Glass
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Corning considers the color of its crystal, chooses TV glass
If you ask folks around Engadget HD to name a luxurious work of art, chances are you'll hear something like "Samsung LN70F91BD." Outside these walls, though, if you ask around a crowd of a more wine-and-cheese bent, you might get a response like "Verre de Soie Steuben Vase." Those two worlds have Corning glass in common, at least for a little while longer. On one hand, Corning is the largest supplier of glass substrates for flat panel displays. On the other, it also has a long history (since 1903) of glass artisanship in its Steuben brand. Times being what they are, though, Steuben is losing money and the flat panel display glass business accounts for about half of the company's sales, with growth expected to rise along with LCD's fortunes. Sadly, Corning is looking at either selling off Steuben or closing it down. We're hoping a buyer is found; as much as we love our TVs, we'd hate to see them associated with the end of artwork we've seen in the Corning Museum of Glass.
Samsung shows off 19-inch Soda-Lime panel
Not to be confused with Samsung's other new 19-incher, the newfangled Soda-Lime LCD panel sports a 1,280 x 1,024 (SXGA) resolution, 1,000:1 contrast ratio and 300 cd/m2 brightness, but it stands out from the posers by utilizing "ordinary window glass that contains sodium to produce the panel." Reportedly, this approach will enable the company to reduce manufacturing costs, and while you may expect this stuff to be miles away from commercialization, it's actually slated to "enter volume production soon" at Sammy's fifth-generation plant. Sadly, there was no word on just how low pricing would go on these new units (nor any indication of an actual ship date), but here's to hoping we see Soda-Lime displays a bit much larger in the not-too-distant future.
Three stories of Mac woe
Maybe there was something about this weekend, but we received not one but three stories of busted Mac stuff in the past few days. Warning, these pictures are pretty graphic, if you consider seeing computers worth thousands of dollars in disrepair graphic.First up, we have Katie W's iPhone vs. Recliner story: She was apparently sitting in her recliner at home watching a movie, and after the movie, couldn't get the footrest to fold back in correctly. After a lot of pushing (and a few sickening crunches and grinds), she got it fixed, but then figured out why it wouldn't close: her iPhone was sitting right on the metal mechanism. And it still worked! Even more unbelievable: apparently Apple hooked her back up with another 8GB iPhone for free. Then there's Nicholas' story-- he works in an Apple store, and says they had a new iMac sitting in the sun for days. He says the glass was superheated, and you can see from the pictures that the screen's color got thrown way off. But he says after putting the iMac away and powered off for about 3 hours, it was back to normal.And finally, Shawn M sent us this forum thread, which is "what happens when you run over a MacBook Pro." Yeah, pretty gruesome. Again, apparently the flatted MBP worked just fine-- only the screen and the SuperDrive had issues. The guy was, however, able to hook it up to a monitor and keyboard and had no problems. Apple didn't treat him so well, however-- they told him it wouldn't be covered and it would cost $900 to fix.Pictures of all the carnage in the gallery below. Take care of your Macs, or this too could happen to you!%Gallery-6149%
iMac design vs. Audi
We've already seen the iPhone's influence on the new iMac, but the Audi? A British ConceptCar site claims the aluminum and glass casing of the new iMac reminded them of another chrome, aluminum and glass design-- that of an Audi. As you can see in the picture above, the comparison kind of works. Kind of. I especially like the coloring on the windshield.I really doubt the iMac's design was directly inspired by the car-- I don't see Apple designers sitting around a table while one of them looks out the window and is suddenly inspired by something he sees driving past. Rather, my guess is, as ConceptCar says, that they're both headed towards the same things: form mixed with function, and grace mixed with power.But then again, who knows what inspired Apple to make that logo black? The iMac certainly costs about as much as my first car did.Thanks, Christian!
Apple announces new iMacs with aluminum enclosure, glass displays
Well the rumors that date all the way back to May were true - today Apple announced a redesigned, cheaper iMac and the loss of the 17-inch model. Let us all take a moment of silence for our fallen comrade.Now that that's over, let's get to the good stuff. The new iMac tosses aside the old 'n busted plastic and LCD design for two of Apple's increasingly favorite materials: aluminum and glass (Exhibit A: the iPhone). Steve says customers absolutely love the glass and glossy displays, so the new iMac now continues the trend. With the loss of the 17-inch, however, the lineup has been slimmed down to two primary model sizes: a 20-inch now starting at $1199, and a 24-inch at $1799. For their respective sizes, this is a price drop of $200 across the board, but this now means that the barrier to entry for the iMac lineup has actually risen by $200.The new models, their features and prices are as follows: 20-inch introductory iMac: 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 250 GB SATA Hard Drive, 8x SuperDrive, ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT video card - $1199 20-inch mid-level iMac: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 320 GB SATA Hard Drive, 8x SuperDrive, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro video card - $1499 24-inch top line iMac: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 320 GB SATA Hard Drive, 8x SuperDrive, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro video card - $1799 [Update: Wow, now that I can finally get into the store (barely), I can confirm commenters are right: there is a 4th iMac at the top of the line offering a 24-inch display, 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM and a 500GB SATA Hard Drive for $2299.]All new iMacs feature that fancy, 0.33-inch keyboard that was leaked not long ago, and all models are available and shipping immediately. Ladies and gentlemen, you may now let the credit cards fly!
iPhone to feature eight hours of talk, new glass surface
Apple's tooting its own horn about some new spec upgrades to its imminent iPhone. No, it's not 3G, GPS or anything crazy like that, but we'll settle for a battery life upgrade anytime, and screen durability doesn't hurt neither. Apple claims that its preliminary estimates of 5 hours of talk time, internet use and video playback were a tad conservative, and the iPhone instead will be boasting of 8 hours of chatting, 6 hours of internet and 7 hours of video. Audio playback has been boosted from 16 to 24 hours, and standby is at a welcome 250 hours. Of course, Apple does have tendency to exaggerate slightly on the battery life front, but these are promising figures, and should manage to provide a day or two's worth of solid use out of the thing. On the screen side, Apple has upgraded the original plastic surface of the phone to some "optical-quality glass" to improve scratch resistance and clarity. Check after the break for a handy battery life chart.Update: Not sure how we missed this little snafu, but no Apple, you aren't the only one on that chart with WiFi. Update to update: Apple updated the WiFi on that chart, so it looks like that's sorted.
Apple announces iPhone now delivers up to 8 hours of talk time, new glass display
Talk about last minute upgrades: In a press release today, Apple has revealed a number of significant upgrades to both the iPhone's battery life and touch screen. Instead of what I believe was around 5 hours of video/talk and 16 hours of audio playback, Apple has updated the iPhone's battery life rating to the following numbers: up to 8 hours talk time, a whopping 250 hours of standby (over 10 days), 6 hours of internet use, 7 hours of video playback and 24 hours of audio playback. Of course, just like any other mobile phone, these numbers can vary depending on various factors like intermittent use and network configuration (whether features like Wi-Fi or the speakerphone are enabled, etc.). In addition, Apple has changed the spec of the original 3.5" plastic surface of the iPhone to "optical-quality" glass, which should bring some smiles to those who were concerned about the durability of the phone's primary feature and user interface.This is quite the update to drop on anxious customers less than two weeks from launch. I can only wonder what other tricks and unknown or upgraded features (PUSH email? HSPDA instead of EDGE?) Apple could be waiting to announce.Update: Interestingly, this latest press release also mentions the iPhone's pricing - again at $499 and $599 for 4GB and 8GB, respectively - but makes no mention of contracts being involved with those prices. Since Apple dropped the "2-year activation required" language from their ads after originally airing them, this might offer more hope to those who aren't able to renew a contract just yet to get the discounts.Update 2: Commenter Greg points out that Apple's competitive chart shows the Nokia N95 as a no-WiFi device, when it actually does do WiFi. We hope this error will be corrected in short order.
NEC integrates more components into 'system-on-glass' LCDs
NEC's relatively low-key system-on-glass technology is getting a substantial upgrade today, as the company announced that it has "developed an LCD module that incorporates all chips, including the LSI, with memory on the glass substrate." Current LCD modules have the pixel-driving chips right on the glass with LSI / memory embedded on a "separate board and attached to the module," but this new approach enables the firm to cram DRAM, DACs, and other necessary functions onto a polysilicon thin film right on the glass. The prototype device is a 1.1-inch TFT LCD display with 160 x 120 pixels and DRAM that can store a meager 230-kilobytes on data, and while the company is unsurprisingly dubbing it the "world's first" of its kind, the commercial realm won't be seeing an end product for a good "two to three years."[Via Nikkei]
Rinspeed and Bayer develop transparent eXasis vehicle
At last, the long, grueling wait has ended. We now have a transparent vehicle to match those dashing clear polycarbonate rims, as Rinspeed is teaming up with Bayer MaterialScience AG yet again to create another eye-catching vehicle. Just over two years have passed since the two collaborated on the Senso, but now their minds are set on crafting a Makrolon-based whip "with a completely transparent body and floor," and if you can manage to look through over the clearness, you'll notice a compact two-cylinder 750-ccm Weber engine sitting atop the transmission. Additionally, those hoping that this piece of eye candy would be kind to the environment will also be thrilled, as the motor is entirely driven by bioethanol. Once you're seated in the specially-designed Recaro chairs, twin "transparent indicator and function displays" appear to hover on both sides of your field of vision, and touching them opens up a bevy of user-controlled options whilst motoring around. Notably, this outlandish ride has far surpassed the Photoshop stage, and will actually be on display at next month's Geneva Motor Show, and if you're interested in seeing this bad boy in high resolution, be sure to tag the links below and hold on tight.
AIST turns transparent glass into mirrors to conserve energy
We've seen two-way displays and undercover mirrors before, but the latest two-faced invention to come from the depths of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) can pull double duty in regard to purpose and save a little energy in the process. The "switchable glass" has certain reflexive properties created by the twin coatings of "40-nanometer-thick magnesium-titanium alloy, plus a 4-nanometer-thick layer of palladium," which allows for the mirror to become transparent when a small amount of hydrogen is introduced between the two panes. Alternatively, tossing in a bit of oxygen forms a reflecting mirror, allowing users to "switch" the glass by injecting gases. Contrary to other commercialized approaches, this rendition can purportedly result in up to a "30-percent savings in energy costs" by having to run your air conditioner less, but there's still work to be done. Scientists at the AIST are still toiling away as they try to fight the relatively rapid deterioration that occurs from "frequent switching," but if they can add a dash of durability and get the price down to a respectable level, we could all be living in a house of mirrors before too long.[Via PlasticBamboo]
Near-perfect glass CD hits stores in Akihabara, Shibuya for $831
You know how your audiophile friends insist on only the finest media on which to store their music -- forsaking MP3s and the iTunes Store in favor of vinyl or CDs? Well, if those audiophiles have deep pockets (as many of seem to), they'll probably be very interested in this new glass CD that's just come out of Japan. Suenori Fukui has recently invented a transparent glass CD that he says is guaranteed to not distort or warp. As Mainichi Interactive reports: "As glass CDs are completely transparent, information on them can be read perfectly, improving sound quality. They are not affected by heat or humidity and remain in perfect condition forever." The first glass CD recording of J.S. Bach's "Air on G String" (not to be confused with Sebastian Bach's "Show me your g-string," which we really wish existed) will be on sale at Ishimaru Denki in Akihabara and Tower Records in Shibuya for ¥98,700 ($831).[Via The Raw Feed]
Magnify what you're working on with iPiece
For those times when the 6pt type in EULA's just doesn't quite cut it and you literally consider the possibility that your lost car keys could be lying around somewhere on your Desktop, there is iPiece - a magnifying glass for Mac OS X. Double-clicking its icon in the menubar (is that in the HIG's?) opens a magnifying window next to your mouse (fortunately: not right on top of it) and follows it like a hyperactive kitten. Its product page lists uses ranging from adding some legibility to small lists of text on websites to having an extra magnifying trick up your sleeve when editing images. Some of you may prefer Mac OS X's built-in magnifying features, accessible from the Universal Access pane in System Preferences (especially since this feature has keyboard shortcuts; hint-hint, iPiece), so we'll let you decide whether iPiece earns a spot in that menubar.iPiece is a Universal Binary, costs $10 for a license and is available from Old Jewel Software.
Incase releases exclusive New York commemorative case line
iLounge is reporting that Incase has pulled out all their case-making stops and introduced a complete lineup of cases for Apple products that commemorate New York and some of its major landmarks. To top things off, these cases are exclusive to the new 24/7 5th Avenue Apple Store that opened last weekend.The lineup consists of white and black cases for the 5G iPod, iPod nano and MacBook Pro. No word yet on whether Incase has been chosen to create the leather case for the giant glass cube that Dave mentioned yesterday.[image via iLounge]
Japanese researchers invent completely transparent material
In a breakthrough that could benefit fields as diverse as networking, photography, astronomy, and peeping, science-types at Japan's Institute of Physical and Chemical Research have unveiled their prototype of a glass-like material that they claim to be 100% transparent. Unlike normal glass, which reflects some of the incoming light, the new so-called metamaterial --composed of a grid of gold or silver nanocoils embedded in a prism-shaped, glass-like material -- uses its unique structural properties to achieve a negative refractive index, or complete transparency. Although currently just a one-off proof-of-concept (pictured, under an electron microscope), mass-produced versions of the new material could improve fiber optic communications, contribute to better telescopes and cameras, or lead to the development of completely new optical equipment.
Apple store pr0n: a peek at the 5-story Manhattan glass cube
At least one Flickr user, bhaggs, has posted some images that offer a peek at Apple's new commercial monument to itself - the much-anticipated 5-story, all glass, Fifth Avenue Apple Store in Manhattan. As Dave Caolo noted before, construction is still slated to finish in time for the holiday season, so I only have one question: when is Denver going to get their own glass cube, Apple? C'mon, we have like... 1/100th of NY's population![via digg]
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GS debuts under $100
The new NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GS might be geared for Microsoft Vista and it's Glass user interface, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little 1080i high-def fun with it, right? Besides, there aren't too many good HD-capable graphics cards for under a Ben Franklin. Hey, since Franklin's birthday was last week, do you think NVIDIA set the price at a C-Note in honor of Ben? While we're trying to figure that out, let's see $99 gits ya. How about Shader Model 3.0 support (we hear it's better than 5:00 shadow support), high dynamic-ranging (HDR) lighting and NVIDIA's own Turbo-Cache technology. Couple all of that with memory bandwidth of 6.5 GBps and a 2.2 billion pixel fillrate per second and you've got a nice GPU for $99. Watch for this to hit the States next month.
