OLPC is getting into the tablet game with its XO-3 concept, designed by Yves Behar. The target price? US$75. The XO-3 concept is sized 8.5 x 11-inch and sports a ring that folds for kids to hold on to it. Induction charging, <1W power consumption, a thickness of about 0.5 inches, and Pixel Qi’s display are part of the initial specs. Target date is 2012.
But before the XO-3 there will be the XO-1.5, an update of the current version, slated for a January release for $200. And then there will be the XO-1.75 in early 2011 sporting a 8.9-inch touch-enabled display and be priced around $175. Source: Forbes via Engadget
Nexus One, the Google Phone, the specs:
The network spec means that 3G is a go on T-Mobile but not on AT&T; only EDGE on AT&T. Google will be making the Nexus One available to only those who are invited, by the company. But there is also hope that T-Mobile will be selling the Nexus One directly to anyone who wants one. When is anyone’s guess. Source: Engadget
Autoblog took the 2009 BMW Z4 sDrive30i Roadster for a spin and mentioned this:
As with most modern BMWs, between the analog gauges is a red-orange LCD display that displays secondary information like mileage, radio stations and so on. The readout is easily legible except when wearing polarized sunglasses.
Of course the information from the red-orange LCD is not absolutely essential when driving, but this seems to be a major oversight by BMW since many who would be driving a convertible like the Z4 would be wearing exactly those glasses to minimize glare coming from the road. Source: Autoblog
Averatec’s HS-105 is a new 10.1-inch netbook from the company but with the old Atom CPU (N270 running at 1.6GHz). But that’s not necessarily a bad thing unless you’ve been lacking in battery life. The chiclet-style keyboard is welcome but the 10.1-inch LCD sports a 1024 x 600 pixel format, quite low compared to the shift toward 1366 x 768. Other specs include: 2GB RAM, Intel 945GSE, 160/250GB HDD, WiFi BGN, 1.3MP webcam. Source: Akihabara news
The words of Jeffrey Nelson (the title of this post), Verizon’s public relations manager, after David Pogue asked him:
But you’re saying that you don’t charge that $1.99 fee! Yet it’s happened to hundreds of my readers, and it’s happened to me. So what are we missing?
Then Nelson replies with the title of this post. Verizon Wireless replied to the FCC’s request to explain itself regarding its tasteless business practice of charging $1.99 for accidentally pushing a strategically-placed Internet-connect button. Once connected, you’re on the hook for $1.99. Verizon basically said that it does not do it. I wonder what happens to a company when it lies to the FCC.
I can personally attest to Verizon’s lousy billing system that adds bogus line items almost every month that we had cellular service with the company. I don’t know how many hours we spent on the phone with Verizon trying to sort out the bill. Every month. We don’t do that anymore; we’re on AT&T. Source: The New York Times (Pogue’s Posts)
The Financial Times expects Apple’s tablet to launch immediately:
Apple is preparing an announcement next month that many anticipate will be the official unveiling of its tablet, but the company has so far declined to confirm the existence of the device.
I don’t think Apple will be at CES 2010. Apple wants to do things its way and through smaller press events it has done quite well in marketing its products, software and services. If Apple has a tablet to launch soon the question then becomes whether the company will introduce it before CES or after. My bet is before: press invitations will go out next Tuesday on the 29th and then the event will be held in Cupertino on the 5th of January. Then everyone headed to CES will be disappointed with all the less-than-tablets at the show. Just a hunch. Source: AppleInsider
Fujitsu’s MH380 is a 10.1-inch netbook with Intel’s new Pine Rail Atom CPU running at 1.6GHz. The 10.1-inch LCD sports a 1366 x 768 pixel format with an LED backlight. Other specs include: 1.3MP webcam, Fast Ethernet, WiFi BGN, Bluetooth, 250GB 5400RPM SATA HDD, 2GB RAM, 6-cell battery, 1.3kg. The MH380 comes in a variety of colors: Ivory White, Gorgeous Brown (above), Black Diamond. The spherical indentation next to the trackpad is used to scroll by twirling your fingers in a circular pattern. I think that’s unnecessarily complex compared to a single multitouch trackpad with dual finger scrolling. The MH380 looks cute, but I’m not so sure about the overly rounded edges. Source: Akihabara News, Slippery Brick
BIG BET ON LED: Vizio is planning to ship 3-4 million LCD TVs with LED backlights in 2010. The company is betting big on “LED TVs” in 2010 with shipments at around just 100,000 in 2009. According to William Wang, CEO of Vizio, LED-backlit LCD TVs will comprise less than 5% of the company’s total LCD TV shipments in 2009 but that will increase to about 50% in Q4’10. LED-backlit LCD TV prices command a price premium of about US$100-200 than equivalent-sized CCFL-backlit LCD TVs. In three years that premium will decrease to $10 according to Wang.
CES 2010: Vizio’s plans include LCD TVs with edge-lit LED backlights, 3D TVs, IPTVs and LCD TVs with an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio at CES 2010. Taiwan-based Amtran Technology builds 70% of Vizio’s LCD TVs and China-based TPV Technology builds the rest. Chimei Innolux is slated to be Vizio’s third integrator. Source: DIGITIMES
According to Nielsen, the iPhone captured 4.0% of all mobile phone subscribers in the US making it the most popular handset model in 2009. At #2 was RIM’s BlackBerry 8300 that took 3.7%. Number three was Motorola’s RAZR V3 series with 2.3% share. Source: AppleInsider
ThinkGeek: The iPhone 3GS is great but there are some limitations: floor-facing mic & inferior lens. The OWLE “iPhone Video/Audio Rig” solves these problems:
… using anodized billet aluminum, a mini boom-mic and a wide angle lens.
All four corners of the OWLE has a screw mount and comes with a 37mm lens. Other lens options include a 0.45x wide angle/macro combination one. The boom mic will help with capturing better audio compared to the one that’s in the iPhone 3GS. The price is US$129.99.
DisplayBlog is written and produced by Jin Kim. Subscribe via RSS.