| Sony unveils latest HX950 flagship HDTV in Japan with 'Intelligent Peak LED' backlighting Aug 29th 2012, 05:19  While Sony's current lineup of HDTVs has so far topped out with the HX929/920 series that's been kicking around since 2011, in Japan it has just unveiled a new top of the line model: the HX950. Often rumored in the last few months, it's available in 65- or 55-inch varieties and features Sony's now-trademark monolithic style as well as "Intelligent Peak LED" backlighting. Although Sony's brand name for the tech doesn't exactly reveal how it works, information leaks have suggested it is full array LED backlighting and not edge based, although we don't know how many zones (individually controlled light sources) are in play. What we do know, however is that i claims to outperform the LED backlighting in the old 929 quite handily, although we'll let our eyes be the judge of that. It also includes MotionFlow XR960 (800 in the US) motion processing tech that can create 240fps from 60 frames and a glass panel mounted to the LCD itself with a special type of resin designed specifically to reduce glare. Finally, there's also the usual add-ins like 3D and Sony Entertainment Network streaming video. We haven't seen any European or US information for this model yet, although with IFA 2012 under way and CEDIA coming up that may change quickly. Currently pricing in Japan for the 65-inch is expected to be around 650,000 yen or $8,269 when it ships November 10th, but we should mention actual US prices are typically much lower than a direct conversion. Unofficially, one retailer is already listing the 55- and 65-inch models for sale in the US for $3,499 and $5,499, respectively, although we'd take that with a grain of salt until we know for sure. Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD Sony unveils latest HX950 flagship HDTV in Japan with 'Intelligent Peak LED' backlighting originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 01:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  AV Watch | | Email this | Comments | | Seed-sized A*STAR antenna could open the door to 20Gbps wireless Aug 29th 2012, 04:32  Antennas have often capped the potential speed of a wireless link -- the 450Mbps in modern 802.11n WiFi routers is directly linked to the use of a MIMO antenna array to catch signals more effectively, for example. That ceiling is about to get much higher, if A*STAR has anything to say about it. The use of a polymer filling for the gaps instead of air lets the Singapore agency create a 3D, cavity-backed silicon antenna that measures just 0.06 by 0.04 inches, roughly the size of a seed on your hamburger bun, even as it increases the breakneck pace. The new antenna generates a signal 30 times stronger than on-chip rivals at an ultrawideband-grade 135GHz, and musters a theoretical peak speed of 20Gbps -- enough that 802.11ac WiFi's 1.3Gbps drags its heels by comparison. Before we get ahead of ourselves on expecting instant file transfers at short distances, there's the small matter of getting a chip that can use all that bandwidth. Even the 7Gbps of WiGig wouldn't saturate the antenna, after all. Still, knowing that A*STAR sees "immense commercial potential" in its tiny device hints that wireless data might eventually blow past faster wired standards like Thunderbolt. Filed under: Wireless, Networking, Alt Seed-sized A*STAR antenna could open the door to 20Gbps wireless originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Phys.org |  A*STAR (PDF) | Email this | Comments | | Sharp reports 2,000 job cuts in Japan, more changes expected Aug 29th 2012, 03:47  There was little doubt jobs would be on the line after Sharp's significant Q1 losses, but now it's official. Following a board meeting today, the company has joined the likes of RIM, Sony and HP, announcing the "voluntary retirement" of around 2,000 staff in Japan before the year's out. The layoffs are part of a wider, textbook reorganization plan, and are expected to cost a sizeable 27 billion yen (approximately $344 million). Neither figure is set in stone, however, so when everything is finalized we could see more jobs impacted and those costs soar. Whether this puts off potential investment from Hon Hai Precision Industry is unknown, but while Sharp's TVs get ever bigger, its wallet continues to get thinner. Filed under: Misc Sharp reports 2,000 job cuts in Japan, more changes expected originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 23:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink AV Watch | Sharp | Email this | Comments | |
