Change your car's color with an app: BMW unveils color-changing car

LAS VEGAS - German carmaker BMW has unveiled the world's first "color-changing" car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The concept car, called the BMW iX Flow, uses electronic ink technology normally found in e-readers to transform the car's exterior into a variety of patterns in gray and white.

"This is really energy efficient colour change using the technology E Ink," said BMW research engineer Stella Clarke. "So we took this material - it's kind of a thick paper - and our challenge was to get this on a 3D object like our cars."

When stimulated by electrical signals controlled by a phone app, the material brings different pigments to the surface, causing the car to take on a different shade or design, such as racing stripes.

In the future, the changes would also be controlled by a button on the car's dashboard or perhaps even by hand gestures, Clarke said.

No energy is needed to maintain the colour the driver selects, according to BMW.

"My favorite use case is the use of colour to influence sunlight reflections," said Clarke. "On a hot, sunny day like today, you could switch the colour white to reflect sunlight. On a cold day, you could switch it black to absorb the heat."

Though the vehicle displayed at CES could only alternate between gray and white, the technology will be expanded to cover a spectrum of colour, according to BMW. (Reporting by Omar Younis; Editing by Karishma Singh and Gerry Doyle)

-reuters-

'Sex tech' aims to rise above negative image

LAS VEGAS -- Sex toys are for relaxation. For education. For healing after childbirth. For long-term or long-distance relationships. For women's emancipation. 

And also... for pleasure. 

But manufacturers aiming for respectability tend to save this argument for last.

"Sex toys have an extremely negative connotation," said Jerome Bensimon, president of Satisfyer. "So we've rebranded ourselves as a 'sexual well-being company.'"

The company has gained attention for its pressure wave technology used for clitoral stimulation, and has plans to launch a smart phone app for controlling sex toys, in particular by using voice commands.

At its booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, vibrators and Ben Wa balls sit alongside mini vibrators shaped like ice cream cones.

After some ups and downs, "sex tech" is testing the waters this year.

As recently as last year the display likely would have been banned.

At the 2019 show, the Consumer Technology Association, which runs the expo, stripped the Ose massager of an award for innovation, saying it was disqualified for being "immoral," "obscene" and "profane."

After an uproar, the CTA reversed itself and returned the prize to Lora DiCarlo, the company which manufactures the Ose.

Sex toys "are consumer electronics just like any other but are not treated like that," said Janet Lieberman-Lu, co-founder of Dame Products, which manufactures small devices for clitoral stimulation.

Given their widespread use, "sex toys are by definition mainstream.... They're more adopted than a lot of products at CES."

Her company has taken New York City's public transportation system to court, complaining that it allows advertisements for erectile dysfunction medications and ads that contain humorous references to sex -- but not for sex devices.

"When you say that male sexual function is healthy and necessary but vibrators for women are obscene, you're saying that men are supposed to be able to have sex and women aren't supposed to be able to enjoy it," said Lieberman-Lu.

"That's what leads to rape culture."

STARTING THE CONVERSATION

Entrepreneurs in this industry, many of whom started out in conventional consumer electronics, medicine or cosmetics, say pleasure and health go hand-in-hand.

Given that school textbooks only recently began including information on the shape and size of the clitoris, they say they are on a mission to educate the public.

It is often "much easier to talk about health than pure pleasure, which can involve fear of rejection," said Soumyadip Rakshit, CEO of Mystery Vibe, which develops vibrators that deal with both erectile difficulties in men and postpartum vaginal scarring in women.

To open up, people often need a catalyst. 

"Everyone is keen to talk about it but no one wants to be the first," he said.

"If someone does that for them, a company, an article, a doctor... it makes that so much easier."

Elsewhere on the showroom floor, Gerard Escaler, chief marketing officer at Lovense, explains how a male "masturbator" works.

The tubular objects have internal sleeves and are pink when intended for straight users and translucent for gay users.

The Hong Kong-based company offers several internet apps for use in long-distance relations -- with a partner or with online erotic performers like "cam girls" who sell access to live web video.

Lovense also is developing a virtual reality game for the male sex toy with female characters. Visitors have to imagine the contents, however, since the imagery, even if artificial, is not allowed during the consumer expo.

But the "sexual well-being" industry, which could swell to nearly $40 billion by 2024, according to a forecast from market research firm Aritzon, may have good reason to maintain an air of mystery and controversy.

Without the storm it created last year, the $300 Ose vibrator might not have taken off quite the way it did, said Lora Haddock DiCarlo, founder of the eponymous company which produces it.

"When we did our presale with Ose, after its long-awaited release at the end of November, we hit our yearly sales goal in five hours," she said, as she road aboard a transparent mobile showroom plying the streets of Las Vegas during the show.

The roving booth, like a fishbowl on wheels, displayed the catch phrase: "The pleasure is all yours."

Agence France-Presse

TV makers woo internet generation with super-high-def models

LAS VEGAS — Bigger, more beautiful and better connected: At the Consumer Electronics Show, which kicked off Tuesday in Las Vegas, TV makers flaunted top-notch models meant to lure a generation weaned on the internet.

LG, Samsung, Sony and others touted the visual grandeur of new 8K super-high-definition screens, which are suited for TVs larger than 65 inches in diameter, a fast growing segment of the market.

The luxury sets are meant to appeal to millennials and Generation Z with features such as video streaming services, plus smart home and video games capabilities.

Samsung's Sero TV, for example, pivots from landscape to portrait modes, the same way a smartphone or tablet lets a viewer flip a screen while watching a YouTube video, eliminating the black bands on the side.

"Screens have become lifestyle products," said JH Han, president of Samsung's visual display business.

"It has never been so clear that the role of the screen is changing right before our very eyes."

The newer sets go beyond the current 4K or ultra-high definition displays -- already an upgrade from the first generation of flat panels -- to 8K, with more pixels for the massive screens now becoming popular.

Rich 8K definition is meant to woo owners of huge flat screens, by packing more color to fill larger viewing areas.

Networks and content creators alike are beginning to come together to cater to viewers with such screens.

Samsung, for example, is working with YouTube and other partners to stream 8K content directly to its most expensive TVs, according to Joe Stinziano, Samsung Electronics America executive vice president.

He predicted 2020 would be a "tipping point" for 8K going mainstream.

Skyworth, a well-established TV maker in China, unveiled premium television models meant to break into the US and European markets.

"Only when the whole industry works together can it realize the full value of 8K to users," said Skyworth TV chief executive Tony Wang.

"The entire 8K industry chain is reaching its full development and now is the best time to launch an 8K screen, when users can fully benefit from it."

Skyworth's new 75-inch Q91 with 8K graphics will be priced at $5,999 in the United States.

PLAYING THE GAME

To stay in the race, televisions are also adapting to connected lifestyles by integrating voice assistants from Amazon, Google or Apple, and offering functionalities adapted to streaming platforms and video gaming.

The latest models presented at CES included advanced technical characteristics in terms of graphics and sound capabilities to satisfy gamers eager for greater immersion.

"A unique growth engine for our business has been gaming monitors," Stinziano of Samsung said.

Millennials see a television as a tool to help them win video games, according to TCL executives who showed off an enhanced line-up boasting features aimed at players.

That said, demand for flat panel displays fell short of expectations last year in the consumer market due in part to trade tensions between China and the United States as well as a slowing global economy, according to IHS Markit.

But it forecast "robust growth" of flat panel displays this year.

"Although there are still uncertainties due to the trade war between the US and China, demand for flat-panel displays is expected to increase on the back of historically low panel prices and the impacts of various sports events held during even-numbered years," said IHS Markit Technology display research director Ricky Park.

Such events include Japan public broadcaster NHK's plans to show the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo in 8K, which is expected to help boost that demand.

Agence France-Presse

Hyundai to make flying cars for Uber air taxis

LAS VEGAS -- Hyundai announced Monday it would mass produce flying cars for Uber's aerial ride-share network set to deploy in 2023.

The South Korean manufacturer said it would produce the four-passenger electric "vertical take-off and landing vehicles" at "automotive scale," without offering details.

The deal announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas could help Uber, which is working with other aircraft manufacturers, to achieve its goal of deploying air taxi service in a handful of cities by 2023.

Jaiwon Shin, head of Hyundai's urban air mobility division, said he expects the large-scale manufacturing to keep costs affordable for the aerial systems.

"We know how to mass produce high quality vehicles," Shin told a news conference at CES.

He said he expected the partnership to allow for the short-range air taxis to be "affordable for everyone."

Eric Allison, head of Uber Elevate, appeared at the CES event with Hyundai to discuss the partnership.

"By taking transportation out of the two dimensional grid on the ground and moving it into the sky, we can offer significant time savings to our riders," Allison said.

He said that because of its other app-based transport options, "only Uber can seamlessly connect riders from cars, trains and even bikes to aircraft."

Uber has announced it had selected Melbourne to join Dallas and Los Angeles in becoming the first cities to offer Uber Air flights, with the goal of beginning demonstrator flights in 2020 and commercial operations in 2023.

Hyundai is using CES to show the S-A1 model aircraft with a cruising speed up to 180 miles (290 km) per hour.

The aircraft utilizes "distributed electric propulsion," designed with multiple rotors that can keep it in the air if one of them fails.

The smaller rotors also help reduce noise, which the companies said is important to cities.

The Hyundai vehicle will be piloted initially but over time will become autonomous, the company said. 

Agence France-Presse

Record tech spending expected in US, show organizers say

LAS VEGAS -- Consumer technology spending is getting a boost from wearables, smart devices and streaming media services and should hit record levels in the United States this year, organizers of a major tech gathering said Sunday.

Kicking off the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, organizers said they expect $422 billion in sales of some 300 kinds of consumer tech products and services in the US market, a gain of 4 percent from last year.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organizes the annual gathering, said popularity of streaming services and wireless earbuds and the promise of new devices using super fast 5G connectivity and artificial intelligence is driving consumer interest.

"More and more consumers are embracing the faster connectivity, advanced intelligence and seemingly infinite content that technology offers today -- pushing consumer technology industry revenues toward another record-setting year in 2020," said Gary Shapiro, the association's president and chief executive.

"We'll see advancements in 5G connectivity and AI play out across the CES 2020 show floor this week -- from digital health to self-driving vehicles and smart homes -- vital technologies that are changing our lives for the better."

The show opens Tuesday against the backdrop of mounting concerns on how data gathered from connected devices can be exploited by marketers, governments and hackers.

There has also been a wave of attacks from politicians and activists against dominant tech platforms, as well as intense trade frictions between the world's economic and technology powers, the United States and China.

CTA's forecast shows strong consumer interest in a number of sectors including digital health -- a broad category including smartwatches, fitness trackers and connected health monitoring devices -- with sales of around $10 billion. 

For streaming -- including video, music and gaming -- the group expects 11 percent growth in spending to $81 billion.

CTA said it is seeing consumer interest in new kinds of wireless earbuds, led by those from Apple and Samsung, with expected sales of 67 million units worth $8.2 billion in revenue.

The forecast suggests smartphone sales will break out of their torpor with a 2 percent increase in sales, helped by new 5G handsets.

But 5G handset growth is likely to be slow at first, and it will be 2020 before the faster technology accounts for two-thirds of US handset sales, according to Lesley Rohrbaugh, director of market research at the association.

Rorhbaugh said however that new chip technology is making possible many more kinds of devices, such as those for the home, infused with artificial intelligence using object detection and voice recognition.

"Voice is going into everything. And it's not just our mobile devices. It's not just our speakers, it's every product and like those smart appliances," she said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

The tech that will invade our lives in 2020

The 2010s made one thing clear: Tech is everywhere in life.

Tech is in our homes with thermostats that heat up our residences before we walk through the door. It’s in our cars with safety features that warn us about vehicles in adjacent lanes. It’s on our television sets, where many of us are streaming shows and movies through apps. We even wear it on ourselves in the form of wristwatches that monitor our health.

In 2020 and the coming decade, these trends are likely to gather momentum. They will also be on display next week at CES, an enormous consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas that typically serves as a window into the year’s hottest tech developments.

At the show, next-generation cellular technology known as 5G, which delivers data at mind-boggling speeds, is expected to take center stage as one of the most important topics. We are also likely to see the evolution of smart homes, with internet-connected appliances such as refrigerators, televisions and vacuum cleaners working more seamlessly together — and with less human interaction required.

“The biggest thing is connected everything,” said Carolina Milanesi, a technology analyst for the research firm Creative Strategies. “Anything in the home — we’ll have more cameras, more mics, more sensors.”

If some of this sounds the same as last year, it is — but that’s because new technologies often take time to mature.

Here’s what to watch in tech this year.

THE SMARTER HOME: TRUE AUTOMATION

In the past few years, Amazon, Apple and Google have battled to become the center of our homes.

Their virtual assistants — Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri — respond to voice commands to play music from speakers, control light bulbs and activate robot vacuums. Smart home products work well, but they are complicated to set up, so most people use virtual assistants just for basic tasks like setting a kitchen timer and checking the weather.

Then in December, Amazon, Apple and Google came to what appeared to be a truce: They announced that they were working together on a standard to help make smart home products compatible with one another.

In other words, when you buy an internet-connected light bulb down the line that works with Alexa, it should also work with Siri and Google Assistant. This should help reduce confusion when shopping for home products and improve the ease with which connected gadgets work with one another.

Milanesi said that eliminating complexity was a necessary step for the tech giants to achieve their ultimate goal: seamless home automation without the need for people to tell the assistants what to do.

“You want the devices to talk to each other instead of me being the translator between these device interactions,” she said. “If I open my door, then the door can say to the lights that the door is open and therefore the lights need to turn on.”

If and when that happens, your home will truly — and finally — be smart.

THE SLOW, STEADY RISE OF 5G

In 2019, the wireless industry began shifting to 5G, a technology that can deliver data at such incredibly fast speeds that people will be able to download entire movies in a few seconds.

Yet the rollout of 5G was anticlimactic and uneven. Across the United States, carriers deployed 5G in just a few dozen cities. And only a handful of new smartphones last year worked with the new cellular technology.

In 2020, 5G will gain some momentum. Verizon said it expected half the nation to have access to 5G this year. AT&T, which offers two types of 5G — 5G Evolution, which is incrementally faster than 4G, and 5G Plus, which is the ultrafast version — said it expected 5G Plus to reach parts of 30 cities by early 2020.

Another sign that 5G is really taking hold? A broader set of devices will support the new wireless standard.

Samsung, for one, has begun including 5G support on some of its newer Galaxy devices. Apple, which declined to comment, is also expected to release its first 5G-compatible iPhones this year.

And 5G will be going to work behind the scenes, in ways that will emerge over time. One important benefit of the technology is its ability to greatly reduce latency, or the time it takes for devices to communicate with one another. That will be important for the compatibility of next-generation devices like robots, self-driving cars and drones.

For example, if your car has 5G and another car has 5G, the two cars can talk to each other, signaling to each other when they are braking and changing lanes. The elimination of the communications delay is crucial for cars to become autonomous.

THE WEARABLES MARKET HEATS UP

It’s a time of intense competition in wearable computers, which is set to lead to more creativity and innovation.

For a long while, Apple has dominated wearables. In 2015, it released Apple Watch, a smartwatch with a focus on health monitoring. In 2016, the company introduced AirPods, wireless earbuds that can be controlled with Siri.

Since then, many others have jumped in, including Xiaomi, Samsung and Huawei. Google recently acquired Fitbit, the fitness gadget maker, for $2.1 billion, in the hope of playing catch-up with Apple.

Computer chips are making their way into other electronic products like earphones, which means that companies are likely to introduce innovations in wearable accessories, said Frank Gillett, a technology analyst for Forrester. Two possibilities: earphones that monitor your health by pulling pulses from your ears, or earbuds that double as inexpensive hearing aids.

“That whole area of improving our hearing and hearing the way other people hear us is really interesting,” he said.

THE STREAMING REVOLUTION

We have rushed headlong into the streaming era, and that will only continue.

In 2019, Netflix was the most-watched video service in the United States, with people spending an average of 23 minutes a day streaming its content, according to eMarketer, the research firm. In all, digital video made up about a quarter of the daily time spent on digital devices last year, which included time spent on apps and web browsers.

Netflix’s share of the overall time we spend watching video on devices will probably decline in 2020, according to eMarketer, because of the arrival of competing streaming services like Disney Plus, HBO Max and Apple TV Plus.

“Even though Americans are spending more time watching Netflix, people’s attention will become more divided as new streamers emerge,” Ross Benes, an analyst at eMarketer, said in a blog post.

So if you don’t like “The Mandalorian,” “The Morning Show” or “Watchmen,” you won’t change the channel. You will just switch to a different app.


2019 The New York Times Company

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Gadget love forecast to grow in US despite trust issues

LAS VEGAS -- The trade group behind the Consumer Electronics Show set to start here Tuesday forecast that US gadget love will grow despite trust and privacy issues hammering the tech world.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) predicted that US retail revenue in the sector would climb to a record high $398 billion this year.

"There are so many cool things happening in the consumer electronics industry right now," said CTA vice president of market research Steve Koenig.

"We are fast approaching a new era of consumer technology."

Trends gaining momentum, and expected to be on display on the CES show floor, included super high resolution 8K televisions; blazingly-fast 5G wireless internet, and virtual aides such as Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa woven into devices of all kinds.

The CTA forecast revenue growth in the US for smart phones, speakers, homes and watches along with televisions, drones, 'in-vehicle tech,' and streaming services.

Amid trade wars, geopolitical tensions and a decline in public trust, the technology sector is seeking to put its problems aside with CES, the annual extravaganza showcasing futuristic innovations.

The Jan. 8-11 Las Vegas trade event offers a glimpse into new products and services designed to make people's lives easier, fun and more productive, reaching across diverse sectors such as entertainment, health, transportation, agriculture and sports.

But the celebration of innovation will be mixed with concerns about public trust in new technology and other factors that could cool the growth of a sizzling economic sector.

"I think 2019 will be a year of trust-related challenges for the tech industry," said Bob O'Donnell of Technalysis Research.

CES features 4,500 exhibitors across 2.75 million square feet (250,000 square meters) of exhibit space showcasing artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, smart homes, smart cities, sports gadgets and other cutting-edge devices. Some 182,000 trade professionals are expected.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

What to expect at CES 2019, world's largest technology fair

WASHINGTON -- Under the shadow of trade wars, geopolitical tensions and a decline in public trust, the technology sector is seeking to put its problems aside with the Consumer Electronics Show, the annual extravaganza showcasing futuristic innovations.

The Jan. 8 to 11 Las Vegas trade event offers a glimpse into new products and services designed to make people's lives easier, fun and more productive, reaching across diverse sectors such as entertainment, health, transportation, agriculture and sports.

"Smart" devices using various forms of artificial intelligence will again be a major focus at CES.

Visitors are likely to see more dazzling TV screens, intuitive robots, a range of voice-activated devices, and folding or roll-up smartphone displays. Also on display will be refinements to autonomous transportation and gadgets taking advantage of 5G, or fifth-generation wireless networks.

But the celebration of innovation will be mixed with concerns about public trust in new technology and other factors that could cool the growth of a sizzling economic sector.

"I think 2019 will be a year of trust-related challenges for the tech industry," said Bob O'Donnell of Technalysis Research.

CES features 4,500 exhibitors across 2.75 million square feet (250,000 square meters) of exhibit space showcasing artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, smart homes, smart cities, sports gadgets and other cutting-edge devices. Some 182,000 trade professionals are expected.

MUCH ADO ABOUT DATA

There will be a focus on artificial intelligence that can "personalize" a user's experience with a device or a car, or even predict what someone is seeking -- whether it's music or medical care.

But because this ecosystem is built around data, confidence has been eroded by scandals involving Facebook, Google and other guardians of private information.

"The public is wary because of recent events," said Roger Kay, analyst and consultant with Endpoint Technologies Associates. "I think the industry will be slowed by this skepticism."

Carolina Milanesi, an analyst with Creative Strategies, said, "You'll definitely hear people talk about security more, and really looking at how you secure the data," at CES.

TRADE FRICTIONS

The Consumer Technology Association, which operates the show, acknowledges that the sector is being hurt by tariffs and trade frictions between the two largest economic players, the United States and China.

Tariffs on tech products jumped to $1.3 billion in October, according to CTA, raising fears about growth.

"It's almost inevitable that an economic slowdown will occur if these tariffs continue," said Sage Chandler, CTA vice president for international trade.

The US-China trade issues and the arrest of a top executive of Chinese giant Huawei in Canada have thrown into question the "supply chain," the system in which US designs are manufactured in China for the global market.

"This does cast a shadow over CES," O'Donnell said.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND PERSONALIZATION

The auto sector will again have a major presence at CES with most major manufacturers on hand, some with prototypes of self-driving vehicles.

Japanese carmaker Honda will be showing an "autonomous work vehicle" which can be configured for search and rescue operations, firefighting and other uses.

Other exhibitors will be showing technology designed to serve as the "brains" of self-driving vehicles, not only for navigation but to create a better, more personalized "user experience" for travelers.

The show includes startups offering "predictive" health care solutions designed to anticipate the kind of care senior citizens may need.

Facial recognition, which is already being used on many smartphones, will be incorporated into vehicles, doorbells and security systems as part of efforts to increase personalization and improve security.

And consumer products group Procter & Gamble, making its first appearance at CES, will demonstrate ways to use facial recognition and AI for improved skin care and beauty recommendations.

The new applications raise questions on whether consumers are ready for technologies that evoke the notion of Big Brother and a surveillance state.

Brenda Leong, senior counsel at the Future of Privacy Forum, a Washington think tank, said consumers should be mindful about whether data from facial recognition is kept only on the devices, such as in the iPhone, or held in a database.

"Even if commercial institutions are collecting the data, everybody is worried about government access," she said.

Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy said consumers have shown a willingness to adopt these new technologies if they offer convenience.

"If they are balanced from a benefit point of view, those worries are going to go away," he said.

Moorhead noted that as facial recognition has become a standard feature for many smartphones, "those fears have faded."

O'Donnell said consumers are starting to understand more about data and become more discerning about which companies and devices they trust.

"Personalization is something people want, and they are willing to give up some privacy to get it," he said.

"But if they can get personalization on the device without sending it to the cloud, they get the benefits without giving up privacy."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

How chip flaws Spectre, Meltdown work and what's next

LAS VEGAS - Smartphones, PCs and servers across the world have received software updates in recent days to plug security gaps on computer chips that cyber security researchers have described as the most serious threat in years.

Researchers identified the problem last year, shared details with chip manufacturers last summer, and then made a public announcement Jan. 3.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? 

The vulnerabilities, known as Meltdown and Spectre, can allow passwords and other sensitive data on chips to be read. The flaws result from the way computers try to guess what users are likely to do next, a process called speculative execution.

Simon Segars, the chief executive of chip designer ARM Holdings, described speculative execution as the equivalent of spinning a bunch of plates in the air, with the plates holding data.

Watching the order in which the plates land lets observers infer the data, he told Reuters during an interview on Wednesday at the tech industry's CES conference in Las Vegas.

HOW BAD IS IT? 

Affected chipmakers and large technology companies including Alphabet Inc's Google say they have not seen any malicious hackers use Meltdown or Spectre in attacks, but the vulnerabilities affect most modern computing devices.

Security analysts have said that Meltdown, which only affects Intel Corp chips, is easier to exploit because the program to steal passwords and other data can be hidden on a website.

Spectre, meanwhile, requires more direct access to the microchip, but affects central processing units from Intel, Advanced Micro Devices Inc and SoftBank Group Corp's ARM.

HOW HAVE CHIPMAKERS AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES RESPONDED? 

Chipmakers have teamed up with Google, Microsoft Corp, Apple Inc and other leading tech companies since the summer to devise software patches.

DO THE FIXES HAVE SIDE EFFECTS? 

The slowdown particularly affects Intel chips vulnerable to Meltdown. Intel said on Wednesday that the performance decline is as much as 10 percent, but that a typical home and business PC user should not see big changes in how long it takes to save a document or open a photo stored on a computer.

The patches, however, do not always work with other software. For example, a fix for Spectre led to issues turning on some computers with AMD chips, and a Meltdown patch for Microsoft Windows required changes from antivirus makers.

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO PREVENT SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE? 

ARM's Segars said his company has been tweaking designs for future chips to add "maximum flexibility."

The biggest change is adding more transistors to chips, a negligible cost, to make it easier to turn chip features on and off, he said.

Giving yourself "maximum flexibility" means it will be easier to respond to future flaw discoveries, Segars said.

Chipmakers and operating system makers must also collaborate more. "What’s important to establish there is guidelines around how to write software so you don’t run afoul," he said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Old dog, new tricks: Sony unleashes 'intelligent' robot pet

TOKYO - As Japan celebrates the year of the dog, electronics giant Sony on Thursday unleashed its new robot canine companion, packed with artificial intelligence and internet connectivity.

The sleek ivory-white puppy-sized "aibo" robot shook its head and wagged its tail as if waking from a nap when it was taken out of a cocoon-shaped case at a "birthday ceremony" held in Tokyo.

Seven-year-old boy Naohiro Sugimoto from Tokyo was among the first to get his hands on the shiny new toy, which he described as "heavy but cute".

"The dog we had previously died... We bought this robot dog as we wanted a (new) family," he said.

The 30-centimeter (one-foot) long hound-like machine comes complete with flapping ears and its eyes, made of a cutting-edge light-emitting display, can show various emotions.

Aibo is also fitted with an array of sensors, cameras and microphones and boasts internet connectivity.

The owner can play with the pet remotely via smartphone and even teach it tricks from the office for the faithful hound to perform when its "master" gets home.

It builds up a "character" by interacting with people and while not always submissive, it is friendly towards those who are kind to it.

What the machine "learns" is stored in the cloud so its "character" can be preserved even in the event of hardware damage.

Photos it takes can also be shared.

But such cutting-edge canine technology does not come cheap, with the aibo costing nearly $3,000 for a three-year package, including software services such as data storage.

TOUCHES A CHORD  

Aibo is not the Japanese electronic giant's first foray into the animal robot entertainment world.

Its earlier robot dog was put to sleep more a decade ago -- a victim of business restructuring -- shocking fans.

Sony rolled out the first-generation dog in June 1999, with the initial batch of 3,000 selling out in just 20 minutes, despite a hefty price tag of 250,000 yen ($2,200 at current rates).

Over the following years, more than 150,000 units were sold, with numerous models ranging from gleaming metallic-silver versions to round-faced cub-like models.

But by 2006, Sony was in trouble. Its business model was under pressure and it was facing fierce competition from rivals in all fields.

The robot dog, an expensive and somewhat frivolous luxury, had to go.

Yasuyuki Nakamura, another owner of the new generation Aibo -- his third robot pet -- said he was happy to see the dog back in Sony's catalog.

"I had been waiting (for a new aibo). I ordered one as I was happy to see this kind of business was revived," the 46-year-old said.

A middle-aged couple said they bought the robot for their 25th anniversary this year.

Sony plans to release the new aibo overseas as well but no details are set yet.

The dog does not speak human languages or perform tasks such as turning a light on.

But that is not the point of the product, according to Sony's Izumi Kawanishi who is in charge of the project.

"You don't think about what the dog can do when you want to get a dog, do you?," he asked reporters.

"The point is that it touches a chord (with people)," he said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

ZTE launches world's first 5G-ready smartphone

BARCELONA - Chinese telecoms giant ZTE unveiled Sunday what it said is the world's first smartphone compatible with the lightening-fast 5G mobile internet service that networks expect to have up and running by 2020.

The company said the Gigabit Phone is the first smartphone capable of download speeds reaching up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) -- up to 10 times faster than the first generation of 4G services widely in use today.

The device, unveiled in Barcelona in northeastern Spain on the eve of the start on Monday of the Mobile World Congress, the world's biggest mobile fair, will allow for 360-degree panoramic Virtual Reality video and fast downloads of ultra Hi-Fi music and videos.

"With the new device, the way people stay connected will be changed forever. Focusing on 5G technologies will be one of the key priorities of ZTE’s global development," a ZTE spokesman said.

Tech firms are racing to develop products that will be compatible with 5G, shorthand for the fifth generation of networks, which promise blazing fast connectivity for a generation used to streaming movies and TV directly to phones.

South Korean carrier KT Corp aims to offer trial 5G services during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

The first large-scale commercial deployment of the technology is expected in 2020.

Forrester analyst Thomas Husson said ZTE was using the phone to "showcase innovation" and "offer a glimpse into the future when people will be able to download full movies in seconds" but it was not likely to be a big seller.

"The sad reality is that this smartphone will not end up in consumers' pockets because both 5G and Virtual Reality are still years away to be a mass-market consumer reality," he added.

Founded in 1985, ZTE offers telecom equipment and services and has customers in more than 160 countries, according to the company.

It is the only Chinese smartphone vendor with a meaningful presence in the United States, where its 10 percent market share makes it the fourth-largest vendor.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

BlackBerry's physical keyboard refuses to die with KEYone

BARCELONA - Chinese electronics company TCL unveiled Saturday its first BlackBerry-licensed smartphone which brings back the device's signature physical keyboard as it seeks to revive the once mighty brand.

The KEYone phone has a larger screen than previous BlackBerry devices and a fast charging battery as TCL sets its sights on businesses and tries to rekindle BlackBerry's strong reputation for productivity and security.

TCL reached the brand-licensing deal in December after the Canadian company announced that it would halt in-house production of smartphones, marking the end of an era for the once-dominant tech firm.

Under the agreement, BlackBerry will remain in control of software and security on smartphones, while TCL will handle creating handsets powered by Google Android software.

Officials from both firms unvailed the KEYone in Barcelona in northeastern Spain ahead of the start on Monday of the four-day Mobile World Congress, the world's largest annual phone expo.

BlackBerry worked closely with TCL to build security into the new device, said Alex Thurber, the general manager of BlackBerry's mobility solutions unit.

"At BlackBerry we live and breathe security. Security has been engineered into the entire manufacturing process, throughout the hardware and of course the software," he said.

BlackBerry's physical keyboard was one of the drivers of the popularity of its earlier phones but it was dropped once touch screens became popular.

The company in 2014 launched a "Classic" smartphone that brought back the keyboard but the device was discontinued in July.

In the new Blackberry phone, the keyboard can be used for more than just typing.

The spacebar on the keyboard also doubles as a fingerprint sensor while individual letter keys can be programmed as shortcuts to open speficic apps.

The KEYone will go on sale around the globe in April at a cost of 599 euros ($549).

"The new BlackBerry portfolio has a chance of success, because few companies now offer BlackBerry-style design and features, and the productivity-focused smartphone segment is underserved," said Ian Fogg, head of mobile at research firm IHS.

"Even if BlackBerry's smartphone share remains so low it is hard to quantify, the vast scale of the smartphone market -- over 1.5 billion units will ship in 2017 -- means even a tiny share would represent significant unit volumes and revenues," he added.

TCL said it would be coming out with new BlackBerry products later this year.

"What we are unveiling today is just the beginning of a new story," said TCL chief executive Nicolas Zibell.

BlackBerry once dominated the smartphone market but its luster faded after the introduction in 2007 of the Apple iPhone and the large number of low-cost Android devices that followed.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Smartphone revolution blazes on as iPhone turns 10

LAS VEGAS -- The smartphone continues to change the world a decade after the debut of the iPhone, even as Apple is under pressure to come up with a new wonder.

The iPhone -- introduced by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007 -- set the stage for mobile computing and an entire industry revolving around it.

The handsets built on successful iPod digital music players and featured touch screens at a time when the smartphone market was ruled by BlackBerry devices with keypads.

Jobs billed his smartphone approach as blending liberal arts, design and technology.

What was not obvious at the time was how iPhone's focus on apps would send people rocketing along a path to tweeting, Snapping, Pokemon Go, live streaming video, and more.

"Apple gets credit for the apps that brought the mobile computing platform to your pocket," Gartner analyst Brian Blau told AFP at the Consumer Electronics Show that ends Sunday in Las Vegas. "Today, it is hard to make a consumer electronics product without (internet) connectivity."

Smartphones are even playing a big role in the virtual reality trend, with people using handsets as screens inserted into headsets for exploring fantasy realms.

Apple does not attend CES. But its trend-setting power is felt here from cars boasting "infotainment" systems that synch with iPhones, to smart-home networks controlled by mobile apps and rival smartphones mirroring iPhone features.

"The iPhone changed the world because mobile computing is now part of everyone's daily life," Blau said.

Altered landscape

The iPhone, in a way, was a seed around which the consumer electronics industry has crystalized, according to Maxwell Ramsey of mobile phone news website phoneArena.com.

"It's pretty remarkable what it did," Maxwell said of the iPhone. "We are still riding that wave from 2007. No doubt about it."

Putting the internet in people's pockets, and on tablet computers, has profoundly changed the way people watch films, get news, socialize and work.

Insiders at the CES trade show cited the iPhone as the main impetus for the revolutionary shift to mobile computing lifestyles.

"It turned the industry on its head," Maxwell said at CES. "It figuratively destroyed a lot of companies, and changed the landscape."

The iPhone powered Apple's money-making machine, but sales began to decline last year in the increasingly saturated and competitive smartphone market.

Missed targets

Apple chief executive Tim Cook and other top executives saw their compensation for 2016 cut because internal income targets were missed, according to a filing Friday with US regulators.

"The two financial measures used to evaluate executive performance under our annual cash incentive program, net sales and operating income, declined from our record-breaking 2015 levels," Apple said in the filing.

"These results were below the target performance goals."

Apple reported net sales of $215.6 billion for the fiscal year, with an operating income of $60 billion, the filing indicated.

Cook's pay will tally $8.75 million as compared with $10.3 million in 2015. His base pay jumped to $3 million from $2 million.

Apple's profit in the quarter ending September 24 slumped on a widely expected drop in iPhone sales, but gains in services offered optimism on company efforts to curb dependence on its smartphone.

Apple is to release performance figures for the recently ended quarter on January 31.

Apple has been working to make more money from services and apps.

The iPhone maker said its App Store had its busiest single day ever on New Year's Day, capping a record-breaking holiday season for the online shop.

Since the App Store launched in 2008, developers have earned more than $60 billion from software creations tailored for Apple devices, according to the company.

Meanwhile, eyes are on Apple for its next "big thing" in the face of worry that the company lost its innovative mojo with the passing of Jobs in 2011.

Rumors of projects in the works include a self-driving car.

"I think they will have a next big thing," analyst Blau said. "But the future of the company will rely on smaller innovation. And there is nothing wrong with that kind of a business."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

'Wallpaper' thin TV grabs spotlight at CES gadget gala

LAS VEGAS - LG Electronics showed off a "wallpaper" thin television as TV makers vied for the spotlight ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show officially opening here on Thursday.

As in years past, the South Korean consumer electronics giant staked out the opening slot in a day rich with back-to-back press briefings by industry titans.

LG and rivals touched on hot themes at this year's show -- including robots, appliances equipped with artificial intelligence, and self-driving car technology.

A surprise star of the presentation was a strikingly thin LG Signature OLED flat-screen television simply branded "W."

The super high-definition TV measured just 2.57 mm thick in a 65-inch screen model. LG boasted that a larger screen model garnered a CES Best of Innovation Award.

"Why the 'W'?" LG Electronics USA marketing vice president David VanderWaal asked rhetorically during the presentation.

"Wallpaper. Window. Wow," he said.

The screens are designed to affix to walls with magnetic brackets, protruding less than 4 mm.

TCL OUT TO GROW

China's fast-growing television-maker TCL was at the show with a mission to expand its market.

TCL unveiled 25 new Roku-enabled TV models heading for North America, boasting improved high-definition imagery and enhanced audio.

"We are here today because we are investing in the future of technology, specifically smart TVs," TCL marketing executive Ranjit Gopi said during a press briefing.

"We are, as of 2016, one of the fastest growing brands in the world."

TCL partners include internet titan Google and its Android TV offering.

TCL is investing some $7.7 billion in high-quality television screens and is aiming to make the world's slimmest curved television, according to Gopi.

He introduced a new flagship "X" series television that will launch first in China and then be rolled out elsewhere.

South Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung unveiled a new 75-inch QLED TV model at its CES press gathering, along with a company-first gaming laptop.

"Despite some challenges, we've made big strides in 2016, gaining market share in TVs, home appliances, wearables and smartphones," said Samsung Electronics America chief operating officer Tim Baxter.

"We are delivering on our vision of the future – one that is powered by connected and elegantly-designed products and services that put consumers firmly at the center."

EYE-GRABBING SCREENS

Samsung ramped up its smart TV platform with an offering tailored for sports lovers, and added a new entertainment application. Features in the new models included being able to recognize who is speaking while being commanded by voice.

Sales of televisions globally have been slipping, a seeming result of viewers turning to smartphones, tablets, and computers for video, according to Steve Koenig, senior director of market research at the US Consumer Technology Association trade group behind CES.

Koenig forecast that $105 billion will be spent this year on televisions, down from $108 billion last year.

However, those who do buy televisions are expected to prefer 4K high-definition models, with the number of those screens sold jumping to nearly 82 million this year compared with just shy of 53 million last year, according to Koenig.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

'Connected life' at the heart of CES electronics show

WASHINGTON - In the air, in your car, on your back -- new technology at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show is showcasing the growing number of ways to live the "connected life."

The so-called "Internet of Things" is leading to a wider range of wearable tech, from sports shirts to smart watches to sleep monitors to connected refrigerators.

The vast 2015 International CES, one of the world's biggest electronics fairs to be held in Las Vegas January 6-9, shows how technology is permeating virtually all sectors of life -- from entertainment to automobiles to kitchen appliances, in sectors including health, fashion and sports.

"The 'Internet of Things' is the hottest topic in tech right now," said Karen Chupka of the Consumer Electronics Association, which organizes the annual event.

"It's all about the opportunity to connect everyday items like cars, home security systems and kitchen appliances to networked devices like PCs and smartphones for greater control and management of our everyday lives."

Also on view will be the newest and biggest television displays featuring "ultra high definition" that is catching on with consumers.

So-called 4K television sets are coming down in price and becoming mainstream, and some reports suggest the show may feature newer, even more realistic "8K" displays.

Roger Kay, analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, said that 4K "is a really obvious play for the industry and consumers" because it can mean big-ticket purchases, and deliver a better image.

While 4K television has been around a few years, the market may be ready now, says Bob O'Donnell at the research firm Technalysis, with prices for TV sets falling below $1,000.

The 4K format "is more 3D-like than 3D," O'Donnell said. "The quality is so high it makes you feel like you're there."

Curved and bendable screens should be on display, and perhaps some folding ones as well.

In the air, CES will for the first time have a dedicated space for drones to accommodate the growing interest in unmanned flying devices. This comes with interest in drones for everything from law enforcement to crop management to search-and-rescue missions.

A separate robotics zone will be 25 percent bigger than last year, with at least 18 exhibitors. Some robots are connected to the Internet cloud, or controllable by mobile device and capable of seeing, hearing, feeling and reacting to the environment.

 Tech on your sleeve

A wider range of wearable technology will also be on display at the show, in a key segment among the 35,000 exhibitors.

While smart watches and fitness bands have been on the market, "I expect to see more smart garments, including smart shirts and smart bras," said Angela McIntyre, analyst at the research firm Gartner.

"We'll be seeing more traction with smart garments next year."

These garments are likely to replace more restrictive heart-monitoring straps and bands which are "effective but uncomfortable," McIntyre said.

More important than the wearable items themselves will be the platform behind them. Users will be looking for ways to use the data in a productive way, said IDC analyst Ramon Llamas.

"A wearable device can tell you that you have walked 10,000 steps. But we need more than that," Llamas said.

"People are looking for devices which tell us when we need to go to sleep earlier, skip dessert, or get up and take a walk around the office."

A major battle is taking place to be the software platform for wearables, with Google, Apple, Microsoft and others seeking domination.

"There is no dominant company yet," McIntyre said.

"What we will be seeing is a shift from the device and its app to having an integrated account where people can get insights about their fitness and health not just from one device but from several wearables."

Smart glasses and watches will also be out in force, even before the commercial launch of items such as Google Glass and the Apple Watch. Rivals will be looking to get into these markets, although consumers may want to wait for anticipated products, such as the Apple Watch, due sometime in 2015.

O'Donnell said the successful smart watches will pay close attention to style.

"The watch is a very personal device, it's much more personal than a phone you put in your pocket," he said. "That's going to lead to experimentation."

While smart glasses will be on display, O'Donnell said "there are a lot of privacy and creepiness issues" to be overcome.

 Home and car electronics

The "smart home" segment will be significant, with connected devices such as light bulbs, ovens, refrigerators, window systems and garage doors. But software is equally important in this market as well.

O'Donnell said consumers want an integrated system to avoid having a multitude of different apps, but that developers want an open system that is easy to access.

"On the connected home side it's all about getting these things to talk to each other," he said. "So I can have a control panel that can talk to a smart lightbulb or thermostat."

In a sign of the importance of automotive electronics, CES will have 10 car manufacturers showing their entertainment, safety and other technical advances -- from self-parking cars to systems that use Big Data to navigate or diagnose problems.

"We are seeing ways to collect data from the car, send you firmware for the vehicle, real-time traffic, Wi-Fi hotspots for the passengers," O'Donnell said.

"We could see better diagnostics, so you can tell if your spark plug is going to die and needs to be replaced."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

A look at weird gadgets at CES in Las Vegas

NEVADA – Electronics manufacturers came up with creative and unusual concepts and designs at this year's International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

If there are smartphones, then there are smart bras.

A smart bra developed by Microsoft is designed to help control the wearer's appetite and prevent emotional over-eating. With the removable sensors attached to it, the bra will monitor heart and skin activity. The bra has an "EKG"' that will wirelessly feed the app on your phones.

If wearing bras is not your thing, then there are smart socks. Smart socks have sensors that wirelessly transmit biometric data to your smartphones. It's designed for people who are trying to lose weight and improve their running performance.

Meanwhile, a doll called "Mother" will keep an eye on your kids. It promises to bring some relief to parents.

“Make sense of movements in actions that you make in everyday life,” said Rafi Haladjian of sen.se.

“It's called a Mother because it does exactly what mothers do--which is taking care of everything in your life. They don't do something specific but they take care of your health, fitness, your safety whatever your needs are today they will adapt to your needs,” Haladjian said.

Dancing robots will also entertain kids and adults as the robot's dancing skills and interactive talking features groove along to the beat of any kind of music. Boasting 56 dance moves, their movements are also customizable using an app on your smartphone.

When it comes to OLED TVs, curved televisions are all the rage at this year's electronics show. But Panasonic takes it even further by being able to flex a flat TV into a curved TV and vice versa with a simple press of a button.

That's not all. These TVs can also curve the other direction.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

10 highlights from Consumer Electronics Show

LAS VEGAS -- Here are some of the highlights and trends seen at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which ended last Friday:

1. Wearables: From connected socks and bras to baby clothing, wearable technology with the ability to transform computing was an overriding theme at the huge electronics fair. There was no showing of Google Glass, but other connected eyewear and apps for Glass were prominent, as was the first-ever "wrist revolution" zone.

2. The Internet of Things: A connected toothbrush, basketball and tennis racket showcased the many uses of embedded technology in everyday objects.

3. Televisions: The major manufacturers showed off their biggest displays, including "ultra HD," curved screens and interactive features. The tech and entertainment industries unveiled new partnerships to deliver high-definition content which can benefit from the format.

4. Automobiles: A record nine automakers were at CES, highlighting the importance of technology in the vehicle. A fully self-driving car was not part of the show, but driverless parking was demonstrated. And General Motors announced some cars would have 4G Internet connections.

5. Smartphones: If the smartphone was already the center of personal technology for many, it has now become the foundation for many innovations at the show. Apps leveraging the computing power of the smartphone and linking to the cloud were numerous. And the show saw the introduction of some powerful new "phablets," as well as bendable displays.

6. Robotics: For play, work or entertainment, robotics took up an increasing amount of floor space. Robots designed to teach children programming as well as "telepresence" robots were showcased.

7. Drones: Grabbing a lot of attention were a handful of exhibitors of personal drones to be used as toys, or for professional photography and cinematography.

8. 3D Printing: Advances in 3D printing technology on display at CES suggest this technology is ready for the masses. Singapore-based Pirate 3D introduced its Buccaneer home printer that sells for $497.

9. Smart homes: Home appliance titans LG and Samsung added their might to a trend of letting people command and even exchange text messages with stoves, washing machines, vacuums and other household equipment for tending to the demands of daily life. Another new twist at the show came from makers of Internet-enabled door locks.

10. Intuitive computing: Technology firms want to get rid of the mouse and touchpad. New computer and gaming hardware at the show was imbued with software that recognizes gesture, voice and even eye movements as people are freed to interact with devices naturally instead of having to click on icons or use touchscreens.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Broadcom 802.11ac Wi-Fi chips hit CES 2012

Following a CES preview event last month, Broadcom today announced its first family of 802.11ac (also known as 5G Wi-Fi) chips, designed for a broad range of product segments.

The chipmaker says the new IEEE 802.11ac chips are three times faster and up to six times more efficient than equivalent existing 802.11n (known as Wi-Fi) solutions. This makes 5G Wi-Fi a major step up from from the existing and popular 802.11a/b/g/n wireless solutions.

According to Broadcom, its 5G Wi-Fi chips will dramatically improve the wireless range and data rates, allowing consumers to watch HD video, and transfer large amounts of data to and from more devices, in more places at once.

The fact that the chips can transmit a much larger amount of data in the same amount of time, compared with 802.11n devices, means that the 5G Wi-Fi devices can enter low-power mode faster and more frequently, resulting in significant reductions in power consumption.

Read more: http://www.cnet.com/8301-33372_1-57352574/broadcom-802.11ac-wi-fi-chips-hit-ces-2012/#ixzz1iaojxJ7r