While OLED
may have staked a claim as the next generation display technology to
beat, Sony has chosen CES 2012 to unveil a new display technology called
“Crystal LED.” Instead of an LED or CCFL backlight shining through an
LCD layer to produce an image, the Crystal LED display technology is a
true LED TV that uses a layer of tiny self-emitting LEDs to directly
produce the image – think of it like a high resolution shrunk down
JumboTron like those found at sporting stadiums. Read More
Belkin unveils new Thunderbolt Express Dock at CES
By Darren Quick
January 9, 2012
Despite being introduced almost a year ago on Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup,
the Thunderbolt interface hasn’t really seen as much love from
peripheral makers as we would have expected. While there have been a few
Thunderbolt-equipped peripherals
hitting the market, it’s been more of a trickle than a flood. Belkin is
no doubt also hoping the range of Thunderbolt devices will increase in
the near future to make it’s upcoming Thunderbolt Express Dock, which
was unveiled today at CES, a more compelling purchase. Read More
Among the electronic goodies unveiled today at
CES 2012 in Las Vegas was LG’s new 4G LTE Verizon smartphone, the
Spectrum. The phone’s big selling feature is its 1280 x 720-pixel
high-definition display – it is billed as “the first smartphone for
Verizon Wireless to feature a 4.5-inch True HD In-Plane Switching (IPS)
display, the same display technology used in premium LG HD televisions.”
Read More
Freedom Induction Cooktop heats up pots placed anywhere
By Ben Coxworth
January 9, 2012
While they might still seem rather high-tech,
induction cooktops have been on the market since at least the mid-1970s.
Instead of warming pots via heat transfer from electrical elements or
gas burners, they instead use coils of copper wire located beneath their
ceramic glass surface to induce an electrical field within metal pots,
which results in the resistive heating of their contents. Typically, the
sizes and locations of those coils are marked on the stove’s surface,
and users must place their pots on those. Thermador’s new Freedom
Induction Cooktop, however, will heat up cookware placed anywhere on its
surface. Not only that, but the “active” part of the cooktop will
conform to the footprint of whatever size or shape of cookware is used.
Read More
If you think that you've spotted a strangely
old-looking motorized bicycle cruising around the streets of Los
Angeles, don't worry, you're not hallucinating. What you're likely
seeing is one of two hand-built Juicer e-bike models - both of which
harken back to the very early days of motorcycle development, when
engines and motors were fixed to bicycle frames. The Juicer 36 is
fashioned like a stretch cruiser and the 48 is an homage to the
board-track era. Retro styling aside, the stand-out feature for us has
got to be the gorgeous battery/motor configuration, that's been arranged
like cylinders of a V-twin engine. Read More
Acer outs new Ultrabooks, previews AcerCloud online storage
By Paul Ridden
January 9, 2012
Ahead of a showing at this year's Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Acer has unveiled what is claimed to be
the current holder of the world's thinnest Ultrabook title, the next
generation of its Timeline Series of notebooks, and its own cloud
storage solution. Details are in short supply, but jump over to the main
article for what we can tell you. Read More
Researchers of Israel's Weizmann Institute of
Science have achieved a significant new development which may have far
reaching implications for the treatment of autoimmune diseases which
attack the body's own tissue by mistake. The scientists have managed to
convince the immune systems of mice to instead attack an enzyme
significant to the body's autoimmune process known as matrix
metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9). Read More
Parrot's updated A.R. Drone adds a 720p video camera
By Emily Price
January 9, 2012
Parrot has updated its popular AR Drone, adding a
720p camera to the high-flying gadget. The camera on the device
displays video at a 1280x720 resolution on your smartphone or tablet
while you fly, and flight video can be recorded and saved onto your
mobile device to watch later on. In addition to the camera, the Drone
also now has a new AR.FreeFlight 2.0 application which offers a new
flight interface and flight options. Read More
Power2U offers USB charging straight from the wall
By Ben Coxworth
January 9, 2012
While it’s certainly convenient that most mobile
devices can be charged via one of your computer’s USB ports, what
happens if all of the ports are in use? Even if they’re not, you don’t
always want your devices and their cables cluttering up your desk. You
can buy USB adapters for wall outlets, but then you end up needing to
find an available outlet, and subsequently occupying it (in older homes
especially, unused AC outlets are often something of a rarity). Now,
there’s an alternative to using your computer or an adapter to charge your gizmos – it’s the Newer Technology Power2U AC/USB Wall Outlet. Read More
Atom-tall silicon wires pave way for quantum computers
January 9, 2012
The world's narrowest silicon wires with a cross
section of a mere four atoms by one atom have been created by a team of
developers from the University of New South Wales, the University of
Melbourne and Purdue University. The wires are fully functioning, with
current-carrying capacity equivalent to that of a microprocessor's
copper cable, despite being 20 times thinner - and 10,000 times narrower
than a human hair. Read More
GM's OnStar has given the world a sneak peak at
the future of in-vehicle technology with a variety of announcements at
the Consumer Electronics Show. This year, it will open its ATOMS
platform to third-party developers, allowing for drivers and passengers
to have access to new vehicle-specific apps. The company is also showing
what the next generation of in-vehicle technology may look like with a
Verizon 4G LTE-equipped research vehicle. Read More
Ion Audio is to add a new handheld controller for iPhone and iPod Touch to its iCade mini arcade
line, along with two scaled-down versions of its original controller
cabinet for the iPad, which started life as an April Fool prank.
Currently on show at the company's booth at CES 2012, the iCade Mobile,
iCade Core and iCade Jr. offer mobile gamers the chance to play it old
school using physical buttons and a four-way controller or joystick
instead of the touchscreen. Read More
Volkswagen will this week unveil its two-seater
E-Bugster concept at the North American International Auto Show in
Detroit. There are no prizes, I'm afraid, for deducing from the
entomological etymology that this is an all-electric variant of the
classic VW Beetle. Kudos, though, if you identified that the name
betrays the E-Bugster's shared DNA with the Ragster,
VW's 2005 concept which itself informed the conventional Beetle of
today. But enough on the name, let's take a look at the specs. Read More
Though claims by Dodge that its new Dart is a
"revolutionary" car fall somewhere between delusional gibberish and
being purposefully misleading, the Dart is almost certain to be a sales
success in the American compact sedan marketplace. The replacement for
the Dodge Caliber is basically a reworked Alfa Romeo Giulietta and has
been created specifically as an American-made Chrysler based on a Fiat
platform returning better than 40 mpg. At US$16,000, the Dart is
economical, sporty and very price-competitive. Read More
Griffin Technology has given visitors to CES 2012
a quick preview of a new audio amplifier that uses Apple's Airport
Express to offer untethered digital playback from iTunes through
existing non-powered speakers. The low profile amp captures streaming
audio from any AirPlay-enabled source, decodes it and then sends the
lossless, amplified sound through the speakers. Read More
Just last month, the designers at smart decided
to tease us by releasing some sketches of a concept electric vehicle
that they had actually created, known as the for-us.
While the front of the vehicle looked quite a bit like the existing
fortwo, the Subaru Brat-like mini rear cargo bed definitely gave it a
unique car-truck-combo appeal ... or repulsion, depending on the
observer. Well, with the start of the North American International Auto
Show 2012 this week in Detroit, the curious need no longer wonder what
the actual vehicle might look like, as it is proudly out on display.
Read More
The PC and Mac advocates have been debating for
years over which is superior, with good arguments on both sides; but a
third, often overlooked camp exists: people who use both. If you're in
that group, then you know how frustrating it can be to have the perks of
both machines, but the downside of few easy options for sharing files
or peripherals between the two. That's why tech manufacturer j5create
has rolled out the Wormhole Switch and the Wormhole Station, which allow
file transfers between PC, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as keyboard
and mouse sharing. Read More
The annual North American International Auto Show
(NAIAS) can usually be counted on the produce at least one
über-desirable concept car and the 2012 show currently underway in
Detroit looks to have already met that quota thanks to Lexus with its
LF-LC Hybrid Sports Coupe Concept. While the concept car itself might
not be making it into showrooms anytime soon, Lexus’s Karl Schlicht says
the hybrid 2+2 sport coupe created by California’s Calty studio “hints
at the design cues that are coming in a wave of new Lexus models over
the next two years.” Read More
Honda made its first attempt at a production
supercar, the NSX, 21 years ago, and we've been waiting for the
follow-up ever since. At Detroit today, we saw the genesis of the next
NSX supercar, slated for showrooms within three years. No power or
weight figures were mentioned but like the prior NSX, its primary engine
will be a mid-mounted V-6. Honda claims the NSX's Sport Hybrid SH-AWD®
(Super Handling All Wheel Drive™) hybrid system will deliver handling
performance unmatched by previous AWD systems. Read More
Few things can ruin a party like warm beer. You
can pack ice around it all you want; you're still going to be waiting
half an hour for it to get cold and probably still crack it open too
soon. Someone over at LG must have attended one too many get-togethers
that turned out this way, because the company unveiled a new
refrigerator at CES 2012 that comes with the handiest feature since the
built-in ice maker: a Blast Chiller that can cool a can of beer or soda
to ice cold in just a few minutes. Read More
With the Xperia ion, Sony has joined the throng of phone-makers clamoring to announce LTE handsets at CES 2012.
Sony's PlayStation certified Android device features a 4.6-inch 1280 x
720 HD display, with both front and rear cameras capable of shooting HD
video, at 720p and 1080p respectively. The rear camera has a
12-megapixel sensor which, budding Cartier-Bressons take note, can take
shots within 1.5 seconds of leaving standby mode. Read More
Chrysler showed an interesting concept without
much fanfare at Detroit's NAIAS this week. The 700C is being evaluated
by Chrysler as the design direction for the next generation minivan.
It's a bold effort to give some style to the boxy people mover market
and public opinion will now decide if the angled B-pillar and huge
wheels will see production. Read More
When it comes to smartphones, people can argue
about the relative merits of a bigger display that is easier on the eyes
and fingers or a smaller display that results in a more pocket-friendly
unit. But whatever the length and width, it seems that the desire for a
thinner smartphone is pretty much universal. And - for the time being
anyway - they don't come any thinner than the Huawei Ascend P1 S that
made its debut at CES
this week. Measuring just 6.68 mm (0.26 in) thick, Huawei says although
the Ascend PS 1 is the world's slimmest smartphone, it doesn't scrimp
on the features. Read More
Animal testing is an area that elicits strong
feelings on both sides of the argument for and against the practice.
Supporters like the British Royal Society argue that virtually every
medical breakthrough of the 20th century involved the use of animals in
some way, while opponents say that it is not only cruel, but actually
impedes medical progress by using misleading animal models. Whatever
side of the argument researchers fall on, most would likely use an
alternative to animal testing if it existed. And an alternative that
reduces the need for animal testing is just what Fraunhofer researchers
hope their new sensor nanoparticles will be. Read More
At CES
this week, Panasonic unveiled what it claims is the world's smallest,
thinnest 4K2K-resolution, 20-inch IPS Alpha LCD panel. The prototype
ultra-high definition monitor is only 3.5 millimeters thick, yet has
about four times the resolution of a standard HDTV, at 3,840 x 2,160
pixels - this translates to approximately 8.29 million pixels in total,
with the "world's highest pixel density of 216 pixels per inch." Read More
Larger screen OLED TVs have had us salivating at
various electronics trade shows over the last couple of years and CES 2012 doesn't look like being any different. LG already announced it's intention to show a 55-inch OLED display
in the lead up to the world's biggest consumer electronics show and now
rival Samsung has unveiled its offering that has set our salivary
glands into overdrive. Featuring the same 55-inch screen size as LG's
unit, Samsung's Super OLED TV boasts the same eye-popping picture
quality, super fast response times and ultra-thin form factor that is
the hallmark of OLED technology. Read More
Vuzix Corporation came to CES 2012
armed with a video eyewear technology that, as they put it in the press
release, "breaks the boundaries of conventional optics and display
solutions." SMART Glasses Technology is based on integrated HD display
engines and waveguide optics, as opposed to refractive and/or reflective
optics used so far. What does that actually mean and is this technology
really going to make Head Mounted Displays lose their association with
bulkiness and strange looks? Read on for a report straight from the CES
2012 floor. Read More
Tata presents $20,000 eMO compact EV concept
By Ben Coxworth
January 10, 2012
You could be forgiven for thinking that an
electric car called the eMO would be dark-colored, inspire sulkiness in
its drivers, and play nothing but My Chemical Romance on its stereo. In
this case, however, eMO stands for "Electric MObility study," which is
just what India's Tata Technologies designed the concept car as - a
study in practical, cost-effective electric city/urban transportation.
The vehicle is currently on display at the North American International
Auto Show as part of this year's Michelin Challenge Design exhibit, in
which participants were asked to design "a personal, ground-based
vehicle that can transport between two and 10 people, meeting the
anticipated needs of select cities in 2046." Read More
Fujifilm announces X-Pro1 interchangeable lens camera system
By Paul Ridden
January 10, 2012
When Fujifilm unveiled its new line-up
ahead of CES 2012, there was a feeling among enthusiasts that the
company was holding something back. Sure enough, the Japanese
photography behemoth has now pulled back the curtain to reveal a new
interchangeable lens digital camera system called the X-Pro1. The 16
megapixel camera will be initially joined by three prime lenses when
made available next month, with more to follow later on. It features a
number of new digital photography developments, including a brand new
sensor, a film-like color filter array and the second generation hybrid
multi viewfinder first seen in the FinePix X100. Read More
ARIS Sport throws a new curve at skateboard wheels
By Ben Coxworth
January 10, 2012
The ability to carve into turns is something that
is valued by surfers, snowboarders and skateboarders alike. While water
and snow are relatively easy to carve into, however, concrete and
asphalt are most definitely not, putting skateboards at a bit of a
disadvantage. Attempts have been made at better-carving skateboards, including the pivoting-truck-equipped BMW StreetCarver, the many-wheeled Freebord, the caster-wheeled T-Board, and the twisting Ripstick and Skatecycle.
Now, San Francisco-based ARIS Sport has addressed the issue with a
novel solution – a line of skateboards with conical wheels. Read More
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, such as the Gemsolar
and PS10 plants in Spain, use arrays of mirrors (or heliostats) to
focus a large area of the Sun's rays onto a small area, where the
concentrated light is converted to heat that is used to generate
electricity. While CSP has gained popularity in recent years with
numerous plants being built around the world, they require a large area
to generate the amounts of electricity needed to make them economically
viable. Taking inspiration from the sunflower, researchers have devised a
more efficient design that would allow such plants to be constructed on
a much smaller area. Read More
Unity Home Theater System is a home theater in a TV stand
By Darren Quick
January 11, 2012
Thanks to their simplicity, the home theater in a box
(HTIB) has become a popular addition to the TV cabinet in many
households. Looking to simplify things even further, California-based
company in2technologies has unveiled its aptly named Unity Home Theater
System at CES 2012
that unifies a HTIB with a TV stand. So instead of a tangle of cables
snaking their way from the back of a TV stand to the TV, the Unity
cleans things up with a single HDMI 1.4a cable. Read More
If you were one of the people who were hoping to turn some heads when you drove your Aptera
down the street, well ... you may still get your chance to own a truly
eye-catching electric car. SIM-Drive, a collaborative of 34 Japanese
tech companies and institutions, presented its SIM-LEI prototype EV at
the 2011 Electric Vehicle Industrial Exhibition late last year. While
you probably either love or hate its looks, there's one thing about it
that everyone should like - it can reportedly go about 305 kilometers
(189.5 miles) on one charge of its battery, traveling at a constant
speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). Read More
Bentley has introduced its long-awaited V-8
engine developed in conjunction with Audi. The V-8 will give Bentley
owners a smaller, more economical alternative to the more traditional
W-12. Read More
We have to admit to being rather thrilled at discovering the Mikey for Flip and the Yeti Pro
USB microphones from Blue at last year's CES, and were hoping for
something just as good this year. We were not disappointed. The company
has just debuted the Apple-centric Mikey Digital, the studio-grade Spark
Digital and the cute as a button (but not actually sporting any) Tiki
in Las Vegas this week. Read More
MMT's Monitor2Go adds a 15.6-inch display to mobile devices
By Ben Coxworth
January 11, 2012
It’s now possible to use a smartphone or tablet
for just about anything that would be traditionally done using a desktop
or laptop computer. There is still one disadvantage to doing your
computing on a mobile device, however – the small screen.
Massachusetts-based Mobile Monitor Technologies (MMT) is attempting to
address that shortcoming, with its Monitor2Go. The 15.6-inch HD LCD
backlit screen mirrors the displays of all mobile Apple devices, along
with those of Macs, PCs and HDMI-compatible smartphones and tablets,
plus it can also be used as a lockable protective case for the iPad2.
Read More
Panasonic HDC-Z10000 3D camcorder gets pricing and availability
By Paul Ridden
January 11, 2012
Panasonic has now priced its new twin-lens 2D/3D
camcorder - the HDC-Z10000, which is said to achieve the industry's
nearest close-up for a twin-lens 3D camcorder of approximately 17.7
inches (45 cm). The CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Awards
Honoree features the company's unique Double 3MOS System for color and
detail reproduction, has a high resolution electronic viewfinder and an
LCD panel which cater for glasses-free 3D viewing, and is Dolby Digital
5.1-channel surround sound-capable. Read More
When you have wet skin, you no doubt notice a
cooling sensation as it dries. This is because the water droplets are
carrying heat away from your skin with them, as they evaporate.
Phase-change thermal diodes work the same way – through an evaporation
and condensation process, they use liquid to transport heat away from
things such as microchips. In most of these diodes, liquid placed on a
hot surface evaporates, the vapor then rising onto a cooler surface,
where it condenses back into liquid. In a closed-loop cycle, gravity
subsequently carries that condensate back down to the hot surface, so it
can once again be evaporated. Now, scientists from North Carolina's
Duke University have discovered a method of getting condensed water
droplets to jump back to the hot surface – and they can do so in any direction, including straight up. Read More
Many readers will perhaps know Liquid Image for its HD Scuba Series
dive masks, that feature a built-in video camera for recording
hands-free underwater footage. The California-based company also makes
ski and ATV goggles, which likewise capture the action from the
shooter’s point of view. Recently, however, the designers at LI decided
that they should also offer a camera that can be mounted on things like
handlebars, roll bars, surfboards, or even a good ol’ tripod – so that
“extreme videographers” can get shots of themselves, to add to their
adrenaline-pumping masterpieces. The result is a tiny HD video camcorder
appropriately enough named the EGO, and it was unveiled this week in
Las Vegas at CES. Read More
Tablets may be the hot tech right now, but you
wouldn't know it looking at the PC gaming sector. An iPad may be good
for playing Angry Birds or any other casual app, but doesn't
exactly have the horsepower to run the most recent, graphics-heavy
titles. For that reason, Razer, the video game hardware developer, has
designed a new concept tablet, unveiled at CES 2012, built expressly to play current PC games like a buffed out gaming rig. Read More
The mapping of the human genome, announced at the
White House back in 2000, had immense impact on biomedical research. It
allowed us to gain insights into how biological information is encoded
in the genome, helped us understand the biological mechanisms behind
cancer and hereditary diseases and enabled us to look much deeper into
the history of our own species. These are milestone achievements for
humanity as a whole, but they have little or no direct impact on
everyday medical treatment. That could be about to change, however, as
Life Technologies introduces the Benchtop Ion Proton Sequencer - a
machine that may finally deliver the power of genetics into the hands of
ordinary doctors. Read More
No assembly required for Cubify 3D printer
January 12, 2012
Since becoming more widely available to the
public, people have found a myriad of uses for 3D printers, whether it's
recreating bone, constructing replacement shells for hermit crabs, or simply customizing mini robot figurines.
Unfortunately, most 3D printers still have one drawback over other
types of printers, in that they typically need to be put together like a
hobby kit. Seeing as most electronics are purchased fully intact, the
idea of having to build a device piece by piece can be off-putting to
consumers. 3D Systems is hoping to rectify the problem with its own 3D
printer that actually works right out of the box, along with a new
Cubify platform for designing and distributing printed creations. Read More
People who are worried about their mobile devices
running out of juice at inopportune moments now have another portable
power supply at their disposal – and it’s tiny. The 2.8-ounce (79-gram)
Innergie PocketCell is a little larger than a car key, and allows for
hours of extra use of Apple and Android devices, MP3 players, and a
variety of other mobile gizmos. It was unveiled this week at CES. Read More
In addition to taking the tiny ego HD
action cam along to Las Vegas for this year's Consumer Electronics
Show, Liquid Image has also revealed two new additions to its Xtreme
Sport Cams product line. Both goggle cams feature built-in video, Wi-Fi
and GPS and can be controlled via a smartphone app. The only appreciable
difference between the Apex and Torque HD is that the former will
undoubtedly find its way onto the piste whereas the latter is aimed
directly at off-roaders. Read More
US Navy developing app-summoned robotic helicopters for Marines
January 12, 2012
We may be closer to the day when United States
Marines will, within a matter of minutes, use a handheld app to summon
robotic helicopters to deliver battlefield supplies. On Tuesday, the
Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced its five-year, US$98 million
Autonomous Aerial Cargo Utility System (AACUS) program, with the
specific aim of developing "sensors and control technologies for robotic
vertical take-off and landing aircraft." Read More
Just as soon as Windows 8 is released, Lenovo
will come to the rescue of those who simply can't choose between a
notebook and a tablet with a new IdeaPad called the YOGA. Claimed to be
the industry's first multi-mode notebook with a 360 degree flip-and-fold
design, the new portable computing solution combines the ease-of-use of
a 10-point capacitive touch tablet with the functionality and slim
profile of an Ultrabook, while also bringing the screen closer to the
user with a tent/stand monitor mode. Read More
Ever since the Nintendo 3DS
proved that you don't need bulky glasses to watch video in 3D,
smartphone and tablet makers have been systematically releasing their
own glasses-free 3D devices with varying results. None of these however
have incorporated the experience with console-like controls to play
casual apps or streamed video games. That's where the WikiPad comes in,
with its no-glasses 3D screen and attachable gamepad to give a more
immersive gaming experience. Read More
The creators of the original TOOB
(Think Out Of Box) have spent the last two years researching and
developing what they call the “world's first affordable dome screen.”
Dubbed "TOOB Earth," the 4 foot diameter mini-IMAX screen is big enough
for two people to sit in front of and, while it will obviously grab the
attention of gamers and film-fanatics, its makers also see applications
for the screen in simulation, medicine and education. Read More
Researchers at the University of California, San
Diego (UCSD) have conducted initial testing of a new “smart” plastic
material which may bring about new uses in medicine for near-infrared
light (NIR). According to early experiments, the plastic material will
break down into non-toxic particles in response to lower-power NIR. This
may lead to improved treatment of, for example, tumors, or improvements
in the release of tracing compounds and imaging agents for improved
medical diagnostics applications. Read More
When Microsoft asked gamers to get off the couch
and get moving with the release of the Kinect motion controller in 2010,
it’s doubtful that zooming around the streets at speeds of up to 32 mph
(51 km/h) was the kind of movement they had in mind. But as we’ve seen
ever since unofficial open source drivers hit the Internet in 2010 and Microsoft came to the party with its official Kinect for Windows SDK last year, the Kinect
has proven to be a remarkably flexible device. That flexibility now
extends to a motion control interface for a motorized electric
skateboard modestly dubbed by its creators, the “Board of Awesomeness.”
Read More
0 comments:
Post a Comment