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Is Toshiba Ready To Offer Glasses-Free 3D TVs By Year-End?

Posted: 24 Aug 2010 03:20 AM PDT

3D TVs that don’t require glasses and thus eliminate the incompatibility problem between glasses offered by different makers: that doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Rumors about such TVs coming from Toshiba emerged today in various media [JP] in Japan, and according to those reports, the devices are expected to arrive in Japan by year-end.

And if the rumors are to be believed, potential buyers will be able to choose between three different models, which could be sized at about 21 inches. The displays are reportedly offering a relatively wide viewing angle, which makes it possible to view 3D images for more than one person and from more than just one position (unlike in the case of the Nintendo 3DS, for example, which requires users to look straight at the device at all times).

This sounds like the glasses-free 3D display Toshiba showed back in April (pictured above) and which features WXGA (1,280×800) resolution, 480 cd/m2 brightness, and ±15 degrees (horizontal) 3D viewing angle.

Toshiba is apparently planning to price the 3D TVs at “several hundred thousand yen”, whatever that may mean (100,000 Yen currently translate to $1,180).

Japanese IT news site Impress just posted an official statement [JP] from Toshiba. The company says it can’t confirm the reports and that it’s not able to go into details such as technical specs at this point. Toshiba also says it’s currently investigating how future 3D TVs can look like and when it’s the best time for commercialization.

Picsio: JVC Rolls Out Two New Full HD Mini Camcorders

Posted: 24 Aug 2010 01:45 AM PDT

JVC in Japan has announced [JP] two new Picsio camcorders today, the GC-WP10-A (pictured above) and the GC-FM2 (pictured below). Both models record video in full HD, come with web connectivity (iTunes, Facebook, YouTube) and with video editing software LoiloScope on board. They also feature a 3-inch touchscreen and a 1/3.2 CMOS sensor (5MP).

Both camcorders are also equipped with an HDMI interface, a USB port, an SD/SDHC/SDXC slot, and Eye-Fi support. But there are also a few differences between the camcorders. The GC-WP10-A is waterproof up to 3m (JIS IPX8), records sounds in stereo (GC-FM2: mono only) and has a voice recording function (MP3).

And as you can see on the picture above, it’s also sturdier and thicker than the FM2. The WP10 is sized at 101×60×25mm (weight: 147g), while the FM2 measures 102×53×22mm (113g).

JVC plans to start selling both camcorders in Japan next month (prices: $235 for the FM2, $350 for the WP10).

Via AV Watch [JP]

Daily Crunch: Go Viral Edition

Posted: 24 Aug 2010 12:00 AM PDT

Finally Official: The TiVo Slide QWERTY Remote

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 09:00 PM PDT


The TiVo Slide isn’t a secret and on the surface, it’s really not all that innovative. It’s just the classic TiVo peanut remote shrunk down a bit with a sliding QWERTY keyboard added. But how is it in practice? Pretty much the best thing on Earth.

We can pretty much all agree that a proper QWERTY remote is long overdue. It’s a chore using on-screen keyboards. Personally, more times than not, I’ve avoided the search functions all together because it’s takes five minutes to type in something like “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.” But it’s just not searches anymore. Most set-top boxes besides the very basic cable provider’s units offer so many more features, but on-screen keyboards often hinder and almost nullify their use.

That’s where the TiVo Slide comes in. It gives TiVo owners a fantastic alternative to on-screen keyboards with a bonafide QWERTY experience. Wherever in the TiVo system you want to type, it simply works as you would expect: Netflix, YouTube, Search, Blockbuster, and setting up network connections. It’s wonderful and suddenly all these extra functions are actually useful.

The TiVo Slide is as nice as you’d expect from TiVo. It’s about 2/3 the size as the standard remotes and feels just as solid if not slightly more. It’s a fine kit.

People criticize TiVo for a few things these days — high price, slow to update, and so on — but I’ve never heard anyone complain about the TiVo experience. In many ways, TiVo is like Apple in the “it just works” department and the Slide isn’t anything different. There’s zero lag with text input and the Bluetooth range is about 20-30 feet. There’s really nothing to install, either, besides plugging-in the Bluetooth adapter. Sneaky TiVo already pushed the necessary software to all the boxes so the Slide is good to go right away.

The Slide is clearly a fundamental shift for not only TiVo but really the whole set-top box industry. The TiVo ecosystem is such that the company could release this remote for multiple platforms at once. It works with the new Premier boxes, the HD/HD XL line, and the Series 3. Seeing though as it’s basically just a dual-device remote (TiVo & TV), it’s a bit pricey at $90, but the added functionality makes quite a case for the price.

The Slide is a wonderful evolutionary step in remotes, but it still lacks a lot of the options found on a modern remote: computer setup macros, rechargeable batteries, RF signals, and IR blasters. Hopefully now that TiVo added the capability to their devices, companies like Harmony and URC can out their own universal versions, too. TiVo isn’t the only A/V device that’s QWERTY-friendly after all. Vizio has a line of HDTVs with a similar slider remote and the Boxee box will ship with a QWERTY remote later this year. There’s even Windows Media Center that could use a more mainstream remote as well.

It’s only a matter of time before other providers and set-top box makers follow TiVo’s lead for the zillionith time and build their own version. Just think of all the functions a QWERTY remote can bring to your TV. Finally all those silly apps like Twitter, Facebook, and games make sense. So next year about this time when you’re using a cheap (and less expensive) Comcast or DirecTV knockoff, don’t forget who started the revolution.

The Slide is available starting today on TiVo.com and should hit your local Best Buy store this weekend. $90.

Science! Viral Batteries To Be Woven Into Clothing

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 07:30 PM PDT


Someone with a better grasp of biochemistry is going to have to suss this one out, but it’s interesting even to a chump like me. It seems that researchers are using a custom virus as a biotemplate (?!) for a new type of battery structure that would allow the charged material to be woven into clothing or other materials.

It’s really, really not clear what’s going on here but if their tests bear fruit, you might soon be changing your shirt when it runs out of juice. Of course the military gets all the cool toys first, so we’ll have to wait our turn.

New Samsung SSDs Appear In The Old Country

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 07:00 PM PDT


Not everyone is buying into the SSD thing just yet — they’re still awfully expensive, and the technology seems to be improved monthly. But on the off chance you’ve just decided to leave the spinning platters of yesteryear behind, here are a few new Samsung drives that sound just dandy.

The 470 series comes in 64, 128, and 256-gig capacities, for $200, $400, and $600 respectively. As usual, you get performance increases as you go up in price and capacity, so it makes (technically) for a better buy, but who’s going to spend $600 on 256 gigs of storage? Yet who wants to spend even $200 on a 64GB SSD if it’s only half as fast as the next one up?

It’s this conundrum that has led to buyer’s paralysis, at least in my case. And in fact, it’s really not even correct. The 64GB one really isn’t inferior except in random reads per second and sustained write rate. It’s actually not a bad deal at all.

Of course, they’re only available in Europe right now. I know, very inconvenient.

[via Tech Report]

I’d Live In It. Bufalino Camper Combines Car, Bedroom, Office

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 06:30 PM PDT


Caring for your blogger is easy. In goes coffee and MSG, out comes posts. When your blogger is worn out, just place him in a soft area and he will sleep until he is ready to work again. But what if he needs to get to a press conference? Silly! You get him a Bufalino, so he can blog, sleep, and drive all in the same place!

It’s just a concept right now, but this thing is cool enough that I could see it in production… in a sort of friendlier version of the Road Warrior future. I don’t think it’d fly these days. Of course, there’s no water or bathroom, so you’d have to hitch up somewhere with accessible facilities. Campsite? Sure, as long as there’s wi-fi.

Lots more pictures at DesignBoom. I actually think it’s a really cool idea.

[via The Daily What]

Windows 7 Tablet Interface Got You Down? Try FrontFace

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 06:00 PM PDT

Windows 7 is a great tablet platform, but it’s just not as sexy as Android, or the iPad. Luckily people have been making custom interfaces for Windows products for years, and Windows 7 is no exception. In fact, German developer Mirabyte has been working on a rather promising looking interface. Check out the video after the jump:

Mirabyte’s interface is basically a skin that fits over the top of the Windows interface, increasing the size of the icons, and allowing for more customization options depending on what the user wants to set up.

[via Laptop]

Switchkey Flips Your Key Out Like A Switchblade

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 05:30 PM PDT


There are products out there like this already (in Skymall, most likely), but are any of them made with such care? And do they have the same strength of spring the Switchkey does?

Basically it keeps your key safe in its little box until you hit the button, at which point it presumably zips out like a switchblade. Sure, why not? They’re made by hand in Canada, you’ll have to contact them about prices and such.

[via Notcot]

Hardware Details Of New Xbox 360 Reveal Power Savings, Minor Tweaks

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 05:06 PM PDT

The new Xbox 360, not unlike the PS3 Slim, was hailed as a success from the moment it was announced — possibly because everyone in the audience got one for free, but that’s another story. The improved design, quiet operation, and lack of red LEDs meant the new model really was an all-around improvement.

Today, Microsoft let loose a few more details on the system architecture of the new box. It’s pretty technical (nanometers, FSB replacements, that sort of thing), but it’s nice to know they did more than redo the chassis and lower the fan speed.

Apple’s iMac And MacBook Touch Patents Tease iOS-Convertible Devices

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 03:31 PM PDT


You’re Apple. You’re selling millions of iPhones, millions of iPads, and millions of notebooks. The App Store is printing money, but conversion rates aren’t fast enough for your liking. How do you get more people hooked on your mobile and touch platform? Easy: convert all your devices into iOS devices. iOS convertibles, to be precise.

A patent filing by Apple describes a pair of devices with the plain object of providing the user with both OS X and iOS on demand. The iMac Touch (not an official term, but good enough) would lean over and tilt up, providing a tablet-like surface on which to browse or play games. The MacBook Touch would feature a swiveling, flipping screen much like existing laptop-tablet convertibles. I don’t know about you, but I think they sound great. And expensive.

There are obviously some things to be said both for and against these designs. First of all, it’s kind of funny that Apple is apparently patenting a form factor that’s been in use for years, around which Lenovo and others probably maintain a number of supporting patents. And even though Apple’s approach to the iMac solves some of the ergonomic issues that accompany touchscreen monitors, I’m skeptical that a desk-bound tablet would actually be very useful.

The MacBook Touch design is also quite a major departure from existing Apple industrial design, and not only will the screen have to be thickened to accommodate a touch layer, but it will require more power, produce more heat, and require more support by the main hardware. I have faith in Apple’s ID team, especially the laptop guys, and although as usual they will make compromises in terms of user accessibility and heat, I think they’d be able to put together quite a nice device.

This brings up two questions. One is technical: iOS runs at 320×480, 960×540, and 1024×768. MacBooks and iMacs don’t use those; 1440×900 is an entirely weird resolution, and I doubt Apple would downgrade them to 1366×768, a more common and workable resolution. And what about the big iMac screen? 2560 by 1440! That would hold the visual content of four iPads. Is iOS actually going to be useful at such a resolution? And aren’t they approaching a serious level of fracturing here?

The other question is more strategic: do people really want a MacBook Touch? Sure, we all say right off the bat. It sounds great! But would you pay an extra $800 on top of a $1500 notebook for the feature? And does anyone want to use a five-pound tablet running a Core i5? Keep in mind you’d be holding this thing, its fans blocked by your legs and the converted screen, as it revs up to a tornado-like 5000RPM just to keep itself below 160°F. Say what we will about the iPad being underpowered — if it were any faster, they’d have to give out oven mitts the way they’re giving out bumper cases. The point being that a convertible notebook may not be the experience Apple wants to promote for iOS.

At least Apple is making considerations for transitioning between the two OSes. Many of you probably know how annoying it is to try hitting tiny menu options on a tablet or kiosk screen. Tablet interfaces have different needs, and it looks like Apple is acknowledging that with a few ways of replacing UI elements and detecting touch activity. A “high resolution” (resolution in this case referring to input) interface for mice and trackpads, and “low resolution” for touch.

I’ve really dampened my own enthusiasm while writing this article, but I’m still excited to see whether Apple can (or is even willing to try to) pull this off. Some serious obstacles remain, but of course these patents don’t show Apple’s whole hand. Selling an iOS device with every Mac would be a nice boost, and it would put even more emphasis on the App Store as primary content vendor for Apple devices. The MacBook and Pro lines have been bumped recently, so I don’t think we’ll be seeing this change any time soon, if at all. But we’ll keep our eyes open.

CrunchDeal: Asus Eee PC Netbook For $219

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 02:30 PM PDT

If you want a netbook but have been holding off for something cheap and cheerful, here’s your chance to pick up Asus’ 160GB netbook. It’s the standard Intel Atom N270 1.6ghz with 1GB of RAM, a 10.1″ display, and Windows XP. You can pick it up from CircuitCity.com for $219. You better hurry though, this deal expires on the 25th.

Don’t Use That Jailbroken PS3 Online

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT

You might want to hold off on jailbreaking your PS3, particularly if you spend much time online. Turns out that Sony can detect the software ID used by the program used for jailbreaking, and then ban your PS3 remotely. What’s the solution? Either don’t use your hacked PS3 on the Playstation network, or don’t use the hack on it in the first place. TGDaily reported that some of the people who created the hack in question are warning people not to go online while running the software. Of course, you might not need to go online since you’ll be able to run backup copies of your PS3 software, but consider this fair warning.

Some Solid Indie Game Deals At GamersGate

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 12:41 PM PDT

Online game store GamersGate has had a bunch of great indie games on sale, and I thought I’d highlight a few I noticed on the list today. I just played Braid finally (wow); if you haven’t yet, go pick it up for $4. Zombie Driver made me dizzy, but it’s a good time, and for $2.50 you can’t go wrong. I’ve heard good things about Flotilla, and a friend just showed me Osmos; both are under $4. I haven’t played Saira, but Nifflas is a great developer.

It’s a new week, go get a new game. You deserve it.

Moving Away From Cable TV To Internet-delivered Content ‘Overhyped & Overanticipated’

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 11:45 AM PDT

Can you guess what is the "perhaps the most overhyped and overanticipated phenomenon in tech history"? If you guessed "replacing cable TV with Internet services like Hulu," have a cookie! For all the talk of Google TV this and Boxee that, the numbers couldn't be more clear: hardly anybody plans on ditching cable TV for a world of Internet-delivered content. It's a nice idea, and maybe one that will gain traction in the future, but right now? Not happening, sorry.

The deal is that a recent New York Times/CBS News poll found that a whopping 88 percent of respondents paid for TV, i.e., cable or satellite. Of those people, only 15 percent "had considered" replacing their TV service with something like Hulu full-time.

There could be several reason for that.

One, people are lazy. Who wants to go through the hassle of calling the cable company, haggling with the person on the phone, then bringing over all of the old equipment—cable boxes, remotes, modems, etc.—to the service office?

Two, what do you mean I can't watch American Idol online? (Well, you can, but not legally, if you care about that sort of thing.) TV studios have done a good job making sure some of their bigger shows aren't available to watch online. (Probably the exception to this would be Lost, which ABC hosts online.) You're probably only paying $100+ per month for one or two shows anyway, and you're held hostage by that fact. You'd cancel if you could, but you can't so you won't.

Three, who wants to watch TV on their computer? For some people, there's still a very clear demarcation line between TV and THE COMPUTER. Computers are for work, or they're complicated, or they're whatever, and TV is the thing I stare at for four hours after I come home from work.

Oh, sure, there are people who have managed to cut the cord, as it were. There's an interview with a 26-year-old who splits the bill for an Internet connection and Netflix account with his roommates. No cable TV for these young guns, no sir!

What of Google TV and the like? Again, if it's anything more complicated than your standard cable TV program guide this will go the way of Wave: a nice a idea that gains zero traction in the real world. So you wonder why Hollywood is petrified of it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to stream Liverpool vs. Manchester City. Don't tell the Premier League.

Darth Watch: Cool Watch, Lawsuit Waiting To Happen

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 10:06 AM PDT


Unless Storm of London official got permission to call their watch Darth, I’d be a little worried. Regardless, this is a pretty cool piece with three coo-centric circles that show the time. It comes in black, blue, chrome and white and is currently sold out at $170.00.

It looks a bit like some of the vintage jump hours you see on sites like Watchismo but with a name like Darth you can pretend you’re a Sith.
Product Page

UPDATE – Watchismo has these in stock. FYI.

Discontent Grows With Facebook Places’ Ability To Tag Without Users’ Express Permission

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 10:04 AM PDT

There's a fun and charming story on Advertising Age about a woman and her friends having a fun and charming dinner together. All is well and good until Facebook Places, the new location-based service that promises to revolutionize something or other, spoils the fun. It seems that people don't exactly want their exact location broadcast to all of their Facebook friends, especially without their express permission. Oh, no: it's a moral conundrum (conundrum).

What happened here was that, while eating at a restaurant, the author checked into via Facebook Places. Then she tagged the post with all of the people in her party.

Now, all of these people's friends will have seen that they were at a certain place at a certain time.

Never mind the fact the such information, to a random friend on a hopelessly large friend list, is pretty much useless: what good does it do me to know that my friend at pizza at 9:30pm somewhere in Queens? No good, exactly.

So let's put aside the value of the information. What's happening in the social dynamics of the situation?

Let's say Friend A is at the restaurant despite the fact that he told his brother that he was "too busy" to help him paint his room. Dark Side points.

Let's say Friend B told her boyfriend that she just wanted to stay home that night to finish something for work. Dark Side points.

Let's say Friend C skipped out going to a soccer game with his co-workers because he told them he was feeling sick. Dark Side points.

And so on.

Facebook Places inconveniently exposes the half-truths we tell each other that keeps society moving at a steady clip.

But whose fault is that?

It's partially Facebook's for not requiring the approval of a Places tag. That seems like it would be pretty easy to exploit. "I'm going to tag that me and Jim were out all night drinking and visiting various gentlemen's clubs. Take that, Jim!"

Then Jim wakes up the next morning with an angry phone call from his girlfriend. "What were doing all night? You had better not be where it say you were!"

Clearly Facebook should change the behavior of Places in that regard. And no, a hard-to-find “opt-out” clause does not count, Facebook. This is the type of service that people should have to “opt-in” voluntarily. This surreptitious claptrap is partially why people have such a love-hate relationship with you.

Then again, no one's forcing you to be on Facebook in the first place.

Or, if you're on Facebook, no one's forcing you to list what "[you're] doing at work, where [you] live, what [you're] reading…" You can be on Facebook just fine without sharing a montón of data.

All of that being said, it's pretty funny to think that the biggest problem facing so many twenty-somethings these days is whether or not they can be Facebook tagged without their permission.

The luxuries of life in 2010, I suppose.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Appears On A Bus In Sydney

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 09:02 AM PDT

For some reason a telecomm employee was hanging out in a train station with the yet-unreleased Samsung Galaxy Tab and Electronista was there to take video of it. The Q&A is pretty stilted (“Is it any good?” “Yeah”) but I guess it proves that the device will be hitting Oz soon enough.

via Giz


Review: Tissot T-Touch II

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 08:36 AM PDT


The Tissot T-Touch is Tissot’s flagship sports watch. While other models have come and gone, the venerated T-Touch with its touch-sensitive crystal and bold styling has remained constant. A few models appeared to replace the original, notably the T-Touch Expert, but nothing could quite unseat it.

Now, however, Tissot is essentially mothballing the old model and is focusing on the bold T-Touch II. This new model has a larger LCD screen, better water resistance, and more style options. But it’s still the T-Touch you know and love. But, and this is important, it has a backlight!

The T-Touch was one of the first wrist computers and it was unusually mostly because it came out of a Swiss house. To activate the functions you held down the button at 3 o’clock and then tapped the crystal at one of the points on the face. The functions included an altimeter, barometer, thermometer, and even a very unique compass that caused the hands to rotate, well, like a compass. It was the ultimate in cool to be able to activate the watch and have the hands spin around of their own accord. It was, for a time, fairly magical.

Now the T-Touch isn’t quite as magical but it’s still a cool piece of kit. The watch is quite thick and is about 47mm wide. The rubber strap is, in short, one of my favorite straps ever and the traditional orange goes well with almost nothing, which is why it’s so great. The orange strap, in short is a big thumb in the nose of fashion.

The backlight first appeared on the T-Touch Expert and adds quite a bit of value to this watch. The backlight has always been the biggest problem with the original model and this new light is a marked improvement.

The functions, barring a few additions, are the same in the T-Touch II as in the first model. You have extra time zones in this new model and you have some unique settings that allow you to set “climate zone” and hemisphere for more accurate altimeter readings. It is also a bit more water resistant with up to 100M resistance. It is obviously not a diving watch, however, simply because the sensors require access to the outside air to work.

The model I tested with rubber strap costs $825 at the official Tissot shop. This is the perfect geek’s watch and except for a few Casios I’ve grown to know and love it’s probably one of the best wrist computers I’ve worn. It’s fun, useful, and quite handsome and only a hopeless snob wouldn’t love the orange strap. It makes for a great Swiss quartz timepiece for almost anyone and, as evidenced by my wife wearing mine for most of the summer, is great for men and women.

Medal Of Dis-Honor? Pressure Mounts On EA Over Role Of Taliban In Game, British Defense Secretary Calls For Ban

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 08:00 AM PDT

As expected, EA's Medal of Honor is coming under fire from all sides. The game, a first-person shooter, is scheduled to be released on October 12 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, takes place in Afghanistan, and puts you in control of U.S. soldiers on the ground there. It also, at least in the multi-player mode, lets you play as the Taliban. So, the natural line of thinking is, what kind of video game lets you shoot and kill U.S. soldiers?

As you might expect, the game hasn't exactly flown under the radar.

A Golden Star mother appeared on Fox News last week to criticize the game, saying that "war is not a game," and that "families who are burying their children" shouldn't have to do so against the backdrop of people fragging each other on Xbox Live. "It's disrespectful," she added.

In its defense, EA said that "someone has to be the bad guy," whether in a game of cops and robbers or in Medal of Honor.

Never mind that the average age of gamers today is 39 years old, so it's not a case of a 10-year-old boy walking into Best Buy, buying the game with cash that grandma and grandpa gave him for his birthday, and coming home to play it into the wee hours of the morning.

EA has learnt first-hand that "don't like it? don't buy it!" doesn't apply to matters involving Uncle Sam.

Even the British are upset. This, despite the fact that there are no British soldiers in the game.

The country's defense minister, Liam Fox, has pleaded with retailers, asking them not to carry the "thoroughly un-British" game.

… part of this game allows you to play the part of the Taliban attacking ISAF troops in the area of central Helmand where British troops are operating. [It is] shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban against British soldiers. At the hands of the Taliban, children have lost fathers and wives have lost husbands. It’s hard to believe any citizen of our country would wish to buy such a thoroughly un-British game. I would urge retailers to show their support for our armed forces and ban this tasteless product.

Strong words, but the UK Government distanced itself from the comments shortly after they were made.

The point remains: we're barely two months before the game's scheduled release and EA is already having to defend its actions left, right, and center.

And talk about bad timing: this is an election year in the U.S. Granted, it's not a general election, which means that media coverage and general interest won't be as high as it would otherwise be, but if you don't think politicians looking for easy points won't go after the game…

You can see it now: "While I have come out against this senseless solider-killing simulator, my good opponent hasn't said anything. What does that say about his character, ladies and gentlemen?"

Video games are a pretty easy target even under the best of circumstances, but throw in the fact that you can play as the Taliban while the war is still raging, well, you can at least understand why that might be an issue for EA.
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