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LG ST600 Smart TV Upgrader, new Magic Remote eyes-on at CES
We took a closer look at the new LG ST600 Smart TV Upgrader after LG's CES 2011 press event, and while we weren't allowed to handle it for as long as we would've liked, we did manage to snag a few brief impressions. The box is designed to provide consumers with older TVs access to LG's latest SmartTV functions using just an HDMI link. Size-wise, the set-top box seems close to the Apple TV, although it's clearly chunkier. In terms of connections, we spotted an HDMI and Ethernet port in the rear, with at least one USB port on the side. As the image shows, LG's upgraded Magic Remote was also present -- though it's not compatible with this box due to a lack of integrated motion controls. The new wand will ship with LG's latest Smart TVs, and has a more rounded form factor than its predecessor. The enter button was also swapped out for a more prominent Home button. LG is really touting the device as a simpler way to navigate through an ever-growing list of TV extras, but we can't help thinking it's just a streamlined Wiimote. %Gallery-112715%
The Nexus S: a closer look
Google CEO Eric Schmidt showed the world the Nexus S from a distance just a little while ago, but we knew you'd want more, and so we managed to convince the man to show us the device in person just a few minutes ago. What should you know about the heir apparent to the Nexus One? Well, it's exceptionally thin -- we weren't able to compare, but we'd say it's at least comparable with an iPhone 4 if not slimmer still -- and it's thinner in the middle than at either end, giving it a mildly concave profile. There's a glossy plastic bezel up front housing an AMOLED screen, a pair of discrete volume buttons on the left side, and a black plastic back (textured similarly to the BlackBerry Bold, though patchier) which seemed too roughly manufactured to be anything but a prototype. We saw the handset for all of three seconds and weren't able to snap a single picture nor touch it for ourselves, but as Schmidt walked away he left us with one last lingering look at Gingerbread -- the screen shutting off. When he pressed the power button, the image winked out like an old CRT TV, an animation which you'll see a carbon copy of right after the break. %Gallery-107479%
Hitachi's MEMS display: big aspirations in a little prototype
We know the following to be true: microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology can foster some very inventive gadgetry, and it's a wonderful four-turn, 45-point Scrabble word (barring special tiles and presuming an abnormally-large board). That said, the MEMS display sector is still quite small and still a ways from reaching the market (hello, Mirasol), which makes every appearance a bit more interesting than the last. Hitachi's little showing caused quite the crowds at its CEATEC booth, with a pair of 2.5-inch QVGA prototypes built using Pixtronix's PerfectLight MEMS display tech within a LCD infrastructure. The color came through on the first screen, and animations was fairly fluid (with the exception of one or two brief moments of lag). The other display on hand was monochrome with a backlight that flickered on and off as a generic desk lamp shone directly onto it. It was still legible enough without the backlight, but it definitely took some straining. Pixtronix is promising 24-bit color depth, 170-degree viewing angles, and a 75 percent power reduction over equivalent LCD displays. As for Hitachi, the company reportedly plans to release displays in the 10-inch and under market by early 2012 -- so yes, in case you were wondering, these'll be back for next CEATEC, too. Enjoy the pictures below, so you have something to look back on. %Gallery-104599%
Hitachi's 6.6-inch / 302ppi IPS panel gets eyes-on treatment, locks eyes with iPhone 4's retina display
Perhaps our eyes are just too untrained for such tasks, but we didn't much miss the 24ppi or so difference between the iPhone 4's retina display (326 ppi) and Hitachi's 6.6-inch IPS panel (302 ppi). The CEATEC prototype panel is just gorgeous and crystal clear (as much as Shakespeare and Kanji-laden articles can be, at least). Unfortunately, we couldn't find anyone to answer our questions as to when it might hit mass production, so for now, just enjoy the view. %Gallery-104498%
Minox PX3D concept camera eyes-on at Photokina 2010
It took us a solid nine minutes of gawking at Minox's gilded DCC 5.1 in order to push through and locate the PX3D that premiered here at Photokina, but sadly, little was available other than the opportunity to snag a few glamor shots. The general idea is that this cutesy pocket camera will one day hit the market and capture 3D images that can then be viewed on-screen without 3D glasses. We're still under the impression that a parallax barrier panel will be required in order to witness the magic, but it's all still a mystery for now. It's still the most curious looking 3D camera that we've seen to date, so you can bet we'll be keeping you in the loop as this thing slowly crawls from prototype to profit maker. %Gallery-103099%
Intel's Sandy Bridge, eyes-on
This is Intel's Sandy Bridge -- the actual silicon itself. And if you think about what the previous generation of Core processors looked like under their heatspreader hoods, that internal codename actually makes a good bit of sense now. But we're sure you'd rather know what's inside. To that end, you'll find a handy diagram right after the break.
LG LEX8 'Nano LED' TV eyes-on
While we admire the impulse to best your South Korean neighbor and build the world's thinnest X (in this case, the world's thinnest full LED LCD TV bezel), you can't help but notice the base at the bottom where all the components that used to be in the back have been crammed seems to grow ever larger with each passing tradeshow. Still, LG's LEX8 8.8mm thick LCD is impressively thin and the picture quality, thanks to that localized "Nano LED" dimming, is stellar. Hit up the gallery for a requisite thickness comparo with an iPhone -- next year we're just gonna pack some razor blades for comparison shots. %Gallery-101370%
LG's 31-inch OLED spin-slices its way into our cold LCD hearts
Yeah, we spied a few of LG's new 31-inch, 2.9mm thick displays the other day, but we hadn't seen the standard TV-like configurations -- which don't mean too much, because this is still a prototype, but they're a comfort all the same. We also managed to peep a 3D setup with the screens, which used polarized glasses and was surprisingly sharp. We promised ourselves it would just be a quick look, and that we had important things to do today, and that we really don't need a new TV all that much... but three hours later we found ourselves still planted in the same spot, a small trickle of drool dripping all over our camera gear. When we finally managed to snap out of it, we clicked a few stills and grabbed a video of one of the screens spinning before running out of the LG booth with our eyes shut tight and desire still raging in our heart. %Gallery-101259%
TV Ears TV ears-on: it could save your marriage
You know how much we love gadgets, right? With gadgets like the TV Ears TV, our love is easily recognizable. We had a chance to go ears and eyes on with the rig at CES. Wearing the dangling headset wasn't like walking on a cloud, but the volume was easily adjustable using the chin strap. We didn't get a chance to try out the Jitter-Bug-esque remote, but we're guessing that using the dongle is a walk in the park. Although it might not be your cup of tea, if you get a senior discount at the movies this might just be for you. %Gallery-82522%
Samsung 9000 series LED LCD TV eyes-on (video)
Right in the middle of Samsung's CES front garden were these gorgeous ultra-slim LED LCD TVs, dubbed the 9000 series and comes with a fancy remote controller which we saw earlier. Even with a pencil stuck to the side it's hard to appreciate how thin it really is, so we've got you lovely peeps a video (including a pan scan of the booth front) and a couple more photos after the break. You're welcome.
Sony OLED 3D TV eyes-on
Hey! Don't run away just because this here display has 3D in its name -- it's optional don't you know. Sony is showing off its 24.5-inch OLED television here at CES, and we have to admit to being blown away once more by the sheer vibrancy and clarity of the output. The jump from the 15-inch panels that are still very sparsely available in retail channels is most welcome. We can totally envision spending our happily ever after with one of these screens serving all of our visual needs, 3D or otherwise. Sony's reps couldn't tell us when these will make it to market, but the pics below should whet appetites appropriately. %Gallery-82050%
Eyes-on with Intel's Pine Trail CPU/GPU hybrid and new Gulftown gaming chip (update)
See that tiny little thing? That's not just a CPU, it's Intel's next-gen Atom Pine Trail CPU / GPU hybrid, and it's set to pop in all sorts of devices here at IDF. Intel was demoing it in a nettop running 480p video, but they assured us it was capable of 1080p playback -- we'll believe it when we see it, obviously. Also on display here at IDF: demo machines running 32nm Arrandale chips, with Intel's Clear HD video playback system, and the next-gen Gulftown gaming chip, which has six cores and will slot right into your X58 mobo to provide more power than you possibly need sometime next year. Check it all in the gallery! Update: So the first Intel rep we spoke to was a little confused -- Pine Trail only supports 480p playback, although it can apparently do 720p if pushed. Native HD isn't on Intel's roadmap until the next generation of these chips, so If you want HD right now, Intel's pointing manufacturers to the Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator, which usually ends up costing about $30 extra at retail. So to recap: Intel's integrating graphics into its CPU dies, but in order to play back HD content, you still need a separate video processor to handle the decoding. How very efficient. %Gallery-73726%
Video: ATI Radeon Eyefinity eyes-on, featuring Left 4 Dead on a 175-inch display
Vision rebranding wasn't AMD's only big unveil yesterday, as the company had on display a number of different stations for its ATI Radeon Eyefinity technology. Sure, there's three-monitor Google Earth and airbrushing, but the real kicker, in case you doubted earlier claims that playing Left 4 Dead on three 30-inch screens "absolutely changes the experience for the better," is footage of the game being playing on a 175-inch display, comprised of six HD projectors and boasting 5,500 x 2,000 pixel resolution. Sure, it's not the greatest gaming screen we've seen, but short of having access to your own football stadium, it's mighty impressive. See for yourself after the break.
Samsung's NX camera due for late 2009 or early 2010, uses proprietary lens system
Samsung has teased us like this before, stuffing the NX body under glass at tradeshows, letting it sit there being all DSLR-ey, but more details are beginning to trickle out about the camera here at IFA. As reported by PhotographyBLOG and confirmed to us on the show floor by Samsung, the camera is due to be launched by the end of the year or early next year. Like has been said before, the camera has an interchangeable lens systems, but Samsung also informed us specifically that the lenses will not be interoperable with other camera systems. In a way it makes sense, because the camera is much larger than a micro four thirds camera, but different in build than a regular DSLR -- though it houses a regular APS-C sensor. Still, it's a hassle, and we'll have to see if the blend of electronic viewfinder and regular-sized sensor offer a compelling enough alternative to embark upon a whole new lens system adventure.
Eyes-on Panasonic's Full HD 3D plasma and Blu-ray combo
We just got a real eyeful of 3D, courtesy of Panasonic's upcoming 1080p plasma and Blu-ray 3D setup. The system uses synced shutters, and was easily some of the best "consumer" 3D we've seen -- almost on par with a theater experience, other than the fact that the screen was a whole lot smaller, at 103-inches. Unfortunately, while Panasonic is heavily touting 3D at IFA this year, just as Sony did at its own presser, there isn't much hard news to show for it. The plasma and Blu-ray combo was actually announced a full year ago, and the only word we have on release at the moment is "next year." Obviously, readily available 3D content plays a big part in this, and we get the impression that Avatar is syncing up nicely to be available on some sort of 3D home video format by the time it's ready for a disc release -- we've certainly seen enough teaser clips and trailers of it by now, anyway. To be honest, the 3D setup was seamless enough in our demo room that sometimes it hardly felt 3D. Avatar was especially "shallow" on the 3D scale (no pictures were allowed of the presentation, not that they would help), and we've yet to see anything mindblowing on that end. If anything, Panasonic's presentation was more an opportunity to be "blown away" by the company's awesome PowerPoint skills, if anything, so feel free to follow along in the gallery below.
Samsung's Blue Earth is saving the world from behind glass
The entirety of civilization seems fairly well and dedicated to one-upping each other in the "green" department, and Samsung is looking to up the ante once again by stating that "blue is the new green" and putting out the new Blue Earth solar phone to prove it. Sadly, the Blue Earth isn't quite ready to go -- currently it's only to be seen in non-working mockup form, though the hardware is certainly looking good. Samsung's showing off its eco-packaging and built-in energy-saving functionality, including an "Eco Walk" function to let you know how many trees you save by walking places. The phone itself is built from castor bean extract and recycled plastic, and Samsung claims the integrated solar panel saves up to 34.6% of the battery's energy. They're also showing off a hand-crank generator, external solar chargers, and even a solar-charged stereo headset. It's clear that Samsung isn't just playing lip service to green (or blue, as the case may be) but at this point in time this technology is likely to act more as a gimmick and promise of things to come than a truly life-changing device.%Gallery-45170%
Huawei's Android touchphone is a mystery wrapped in an enigma
We were really hoping MWC would be Android's coming out party, but while there's a hefty amount of name-dropping at the show, nobody much seems ready to put hardware on the line. And then there's Huawei. We were expecting a handset from them at the show, and they're halfway there, announcing an Android phone, but only bringing a non-working prototype to show for it. The touchphone hardware is decidedly iPhone-esque, and almost seems too button scarce to work with the traditional Android interface, but that's where the rest of the story comes in: Huawei is working with an "established design consultancy" to develop its own custom interface for the device. The as-yet unnamed phone will be coming to market in Q3 of this year, and Huawei is currently in talks with a carrier who will rebrand the device -- the lack of finality there left much of the rest of the info on this phone shrouded. We're looking forward to learning more about this device in the coming months, but for now you can check out the tease of a gallery below, and the even less informative press release at the read link below.%Gallery-44904%
Sony Ericsson Idou first eyes-on (Update: now with video!)
Sony Ericsson is only teasing this one from behind glass -- and for good reason, the Idou is far from completion -- but we grabbed a few shots of the handset all the same. Let us tell, it's pretty intimidating staring down a 12 megapixel camera on a phone, but we managed somehow.%Gallery-44768%
Sony's flexible OLED mockups
Sony hasn't gotten very far along with these units -- they're really just plastic shells -- but we like we're they're headed with it. They showed off a full-screen laptop (pictured), bendable e-reader, and Walkman bracelet concepts, all based around flexible OLED technology and built with "flexible bioplastics," along with the flexible display that going to power them all when they hit the market... in the year 2000.%Gallery-41877%
Toshiba's DMFC "internet viewer" prototypes are truly next-gen
It's not every day you walk past something quite as striking as Toshiba's new DMFC internet viewer prototypes. Sure, folks like Toshiba and Samsung have been chatting up DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) power technology for ages, but to see it live and in person -- and powering a truly unique form factor -- is quite a treat. Word is these things can last for a week of typical use on one methanol refill, and are running regular old Windows XP. Unfortunately, there's no word on what processing and storage is under the hood or when these will hit the market, or for how much. Basically, Windows 7 is much more likely the OS we'll be seeing on them by the time they're ready to go -- if that ever happens at all, DMFC doesn't have the best track record of actually breaking through the productization stage. Video is after the break, and the gallery includes a couple other Toshiba prototypes.%Gallery-41724%
