How would you like to have a GPS device on your wrist? It certainly would make traveling easier and jogging in unknown territory less perilous. And though the Seek isn’t all that attractive, in principle, it’s going places.
Microsoft will be demonstrating a spherical version of their multitouch-capable Surface system at the company’s Research Faculty Summit 2008 DemoFest, according to their own booth map. The phrasing suggests that Surface, which is currently a flat table that can respond to multiple points of contact (see our two hands-on demos here and here), has developed into a round display that would be more usable by a larger number of people.
When they’re not pumping out minute variations in Eee designs, ASUS have been taking the time to throw together some interesting prototypes. Today’s example, the ASUS Trinity, is a proof-of-concept video card that comprises three GPUs; basically, it’s three notebook versions of the ATI Radeon HD 3850 fitted into a specially crafted CrossFireX ‘board.
Toshiba have decided to step into the budget netbook arena with a device of their own, although the company is at pains to point out that their device may not be a direct competitor to the ASUS Eee. Their prototype – which appears to have been squeezed into a casing we first saw back at CES 2008 – uses a 5.6-inch touchscreen interface and an on-screen keyboard, and runs an Intel Atom processor and Windows Vista.
The Antro Solo is a gas electric hybrid weighing in at a low 600 Lbs. With its carbon fiber chassis, this hybrid gets 150 MPG and has solar panels across the top to help power the electric portion of its engine. Other than weighing 600 Lbs. and getting 150 MPG this Hybrid gas electric solar car can go up to 80 MPH.
Nintendo’s non-traditional interface for the Wii console lends itself to any number of odd controller hacks and designs, and the latest is this prototype Wiispray can. Part of Martin Lihs’ final thesis at Bauhaus-University in Weimar, Germany, the can-style casing contains a dismembered Wiimote coupled to a nozzle button. It can be used to manipulate an on-screen virtual spraycan, with different paints and color options that are controlled by realistic graffiti movements.
Leaving it tucked in among the various models of Eee, ASUS has also brought this full-sized notebook prototype to Computex. While at first glance it seems to be notable for its impressively deep forehead, the reason for the blocky brow is a built-in pico projector that can be used for impromptu presentations. The projector unit swivels to fold flat with the notebook screen for transport.
Not much detail as yet on this one, but ostensibly it appears to be a prototype or reference design for a UMPC with a 3D screen. The display panel itself apparently can be used without needing special glasses, and is the collaborative product of Masterimage and KDC, of whom Telson are an affiliate. As for the device itself, it’s based on a 1.2GHz VIA C7-M processor and running Windows XP on 512MB of RAM.
AMD know better than to launch a new processor without a few slick prototypes to demonstrate it with, and the most eye-catching at Computex has been this dinky UMPC. Specifications are believed to include a 7-inch touchscreen running at 1024 x 600 and the AMD Turion X2 Ultra 64 with 1GB RAM. Storage is courtesy of either a 60GB or 80GB hard-drive, while connectivity includes two USB (plus a mini-USB port), audio in/out and VGA out.
Check out the demo video of the device after the cut
Synaptics – who are behind the trackpads found on many notebook computers – have announced the general OEM/ODM availability of their proximity sensors, which up until now have only been available in Microsoft’s Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 Bluetooth Keyboard. The technology recognises user presence and can be linked to controls, backlights and other functionality; in the Microsoft keyboard, for instance, the system goes into standby mode automatically when the user moves away, saving battery life. Synaptics have created a new digital photo frame, with proximity-controlled touch-sensitive buttons, to demonstrate possible applications.
JP
