Top 21 Weatherproof Products and Aluma-Tough Tags

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

From a Notebook that sustains water jets to anodized aluminum tags that last 20 years in sea salt, these cutting-edge products stand up to just about anything. 

Stay connected, organized and dry with the top 21 weatherproof products of 2013. Ranging from quirky to practical, these products were carefully selected as shining examples of how technology makes everyday products better, and people’s lives easier.

Links to all the items are available here.
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*by andreascy*

What To Look For In A New TV

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Buying a new TV can be a lot more complicated than it used to be. With options including HD, plasma, LCD, and a large range of different specs in the term of pixels and Hz, it can be difficult to decide which TV is worth buying and which is just hyped up with fancy terminology. 

Because you are spending your valuable money and possibly taking out some in store finance to purchase a TV, it’s important to choose one that works best for you.

Choosing a Size

Size is important and for most of us; after all, bigger is better. Important considerations include that there is a limit between a ‘good size’ and a ‘good price’. As a general rule, usually any TV over a certain size will be more expensive and for most, that size is 42-55 inches. A 42” TV is actually one of the best budget TV sizes, especially considering that most are only a few hundred above 36” TVs while a 62” might be several thousand pounds in comparison. Budget verses Size is a crucial thing to consider so take your time and shop around to see what is the biggest size you can get for a reasonable price. If you settle on a bigger TV then you could always choose to apply for cash loans to help pay for the television.

What do all of those Quality Terms Mean Anyway?

Pixel ratio, video processing, what do all of those terms mean anyway? For most of us, bigger numbers can confuse us into thinking that we’re getting a better TV, but for the most part, a lot of it is really just hype. The standard HDTV TV only has about 40 pixels per square inch which is about 8 times lower than your average iPhone screen which is retina display. In this light, HD quality might actually be a little lower than you think anyway. New 4K TVs are already coming out but these usually only have about 160 pixels per inch. Terms such as 120Hz and 240Hz refer to video processing while terms such as 1080i and 720p refer to display resolution and maximum light output. Usually these factors are actually less important than simply calibrating your TV correctly to display well in your light conditions.

Plasma verses LED verses LCD 

There are multiple types of TVs but Plasma, LED and LCD are the three most common. Most experts recommend plasma as the most consistent quality TV in a room without a lot of sunlight, mostly because plasma provides the best contrast and screen uniformity. LED screens are best when paired with local dimming, and LCD screens can be extremely good as well so long as the colour saturation is correct.

Options

From 3D to smart TV, most televisions today are a lot more complicated than their predecessors. A smart TV can usually be connected to the internet, can often be used to play games and can be used to answer email or even log onto your social networks. Anyone with a game station probably has all of these features already, so it might not be necessary to purchase a smart TV. Many TVs now come with built in smart apps so you might not have the option to purchase an old fashioned TV without these options. 3D is usually vastly overrated, mostly because most people don’t actually use the 3D feature. Watching 3D requires you to purchase 3D movies and wear 3D glasses, so this can be a hassle that most people would rather do without. However, a 3D TV will play normal movies so it won’t limit your access to the television you love. 

TRENDING: Why Curved Screens are the Next Innovative Trend

Any thoughts?

*by andreascy*

How To Build A Home Theatre At A Reasonable Price

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Many people these days have that magical room in their house known as the home theatre. Often referred to as a “movie room” or “media centre” the home theatre is now a highly popular place for families and friends to gather.

People inexperienced in the whole home theatre scene are often concerned at how expensive it could be to construct and how much room it may take up. But things have changed. People who have not upgraded their television in quite a while are still assuming the prices of flat screens and speakers are in excess of £3000. It is possible to spend that much, but that is only if you are looking at getting that brand new 50” OLED television that isn’t really worth it.

Make Sure Your System Fits Your Space

The first thing I did when I began looking for the speakers I needed was to size up the room that would become my home theatre. It’s easy to maximize the sound of your room if the space is smaller than average. The smaller the space, the less power needed to amplify the speakers. This means you can get a fairly medium powered receiver/amp and speakers that won’t require a lot of power. A lot of people will pack their room with huge over-sized speakers; you will definitely save a lot more money and have better sounding 5.1 using the correct speakers. 

Don’t Let That Salesman In The Shop Fool You

You can always end up spending more when you visit some of the large chain shops. Commission sales are what drives staff members to come rushing up to you as soon as you come through the door. Don’t let them try and sell you every useless item under the sun, they will definitely try. Make sure you find out EXACTLY what you are looking for before you walk into the shop. 

Speakers

Equipment can cost a lot of money; it’s in your interest to shop around before making any large decisions, I’ve found that quality is definitely worth investing in. I bought speakers from a local shop that sold speakers as separates. This means that I basically selected different front and rear speakers according to my taste, once I had decided on this I began looking for the ideal centre speaker.

The main problem with buying separate speakers is that they vary in color shape and size; it’s difficult to keep the speakers coordinated. I would however, definitely pick separates over an all in one speaker kit. All in one kits are usually great for the budget but not so great for sound quality, unless you’re spending upwards of £1000 I would not suggest it.

If you are upgrading your home theatre, always look out for shops that will allow you to trade in your previous speakers to then put towards your new ones. You may also want to use an online auction site such as eBay to get rid of your old speakers, or even buy your new ones!

Televisions

The television is one item to be careful of. There are hundreds on the market and they range from 300 to 3000+. You must first decide on what the room is primarily going to be used for, Movies? Gaming?

If gaming is a big factor for your setup and you’re looking at getting the £400 budget Samsung LCD or whichever brand, make sure you check what latency the screen has! 

This is usually referred to as “response time” and it can greatly affect how fast your control inputs feel coming through to the television. The smaller the response time the better. The minimum response time for gaming would be around 8ms, any more than that and you’ll be at a disadvantage. LCD televisions can have quite a large response time where as Plasma is known to be a lot smaller but it’s not always the case.

Projectors

Projectors are coming down in price these days so make sure you have a look at those, but don’t forget to include the cost of the pull down screen! Projectors can be a great way to maximize the size of the screen. You can get fairly decent HD projectors now at quite a good price. Projectors can be quite hard to watch in the daytime due to daylight shooting through the window. I had to put up blinds and thick curtains to be able to see the screen. One other thing about projectors is they have a lamp life, the bulb inside the projector can only be used for a certain amount of time before it effectively becomes useless. When I last had a projector its bulb could cost up to £400 for a replacement, so keep that in mind.

Although people assume it to be ridiculously expensive, building a home theatre doesn’t have to be. Just make sure you research what you’re looking for and check the specifics of all items!

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*by andreascy*

Ocular's Future of Touch Presentation at 2012 SID Display Week

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Ocular LCD: A Different Philosophy... A Different Kind of Company

Ocular LCD, Inc. headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a leading supplier of touch panels and display products to the embedded technology industry. Ocular’s innovative technologies enable equipment manufacturers to quickly bring to market product solutions with leading-edge, touch-enabled display capabilities.

In addition to its products, extensive technical knowledge and 25 years of experience allows Ocular to work closely with manufacturers to design display capabilities that meet the unique requirements of their applications, including the demands of extreme environments. 

Ocular has a rich history of innovation and this spirit is part of the Ocular culture and continues today with the development of many patented solutions in touch panel technology, LCD displays and display system ruggedization techniques.

Today we' ll present to you the third annual Future of Touch and Interactivity Conference that took place on June 7th, 2012 as part of The Society for Information Display (SID) Display Week in Boston. Industry leaders were invited to discuss how touch and interactive solutions are shaping the display industry. 

David Nolte, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Ocular, presented during Session 1: The Future of Touch on the topic of projected capacitive touch panels and how they have advanced with larger sizes and simpler structures.

Read also :
Touch screen technology : How it works

*by andreascy*

Microsoft Research : Enabling Concurrent Dual Views on Common LCD Screens

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Can your laptop show you two different views simultaneously? 

The answer is yes and here is how : Twisted Nematic (TN) is the most widely used LCD technology today, especially on laptop screens. Some color combinations may become indistinguishable when viewed at a certain angle. Exploiting this, we can hide and show information at different angles without special hardware. 

Two completely different images can be shown at different viewing angles by spatial multiplexing or by temporal multiplexing. This method works across various TN-based LCD screens. Similarly, two movies or video games can be played simultaneously for different viewing angles, allowing people to watch different programs or play video games with personalized views. 

*by andreascy*

Sharp Begins Production of World’s First LCD Panels Incorporating IGZO Oxide Semiconductors

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Have a good day to everyone, follow us we have big informations very soon.

In March 2012 at Kameyama Plant No. 2, Sharp began producing the world’s first high-performance LCD panels incorporating IGZO oxide semiconductors. 

Sharp is expanding production scale through April to meet market demand. 

Kameyama Plant No. 2 first started operations in August 2006, manufacturing highly advanced LCD panels for TVs. 

Production systems have subsequently been reorganized to focus on producing small- and medium-sized LCD panels for the world’s rapidly growing smartphone and tablet terminal markets.

Employing advanced IGZO oxide semiconductors enables Sharp to produce LCDs with smaller thin-film transistors and increased pixel transparency, thus allowing for lower energy consumption. 

In addition, proprietary UV2A*3 photo-alignment technology employed in Sharp’s AQUOS LCD TVs enables these displays to achieve high image quality.

Sharp will encourage the application of its new high-resolution LCD panels to high-definition notebook PCs and LCD monitors-which are both expected to grow in demand-as well as to mobile devices. Sharp will also contribute to creating markets for attractive new products.

Sample specifications of LCD Panels incorporating IGZO:

Read more on PCWorld and MacRumors

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*by andreascy*

Sony quits Organic-Screen (OLED) TV's Business in Japan

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Saying that demand for the XEL-1 OLED TV is slowing in Japan, Sony is stopping OLED TV sales there. They say that overseas sales will continue, but having tried to order one of these, there doesn’t seem to be too much inventory available. 

“Sony said it had stopped production of ultra-thin TVs using organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology for Japan, just a little over 2 years since it launched its first set." It plans to keep selling the TVs in overseas markets, a spokesman said. 

OLED displays use organic, or carbon-containing compounds that emit light when electricity is applied. They produce crisp images and do not need backlighting, making them slimmer and more energy-efficient than LCDs, the most popular type of flat TV. 

Sony has aimed to become a leader in the technology and positioned the product as crucial in its drive to regain its reputation as an innovator after losing out to Apple Inc. in portable music and Nintendo in video games. 

“I want this world’s first OLED TV to be the symbol of the revival of Sony’s technological process. I want this to be the flag under which we charge forwards to turn the fortunes around,” then president Ryoji Chubachi told a briefing in October 2007. 

It is still technologically difficult to make large OLED panels and to produce them cheaply, limiting their potential as a mass-market product. Sony’s only model is an 11-inch set sold for 200,000 yen ($2,222) in Japan, considerably smaller and more expensive than other flat TVs. 

“As flat panel TVs are getting bigger and cheaper, hurdles for OLED models have become higher, at least in the short term,” said Hisakazu Torii, vice president of Japanese TV market research at DisplaySearch. 

Torii said the next big trend in the market will be 3D TVs and LCD TVs using Light Emitting Diode (LED) backlights, and that mass adoption of TVs with OLED panels is some time off. 

Sony said it would end sales of OLED TV in Japan when inventory runs out. It plans to continue putting money into research and development and production for North America, Europe and other overseas markets. 

“We will continue to consider new products and applications including OLED TVs,” Sony spokesman Shigenori Yoshida said.

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*by andreascy*

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS Superzoom

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Canon has updated its budget SX compact superzoom with PowerShot SX150 IS. The SX150 IS adds a 14.1MP CCD in the place of the SX130's 12MP chip. Beyond that the specs are familiar - a 12x 28-336mm equivalent image stabilized lens, 720p30 HD video recording and a comparatively low-resolution 230k dot 3.0" LCD screen. 

Canon brings its latest 'Intelligent' image stabilization technology to bear on the SX150, with the camera automatically selecting from seven different modes, based on its understanding of the type of shooting being conducted. 

A high resolution, high-zoom digital camera, packed with fun features that make it easy to capture memorable moments in stills and HD movies. With an impressive 12x optical zoom and sharp 14.1 Megapixel resolution, the PowerShot SX150 IS allows all members of the family to improve their photography skills, or simply let the camera do the work, delivering high quality point-and-shoot photos.

Boasting a compact, ergonomic design available in red, black and silver, the PowerShot SX150 IS offers an impressive range of features. Whether on holiday, weekends away or family days out, it's simple to capture treasured memories, providing the ideal option for users looking for outstanding performance, simplicity and value in one package.

Compact Flexibility

The PowerShot SX150 IS's body houses an impressive 12x optical zoom lens that provides the ability to shoot 28mm wide-angle group shots and landscapes, as well as long-distance close-ups, thanks to its impressive 336mm telephoto reach. Even when shooting handheld, capturing distant subjects and low light scenes in crisp detail is easier than ever, with a 4-stop optical Image Stabilizer (IS) and brand new Intelligent IS technology included to counteract the image blur that results from camera shake.

Whether panning to capture a 100m sprint at a school sports day, or shooting a vibrant flower close-up, Intelligent IS will help ensure images and videos are crystal clear. Completely automatic, Intelligent IS instantly identifies the shooting situation and selects the most appropriate form of image stabilisation from seven possible settings1. For example, Powered IS - a feature derived from Canon's LEGRIA camcorder range - ensures that even when shooting a long-distance subject, movies are captured in spectacular detail with minimal blur.

Fine Detail With Every Shot

Featuring a range of Canon's advanced imaging technologies, the PowerShot SX150 IS lets you capture still images in mesmerising quality. Shots are striking and detailed, with the 14.1 Megapixel resolution capturing the detail required to print in large poster-size formats, or crop the image for a more eye-catching composition. Canon's DIGIC 4 image processor also ensures images are captured quickly, with excellent colour reproduction and quality, as well as providing outstanding responsiveness in every day operation.

Easy Functionality and Creativity for All the Family

The PowerShot SX150 IS helps to make sure every photo and movie looks stunning, whether you're capturing landscapes, parties, fireworks or close-up abstract scenes. Smart Auto, with Face Detection Technology and the latest Advanced Subject Detection technology, identifies the shooting scene from 32 variables and automatically adjusts the camera's settings, helping you capture pictures that you'll want to share with friends and family.

Servo AF/AE technology keeps people, pets and other objects, such as cars, in focus and well-exposed right up until the shutter release is fully pressed and the image is captured. And if you simply want to point-and-shoot, Easy Mode will automatically take control of all camera settings, so even users who are completely new to photography can get the picture they want.

Stills and video clips can be instantly reviewed on a large 7.5cm (3.0'') LCD screen, offering crisp playback immediately after capture. Helpful on-screen Hints & Tips throughout the menu system also make it easy to learn more about different camera settings and improve your photography skills every time you use the camera.

Shoot Creatively - In stills or HD Movies

In addition to high-resolution still images, the PowerShot SX150 IS allows you to capture unforgettable moments in 720p high definition (HD) quality with stereo sound. A dedicated Movie Record Button lets you instantly switch from stills to HD movies, ensuring that you don't lose vital time navigating through menus and settings. You can also shoot videos in Apple's iFrame format, which requires no transcoding before being imported into Apple video editing software, making it faster and simpler to transfer and edit footage.

Alternatively, you can explore your creativity with an extensive range of innovative Creative Filters that can be instantly applied to bring still photos and movies to life, including Fish-eye Effect, Super Vivid and Poster Effect. Toy Camera Effect gives the impression of photos taken using a pin-hole camera, Monochrome lets you shoot in black and white, sepia or blue monochrome, and with Miniature Effect your images take on the appearance of small-scale models. Miniature Effect also extends to video mode, allowing you to experiment with different effects across stills and HD movies.

Capturing anything from self-portraits to those all-important family moments at Christmas or on holiday is stress-free thanks to Smart Shutter. You can activate the shutter with a simple wink or smile, while FaceSelf - Timer triggers the shutter release when a new face enters the frame - avoiding the traditional sprint from behind the camera, and allowing the photographer to be part of the photo.

In addition, the PowerShot SX150 IS will be compatible with the HF-DC2 - a new high- power external flash unit that can be used to supplement the on-board flash.

Share Your Stories

With all these features you'll no doubt have a collection of photos you'll want to share. Owners of the PowerShot SX150 IS can join the CANON iMAGE GATEWAY, an online facility for sharing photos and video. The CANON iMAGE GATEWAY Online Photo Album provides up to 10GB of personal storage capacity - enough room for hundreds of high-quality images. 

*by andreascy*