May 13

Samsung Demoes Retina-Resolution Tablet Display

Posted in: Displays, ipad, samsung, Tablets and E-Readers, Today's Chili

PenTile displays use less subpixels but produce output that is tailor-made for our brains

Samsung has a new 10.1-inch “retina” resolution LCD panel ready to show off next week. It will demonstrate the 2560 x 1600 panel at the SID Display Week 2011 International Symposium starting Tuesday May 17th. And if you weren’t already thinking it — yes, this is perfect for tablets.

The panel has a resolution of 300dpi, the same as that of print, and the number Apple uses to define its Retina displays. In most uses, the pixels disappear and it appears that you are looking at a printed page.

Samsung’s new panel is interesting for two reasons. First is that it uses PenTile RGBW tech. PenTile is a way of grouping subpixels — each multicolor “pixel” on a screen is made up of several smaller single-color dots. In the case of PenTile, there are five dots (hence the “pent” or “penta” part of the name). The RGBW part means that an extra white pixel is added to the usual red, green and blue ones.

This white pixel works in conjunction with a variable, locally dimming backlight. This ramps up when bright colors are needed, but when colors are desaturated or just black and white, the backlight dims and only the white pixel is switched on. This reduces power consumption by a claimed 40% vs. a regular RGB stripe panel.

And that power reduction is the key to its use in tablets. The biggest draw on tablet battery power is the screen. Until a panel exists that can deliver the same battery life as today’s tablets, we won’t see a Retina display in the iPad. Of course, driving all of those extra pixels is also extra work (4x) for the graphics chips, but that’s another problem.

Samsung Electronics and Nouvoyance Demonstrate 10.1-inch, 300dpi WQXGA PenTile RGBW Prototype Display for Tablet Market [Samsung/Businesswire via TUAW]

How PenTile tech works [NouVoyance]

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May 13

Keep Windows Always on Top with DeskPins

Posted in: Features, Freeware, Software, Today's Chili, Windows

This article was written on May 21, 2009 by CyberNet.

deskpins-1.pngarrow Windows Windows arrow
When you’re working around your computer sometimes it can be useful to pin a window to the top. Basically that will ensure that it will stay on top no matter what other window you currently have focused. For whatever reason Microsoft hasn’t incorporated a feature like this into Windows so that it can be done without a third-party tool, but there some programs that already include this kind of functionality (particularly media players).

I know there are all kinds of apps out there that can force any program to always remain on top, but DeskPins is nice because that’s all it does. It has a lot of features that are pretty handing when it comes to pinning windows, such as “autopinning” certain apps. The Autopin mode is useful if you always want, for example, the calculator to be on top you can tell DeskPins to watch for the applications to start, and if it does automatically pin it. You can also assign hotkeys so that you can toggle the mode without removing your fingers from the keyboard.

DeskPins requires a mere 10MHz CPU, 4MB of RAM, and less than 100KB of disk space. So I think it’s safe to say that you don’t have to worry about running out of system resources just because you want to use an app like this.

Get DeskPins for Windows

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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May 13

Crave giveaway: Rockus ‘3D’ desktop speakers

Posted in: Today's Chili

For this week’s giveaway, courtesy of Anetc, we’re serving up the Rockus desktop speaker system.

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May 13

Smart Holder Carries Infinite Cups of Coffee

Posted in: R&D and Inventions, Today's Chili

The Smart Holder lets interns own the coffee run

I don’t like to be mean, but it seems like designer Jongwoo Choi has spent a lot of his work life being sent to the kitchen to make the coffee. However, he took these coffee-flavored lemons and made coffee-flavored lemonade. Now it doesn’t matter how many abusive bosses an co-workers place their orders when he tries to grab a quick snack: Jongwoo can carry them all at once.

Used on its own, the Smart Holder works as an insulating collar. It has slots into which you can slide a separate handle, should you be drinking tea in the English manner. But then things get clever. These slots are actually male and female connectors which slide together. This lets you join together any number of collars and therefore any number of cups. The male connection is recessed so you don’t really notice it until you need it, just like some other male tools.

Any single one of these solutions might not be worth a look, but putting them all together in such a simple and clean way makes for something any office dogsbody will love. Jongwoo clearly had a lot of time to think while the coffee was brewing.

Alas the Smart Holder is only a concept. If it makes it to market, though, perhaps Jongwoo can hire some of his own minions to make the coffee.

How Many Cups Can You Hold? [Yanko]

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May 13

Sony and Library of Congress launch streaming National Jukebox, ready to DJ at your local speakeasy

Posted in: Music, sony, Today's Chili
Who’s better, Sammy Hagar or The Great Caruso? We know you have every track the Red Rocker ever laid down, but if you haven’t upgraded your gramophones of the great Italian tenor, today is the first day of the rest of your life. The Library of Congress, working with Sony, now streams a collection of 10,000 historical recordings, including Caruso and other pre-1925 greats. This “National Jukebox” is a bit of a hodge-podge, including everything from early jazz to poetry to yodeling, but digging through the archive is half the fun. But while access to this material is great for sound preservationists, commenters on BoingBoing point out that it’s not truly public domain work: thanks to our spaghetti-tangle of copyright arcana, Sony still owns the rights. It’s allowing users to stream but not download, and technically could revoke its gratis license at any time. So get your Caruso fix while you can.

Sony and Library of Congress launch streaming National Jukebox, ready to DJ at your local speakeasy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 May 2011 06:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Washington Post  |  sourceThe Library of Congress  | Email this | Comments

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May 13

Energy-Saving Weddings in Tokyo

Posted in: LIFESTYLE / FASHION, MARKETING IDEAS, Today's Chili

This summer is quite possibly going to be an unpleasant, sticky experience in Tokyo. All right, it’s like that every year but with the prospect of a potential 10 million kilowatt shortfall in electricity (around 20% of what was needed last summer) due to the ongoing post-earthquake power issues, aircon use is likely to be severely curtailed.

Of course we can all do our bit and retail has been reducing its lighting since March. Even that “special day” of yours can still be special while limiting its impact on the situation. Wedding services company Pridal introduced a new energy-saving bridal package in late April that turns a way to cut down on electricity into a romantic setting. Its Candle Bridal pack is now on offer at hotels in Tokyo and the surrounding area: You can choose to dim the electric lighting in exchange for a candle-lit experience, thereby saving energy and creating an appropriate mood for the wedding meal.

pridal-candle-bridal-energy-saving-weddings

Due to the conditions of different wedding reception venues Pridal cannot promise the Candle Bridal option will always be available, but currently it is at least possible at six major hotels. To be fully accurate, though, they also won’t be turning off the lights completely, so the energy-saving is not total.

With the current mood of “self-restraint” luxury services such as weddings will be suffering. Ordinary consumers will likely feel guilty indulging in celebrations, especially the often extravagant, expensive and electricity-zapping banquets that reign over the summer and autumn. Pridal here is offering a nice, guilt-free alternative, adapting its services to customers’ emotional states and the country’s needs, and cunningly avoiding cancellations and postponements.

Another idea might be to jettison the wedding dress and suit — and opt for energy-saving clothes instead!

Related Posts
Smartphones measure, turn off household appliances
Tokyo’s Eco Office: Pasona Urban Farm
5 Power Saving Tips for Japan

japan-new-normal

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May 13

Solar Impulse’s first international flight is underway (live)

Posted in: solar, Today's Chili

We’ve been following Captain Piccard’s Solar Impulse solar-powered airplane for a few years now. Today, right now as a matter of fact, the pioneering Swiss HB-SIA aircraft with 200-foot wingspan is attempting its first international flight. The flight to Brussels began at 8:40am (0640GMT) and should conclude about 12 to 13 hours later when Andre Borshberg brings all 12,000 photovoltaic cells to the ground in a controlled (we hope) landing. If successful then we can expect the craft to take on the Atlantic, Lindbergh style, in 2012 or 2013. Hit the source link below to track Solar Impulse’s position in real-time and to witness a live video feed of this historic event.

Solar Impulse’s first international flight is underway (live) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 May 2011 05:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Physorg  |  sourceSolar Impulse  | Email this | Comments

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May 13

HTC Flyer available across Europe today, £600 for 3G, £480 for WiFi-only version

Posted in: 7-inch, Android, availability, available, breaking news, europe, gingerbread, HTC, launch, price, pricing, release, slate, tablet, Today's Chili, uk

The day every fan of 7-inch Android tablets has been waiting for has finally arrived. HTC has just announced widespread availability across Europe of its 1.5GHz Flyer. Pricing is set at £600 / €649 for the 3G-equipped 32GB variant or £480 / €499 for the one with only WiFi and 16GB on board — though local carriers are offering subsidized pricing as low as £129 on contract. The contentious capacitive stylus, now dubbed the Magic Pen, will be shipping in each and every box, so you don’t have to worry about ponying up extra for it. The HTC store linked below still offers only pre-orders, but HTC promises that there will be aluminum unibodies hitting shelves today.

Continue reading HTC Flyer available across Europe today, £600 for 3G, £480 for WiFi-only version

HTC Flyer available across Europe today, £600 for 3G, £480 for WiFi-only version originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 May 2011 05:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceHTC Flyer Store  | Email this | Comments

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May 13

Apple patent application suggest iPod nano could become even more of a ‘fashion accessory’

Posted in: Apple, camera, Games, ipod, iPod Nano, patent, patent application, PatentApplication, Today's Chili
There’s no guarantee that it will show up in the next iPod nano — or any iPod nano at all, for that matter — but a newly published patent application has now offered a few more hints about how Apple might make such a device even more wearable. Titled simply, “Environment Sensitive Display Tags,” the patent application details how a small, wearable device could use a variety of sensors and inputs (including a camera, microphone, accelerometer — even a thermometer) to obtain information about its surroundings and translate that into a visual element that’s displayed on the screen. So, for instance, the camera could be used to create a background that matches your shirt or jacket, or the accelerometer could be used to make a screen saver react to your movements (like the rain drops illustrated above). All of which, the application suggests, could serve to make the device even more “aesthetically pleasing” as a “fashion accessory.”

Incidentally, the patent application also noticeably features “Games” as a menu option in some of the illustrations — which would be new to the current variety of iPod nano — but there’s no mention of it in the actual claims. And, given that it was filed back in November of 2009, the application’s authors could well have simply been working on the assumption that games would simply carry over from the previous generation.

Apple patent application suggest iPod nano could become even more of a ‘fashion accessory’ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 May 2011 04:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Apple Insider  |  sourceUSPTO  | Email this | Comments

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May 13

CyberNotes: Fwicki RSS Reader To Master Your Feeds

Posted in: CyberNotes, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on November 17, 2006 by CyberNet.

CyberNotes
Free For All Friday

There are multiple different RSS Reader’s to choose from these days, and the list of options keeps growing.  Now we can add Fwicki to that list of reader’s. So what is Fwicki and how is it different from every other feed reader out there?

Fwicki uses an RSS reader that combines mashup, ajax, and feed generation. It offers some customization and personalization.  One option that you have is to create your own personal fwicki page that would potentially be your master feed list. Along with the customization is the Fwicki search engine that will help you find the feeds you’re looking for. They also have a system where you can vote useless Fwicki’s out of the community.

–Mashup–

Mashup just one single master feed to create your fwicki.  In the account settings, you are able to select the number of results in your customized blend. Fwicki’s’ can be private or public.  The set parameters in accounts settings will allow you to determine the number of results that would be in your chosen blend.

– Fwicki Page–

Instead of having a feed reader, you can have a Fwicki page which would replace your reader. If you have a blog, you’re even able to integrate your Fwicki into  your site.

If you’re wanting to learn more about Fwicki, they do have video tutorials available which will demonstrate what the reader is capable of. They explain how to create a Fwicki, managing ads, and settings and status.  If you’re wanting an account, there are a few different options ranging from free – $10 per month, or even a $10 or $18 one time fee.  Visit Fwicki and check it out!

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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