Samsung ChatON 2.0, Previews Smart Hub and Smart TV Unveiled Ahead of CES 2013

Samsung is gearing up for CES 2013 by releasing a teaser video for its Smart TV and giving consumers a preview of its new Smart Hub. Its instant messaging app, ChatON is also upgraded to version 2.0.

Image source: Samsung Tomorrow

Launched in September 2011, ChatON is a mobile instant messaging app that is available across major smartphone platforms such as Google Android, BlackBerry and Apple iOS. Now in its second version, ChatON 2.0 offers new features and significant upgrades such as: 

• Multi-screen feature that enables users to chat up to five connected devices using one account
• Invite friends to ChatOn conversations from a wider range of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Weibo
• A virtual space 
• called the "Trunk" to store, comment on, photos and videos with friends before sharing them on other social networking sites 
• Special Buddy delivers great offers, updates and news feeds from third-party vendors in real-time, and allows users to vote in polls or leave their comments 
• The ability to create own personal profiles and post status updates for others to see and comment on
• Interaction Rank provides information about users' conversations with friends 
• Freedom to customize and personalize messages via images, recorded audio clips or animated emoticons 

ChatON 2.0 is now available in over 200 countries in more than 60 languages. It is preloaded on all Samsung mobile devices and can be downloaded at Samsung Apps.

Image source: Samsung Tomorrow

Samsung will be taking the wraps off the new Smart Hub which is a unique content platform for Samsung Smart TV. The new Smart Hub will have an updated interface where users can enjoy live broadcasts and a variety of other contents such as movies, apps, and personal photo collections on the same screen. Users also can expect a more intuitive experience with various contents categorized into five sections on one screen. Here are the five categories: 

• "On TV" for live TV
• "Movies & TV Shows" based on VOD contents 
• "Apps" for various apps
• "Social" for social networking sites contents sharing function
• "Photos, Videos Music" for personal content

Another highly anticipated feature is the "Flipping" function, where users can browse through five screens with Samsung's unique motion control function. Flipping is an easier and more fun method to select your preferred program.

Last but not least, Samsung released the CES 2013 Smart TV teaser video to arouse curiosity and generate discussion about the upcoming launch of its innovative TV. In the video, TV sets come to life, leave their locations and head over to a large venue. The TV sets look in the same direction at a large TV set  which is covered by a white veil. The video ends off with the line, "All the TVs are rushing to see Samsung's new TV."

Sources: Samsung Tomorrow (1) (2) (3) via Tech Crunch

Samsung Unveils Enhanced Series 7 Chronos and New Ultrabooks at CES 2013

Samsung has announced two additions to its high performance Series 7 PC lineup - the enhanced Series 7 Chronos, which delivers professional performance in a thin and light form factor, and the Series 7 Ultra, which takes Ultrabooks to the next level with enriched computing power, graphics and touch capability.

Series 7 Chronos

The new Series 7 incorporates a new software solution RAMaccelerator which provides up to 150% increase in speed for browsing and running apps by taking advantage of the existing memory. On top of 10-point multi-touch capabilities, it comes wrapped in a full aluminum body and packs an Intel Quad-core processor with up to 16GB of memory, up to 1TB of storage, and dedicated 2GB external graphics.

Measuring just 20.9mm thin, caters to the needs of professionals with a high resolution, Full HD display with 300-nits of brightness, accompanied by JBL optimized speakers, enhanced graphics to run hardcore tasks, and an extended battery life of 11 hours. In addition, the laptop wakes up in as little as two seconds and boots in under twelve seconds.

Series 7 Ultra

The first Ultra in the Series 7 family is designed as an ultrabook for multimedia, featuring a Full HD display brighter and wider than previous models with a 178-degree viewing angle, along with JBL optimized speakers and AMD graphics. Up to eight hours of battery life keeps users connected all day, while the latest Intel Core i5 or i7 processors and up to 256GB SSD of storage provide the computing power required by even the most demanding users. The laptop also includes 10-finger touch capabilities, while six second boot-up time maximizes on-the-go productvity.

Also available with 4G LTE connectivity, the ultrabook houses three USB ports, as well as a LAN port and a slim security slot to help ensure the device is securely tethered when necessary.

Samsung is located at Booth #12004 in the Central Hall of the LVCC from 8-11 January 2013.Full details, video content and product images are available at the Samsung microsite at:http://www.samsungces.com/ or mobile site at: http://m.samsungces.com as well. 

	New Series 7 Chronos (770Z5E)	Series 7 Ultra (730U3E)
Display	15.6-inch / 1920 x 1080 / 10-point multi-touch	13.3-inch / 1920 x 1080 / 10-finger multi-touch (factory option)
Battery Life	Up to 11 hours	Up to 8 hours
Dimensions / Weight	376 x 249.9 x 20.9mm / 2.35kg	324 x 224 x 17.5mm / 1.46kg 324 x 224 x 18.9mm / 1.65kg (Touch model)
OS	Windows 8
Processor	Intel Core i7-3635QM (2.40 GHz, 6 MB L3 Cache) AMD Radeon HD 8870M Graphics (PowerExpress)	Intel Core i7/i5 ULV AMD Radeon HD 8570M
Memory / HDD	Up to 16GB (On board 4/8GB) / 1TB HDD max	Up to 16GB / 256GB SSD max
Multimedia	JBL Stereo Speakers 4W x 2 (w/Virtual Woofer)  Integrated HD 720p Camera	JBL Stereo Speakers 2W x 2  Integrated HD 720p Camera
I/O Ports	2 x USB3.0, 2 x USB2.0, HDMI, HP/MIC, VGA RJ 45, 3-in-1	1 x USB3.0, 2 x USB2.0, HDMI, mini VGA, HP/MIC RJ 45, 3-in-1
Others	Backlit Keyboard, Clickpad Security Slot	Backlit Keyboard, Clickpad Slim Security Slot

Samsung Youm flexible-display tech at CES 2013

Samsung debuted a new flexible display it is calling Youm during the closing keynote at CES 2013. It first introduced the technology in April on its Korean site, but this is the first time Youm has been introduced in the U.S. Youm is quite impressive, and offers many options on ways to present information. This is not the first time flexible displays ha
ve been introduced, however. The idea has been around for a while, and each version seems to offer something different.

Here are a few facts about flexible displays:

* Samsung introduced a bendable screen at CES 2011. That wasn't the first iteration of its take on the technology. It was four times clearer than its previous model.

* Nokia introduced a twisting "kinetic device " in 2011. The device could be controlled by bending and twisting it with two hands.

* Youm uses OLED (organic light-emitting diode) displays for better contrast ratios, and better power efficiency than traditional LCD screens.

* Youm technology can be used to wrap around the edges of a phone or other device, so that no space is wasted. The edges could possibly show text messages or single-line updates.

* Youm technology can be used on a phone or tablet that folds or rolls out. A folding device could be in the shape of a small square when folded, and a rolling device could be the shape of a cylinder when rolled up.

* The first prototypes to hint that flexible screen technology may someday be feasible were developed more than a decade ago by startup Universal Display . The company started up in 1994, and had created working -- but delicate -- prototypes by 2002.

* Philips was the first to show off a rollable e-ink display, Readius , at CES 2006. It was adamant about the product being released soon after the show. Instead, the Philips spin-off company working on the product, Polymer Vision , went bankrupt in 2008. Wistron bought the company, and came up with a new design in 2011, but abandoned the project altogether in 2012.

* In 2008, Esquire came out with the world's first slightly flexible e-ink magazine cover , sponsored by Ford.

* Flexible e-readers are now a reality, with the Wexler Flex ONE . It uses LG technology called Electronic Paper Display, or EPD. The main benefit of such a display is that it is more difficult to break than a glass display.

* Corning, the maker of Gorilla Glass, has created a new type of flexible glass called Willow Glass . The benefit of flexible glass is that doesn't scratch as easily as plastic, but still has the benefits of the harder-to-break flexible display. OLED screens could be covered with Willow Glass as an extra layer of protection.

NVIDIA GRID Paving Design for Cloud-based Gaming

NVIDIA GRID Paving the Way for Cloud-based Gaming

For those who’ve been attentively reading our content, you’ll realize that the "GRID" terminology sounds very familiar, and that’s because NVIDIA first discussed it theirGPU Technology Conference 2012 in the form of a cloud technology called "GeForce GRID". Based on the VGX technology that helps virtualize computing environments and assists in addressing large sets of computing resources such as multiple shared GPUs from any node, this concept gave rise to to the GeForce GRID that tackles cloud based deployments as a broader technology arc.

Today at a pre-CES conference, NVIDIA unveiled exactly how it will accomplish this with the NVIDIA GRID - an actual NVIDIA branded, fully integrated server with 12 high-density GPUs, graphics application streaming software, and a NVIDIA VGX Hypervisor technology that allows multiple users to share a GPU. It is designed to serve out far higher quality gaming streams and at reduced latencies than the first generation cloud gaming systems (such as OnLive).

NVIDIA claims that this high-density 12-GPU GRID server can deliver 36 times more HD quality gaming streams than earlier cloud-based gaming systems

The idea propelling the NVIDIA GRID is that most users now have a multitude of services and applications available on the cloud that there’s not much of a need to install many core programs on the system. Yet, the vast area of video games has continued to live and function in a legacy manner. Of course, the main reason it wasn’t possible previously was the lack of compute power, internet bandwidth constraints, and issues with latencies. However today, all three aspects are taken care of, and NVIDIA has been busy working out the details and developing the ecosystem to help foster the next big change in gaming. Imagine when you can play any kind of game on any screen or device at any place and time - that’s the end goal.

The time is ripe for yet another big game changer – literally speaking

Combining an array of NVIDIA GRID servers in a rack (up to 20 of them), you get the GRID Gaming System. Check out the firepower it boasts:

Seen here is the actual size of the NVIDIA Grid Gaming System tower rack next to CEO Jen-Hsun Huang

To show proof of concept, NVIDIA demonstrated the GRID platform streaming games to a LG 55LA6900 Smart TV at full HD resolution with nothing but the TV loaded with a NVIDIA GRID receiver client and Ethernet connection to stream games via the local router from the Internet

Trine 2 was the chosen game, and here’s yet another example of another NVIDIA technology coming into play (GeForce Experience) as the TV’s preloaded NVIDIA GRID client communicated with the server to inform the optimum game settings to be used for rendering the output to this TV set. NVIDIA also demoed this over a tablet by launching the installed client and letting GeForce Experience did its job to ensure optimal gameplay for the device is attained:

On the left, you’ll notice an Android-based tablet that has the NVIDIA GRID client app on its screen. After invoking it and launching the game of interest, Trine 2 once more, we witnessed how NVIDIA GRID is helping to bring about a platform and device agnostic game play across the board.

At the moment, NVIDIA is working with online game service providers like Agawi, Cloudunion, Cyber Cloud, G-Cluster, Playcast, and Ubitus to roll out this next generation of cloud gaming servers.

Sony Xperia Z Officially Unveiled, Global Launch in Q1 2013

The Sony Xperia Z boasts a 5-inch scratch resistant Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2

Sony Mobile Communications just unveiled its latest flagship device, the Xperia Z today at CES 2013, which does not come at a surprise since the device has been leaked quite regularly over the past few weeks. Bringing the best of Sony's innovation in various entertainment sectors such as TV, imaging, music, film and gaming, the Xperia Z certainly has one of the most powerful suite of features to date. 

The Sony Xperia Z boasts a 5-inch Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, which is claimed to deliver a superior viewing experience with its sharpness, brightness and clarity. Its display is also scratch resistant, thanks to the use of tempered glass and anti-shatter film. 

Similar to the ASUS PadFone 2, LG Nexus 4 and HTC Butterfly, the Xperia Z is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5GHz processor and 2GB RAM. At launch, you will find Android 4.1 running on the Xperia Z. It will be updated to Android 4.2 shortly after the launch.

Sony takes mobile imaging to the next level on the Xperia Z by equipping it with a 13-megapixel fast capture rear camera with Exmor RS for mobile, the world's first image sensor with High Dynamic Range (HDR) video for smartphones. According to Sony, the Xperia Z has the capability to capture impressive images under different kinds of conditions especially against strong backlight.

The 2,330mAh battery within the Xperia Z should offer a talk time of up to 11 hours (3G), music playback of up to 40 hours and video playback of up to 5.5 hours. Sony also incorporates a Battery STAMINA Mode that is said to increase standby time by at least four times by disabling battery draining apps when the screen is turned off, and starting them up again when the screen is back on.

Despite packing the latest technologies and hardware, the Xperia Z comes in a sleek chassis of just 7.9mm. It also has the highest levels of dust and water resistance (IP55 and IP57) to ensure that it can survive accidental spills. Other specs include NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, and 4G LTE support alt

The Sony Xperia Z will be available in three colors: black, purple and white. It is slated for a global launch in Q1 2013.

Comparing the Sony Xperia Z against the HTC Butterfly and 
LG Optimus Vu

Specifications	Sony Xperia Z	HTC Butterfly	LG Optimus Vu
Operating System / User Interface	Android 4.1 Jelly Bean	Android 4.1 Jelly Bean	Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5GHz	NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core 1.5GHz
Built-in Memory	2GB RAM	2GB RAM	1GB RAM
Display	5-inch TFT HD Reality Display with Sony BRAVIA Engine 2 1920 x 1080pixels	5-inch Super LCD 3 display 1920 x 1080pixels	5.0-inch HD IPS LCD 1024 x 768 pixels
Camera	13MP rear autofocus camera 2MP front facing camera	8MP rear autofocus camera 2.1MP front facing camera	8MP rear autofocus camera 1.3MP front facing camera
Storage	16GB (microSD support up to 32GB)	16GB (microSD support up to 32GB)	32GB internal memory (no microSD card slot)
Battery	2330mAh	2020mAh	2080mAh
Dimensions	139 x 71 x 7.9mm	143 x 70.5 x 9.08mm	139.6 x 90.4 x 8.5
Weight	146g	140g	168g

ASUS Unleashes PA249Q ProArt and VG248QE Fast Gaming Monitors

ASUS has announced the PA249Q ProArt and VG248QE Fast Gaming monitors.

Ideal for those who require a professional-grade monitor, the 24-inch PA249Q ProArt comes with a 1920 x 1200 resolution with 16:10 aspect ratio and features IPS display technology for 178-degree wide viewing angles. Providing six-axis color control and color space reproduction - 99% Adobe RGB, 103% NTSC and 100% sRGB, the ASUS QuickFit Virtual Scale displays images and documents in actual size on-screen for true “what you see is what you get” accuracy. A five-way navigation key gives easy access to display parameters, while full tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustment ensures a comfortable viewing position. The PA249Q also houses four USB 3.0 ports for pass-though connectivity at speeds up to 10 times that of USB 2.0 with compatible devices.

The 24-inch ASUS VG248QE monitor is designed for high-performance gaming. With its 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms (GTG) response time, the monitor natively supports higher in-game frame rates (FPS settings) than monitors with refresh rates of 120Hz or less to deliver more fluid on-screen motion. The VG248QE has a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution and an 80,000,000:1 ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio for crisp, clear detail, even in dimly lit in-game environments. The ASUS VG248QE also supports NVIDIA 3D Vision 2 technology and features HDMI, DisplayPort and dual-link DVI-D ports, and allows for full tilt, swivel, pivot and height adjustment.

The ASUS PA249Q ProArt monitor and VG248QE Fast Gaming monitor will be available from March 2013 and January 2013 respectively.

Source: ROG ASUS

Corning Announces Gorilla Glass 3 At CES

Corning continues to make new advances with its Gorilla Glass technology and they're strengthening their product leadership once again with the new Gorilla Glass 3.

Demonstrated at CES 2013, the new Gorilla Glass 3 with its Native Damage Resistance (NDR) technology can provide improved durability to withstand deep scratches and cracks in the glass. For those who've worked with glass, cracks are its greatest enemy and that's fundamentally how you cut a piece of glass, using a clean scratch line. But what Corning did with its new Native Damage Resistance glass is to improve its resistance to scratches as well as reducing scratch visibility. Even if a scratch were to occur, the glass would still retain superior strength.

"As a world leader in glass innovation, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our customers with our product innovation," said James R. Steiner, senior vice president and general manager, Corning Specialty Materials. "While we’ve optimized our glass with the most robust chemical strengthening, we challenged our research teams to develop a new way to make cover glass even less susceptible to scratches and other damage."

"With Gorilla Glass 3, our scientists went to the atomic structure of the glass to fundamentally improve the way the glass responds to an impact or scratch. This solution significantly improves durability, while maintaining the thinness needed for touch-enabled consumer devices. We’re excited to be able to provide our customers with an even tougher version of Gorilla Glass that is better-suited to meet the daily wear and tear of today’s devices."

Corning's global customers have already begun product qualification and design implementation using the new Gorilla Glass 3 with NDR. It's expected that new devices featuring the Gorilla Glass 3 to debut in mid-2013