Hasta La Gadget!

Forget e-paper: if the University of Tokyo’s Naemura Lab has its way, we’ll interact with the real thing. The division’s new research has budding artists draw on photochromic paper with Frixion’s heat-sensitive ink, turning the results into something a computer can manipulate. A laser ‘erases’ the ink to fix mistakes or add effects, and an ultraviolet projector overhead can copy any handiwork, fill in the gaps or print a new creation. The prototype is neither high resolution nor quick — you won’t be living out fantasies of a real-world A-Ha music video — but the laser’s accuracy (down to 0.0001 inches) has already led researchers to dream of paper-based, Google Docs-style collaboration where edits in one place affect a tangible document somewhere else. It’s hard to see truly widespread adoption in an era where we’re often trying to save trees instead of print to them, but there’s an undeniable appeal to having a hard copy that isn’t fixed in time.

Continue reading University of Tokyo turns real paper and ink into a display, could share doodles from a distance (video)

Filed under: Displays, Alt

University of Tokyo turns real paper and ink into a display, could share doodles from a distance (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 14:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you own an iPad, then the company AU Optronics might be one familiar to you as they are one of the suppliers for Apple’s iPads’ display. Well recently the company has announced a 4.46” HD display with 317ppi and a 1mm border surrounding it, giving the impression that the display is larger than it really is. This is possible thanks to the company’s proprietary super narrow border technology and low-temperature poly-silicon method. As for the quality of the display, it uses AMOLED, IGZO and AHVA technologies. At the same time AU Optronics has also revealed a 10” IGZO display with a rather impressive resolution of 2560×1600 and a border of 1.5mm, which could lead to some pretty thin devices. We’re not sure who will be picking up AU Optronics’ displays, but perhaps we could be seeing them used in next year’s iPad.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: AU Optronics rumored to supply Apple with 7.85″ displays for the “iPad mini”, Century unveils LCD-8000DA auxiliary display,

It’s now clear that Sharp doesn’t have an exclusive lock on IGZO displays, even for the big-screen TVs that are still the company’s domain. AU Optronics has developed a 65-inch IGZO panel that wields the very light-friendly technology to reach 4K resolutions without the usual penalties — as the screen doesn’t need much backlighting to illuminate all those pixels, it can stay slim and keep the shocking energy bills to a minimum. The smaller size and miserly power draw also leave a real chance that any pricing will be closer to the mere mortal realm than current 84-inch behemoths. And while it’s mostly up to other companies to decide if and when they use AUO’s flagship display, we’ll have choices of our own should the IGZO TV still be too rich for our blood: the Taiwan firm has simultaneously developed a more conventional, 55-inch 4K screen with a wide color range as well as a 50-inch, 1080p panel with an extra-skinny 0.14-inch bezel. It’s at least good to know that there’s already competition for technology that’s just getting started.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD

AUO develops IGZO-based, 65-inch 4K TV screen, vows high resolution without the high power originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp may look like it’s in trouble, but that’s not stopping it bringing new displays to the market, including today’s announcement of the AQUOS Quattron 3D XL TV line. Behind the mouthful of acronyms, these LED-backlit LCD panels are the first to feature Sharp’s Moth-Eye technology, designed to reduce glare and pump out bright colors, as well as a deep black. The company’s ‘four primary color’ tech is partly responsible for the rich output, which squeezes a yellow sub-pixel in with the standard R, G and B. All the panels run at 1,920 x 1,080, as you’d expect, sport a 10 million to 1 contrast ratio and use five speakers to deliver audio. Prices aren’t fixed, but the 46-, 52- and 80-inch models will be released in Japan on December 15th, while the 60- and 70-inch variants will come slightly earlier, on November 30th. You’re going to have to be quick on launch day, though — only 10,000 units are expected to be available in the first month.

Filed under: Displays, HD

Sharp announces first TVs with Moth-Eye technology: the AQUOS XL series originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 04:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple teased that it had “a little more to show” us prior to today’s San Francisco event, but it’s clear now that the phrasing was humble at best. Not only has the much-anticipated, rumored and leaked 7.9-inch iPad mini been officially revealed, but so has a smattering of new and refreshed offerings across its range of gizmos. The standard iPad is seeing its fastest refresh yet (about six months) to a Lighting port and A6X-packing fourth-generation model, and the iMac has ditched its optical drive to go Air-thin in its Ivy Bridge-driven seventh-generation. Mobile power users should be especially be pleased, too, as a 13-inch variant of the MacBook Pro with a 2,560 x 1,600 Retina Display is now a reality. Lest we forgot that the iBooks app and iBooks Author have both been updated — right on cue with that book-like iPad Mini. Hop past the break for a full listing of all the news and all of our on-scene coverage that came out of today’s event.

Continue reading Apple’s Oct. 23rd event roundup: iPad mini, 4th gen iPad, new iMac, 13-inch Retina MBP and more

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Displays, Misc, Laptops, Tablets, Storage, Software, Apple

Apple’s Oct. 23rd event roundup: iPad mini, 4th gen iPad, new iMac, 13-inch Retina MBP and more originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 19:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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