Abstract: Visual incongruity in search result sets may be reduced at least in part by searching an optimized visually significant subset of a category tree that categorizes a collection of content. The category tree may be optimized at build time at least in part by pruning with respect to visual coherence and by the size of the content collection subset referenced by particular categories. Content collection subset sizes both too large and too small can detract from the visual significance of a particular category. The visually significant subset of the category tree may be further optimized at query time by intersecting the visually significant subset with the query-associated sub-tree(s) and further pruning categories in the visually significant subset that have child categories in the visually significant subset. Searching with respect to the optimized visually significant subset can also improve search efficiency.

Abstract: Electronic items may be searched using search indices. A user device may determine a manner in which to obtain a search index for an electronic item from among multiple possible manners of obtaining the search index, and the search index may be obtained in the determined manner. Verification may also be performed to determine if electronic items stored in memory of the user device have changed.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating social interaction during a media item transmission. A group of participants may be formed based on a variety of factors. A media item is rendered on a first portion of a media player user interface. On a second portion of the media player user interface group members may communicate with each other concurrent with the streaming media item. The entire experience may be stored and replayed at another time.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for identifying a message deliverability problem. In an example system, a source email server divides a plurality of email messages intended for delivery to destination devices using at least two source IP addresses into at least two groups of messages. The source email server outputs each email message in one of the groups through a same one of the source IP addresses and outputs each email message in another one of the groups through a different one of the source IP addresses. Each of the email messages is configured to trigger a response that includes the source IP address of the email message in response to a user opening the email message and/or selecting a hyperlink within the email message. A deliverability analysis module identifies an email message deliverability problem associated with one of the source IP addresses in response to a comparison of the responses across the source IP addresses.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing requests associated with network resources and/or virtualization services are provided. A request associated with one or more network resources may be received, and a set of one or more tags associated with the request may be identified. A representative value for the set of one or more tags may then be determined utilizing, for example, a hashing operation or a compression function. The representative value may be associated with a request prior to the request being processed by at least one network server. Subsequently, the set of one or more tags may reconstructed based at least in part upon the representative value in order to facilitate the generation of one or more reports, such as billing reports or resource usage reports.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing managed computer networks. In some situations, the techniques include managing communications for computing nodes of a managed computer network by using one or more particular computing nodes of the managed computer network that are configured to operate as intermediate destinations to handle at least some communications that are sent by and/or directed to one or more other computing nodes of the managed computer network. In addition, the techniques may include managing the communications in accordance with configured failure behavior specified for one or more computing nodes of the computer network, such as specified failure behavior for a computing node configured to operate as an intermediate destination that indicates how communications that would otherwise be routed via the intermediate destination computing node are to be handled if the intermediate destination computing node fails or is otherwise unavailable (e.g., to block or allow such communications).

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for a catalog mapping tool application. The application is executable in at least one computing device and comprises logic that identifies a first attribute-value pair of an item within a user catalog of items, wherein the first attribute-value pair corresponds to a first value format. Additionally, the application comprises logic that suggests one of a plurality of metadata maps for translating the first value format into a second value format. Furthermore, the application comprises logic that generates a second attribute-value pair encoded in the second format using a selected one of the metadata maps.

Abstract: Effective color-aware search of a collection of content associated with one or more images is enabled. Content and/or its associated images may be automatically associated with representative palette colors in a suite of color palettes. Color palettes may be of a variety of types and have a hierarchical structure in which lower levels enable increasingly subtle distinctions between shades of color. Color palette hierarchies may be effectively presented, and appropriate portions emphasized based on associated search result sets. Search result sets may be refined and/or reordered in accordance with color palette selections and/or representative confidences of color palette selections for items at least referenced therein.

Abstract: Metrics may be recomputed using available computing resources according to elastic service level agreements (SLAs). The available computing resources may have a predetermined capacity, such as a fixed number of servers, computation time, and/or computation cost. The SLA may define an accuracy, confidence level, or goal that is used when determining a frequency to recompute metrics. The elastic SLA may vary and/or may be adjusted based on a relative difficulty of the computational task, an expected or requested accuracy of the computation task, or other predetermined design constraints.

Abstract: A system and method for confirming a delivery location. A delivery agent equipped with a device, for example, a mobile device, delivers a package to a location. When the package is delivered, the delivery agent triggers a delivery-event on the device, and in response to the delivery-event the device determines an RF fingerprint at the location. The RF fingerprint is stored, and a comparison of the RF fingerprint to previously stored RF fingerprints correlated to particular locations is performed. If the RF fingerprint determined by the first device corresponds to a previously stored RF fingerprint at the correct delivery location, the current delivery location is confirmed as correct.

Abstract: Approaches enable three-dimensional (3D) display and interaction with interfaces (such as a webpage, an application, etc.) when the device is operating in a 3D view mode. For example, interface elements can be highlighted, emphasized, animated, or otherwise altered in appearance, and/or arrangement in the renderings of those interfaces based at least in part on an orientation of the device or a position of a user using the device. Further, the 3D view mode can provide for an animated 3D departure and appearance of elements as the device navigates from a current page to a new page. Further still, approaches provide for the ability to specify 3D attributes (such as the appearance, action, etc.) of the interface elements. In this way, a developer of such interfaces can use information (e.g., tags, CSS, JavaScript, etc.) to specify a 3D appearance change to be applied to at least one interface element when the 3D view mode is activated.

Abstract: Approaches enable three-dimensional (3D) display and interaction with interfaces (such as a webpage, an application, etc.) when the device is operating in a 3D view mode. For example, interface elements can be highlighted, emphasized, animated, or otherwise altered in appearance, and/or arrangement in the renderings of those interfaces based at least in part on an orientation of the device or a position of a user using the device. Further, the 3D view mode can provide for an animated 3D departure and appearance of elements as the device navigates from a current page to a new page. Further still, approaches provide for the ability to specify 3D attributes (such as the appearance, action, etc.) of the interface elements. In this way, a developer of such interfaces can use information (e.g., tags, CSS, JavaScript, etc.) to specify a 3D appearance change to be applied to at least one interface element when the 3D view mode is activated.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for client-selectable power source options for network-accessible service units are described. A programmatic interface is implemented to enable clients of a service to select, from among a plurality of power source categories including a renewable category and a non-renewable category, a power source category to be used for a service unit. Based on inputs received via the interface, the respective amounts of power to be obtained from renewable and non-renewable categories during a time period may be estimated. A verification operation comparing the estimated amounts to the amount of power that is actually obtained from the different sources may be performed.

Abstract: Systems and approaches provide for user interfaces (UIs) that are based on object tracking. For example, the object may be a user's head or face. As the user moves his head or face and/or tilts a computing device, the content displayed on the computing device will adapt to the user's perspective. The content may include three-dimensional (3D) graphical elements projected onto a two-dimensional (2D) plane and/or the graphical elements can be associated with textural shading, shadowing, or reflections that change according to user or device motion to give the user the impression that the user is interacting with the graphical elements in 3D environment. To enhance the user experience, a state of motion of the device can be determined and jitter and/or latency corresponding to the rendering of content can be altered so as to minimize or decrease jitter when the device is stationary and/or to decrease or minimize latency when the device is in motion.

Abstract: Approaches enable three-dimensional (3D) display and interaction with interfaces (such as a webpage, an application, etc.) when the device is operating in a 3D view mode. For example, interface elements can be highlighted, emphasized, animated, or otherwise altered in appearance, and/or arrangement in the renderings of those interfaces based at least in part on an orientation of the device or a position of a user using the device. Further, the 3D view mode can provide for an animated 3D departure and appearance of elements as the device navigates from a current page to a new page. Further still, approaches provide for the ability to specify 3D attributes (such as the appearance, action, etc.) of the interface elements. In this way, a developer of such interfaces can use information (e.g., tags, CSS, JavaScript, etc.) to specify a 3D appearance change to be applied to at least one interface element when the 3D view mode is activated.

Abstract: Devices such as tablets, smartphones, media players, and so forth may incorporate a fingerprint sensor to support acquisition of biometric identification data. As described herein, input data from the fingerprint sensor may be used to control one or more functions of the device. The function controlled may be based at least in part on context of one or more applications executing on the device, direction of motion, and so forth. In one implementation, movement parallel to the fingerprint sensor may modify audio volume settings on the device.

Abstract: A cover glass element can extend to the edges of an electronic device while maintaining the optical flatness and thickness needed for the cover glass. A first glass sheet with the desired thickness and flatness can be thermally bonded to a second glass sheet machined to include an opening to be received by the edges of the electronic device. The resulting three-dimensional cover element forms a uni-body frame that is significantly stiffer than a single sheet of glass, and the larger surface area of the edge provides for enhances pressure distribution, particularly after chemical strengthening, thus enhancing the durability of the electronic device. Further, the thermal bonding process uses lower temperatures than processes such as slumping or pressing, which could potentially affect the flatness and optical clarity of the original sheet glass.

Abstract: A user of a computing device can be authenticated using image information captured by at least one camera of the computing device. In addition to analyzing the image information using a facial recognition algorithm, for example, variations in color of a portion of the captured image information corresponding to a user's face can be monitored over a period of time. The variations can be analyzed to determine whether the captured image information likely corresponds to an actual human user instead of a representation (e.g., photo) of a human user, such as where the chroma variations in at least a red channel occur with an oscillation frequency and amplitude consistent with changes due to a pulse or heartbeat.

Abstract: A dye for a fluid of an electrowetting element, the dye having a general formula selected from the group consisting of: wherein Q has the general formula: -Het1R1 or -Het1R1R2; V has the general formula: -Het2R3 or -Het2R3R4; Het1 and Het2 are heteroatoms; R1 and R3 are H; R2 and R4 are any functional group; T and U are any functional group; W, X, Y and Z are H or an alkyl group; and F, G, L and M are H or an alkyl group, and with the proviso that the dye does not have the general formula: The present invention further relates to a fluid comprising a dye of the present invention, an electrowetting element and an optical display device comprising the fluid, and a use of the dye to reduce photo-bleaching.

Abstract: A step size controller may be used to control the rate of adaptation in an acoustic echo canceller. Step size control based on the values of adaptive coefficients (rather than, e.g., a fixed initial adaptation period) provides improved reliability and resistance to disruption. Accordingly, features are disclosed for controlling step size based on the values of adaptive coefficients.