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iSAVE: Airbags Attached To The Outside Of Cars

I am not sure if this is a good way to protect pedestrians, but a team of Japanese researchers developed them: airbags for use on the outside of vehicles. It may sound bizarre at first, but this is not some silly experiment. The air bags (or special car body panels, to be more exact) are the brain child of several Hiroshima-based companies and the local university.

Dubbed iSAVE (sigh…), the airbags deflate rapidly upon impact, just like conventional airbags, to soften the effects of a crash for pedestrians. The prototype car equipped with iSAVE that you can see on the pic above was shown earlier this week and is said to be the first of its kind. iSAVE can be used with electric cars only.

The research team behind the airbags says it expects to sell up to 50 units by year end for 3-wheeled cars before fully commercializing them in 2011 for four-wheeled vehicles. The iSAVE system for 4-wheeled cars will likely be priced at $17,800.

Sorry to say there’s no video available at this point (I looked everywhere).

Via Asahi Shimbun [JP]


Posted under Cameras, Cars, Computers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Headline, Hiroshima, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Printers, Safety, Scanners, air bags, cgjapan, iPod, isave, science

This post was written by Serkan Toto on September 3, 2010

Angry Birds arrives on the Android platform

One of the iPhone's biggest gaming hits has finally arrived on the Android platform, with Rovio Mobile's phenomenally addictive Angry Birds making the jump to a new platform in beta.

Angry Birds has been a massive seller on Apple's App Store, and the calls for it to arrive on Android have been many and volumous.

And that dream is now a reality, with the company announcing on Twitter that the app is now on the Google platform.

Beta version

"And Angry Birds have landed on Android:-)" the company said, adding "If you have any problems with the Android beta, let us know. It's a beta, so we know it's not perfect. Help us make it better."

Rovio Mobile has impressed many with its after support – the original Angry Birds has been continually updated with more levels and different birds for free.

The game has been so successful that there is even talk of a film in the offing. We're not sure if the plot will stretch that far, but it may still be more complex than Transformers.

Nearly closed

"This week, we were planning to run a closed beta test of Angry Birds Lite for Android," explained Rovio on its blog.

"Due to the massive response and demand from the Android community, we have decided to make Angry Birds Lite Beta available for everybody through the Android Market this Friday.

"Angry Birds Lite Beta will run on second generation Android devices and upwards.

"We want to ensure that we will publish the best game ever released on Android, and we hope that this beta version will prove to our Android fans that Angry Birds has been worth the wait!"

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Posted under Cameras, Computers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Phone and communications/Mobile phones, Printers, Scanners, iPod

This post was written by Patrick Goss on September 3, 2010

Plex Inks A Deal With LG, Could Be The Start Of Something Huge For Both Companies


Plex is about to get big. The offshoot of the XBMC project just announced that LG will be using its media platform in upcoming Netcast HDTVs and Blu-ray players, in turn, making these devices about the best media streamers imaginable — even better than the upcoming Boxee Box or just-refreshed Apple TV.

After all, Plex already works with Netflix, Hulu, BBC’s iPlayer, and supports playback of just about every media format ever created via the best interface in the business. There’s even an iOS remote viewing app coming soon. Forget about having an extra box sitting on your TV stand just to stream random content, it’s going to be built into your HDTV. Welcome to the future, ladies and gentleman.

Plex is not only gorgeous, but also robust. The underpinnings have been around for most of this decade as it’s built on Mplayer, the same basis for Boxee and others. It can playback nearly anything, including 1080p content with ease. It’s traditionally a Mac-only program, but this partnership with LG makes our mind swirl with all sorts of possibilities.

Chances are the software will be included as an App within the LG products and the whole TV or Blu-ray player itself will not run on Plex — although that would be astounding. However, having Plex integrated within the TV will eliminate the need for other boxes such as the Apple TV or Boxee Box because the TV itself will actually have more functions. Hopefully there will be enough raw processing power to provide a smooth interface and the same sort of media playback. Without that, most of the appeal would be lost.

The LG HDTVs and Blu-ray players are scheduled for a 2011 launch and will no doubt be one of the highlights of the company’s CES 2011 booth. Hopefully the deal isn’t exclusive to LG and deals with other manufacturers are coming soon as well.

PLEX TO ENABLE NEXT GENERATION OF NETCAST™ CONNECTED TV’S
San Francisco, CA & Berlin, Germany (IFA) – September 3, 2010 – Today, Plex (www.plexapp.com), a leading software provider of an open platform for media management and consumption, announced the availability of the newest version of Plex, the first open, three-screen media platform (PC, TV and mobile) designed to simplify and improve the way people experience personal, commercial and streaming content sources across a range of connected devices. Additionally, Plex revealed that LG Electronics will be integrating the Plex platform technology into its 2011 Netcast™ enabled HDTVs and Blu-ray devices, making media and applications accessible through a range of products.

“After considering many alternative solutions, LG Electronics chose to utilize Plex’s media server platform technology as a part of its next generation NetCast™ enabled home entertainment products because of the breadth of available applications and content and the ease of developing new services,” said Hojun Nam, Director of LCD TV R&D at LG Electronics. “Plex’s capabilities offer our customers’ additional methods of displaying their content on LG’s next generation TVs and that is exciting to us.”

With its rapidly expanding open platform, Plex is the first and only truly comprehensive digital media management solution that spans both personal and online content. The solution’s simple-to-use and intuitive user interface allows consumers to search, navigate, consume, store and sync digital content from multiple platforms and devices. It requires no additional hardware or technology knowledge, ensuring even the most novice user will easily be able to access their favorite TV programs, movies, photos and more – no matter where they are or what device they want to access it with.

“Plex was developed to provide a simple solution for navigating an increasingly complex digital media landscape. As our access to a greater variety of high-quality content continues to grow and we create more of our own content, it is clear that we need a new way to enjoy and provide a consistent experience across the expanding universe of disparate content sources,” said Cayce Ullman, CEO and co-founder, Plex. “Plex enables LG to more easily offer a wide variety of content sources to consumers using the NetCast™ services.”

Compatibility with mainstream mobile devices, such as iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone products, and soon to be announced Android based products including mobile phones and tablets, ensures that the Plex solution is the industry’s first truly integrated three-screen media platform, allowing a seamless experience across devices and media sources. Plex’s mobile compatibility also allows users access to their content from anywhere, making content consumption and management seamless across all device types – whenever and wherever users prefer.

“We’ve been working hard to build this killer platform, and we have an amazing community who has enabled access to over one hundred online content sources to date” noted Elan Feingold, CTO and co-founder, Plex. “It’s exciting that this content will now be available in a seamless manner on LG’s 2011 NetCast™ enabled TVs and Blu-ray players.”

Third-party developers and owners of content have the ability to develop Plex plug-ins, which will then be available to all Plex users across all devices. Currently, there are nearly 200 plug-ins available through Plex’s service including iTunes, Netflix, CNN, Revision3, YouTube, and many others. Plex for OS X is downloadable for free, with a Windows version to be available later this year. For more information, please visit www.plexapp.com.


Posted under Cameras, Computers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Headline, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Plex, Printers, Scanners, apple-tv, boxee box, iPod, lg

This post was written by Matt Burns on September 3, 2010

In Depth: 7 of the coolest gadgets on show at IFA 2010

Wandering around the halls of the Messe Berlin for IFA 2010, it's easy to be blasé about new technology. Especially when there are 26 exhibition halls crammed with 3D televisions, brand new laptops, camcorders, 3D Blu-ray players and all manner of computing and AV hardware.

It makes defining the 'best' kit at an IFA show a tricky task. What really stands out? Where are the real "ooh" and "aah" moments that twang the heart strings of your inner geek? Here's our pick of the gadgetry that we think is worth a second look…

The Samsung Galaxy Tab

Microsoft must be kicking itself. Or perhaps it's developed some sort of prototype robotic boot device that can kick people for it. Really hard. Because while Bill Gates predicted the success of the tablet PC back in 2001, he didn't foresee that it would be running Android rather than Windows.

Enter the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This giant-sized Galaxy S is the poster-boy for the new breed of keyboard-less portable computers running mobile operating systems. Built with a 7-inch display, it's smaller and far less sexy than the inspirational Apple iPad. Nevertheless, it impresses with expandable storage, Android 2.2, a built-in 3MP camera and a 7-hour battery life.

Samsung SF-series laptops

Samsung's engineering might is unquestionable and it is fast becoming the most prolific tech-builder on the planet. Its new SF-series laptops certainly catch the eye and not just because of an attractive, curvy design.

Powered by Intel's Core i3 or i5 dual-core processors, they also include a Jekyll and Hyde hybrid graphics solution – an Nvidia GPU for power processing, a lower-powered Intel option for everyday spreadsheeting and word processing. Battery life is around 7.5 hours, claims Samsung.

Samsung sf-series laptops

CURVY: Samsung's new SF-series laptops feature hybrid graphics technology

Toshiba Regza VL HD TVs

Toshiba describes its new VL series as a 'premium range of Full HD LED TVs'. Featuring an all-new design (courtesy of Danish designer Jacob Jensen), the VL sets feature a built-in Freeview HD/DVB-T2 tuner so you can switch on and be watching BBC HD minutes after plugging it in.

Philips Cinema 21:9 Platinum Series TV

If money was no object, we'd eagerly fritter away thousands on the wider-than-widescreen Philips Cinema 21:9 HD TV. It's a well-worn cliché, but you never truly appreciate this eye-catching HD telly until you see it. The 21:9 aspect ratio is unique, almost breathtaking, making it the perfect cinematic screen for blockbuster Blu-rays.

The new 'Platinum Series' version on show at IFA this year evolves the 21:9 model by adding support for 3D. With a 58-inch full HD display, it's two inches bigger than the previous model. Philips has also improved the backlighting– out goes the old-fangled CCFL technology, in comes an array of locally dimmable LEDs. Look out for this bad boy in September.

Philips 21:9 platinum series 3d tv

WIDE SCREEN: The eye-catching Philips Cinema 21:9 HD TV now supports 3D

Philips "3D of the future" requires no glasses

The first time that you experience a 3D image without wearing a pair of Jarvis Cocker-esque Active Shutter glasses is a revelation. "Surely this lenticular viewing is the future", you think. "Why are we bothering with 3D specs?" And then you move. Whereupon the 3D effect dissipates for a second and you're forced to shift slightly to correct your viewing angle.

That's the problem with glasses-free 3D TV. As amazing as the tech demos undoubtedly are, they're only amazing when viewed straight on. Philips has been flogging its lenticular technology since 2007 and, while it's certainly made some improvements, there's still a long way to go.

Sharp BD-HP90S Blu-ray 3D player

Sharp is dipping its toes into Blu-ray 3D territory with the skinny BD-HP90S player. It's a stunning-looking slab of hardware, part of the Aquos range, mounted upright and featuring built-in Wi-Fi for easy Internet connectivity. Pair it with one of Sharp's new quad-pixel Quattron 3D ready HD TVs and you'll have an empty wallet but a home cinema setup to die for.

Sharp bd-hp90s blu-ray 3d player

SKINNY BLU-RAY: Sharp's BD-HP90S looks (but doesn't act) like a slimline PlayStation 2...

Viewsonic ViewPad 100

Luke-warm on the heels of Apple's iPad, Tablet PCs are becoming all the rage. Gangs of these keyboard-less laptops have been roaming the halls of IFA, effortlessly seducing tech journalists with their roomy touchscreens and Android-powered UIs. The Galaxy Tab has been enjoying most of the attention, but don't overlook the ViewPad 100 from Viewsonic.

While the smaller ViewPad 7 underwhelms, this '100' model is a more ambitious 10-inch tablet that can dual boot Android 2.2 and Windows 7 Home Premium. It's surely the best of both worlds – Android for easy (and battery-friendly) access to web content; Windows 7 for more in-depth tasks. Tablets are often viewed as devices for 'consuming' content rather than creating it. The ViewPad 100 offers tablet and laptop functionality in the same device.

Hey! What about OLED?!

Every year we get excited about the prospect of OLED-based TVs. But as far as TVs are concerned, the technology is still a long way from replacing LCD and plasma. So while LG's 31-inch, super-duper-thin OLED TV looks pretty nifty, sumptuous even, we're not foolish enough to believe that it's anything more than another tech demo. For now.

And that's it. Seven outstanding products that caught the TechRadar eye at this year's IFA. But what about you? What gadgets and technologies are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments.

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Posted under Cameras, Computers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Printers, Scanners, Television/HDTV, iPod

This post was written by Dean Evans on September 3, 2010

Toshiba Libretto W105 reviewed

The Toshiba Libretto W105 is a dual screen device that you can think of as a touchscreen tablet with a virtual keyboard, or a mini-laptop without a physical keyboard. Either way, it’s one of the most unusual computer products to actually make it to market this year. With prices starting at $1100, Toshiba doesn’t expect to sell a lot of these little devices, but if it proves popular, perhaps we could see a price drop or see this type of technology incorporated into other devices.

Laptop Magazine has published a detailed review of the Libretto W105, and if you’re at all curious about whether a dual touchscreen device like this can function effectively as either a laptop or a tablet — or you know, as that thing you surf the web, check your email, and write on, you should check out the full review.

Here’s the short version: It’s thin, light, and sexy as all get out with excellent build quality. Windows 7, on the other hand, isn’t all that touch-friendly, but Toshiba has made some enhancements including a virtual touchpad and 6 different virtual keyboards. Laptop wasn’t that impressed with the built in eBook reader application, but had good results with the Amazon Kindle for PC app. The reviewer was also satisfied with the overall performance. The 2:45 battery life, on the other hand, is pretty subpar — especially for a $1100 device.

You can find more details and photos at Laptop Magazine.

Toshiba Libretto W105 reviewed is a post from: Liliputing


Posted under 1, Cameras, Computers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Printers, Scanners, Tablet, dual screen, iPod, netbook, toshiba, toshiba libretto w100, toshiba libretto w105

This post was written by Brad Linder on September 3, 2010

IFA 2010: Acer announces Aspire easyStore H341 NAS

Acer has announced the Aspire easyStore H341 NAS, offering up to four hot-swappable HDDs to store and stream your digital media.

The Aspire easyStore H341 is designed to store, organise and protect your entire digital media library, and make it accessible not only through computers but also consoles and other DLNA compliant devices.

"What's more, with the new Aspire easyStore H341 you can stream digital media content to multiple applications or DLNA compliant devices, such as console games or TV, making it possible to share games from the server or enjoy music, photos and movies on a big screen TV," adds Acer's release.

Adding drives

Acer has tried to make adding HDDs easy, and the device is driven by an Intel Atom D410 chip.

"Uploading pictures, video or data files on the Aspire easyStore is easy, too," adds Acer's release.

"All you need to do is connect the device through the USB port and press the Copy button. Data is automatically sorted and stored by file type into folders of your choice."

The data can be got at through the internet (as you would expect) with a "user friendly web interface" allowing you to connect to your content from anywhere.



Posted under Cameras, Computers, Digital home/Media servers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Printers, Scanners, iPod

This post was written by Patrick Goss on September 3, 2010

Video: Just Some Kids And A Rube Goldberg Contraption

How did your kids spend the summer? Mine? So far by watching Phineas And Ferb about a thousand times, but this video has inspired me to build a Rube Goldberg machine over the holiday weekend. I doubt you’ll ever find a group of kids so happy about putting a beach ball in a bucket. Awesome. [via Gearlog]


Posted under Cameras, Computers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Headline, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Printers, Scanners, iPod

This post was written by Matt Burns on September 3, 2010

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Can Set Its Own Price, No Need To Directly Compete With The iPad’s $500 Price


The Samsung Galaxy Tab is going to sell well. It won’t be a blockbuster like the iPad, but it should still do alright mainly because it’s the first consumer-worthy Android tablet. Samsung can even price the tablet well north of the iPad’s $500 starting price. It will not matter. People will buy it even if it’s, I don’t know, $800. You might not, but there are enough Android fanboys that will.

Rumors have popped up over the last 24 hours about the Tab’s price. Some European retailer’s pricing has leaked out although Samsung is saying it’s all speculative because the official pricing hasn’t been announced just yet. But still, it makes you think. The pricing ranges from €699 ($890) to €799 ($1,020) for the 16GB and 32GB respectively. Remember, the Galaxy Tab comes with a 3G modem and there likely will not be a WiFi-only model because Google requires cellular capability for the Android Market. But for a quick minute, forget that the iPad offers a bigger screen and twice the storage for the same price. It doesn’t matter.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is something special. It might not be special enough to be called an iPad-killer, but seems to be everything we want in an Android tablet. It’s sexy, powerful, and versatile. In fact, it makes me hopefully that Android tablets have a chance to sneak some marketshare away from the iPad. It’s that nice and why Samsung can pretty much price it however the company wants. But the pricing will write the Tab’s future.

The iPad was an instant hit because of its near-impulse $500 price. Of course Samsung will move more Tabs if the price is lower, but more importantly, a higher price will push the tablet away from the mainstream crowd and into a niche market. That’s probably fine for the Tab itself as there are no doubt enough rabid Android fanboys that have waited for a proper tablet to make it ultimately successful, but the niche market isn’t where Android tablets deserve to be.

Android is finally becoming a proper mobile OS. I still feel it’s more “work” living with an Android phone than an iPhone or BlackBerry device, but the sheer capabilities are being refined and better packaged as manufacturers learn the system. Eventually Android will be superior to even iOS, but consumers are fickle and for better or worse, it’s up to the Tab to show the world that an Android tablet can work.

Samsung’s been quiet about the Tab’s price and launch details, but it seems that the Tab will get a world-wide launch. It’s being showcased at IFA in Europe and Samsung is a major force in Asia. Even here in the states there’s been rumors that it will launch sometime soon on CDMA carries of Verizon and Sprint. No doubt the Tab will be available for direct purchase in Europe and Asia just like most cell phones, while it seems as if it will be available via carrier subsidies in the US. It just feels as if Samsung is prepping for a multi-market launch, which is a bit different from the iPad’s slow roll-out and probably possible because of the Tab’s lower sales estimates.

Let’s not forget Samsung knows what it’s doing. High or low, the Galaxy Tab will probably be priced right. Now, this price might not be right per your expectations, but rather the bean counters at Samsung who know a little more about these things than us.


Posted under Cameras, Computers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Headline, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Printers, Samsung, Scanners, galaxy tab, iPad, iPod, ifa2010

This post was written by Matt Burns on September 3, 2010

GloblFoundries promises 2GHz ARM-based chips

The 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon and Samsung Hummingbird processors that are showing up in smartphones, tablets, and smartbooks are already pretty speedy. But the folks at GlobalFoundries are promising to build much faster low-power chips. The company launched the first 28nm ARM Cortext-A9 processor platform this week, allowing the ARM-based chips to take up less space and use less energy. Globalfoundries also says that production is scheduled to begin on 2GHz and faster chips in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Of course, if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that GHz are just numbers. You can’t always judge a CPU based on its clock speed. That said, smaller, more energy efficient chips will lead to phones, tablets, and other devices with better battery life, thinner sizes, and hopefully better performance.

via Engadget

GloblFoundries promises 2GHz ARM-based chips is a post from: Liliputing


Posted under 1, 28nm, Cameras, Computers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Printers, Scanners, arm, globalfoundries, iPod

This post was written by Brad Linder on September 3, 2010

IFA 2010: Philips | O’Neill Headphones shown off

Philips and extreme lifestyle brand O'Neill have joined forces to unveil a new line of extreme headphones, including The Stretch range which are inspired by the heavy-duty materials and styling of wetsuits.

The intriguing Philips | O'Neil headphones are designed to: "withstand the rigours of an active lifestyle".

To that end, The Stretch – the 'toughest in the new line-up'- is impact and high-stress crack resistant, and made of TR55LX which is apparently 6 times harder than polycarbonate.

"The Stretch maintains its toughness and durability in the most extreme conditions – be it the hottest place on earth or the coldest climate down to -25C temperatures," adds Philips release.

Snug, Covert and Specked

The Stretch is not the only part of the new range, with Philips also offering The Snug model – flat folding headphones "that deliver flawless fit and sound with bold graphics".

The snug

Next up is The Covert ,"a discreet bud with deceptively powerful sound impact and iPhone control", and last but not least is The Specked, which includes a range of three striking coloured in-ear buds.

The covert

We can testify to the toughness as we've been (web) surfing with our set of The Stretch for nearly 15 minutes now and they are working fine. Radical.

The specked

Synergies

Nick Andrews, senior manager, Consumer Marketing at Philips, comments: "This range realises the synergies of Philips' simplicity and innovation and O'Neill's set of core values based around the concept of innovation in style and technology.

"Our new headphones are totally uncompromising in their durability – because they've been tested on our test animals: the toughest O'Neill riders, the most uncompromising and daring boarders around."

Eppo van Berckelaer, Global Marketing Director at O'Neill, said: "O'Neill and Philips share a long and successful history of product innovation, working to create products that allow people to get the most out of their lives.

"Knowing how important music is to the lives of our consumers, I now encourage everyone to get out there and test the headphones for themselves."



Posted under Audio/Portable audio, Cameras, Computers, GPS Navi, Gadgets, Monitors, Notebooks, PC Accessories, Printers, Scanners, iPod

This post was written by Patrick Goss on September 3, 2010

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