Wednesday, May 18, 2011

OmniVision's new 5 megapixel CMOS sensor shoots 1080p video, is built for 'slimmer' devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/omnivisions-new-5-megapixel-cmos-sensor-shoots-1080p-video-is/

Apple might be poised to ditch OmniVision for its next round of iPhone / iPod Touch cameras, but that hasn't stopped the company from trotting out a fresh crop of sensors. Weeks after unveiling a beastly 12 megapixel number, it's announced the OV5690, a 5 megapixel chip, and the first to use the company's second-generation OmniBSI-2 pixel architecture. In addition to shooting 5 megapixel stills, it records 1080p video at 30 frames per second and 720p movies at 60fps. And, most notably, OmniVision cut the sensor's height by 20 percent in the hopes that it'll find a home in "slimmer" smartphones and tablets. So far, it's unclear what devices will incorporate it -- the company says key vendors are sampling the sensor at the moment, with mass production expected to begin in the second half of this year. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading OmniVision's new 5 megapixel CMOS sensor shoots 1080p video, is built for 'slimmer' devices

OmniVision's new 5 megapixel CMOS sensor shoots 1080p video, is built for 'slimmer' devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 15:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of ! feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:26 PM

HTC touts early Flyer sales, promises NFC-equipped phone within a year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/htc-touts-early-flyer-sales-promises-nfc-equipped-phone-within/

It's still not dishing much in the way of specifics, but it looks like HTC is at least cautiously optimistic about the success of its Flyer tablet -- or, as the company's top exec in Europe, Florian Seiche, put it at a recent Reuters summit: "it's early days but we feel very good about it." Seiche also unsurprisingly talked up tablets in general, and said that he thought schools would "probably" shift from textbooks to tablets in "five years' time," adding that "we can't even guess the potential" in terms of the broader impact on society. Naturally, he also suggested that HTC plans to tap into that growing market with a whole range of new tablets beyond the Flyer. In terms of smartphones, Seiche said that HTC will be rolling out its first NFC-equipped phone within the next twelve months, and he reaffirmed the company's commitment to Windows Phone 7, which he expects will see a boost from Nokia (which he says will in turn benefit HTC).

HTC touts early Flyer sales, promises NFC-equipped phone within a year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:26 PM

Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV shipping next week, eyes-on at SID 2011 (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/samsungs-22-inch-transparent-blu-lcd-tv-shipping-next-week-eye/

We weren't actually allowed to get our hands on Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV -- the showcase was accompanied by a "Do not touch" label -- but we were able to get our first in-the-flesh look at the see-through display at SID this week. According to Sammy's rep, the monitors, which can operate without or without a backlight, will start shipping to manufacturers as soon as this week, but consumers will have to wait until Q3 to get their hands on one. While our hands remained mostly at our sides during our little meeting, we did sneak them behind the display to see just how transparent these things are. Sure enough, we could see our phalanges wiggling quite clearly through the ghostly panel. When the backlight was flipped on, the screen became a touch more opaque, but didn't fully obstruct the view of the potted plants lurking in the background. For now, the screens are focused on the commercial market -- specifically advertising -- but we wouldn't mind adding one of these things to our living room. Hop on past the break for a little video love.

Continue reading Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV shipping next week, eyes-on at SID 2011 (video)

Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV shipping next week, eyes-on at SID 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 16:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:26 PM

Samsung entices with elecrowetting displays at SID 2011: coming to consumers later this year?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/samsung-entices-with-elecrowetting-displays-at-sid-2011-coming/

Liquavista has teased us with the potential of its electrowetting displays for years, but we hadn't gotten to peep its panels post-acquisition until now, at SID 2011. In addition to the several screens we'd seen before, there was a new monochrome model that operates at low frequencies (down to sub-hertz levels) to cut down on current consumption. We also laid eyes on its chromatic displays, but in comparison to Mirasol's tech, electrowetting has a ways to go to match the image quality of IMOD. However, Sammy said that its reflective screens can be constructed with minimal mods to existing LCD manufacturing plants, while making Mirasol requires fresh fab facilities. Such a factory isn't exactly cheap, and Mirasol's large-scale production plant won't be around until 2012. So Samsung might snatch the market if it gets there first, and the rep we spoke with said the company hopes to have products shipping this year. While we wait for their hopes and dreams to come to fruition, view the vid after the break.

Continue reading Samsung entices with elecrowetting displays at SID 2011: coming to consumers later this year?

Samsung entices with elecrowetting displays at SID 2011: coming to con! sumers l ater this year? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 17:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:24 PM

LG Display's 4.3-inch bistable display concept eyes-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/lg-displays-4-3-inch-bistable-display-concept-eyes-on-video/

With all the giant screens throwing around flashy 3D graphics at SID, the smaller offerings like this LG 4.3-inch transparent bistable LCD display can be easy to overlook. Lucky for you, our hawk-eyes combined with a love for tiny gadgets landed us -- and our video camera -- right in front of this bantam wonder. Sure, bistable displays (which can retain an image when powered down) are nothing new, but this 4.3-incher was just too eye-catching to pass up -- even if it was just running a simple stick-man animation. We're not sure where LG's going with this little screen -- it is just a concept, after all -- but we can already hear advertisers and automotive designers licking their lips in anticipation. For more transparent display goodness, check out the video after the break.

Continue reading LG Display's 4.3-inch bistable display concept eyes-on (video)

LG Display's 4.3-inch bistable display concept eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 17:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:24 PM

Samsung's 10.1-inch plastic LCD showcased in concept laptop, tablet at SID 2011 (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/samsungs-10-1-inch-plastic-lcd-showcased-in-concept-laptop-tab/

Fumble your phone much? Samsung may have a solution for clumsy gadgeteers with screen shatter fears: a lightweight, ultra-durable, plastic LCD screen. Tucked into laptop and tablet concepts at SID 2011, this 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 wunderpanel could be the next innovation in durable mobile devices -- cutting thickness by as much as two-thirds at one-fifth the weight of a glass LCD. Lighter, stronger devices sound awesome, but the tech has its drawbacks; it suffers from poor off-axis viewing angles, and the entire surface has a visible, but not entirely off-putting, wavy texture. Cracked LCD bending art enthusiasts can rest easy for awhile, there's no word yet on pricing or availability; easy-to-bust displays aren't going anywhere. Hit the gallery and the video (after the break) for an eyes-on look.

Continue reading Samsung's 10.1-inch plastic LCD showcased in concept laptop, tablet at SID 2011 (video)

Samsung's 10.1-inch plastic LCD showcased in concept laptop, tablet at SID 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget! on Wed, 18 May 2011 17:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:23 PM

LG's new ultra-high resolution AH-IPS displays, simply stunning at any size

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/lgs-new-ultra-high-resolution-ah-ips-displays-simply-stunning/

The Life's Good gang warned us with the written word about its super fantastic, ultra-high resolution Advanced High Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS) displays. Of course, written resolution claims merely provide verisimilitude; viewing is the only way to discern their veracity. We saw the screens, ranging from a petite 3.5 inches to a prodigious 84-inch panel, at SID 2011 and were impressed enough to begin scheming ways to get a wall of these for Engadget HQ. Unfortunately, we don't know how many dollars LG wants for its plethora of panels or when they'll go on sale, but you can bet we'll keep you posted. If our impressions and that mouthful of a moniker haven't sold you on the awesomeness of AH-IPS, then take a gander at the gallery and let the pixel-packed pics persuade you.

LG's new ultra-high resolution AH-IPS displays, simply stunning at any size originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 18:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:23 PM

DirecTV is field testing RVU, will offer satellite TV without individual receivers in October

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/directv-is-field-testing-rvu-will-offer-satellite-tv-without-in/

We've been waiting since 2009 for the RVU Alliance to deliver on its promise of TV service controlled by a main server that streams content to any screen in the home without requiring any set-top boxes and it appears DirecTV is ready to make it so. A press release issued today indicates it has started field trials of the HR34 RVU server that will be the keystone in its Home Media Center, and plans to roll the service out nationwide in October. If you want to know when to start buying HDTVs like the Samsung D6000 series, it also mentions RVU certification for those and DirecTV's own C30 Home Media Clients (check out a video demo here) is expected to be finalized in June. There's been some delays but if you were also hoping that 2011 would be the year we can get rid of the cable box, the progress is looking very promising.

[Thanks, Tyler]

Continue reading DirecTV is field testing RVU, will offer satellite TV without individual receivers in October

DirecTV is field testing RVU, will offer satellite TV without individual receivers in October originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 19:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:22 PM

HP's Pavilion dv6t and dv7t available with 1080p screens, people who bought three months ago sigh

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/hps-pavilion-dv6t-and-dv7t-available-with-1080p-screens-people/

When HP's Pavilion Quad Edition dv6t and dv7t went on sale three months ago, we couldn't think of too many detractors, but we did take issue with the fact that these 15.6- and 17.3-inch screens maxed out at 1600 x 900 resolution. If you fall into that camp, well, the Powers That Be over at HP heard you -- both machines are now available with 1080p displays, for an extra $150. As before, both come standard with 2GHz quad-core Core i7 processors, AMD Radeon HD 6490M graphics with 1GB of video memory, 4GB of RAM, and 640GB hard drives. HP is also offering free upgrades to 6GB RAM and 750GB hard drive space, though no promises on how long that'll last. Before you get too excited, though, 1080p displays are only an option on these so-called Quad Edition models and the dv6t Select Edition -- meaning, you can't opt for a lower-end dv6 or dv7t and expect to upgrade it. Confusing naming conventions aside, if you're tempted, we suggest you avail yourself of some sweet coupons at the source links.

[Thanks, Sourabh]

HP's Pavilion dv6t and dv7t available with 1080p screens, people who bought three months ago sigh originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 20:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink LogicBuy (1), LogicBuy (2)  |  sourceHP (1), (2), (3)  | Email this | Comments

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Posted by Augustine at 9:22 PM

The Implications of 1 in 10 Searches Coming from Mobile devices - http://bit.ly/k7jFqy

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Posted by Augustine at 10:08 AM

Fyels Makes Drag-and-Drop, Web-Based File Sharing as Simple as Possible [Webapps]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5802891/fyels-makes-drag+and+drop-web+based-file-sharing-as-simple-as-possible

Fyels Makes Drag-and-Drop, Web-Based File Sharing as Simple as PossibleIf you're looking to share a file with a few of your friends, it doesn't get any simpler than Fyels. Just drag and drop a file onto their web page, and it will spit out a short link that you can send to your friends.

Fyels Makes Drag-and-Drop, Web-Based File Sharing as Simple as PossibleWe've discussed a few super-simple file sharing webapps before, but it's hard to get any simpler than Fyels. Fyels is a mostly empty webpage, onto which you can drag and drop nearly any file for quick sharing. Other than a 2 GB size limit, there are no other caveats, like waiting times or registrations, so you can just send your file and get on with your day.

When you share a file, Fyels will give you a password in case you want to delete the file from Fyels' servers later on. To delete a file, you can just re-enter that short link with .delete appended to the end of it. Then, after typing in your password, the file will no longer be accessible through the original link. If you're looking to send a file to a friend with minimal hassle, Fyels is a pretty cool way to get it done quickly.

Fyels Makes Drag-and-Drop, Web-Based File Sharing as Simple as Possible Fyels | via TorrentFreak

You can contact Whitson Gordon, the author of this post, at whitson@lifehacker.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.
 

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Posted by Augustine at 8:50 AM

Apple's MacBook Air duo to receive Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt upgrade in June or July?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/apples-macbook-air-duo-to-receive-sandy-bridge-and-thunderbolt/

We've already seen Intel's Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt reinvigorating the MacBook Pro line, so it's only logical for the MacBook Airs to eventually follow suit -- presumably they'll pick up Sandy Bridge's 17W mobile processors to match the current 10W and 17W Core 2 Duos. So when can we expect this to happen? Well, according to DigiTimes' sources within the supply chain, Apple may receive shipment of the refreshed Airs in late May ahead of a June or July launch -- this echoes earlier reports from Apple Insider and CNET that cited the same time frame. Additionally, DigiTimes says Quanta will continue to assemble Apple's ultra-portable laptops, with Simplo Technology and Dynapack supplying the battery packs. As always, we shall remain open-minded about such rumors, but you'll know the real deal as soon as we do within the next couple of months or so.

Apple's MacBook Air duo to receive Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt upgrade in June or July? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 02:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 8:40 AM

Toshiba declares victory in pixel density war: 367ppi coming to a phone this year (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/toshiba-declares-victory-in-pixel-density-war-367ppi-coming-to/

We got the lowdown on Toshiba's latest four-inch LCD a couple of days ago, and today at SID 2011 we got up close and personal with the pixel-packed display. It's one thing to read about a 367ppi screen that shows native 720p video, and it's quite another to experience it in person. We can report that it is, in fact, as awesome as it sounds -- onscreen images were clear, crisp, and chromatically brilliant. Pixel density enthusiasts will also be happy to hear that Toshiba confirmed the display will make it to market this year. Of course, the rep wouldn't tell us which phone will take the iPhone 4's crown as the ppi champ, though we imagine it'll be something powered by little green bots. See the new king in action in the video after the break.

Continue reading Toshiba declares victory in pixel density war: 367ppi coming to a phone this year (video)

Toshiba declares victory in pixel density war: 367ppi coming to a phone this year (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 04:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 8:40 AM

Nanosys QDEF screen technology ships in Q4, slips into iPad at SID 2011 (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/nanosys-qdef-screen-technology-ships-in-q4-slips-into-ipad-at-s/

We dropped by Nanosys' nook at SID 2011, and not only was it showing off its new Quantum Dot Enhancement Film, but had hacked the tech into an off-the-shelf iPad. A company representative presented the modified slate as an example of how quickly QDEF's high color gamut magic could be integrated into existing devices, offering "OLED color depth without OLED power consumption and OLED price." Sure enough, we were told to expect to see QDEF in a "mobile device," probably an Android tablet, sometime in Q4; when pushed for details, our rep could only tell us that the device would come from a Korean firm. (LG or Samsung, take your pick.)

Integrating QDEF into new devices may be a snap, but company representatives told us the film could add as much as 100 microns to a screen's thickness, suggesting that smartphone manufactures aren't too keen on the idea of a thicker display. Still, Nanosys has high hopes for the new film and told us that it expects high-color QDEF to become an "ecosystem changer," as industry-altering as HDTV. The firm even suggested "wide color gamut" apps could be in our near future -- we love our color depth here at Engadget, but somehow it's hard to see Angry Birds: High Color (its suggestion, not ours) taking off. Check out our hands-on after the break.

Continue reading Nanosys QDEF screen technology ships in Q4, slips into iPad at SID 2011 (video)

Nanosys QDEF screen technology ships in Q4, slips into iPad at SID 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 05:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 8:40 AM

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