Abstract: The ability of a user to provide input when using a touch screen or other such element of a computing device can be improved by correcting for parallax errors. A camera of the computing device can determine the relative position of the user's head or eyes with respect to the device, and determine a viewing perspective of the user with respect to content displayed on the touch screen. Using the perspective direction and information about the dimensions of the touch screen, the device can determine an amount and direction of parallax error, and can make adjustments to remove or minimize that error. The device can cause the position of the displayed graphical elements to shift and/or can adjust the mappings of the touch sensitive regions that correspond to the graphical elements. Such an approach enables the graphical elements and touch mappings to align from the current perspective of the user.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer-accessible storage media for controlling export of snapshots to external networks in service provider environments. Methods are described that may be used to prevent customers of a service provider from downloading snapshots of volumes, such as boot images created by the service provider or provided by third parties, to which the customer does not have the appropriate rights. A request may be received from a user to access one or more snapshots, for example a request to export the snapshot or a request for a listing of snapshots. For each snapshot, the service provider may determine if the user has rights to the snapshot, for example by checking a manifest for the snapshot to see if entries in the snapshot manifest belong to an account other than the customer's. If the user has rights to the snapshot, the request is granted; otherwise, the request is not granted.

Abstract: Portable multimedia devices, and techniques for their manufacture, are provided that feature functional parts embedded with a resin matrix that obviates the need for traditional structural components such as midframes and/or outer casings. The resin matrix may be provided through the use of a flowable liquid resin that is flowed around the functional components within a mold cavity. The liquid resin may then be cured into the resin matrix.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preventing a user device from exceeding a transmit power budget when a presence of an object is detected are described. A user device detects a presence of object that absorbs electromagnetic radiation, and in response to detection of the human body part, the user device determines a remaining amount of a transmit power budget of the user device, and calculates an amount of data that can be transmitted without exceeding the remaining amount. The user device transmits the second data at the specified transmit power level according to the calculated amount of data.

Abstract: The efficiency of scaling of a network of computing devices can be improved by grouping highly-connected portions into deployment units wherein devices only have to be aware of other devices in the respective deployment unit. The various deployment units can be connected by a backbone mechanism. In some embodiments, the backbone utilizes a torroidal connection scheme to connect the backbone switches and pass routing protocol information. Host traffic can still utilize connections between tiers, such that standard routing and networking protocols can be utilized. In other embodiments, logical interfaces can be initialized in each backbone switch, such that each switch itself can function as a point backbone. The devices of the various deployment units then can communicate with each other via the point backbones using standard networking and routing protocols.

Abstract: A user of a personal computing device may identify an item of interest displayed in a user interface provided by a network-based service and would like to obtain more information. The user may submit one or more electronic contact requests to a contact service in communication with a contact distribution system in order to obtain more information. The contact distribution system determines accurate, real-time availability of service agents and enables communications between the customer and an agent to be established in accordance with user contact information provided by the user.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for a client-and-server architecture where the client makes deferred API calls to the server. The server may receive such a deferred API call, and evaluate whether the call will be executed at the future time specified in the call. The server may use a model of tasks already scheduled to be performed at the future time, or projected to be performed at the future time, and compare those tasks against a projected capacity at the future time. Where there will be sufficient capacity, the server may execute process the deferred API call at the future time, and where there will not be sufficient capacity, the server may inform the client that the call will not be processed at the future time.

Abstract: A user interface for a touch-screen display of a dedicated handheld electronic book reader device is described. The user interface detects human gestures manifest as pressure being applied by a finger or stylus to regions on the touch-screen display. In one implementation, the touch-screen user interface enables a user to turn one or more pages in response to applying a force or pressure to the touch-screen display. In another implementation, the touch-screen user interface is configured to bookmark a page temporarily by applying a pressure to the display, then allowing a user to turn pages to a new page, but reverting back to a previously-displayed page when the pressure is removed. In another implementation, the touch-screen user interface identifies and filters electronic books based on book size and/or a time available to read a book. In another implementation, the touch-screen user interface converts text to speech in response to a user touching the touch-screen display.

Abstract: Approaches are described for managing effects such as interference, crosstalk, and other types of noise in an electronic environment using a physical and/or electronic switch to improve antenna performance. For example, in the situation where the connector is connected to the device and no data and/or power is being transferred through the connector, the switch is caused to be open. In this situation, because the connector will be an electrically floating metal instead of a grounded metal due to the open switch, at least a portion of the radiated and/or received antenna signals will not couple to the connector. In the situation where the connector is connected to the device and is being used to transfer data and/or power, the switch is caused to be closed, which will result in the connector being grounded. In such a situation, at least a portion of the noise generated by the connector due to transferring data and/or power will be grounded instead of being coupled to the antenna.

Abstract: Various features are described for generating and analyzing data center topology graphs. The graphs can represent physical placement and connectivity of data center components. In some cases the graphs may include hierarchical representations of data center components and systems, and may also include environmental and operational characteristics of the computing devices and supporting systems which may be included in a data center. In addition, the graphs may be linked to each other though common components, so that data center topology may be analyzed in two or more dimensions rather than a single dimension. The linked graphs may be analyzed to identify potential points of failure and also to identify which data center components may be affected by a failure.

Abstract: Input can be provided to a computing device based upon relative movement of a user or other object with respect to the device. In some embodiments, infrared radiation is used to determine measurable aspects of the eyes or other of a user. Since the human retina is a retro-reflector for certain wavelengths, using two different wavelengths or two measurement angles can allow user pupils to be quickly located and measured without requiring resource-intensive analysis of full color images captured using ambient light, which can be important for portable, low power, or relatively inexpensive computing devices. Various embodiments provide differing levels of precision and design that can be used with different devices.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for generating search results when a search string fails to return results as entered. In a representative example, a failure of a first query generated from a search string to identify at least a predefined threshold number of items from among a plurality of items in a data store is detected in a computing device. A plurality of altered versions of the search string is generated in the computing device. A submission of a plurality of second queries to the data store is implemented, where each of the second queries corresponds to one of the altered versions of the search string. A presentation is generated to be rendered of at least two separate groups of items resulting from corresponding ones of the second queries.

Abstract: Disclosed are various systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums embodying programs that are configured to detect a quorum of peers in a peer to peer network. In one embodiment, a first one of a plurality of peers receives a message from one of a plurality of second ones of the peers, the message including at least one peer identifier listed in association with a corresponding at least one property value, where the peers communicate with each other on a peer to peer network. The at least one peer identifier is written in association with a corresponding at least one property value in a memory associated with the first one of the peers when the at least one peer identifier does not exist in the memory. Also, a quorum of peer identifiers existing in the memory that are associated with respective property values that match a predefined criteria are detected, and a predefined action is implemented in the first one of the peers upon detecting the quorum.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a storage media on a portable physical object associated with a set of credentials that enables access to a set of computing resources associated with a set of Web services. In some embodiments, information including a set of credentials is prepackaged onto the storage media of the portable physical object. A pre-activated subscription to the set of Web services in a distributed system is provisioned. Access to the set of Web services is enabled when the portable physical object is coupled with a computing device and the set of credentials is authenticated. In some embodiments, the portable physical object is purchased by a user on a prepaid basis without requiring the user to register an account with the set of Web services, allowing the user to remain anonymous with respect to interaction with the set of Web services.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for the planning of resources used in computing. Usage statistics regarding one or more virtual machine instances executing in a networked plurality of computing devices are obtained. The usage statistics are grouped, for example, based on one or more customer usage classifications, thereby producing one or more usage groups. A corresponding demand forecast is generated for each of the usage groups. A projected demand for one or more physical components of the networked computing devices is calculated according to the demand forecasts.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing network changes are described herein. In one aspect, a network change procedure may be comprised of a plurality of scripts that may implement a change in the network. In one embodiment, the deployment may be paused after the script has been executed. During the pause, a change management server may determine the impact of the change on the network. If the change had a positive effect, the change management server may execute another script to make another network change. However, if the change had a negative effect, the change management server may initiate one or more remedial actions.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a computer-implemented method includes accessing a request to instantiate a virtual machine from a user, accessing virtual machine lifetime data, and determining, based at least in part on the virtual machine lifetime data, a probable lifetime for the virtual machine. The virtual machine lifetime data includes actual lifetime data for a prior virtual machine that was previously instantiated. The actual lifetime data indicates an amount of time that the prior virtual machine was operational.

Abstract: Data may be collected regarding the configuration of a network, such as a customer network operated by a customer of a service provider operating a service provider network. An appropriate interface, such as a user interface, may be provided to allow a user to add, delete, or otherwise modify the collected network configuration data. The collected, and possibly modified, network configuration data may then be utilized to create a private virtual network in the service provider network. The private virtual network may be implemented such that it has the same, or similar, network configuration as the customer network.

Abstract: Application program data stored in system memory may be selectively persisted. An indication may be provided to an application program that an application data object or a range of application data stored in system memory may be treated as persistent. Data backup may be enabled for the application data object or range of application data in the event of a system failure, copying the application data object or range of application data from system memory to non-volatile data storage. Upon recovery from a system failure, further data backup for the application data object or the range of application data may be disabled. In some embodiments, at least some of the application data object or range of application data may be recovered for the application program to access. Data backup for the application data object or the range of application data may also be re-enabled.