glass

LG Flatron D2342P review: 3D on the cheap

By offering a 3D monitor that eschews the $150 Nvidia 3D Vision Kit in favor of a more affordable option, LG is attempting to widen the 3D market with its Flatron D2342P monitor.

The display comes with a pair of passive 3D glasses, which are a lot cheaper to produce than the active-shutter lenses of the Nvidia glasses.

Passive 3D displays polarize every other horizontal line of resolution on the monitor so that, in the case of the D2342P with its 1080P resolution, each eye sees a different 540 lines of the picture, creating a 3D effect.

In our time … Read more

Infrared glass heating system doubles as wall decor

Now you can hang wall decor that also warms your home. The LAVA Design Infrared Glass Heating System from WarmlyYours employs heat conductive glass technology that radiates heat evenly in multiple directions without combustion or forced air circulation.

The LAVA panel looks like a rectangular canvas or tile and comes in four models, ranging in heat capacity and price from 250W at $1,299 to 1000W at $2,299. WarmlyYours reps claim "homeowners may be able to lower the ambient room thermostat temperature by 2 degrees, saving up to 12 percent on their regular heating expenses."

It works with electricity, so there is some energy cost, but no moving parts means less dust and other allergy triggers. The device emits heat in three dimensions, but amazingly remains cool to the touch and therefore safe for houses with children.

WarmlyYours is presenting the panels at the ongoing 2011 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center and positioning the panels as more than just enviro-friendly heating sources. They want to offer them up as room decor elements alongside a line of radiant electric heating solutions for any flooring surface and bathroom spas. For example, buyers can combine a LAVA panel with a LAVA bath bar (for hanging and warming towels) or a mirrored LAVA panel with light bars. … Read more

Rumor: iPhone 5 may use curved glass screen

The latest news to hit the iPhone 5 rumor mill is that Apple's next smartphone may sport a curved glass screen, similar to the one found on the iPod Nano 4G.

This latest report comes from Taiwan's DigiTimes. Citing industry sources, DigiTimes reported today that Apple has bought 200 or 300 glass-cutting machines to be used by glass makers, who are apparently hesitant to invest in the expensive equipment on their own.

To no surprise, no time frame has been released yet as to when the iPhone 5 may ramp up production, as DigiTimes says that Apple is … Read more

Samsung makes good on free 3D glasses promotion

Last month we blogged Samsung's announcement of the inclusion of a free pair of 3D glasses with 2011 Samsung 3D TVs purchased after April 24. Since then we have received numerous reports, via e-mail and in the comments section of the original article, from customers who bought a qualifying TV yet didn't get free glasses.

We passed a few of those reports along to Samsung's reps, who at the time told us they were unaware of the situation. On May 11 we were told that Samsung would be issuing a statement "shortly."

Today Samsung has set up a Web site to address those customers. … Read more

Shipment stats for 3D TVs jump out at researchers

More 3D TVs than ever are going to be flying toward consumers this year, according to analysts at IHS iSuppli.

With lower prices, and with TV makers pushing 3D harder than ever, shipments of 3D sets are likely to jump by 463 percent this year to hit 23.4 million units from just 4.2 million last year, IHS iSuppli said. Eyeing the years ahead, shipments will climb by 132 percent in 2012 to reach 54.2 million. By 2014, consumers will be facing more than 100 million 3D TVs, followed by 159.2 million in 2015.

Last year, many … Read more

Rumored iPad 3 to get glasses-free 3D?

If this serving of Apple iPad rumors seems a little crunchy, it's probably because it's in 3D. At least, the next iPad could be--if the rumors are true and you'll soon be able to enjoy CNET on an iPad 3 in glasses-free 3D. (Safety note: to avoid retinal damage, please avoid looking at author's headshot with any 3D or other stereoscopic technology.)

Past rumors have had an iPad 3 showing up this fall, with more recent speculation pointing to 2012. The screen of the next-generation iPad is one of many features of interest, with the iPad 2 failing to bring Apple's so-called Retina display along for the ride. For now, I'm taking this latest iPad hubbub with a healthy dose of skepticism, but it can't be completely discounted. The source is an anonymous "Hollywood insider" speaking to RCR Wireless, and well, the quote is a little odd. Here's an excerpt from the story:

"The fact that the iPad 3 is 3D is a dead cert," one Hollywood insider close to the big movie studios told RCR, adding that the screen would be the real magic. She went on to say that the big film studios were currently running around like "blue-arsed flies" trying to gear up to release plenty of 3D content in time for Apple's next launch.

I'm left wondering if this anonymous source might actually be Charlie Sheen, but RCR editor Sylvie Barak goes on to claim that the rumor is bolstered by leaks from the FoxConn factory in China, where many Apple products are manufactured. Only problem is that Barak's own story seems to be the sole source of that rumor, too.… Read more

3D glasses: Big sales opportunity or big hassle?

3D glasses are a double-edged sword for TV manufacturers. According to NPD's 3D 360° Monitor, an aversion to wearing glasses is the second most popular reason consumers give for not wanting to purchase a 3D TV. But for those who do buy 3D TVs, glasses represent one of the best accessory sale opportunities TV manufacturers have had since the flat-panel mount. Ring up a family pack of four glasses and you can easily reach the price of what some manufacturers charge for a flat-panel 2D television by itself.

Indeed, rather than treat glasses as a throwaway, Samsung recently revamped its 3D glasses, cramming an impressive amount of technology into a wearable product 25 percent lighter than its predecessor.

The electronics giant has added a circular frame that now easily grasps around various head sizes, enables a brighter 3D picture, accommodates prescriptions, switches to Bluetooth, and adds a charging gauge, all while keeping the price to about $100 per pair.

But what if there were a way to sell an accessory to go with those accessories? Samsung is taking a crack at just that, introducing a product at CES and showing it once again at the IFA Global Press Conference in Alicante, Spain.

It's a $200 black "top hat" charger--so nicknamed for its cylindrical shape centered atop a base plate about a third of the way from its bottom--that enables owners to inductively charge up to four pairs of Samsung's new, lighter-weight 3D glasses. The high-tech spectacles surround the glossy cylinder, one atop the next, in a spiraling statue of tolerated technology. … Read more

A whole new Wii

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

Nintendo will launch the next-generation Wii in 2012

Rumors are heating up about Apple and Google's hypothetical music services

Dish Online customers can now stream HBO content if they subscribe to an HBO package

A company in Tokyo claims to have made the "world's thinnest glass" for touchscreen devices

A new app on iTunes follows the rantings and ravings of actor Charlie Sheen

Conjuring up glasses-free 3D for iPad, iPhone

Mobile gadgets like Apple's iPad and iPhone could offer glasses-free 3D courtesy of a new, developing technology created by researchers in France.

Known as Head-Coupled Perspective, the technology uses the front-facing camera on a mobile device to create a glasses-free monocular 3D display. By tracking the position of the user's head, the projected 3D image can change its perspective and offer greater interaction. Even further, the technology doesn't rely on the accelerometer built into the iPhone and iPad, so it could conceivably work for other types of mobile devices.

The researchers behind this budding technology are Professor … Read more