GeekwithEnvy

Electronics

Panasonic Reveals a 4K Tablet?

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Yes, they just did that. Panasonic unveils a 4K tablet at CES and it looks amazing but that’s not what I thought when I first saw it. Initially, I had to laugh because I thought it was ridiculous but after looking at it and thinking about the possible uses for such a large tablet, I began to change my mind.

Panasonic 4K Tablet
Panasonic 4K Tablet (Photo Credit: Gizmodo)

It features 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor with NVIDIA GeForce Graphics, 4GB of memory and an 128GB SSD. This tablet is designed for engineers, artists, architects and other business related tasks as its UHD screen offers amazing clarity that will help with tasks that require precision. No details have been released about what this product will cost and when it will be available on the market.

Here are the full Specs:

Specifications

Display: 20.0 inch IPS Alpha Panel

Resolution: 3840 x 2560 pixels (230 ppi): Approx. 16.77 million colors

Aspect Ratio: 15:10

OS: Windows 8 Pro 64 bit

CPU: Intel Core i5 3427U vPro 1.80 GHz

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce Graphics

Memory: 4GB (max.16GB)

Flash Memory Drive (SSD): 128GB

Interface: High resolution digital pen (Anoto Live pen), Electrostatic multi-touchpanel (10 fingers)

Wireless: IEEE802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.0

USB Port: USB2.0 x 1

Expansion Slots: microSD memory card slot x 1 (supports microSDXC memory card)

Embedded Camera: Resolution: HD 720P, Effective pixels: max. 1280×720 pixel

Battery Life: Approx. 2 hours (using internal battery)

Size: 18.7″ (W) x 13.1″ (D) x 0.4″ (H)

Weight: 5.3 lbs

The Industry is Pushing 4K Television Forward

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We are just a week into 2013 and the tone of this year’s technology is already being set. New televisions are popping up left and right from manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, LG and Visio and this time they’re bringing with them some new tech. What new tech? Well, 4K to be more precise and sure it’s going to look fantastic but I can’t help but feel like it’s a bit of overkill.

First off what exactly is 4K television? Well, I have addressed this in an earlier post that goes into a little more detail, but to gloss over everything it’s basically twice the resolution of current 1080p television. This new high resolution has been named UHD or Ultra-High Definition. UHD also includes an even higher resolution known as 8K UHD (7680 × 4320).

UHDTV_resolution_chart

Now, all of this looks great and I can’t say I’m against moving technology forward, but my main issue with UHDTV is that it just seems like overkill. There is only so much that we can see with our eyes and unless you’re sitting right in front of your display, like less than 4 ft, I don’t think most people will be able to see the difference. Perhaps I am wrong, I didn’t think that I would be able to tell the difference with Apple’s Retina display, boy was I wrong. Plus these new resolutions will allow for some ridiculously awesome television sizes. I have seen some TV’s pushing the 80″+ range and they still look amazing.

A big issue with UHD is cost. These TV’s are selling for around $25,000 which isn’t exactly appealing to a very large audience. However, this year’s CES press conference from Sony has shown that 4K is becoming more affordable. Content is king, this is true for many things in life and it’s also true for UHDTV. There just isn’t much 4K content out there to enjoy on your new UHDTV set. This is the same problem we ran into when we first got into HDTV, there was little to no content and cable/satellite providers took years to get a decent amount of programming together, not to mention all of the issues they will have trying to get enough bandwidth together to broadcast 4K or even 8K.

Here is the new 65″ 4K TV that Sony unveiled at their CES Press Release.

SonyUHDTV
65″ 4K Ultra HD TV
Model number: XBR-65X900A (Source:Sony)

The industry will catch up and the move to UHDTV is most likely inevitable, so these problems will eventually be overcome. For the average consumer we will just have to wait and watch until something more affordable comes down the line.

CES only a Few Days Away

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Yes, it’s the world’s largest annual innovation event and one of my favorite things about starting the new year! The International Consumer Electronics Show will feature thousands of new gadgets to check out and of course we will do our part to bring you updates.

The International CES will be held in Las Vegas on January 8th – 11th. It truly is a major geek out and I can’t wait to see what comes out of this years event. You can get all the event info on the official CES website.

Here’s a look back at CES 2012.

The Tablet Takeover

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We have been taken over! Not by an alien race but a massive movement towards tablet based computing. Tablets are undoubtably becoming the king of the hill and it’s easy to see why. Need proof that tablets are game changers? Windows 8 is a shining example how big these little devices are. What makes them so popular and what will their role become in our lives as technology continues to evolve? WiiU Controller

I have talked to a lot of people, many come from varying backgrounds and from all different age groups and almost all of them own a tablet. The typical scene in today’s modern household consists of a tower style desktop PC collecting dust in the corner of a quiet room, perhaps with a pile of books on it or maybe even some old bills. Next, there’s the tried and true laptop, which is seeing a fair amount of usage despite it starting to show it’s age. Finally, we have the tablet. The tablet PC comes in many different sizes and shapes, some with a logo of fruit on it and others that run software with little green robots firmly in control. These are the devices that are most up-to date and used the most in today’s household.

By analyzing the scenario I just described one could infer that the tablet is on track to replace these other devices, but I would argue (at least for now) that tablets may be taking on a different role. The tablet PC may be better suited as a supplementary device to others, but it will do so while having the added benefit of being able to stand on it’s own. Nintendo’s Wii U is a great example of how tablet technology can merge with others to create a more immersive and rich experience. The Wii U GamePad follows along with the action on the big screen and it feels seamless and engaging. Although you could argue that the Wii U is more of a hybrid, it’s still a tablet at heart.

Nintendo is getting ready to launch it’s new streaming service TVii, which is offering up features that actually resemble a step forward in technology. You will be able to get additional information about what you’re watching on screen, like sports scores and statistics. You will be able to share what you’re watching with friends and family and choose programming right on your tablet device. What about having your interactive programming guide right on your tablet instead of covering up your T.V screen. The possibilities are numerous and we will soon be reaping the benefits.

This idea will translate easily to other devices and you can start to imagine companies like Apple releasing a television product that works perfectly with your iPad. A new version of Apple TV would be pretty slick, but why stop there? The tablet is the swiss army knife of the tech world and it’s only going to get better.

Product Review: KIDIGI Universal Desktop Cradle for iPad

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When I am doing the GWE podcast or when I am working on content for the website I find it absolutely necessary to have multiple screens in front of me. One of the screens that I love having the most is the iPad. However, I can’t always find the optimal place for my iPad and the outer case doesn’t always allow me to position the iPad in a way that’s comfortable for me while I work. Fortunately, I was recently sent the KIDIGI Universal Desktop Cradle for iPad from MobileFun.

KIDIGIDekstopCradle

The KIDIGI Universal Desktop Cradle works with the iPad (3rd generation)iPad 2, iPad and will also fit the iPod and iPhone. This cradle comes with USB cord to allow you to connect your device to your computer or directly to your Apple charger through the cradle itself. The 30-pin connector in the cradle is adjustable to ensure everything sits firmly in place regardless of what device your using. Another plus for this device is that you should be able to use it without removing your case, a huge annoyance that often comes up with other desk cradles. The KIDIGI cradle also looks really nice, it’s slick design makes it look like an Apple product.

KIDIGIcradle2

 

KIDIGIcradle3

The only con I found for this cradle is that I feel it could be a little more stable. While using it, I put it to the test and pushed hard and it began to wobble a bit. The cradle held it’s ground well enough and your device will definitely be safe, it’s just not as solid as I would like.

Overall I would recommend picking this up if you’re looking for a nice desktop cradle to use with pretty much any Apple device with a 30-pin connector.

Here are some of the key features:

  • Data Hot Sync and charging on your desk with a cradle.
  • The connector is easy to adjust to fit all ipods & iphones ipad.
  • Keep Silicon case or leather case with your iPad or iPhone in the cradle and can use in stable condition.

 

You can pick one of these up for just $17.49 at MobileFun. Have a device with the new lightning connector? No problem, MobileFun has something for  iPhone 5 as well, so go ahead and check it out.