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Epson develops world’s first 4K-compatible HTPS TFT LCD panel for 3LCD projectors

Posted: 09 Nov 2009 03:22 AM PST

epson_4k_lcd

In June, Epson said it has begun mass-production of the world's first HTPS-TFT panel boasting WUXGA resolution (1,920 x 1,200 pixels). And today, five months later, the same company announced [press release in English] what it claims is the world’s first 4K-compatible HTPS (high-temperature polysilicon) TFT LCD panel for 3LCD projectors.

The new panel is sized at 1.64 inches diagonally and boasts a resolution of 4,096×2,160, which is nothing less than four times the resolution of a full HD screen. The simple diagram below visualizes the difference between 4K and full HD resolutions.

epson_4k_lcd_2

What this means is that we get high-performance panels for 3LCD projectors, which use chips in every projector. Every one of these three chips produces images (here is a demo movie), that are said to be very bright and richer in color.

The general public will get a chance to view Epson’s new projector at the Inter BEE exhibition that starts next week in Tokyo.

USB-powered gloves that keep your fingers warm (but why?)

Posted: 09 Nov 2009 12:42 AM PST

thanko_glove

My first reaction – when I saw today on Thanko’s web site that the notoriously silly gadget maker from Tokyo is selling USB-powered gloves with built-in heaters [JP] – was: Who actually buys this kind of stuff? I mean Thanko is a real company, they have brick-and-mortar stores in Tokyo (two of them), they have employees etc. But they have been surviving for years now, even though they closed their English online store last month.thanko_glove_2

You can connect the gloves (black is for men, white is for women) to your computer’s USB port and expect them to keep your fingers warm while you type. Again: Who in god’s name would do that? And it’s not even Thanko’s only USB gloves, they have models that are shaped like teddy bears, too.

thanko_glove_3

People living outside Japan can order the new USB gloves for $27.75 per pair plus shipping over at Geek Stuff 4 U.

Monsieur’s Oreo is ready, monsieur

Posted: 08 Nov 2009 03:00 PM PST

SNEGENES “portable” console plays SNES, Genesis, and NES games

Posted: 08 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST


When someone says “portable,” what do you think? I think “fits in a bag or pocket,” but some people would go the “portable” generator route and say “is not physically fixed in position.” That seems to be the “portable” that the creators of the SNEGENES had in mind when they said their device was so. Now, I don’t want to detract from the obvious glory of what has been created here: a (technically) handheld device that will play cartridges from NES, SNES, and Genesis — but really, that thing is about as portable as my bathtub.

Note that in the video above, everything is flipped left-right. While this would make for an interesting twist on some of your old favorites (imagine running left in Sonic), it is in fact just a video issue (shot in Photo Booth, I believe).

Now, as we’ve seen with the handheld Genesis I reviewed just a few weeks ago, you an easily put a Genesis and some games on a chip and it’ll work great. But if I’m not mistaken, the actual hardware and PCBs of all three systems (clones, but still) are integrated into the construction of this grotesque gaming Cerberus. Again, this somewhat affects its portability.

Yet, that said… why do I want one so bad?

[via Technabob and Gizmodo]

8-bit CPU with 4KB of RAM apes iPhone interface

Posted: 08 Nov 2009 01:14 PM PST


Watching this video, it doesn’t seem very much more than a demo for a rather anonymous-looking little touchscreen device, a PMP prototype maybe. Then you find out that the whole thing is running an 8-bit processor with 4KB of RAM. Touchscreen tricks like scrolling momentum are implemented perfectly well, and there appears to be little or no lag. Pac-Man runs at 60fps, which is more than I can say for the version on my G1.

The touchscreen is salvaged from an off-brand PMP, and the CPU is a 12Mhz Atmega644 — not something I’m familiar with, but I trust the author when he says it’s about 3% of the speed of an iPhone. And it’ll render a polyhedron (though I doubt it can texture it).

The question this brings up for me is why aren’t all interfaces so snappy at this point? I understand there’s more going on under the hood in a smartphone than in a demo application like this thing, but seriously, I’m going to have lag when I hit the home button on a CPU faster than the one I had in my PC a few years ago? Make it better.

[via MAKE]

CrunchGear Week in Review: Imported Treats Edition

Posted: 08 Nov 2009 11:52 AM PST
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