ConsumerIT - For Europe's High Volume PC Retailers, Distributors & Builders

The New York Times R&D Lab combines a reflective LCD display, a Microsoft Kinect and the NYT.com APIs and creates a "Magic Mirror" ideal for bathrooms of the future.

The result is a hi-tech take on the standard bathroom mirror-- allowing one to check the internet, schedule events and carry out other tasks while brushing their teeth or brushing their hair.

The Kinect handles the motion-based user interface, voice commands and even product recognition and information access via RFID tags.

The magic mirror is still in prototype phase, and the NYT gives no release date-- but since it consists of off-the-shelf equipment, it could be available sooner than you think.

Go Mirror, Mirror: The New York Times Wants to Serve You Info as You're Brushing Your Teeth (the New York Times R&D Lab)

The Apple-Samsung patent battle continues with a casualty-- Samsung loses the chance to showcase the Galaxy Tab 7.7 at IFA 2011.

The Bloomberg report follows orders from a Düsseldorf court banning sales and marketing of the newly announced tablet.

Galaxy Tab 7.7 demo models did show up for the first days of the show-- clad with stickers saying "NOT FOR SALE IN GERMANY"-- but not anymore.

Apple and Samung's legal disputes take place across 3 continents, as Apple accuses Samsung of copying iPhone and iPad designs.

Last August, the Düsseldorf Regional Court ordered a temporary sales ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in 26 (out of 27) EU countries.

Go Samsung Puts Galaxy Tablet on Hold (Bloomberg)

Go Apple Blocks Samsung iPad Rival

Acer launches its first Ultrabook at IFA 2011-- the Aspire S3, one of a number of new devices falling under the new Intel-created category.

The Aspire S3 is 1.3cm thick, weighs around 1.4kg and carries a full-size chiclet keyboard, all within an aluminium/magnesium allow chassis.

Using an open cell design, the 13.3" display uses the lid and bezel to form an alumium frame around the screen.

It carries Acer Green Instant On technology, which the company says provides instant-resume functionality and enchanced battery life-- the Aspire S3 should resume in 1.5 seconds from Sleep mode and in 6 seconds from Deep Sleep mode, while battery life lasts up to 50 days (in Deep Sleep mode)..

The Aspire S3 will come in a choice of Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processors, with either 240GB SSD or 320/500GB HDD with embedded SSD.

Go Acer Debuts First Ultrabook

Feel like rewatching a favourite scene from, say, Raiders of the Lost Ark, but can't watch the entire film? Kaleidescape might just have the solution with the Kaleidescape Scenes.

Available as an automatic update for every Kaleidescape system, Scenes consists of more than 4000 classic moments from 700 films-- entertainment "snacks," as the company calls them.

It appears to be not only a new way for users to experience their favourites, but also a simple and well organised means to create a demo to impress potential clients.

Kaleidescape Scenes are already available in KEAOS 4.2, and are part of the Kaleidescape Movie Guide.

Go Kaleidescape Scenes