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Tuesday, January 06, 2015

Sony's head-mounted display will turn spectacles into smart glasses

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/06/sony-smartglasses-attach/

Sony's head-mounting display will turn spectacles into smart glasses

It's no secret that Sony's been working on a sort of Google Glass analog, but the fact that the company's also got a bolt-on display that can (ideally) turn any pair of glasses into a savvy wearable is nothing short of impressive. After Sony wrapped up this year's CES press conference, we got the chance to yank a pair out of some poor spokesperson's hands and strap them on for ourselves. Long story short: Sony just might have a winner on its hands.

Here's the thing you have to remember: This isn't the first time Sony's tried to dangle a teensy display in front of your eye. Unlike the company's own SmartGlasses (which exist as a discrete set of frames), the Attach lives on as a separate unit that attaches to any pair of compatible glasses. At least during those early days post-launch, the selection of frames that'll play nice will be pretty limited as the physical connector on these prototype units is... unique to say the least. It's a wide, peculiarly shaped gap that the Attach fits into, and it just seems awfully unlikely that a Luxottica would ever embrace such a distinct style. A Sony spokesperson said, though, that the final model would support a whole host of mounting methods, including truly mundane solutions like adhesive.

Anyway, let's talk about wearing the thing! Just like Google Glass, a tiny prism sits in front of your right eye and it acts as what Sony calls an OLED microdisplay. Once you get used to it appearing and disappearing from view while your eyes focus on other things, the semi-persistent image is bright, vivid and crisp, even if it isn't immediately obvious how you're supposed to interact with what you see. Most of the demo scenarios Sony dreamed up involve sports in one way or another -- one visualized a path that wound through a series of Japanese mountains; while others highlighted the imaginary route of a golf ball as it hooked down toward the final green at Augusta. Sony's clearly gunning to imbue the thing with some sports savvy, but surely it wouldn't be that hard to broaden the Attach's skillset to cater to we, mostly immobile, bespectacled types. Still, the prototype frames seemed almost too light and insubstantial -- I wouldn't be surprised if they were 3D printed.

It's a shame that we don't know how much the SmartGlasses Attach will cost, nor when it'll make the leap from show-floor trinket to honest-to-goodness product. Sony's going to court mostly developers for at least a little while after launch though, so maybe we're looking at more than a smart pair of sport goggles after all.

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

Filed under: Wearables, Sony

Monday, January 05, 2015

This router can power your devices wirelessly from 20 feet away

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/energous-wattup-wireless-charging-demo/

Energous WattUp energy router

Wireless charging hasn't really set the world on fire. Since the Palm Pre first introduced us to the idea at CES 2009, a few companies have added similar functionality to their phones and smartwatches. Power without wires is undoubtedly useful, but none of the solutions have ever set our devices free from a charging pad, which is tantamount to plugging them in, really. Energous is one of a handful of companies hoping to change that. It claims its technology can charge your phone and wearable from up to 20 feet away, no wires required.

Energous' system is called WattUp, and it works using a mix of RF, Bluetooth and a lot of patent-pending technology. The transmitter is where most of the magic happens. It communicates with and locates compatible devices using low-energy Bluetooth. Once they've established contact with a device, they send out focused RF signals on the same bands as WiFi that are then absorbed and converted into DC power by a tiny chip embedded in the device. These transmitters can be built into household appliances, TVs, speakers and standalone "energy routers."

This conversion, known as "rectification," is not a new idea, but Energous' application of it is. Its latest generation of chips are around 70 percent efficient -- a typical wireless charging mat clocks in at around 90 percent -- and can provide enough power to easily charge both a phone and wearable from a single bedside transmitter.

Energous wireless power home

To demo its tech, Energous has turned a casino suite into a faux home full of wireless power, which we dropped by to allow the company's founder Michael Leabman to put on a show for us. The routers are able to offer a closed network, letting you choose what devices are allowed power (ideal for public locations), or an open network, offering power to all. Regardless of network type, the router can prioritize devices low on battery, and automatically rejig the hierarchy as a desired charge level is achieved. Using an iPad to control the transmitters, Leabman powered various bulbs and smartphones with the tap of an on-screen button.

The main benefit Energous touts is mobility, and true to his word, Leabman was able to move freely around the show home, with the software automatically choosing which transmitter was best-placed to pipe power to his smartphone. The handover was near-instantaneous, and very reminiscent of how a tablet or laptop can switch between WiFi transmitters on the fly. Because there aren't yet any devices that directly integrate the WattUp technology, the phones were receiving power through modified battery cases, and there was no wearable demo on offer. With the size of the chips, though, there's nothing stopping a Samsung or an Apple from adding the tech to its devices in the coming years.

Energous WattUp energy router prototype

These are early days for Energous. It's made a lot of progress since its formation in 2012, shrinking its transmitters from the size of a coffee table to that of an oversized router. Instead of producing and managing routers, chips and software itself, it's looking to license it out to other companies to integrate into their devices. So far it's partnered with Foxconn (which makes more of the world's electronics than any other single company), South Korea's SK Telesys (part of that country's largest conglomerate after Samsung) and a handful of smaller companies, including Haier and the makers of the popular Hexbug miniature robot toys.

Energous believes this licensing strategy will help it bring its technology to market as early as 2016. In around six months, it'll produce a reference design for both the transmitter and receiver that manufacturers can modify to fit their own needs. It does expect some second-tier manufacturers to use its references wholesale, but big players like Samsung, should they decide to go with WattUp, would be more likely to modify and integrate the tech into their own designs.

Imagine toys that never run out of power, or wearables you never need take off

The company is making moves to attract partners, like joining the Power Matters Alliance as chair of its new "uncoupled power" working group, and adding respected engineer Martin Cooper -- aka the father of the cellphone -- to its board of advisors. Nonetheless, if, how and when WattUp will roll out is down to Energous' partners. The company will need a big-name manufacturer to sign up for the tech, and until that happens, it's unlikely to take off in a massive way. Should that happen, though, the potential is huge. Imagine toys that never run out of power; wearables you never need to take off; energy routers built into every home appliance or light fitting. The future for Energous could be bright, but it doesn't have to persuade you or I; it needs to persuade the companies that manufacture our devices.

Energous WattUp wireless charging an iPhone 6

This is Toshiba's answer to the Surface Pro 3

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/toshiba-portege-z20t/

Until now, if you wanted a tablet powerful enough to double as a laptop, there was really only one acceptable option: the Surface Pro 3. Sure, there were other such devices out there, but the SP3 was uniquely thin and light -- kind of a crucial detail for a device that's supposed to work equally well in notebook and tablet modes. But times, they are a-changin', and other companies are starting to catch up. Take Toshiba, for instance. The PC maker just revealed the Portege Z20t, a laptop/tablet hybrid with a 12.5-inch screen (compared to the Surface Pro 3's 12-inch display), but an even lighter design. All told, it comes in at just 0.35 inch thick and 1.6 pounds for the tablet piece, versus 1.76 pounds for the SP3. Basically, then, it has the same size and thickness as Microsoft's tablet, except it should be even easier to hold.

Additionally, thanks to a low-power Intel Core M processor under the hood, the Z20t is actually fanless, though to be fair, the vents on the Surface are nearly invisible. As a result of that power-sipping chip, the battery life should be pretty decent: 9.1 hours with just the tablet, and 17.5 hours with the help of an included keyboard dock. Interestingly, though Core M chips can get down to 4.5 watts, Toshiba says the Z20t will never dip quite that low. We suppose it was a matter of achieving long battery life (a hallmark of Core M tablets), while still keeping the performance strong enough to compete with other devices.

And what would a Surface competitor be without a pen display? Indeed, the Z20t's 12.5-inch display has an optional Wacom-made digitizer, allowing for pressure-sensitive pen input (2,048 levels of sensitivity, to be exact). It's also coated with an anti-glare finish that does a good job keeping glare at bay. So far as we can tell, the only potential downside is that the resolution tops out at 1,920 x 1,080, as opposed to 2,160 x 1,440 on the Surface Pro 3. Even then, though, this is primarily aimed at business users, not regular consumers, and based on everything we've heard, IT departments seem to be less concerned with laptops' pixel count in the first place.

Finishing up our tour of the device, you'll find dual cameras, as well as a micro-HDMI socket, micro-USB connection and a microSD slot on the tablet itself. The dock, meanwhile, brings full-size RGB, HDMI, Ethernet and two USB 3.0 ports. Additionally, the keyboard has a Kensington lock slot with a mechanism that prevents someone from unlatching the tablet when it's connected to the locked-up dock. It'll go on sale this January, with options for either 4GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of solid-state storage. The starting price will be $1,399, but again, that doesn't include the optional pen digitizer. To get that feature, you'll need to pony up at least $1,899.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets

Sony's new TVs are thin... very thin

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/sony-2015-bravia-lineup/

When visitors see your new Sony Bravia, the answer to their first question will be "4.7mm," because that's how thick these new TVs are at their thinnest point. If, however, your friends and lovers aren't impressed, then you might have to wheel out some other facts about your new home entertainment setup. The top-line XBR 900C 4K TVs come in 55, 65 and 75-inch flavors, and gain a new X1 4K processor which upgrades the picture quality of any 4K source and enhancing the dynamic range and color.

If your budget doesn't stretch that far, then you can grab one of the company's cheaper models, which also get a swanky 4K engine and a Triluminos display. All of the new TVs are equipped with PlayStation Now and run Android TV, enabling you to browse the internet and use voice search if you have a microphone-enabled remote control. These other models run from 43 all the way up to 75-inches, and will filter out into stores in the spring. There's no word on pricing, but imagine that if you have to ask the price of a 75-inch 4K TV that's 4.7mm thick, you probably can't afford it.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Sony

Sony's still-new SmartWatch 3 gets a stainless steel makeover

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/sony-smartwatch-3-steel/

Sony's SmartWatch 3 only trickled onto store shelves back in November, but the company has decided it's not done tweaking the formula just yet. Just as some last-minute leaks foretold, Sony just pulled back the curtain on a stainless steel version of the SmartWatch 3 here at its CES 2015 conference and it's, well, exactly what you'd expect it to be.

Same 1.6-inch 320×320 display, same IP68 water resistance chassis, same Qualcomm chipset, same spate of light and motion sensors -- it's just a gussied-up version of the regular SW3 meant to trade athletic appeal for some much needed aesthetic appeal. If anything, Sony's design committee seems to have put form over function this time: We've already determined that if nothing else the SW3 shines as a watch for athletic types, and those folks almost certainly aren't going to wear a more substantial steel band while they try to keep tabs on their split times. Then again, the SteelWatch 3 would be worth it if it launched in February with the right price tag, but since Sony's keeping mum, we'll just have to see.

Dish's New Joey Set-Top Box Is All About 4K

Source: http://gizmodo.com/dishs-new-joey-set-top-box-is-all-about-4k-1677560288

Dish's New Joey Set-Top Box Is All About 4K

I like 4K. You like 4K. CES 2015 definitely 4K, and Dish is finally adding the ability to stream in this most coveted resolution with the 4K Joey, a set-top box that gives all Ultra HD TVs with HDMI 2.0 support and HDCP 2.2 support.

The World's First Inflatable Flashlight Never Needs New Batteries

Source: http://gizmodo.com/the-worlds-first-inflatable-flashlight-never-needs-new-1677561027

The World's First Inflatable Flashlight Never Needs New Batteries

There's no point in keeping a stash of emergency flashlights around your home if the batteries inside them just end up getting stolen for TV remotes and the kids' toys. So the folks who created the original LUCI, a dirt-cheap inflatable solar-powered rechargeable lantern , have tweaked its design for the new Luci EMRG so that it produces a more intense focused beam and can now double as an emergency flashlight.

Lenovo LaVie Z: A Laptop So Light I Can Hardly Believe Itâs Real

Source: http://gizmodo.com/lenovo-lavie-z-a-laptop-so-light-i-can-hardly-believe-1677477385

Lenovo LaVie Z: A Laptop So Light I Can Hardly Believe It’s Real

There's a certain baseline weight you expect when you pick up a laptop. Lenovo's LaVie Z exists so far below that baseline you feel like it just has to be hollow. And it doesn't sacrifice an ounce of performance. It's nuts.

This $9K Machine Could Usher in the Era of 3D-Printed Electronics

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-9k-machine-could-usher-in-the-era-of-3d-printed-e-1677580682

This $9K Machine Could Usher in the Era of 3D-Printed Electronics

The technology that would enable us to 3D-print electronics along with the circuits that make them work has been around for a while, but a team of Harvard researchers just announced a new 3D-printer that could change the game. Soon, you could 3D print a drone in your living room—which is insane.

Toyota Made Over 5,600 Of Its Fuel Cell Patents Available Royalty-Free

Source: http://gizmodo.com/toyota-made-over-5-600-of-its-fuel-cell-patents-availab-1677275142

Toyota Made Over 5,600 Of Its Fuel Cell Patents Available Royalty-Free

In an effort to help spread the adoption and further the development of the hydrogen fuel cell technology the company developed for its FCV concept vehicle—now known as the Mirai—Toyota has announced that it's making approximately 5,680 fuel cell patents available for royalty-free use.

Samsung Made a 105-Inch Bendy UHD TV Because Why Wouldn't They

Source: http://gizmodo.com/samsung-made-a-105-inch-bendy-uhd-tv-because-why-not-1677581763

Samsung Made a 105-Inch Bendy UHD TV Because Why Wouldn't They

Last year, both Samsung and LG trotted out bendable (flexible?) UHD TVs that morph from curved to flat with the push of a button. This year, LG plans to bring a 77-inch model to market , which is nice! But a little meek next to Samsung's 105-inch display model. It'll probably never be more than a mythical trade show apparition, but damn, it's beautiful.

Sharp's new 4K TVs include a set that acts like it's 8K

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/sharp-4k-tv-at-ces-2015/

Sharp Aquos 4K TV with Pixel Splitting

Now that 4K TVs are no longer a novelty, manufacturers are bending over backward to show you that their sets are somehow more 4K than everyone else's. Need proof? Just look at the flagship of Sharp's newly unveiled 2015 lineup, the 80-inch AQUOS Beyond 4K Ultra HD TV (yes, that's the name). Its namesake trick both cuts pixels in half vertically and lets subpixels create their own color values, leading to a near-8K (7,680 x 4,320) effective picture. The boasts of extra resolution stretch credulity a bit -- you can't add detail that wasn't in the original picture, folks -- but you'll at least know that your TV isn't to blame for fuzzy imagery. As it stands, this ultimate set has a few down-to-earth upgrades over Sharp's previous efforts, including better upscaling and an improved LED backlight that widens the color range. The company hasn't nailed down pricing, but it'll be reportedly be competitive with other high-end sets when it arrives late this year.

You'll have plenty of options if you're willing to settle for "normal" 4K. The entry-level UB30 series now comes in sizes between 43 and 65 inches with the new upscaler. Spend more on the UE30 (60 through 80 inches) and you'll get a newer version of Sharp's SmartCentral platform with Android TV, LED dimming and a smoother-looking 480Hz refresh rate; jump to the UH30 (70 and 80 inches) and you'll get the color-enhancing backlight, a speedy 960Hz refresh rate and a touchpad remote. All three of these 4K model lines will ship in the spring, with prices ranging from $750 for a 43-inch UB30 to $6,000 for the 80-inch UH30.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

TV makers and Hollywood team up to save 4K from themselves

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/samsung-lg-hollywood-try-to-not-screw-up-4K/

We've seen at past CES how overzealous money grabs by electronics manufacturers can turn the public off to new technology (hello 3D), but it appears the industry might be learning. A long list of big names just announced they're joining the "UHD Alliance" to "set the bar" for next-generation video. That list includes Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sony Visual Product, DirecTV, Netflix, Dolby, Disney and Fox, and they altogether claim it's put together with the consumer in mind first. We've already seen a slew of content agreements and services that only work with a particular manufacturer's devices (DirecTV and Samsung, Sony's UHD streaming box), but things are slowly getting better. The new team-up promises to work on 4K video, High Dynamic Range (which Netflix announced during LG's press conference earlier), Wide color Gamut and Immersive Audio -- we'll see if that's enough to keep the UHD goose laying golden eggs.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung, Sony, LG

ASUS is bringing optical zoom to a reasonably sized smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/asus-zenfone-zoom-ces-2015/

The last smartphone to feature an optical zoom camera was Samsung's Galaxy K Zoom, but we didn't like it -- no thanks to its inconsistent camera performance plus poor battery life (the bulky body didn't help either). Merely hours away from South Korea, Taiwan-based ASUS decided to have a go at making its own optical zoom-enabled smartphone, which ended up being its surprise announcement at this year's CES: the ~~Lumia 1020~~ ZenFone Zoom. What we've been told so far is that this $399 device is the world's thinnest smartphone that packs a 3x optical zoom camera, and there's more: It's actually a 13-megapixel f/2.0 imager with optical image stabilization, precise laser autofocus (as used by the LG G3), full manual mode and dual-color LED flash.

While the 3x zoom here may not sound as impressive as the K Zoom's 10x offering, we're pretty sure that most of us would rather pick a slimmer phone instead of sacrificing pocket space for more zoom. In this case, the ZenFone Zoom's thickest point is at 11.95mm, which is quite reasonable when compared to the 20.2mm-thick K Zoom.

The illustration above shows how this camera module works: You can imagine it as a periscope lying flat against the round metallic plate (hence its size), and the front group of moving optics does the zooming, whereas the group behind it is in charge of focusing and optical stabilization. With the mechanics lying flat inside the phone's body, there's no protruding part when you're zooming.

The obvious trade-off with this technology is that the aperture starts from f/2.7 instead of the usual f/2.0 these days, and that 185-gram weight may take some getting used to (the OnePlus One, also packing a 5.5-inch 1080p screen, is just 162 grams heavy). The ASUS rep also admitted that this module costs a lot more to make, and they need to take more precautions to ensure that the mechanism is sturdy, but his team is doing all they can to meet the $399 price point.

Oddly, ASUS has left us in the dark with the type of chipset this phone uses, but we do know that it'll carry Android 5.0 when it lands in Q2. Let's just hope that ASUS will actually push this out before others catch up.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, ASUS

Lenovo's skinny new ultraportable claims to be the lightest 13-inch laptop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/lenovo-lavie-hz550-hz750/

Lenovo's skinny new ultraportable claims to be the lightest 13-inch laptop

It's impossible to convey in a photo how light Lenovo's new ultraportable, the LaVie HZ550, is. So instead I'll say this: When I first picked it up, I was sure I was handling a prototype; some sort of dummy unit without any actual components inside. In fact, though, the HZ550 is very real, and at 1.72 pounds, it's stupidly, record-breakingly compact; in fact, Lenovo claims this is the world's lightest 13-inch laptop. What's more, the company just announced what it says is the lightest 13-inch convertible notebook: a machine called the HZ750, which has a 360-degree hinge that allows it to fold back into tablet mode. At 2.04 pounds, it's lighter than any laptop with a touchscreen and rotating hinge has the right to be. Either way, even in a field of increasingly skinny notebooks, both of these stand out.

But let's back up for a minute. If the name "LaVie" rings a bell, it's because it was originally the brainchild of Japanese computer maker NEC, which is already known in its home country for making some pin-thin noteoboks. For four years, the two companies have been building laptops together as part of a joint venture, a deal that has allowed Lenovo to take a bite out of the Japanese PC market, the fourth largest in the world. What we're seeing now, though, are the first machines NEC and Lenovo are planning to sell outside the land of the rising sun. So while laptops this thin might already be commonplace in Japan, they're likely to be received in the United States as something of an oddity.

And odd they are. Not just because they're thin and light, mind you, but because they're actually quite powerful. Under the hood, you'll find surprisingly muscular parts -- none of this low-powered Core M business, but full-fledged fifth-generation Intel Core processors. Battery life, meanwhile, is rated for somewhere between seven and eight hours of video playback, which, if true, would put it on par with some significantly thicker and heavier laptops. An impressive thing, that -- especially since both machines will be offered with 2,560 x 1,440 screens. It isn't easy achieving long battery life when you have to light up quite that many pixels.

The two LaVies also surprisingly sturdy, considering how insubstantial they feel in the hand. That's largely thanks to a magnesium-lithium alloy, which makes the machine light, but nigh on impossible to bend in your hand. In addition, Lenovo had to get creative with the display. According to the company, the HZ750's touchscreen is directly bonded, and uses film instead of cover glass. Additionally, Lenovo used one of Sharp's IGZO displays, which at least partially explains those big battery life claims -- after all, Sharp panels are known for being energy-efficient.

On paper, then, at least, the LaVies seem like the ultimate no-compromise machines: super thin, super light and still very powerful, with long battery life, to boot. If there are any tradeoffs we can glean just by looking at the spec sheet, it's that the HZ550 -- the 1.72-pound machine -- doesn't have a touchscreen. Meanwhile, the HZ750, the one with the 360-degree hinge, can't pull off quite as many poses as the Yoga line. In this case, you can use it as a notebook (natch), or fold it back into tablet mode, but you'd be putting it into Stand or Tablet mode at your own risk. The reason: The HZ750 is missing the sort of rubber bumpers you'd typically find on a Yoga. Because rubber bumpers make a machine thicker than it needs to be, don'tcha know. Interested? These arrive in May, and yes, they're priced like the no-compromise machines they are: $1,299 for the HZ550, and $1,499 for the HZ750.

Filed under: Laptops, Lenovo

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