http://phys.org/electronics-news/consumer-gadgets/ en-us Phys.Org provides the latest news on consumer electronics, electronic gadgets and electronics. Facebook hopes to release its own smartphone by next year, as the newly public social networking giant looks to boost its revenue in the mobile Internet market, the New York Times reported Monday. http://phys.org/news257448153.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 28 May 2012 18:22:44 EST news257448153 (Phys.org) -- Headline after headline talks about vendors’ tablets in the wings as likely number-one contenders for the iPad. Such claims have justifiably been taken with a grain of salt, considering iPad’s continued market success. This week, though, leaked specs on the Dell latitude 10.are convincing many to claims that this may be the one to shake things up in the tablet space. The Dell Latitude 10 will have a 10.1-inch display, HD capacitive and multi-touch screen at 1366 x 768 resolution. As per Neowin, this will be a Dell Latitude 10 Windows 8 tablet. Microsoft is expected to launch its Windows 8 operating system late 2012, and some reports bet on October. http://phys.org/news257274293.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Sat, 26 May 2012 18:05:08 EST news257274293 The sixth-generation iPhone is expected to have a larger screen, and several iOS developers say they would receive that change with a warm welcome. http://phys.org/news257075234.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 24 May 2012 11:00:01 EST news257075234 It seems there is a new crop of Android phones every few months, which is great if you're in the market for a new phone. http://phys.org/news256464978.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 17 May 2012 10:50:01 EST news256464978 (Phys.org) -- "Can you hear me? You’re dying? Oh, you're drying. Are you talking into your phone?" While smartphones continue with noisy attempts to deliver stunning visuals and entertaining apps, the fundamental problem of hearing a phone caller properly remains a less strident but universal pain. Kyocera, for one, is a company that wants to be a hero in commercializing smartphones with improved sound quality. This week, Kyocera is introducing smartphones in Japan that carry its special bone conduction system technology. http://phys.org/news256451170.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 17 May 2012 05:26:24 EST news256451170 South Korea's LG Electronics on Thursday unveiled a new version of its Optimus smartphone with greater memory and a more powerful battery, in an attempt to catch up with its rivals. http://phys.org/news256450218.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 17 May 2012 05:10:40 EST news256450218 Apple Retina displays are reportedly already in the supply channel for the rumored redesigned MacBook Pros, but they are not going to come cheap. http://phys.org/news256411844.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 16 May 2012 20:30:02 EST news256411844 Apple has begun preparing to launch an iPhone with a larger screen than its previous models, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. http://phys.org/news256399944.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 16 May 2012 15:13:03 EST news256399944 Leading Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo on Wednesday unveiled its first smart phone specially designed for elderly users, as the company bids to tap into an ageing consumer population. http://phys.org/news256394100.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 16 May 2012 13:35:04 EST news256394100 Japanese technology titan NEC has unveiled a gadget that allows users to control their TV, mobile phone or tablet computer using a virtual input device. http://phys.org/news256363885.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 16 May 2012 05:15:14 EST news256363885 Panasonic Corporation announced today it will start shipment of its 65-inch "Interactive Plasma Display" (TH-65PB1), incorporated with electronic pen functions, in Japan, the U.S., and Europe at the end of June, followed by other parts of the globe for the use of professionals. Panasonic also plans to commercialize an 85-inch model, the size of a standard whiteboard, and the world's largest 103-inch model by the end of this year. The TH-65PB1 and an 85-inch prototype will be exhibited at the Educational IT Solutions EXPO to be held from May 16 in Tokyo. http://phys.org/news256289413.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 15 May 2012 08:30:20 EST news256289413 (Phys.org) -- So what's a hot new Galaxy S3 smartphone doing with a PenTile AMOLED display like this? That is a question that surprised developers and smartphone blog sites earlier this month when Samsung announced in London its new Galaxy S3 with a 4.8-inch 720p resolution display that uses a PenTile subpixel layout. Expectations were that the Galaxy S3 would carry another type of upgraded display The PenTile design had drawn disappointed reviews when it had earlier appeared on the Galaxy Nexus phone. This week, however, a Samsung spokesperson stepped forward to explain why PenTile was still chosen: Samsung wants the S3 phone displays to last longer. http://phys.org/news256227814.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 14 May 2012 16:00:06 EST news256227814 Asus' new Transformer Pad TF300 is among the first of a new class of convertible devices that are heading toward store shelves. http://phys.org/news255954509.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Fri, 11 May 2012 11:28:44 EST news255954509 South Korea's Samsung Electronics on Thursday unveiled its new-generation premium television as global manufacturers seek to drive slowing sales with lucrative models. http://phys.org/news255872013.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 10 May 2012 12:33:41 EST news255872013 Microsoft began testing whether a pricing strategy that has been a hit with smartphones will invigorate sales of its Xbox 360 videogame consoles. http://phys.org/news255669591.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 08 May 2012 04:40:01 EST news255669591 (AP) -- It looks just like iRobot's Roomba vacuuming machine, except the new circular roaming vacuum cleaner from Sharp Corp. is trilingual, and even knows a hip humorous dialect. http://phys.org/news255668937.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 08 May 2012 04:09:38 EST news255668937 South Korea's Samsung Electronics unveiled its latest flagship smartphone at a London launch as it seeks to cement its position as the world's best-selling mobile phone maker. http://phys.org/news255279557.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 03 May 2012 19:00:01 EST news255279557 Apple's iPad outmuscled its Android-powered tablet computer rivals in early 2012, in a global market suffering from post-holiday hangover, a survey showed Thursday. http://phys.org/news255274288.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 03 May 2012 17:40:01 EST news255274288 (AP) -- Research in Motion Ltd. says future BlackBerry models will still offer physical keyboards. http://phys.org/news255258323.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 03 May 2012 11:40:02 EST news255258323 (AP) -- Target Corp. says it's phasing out Amazon.com Inc.'s e-reader Kindle at its more than 1,700 stores and its website. http://phys.org/news255186434.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 02 May 2012 14:07:24 EST news255186434 Mobile technology is opening new channels for remotely monitoring family members and others who need to be tracked. http://phys.org/news255164052.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 02 May 2012 09:30:02 EST news255164052 Research In Motion (RIM) on Tuesday unveiled a revamped BlackBerry platform that discards the smartphone's trademark keyboard to embrace apps, touchscreens and other trendy features. http://phys.org/news255102321.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 01 May 2012 14:45:35 EST news255102321 (Phys.org) -- Japanese robot designer Hiroshi Ishiguro is fast becoming a sort of roboticist for the people, in Japan anyway. Instead of terminator style robots meant to do a lot of serious work or to serve on the battlefield, his robots are soft and cushy, cute and perhaps a little smooshy. He’s also created a robot in his own image. Now he’s introducing something he calls the Hugvie, a robot that looks sort of like a generic mono-legged human baby, or perhaps a doll with no eyes, fingers or toes. It serves as the medium through which people converse in a new way using a smartphone. While holding, or pressing the Hugvie against the face, it vibrates slightly at the same frequency as the voice on the other end, adding another degree of intimacy to the conversation. At least that’s the idea. http://phys.org/news255079095.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 01 May 2012 09:10:01 EST news255079095 Jawbone began rolling out an even louder version of its portable wireless speakers, which have caught fire among smartphone and tablet users. http://phys.org/news255055382.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 01 May 2012 02:10:01 EST news255055382 (AP) -- Barnes & Noble Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are teaming up to create a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary that will house the digital and college businesses of the bookseller and include a Nook application for Windows 8. http://phys.org/news254990620.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:47:40 EST news254990620 Now that you've got a high-definition TV, you may want to start saving up for a super-high-definition one. http://phys.org/news254671309.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:02:15 EST news254671309 Twenty-two-month-old George sits on a tiny blue chair, at a baby-sized desk, playing with a grown-up toy -- an iPad, sign of a powerful trend that has set alarm bells ringing among child development experts. http://phys.org/news254637596.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:40:10 EST news254637596 Skype made its debut Tuesday on PlayStation Vita, making its leading Internet video or voice calling service available on Sony's sophisticated videogame handset. http://phys.org/news254496772.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:50:01 EST news254496772 (AP) -- Apple generates more gossip than the Kardashians. http://phys.org/news254071016.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:50:01 EST news254071016 Apple said Monday it would start marketing its new iPad on Friday in South Korea and 11 other countries, and the hot-selling tablet would be available in more than 50 countries by the end of the month. http://phys.org/news253798528.html Electronics - Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:35:39 EST news253798528