News tagged ‘gyroscope’

This Wednesday HP announced its three new webOS-based devices - the TouchPad tablet and two smartphones named Pre 3 and Veer. Before they were unveiled general manager and senior vice president for the Palm Global Business Unit at HP Jon Rubistein told that the company is at the beginning of new epoch.

"Today we're embarking on a new era of webOS with the goal of linking a wide family of HP products through the best mobile experience available. The flexibility of the webOS platform makes it ideal for creating a range of innovative devices that work together to keep you better connected to your world."

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Engadget have posed a very interesting comparison table of the most interesting tablets that are known today. Have a look at specifications for HP TouchPad, Apple iPad, Motorola Xoom and BlackBerry PlayBook. Unfortunately there is no Apple iPad 2 in this table, becasue iPad 2 specs are all just rumors for now.

HP TouchPad

Apple iPad

Motorola Xoom

BlackBerry PlayBook

Last week we reported that the next iPad will be equipped with a gyroscope, a Retina Display and USB ports and it’s very likely will get FaceTime capabilities with a front-facing camera. Unfortunately, there is no mention of how many megapixels the cameras might be. So, resent rumor claims that Apple already selected the camera lens maker for the iPad 2.  As expected, such suppler might be the Taiwanese company called Largan Precision. Largan reportedly supplies 5-megapixel lenses for the iPhone 4. It’s also unknown whether the company was selected to ship a VGA front-facing camera, a higher resolution rear one or both.

The Chinese Economy Daily News reports that the Apple's next generation iPad will add 5 distinct new features, including:

• Video phone
• Better mobility
• USB port
• New display technology
• 3-axis gyroscope

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This week Acer revealed that it's going to ship two Android-based tablets in April 2011, and one Windows 7 tablet in February 2011.

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CNet shows the new iPod Touch 4th generation and compares it with other iPod Touches and iPhones.

The good: The fourth generation of Apple's iPod Touch offers nothing but improvements, including an HD camcorder, front-facing camera, integrated microphone, FaceTime video calling, Retina Display, gyroscope sensor, and a slimmer, lighter design.

The bad: Photo quality doesn't hold up to the iPhone 4's; there's no GPS, and no option for 3G data service.

The bottom line: The iPod Touch is the best iPod yet, offering all the fun of the iPhone experience without a carrier contract or monthly bill.

Watch the video:

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A new lawsuit takes aim at the accelerometer- and gyroscope-powered abilities of Apple's iPhone 4, alleging that the interactive, three-dimensional input methods are in violation of a U.S. patent. The lawsuit, filed this week by Triton Tech of Texas, names both Apple and Nintendo as defendants. Triton is the owner of U.S. Patent No. 5,181,181, entitled "Computer Apparatus Input Device for Three-Dimensional Information."

That patent describes a handheld device that includes multiple accelerometers and angular rate sensors for detecting positioning and motion. By interpreting acceleration, velocity and relative position of the device, it can allow users to interact with a computer or other device with six degrees of motion in a three-dimensional space.

Triton's lawsuit only specifically singles out the iPhone 4 from Apple as an infringing device, though it implies that other devices could be in violation. Apple's iPod touch and iPad also include accelerometers that are used for input.

According to UBM TechInsights, Apple had been testing an InvenSense gyroscope in its iPad prototypes, but final version of the next-gen iPad will use a component from STMicroelectronics, which is also used in the iPhone 4. The company's product manager Steve Bitton wonders why there is no gyroscope in the current iPad.

“It seemed strange at the time that a product like the iPad would have been designed to not include a gyroscope but an iPhone 4 that was being designed at around the same time would”.

Moreover, Bitton disassembled an iPad and found an empty space where gyroscope exactly fits. And if InvenSense unit requires 24 pads, STMicro L3G4200D unit needs only 16 pads and is already used in the iPhone 4, so it obviously will be easier for Apple to use a component, which is also already supported by an iOS4.

"Apple probably chose to wait until the next iteration of the iPad to introduce gyroscope capabilities [and plans] to use [the] ST Micro’s L3G4200D to reduce the amount of [software] development required”.

According to Brazilian resource MacMagazine, Apple will introduce new iPod lineup on the event that will take place either Aug. 16 (Monday) or 17 (Tuesday). As you may know, traditionally Apple holds this event in September.

The publication reveals that a new iPod touch will be announced and it will have front-facing and rear (with flash) cameras and gyroscope.

Since the event is music and media-centric, Apple may also introduce new versions of its apps. According to another report, this time from a French site Mac4ever, the company will introduce 64-bit versions of iPhoto, iWeb GarageBand and another mystery application that will became a part of a package.

John Lewis from Electricpig.co.uk received new rumors from his suppliers about next-gen iPod touch. Here is a list of innovations that will be likely added to the new device:

• FaceTime support;
• 5-megapixel camera;
• front-facing camera;
• LED flash;
• Ability to capture video in HD;
• support for iOS4;
• gyroscope (to be precisely, he said the device "will also offer the same movement sensors as the iPhone 4").

As we see, new iPod touch will be pretty much the same as the new iPhone (but without phone functions, of course). The new device will be probably presented on the next Apple's music event in September.

When Gizmodo showed new iPhone's prototype most of us stopped expecting from Jobs anything shocking on WWDC 2010. But he amazed us, and not only with new display's resolution, FaceTime function and 802.11n support, but also with gyroscope. Many developers instantly realized - this is a new breakthrough.

While conventional accelerometer measures linear acceleration as a change of direction apart a change in velocity, a gyroscope measures angular acceleration, or in other words, a change in both direction and velocity at the same time. Thus the device can sense its rotation while ignoring hand jitters and linear movements, which is impossible for accelerometer.

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We know how the new iPhone 4 compares to the iPhone 3GS. Now it is time to size it against its fiercest competitors from all the major platforms. Take a look at the results against the HTC EVO 4G, Nokia N8, Palm Pre Plus and HTC HD2:

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So iPhone 4 is finally unveiled and what do we have in it? Here is a list of hardware upgrades:

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Thanks to Engadget we now have a spec comparison between the iPhone 4 and the older model iPhone 3GS.

iPhone 4

iPhone 3GS

The US Patent Office today published two Apple patent filings that reveal the company having researched a unique head-tracking display technology designed to replicate the theater experience. A head-mounted display with head-tracking technology intended to reduce viewer fatigue and disorientation by simulating a theater or other viewing environment.

The wearer of the device can pick a seat in the fake theater and then manipulate the image, zoom in and out, and look around thanks to an accelerometer and gyroscope built into the goggles.

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