Samsung: cheap OLED TVs won’t be ready for three to four years
We hope you weren’t counting on OLED TV prices coming down any time soon. Samsung’s HS Kim warns USA Today that affordable OLED sets likely won’t be available for another three to four years — a year or two later than he first expected. Manufacturing troubles are keeping prices high, he says. If it’s any consolation, though, Kim believes that 4K TV will reach the mainstream faster than 1080p. A number of broadcasters plan to jump to the higher resolution this year, and Samsung has a slew of content deals that could encourage some early Ultra HD upgrades.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung
Via: OLED-Display.net
Source: USA Today
CES 2014: NueVue Introduces Antimicrobial Cases for iOS Devices [iOS Blog]
U.K. based company NueVue introduced its line of cases for the iPhone, iPad, and iPad mini at CES 2014, which contain screen-cleaning properties and eliminate up to 99% of bacteria on a device’s surface. The cases themselves come in cotton twill, leather, and canvas variants lined with antimicrobial microfibers licensed from medical company BioCote, and are also anti-static and shock resistant.
Introducing NueVue, a unique and long overdue concept in smartphone and tablet cases. More than just a fun and stylish way to protect your phone or tablet, NueVue cases clean the screen and offer antimicrobial protection, every time you remove the device. Not only is a cleaner screen easier on your eyes, your device stays looking like new – longer.
The introduction of the cases comes as Apple glass supplier Corning announced an antimicrobial version of its Gorilla Glass earlier this week, which incorporate ionic silver into the glass to inhibit growth of bacteria. NueVue’s cases will sell for $49.99 in a variety colors and are expected to be available soon.
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Tesco says 400,000 people have already picked up a Hudl tablet with their groceries
UK supermarket Tesco appears to be on to a winner with its £119 Hudl tablet. After notching 35,000 sales in its first few days on sale, the chain says healthy Christmas demand helped it offload more than 400,000 units in the last three months of 2013. While the figure isn’t likely to have heavily impacted sales of Google or Amazon tablets, it’s a very healthy start for the Hudl, which aims to keep customers locked to the brand by offering grocery orders and movie downloads via its custom apps. With Tesco set to refresh its Hudl lineup later in 2014, its year-end sales undoubtedly prove customers like being able to pick up a low-cost tablet along with their bread and milk.
Source: Tesco News
Lumus turns its military-grade eyewear into a Google Glass competitor (video)
Lumus has long developed heads-up displays for the US military, but now it’s using a developer kit called the DK-40 to bring its HUD tech to wearables outside the battlefield. The contraption’s first stop was the CES show floor, so we couldn’t resist putting our fingerprints all over it. The key feature of the DK-40 is the “optical engine“, which eliminates the need for a thick piece of glass to house a substantially-sized prism. For the most part, the lens is transparent, but refracting light can occasionally catch the prisms and remind you (again) that it’s not run-of-the-mill eyewear. And as if one display wasn’t enough, the firm says it’s possible to add a second one for the left eye. Folks with eyesight issues can attach a pair of prescription lenses that rest on the nose grips, but the firm is also developing a version where the medically-prescribed glass will be bonded to the lenses.
While the general form is reminiscent of Google Glass, Lumus’ design does look more like a traditional set of spectacles. When it comes to tech specs, the device fits a 640 x 480 color display (as opposed to 640 x 360 on Glass), 5MP camera, gyroscope, accelerometer and a compass into a package that’s not much heaver than Google’s wearable. Though the plastic bulge that houses the camera and components is fairly large, the hardware keeps a pretty slick look overall, with a magnesium alloy and plastic build. Just like Glass, the gadget’s battery hangs over a user’s right ear.
As for software, Lumus’ wearable is barebones: it runs Android 4.1.2 with very little — if any — optimizations. There’s no touchpad on the gadget itself, but a companion Android app with a virtual mousepad and menu keys handle navigation. It’s certainly not the ideal way to cruise around a face-worn gadget, but it’s serviceable for a dev kit.
Lumus envisages its hardware will be used in everything from medical to industrial fields, and it also hopes to license the technology behind the lens display to gadget makers who could potentially target consumer applications. Ultimately, the DK-40 is a developer playground. The outfit behind the HUD isn’t disclosing its price, but interested programmers can ask the company directly and grab ahold of it this April.
Filed under: Wearables
BBC rolls out enhanced ‘Red Button’ features to major Smart TVs
The BBC’s Connected Red Button service promised a new level of interactivity when it launched in the UK a year ago, including news and weather overlays, recommended viewing (curated by actual, real-life humans) and alternative streams during live sports events. The downside was that it was originally only available to Virgin TiVo customers, but the Corporation promised to extend it to more platforms and, finally, this seems to be happening. As of today, owners of Samsung and Sony smart TVs should both have access to a beta version of the service when they press the red button on their remotes (although a few Sony-heads may have already noticed this going live just before Christmas), while LG smart TVs are on track to gain access early this year. A long list of compatible devices can be found at the source link below, but there’s still no sign of any standalone Freesat, Freeview or YouView set-top boxes, which were supposed to get improved Red Button access in 2013.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: Connected Red Button TV models
Ivee Sleek is a voice assistant that controls your connected home via WiFi
By this point, most of us are accustomed to being able to talk to our laptops and phones to get them to do what we want (some of the time, at least). Now, Ivee Sleek is here to give you the same control over all those WiFi-equipped lightbulbs, thermostats and door locks we’ve been seeing lately. Sleek looks like a standard alarm clock, but when hooked into your home network it taps AT&T’s Watson voice recognition technology to give you voice control over your abode. It’s not quite natural language speech system, but Ivee’s CEO Jonathon Nostrant informed us that, while direct commands like “make the temperature to 72 degrees” works best, you can also tell Sleek “I’m hot,” and it’ll turn on the A/C, too. The device is also compatible with Z-Wave devices from Iris and Staples Connect thanks to those platform’s WiFi gateways.
We got to see (hear?) Sleek control a plethora of devices in Ivee’s booth here at CES, and came away impressed. To get Sleek listening, Ivee pulled a page from Google’s playbook — a simple “Hello, Ivee” gets you started (there’s a physical button that accomplishes the same thing). Commands were interpreted correctly without fail and the fact that Sleek lets you know with audio cues when your message is received we found to be a nice touch. However, during our demo, there was a few-second delay between speech, recognition and execution. When we asked about the delay, Nostrant told us that the wireless interference in convention center was the culprit, but he assured us that the Sleek works much more quickly in residential settings. As for the device itself, build quality looks to be pretty good. Black and white versions are available, with soft touch plastic surrounding the thing and uniform seams all around. Should Ivee have piqued your interest you can pick one up today for $199 at your local Staples.
Filed under: Household
Source: Ivee
Google update paves the way for more multiplayer games in the Play Store
Google’s latest update to Play Services should keep its mobile OS developers busy for a bit, particularly if they’re making games. Android’s SDK now has asynchronous multiplayer baked in, the kind of turn-based system that makes playing Words With Friends with distant pals possible. The update also features a developer preview of the new Google Drive API, better auto-complete options when sharing to Google+, and fixes the battery-draining bug that affected some Android 4.4 KitKat devices. Thrilling updates? Not quite, but it’s good to see Google investing in its budding games services.
Filed under: Gaming, Mobile, Google
Source: Android Developers Blog
PocketQube launches a DIY micro-satellite store
Thanks to Kickstarter, we’ve seen all manner of projects go from someone’s dream to the limelight, and the folks behind PocketQube want to keep that circle in motion. After raising the needed funds and successfully launching a fleet of tiny satellites into orbit, the outfit is opening a one-stop shop with everything you’d need to send your own gaggle of cubes into space. Because the platform uses proven off-the-shelf components and a comparatively smaller frame (5cm x 5cm x 5cm) than its competitors, the firm says its vessels are cheaper to launch and land. Typical cube missions can cost as much as a house according to PocketQube, while its own celestial rangers are priced about the same as a car. While that nebulous amount may still be out of reach for typical consumers, it could be low enough for schools and universities to launch their own space-faring gizmos.
Filed under: Misc, Transportation, Science, Alt
Source: PocketQube Shop
Dish withdraws $2.2 billion bid for Lightsquare’s wireless spectrum
You might want to hold off on thinking of a portmanteau for Dish and Lightsquared. The satellite TV company has officially withdrawn its $2.2 billion bid for the ailing firm’s wireless spectrum, despite actively pursuing the acquisition last year. In fact, Lightsquared even filed a case against Dish chairman Charles Ergen for allegedly purchasing $1 billion of its debts (illegally, that is) in an effort to take over. While this is the latest in Dish’s string of failed acquisition attempts — remember Sprint and Clearwire last year? — it’s likely not the end of the company’s wireless dreams. Lightsquared’s lawyers believe the move might just be a ploy to force the company to sell for a lower offer, so the saga might continue. Dish is also testing a fledgling LTE broadband service in Virginia and Texas, with hopes of making it available to the rest of rural America in the future. Besides, 2014 has just begun — Dish has a whole year ahead of it to set its sights on yet another company to buy.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Reuters
CES 2014, Day 4: Top five must-see stories you must see
CES may almost be over, but there’s still plenty to talk about at the Las Vegas Convention Center. We learned why Microsoft’s presence at CES may be subtler these days, and that GoPro’s obsession for extreme sports has found a home on Xbox Live. We also saw Fleksy bang out emails on a smartwatch and had our faces digitally rearranged by a Kinect-equipped makeover machine — but that’s nothing compared to what we’ve hidden past the jump. Read on for a look behind the show, technology and awards that define CES 2014, day 4.
The best of the best
Remember those finalists we told you about yesterday? We finally picked through them, and after heavy deliberation, heated discussion and an impromptu water bottle fight, we finally made a call: The winners of the Best of CES 2014 Awards are here. Innovation, clever design and potentially industry-changing tech fill out all 14 categories, and we couldn’t be happier to gush over them. We didn’t do all the work though; 54,511 readers voted on the People’s Choice Award, selecting the Razer Nabu smart band by a landslide. Already scope out the winners? Why not take a look back at how we made their trophies, then?
Creative directions
Celebrities often drop by CES to help promote products, build hype or awkwardly stumble off stage. Sometimes, however, they’re here for more than mere marketing. When The Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am was named creative director of 3D Systems, we knew we had to ask the musician exactly what he would be doing for the 3D printing giant. “Geeks are the coolest people on the freaking planet,” he told us. “Every young kid in the inner city needs to know that.” will.i.am has big dreams for emerging technologies, education and sustainability, and has a passion for making sure groundbreaking devices like 3D printers don’t get stuck in a stagnant niche. It certainly wasn’t the interview we expected. Check it out.
Autonomous parking
BMW’s self-driving cars may not be ready for consumers until 2020, but its ConnectedDrive parking technology is ready right now. We dropped by the automobile manufacturer’s car lot one more time to check out the BMW i3′s parking package, a $1,000 add-on that outfits the vehicle with ultrasonic sensors and the ability to pass the parallel parking segment of the driver’s exam. It’s not the first automated-parking system on the market, but it is the only one we’ve used that doesn’t require any user input throughout the entire process.
Modular mobile
Here’s a compelling idea: don’t like your smartphone’s camera? Detach it, drop it and add a better one. The concept of a modular cellphone has been floating around for a few months now, but ZTE has actually shown us one. The company’s Eco-Mobius prototype teased us with a device capable of swapping out LCD, processor, RAM, camera and battery modules on the fly — a move that could potentially give users full control over their smartphone’s specifications. Unfortunately, ZTE’s kit was under glass at the show, but it’s still a fascinating look at where the mobile market could be going in the near future.
Behind the scenes
You saw snapshots of what it was like to live a day of CES through an Engadget editor’s eyes; now join us for a more personal tour of the show floor, the Engadget stage and the trailer we’ve lovingly called home for the last week. On this week’s Engadget Show, Michael Gorman and Mat Smith take a behind-the-scenes look at our CES operations. It’s the next best thing to flying out to Las Vegas yourself, and it doesn’t even come with the risk of contracting the trade-show flu.
Filed under: Misc
AIVAnet 