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[DangerMouse]

Oh, so the BluRays I've been watching over the past 7 years have all been in black and white? I did not know that. Hmmm

LOL

 

[grumble]

Ok, think this is the best place to ask this, seeing as we are in full-swing with this Quantum Dot LCD/OLED era in display technology. I am going to preface by saying that I am no engineer, so pardon me if I sound like some layman in these topics.

With the new UHD Premium certification on dynamic range being one of two options (option 1 being higher peak brightness but higher black level for QD/LED LCD screens, and option 2 being lower peak brightness but lower black level for OLED screens), I am just trying to understand the engineering difficulties for creating a screen with the best of both QD LCD (higher peak brightness), and OLED (lower black levels). I understand that the cost of OLED screens is still quite high to manufacture, but is there display techs in the pipeline for the next few years with the hybrid properties of both OLED and QD LCD?

They are fundamentally quite different because oled doesn't use a backlight. The pixels themselves emit light. That is why the blacks are so black. The technology should improve a bit as time goes on. I don't see how the technology could be merged, really.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

I'm jumping to 4K when Vizio's current reference series features trickle down to the M series.

 

[Brandson]

So far CES is very underwhelming. I am currently renovating my home and have been researching "smart" home devices for the last year. Nothing works together properly, if it can even communicate at all. The lack of a single standardized secure protocol is going to kill this field. All the new incompatible products at CES just make it worse, and there are unbelievably gaping holes in device offerings still. There isn't a single security system alarm panel on the market that doesn't look like ass and yet there are now a dozen supposed all in one security camera hub units that have no hope of securing anything, but have excellent potential to annoy with false alarms as they don't talk to door sensors and will arm themselves automatically if you don't walk past their field of view for a few hours. Honeywell had a system announced last year but it is vaporware. Nest has nothing to show for security and expressly prohibits use of its smoke detectors with professional monitoring. The closest to a working security system is Scout but they don't have cameras so you would need a second setup not triggered by your main security system if you want to see or record anything. More stupidity. The only smart lock that has a hope of working looks like the Yale Linus but it may be turning into vaporware too, and it also doesn't talk to any security systems that I know of. Totally pathetic showing considering how much money is being thrown at smart home product development.

 

[RedAssedApe]

is hdmi for that mad catz/tritton wireless headset going to make any difference vs. the existing offerings that use optical or just marketing?

 

[willow ve]

So far CES is very underwhelming. I am currently renovating my home and have been researching "smart" home devices for the last year. Nothing works together properly, if it can even communicate at all. The lack of a single standardized secure protocol is going to kill this field. All the new incompatible products at CES just make it worse, and there are unbelievably gaping holes in device offerings still. There isn't a single security system alarm panel on the market that doesn't look like ass and yet there are now a dozen supposed all in one security camera hub units that have no hope of securing anything, but have excellent potential to annoy with false alarms as they don't talk to door sensors and will arm themselves automatically if you don't walk past their field of view for a few hours. Honeywell had a system announced last year but it is vaporware. Nest has nothing to show for security and expressly prohibits use of its smoke detectors with professional monitoring. The closest to a working security system is Scout but they don't have cameras so you would need a second setup not triggered by your main security system if you want to see or record anything. More stupidity. The only smart lock that has a hope of working looks like the Yale Linus but it may be turning into vaporware too, and it also doesn't talk to any security systems that I know of. Totally pathetic showing considering how much money is being thrown at smart home product development.

Simplisafe is a decent home security system with integrated cameras coming later this year. Their app sucks right now but is getting better and their monitoring is cheap compared to other brands.

 

[harSon]

A passenger drone? We're finally approaching the Jetsons ya'll http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/01/chinese-company-unveils-worlds-first-passenger-drone-at-ces/

 

[family_guy]

New TVs

http://www.engadget.com/2016/01/05/sony-4k-hdr-tvs-and-ultra/

I like how Sony usually gets their bases right. I hate how other tvs have the two chicken feet at each end of the screen that's longer than my entertainment stand.

 

[Choabac]

A spin-off company from Samsung has developed a watch band that allows you to take calls by holding your finger to your ear.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/g...y/news-story/26ce6b5cfc8ce35fe6360c504ec5b836

http://www.engadget.com/2016/01/07/samsung-creative-lab-hands-on/

The device from Samsung spin-off Innomdle Lab fits any standard wristwatch and connects to Google Android smartphones.

When a phone call arrives, the wearer can accept it with a button on the band, and audio is translated into vibrations which travel up the skin.

By pushing their index finger on to the front of the ear, or tragus, the user can hear the conversation even though no one around them hears a thing.

A microphone on the watch band lets them talk to their caller, even though bystanders might think they’re just talking to themselves.

In practice, the volume is a bit low and the vibration a little strange at first, but you can hear the caller on the other end of the phone even in noisy environments.

The watch band also promises to count your steps, track your sleep, and light up when you receive text messages.

Innomdle spokesman Jai Ho Jung said the unique smartphone accessory was created by four Samsung engineers who won an in-house competition and spun their invention into a start-up company.

The start-up will launch a crowd-funding campaign for its vibrating watch band in March or April, he said, with the product expected to sell for $US70.

Mr Jung said Apple iPhone compatibility was also in the works, as was a simpler, cheaper model for people who already owned a smartwatch.