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SIGGRAPH 2012 wrap-up
Considering that SIGGRAPH focuses on visual content creation and display, there was no shortage of interesting elements to gawk at on the show floor. From motion capture demos to 3D objects printed for Hollywood productions, there was plenty of entertainment at the Los Angeles Convention Center this year. Major product introductions included ARM's Mali-T604 GPU and a handful of high-end graphics cards from AMD, but the highlight of the show was the Emerging Technologies wing, which played host to a variety of concept demonstrations, gathering top researchers from institutions like the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo and MIT. The exhibition has come to a close for the year, but you can catch up with the show floor action in the gallery below, then click on past the break for links to all of our hands-on coverage, direct from LA.%Gallery-162185%
We're live from SIGGRAPH 2012 in Los Angeles!
Most of us experience the Los Angeles Convention Center during one of its most chaotic weeks of the year, when tens of thousands of gaming industry manufacturers, video game designers and consumers descend upon downtown LA for the annual E3 expo, booth-babe radar tweaked to 11. There's a hint of graphics prowess amid the halls this week, too, albeit on a vastly smaller scale, and with a heavy heap of civility. SIGGRAPH is a trade event through and through, with attendees demonstrating their latest tech, taking in a handful of seminars or hunting for networking opportunities, in search of employment and partnerships. It's often also a venue for product launches, which is what's brought us out, along with the usual bounty of kooky creations that serve to entertain and lighten the mood. As always, we'll be bringing you a little bit of everything over the next few days, letting you sample the best of SIGGRAPH from the comfort of your own device -- head over to our SIGGRAPH 2012 tag to follow along.
Two sources talk of Apple iPhone event around September 12th, part sales back it up (update: one more clue)
Apple's plans for its next iPhone refresh may be getting very tangible, very quickly. It all started when iMore heard that Apple was preparing to hold an event unveiling the new hardware on September 12th, with a launch the following week on September 21st. Although the relative newcomer to the iPhone release date rumor game is still building its track record, that claim may have just gotten some extra meat: AllThingsD is joining in the chorus and touts its own sources pointing to an event in the same timeframe. While it's almost a month earlier in the year than Apple's iPhone 4S event was in 2011, it's supported by an Apple filing with the SEC showing a sharp uptick in supply purchasing during the spring, which it would need to start production for the fall. All of it is still rumor, of course, but past experience suggests that iOS fans may want to plan any September camping trips for the Apple Store line late in the month, not Labor Day weekend. Update: Jim Dalrymple at The Loop, who's well-known for his accurate one-word confirmations and denials of rumors, just posted his trademark "yep."
Is Google selling the Nexus 7 at a loss?
Andy Rubin has already made it known that Google isn't planning to profit from the Nexus 7's hardware -- according to him, it's being sold at cost. However, a teardown conducted by TechInsights (and reported by Fudzilla) suggests that the true extent of our 'discount' may have been underplayed, because the Nexus 7's parts alone reportedly add up to around $184. That's just $15 below the current asking price for an 8GB model, before you even get to all the added costs like packaging, distribution, support, marketing and the tidy $25 Google Play voucher that comes as part of the bundle. Now, these figures may not be reliable, because who knows what deals Google and ASUS managed to negotiate, but still, it's further evidence (in case you needed it) that this tablet makes for a smart purchase.
iFixit tears down the Nexus Q: made in the USA, and possibly somewhere else
Is it possible to manufacture a sophisticated wireless-capable device entirely in the United States? That's vaguely the suggestion of Google's jet-black orb, launched last week at the search (and now hardware) giant's I/O event in San Francisco. Now, the Nexus Q is just dying to get undressed, and that's exactly what our iFixit friends have done, revealing each component's country of origin. Perhaps one of the most notable items, the Samsung 16GB moviNAND Flash Memory module, may have been made stateside (Austin, TX), but could also have been produced in Hwaseong, South Korea. Some parts, such as the Ethernet port (China) or optical-out connector (Japan) could only have been imported, as iFixit points out, though others are certainly domestic (a photomicrosensor made in California or Illinois). Ready to dive in yourself to verify those findings? You're not going to want to open this thing up on your own -- there's a bevy of capacitors inside, including one with output in the 400-volt range (a warning label alerts would-be trespassers). You can, however, poke around a bit more at our source link below.
Google's Nexus 7 tablet hits the iFixit teardown labs
We can always count on iFixit to get down and dirty with its spudger and the latest tablet tech, and we're not going home empty handed today. The latest victim happens to be Google's recently announced Nexus 7, which has achieved a "repairability score" of 7 out of 10 (the Kindle Fire squeaked one notch past with an 8), with many accessible components including a replaceable battery and standard Phillips screws. While the site's ultimate goal is to illustrate the delicate process of opening our gadgets while leaving them unharmed, the good folks at iFixit never fail to entertain us in the process, with two dozen high-res photos of the Nexus 7's innards littering the 21-step repair guide. The most disappointing discovery appears to be the display, which is permanently affixed to its Corning glass covering, but given the tablet's $200 price tag, replacing such a component is not likely to be a cost-effective proposition. There's plenty more to gawk over, but you'll need to head to iFixit to, well, get your fix. Click on through at our source link below.
Insert Coin: Troller 1D, the transforming robot that won't ruin your garden
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. A crawling robot that, at the touch of a button, curls up into a wheel and rolls away sounds a bit Robots in Disguise, doesn't it? Still, that's what roboticist Toby Baumgartner needs your cold, hard cash to build. Troller 1D is the first prototype of the modular automaton that uses a series of servos to take it anywhere it needs to go -- but it's not ready yet. The project needs $2,600 to get better servos and add some WiFi and Accelerometer features that'll get the 'bot rolling without any assistance. Once perfected, you'll be able to buy a kit with everything you need to build your own and terrify the local wildlife / your children.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE gets teardown, gives literal best viewing angles
We have waxed lyrical about the Galaxy Tab 7.7's Super AMOLED Plus delights -- twice. Color us not entirely shocked, then, to see that Samsung's proudly tore apart the Korean LTE variant for component-obsessed fans. Some Korea-only features include a DMB TV antenna just below the 1280 x 800 display, while a magnesium cover above that keeps the thickness and weight down. Conversely, however, the border of the rear cover was increased by 0.1mm to defend the touchpanel against scratches and ensure that the rear camera doesn't stick out too much. The layer-by-layer walkthrough is on show at the source below, just remember to look with your eyes, not with your hands.
New iPad parts cost more than its predecessors
Hot on the heels of iFixit's wonderful tear down of the new iPad is a component analysis from the Wall Street Journal. According to their calculations, parts for the new iPad with 4G total US$309. That's about $30 more than the iPad 2 which costs $276.27 and the original iPad 3G which totals $270.86. This extra cost is likely due to the retina display and the 4G LTE chipset, both of which are unique to the new iPad. Which leads us to the question - was Apple wise to up the cost of components and cut its margin in order to give consumers a tablet with a faster wireless internet connection and a gorgeous display?
Nook Tablet gets torn down, mysteries of the carabiner unlocked
After last week's Kindle Fire teardown, Barnes & Noble's new slate must have been quaking in its boots. The Nook Tablet just had its moment under the knife, courtesy of screw driver-packing site iFixit. There's really not a whole heck of a lot of surprising things happening inside the $249 device, according to the site. There's a battery that's still emblazoned with a "NOOKCOLOR" under the model number, in spite of the new tablet's better battery life. And then there's 16GB of storage made by SanDisk and that 1GHz dual-core processor. Lots of shots of tablet guts in the source link below.
Cooler Master launches Silent Pro Hybrid Fanless Series of power supplies
Desktop PC power supplies are tough to get excited about, no matter how many features they cram in. But Cooler Master's Silent Pro Hybrid Fanless series is actually pretty alluring. The supply isn't actually "fanless" but it does have a fanless mode that can be used to minimize machine noise, at least until the load crosses the 200W threshold. Add to that a 90-percent efficiency, fully modular cables and a control panel that lets you manually adjust the speed of your system fans and you're looking at quite the compelling product for the DIY desktop enthusiast. As you could have guessed though, all these fancy features don't come cheap. Cooler Master is offering three different models: 850W, 1050W and 1300W, which range in price from $200 to $300 -- a sizable chunk of change to drop on any component. They'll be shipping this month to the US and Asia, with Europe to follow in November. Check out the complete PR after the break.
Knowles Electronics Mems Joystick for Samsung Galaxy Tab, Nintendo 3DS hands-on (video)
With gaming on tablets, the visual experience is often top-notch, but the controls are unfamiliar at best -- even inadequate at times. But adding a traditional joystick is impractical, especially when aesthetics is a key selling point for manufacturers. Chicago-based Knowles Electronics has a fairly practical solution, however, and hopes that some manufacturers will adopt its Mems Joystick. At just 1.6mm tall, the joystick is slim enough for a device to maintain a svelte profile, and the 40 microamps it consumes during normal operation is relatively negligible, according to company reps. Tablets are just the start -- Knowles built a series of prototypes to demonstrate a variety of potential applications. We took the joystick for a spin on a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Motorola Atrix, Nintendo 3DS and a pair of laptops. All of the joystick prototypes connected using Bluetooth or USB, and were designed specifically for this CEATEC demonstration -- sadly they won't be available for purchase, though manufacturers could implement the controller into similar products. It took only a few seconds to get accustomed to the pair of joysticks mounted to the back of the Tab. Controlling gameplay felt natural, and we definitely preferred playing with a clear view of the display. We also navigated through Google Maps, and scrolled a web page -- both experiences felt superior to moving around the touchscreen. The 3DS joystick functioned similarly to the native controller included with that device, though Knowles reps noted that it's significantly smaller, and uses less power -- and without compromise, it seems. Jump past the break for a walkthrough of the devices we saw today, but try not to fall in love -- you won't be able to use the Joystick anytime soon, if manufacturers decide to implement them at all.%Gallery-135902%
Apple moving away from Samsung memory components
Apple has allegedly already switched away from Samsung for production of the next-gen A6 processor for iOS devices, and if the latest report from Digitimes is accurate, Apple's also diversifying its sources for DRAM and NAND memory. Digitimes' sources claim that Apple is now starting to source NAND memory from Toshiba and mobile RAM from Elpida. Currently, a fairly large proportion of the internal components of iPhones and iPads are actually manufactured by Samsung. Considering the much-publicized global patent spats between the two companies, this puts Apple in a potentially awkward position. It makes good business sense for Apple to start sourcing components from the few tech companies on Earth that haven't filed lawsuits against it (yet). MacRumors points out that Samsung's currently contracted for US$7.8 billion in parts over 2011, including the A5 processor that powers the iPad 2. Although Samsung is the world's largest supplier of many electronic components, losing Apple's business will likely put a very large dent in the Korean tech giant's ledger.
Appcelerator launches app store for app components
Stick with us on this one -- Appcelerator has just launched an App Store, but not for apps. Instead, it's for components for apps, offering designs, templates, extensions, and other tools to app developers, who can then use those to make mobile apps for various other app stores, including Apple's own iOS marketplace. These components allow devs (for a cost or for free) to put together apps with various kinds of features together quickly and relatively easily, either leaving more time for iteration and design, or simply allowing releases to happen faster. Most of the components on the store make use of Appcelerator's Titanium platform, which is a cross-OS setup for developing both web and native mobile apps, so any developers interested in using these components will probably need to check that out first. But once you've got that down, Appcelerator's new market is a sort of a meta-marketplace, offering pre-made services and components to devs who have more money than time to spend on development. Essentially, this is just another indicator of how popular and gigantic the mobile app market is -- there are marketplaces for even the components that make up the apps that are selling so well.
Belkin announces a trio of new products to help your HDTV get its stream on
Belkin today unveiled a handful of new products aimed at making your TV a bit more streamy. The ScreenCast AV 4 lets you stream content from devices like Blu-ray players to an HDTV without the need for an HDMI cable. The transmitter plugs into the source device and the receiver plugs into the TV, making it possible to watch 1080p video wirelessly. The ScreenCast AV 4 will run $249.99 when it hits next month. The company's Universal HDTV Adapter and Universal Wireless AV Adapter, meanwhile, offer up wireless for TVs, making it possible to stream content with dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The Universal Wireless HDTV Adapter offers up streaming for a single Internet-ready set, while the Universal Wireless AV Adapter works with up to four AV devices. Both are available this month, and will run you $79.99 and $99.99, respectively. More info on all three after the break.
Lost Pages of Taborea: Customization in Guild Wars 2 and Runes of Magic
It took me a little while, but you should know by now that I was going to do a Guild Wars 2 comparison. It's a little later than I previously said I'd write it, but there's no time like the present, right? Runes of Magic has been chugging along for over two years now, while GW2 is -- sort of -- just around the corner, and Guild Wars is the veteran of the bunch at six years of age. What do these MMOs have in common that would provoke me to attempt a comparison? I'll give you a hint: It has nothing to do with jumping. What they do share is character customization, which, really, many MMOs have. It's a pretty standard feature. In this week's Lost Pages of Taborea, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at how RoM could have taken some customization cues from GW, while GW2 might be taking some from RoM -- sort of like a movie based off a show based off a movie.
Intel hints at option of custom chip foundry for big customers
Reuters is reporting that Intel "wouldn't blink" if given the chance to make custom chips for Apple's devices, like the iPhone and iPad. At an investor event in London on Thursday, Chief Financial Officer Stacy Smith told journalists that "there are certain customers that would be interesting to us and certain customers that wouldn't." Apple, unsurprisingly, is one of the first type of customer. Currently the A4 and A5 chips found in iPhones and iPads are manufactured by Samsung, but reports have hinted that Apple may be moving away from Samsung and jumping to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd (TSMC) on a foundry basis. Given that Apple's A5 chip makes up a large portion of the $7.8 billion components contract Apple has with Samsung, it's no wonder that Intel would want to be a foundry chip maker for the Cupertino company. As Smith told reporters, "If Apple or Sony came to us and said 'I want to do a product that involves your IA (Intel architecture) core and put some of my IP around it', I wouldn't blink. That would be fantastic business for us." She did also say that Intel would have to put more thought into considering being a foundry for custom chips that didn't involve an Intel architecture core: "Then you get into the middle ground of 'I don't want it to be a IA core, I want it to be my own custom-designed core,' and then you are only getting the manufacturing margin, (and) that would be a much more in-depth discussion and analysis." [via MacRumors]
Intel admits Apple 'helps shape' its roadmap, keeps foot lodged firmly in mouth
We knew Intel and Apple had a close working relationship when it came to developing Thunderbolt, but now an exec from Santa Clara has taken the declarations of mutual admiration to the next level. Tom Kilroy, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Intel's Sales and Marketing Group, told a Reuters tech summit that Apple isn't merely important to his company's plans, it actually "helps shape [Intel's] roadmap." Those are strong words coming from the world's biggest maker of processor chips, one that you wouldn't expect to be beholden to any hardware or software partner. Additionally, it marks the second time this week that Intel has indirectly slighted Microsoft, the first one being a damning analysis of Windows 8 on ARM by fellow Intel SVP Renee James. It'd be easy to conclude that we're seeing cracks developing in the old Wintel bond, but we reckon it's more likely that Chipzilla is simply finding the wrong words to express otherwise benign thoughts. Hit the source link for more from Mr. Kilroy.
Microsoft rebuts Intel's claims about Windows 8, calls them 'factually inaccurate'
Bad Intel! Microsoft has issued a strongly worded response to comments this week from Intel SVP Renee James describing the future of Windows 8 on ARM as fragmented and backwards-incompatible. Those statements, says Microsoft, were "factually inaccurate and unfortunately misleading," though we're left without clarification as to what specifically was untrue. James claimed that legacy x86 programs won't be running on the ARM architecture, requiring a re-write for developers and probably a re-purchase for users. She also went on to suggest that each of the four hardware suppliers for Windows 8 systems-on-chip will have a different code stack, incompatible with the rest, which sounds like a far worse allegation to us. Now the issue is to try and figure out which of those two big accusations Microsoft has taken offense to. The Redmond team had nothing more to say on the matter, offering only a reminder that Windows 8 is still at the tech demo stage and there's still a long way to go.
NVIDIA CEO disappointed by Android tablet sales, blames pricing and poor app selection
It won't have escaped your attention that just about every Honeycomb tablet shipping in the first half of this year features, or will feature, NVIDIA's Tegra 2 hardware. Unfortunately for NVIDIA, reception for the Android 3.0 slates has been a little underwhelming, and the company's Chief Eloquence Officer, Jen-Hsun Huang, has had a few words to say about it. He sees the relative paucity of tablet-optimized Android apps as a weakness, while also expressing the belief that cheaper WiFi-only models should've been the standard shipping config rather than fully fledged 3G / 4G variants as Motorola has been pushing with the Xoom. All in all, his is a very sane and accurate analysis, but Mr. Huang loves to look to the future as much as he enjoys talking about the present, and in his opinion all these major downsides have already been "largely addressed" by "a new wave" of Android tablets. He doesn't specify the devices that constitute said wave, but his emphasis on thinness and lightness leads us to believe he's talking up Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9 models. Hit the source links to read more from the bronzed stallion in charge of NVIDIA.
