Hasta La Gadget!

If you were wondering what was next for webOS now that it’s gone all open source on us, webOS Nation chimes in with word that Gram is working with LG to bring it to connected HDTVs. Several names from the HP / Gram team are dropped as being involved in the effort, which reportedly was under way even before HP revealed it would spin the project off as an independent. Of course, when we actually saw Open webOS 1.0 it was already stretching to fill the space of an HP TouchSmart computer screen (project architect Steve Winston specifically mentioned hotel kiosks as a possibility, a market LG is all over) so it makes sense that larger displays have been a target. With LG supposedly both looking to replace its existing NetCast smart TV platform and unhappy with Google TV based on its rate of adoption and Google’s terms, engineers have been working to port the software to its dual-core L9 chipset. In the past LG has pursued voice and motion control, the aforementioned Google TV integration and even Plex support to make its smart TVs more appealing, and has founded the Smart TV Alliance for cross platform apps. We only have to wait until CES 2013 to see if webOS is next up to power its efforts, stay tuned.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD

Open webOS-powered HDTVs said to be on the way from… LG? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 02:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As with all new Apple devices, we’re expecting consumers to throw their money at the company once the iPad Mini goes up for pre-order later this week. Even though Apple is boosting the number of suppliers its working with to produce the iPad Mini, at least one analyst is expecting there to be a stock shortage once the new tablet launches. Better get those pre-orders in early, lest they run out fast and you end up waiting a month before Apple has more to sell.

DiaplySearch analyst Richard Shim writes in a new Analyst Blog post that he expects stock to be tight for the both the iPad Mini and the fourth generation iPad, but is expecting the iPad Mini’s stock to be particularly slim thanks to its lower price and issues with Apple’s panel supply chain. “The new low price point is expected to appeal to a wider audience and drive up demand,” Shim said. “However, panel supply chain indications point to an even more than typical tightness in the market for the iPad Mini.”

Apple’s recently-soured relationship with Samsung may be partially to blame for the whatever shortages the iPad Mini experiences, considering that Samsung used to be one of Apple’s biggest display suppliers. Apple may be moving away from Samsung, but it has taken some measures to expand its supplier base. Apple will be relying on LG to produce displays for the iPad Mini, but the company has also brought on AUO, which unfortunately is experiencing issues with yields in its 7.9-inch displays.

Shim writes that AUO was only able to get 100,000 displays out the door in September due to these problems with yields – a far cry from the 400,000 it plans to produce this month, the 800,000 its shooting for in November, and the quota of one million its expected to reach in December. Given all of that, it’s no wonder that Shim is expecting an iPad Mini shortage, so if you want one at launch, it might be a good idea to get your pre-order in as early as possible once October 26 rolls around.

iPad Mini shortage likely at first, warns analyst is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

What’s believed to be a promotional image of the LG Nexus 4 bearing Google’s Nexus branding has leaked, ahead of the smartphone’s expected launch next week. The image, courtesy of tipster evleaks, fits with previous leaked photos of the handset in the wild, though that last sighting didn’t include the bold “nexus” logo across the upper rear of the phone. Update: Not so fast! This might not be as legit as we hoped.

Still, that’s a last-minute addition we’d wager, and everything else is lining up for a launch on October 29. LG execs have apparently confirmed that timescale themselves, and leaks about the Monday Google press conference suggest the new Nexus will be one of the key announcements.

The LG Nexus 4 itself is believed to use a 1.5GHz quadcore Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM, with an 8-megapixel camera on the back and a 1.3-megapixel camera on the front. Inside the 9.1mm-thick chassis is a 2,100 mAh battery – fixed, not user-removable – together with either 8GB or 16GB of storage.

Up front is a 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 display, using an LCD True HD IPS+ panel rather than the AMOLED we’ve seen on other recent Nexus phones. That’s shared – like much of the Nexus 4 – with the LG Optimus 4, our review of which is here.

OS is expected to be Android 4.2, also tipped to make its official debut on Monday. There isn’t long to wait until we find out for certain; SlashGear will be with Google on the 29th to bring you back all the news.

Update: evleaks has a second shot, this time with the Nexus 4 at an angle:

Update 2: People are pointing out that the first shot includes a non-standard battery gage on the display, which certainly implies it might not be legitimate. The second shot, shown below, doesn’t use the same on-screen image.

LG Nexus 4 leaks in apparently official press shot [Update: Is it fake?] is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

There aren’t too many mobile devices out there that can boast a full 1080p HD display, save for the HTC J Butterfly, HTC’s take on the phablet. Well unsurprisingly it seems that other manufacturers for Android have plans to catchup and according to MK News, it looks like Samsung, LG and Pantech have plans to launch 1080p smartphones come 2013. According to the report, these high-end smartphones are expected to be introduced before the second half of next year, and if the report is accurate, we guess it wouldn’t be completely unreasonable of us to expect that the Samsung Galaxy S4 could sport such a display. Either way with LG’s flagship, the Optimus G being launched not too long ago, we have to wonder what sort of device LG might have up their sleeves. Either way we’ll keep our eyes peeled, but are you guys looking forward to 1080p Full HD displays next year, or do you think the current-gen of displays are good enough and going 1080p Full HD is just another marketing gimmick that manufacturers will use to advertise their phones?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: South Korean government to come up with their own smartphone platform, AT&T to receive quartet of handsets this June 6th,

We are not too sure whether you have the cojones to step into this uniquely modified room by LG that has their new IPS monitors on the floor, combined in a three-by-three grid that depicts the elevator shaft right under where you are standing. It is definitely an eye opener, and LG’s public relations or marketing stunt will definitely win its fair share of fans and detractors alike. After all, not many people I know are happy enough with their life at the moment that they can die and leave this world without a care or concern for those remaining behind, and a shock like this would definitely rile some suits and skirts alike.

Do you think that the video above is real, or is it just a PR stunt? Whatever the case or verdict is, whoever steps into that room by accident might just walk out of it, needing to head home for a new pair of pants or a skirt because he or she soiled his/hers.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung, LG and Pantech reportedly gearing up to release 1080p Full HD smartphones in 2013, LG Hom-Bot robotic vacuum cleaner debuts internationally,