Abstract: There is provided an apparatus that is connectable wirelessly with a mobile phone. The apparatus includes a casing for encasing components of the apparatus. A display unit is mounted within the casing for the display of content to a user. There is a processor coupled with the display unit to control the content displayed in the display unit. There is also a transceiver coupled to the processor within the casing to enable the wireless connection between the apparatus and the mobile phone. A memory module is coupled to the processor, the memory module being for storage of data and applications. There may be a positioning module coupled to the processor, the positioning module being for provision of a location of the apparatus to the mobile phone. It is preferable that a set of controls is coupled to the processor for controlling the apparatus, and the set of controls may be controllable by the user either via touch or voice.

Abstract: There is provided an assembly for a sound reproduction apparatus included with a communications apparatus. The assembly includes an ear bud earphone that anchors to an ear of a user; a cable of the ear bud earphone, a portion of the cable being attached to a reel axle onto which the cable is windable, the reel axle being connected to a revolution counter which tracks a number of revolutions of the reel axle in a first direction, the revolution counter being reset to zero when the cable is fully wound onto the reel axle; with a first end of the cable being functionally connected to the communications apparatus to enable sound signals to be reproduced in the ear bud earphone. The functional connection to the communications apparatus may be either via a solder joint or a detachable connector.

Abstract: Methods of enabling access to data using a portable electronic device within a private network protected by firewall are disclosed. The data may be transmitted in packets to the portable electronic device and may be consumed either instantly or subsequently. The methods may utilise either at least one web storage or an agent server.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for reverse printing a plurality of images interlaced with each other on an underside surface of an appropriate flexible lenticular substrate. The method includes analyzing a viewing orientation of either portrait configuration or landscape configuration of at least one of the plurality of images; determining whether the appropriate flexible lenticular substrate is used for the printing of the plurality of images interlaced with each other in accordance with the viewing orientation of one of the plurality of images; analyzing an orientation of a first marker on the underside surface of the appropriate flexible lenticular substrate; and printing the plurality of images interlaced with each other in accordance with the orientation of the first marker on the underside of the appropriate flexible lenticular substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a method for managing a plurality of electronic books on a computing device. The electronic books may be stored in a plurality of storage sources, the plurality of storage sources being selected from, for example, local storage on the computing device, network-linked storage, network-linked electronic book retailers, and so forth.

Abstract: There are provided methods and systems for consuming media content among a group of at least two entities. The at least two entities may include a host entity. It is advantageous that the host entity is able to determine the at least one reaction of each of the entities other than the host entity in real-time during consumption of the media content. It is preferable that the host entity is able to ascertain a spontaneous perception of the media content by each of the entities other than the host entity by determining the at least one reaction of each of the entities other than the host entity.

Abstract: There is provided a method for showcasing a built-up structure with at least one room. It is advantageous that the user is able to view the interior of the built-up structure by accessing and navigating about a single panoramic image for each room. An apparatus enabling the method and a method of using a work product of the method for showcasing a built-up structure with at least one room is also provided.

Abstract: An electronic book reader, the electronic book reader comprising: a reading interface for accessing an electronic book; a display for displaying the electronic book; a network interface for forming a communication connection between the electronic book reader and a device through a server, the server being connected to data storage comprising data of one or more user accounts associated with the electronic book; and a communication interface for facilitating exchange of multimedia messages between the electronic book reader and the device across the communication connection, wherein the communication connection being formed upon activation of the communication interface and upon both the electronic book and the device being logged in to the server via one of the one or more user accounts associated with the electronic book.

Abstract: An electronic reader device configured to receive at least one set of source data for processing in a manner so as to display at least one electronic reading material. The electronic reader device includes a processing portion and a display portion coupled to the processing portion. The processing portion can be configured to process at least one set of source data in a manner so as to produce graphic data. Graphic data can be communicated to the display portion which can be configured to display graphic data as display data in a stereoscopic display mode. The display data can correspond to a graphic representation. In the stereoscopic display mode, the graphic representation is associable with a three dimensional imaging based graphic representation such that the display data correspond to a graphic representation where at least one portion of the at least one electronic reading material is visually perceivable to be projecting from the display portion.

Abstract: There are provided methods and a system for visually representing a rate of writing a plurality of identical Chinese characters for at least one user on a first portion of a display, with the visual representation having both a discrete movement component and a rate of activity component.

Abstract: There is provided a sound reproduction apparatus including a sub-woofer unit and a plurality of wireless speakers. A method of speaker charging and speaker calibration using the sound reproduction apparatus is also provided. The sub-woofer unit may be configured to perform tasks of both charging a power source in each of the plurality of wireless speakers; and calibrating speaker identity for each of the plurality of wireless speakers. It is advantageous that both of the tasks are performed when the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit. The speaker identity may include, for example, left front, right front, left rear, right rear, and centre.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating user communication from a location. The system comprises two or more cameras for capturing two or more videos at a first location, a control unit for streaming one or more of the videos captured to a first communication unit at the first location through a first network, and streaming one or more of the videos captured to a second communication unit located at a second location through a second network, a server for identifying a location data of the first location based on an identifier of the control unit, and a communication platform associated with the first location. The communication platform is accessible by the first and second communication units through the first and second networks respectively.

Abstract: There is provided an audio reproduction device capable of providing audio output through at least one output member and a corresponding method for using the audio reproduction device. The audio reproduction device includes a left output member for transmission of audio, the left output member being able to fit into a user's first ear; a transducer for converting input audio signals into audio output, the transducer being directly coupled to the left output member; an acoustic tube coupled to the left output member for transmission of audio from the transducer, a first end of the acoustic tube being coupled to the left output member; and a right output member for transmission of audio, the right output member being able to fit into the user's second ear, a second end of the acoustic tube being coupled to the right output member.

Abstract: There is provided a wireless headset for enabling communications via a communications apparatus. The headset includes a casing for containing components of the wireless headset; a controller located within the casing, the controller being for controlling operations of the wireless headset; a wireless transceiver located within the casing, coupled to the controller for both receiving and transmitting audio data; an audio driver located within the casing, the audio driver being coupled to the controller for output of the received audio data; a first acoustic channel coupled to the audio driver at a first end, the first acoustic channel allowing transmission of output from the audio driver; and a first ear bud piece coupled to a second end of the first acoustic channel, the first ear bud piece being able to be mounted onto a user-facing surface of the casing.

Abstract: A multimodal camera and a method for selecting an operation mode of a camera, the method comprising: sensing scene lighting; detecting movement of the camera including detection of rotational movement for Panorama photography; detecting selection of a selector of the camera, the selector being for selecting between a first set of one or more operation modes based on scene lighting and a second set of one or more operation modes based on movement of the camera; and selecting one of the operation modes from the first and second sets of one or more operation modes based on conditions defined by data associated with the movement of the camera, the scene lighting, and the selection of the selector.

Abstract: An earphone set with a first earphone and a second earphone, the earphone set comprising: a connector for connecting the first earphone and the second earphone; a memory module for storing audio data; and a power management module for preventing short circuit or inductive surge in current arising from connection or disconnection of the first earphone or the second earphone from the connector, the first earphone comprising: a first sound driver for sound production; and a power supply module for powering the earphone set; the second earphone comprising: a second sound driver for sound production; and a processing unit for converting the stored audio data in the memory module into sound producible by the first sound driver and the second sound driver, the power supply module being adapted to provide power to the first sound driver, the memory module, the second sound driver, and the processing unit, the connector enabling a functional connection between the first earphone and the second earphone, the memory mod

Abstract: An earphone set with a first earphone and a second earphone, the earphone set comprising: a connector for connecting the first earphone and the second earphone; a memory module for storing audio data; and a power management module for preventing short circuit or inductive surge in current arising from connection or disconnection of the first earphone or the second earphone from the connector, the first earphone comprising: a first sound driver for sound production; and a power supply module for powering the earphone set; the second earphone comprising: a second sound driver for sound production; and a processing unit for converting the stored audio data in the memory module into sound producible by the first sound driver and the second sound driver, the power supply module being adapted to provide power to the first sound driver, the memory module, the second sound driver, and the processing unit, the connector enabling a functional connection between the first earphone and the second earphone, the memory mod

Abstract: There is provided a method and system for managing electronic messages in a closed network. Both the method and system include determining a quantity of credits to be expended for a transmission of each electronic message from a device in the closed network; and deducting the quantity of credits from a sender's account at a central credit repository. Preferably, the quantity of credits to be expended is dependent on an identity of a recipient of the electronic message. The identity of the recipient of the electronic message may preferably be associated with the recipient's position in an organizational hierarchy.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for video frame marking. It is preferable that a tagged video frame is visually perceptible in the set of chronologically ordered video frames shown in the display. The selection of each video frame preferably causes playback of an excerpt of the video with a duration of the common predetermined interval. The video frame may denote a scene from a portion of the excerpt of the video, such as, for example, start, middle and end. It is advantageous that the excerpts of the video of each tagged video frame is combined using the user interface to generate a concise representation of the video. The concise representation of the video may be in a form where excerpts of the video of each of the tagged video frames are played back at a normal rate while excerpts of the video of each of other video frames are played back at an accelerated rate.

Abstract: There is provided a method and a device to modify playback of digital musical content. The digital musical content may be either stored on the handheld device or transmitted to the handheld device. The method may include playing back the digital musical content using the handheld device, the digital musical content being played back using pre-determined levels of at least one parameter of the digital musical content; detecting at least one motion the handheld device is undergoing; modifying the digital musical content in accordance with the at least one motion being detected; and playing back the modified digital musical content using the handheld device.