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Hisense picks up Hillcrest Labs' gesture and motion control tech for TVs
Following LG and TCL, Hisense is now the latest TV manufacturer to adopt Hillcrest Labs' Freespace technology. According to the agreement, Hisense, the world's fifth largest smart TV brand (as of Q1 2013, according to NPD DisplaySearch), will be able to add in-air pointing, gesture control and motion control -- all via a remote control -- to its future smart TVs and set-top boxes. This also means TCL now faces a fellow Chinese competitor with the same set of Freespace features. While there's no time frame just yet, we've been told that Hisense will eventually sell these next-gen devices in the US and China later this year, so stay tuned.
Hillcrest Labs takes its TV motion control system to China, becomes TCL's new best friend
It's only been a few days since Hillcrest Labs open sourced its Kylo web browser for TVs, and now the company's back with yet another announcement. Well, this time it's more about TCL who's just declared its top TV market share in China. Much like the Roku 2 and LG TVs with Magic Motion remote, Hillcrest's Freespace engine has been outted as the enabling technology behind TCL's recently announced V7500, a 3D smart TV series featuring a heavily customized Android 4.0.3 and a 7.9mm-thick bezel. This means users can interact with and play games on this slim TV via motion and cursor control on the remote (there's also voice control here but it doesn't look like Hillcrest has anything to do with it). There are no dates or prices just yet, but TCL better be quick as Lenovo's got something very similar ready to ship soon.
Hillcrest Labs' Scoop Pointer is decidedly less loopy than its predecessor
Remember the ringtastic Loop that motion control manufacturer Hillcrest Labs introed back in 2009? The Scoop Pointer is its more straightforward followup, an in-air mouse with six-axis control, nine programmable buttons, and souped up hardware and firmware. The pointer will be dropping in Q4, likely carrying a non-Hillcrest brand name.
Hillcrest Labs builds TV-friendly Kylo browser for its Loop pointer, Hulu promptly blocks it
In what is becoming a depressingly familiar tale, Hillcrest Labs has just released a free new browser based on Mozilla with a TV-friendly UI designed for control from the couch, but despite these friendly and standards-compliant underpinnings, Hulu has already managed to block the Kylo browser, mere hours out of the gate. Apparently Hulu worked fine in testing all the way up to launch, and Hillcrest Labs is looking for a solution as we speak. Hillcrest, Boxee feels your pain. Meanwhile, we played around with Kylo a bit using one of those Loop pointers for gyroscope-based cursor control, and found the mousing experience just as intuitive as ever, setup non-existent (we tested on a Mac, but it's easy on a PC as well), and the browser nicely unobtrusive and distance friendly. Typing with the onscreen keyboard is about exactly as nice as typing with your mouse, which is to say "not preferred," but completely doable in a pinch. The address bar has the same sort of URL prediction we've come to know and love in modern browsers, though we wouldn't mind if it pulled in our Firefox history to round out the database from the start. In theory we also think the Loop pointer could provide some sort of more intuitive control for zooming and panning, but overall it's a simple, clean UI that should at least beat out your PS3 or Wii browser for this sort of duty -- if you're smart enough and rich enough to get your PC or Mac plugged into your TV, or have an extra one to spare. The browser also of course works with any old mouse you might having lying around, but Hillcrest Labs sure hopes you'll make the Right Choice. Check out a video of the browser and Loop pointer in action after the break. %Gallery-88725%
Nintendo hit with another controller lawsuit
Remember that whole Hillcrest Laboratories thing and the Anascape debacle? Seems Nintendo just can't catch a break, as another small company has stepped up and claimed patent infringement against Nintendo for its Wiimote. The latest, filed on November 10th, comes courtesy of Motiva, a small company based out of Ohio. They claim that Nintendo has infringed on U.S. patent (7,292,151) titled "Human Movement Measurement System."Motiva is claiming royalties, damages, and attorney fees for their patent, which was originally filed as a rehabilitation aid, however, in the applications section of their patent, they do list video games. So Nintendo and Motiva will now do the courtroom shuffle sometime soon and we'll be sure to update you all when there's more on the matter.
Nintendo subject of ITC patent infringement investigation
The ITC (International Trade Commission) has announced that it'll be conducting a probe into the allegations of one Hillcrest Laboratories. Back near the tail end of August, Hillcrest filed a patent infringement suit against Nintendo concerning the motion-sensing aspects of the console. This current report states that Hillcrest claims Nintendo infringed upon 4 different patents. The exact specifics, beyond that, aren't known.In the worst case scenario, the ITC could ban the Wii from the United States. The last time Nintendo lost a patent infringement suit, they paid $21 million. With the 4 violations, they may win some, they may lose some. If they lose this case, we'd say they're putting up a lot more dough than $21 million, though. Or really smart for not sending us all the Wii stock.[Via Joystiq]
ITC investigating Nintendo patent infringement
The International Trade Commission has agreed to look into claims, made by Hillcrest Laboratories, that Nintendo infringed on several of the company's patents with the Wii. According to Reuters, the ITC has the power to block products from entering the United States if Hillcrest's claims are found to have merit.Nintendo stated it will "vigorously defend this action," which it is sure to do with its buckets chasms full of cash. Nintendo's success has certainly been, in the words of a great 20th century poet, a case of "mo' money, mo' problems." Nintendo recently lost one patent case, and there are always more popping up.
ITC to look into Hillcrest Labs' Wiimote patent infringement claims
Ruh roh. Those wildly flung patent infringement claims tossed out by Hillcrest Laboratories could have some merit, but even if not, it'll be the ITC making the call. The US International Trade Commission has given itself the green light to investigate the allegations made by the aforesaid company, which state that Nintendo infringed on four of its patents in order to make obscenely large quantities of cash with the hot-selling Wii. There's no telling how high (or low) this is in the agency's priority list, but we'll be keeping an ear to the ground for some sort of resolution, regardless.
Hillcrest Laboratories files patent infringement suit against Nintendo
Another company has gone to court claiming that the Wii infringes on their patents. Last time, it was the input technology in Nintendo's traditional controllers; this time, the suit deals with elements specific to the Wii, and could result in the Wii becoming unavailable in the US. More so.Hillcrest Laboratories filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission, as well as a patent infringement lawsuit, over the motion-control technology in the Wiimote and the Wii's graphical user interface. "While Hillcrest Labs has a great deal of respect for Nintendo and the Wii," the company stated, "Hillcrest Labs believes that Nintendo is in clear violation of its patents and has taken this action to protect its intellectual property rights.'' Hillcrest currently sells the Freespace technology in their own Loop controller (pictured), and licenses it out to companies including Logitech.If the International Trade Commission rules in Hillcrest's favor, imports of the Wii and Wii controllers could be blocked. If the lawsuit is successful, Nintendo would most likely just owe Hillcrest a bunch of money.
Nintendo sued, yet again, for Wii remote patent infringement
Another lawsuit has been filed against Nintendo for alleged patent infringement in the Wii remote, according to Bloomberg. Maryland-based Hillcrest Labs filed the suit in Greenbelt, Maryland, and has also filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission seeking to block imports of the Wii console and remote. Hillcrest's technology, dubbed Freespace, is reportedly used by Logitech International and Universal Electronics.There have been numerous lawsuits and patent claims on Nintendo's Wii and DS interface technology. We're wondering if any of these companies who are suing Nintendo for patent infringement will ever sue each other for the same violations. We won't be seeing the lawsuit go to court anytime soon, however, as it's been put on hold while the ITC investigates. According to Bloomberg, that could take about 15 months.
