Can you imagine a nearly deserted Facebook,
and an iPhone that takes control of your car
and opens hotel doors for you?
I'm Chiara, and this is Tech Break.
Google doesn't stop making acquisitions, almost
on a regular basis.
The latest one is DeepMind, a British company
specialized in artificial intelligence for
different application fields (from video games
to simulations and e-commerce).
An AI-related acquisition, following the ones
related to robotics that we discussed in our
previous episodes, gives obviously something
to think about.
However, it should be remembered that AI has
several application areas that go beyond robotics.
Google also officially announced that the
long-awaited Google Glass will be available
for those who need prescription lenses...
even if not exactly on the cheap.
The device, which allows to control by voice
or gestures several apps seen through a screen
that is placed in front of the right eye,
will probably not be available before the
end of the year.
However, Google announced a new version for
those who take part to the test program.
By adding $200 to the $1500 needed for the
Explorer Edition, it will be possible to order
one of the 4 Google-designed frames.
The lenses to be mounted, however, should
be cut within +4 and -4.
Apple is working to bring iPhone everywhere,
by making it suitable for application areas
that were not imagined yet, and integrating
it deeper and deeper into our lives.
It seems that the company is already in the
talks to develop an iPhone-based payment system,
however technical details are not known yet
A pilot program to test the use of iPhones
to open hotel rooms instead of keys was also
started.
Moreover, in the last few days, a video showing
a pre-release iOS 7.0.3 version was released.
In this video, the integration of iOS with
a car display for various functions, including
navigation, is shown on the iOS simulator.
According to a study conducted by University
of Princeton, Facebook, which is currently
the most popular social network by far, may
soon lose 80% of its user base.
The research, which is based on epidemiological
models and Google trends analysis, forecasts
such a drop to happen between 2015 and 2017,
claiming that Facebook already peaked, and
is now declining.
Apparently, the study was not appreciated
by the managers of the popular social network,
since they published in response an ironic
study which predicts the end of Princeton
itself by 2021.
Movie distribution company Paramount has decided
to abandon film prints distribution, in 
the United States at least.
Indeed, "The Wolf of Wall Street" is the first
movie to be distributed only on digital format.
For some time now, digital ha been increasingly
used over print for shooting with higher quality
cameras and lower costs, however this step
represents a milestone for distribution.
It is largely a matter of costs: a printed
copy costs about $ 2,000, while a digital
one costs around $100.
It should be considered, moreover, that nowadays
only 8% of U.S. theaters are equipped to show
movies on film.
As it did for movies, website TorrentFreak
published the list of the 10 most illegally
downloaded TV series in 2013.
The most downloaded series was Game of Thrones,
followed by Breaking Bad, that ended in the
last months.
We find then The Walking Dead, The Big Bang
Theory and Dexter, another recently ended
series.
Finally, the list includes How I Met Your
Mother, Suits, Homeland, Vikings (which has
not been broadcasted in Italy yet), and Arrow.
Unlike recent movies, in the U.S. people have
means to legally watch online their favorite
TV series.
This is not yet possible in Italy, and probably
won't be anytime soon.
That's all for today.
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Greetings from Chiara.
