Toyota Smart INSECT electric vehicle announced

Toyota has pulled the veil off its new Smart INSECT, and its safe to say that if you want a distinctive car, this one is for you. Announced at Ceatec in Japan, this new car seems to be aptly named, seeing as how it looks an awful lot like a bug. It’s also fully electric – not a hybrid – and can be charged using a home AC100V outlet, which means no more gas for you.


Details are still pretty scarce, but we’re imagining that you can get some pretty good distance from a full charge with a car this tiny. After all, looking at the pictures above, it’s clear that this vehicle only fits one person, so we’re assuming that a full charge can take this thing quite some distance. The doors also open upward instead of outward, which adds to the distinctive bug-like look.

The Smart INSECT features a motion sensor that can detect when you’re nearby. As you approach, the doors open for you, so not only are you helping to save the environment by purchasing this car, but you can also feel a little like James Bond every time you get in your INSECT. The Toyota Virtual Agent can give you traffic reports through your smartphone, and if you’re Toyota Home user, you can even use your smartphone to lock and unlock the door to your house from the car. There are likely many more smart features than the ones we’re hearing about on the show floor at Ceatec, so we’ll be keeping an eye out for those.

As stated above, details are slim – super slim, for that matter – so we’re not sure when this car is launching, where it’s launching, or how much it will cost. One thing is certain: the Toyota Smart INSECT has officially caught our attention, so we’ll definitely be watching for new details to surface. Stay tuned.


Toyota Smart INSECT electric vehicle announced is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Fujitsu Lifebook UH75 running Windows 8 at CEATEC (hands-on video)

Fujitsu Lifebook UH75 running Windows 8 at CEATEC handson video

CEATEC isn’t exactly the first place you’d expect a new notebook to turn up, but Fujitsu’s booth had a bit of a surprise on the laptop front. The Japanese company had its Lifebook UH75 Ultrabook on display running Windows 8. That OS is the real news here: no other real specs beside the 14-inch screen we already knew about. Fujitsu said this machine will launch alongside its new Arrows Tab sometime in late October or November. Check out our video hands-on below the break.

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Fujitsu Lifebook UH75 running Windows 8 at CEATEC (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 22:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu Arrows Tab shows up at CEATEC with Windows 8 in tow (video)

Fujitsu Arrows Tab shows up at CEATEC with Windows 8 in tow

We got a look at Fujitsu’s Arrows Tab at CEATEC last year, and the 10.1-inch tablet is making an appearance yet again — this time running Windows 8 rather than Android Honeycomb. Exact specs were MIA, but the slate sports a front-facing camera along with a rear-facing shooter, plus a micro-USB port and a microSD card slot. Rather than the shiny plastic backing we saw last year, this device has a slightly textured, metallic finish, and it sports much sharper corners than the earlier version’s more curved design.

A booth worker did confirm that the Arrows Tab is waterproof like last year’s model, and while he wouldn’t provide exact availability, he said the tablet will launch within the October-November time frame. Last year’s Arrows Tab F-01 LTE debuted on NTT DoCoMo, and given Japan’s penchant for hydrophobic gadgets, it’s safe to say that the device will be targeted at this country in particular. Head past the break for a quick video hands-on.

Continue reading Fujitsu Arrows Tab shows up at CEATEC with Windows 8 in tow (video)

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Fujitsu Arrows Tab shows up at CEATEC with Windows 8 in tow (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 22:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KDDI’s smartphone palm authentication app unveiled at CEATEC 2012 (hands-on)

KDDI's smartphone palm authentication app unveiled at CEATEC 2012 handson

Sidestepping lockscreen codes and fingerprint scanners — and without any new hardware demands — KDDI has unveiled a new palm authentication app that takes advantage of the high-resolution camera on its Android smartphones. Scanning in tandem with the flash, we gave it a try on a HTC J, here at CEATEC in Japan. After a brief setup, which involves positioning your hand to fit between some red markers, the phone was soon calibrated to our hands. Then, after locking the device, attempting to unlock it will send you to the palm authentication screen, seen above, where (hopefully) only your mitts will be able to gain access.

The time it takes to check your hand remains a little longer than it would take you to drum in your typical four-digit PIN, but in our brief test, it was able to discriminate between two Engadget editors’ hands. Better still, you’ll be able to give the app a try yourself tomorrow, when it goes on free trial on Google Play. Until it does, see how it’s all meant to work in our hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading KDDI’s smartphone palm authentication app unveiled at CEATEC 2012 (hands-on)

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KDDI’s smartphone palm authentication app unveiled at CEATEC 2012 (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 21:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp’s new 443 ppi 5-inch smartphone displays on show at CEATEC 2012 (eyes-on)

Sharp's new 443 ppi 5inch smartphone displays on show at CEATEC 2012 eyeson

Here at CEATEC, the Japanese display maker is showing of its latest portable displays. Although the vivid 1080p displays were scurried away in the corner of Sharp’s stand, we managed to grab a few photos of its 443 PPI smartphone screen yet. From these prototype samples (the screen will go into production later this month) the screen is looking pretty good, with Sharp‘s thinnest GS-Silicon technology reducing the layers between the LCD display and our eyes. Although we were told not to touch, viewing angles were also good — we could see ourselves gazing at YouTube clips on this screen in whichever smartphone it ends up on.

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Sharp’s new 443 ppi 5-inch smartphone displays on show at CEATEC 2012 (eyes-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 21:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NTT DoCoMo Grip UI detects how you hold your device, makes big phones friendly for tiny hands (video)

NTT DoCoMo Grip UI detects how you hold your phone, make short work for tiny hands

Maintaining your balance on a packed train while trying to handle the big-screened smartphones of today is often a tough challenge. At least NTT DoCoMo thinks so, offering up a new interface to avoid such issues — and throw in some extra gesture shortcuts. Gesture UI is a combination hardware-software prototype that the Japanese carrier is showing at this year’s CEATEC showcase in Japan. Consisting of a trio of grip sensors located along the two edges and across the back of the prototype phone, these can each detect up to five levels of pressure from your hand, as well as detecting how you’re holding the device.

This data is then channeled into the user interface, which allows the user to customize what the device does under certain conditions. We saw demonstrations of grip “shortcuts” to send you back to the homescreen, while holding certain portions of the sides would launched pre-assigned apps — pinching at the top of this device launched the internet browser. Once inside the browser, the Grip UI also allows the user to transfer across to other programs without returning to the aforementioned homescreen, using a combination of gripping and swiping across the display. We get a handle on the prototype UI inside DoCoMo’s imaginary train right after the break.

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NTT DoCoMo Grip UI detects how you hold your device, makes big phones friendly for tiny hands (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 20:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ceatec 2012: We’re here!

The last few months have been absolutely jam packed with events, and though things are beginning to wind down, there’s one particularly major event left for us to tackle: Ceatec 2012. We’re on the ground in Japan to take in all of the sights Ceatec will have to offer over the next four days. Ceatec is entering its 13th year with the event that’s about to kick off, and it promises to be a big one for the trade show.

The theme of this year’s Ceatec is “Smart Innovation – Creating a prosperous lifestyle and society.” Ahead of today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony that will officially kick off Ceatec 2012, a number of companies will be holding press conferences, including the likes of Pioneer, KDDI, and Huawei. After the chaos that accompanies the beginning of most trade shows (Ceatec is no different in that respect), it’ll be time to hit the exhibition floor, where we’ll spend four days straight checking out what the exhibitors have to show off.

Even though Ceatec doesn’t enjoy as much press attention as some other shows here in the west, it’s still one of the biggest trade shows in the world, and it should provide us with plenty to talk about over the coming days. We’re definitely excited to be here, and you can bet that we’ll be letting you know about all of the cool stuff on display, whether we see it during a press conference or on the show floor.

Stay tuned folks – we’ve only just arrived, after all, and there should plenty to see, ranging from concept devices and televisions to smartphones and cars. Keep checking back with us here at SlashGear for the latest straight from Ceatec 2012!


Ceatec 2012: We’re here! is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


We’re live from CEATEC 2012 in Chiba, Japan!

We're live from CEATEC 2012 in Chiba, Japan!

Japan’s annual electronics expo is about to kick off in the Tokyo suburb of Chiba, and we’ve settled down for the week to deliver a peek inside Makuhari Messe, where local carriers will demonstrate their R&D wares, a fair share of robots are expected make their debut and component manufacturers will provide a hint of what’s to come. And, because the Tokyo Motor Show is held only once every two years, that winter exhibition will make a smaller appearance within these Chiba halls, with vehicle designers showing off their latest contributions to the automotive industry. The fun begins in just a few minutes, when dozens of diligent guards will lift the gates to the show. As always, you can follow along from home without spending a single yen. Just keep an eye on our homepage, or head over to the CEATEC 2012 tag for a complete roster of this year’s show coverage.

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We’re live from CEATEC 2012 in Chiba, Japan! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Docomo Shabette Robo keeps you in the know

[CEATEC 2012] Remember the NEC PaPeRo robot that was said to possibly end up in homes this year? Well, it looks like we’re a step closer to seeing that happen. At the moment, it is available as a research prototype for developers but not regular consumers like you and me and Docomo wants to change that. At this year’s CEATEC, the Japanese company showed off its Shabette Robo. Seeing how Docomo worked together with NECT, it’s no surprise that the robot looks exactly like the PaPeRo. However, it has some interesting features that make it more valuable to consumers. First up, it will feature Docomo’s voice recognition service that will allow users to communicate with the robot using natural speech (think of it as Siri on a robot – except that it only works with Japanese, at least for now).
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By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Docomo helps commuters with one-handed smartphone/tablet use, Docomo works on video-calls for glasses-shaped phones,

Docomo helps commuters with one-handed smartphone/tablet use

[CEATEC 2012] It is usually frowned upon to talk on the phone when using public transport, but the same can’t be said when it comes to using your phones for other purposes. Well, Docomo has come up with some new ways to help commuters use their mobile devices when they’ve got one hand holding onto the rail (or bags) and only one hand free. First up is a solution called Grip UI. During the demonstration, they outfitted an Android smartphone with a bunch of sensors on the side of the phone. These sensors can detect the pressure from your hand that’s holding the phone and can let you operate it differently. Instead of having to swipe your finger across the screen to unlock your phone, you can just grip the sides of the phone to turn on the display, and then a bit harder to fully unlock it.
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By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Docomo Shabette Robo keeps you in the know, Docomo works on video-calls for glasses-shaped phones,