components

Apple could be making some changes to the way it lights up the panel on its next iPad, according to a new report.

Citing sources, component news site DigiTimes reported today that Apple is contemplating the move to to a more complex backlighting system to better serve a higher-resolution display.

The outlet suggests once again that Apple is going with a high-resolution 2,048x1,536-pixel display in its next iPad, and will need a new lighting system to "maintain or strengthen the brightness of the panels." By comparison, Apple's first- and second-generation iPads shipped with a 1,… Read more

Could we have both a new iPhone and iPad this year? A new report says suppliers are gearing up to help Apple produce millions of both for an October release.

Citing component industry sources, DigiTimes says a number of Taiwan-based companies that supply Apple with parts for its gadgets have "begun to prepare materials" for the two iOS devices, with production slated to start in September.

DigiTimes is scant on iPad 3 details, besides noting that Apple is going with a version that's "even thinner and lighter" as well as sporting a 250 pixels-per-inch (ppi) display. That would put it lower than the iPhone 4's so-called Retina Display, which sits at 326ppi.

The 50ppi difference could go against Apple CEO Steve Jobs' original claims when introducing the iPhone 4 at WWDC last year; then, he put the "magic number" at about 300ppi. Even so, it's nearly double the pixel density count of the existing iPad model, which could benefit text and photo clarity. … Read more

If you plan on buying a Blu-ray player in 2011, don't be surprised if the back panel is lacking a component video output. A surprising number of mainstream 2011 Blu-ray players, (such as the Panasonic DMP-BDT210, Samsung BD-D5700, LG BD670, to name a few) are omitting the red, green, and blue video jacks, which means buyers will have to rely on HDMI for high-def Blu-ray video signals.

It's all about AACS We can't blame manufacturers for omitting the component out of new players. For one, it's not a huge loss, as the vast majority of buyers … Read more

Your iOS device is good for accessing media on the go, but there may be times when you want to share your movies, photos, and music, or play games on a TV. Connecting your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch to your TV is simple, but you have to select the right cables first. 

HDMI adapterApple's Digital AV Adapter is the highest-quality video transfer, and is the only cable that will do mirroring with the iPad 2. It's also compatible with the iPad, iPhone 4, and iPod Touch (fourth generation). When you've connected your television with the … Read more

It's now becoming increasingly clear that the global supply chain for electronics is going to be far more affected by the earthquake-tsunami-nuclear crisis still unfolding in Japan than previously thought.

Take for example the attention today on lithium ion batteries used in notebook PCs. Demand right now is not terribly high--it's a time of the year when consumers are buying fewer PCs--but consider what happens if the crisis persists. As Taiwan's Digitimes observes, a good bit of the world's production ecosystem for lithium ion batteries used in notebooks are not only located in Japan, but many … Read more

Beyond the devastating loss of life and property, the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan last week are likely to shorten the supply and increase prices of key electronic components, according to a report released yesterday by IHS iSuppli.

Most of the factories for the major electronics makers managed to escape severe damage as they were located far enough away from the epicenter of the quake and the areas affected by the tsunami.

However, the disaster has severely affected the country's transportation and power grids, leading to problems shipping and receiving parts, getting people to work, and maintaining production.… Read more

It's hard to believe that it was almost two years ago when I dove into a tangled mess of wires and gadgets to perform my first public wire box cleanout. At the time, it looked like order and organization had won the day, and my future would be full of neatly bundled cables and perfectly sorted AC adapters.

Sadly, two years later, the forces of entropy and clutter have again reduced my wire box (actually four stacking plastic crates) to a jungle of old parts and useless accessories. This time, the motivation to clean out my wire box shantytown is an impending move, which is nature's great catalyst for discarding old junk. (And, as I prepare to move all the way from New York's SoHo neighborhood to, well, slightly farther east in SoHo, stay tuned for a series of articles on how I plan to construct my new midsize Manhattan apartment multimedia man cave.)

As I went through the four boxes of tangled wires and accessories, things were sorted into three categories: keep, trash, and give away. Click through the gallery above for a step-by-step tour of what I found, from vintage gaming gear to more sets of components cables than I know what to do with. If you're interested in any of the items that get placed on my giveaway pile, tune in to a future episode of the Digital City podcast, where I'll try and find a good home for any discarded gear.… Read more

When Apple announced earnings last month, the company's CFO mysteriously dropped a bit of info about a big contract the company signed worth $3.9 billion. He declined to elaborate further except to say that it was for product components that Apple feels will be central to its future products.

It's not unusual for Apple to sign large contracts with suppliers to ensure its own access to certain components as well as make it difficult for its competitors to get similar parts. Apple did it with LG for displays two years ago, and is regularly the largest buyer … Read more

Onkyo may be best-known for its receivers and home theater-in-a-box systems, but the company planted deep roots in audiophile-grade hi-fi in the 1970s. As I recall, Onkyo had more street cred among audiophiles than Sony or Pioneer in the days before home theater ruled the roost.

Today at CES in Las Vegas Onkyo will debut a new range of elite stereo hi-fi components, with a style reminiscent of the company's classic models of the 1980s. All three components--the P-3000R preamplifier, M-5000R power amplifier, and C-7000R CD player--incorporate Onkyo's new Dynamic Intermodulation Distortion Reduction Circuitry (DIDRC), that is said … Read more