Telepresence robots are nothing new, but they tend to be aimed at executive boardrooms. Suitable Technologies wants to change that with the Beam+, a consumer version of its own Beam telepresence tool.

The Beam+ looks like a 10-inch iPad on top a 3-wheel motorised mount, and features two 640x480 HDR cameras, 4-microphone array and a "powerful" amplifier. Once connected to the internet it allows users to maneuver around the house in real-time and check what the kids, pets or friends are getting up to while video chatting via included software.

Mind, much like the Daleks regularly giving Dr. Who trouble, the Beam+ cannot actually climb stairs...

As the hype over 4K/UHD displays grows, more vendors take on the format-- Dell launches the UltraSharp 32, UltraSharp 24 and 28 Ultra HD monitors, promising "stunning screen clarity" for both consumer and professional customers.

The UltraSharp 32 features a 31.5-inch panel, while the UltraSharp 24 measures 23.8-inch. Being designed for the professional market, both handle resolutions of up to 3840x2160 with full spectrum coverage, major colour standard support (including 99% Adobe RGB) and "ultra-wide" viewing angles.

Connectivity comes through HDMI, DisplayPort, USB 3.0 and a 6-in-1 card reader.

Gamers have been long plagued with onscreen tearing, stuttering and lag due to lack of synchronisation between monitor refresh and GPU render rates Nvidia claims before launching G-Sync, a technology promising to fix such woes.

"Our commitment to create a pure gaming experience led us to G-Sync," Nvidia says. "This revolutionary technology eliminates artifacts that have long stood between gamers and the game."

According to the company visual problems take place when GPUs fail to synchronise with displays set at fixed refresh rates (usually 60fps), causing tearing. Enabling vertical-sync (v-sync) eliminates tearing, but causes lag and stuttering due to different GPU and monitor refresh rates.

The Natural Interaction Research Group at Microsoft Research develops what it says is the first 3D touchscreen with force feedback capabilities-- providing touchable onscreen objects offering users with different "weights" and "textures."

Called "Actuated 3D Display with Haptic Feedback," the monitor was shown off at Microsoft's TechFest 2013 event. It consists of an off-the-shelf multitouch 3D monitor mounted on a robot arm, both of which in turn are connected to the same PC.

When the user pushes a finger against the screen, the robot arm pushes back-- with feedback strength adjusted according to the object(s) on the screen.

One demo has 3 different blocks (in stone, wood, sponge), with each block acting realistically according to virtual material weight and friction. The stone block"feels" harder to the touch, and requires more force to push, than the sponge block.

Sharp announces the PN-K322B-- a 32-inch LCD monitor armed with an IGZO panel handling Ultra HD/4K resolutions (3840x2160) and multitouch input via either fingers or stylus.

Pen input uses proprietary technology the company claims allows use of a stylus with just 2mm pen-tip width, while a palm cancellation function prioritises pen input when the user's hands are on the monitor.

The monitor is 36mm thick (the thinnest in its class according to Sharp) and features an edge-lit LED backlight together Continue reading...

IDC lowers Q1 2013 global PC monitor shipment estimates from 34.7 million units to 33.8m, a 9.9% Y-o-Y decline caused by the continual drops in desktop PC shipments.

The analyst expects WW monitor shipments to drop further to 113.6m units by 2017.

"The continued decline in PC desktops is bringing about changes in strategy and product focus in the PC monitor market," IDC says. "With Windows 8 we expect to see more touch-based monitors although price points are a little high. Average screen size is also expected to increase to 21.4-inch in 2017 from 20.4-inch in 2012."

“It’s the end of the era of the flat screen device,” boldly states meta, a start-up launching the meta 1 Developer Kit, the world’s first hardware/software package for full augmented and mediated reality.

The meta 1 Developer Kit allows 3D apps to be built in the real world for development in productivity, engineering, entertainment, gaming, design, architecture and more.

meta 1, says the maker, is “not just pop-ups in the corner of the user’s eye, extending the functions of a mobile device,” nor is it “a shield that traps the user in a world of virtual reality.” (References probably to competitors Google Glasses and Oculus Rift.)

According to TrendForce WitsView, while the LCD monitor market declines vendors and retailers might find an oppurtunity in what it calls Android monitors, the somewhat simpler siblings to All-in-One (AIO) PCs.

Making an Android LCD monitor involves little more than adding an ARM CPU and wifi radio to an LCD monitor. The hardware is futher bolstered with touch functionality, adjustable stand and the Android as OS, making what amounts to either a stripped-down AIO/oversized tablet capable of meeting Continue reading...