Month: May 2013

This is cool: Qualcomm shows off its Mirasol display

Engadget There have been rumors of Qualcomm’s MEMS-based Mirasol display for years now. Once advertised as the “future” of e-reader displays, the company is now showcasing its proofs-of-concept. Engadget snagged a  preview of both a 5.2-inch panel display with a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution and 577 ppi embedded into the chassis of a common smartphone body, as well as 1.5-inch panel on what looks like a smartwatch. A representative at SID Display Week, where the prototype was being shown, told the site that the displays were merely mock-ups, but that the screen will likely show up in other third-party devices. The Mirasol display is touted for its energy-efficiency. It offers a six-times-over power advantage compared to both LCD and OLED displays, which means it would be the kind of display that a smartphone would make great use of. It’s made with a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based on Interferometric Modulation (IMOD) technology, which Qualcomm says  “offer[s] users a convergent display experience with paper-like readability in almost any ambient condition, while consuming significantly less power than any other display available today.” Ars Technica alumni Jon Stokes explained  why the Mirasol display is so energy efficient in 2009: Read 1 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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This is cool: Qualcomm shows off its Mirasol display

Fabergé Fractals

Here’s a mesmerizing gallery of “Fabrege Fractals” created by Tom Beddard , whose site also features a 2011 video of Fabrege-inspired fractal landscapes that must be seen to be believed. They’re all made with Fractal Lab , a WebGL-based renderer Beddard created. Fabergé Fractals by Tom Beddard, using his WebGL-based fractal engine, Fractal Lab. ( via Colossal )        

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Fabergé Fractals

LEDs in an Engagement Ring

Ben’s engagement ring is awesome not only because it lights up, but because it lights up when he and his girlfriend hold hands: Putting a battery of capacitor inside a ring is nigh impossible, so [Ben] decided to power the LEDs with an inductive charging circuit. A coil of wire wound around kapton tape serves as the inductor and a small SMD capacitor powers three very bright and very tiny LEDs. The inductive charging unit itself is a masterpiece of hackery; [Ben] wanted the ring to light up whenever he and his ladyfriend were holding hands. To do this, [Ben]‘s inductive charger is also a wearable device: a large coil of wire is the charger’s transformer and was would to fit around [Ben]‘s wrist. The entire charging circuit can be easily hidden under a jacket sleeve, making for a nearly magical light-up ring. You can watch a video of the ring at the link. Link

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LEDs in an Engagement Ring

Samsung’s 13.3-inch 3,200 x 1,800 LCD ships in Q3, we go eyes-on at SID (video)

So, it’s not the full laptop setup we were kinda-sorta expecting based on Samsung’s announcement yesterday, but the Korean company’s 13.3-inch 3,200 x 1,800 panel — with a whopping 275 ppi — is still plenty impressive on its own. Though the prototype was connected to a desktop PC rather than installed in a notebook, the demo gave us what we came for: a look at that sheer pixel density. You really have to see it to believe it — with the desktop set to the screen’s native resolution, menus, icons and text all appear tiny . The benefit of such a high resolution, of course, is that you can fit more information on screen, and it’s more than a little reminiscent of Apple’s Retina display . The booth wasn’t equipped with internet access, so we couldn’t test the panel’s mettle with a trip to this very site, but images on the desktop and in Samsung’s pre-loaded PowerPoint looked very bright and crisp. In addition to playing up the pixel count, Samsung touted its prototype as a “green panel,” claiming 30-percent lower power consumption than existing LCDs. And like the flexible LG display we saw just a bit earlier, this screen won’t stay off the market for long: expect a 13.3-inch version — with touch capability — to ship in the next two months, though it may debut on a third-party laptop, not necessarily one manufactured by Samsung. A rep told us that 14- and 15.6-inch versions will follow. Check out our hands-on video and photos for a closer look. Gallery: Samsung 3,200 x 1,800-pixel 13.3-inch display eyes-on Filed under: Displays , Laptops , Samsung Comments

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Samsung’s 13.3-inch 3,200 x 1,800 LCD ships in Q3, we go eyes-on at SID (video)

Microsoft announces Halo live-action TV series created by 343 Industries and Steven Spielberg

The Xbox One is a big deal for consoles, but Microsoft just made a massive content announcement at today’s reveal event — a live-action Halo TV series. As if the existence of such a television show weren’t enough, it turns out that 343 Industries is teaming up with renowned moviemaker Steven Spielberg to bring the world of Master Chief to life in serial form. Spielberg will be the executive producer and the show will provide “exclusive interactive Xbox One content,” whatever that means. Unfortunately, neither Microsoft nor Mr. Spielberg are telling when the show will actually be available for your eyeballs to view, but it is, most assuredly an actual thing . And just knowing that the follow-up to Halo: Forward Unto Dawn is coming is enough, right? Filed under: Gaming , HD , Microsoft Comments

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Microsoft announces Halo live-action TV series created by 343 Industries and Steven Spielberg

The Awesome New Technology That You’ll See on the Web This Year

The web becomes more and more capable each day, finding ways to replace what you do on your desktop. In the very near future you’ll talk to your web apps, enjoy complex animation without the drain of Flash, and maybe even plug in your guitar. These features and more already exist, and they’re coming to the broad internet this year. Read more…        

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The Awesome New Technology That You’ll See on the Web This Year

This Printer Spits Out 10 Meters of Solar Panel Every Minute

Australia is on the cusp of a solar energy revolution. First, a recent study suggests that the country could power its entire national domestic infrastructure using only solar (while slashing the price of home electricity by 70 percent). Now, the University of Melbourne has introduced a new organic PV cell printer that rolls out a functional binder page-sized sheet of solar panel every two seconds, making the production of all those cells cheaper and a whole lot faster . Read more…        

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This Printer Spits Out 10 Meters of Solar Panel Every Minute

Goodbye, Lotus 1-2-3

walterbyrd writes “In 2012, IBM started retiring the Lotus brand. Now 1-2-3, the core product that brought Lotus its fame, takes its turn on the chopping block. IBM stated, ‘Effective on the dates listed below, [June 11, 2013] IBM will withdraw from marketing part numbers from the following product release(s) licensed under the IBM International Program License Agreement:’ IBM Lotus 123 Millennium Edition V9.x, IBM Lotus SmartSuite 9.x V9.8.0, and Organizer V6.1.0. Further, IBM stated, ‘Customers will no longer be able to receive support for these offerings after September 30, 2014. No service extensions will be offered. There will be no replacement programs.'” Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Goodbye, Lotus 1-2-3