Friday, April 27, 2012

Your 2 hourly digest for Engadget

Engadget
Engadget
Panasonic teams up with NHK on 145-inch 8K Super Hi-Vision plasma TV
Apr 27th 2012, 12:11

Image

We thought the 8K 85-inch Super Hi-Vision LCD we saw during CES was impressive, but Japanese broadcaster NHK is already looking to surpass that by going even bigger. To that end it worked with Panasonic (above: that's Panasonic's Keishi Kubota on the left, Yoshio Ito of NHK on the right) to create this 145-inch prototype plasma, unveiled today as an example of the kind of displays we can expect to see once broadcasts jump to the higher resolution some day. The world's first self-illuminating Super Hi-Vision TV, it features every pixel of its expected 8K resolution -- 7,680 x 4,320. After working for months on smaller (only 85- or 103-inch) 4K plasmas, the two companies had to come up with an entirely new drive method for the display that works by scanning the pixels vertically to achieve a uniform picture quality. The NHK plans to show off the new display at its open house in May, although we're a bit more interested to see if we can watch the Olympics on it this summer. Check the gallery below for a few more pictures from DigInfo.TV's Ryo Osuga, or hit the more coverage link for a breakdown of the difficulties encountered in building a high resolution display that's this massive.

[Image Credit: Ryo Osuga, DigInfo.TV]

Panasonic teams up with NHK on 145-inch 8K Super Hi-Vision plasma TV originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcePanasonic Japan  | Email this | Comments

Verizon ICS update schedule leaks: Rezound, RAZR and Xoom being tested now
Apr 27th 2012, 11:41

Verizon device updates leak

While there are already vague Android update plans for Verizon-connected Samsung devices, a leaked screen from somewhere within the Big Red bunker has offered up some more details. It looks like the Rezound, Droid RAZR and RAZR Maxx are closest to the upgrade finish-line with testing likely to finish by May 7th for the HTC model and May 17th for the Motorola duo. According to Droid Life, Verizon's Motorola Xoom (you know, the Android tablet) is getting its update direct from Google, but it hasn't been deigned worthy of a concrete release date. A handful of software updates are also pegged for the likes of the Bionic, Thunderbolt, Revolution, Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Xperia Play, but they look likely to be more incremental than outright OS upgrades. For those interested in some new firmware numbers, we've included those update details after the break.

Continue reading Verizon ICS update schedule leaks: Rezound, RAZR and Xoom being tested now

Verizon ICS update schedule leaks: Rezound, RAZR and Xoom being tested now originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceDroid Life  | Email this | Comments

Wolfram Alpha releases first desktop PC app for Windows 7, makes homework even easier
Apr 27th 2012, 11:12

Wolfram Alpha releases first desktop PC app for Windows 7; homework just keeps getting easier

Have a habit of letting Wolfram Alpha do your math for you? Well, say hello to one more tool in your computational arsenal -- the electronic homework lackey self-described knowledge engine is now available as a Windows 7 desktop app for $2.99 at the Intel AppUp store. In addition to providing desktop analytics on the works of the Bard, the Wolfram Alpha app features extended copy / paste support for graphics and queries, a full-screen optimized user interface and a special software keyboard with native support for special characters. If that isn't enough, the company also plans to drop even more knowledge at the AppUp center later this year in the form of "course assistant apps" for such geeky subjects as astronomy, physics and chemistry. Still got queries about the desktop app? Then satiate that thirst for information by imbibing in the PR after the break.

Continue reading Wolfram Alpha releases first desktop PC app for Windows 7, makes homework even easier

Wolfram Alpha releases first desktop PC app for Windows 7, makes homework even easier originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  sourceWolfram Alpha, Intel AppUp  | Email this | Comments

Ikea cardboard digital camera: when Instagram isn't authentic enough
Apr 27th 2012, 10:48

Ikea cardboard digital camera: when Instagram isn't authentic enough

Forget TVs. Want something more whimsical and lo-fi than Instagram? This is a digital camera made of cardboard that Ikea included with its press kit at this year's Milan Design Week. It runs on two AA batteries (Ikea-branded, natch) and features a swing-out USB plug, viewfinder cutout, shutter key and paperclip-friendly erase button. While there are no details on the sensor, lens or storage capacity, the camera holds up to 40 pictures. It's expected to land in Ikea stores at some point but exact pricing and availability are still a mystery. No matter -- this camera is sure to impress hipsters everywhere (and yes, that includes us).

Ikea cardboard digital camera: when Instagram isn't authentic enough originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Inhabitat, Gizmodo  |  sourceFancy  | Email this | Comments

Fujitsu Laboratories wants to take your mobile's 2D videos to another dimension
Apr 27th 2012, 10:32

Fujitsu Laboratories wants to take your mobile's 2D videos to another dimension

Fujitsu Laboratories has developed technology that will let any phone grab pictures and video with some of that third-dimension spice. Using a small attachment with cleverly positioned mirrors, the widget sits atop your phone's plain old 2D camera and breaks the incoming image into two. Once the data has been grabbed, you then send it off to Fujitsu's servers, whereupon it'll be converted into a 3D format. This isn't the first 2D-to-3D idea, but the main advantage, of course, is that your poor phone doesn't have to do all the leg-work -- but it undoubtedly comes at the expense of some quality. The gadget will get properly announced at the IEEE ISCE conference in Harrisburg on June the 4th along with pricing and availability. In the meantime you can step into the Japanese dimension -- i.e. the press release -- below for more info.

Fujitsu Laboratories wants to take your mobile's 2D videos to another dimension originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceFujitsu (Japanese)  | Email this | Comments

Sprint Direct Connect brandishes passport, brings push-to-talk to distant shores
Apr 26th 2012, 23:23

Sprint Direct Connect brandishes passport, brings push-to-talk to distant shores

Although Sprint is winding down iDEN services here in the US, it hasn't turned its back on the technology completely. The nation's third largest wireless carrier has announced a new push-to-talk service offering, dubbed International Direct Connect. The $10 monthly add-on will allow Direct Connect push-to-talk users in the US -- utilizing its CDMA network -- to communicate with iDEN PTT users in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru free of charge. Although not explicitly stated, the aforementioned nations are referred to as "initial" markets, implying that more countries will be added to this list at some point in the future. All the details about the business-focused proposition, along with the press sheet, can be found after the break.

Continue reading Sprint Direct Connect brandishes passport, brings push-to-talk to distant shores

Sprint Direct Connect brandishes passport, brings push-to-talk to distant shores originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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