Disney Research has found a way to preserve the awesome quality of high-dynamic range or HDR videos when they’re shown on consumer-level TVs and displays. See, HDR videos can show shadows and light better than footage taken by conventional equipment can — in fact, the setting’s purpose is to record what we see rather than what the camera sees. Problem is, typical consumer TVs and screens these days aren’t capable of displaying them, unless they go through a process called tone mapping . Unfortunately, existing tonal mapping techniques downgrade HDR videos’ quality, so that most of their details get “lost in translation, ” so to speak, or introduce unwanted effects like flickering and ghosting or after-image. Disney’s new tonal mapping technique, however, prevents these things from happening. If you’d like to know the science behind the technique, make sure to pore over the team’s research paper for more info. Or, you know, you can just watch the video below for a demonstration of what the technology can do. Comments Source: Disney Research

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Disney Research makes HDR videos work better on regular TVs

It’s no secret that AT&T throttles its users unlimited data connections. The company has been rather open about the policy. However, the carrier insisted that the practice is used to reign in the biggest bandwidth consumers, only necessary to keep network congestion at a minimum. Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Big Blue’s info page for “customers with legacy unlimited data plans” explains that when folks hit the 5GB threshold, they’re gonna experience reduced speeds until the billing cycle is up. The reduction to compensate for congestion bit only applies to phones with unlimited data between the 3GB and 5GB mark. Of course, the FCC claims AT&T hasn’t been clear about such practices, including just how slow the connection can get, despite the carrier claiming throttled customers get a text message when speeds are cut. In fact, an Ars Technica report found those figures to dip to half a megabit per second. At any rate, if you’re a big data user, you can expect slower speeds above 5GB, even when the network’s traffic is manageable. [Photo credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images] Filed under: Cellphones , Wireless , Mobile , AT&T Comments Via: Ars Technica Source: AT&T

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AT&T throttles unlimited data plans at 5GB, no congestion required

For all the talk of an Internet of Things , many Bluetooth devices aren’t very internet-savvy; they usually have to rely on WiFi (or another gadget entirely) to hop online. That’s going to change very shortly with the advent of Bluetooth’s new 4.2 spec . If a sensor, smart light bulb or other low-power device supports the new technology, it can connect directly to the internet (through a router or other access point, at least) without needing a go-between. That’s potentially huge for home automation — you could control all your appliances and light fixture from anywhere in the world without requiring special hubs. There’s a lot more going on besides this, of course. Privacy is now much more important; Bluetooth 4.2 makes it harder to track a device without your permission, so a store with iBeacons (as an example) can’t follow you around unless you’ve installed an app. The new wireless tech is also up to 2.5 times faster, and it should be both more power-efficient and reliable. The gotcha with all these updates? You’ll have to wait. The Bluetooth 4.2 standard is ready now (internet access is due within a month), but device makers will still have to implement it before you can see any benefit. You probably won’t get to use 4.2-capable devices until sometime in 2015 as a result, but there are enough heavy-hitting features that your patience may pay off. Filed under: Household , Peripherals , Networking , Internet , Mobile Comments Source: Bluetooth SIG

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New Bluetooth devices will connect directly to the internet

A US District Judge in Virginia has ordered the man responsible for selling and distributing StealthGenie , an application used to spy on people, to pay a $500, 000 fine and hand over the software’s source code to the authorities. Hammad Akbar, who is originally from Denmark, last week pleaded guilty to the charges of a “sale of an interception device and the advertising of a known interception device, ” in what the Department of Justice is calling the first-ever criminal conviction of its kind . Akbar admitted that StealthGenie could take on many spying tasks once installed on an iOS, Android or BlackBerry smartphone, such as providing access to email, text messages and pictures, as well as intercepting any incoming and outgoing phone calls. “Make no mistake: selling spyware is a federal crime, and the Criminal Division will make a federal case out if it. Today’s guilty plea by a creator of the StealthGenie spyware is another demonstration of our commitment to prosecuting those who would invade personal privacy, ” an Assistant Attorney General involved with the case stated. As expected, the FBI was deeply involved in the takedown of StealthGenie. “This illegal spyware provides individuals with an option to track a person’s every move without their knowledge, ” a spokesperson for the bureau added. “As technology evolves, the FBI will continue to evolve to protect consumers from those who sell illegal spyware.” The moral of the story, people, is don’t make apps to creep on others — unless you’re willing to deal with the Department of Justice, FBI and pay quite a hefty fine. Filed under: Internet , Software Comments Via: ZDNet Source: Department of Justice

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Seller of StealthGenie spyware app gets fined $500,000