Hasta La Gadget!

Apple could turn the television industry topsy-turvy with a new Apple TV. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

Much has been said about the amazing contributions Steve Jobs has made to the technology world as Apple’s leader. But what can we expect from Apple now that Jobs has stepped down as CEO?

New CEO Tim Cook has assured employees that “Apple is not going to change,” and a peek at what we’ll see from Cupertino suggests Apple plans to remain on the vanguard.

A look at some patents Apple has sought and received offers a lay of the land.

Game-Changing Apple TV

Longtime Apple watcher Walt Mossberg says “rumors are rife that Apple is working on re-inventing another common device: the TV. The secretive company won’t say a word about that, but nobody should be surprised if it happens, just based on Jobs’ track record.”

Rather than just churning out a set-top box like Apple TV, Cupertino may be working on a smart TV with iOS integration. Some say it will be a 55-inch OLED TV.

A patent for “An Enhanced TV Widget Paradigm” suggests Apple will ditch conventional static widgets (present on current smart TVs and smart-TV upgraders), in favor of content-aware widgets that provide information or activities that complement what you’re watching.

Devices With a Hybrid LCD, E-Ink Display

Another patent filing suggests Apple will deliver an iPhone and iPad with a hybrid LCD, e-ink display. The “electronic paper” display would allow for easier reading in bright sunlight, or in situation where a backlit LCD is too harsh.

The patent describes a screen with “multiple composite display regions” featuring individually activated backlights that could be turned on or off to display some content (like text on a web page) in the appropriate scenario. Such a display would require significantly less power than conventional displays, improving battery life.

One way this could be implemented would be to sandwich a transparent e-ink display between a capacitive touchscreen and either an LCD or OLED.

Integrated Projector in Mobile Devices

Future Apple mobile devices will include an integrated projector.

The patent describes how the projector would display information on a flat surface like a wall. Multiple devices could be combined to display a single image in a “unified display mode.”

The projector would be able to interpret gestures and silhouette movements. For example, an image could be swiped from the projected display of one device, to that of another.

Voice Identification

No more swiping your finger or entering a passcode to unlock your iGadget. The next wave of iOS devices could use voice identification to switch out of its lockscreen.

This already exists in numerous devices, but in a different way: These systems use large word libraries that can complicate voice-input analysis. Apple’s solution would identify users by the sound of their voice. That person could use voice inputs to navigate their device without worrying about the chatterbox across the room or raising their voice to bark out commands.

By tracking the voice of each user, the system could be dynamically tailored to their interests and unique needs. Multiple users could share the device, but specific content or contacts would remain unique to each individual user.

OSX and iOS Full Convergence

By the end of 2012, we may see iOS and OSX converge into a unified operating system.

“Users want to be able to pick up any iPhone, iPad or Mac (or turn on their iTV) and have content move seamlessly between them and be optimized for the user and the device currently being used,” said Peter Misek, an analyst with Jefferies.

Devices running iOS and OSX currently use different processors. Once all Apple computing devices — iPhones, iPads and MacBooks or MacBook Airs — run the same processor, likely ARM, it will be easier for them to support the same operating system. Users could easily share information and files between devices (especially when used in conjunction with iCloud).

We’ve already seen how OSX Lion has adopted features from iOS, like natural scrolling and LaunchPad, which resembles the iPad’s home screen.

Workplace Integration

With these innovations and others, we also expect Apple to take the business enterprise industry by storm. This isn’t quite an innovation in itself on Apple’s part, but a result of their products, their applications and the platform.

“Apple is the first and only vendor that really supports the enterprise platform,” says Brian Fino, founder and managing director of Fino Consulting, which provides enterprise solutions for Fortune 1000 companies. “We’ve seen a dramatic and significant shift toward Apple products, the iPad in particular. And with iOS 5’s over-the-air upgrades, users will have untethered management of devices.”

Many consumers like bringing in their iPad (or other Apple devices) to and from work, and have requested enterprise solutions from Fino’s company. Airplay currently allows for wireless streaming from the iPad to an HDTV via Apple TV. As Apple continues to support and expand this capability, businesses will find these products increasingly useful and convenient.

What exactly is a PRS-T1? Well, it’s a new Sony Reader and it just so happens to have swung through the FCC with a WiFi n radio in tow. As you can see above, the regulatory label proudly proclaims this to be a “Digital Book Reader,” though we could have guessed that from the PRS model number. What else do we know? Not much sadly. We’re guess the T1 in the model name indicates that, whatever the panel’s size, it’ll be of the touchscreen variety. (Either that, or this is the tapenade colored model.) Despite Sony’s official denials, looks like that rumored August launch for the company’s latest e-ink devices may actually pan out.

Sony PRS-T1 Reader wanders into the FCC with WiFi on board originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu got to show off its recent color e-reader flossy flossy at the e-Book Expo Tokyo (the former Digital Publishing Fair) in Japan last week. Besting its previous market entry — the FLEPia Lite — this 8-inch, 157 dpi cholestric LCD module sheds both its predecessor’s weight and Windows OS for a 220 gram, Linux-operated, slimmed-down profile. While the 4,096 color range remains exactly the same, it’s the elimation of dithering from the display that’ll be brightening up your future literary experiences. Processing speed also got a significant makeover here, translating into 0.7 second writing speeds — a number the company promises will go down as full color capacity increases. Unfortunately, this slab of technicolor ebeauty doesn’t appear to be headed for a US debut, so interested parties should start saving for that import option. Robo-Brit voice-over video demonstration after the break.

Continue reading Fujitsu’s e-reader gets a refreshed look at e-Book Expo Tokyo (video)

Fujitsu’s e-reader gets a refreshed look at e-Book Expo Tokyo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When it first announced the launch of its eReader Touch Edition late last month, Kobo referred to itself again and again as the “David” in a reader market full of “Goliaths.” It’s not difficult to see why — the company’s chief competition in the space is Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony, all giants in their respective fields. In spite of overwhelming odds, however, Kobo has managed to stay afloat, and even competitive. True to form, however, Barnes & Noble launched its own device a mere day after Kobo, which for most intents and purposes, looks an awful lot like the eReader Touch Edition. In fact, the devices were seemingly so alike that we created a head to head, in order to see for ourselves precisely what set them apart.

The new Nook also managed to beat Kobo’s device to market, offering a more than worthy competitor to Amazon’s latest. The question with the launch of the Kobo then, is not only whether the David can compete in a market so dominated by the Kindle, but if the eReader Touch Edition has enough to set it apart from the superficially identical Nook.

Continue reading Kobo eReader Touch Edition review

Kobo eReader Touch Edition review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember that Mirasol e-reader display Qualcomm was hoping to release this year? Yeah, it’s not happening. Speaking at a press briefing in San Diego yesterday, Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs confirmed that the 5.7-inch panel has been abandoned after failing to meet expectations. Instead, the company will devote its attention to the “next version” of the technology, which has Jacobs feeling optimistic:

“We have a really interesting roadmap — we’re starting out on e-readers because we figured having E Ink as a competing technology was a good way to get started. But if you think about the power consumption of the screens that are out now [on tablets], they’re very bright OLED screens that use up a lot of the power of the battery. We don’t today have as vibrant color as an OLED display – but we have a roadmap that gets us to a much brighter color.”

Presumably, this roadmap would include that low-power “converged e-reader” we heard about a few weeks ago, slated for release by the end of the year. Jacobs also mentioned that Qualcomm is planning to invest a billion dollars in its Taiwan Mirasol plant, which might help produce the kind of volume that, say, Amazon would demand for its Kindle displays. It’s all speculation, of course, but Qualcomm certainly seems to have some big plans in store for the rest of the year.

Qualcomm CEO confirms death of Mirasol e-reader display, looks forward to ‘next version’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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