Retailers watching customers with eye socket cameras

Interesting article at Fast Company

As if store mannequins weren’t creepy enough already, shops like Benetton are peppering their storefronts and shop floors with dummies that have a camera embedded in a single eye socket, that will watch while you shop.

They’re at eye level, and customers tend to pay attention to them more.

I’m used to exactly the opposite: showing off the security cameras to deter shoplifting. The eye socket cameras are much more tricky, and are a clear step toward a future where cameras are embedded into many objects around us. Be prepared to be watched.

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Intel acquires ZiiLabs from Creative Technology for $50M

From bit-tech:

Creative Technology, best known for its audio-related products, has announced the sale of a chunk of its ZiiLabs subsidiary to Intel – bringing the latter company’s decision to abandon its partnership with Imagination Technology and its PowerVR GPUs into sharp focus. The deal is split across the two product areas: the UK engineering resources of ZiiLabs are being purchased for $30 million, while Creative’s GPU technology is being licensed – not purchased – for $20 million.

Mobile networks are missing out on $1 trillion market

Very interesting article over at Quartz. Here’s an excerpt:

Mobile money has an estimated potential worldwide revenue of $1 trillion within the next three years, and has become the “it” technology of the moment. The ability to send and receive money through cell phones simplifies the transaction process and offers customers both mobility and flexibility in managing their money.

Samsung’s 4+4 core mobile SOC

From the EETimes article:

Samsung will describe the first mobile applications processor to use ARM´s big.little concept at ISSCC in February. [...] Samsung will detail a 28-nm SoC with two quad-core clusters. One cluster runs at 1. 8 GHz, has a 2 MByte L2 cache and is geared for high performance apps; the other runs at 1.2 GHz and is tuned for energy efficiency.

Intel’s CEO to retire

From Intel’s press release:

Intel, under Otellini´s leadership, achieved notable successes in areas of strategic importance. During this period, the company: