Open webOS-powered HDTVs said to be on the way from... LG?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/25/open-webos-lg-connected-tv/

If you were wondering what was next for webOS now that it's gone all open source on us, webOS Nation chimes in with word that Gram is working with LG to bring it to connected HDTVs. Several names from the HP / Gram team are dropped as being involved in the effort, which reportedly was under way even before HP revealed it would spin the project off as an independent. Of course, when we actually saw Open webOS 1.0 it was already stretching to fill the space of an HP TouchSmart computer screen (project architect Steve Winston specifically mentioned hotel kiosks as a possibility, a market LG is all over) so it makes sense that larger displays have been a target. With LG supposedly both looking to replace its existing NetCast smart TV platform and unhappy with Google TV based on its rate of adoption and Google's terms, engineers have been working to port the software to its dual-core L9 chipset. In the past LG has pursued voice and motion control, the aforementioned Google TV integration and even Plex support to make its smart TVs more appealing, and has founded the Smart TV Alliance for cross platform apps. We only have to wait until CES 2013 to see if webOS is next up to power its efforts, stay tuned.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD

Open webOS-powered HDTVs said to be on the way from... LG? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 02:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  webOS Nation  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

Sharp announces first TVs with Moth-Eye technology: the AQUOS XL series

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/25/sharp-moth-eye-AQUOS-XL-TVs/

Sharp may look like it's in trouble, but that's not stopping it bringing new displays to the market, including today's announcement of the AQUOS Quattron 3D XL TV line. Behind the mouthful of acronyms, these LED-backlit LCD panels are the first to feature Sharp's Moth-Eye technology, designed to reduce glare and pump out bright colors, as well as a deep black. The company's 'four primary color' tech is partly responsible for the rich output, which squeezes a yellow sub-pixel in with the standard R, G and B. All the panels run at 1,920 x 1,080, as you'd expect, sport a 10 million to 1 contrast ratio and use five speakers to deliver audio. Prices aren't fixed, but the 46-, 52- and 80-inch models will be released in Japan on December 15th, while the 60- and 70-inch variants will come slightly earlier, on November 30th. You're going to have to be quick on launch day, though -- only 10,000 units are expected to be available in the first month.

Filed under: Displays, HD

Shar! p announ ces first TVs with Moth-Eye technology: the AQUOS XL series originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 04:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink AV Watch  |  Sharp (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

TSMC's 28-nanometer process pays off as it rakes in $1.68 billion profit in Q3

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/25/tsmc-q3-2012/

Everything is relative, so when a chip foundry like TSMC (which produces gear for the likes of NVIDIA) has a bad quarter, that means it only made a $1 billion in profit. Today's numbers reveal that the company has managed to rescue its halting fortunes after turning over $4.8 billion and making a tidy $1.68 billion in profit. The cause of this upswing was that orders for its coveted 28-nanometer process doubled in the period -- repaying some of the $8.5 billion spent developing it and keeping profits just a little over that of its close pal, Qualcomm.

Continue reading TSMC's 28-nanometer process pays off as it rakes in $1.68 billion profit in Q3

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets

TSMC's 28-nanometer process pays off as it rakes in $1.68 billion profit in Q3 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Reuters  |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

Nexus 4 appears early at Carphone Warehouse, October 30th release date

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/25/lg-nexus-4-appears-release-date/

Whoa there! The next Nexus just got an early reveal over at UK retailer Carphone Warehouse. Delivery is currently pegged for October 30th and apparently it's got brand new Android 4.2 (or Android 4.1.2 -- the listing mixes in both). The preorder screen confirms plenty of details we've already heard, including that 4.7-inch 1,280 x 768 display, Snapdragon S4 processor and 8-megapixel camera. Unfortunately, at least according to the phone seller, there's only 8GB of storage and no microSD card slot. Other curious parts include a "360-degree camera", whatever that is, and an on-screen render that's been previously been identified as a custom ROM. Diving into the supposed feature list, we're intrigued to see whether "gesture typing" will form a part of Google's new Android build -- the Carphone Warehouse compares it to Swype's finger-dragging input method.

Price-wise, it looks like you could get the handset for free on contracts over £31 per month, with both O2 and Vodafone named as prospective networks for the device in the UK -- but no news here on whether the 4G-capable EE will offer an LTE iteration. Excited? Good, because we're going to hear plenty more on this next week.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, LG

Nexus 4 appears early at Carphone Warehouse, October 30th release date originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 06:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Xataka Mobile  |  Carphone Warehouse  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

Why the Moon Looks Bigger on Some Nights than It Does on Others

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5954460/why-the-moon-looks-bigger-on-some-nights-than-it-does-on-others

The moon looks HUGE some nights, right? Well, yes, sort of, to you—but only because your tiny human brain contextualizes it as larger sometimes than others. It's never actually any closer. It's just a confluence of a few different optical illusions screwing with your head.

So here's what happens. First, the moon seems larger, usually, when it's near the horizon. One reason for the is that there are more reference points, like trees and buildings, to compare to the moon. When it's just sitting alone, high in the night sky, the moon just looks "regular" sized. It's the Ebbinghaus effect—you look taller standing next to a child than you would standing next to Shaq. The other thing is that our brains are used to things on the horizon shrinking, since that typically means they're farther away. So when the moon doesn't shrink as it crosses the horizon, years of understanding perspective kicks in and tells us the moon got humongous. So there you go. Your brain is dumb, and the moon is just the moon. [YouTube]

Read More...

Summary only...