Valve Software will be bringing its Steam gaming engine to the Mac. Cool. The ad above is homage to Apple’s, “I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” ads. via AppleInsider.
Android and Me has a video that shows the Nexus One’s multitouch getting utterly confused. Motorola’s Droid, on the other hand, has no problems at all.
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Penguin is pushing the e-book envelope and has developed some nifty ones for the iPad. I think the iPad will be successful in primary education; a durable case will almost ensure popularity among educators. Take a look at the video. Source: Paid Content via Switched
Valve Software will be bringing its Steam gaming engine to the Mac. Cool. The ad above is homage to Apple’s, “I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” ads. via AppleInsider
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LG’s X300 is a 11.6-inch notebook PC that is just 17.5-mm (0.69 inch) thick. Weight is just 970g (2.13 pounds). The X300 is powered by a 2GHz Intel Menlow CPU, 2GB RAM and a 128GB SSD but sports a fan-less design. Other specs include: 1.3MP webcam and an embedded 3G (GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA) modem chipset. The ultraslim netbook comes in two colors: pearl white and light brown. There is a “hidden touchpad” that shows itself when you touch it. I’m not sure if you want a touchpad to be hidden but LG touts it as part of the X300 slim and high-tech design. I’m currently in Korea and the ad (above) for the X300 is being aggressively promoted by LG. I wonder if you can really stick the X300 on a window with just a little piece of scotch tape… Source: Akihabara News
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The first three Windows Phone 7 Series (WP7S) phones are out of the gate: Asus, LG, and Samsung. All of these WP7S phones sport these common specifications, lifted from a slide titled “Standardized Hardware Foundation” and presented by Joe Belfiore:
The LG sports a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and looks quite solid. The Samsung is a slate-type that seemed to have veered too much toward glossy cheap-looking plastic but sports a camera that at least looks capable with its huge bezel. The one from Asus is unbranded and made just as a demo unit for Mobile World Congress. You can find pictures of these WP7S phones at Engadget.
At least Microsoft is trying to establish a minimum user experience via hardware requirements. Maybe Google should take some notes. Source: Slashgear
Notebook PC manufacturers are expecting the second quarter to be sequentially flat despite a seasonally weak quarter. One reason maybe the recent introduction of new models by brands such as Acer and Lenovo with HP expected to announce new models soon. These new models should offset some concerns regarding the build-up of notebook PC panel inventories.
Acer recently launched its TimelineX line of ultrathin notebook PCs and Lenovo its Thinkpad Edge. The TimelineX and the ThinkPad Edge lines are positioned to be bestsellers in the second quarter, the same time HP is slated to introduce new Pavilion notebook PCs. HP’s enterprise models will start shipping in late March with volume shipments to begin in the second quarter.
Acer’s TimelineX 1830T sports a 11.6-inch LCD with a 1366×768 pixel format and is the company’s first Calpella-based ultraportable notebook PCs. The Core i5-520UM runs at 1.06GHz and can be increased to 1.86GHz with Turbo Boost. Other specs include: Intel HM55 graphics, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi BGN, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (optional), 3G (optional), multi-format card reader, USB (3), and eight-hour 6-cell battery. (Photo source: Akihabara News)
Lenovo’s ThinkPad Edge line of notebooks include three sizes: 13.3-inch, 14.0-inch and 15.6-inch, all using LED backlights. Other specs include: dual-core CPUs from Intel and AMD, multitouch trackpad, spill-resistant keyboard, built-in DVD (14.0-inch, 15.6-inch), integrated or discrete graphics, EPEAT Gold rating. The 13-inch Edge with an AMD CPU starts at US$579 ($799 for Intel). Both the 14.0-inch and 15.6-inch models sport only Intel CPUs and both start at $649. (Source: Lenovo)
Quanta Computer, a major notebook PC integrator, expects a 20% sequential growth in the second quarter. The company points to the strengths of 15.6-inch and larger HP notebook PCs and 14-inch to 15-inch ultrathin notebook PCs from Acer. Wistron, another notebook PC integrator, expects to benefit from Acer and Lenovo and post a 5-10% sequential growth in unit volume. Inventec also sees 10% sequential growth thanks to HP’s enterprise notebooks. Shipments by Compal are expected to be flat or post a 5% increase. Source: DIGITIMES
Carolyn Glardina for The Hollywood Reporter in How ‘Avatar’ changed the rules of deliverables:
… since the industry began its shift into the digital and stereoscopic 3D realm, a theatrical release now amounts to a large number of film prints as well as multiple versions of digital media with various technical specifications.
100 versions of Avatar were created for the December 18 release in 102 countries. There were even three aspect ratios: 2:39:1 (Scope), 1.85:1 (flat) and 1.43:1 (IMAX). If participants in the 3D industry do not come together and forge a single standard for the home I expect success the likes of Avatar in the theater to be elusive, for quite some time.
On March 25, Chimei introduced its 23LH, a 23-inch LED-backlit LCD monitor. The company expects to launch more “LED monitors” in the second half of 2010. A 21.5-inch version of its high-end L series will be launched as well as three models (20, 21.5, 23.6) for its entry-level V series. More than 30% of the company’s total revenues for 2010 are expected to come from LED backlit LCD monitors.
The 23LH sports a pixel format of 1920×1080, a 5ms response time, has two HDMI ports and will go for NT$8,990 (about US$282).
According to DisplaySearch, LED backlit LCD monitors will capture 5% of the worldwide LCD monitor market in 2010 and double to 10% in 2011. I personally think the numbers will be higher. Price premiums will still be there but will be small enough for consumers to weigh in energy savings in addition to the slimmer profiles of LED backlit LCD monitors. Currently there is a shortage of LED chips but it is certain that LED chip manufacturers will increase capacity to meet demand, especially for the second half of 2010. Source: DIGITIMES
The Human Communication Technologies Lab at the University of British Columbia has designed pCubee, a five-LCD cube that displays 3D content you can play with. Most 3D displays are based on stereoscopy where alternating frames trick the brain into perceiving depth and most solutions require a geeky pair of 3D glasses. pCubee uses motion parallax instead. Motion parallax is “the apparent change in position of an object, depending on the distance from which you view it.” According to Sidney Fells, who leads the Lab
Our brains are wired to perceive motion parallax and interpret it as 3D. It’s one of the reasons why even if you have just one eye, you can do reasonably well with depth in the real world.
Fells and his team plan to commercialize pCubee to be used as a gaming platform, a CAD/CAM platform or be used in museums. Fells:
We imagine this as something that would be on everybody’s coffee table.
Check out the video. Source: Human Communications Laboratory via Wired
According to Biing-jye Lee, chairman of Epistar, the company’s blue LED manufacturing is currently at full capacity trying to fulfill orders that are 30-40% larger. Epistar supplies to Samsung but there are rumors claiming that Samsung is lowering its LED-backlit LCD TV shipment goal for the second quarter due to a slowdown in sales in China. Samsung is without doubt a large customer but even with a reduction in orders Epistar is expected to continue manufacturing blue LEDs at maximum capacity.
Epistar’s AlGaInP LED production is only at 70% utilization but is slated to increase in the second quarter. Most of the customers for AlGaInP LEDs are Japanese. Lee stated demand from the LED lighting market will offset slowing growth in the LED-backlit LCD TV market in 2012. Source: DIGITIMES
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