Category: Tradeshows

World’s first 8K Camera by Astro Japan

Posted by juliusaugustus – October 3, 2013
Category: Cameras, 4K UHD, FPGA, CEATEC

Unfortunately it costs $300’000. But it sure looks awesome. 8K 60p video recording is only possible with this camera on this planet. Just about Japanese NHK may also have some 8K camera of some kind but they also use Astro’s technology in that. Astro is a Tokyo based advanced video device engineering company. They make the new reference designs that all other TV and Camera companies used to benchmark and test commercial products that are being launched with 4K and 8K support. Astro was also one of the first manufacturers of 4k monitors and 4k cameras. When 8k displays become avaialable Astro will release an 8k monitor. Astro does not make components. Astro uses field-programmable gate array (FPGA) rather than mass produced processors, that is to get the fastest time to market while companies then optimize processes on processors that get used in cheaper mass market products that get sold worldwide.

Brief explanation by Astro of each product featured in the second part of this video:

VG-876 Video Signal Generator
This is our latest model.
This is to test TV, Projector or panel by displaying various test patterns. It supports 4K and 8K resolutions.
User can select interface among HDMI, DisplayPort, SDI or V-by-one HS.
Your own 4K natural pictures can also be used as test pattern.

DM-3432 4K monitor
32″ monitor of 3840×2160 resolution.
Input interface is SDI, HDMI or Displayport.

Uncompressed 4K video playing system
Our product is PCI Express card in the PC to output
4K uncompressed video.
It has 4 channels of 3G-SDI.
By using SD-7070 Interface converter, this 4ch of 3G-SDI
is converted to DisplayPort. This converter can also convert to HDMI.
Not only interface conversion, it can convert frame rate
(e.g. 30p to 60p), and video format (e.g. YCbCr to RGB).

VG-873 Video Signal Generator
This is the existing model of video signal generator, to output
up to 4K format signal.
Interface is selected among analog, HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, LVDS or V-by-One HS.

VA-1838 HDMI Protocol Analyzer
Input signal from HDMI source machines (e.g. BluRay player, Set Top Box), this machine can analyze its protocol, video timing, HDCP status,
and monitor CEC command communication status.

VA-1836 MHL Protocol Analyzer
MHL is a digital video standard for mobile interfaces.
This machine also analyze its protocol, video timing, HDCP status, VBUS
status of input signal. It also monitors CBUS command communication
status.

VA-1839 GVIF Protocol Analyzer
GVIF is a digital video standard that is mostly used in car navigation system.
This machine can analyze its protocol, video timing and HDCP status of
input signal.

VA-1835 DisplayPort Protocol Analyzer
DisplayPort is a digital video standard that is mostly used by notebook PC or PC monitor.
This machine can analyze its protocol, video timing and HDCP status
of input signal.
It also monitors AUX line to see its communications.

About the manufacturer of SEIKI 4K TV shown at the end of this video is Tong Fang.

Toshiba Dynabook Kira

Posted by juliusaugustus – October 3, 2013
Category: Laptops, Exclusive videos, CEATEC, Windows

The Toshiba Dynabook Kira was presented at CEATEC. It has most of the basic specs of an ultrabook but with a high resolution 2560×1600 display. Each display is individually color calibrated at the factory itself. The price is a very steep 1600 USD. The Dynabook Kira is the successor the z830 series and features an upgraded more durable design. The benchmarked battery life is 9.5 hours which is about 1.5 times the battery of the previous model.

Sharp Electronic Medical Chair

Posted by juliusaugustus – October 2, 2013
Category: Health, Exclusive videos, CEATEC

The Sharp eletronic medical chair allows one to find out basic information on the condition of your body such as blood pressure. The device itself features a touchscreen for interaction and a webcam to communicate with doctors. The chair like the cleaning robots is a prototype. The chair can be used for a variety of applications such as educational or in shopping centers. Sharp also shows a tablet device connect to a TV and device for inserting you arm into.

Sharp Cleaning Robot

Posted by juliusaugustus – October 2, 2013
Category: Robots, Exclusive videos, CEATEC

Sharp’s cleaning Robot is designed to replace the function of a vacuum. The robot itself has has its own tablet running Android. The battery can go for up to 2 hours. The robots themselves remain prototypes.

Sharp IGZO ramping up mass production

Posted by Charbax – October 1, 2013
Category: Displays, 4K UHD, Exclusive videos, CEATEC

Sharp shows the latest range of LCD IGZO screens, showing 4K at 15.6″ coming in laptops later this year, 32″ IGZO 4K, and Sharp is right now selling a range of Smartphone and Tablet sized IGZO displays in Japan, why they aren’t yet shipping IGZO much outside of Japan yet, I am not sure. IGZO allows to refresh the screen as slow as 1Hz, saving drastic amounts of power on the screen refresh. Sharp also shows their new MEMS screen demos, made in collaboration with Qualcomm, perhaps Texas Instruments has been showing similar MEMS solutions like this for something like 10 years though (if implemented in displays yet or not I don’t know).

Rifda Transparent LCD

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 24, 2013
Category: Displays, Other, Exclusive videos, IFA

Rifda is a Shenzhen based producer of transparent LCDS. The transparent LCDS make it into products such as 3D glasses as well as point of sale products for banks.

Alcatel One Touch Hero Pico Projector and TV Link

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 24, 2013
Category: Smartphones, Projectors, Exclusive videos, MediaTek, IFA, Android

The pico projector accessory enables one to output anything that the One Touch Hero displaying onto another surface. The pico projector is powered by the phone through the docking connector using an HDMI signal. The projector technology is a yet produced laser beam technology from an unspecified partner. The device lacks wired HDMI support and instead uses miracast for TV output. The TV link accessory provides Miracast wireless display support to TVs lack that functionality. The Miracast TV stick has a broadcom Arm processor in it. The TV link won’t be included but the price should be less than 50 USD. The price of the pico project remains unspecified.

Alcatel One Touch Hero SmartCovers with LED, Wireless Charging and BT Phone

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 24, 2013
Category: Smartphones, Exclusive videos, IFA, Android

Another accessory for the Alcatel One Touch Hero includes a LED smart cover which can be used to display notifications and system functions such as displaying the time or music visualization. The power consumption of the LED smart cover is very low at 1mah. When no notifications or system functions are displayed the cover will not display anything and will look like a regular cover. The wireless charging cover and LED Smart cover will be included in some markets. The One Touch Hero also has it is phone accesory that connects by bluetooth and enables phone calls and SMS without using the device itself. The Phone accessory will included with the One Touch Hero. The phone accessory can also play music and find the device if it is lost.

Innos Qualcomm based Smartphones

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 23, 2013
Category: Smartphones, Exclusive videos, Qualcomm, IFA, Android

Innos is a Chinese producer of Android smartphones. Innos primarily targets Asian and European markets. Innos makes around 200,000 – 300,000 phones per month. Innos is a licensee of Qualcomm. Innos also makes products for other brands.
Products Include:
D10 – 5″ Full HD OGS screen smartphone with A Qualcomm processor and 3000mah (6000mah). The price should be 250 Euro.
i2 – 4.3″ QHD Smartphone with Qualcomm Quad Core processor. The price is 200 Euro.
d9 – 4.3″ QHD Dual core MSM 8225 with a 4160mah battery. The price is around 200 Euro.
i6 – 4.5″ QHD Qualcomm processor. The Price is around 200 Euros. Not much was given in the way of specifications.
More information about Innos can be found at http://www.innos.co/en/

Panasonic Lumix GX7, sub-$1000 (without lense) compact Micro Four Thirds Mirrorless camera

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 22, 2013
Category: Cameras, Exclusive videos, IFA

Panasonic launches their new Lumix GX7 compact Micro 4/3 Mirorrless camera with interchangeable lenses, showing it for the first time for people to try it out at IFA 2013. The Panasonic GX7 has classical retro-like analogue designs in silver and black styles and features modern cutting edge technology. The camera supports the latest new Panasonic lenses and also supports the usage of older lenses with adapters. The small size of the camera doesn’t prevent it from offering better image quality even than the Panasonic GH3 (which is the camera I use since January of this year). The quality offered by the GX7 is one of the best of any camera on the market today. Panasonic has developed a whole new sensor. The retail Price is about 1000 Euros in Europe and about $1000 in the USA. The GX7 offers basic video recording features similar to the GH3 but is not designed with that functionality in mind (does not support mini-jack audio input for example). Panasonic’s Lumix cameras are designed and manufactured in Japan. Panasonic itself has been manufacturing cameras for years often for other brand names. Panasonic also made cameras before they introduced the Lumix brand name in 2008. How soon for Panasonic’s consumer 4K cameras? Will there be a sub-$2000 Lumix GH4 with 4K support next year?

My 11-year old cousin Henry at the Panasonic IFA 2013 Booth Tour

Posted by Charbax – September 22, 2013
Category: Displays, Exclusive videos, IFA

Henry shows around the Panasonic booth at the IFA 2013 consumer electronics show in Berlin Germany. You can see Henry’s other IFA 2013 Booth tours here:
Henry’s Samsung IFA 2013 Booth Tour
Henry’s Toshiba IFA 2013 Booth Tour
Henry’s LG IFA 2013 Booth Tour

Toshiba Excite Pro and Toshiba Excite Write

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 22, 2013
Category: Tablets, Exclusive videos, Nvidia, IFA, Android

Toshiba presents their latest Excite Pro Android tablet. The Toshiba Excite Pro features a 2560×1600 resolution and a Tegra4 processor. The price for the Excite Pro is 429 Euros and 479 euros for the version with a keyboard. The Excite Pro is available in Europe soon after IFA is over. The Excite Write is Toshiba’s Other Tablet with features similar to the pro but it has a Wacom digitizer added on. The Excite Pro is 599 Euro. The Excite Pro is also available as a keyboard bundle.

iDoit Gaming and Multimedia Products

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 21, 2013
Category: Tablets, Smartphones, HDMI Sticks, Gaming, IFA, Android

Idoit is a Korea based producer of consumer electronics such as gaming and multimedia products. The Gam.r is a game console attachment for Android smartphones. The Gam.r was demonstrated using a Galaxy Note 2. The Gam.r controller attachment is also available for the Galaxy S3 or S4. The Gam.r should retail for 60 Euros including the miracast dongle. The Cliq.r acts a remote control for your smartphone enabiling it to be used as a set top box. The iDuo is a Bluetooth adapter that outputs your phones screen to HDMI. The iDuo Vu acts as a second screen for any MHL compatible smartphone. Idoit’s core business is making TV sattellites.

Bright Future’s latest Mediatek Smartphones

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 16, 2013
Category: Smartphones, Exclusive videos, MediaTek, IFA, Android

Bright Future is a Shenzhen based maker of consumer electronics. Bright Future bases their smartphones on Mediatek platforms. The price difference between 6589 and 6589T is 2.5 USD. Bright Future sells about 80,000 phones every month. Bright Future mostly targets Europe and South Asia.
Products Include:
B645 – a 6.45″ Full HD screen smartphone with a MTK 6589t processor. The price is 243 USD in bulk.
B608 – 6″ HD (1280×720) screen smartphone with a MTK 6589 processor. The price is 168 USD in bulk.
H602 – 6″ HD (1280×720) screen smartphone with a unspecified MTK dual core processor. The price is 120 USD in bulk.
H572 – 5.7″ HD (1280×720) screen smartphone with a MTK 6577. The price is 135 USD in bulk.
H53 – 5.3″ HD (1280×720) screen smartphone with a MTK 6577. The price is 110 USD in bulk.
B501Q3 -5″ HD (1280×720) or QHD (960×540) screen smartphone with a MTK 6589m processor. The price is 138 USD for QHD or 158 USD for HD in bulk.
B5012F – 5″ (1280×720) OGS screen smartphone with MTK 6589m processor. The price is 158 USD.
B4513 – 4.5″ QHD (960×540) screen with MTK 6572 processor. The price is 74 USD in bulk. The design resembles a HTC One.
Bright Future also makes a variety of devices MTK 6577a processors a downgraded version of the MTK 6577. The prices start at 49 USD.

Archos Childpad

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 16, 2013
Category: Tablets, Exclusive videos, IFA, Archos, Android

The Archos Childpad is a 10″ or 8″ rugged tablet aimed at the younger audience. The Childpad has a toy bear Mp3 player attached to it for the purpose of playing audio files away from the tablet, it works by having music dragged to it. The Bear Mp3 player charges through the tablet. The price is targetted to have a retail price of about 160 Euro for 10.1″ and 130 Euro for 8. The 8″ version lacks a handle and lack the bear MP3 player. Expect the product to launch around October or November.

E Ink SmartCover for Alcatel One Touch Hero

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 15, 2013
Category: Smartphones, E-readers, Exclusive videos, MediaTek, IFA, Android

The Alcatel One Touch Hero has a E Ink display cover which can display system functions and can act as a second screen for reading ebooks. The E Ink cover attaches to the device using a docking pin on the side of the device. The E Ink screen by displaying content rather than having the LCD do it you save power. The final version of the cover will have the ability to magnetically clip to the back. The E Ink cover at this time only supports the built in e-reader app but 3rd support should come in the future. The One touch hero has a 6″ full hd screen with pen support, the MT6589T 1.5Ghz Quad-core processor, 8gb and 16gb options with Micro SD expansion, 2gb of ram, and 3400mah battery.

Sony AX1 4K Camorder, records 4K 24p/25p/30p/50p/60p on XQD memory cards in XAVC S codec at 60/100/150mbitps

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 14, 2013
Category: Displays, Cameras, 4K UHD, Exclusive videos, IFA

Sony presents their first consumer 4K camcorder. The price is $4500€. Records 3840×2160 in 24p, 30p, 25p, 50p and 60p. Encoding using Sony’s new XAVC S codec. XAVC S is a new version of XAVC, used in Sony’s higher-end F5 and F55. XAVC S 4K footage is encoded in 3 possible bitrates 60mbit/s, 100mbit/s and 150 Mbit/s on Sony’s new XQD memory card format. SD Card is only for 1080p recording, the USB host port might allow for 4K recording to an external hard drive, I am not sure. This new Sony camcorder arrives on the market in November. The end of this video also shows some of the latestSony 4K TVs selling for starting about 4000€ in Europe for Sony’s 55″ 4K TV and about 5500€ for Sony’s 65″ 4K TV.

Allwinner A23, optimized dual-core ARM Cortex-A7, lower power consumption and lower cost

Posted by juliusaugustus – September 14, 2013
Category: Tablets, Exclusive videos, Allwinner, IFA, Android

Here’s Eva at the Allwinner booth announcing the launch of the new Allwinner A23 dual-core ARM Cortex-A7 with Mali-400MP2 GPU, they claim it to be the most efficient dual-core in the world. The new Allwinner A23 offers lower power consumption, better performance and a lower more optimized cost compared to the previous Allwinner A20. Allwinner products support Android up to version 4.2.2 with 4.3 coming later. The A23 will be mass produced in October to be shown in devices here on ARMdevices.net in the weeks to come. Allwinner claims to be the largest producer of ARM SoCs for tablets in the world.

Qualcomm Toq Smartwatch uses Mirasol display

Posted by Charbax – September 14, 2013
Category: Wearables, Smartwatch, Exclusive videos, Qualcomm, IFA, Android

Qualcomm shows off their new Mirasol for smartwatch prototype, the Qualcomm Toq, they are releasing a few hundred “good yield” smartwatches to some limited amount of people who will be able to order, pre-order it online. Does this mean the Qualcomm Mirasol screen can be mass produced? Qualcomm does say that this smartwatch prototype is only going to be released in a limited amount to a limited amount of people.

More information at: http://toq.qualcomm.com/

Alcatel One Touch Idol X, 5″ 1080p MT6589T, 300-400€

Posted by Charbax – September 13, 2013
Category: Smartphones, Exclusive videos, MediaTek, IFA, Android

Alcatel One Touch Idol X is a 5″ 1080p IPS with super narrow bezel, 0.8″ thick, 110 grams, MediaTek MT6589T 1.5Ghz, HSPA+, 13MP camera with custom Android UI. Price is to be around 300-400€ in Europe depending on the market, perhaps $300-400 in the USA.