On most smartphones, your camera tends to have just one or two flashes to help it out. However, Google has plans to change all that, according to a patent they filed back in September of 2011.

The patent shows a design featuring up to 8 LED flash bulbs assisting the continually advancing camera technology in handsets. The fact the patent was filed so long ago means Google has been throwing the idea around for some time now. The patent doesn’t necessarily mean we will be seeing the multi-LEDs on future handsets, but does mean they have considered the idea.

Google has filed patents in the past for technologies they haven’t yet utilized, but the possibilities for multi LED flash designs is endless. Not only would the flashes create better lighting for photos, but it could be used to snap multiple photos to be combined for HDR photographs.

Are you excited for the possibilities of this patent? Not only would dark light photos be amazing, but just think how bright your flashlight app would be.

[ source ]

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Are you looking for a cool cube of a speaker to connect to your smartphone, tablet or MP3 player? You might want to look at the GOgroove SonaWAVE 3, which is currently on sale for almost half off. This is a portable speaker system that’s shaped like a little black cube with blue accents, including a backlit LED glow on the front panel.

Connectivity options are fairly universal, as you can play audio from tablets, smartphones, MP3 players, laptops, portable gaming consoles or pretty well any device that uses the standard 3.5mm audio jack connection. There is also an SD card slot and a USB port for direct MP3 playback capabilities too. The two side-firing drivers combine for 6W RMS and 12W peak.

As this is a portable stereo, it’s good to see that the 600mAh battery can last around 3-5 hours of continuous playback, recharging via USB or AC outlet. The GOgroove SonaWAVE 3 is on sale for $29.99 on Amazon, which is $25 off the regular price of $54.99. That includes the free Super Saving Shipping too.

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It’s called Uppleva and it means “experience.” These new home entertainment units aren’t just the pieces of furniture where you can hang your HDTV — IKEA already has that kind of thing going on — but instead, it’s a complete kit that includes the entertainment unit, of course, but it also incorporates an LED TV, 2.1 sound system (with wireless subwoofer), Wi-Fi for smart TV features, and DVD/Blu-ray players. As with all other IKEA products, you’ll get a few options for colors and configurations, but they’ll all have to be put together yourself when you get home unless you want to pay for assembly.

So, who has IKEA partnered with to make these TVs? Samsung? LG? Sony? Nope, none of the above. Instead, the Swedish company has turned to TCL of China, the same manufacturer responsible for RCA products in the United States and Alcatel products in Europe. The LED panels are presumably 1080p full HD and IKEA is saying they have a 400Hz refresh rate, four HDMI inputs, two USB ports, and DivX HD support. They’ll be offered in four sizes and work with a single remote.

Pricing for the base model starts at SEK 6,500 ($995) and it goes up from there. Initial launch is being planned this fall in Sweden, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Denmark, Norway, and Portugal. Worldwide availability follows in spring 2013.

[Source]

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Are you waiting for a phone that can run on a single AA battery? The mobile phone pictured above is the SpareOne which is one such device. But the new device is not meant to function as your regular handset.  The SpareOne has been designed as a back-up phone which can be kept in your emergency kit. Using that one AA battery, the device can deliver up to 10 hours of talk time. But its most amazing feature is that it comes with an isolator that prevents current discharge which allows it to hold charge for up to a whopping 15 years when you are not using it. But that depends on the shelf-life of the battery that is being used.

The device can be used at emergency situations. For example, the phone will be a big help when you are traveling away and you have no way to charge your phone, or when there is no power due to a flood or earthquake. And if you carry a pack of batteries in your bag, you will be able to chat for hours on SpareOne.  As the SpareOne comes unlocked and requires a SIM, in order to use the phone, you will have to swap the SIM card from your regular handset. It’s coming in two GSM versions (850/1900 MHz and 900/1800 MHz) and with an always-on 911 feature (no SIM required) and an LED emergency flashlight. It will ship in March with a price tag of around US$50.

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Are you getting fed up with constantly searching for the remote control for your TV? If you are, welcome to the group. But the answer to our troubles appears to have arrived. With the newly unveiled Samsung Smart TV, we will be able to finally forget that old-school remote and do much, much more.

As you might remember, it was in 2008 that Samsung unveiled their first Smart TV. The latest addition into the company’s Smart TV line, which has been shown off at CES 2012, appears to be totally different from what we have seen earlier.

We are talking about a TV that will “listen, see and do what you want, without ever touching the remote control”.

The TV is coming with an integrated camera which will allow you access to video conference and gesture-based controls. And the TV’s microphone will allow it to listen to you. So the new TV is sort of like the cross between Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Kinect motion-sensor system.

Each family member will be able to sign into their personal profiles all thanks to face recognition, and you will be able to issue voice commands to control the TV.

The new Smart LED TV also comes equipped with a dual core processor which helps in multitasking. You will be able to enjoy regular TV and at the same time multitask between a Web browser and apps like Netflix and there won’t be any need to close a program.

The Smart TV has a thin bezel along with a U-shaped stand. Content can be accessed through the Smart TV Hub. New services that are coming include Family Store which will allow family members to communicate with each other, an app that will allow you to keep an eye on what your kids are watching and much more.

And best of all, the TV will learn by itself through updates. So there won’t be any need to go after new TVs for quite some time. By 2013, you will be able to play with a pluggable device called EvolutionKit that will be updating your smart TV.

The post Lost The Remote? There Is No Remote: Samsung Smart TV appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Most pocket projectors out there are not at all impressive, but it’s certainly a good thing that some picos are being brought out with improvements such as better picture quality. The latest micro-projector from Velocity Micro, the Shine Projector, is claimed by its makers to be the smallest HD-capable projector.

The new projector is definitely small. It will fit in a pocket, a large one though. The Shine comes with a native resolution of 1,280×768 pixels (WXGA). Although that is far from full 1080p resolution, Velocity Micro is promising that it will accept a 1080p signal.

The Shine, which measures in at 4 inches on its longest side and weighs 9 ounces, makes use of Texas Instruments’ DLP technology with LED illumination. And you will have to plug it into a wall outlet as it does not come with a built-in rechargeable battery like many other picos.

Other strengths include a 2,000:1 contrast ratio and a throw ratio of 1.4:1, and 300 lumens of brightness suggests that it is significantly brighter than the earlier, smaller pico projectors.

It can be easily connected to any compatible media device such as PCs, smartphones, and tablets via a mini-HDMI connector. You will also get full USB connectivity, and an audio-out jack, and it uses just 23 watts of power.

The Shine Projector will be shown off at the upcoming CES. No word yet on when it will be available on sale or exact pricing, but we do know that it will have a price tag less than $400.

The post Velocity Micro Shine Is The ‘Smallest HD-Capable’ Projector appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The demonstration has the little electronic device being shoved up a nostril, but it could theoretically work under a number of different circumstances too. It’s designed to sense a draft (like your breathing), pulsing its light in response. I think it might be useful for detecting a drafty window.

Toward the end of the embedded video below, you’ll also see Akira showing off another creation: the HeartCap mini. Again working with an LED light (yellow this time), this presumably senses your heart beating and pulses its light rhythmically in time with your old ticker.

The post The Blue LED In Your Nose That Pulses When You Breathe (Video) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

We are seeing new 3D smartphones, displays, portable game consoles and a variety of Smart TVs that make entertainment all the more immersive. Now, Acer has introduced their new display, the Acer HR274H.

What’s so different about another new display?

The HR274H, which is a 27 inch 1080p 3D display, comes equipped with a chip-based system which converts 2D to 3D and there is no need for any additional hardware or software.

The new system simply pushes the moving objects to the front of the scene while the background will appear as if it’s further away.

As for the other features of the LED-backlit display, it supports a native 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution, and comes with a 2ms response time (GTG), 250 cd/m2 brightness, and 100,000,000:1 contrast ratio (dynamic).

It measures in at 25.5″ x 18.5″ x 7.6″ and weighs 13.2 lbs. It also features two HDMI ports, a VGA port, integrated speakers, Energy Star Certification, and an angle adjustable stand.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to enjoy this 3D technology without a pair of glasses. A set of lightweight polarized glasses are included in the package, which differ from the more commonplace battery-based glasses. Both the display and glasses use film-patterned retarder (FPR) technology, which will supposedly enable a flicker-free 3D viewing experience.

The new monitor is now available for US customers at leading retailers and it comes with a price tag of $599.

While the display sounds pretty cool, keep in mind that turning most 2D content into 3D doesn’t necessarily mean that converted images will look any good and so expect mixed results.

The post Acer HR274H 27″ Display Converts 2D Content To 3D appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Earlier this year we had a look at the decidedly diminuitive AAXA P1 Jr. pico projector. That thing was really tiny, but it only pumped out ten lumens of brightness. That might be good enough for some circumstances, but there are other situations where you want more brightness without having to lug around a full-size projector.

That’s where the AAXA P4 pico projector can come into focus (terrible pun intended). It really isn’t that much bigger, but it packs quite a bit more of a wallop when it comes to what a little pico projector can do.

Features and Specs

The AAXA P4 is being touted as the world’s brightest battery-powered pico projector. There may be brighter, but they need external power sources. In the case of the P4, you get an impressive 80 lumen LED light engine to go along with that DLP projector. This gives you up to an 80-inch image, which is easily big enough for most boardrooms.

You get “vibrant color technology” with 15,000 LEDs, as well as the 75+ minute battery, integrated media player, and Windows CE Embedded. That last point is particularly important, because it means that you can run PowerPoint presentations and use other Windows CE apps without having to connect to a separate computer. The 2GB of internal memory is useful in that regard too, but there is a microSD slot in the front, as well as both a USB and micro-USB port in the back. Naturally, this pico projector will take external inputs too, including VGA and composite (via the provided adapters).

What’s In the Box?

Opening up the box, you find just about everything that you need to get started. There’s the pico projector itself, of course, as well as a wireless remote, mini-tripod, composite adapter cable, VGA adapter cable, and mini-USB to USB adapter cable. Not shown is the power cable, but that’s included too.

Optionally, you can add the Rii mini Bluetooth keyboard, which certainly comes in handy when you are navigating your way through Windows CE Embedded. Indeed, some form of wired or wireless keyboard (and mouse) becomes necessary if you want to dig into the true Windows environment of this pocket-sized device.

Is It Really That Bright?

In short, yes. The most common complaint about pico projectors is that they are not powerful enough for everyday use. While this certainly won’t hold a candle up to many of the full-sized projectors out there, it more than easily handles itself even in less than ideal conditions. The colors are reasonably saturated, the contrast is quite good, and the brightness allows you to project videos, slideshows, and presentations in rooms where there is still some ambient light.

You can see a brief demo in this YouTube video I shot in a restaurant. It was the middle of the day and the restaurant was reasonably well-lit, but the image still came through clear. Yes, it does appear to be a little washed out, but that’s to be expected and even full-size projectors would have that kind of effect in that kind of environment.

It is possible to go brighter with something like the AAXA M2 Micro Projector, but that is not as small and it requires an external power source. The sheer versatility and portability of the P4, coupled with its higher level of performance, make it a valuable tool for executives on the go.

User Interface

The home menu on the P4 consists of six icons: video, picture, music, source, setup, and desktop. These are easily navigated using the controls on the projector itself or via the provided IR remote. The desktop is how you get full access to Windows CE; getting back to this home menu is a shortcut on the Windows desktop.

This is all very easy to understand and I found the interface to be reasonably responsive. Switching to the different sources — if you wanted to connect a game console, DVD player, or notebook PC for instance — is also easy enough. The interface for playing actual media files felt a little sluggish at times, though, but getting through the menus was fine.

Loading Up and Playing Media Files

One level deeper within video, picture or music from the main menu, you’ll find the ability to choose the source of your files. This includes the internal memory, the microSD slot, and the USB port. Putting files on the internal memory is done with a microUSB cable and the P4 will appear as an external drive on your computer.

Theoretically, you should be able to access the files on a USB drive, but I had trouble with this and it did not appear to work for me. I followed the instructions in the user guide and created the specified folders, but that didn’t work either. My hope is that this is either an early production unit or there is a firmware update that can rectify this, as having on-the-fly USB media access is huge for a portable device like this.

Conclusion

The on-board fan can be noisier than I would have liked. The one-watt speaker is quieter than I would have liked. Even so, I can’t help but to love this little AAXA P4 pico projector. The portable package is convenient and the 75+ minute battery should be able to last you though most presentations. It would be nice if you could charge via USB, rather than being forced to use the regular wall plug though.

It’s not the cheapest thing in the world with an MSRP of $399 (currently on sale for $339), but it’s not terribly expensive either. The Windows CE environment is versatile, the various inputs give you flexibility, and the built-in media player is a definite bonus. The 80 lumen LED light engine doesn’t hurt either.

[Aaxa Tech]

The post Review: AAXA P4 Pico Pocket Projector Embeds Windows CE appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The next wave of ePaper may be losing some of that old fashioned appeal. Current ePaper readers such as the Kindle need light in order to be read, just like when you’re looking over an actual newspaper.  With an increasing amount of eReaders (tablets) boasting backlight displays, most of us like to keep eInk a bit more traditional; like having to read with the aid of other light.  Reading without backlighting is also easier on the eyes.

Flex Lighting has a technology that could change ePaper as we know it. They make a very thin layer that distributes light evenly from hidden LEDs over the devices’s surface. Light is aimed toward the screen, and battery draw is low as only one or two LEDs are used. This extremely thin, flexible technology allows this to be practical for almost any display.  Based on existing technology, this method is said to be better than current lighting based on the same technology.

There is no word on how this technology will actually turn out when implemented with next generation eReaders.While it sounds great in theory, it seems that no one outside of Flex Lighting has gotten their hands on any prototypes yet.

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