MacRumors

Slingbox creators Sling Media today launched an all-new multi-camera production and live video broadcasting system called SlingStudio, which connects to an iPad app to allow users the ability to edit and manage videos on the spot. With the $999 SlingStudio, users can monitor and edit four HD video inputs from up to ten connected cameras and smartphone devices, as well as output live video to Facebook Live and YouTube.

The company said that SlingStudio can simplify every step of shooting video, all the way to post-production, thanks to its design. The ten video sources can include DSLR cameras, video cameras, smartphones, and computers, which connect to SlingStudio via the device's own private Wi-Fi network. Any wirelessly connected device has to stay within 300 feet of the hub.

Alternatively, users can hardwire some DSLR cameras to SlingStudio using the hub's HDMI input port, or purchase the $349 CameraLink accessory that plugs into the camera's HDMI port and wirelessly transmits up to 1080p video to SlingStudio for around two hours of battery life.

During the production of a video, the company's Console app for iPad [Direct Link] is required, letting directors monitor and create live-to-tape video from up to four input sources at one time. With the app, directors can add in picture-in-picture, edit transitions like dissolves and wipes, mix audio, and throw in text overlays. The company said that all of these additions can be made in real time, both as a video is streaming live and as it's being recorded to a USB hard drive, SSD, or SD card.

• Portable and compact: 1.43 lbs, (H) 7.87” x (W) 5.59” x (D) 3.54”, tripod mountable.
• Wireless: 5 Ghz 802.11ac, 4x4 MIMO, specially tuned video-grade Hotspot to connect to different video sources; dual-band 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz 802.11ac client mode to connect to Internet for live streaming.
• 1080p HD multi-camera recorder: Up to seven simultaneous recordings. Includes four video inputs, live-switched program and quad-view of input, plus a separate audio line-in input recording.
• Multi-camera live monitor and switcher: Monitor up to four video sources and switch between 10 different video sources using the Console app for iPad.
• Professional grade video: High-definition resolutions up to 1080p60 at 30Mbps (using H.264 encoding) with the ability to effortlessly synchronize audio and video.
• Live broadcasting: Simultaneous recording and live broadcasting of program output. Max bit rate for live streaming is 8 Mbps (input source bit rates up to 30 Mbps). Supported platforms currently include Facebook Live and YouTube. Support for other content-sharing websites is coming soon.
• Ports: USB-C, HDMI video input, HDMI video output, audio line-in.
• Storage: Storage via SD or USB-C drives. Optional USB-C Expander available to connect USB 3.0 drives.
• Device compatibility: SlingStudio hub compatible with iOS and Android smartphones via the Capture app, and HDMI-enabled DSLR and video cameras connected to a CameraLink or via the direct HDMI input. An Apple iPad is required to operate the Console app.

Additional accessories include a $149 Battery that adds in portability to SlingStudio with three hours of battery life (otherwise the device requires an AC adapter), and a $49 USB-C Expander that supports wired Gigabit Ethernet connectivity for live broadcasting as well as data storage via compatible hard drives. More information about the device and its accessories can be found on the company's website, and those interested can purchase SlingStudio today for $999.00.

Apple and Visa have been sued by a small company based in Boston this weekend, which claims that Apple Pay violates 13 patents that it holds related to digital payment systems and user authentication technology. The company behind the lawsuit, Universal Secure Registry, filed the complaint in a Federal District Court in Delaware on Sunday (via The New York Times).

According to the filing, USR chief executive Kenneth Weiss "was the first in the space, and the secure payment technology that he developed goes right to the core of Apple Pay." Specifically, Weiss' company is claiming that the 13 patents include details on authentication systems embedded in smartphones, biometric ID confirmation through fingerprint scanning, and the generation of secure, one-time-use tokens in financial transactions.

According to Weiss, he had "extensive meetings" with Visa in 2010 that centered around working together to introduce a mobile payments system into smartphones, which allegedly lead to Visa signing a 10-year nondisclosure agreement with Weiss and his company to be able to use the technology. Weiss said that Visa eventually "dropped further communication without securing a license," and that any inquiries he wrote to Apple in asking the Cupertino company to license his technology were never answered.

Then, Visa began working with Apple on a partnership that eventually lead to the debut of Apple Pay in 2014, which the lawsuit claims to have been built with the "willful infringement" of USR's patents. Weiss is now seeking damages in relation to Apple Pay and Visa's alleged patent infringement, represented by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, which advised Weiss to file a suit before seeking a license agreement or royalties from Apple or Visa.

This suit seeks unspecified damages, but details the scope of the infringement, claiming, "since 2014 Apple's backend servers and Visa's payment processing network VisaNet, including Visa Token Service, have supported and processed transactions made using Apple Pay, including billions of Apple Pay transactions made in the United States."

"It is not uncommon for large companies to be unresponsive to outside suggestions for innovation or improvements to their product or technology," said Weiss. "Occasionally, these companies infringe patents and force a patent owner to file a lawsuit as the only way to financially benefit from the technology he invented."

Weiss founded Security Dynamics and invented the RSA SecurID token system, which is used to secure and authenticate important data sent by major companies, banks, and multiple branches of the United States government. USR is said to hold a portfolio of Weiss' patents related to the new lawsuit, and also including a few pending applications and foreign patents he has filed dating back to 2000.

Home thermostat maker Emerson today announced two new smart thermostats, one of which includes a color touchscreen display. The Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Thermostat — along with an updated version of Sensi's existing Wi-Fi Thermostat — is now compatible with Apple's smart home management platform HomeKit, for controlling the device using the Apple Home app on iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch, or voice using Siri.

Apart from showing current system temperature and swipe-to-set features, the touchscreen display on the Sensi Touch Wi-Fi changes color to indicate whether the system is heating or cooling, while live humidity tracking keeps users informed about their home's atmosphere. Meanwhile, smart alerts serve to notify homeowners of extreme temperature changes when detected.

Additional menu options enable users to customize the information on the home screen display and to choose a continuous back glow for soft lighting in dark hallways or rooms. In addition to the touchscreen controls, the thermostat also has illuminated terminals for increased visibility while wiring and easy-click terminals that eliminate the need for a screwdriver.

"As we've continued to learn from our customers, homeowners are gravitating toward simple smarthome solutions that make life easier," said Robert T Sharp, executive president of Emerson Commercial. "Our latest Sensi thermostats combine enhanced capabilities, including support for Apple HomeKit with simple and secure controls, and a sleek new interface with a proven home comfort experience that puts users firmly in control of their environment, anytime and from anywhere."

The thermostat display functions are mirrored in the accompanying Sensi app, which includes instructional steps for easy do-it-yourself installation, no experience required. Elsewhere, the system supports flexible scheduling for each day of the week, while a geofencing feature allows users to change temperature settings when they leave and before they return to their home.

In addition to the Apple HomeKit integration, the Sensi thermostats are compatible with smart home platforms Amazon Alexa and Wink. The Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat costs $129.99, while the Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Thermostat costs $199.99 and will be available in the U.S. starting June.

Apple this weekend celebrated the launch of its new in-store programming, "Today at Apple," at all of its 495 retail locations. The world-wide expansion of the educational program was announced in April, and this weekend marked the official debut of Today at Apple at every Apple store around the globe.

“Today at Apple” kicked off this weekend with new in-store programming around the world, including Photo Walks and Kids Hour at all 495 Apple stores. From Getting Started with Coding to How To: Sketch, Draw and Paint with iPad, stores collectively hosted 4,000 sessions a day, including some with very special guests.

Users interested in the program can choose from 60 different hands-on sessions in creative skills, and in some of the new images shared by Apple its visitors are shown learning how to illustrate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. Artist Todd Selby and French illustrator mcbess lead the art-focused sessions at Apple Union Square and Apple Regent Street, respectively.

Apple also had a few singers perform for the grand opening of Today at Apple, including Charlie Puth and Leon Bridges at Apple Union Square, Dua Lipa at Apple Regent Street, and Sigrid at Apple Marché Saint-Germain. At Apple Williamsburg, Grammy-nominated musician Steve Lacy held a Music Lab to teach visitors how to create and record music on iOS and macOS devices.

Other Today at Apple events included:

- Movement artist and star of Apple’s AirPods commercial, Lil Buck, shows off his moves in the Forum at Apple Union Square.
- iPhone photographers cover two miles in 90 minutes as they seek out fashion-forward portraits with photographer Shingi Rice.
- iPhone photographers hit the streets of Brooklyn for a portrait-themed Photo Walk with Timothy Mulcare.
- Aspiring coders of all ages can learn how to code in Swift, Apple’s programming language for iOS and Mac apps.

Apple launched a new website for Today at Apple, which allows those interested to check for sessions in their area and sign up for the classes in advance. During the launch, Apple noted that stores collectively hosted more than 4,000 educational sessions each day under the Today at Apple initiative.

Most shop tills in the U.K. that take Apple Pay now accept mobile payments above £30, The Telegraph reported on Sunday. Jennifer Bailey, head of Apple's payment arm, said over half of contactless payment terminals in the country are now able to take Apple Pay transactions of any value.

Previously, most contactless card readers have adhered to the £30 upper limit, which is meant to prevent fraud when a pin isn't used. However, Apple's Touch ID approval system on iPhones and iPads provides the extra security to enable payments of any value.

The upgrades, which Ms Bailey said applied to hundreds of thousands of terminals, means shoppers in many places can make payments of any value without taking their wallet with them.

Apple Pay's ability to approve high-value payments could turn out to be a significant advantage over contactless cards, following some reports that mobile payments have struggled to gain traction among consumers. The mobile wallet also has to compete against rivals Android Pay and Samsung Pay.

However, Apple says Apple Pay transactions in the U.K. have grown by 300 percent in the last year, with 23 banks now supporting the service. "Our momentum has been fantastic. We're really excited about the progress," Bailey told the Telegraph.

Retailers in the U.K. now accepting the higher-value payments include supermarkets such as Waitrose and Sainsbury's, and restaurants including Pizza Express and Nando's.

Popular entertainment social network Musical.ly is in talks with media companies including Viacom and NBCUniversal to make original programming, according to people familiar with the matter (via Bloomberg).

The company is said to be seeking content for its music video sharing platform that is "participatory and interactive" rather than feeling heavily produced, with a view to broadening its appeal beyond music, to potentially include comedy and sports.

Founded in August 2014, Musical.ly has surged in popularity among U.S. teenagers, and claims over 100 million users globally. The app allows users to filter, edit, and broadcast short video clips with song snippets, some of which are provided by Apple Music as part of a licensing deal in exchange for promoting the streaming service within the app. The Shanghai company also owns live streaming app Live.ly, group video chat Squad, and video messaging app Pingpong.

Musical.ly follows Facebook, Snap, Twitter, YouTube, and Apple in the race to produce original video programming online, with digital companies seeking to aggressively compete in the growing digital media market.

NBCUniversal has already partnered with Musical.ly for the 2017 Billboard Latin Music Awards and is reportedly in talks with the startup to develop more Hispanic-focused entertainment. Hearst's Seventeen magazine also recently announced its intention to make a video series focused on fashion and beauty for Musical.ly.

In related news, Musical.ly is set to launch a new feature next week that will allow users to create face masks, similar to the lenses or filters used on Snapchat and now Instagram, according to the people who spoke to Bloomberg. Called Face.ly, the feature will be like Bitmoji, which lets users create animated avatars of themselves. The long-term plan involves Face.ly becoming a separate app, if the feature proves popular with teens.