Engadget

Double-sided transparent touchscreen shown off on NTT DoCoMo prototype (video)

Sharif Sakr — Thu, 31 May 2012 08:22:00 EST

See-through displays may or may not be making a comeback, but NTT DoCoMo is at least trying to give them a different spin. Working with Fujitsu, it's added a Vita-style extra touch panel to the rear of the screen, which works with the transparency to let the user navigate Android without ever obscuring the UI with their fingers. It also allows new types of interaction based on "gripping" objects -- holding down a finger at the back to modify the effect of a swipe on the front. The prototype was actually announced a little while back, but DigInfo has a video (embedded after the break) that shows how it works in practice -- just don't expect to be enjoying Netflix on that washed-out QVGA display anytime soon.

Continue reading Double-sided transparent touchscreen shown off on NTT DoCoMo prototype (video)

Double-sided transparent touchscreen shown off on NTT DoCoMo prototype (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Explay Crystal revives transparent display phones with dash of color, low price

Jon Fingas — Tue, 29 May 2012 05:23:00 EST

If you've been lamenting the passing of transparent display phones like the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness as those vile, opaque smartphones took over, you'll be happy to know that Russia's Explay has taken up the mantle with the Crystal. The basic song remains the same, a numberpad-driven dumbphone with a display that will help you avoid the lamp post up ahead, but it's remixed through colors that render the experience a lot less monotone. We saw this in the Lenovo S800, but the dual SIM card slots and Bluetooth 3.0 at least see the Crystal keep pace with more recent phones in its category. By far the biggest advantage Explay has over its ancestors is pure cost: at 7,000 rubles ($218), it's less than half the $500 that Lenovo wanted and that much more palatable for a handset that isn't running a sophisticated OS like Android or Windows Phone. Russians have to wait until July 1st to pick up the Crystal, but wouldn't count on the see-through phone seeing its way to the US through official channels.

Explay Crystal revives transparent display phones with dash of color, low price originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 05:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Epson Moverio BT-100 3D goggles now shipping in the U.S. for $699

Sharif Sakr — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:50:00 EST

Any Americans out there wanna buy a wacky head-mounted 3D display? Then Epson's Moverio BT-100 micro-projection headset ought to be right at the top of the your not-so-long list of options. It's just started shipping in the States for $699, including its Android-powered trackpad controller that streams and navigates content on the perceived '80-inch' transparent viewing window. You could even pair the Moverio with a Parrot AR.Drone and discover what it feels like to be an Apache pilot strafing your neighbor's rabbit.

Continue reading Epson Moverio BT-100 3D goggles now shipping in the U.S. for $699

Epson Moverio BT-100 3D goggles now shipping in the U.S. for $699 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BASF, Philips team up to create transparent OLED car roof

Daniel Cooper — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:53:00 EST

If you're the sort who wished your car had a transparent roof when the rain falls down but want some shielding when the sun's up (or, you know, vice versa) then BASF have good news for you. It's showing off the transparent OLED technology it developed with Philips that behaves like glass when inactive, turning opaque when activated. We're already familiar with the technology here, because it's the same kit that the chemicals giant showed off on its custom Smart Forvision it produced with Daimler back in September. As before, it's also been able to pair them up with transparent solar cells, for environmentally friendly sky watching: just remember that people will be able to see you pick your nose from all angles now, okay?

Continue reading BASF, Philips team up to create transparent OLED car roof

BASF, Philips team up to create transparent OLED car roof originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung gets tired of neighbors watching its Transparent Smart Window, installs blinds

Sean Buckley — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:44:00 EST

Sammy's transparent OLED displays may not be the freshest piece of tech at CES, but its still pretty dang awesome. We first saw Samsung's 46-inch 1920 x 1080 digitally augmented window back in March, but dropped by its CES booth for a second look. Although the touchscreen window still teases to fulfill our fevered sci-fi dreams, not much has changed -- it's still clear, it's still loaded with widgets, and it's still not anywhere near being installed in your home. Samsung told us this was still a concept device, although they did mention that the technology could be scaled down for use in military visors and heads up displays. Hit the break to see a video demo of a few new apps, including a rather slick set of digital blinds.

Joe Pollicino contributed to this report.

Continue reading Samsung gets tired of neighbors watching its Transparent Smart Window, installs blinds

Samsung gets tired of neighbors watching its Transparent Smart Window, installs blinds originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Vuzix augmented reality Smart Glasses prototype hands-on (video)

Sean Buckley — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:59:00 EST

Remember those wicked holographic augmented reality glasses that DARPA was so hot to build? They're almost here. Hiding out at Vuzix's CES booth we found a functional prototype for its Smart Glasses industrial class monocular display -- a special lens attached to a proprietary display driver that produces a bright, 1.4mm holographic picture for one of your peepers. Vuzix told us the lenses were the fruit of a DARPA project, and could allow soldiers involved in air-to-surface operations to track jets, check their ordinance and mark targets for destruction. The military / industrial monocle will go on sale in Q3 of 2012 for somewhere between $2500-3000.

Want to look a little more, well, normal while you're augmenting your reality? You're covered -- or at least you will be in 2013. Not only will Vuzix's consumer facing smart glasses offer you the same holographic heads-up technology that'll power its military bound brother, it'll cost you a bundle less, too: between $350-600. The unit we saw wasn't final, but were told the final unit will be able to accept connections over HDMI, and may even be capable of displaying stereoscopic 3D content -- you know, in case the real world wasn't real enough. Hopefully, we'll be able to tell you those fit next year. Ready to see how you'll be gussying up reality in the future? Hit the break for our hands-on video coverage.

Gallery: Vuzix Smart Glasses Technology eyes-on

Continue reading Vuzix augmented reality Smart Glasses prototype hands-on (video)

Vuzix augmented reality Smart Glasses prototype hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Vuzix designs Smart Glasses to look like sunshades, tout connected transparent display

Zach Honig — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:01:00 EST

Vuzix has announced plans to develop a stylish head-mounted display solution in the form of Smart Glasses, through a licensing partnership with Nokia. The yet-unnamed product would integrate a bright, high-contrast display with a pair of seemingly ordinary-looking sunglasses -- sounds like a perfect companion to the ZionEyez in-glasses camera prototype we saw last month. In Vuzix's words:

This amazing new technology starts with a compact display engine capable of hi contrast and brightness for outdoor use. The output is then relayed into a 1.4 mm thick plastic waveguide lens with input and output hologram structures on the surface which squeezes the light down the waveguide and then two dimensionally expands the image back into the user's eye, creating an image that is then mixed into the real world.

Naturally, the company envisions its Smart Glasses solution as a web-connected device, letting you watch videos or browse the internet while still being able to see-and-avoid pedestrians as you walk on the sidewalk or obstacles while behind the wheel -- try doing that with a Kindle or smartphone (better yet, please don't). Vuzix expects its Smart Glasses solution to start appearing as early as this summer, but we'll be getting an early look next week at CES.

Gallery: Vuzix SMART Glasses Technology

Continue reading Vuzix designs Smart Glasses to look like sunshades, tout connected transparent display

Vuzix designs Smart Glasses to look like sunshades, tout connected transparent display originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Cambridge researchers translate graphene into printable circuitry material, bring basic 'Skynet' factory to you

Chris Barylick — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:52:00 EST

Yes, graphene is amazing and possesses many useful / otherworldly properties. The ability to use graphene itself to print flexible, transparent thin-film transistors via an inkjet printer is just another one of them. Over at the University of Cambridge, researchers have discovered that it's possible to print standard CMOS transistors using a graphene component. Provided the graphene is chipped off a block of graphite using a chemical solvent and the larger (potentially print-head blocking) chips are removed, it can be turned into a polymer ink which can then run through a conventional inkjet printer. The potential result of this is flexible, transparent and wearable computer circuitry coming from ordinary printers as opposed to several multi-million-dollar machines in a factory, which has long been the historical standard. Besides, who wouldn't want to print their own circuitry on a PhotoSmart MFP rather than whatever report might be due the next day?

Cambridge researchers translate graphene into printable circuitry material, bring basic 'Skynet' factory to you originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung breakthrough could turn your window pane into a big ol' LED

Amar Toor — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:56:00 EST

Samsung's quest for transparency won't end with laptops, apparently. Today, the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology announced that its engineers have successfully created "single crystalline Gallium Nitride on amorphous glass substrates" -- an achievement that would allow the manufacturer to produce jumbo-sized LEDs from normal glass, including window panes. Samsung says this scaled-up approach will allow them to lower production costs relative to most LED manufacturers, which rely on sapphire, rather than glass substrates. And, whereas most Gallium Nitride (GaN) LEDs on the market measure just two inches in size, Sammy's technique could result in displays about 400 times larger. "In ten years, window panes will double as lighting and display screens, giving personality to buildings," a Samsung spokesperson told the Korea Herald. Unfortunately, however, it will likely be another ten years before the technology is ready to hit the market. Until then, we'll just have to do our late night window coding the old fashioned way.

[Image courtesy of Columbia Pictures / The New York Times]

Samsung breakthrough could turn your window pane into a big ol' LED originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Haier's transparent organic TV eyes-on (video)

Brian Heater — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:03:00 EST

What's the worst thing about your TV? If you said "opaqueness," boy have we got the set from you. This is a 22-inch transparent organic TV from the folks at Haier (you know, the ones who also showed off that mind control TV today). It's a slim display with a metal bezel that has a clear OLED at its center with a 1680 x 1050 resolution. The images appeared pretty sharp on screen, though the colors didn't particularly pop.

And really, this thing isn't likely headed to any living rooms in the near future -- Haier sees it more as an advertising tool, letting shoppers see its images from both sides. The display in its demo form was actually hooked up to a Windows PC, running video through a media player, making this not too unlike that 14-inch Samsung laptop that we saw at CES last year.

The TV is still in its early demo stages, so pricing and availability are a ways off. Video after the break.

Gallery: Haier's transparent organic TV eyes-on

Continue reading Haier's transparent organic TV eyes-on (video)

Haier's transparent organic TV eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal

Zachary Lutz — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST

Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com.

The quality of a mobile phone's display is arguably the most important factor to consider when you establish a relationship with a handset. It's inescapable, really. Whether you're playing a rousing game of Robot Unicorn Attack or (regrettably) drunk-dialing an ex, it's the one interface element that you're consistently interacting with. It's your window to the world and your canvas for creation, and if it's lousy, it's going to negatively influence everything you see and do. Today, we're delving into the world of mobile displays, where we're aiming to entertain and edify, and hopefully save you from making regrettable decisions -- when it comes to purchasing new phones, anyway.

In this edition of Primed, we'll be examining the different qualities and underlying technologies of several displays, starting with the ubiquitous TFT-LCD and moving through the nascent realm of glasses-free 3D and beyond. We'll also be addressing the importance of resolution and pixel density. Finally, we'll be scoping out a handful of upcoming technologies -- while some are thoroughly intriguing, others are just plain wacky. Go ahead... buy the ticket, take the ride, and join us after the break. It's Primed time.

Continue reading Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal

Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Stanford researchers create transparent battery, dream of a see-through iPhone (video)

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:34:00 EST

We've had about all of the transparent displays we can handle. Besides, what good is a screen you can see through if the electronics behind it are as opaque as ever? Thankfully, the fine folks at Stanford are working hard to move us towards a future filled with invisible gadgets. Yi Cui and Yuan Yang led a team that have created a lithium-ion battery that appears transparent. In actuality, the cells are composed of a very fine mesh of electrodes, approximately 35-microns wide, that are small enough to appear invisible to the naked eye. The resulting power packs are cheap and flexible but, currently, can only store about half as much energy as a traditional Li-ion battery. Cui has a particular destination in mind for creation, as he told the college paper, "I want to talk to Steve Jobs about this. I want a transparent iPhone!" Check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Stanford researchers create transparent battery, dream of a see-through iPhone (video)

Stanford researchers create transparent battery, dream of a see-through iPhone (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Airbus' plane of the future will harvest energy from passengers, earn Agent Smith's approval (video)

Vlad Savov — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 03:44:00 EST

Airbus has been consulting its crystal ball recently and its findings have now been shared with the world in the shape of a new concept plane. Looking entirely detached from the economic and physical realities we know today, this futuristic people carrier includes auto-morphing seats that adjust to your size and shape and also harvest excess heat you produce. How is this achieved? Smart materials is all we're told, leaving us to use our imagination to fill in the gaping blanks. Eschewing the usual class system, this Airbus concept instead offers three functionally distinct areas: a Smart Tech Zone at the back is the closest to what we're used to today, an Interaction Zone in the middle uses holograms to help you relax or conduct some mission-critical meetings in flight, and a Vitalising Zone up front is where more "bio-morphing" seats will provide you with massage or acupuncture treatments. The ceiling in that front part of the plane can also be turned transparent, letting you soak up the panorama (and get a good tan while you're at it). You can see and hear more about it in the videos after the break.

Continue reading Airbus' plane of the future will harvest energy from passengers, earn Agent Smith's approval (video)

Airbus' plane of the future will harvest energy from passengers, earn Agent Smith's approval (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 03:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 31 May 2011 20:28:00 EST

TDK is taking those transparent OLED screens we saw back in October and putting them into mass production. The 2.4-inch, QVGA (240 x 320) UEL476 display has a transmittance of 40 percent, but obscures light passing through the front so others won't be able to read your text messages from behind. Obviously, these aren't going to find their way into high-end Android handsets, but they may have a home in fashion phones like Lenovo's S800. And, you know, they seem perfect for SMS addicts who can't stop their thumbs from flying even while walking. Check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer

TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV shipping next week, eyes-on at SID 2011 (video)

Christopher Trout — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:53:00 EST

We weren't actually allowed to get our hands on Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV -- the showcase was accompanied by a "Do not touch" label -- but we were able to get our first in-the-flesh look at the see-through display at SID this week. According to Sammy's rep, the monitors, which can operate with or without a backlight, will start shipping to manufacturers as soon as this week, but consumers will have to wait until Q3 to get their hands on one. While our hands remained mostly at our sides during our little meeting, we did sneak them behind the display to see just how transparent these things are. Sure enough, we could see our phalanges wiggling quite clearly through the ghostly panel. When the backlight was flipped on, the screen became a touch more opaque, but didn't fully obstruct the view of the potted plants lurking in the background. For now, the screens are focused on the commercial market -- specifically advertising -- but we wouldn't mind adding one of these things to our living room. Hop on past the break for a little video love.

Gallery: Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD eyes-on at SID 2011

Continue reading Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV shipping next week, eyes-on at SID 2011 (video)

Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV shipping next week, eyes-on at SID 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

CTA's translucent Kinect steering wheel, for when you absolutely, positively must see the road

Jesse Hicks — Mon, 09 May 2011 07:31:00 EST

Steering wheels: sure, they're fun and functional, but why do they have to be so opaque? It's like you can't see through them at all! Our friends at CTA Digital -- purveyors of such fine gaming peripherals as the Wii bowling ball and the Nintendo DS/DSi Puppet Pouch -- are thinking outside that particular box with the aptly named Transparent Steering Wheel. Looking like something pulled from the wreckage of Wonder Woman's invisible plane, the TSW is nothing more than a transparent (well, translucent if we're being nitpicky) piece of plastic shaped like a steering wheel, which promises more precise driving on the Kinect racetrack. The company's apparently still perfecting the clear-plastic technology, which will ship June 5th, setting you back $12.99.

CTA's translucent Kinect steering wheel, for when you absolutely, positively must see the road originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 May 2011 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

New silver-packing transparent conductive film could mean more durable touchscreens

Christopher Trout — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 04:56:00 EST

We first heard of the wonders of silver ink back in 2009, but it wasn't until earlier this year, with talk of 3M's new capacitive touchscreens, that we experienced its real-world potential for display technology. Well, it looks like 3M's not the only name in the Ag game, in fact Tokyo-based Toray Industries recently announced the development of a transparent conductive film that ditches the traditional ITO (indium tin oxide) for silver wire. In order to produce this new material, a layer of Ag wires, measuring several hundred nanometers, is applied to a polyester (PET) film by way of a wet method. The result, the company said, is a more flexible, durable, and transparent film that is well suited to touchscreens of just about any size. There's no word yet on when the film will appear on real-deal devices, but we'll definitely keep an eye out for the silver screens. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading New silver-packing transparent conductive film could mean more durable touchscreens

New silver-packing transparent conductive film could mean more durable touchscreens originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 04:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

LG shows off 47-inch transparent IPS LCD with multitouch and Full HD resolution (video)

Vlad Savov — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 03:16:00 EST

Where Samsung leads, LG inevitably follows (and vice versa, of course). The Korean electronic arms race has now heated up by an extra few degrees with LG's demo of a crazy new 47-inch display that packs in everything a geek could want: IPS technology, 1080p resolution, multitouch, and some good old transparency... just because. This so-called Window Display is sadly intended for advertisers and other digital signage proprietors, meaning that even if it wasn't still at the concept stage, it likely wouldn't be populating living rooms anyway. Ah well, so long as LG makes sure John Anderton and the precrime unit get one, we'll be happy. Video for the rest of us after the break.

Continue reading LG shows off 47-inch transparent IPS LCD with multitouch and Full HD resolution (video)

LG shows off 47-inch transparent IPS LCD with multitouch and Full HD resolution (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 03:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung mass-producing 22-inch transparent LCD, your desktop monitor seethes with jealousy

Sean Hollister — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:29:00 EST

They said they would do it, and by golly it's nearly here -- Samsung just revealed that its assembly lines are starting to churn out see-thru computer screens that don't require power-sucking backlights to function. Unfortunately, it looks like the amazing AMOLED variety is still on the drawing board, but ambient light-powered LCDs are on the way, with Samsung offering a 22-inch, 1680 x 1050 resolution panel with a 500:1 contrast ratio to begin with. Sammy suggests we'll see it in HDMI and USB-compatible monitors and suspects it'll be used in advertising and teleconferencing first -- which suggests this display won't come cheap -- but we all know the true killer app will be a nice big frameless laptop screen. We'll take two, please. PR after the break.

Continue reading Samsung mass-producing 22-inch transparent LCD, your desktop monitor seethes with jealousy

Samsung mass-producing 22-inch transparent LCD, your desktop monitor seethes with jealousy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sony's see-through Alpha DSLR gets the hands-on treatment, probably won't get a launch date

Christopher Trout — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 03:49:00 EST

We've been teasing you with images of this see-through beauty since Sony announced plans to bring its translucent mirror to the A77. Unfortunately, we've still yet to get our dirty paws on its hard shell, but we're happy to live vicariously through Pocket-lint's hands-on of Sony's clear-bodied Alpha camera. According to its post, the concept DSLR is based on a heretofore unidentified mid-range camera that touts an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor and "fast continuous autofocus." The camera is slated for a late 2011 release, but chances are it won't come with that sweet transparent body. So soak it up while you can, because this could be the last you see of the crystalline casing -- hit the source link for even more eye candy.

Sony's see-through Alpha DSLR gets the hands-on treatment, probably won't get a launch date originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 03:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung demos transparent LCD using ambient backlight

Michael Gorman — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:14:00 EST

Wirelessly-powered TVs are nice, and transparent displays are cool and all, but what about an ambient light-powered transparent LCD? Well, that's nothing short of awesome. Samsung showed off just such a device at CeBIT 2011 last week -- a prototype 46-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and ten-finger touchscreen capability. We aren't sure what kind of black magic Sammy put in this thing, but it's an incredible feat of engineering to make such a large display -- ~~and its accompanying solar cells~~ -- efficient enough to run exclusively off the juice it pulls from surrounding light sources. No word on how the photon-powered LCD compares to existing HD monitors in terms of brightness, refresh rates, or color reproduction, but a muted picture is a small price to pay for cutting the electrical cord forever.

Update: It appears that the source article misunderstood the way this LCD is powered -- there are no solar panels involved here; the ambient light is merely to replace the traditional backlight rather than powering the device.

Samsung demos transparent LCD using ambient backlight originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

ODROID-A tablet fits 1366 x 768 res on a 10-inch screen, dual-core Exynos inside transparent shell

Vlad Savov — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:04:00 EST

Samsung might not have quite enough Exynos 4210 processors to sell a tablet of its own based on that Cortex-A9 dual-core beastie, but it's found a few to hand over to Korean partner Hardkernel for this here ODROID-A reference platform. It's strictly a dev kit, and as such is unlikely to find its way to your local Best Buy any time soon, but we have to admire the specs on offer. First up is the delightfully dense 1366 x 768 resolution, a rare sight on a 10-inch display, followed by a transparent rear panel that bests anything out on the market right now in terms of sheer sex appeal, and then there are also two MicroSD slots, a HSPA+ modem, HDMI output, a USB 2.0 port, cameras on the front and rear, and a crazy 9000mAh battery. How all this is supposed to only cost $750, we don't know, but then we also don't know how to qualify to get one when it becomes available later this month. So many mysteries. Jump past the break for some hands-on and benchmarking video action.

Continue reading ODROID-A tablet fits 1366 x 768 res on a 10-inch screen, dual-core Exynos inside transparent shell

ODROID-A tablet fits 1366 x 768 res on a 10-inch screen, dual-core Exynos inside transparent shell originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Scientists figure out how to see through walls, sort of

Sam Sheffer — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:32:00 EST

We all know that light can't exactly pass through solid objects -- unless of course, you're using a laser or something. Yes, X-rays allow us to look into suitcases at the airport and broken bones in our bodies, but there's a new kid on the block that claims to have done the impossible in a novel fashion. Jochen Aulbach and his colleagues of the FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics out in Amsterdam have developed a technology that allows scrambled light to remain focused as it passes through ultra-thin layers of paint. You see, when light is sent through opaque material, it becomes muddled and lost in the space-time continuum. Aulbach and his crew used a spatial light modulator, or SMT, to control a 64-femtosecond long laser pulse that's passed through a thin layer of paint. The SMT emits pulses that last long enough for only a machine to see and the data is sent to a computer for calibration. NewScientist claims that with this technology, it might be possible to hone in on cancerous cells and blast them to oblivion without damaging the healthy tissue surrounding them.

Scientists figure out how to see through walls, sort of originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung buys Liquavista, dives headfirst into electrowetting displays

Sean Hollister — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:12:00 EST

Samsung's got a reputation for building crazy awesome display technologies, and it just added another one to the stack -- with the buyout of Philips-spinoff Liquavista this December, it's gained quite the foothold in electrowetting. In case you're not familiar, electrowetting has been repeatedly pitched to us as pretty much the Holy Grail of displays: flexible, colorful, unbreakable, outdoor-readable e-paper screens with high refresh rates and low-power consumption that can be manufactured on existing assembly lines. We'll have to see if the theories equate to meaningful products, but we imagine ownership by Samsung can't hurt one bit, especially as the company says it will "expand its leadership in next generation display technologies by pioneering the application of electrowetting in e-Paper and transparent displays." Sounds like a commitment to us. PR after the break.

Update: Seems that The Digital Reader actually figured out about the deal yesterday -- read the original scoop at our more coverage link!

Continue reading Samsung buys Liquavista, dives headfirst into electrowetting displays

Samsung buys Liquavista, dives headfirst into electrowetting displays originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MegaReader brings true multitasking to the iPhone, lets you walk and read at the same time (video)

Vlad Savov — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 06:51:00 EST

Galaxy S owners will already be familiar with the awesome power of overlaying text on a live view of their phone's camera feed, but now their iPhone counterparts get to join in the fun as well. MegaReader, an e-reading app that's survived the cutthroat App Store waters long enough to reach version 2.1, has just added a "Heads Up Display" feature to its list of attributes. Its function is to make your iPhone appear transparent, which is achieved by relaying camera images of what's behind the phone to its front. A real life saver, a mere gimmick, or a golden opportunity for a hilarious promo video? Why not all three?

Continue reading MegaReader brings true multitasking to the iPhone, lets you walk and read at the same time (video)

MegaReader brings true multitasking to the iPhone, lets you walk and read at the same time (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 06:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung shows flexible and transparent displays at CES 2011 (video)

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 18:03:00 EST

We spent a few minutes at the show this week ogling the prototype displays that Samsung's Mobile Display unit has produced over the last few months, headlined by some particularly awesome 4.5-inch flexible and 19-inch transparent AMOLEDs. Let's start with the flexible unit: Sammy seems to be particularly excited about this one, demonstrating on video that it's shatter-proof by bashing it repeatedly with a sledgehammer -- compare that to the inevitably disastrous consequences of dropping an iPhone onto concrete, and they've already won us over. Although the company still has some manufacturing challenges to overcome, commercial interest seems to be strong and they'll eventually be on the market (though not in 2011, sadly).

The picture for the transparent displays is a little murkier -- both physically and from a business perspective. Though they're not as clear as regular glass or as crisp and bright as a traditional AMOLED display, you've got to marvel at what they're doing here: full see-through color at effectively small television sizes. Interestingly, Samsung tells us that they're really close to being production-ready with these -- possibly even close than the flexible screens -- but they're still looking for business cases that'd make mass-producing them a worthwhile venture. Follow the break for some video of these bad boys, along with a 7-inch Super AMOLED that's looking Galaxy Tab-ready (and some other goodies)!

Gallery: Samsung shows flexible and transparent displays at CES 2011 (video)

Continue reading Samsung shows flexible and transparent displays at CES 2011 (video)

Samsung shows flexible and transparent displays at CES 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

TDK's see-through and curved OLED display eyes-on (video)

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 02:19:00 EST

Remember the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness? At a list price of $1,000, it'd be hard to forget -- but with a monochrome see-through display, the whole transparency thing was little more than a novelty on a phone that served little practical purpose. TDK might have the solution with its new transparent QVGA OLEDs, available now to manufacturers in monochrome and in a lovely color variant by the end of the year. At two inches, they offer 200ppi pixel density and are more secure than you might think: the light only shines in one direction, so you actually can't see any data from the back even though you can still see through the display. At a glance, the display's didn't seem as vibrant as the best AMOLEDs on the market, but then again, these are passive matrix -- and you can really tell in our videos after the break where the refresh scans stand out. Guess that's the price you pay for transparency, right? We've also got some video of the 3.5-inch flexible OLED screens TDK's got on hand; they're not transparent, but considering the long, narrow resolution, we can't help but think they'd make for amazing wristwatches (or high-tech glowstick replacements at raves).

Gallery: TDK's see-through and curved OLED display eyes-on

Continue reading TDK's see-through and curved OLED display eyes-on (video)

TDK's see-through and curved OLED display eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 02:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

TDK flexes its transparent OLED muscles with CEATEC demonstrations

Vlad Savov — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:39:00 EST

Finally a bit of competition to pep up the transparent OLED market. Samsung and LG seem to have had this party all to themselves until now, but TDK is stepping in with a 2-inch passive matrix screen and a humble QVGA (320 x 240) resolution. Sure, those aren't groundbreaking specs, but a claimed 50 percent transmittance -- meaning that half of what's behind the screen can be seen through it -- beats its Korean competitors rather handily. Another prototype being shown off by the company is a 3.5-inch flexible OLED panel that redefines thinness with a slinky 0.3mm profile. It's made using a resin substrate and covers an unimpressive 256 x 54 pixels at the moment, but again, that's just how good things get started: with small steps of awesome. We'll keep an eye out for both of these as we prowl the halls of CEATEC 2010.

Continue reading TDK flexes its transparent OLED muscles with CEATEC demonstrations

TDK flexes its transparent OLED muscles with CEATEC demonstrations originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Kia Pop recharges in 6 hours with 87mph top speed and 100-mile range

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 05:11:00 EST

After an August tease the all-electric Kia Pop concept car is now getting a proper reveal at the Paris Motor Show. Pop is a three-meter long three seater featuring a number of futuristic touches like rear-view cameras in each door, a full length glass roof, and an otherwise transparent OLED panel that displays all your instrument readouts only when the car is running. A second touch panel to the right of the steering wheel controls the vehicle's other functions including audio, sat-nav, and climate. Under the hood you'll find a 60-ps, 190-Nm motor powered by lithium polymer gel batteries capable of charging in just six hours. Combined we're looking at an 87mph (140kph) top speed and 100-mile (160-km) max range. Of course, knowing the auto industry, by the time it hits the assembly lines it'll likely resemble an unimaginative shoebox using whatever off-the-shelf parts Kia can find. But a boy can dream can't he?

Gallery: Kia Pop recharges in 6 hours with 87-mph top speed and 100-mile range

Continue reading Kia Pop recharges in 6 hours with 87mph top speed and 100-mile range

Kia Pop recharges in 6 hours with 87mph top speed and 100-mile range originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 05:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Token multitouch screen shows us the future of DJing, today (video)

Vlad Savov — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST

Think you know multitouch surfaces? Think again. We've just come across a video demo of the Token multitouch, erm, pedestal, which seems to have come straight from the future. A clear sheet of glass that beams out video from your computer and accepts touch inputs in return, the Token concept has been designed by a chap named Rodrigo hailing out of Chile. We know it uses a rear projector for its video, but other construction details are scarce at this point; what's really special here, however, is the way he combines it with a Traktor Pro controller titled Emulator, turning a few intelligent finger swipes into a kickass light-and-sound show. See it on video after the break.

Continue reading Token multitouch screen shows us the future of DJing, today (video)

Token multitouch screen shows us the future of DJing, today (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO shows off 2.4-inch transparent multitouch display

Donald Melanson — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:19:00 EST

AUO's no stranger to showing off wild new displays that may or may not ever end up in actual products, and it looks like it's no exception at Display Taiwan 2010 -- the company's taken advantage of the trade show to unveil this new 2.4-inch transparent multitouch display. While it's apparently suitable for cellphones and other devices as well, the company says it's targeting it specifically at GPS devices -- we presume, to allow a slightly less obstructed view on your windshield (as opposed to an actual HUD). Of course, it is still just a prototype, but the capacitive screen does indeed seem to support full multitouch, and is said to be fairly responsive. See for yourself in the video after the break courtesy of Netbook News.

Continue reading AUO shows off 2.4-inch transparent multitouch display

AUO shows off 2.4-inch transparent multitouch display originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung demos 19-inch transparent AMOLED display

Vlad Savov — Mon, 24 May 2010 09:02:00 EST

We don't know what kind of display-making genii Samsung has locked away in its R&D labs, but the Korean giant is once again demonstrating a world's first. This time we're looking at a 19-inch transparent AMOLED display, taking the technology up from the 14-inch model we saw live at CES in January. The company has now achieved a 30 percent transparency on its designs, and its ideas for how they may be used are fittingly futuristic. Samsung envisions storefront advertising, à la your favorite sci-fi movie, as well as HUDs for helmets and car windshields -- maybe if TomTom can secure a supply of these screens, the dedicated GPS device can find a way to live on after all.

Samsung demos 19-inch transparent AMOLED display originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 May 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung's transparent OLED laptop could hit retail, IceTouch PMP will get the ball rolling

Vlad Savov — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:01:00 EST

So um, remember this crazy 14-inch transparent OLED display Samsung was showing off perched atop a laptop at CES? Yea, that might be in the shops within the next 12 months. If that doesn't get you tingling with excitement, we don't know what will. Samsung will start its big push toward translucency with the IceTouch PMP, which we found to have a gorgeous 2-inch display in our earlier hands-on, but it's already working away in the labs on turning the prototype above into a concrete retail product. The IceTouch is slated to make its US arrival early in the first half of this year, priced at around $332. European availability is as yet unconfirmed, but the Korean's company is being very ambitious about its technology, suggesting that windscreen-mounted SatNav units could be next on the agenda and ruling nothing out as it strives to bring its transparent AMOLED displays into the mainstream.

Samsung's transparent OLED laptop could hit retail, IceTouch PMP will get the ball rolling originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung's 14-inch transparent OLED laptop (video)

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:01:00 EST

If you thought the XPERIA Pureness was wild with its meager 1.8-inch transparent screen, wait'll you get a hold of Samsung Mobile Display's prototype 14-inch notebook -- complete with what's being touted as the world's first and largest transparent OLED prototype. When the thing is off, the panel is up to 40 percent transparent (as opposed to the industry average of below twenty-five percent). Not much more to say about it (we'll let you know as soon as our friends from Korea tell us more), but there is plenty to see: so get a load of the video after the break.

Continue reading Samsung's 14-inch transparent OLED laptop (video)

Samsung's 14-inch transparent OLED laptop (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

LG's transparent 15-inch AMOLED display is amazing, possibly useless

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:16:00 EST

Look at that, just look at it will you. It's another in a latest trend that's bringing transparent displays to consumer electronics. However, this pup is in color and livin' large at 15-inches unlike those tiny transparent displays we've seen in handsets. Unfortunately, all we can do is look for the moment because the concept on show at FPD 2009 in Japan is accompanied by very little in the way of detail.

Filed under: Displays

LG's transparent 15-inch AMOLED display is amazing, possibly useless originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Transparent Sony VAIO X amazingly captured on camera

Donald Melanson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:07:00 EST

We've already gotten a couple of up close looks at Sony's new thin-and-light VAIO X ourselves, but it seems that the company had a little something extra for its debut at a press event in China today: an amazing transparent edition of the laptop. Of course, the chances of it ever seeing a store shelf are even slimmer than its impossibly thin profile, but we're guessing this is the best glimpse most folks will get of the laptop's internals -- as anyone shelling out $1,300+ for one of these likely won't be able to bear prying it apart. Be sure to hit up the gallery below for a closer look courtesy of our pals at Engadget Chinese.

Gallery: Transparent Sony VAIO X amazingly captured on camera

Filed under: Laptops

Transparent Sony VAIO X amazingly captured on camera originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sony Ericsson's £530 Pureness is 'iconic' not ironic

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:57:00 EST

There's nothing typical about Sony Ericsson's Pureness handset so why should details about its launch differ? Brand Republic, a magazine focused on advertising, quotes Sony Ericsson's director of marketing, Cathy Davies, saying that the low-spec'd (said to lack GPS, camera, WiFi, and gasp, a touchscreen) candybar with translucent display will go on sale in November for £530 at Selfridges and "design museum shops." And if it wasn't already clear (get it?), SE says that it's positioning the device as "an iconic niche product, not mass-market." In other words, Harrods shoppers need not apply.

[Via Techradar and Pocket-lint]

Filed under: Handsets, Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson's £530 Pureness is 'iconic' not ironic originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sony Ericsson's £530 Pureness is 'iconic' not ironic

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:57:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

Sony Ericsson's £530 Pureness is 'iconic' not ironic originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Sony Ericsson's Pureness haunts the breathless wilds of Translutania

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:34:00 EST

True, you can barely read the transparent display when viewed against a white background. But Sony Ericsson's XPERIA Pureness is quite possibly the most coveted handset on Earth. Impractical? Yes. Awesome? Most definitely. Proof that phones don't have to be touchscreen slates or even integrate a camera, GPS, or WiFi to be worthy of consumer lust.

Continue reading Video: Sony Ericsson's Pureness haunts the breathless wilds of Translutania

Filed under: Handsets, Sony Ericsson

Video: Sony Ericsson's Pureness haunts the breathless wilds of Translutania originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Sony Ericsson's Pureness haunts the breathless wilds of Translutania

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:34:00 EST

Continue reading Video: Sony Ericsson's Pureness haunts the breathless wilds of Translutania

Filed under: Cellphones

Video: Sony Ericsson's Pureness haunts the breathless wilds of Translutania originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments