Apple said to be in talks with Samsung to buy $7.8 billion worth of components

It’s not clear if it’s related to that mysterious $3.9 billion “strategic investment” or not, but it looks like Apple could be about to throw some serious cash in Samsung’s direction. According to a report published in the Korea Economic Daily, Apple is expected to purchase some $7.8 billion worth of components from Samsung this year, including displays, applications processors, and NAND flash chips — all intended for use in iPhones and iPads. As the paper notes, Apple would become Samsung’s single biggest customer if the deal goes through, although the two obviously aren’t strangers to massive deals — Apple has already famously run Samsung’s flash memory supplies dry a few times.

Apple said to be in talks with Samsung to buy $7.8 billion worth of components originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Netflix Watch Instantly interface showing up on Samsung HDTVs

First it was the PlayStation 3, then it was the Google TV and now it appears Samsung Apps compatible HDTVs feature the new look of Netflix’s Watch Instantly interface. According to our reader Bruce, the new UI popped up after he upgraded the firmware on his UN46C6500 LCD HDTV and, like on the other platforms, it adds the ability to search through Netflix’s catalog right on the device — no adding DVDs to your queue though, that’s still PC or mobile only. Of course, after our experience with the PS3’s multiple UI madness we know how much Netflix likes to test multiple versions of its app at once, so we wouldn’t be surprised if everyone isn’t seeing this immediately, just keep an eye out if your app suddenly asks to be reactivated again and you should be in for the new version.

[Thanks, Bruce]

New Netflix Watch Instantly interface showing up on Samsung HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitachi’s 4.5-inch IPS display has 1280 x 720 res, 1,100:1 contrast, plans for mass production in October

Yo, Apple, you know that Retina Display you’re so proud of? Old news. Hitachi Displays has just announced a 4.5-inch IPS LCD panel that fits 1280 x 720 pixels within its frame, accounting for an eye-watering 329dpi density. That’s higher than you can get on the iPhone 4, but the fun doesn’t stop there. Hitachi’s new goodness also promises an 1,100:1 contrast ratio and 500 nits of brightness coming from an LED backlight. This precious new slice of technology is predictably all geared to land in your future smartphone of choice and we’re told mass production is set to begin in October of this year. That basically means CES 2012 is going to be filthy with handsets offering full 720p resolution — we can’t wait.

Hitachi’s 4.5-inch IPS display has 1280 x 720 res, 1,100:1 contrast, plans for mass production in October originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MobileCrunch  |  sourceHitachi  | Email this | Comments

Panasonic’s 2011 HDTVs shown off in Japan with prices, March release dates

Panasonic’s found time to show off its latest series of HDTVs in Japan, including the new top 3D-capable VT3, GT3 and ST3 generation plasmas, and DT3 LCDs, . As one might expect, the feature list is predictably similar to the US models with the next iteration of 3D panel technology, including a few Japan-specific features like VOD services and recording TV to USB drives.According to AV watch it looks like the starting prices have gone down slightly YoY as well, with the new 50-inch VT3 predicted to arrive March 18 for 380,000 yen ($4,654) down from 430,000 yen ($5,267) last year. The lower end GT3 series and new DT3 3D LCDs should arrive a week earlier on March 11, though we’ll probably have to wait until much closer to launch again to find out precisely what the predictably lower US pricing will be this time around. Click on through for all the details you can stand in the meantime.

Panasonic’s 2011 HDTVs shown off in Japan with prices, March release dates originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Impress  |  sourceST3, GT3, VT3, DT3  | Email this | Comments

Samsung Galaxy SL drops AMOLED for Super Clear LCD, Hummingbird for OMAP3

You’re Samsung, and you want to make sure you have enough still-limited S-AMOLED displays for the upcoming Galaxy S 2, but you don’t want to discontinue the original Galaxy S. What to do? Well, you could always take a cue from the Galaxy S-based Russian Nexus S and use an LCD instead– and so here we have the Galaxy SL GT-i9003, which is destined to hit the Middle East and Asia with both a Super Clear LCD and a processor swap from Sammy’s Humingbird to a 1GHz TI OMAP 3630, along with a bump in thickness and weight due to a slightly larger battery. Apart from that it’s pretty much just a Galaxy S, all the way down to the maddening stagnation on Android 2.2 — but hey, give us 2.3 (or even 3.0) on the Galaxy S 2 and we’ll be all smiles and giggles.

Update: BestBoyz got a Vodafone price list that seems to indicate that the SL will hit Germany as well. Achtung, AMOLED fans!

Samsung Galaxy SL drops AMOLED for Super Clear LCD, Hummingbird for OMAP3 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Newtechnology.co.in  |  sourceSamsung, BestBoyz  | Email this | Comments

iPad 2 display leaked?

Do you believe what you’re seeing? 9to5Mac along with iFixYouri repair say they’ve got the new iPad 2 display. Better yet, they’ve got the purported part number: LP097X02-SLN1, compared to the original iPad’s LP097X02-SLA3 display. It’s said to be lighter and more than 1-mm thinner than the original while featuring a thinner bezel as well — right, just as the rumors and our own sources have said. Such a display would also enable some tapering of the edges in line with those milled aluminum dummies we’ve seen. The big mystery is still the resolution. A 9to5Mac commenter claims to have deciphered the part number to reveal its LG Phillips 9.7-inch XGA 1024 x 768 H-IPS display origins (same resolution as the current iPad, if true). Unfortunately, we have no way to confirm this. One more pic of the part number details after the break.

Continue reading iPad 2 display leaked?

iPad 2 display leaked? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 01:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  source9to5mac  | Email this | Comments

GoPro starts shipping $80 LCD BacPac for HD Hero, has no room for your lunch box (video)

GoPro starts shipping $80 LCD BacPac for HD Hero, has no room for your lunch (video)

Aiming your helmet camera and replaying footage is a problem on most models. The HD170 makes it easy, but then hits you with a lot of bulk. Contour is working on a viewfinder app for iOS and Android devices that will wirelessly stream video, but that’s not out yet. GoPro’s LCD BacPac, on the other hand, is shipping today. We spent a little quality time with one at CES, a tiny screen that clips on the back of a 1080p HD Hero and lets you see what’s being filmed and also play back what you’ve captured earlier. As you can see it adds about a quarter-inch of depth onto the camera but comes with a replacement back door to retain compatibility with all mounts. It’s shipping now for $80, making it a somewhat expensive accessory for a $300 camera.

Continue reading GoPro starts shipping $80 LCD BacPac for HD Hero, has no room for your lunch box (video)

GoPro starts shipping $80 LCD BacPac for HD Hero, has no room for your lunch box (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clover SunBook offers ‘first sunlight ready netbook,’ questionable graphic design

When we first made contact with Clover System’s SunBook, it was but a glimmer in Pixel Qi’s transflective eye, but today, the little guy is ready to step out on its own. Like Notion Ink’s Adam, “the first sunlight-ready netbook” packs dual lighting displays, allowing you to shut off LCD backlights while under direct sunlight and cut your power consumption in half. You can also leave both functions on for easy indoor-outdoor transitions. It’s sporting a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 10.1-inch display, 1024 x 600 screen resolution, USB 3.0 as well as WiFi and Ethernet capabilities. So basically, it’s a perfectly acceptable netbook (on paper, at least) and it’s packing a promising display, but we have to admit Clover’s marketing for SunBook leaves something to be desired. In fact, if we hadn’t seen this thing at CES we’d advise you to proceed with caution. Being that it’s got the Pixel Qi seal of approval, however, we’ll leave the decision up to you. You can purchase the sunlight-ready netbook for $795 via Clover’s website, handily linked below in the source.

Clover SunBook offers ‘first sunlight ready netbook,’ questionable graphic design originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NAVY SEALs getting fancy LCD sunglasses, will surely show up as DLC in next SOCOM game

NAVY SEALs getting fancy LCD sunglasses, will surely show up as DLC in next SOCOM game

We’re still a few years away from getting some consumer-friendly LCD sunglasses, but wouldn’t you know it the military’s already rocking a pair. The Office of Naval Research TechSolutions department has delivered the first 30 sets of what it calls Fast-Tint Protective Eyewear (FTPE). They can change tint automatically based on exterior light, much like currently available prescription glasses, but thanks to their LCD construction can go from dark to clear in just a half-second. This means a SEAL squad could blow a door and infiltrate a room without having to ask the terrorists to hold their fire while everyone takes off their shades. Initial reports are good and SOCOM is planning on buying another 100 sets. Maybe by the time they’re delivered someone will release a picture of the things and we won’t have to use a random photo of camouflage shades like this one.

Update: Travis wrote in with a link to James Vaughan Photography, which has a few photos of prototype versions of these glasses. We’ve grabbed one.

[Image Credit: James Vaughan Photography]

Continue reading NAVY SEALs getting fancy LCD sunglasses, will surely show up as DLC in next SOCOM game

NAVY SEALs getting fancy LCD sunglasses, will surely show up as DLC in next SOCOM game originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Totally blow out the big game! Super Bowl XLV

It’s been confirmed, Super Bowl XLV will not be the first one with a full HD 3D broadcast (no gimmicky 3D commercials this year either, you can put the paper glasses away) despite featuring a halftime show by James Cameron’s BFFs, the Black Eyed Peas. Still, considering what happened the last time they tried 3D at the House That Jerry Jones Built it’s probably for the best. Still, just because you don’t have one of Cowboys Stadium’s record breaking HD screens you should still enjoy the game in style. In 2011 that means going beyond just the screen, the sounds and the seats — we’ll tell you how after the break.

Continue reading Totally blow out the big game! Super Bowl XLV

Totally blow out the big game! Super Bowl XLV originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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