Check Price: February 2014

Friday, February 28, 2014

ALCATEL launches the Idol X+ octa core smartphone and the BOOM band Free.

ALCATEL launches the Idol X+ octa core smartphone and the BOOM band Free.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

TCL, the Chinese brand which sells the Android smartphones under the brand name Alcatel in several other countries, has introduced a high-end smartphone, the Alcatel Idol X+, which precisely is the updated version of the Alcatel Idol X (which was a very neat Android smartphone).

This is said to be their first smartphone to have the octa-core MT6592 SoC along with 2GB of RAM, and the company says they had an exclusive deal with Mediatek for this particular smartphone. This flagship Android device from TCL is 7.9mm thick, and is a little thicker than the previous one, because of the 2500 mAh thick battery under the hood.

Just like you saw a 5-inch 1080p display, it’s the same here in the X+, though the bezel around the display has got thinner with a 1.9mm one now being placed, and under the hood, here is what is included – Octa-core MT6592 SoC clocking at 2 GHz, 2GB of RAM. Though there is nothing given about the storage options and whether this smartphone would support the MicroSD card for storage expansion, but the battery capacity of 2500 mAh is confirmed.

There is a 13-megapixel rear camera with the f/2.0 aperture and that comes with the LED flash.

One of the attractions in this smartphone, is the accessory that comes along in the package, the BOOM band – Bluetooth activity plus sleep tracker. Yes, they aren’t going to charge you anything extra for this and you would get all the activity and sleep details, as well as use this as a proximity alarm to alert you if you left your smartphone behind. The personal tracking of fitness can be shared with friends on the social network, which means this band is something you would generally pay for, to get from the other makers – Jawbone Up, Fitit Flex etc.

The unsubsidized Alcatel Idol X+ is priced at CN¥1,999 or US$330, and the one in China under the TCL tag, would be available from January 15th, but there are no details about the availability under the Alcatel brand name.

DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials Day Two Wrap. Video.

DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials Day Two Wrap. Video.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

SAMSUNG SMART TV on Amazon store:

Video: Google`s SCHAFT robot wins DARPA Robotics Challenge.

Video: Google`s SCHAFT robot wins DARPA Robotics Challenge.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

The "trials" for DARPA Robotics Challenge are over. After two days in which some of the most advanced robots in the world had to face difficult obstacles, the design that won first place was SCHAFT, developed by a team of the same name which is now under the wing of the Mountain View giant, Google.

Will have to wait until late 2014 for the final winner of the DARPA Robotics Challenge . The " trials" that determine the finalists were conducted between Friday and Saturday. Sixteen teams participated , all backed by institutions, agencies and companies of high prestige.

The tests, very focused on rescue and emergency scenarios led to limit the capabilities of all the robots , however , had the advantage of operating in " bound " , something that does not happen in the finals. In total , eight tests were : vehicle ( or is, lead ) , Property Ladder , Rubble , Door , Wall, Valve and Hose. None of the robots got a perfect score (32 points was the maximum ) , but one of them was very close : SCHAFT His name is owned by a Japanese team of the same name , and now responds to Google . If there was any doubt about the turn of Mountain View to robotics , this victory just dissipate it.

I think the only word to describe SCHAFT action is "impressive" but we must also remember that this kind of designs continue to evolve, therefore,we have not seen its roof. SCHAFT stayed in front at this stage of Robotics Challenge with 27 points, followed distantly by the IHMC Robotics team that scored 20 points on Atlas-Ian, Tartan and Rescue, the robot CHIMP scored 18 points. Tests proved far more complex than they appear.

In fact, there were three teams who failed to get any points, and to the surprise of many, one of those teams was the NASA robot that used his Valkyrie. The top eight teams will receive one million additional dollars to continue its development and prepare robots face the final. The jackpot? Two million dollars.

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Video: World's top robots compete in international event.

Video: World's top robots compete in international event.

WorldWide tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Humanoids from the United States, China, Japan and Korea compete in a ''robot olympics'' of sorts, aimed at testing their ability to handle disaster relief.

Robots battle it out in Miami in a fierce two-day "robot olympics" of sorts. Top robot makers from around the world are showcasing their advanced humanoids in what is known as the DARPA Robotics Challenge.

A total of seventeen teams from the United States, China, Japan and Korea are participating in the two-day trials. They're aimed at awarding the gold to the robot that bests deals with disaster response. Organizers have put their robots through rigorous training in order to face the challenge. NASA's Robonaut was part of the U.S. team, and team leaders - like Kimberly Hambuchen - were happy with the outcome.

KIMBERLY HAMBUCHEN, TEAM LEADER FOR HUMANOID ROBOT INTERFACE, SAYING: "We were able to create this humanoid robot that can go into places where humans can go. If humans can go there, this robot can go there and that's good for, not only this competition where we want to put the robot into a disaster response situation, but also for NASA, in general, because we send humans into outer space and we would like to be able to send robots that don't need any specialization."

The event is open to the public, and organizers hope audiences gain a new awareness of the current affairs surrounding robotics, and their interaction with humankind in the future.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition on Amazon store:

CES 2014: Samsung will showcase a hotel-like booth.

CES 2014: Samsung will showcase a hotel-like booth.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Samsung will showcase a hotel-like booth designed to represent the “paradise of hotels” in Las Vegas next week, demonstrating the hotel, business and retail applications of its world-class LFD (Large Format Display) capabilities.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition on Amazon store:

CES 2014: Samsung Electronics will showcase its 2014 Smart TV with Voice Interaction/finger gesture.

CES 2014: Samsung Electronics will showcase its 2014 Smart TV with Voice Interaction/finger gesture.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Samsung Electronics will showcase its 2014 Smart TV with enhanced usability at CES 2014, held from January 7 – 10, 2014 in Las Vegas.

Samsung’s voice interaction service, which understands natural languages, is currently available in 11 countries. In 2014, the service will expand into 12 new markets, making the service available in a total of 23 countries worldwide. Samsung has also made the service more convenient by focusing on the most frequently-used functions and taking into consideration user’s usage patterns.

“Samsung’s 2014 Smart TV models deliver significantly improved voice interaction and motion control features so that our consumers will be able to enjoy our Smart TV more intuitively,” said Kyungshik Lee, Senior Vice President of the Service Strategy Team of Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to develop content that integrates voice and motion recognition for added convenience.”

With the 2014 Smart TV, finding content is easier than ever. Users can change the channel in one step – by simply saying the channel number. They can even open a website or app using shortcuts. For reference, 2013 models require two steps to change TV channels: ‘Channel Change’ and ‘Channel Number’

The voice search feature is also more convenient to use, letting users find all content results in one place.

Further, when a consumer uses voice interaction to search for daily living information such as weather, stocks and sports while watching TV, a pop-up window appears on the bottom of the page with search results. Consumers can move to the app and see the details by clicking the pop-up.

Along with voice interaction, the motion control has been improved by adding the ‘finger gesture’ feature of the 2014 Smart TVs – a significant improvement to motion control.

Thanks to ‘finger gesture,’ users can change the TV channel, adjust the volume, find and select what they want to watch just by using their fingers. They can also go back to the previous screen and stop the video by motioning their finger counterclockwise – a more intuitive way to control the TV.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition:

CES 2014: Samsung to Introduce Innovative B2B Display Solutions.

CES 2014: Samsung to Introduce Innovative B2B Display Solutions.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Samsung Electronics will introduce a host of new commercial large format displays (LFDs) next week at 2014 International CES in Las Vegas. The company will display a variety of innovative LFD solutions for hotels, businesses and retailers that are designed to present visually stunning and differentiated experiences to customers. To demonstrate the benefits of its displays in each of these settings, the Samsung booth at CES will feature various virtual environments intended to replicate a state-of-the-art “paradise of hotels,” including a lobby video wall, new hotel TV solution and display solutions for business centers – with Samsung’s ‘Interactive White Board’ and the world’s largest 95-inch LED LFD.

“Samsung continues to actively look for new markets for our innovative LFD B2B displays, including hotels, conference centers and shopping malls,” said Jeong-hwan Kim, Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business . “In the coming year, we will continue to add more innovative and differentiated LFD solutions in the market.”

To meet growing demand for advanced displays in the hotel industry, Samsung offers innovative display solutions for both the lobby and in-room environments. Designed to demonstrate the “Rediscovery of the Hotel Lobby,” Samsung will showcase clear, vivid information on a video wall meant for a hotel lobby, including weather information and exchange rates – which require real-time updates.

Samsung will also unveil its new hotel TV solution that can change hotel TVs into fun and useful information portals in hotel room-like spaces. Using this solution, hotels can easily add content – including films and games, as well as information regarding local tourist attractions – to enhance guests’ viewing experience and satisfaction.

Further, Samsung will introduce ‘Smart View,’ an innovative functionality that allows guests to view content from their smartphones and tablets through their in-room hotel TV screen. This new feature enables guests to enjoy content from their mobile devices, including movies and television shows, on the larger hotel TV screen.

For business center environments at hotels, Samsung will introduce the Interactive White Board (IWB) solution, featuring touch and multi-screen technologies. The Samsung IWB is an electronic bulletin board combining hardware and software that makes it possible to create large screens that can be operated by a single PC. Touch screen capabilities also make the IWB a convenient and collaborative solution for educational and corporate purposes. To further enhance the usability of the IWB and its family of LFDs, Samsung will also unveil a feature on the new device that allows users to easily make screen adjustments, as well as a pointer function designed to replace traditional laser pointers.

Additionally, Samsung will showcase the world’s largest 95-inch LED LFD (Model: ME95C), now in mass production, with a 2.1-meter magnificent display that highlights the new product’s clear picture quality and other features. The company will demonstrate the differentiated attributes of its LFDs by showing scenes of meetings at a business center on the ME95C.

Samsung Electronics has maintained its leadership position in the LFD market for the fifth consecutive year, accounting for 26.4 percent in sales volume in the third quarter of 2013. The company also solidified its position in the growing B2B display market, which is known as a new growth engine, by increasing its market share from 19 percent in 2012 to 26 percent in 2013.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 270,000 people across 79 countries

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition on Amazon store:

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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Video: Is ASUS teasing a colorful phone for CES 2014?

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

ASUS is teasing a new smartphone with several colors options. This is a second video ASUS posted related to the upcoming CES 2014 Jan 7-10 in Las Vegas.

On the first video ASUS teased a dual boot device.

ASUS is holding a live stream press conference a day before the CES 2014 event Jan 6th :

Monday, January 6th, 2014 12:00 p.m. (PST) / 20:00 p.m. (GMT) ( Media Reception at 11:30 a.m. )

Venue

Caesars Palace Las Vegas

Augustus Ballroom IV & III, ( Level 3 / Emperors level )

3570 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Round-trip shuttle bus service from:

Mandalay Bay to Caesar Palace: 11:00am- 15:00pm
Palm to Caesar Palace: 11:00am- 13:00pm
Caesar Palace to Trump: 13:00pm- 15:00pm

Amazon store:

CES 2014: LG to unveil 'HomeChat' Assistant to control appliances using online chat.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LG Electronics has introduced a new line of user-friendly home appliances registering commands from users’ “online chat messages.”

The breakthrough, entitled “HomeChat Service,” works in joint-partnership with Korea’s globally-expanding online chat service Naver Line. With HomeChat, users can punch in commands on the chat program from either computers or smartphones.

The devices then read the orders, chat back confirmation instantly on the same program, then perform the tasks on designated time schedules.

For example, users can order an appliance to clean on reserved time by typing, “Please clean an hour from now.” Then the device will chat back, “Cleaning will be done an hour from now. I will alert you at the reserved time.”

In another case, when a user asks an oven, “Can you recommend a dessert recipe?” it will provide a dessert list.

“Of course there’ll be a period of trials and errors at first, because people’s commands vary in such a diverse fashion,” said Na Joo-young of LG Electronics’ Corporate Communications Division. “That’s why we can’t tell exactly when the service will become available on the market. But it will definitely be launched sometime next year.”

LG appliances currently equipped with HomeChat service include refrigerators, washers, ovens and automatic floor cleaners.

HomeChat’s global debut will be at the Consumer Electronics Show 2014 in Las Vegas, which runs Jan. 7-11.

LG also plans to launch a related service next year entitled “Internet of Things (IoT),” an online network platform that links users’ various electronic devices and allows them to synch and automatically share personal data with one another.

“IoT will encompass not just electronic appliances but others in broader uses, such as health care, telemetering, smarthomes and smartcars,” said Na.

“There are foreign products made based on a network system similar to IoT, like American venture enterprise Corventis’ heartbeat monitoring device, Google’s Googlass and Nike’s FuelBand.”

Press Release:

AT CES 2014, LATEST SMART APPLIANCES FROM LG CHAT WITH USERS VIA MOBILE MESSENGER

LG Enables Customers to Use Popular LINE Messaging App to

Communicate with Smart Appliances Using Natural Language

SEOUL, Dec. 26, 2013 — LG Electronics (LG) will showcase its next generation of smart innovations and technologies that take advantage of Natural Language Processing (NLP) to allow customers to communicate, control, monitor and share content with LG home appliances via the popular mobile messenger, LINE, and LG’s HomeChat™ service.

With HomeChat[1], there is no learning curve because it was designed to be used with one of today’s most popular and free mobile messenger, LINE. With 310 million users worldwide, LINE is available on all major smartphone platforms: Android, iPhone, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Nokia Asha as well as desktops and laptops running Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. With HomeChat, there is no need to learn new commands or add another remote control to the coffee table. Everything homeowners need to communicate with their LG smart appliance is on their smartphone or desktop.

“Always at the forefront of innovation, LG is continually striving to inspire smarter consumer lifestyles in meaningful ways,” said Seong-jin Jo, president and CEO of the LG Electronics Home Appliance Company. “We’re excited to be able to bring to CES our smart appliances with the newest communication and intelligence capabilities.”

2014 LG smart appliance owners will be able to control all their compatible appliances using HomeChat on a single device, for a level of convenience never experienced before. Simply texting “I’m going on vacation” in HomeChat will result in the automatic response, “Should I convert to vacation mode?” which when replied in the affirmative, will turn on the refrigerator’s power-saving mode, set the robotic vacuum cleaner to sweep the floor at 09:00 every day and set the washing machine to run a wash cycle on the day before your return. Available initially in English and Korean with more languages in the pipeline.

A Complete Food Management System

Thanks to the messaging capabilities of HomeChat, new LG smart appliance owners will be able to receive real time status updates from their refrigerators no matter where they are. Family members can upload photos to the fridge from their smartphones using LINE and displayed on the refrigerator’s display panel.

What’s more, Smart Manager transforms the refrigerator into a complete food management system. Customers can use the LCD panel or their smartphones through the LG Smart Refrigerator app to check what’s inside without opening the door. With the Smart Manager’s Freshness Tracker, users can input various foods and check their expiration dates. Smart Manager also has the capability to recommend dishes to prepare based on the ingredients available in the refrigerator.

So Much More Than a Vacuum

The HOM-BOT SQUARE can be programmed to clean at set times in accordance with the needs and personal preferences of the user. Homeowners can check the cleaning history by asking HOM-BOT SQUARE “When did you last clean?” using HomeChat. The vacuum cleaner will then respond via HomeChat: “10:50 started cleaning with zigzag mode; 11:30 completed cleaning with zigzag mode.” Moreover, HOM-BOT SQUARE’s movement can be manually controlled using HomeChat.

A Washing Machine That Thinks For You

Using HomeChat, users can download up-to-date wash cycles to suit their personal needs and also receive recommendations via HomeChat if a wash cycle has been updated and needs to be downloaded again. HomeChat can also be used to remotely start a load of laundry, monitor the status of the washer, and receive push alerts via smartphone or LG Smart TV when a wash cycle is completed.

Recipe Recommendations with LG’s Smart Oven

With HomeChat™ and Recipe Search, users can converse with their smart oven to recommend recipes for specific dishes and find out which ingredients are needed for it. Conveniently, the oven will then auto-select the appropriate settings, which helps users to avoid the hassle of having to manually set the cooking mode. Also, LG’s smart oven app provides alerts when recipe updates become available, encouraging family members to whip up new and interesting meals.

Greater Convenience with NFC

With NFC Tagging and Smart Diagnosis™, customers can resolve minor issues without expensive and inconvenient home technician visits. NFC tagging also allows owners to download new wash cycles for LG washing machines.

[1] Available initially in English and Korean, additional languages will be introduced in 2014.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Q3 2014: Intel will start selling the Haswell-E series 8 core desktops cpu at around $1.000.-

Intel is set to release its first eight-core processors for desktops, the Haswell-E series in the third quarter of 2014 priced at around US$1,000. The new series will succeed the existing Ivy Bridge-E.Intel will also release its next-generation high-end chipsets, the X99 to pair with the processors.

However, the processors will only account for a small portion of Intel's CPU shipments and combined shipment shares of Ivy Bridge-E and Haswell-E processors will be less than 5% at the end of 2014.

The Haswell-E series will adopt a 22nm process and have two separated branches, X and K series. The CPUs also support Intel's Hyper-Threading technology and Turbo Boost technology 2.0, PCI-Express Gen 3.0 and DDR4 memory up to 2,133MHz, the sources explained.

The X99 chipsets will support native USB 3.0 ports and feature 10 6Gb/s SATA ports, the sources added.In the second quarter of 2014, Intel will release the Haswell Refresh platform. Shipments will start in May and the platform will be announced at Computex 2014 in June. Intel will also start shipping its next-generation Z97 and H97 chipsets in March and April in order for motherboard vendors to start selling 9-series products in April.

SK hynix Inc, chipmaker develops world's first TSV-based chip.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

SK hynix Inc., the world's No. 2 chipmaker, said Thursday it has developed the world's first memory chip equipped with the Through Silicon Via (TSV) technology, significantly improving speed and efficiency.

The South Korean chipmaker said the high-bandwidth memory chip has a 128-gigabytes-per-second processing speed, which is four times faster than the GDDR5 chips, and can run on a relatively small power of 1.2 volts.

The latest product by SK hynix will also consume 40 percent less power, the company added.

Jointly developed with U.S.-based Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), the new product combines four 40 nanometer-class dynamic random access memory (DRAM) under the TSV technology, which allows the DRAMs to be connected with higher electrical efficiency.

SK hynix said the TSV-based chip can be applied to devices that require high graphic performance, and it can also be used in super computers and servers. It said the mass production of the cutting-edge chips will begin in the second half of 2014.

Amazon store: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition