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Apple patent filing describes phone concept with wrap-around AMOLED display
Behold, the iPhone 6. Nah, we're only joking -- what you see above is a diagram lifted from an Apple patent application that popped up at the USPTO today, which describes a "consumer electronic product" that's nothing but screen. The patent involves building a device from an open-ended transparent body (of glass, for example) that becomes a full wrap-around display when a flexible AMOLED screen is unfurled within it. It doesn't imagine all that real-estate will necessarily be used at once, though, and includes details of a "detection mechanism," such as a camera and facial recognition software, which would determine how much of the screen you can see, so that power is only sent to the parts that are in view. It's important to note that, apart from mentioning some real-world applications, the concept and method of constructing a wrap-around display are all the application covers. In other words, this patent does not describe anything close to a complete device. Apologies if we've killed your buzz, but we're just managing expectations before we move onto some interesting spitballing from Apple about what other design features such a device could carry -- read on after the break for more.
BlackBerry Q10 hands-on
Forget the all-touch Z10 for a moment. This here is RIM's BlackBerry's other BB 10 device -- the BlackBerry Q10. As you can tell from its alphanumeric moniker, that single letter is a nod towards the handset's physical leanings. That's right, it's a hybrid touch / physical QWERTY model and one that diehard BlackBerry fans won't only be more familiar with, but potentially more willing to embrace with open palms. With a 720 x 720 Super AMOLED 3.1-inch display, the Q10's screen is slightly larger than its touch-hybrid predecessor, the Bold 9930, and sports a much tighter pixel density of 328ppi (BlackBerry claims the display is 360ppi, which doesn't jibe with our math). The screen itself is plenty bright and contrasty with incredible viewing angles. We didn't notice any of the telltale blue-tinge typical of AMOLED implementations, but the overtly blue lighting around us might have helped mask those shortcomings. The steel band around the middle and "glass weave" backplate actually gave the device a pleasantly premium feel in our hands. It was solid, well-shaped and smooth to the touch without being plasticky. The 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and 2GB of RAM keep the device humming along quite smoothly. It reacted almost instantaneously to input with no hiccups. The smaller screen size did make touch input seem a little less natural, but the ability to just start typing and search or perform actions (such as sending an email) more than made up for the slightly cramped confines. The 10.3mm-thick body does feel slightly chunky when compared to its all-touch sibling the Z10, and downright brick-like next to a svelte beauty like the Galaxy S III, but its short stout shape will fit in your pocket and palm with equal ease. At 139g, it does pack some heft, but we dont see that as a bad thing. The phone feels like it means business -- something we can't say for some of its plasticky Android competitors. For more, check out the gallery below and the video after the break.
AUO builds cellphone display with 'world's thinnest border'
Is that 3mm bezel getting you down? AUO says it has created the "world's narrowest" smartphone border on a new 4.46-inch 720P touch display -- just a single millimeter in width. That would put it in the same league as LG's Cinema Screen TVs, but in a smaller form factor, allowing manufacturers to reduce handset sizes without losing screen area. In related news, AUO also says it's developing Advanced Hyper-Viewing Angle (AHVA) tech, along with small form-factor IGZO displays, and that it's started shipping 4.97-inch 1920 x 1080, 443ppi screens. If all that means we have to squint less at our display, let the pixel density wars rage on.
Audi R8 e-tron won't see public sale, will be used for internal evaluation only
It's time to put your dreams of owning Audi's R8 e-tron to bed -- the German automaker won't be shipping the electric car to dealerships, according to a Wired source. The record setting vehicle's sales plans were apparently axed due to driving range concerns and a new focus on plug-in hybrid vehicles. We followed up with a contact of our own, who confirmed that the R8 would be produced only in small numbers, and only for internal use, at that. The R8 may be dead, but its core achievements should appear in future vehicles, we're told -- including its lightweight construction, AMOLED rear-view mirror and battery management system.
LG Display countersues Samsung over OLED patent infringement
The strained relationship between the two tentpoles of Korea's tech industry is starting to wear, now that LG Display has counter-sued its local rival over OLED patents. Earlier this month, Samsung filed for an injunction accusing its frenemy of stealing secrets, but LG is claiming instead that it's the victim. If successful, Lucky Goldstar would seek a ban on devices including the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Note on the pair's home turf -- so, yeah, this one looks like it's going to run and run.
Motorola announces Droid RAZR Maxx HD
Well, we weren't expecting it at today's Motorola event, but Motorola just outed a Maxx version of the Droid RAZR HD. Like its svelter sibling, the HD Maxx has a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED HD screen, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, LTE, and an 8-megapixel shooter, but it upgrades the onboard storage to 32GB. And the main event with any RAZR Maxx is, of course, an upgraded 3,300mAh battery that promises up to 21 hours of talk time, 13 hours of video playback or eight hours of web browsing on LTE. Naturally, a price has to be paid for such longevous life, but at 67.9mm wide, 131.9 mm long and a mere 9.3mm thin -- less than 1mm thicker than the standard HD -- it's a relatively small one. Naturally, we don't know how much this beast will cost, but Motorola's telling us it'll be available for this holiday season. Folks looking to dig into the details even further can find them in the PR after the break and at the source below.%Gallery-164427%
Audi R8 e-tron to feature digital AMOLED rear-view mirror
Audi's R18 racing car's been sporting this digital rear-view mirror for some time, and was most recently spotted with it at the renowned LeMans racing competition -- but now the German outfit's bringing the tech to a more consumer-friendly vehicle, the R8 e-tron. The luxurious automobile company announced that gorgeous 7.7-inch reflector is making its way from its speedy R18 to the stunning R8 e-tron, marking the first time any ride outside of the former will come loaded with such feature. In case you weren't aware, the AMOLED rear-view mirror helps automatically reduce headlights glare "during the hours of darkness," while also allowing drivers to dim or turn it off altogether if, you know, they're just not feeling the vibe.
Samsung merges S-LCD and mobile display units under Samsung Display umbrella
And just like that, Samsung Display was born. Built by combining the lesser S-LCD Corporation and Samsung Mobile Display, the new unit is now the largest maker manufacturer of displays. Of course, none of this could have happened without Sony deciding to exit the S-LCD partnership last year. Though vague, Sammy says it plans for this new LCD juggernaut to leverage the company's vast experience and large panel-producing facilities to boost production and demand for its OLEDs while increasing "synergy" (we thought that buzz word died with Nu Metal). You'll find complete PR after the break.
Samsung Galaxy S III: Pentile Super AMOLED used 'because it lasts longer'
Nice processor, shame about the Pentile. It's something that several people have been saying about Samsung's new chest-beating flagship. So why didn't it plump for the warmer Super AMOLED Plus found on both its predecessor and the bigger-boned Galaxy Note? According to Samsung's spokesperson, it's because those blue sub-pixels that are absent on Super AMOLED displays degrade faster than their red and green allies. With the aim of keeping its phones healthily glowing for at least 18 months, it made the decision to go with the Pentile formation. Compared to the Galaxy Nexus, which matches the resolution of the Galaxy S III, Samsung has also shrunk the gaps between pixels on its newest phone in an effort to reduce complaints leveled at its Super AMOLED technology -- although we didn't notice it all that much under our microscope.
Under the microscope: Samsung Galaxy S III's HD Super AMOLED display
By now you should already know that the brand-spanking-new Samsung Galaxy S III sports a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display. That's right: no "plus" here, which means this 720p panel is featuring the same old PenTile RBGB pixel arrangement -- just like the 4.65-inch version on the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S II HD LTE. Needless to say, this is again pure ammunition for the folks over at LG; but as we've mentioned before, HD Super AMOLED's superb contrast and higher-than-before pixel density outweigh its shortcomings in most cases. For now though, let's examine these sub-pixels with a 230x zoom USB microscope and compare them with other phones that we have in hand. Starting off with the HTC One X's 720p SLCD 2 above, you can see how its denser sub-pixels produce a finer picture, but ultimately it's still behind HD Super AMOLED when it comes to contrast, especially with black. Read on for more comparisons.
LG renames Optimus LTE to Optimus True HD LTE, disses Samsung's HD Super AMOLED
While the Optimus LTE's already made its way to South Korea, Japan and the US (in the guise of the Spectrum and the Nitro HD), LG's decided to give this dual-core handset a new name ahead of its Hong Kong launch at the end of this month. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Optimus True HD LTE. Alas, the "true HD" part here doesn't actually mean the phone's getting 1080p resolution on a 4.5-inch panel (which would be 490ppi; yet Toshiba's actually done it!); but we were told that 'tis really just a dig at Samsung's HD Super AMOLED technology -- you know, the magic behind that 4.65-inch screen on the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S II HD LTE.Simply put, LG doesn't think that 1,280 x 720 on PenTile counts as HD due to the lower number of sub-pixels; and while it's at it, the company also criticized AMOLED's over-expressed colors and higher power consumption in "normal user environment" -- for the latter, LG showed that its AH-IPS has a more consistent power consumption across varying levels of overall whiteness. You can see the relevant slides after the break.Of course, we've already expressed (twice) how much we like the HD Super AMOLED display on the Galaxy Nexus. The clearness issue now is much less noticeable when compared to the original Super AMOLED; but as for color accuracy, many of us are indeed deceived by the vibrancy that we naturally enjoy -- except when you need to inspect photos, of course. Regardless, we're pretty sure that it's only a matter of time before Samsung strikes back with a, ahem, "true HD" Super AMOLED (Plus) panel -- hopefully in time for the upcoming Galaxy S III.
Toshiba announces Excite 10, 7.7 and 13 tablets, Thrive slates on their way out
You complained, Toshiba listened. After its Thrive tablets were widely panned for their short battery life and chunky, cheap-feeling design, the outfit decided to put those models out to pasture and start anew. So bid goodbye to the Thrives, then, and say hello to the Excite 7.7, 10 and 13 (yes, 13). If you've been paying attention, these are the same tablets we first saw in prototype form at CES (and again at Mobile World Congress), complete with their slim builds and textured aluminum backs. Now, though we know that all three will pack NVIDIA's Tegra 3 SoC, and ship with unskinned Ice Cream Sandwich. The 7.7, in particular, sports the same AMOLED display inside the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, while the 13-incher steps up to 1600 x 900 resolution (as opposed to 1280 x 800). Oh, and for those of you who think you'll miss the 10-inch Thrive's full-sized SD slot, that feature carries over to the Excite 10 and 13. (As you can imagine, there was no room for the full-sized USB and HDMI ports on tablets this thin.)Before we go any further, though, we're sure you want to hear more about that 13-incher in particular. First off, no, we're not joking. This is a 13-inch ARM-powered tablet. Not a 13-inch slate with Ultrabook specs; just a really big Android tablet. Why would you want such a thing, you ask? Well, Toshiba's banking on you using this indoors, particularly in the kitchen where you might want to glance at recipes or the weather forecast. In conversations about the product, company reps emphasized the tablet's tough Gorilla Glass display, though they seem oblivious to the fact that you could do all of the above with a $400 iPad 2, or any other mid-range tablet, for that matter. It's an important thing to consider, given that the Excite 13 will set you back a princely $650 for 32GB when it goes on sale June 10th.In addition, the Excite 13 will be available with 64GB of storage for $750 (!). The Excite 7.7 is also coming June 10th, at which point it'll cost $500 for the 16GB flavor and $580 for the 32GB configuration. The 10-inch will beat them both to market, arriving May 6th starting at $500 for 16GB of built-in storage. There will also be a 32GB version for $530 and a 64GB number for $650. For now, we've got photos below, and you can check out our hands-on from CES if you prefer your gadget porn have some video.
Baidu-powered Dell Streak Pro D43 gets hands-on treatment
Dell's dual-cored Streak Pro D43 has arrived in the hands of our colleagues over at Engadget Chinese. In a detailed tour of the first Baidu Yi smartphone, they've unearthed a built-in battery and perused the Super AMOLED Plus qHD display, tempered with Gorilla Glass. The casing is little thick (10.3mm) but by no means a deal-breaker, with a rubberized texture apparently helping to protect the phone if you're a little rough and ready with your devices. The Baidu platform is another Chinese interpretation of Google's feature-set, so you get the likes of email, maps, cloud services and voice input search -- in Mandarin, naturally. If you're intrigued by that Baidu base, scope out the full hands-on (and video walkthrough) over on our Sino sister site.
Nokia reveals polarizing secrets of ClearBlack display
Nokia's revealing the secrets behind ClearBlack: its display technology that, even under the brightest sunlight, renders black as black as blackest night during a dark spell. Wedged above the E7, Lumia 800 and 900 displays are three thin layers, a linear polarizer, a quarter-wave retardation film and a reflecting surface. When light enters the first layer, it vertically aligns the "wave vibration" of the light so when it hits the retardation layer, it begins to rotate towards the right. Hitting the reflecting surface causes it to reverse, becoming left-circularly polarized before passing through the retardation later again, where it polarizes horizontally. This enables the polarizing filter up top to screen out horizontally polarized light, meaning it doesn't reflect back in your face. Why (we hear you ask) then doesn't it happen with the light from the display itself? Because it only passes through the second half of the process, it doesn't become horizontally aligned, leading to that beautifully dark display reaching your peepers. It's a clever and elegant solution that we can't help but be impressed at, even if we've used up the world's supply of the word 'polarize' in order to explain to you.
Toshiba 13- and 7.7-inch tablet prototypes hands-on (video)
Thought you found out everything you could ever possibly need to know about new Toshiba tablets with the announcement of the Excite X10? Think again, sucka. Toshiba showed off two new prototypes on the showroom floor alongside the recently announced 10-incher. The devices are both in the too-early-to-be-named stage right now, so let's just call them the 13- and 7.7-inch tablets. In fact, that company isn't even sure it's actually going to bring either to market at any point -- according to a spokesperson, the Toshiba just brought them along to the show to gauge crowd interest in the form factors. Unfortunately, this being so early in the development process, the company didn't have many on hand. The two we spent time with wouldn't actually power on, though we were able to peep powered on units, though, sadly, they was hanging out behind pieces of glass. But even from that vantage point, the display on the 7.7 was a thing to behold, a really gorgeous AMOLED panel. The device is a nice size, as well -- it's extremely thin, with rounded corners and a border running around the entire perimeter, pressing up against the slightly convex textured aluminum rear. A small back facing cam sits on the top. Two small speaker grills sit on the bottom of the device, with a SD slot and microUSB port on one of the sides. It's really a terrific industrial design -- this is what those Thrive tablets should have looked like. We asked a Toshiba representative whether the bulky Thrives could peacefully co-exist with this kind of design, and he told us that it can indeed, as more of a budget alternative to these high end devices. The 13-inch tablet features a similar design, albeit much larger. Like the 7.7, it feels relatively light for its size, but there's just no way to hold a tablet that size in one hand. It really is extremely thin for a tablet of that size, as well. The company tells us that the slate it is intended for families, and really, at this size, it does feel a bit like a small TV. Check out a video of the devices after the break.
Samsung's got a 55-inch Super OLED TV of its own, coming in the second half of 2012
We're seated here at Samsung's 2012 CES press event, and the company just revealed that it'll be matching rival LG's 55-inch OLED TV... when a 55-inch OLED TV of its own. Not surprisingly, the outfit's trumpeting its terrific color reproduction, the virtual absence of motion blur and face recognition. Sadly, there's not even a model number to mark down, and a price estimate should be even harder to find. It is, however, expected to ship in the latter half of 2012. There's no color filter needed here, either, as the self-emitting RGB sub-pixels take care of themselves; since light output on the Super OLED is controlled on a pixel-to-pixel basis, you can rest assured that your blacks will be deep and your whites bright. Other specs include a dual-core processor and 3D support. We'll be doing everything we can to get a peek at one, so keep it locked for more as we heard it. Update: Check out our eyes-on video here
Sony quits OLED TV in the consumer market, we quietly shelve hopes for the XEL-2
Hope you're in the mood to pour one out, because the Daily Yomiuri Online has just confirmed that Sony is giving up the OLED TV in its consumer business. According to the report, it has discontinued production of OLED TV sets for the mainstream market, and while it'll continue selling 'em to its corporate clients, it'll concentrate the home-use TV portion on LCD models. For historians in attendance, they'll no doubt (fondly) recall the XEL-1 -- a devilishly thin personal OLED TV that never stood a chance at filling anything other than a luxury niche. The same sect will also remember that it discontinued OLED TV sales domestically back in 2010, but exports to America and Europe continued up until now. The real question? Whether or not those rollable OLEDs are still getting researched in a Sony lab; the futurist in us can only pray so.
LG's 55-inch 'world's largest' OLED HDTV panel is official, coming to CES 2012
We only have a few more days left until the festivities truly kick off at CES 2012 in Las Vegas, but LG has already tipped its hand with a press release promising the "world's largest" OLED panel for the show. We've seen smaller screens from LG before and it had already promised a 55-inch OLED HDTV for mid-2012, so this news is just another sign the company is ready to take its technology mainstream. LG's tech uses white OLEDs overlaid with colors, which it claims makes for a lower error rate and clearer "ultra definition" screen, with more colors than standard LCDs. Check after the break for one more promo pic of LG's super skinny 5mm prototype, we'll get a better look at it (and the inevitable competition from Korean rival Samsung) at the company's booth January 9th.
Dell Streak Pro D43 launched in China, where Yi shall find some Baidu love
Just as rumored and teased earlier this week, yesterday Dell unveiled the world's first Baidu Yi-powered smartphone dubbed Streak Pro D43. We won't bore you with the hardware details again (the D43's identical to its Japanese Android counterpart 101DL), but it's worth noting that this dual-core 1.5GHz, quadband HSPA phone focuses on features and services tailored for Chinese users, including some seemingly basic Mandarin voice control (no pressure on Siri just yet), contacts synchronization, Baidu Chinese input, Yi's own app store and 100GB of free cloud storage that supports multimedia upload and secure file sharing. Essentially, the Yi platform's basically just another Chinese bastardized Android OS sans Google services -- much like Alibaba's Aliyun, China Mobile's Ophone and Lenovo's LeOS; but if you already reside in China and are cool with Baidu's offering, then get a Micro SIM ready and look out for a China Unicom deal soon. %Gallery-142261%
Dell's Streak Pro 101DL to become Baidu's first Yi phone, shows up in FCC's database
We already knew that Chinese search giant Baidu's been cosying up to Dell to kick-start its very own smartphone ecosystem dubbed Yi (which means "easy" in Chinese), but so far both parties have been mum on the specifics of the hardware. Thankfully, a lucky lady -- some sort of microblogging goddess on Sina Weibo -- managed to get hold of an engineering sample and was kind enough to share some details. Eagle-eyed readers may recall that this is actually Softbank's upcoming Streak Pro 101DL Android handset, which has also conveniently just showed up in the FCC database with a V04B moniker and 1,700MHz WCDMA radio -- we've attached its FCC label diagram after the break. The specs here match what we've seen before: a 4.3-inch AMOLED 960 x 540 display, Corning glass (presumably Gorilla Glass), dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8260, 8GB of ROM and microSD expansion. For those interested, Tencent Tech has reported that we could see the launch of this phone in China as soon as tomorrow, along with a competitive, unsubsidized price tag of CN¥3,000 (about $475). Well, Yi will sure make a fun playmate for its counterpart from Alibaba -- did you know that Jack Ma once called his Aliyun OS an ugly baby? True story.