Abstract: The states or configurations of peer hosts within a host class may be analyzed and enforced by comparing records of the respective systems' states or configurations to one another and taking steps to address any inconsistencies between the records. In such a manner, the respective systems within the host class may identify, analyze and/or correct any changes in states or configurations of any of the systems, which may have been caused by a malfunction or security breach. The configurations may include one or more of a set of data, a version of a software application, a level of permission, a particular operational setting or any other element of operation. The hosts may be defined as peers based on a common location or a common function of each of the systems, or on any other basis, and the records may include any relevant data relating to the states or configurations of each of the systems.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and software for converting the audio input of a user of a handheld client device or mobile phone into a textual representation by means of a backend server accessed by the device through a communications network. The text is then inserted into or used by an application of the client device to send a text message, instant message, email, or to insert a request into a web-based application or service. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of initializing or launching the application on the device; recording and transmitting the recorded audio message from the client device to the backend server through a client-server communication protocol; converting the transmitted audio message into the textual representation in the backend server; and sending the converted text message back to the client device or forwarding it on to an alternate destination directly from the server.

Abstract: A credential management system is described that provides a way to disable and/or rotate credentials, such as when a credential is suspected to have been compromised, while minimizing potential impact to various systems that may depend on such credentials. The credentials may be disabled temporarily at first and the availability of various resources is monitored for changes. If no significant drop of availability in the resources has occurred, the credential may be disabled for a longer period of time. In this manner, the credentials may be disabled and re-enabled for increasingly longer time intervals until it is determined with sufficient confidence/certainty that disabling the credential will not adversely impact critical systems, at which point the credential can be rotated and/or permanently disabled. This process also enables the system to determine which systems are affected by a credential in cases where such information is not known.

Abstract: A technology for creating head-related transfer functions that are customized for a pinna of a human is described. The method may include capturing a plurality of digital images of a human pinna using a camera. The method may also include generating a 3D (three-dimensional) digital model of the human pinna using the digital images. In addition, the method may also include determining a head related transfer function (HRTF) that is customized for the human pinna using the 3D digital model. The HRTF can be associated with a user profile and the user profile may include sound output customization information for a speaker arrangement capable of producing virtual surround sound. The customized HRTF may then be used by an application in association with a specific user profile to produce a virtual surround sound experience through headphones.

Abstract: The techniques disclosed herein allow a user to synchronize the playing and displaying of digital content on an electronic device. The device may render a first portion of digital content so it may be displayed. The device may also play a segment of the digital content as audio using text to speech software. The device may also render a second portion of digital content for display depending on whether the position of the last word read is greater than the last position in the first portion of digital content.

Abstract: Describe herein are electronic devices that includes a display stack having a cover component atop a lightguide component and a display component below the lightguide component. In some instances, the cover component including an antiglare layer having at least some antiglare properties applied to a top surface of a substrate and a touch pattern applied to a bottom surface of the substrate. In some cases, the touch pattern is a single layer multi-touch pattern connected to a touch controller to from a touch sensor capable of detecting the location of an object proximate to antiglare layer.

Abstract: In a provider network, attributes of one of a plurality of storage devices of the provider network are identified for failure monitoring. Based on a failure prediction model, a predicted probability of failure of the selected storage device is determined. The failure prediction model is based on historical and current data associated with failures of the storage devices of the provider network that have common attributes. The selected storage device is deactivated in response to determining that the predicted probability of failure of the selected storage device meets a criterion.

Abstract: A user device determines a reading speed value for each of a plurality of measurable units of an electronic publication. The user device adds each reading speed value into one of a plurality of data sets or one of a plurality of outlier sets. The user device calculates the average reading speed of the user based on one or more of the plurality of data sets.

Abstract: Examples of performing an update of a display device are described. In some implementations, user gesture data may be received in response to a user gesture being performed on a touch sensitive surface of the display device. In response to determining that the user gesture data is unrecognized, performing one or more default actions, including performing an update of the display device. The update may include performing a flash of the display device. The user gesture data may be associated with the one or more actions automatically or in response to the user providing input to associate the user gesture data with the one or more actions. The user gesture and the associated one or more actions may be stored such that the update of the display device may be performed when the user gesture is subsequently performed.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for generating network pages for customers that include customer-generated page portions. A request for a network page is obtained from a client. The network page is associated with a network site hosted by a hosting provider on behalf of a customer. A portion of the network page is obtained from a service operated by the customer in response to the request. The network page, which includes the portion, is generated in response to the request. The generated network page is sent to the client in response to the request.

Abstract: In an resource-on-demand environment, dynamically created server instances are allowed to boot from encrypted boot volumes. Access keys to the boot volumes are provided from a key provider that authenticates new instances based on possession of a security token that has been previously shared between the key provider and the new instance through an out-of-band communication.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for client-side predictive caching of content to facilitate instantaneous use of the content. If a user is likely to commence use of a content item through a client, the client is configured to predictively cache the content item before the user commences use. In doing so, the client may obtain metadata for the content item and an initial portion of the content item from another computing device. The client may then initialize various resources to facilitate instantaneous use of the content item by the client based at least in part on the metadata and the initial portion. The client-side cache may be divided into multiple segments with different content selection criteria.

Abstract: A system for conveying air from one location to another includes a soft duct having a passage and an air flow control device. The air flow control device can be operated to vary a cross sectional area of a portion of the passage of the soft duct.

Abstract: A game spectating system that provides interfaces and methods for providing game content to viewers. The spectating system obtains game metadata from game systems for games being broadcast by the spectating system according to the API, and generates broadcast content based at least in part on the game metadata. The broadcast content includes user interface (UI) elements for obtaining virtual or physical objects corresponding to the game content. The broadcast content is provided to spectator devices with the broadcasts. The spectating system receives indications of spectators' interactions with the broadcast content from the spectator devices including interactions requesting the virtual or physical objects, and facilitates provisioning or delivery of the objects to respective spectator devices or spectators.

Abstract: A network-attachable data transfer device housed within a shippable enclosure that incorporates an updateable electronic display for displaying shipping destination information is disclosed. The device may be initialized (e.g., prepared to receive data, and the updateable electronic shipping display set to the shipping destination) by a service provider and shipped, in accordance with the displayed destination address, as a self-contained shipping unit. The device may be installed onto a network at the destination and loaded with data. The display may also be updated with the next destination address such that the device is shipped to the updated destination address (e.g., back to the service provider, or onto other destinations before being send back to the service provider). When the device is received back at the service provider, the data is transferred from the device to a service provider storage facility, wiped of data, and prepared to be sent out again.

Abstract: A distributed data warehouse system maintains data blocks on behalf of clients, and stores primary and secondary copies of data blocks on different disks or nodes in a cluster. The data warehouse system may back up data blocks in a key-value backup storage system. In response to a query targeting a data block previously stored in the cluster, the data warehouse system may determine whether a consistent, uncorrupted copy of the data block is available in the cluster (e.g., by applying a consistency check). If not (e.g., if a disk or node failed), the data warehouse system may automatically initiate an operation to restore the data block from the backup storage system, using a unique identifier of the data block to access a backup copy. The target data may be returned in a query response prior to restoring primary and secondary copies of the data block in the cluster.

Abstract: A system for providing automatic resource resizing is provided. The system may be configured to maintain a plurality of virtual machine instances. The system may be further configured to receive a request to execute a program code and allocate computing resources for executing the program code on one of the virtual machine instances. The amount of resources allocated for executing the program code may be specified by the request and adjusted as needed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing information responsive to a request. In an embodiment, a request from a requestor is received. A plurality of eligible information sources that are capable of providing data at least partially responsive to the information request are identified. For each identified information source, a data request according to a schema accepted by the identified information source is prepared and responses from the eligible information sources are received. The responses are homogenized according to a common schema and information from the homogenized responses are provided to the requestor.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing customizable sign-on functionality, such as via an access manager system that provides single sign-on functionality and other functionality to other services for use with those services' users. The access manager system may maintain various sign-on and other account information for various users, and provide single sign-on functionality for those users using that maintained information on behalf of multiple unrelated services with which those users interact. The access manager may allow a variety of types of customizations to single sign-on functionality and/or other functionality available from the access manager, such as on a per-service basis via configuration by an operator of the service, such as co-branding customizations, customizations of information to be gathered from users, customizations of authority that may be delegated to other services to act on behalf of users, etc.