Archives for December 2009

Notion Ink Android based SmartPad Spotted

notion_ink_smartpadSlashGear received some renders and life shots of a new SmartPad being created by Notion Ink. As of now the SmartPad has no official name although we do know it runs the Android OS and from what SlashGear have mentioned it also runs a new NVIDIA Tegra T20 chipset that can support full HD video playback at a 1080p resolution.

The Notion Ink SmartPad has a 10.1 inch display capable of displaying 1024 x 600 pixels. The display comes from Pixel Qi and has a matte finish. Entry can be performed either via touchscreen or by a built in trackpad. [Read more…]

Apple Patent Shows Jonny Lee 3D Style Head Tracking Interface

3D-Hyper-Reality-DisplaysApple [AAPL] have filed another patent that describes interaction with 3D displays. The system works by changing what you see on screen in relation to where your head is. A similar system was created by Jonny Lee where he used a Nintendo Wii remote along with infra red to make a head tracking system (seen in the video below).

The system patented by Apple allows users to see around objects by changing the position of their head. The normal way to do this now is to move an object with a mouse or keyboard, but in the future this might not be needed. [Read more…]

Transcend Class 10 SDHC Cards Launched

Transcend-Ultimate-Class-10-SDHC-Cards-1Transcend have launched a new range of SDHC memory cards that fall in to the Class 10 category that allows data to be transferred up to 20MB/s compared to older Class 6 cards that can transfer data at up to 6MB/s.

On the higher end of the card capacities the largest can store up to 16GB of data and with the Class 10 status, it allows for video and audio to be played at a higher rate. This can allow for HD video recording quite easily. [Read more…]

Google Earth Satnav System Heading to Audi A8

audi-a8-google-earth_2Audi are about to introduce a Google Earth based sat nav system in to their A8 Saloon cars. This will be the first time Google Earth has been installed in to a production car officially.

As well as having the fancy Google Earth imagary the Audi A8 will also support a standard hard disk based system I assume for those times when the car’s GPRS/EDGE connectivity is lost.

By using Google Earth based navigation, drivers will get higher performance graphics that will show 3D buildings, landscapes as well as gradients and terrain modelling. [Read more…]

LG RoboKing Robot Vacuum

LG-RoboKingLG have created a new robot vacuum cleaner called the LG RoboKing. The RoboKing is smaller than the previous model measuring just 90mm tall where as before the previous version was 130mm tall. This allows the vacuum to manoeuvre more easily under objects such as book cases and furniture.

As well as being shorter in height the vacuum has also got 13db quieter and now measures 50db when in use. The LG RoboKing has two cameras built in allowing it to more easily navigate around a room. Programming has also been improved it seems as the vacuum also works 30 percent quicker than previous models perhaps by cleaning a room more efficiently rather than randomly like before. [Read more…]

Pioneer DreamBook Light U11 CULV in Australia

Pioneer-DreamBook-Light-U11-CULVPioneer have launched the DreamBook Light U11 CULV laptop that comes with a choice of four processors including an Intel Core 2 DUO CULV, Core 2 Solo CULV and two variations of Dual Core CULV processors. The display measures 11.6 inches and is backlit by LED and supports a HD resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels in a 16:9 aspect ratio.

For memory you get support for up to 4GB of DDR2 memory and for storage you can choose between various SATA and SSD based drives starting at the standard 160GB HD going all the way up to a 1 TB Laptop hard drive. SSD options start at 64GB capacities with the largest being 256GB. [Read more…]

ASUS EeeBot – Educational Android Robot

android-robotASUS have announced that they are working on EeeBot that is an educational robot designed to work with children that uses the Android OS to run. The robot will be designed to be affordable allowing more people to purchase it and will feature a number of functions such as the ability to interact with humans (or HRI – human robot interaction).

Other features will see it being able to visually and vocally interact through voice and visual technologies. The EeeBot will also be capable of positioning it’s self and will have navigation abilities. [Read more…]

Google Branded Chrome OS Netbook

chromeos-netbookIt appears that Google [GOOG] are working with a company to actually build a Google branded netbook. Reasons for this are more than likely to be that they want to get a Chrome OS netbook running with the exact specifications that they want rather that what the manufacturers want.

As well as creating it’s own branded Chrome OS netbook, Google are also said to be working closely with companies such as Acer, ASUS, HP, Lenovo, Qualcomm, TO and Toshiba to name a few.

From what TechCrunch mention it seems that Google are aiming for next years holiday season to launch the netbook. [Read more…]

Type and Walk iPhone Application Launched

Type-and-Walk-iPhone-AppA kind of cool and weird application has launched on the Apple App store that allows you to more safely type while walking. The application is called Type and Walk and makes use of the camera on your iPhone to push video in to the background of an application where you can type on top of the video, thus being able to see obstacles as you are walking.

Type n Walk was designed to work with your favorite apps — not try to replace them. Use it to compose your email, text message, status update, or tweet and paste it into your target app (or the browser) to send.

[Read more…]

Flexible Flash Memory Revealed

flexible-flash-memoryResearchers from the University of Tokyo have managed to create some flexible flash memory that can be rolled with a curvature of up to 6mm before the electronics break. To achieve this the researchers managed to put memory cells on to a polyethylene naphthalate sheet.

There are limitations though as the current prototypes and test units are only capable of storing data for about a day before the information degrades, however, it’s a step in the right direction that eventually will lead to some super slim memory modules that will be far easier to embed in to slim electronic gadgets. [Read more…]

Belkin Bluetooth iPhone Music Receiver

belkin-bluetooth-iphoneBelkin have created a new Bluetooth music receive for iPhones that allows you to listen to music from your hifi. The device comes with the bluetooth receiver along with a cable that can attach to your hifi. When you pair your iPhone up to the receiver you can then listen to music from the stereo as well as use your iphone as a remote control to skip though music.

The Bluetooth Receiver has a working distance of about 33 feet allowing it to work quite well in a regular sized home. [Read more…]

Oppo Multitouch Android Smartphone

Oppo_Android_Smart_Phone_1Oppo are preparing to launch a new smartphone early next year that will run the Android OS and have a 3.5 inch WQGA screen with an 800 x 400 pixel resolution.

The renderings of the phone show a number of LED’s running down the side of the device which according to Akhibara news will be used to reports on the current temperature and humidity as well as providing the date. [Read more…]