I'd like to cordially welcome LG's 50PZ950 plasma to this round of CNET's long-term plasma TV tests.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)

You asked for it, now you got it. After a few delays I've updated the results from my ongoing long-term testing of five 2011 plasma TVs by adding a sixth and publishing a new round of numbers.

One of the models tested has now accumulated nearly 3000 hours of "On" time, equivalent to about a year-and-a-half of normal TV watching, and a couple of others are also well into their second simulated year. New for this round I've also included measurements of the LG 50PZ950, the only 2011 LG plasma I've reviewed.

Over that time the key picture quality characteristics of the TVs, namely black level, white level and color temperature, have shown additional movement but I still haven't seen anything I'd consider a deal-breaking issue. I did see one unexpected change, however: the latest black level of the ... [Read more]Related Links:Samsung PNE8000 plasma boasts best features, improved picturePost-show report: Big OLEDs dominate TV news at CES 2012Top 5 TVs of 2011Samsung improves PNE7000 plasma black levels by 10 percentLG 2012 plasmas 40 percent blacker, best gets antiglare more..

Need a charge? Roll your suitcase

(Credit:
Yanko Design)

We've all been there, right? Your flight's delayed, your entertainment gadget of choice is running low on juice, and all the outlets are taken. So what's a weary, tech-deprived traveler to do? Go drum up some power with your rolling suitcase, of course!

Designer Jung Inyoung has come up with a pretty cool concept of a rolling suitcase that provides power to your devices using kinetic energy.

The hard-shell suitcase consists of several parts. First, there are two gears on the bag's wheels that collect energy as you stroll around the airport; the energy is then stored in a charge battery. At the top of the suitcase is a portable battery (that draws power from the charge battery) where you can plug in your dying smartphone, tablet, or what have you to revive it.

There's also an LED indicator that lets you know how much power is stored in the battery. It's hard to imagine that you could produce enough power to fully charge a device, but when you're facing a wait of an hour or two at the airport, a little can go a long way.

Sadly, there's no word on if or when this product will come to market.

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Casio said to be prepping quad-core handset

Casio's rugged handsets like the Ravine 2 may be a quad-core sibling.

(Credit:
Josh Miller)

Casio, a name typically synonymous with rugged (read: ugly) handsets like the Ravine 2, may be ready to compete with the likes of Samsung and LG.

A Droid Life tipster who claims to have spent time in a Casio focus group advises that the hardware maker is readying a number of new Android products. One model, an unnamed device referred to as "Big Boy," is said to feature a Super AMLOED display in the range of 4.5 inches or larger.

Providing details based on memory, the Droid Life source goes on to say that the handset had a quad-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera, a 2,000mAh battery, and 4G LTE connectivity. Additional details include a front-facing 2-megapixel camera, NFC, a microSD card expansion slot, and a curved design much like the Galaxy Nexus. In terms of software, the Casio handset was running the "latest Android version" and pictures resembled 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Yet, Casio isn't quite re... [Read more]Related Links:Fujitsu's quad-core Android plays games fast and furiouslySmartphones you can bet on at CESLG could introduce Intel-powered smartphone at CESApple to sell at least 48 million iPads this year--analystA week of Apple rumor confirmations, and egg hurling more..

Ultrabooks: Final nail in the coffin of 'business laptops'?

The HP Folio 13.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)

I'm not really sure who uses a business laptop. Now that ultrabooks are here and spreading, I'm even less sure.

Case in point: the HP Folio 13.

Here at the CNET offices, I've seen more and more people asking (and hoping) for MacBook Airs. Apple's never had a problem with differentiating between business and personal computers: It simply make products, period. Our IT department allows Apple computers, but they're not technically business laptops. No one seems to mind.

On the Windows side of things, there's been a bit of a divide between some business-targeted laptops--some with crypto-enabled TPM, or Trusted Platform Module chips, others with Intel's vPro technology--and "consumer" computers. That divide is old-fashioned.

Two new "business" ultrabooks, the HP Folio 13 and Dell XPS 13, claim to function as business computers. That could mean better-quality Webcams or security software, or features like TPM. Or, what it really means is that these types of laptops are the best Windows bets to take on the ... [Read more]Related Links:Hands on with the HP Folio 13So, what's an ultrabook, again?In 2012, MacBooks, ultrabooks mix it upHP and the great glass ultrabook: Envy 14 Spectre, hands-onUltrabook holiday pricing on the cheap more..

Samsung to reveal 'retro' NX200 RS

(Credit:
Photo Rumors)

With retro designs the in thing these days, rumor has it Samsung has decided to milk the trend by launching an NX200 RS interchangeable lens camera (ILC) this weekend.

According to Photo Rumors, the NX200 RS is functionally identical to the original NX200. What separates the two is that the new RS variety would be fitted with a metallic-chrome top plate.

Although it does appear uniquely different, we hardly think it looks retro. Aside from aesthetics, we feel shutterbugs are also looking for more usability in the form of dedicated buttons, common in older film cameras, that simply the whole photo-taking process.

Users have often expressed their desire for a camera that sports dedicated shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation dials so they don't have to dig through layers of menus that may cause them to miss the moment.

We do hope the new camera comes with a few more bells and whistles, rather than just being a rehash of what's available now.

We've contacted Samsung and they were unable to comment at press time.

(S... [Read more]Related Links:Samsung uses monitors to achieve device harmonySamsung may offer a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich to the GalaxyVoice and gesture control comes to Samsung UNES7500 LED TVFrosty white Samsung Galaxy S II coming to SprintSamsung ships 1 million Galaxy Note devices in two months more..

BASF, Philips shine light on OLED car roof concept

(Credit:
BASF)

BASF and Philips are giving new meaning to the term sun roof.

The two companies joined forces to come up with a prototype for a transparent car roof that incorporates OLED lights and solar cells.

"This combination allows the driver to enjoy a unique open-space feeling while it generates electricity during the day and pleasantly suffuses the interior with the warm light of the transparent, highly efficient OLEDs at night," said Felix Gorth, head of organic light-emitting diodes and organic photovoltaics at BASF Future Business GmbH.

When switched off, the OLEDs are transparent, allowing for rays of sunshine to fill your car. All the while, the solar cells are collecting energy that can later be used to provide light to the interior of your vehicle at night.

Working together since 2006, BASF and Philips are looking for new ways to use OLED technology to enhance our everyday lives, and not just for making awesome TVs.

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Haier turns on 'completely wireless TV'

(Credit:
Tech-on)

Haier appears to have developed a truly wireless large-screen TV. Despite its rather uninspired "completely wireless TV" moniker, the huge 55-inch prototype is a sight to behold in use without any cables dangling behind the panel.

To ditch the wires, the Chinese brand is employing Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) technology to stream content, and magnetic resonance to power the TV. Sony demonstrated a similar concept way back in 2009, albeit with a much smaller 22-incher.

There are drawbacks to using magnetic resonance technology, which provides limited power output and requires a dedicated receiver and transmitter. These components are not only bulky, it's also unclear if they need power cords of their own, which would defeat the whole purpose of using this wireless tech.

(Source: Crave Asia via Akihabara News)

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Siri's future ambitions detailed in new patent application

A figure from Apple's Siri patent application

(Credit:
USPTO/Apple)

What Siri will do next only Apple knows, but we just got a few hints.

A handful of future features headed to the software may have been outed in a new patent application, primarily that the sassy assistant could be headed to Web and e-mail platforms, and eventually help you buy things, control your home thermostat, and weigh in during conversations.

That application, published this morning by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and picked up by Patently Apple, details an "Intelligent Automated Assistant." The filing, dated January 2011, comes some nine months after Apple's acquisition of Siri the company, and includes numerous diagrams of the software in use.

In the application's abstract, Apple describes its invention as a tool that "engages with the user in an integrated, conversational manner using natural language dialogue," while making use of "externa... [Read more]Related Links:Windows Phone's Siri rival off to a good startHacker 'chpwn' develops Siri workaround for jailbroken iPhonesOnStar to demo cloud-based entertainment, is Siri next?Apple picks up legal win, a chip company, and a GrammyDear NTSB, please don't sterilize Siri and her friends more..

LG's LTE tablet looks to blaze a new path

This tablet comes with HD, LTE and plenty of other key acronyms.

(Credit:
LG)

The muscle-bound Android tablet field is becoming a little bit crowded, but that isn't stopping LG from offering up a beefy new dual-core tablet that's also the company's first LTE-compatible slate.

LG announced it will be introducing its Optimus Pad LTE tablet in Korea soon. The 8.9-inch 1,280x720 True HD IPS display on the Optimus Pad is LG's attempt at blowing up its notable Optimus LTE smartphone into a touch-screen computer.

"With tablets generating five times more traffic than the average smartphone, it's not a huge jump to assume that tablet users need and want faster connectivity," Jong-seok Park, LG's president and CEO, said in a statement.

The LTE version of the Optimus Pad loses a few of the bells and whistles seen on its non-LTE predecessor, however. No more 3D in this speedy descendant. LG has upgraded storage capacity though, with an SD slot that can read cards of up to 32 GB.

LG says the tablet will ship with Android 3.2 Honeycomb and made no mention about upgrading to Ice Cream Sandwich, which makes the Optimus seem less than optimal, but there's apparently some time to work on that before it reaches the United States.

Here are the full list of specs:

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The 404 975: Where we're making educated guesses (podcast)

(Credit:
Scantron)

The format of today's episode is a little different, as we discuss all the products to come out of Apple's Education Event at the Guggenheim Museum here in New York, along with Bridget Carey who reports from the field on iBooks 2, iBooks Author, and the revamped iTunes U platform.

Even after the press conference is over, we're still left with questions about hardware deployment and format compatibility, so CNET's David Carnoy joins us as well to give his take on the e-publishing industry and the challenges Apple will face alongside district budget cuts and existing textbook models.

Leaked from 404 Podcast 975:

Apple announces iBooks 2
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Source: CNET