Hasta La Gadget!

Thanks to touchscreens and other input sensors, we’re finding more ways to integrate physical movement in electronic entertainment. The Princip Interactive LED Futuro Cube is another example. Its sensors work with the embedded LEDs to amuse – or frustrate – you in all sorts of ways.

The Future Cube has multi-axis accelerometers, 56 LEDs and a speaker. The accelerometers enable it to detect gravity, motion and tapping, the LEDs are there to, well, light up, and the cube provides feedback, tutorials and score through the speaker. The cube has 12 game modes, including Gravity Puzzle (similar to Rubik’s Cube but with tapping instead of rotating!), Snake (it slithers through all six sides!) and Cubris (Tetris, except it’s way more confusing!)

Here’s a quick demo of Gravity Puzzle:

Did you understand what was happening in that last video? Neither did I. All the more reason to get one of these toys. You can order the Princip Interactive LED Futuro Cube from ThinkGeek for $100 (USD).

Drinking can be quite the dangerous activity when you’ve lost count of how many drinks you’ve had. Sure – pounding down drink after drink can be fun, but the results of those drinks can make for one bummer of an evening or following morning if you’ve lost count. We know you can have your designated driver keep tabs on how many drinks you’ve had, but if they’re sour about not being able to drink for the night, then they can certainly screw you over. You need the power of LEDs to help you know when to stop.

MIT Media Lab researcher Dhairya Dand created the LED ice cubes after a night of alcoholic drinks resulted in a blackout that put him in the hospital. The LED ice cubes detect alcohol and flashes colors based on the amount of drinks you’ve had. They track the number of sips you take and total time spent drinking in order to predict when the user may be intoxicated.

The LED ice cubes may make you look like an alcoholic, but they flash in sync with ambient music and sounds, which pretty much makes your cup a “party cup.” Three colors will show – green, orange and red – to tell the user just how drunk they are. The LED ice cubs can also be used to detect when a user has gone beyond its red level, which results in a text message warning a friend of your drunken escapades.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Bullet Train Digital Thermometer, Glucose Levels Measured In Saliva,

OK, so maybe you shouldn’t use a GPS tracker watch to spy on your loved ones, but you’ll be able to make sure that your little ones or older relatives are safe and sound. LockStar GPS watches are designed for families caring for children, the elderly, or anyone who you need to keep tabs on, ensuring that they will be found if lost.

It’s definitely a bit of an electronic leash, but it will probably give you peace of mind if your loved ones are always running around and getting themselves into trouble. You can track them via any computer or the LockStar app on your smartphone. They work both indoors and outdoors, allow 2-way voice calls, it has an SOS button and geo-fencing support. LockStar’s call center is available 24/7 to give you real-time support if you need help tracking down a loved one. Of course, they also function as a watch.

The watch will be available in a variety of colors, and there will also be a version for pets. Who knew pets wore watches? Pricing and availability  for the LockStar hasn’t been announced.

[via Ubergizmo]

Samsung is going big with TVs at CES 2013: big in screen size, and big in resolution, with the record-setting 85-inch Ultra HD UN85S9000 at the top of a new HDTV line-up that also includes OLED models. The largest UHD set we’ve seen so-far, the Samsung UN85S9000 delivers four times the resolution of an 1080p Full HD TV, as well as 3.2-channels of 120W sound and all of the Smart TV functionality you’d hope for. Meanwhile, Samsung has refined its 55-inch OLED monster, with a special new 3D feature catering for two people wanting to watch different things.

Inside the 85-inch behemoth, there’s not only 2D to 3D conversion, but HD to UHD conversion, along with Smart TV features like streaming, apps, motion control, and voice control. It’s all powered by an A15 quadcore 1.35GHz processor, something you’d more commonly expect to find in a high-end phone or tablet, as well as support for the Smart Evolution Kit which will add new features further down the line. However, it’s likely to unusual easel-style mount which will grab the most attention (at least before the screen gets powered on).

Samsung has been pushing OLED as the Next Big Thing in TV technology, and the 55-inch KN55F9500 Real OLED TV is the latest iteration of the company’s vision. Built around the same quadcore processor as the UN85S9000, and with all the Smart TV functionality including voice control and streaming media, the OLED set is also the first to feature Samsung Multi-View, which uses 3D display technology to show two viewers (each wearing active 3D glasses) different content simultaneously.

That works in 2D and 3D, and even delivers stereo audio to the viewer thanks to tiny speakers built into the glasses. There’s also Smart Evolution Kit Connector support, and a new version of Motion Control gesture recognition that can better track hands held at up to 45-degree angles.

Most regular buyers will head to Samsung’s LED 8000 Series or LED 7000 Series sets, of course, also new for CES 2013. The 60-inch UN60F8000 borrows the 1.35GHz quadcore A15 of its bigger brother, along with the same Smart TV functionality, motion and voice control, and streaming from the web and mobile devices. It also gets Micro Dimming Ultimate for more precise control of the LED backlighting, and De-Jagging Pro for cleaner edges. 3D crosstalk is down too, by 30-percent, and even web content is meant to look better, with text and image processing applied to the TV’s browser.

As for the 60-inch UN60F7500, that sticks with the same quadcore processor but does without the Micro Dimming Ultimate technology; otherwise, it’s the same mixture of De-Jagging Pro smoothing, Precision Black intelligent contrast control, and improved 3D crosstalk prevention. Both the 8000 and 7000 Series support the Evolution Kit.

Finally, there’s a new plasma set on offer, the Samsung Plasma 8500 Series, with the 64-inch PN64F8500 promising the darkest blacks and brightest pictures ever from a plasma TV. It shares the processor and Smart TV features as its LED brethren, but adds Deep Black Algorithm II and Real Black Pro for a combination of computer-controlled white light reduction – keeping those black areas inky – as well as 2.5x brighter whites when necessary. There’s also a new “nanocarbon compound” used to reduce stray ambient light.

Samsung doesn’t have availability or pricing details for either the UN85S9000 or the KN55F9500, though neither is likely to be cheap. The LED 8000 Series will ship in the first half of 2013, along with the LED 7000 Series, and the Plasma 8500 Series.

Samsung reveals full Ultra HD, OLED and Smart TV lineup at CES 2013 is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

As a leading manufacturer of HDTVs, Samsung has predictably returned to CES with a heaping armful of new displays of both the plasma and LCD variety. There are many common factors across the higher end models, including new A15 quad-core 1.35GHz CPUs that claim a 3.6x speed boost over last year’s dual cores. That extra horsepower isn’t being wasted either, as this year’s sets are the first to decode HEVC video, and also feature improved voice control with natural voice commands, better recognition of gestures with support for two-handed gestures, pinch to zoom and more.

All are due during the first half of 2013 and include Samsung’s AllShare DLNA client, as well as the S-Recommendation lists to help you find things to watch. The F8500 series plasma features brighter whites and blacker blacks as well as other picture quality enhancements compared to years past and is available in three sizes; 51, 60 and 64 inches. The flagship F7500 LED 3D TV is available in 46, 55 and 60-inches, while its bigger brother, the F8000 series, does what it can do and adds a built-in camera and mic; and is available in five sizes ranging up to 75-inches.

Like the higher end 2012 Samsung HDTVs, the new models also feature a Smart Evolution slot for future expansion. Owners of last year’s sets will be able to pick up a Smart Evolution Kit and add the new features of this years models without replacing their TV.

Continue reading Samsung 2013 LCDs and plasmas revealed: quad core CPU, new menus and more

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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