Lenovo IdeaPad S2 7 with integrated WHDI mirroring hands-on (video)
With inconvenient HDMI cables and half-baked wireless solutions, HD streaming from a tablet or laptop to an HDTV has been clunky, at best. And while WHDI has improved the experience drastically by minimizing lag and providing a standard platform, dongles went out of style long before the first slim tablet made its debut several years ago. A near-perfect solution may be on the horizon, however. Amimon has teamed up with Lenovo to integrate WHDI technology in the new IdeaPad S2 7, enabling wireless streaming without the need for an external transmitter -- you'll still need to attach a receiver to your TV for now. We had a chance to go hands-on with the tablet and TV at the company's suite at CES, and were quite impressed with how it performed.
Because all of the necessary hardware is integrated, there's not much to speak of on that front, though it's worth noting that adding WHDI functionality doesn't translate into a larger footprint. It's also very efficient, using "a few hundred milliwatts" of power to mirror the tablet's display to an HDTV, according to the company. There was no noticeable lag, and the picture appeared very sharp and consistent, both when playing back video and while mirroring apps and the interface to the connected Sony TV. Unfortunately, Amimon reps were unable to confirm that the technology will be included with upcoming Lenovo tablets -- or those from other manufacturers -- but judging by what we saw today, we wouldn't be surprised to see WHDI making its way to a variety of devices in the not-so-distant future. Jump past the break to see it in action.
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AMIMON and Lenovo to Demo WHDI-Integrated Tablet at CES
WHDI wirelessly transmits all content from the tablet to the bigger screen of the living room TV
Herzlia, Israel – January 10, 2011 – AMIMON, the market leader in wireless HD and universal mobile connectivity, and Lenovo, the world's second largest PC maker, have integrated Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) technology into Lenovo's IdeaPad to enable wireless transmission of content to any TV.
With zero delay, users can enjoy and share the same great Android user experience from the 7"and 10" screens, now on the bigger living room TV.
AMIMON and Lenovo will demonstrate the concept tablet at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show, January 10-13 in Las Vegas at the Lenovo booth Central Plaza- CP28 and AMIMON suite #23121 at the Hilton Hotel.
"WHDI provides easy set up and sharing of content from our IdeaPad to any larger screen TV. The embedded WHDI solution not only eliminates not only the need for cables, but also any external adaptors as it's all built in," said Judy Liu, Manager MIDH PAD Accessories Product Planning and Development. "Photos, videos, games, anything our users enjoy on their tablet is now accessible to share with others right in the living room. WHDI actually mirrors the tablet user interface to the big TV, zero delay means that they have the same great user experience that they are used to on our android tablet, on their TV."
"The integration of WHDI into the Lenovo tablet is our next step in creating one standard to rule all wireless HD transmission," said Yoav Nissan-Cohen, CEO, AMIMON. "By taking the personal screen of the tablet to the big screen, WHDI gives consumers convenience and flexibility without any hassle or learning curve."
