone have an iSight?
I'm not sure, but looking at the diminutives of it at the top of my iMac, and on the macbook air, it should be possible. I mean, how freakin' dope would it be to video call using Skype, or iChat? Perhaps, the molasses of Edge is what kept it from being introduced in the first place: ATT doesn't want bandwidth hogs.

Possible Features
I'm very hopeful that the 2nd generation iPhones will have a built in iSight feature. The following is a list of features I hope are  included in the next iPhone hardware revamp: 

Native iChat client...
...that supported the coverflowesque group video chat and slideshow photo sharing would rock. And with support for Powerpoint presentations in the works, this would gel very well with corporate users.

Visual Voicemail is not Visual until...
Well, you get the point.

An h.264 hardware encoder
You know, to speed things up.

TV Out support
I love the TV Out feature on my iPod Touch and use it all the time to watch movies and music videos on the TV. Villains love to order to their minions around via huge televisions screens. Landscape video conference support to an HDTV using the A/V cable accessory would really make you feel like you're the head honcho, or at least your neighborhood billy bad ass in no time.

Camcorder
There's been a million times when I've needed to record something impromptu... disasters, family moments, police abuse... film festivals? PXL THIS is a film festival established in 1991 in which directors debut short films recorded with the Fisher-Price PXL 2000 toy video camera. Hello iPhone, I'm ready for my close-up.

En ole vielä käynyt liikkeessä, josta ostin MacBookkini, mutta kunhan siihen on aikaa, käyn kysymässä kuinka menetellään. Tämän foorumipostin mukaan kyseessä ei ole kovin yleinen ilmiö, mutta epäilen tätä. Pikemminkin kyse on siitä, että kovin moni ei varmaan ole huomannut asiaa tai sitten häiriöääni ei ole niin voimakas, että se saisi ihmiset tekemään asialle mitään. Jos hyvin käy, saan tilalle uuden koneen joka tietysti olisi paras vaihtoehto, tosin hankalin koska olen juuri saanut suurinpiirtein kaikki tarvitsemani asennettua lisämuistia ja Boot Camp XP osiota myöten.

Tässä vielä esimerkkiä häiriöstä ja sen laadusta.

cd /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/
cd PlugIns/AppleUSBVideoSupport.kext/Contents/MacOS/