Google Fiber to Expand Internet Service to Austin, Texas

Google announced plans to expand its broadband services to Austin, Texas. The company said that Google Fiber installations will begin by mid-2014. The city, with a population of over 800,000 people, initially expressed interest in the ultrafast Internet and video service back in 2011. The move marks the first expansion of Google Fiber beyond its launching point in the Kansas City area. Continue reading Google Fiber to Expand Internet Service to Austin, Texas

Cinema Dining: Theaters Attract Patrons with Themed Meals

The Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn is not your average movie theater. The venue has become part of a growing trend of “Dine-In” theaters emerging in different parts of the country. Serving movie-themed specials such as “Django Unchained Dynamite Shrimp and Grits,” these theaters have created a special combination of entertainment and food services as a viable means of survival in a consolidating industry. Continue reading Cinema Dining: Theaters Attract Patrons with Themed Meals

Texas Instruments Video: Explaining How Immersive Spatial Audio Works

  • This 3 1/2 minute video by Texas Instruments clearly and concisely explains the three components of their 3D audio technology: beam steering, crosstalk cancellation, and head related transfer function (HRTF or the psychoacoustic effect).
  • “Laptops, tablets, mobile phones and other multimedia devices offer an impressive visual experience,” suggests the video. “However, the overall experience is hindered by space constrained audio systems that lack clarity and depth — until now.”
  • Texas Instruments explains in the video how its audio technologies convert the “small sound stage” into an enhanced, immersive experience via techniques that manipulate sounds in desired directions in a 3D space.
  • This is a must-view for anyone interested in spatial audio applications for consumer electronics.