Move over Apple, Microsoft could be UI leader
Known for its attractive touch interface, Apple may have some competition in the next generation of user interfaces, according to an analyst.
Known for its attractive touch interface, Apple may have some competition in the next generation of user interfaces, according to an analyst.
Touchscreens could be extinct if researchers pioneering new human-computer interfaces have anything to say about it. From brain-controlled machines to gesture-driven devices, there's a range of technologies in development that may find their way into everyday electronic devices.
Panasonic said Tuesday it will sell one of its main domestic TV panel factories to a new joint venture focused on producing smaller screens, as Japan's big-name manufacturers continue to seek relief from deep losses in their display businesses.
Hoping to boost sales of its 3D televisions among gamers, LG showed off technology that lets traditional split screen multiplayer games be played full screen.
Sony's Personal 3D Viewer, introduced at the IFA consumer electronics show, will offer consumers an alternative to 3D televisions and will be available by the end of this year, according to the company.
"Flower gleam and glow. Let your powers shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt. Change the fates' design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine..." -Rapunzel, Tangled
Sony hopes to bring 3D to the masses with a low-cost PlayStation-branded television it announced at E3 in Los Angeles.
Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), one of the world's largest R&D organizations, has developed e-paper technology which it expects to be used mainly as easily updated signage and posters in shops and other public areas.
A new "geosocial" app called Sonar is getting the attention of Steve Peltzman, CIO of the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
Japan's public broadcaster, NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai), is making progress on the development of thin, flexible screens that might one day make a roll-up TV possible.The organization has been working on flexible OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screens for several years and its latest prototype will be on display at an open-day event at its R&D center in Tokyo this week. Reporters were given a preview of the screen on Tuesday.Compared to a prototype that was displayed two years ago, the most recent one benefits from a more reliable manufacturing process.
The creative lighting, strange sounds and odd look of the project attracted large crowds at the Computer Human Interaction conference. Called the Humanaquarium, the large plexiglass box housed two musicians whose performance could be controlled by audience interaction.
Researchers from <a href="http://www.queensu.ca/">Queens University</a> presented a flexible, e-ink display at the <a href="http://www.chi2011.org/">Computer Human Interaction conference</a> that they believe could one day replace smartphones. Called the Paper Phone, the device isn't much thicker than a few sheets of paper and uses the same type of display found on the Amazon Kindle and other popular e-readers.
Two Taiwanese firms that make touchscreen panels for Apple have reported sharp first-quarter revenue gains, which analysts said came from soaring demand for iPhones and iPads.
Elan Microelectronics, a Taiwanese designer of touchpad chips and modules, said on Monday it would appeal a ruling in the U.S., after a judge said the company's patent-related claim against Apple revealed no breach of trade laws.
Japan's Asahi Glass will soon begin producing glass for touch panels on smartphones and tablet PCs that is thinner than sheets from competitors. The glass could contribute to making smartphones and tablet PCs thinner and lighter.