Toshiba 84-inch 4K Quad Full HD TV hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/30/toshiba-84-inch-4k-tv-hands-on/

84 seems to be the magic number at IFA. 84 inches, that is, when it comes to 4K TVs. Sony announced its jumbo 4K set at yesterday's press conference, and now Toshiba has returned with a matching high-res model of its own. The Toshiba set has a slightly sleeker housing, aided by the fact that it didn't have side-mounted speakers as with Sony's flavor -- though, if you're able to afford a (yet-unpriced) TV of this caliber, a premium surround-sound rig better be on the agenda as well. The picture quality, as you might expect, was fantastic. You'll see individual pixels once you're within a few feet of the display, but given its 84-inch footprint, you're going to want to position yourself quite a distance from the panel in order to take it all in.

Toshiba had three sets on display, running through loops of game play, cityscapes and some decked-out human models. The ambient setting was favorably configured, and with ideal content colors were vibrant and the picture was incredibly bright and sharp during our demo, even when viewed from a slight angle. There was a hint of reflection, but only when a dark image popped into frame, despite a multitude of visual noise in the area. You'll need to see Toshiba's 84-inch, 3,840 x 2,160-pixel TV in person to get the full effect (perhaps after it launches early next year), though you can take a (low-res) peek in our gallery below and the video after the break. You can als! o get a feel for the size -- keep an eye out for the Galaxy Note in the bottom left corner in the shot above.

Gallery: Toshiba 84-inch 4K TV eyes-on

Continue reading Toshiba 84-inch 4K Quad Full HD TV hands-on (video)

Filed under: Displays, HD

Toshiba 84-inch 4K Quad Full HD TV hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung 22-inch Transparent Showcase Panel eyes-on at IFA 2012

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/30/samsung-22-inch-transparent-showcase-panel-eyes-on/

What's the future of advertising? If Samsung has any say so, it's going to be transparent showcase displays. Here at IFA 2012, the company demoed one such 22-inch, fishbowl-like case outfitted with a see-through front panel capable of transmitting video imagery, in addition to hosting a physical product within. The glass enclosure's no mere dummy unit, as it's also outfitted with speakers, a built-in PC, LED strip and offers the option to include a touch screen. To highlight just what this kit's capable of, a looped Gucci ad played on its front screen, transitioning from near solid to completely transparent. It's really something that needs to be seen IRL, but take a tour of the gallery below to get a glimpse of what's to come.

Gallery: Samsung 22-inch Transparent Display eyes-on

Filed under: Displays

Samsung 22-inch Transparent Showcase Panel eyes-on at IFA 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic's 103-inch glasses-less 3D plasma panel arrives at IFA (eyes-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/30/panasonics-103-inch-glasses-less-3d-plasma-panel-arrives-at-ifa/

While it might not be as huge as the Super Hi Vision panel lingering in the same darkened theater, Panasonic's new 103-inch demonstration display has the ability to offer up a 3D view to five different viewers -- as long as they're in the right visual sweet spot. The effect is subtle, natural, although colors felt little bit muted compared to the 145-inch prototype, with the demo videos drawing us in to its demo reel, rather than pushing out an image. The plasma display panel prototype is also glasses-free, with the 4K2K screen able to push out enough pixels to offer these multiple viewing angles. Again, there's no substitute for being there yourself.

Gallery: Panasonic 103-inch 3D PDP eyes-on

Follow all of our IFA 2012 coverage by heading to our event hub!

Filed under: Displays, HD

Panasonic's 103-inch glasses-less 3D plasma panel arrives at IFA (eyes-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 08:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sifteo Cubes go next-generation, square gaming gets more portable (update)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/30/sifteo-cubes-next-generation/

It's hard to believe, but Sifteo's interactive gaming Cubes first went on sale just over a year ago. Fast forward to the present, and the company has unveiled version two of the MIT-born blocks. If you'll recall, the 1.7-inch squares let you play interactive table-top games, each featuring a 1.5-inch LCD screen, motion sensing and wireless connectivity. With this next-gen variant, Sifteo's improved the graphics, added capacitive touch to the screen (the original acted like a physical button) and doubled the amount of Cubes that can interact at once to 12. The V2 Cubes also come packed with a dedicated, AAA-powered, wireless base station / speaker that stores your titles, sparing the need for a computer to play as was the case with the originals -- an onboard USB allows downloaded files to be transferred from your computers. Developers looking to create content for the device will also pleased to know that Sifteo's releasing its next SDK on October 1st.

Ready for some tangibly-cute Cube gameplay? Pre-orders begin today at Sifteo's website, priced at $130 for 3 Cubes with a base station and five games, and $30 for each additional cube. They're set to ship in November, so in the meantime you'll find details in the video demo and press release after the break.

Gallery: Sifteo Cubes next generation

Update: For those curious, we've learned that the original Cubes are not compatible with the new ones, but Sifteo has emailed owners with a $50 voucher that they can use toward upgrading.

Continue reading Sifteo Cubes go next-generation, square gaming gets more portable (update)

Filed under: Misc, Gaming

Sifteo Cubes go next-generation, square gaming gets more portable (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Optimus L9 hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/30/lg-optimus-l9-hands-on/

Thought LG didn't have any more to add to the L-Style series to offer the world? Behold the L9. Announced yesterday, the device made an appearance on the IFA show room floor this week, boasting a big and bright 4.7-inch IPS display that makes its brethren look downright shrimpy by comparison. In spite of the display size, the phone feels light, with an 8.9-millimeter profile.

It's important to note here that, in spite of being the king of the L-Series, it's still part of a budget lineup, and as such, the phone's body feels a bit plasticky, and the textured rear had a bit of trouble staying snapped in place in the two models (black and white) that we played with. Specwise, we're talking a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM inside, 4GB of storage (expandable via a microSD slot) and a 2,150mAh battery. The handset's rocking Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.4, to be precise).

The handset's got a fairly nice bezel, with the front-facing camera on the top and a home button on the bottom, flanked by illuminating back and menu touch buttons. A larger, 5MP camera is located on the rear of the device, above the flash. Vodafone has the handset priced at €50.90 subsidized and €340 unsubsidized. Peep a video of the handset, after the break.

Continue reading LG Optimus L9 hands-on (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

LG Optimus L9 hands-on (video)! ori ginally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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