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Samsung to break ground on yet another LCD plant
Hey, someone has to take care of Planet Earth's insatiable appetite for LCD, right? Samsung is once again looking to expand its LCD manufacturing operations in China, this time by investing around $500 million to erect a new facility for cranking out the seemingly successful 82-inch panel (among others). Reportedly, the plant will eventually be used to pump out 40-, 46-, 57-, 70- and 82-inch LCD panels in order to "satisfy the robust market requirement," but there's no word given on how soon product will start to ship from its doors.
Conceptual artificial plant enables you to practice before slaying flora
C'mon, we know there are a few of you out there who couldn't keep a potted plant alive if a botanist was holding your hand, but there's hope for you all yet. At least, there is if QianJun Gao's masterpiece ever makes it past the drawing board. This eloquently dubbed Practice Plant features a trio of "flowers" that display barometric readings and turn colors depending on status, and the surrounding leaves will droop to signify their need for attention. Thankfully, even the brownest of thumbs could always restart this puppy and try again, and with enough trial runs, maybe one day those hanging baskets wouldn't sway out of your way as you waltz by.[Via YankoDesign]
Capcom thanks fans for buying Okami
If you've preordered Okami (from the Capcom Store, that is), Capcom has gone out of its way to reward your loyalty. You can expect some goodies in the mail soon (you lucky dogs), including a thank-you card embedded with seeds. That means you can either save the card in a shoebox full of mementos from your fondest Capcom memories (with "Mr." or "Mrs. Capcom" written on the lid), or actually plant the card and watch it grow.You will have something nice to save though -- mainly, the sweet Amaterasu postage stamp on the envelope. Lastly, the company will also be sending you a coupon code for free shipping on a future purchase. Well done, Capcom! What a great way to show appreciation for your fans.[Via Kotaku]
Sony ups the investment in Blu-ray
Talk about a war chest! Coming off the Blu-ray win in the format war, Sony has announced plans to invest more than $100 million in its Terre Haute, IN plant. The facility is used for Blu-ray disc production, and Sony is budgeting for at least 65 more workers, $101 million in new equipment and $7.4 million in property improvements. The plant is mostly staffed by hourly workers, but Sony plans on 15 of those 65 positions to be salaried. The old adage about "spending money to make money" is true, and at this point we're not going to bother with asking whether the money was freed up from the format war or not. All we ask is that the increased Blu-ray disc production capacity helps move titles from the Sony archive to store shelves!
DIY kit lets houseplants Twitter when they need water
Finally, your mind-exploding, breakdown-inducing struggle to keep your houseplants watered regularly is getting a little help. A group called Botanicalls has come up with a method to monitor your plants remotely, then be Twittered when they need some water. Taking a slightly different direction than the ThirstyLight, the system is based around the popular (and versatile) Arduino board, which is combined with a DIY moisture sensor, and a small piece of code that will alert you when your greenery is starting to need a drink. Look, we'll be honest with you: it's a pretty complicated process to go through just to figure out when your plants need water, but if you're as serious about flora as we think you are, this will be a dream come true.[Via Make]
AU Optronics pledges $9.3 billion to build two LCD factories
Call us crazy, but we're sensing a trend here. Just months after Samsung announced its intentions to expand an 8G LCD plant and merely hours after Matsushita trumpeted plans to spend $2.8 billion on constructing a new LCD factory of its own in Japan, along comes word that AU Optronics is following suit. This firm, however, is busting out a whopping $9.3 billion in order to erect two facilities "to meet demand for large-sized LCD TVs." Reportedly, one of the buildings will be situated in Taichung, Taiwan, and while it has yet to decide whether it will build 8.5G factories or ones that are even more advanced, we've got all ideas it will have orders lined up from day one, regardless.[Via Widescreen Review, image courtesy of FTIS]
ThirstyLight keeps watch on plants so you don't have to
While it won't keep watch on your plants and water them like some devices we've seen, the so-called ThirstyLight will at least handle one part of that equation, with it sending out a signal in the form of a blinkin' LED light when your plants' soil gets dry. That's handled by a "Drypoint Digital Circuit," which checks moisture levels once per second and is able to discern between five different levels of dryness (relayed to you by blinking patterns of increasing urgency). If that sounds like the solution to your plant problems, you can pick one up now for $10, or get 'em in bundles of three, six, or twelve at a discount.
Reuters: Sony in talks to sell chip manufacturing to Toshiba
Reuters is reporting that a Sony is in talks to sell its chip production facilities to Toshiba, according to "sources close to the matter." The 100 billion yen (about $870 million) deal is reportedly set to finish in a few months and will include the lines for Sony's PS3-powering Cell processor.Does this mean Sony is giving up on its much-hyped computer-on-a-chip? Not likely -- Reuters says any deal would probably include a Sony/Toshiba joint venture to ensure a steady supply of Cells for Sony systems. The transfer of ownership would provide a cash influx for Sony and probably help Sony cut overhead costs related to staffing and upkeep at the plants.The move isn't totally out of left field for Toshiba, which helped in the development of the Cell chip along with Sony and IBM and has expressed interest in using the Cell in non-gaming devices
Super bio-tech "mobile phone plant strap" peeped
We've all seen the standard teddy bear, Pikachu, and flashlight fobs, but they're all dead boring compared to this little life in vitro idea. Strapya-World, purveyors of all manner of straps and charms sell these small plants-in-a-jar in either pink or blue "bio-tech fertilizer" for just $9. The vial is sealed up tight so there is really nothing to do to take care of it, but hang it off your mobile and watch the natural magic happen. Of course, you know somebody will crack it open and plant something else in there, we'll be waiting to post that up in the coming weeks or months.[Via GearFuse]
The plant has his time
We've played through enough Super Mario Bros. games to have learned that no pipe should be approached without caution. After a lifetime of suffering piranha plant attacks, always at the least opportune moments, we've trained ourselves to scrutinize every green tube before hopping over it. We'll sit there for up to two minutes, staking out the pipe to make sure there isn't a hidden fly trap hoping to dupe us with its delayed pattern. Sometimes, we'll even see their eyes poking out, anxious to see why we haven't jumped yet.These guys seem to pop up everywhere! In addition to their appearances in almost every Mario-related title over the past two decades, the piranha plants extended their roots to Tetris Attack and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening! They've also been spotted in last Wednesday's Extra Life comic, illustrated by the always-awesome Scott Johnson. It's a predictable punchline, but no less hilarious because of it. We implore you to check it out!
Green Light device purifies air using plantlife
The days of using energy-hogging machines to purify your household air are all but over, at least if Natalie Jeremijenko, Amelia Amon, and Will Kavesh of the Experimental Design Lab have anything to say about it. The Green Light device is a nature lover's dream come true, as it melds LED lighting with "indoor air purification using living plants" in order to pull triple duty as a "chandelier, terrarium, and air filter." The useful creation is slated to be on display at the HauteGreen 2007 expo in New York, and considering that the "entire system is designed with products and parts that are both recycled and recyclable," we'd say it should fit right in.
Wi-Aquarium: the WiFi-enabled fish tank
We've seen everything from WiFi-enabled PMPs, robots, and even gardens, but a recent creation showcased at the Embedded Systems Conference in California took remote access abilities underwater. While not as profound as a bay-patrolling nuke detector, Lantronix's Wi-Aquarium was able to grab the bronze for its snazzy internet-enabled fish tank, which reportedly "allows users to remotely control and monitor their aquarium anytime from anywhere in the world." Moreover, users can login and keep an eye on the situation via webcam, and they can even dictate the water temperature, lights, and filter from afar. The standout feature, however, is the ingrained ability of the tank to send the owner emails containing status reports of several key metrics, which should certainly keep you connected to your sea-dwelling pets no matter your location. Now this is what Tamagotchi should have been from the start, eh?[Via The Raw Feed]
Asahi Kasei unveils singing Rain Sensor flower
We've got flowers that have seen fire, and now we're seeing ones that brave the rain, as Asahi Kasei's plainly-named Rain Sensor spends (quite literally) half its time perched outdoors awaiting those sprinkles. As you might expect, this two-part device consists of a mountable rain sensor that resides outside and connects wirelessly to the indoor monitor in order to alert you when it begins to drizzle. Presumably aimed at those who frequently leave their car windows down or wet clothes on the line, this little fella belts out a friendly jingle whenever its drop-sensing partner feels the water. Although there's always the "look out the window" approach, this device does indeed save you from focusing intently on what's happening outside in order to determine precisely when the first drop falls, but even if it doesn't seem worth the ¥3,980 ($33) asking price to you, be sure to click on through for a live demonstration anyway.[Via Plastic Bamboo]
Talkative Communication Flower adds character to your plants
For those who are (understandably) strapped for cash, but have a hankering for a talkative robot to befriend them, E-Revolution's latest creation is just the thing. While it's certainly not a voice-activated R2-D2, nor a channel-flipping R100, the Communication Flower pulls double duty by sprucing up your living room and adding a bit of chatter to break up the depressing silence. Although you can't wirelessly cater to its every need, this device sports a colorful motif and packs an integrated speaker to randomly belt out "200 words and phrases" whenever you speak to or touch the connected bouquet. Although we aren't sure how quickly the novelty factor would wear off (or how repetitive it's bound to become), the Communication Flower can be picked up next month for ¥4,179 ($36).[Via Akihabara News]
Syntax-Brillian opens Chinese LCD plant
Syntax-Brillian opened a new 30,000-square foot LCD plant in Nanjing, China on Friday, which is expected to produce 300,000 units anually. The displays will be sold in the Chinese market at five major consumer electronics resellers on the Chinese coast, with additional capacity for the US and Canadian markets. Olevia-branded LCDs from Syntax-Brillian have entered the market fairly well, growing from a relatively unknown brand to the top three in the 25- to 29-inch category, and in the top ten for 35- to 39-inch displays.
IFA 2006: Sharp already planning new LCD plant in 2009
No one likes an overachiever...unless that overachiever is Sharp and their apparent fixation is making bigger, cheaper, better Aquos LCD HDTVs, because we like them just fine and want them to keep up the good work. The 1080p Aquos LCDs announced earlier in Japan and the US just aren't well enough left alone, President Katsuhiko Machida sees demand doubling what it is now, by the spring of 2009. They don't know what size panel it will target, depending on what is most needed by the market then, but they won't be caught slipping again.
The Herbi Smart Hydroponic Garden: Life support for plants
Keeping a plant alive should be simple for responsible adults such as ourselves, but one look at the greenhouse graveyard on our windowsill would suggest otherwise. Luckily, the Herbi Smart Hydroponic Garden knows exactly what your plants are craving, thus eliminating the guess work involved with feeding and watering. The device measures water levels, PH levels and nutrients in the soil of up to six attachable "silos" that can house just about any kind of household plant or herb you can throw at them. You can add supplies (water, fertilizer, etc.) to the device that will automatcially be distrubuted to the plants for up to a month. When something is running low an icon is lit up by a blue LED, letting you know exactly what you need to add in order to keep your plant from turning into compost prematurely. No word on pricing or availability yet, but we're hoping, for the sake of our wilting basil, that it's easier to get a hold of one of these than it was the elusive RFID-enable herbarium from Philips.
