projection
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Samsung expects around $7.28 billion in operating profits for Q3, setting another record
Samsung has provided investors guidance ahead of its full Q3 earnings report that's due before October 26th, and as has been the custom, the numbers are huge. It's expecting a fourth straight record quarter with overall operating profit of 8.1 trillion won ($7.28 billion), an amount that would more than double last year's results for the same period and clear Q2s $5.86 billion, all on sales of 52 trillion won ($46 billion). We'll have to wait for the full report to see numbers broken down by department, but it's safe to say that there's a lot of Galaxy S IIIs (it ticked past 20 million last month) adding up to reach that pinnacle. Reuters and Bloomberg have predictions from various analysts on how many handsets, RAM chips and flat-panel HDTVs were sold, but if its legal battle with Apple ends in the worst-case scenario, at least we figure Samsung will have enough left over to keep the lights on.
Colloidal Display uses soap bubbles, ultrasonic waves to form a projection screen (hands-on video)
If you've ever been to an amusement park, you may have noticed ride designers using some non-traditional platforms as projection screens -- the most common example being a steady stream of artificial fog. Projecting onto transparent substances is a different story, however, which made this latest technique a bit baffling to say the least. Colloidal Display, developed by Yoichi Ochiai, Alexis Oyama and Keisuke Toyoshima, uses bubbles as an incredibly thin projection "screen," regulating the substance's properties, such as reflectance, using ultrasonic sound waves from a nearby speaker. The bubble liquid is made from a mixture of sugar, glycerin, soap, surfactant, water and milk, which the designers say is not easily popped. Still, during their SIGGRAPH demo, a motor dunked the wands in the solution and replaced the bubble every few seconds. A standard projector directed at the bubble creates an image, which appears to be floating in the air. And, because the bubbles are transparent, they can be stacked to simulate a 3D image. You can also use the same display to project completely different images that fade in and out of view depending on your angle relative to the bubble. There is a tremendous amount of distortion, however, because the screen used is a liquid that remains in a fluid state. Because of the requirement to constantly refresh the bubbles, and the unstable nature of the screen itself, the project, which is merely a proof of concept, wouldn't be implemented without significant modification. Ultimately, the designers hope to create a film that offers similar transparent properties but with a more solid, permanent composition. For now, you can sneak a peek of the first iteration in our hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-162176%
Samsung expects record earnings for Q2 thanks to all those Galaxy phone sales
Samsung's complete earnings results for the April - June 2012 period won't come out until July 27th, but Reuters reports its early guidance to investors estimates the company's profit at a record 6.7 trillion won ($5.9 billion). That's mostly due to strong sales of the ever-expanding (and increasingly targeted by lawsuits) line of Galaxy smartphones. Sales forecasts are slightly below earlier estimates, and while there's no specific numbers for each division, a Bloomberg breakdown of analyst predictions suggests there should be more good news to go around later this month.
Customer service avatars coming to JFK, La Guardia, Newark airports (video)
When you're running late, you're weighed-down with DIY in-flight entertainment and your gate number gets switched at the last minute, the last thing you need is a real-life human trying to be helpful. The Port Authority knows that, which is why it's promising to install "computerized, hologram-like avatars" in La Guardia, Newark and JFK terminal buildings by early July. The virtual assistants aren't actually holographic -- judging from the video after the break (courtesy of Transportation Nation), they appear to consist of either projected or LCD video displayed on a vaguely human-shaped static board, although given their reported $250,000 price tag we might (hopefully) be missing something. Oh, and they aren't even interactive, unless you try to push them over. [Photo Credit: Jim O'Grady/WNYC]
NVIDIA projects mobile SoC GPU performance to surpass Xbox 360 by 2014
Granted, we hope to see a new Xbox before 2014, but if NVIDIA has its way, mobile devices will have enough graphical prowess to surpass the current generation of gaming consoles by that time. The company brought the smackdown today with a chart that combines both historical and projected data, and while we don't recall NVIDIA exiting the desktop market in 2010, it reinforces the idea that smartphones and tablets of the future may stand as thoroughly enviable gaming devices -- provided that developers are willing to create enough visuals to make these things sing.
Eyes-on Brytewerks Model One high-def projector and HTPC combo
Back in January, we got our first glimpse of BryteWerks' Model One projector, albeit in render form only. Well, today at DEMO, we finally saw the thing in person and uncovered a bit more info about its innards. It still pumps out 11,000 lumens and throws images on the wall in 1920 x 1200 resolution, but it turns out to have a range of Intel silicon at its disposal: everything from a humble 1.6GHz Atom up to a 3.6GHZ Core i7. There are also multiple storage options, as the Model One comes with an Intel 320 SSD (60 or 120GB) -- where the OS resides to ensure super fast boot times -- and up to a 2TB HDD, so you have plenty of room for all your media. Speaking of the OS, it turns out the projector/HTPC has two: a customized version of XBMC and Windows 7, plus a custom GUI (currently in development) to make calibrating the projector dead simple. Because the projector's 1200-watt metal halide bulb generates so much heat, the internal chassis is built of aluminum and houses the components into four individually cooled chambers. That way, all the PC parts can stay cool on the bottom even while the projector's running full bore. We got to see a hand-built prototype in person, and the Model One strikes an imposing, if elegant figure. It's roughly a foot and a half square cube, with a black brushed metal exterior devoid of any branding or other ornamentation, save for the silver ring around the lens. The power, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 and four RCA connections are situated in the black plastic feet to keep cord clutter to a minimum, and the lens up front is magnetically attached to make swapping it out a simple affair. We got to speak with its creator, Justin Evans, about the genesis of the device, and he informed us that he's but a humble filmmaker who's trying to help out independent theaters, film festivals, filmmakers, and consumers. His goal was to create a projector that's both easy to use and cheap as chips (comparatively speaking) to enable film editing on the big screen and make high quality movie projection available to the masses. Given that the Model One is set to start shipping in six to eight weeks at an asking price of $2999, we'd say he's hit the mark -- assuming the image quality is as good as he says it is, and the build quality of the production model's up to snuff, of course. Here's hoping we get to see the thing in action sometime soon.
Flat-panel TV shipments to fall for the first time ever in 2012?
The past fourteen or so years have been a great run for flat-panel TV sales, but according to IHS (formerly iSuppli), that run is finally going to turn in the down direction in 2012. The expected drop off is predicted to be five percent, which still leaves the total TVs sold in 2012 at 37.1 million, more than a few dollars for sure. The fact that last year saw a modest one percent raise is as good of an indicator as any that the good times are over. Of course this is but a single prediction from a single analyst firm and we'll all have to wait until the year is over and earnings are announced to know anything for certain.
Oregon Scientific's Time and Wireless Charging Station+ does what it says
Oregon Scientific isn't usually known for making gadgets that get cozy with phones and whatnot, but this year we'll be seeing some changes. For starters, this Time and Wireless Charging Station+ will be the company's second Qi wireless charging station, and it shares many similarities with its smaller predecessor (which is conveniently dubbed Time & Weather Charging Station): you get a single charging pad along with a monochrome LCD for the time, indoor temperature and outdoor temperature (five channels; one sensor included). Of course, the plus sign in the name means there are some extra goodies, namely a radio-controlled clock, a barometer for weather forecast plus a projector for the time and temperature; but you'll need to pick up your own Qi phone sleeve -- Oregon Scientific sells one for the iPhone 4. Expect to see this clock on the market at some point for around $129.
Sony brings the Holodeck to life, throws in giant sea monsters for free (video)
The Holodeck is real and there's no Lt. Barclay to make things awkward. Using a combination of a Steadicam, multiple EyeToy cameras, PlayStation Move controllers, projection mapping, motion tracking, spandex-clad actors and giant rubber sea monster tentacles, Sony Europe, Studio Output and Marshmallow Laser Feast shot three web videos to highlight the immersiveness of movies rented or purchased from the PlayStation Store. Impressively, the shots rely exclusively on visual tricks, with zero editing or postproduction work. Is this the future? See for yourself after the break and relive the joy of the Holodeck without having to interrupt Worf from one of his weird workout routines.
Wolfram Alpha search engine now tracks flight paths, trajectory information
If you've ever looked up in the sky and wondered where a plane might be headed, Wolfram Alpha might just know the answer. The search engine, which recently began incorporating data from the FAA can now, with a five-minute delay from real-time data, use a flight's speed, heading and altitude to offer a projection of a plane's position. A search for 'flights overhead' via the Wolfram Alpha web site or app will use your location to pinpoint flights that should be visible to you. That string currently only works if the flight has at least one endpoint in the United States, so tracking international flights might be limited. Even so, this should allow you to look up flight delays, check when the next flight will be, see a cool interactive sky map and track a specific flight, of course. You'll have no valid excuse for being late to pick a friend up from the airport ever again.
Nintendo posts first half loss in earnings report, slashes forecast yet again
Nintendo's latest earnings report may be one of its most forgettable. The company posted a net loss of ¥70.27 billion ($923 million) this morning, in a report covering the first six months of the fiscal year ending on September 30th. That's significantly deeper than the ¥2.01 billion loss Nintendo posted during the same period last year, though Nintendo attributed the result, in part, to a strengthened yen and sagging demand for its 3DS console. Revenue, meanwhile, fell by 40.6 percent on the year, to ¥215.74 billion ($2.84 billion), as the manufacturer reported an operating loss of ¥57.34 billion. Things are looking so bleak, in fact, that Nintendo has decided to slash its financial projections yet again, predicting a net loss of ¥20 billion for the full year (ending in March 2012), compared with the ¥20 billion in profits it projected only in July. And, as Bloomberg notes, if these prognostications hold true, it would mark Nintendo's first annual loss in a full 30 years. Ouch. Check out the full report for yourself at the source link, below.
Microsoft patent application details pico projected shared workspace, sounds vaguely familiar
"Combined Surface User Interface" is a cool little patent application filed by Microsoft back in 2010, detailing the creation of a shared workspace stitched together by pico projectors attached to mobile devices. Users can interface with the projected area through motion captured on a camera. If the whole thing sounds a bit familiar, don't worry, you're not crazy. Earlier in the month, a patent application from Apple surfaced carrying the "Projected Display Shared Workspaces" title, detailed a fairly similar scenario. Interestingly, the two applications were filed a week apart, Microsoft's on February 3rd, 2010, and Apple's on February 11th of that year. It's important to note, before jumping to any conclusions, of course, that the granting of patents in a case like this doesn't hinge on the filing date.
Acer lowers forecast for tablet, notebook shipments, blames limping European economy
Acer had high hopes for 2011, but it looks like its expectations may have been a bit too optimistic. Today, the company issued revised forecasts for shipments of its tablet PCs, predicting to move between 2.5 and three million units by year's end -- down from the five to seven million it projected earlier. Acer chairman J.T. Wang expects current quarter notebook shipments to dip by ten percent from their Q1 levels, before stabilizing or slightly increasing during Q3. According to the new-look firm, these downward revisions are largely due to lagging economic growth in Europe, though its Asian and US markets "remain healthy." European inventories are expected to decrease to normal levels by the end of this month, which should allow the company's market share to rebound during the second half of this year. It's certainly not a dire outlook, but it's probably not the start new Corporate President Jim Wong was looking to get off to, either.
ARM hopes to strengthen grip on mobile PCs, take 50 percent of the market by 2015
We've already heard rumors that chip designer ARM has been trying to get its wares into the Macbook Air. While we can't add anything to that particular story, we do have further evidence that ARM is going beyond smartphones and tablets in order to target bigger form factors. The company's president, Tudor Brown, has just appeared at Computex to declare that ARM wants to conquer the "mobile PC market", where the company currently only has a 10 percent share. He's aiming for 15 percent by the end of this year, and an Intel-provoking 50 percent by 2015. "Mobile PC" is a pretty ambiguous category, but we think it's safe to assume the focus is on low- and mid-power netbooks and ultraportables. Such devices could potentially run off ARM's forthcoming multi-core chips -- like perhaps the quad-core beast inside NVIDIA's mind-blowing Kal-El processor, or the more distant Cortex-A15. It's hard to imagine these tablet-centric chips ever competing with Intel's top performers, but four years is a mighty long time in this business.
Sony stands behind its digital projectors, claims the only thing ruining movies is Russell Brand
In case you missed it over the weekend, the Boston Globe published an article stating that the misuse of 3D lenses on Sony 4K projectors is drastically reducing the amount of light and color in digitally projected 2D movies. Sony Digital Cinema has finally responded with a list of "The Facts" that reiterate information some readers have posted in our comments and that we've obtained from individuals working as projectionists. They claim that contrary to the Globe's information, the projector technology used as described isn't to blame for poor picture quality. Notable items on the list are that the Sony system does not alternate between two images rapidly, changing the lens takes less than 20 minutes, the RealD 3D filters only reduce light output by 20% (not 85%), and if the lens can't be changed, then it's still capable of playing back content at 14fl (foot lamberts) which is within the recommended specs for brightness. All of these go directly against information from the original "Deep Focus" source, although it still doesn't explain why they could see such a marked difference between films in the same theater being projected digitally or on film. However, simpler explanations like an old and weakened bulb, a film projector set outside the specs, or unintentional misconfiguration could account for all of that. Until this is sorted, all we can recommend for your summer movie viewing is that if you do see anything out of order, don't let that jumbo tub of popcorn and Icee slow you down -- complain to management loudly and quickly to get the picture fixed. Check after the break for Sony's claims, as well as more detailed information from a projectionist we spoke to that broke down just how the technology works.
Fully working Super8 film projector built totally out of Lego, well almost (video)
Projecting Super8 film is a largely unnecessary hassle these days, but those words are clearly meaningless to camera nut Friedemann Wachsmuth. His painstakingly constructed Lego projector runs at a rickety 24fps without mangling celluloid, and with only the most minor use of non-Lego components (lens, lamp, spindles, bah who's counting?). The contraption serves no purpose other than to hurl photons of pure geek passion at white-ish walls, and previous Lego viewfinders and shutter releases are mere pecks on the cheek by comparison. Turn up your volume before you hit the video because the rattliness of this thing is all part of the love.
Researchers show off DLC projector screen viewable in bright lighting conditions
One of the knocks against projectors has always been that they're not able to perform to their fullest unless the room is completely dark, but that may finally change if some researchers from Japan's Tohoku University have their way. They've developed a projector screen based on Diffused Light Control (or DLC), which allows only the light from the projector to be diffused towards those looking at the screen, while all other ambient light is either absorbed or reflected away. Of course, that doesn't mean the screen is quite ready for your home theater or boardroom. As you can see above, the current screen is made up of small panels that leave some noticeable seams, and it apparently still has considerable trouble in direct sunlight, although the researchers are confident both of those problems can eventually be overcome. Head on past the break to check it out on video.
Kinect + projector = augmented reality fireballs (video)
We've seen fancy augmented reality projection before, but we've rarely been able to take it home -- now, it seems Microsoft's hack-friendly Kinect can bring the same trick to the consumer realm. Elliot Woods took the idea that Kinect can map a three-dimensional space and twisted it to his own devious ends -- that is, throwing traditional Street Fighter fireball blasts, complete with the sound effect. What's impressive here, though, isn't the size of his hadouken, but rather the light it's made of -- each is a virtual dynamic light source casting light on the room's real objects to create virtual shadows on the surfaces that stick out. Sounds lovely, but if you can't wrap your head around all that, you'll find all the hot fireball action you need in the video after the break at roughly the five minute mark.
Microsoft LightSpace brings Surface (plus shadows) to any table (video)
It's hard not to love the crazy stuff happening at Microsoft Research, but it's also hard to imagine when any of it is going to actually start changing the way we interact with our PCs. Surface was bested by SecondLight as the coolest tech we can't buy, and now here comes another successor: LightSpace. This gets rid of the expensive table in favor of a (surely not cheap) series of projectors hanging from the ceiling paired to a 3D camera. The camera detects the relative position of things and instructs a projector to apply a Surface-like interface onto any flat surface. From there a user can literally grab any file they like and carry it over to another surface, where it will be displayed. It's all demonstrated quite handily in the video below, and while the system does look a wee bit rough at the moment, the potential is surely there. Just like it was with SecondLight, and Surface, and Courier...
E Ink begins sampling color and capacitive touch displays, on track for late 2010 launch
E Ink Holdings, the company behind the power-sipping screens contained within Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Readers, is keeping to its schedule for the biggest overhaul of its display technology yet. Color panels are reportedly now sampling out to device vendors and China-based Hanvon has already answered the call -- it promises to deliver color E Ink readers by the end of this year. Two varieties of touchscreens are also being prepared: the first is a capacitive panel to sate the kids' need to flick and swipe everywhere, while the second will include a pen-friendly digitizer that should make annotations a doddle (or should that be a doodle?). Better response times and reflectivity are also being touted, though the big question is obviously when this good stuff will make its way into mainstream devices like the Kindle. If you believe Jeff Bezos, that won't be any time soon.
