Wednesday, January 07, 2015

MHL's new adapter can handle 8K video and link your devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/07/supermhl/

SuperMHL

If you thought MHL's existing adapter spec could handle just about everything under the sun, you ain't seen nothin' yet. The MHL Consortium has taken the wraps off of SuperMHL, a new connector format that's ready for hardware you can't even buy yet. It can play gigantic 8K videos at 120 frames per second, and it's also ready for wider color ranges (up to 48-bit) that present a more natural-looking picture. Also, you can link multiple SuperMHL devices -- it's possible to steer your TV, receiver and Blu-ray player using one remote. Think of it as a supercharged version of the years-old HDMI-CEC control standard.

Other perks? You can now charge devices that use up to 40W of power, so you won't have problems juicing up a high-end tablet (or theoretically, a laptop) while it sends video to the TV. There's also support for all-encompassing sound technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS-UHD, and the connector is reversible much like USB Type-C. If there's anything holding the technology back, it's the wait. The spec will be available near the end of January, but it's going to take much longer than that for device makers to build it into TVs and peripherals. It'll be a long, long while before you're watching 8K movies on a next-generation streaming media stick.

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Source: MHL Consortium

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Posted by Augustine at 7:08 AM

drag2share: The new Nabi kid-friendly Android tablets are seriously huge

source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/07/nabi-big-tabs-ces-2015/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

In addition to an action-cam for adventurous kids, Fuhu has announced new Big Tab options at CES -- and they're so huge, they dwarf the 24-inch model launched in 2014. These latest entries to the Big Tab lineup include 42-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch models, so they're definitely not something you'd hold in your hand to watch Netflix or check your emails on. Fuhu envisions these tablets to be used in kitchens and living rooms for interactive activities or as smart TVs, as they're touchscreen displays with access to Google Play. The 55- and the 65-inch ones even have full ultra HD resolution, built-in WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC. According to USA Today, these huge tablets will hit the market in the second half of 2015, with the cheapest option priced at $699. Obviously, the most expensive one will cost you quite a bit: $3,999 for the 65-inch 4K UHD model.

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Posted by Augustine at 7:08 AM

Tuesday, January 06, 2015

drag2share: Watch the magical future of E Ink color displays in action

source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/06/e-ink-prism-hands-on/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

We just got a chance to see exactly what E Ink's new Prism tech looks like in person. And? It's pretty neat! As you might be able to tell from the admittedly sped-up GIF above, it's a bit mesmerizing, but still manages to be subtle. The outfit's Joseph Fillion describes it as "more than static, but not quite digital." What he means by that is it isn't the type of thing you'd likely see used on billboards or other advertisements, but more along the lines of navigational opportunities and branding. For example, you could carry an RFID chip in your pocket at a hotel and it'd change the color of the walls letting you know you were actually headed in your room's direction, possibly with the place's logo appearing once you've reached your destination. Or imagine your living room's walls changing color in accordance to your thermostat's temperature reading. It seems futuristic as hell, but it's much more Her than Blade Runner.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:22 PM

drag2share: Intel Just Showed Off This Computer That's The Size Of A Button (INTC)

source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/V1u3DkodLTg/intel-new-computer-is-the-size-of-a-button-2015-1

At this year's CES, Intel's keynote is all about the future of computing.

It just rolled out the Curie, a computer that's literally the size of a button. It's just a prototype, but it's loaded with sensors and can run for extended periods of time.

curie

Intel is also talking a lot about how to control computers through gestures rather than with a traditional keyboard and ouse. As one of its examples of how that tech can be used, the company demoed a 3D monitor that had a 3D camera embedded inside.

During the demo, the man was able to play a virtual piano without actually touching the screen. This allowed him to actually press virtual keys as if he was really playing a piano rather than just tapping a screen.

 Intel hasn't implemented this type of technology in any real products yet, but it's an interesting concept.

intel realsense

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Posted by Augustine at 9:19 PM

Dell's super-thin, depth-sensing tablet is available now for $400

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/06/dell-venue-8-7000-series-price-availability/

Remember that 8-inch, super-high-res tablet Dell showed off back in September? You know, the one with the depth-sensing camera? It's OK if you don't, but really, you should give this a second look -- yes, even if you have tablet fatigue. Dell's Venue 8 7000 series goes on sale today, with a starting price of $400, and it's notable for not one, but several reasons. For starters, it's the first with Intel's RealSense camera setup, which in this case includes an 8-megapixel rear camera paired with two 720p ancillary ones. The three sensors work together to shoot different variations of a shot, each with a different area of focus. Basically, then, you can go in after the fact and either sharpen or soften the focus on any part of the photo -- yep, just like on a Lytro camera. Also, because these photographs are actually a composite of three different shots, you can easily apply effects to select parts of the picture. Think: sepia for just the bride and groom, with bright colors in the background. (Don't judge me for my tacky taste, OK?) Lastly, an over-the-air update in the coming months will allow you to actually measure items in the photo with an on-screen ruler.

Other than those fancy camera tricks, you should be impressed by the hardware: It's damn gorgeous. With the new Venue 8, Dell combines a pixel-dense 8.4-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 display with a well-made aluminum frame that measures just 6mm thick. To put that in perspective, that's thinner than all of its main competitors -- namely, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3. And, because that screen is an OLED panel, the quality is stunning as well: punchy colors and wide viewing angles, with a strong backlight throughout. What's nice, too, is that Dell was smart enough to price it at $400 -- just low enough to give the Galaxy Tab S and iPad mini 3 a run for their money. Hopefully we'll get to review one of these soon, but if you seriously can't wait for us to weigh in, it's available now, with 16GB of storage (expandable via microSDXC) and either LTE or just WiFi.

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Source: Dell

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Posted by Augustine at 8:14 PM

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