TT Show Episode 58 - Apple Intelligence, AMD confirms RDNA 4 details, and Russia fines Google

Fujitsu haptic sensory tablet lets you feel images on the screen

Shane McGlaun | Mobile Devices | Feb 24, 2014 11:16 AM CST

Fujitsu is showing off a cool prototype tablet at MWC 2014 that has haptic feedback tech inside. The tablet is able to allow the user to feel smooth and rough surfaces on the screen with their finger. That means if a picture has smooth and rough parts, you can actually feel them. Fujitsu is showing off a demo of this tech with an image of an alligator that lets you feel the bumps on its hide.

Another of the demos Fujitsu has is of a harp that lets the user feel the strings as they pluck them. The way the tablet is able to create the haptic feedback is by using ultrasonic vibrations. The vibrations produce a high-pressure layer of air above the screen that acts as a cushion for the finger.

When that cushion of air is there, the screen feels very smooth. By alternating the air cushion quickly, Fujitsu is able to produce the feel of a rough surface. The technology has been miniaturized to the point where it can fit inside a tablet and run off the amount of power available to mobile devices.

Continue reading: Fujitsu haptic sensory tablet lets you feel images on the screen (full post)

Dell launches the PowerEdge R920 server and takes benchmark record

Kalen Kimm | IT/Datacenter & Super Computing | Feb 24, 2014 11:08 AM CST

Dell recently announced availability of the PowerEdge R920 server that utilizes Intel's new XEON processor E7-4800 v2 and it is already making a name for itself. Dell claims it is their highest performing server and that it is built for the most intense enterprise workloads - ERP, large databases, HPC, etc.

Backing those claims up, Dell just released some pretty impressive benchmarks, taking the lead in a few categories seen here. Posted on Dell's tech forum is this snapshot demonstrating nearly double the performance of previous generation Power Edge servers in a SAP benchmark test:

And from Intel's benchmark tracking site, they now hold several world records in the 4 socket category:

Continue reading: Dell launches the PowerEdge R920 server and takes benchmark record (full post)

BMW to make carbon fiber wheels using waste from i3 and i8

Shane McGlaun | Electric Vehicles & Cars | Feb 24, 2014 10:33 AM CST

BMW is hard at work producing wheels that may eventually replace alloy wheels in performance and fuel-efficient automobiles. The more weight you can remove from a car, the better its performance will be and the better the fuel economy will be. Weight reduction is particularly important in the EV and hybrid realm where less weight means longer driving distance.

BMW working on building a new generation of carbon fiber wheels for its cars. Typically working in carbon fiber is very expensive. BMW is getting around much of the expense by using production cast off material from the i3 and i8 projects, which use carbon fiber in their builds.

Carbon fiber is a good material for making wheels. Carbon fiber wheels are about 30% lighter than aluminum and 50% lighter than steel. BMW is actively looking for more places to use the patents it has in carbon fiber processes. It is also looking at making a full carbon fiber steering wheel, a carbon fiber drive shaft for the X5, and a carbon fiber and plastic compound that is strong and light.

Continue reading: BMW to make carbon fiber wheels using waste from i3 and i8 (full post)

Nokia XL dual SIM smartphone debuts at MWC 2014

Shane McGlaun | Mobile Devices | Feb 24, 2014 9:54 AM CST

Nokia is one of the many companies at Mobile World Congress 2014 that are showing off new smartphones and tablets. One of the new smartphones that Nokia is showing off is the XL dual SIM device. That smartphone is part of the Nokia X series.

The smartphone runs Nokia X platform for the OS and has a 5-inch display. That screen is large, but its specs show that it is a device designed for budget shoppers. The screen has a resolution of 800 x 480, many screens of that size on smartphones are full HD. The Nokia XL does support 24-bit color, and the screen has 187ppi.

The smartphone measures 141.4mm tall x 77.7mm wide x 10.9mm thick with a weight of 190g. The Nokia XL has integrated Bluetooth 3.0 + HS. The smartphone has integrated Wi-Fi and charges via a USB port. The device operates on 2G and 3G networks.

Continue reading: Nokia XL dual SIM smartphone debuts at MWC 2014 (full post)

Sony will launch its new SmartBand fitness tracker next month

Anthony Garreffa | Wearable Computing & Fashion | Feb 24, 2014 9:24 AM CST

MWC 2014 - Sony unveiled two great looking devices today at MWC 2014, the Xperia Z2 smartphone and Xperia Z2 Tablet, but the fitness tracking market just saw an entry from the Japanese giant. Introducing the Sony SmartBand.

Sony's SmartBand is powered by the company's new Core fitness tracker, which will come with a Lifelog app. Sony's new wearable will track your physical activity and movements throughout the day, but the Lifelog app is where things change. Sony's Lifelog app will save the places you visit, songs you've listened to, games you've played, books you've read, and much more.

This is referred to by Sony as the SmartWear Experience, with the SmartBand being the start of this new wearable journey for the company. The SmartBand is waterproof, is capable of measuring your sleep cycle, waking you up at the ideal time each morning, and will notify you of incoming calls, and activity coming in from social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

Continue reading: Sony will launch its new SmartBand fitness tracker next month (full post)

Netflix inks deal with Comcast for 'faster and more reliable' access

Roshan Ashraf Shaikh | Internet & Websites | Feb 24, 2014 8:59 AM CST

Netflix made a deal with Comcast in which the TV series and movie streaming service will pay Comcast in exchange for faster and more reliable access to the broadband provider's subscribers.

The details of this agreement was not disclosed, but the companies said,"Netflix receives no preferential network treatment under the multiyear agreement." This deal however comes with a criticism that this agreement may violate the principles of net neutrality. It was being discussed that all content providers should have equal and free access to its consumers.

Tim Wu, a professor in Columbia Law School and an advocate for net neutrality said that this agreement between the companies will be bad for consumers. A fear also rises that if such deals become more common, only the wealthiest content providers will be the ones getting their content across.

Continue reading: Netflix inks deal with Comcast for 'faster and more reliable' access (full post)

US Navy creates the five-pound 'smallest guided missile' in the world

Michael Hatamoto | Science, Space, & Robotics | Feb 24, 2014 8:17 AM CST

The US Navy has developed a five-pound Spike mini-missile, a precision device that is reportedly the "world's smallest guided missile" available. The speed and missile range are classified, but Spike can be launched from the ground using a stationary launcher or from unmanned aerial vehicles - and a shoulder-launched version is in development.

The Spike missile costs about $50,000 to manufacture and measures only 2.5 inches in diameter, being built as part of the NAVAIR project at the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif. Using a small camera mounted on the missile, operators are able to accurately modify Spike's trajectory before it detonates.

"Most of our weapons are fairly large because they're taking out very big targets," said Scott O'Neill, project developer, said in a media statement. "We've started looking at, with miniaturization of electronics, what does that mean to weaponry? How small can we make weapons and keep them effective against the targets that we're talking about?"

Continue reading: US Navy creates the five-pound 'smallest guided missile' in the world (full post)

Broadcom introduces NFC controllers for affordable devices

Roshan Ashraf Shaikh | Mobile Devices | Feb 24, 2014 7:47 AM CST

Broadcom introduced a new lineup of near field communication (NFC) BCM20795 controllers to provide connectivity for the mass market smartphones and wearables.

To do so, the chipmaker assured that these new controllers will reduce the total cost by 35% for OEMs by enabling antenna design for smartphones and wearable devices. It also reduces power consumption by 60% extended battery life. Along with the promise to reduce more than 60% power consumption and usage of less than 30%, the newer chip requires 35% lesser PCB area compared to its previous generations. The chips are compatible with Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED) platforms, so it should enable majority of the lower cost smartphones and other devices for WICED.

Broadcom also assures that their NFC technology is certified for payment schemes and supports the latest specifications from NFC forum. Dino Bekis Vice President, Mobile Wireless Connectivity at Broadcom said,"With mobile payments gaining momentum and consumers using their devices more frequently to tap and share information, there is an increased demand for a premium NFC experience on affordable smartphones. Broadcom's new NFC controllers offer an innovative architecture that radically reduces costs for our customers so they can deliver simplified connectivity to a broader audience."

Continue reading: Broadcom introduces NFC controllers for affordable devices (full post)

Sony's new Xperia Z2 smartphone moves to an IPS display

Anthony Garreffa | Mobile Devices | Feb 24, 2014 6:27 AM CST

MWC 2014 - We knew it was coming, but Sony has just unveiled its new Xperia X2 in Barcelona, Spain, during Mobile World Congress 2014. The new Sony flagship handset features the same footprint as the Z1, but has internal upgrades which should impress.

First off, we have a new IPS display, something that Sony calls Live Color LEDs. This is a technology unique to Sony that has provided it with the widest color gamut on the market, beating out even Apple with its iPhone and iPad. We have a 1920x1080-pixel 5.2-inch display, but inside, we have a new 3200mAh battery which is impressive to hear.

As for horsepower, we have a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, a new set of stereo speakers, the same all-glass front and back, as well as the IP58-certified waterproofing, and the same dedicated camera key. The rear-snapper on the Xperia Z2 is capable of shooting 4K video, but it also features something from Sony's Handycam line of camera: SteadyShot.

Continue reading: Sony's new Xperia Z2 smartphone moves to an IPS display (full post)

Sony is working on a movie about the Nintendo vs. SEGA console war

Anthony Garreffa | TV, Movies & Home Theatre | Feb 24, 2014 1:20 AM CST

You may have heard about companies like Sony, Nintendo and SEGA... as well as director and actor duo Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, but what do you get when you mix it all together? A new movie coming out which focuses on the early 90s, and the console wars between Nintendo and SEGA.

The idea already exists in book form , with Console Wars coming out in May, written by Blake Harris. Console Wars focuses on SEGA's challenge to Nintendo in the early 90s with the SEGA Mega Drive. A movie based on the book is already being worked on, with Sony Pictures and Scott Rudin (of Moneyball, The Social Network fame) behind it.

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg will be directing, with the comedy duo taking up the screenplay duties, too. Console Wars' author will serve as an Executive Producer, but is also co-directing a documentary on the same subject, with Rudin, Rogen and Goldberg all sitting on as producers.

Continue reading: Sony is working on a movie about the Nintendo vs. SEGA console war (full post)

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