Technology - The Salt Lake Tribune

Big press for big industry makes Salt Lake City debut

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:18:18 MDT

Big press for big industry makes Salt Lake City debut

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 19, 2013 09:18PM MDT

At a news conference Wednesday at KP Corp. in Salt Lake City, there were blue and silver balloons, banners that read “The Future is Here,” and a catered reception afterward with grilled shish kabobs. Even Gov. Gary Herbert was there. It was a lot of pomp and circumstance for the introduction of — a new printing press. A multimillion-dollar printing press But this is no ordinary printer. The Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 is a 60-plus-ton machine that looks more like the HAL 9000 from “2001: A Sp...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Microsoft removes restrictions on Xbox One

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:18:18 MDT

Microsoft removes restrictions on Xbox One

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 19, 2013 09:18PM MDT

The makers of the Xbox 360 just made a big 180. Microsoft, which landed in hot water with potential customers earlier this month when it announced that the Xbox One next-generation video game console would require an always-online Internet connection and not support used games, has reversed its position on those restrictions. The new game system, which will be released in November for $499, won’t have to be connected to the Internet at least once every 24 hours. And users will be able to play us...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

As sales slow, Utah’s Skullcandy retrenches

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:38:53 MDT

As sales slow, Utah’s Skullcandy retrenches

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 19, 2013 09:38AM MDT

Park City-based audio accessories manufacturer Skullcandy announced Tuesday it is closing its San Clemente, Calif., office and restructuring its management team amid slowing sales and a fading stock. The company, which produces headphones for mobile devices and also sells active apparel, said it is moving its marketing, creative and business development and legal departments to its Park City headquarters from California, as well as certain sales and international personnel, according to a statem...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The best camera apps for the wannabe Ansel Adams

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:23:17 MDT

The best camera apps for the wannabe Ansel Adams

by Scott Sherman and Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 18, 2013 07:23PM MDT

“Say cheese!” Or not. In the world of digital photography, you don’t have to flash a smile. Instead, just digitally paint a grin on your face afterward. Struggling for hours to get just the right shot under the optimum lighting conditions is so analog. Today, digital photography allows any wannabe Ansel Adams to create a photographic masterpiece in homage to the 20th century landscape marvel. And with a good smartphone camera and the right camera app, the tools are in everyone’s hands. In the pa...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

A patent for when a simple ‘Shut up!’ won’t do

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:31:02 MDT

A patent for when a simple ‘Shut up!’ won’t do

the Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 18, 2013 12:31PM MDT

Systems and methods for deploying and utilizing a network of conversation control systems, patent No. 8,468,027, invented by Brady Dow of Riverton, assigned to Kombea Corp. of American Fork. Systems, apparatus and methods for thermal energy storage, coupling and transfer, patent No. 8,464,535, invented by Maurice White of Pasco, Wash., and Peter Brehm of Richland, Wash., assigned to Infinia Corp. of Ogden. Stake system and method for soft material, patent No. 8,464,738, invented by Eric M. Sim...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Help for Utah entrepreneurs on making a pitch

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:07:04 MDT

Help for Utah entrepreneurs on making a pitch

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 17, 2013 07:07AM MDT

The Wayne Brown Institute, a Utah-based organization that helps entrepreneurs seek funding for new ventures, is hosting an event later this month aimed at teaching the art of making effective pitches to investors. The event begins at 3:30 p.m. on June 27 at the Zions Bank Financial Center, 180 N. University Ave. in Provo. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com. The afternoon will provide not only an opportunity for various companies to practice making presentations to real...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

At E3 show, sexism still an issue

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 17:32:30 MDT

At E3 show, sexism still an issue

by Derrik J. Lang The Associated Press

Published Jun 15, 2013 05:32PM MDT

Los Angeles • When it comes to video games, it still felt like a man’s world at E3. One look at the crowded halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center this past week, and it was easy to see that most attendees of the Electronic Entertainment Expo were men. Yes, plenty of women were at E3, which wrapped up on Thursday. But some were there as so-called “booth babes” — female models hired to hype products and attract attendees to exhibitors’ displays on the show floor. The presence of scantily clad...

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ESPN to end 3-D broadcasts by end of year

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:19:02 MDT

ESPN to end 3-D broadcasts by end of year

by Peter Svensson The Associated Press

Published Jun 13, 2013 06:19PM MDT

New York • ESPN will stop broadcasting in 3-D by the end of the year, the network said Wednesday, dealing a major blow to a technology that was launched with great fanfare but has been limping along for years. The sports network said there were too few viewers to make 3-D broadcasts worth it. It didn’t say exactly how many viewers had, but the number was “extremely limited and not growing.” Last year, only 2 percent of TVs in the U.S. were able to show 3-D programming, according to the most rece...

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Oh My Tech!: Should all your devices be on the same platform?

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:04:34 MDT

Oh My Tech!: Should all your devices be on the same platform?

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 13, 2013 10:04AM MDT

I have an old and slow desktop computer using a Microsoft system, no pad/tablet, and a Samsung Galaxy phone. I am prepared to upgrade all elements. So, I would like to know how to make a seamless integration and upgrade of these various functions to bring myself into the 21st century. That would involve a new telephone, pad/tablet and desktop computer. What I think makes sense is to go Apple all the way, meaning an iPhone, iPad and a Mac desktop. But, maybe there is little advantage to this. Wha...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

New Myspace takes it back to the future

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 21:49:58 MDT

New Myspace takes it back to the future

by Chris Talbott The Associated Press

Published Jun 12, 2013 09:49PM MDT

Nashville, Tenn. • Myspace owners Tim and Chris Vanderhook think the site had it right — at one point. And they believe they’ve revived and improved that formula for success as the revamped first titan of social media debuts its latest incarnation. The Vanderhooks unveiled the updated Myspace.com Wednesday, revealing a site focused on entertainment that combines social networking with streaming music. There are new features aimed at helping musicians, writers and other artists connect with their...

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Mimicking rivals, Facebook adopts hashtags

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:41:02 MDT

Mimicking rivals, Facebook adopts hashtags

by Barbara Ortutay The Associated Press

Published Jun 12, 2013 05:41PM MDT

New York • Facebook is introducing hashtags, the number signs used on Twitter, Instagram and other services to identify topics being discussed and to allow users to search for them. Facebook Inc. said in a blog post Wednesday that users will be able to click a hashtag to see a feed of discussions about a particular topic. For example, typing a number sign in front of “ladygaga” or “sunset” will turn the words into a link that users can click on to find posts about those subjects. Facebook said h...

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sony takes aim at Microsoft with PlayStation 4

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:48:07 MDT

Sony takes aim at Microsoft with PlayStation 4

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 11, 2013 09:48PM MDT

The battle over who becomes the next video game console giant — a contest raging mainly between Sony and Microsoft — may be fought over things other than the games themselves. On Monday night, Sony introduced its next-generation PlayStation 4 system during its E3 media briefing, and the most lethal shots leveled at Microsoft’s Xbox One were about the latter’s pricing and features, not the upcoming titles that will play on it. E3 is the world’s largest video game trade show, staged annually in L...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Google trumps rivals, adds to mapping service

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:21:03 MDT

Google trumps rivals, adds to mapping service

by Michael Liedtke The Associated Press

Published Jun 11, 2013 06:21PM MDT

San Francisco • Google is buying online mapping service Waze in a $1.03 billion deal that keeps a potentially valuable tool away from its rivals, while allowing it to gain technology that could improve the accuracy and usefulness of its own popular navigation system. The acquisition announced Tuesday ends several months of speculation as Waze flirted with potential buyers interested in its rapidly growing service. Waze blends elements of a social network into its maps to produce more precise di...

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Google wants to release details on classified requests

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:20:02 MDT

Google wants to release details on classified requests

by Michael Liedtke The Associated Press

Published Jun 11, 2013 06:20PM MDT

San Francisco • Google is asking the Obama administration for permission to disclose more details about the U.S. government’s demands for email and other personal information transmitted online in an effort to distance itself from an Internet dragnet. In a show of unity, Google rivals Microsoft Corp. and Facebook Inc. also supported the attempt to pressure the U.S. Justice Department to loosen the legal muzzle that limits disclosures about government surveillance authorized by courts to protect...

A patent for when you’re too wide of the mark

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:47:39 MDT

A patent for when you’re too wide of the mark

the Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 11, 2013 12:47PM MDT

Arrow point alignment system, patent No. 8,460,134, invented by Teddy D. Palomaki of Park City, Kenny R. Giles of West Valley City, Ross M. Hinschberger of West Valley City and Robert S. Mizek of Downers Grove, Ill., assigned to Easton Technical Products Inc. of Salt Lake City. Multi-axis level, patent No. 8,458,917, invented by Roger Allen Pankow of Salt Lake City, assigned to Idea Farm LLC of Salt Lake City. Amplifying ultrasonic waveguides, patent No. 8,459,122, invented by Thomas David Ehl...

Utah’s Skullcandy introduces wireless gaming headset

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:27:51 MDT

Utah’s Skullcandy introduces wireless gaming headset

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 11, 2013 09:27AM MDT

Park City-based audio accessories manufacturer Skullcandy has released a new pair of headphones for video gamers with a wireless microphone and Dolby surround sound. The Skullcandy PLYR 1 Wireless Gaming Headset is available in black exclusively through Best Buy stores for $179.99. A white version will also be available this month on the company’s website, at www.skullcandy.com. The PLYR 1 has a 2.4 gigahertz wireless headphone, Dolby 7.1 surround sound, game-to-voice balancing, custom equalize...

Apple reboots iOS for devices, unveils free radio music service

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:27:51 MDT

Apple reboots iOS for devices, unveils free radio music service

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 11, 2013 09:27AM MDT

The operating system for the iPhone and iPad will get a radical new look and style this fall, the biggest change to the software since the iPhone was introduced. The new OS, called iOS 7, has a simpler and cleaner interface, throwing away the textured icons and templates of the older versions. The software was introduced Monday during the Apple keynote address for the World Wide Developer’s Conference. “iOS 7 Is the biggest change” in seven years, CEO Tim Cook said during his keynote at the Mosc...

At E3, Microsoft makes big deal of new games for Xbox One

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:54:53 MDT

At E3, Microsoft makes big deal of new games for Xbox One

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 10, 2013 09:54PM MDT

In a media briefing to officially open the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles Monday, Microsoft didn’t waste time and got right down to the games. The makers of the new Xbox One next-generation video game console, which will retail for $499, introduced titles for the box, including a sequel to the popular space shooter “Halo,” and a new chapter to the best-selling military game, “Metal Gear Solid.” “As we’ve been promising, it’s all about the games,” said Microsoft executive Dan Mattrick. T...

Live blog: Apple’s big reveal today? Laptops, iPhone OS

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:08:09 MDT

Live blog: Apple’s big reveal today? Laptops, iPhone OS

by Vince Horiuchi The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Jun 10, 2013 02:08PM MDT

On Monday morning, Apple CEO Tim Cook will walk on stage at the Moscone Center in San Francisco for this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference — and instantly make news. It’s one of the two or three times a year that the head of the Cupertino, Calif., company presents new products or software features that usually whip the Apple fanboys and girls into a frenzy. The five-day WWDC also is when software developers and accessories makers come together to see what’s new with Apple. Leading up to the...