Tag television

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Samsung Goes Futuristic, Showcasing Samsung Smart Transparent Window At CES 2012

Jan 11, 12 7:30 PM
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Samsung Smart Transparent Window is definitely something we had seen in Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible 4 and other movies.  Say what?  Remember Tom Cruise and his female coworker/agent had to chase the bad guys in his cool electric car?  I think it was an electric Audi, but I might be wrong.  His female coworker/agent had to pull up an interactive map or something like that through the car’s front windshield, and the front windshield was transparent enough which allowed her to peek through the front windshield and yet keep the interactive content visible on the front windshield.  Well, Samsung Smart Transparent Window has the same concept, except that it allows users to check weather and other contents on real window (i.e., a window inside a house).

Samsung Smart Transparent Window can also allow users to use a virtual blind to close the window.  In regarding to virtual blind, I think it’s cool, but I’m just worrying that some really bizarre, embarrassing situations might occur if Samsung Smart Transparent Window crashes, disengages the virtual blind and allowing strangers to peek inside whatever compartment which it supposes to shut out.

Anyhow, I like the idea of this technology!  Perhaps someday in the future when Samsung Smart Transparent Window is popular and cheap enough, I might install it inside my house.  Check out the video right after the break to see Samsung Smart Transparent Window in action at CES 2012.

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Ubuntu Expands To TV, A Video Shows A Gorgeous Ubuntu TV Prototype In Action

Jan 10, 12 5:06 PM

Couple computers of mine are using Ubuntu as their main Linux operating system.  (Ubuntu is one of the easiest Linux distributions to be installed and used.)  It has always been an excitement for me to see a new version of Ubuntu to be released, but this time it’s not the release of a new version of Ubuntu which has excited me.  It’s the announcement that Ubuntu is ready for TV.  Yes, I have never had imagined Ubuntu would be released for TV, but now the cat is out of the bag and I’m loving it.  Check out the video right after the break to see Ubuntu TV in action.

Ubuntu boasts that Ubuntu TV is just TV.  No wires.  No boxes.  Ubuntu suggests Ubuntu TV integrates broadcast, time shift, online box office, personal cloud, apps and disk media experiences.  Why no wires or boxes?  I think as long the TV manufacturers install Ubuntu TV onto their TVs, out of the box experience Ubuntu TV will not require any additional wires or boxes besides the wires that come with the TVs.  Searching for TV programs should be enjoyable on Ubuntu TV since Ubuntu suggests it integrates an intelligent search for Ubuntu TV.  Here I quote Ubuntu’s own words on searching for TV programs with Ubuntu TV:

Cable and satellite TV provide hundreds of channels already. Add online content and the choices increase exponentially. Ubuntu TV helps viewers find entertainment quickly, prioritising their most frequently-watched programmes. Search is ever-present and makes quick work of finding great content. No time to watch now? Single episodes or whole seasons can be recorded and enjoyed at your leisure. And because the TV is a shared device, viewers can create personalised playlists, to keep the kids’ priorities separate from yours. (Source:  http://www.ubuntu.com/tv/experience)

Furthermore, if I’m not mistaken, I think Ubuntu suggests that there will be apps for smartphones and tablets to be used in conjunction with Ubuntu TV so TV users will be able to enjoy side contents on particular shows/programs.  This way, TV users don’t really have to interrupt their TV shows/programs just to peek at additional information on the TV shows/programs that they’re watching. Perhaps, there will be Ubuntu TV remote apps for smartphones and tablets so TV users can control Ubuntu TV with such devices.

It’s unclear how Ubuntu can be installed on TVs.  I surmise TV manufacturers might have to install Ubuntu at the get go before their TVs reach the customers.  According to VentureBeat article Ubuntu TV ‘for human beings’ unveiled at CES, Ubuntu TV is free.  TV manufacturers might see that they can cut down the cost of not having to pay for TV operating system license, and you never know cost saving from TV manufacturers might make smart flatscreen TVs even cheaper for customers.  There is a service fee for each unit which Ubuntu will charge the TV manufacturers.

On Ubuntu’s website, there is a contact form which invites TV manufacturers and content providers to contact Ubuntu in regard to Ubuntu TV.  Perhaps, Ubuntu is inviting TV manufacturers and content providers to test out Ubuntu TV and Ubuntu will provide the support in such matter?  I sure hope many TV manufacturers and content providers will support Ubuntu TV.

Of course, Ubuntu TV is best to be installed on smart TVs, but being true to open source Ubuntu is allowing geeks to download and install Ubuntu TV onto their computers.  Ubuntu’s wiki has the instruction on how to download and install Ubuntu TV onto a computer.  The instruction is here.  Since Ubuntu TV is available for download freely, I think people are going to be using Ubuntu TV in innovative fashions.  One example might be that someone is going to install Ubuntu TV onto USB flash drive so he or she can turn a dumb flatscreen TV into a smart flatscreen TV, but this only works if a dumb flatscreen TV has a USB port.

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Always Innovating HDMI Dongle Allows You To Android Your Old School Flatscreen TV, Streaming Netflix Movies, Play Video Games, And More

Jan 7, 12 10:25 PM

Check out this cool USB dongle which Always Innovating claims it will bring Android to your old school flatscreen TV.  Of course, your flatscreen TV needs to have HDMI port to be able to use this dongle, but I cannot imagine that there is a flatscreen TV without an HDMI port.  The dongle uses USB cable to power itself.  It’s unclear though will the USB connection would allow this dongle to transfer data to computer/laptop or not.  Usually, USB cable is capable of such thing, but I do not want to claim that I know since I don’t have this dongle in my vicinity to test it out.

Here is one drawback about this dongle is that some flatscreen TVs will not carry USP ports, but usually this means these flatscreen TVs are old school.  Still, the whole selling point of this dongle is to allow users to stream movies and video games through Android OS on many old school flatscreen TVs that are capable of projecting contents at 1080p.  Nonetheless, I think this drawback can be fixed quickly if you are willing to spend around $20 bucks or a little more or less, depending on how skillfully you are with shopping around for bargains on USB chargers and extenders.  Quick look on Amazon and I see that there is a Belkin Mini Surge Protector Dual USB Charger goes for $12.  Adding USB extender cable for some bucks, and then I guess you can really extend the USB cable of this dongle to plug to a wall outlet for powering the dongle this way.

The specifications for Alaways Innovating HDMI dongle are ARM Cortex-A9, 256 MB up to 1 GB of RAM, built-in Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, NFC module, and an accelerometer.  If you watch the videos right after the break, you will see that this USB dongle can stream movies from Netflix, Hulu, and so on.  Since Android is a complete operating system for mobile, expect that you can surf the Internet on your old school flatscreen TV with this USB dongle.

Engadget suggests this Always Innovating HDMI dongle goes for $79.  Expect this little gem to make an appearance at CES 2012.  CES 2012 will go live in couple days more.  In my opinion, this USB HDMI dongle from Always Innovating is one awesome product.  This gem might lead the way for the future where everyone just needs to carry their own personal dongle so they can bring their TV everywhere.  Oh, let not forget this little gem right now can already allow you to play video games anywhere.  Well sort of, as long that anywhere means that somewhere has a stationary flatscreen TVs or computer monitors that would accept HDMI connection.

I can see a future where people would not need XBOX 360 console (Live) or even PS3 console (Playstation Network) to enjoy video games and movies.  In fact, I think mightier dongles with more capabilities might even allow users to be able to install different operating systems onto them;  users might use such dongles as mini-computers, set top boxes, and video game consoles — all on the go.  Talking about mobility for electronic/digital forms of entertainment on another whole level right?  Of course, no such thing as a mightier dongle exists yet, but at least now we have the so called Always Innovating HDMI dongle.

Will you buy Always Innovating HDMI dongle when it comes out?  I think I might want one, but as Engadget suggests, they don’t really know when this dongle will be available for customers to buy.  Let hope Always Innovating releases their HDMI dongle to the market very soon.  For your entertainment, check out the videos of Always Innovating HDMI dongle right after the break.

Source:  http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/07/always-innovating-hdmi-dongle-android-tv-video/

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