Texas Instruments brings sci-fi tech to life with DLP (hands-on video)

Posted on 11/02/2013 by Myriam Joire

We've come across a number of DLP-based pico projectors over the years and while these products are getting smaller, brighter and higher resolution, it's the integration with other devices that's really captured our imagination. Samsung's Galaxy Beam, which we reviewed last year, merges a 15-lumen nHD (640x360) DLP-based pico projector with a Galaxy S Advance. More recently at CES 2013, Texas Instruments announced its new Tilt & Roll Pixel chip architecture and demoed a handful of other DLP-equipped products live on our stage, including 3M's Streaming Projector and Smart Devices' U7 tablet.

Gallery: Texas Instruments DLP tech hands-on

Gallery: SmartDevices U7 tablet hands-on

The company recently invited us to play with some of these devices and to show us other applications in areas such as 3D printing, 3D scanning, optical research, medical imaging and even automotive. Some of this DLP-equipped tech, like the Interactive Center Console, shows where we're headed in the near future -- other products, like Christie's VeinViewer Flex, exist today but remind us of something right out of science-fiction. Take a look at our galleries below, then join us after the break for our hands-on video and more info on these devices.

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Tablets, Transportation, Science, Mobile, Samsung

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China Mobile says over 60 million TD-SCDMA devices sold in 2012, aiming for twice as many this year

Posted on 23/01/2013 by Richard Lai

At today's Qualcomm QRD Summit in Shenzhen, China Mobile sent its Deputy General Manager of Products Wang Hengjiang to share some hardware stats. In 2012, over 60 million TD-SCDMA devices were sold, with December alone pumping out over seven million units. To put that into perspective, there are now over 220 million 3G phone users in China (as of end of November), meaning the carrier still has plenty of catching up to do as it had a late start in the 3G game. That said, Wang also announced that China Mobile aims to sell twice as many TD-SCDMA devices this year, with smartphones expected to take up over 80 percent of that segment -- hardly a challenge considering they already reached 94.4 percent in the last quarter. Wang added that out of the 120 million units to be sold this year, half of them will be customized by China Mobile -- presumably so that it can choose its own bloatware, right?

As for TD-LTE, China Mobile expects its 4G technology to bloom in China some time between 2014 and 2015, as it continues to help the development of devices that natively support five modes (GSM, TD-SCDMA, UMTS, FD-LTE and TD-LTE) along with 10 to 12 bands. Obviously this is the very reason why China Mobile is getting cosy with Qualcomm, the company who has SoCs that support all these radios. Wang added that ahead of the full launch of TD-LTE, his company will be initiating user trials for TD-LTE data devices and phones throughout 2013 -- the first half of the year for the former, and the second half for the latter. Well, we only have three words for China Mobile: hurry up already!

Gallery: China Mobile says over 60 million TD-SCDMA devices sold in 2012, aiming for twice as many this year

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

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ZTE U956 poses for pics, said to offer a 5-inch 720p screen, quad-core CPU

Posted on 17/01/2013 by Deepak Dhingra

ZTE's no stranger to phones that provide more bang for your buck, so it's hardly surprising to see evidence of a new mid-range phablet from the Chinese outfit. The leaked images may not point towards another world first, but the U956 apparently runs Android 4.1.2 and is rumored to pack a 5-inch, 1,280 x 720 display and a quad-core MediaTek MT6589 SoC. There's also support for China's TD-SCDMA networks, while an 8-megapixel camera joins some China Mobile branding on the back. Some specifications are still missing, but if the pricing is as low as expected, the smartphone could likely be an option for penny-pinchers who can't afford its designer cousin.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: PhoneArena, GizChina

Source: Sina Weibo

ZTE readying 5.7-inch P945 smartphone, 9mm thick, quad-core processor, 720p display

Posted on 04/01/2013 by Mat Smith

ZTE may be warming up more than one phone for tech writers making their way to CES this weekend. Alongside the company's top-drawer Nubia Z5, Unwired View has spotted yet another phone and this one measures in at 5.7 inches. Currently going under the moniker P945, the screen resolution has apparently 720p (unlike the 5-inch 1080p display found on the Nubia device) while there's an unnamed quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz doing the heavy lifting. A 3,000mAh battery should (hopefully) be able to power that screen for a decent amount of time, with a front-facing 1-megapixel sensor paired with a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera for your imaging needs. This particular phone has China Mobile livery along the bottom edge and according to the leak, it should arrive over in Asia around the end of Q1 this year.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: Unwired View

ZTE Grand Era LTE launches in Hong Kong with dual-mode LTE (video)

Posted on 18/12/2012 by Jon Fingas

LTE technology is usually divided into two distinct camps, FDD-LTE and TD-LTE, that might as well exist in two different worlds: own a device using one and you can't access the other. ZTE is bringing some harmony to 4G through the Grand Era LTE. The smartphone can connect to both LTE formats on China Mobile Hong Kong's newly dual-mode network, keeping locals in the high-speed zone no matter which 4G format is available. As our friends at Engadget Chinese discovered in a hands-on, however, it's not quite seamless at this stage. Subscribers have to reboot to switch networks, and the Hong Kong take on TD-LTE access doesn't upload as quickly as its FDD counterpart. Even with those bubbles burst, the Grand Era LTE is still a solid phone in its own right, touting a 4.5-inch 720p screen, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and ZTE's relatively light Mifavor interface sitting on top of Android 4.0. Check our video after the break to get a taste of the phone and the network -- although the clip is in Cantonese, the results are universal.

Continue reading ZTE Grand Era LTE launches in Hong Kong with dual-mode LTE (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Via: Engadget Chinese

Source: ZTE

HTC 8X, 8S and Butterfly to reach China in mid-December

Posted on 07/12/2012 by Jon Fingas

HTC isn't going to let Nokia keep the Chinese limelight for long: the phone maker has just launched three variants of its late 2012 flagship phones for China's mainland, all of which should reach local stores by mid-December. Those looking for sheer brawn will want the Butterfly. While it's ultimately a slight variant on the J Butterfly (Droid DNA to Americans) that should reach China Unicom, the 1080p smartphone should come to the country in rarer brown and white hues alongside the black we've already seen in the US. Localized models of the Windows Phone 8X and 8S are similarly inbound, but their aces in the hole should be sheer ubiquity -- variants are on the way for WCDMA (China Unicom), CDMA2000 (China Telecom) and TD-SCDMA (China Mobile) networks. We don't immediately have pricing for the two Windows Phone 8 handsets, but the Butterfly should cost a suitably large ¥4,799 ($771) contract-free.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

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Via: Engadget Chinese (translated)

Source: HTC (translated), Sina Weibo (translated)

China Mobile head says conflicting technology is only partly why it doesn’t carry the iPhone

Posted on 05/12/2012 by Daniel Cooper

Apple's smartphone world tour has always skipped past China Mobile and its 700 million-plus subscribers. The network uses the incompatible TD-SCDMA wireless standard and it's been generally presumed that Cupertino wouldn't follow Nokia's example and produce a custom handset just for this partner. However, China Mobile president Li Yue has revealed that he has been in talks with Cupertino since 2009, with negotiations becoming "more intimate" last year. Despite Apple's apparent willingness to co-operate, that's not the only sabot in the machinery. When asked, Yue said:

"technology is a problem, but it isn't the entire problem, there's also mainly the issue of business model and mutual benefits."

Which could be taken to mean that it's more a case of financial wrangling around revenue sharing and carrier subsidy than it is about modem chips. Maybe that's what happens when you have two companies, both used to getting their own way, but we wouldn't count on seeing iPhone 5T any time soon.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

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Via: Engadget Chinese (Translated), Unwired View

Source: C114 (Translated)

Nokia Lumia 920T for China Mobile brings TD-SCDMA to Windows Phone

Posted on 05/12/2012 by Myriam Joire

Nokia just announced plans to launch a TD-SCDMA version of its Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 flagship. The handset, designated Lumia 920T, will be available on China Mobile by the end of the year for RMB 4599 (about $739) in a choice of four colors (black, white, yellow and red). It's the first Windows Phone to support the country's TD-SCDMA standard and the first Windows Phone 8 device available in China.

Spec-wise, the Lumia 920T is almost identical to its western sibling. Other than packing a different radio, it features the same 4.5-inch 1280x768-pixel PureMotion HD+ display, optically image-stabilized 8.7-megapixel f/2.0 Carl Zeiss autofocus camera, and 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor (plus 1GB RAM). There's no word on storage capacity, but the handset presumably matches the original with 32GB on board.

The Lumia 920T integrates with local Internet services such as Sina, Sohu, Tencent, Baidu and Renren and provides access to both the Chinese Marketplace (50,000 apps) and Mobile Market (China Mobile's app store). It also offers NFC deals on location-based service Jiepang (in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou). Furthermore, Nokia and Air China are making wireless chargers available in VIP lounges at Beijing airport. Hit the break for the full PR.

Continue reading Nokia Lumia 920T for China Mobile brings TD-SCDMA to Windows Phone

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia

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Oppo’s Ulike 2 boasts 5MP front camera, clearly made for self-portrait addicts like you

Posted on 20/11/2012 by Richard Lai

Hold up! Oppo's not quite done with teasing just yet for the day. The company's Sina Weibo account has quietly announced the Ulike 2, a white 4.5-inch phone designed with ladies in mind: not only does it have a common eight-megapixel main camera on the back, but there's also a staggering five-megapixel front-facing imager with beautification features (like face slimming, skin whitening, skin smoothing and more) to keep the self-portrait addicts busy. Other specs include a gapless 960 x 540 LCD (with 2.2mm-thick bezel), 1GB RAM, 16GB built-in storage, micro-SIM slot, a 2,020mAh battery, and TD-SCDMA radio for China Mobile's network. There's no telling how much this Android 4.0 phone will hurt your wallet, nor is there any official information on the underlying processor, but we shall find out when it hits the Chinese market on December 19th, if not at the Find 5's launch event on the 12th.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: Oppo

Lenovo’s upcoming five-inch 1080p phone to feature dual-SIM connectivity

Posted on 17/11/2012 by Richard Lai

By now you should already know that HTC, Sharp and Oppo share a common theme: 1080p display on their five-inch phones. As it turns out, Lenovo also wants in on the VIP list. Spotted on Sina Weibo earlier this week (but have since been deleted) are the above three screenshots showing off Lenovo's customized Android UI in 1080p glory. As with many phones in China these days, the device in question supports dual-SIM connectivity -- the screenshots indicate that it's connected to China Telecom's CDMA2000 network and China Mobile's 2G network simultaneously.

Our own source wouldn't directly confirm that it's a five-inch display on this mysterious phone, but we were told that it'll be somewhere between 4.5 inches and 5.5 inches -- we'll take that as a yes, especially since the only 1080p mobile panels available right now are the five-inch, 440ppi ones from Sharp and JDI. Our source also said the phone's entered DVT (Design Verification Test) phase for some time, so it might not be long before we hear an official announcement in China. As always, stay tuned.

Gallery: Lenovo's upcoming five-inch 1080p phone to feature dual-SIM connectivity