Hasta La Gadget!

Until Sony started shipping its Triluminos HDTVs, the future of quantum dot (QD) technology in real-world products was mostly theoretical. Now, a company called Quantum Materials has started shipping its “Tetrapod Quantum Dots” material to an unnamed Asian electronics manufacturer, hinting at the possibility of other QD-enhanced products on the market. The company didn’t mention any particular devices, but this tech has the potential to create displays that are brighter, more energy-efficient and have greater contrast than the competition.

This technology allows companies to create LED-backlit LCDs using a single material as opposed to several on traditional ones — this supposedly keeps costs low, although the aforementioned Sony HDTVs were anything but cheap. Quantum Materials CEO Stephen Squires specifically claims his company’s tetrapod technology works with fewer dots overall and better manufacturing tech to hit the lowest cost possible. Samsung and LG have shown off quantum dot tech in years past — we’ll eventually find out if either one is the anonymous manufacturer in line to mass produce it.

Filed under: Displays, HD

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Source: Quantum Materials

GetGlue reworked its iPhone app recently to feature not only a new design, but also add more content sources, and now those features are also available on Android devices. The service is moving beyond check-ins of what users are watching and now provides personalized advice on what to watch. Those recommendations blend currently airing broadcast TV with commonly used online services like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, among others. There are also curated lists of suggestions and the newly refreshed show pages along with the ability for users to post their own memes, videos and news. The only feature that didn’t make the jump from the iPhone is the ability to link up with DirecTV satellite receivers for remote control, but otherwise it’s all here.

Filed under: Software, HD, Mobile, Apple, Google

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Source: GetGlue Blog

We’ve sad news to report today in the world of audio: Ray Dolby has passed on. His death comes relatively soon after losing both Dr. Fritz Sennheiser and Dr. Amar Bose, and as with those two gentlemen, Dolby’s legacy will continue to impact viewers and listeners around the globe for many years to come. Dolby founded Dolby Laboratories in 1965, seeking to provide a place for like-minded engineers to “push the limits of sight and sound,” as is stated on the outfit’s homepage.

He is perhaps best known for the Dolby noise-reduction system, and in more modern times, for his company’s iconic stamp on just about every major motion picture and piece of AV equipment known to man. Dolby’s surround sound magic continues to lead the industry, with Dolby 3D and Dolby Atmos as its latest contributions. Ray Dolby was 80 years old, and is survived by his wife Dagmar as well as sons Tom and David. A tribute video compiled by Dolby Labs can be found after the break.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Dolby, Twitter (Dolby)

The second Kickstarter-funded, Android-powered gaming console to arrive this year — PlayJam’s GameStick — is being delayed once again, this time to October 29th. Folks who backed the game console on Kickstarter will get it earlier in the month, with shipments arriving “three to four weeks before retail.” The rest of us can pick it up at GameStop, Amazon or GAME (for you UKers), and it’ll cost the expected $79.99 / £79.99.

You may’ve noticed we didn’t list that price in Euros, and that’s because the console is launching in the US and UK first, with the rest of the EU, Canada and Middle Eastern territories getting GameStick “prior to the end of year holiday season.” PlayJam CEO Jasper Smith chocks this (third!) delay up to “stringent QA” standards at the company, and PlayJam responding to the criticisms it heard from early beta testers. “Production delays are certainly frustrating, but in certain instances they’re essential,” Smith told Engadget. “There were some issues there that we thought needed to be solved, there were some issues that came out of watching what others had done, that meant that we should solve some other issues. So the unfortunate result is that pushed things back.”

Smith cited various usability issues, from “the way games were being submitted” to “the way that the games actually played,” as fixed problems. “On TV you’ve gotta make it so it’s easy for people to get in and out of a game, start again and all that stuff. And I hope that we’ve done a reasonably good job on that.” We hope so too, and we’ll find out soon — keep an eye out for a review of GameStick in the coming weeks on Engadget.

Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD

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However good TiVo’s new Roamio DVRs may be, not everyone can justify purchasing them — especially not TV providers that would have to buy in bulk. TiVo could make that experience more accessible with its just-unveiled Network PVR. The service (not yet pictured) puts the Roamio interface in the cloud, letting operators offer similar recording and streaming features though cheaper set-top boxes and mobile devices. Network PVR should also let providers offer perks that aren’t possible with locally-stored shows, such as sharing a recording with friends who missed the big season finale. There’s no estimated launch time frame for Network PVR, although that’s more likely to be dictated by the providers; don’t be surprised if it takes a while for the technology to reach viewers.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Via: CNET

Source: TiVo