Tech start-up BryteWerks LLC announces the launch of a product line poised to establish a new category of intelligent, hybrid media centers based on an advanced high-definition digital projector platform. The BryteWerks Model One line of Intel Core CPU-based digital projectors merge state-of-the-industry computer, digital, and optical technologies with superior connectivity capabilities and innovative industrial design into a cost-effective and intuitive multimedia control and exhibition powerhouse.
Designed for either consumer or professional applications, the BryteWerks Model One line delivers exhibition-quality 16:10 widescreen 1920x1200 resolution , through a LCD Native WUXGA panel. The projectors also feature an ultra-high brightness of 6,000 - 11,000 lumens, a 1000:1 True Contrast Ratio, and a 1:1 throw of 1 foot to 50 feet, making them the very best, all-purpose digital projectors in their class. Internally, the BryteWerks Model One projectors feature , a fully-integrated Intel Core i3 to i7 HTPC CPU, a full featured, slot-loaded Blu-ray player, up to 2 terabytes of internal storage, including a 500 gigabyte Solid State Drive, unequaled connectivity options, and a custom version of XBMC, an open source media organization and playback application, making the Model One a revolutionary and unsurpassed media center.
Ease-of-operation in any application was paramount in the design criteria for the BryteWerks Model One. Highly intuitive and non-linear system and content management (including the ability to operate numerous BryteWerks projectors and connected devices simultaneously), is controlled from the 720p 8.9-inch touch panel display on the back of the projector, a provided RF remote control, or the free XBMC remote app for Android and iOS devices, as well as existing Wifi & Bluetooth devices – from keyboards to smartphones to tablets - already on the market.
The BryteWerks Model One Projector offers the ability to build a professional cinema experience effortlessly, seamlessly and transparently in any environment or application without playback interruption. Operational features, to name only a few, include customized media playlist creation, variable frame rate control up to 60 fps, pre-rendered transitions, and independent control of ‘connected devices’ and/or daisy-chained BryteWerks projectors (or a combination of the two). Professional post-production applications include editing, visual effects creation and color grading. The open-source Python-based XBMC offers infinite feature and plug-in development allowing users infinite customization options.
Connectivity via 802.11n Wifi, Bluetooth and gigabit Ethernet provides seamless two-way communication with other BryteWerks projectors, as well as a wide variety of other peripherals, including, but not limited to, gaming devices, flatscreen displays, external hard drives, computers, handheld smart devices, and digital video and signal processing and routing equipment. The unique power and I/O interface, which also features dual USB and HDMI ports, 5.1 individual analog surround sound outputs and AC power, is a fully-upgradeable, patent-pending cable management system that conceals all cable interfaces in the projector's Mag-Snap feet.
The ultra-wide 105 mm adjustable prime lens provides greater picture fidelity and a brighter image with less optical distortion. The 1:1 Lens Throw Ratio eliminates the need for a lens throw calculator, thereby reducing set-up time in both an Imperial and Metric environment. Aftermarket lenses can adjust the projector’s throw to any size screen in any size room or theater. Optical Keystone Correction of +/- 20 degrees vertical is distortion-free with no interpolated or cropped pixels - common with digital keystone correction – and provides a more accurate picture.
The open source, industry standard Metal Halide lamp allows the user the choice of replacement bulbs from multiple inexpensive vendors, thereby reducing long term operating costs. Bulb replacement is fast and easy, without the need for tools, by simply releasing the Model One’s magnetically-latched lid and unscrewing the bulb from the projector’s light engine.
The Model One uses the BryteWerks proprietary AirHeart airflow management system consisting of multiple chambers with discreet fans and plenums that result in superior cooling at an ultra quiet operating noise level as low as 27dB .
The sleek and sophisticated black aluminum and steel enclosure, built on a robust aluminum chassis, is only 17-inches cubed, weighs only 28 pounds, and is devoid of mechanical buttons. In addition, the forward compatibility design criteria allows for simple and inexpensive future data and power management upgrades, resulting in a long and low-cost operational lifespan. The BryteWerks Model One product line is backed by a standard 1-year warranty against manufacturer’s defects, which can be upgraded to an unlimited 3-year warranty.
The BryteWerks Model One is a dazzling and sophisticated centerpiece for a home theater as well as a rugged, if not bulletproof, ultra-reliable tool in a performing arts center, museum, church, indie film theater, corporate boardroom, military applications or AV rental inventory.
2011年12月28日 星期三
Optoma HD8300
You don't have to look any further than the $4,499 list price to know that the Optoma HD8300 is aimed at serious videophiles rather than typical consumers. In fact, it's sold primarily by the sort of custom dealer who will normally install and calibrate the projector for you, if not build your entire home theater. If that's the class of projector you're looking for, the HD8300 is easily up to job, with great-looking images in both 2D and 3D at up to 1080p resolution.
Not too surprisingly, the HD8300 shares some important features with the Optoma HD33 ($1,500, 4 stars) that I recently reviewed. In particular it offers a similar frame interpolation feature to eliminate judder—the slightly jerky motion that's built into filmed content because of the standard 24 frame per second speed for film. It also shares the HD33's 3D support for both DLP-link glass and RF glasses, which are currently less common.
As with the HD33, the HD8300's DLP-Link support is built into the projector. The RF support uses an external RF emitter that comes with the projector and plugs into its VESA 3D port. The advantage for RF glasses is that you don't have to maintain a line of sight connection to keep the glasses synched for 3D, which means you won't lose sync if you look away from the screen for a moment. Note too that the projector doesn't come with any glasses, so whichever kind you want, you'll have to buy them separately, at $100 each for the rechargeable Optoma models.
Because it's worth it
Of course, at roughly three times the price, you would expect the HD8300 to deliver some significant advantages over the HD33 as well, and it does. Among other features, it offers a 1.5x manual zoom to give you far more flexibility in how far you can put the projector from the screen for a given size image. It also offers both vertical and horizontal lens shift, so you can shift the image up, down, left, and right without moving the projector.
Optoma says the vertical shift is plus or minus 65% from the midpoint, and the horizontal shift is less than plus or minus 10% from the midpoint. That's less than with some other projectors, like the somewhat less expensive Sony VPL-HW30ES ($3,700 street, 4 stars) or the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 8350 ($1299 direct, 4 stars), for example, but it's enough to be helpful.
A much more important advantage for the HD8300 over the HD33 is that it has still less of a rainbow effect. Rainbow artifacts, with light areas breaking up into little red-green-blue rainbows, are a potential issue for any single-chip DLP projector, because of the way the technology creates colors, showing each primary color in sequence, rather that showing them all at once.
When I reviewed the HD33, I pointed out that I saw rainbow artifacts with it less often than with most DLP projectors. I saw them even less often with the HD8300. I'd still rather have a projector that doesn't show rainbow artifacts at all, but unless you—or someone you regularly watch with—are extremely sensitive to seeing the rainbow effect (as I am), you probably won't see them with the HD8300.
Setup and Brightness
Setup isn't much of an issue, given that the dealer is likely to be doing it for you. Even so, it's worth knowing that this is a relatively big projector, at 7.6 by 14.6 by 19.3 inches (HWD), and it offers a fairly typical set of connectors, including two HDMI ports for video sources or a computer, a VGA port for a computer or component video, three phono plugs for component video, and a composite video port. As is common with home theater projectors, there are no audio ports, and no audio system.
Optoma rates the projector in its brightest mode at 1,500 lumens. That would make it far too bright for the size screen you're most likely to have in the projector's natural home, which is a traditional home theater setup with theater-dark lighting. With that in mind, the default lamp setting uses the lowest brightness for the lamp, which Optoma calls the standard setting. And, as is typical with projectors, the Cinema mode setting is noticeably dimmer than the brightest mode.
With these default settings, the projector offers the appropriate brightness for the 78-inch wide image (90-inch diagonal at 1080p) that we generally use for testing. For a larger screen, or for a room with ambient light, you can switch to a brighter setting.
Our 2D tests include both DVDs upscaled to 1080p and Blu-ray discs. The HD8300 showed just a hint of posterization (shading changing suddenly where it should change gradually) in one scene that many projectors have problems with, but if I weren't looking for it, I might not have noticed. In every other scene, and in every other way, the image quality was excellent. The projector did a good job with color, skin tones, shadow detail (maintaining details based on shading in dark areas), and maintaining details in bright areas. I also saw little to no noise.
As I already noted, the projector scored remarkably better than most DLP projectors for rainbow artifacts. I saw them in black and white footage in night scenes, but hardly at all otherwise. It's unlikely that even those who are sensitive to seeing the artifacts will find them objectionable.
Optoma's PureMotion feature, the frame interpolation that I mentioned earlier, worked as promised to remove judder. As with the same feature in the HD33 and the equivalent MotionFlow feature in the Sony VPL-HW30ES, however, it also adds artifacts in its highest setting that I find distracting. I found the lowest setting in all three projectors to be the best compromise, and I found the low setting in the two Optoma projectors more watchable than the low setting for the VPL-HW30ES. However, this is a matter of personal taste, and you may feel differently.
You may even want to turn the feature off altogether. Adding the interpolated frames gives movies much the same look and feel as live video. Some people, including me, find that the improvement just doesn't look right, a reaction that can make it hard to ignore how the image looks and simply watch the movie.
The HD8300 also did well on 3D tests. It offers HDMI 1.4a ports so you can show 3D from a Blu-ray player, cable, FIOS, or equivalent source without needing a video converter. More important, with both 3D Blu-ray discs and a direct connection to FIOS, the HD8300 delivered good image quality and I saw only an occasional hint of crosstalk (the blurriness, or ghost image, that shows when the frame meant for one eye leaks through to the other eye as well.)
Ultimately, the Optoma HD8300 gets high marks and an enthusiastic recommendation, but with an important hedge. If you see rainbow artifacts easily, you might find them all the more annoying after spending this much on a projector. In that case, you might prefer an alternative, like the Sony VPL-HW30ES, which is based on a technology that can't show rainbow artifacts. But for those who aren't sensitive to the effect, or don't mind seeing an occasional rainbow, the enthusiastic recommendation stands.
Not too surprisingly, the HD8300 shares some important features with the Optoma HD33 ($1,500, 4 stars) that I recently reviewed. In particular it offers a similar frame interpolation feature to eliminate judder—the slightly jerky motion that's built into filmed content because of the standard 24 frame per second speed for film. It also shares the HD33's 3D support for both DLP-link glass and RF glasses, which are currently less common.
As with the HD33, the HD8300's DLP-Link support is built into the projector. The RF support uses an external RF emitter that comes with the projector and plugs into its VESA 3D port. The advantage for RF glasses is that you don't have to maintain a line of sight connection to keep the glasses synched for 3D, which means you won't lose sync if you look away from the screen for a moment. Note too that the projector doesn't come with any glasses, so whichever kind you want, you'll have to buy them separately, at $100 each for the rechargeable Optoma models.
Because it's worth it
Of course, at roughly three times the price, you would expect the HD8300 to deliver some significant advantages over the HD33 as well, and it does. Among other features, it offers a 1.5x manual zoom to give you far more flexibility in how far you can put the projector from the screen for a given size image. It also offers both vertical and horizontal lens shift, so you can shift the image up, down, left, and right without moving the projector.
Optoma says the vertical shift is plus or minus 65% from the midpoint, and the horizontal shift is less than plus or minus 10% from the midpoint. That's less than with some other projectors, like the somewhat less expensive Sony VPL-HW30ES ($3,700 street, 4 stars) or the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 8350 ($1299 direct, 4 stars), for example, but it's enough to be helpful.
A much more important advantage for the HD8300 over the HD33 is that it has still less of a rainbow effect. Rainbow artifacts, with light areas breaking up into little red-green-blue rainbows, are a potential issue for any single-chip DLP projector, because of the way the technology creates colors, showing each primary color in sequence, rather that showing them all at once.
When I reviewed the HD33, I pointed out that I saw rainbow artifacts with it less often than with most DLP projectors. I saw them even less often with the HD8300. I'd still rather have a projector that doesn't show rainbow artifacts at all, but unless you—or someone you regularly watch with—are extremely sensitive to seeing the rainbow effect (as I am), you probably won't see them with the HD8300.
Setup and Brightness
Setup isn't much of an issue, given that the dealer is likely to be doing it for you. Even so, it's worth knowing that this is a relatively big projector, at 7.6 by 14.6 by 19.3 inches (HWD), and it offers a fairly typical set of connectors, including two HDMI ports for video sources or a computer, a VGA port for a computer or component video, three phono plugs for component video, and a composite video port. As is common with home theater projectors, there are no audio ports, and no audio system.
Optoma rates the projector in its brightest mode at 1,500 lumens. That would make it far too bright for the size screen you're most likely to have in the projector's natural home, which is a traditional home theater setup with theater-dark lighting. With that in mind, the default lamp setting uses the lowest brightness for the lamp, which Optoma calls the standard setting. And, as is typical with projectors, the Cinema mode setting is noticeably dimmer than the brightest mode.
With these default settings, the projector offers the appropriate brightness for the 78-inch wide image (90-inch diagonal at 1080p) that we generally use for testing. For a larger screen, or for a room with ambient light, you can switch to a brighter setting.
Our 2D tests include both DVDs upscaled to 1080p and Blu-ray discs. The HD8300 showed just a hint of posterization (shading changing suddenly where it should change gradually) in one scene that many projectors have problems with, but if I weren't looking for it, I might not have noticed. In every other scene, and in every other way, the image quality was excellent. The projector did a good job with color, skin tones, shadow detail (maintaining details based on shading in dark areas), and maintaining details in bright areas. I also saw little to no noise.
As I already noted, the projector scored remarkably better than most DLP projectors for rainbow artifacts. I saw them in black and white footage in night scenes, but hardly at all otherwise. It's unlikely that even those who are sensitive to seeing the artifacts will find them objectionable.
Optoma's PureMotion feature, the frame interpolation that I mentioned earlier, worked as promised to remove judder. As with the same feature in the HD33 and the equivalent MotionFlow feature in the Sony VPL-HW30ES, however, it also adds artifacts in its highest setting that I find distracting. I found the lowest setting in all three projectors to be the best compromise, and I found the low setting in the two Optoma projectors more watchable than the low setting for the VPL-HW30ES. However, this is a matter of personal taste, and you may feel differently.
You may even want to turn the feature off altogether. Adding the interpolated frames gives movies much the same look and feel as live video. Some people, including me, find that the improvement just doesn't look right, a reaction that can make it hard to ignore how the image looks and simply watch the movie.
The HD8300 also did well on 3D tests. It offers HDMI 1.4a ports so you can show 3D from a Blu-ray player, cable, FIOS, or equivalent source without needing a video converter. More important, with both 3D Blu-ray discs and a direct connection to FIOS, the HD8300 delivered good image quality and I saw only an occasional hint of crosstalk (the blurriness, or ghost image, that shows when the frame meant for one eye leaks through to the other eye as well.)
Ultimately, the Optoma HD8300 gets high marks and an enthusiastic recommendation, but with an important hedge. If you see rainbow artifacts easily, you might find them all the more annoying after spending this much on a projector. In that case, you might prefer an alternative, like the Sony VPL-HW30ES, which is based on a technology that can't show rainbow artifacts. But for those who aren't sensitive to the effect, or don't mind seeing an occasional rainbow, the enthusiastic recommendation stands.
2011年12月27日 星期二
The gentleman hacker's 1903 lulz
A century ago, one of the world’s first hackers used Morse code insults to disrupt a public demo of Marconi's wireless telegraph
LATE one June afternoon in 1903 a hush fell across an expectant audience in the Royal Institution's celebrated lecture theatre in London. Before the crowd, the physicist John Ambrose Fleming was adjusting arcane apparatus as he prepared to demonstrate an emerging technological wonder: a long-range wireless communication system developed by his boss, the Italian radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi. The aim was to showcase publicly for the first time that Morse code messages could be sent wirelessly over long distances. Around 300 miles away, Marconi was preparing to send a signal to London from a clifftop station in Poldhu, Cornwall, UK.
Yet before the demonstration could begin, the apparatus in the lecture theatre began to tap out a message. At first, it spelled out just one word repeated over and over. Then it changed into a facetious poem accusing Marconi of "diddling the public". Their demonstration had been hacked - and this was more than 100 years before the mischief playing out on the internet today. Who was the Royal Institution hacker? How did the cheeky messages get there? And why?
It had all started in 1887 when Heinrich Hertz proved the existence of the electromagnetic waves predicted by James Clerk Maxwell in 1865. Discharging a capacitor into two separated electrodes, Hertz ionised the air in the gap between them, creating a spark. Miraculously, another spark zipped between two electrodes a few metres away: an electromagnetic wave from the first spark had induced a current between the second electrode pair. It meant long and short bursts of energy - "Hertzian waves" - could be broadcast to represent the dots and dashes of Morse code. Wireless telegraphy was born, and Marconi and his company were at the vanguard. Marconi claimed that his wireless messages could be sent privately over great distances. "I can tune my instruments so that no other instrument that is not similarly tuned can tap my messages," Marconi boasted to London's St James Gazette in February 1903.
That things would not go smoothly for Marconi and Fleming at the Royal Institution that day in June was soon apparent. Minutes before Fleming was due to receive Marconi's Morse messages from Cornwall, the hush was broken by a rhythmic ticking noise sputtering from the theatre's brass projection lantern, used to display the lecturer's slides. To the untrained ear, it sounded like a projector on the blink. But Arthur Blok, Fleming's assistant, quickly recognised the tippity-tap of a human hand keying a message in Morse. Someone, Blok reasoned, was beaming powerful wireless pulses into the theatre and they were strong enough to interfere with the projector's electric arc discharge lamp.
Mentally decoding the missive, Blok realised it was spelling one facetious word, over and over: "Rats". A glance at the output of the nearby Morse printer confirmed this. The incoming Morse then got more personal, mocking Marconi: "There was a young fellow of Italy, who diddled the public quite prettily," it trilled. Further rude epithets - apposite lines from Shakespeare - followed.
The stream of invective ceased moments before Marconi's signals from Poldhu arrived. The demo continued, but the damage was done: if somebody could intrude on the wireless frequency in such a way, it was clearly nowhere near as secure as Marconi claimed. And it was likely that they could eavesdrop on supposedly private messages too.
Marconi would have been peeved, to say the least, but he did not respond directly to the insults in public. He had no truck with sceptics and naysayers: "I will not demonstrate to any man who throws doubt upon the system," he said at the time. Fleming, however, fired off a fuming letter to The Times of London. He dubbed the hack "scientific hooliganism", and "an outrage against the traditions of the Royal Institution". He asked the newspaper's readers to help him find the culprit.
He didn't have to wait long. Four days later a gleeful letter confessing to the hack was printed by The Times. The writer justified his actions on the grounds of the security holes it revealed for the public good. Its author was Nevil Maskelyne, a mustachioed 39-year-old British music hall magician. Maskelyne came from an inventive family - his father came up with the coin-activated "spend-a-penny" locks in pay toilets. Maskelyne, however, was more interested in wireless technology, so taught himself the principles. He would use Morse code in "mind-reading" magic tricks to secretly communicate with a stooge. He worked out how to use a spark-gap transmitter to remotely ignite gunpowder. And in 1900, Maskelyne sent wireless messages between a ground station and a balloon 10 miles away. But, as author Sungook Hong relates in the book Wireless, his ambitions were frustrated by Marconi's broad patents, leaving him embittered towards the Italian. Maskelyne would soon find a way to vent his spleen.
LATE one June afternoon in 1903 a hush fell across an expectant audience in the Royal Institution's celebrated lecture theatre in London. Before the crowd, the physicist John Ambrose Fleming was adjusting arcane apparatus as he prepared to demonstrate an emerging technological wonder: a long-range wireless communication system developed by his boss, the Italian radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi. The aim was to showcase publicly for the first time that Morse code messages could be sent wirelessly over long distances. Around 300 miles away, Marconi was preparing to send a signal to London from a clifftop station in Poldhu, Cornwall, UK.
Yet before the demonstration could begin, the apparatus in the lecture theatre began to tap out a message. At first, it spelled out just one word repeated over and over. Then it changed into a facetious poem accusing Marconi of "diddling the public". Their demonstration had been hacked - and this was more than 100 years before the mischief playing out on the internet today. Who was the Royal Institution hacker? How did the cheeky messages get there? And why?
It had all started in 1887 when Heinrich Hertz proved the existence of the electromagnetic waves predicted by James Clerk Maxwell in 1865. Discharging a capacitor into two separated electrodes, Hertz ionised the air in the gap between them, creating a spark. Miraculously, another spark zipped between two electrodes a few metres away: an electromagnetic wave from the first spark had induced a current between the second electrode pair. It meant long and short bursts of energy - "Hertzian waves" - could be broadcast to represent the dots and dashes of Morse code. Wireless telegraphy was born, and Marconi and his company were at the vanguard. Marconi claimed that his wireless messages could be sent privately over great distances. "I can tune my instruments so that no other instrument that is not similarly tuned can tap my messages," Marconi boasted to London's St James Gazette in February 1903.
That things would not go smoothly for Marconi and Fleming at the Royal Institution that day in June was soon apparent. Minutes before Fleming was due to receive Marconi's Morse messages from Cornwall, the hush was broken by a rhythmic ticking noise sputtering from the theatre's brass projection lantern, used to display the lecturer's slides. To the untrained ear, it sounded like a projector on the blink. But Arthur Blok, Fleming's assistant, quickly recognised the tippity-tap of a human hand keying a message in Morse. Someone, Blok reasoned, was beaming powerful wireless pulses into the theatre and they were strong enough to interfere with the projector's electric arc discharge lamp.
Mentally decoding the missive, Blok realised it was spelling one facetious word, over and over: "Rats". A glance at the output of the nearby Morse printer confirmed this. The incoming Morse then got more personal, mocking Marconi: "There was a young fellow of Italy, who diddled the public quite prettily," it trilled. Further rude epithets - apposite lines from Shakespeare - followed.
The stream of invective ceased moments before Marconi's signals from Poldhu arrived. The demo continued, but the damage was done: if somebody could intrude on the wireless frequency in such a way, it was clearly nowhere near as secure as Marconi claimed. And it was likely that they could eavesdrop on supposedly private messages too.
Marconi would have been peeved, to say the least, but he did not respond directly to the insults in public. He had no truck with sceptics and naysayers: "I will not demonstrate to any man who throws doubt upon the system," he said at the time. Fleming, however, fired off a fuming letter to The Times of London. He dubbed the hack "scientific hooliganism", and "an outrage against the traditions of the Royal Institution". He asked the newspaper's readers to help him find the culprit.
He didn't have to wait long. Four days later a gleeful letter confessing to the hack was printed by The Times. The writer justified his actions on the grounds of the security holes it revealed for the public good. Its author was Nevil Maskelyne, a mustachioed 39-year-old British music hall magician. Maskelyne came from an inventive family - his father came up with the coin-activated "spend-a-penny" locks in pay toilets. Maskelyne, however, was more interested in wireless technology, so taught himself the principles. He would use Morse code in "mind-reading" magic tricks to secretly communicate with a stooge. He worked out how to use a spark-gap transmitter to remotely ignite gunpowder. And in 1900, Maskelyne sent wireless messages between a ground station and a balloon 10 miles away. But, as author Sungook Hong relates in the book Wireless, his ambitions were frustrated by Marconi's broad patents, leaving him embittered towards the Italian. Maskelyne would soon find a way to vent his spleen.
2011年12月26日 星期一
Your very handy entertainment buddy
Have you noticed that the price of watching a movie in movie houses is getting higher and higher? Sometimes, you just wish that you can bring the movie house and take it anywhere you like and watch movies to your heart’s content, especially if it’s with your family or loved ones. It’s like having your own entertainment buddy who’s always with you wherever you go.
Well, there is a bring-anywhere entertainment buddy right now courtesy of Acer’s C110 Pico travel series projector that offers exceptional performance regardless of content and in practically any type of environment. Its ultra lightweight and compact package (at 175g) promises extreme mobility but not cringing on providing brilliance in projecting movies or photos or just about any type of media despite its diminutive size.
The Acer C110 Pico projector also boasts of super convenient and advanced features that guarantees usability, provides you with flexibility in your presentations and even eco-friendliness.
Though smaller than most projectors, the power of the Acer C110 Pico projector lies in its 2000:1 high contrast ratio and 50 ANSI Lumens brightness that provides excellent image quality and comes in handy for your digital entertainment needs. Even for commercial viewing purposes, the Acer C110 Pico projector can hold its own against bigger and more powerful projector models.
The LED lamp of the Acer C110 Pico projector is also one of the plus factors that contribute to its popularity. Among the benefits of having an LED lamp is that being smaller in size offers design flexibility and the longer life span also helps reduce cost to deliver an always-available light source.
The Instant on/off capability of the Acer C110 Pico projector, meanwhile, means you can use the projector in less than 15 seconds after powering on, and there’s also no need for a cooling period to turn it off. For the mobile, always-on-the-go cyberprofessional shuttling in-between meetings, this means you can just turn off the projector, pack it in your bag and leave immediately. It’s that quick!
In terms of color benefits, an LED lamp, with a wide color gamut, offers better color saturation that is perceived as brighter by the human eye. An LED lamp also has high durability since there are no breakable filaments or tubes and no hazardous mercury vapor or halogen gases, which makes it more environment-friendly.
Another interesting feature of the Acer C110 Pico projector that sets it above the rest is the display over USB feature, which allows images to be displayed as soon as a USB cable is attached to connect the projector to a PC. This means you don’t need a power adapter anymore since the USB cable is the one that provides power to the projector. What more can you ask for from a projector that’s this ultra-mobile?
And to sweeten the pot further, as they say, Acer, one of the world’s most trusted PC manufacturers, throws in interesting optional accessories like the Acer foldable screen for brilliant presentations anywhere you are.
It’s simply a 26-inch screen that is perfect for small group viewings—or even movie marathons at home with your family in your room during lazy weekends. The foldable screen provides increased brilliance as it doubles the reflectivity of standard projection screens. And just like the Acer C110 Pico projector, it’s easy to pack in—just fold up to magazine size, slip into your bag and its’ ready for the next presentation.
Who would have thought that projectors can now be this small and can practically fit in your jacket pocket? Only from Acer, an acknowledged leader in IT innovation.
Well, there is a bring-anywhere entertainment buddy right now courtesy of Acer’s C110 Pico travel series projector that offers exceptional performance regardless of content and in practically any type of environment. Its ultra lightweight and compact package (at 175g) promises extreme mobility but not cringing on providing brilliance in projecting movies or photos or just about any type of media despite its diminutive size.
The Acer C110 Pico projector also boasts of super convenient and advanced features that guarantees usability, provides you with flexibility in your presentations and even eco-friendliness.
Though smaller than most projectors, the power of the Acer C110 Pico projector lies in its 2000:1 high contrast ratio and 50 ANSI Lumens brightness that provides excellent image quality and comes in handy for your digital entertainment needs. Even for commercial viewing purposes, the Acer C110 Pico projector can hold its own against bigger and more powerful projector models.
The LED lamp of the Acer C110 Pico projector is also one of the plus factors that contribute to its popularity. Among the benefits of having an LED lamp is that being smaller in size offers design flexibility and the longer life span also helps reduce cost to deliver an always-available light source.
The Instant on/off capability of the Acer C110 Pico projector, meanwhile, means you can use the projector in less than 15 seconds after powering on, and there’s also no need for a cooling period to turn it off. For the mobile, always-on-the-go cyberprofessional shuttling in-between meetings, this means you can just turn off the projector, pack it in your bag and leave immediately. It’s that quick!
In terms of color benefits, an LED lamp, with a wide color gamut, offers better color saturation that is perceived as brighter by the human eye. An LED lamp also has high durability since there are no breakable filaments or tubes and no hazardous mercury vapor or halogen gases, which makes it more environment-friendly.
Another interesting feature of the Acer C110 Pico projector that sets it above the rest is the display over USB feature, which allows images to be displayed as soon as a USB cable is attached to connect the projector to a PC. This means you don’t need a power adapter anymore since the USB cable is the one that provides power to the projector. What more can you ask for from a projector that’s this ultra-mobile?
And to sweeten the pot further, as they say, Acer, one of the world’s most trusted PC manufacturers, throws in interesting optional accessories like the Acer foldable screen for brilliant presentations anywhere you are.
It’s simply a 26-inch screen that is perfect for small group viewings—or even movie marathons at home with your family in your room during lazy weekends. The foldable screen provides increased brilliance as it doubles the reflectivity of standard projection screens. And just like the Acer C110 Pico projector, it’s easy to pack in—just fold up to magazine size, slip into your bag and its’ ready for the next presentation.
Who would have thought that projectors can now be this small and can practically fit in your jacket pocket? Only from Acer, an acknowledged leader in IT innovation.
2011年12月25日 星期日
Epson EH-TW6000 review
Epson’s stunning EH-TW6000 looks very similar to the Epson EH-TW5900. Both have a glossy plastic case and aggressive-looking vents, but one costs more than the other, and comes with a brighter 2,200-lumen lamp and higher claimed contrast ratio.
An otherwise identical model with a built-in wireless HDMI receiver is also available, called the EH-TW6000W (pictured here). The idea is to make installation even easier, so you connect the wireless HDMI transmitter box to an HDMI output such as your A/V receiver and there’s no need to rout any cables (except power) to the projector. In our testing, we found that the transmitter needed an uninterrupted line of sight to the projector to send a crisp image – anything less and we saw pixellation or no signal at all, even just 6ft away. Because of this we'd recommend buying from a retailer with a good returns policy so you can test it out in your own home.
Another reason for the higher price is the pair of active shutter 3D glasses in the box. This means you can start watching 3D content straight away if you have a 3D Blu-ray player or other compatible hardware. That’s good news as the EH-TW6000W is one of the best active shutter 3D projectors we’ve seen. There was next to no screen flicker and colours remained vibrant. There was an inevitable lack of brightness, but we would have watched each of our test 3D movies all the way through, given the time.
In 2D mode, colours were bright and warm, although slightly muted at the default settings. There was virtually no pixellation, often a hallmark of LCD projectors, and images looked incredibly sharp. Contrast was good, although black levels still left a little to be desired – darker scenes looked grey rather than black, which we couldn’t fix by tweaking settings.
Image quality settings are comprehensive, with multiple picture modes, user presets and manual control over brightness, colour, contrast and sharpness. There are also advanced noise reduction, skin tone and keystone settings for even further tweaking.
The lens has the same horizontal keystone slider as the EH-TW5900 - so you can angle the projector diagonally across the room at the wall or screen and then adjust the image back to flat. This is no substitute for proper lens shift, which is sadly absent, even at this price. Virtually everything else can be adjusted via the remote control, which has a handy backlight for when you’re sat in the dark.
Like the TW5900, the TW6000 has a decent pair of integrated speakers. Music and speech sounded clear and there was even some bass, but it’s no competition for a dedicated speaker system. There are plenty of ports on the back of the unit, including component, VGA, S-Video and two HDMI ports.
Overall, the EH-TW6000 isn’t drastically different from its cheaper sibling. Picture quality is very similar, but the extra brightness gives the TW6000 the edge for watching 3D content. We'd recommend saving the extra cash and buying the Epson EH-TW5900 instead.
An otherwise identical model with a built-in wireless HDMI receiver is also available, called the EH-TW6000W (pictured here). The idea is to make installation even easier, so you connect the wireless HDMI transmitter box to an HDMI output such as your A/V receiver and there’s no need to rout any cables (except power) to the projector. In our testing, we found that the transmitter needed an uninterrupted line of sight to the projector to send a crisp image – anything less and we saw pixellation or no signal at all, even just 6ft away. Because of this we'd recommend buying from a retailer with a good returns policy so you can test it out in your own home.
Another reason for the higher price is the pair of active shutter 3D glasses in the box. This means you can start watching 3D content straight away if you have a 3D Blu-ray player or other compatible hardware. That’s good news as the EH-TW6000W is one of the best active shutter 3D projectors we’ve seen. There was next to no screen flicker and colours remained vibrant. There was an inevitable lack of brightness, but we would have watched each of our test 3D movies all the way through, given the time.
In 2D mode, colours were bright and warm, although slightly muted at the default settings. There was virtually no pixellation, often a hallmark of LCD projectors, and images looked incredibly sharp. Contrast was good, although black levels still left a little to be desired – darker scenes looked grey rather than black, which we couldn’t fix by tweaking settings.
Image quality settings are comprehensive, with multiple picture modes, user presets and manual control over brightness, colour, contrast and sharpness. There are also advanced noise reduction, skin tone and keystone settings for even further tweaking.
The lens has the same horizontal keystone slider as the EH-TW5900 - so you can angle the projector diagonally across the room at the wall or screen and then adjust the image back to flat. This is no substitute for proper lens shift, which is sadly absent, even at this price. Virtually everything else can be adjusted via the remote control, which has a handy backlight for when you’re sat in the dark.
Like the TW5900, the TW6000 has a decent pair of integrated speakers. Music and speech sounded clear and there was even some bass, but it’s no competition for a dedicated speaker system. There are plenty of ports on the back of the unit, including component, VGA, S-Video and two HDMI ports.
Overall, the EH-TW6000 isn’t drastically different from its cheaper sibling. Picture quality is very similar, but the extra brightness gives the TW6000 the edge for watching 3D content. We'd recommend saving the extra cash and buying the Epson EH-TW5900 instead.
2011年12月22日 星期四
Casio Announces Extended Five Year Warranty
Leading the digital projection industry with innovative and cutting-edge technology, Casio America, Inc. continues to raise the bar by extending its LASER & LED HYBRID Light Source warranty from three to five years. The improved warranty is good for five years or 10,000 hours of reliable operation – eliminating the hassle of replacing traditional mercury lamps. Based on the cost of bulb replacement, during the warranty period, professionals could save nearly as much as the cost of a new projector.
Casio is the only company offering a warranty on a light source for up to 10,000 hours, which further positions its status as the preferred provider of digital projection technology. With the cost of a replacement lamp being approximately 30% of the cost of a projector, in addition to the man hours to change out the projector bulb and the down time that occurs while the projector is not in service, this warranty is expected to be the benchmark for the future. The warranty applies to the Signature, Short Throw and Pro series of projectors.
“Extending the warranty to five years further emphasizes Casio’s assurance in the reliability of our light source and demonstrates our commitment to next generation products by setting new standards,” said Matt Mustachio, general manager of Casio’s Business Projector Division. “The increased warranty also makes the projector’s total cost of ownership even more attractive as compared to lamp-based projectors. With a Casio projector you no longer have to worry about the cost of replacing lamp bulbs for up to five years.”
Casio’s LASER & LED HYBRID Light Source utilizes a hybrid combination of Laser and LED devices as well as a fluorescent element to generate high output red, green and blue light. A DLP chip is used to form the image which is passed through the projection lens. This technology achieves an increase in color spectrum compared with a mercury lamp, while lowering the projector’s total cost of ownership and maximizing investment.
Casio is the only company offering a warranty on a light source for up to 10,000 hours, which further positions its status as the preferred provider of digital projection technology. With the cost of a replacement lamp being approximately 30% of the cost of a projector, in addition to the man hours to change out the projector bulb and the down time that occurs while the projector is not in service, this warranty is expected to be the benchmark for the future. The warranty applies to the Signature, Short Throw and Pro series of projectors.
“Extending the warranty to five years further emphasizes Casio’s assurance in the reliability of our light source and demonstrates our commitment to next generation products by setting new standards,” said Matt Mustachio, general manager of Casio’s Business Projector Division. “The increased warranty also makes the projector’s total cost of ownership even more attractive as compared to lamp-based projectors. With a Casio projector you no longer have to worry about the cost of replacing lamp bulbs for up to five years.”
Casio’s LASER & LED HYBRID Light Source utilizes a hybrid combination of Laser and LED devices as well as a fluorescent element to generate high output red, green and blue light. A DLP chip is used to form the image which is passed through the projection lens. This technology achieves an increase in color spectrum compared with a mercury lamp, while lowering the projector’s total cost of ownership and maximizing investment.
2011年12月21日 星期三
Digital Light Processing
The Dell 4210X that has Digital Light Processing (DLP) will surely make the work of its user’s shine with its DLP and the BrilliantColor technology. The Digital Light Processing Technology is especially made to render consistent and reliable image quality with a long lamp life.BrilliantColor Technology means the accuracy brightness and contrast for images that are riveting in a various lighting conditions. The 2000:1 Contrast ratio typical ensures rich, sharp image quality, deep colors and it makes the text easy to read. The cost of the printer is also reasonable.
The resolution (1024×768 pixels) of this Dell 4210X projector is so effective and is designed to provide marvelous images with dazzling picture quality and stunning color’s. As it comes with a couple of stunning technologies such as DLP & BrilliantColor, this multimedia projector makes it capable of casting images with pretty high color consistency and fidelity. It has a remarkable maximum brightness of 3500 ANSI lumens, this all new projector from Dell projects captivating, stunning and bright images from anywhere in a room.
This amazing projector comes with HDMI support and dual VGA connectors, it also offers additional connectivity options that provide easy and smooth switching between the presentation hosts delivering enhanced visual experience. The extensive connectivity options includes HDMI, S-Video, VGA & composite video that allow the amazing facility to connect electronic devices such as DVD players, set top boxes and also gaming consoles like Play stations.
This amazing Dell 4210X projector comes with a couple of 5W in built speakers, the Dell 4210X will help to further improve your presentations with stunning audio quality. Moreover, it’s also incorporated with the closed captioning facility that will provide users with hearing impairments by displaying the audio portions of a program as text on the screen, just like subtitles in movies.It’s a real surprise that this little box comes with such great features in it.Product’s from Dell undergo thorough testing for brilliant performance, durability, compatibility and reliability with Dell systems.
The resolution (1024×768 pixels) of this Dell 4210X projector is so effective and is designed to provide marvelous images with dazzling picture quality and stunning color’s. As it comes with a couple of stunning technologies such as DLP & BrilliantColor, this multimedia projector makes it capable of casting images with pretty high color consistency and fidelity. It has a remarkable maximum brightness of 3500 ANSI lumens, this all new projector from Dell projects captivating, stunning and bright images from anywhere in a room.
This amazing projector comes with HDMI support and dual VGA connectors, it also offers additional connectivity options that provide easy and smooth switching between the presentation hosts delivering enhanced visual experience. The extensive connectivity options includes HDMI, S-Video, VGA & composite video that allow the amazing facility to connect electronic devices such as DVD players, set top boxes and also gaming consoles like Play stations.
This amazing Dell 4210X projector comes with a couple of 5W in built speakers, the Dell 4210X will help to further improve your presentations with stunning audio quality. Moreover, it’s also incorporated with the closed captioning facility that will provide users with hearing impairments by displaying the audio portions of a program as text on the screen, just like subtitles in movies.It’s a real surprise that this little box comes with such great features in it.Product’s from Dell undergo thorough testing for brilliant performance, durability, compatibility and reliability with Dell systems.
2011年12月20日 星期二
Casio Announces Extended Five year Warranty
Leading the digital projection industry with innovative and cutting-edge technology, Casio America, Inc. continues to raise the bar by extending its LASER & LED HYBRID Light Source warranty from three to five years. The improved warranty is good for five years or 10,000 hours of reliable operation — eliminating the hassle of replacing traditional mercury lamps. Based on the cost of bulb replacement, during the warranty period, professionals could save nearly as much as the cost of a new projector.
Casio is the only company offering a warranty on a light source for up to 10,000 hours, which further positions its status as the preferred provider of digital projection technology. With the cost of a replacement lamp being approximately 30% of the cost of a projector, in addition to the man hours to change out the projector bulb and the down time that occurs while the projector is not in service, this warranty is expected to be the benchmark for the future. The warranty applies to the Signature, Short Throw and Pro series of projectors.
“Extending the warranty to five years further emphasizes Casio’s assurance in the reliability of our light source and demonstrates our commitment to next generation products by setting new standards,” said Matt Mustachio, general manager of Casio’s Business Projector Division. “The increased warranty also makes the projector’s total cost of ownership even more attractive as compared to lamp-based projectors. With a Casio projector you no longer have to worry about the cost of replacing lamp bulbs for up to five years.”
Casio’s LASER & LED HYBRID Light Source utilizes a hybrid combination of Laser and LED devices as well as a fluorescent element to generate high output red, green and blue light. A DLP chip is used to form the image which is passed through the projection lens. This technology achieves an increase in color spectrum compared with a mercury lamp, while lowering the projector’s total cost of ownership and maximizing investment.
Casio America, Inc., Dover, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions. Established in 1957, Casio America, Inc. markets calculators, keyboards, digital cameras, mobile presentation devices, disc title and label printers, watches, cash registers and other consumer electronic products.
Casio is the only company offering a warranty on a light source for up to 10,000 hours, which further positions its status as the preferred provider of digital projection technology. With the cost of a replacement lamp being approximately 30% of the cost of a projector, in addition to the man hours to change out the projector bulb and the down time that occurs while the projector is not in service, this warranty is expected to be the benchmark for the future. The warranty applies to the Signature, Short Throw and Pro series of projectors.
“Extending the warranty to five years further emphasizes Casio’s assurance in the reliability of our light source and demonstrates our commitment to next generation products by setting new standards,” said Matt Mustachio, general manager of Casio’s Business Projector Division. “The increased warranty also makes the projector’s total cost of ownership even more attractive as compared to lamp-based projectors. With a Casio projector you no longer have to worry about the cost of replacing lamp bulbs for up to five years.”
Casio’s LASER & LED HYBRID Light Source utilizes a hybrid combination of Laser and LED devices as well as a fluorescent element to generate high output red, green and blue light. A DLP chip is used to form the image which is passed through the projection lens. This technology achieves an increase in color spectrum compared with a mercury lamp, while lowering the projector’s total cost of ownership and maximizing investment.
Casio America, Inc., Dover, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions. Established in 1957, Casio America, Inc. markets calculators, keyboards, digital cameras, mobile presentation devices, disc title and label printers, watches, cash registers and other consumer electronic products.
2011年12月19日 星期一
Projector Lamps
Projector lamps are used as the light source in projecting devices. For example; a movie projector is a device for displaying moving pictures, and this is achieved by projecting them onto a large screen which is usually set at some given distance from the movie projector. These types of projectors are known as opto-mechanical devices.
A projector lamp has a wide range of applications, not only used for presentations in business units and educational institutions, but also it can use in movie or home theaters.
Projector lamps are classified into three types, namely overhead, slide, and multimedia Projector lamps. To day, there are many different types of devices and projectors which most of them will usually require some type of light source.
The size and shape of projector lamps and bulbs vary enormously due to the huge range and types of projecting equipment that is available in the market today. A bulb that is suited to the old type movie projector will be very different from the lamps that are required to fit into a rear television television and they have a very different function.
The lamps may be installed by a specialist or in many cases installed by the projector owner or operator. While placing a lamp or bulb, make sure the screws or bolts of the terminals are not too tight as theses can break the ceramic part and damage the isolation of the lamp. However if they are not tight enough, they can cause too big a charge on the ballast causing it to break.
Always make sure the bulb is well housed in its cartridge. There may be a tendency to stop at the first sign of resistance. Continue applying pressure on the base of the bulb until it is well fixed within the cartridge.
Whatever the type of projector lamps that you used, after a certain point of time it will start to dim and die out and it is time to replace with the new one.
A projector lamp has a wide range of applications, not only used for presentations in business units and educational institutions, but also it can use in movie or home theaters.
Projector lamps are classified into three types, namely overhead, slide, and multimedia Projector lamps. To day, there are many different types of devices and projectors which most of them will usually require some type of light source.
The size and shape of projector lamps and bulbs vary enormously due to the huge range and types of projecting equipment that is available in the market today. A bulb that is suited to the old type movie projector will be very different from the lamps that are required to fit into a rear television television and they have a very different function.
The lamps may be installed by a specialist or in many cases installed by the projector owner or operator. While placing a lamp or bulb, make sure the screws or bolts of the terminals are not too tight as theses can break the ceramic part and damage the isolation of the lamp. However if they are not tight enough, they can cause too big a charge on the ballast causing it to break.
Always make sure the bulb is well housed in its cartridge. There may be a tendency to stop at the first sign of resistance. Continue applying pressure on the base of the bulb until it is well fixed within the cartridge.
Whatever the type of projector lamps that you used, after a certain point of time it will start to dim and die out and it is time to replace with the new one.
2011年12月18日 星期日
Find fun with fortified Fortuner
The Fortuner owns the moment with a muscular yet stylish presence. Its newly-designed bumpers, radiator grille, headlamps and rear combination lamps create a striking new look that is further complemented by 17" alloy wheels, colour-coded exterior mirrors (electrically adjustable with integrated indicators), a chrome rear door garnish and a rear spoile with a high-mount stop lamp. HID (High Intensity Discharge) headlamps optimise visibility and keep riders safe on the road.
Additionally, the car is equipped with two airbags for driver and passenger, as well as many other advanced features.
Fortified with 2.7litre engine, four-speed automatic transmission, Fortuner, according to Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) was introduced due to increasing demands from customers across the country.
Though there are other Sports Utility Vehicles under the umbrella of TNL, the new Fortuner, is expected to win more loyalists because of its “bold, stylish and stable disposition.”
Unveiling the SUV in Lagos last week, TNL Managing Director Mr Chandra Thampy said the car is designed and reinforced for the Nigerian terrain.
Thampy boasted that the company would not leave anything stone unturned in its quest to meet customers taste and demand.
“We are happy to launch this new product for our customers, who have continually asked for quality products from us. The new Toyota Fortuner is specifically built for Nigerian roads and our terrain. You will recall that we recently launched 2012 Toyota Camry into the market,” he said.
Stating that the car is from the Middle East, Thampy said, it is in line with the Toyota concept of durability, quality, performance and safety.
TNL General Manager (Marketing) Mr Bayo Olawoyin said the Fortuner was developed from the Hilux.
Emphasising that the Fortuner is designed to deliver optimal performance, Olawoyin said the engines are built with the consideration of fuel economy and the environment.
“The suspension and aerodynamics have been optimised to assume excellent stability and steering feel. The exterior is rugged and aesthetically appealing and the vehicle length is 4705mm, width, 1840mm and height is 1795mm,” he said.
According to him, the Fortuner like every other Toyota product has been designed to ensure low engine noise.
“It comes in a 2.7 litre engine, which operates silently without noise with four speed automatic transmissions, four cylinders in line with twin Cam 16valve,” he said.
The Fortuner delivers a rich lineup of features that guarantee passenger comfort. It is equipped with ABS brakes, interior chrome finish, dual zone A/C (front and rear), folding electric mirrors, parking sensors, remote power door locks, audio steering controls, and Ipod AUX.
A high-class look is presented by using a three-dimensional design of substantial volume that matches the form of the license plate. The vehicle’s name logo is placed in the center of the garnish, fostering a clear rearview impression.
The design is changed to create an intergrated look by smoothing the transition between body and bumper. The bottom edge of the bumper is streched out to both edge, and the central section, which is inward-slanting on both sides, is given a three-dimensional form, to emphasize a look that expresses the powerfulness of an SUV
Newly adopted body-colored outer mirrrors with side turns signal lamps accentuate the high-class look.
The redesigned aluminium side step is equipped with a black plastic cover, emphasizing the intrepid look. The cover surface is grooved to precent slipping, in consideration of running the vehicle in heavy weather and on muddy groud.
By combining alternate spokes if different shape, a novel and refined design has been created.
In addition to the straight-line-themed sharp form, the use of a lamp configuration giving a sense of depth, and the cylindrical-shaped projector lamp located centrally on the vehicle, convey a high-class, advanced look. HID headlamps with auto-leveling function are also available.
While assimilating the boldly carved- out, inverted trapezoid theme, the design is modified to bring out prestige and refinement.
The distinctive rear combination lamps sport two sets of round graphics. The complete lamp is changed to a clear lens configuration, giving a more clear-cut impression and advanced look.
Additionally, the car is equipped with two airbags for driver and passenger, as well as many other advanced features.
Fortified with 2.7litre engine, four-speed automatic transmission, Fortuner, according to Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) was introduced due to increasing demands from customers across the country.
Though there are other Sports Utility Vehicles under the umbrella of TNL, the new Fortuner, is expected to win more loyalists because of its “bold, stylish and stable disposition.”
Unveiling the SUV in Lagos last week, TNL Managing Director Mr Chandra Thampy said the car is designed and reinforced for the Nigerian terrain.
Thampy boasted that the company would not leave anything stone unturned in its quest to meet customers taste and demand.
“We are happy to launch this new product for our customers, who have continually asked for quality products from us. The new Toyota Fortuner is specifically built for Nigerian roads and our terrain. You will recall that we recently launched 2012 Toyota Camry into the market,” he said.
Stating that the car is from the Middle East, Thampy said, it is in line with the Toyota concept of durability, quality, performance and safety.
TNL General Manager (Marketing) Mr Bayo Olawoyin said the Fortuner was developed from the Hilux.
Emphasising that the Fortuner is designed to deliver optimal performance, Olawoyin said the engines are built with the consideration of fuel economy and the environment.
“The suspension and aerodynamics have been optimised to assume excellent stability and steering feel. The exterior is rugged and aesthetically appealing and the vehicle length is 4705mm, width, 1840mm and height is 1795mm,” he said.
According to him, the Fortuner like every other Toyota product has been designed to ensure low engine noise.
“It comes in a 2.7 litre engine, which operates silently without noise with four speed automatic transmissions, four cylinders in line with twin Cam 16valve,” he said.
The Fortuner delivers a rich lineup of features that guarantee passenger comfort. It is equipped with ABS brakes, interior chrome finish, dual zone A/C (front and rear), folding electric mirrors, parking sensors, remote power door locks, audio steering controls, and Ipod AUX.
A high-class look is presented by using a three-dimensional design of substantial volume that matches the form of the license plate. The vehicle’s name logo is placed in the center of the garnish, fostering a clear rearview impression.
The design is changed to create an intergrated look by smoothing the transition between body and bumper. The bottom edge of the bumper is streched out to both edge, and the central section, which is inward-slanting on both sides, is given a three-dimensional form, to emphasize a look that expresses the powerfulness of an SUV
Newly adopted body-colored outer mirrrors with side turns signal lamps accentuate the high-class look.
The redesigned aluminium side step is equipped with a black plastic cover, emphasizing the intrepid look. The cover surface is grooved to precent slipping, in consideration of running the vehicle in heavy weather and on muddy groud.
By combining alternate spokes if different shape, a novel and refined design has been created.
In addition to the straight-line-themed sharp form, the use of a lamp configuration giving a sense of depth, and the cylindrical-shaped projector lamp located centrally on the vehicle, convey a high-class, advanced look. HID headlamps with auto-leveling function are also available.
While assimilating the boldly carved- out, inverted trapezoid theme, the design is modified to bring out prestige and refinement.
The distinctive rear combination lamps sport two sets of round graphics. The complete lamp is changed to a clear lens configuration, giving a more clear-cut impression and advanced look.
2011年12月15日 星期四
Portable mini projector launched by FAVI
FAVI Entertainment has launched a new portable mini projector, designed to display images and video files on the go.
The RioHd-LED-4, weighs less than a pound and its size makes it ideal for business travel and home entertainment, according to the manufacturers.
The gadget, which works particularly well when paired with Apple devices, offers a number of connectivity options, including Apple Airplay which allows wireless projection from an iPad 2 or an iPhone 4s. However, there is also the option to use a standard HDMI port to boost compatibility with laptops and other devices.
In terms of image quality, the RioHD-LED-4 is capable of playing back 1080p clear video and will work well when delivering presentations to clients or as a home entertainment projector.
Jeremy Yakel, president of the FAVI, commented: “Ideal for both businesses and home theatres, our new RioHD-LED-4 boasts a number of improvements over its predecessor such as support for HDMI and iOS devices.
“The unit's LED lamp promises a quick start-up and lamp life of 30,000 hours. Furthermore, the RioHD-LED-4 is included in our new FAVI Projector Package for Apple AirPlay which enables users to wirelessly project images and videos from iPads and iPhones.”
The RioHd-LED-4, weighs less than a pound and its size makes it ideal for business travel and home entertainment, according to the manufacturers.
The gadget, which works particularly well when paired with Apple devices, offers a number of connectivity options, including Apple Airplay which allows wireless projection from an iPad 2 or an iPhone 4s. However, there is also the option to use a standard HDMI port to boost compatibility with laptops and other devices.
In terms of image quality, the RioHD-LED-4 is capable of playing back 1080p clear video and will work well when delivering presentations to clients or as a home entertainment projector.
Jeremy Yakel, president of the FAVI, commented: “Ideal for both businesses and home theatres, our new RioHD-LED-4 boasts a number of improvements over its predecessor such as support for HDMI and iOS devices.
“The unit's LED lamp promises a quick start-up and lamp life of 30,000 hours. Furthermore, the RioHD-LED-4 is included in our new FAVI Projector Package for Apple AirPlay which enables users to wirelessly project images and videos from iPads and iPhones.”
2011年12月14日 星期三
InFocus IN114
The InFocus IN114 ($399 direct) is a capable data projector that can be had at a very low price. There are plenty of projectors out there with higher resolution, better image quality, and/or more features, but the IN114 costs less than most, is highly portable, and is fine for basic business presentations
The IN114 uses a DLP light engine rated at 2,700 lumens. It has a native XGA (1,024 by 768) resolution, a 4:3 aspect ratio befitting data presentations. The projector, black with rounded corners, measures 2.8 by 11.8 by 9.2 inches and weighs 4.8 pounds, making it very easy to tote around. It has a focus wheel and a zoom wheel, each accessible from above the lens. In back there are two VGA-in ports for connecting to multiple computers; VGA-out for connecting to a monitor; RS232; S-Video; a yellow RCA composite video jack; audio-in and audio-out jacks; and a USB mini-B port that you can plug into your computer. It lacks a USB type A port that would let you run a computer-free presentation off a USB thumb drive.
The IN114’s projecting distance was somewhat longer than with most projectors I’ve looked at; I needed about nine feet to fill our test screen with a 60-inch diagonal image on our test screen at the highest zoom setting.
In testing with the DisplayMate suite, the InFocus IN114’s data image quality was fair. Light gray tones often showed greenish tints, while white areas sometimes looked slightly yellowish. Gray areas with a hatched or moiré pattern looked distinctly greenish. Although type was readable down to the smallest size, the smallest type was a bit blurred.
All DLP projectors are potentially subject to the rainbow effect, in which bright areas break up into their component colors when one shifts one’s gaze, or when bright objects move in the case of video. The IN114 showed an average rainbow effect for a DLP projector; it could be distracting to people who are particularly sensitive to it.
Video quality is fine for short to medium-length video clips shown as part of a presentation, though you probably wouldn’t want to watch movies with it. In our test clips, the projector did better in retaining detail in darker than in very bright scenes. There were traces of posterization, sudden shifts in color or tone where they should be gradual. The rainbow effect was visible in scenes that typically bring it out. It may or may not be an issue, depending on how sensitive your audience is.
The IN114 has a built-in 2-watt speaker, and its audio is of decent quality and volume. This projector’s lamp life is very good: 6,000 hours in eco mode, 4,500 hours in normal mode. Another plus is the 5-year limited warranty (though the lamp is only under warranty for 6 months).
Although its data and video quality are average, the InFocus IN114 does well as a budget data projector, adding features like long lamp life and a 5-year limited warrantee. It’s compact, portable, and easy to use—and you can’t beat the price. If you need better image quality and a fuller feature set, check out the NEC NP64 ($1,099, 4 stars) or the Editors’ Choice WXGA-resolution NEC NP-260W ($850 street, 4 stars), though at their price you could get two IN114s with money to spare.
The IN114 uses a DLP light engine rated at 2,700 lumens. It has a native XGA (1,024 by 768) resolution, a 4:3 aspect ratio befitting data presentations. The projector, black with rounded corners, measures 2.8 by 11.8 by 9.2 inches and weighs 4.8 pounds, making it very easy to tote around. It has a focus wheel and a zoom wheel, each accessible from above the lens. In back there are two VGA-in ports for connecting to multiple computers; VGA-out for connecting to a monitor; RS232; S-Video; a yellow RCA composite video jack; audio-in and audio-out jacks; and a USB mini-B port that you can plug into your computer. It lacks a USB type A port that would let you run a computer-free presentation off a USB thumb drive.
The IN114’s projecting distance was somewhat longer than with most projectors I’ve looked at; I needed about nine feet to fill our test screen with a 60-inch diagonal image on our test screen at the highest zoom setting.
In testing with the DisplayMate suite, the InFocus IN114’s data image quality was fair. Light gray tones often showed greenish tints, while white areas sometimes looked slightly yellowish. Gray areas with a hatched or moiré pattern looked distinctly greenish. Although type was readable down to the smallest size, the smallest type was a bit blurred.
All DLP projectors are potentially subject to the rainbow effect, in which bright areas break up into their component colors when one shifts one’s gaze, or when bright objects move in the case of video. The IN114 showed an average rainbow effect for a DLP projector; it could be distracting to people who are particularly sensitive to it.
Video quality is fine for short to medium-length video clips shown as part of a presentation, though you probably wouldn’t want to watch movies with it. In our test clips, the projector did better in retaining detail in darker than in very bright scenes. There were traces of posterization, sudden shifts in color or tone where they should be gradual. The rainbow effect was visible in scenes that typically bring it out. It may or may not be an issue, depending on how sensitive your audience is.
The IN114 has a built-in 2-watt speaker, and its audio is of decent quality and volume. This projector’s lamp life is very good: 6,000 hours in eco mode, 4,500 hours in normal mode. Another plus is the 5-year limited warranty (though the lamp is only under warranty for 6 months).
Although its data and video quality are average, the InFocus IN114 does well as a budget data projector, adding features like long lamp life and a 5-year limited warrantee. It’s compact, portable, and easy to use—and you can’t beat the price. If you need better image quality and a fuller feature set, check out the NEC NP64 ($1,099, 4 stars) or the Editors’ Choice WXGA-resolution NEC NP-260W ($850 street, 4 stars), though at their price you could get two IN114s with money to spare.
2011年12月13日 星期二
Optoma HD33 DLP 3D Home Theater Projector
While I’m largely neutral when it comes to excitement over 3D; I’m neither for nor against it. I was pretty impressed when I first learned of the price-rebel Optoma coming out with a $1,500 3D home theater projector, the HD33.
I like 3D well enough, but prefer it in a theater rather than in my living room. Even on a 55-inch TV, 3D just isn’t something to go out of my way for. That changes a lot when you’re viewing in on a 100-inch screen. Home theater projectors under $2K have been around for a couple of years, and some of those projectors perform very well, but a 3D projector at this price is something to take notice of.
So when the Optoma HD33 showed up, I opened up the box with a mix of anticipation and caution. How good could it be at this price?
First off, the HD33 is a single-chip DLP projector with a 6x color wheel and 1.2x zoom lens. It sports conservative but sufficient specifications for a budget-priced home theater projector. The limited zoom and lack of lens shift means you need to be extra careful when you make your mounting calculations. With 1,800 ANSI lumen light output, the Optoma puts out enough glow to use in partially rooms, but it’s best suited for a completely dark room if you want to get the most punch out of it. On the other hand, the similarly priced Panasonic PT-AR100U boasts 2,800 lumens, but it’s not a 3D projector. The light output issue is actually more important for a 3D projector than a 2D because the 3D glasses will reduce the amount of light that reaches your eye. That said, the HD33 does have light to spare. If you’re viewing this in a dark room, you can safely set the lamp to the standard setting without worrying about sacrificing anything (this will depend on the screen gain and size).
The Optoma lists a contrast ratio of 4,000:1, which again is conservative when viewed next to similarly-priced 2D models. It also doesn’t include an iris feature which many projectors offer to improve contrast.
On the back you get two HDMI inputs, one set of component, S-video and composite video. There’s also a 12-volt trigger, VGA, RS-232 and a port for the 3D RF emitter.
I like 3D well enough, but prefer it in a theater rather than in my living room. Even on a 55-inch TV, 3D just isn’t something to go out of my way for. That changes a lot when you’re viewing in on a 100-inch screen. Home theater projectors under $2K have been around for a couple of years, and some of those projectors perform very well, but a 3D projector at this price is something to take notice of.
So when the Optoma HD33 showed up, I opened up the box with a mix of anticipation and caution. How good could it be at this price?
First off, the HD33 is a single-chip DLP projector with a 6x color wheel and 1.2x zoom lens. It sports conservative but sufficient specifications for a budget-priced home theater projector. The limited zoom and lack of lens shift means you need to be extra careful when you make your mounting calculations. With 1,800 ANSI lumen light output, the Optoma puts out enough glow to use in partially rooms, but it’s best suited for a completely dark room if you want to get the most punch out of it. On the other hand, the similarly priced Panasonic PT-AR100U boasts 2,800 lumens, but it’s not a 3D projector. The light output issue is actually more important for a 3D projector than a 2D because the 3D glasses will reduce the amount of light that reaches your eye. That said, the HD33 does have light to spare. If you’re viewing this in a dark room, you can safely set the lamp to the standard setting without worrying about sacrificing anything (this will depend on the screen gain and size).
The Optoma lists a contrast ratio of 4,000:1, which again is conservative when viewed next to similarly-priced 2D models. It also doesn’t include an iris feature which many projectors offer to improve contrast.
On the back you get two HDMI inputs, one set of component, S-video and composite video. There’s also a 12-volt trigger, VGA, RS-232 and a port for the 3D RF emitter.
2011年12月12日 星期一
SMART Vantage Available in January for Insight into Classroom ICT Use Application
Simply by logging in to the web-based interface, educational and IT administrators can access data on SMART Board interactive whiteboard and projector use in individual classrooms, throughout schools and across entire districts or regions. This comprehensive information provides valuable insight into technology use, enabling administrators to reduce operating and maintenance costs, decrease hardware downtime and make more informed decisions about professional development opportunities.
SMART Vantage software has two modules. The Manage and Report module, which manages SMART Board interactive whiteboards and SMART projectors, will be available globally in English in January 2012. The second module Report and Integrate – manages SMART products and third-party projectors and will be released globally in Q2, 2012. SMART Vantage is the first software product from SMART to enable technology administrators to inventory and proactively manage their SMART Board interactive whiteboards and projectors.
Projector lamp life can be monitored, greatly reducing the chance that a projector will fail and disrupt lesson delivery. Using the intuitive user interface, administrators can see how many times an individual SMART Board interactive whiteboard has been touched, which applications have been used and which subject areas and grade levels are making the most effective use of the interactive whiteboard. Information on usage can then assist in ICT planning, including determining training and professional development opportunities and enabling administrators to gain the highest return on investment from their SMART purchases.
As more and more schools around the world continue to adopt ICT solutions into classrooms, administrators require tools to manage those solutions efficiently, within their budgets and also to have a comprehensive understanding of their return on investment,” says Linda Thomas, VicePresident, Products, SMART Technologies. “With the release of SMART Vantage software, educators will get instant insight into how, when and in what subject areas SMART Board interactive whiteboards are being used, helping them to make informed decisions that will support teaching and learning at all levels.”
Features Inventory Use the Manage and Report module to identify and manage SMART Board interactive whiteboards and SMART projectors. Use the Manage, Report and Integrate module to identify SMART Board interactive whiteboards that are used in conjunction with third-party projectors, and then set up automatic monitoring for these third-party projectors. Profile configuration – Assign personnel to defined administrator or report roles Power management and scheduling – Create system power schedules to automatically start systems and activate sleep mode to reduce energy consumption while not in use Projector bulb warning – Proactively manage overall projector bulb health through an e-mail notification that indicates when the projector bulb has decreased to a designated level Customized reports – Issue reports on a daily, monthly or yearly basis with the customized options that provide insight into SMART Board interactive whiteboard usage Pricing and availability The Manage and Report module will be available globally in English beginning January 2012. The Manage, Report and Integrate module will be available globally in Q2, 2012. Prices vary by country.
SMART Vantage software has two modules. The Manage and Report module, which manages SMART Board interactive whiteboards and SMART projectors, will be available globally in English in January 2012. The second module Report and Integrate – manages SMART products and third-party projectors and will be released globally in Q2, 2012. SMART Vantage is the first software product from SMART to enable technology administrators to inventory and proactively manage their SMART Board interactive whiteboards and projectors.
Projector lamp life can be monitored, greatly reducing the chance that a projector will fail and disrupt lesson delivery. Using the intuitive user interface, administrators can see how many times an individual SMART Board interactive whiteboard has been touched, which applications have been used and which subject areas and grade levels are making the most effective use of the interactive whiteboard. Information on usage can then assist in ICT planning, including determining training and professional development opportunities and enabling administrators to gain the highest return on investment from their SMART purchases.
As more and more schools around the world continue to adopt ICT solutions into classrooms, administrators require tools to manage those solutions efficiently, within their budgets and also to have a comprehensive understanding of their return on investment,” says Linda Thomas, VicePresident, Products, SMART Technologies. “With the release of SMART Vantage software, educators will get instant insight into how, when and in what subject areas SMART Board interactive whiteboards are being used, helping them to make informed decisions that will support teaching and learning at all levels.”
Features Inventory Use the Manage and Report module to identify and manage SMART Board interactive whiteboards and SMART projectors. Use the Manage, Report and Integrate module to identify SMART Board interactive whiteboards that are used in conjunction with third-party projectors, and then set up automatic monitoring for these third-party projectors. Profile configuration – Assign personnel to defined administrator or report roles Power management and scheduling – Create system power schedules to automatically start systems and activate sleep mode to reduce energy consumption while not in use Projector bulb warning – Proactively manage overall projector bulb health through an e-mail notification that indicates when the projector bulb has decreased to a designated level Customized reports – Issue reports on a daily, monthly or yearly basis with the customized options that provide insight into SMART Board interactive whiteboard usage Pricing and availability The Manage and Report module will be available globally in English beginning January 2012. The Manage, Report and Integrate module will be available globally in Q2, 2012. Prices vary by country.
2011年12月11日 星期日
X10 - Experience Report
This is a rather technical (as in: more about function than about photos) report of my experiences with the Fuji X10. Originally it was meant as a simple forum post, but I quickly reached the word limit of 6000 chars. So you might miss some nice images and more story-like writing here.
I am a beginner photographer and this is the first more or less "serious" camera I ever bought. It has to serve the following usage-cases and the jury is still out of whether to keep it or not (1 week left before I would have to return it). You won't see any photos yet.
Main purpose of buying the X10: Shoot sharp, bright and detailed enough photos of my kid(s) in often rather bad lighting condition without having to deal with the bulk of a DSLR system.
Work: Occasional shots of technical equipment that I am testing/reviewing. Should offer enough control to handle the demands of the corresponding situation (including "screenshots" of what is shown on a LCD display).
Other things: Explore possible fun of portrait, night, street, macro or whatever shooting that I find myself become interested in once I get the grip on a nice cam.
At the end of this article I will contribute my own analysis of the white disc/orb/blooming problem. While I may be a beginner photographer I literally make a living from analyzing technical issues and finding possible workarounds. And while lots of words have been lost over this issue I hope to start a more "technical" than "emotional" discussion with more profound arguments on what's going on under the hood. In the process I hope to learn a few facts and and corrections to my interpretation as well.
Even though reviews of current cameras praise their "high" dynamic range and "good high ISO noise and detail" I still find cameras' performance to be /very/ underwhelming when compared to what you see with your naked eye. To (technically) master photo-shooting seems to be mostly about working with and around the limits of cameras. Even after decades of development it's still all about worrying to get the right exposure. Knowing that these limits are a reality and that a good camera should help you get away with them I had the following reasons trying to replace phone-cams with a good "real" camera.
After one week of mixed testing in various modes I can say so much:
For me this is the most important aspect that has to be weighted against all the other points I make below: Kid photos work! I got a whole number of sharp enough low-light indoor shots that are very usable for what we want, namely looking at photos on screen (30" display, laptop display, HD projector) and printing them in photo-books at up to A4 sizes (usually smaller). Results surely best any phone-cam shots easily and also beat grandma's Samsung S850 P&S clear enough to see the benefits of a pricey (in its range) cam like the X10.
Auto Focus speed may be a problem when kids move towards you, but I have to test all the possibilities first (face detection, tracking focus, manually presetting a focus range). Using Auto EXR is a considerable problem with movement (different exposure of half of the pixels), but it's a starting point for learning how to handle the beast. Next week will show how much light and detail remains when exposure times are down to "kid is running around wildly" settings.
One drawback of the 28 mm wide angle vs. a 24 mm is that when kids come close to you indoors (like "hey, papa has that photo toy holding up again, let's go and see what it can do") you quickly run out of angle. So you often end up cutting off feet or even arms/hands from the picture when the little folks come too close. Strangely EXR Auto mode chooses Macro mode automatically while AUTO Auto mode does not (still focuses down very close though). On the other hand you cannot chose 1 cm Super Macro in EXR mode while it is available at AUTO mode.
AF in good light is fast (enough) and in low light still faster than any iPhone camera is ever going to be (even when the iPhone is helped by the X10's AF assistant light)! Comparing it to a Canon S95 and Nikon P7100 in typical fluorescent store light showed the S95 to be considerably slower and the P7100 to be somewhat slower. The most important thing for me is that I can shot kid(s) while they are sitting in one place (may still be moving wildly), but hopefully it will also work with running kids (still have to try). I also successfully shot moving kids that where thrown around by their parents during a swimming session. ;)
Autofocus reliability is something that needs to be judged by time and shots, but it can be thrown off very visibly by bright reflective non-plane surfaces where the P7100 has a little less problems (but still has). I found that decreasing focus area size (in Area mode) help to get around that simply by allowing me to easier aim for an area where no bright reflection from lighting is happening. According to a forum thread the manual warns about that and I assume it is a common problem for contrast detection based systems.
It works! I'd have to do serious testing to tell how many stops you can win by using IS, but I can get sharp enough handheld shots with little available lighting, fully zoomed in at F2.8 and 1/4 s exposure time. Sure, with such a long exposure time most shots are not going to be sharp, but they are sharper than without IS. Most important: some shots are sharp and overall all shots are consistently sharper than without IS.
As I will most often do handheld shots under low lighting conditions (except for sometimes using the rather weak flash) this is a very welcome addition. Sure I'd like it to work even better, but "working" is better than not available at all.
Coming from phone-cameras and P&S every detail coming from the X10 is a big step foward, so I may lack comparison with what other quality systems can offer. That being said, I saw plenty of shots from beginner's DSLR cams in various reviews over the last few years (couldn't decide to jump on the DSLR train) and what I'm seeing from the X10 seems to cope well. Noise is visibly present with higher ISOs but upto 1600 ISO enough detail is preserved to enable good looking crops. Even ISO 3200 seems usable enough, especially since the general noise pattern seem to be more luminance than chroma heavy. I like some luminance (aka gritty) grain in dark shots, so it's a welcome tendency.
The fast lense really helps to get better shots in AUTO modes and a lot more creative/technical options once you know how to handle the beast. Being that fast wide open allows to keep ISO down (aka details up) and that a beginner like me can get away with doing crops until he knows how to compose properly. And even a seasoned photographer will always enjoy the options. That the lense remains fast at tele means that you can zoom in for better detail instead of losing detail due to having to use much higher ISOs.
A wide range of ISO settings fortunately helps to deal with all these situations by somewhat intelligently chosing in-between steps. The X10 offers ISOs 100, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600, 2000, 2500 and 3200 for both AUTO ISO and manual settings. And seeing that on the X10 ISO noise seems to increase quite linearly (also shown by some review site) it's comfortable to know that the camera has these in-between steps at its disposal. Higher than ISO 3200 is done by interpolation (=smaller picture size) and I still have to try if there is any usefulness with these.
Having a fast lense and usable high ISO available again can be important for doing kids shots as it allows to use faster exposure times. I rather take a somewhat grainy but otherwise sharp picture of a moving kid than getting no usable picture at all. And when I zoom in to take a portrait of my son's stunning eyes I very much appreciate the protected detail.
I am a beginner photographer and this is the first more or less "serious" camera I ever bought. It has to serve the following usage-cases and the jury is still out of whether to keep it or not (1 week left before I would have to return it). You won't see any photos yet.
Main purpose of buying the X10: Shoot sharp, bright and detailed enough photos of my kid(s) in often rather bad lighting condition without having to deal with the bulk of a DSLR system.
Work: Occasional shots of technical equipment that I am testing/reviewing. Should offer enough control to handle the demands of the corresponding situation (including "screenshots" of what is shown on a LCD display).
Other things: Explore possible fun of portrait, night, street, macro or whatever shooting that I find myself become interested in once I get the grip on a nice cam.
At the end of this article I will contribute my own analysis of the white disc/orb/blooming problem. While I may be a beginner photographer I literally make a living from analyzing technical issues and finding possible workarounds. And while lots of words have been lost over this issue I hope to start a more "technical" than "emotional" discussion with more profound arguments on what's going on under the hood. In the process I hope to learn a few facts and and corrections to my interpretation as well.
Even though reviews of current cameras praise their "high" dynamic range and "good high ISO noise and detail" I still find cameras' performance to be /very/ underwhelming when compared to what you see with your naked eye. To (technically) master photo-shooting seems to be mostly about working with and around the limits of cameras. Even after decades of development it's still all about worrying to get the right exposure. Knowing that these limits are a reality and that a good camera should help you get away with them I had the following reasons trying to replace phone-cams with a good "real" camera.
After one week of mixed testing in various modes I can say so much:
For me this is the most important aspect that has to be weighted against all the other points I make below: Kid photos work! I got a whole number of sharp enough low-light indoor shots that are very usable for what we want, namely looking at photos on screen (30" display, laptop display, HD projector) and printing them in photo-books at up to A4 sizes (usually smaller). Results surely best any phone-cam shots easily and also beat grandma's Samsung S850 P&S clear enough to see the benefits of a pricey (in its range) cam like the X10.
Auto Focus speed may be a problem when kids move towards you, but I have to test all the possibilities first (face detection, tracking focus, manually presetting a focus range). Using Auto EXR is a considerable problem with movement (different exposure of half of the pixels), but it's a starting point for learning how to handle the beast. Next week will show how much light and detail remains when exposure times are down to "kid is running around wildly" settings.
One drawback of the 28 mm wide angle vs. a 24 mm is that when kids come close to you indoors (like "hey, papa has that photo toy holding up again, let's go and see what it can do") you quickly run out of angle. So you often end up cutting off feet or even arms/hands from the picture when the little folks come too close. Strangely EXR Auto mode chooses Macro mode automatically while AUTO Auto mode does not (still focuses down very close though). On the other hand you cannot chose 1 cm Super Macro in EXR mode while it is available at AUTO mode.
AF in good light is fast (enough) and in low light still faster than any iPhone camera is ever going to be (even when the iPhone is helped by the X10's AF assistant light)! Comparing it to a Canon S95 and Nikon P7100 in typical fluorescent store light showed the S95 to be considerably slower and the P7100 to be somewhat slower. The most important thing for me is that I can shot kid(s) while they are sitting in one place (may still be moving wildly), but hopefully it will also work with running kids (still have to try). I also successfully shot moving kids that where thrown around by their parents during a swimming session. ;)
Autofocus reliability is something that needs to be judged by time and shots, but it can be thrown off very visibly by bright reflective non-plane surfaces where the P7100 has a little less problems (but still has). I found that decreasing focus area size (in Area mode) help to get around that simply by allowing me to easier aim for an area where no bright reflection from lighting is happening. According to a forum thread the manual warns about that and I assume it is a common problem for contrast detection based systems.
It works! I'd have to do serious testing to tell how many stops you can win by using IS, but I can get sharp enough handheld shots with little available lighting, fully zoomed in at F2.8 and 1/4 s exposure time. Sure, with such a long exposure time most shots are not going to be sharp, but they are sharper than without IS. Most important: some shots are sharp and overall all shots are consistently sharper than without IS.
As I will most often do handheld shots under low lighting conditions (except for sometimes using the rather weak flash) this is a very welcome addition. Sure I'd like it to work even better, but "working" is better than not available at all.
Coming from phone-cameras and P&S every detail coming from the X10 is a big step foward, so I may lack comparison with what other quality systems can offer. That being said, I saw plenty of shots from beginner's DSLR cams in various reviews over the last few years (couldn't decide to jump on the DSLR train) and what I'm seeing from the X10 seems to cope well. Noise is visibly present with higher ISOs but upto 1600 ISO enough detail is preserved to enable good looking crops. Even ISO 3200 seems usable enough, especially since the general noise pattern seem to be more luminance than chroma heavy. I like some luminance (aka gritty) grain in dark shots, so it's a welcome tendency.
The fast lense really helps to get better shots in AUTO modes and a lot more creative/technical options once you know how to handle the beast. Being that fast wide open allows to keep ISO down (aka details up) and that a beginner like me can get away with doing crops until he knows how to compose properly. And even a seasoned photographer will always enjoy the options. That the lense remains fast at tele means that you can zoom in for better detail instead of losing detail due to having to use much higher ISOs.
A wide range of ISO settings fortunately helps to deal with all these situations by somewhat intelligently chosing in-between steps. The X10 offers ISOs 100, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600, 2000, 2500 and 3200 for both AUTO ISO and manual settings. And seeing that on the X10 ISO noise seems to increase quite linearly (also shown by some review site) it's comfortable to know that the camera has these in-between steps at its disposal. Higher than ISO 3200 is done by interpolation (=smaller picture size) and I still have to try if there is any usefulness with these.
Having a fast lense and usable high ISO available again can be important for doing kids shots as it allows to use faster exposure times. I rather take a somewhat grainy but otherwise sharp picture of a moving kid than getting no usable picture at all. And when I zoom in to take a portrait of my son's stunning eyes I very much appreciate the protected detail.
2011年12月8日 星期四
'New Year's Eve' cheer; 'The Sitter'? Not so much
The makers of "New Year's Eve" could have reason to break out the bubbly early, as the star-laden film is expected to celebrate a No. 1 opening at the box office.
The Garry Marshall-directed romantic comedy featuring such celebrities as Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher and Zac Efron, as well as veterans Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro, is expected to collect between $20 million and $25 million in North America this weekend, according to those who have seen pre-release audience surveys.
This weekend's other new offering, the raunchy R-rated Jonah Hill comedy "The Sitter," is likely to have a more modest start with $15 million or less.
"New Year's Eve," produced by Warner Bros. production unit New Line Cinema for about $56 million, is a follow-up of sorts to Marshall's 2010's hit, "Valentine's Day." That picture was also a vignette-style story set around a holiday, headlined by a cavalcade of stars.
Despite being panned by critics, the earlier movie was the date-night pick of choice for most couples over the Feb. 14 weekend last year, with a strong debut of $56.3 million. It went on to collect about $110 million by the end of its domestic run.
Warner Bros. is expecting a softer opening for "New Year's Eve" because it does not have the benefit of falling on the actual holiday.
However, the studio felt it would be more beneficial to open the picture weeks in advance of Dec. 31 because "with most Christmas-themed movies, once you pass the holiday, the audience loses interest in them," said domestic distribution president Dan Fellman. The movie is expected to appeal mostly to young females.
"The Sitter" stars Hill as a college student who gets roped into baby-sitting his next-door neighbors. The film, produced by 20th Century Fox for about $25 million, is the latest low-budget comedy from director David Gordon Green. Although his 2008 stoner comedy, "Pineapple Express," ended up being a hit with a domestic total of around $90 million, his most recent film, "Your Highness," flopped this past spring. That movie, which also featured marijuana but was set in medieval times, ultimately grossed just over $20 million.
"The Sitter," which has not been beloved by critics, has been sold with a unique marketing campaign. Some advertisements for the movie feature an image of Hill and a phone number below the phrase "Need a Sitter?" The number on the ads typically goes to a voice-mail message left by Hill, though the actor has actually answered the phone a few times himself, to the surprise of a handful of fans.
In limited release, Paramount Pictures will open Jason Reitman's "Young Adult" in eight theaters in five cities. The film, which stars Charlize Theron as a woman attempting to win over her now-married high school sweetheart, has so far received largely positive reviews.
Focus Features will also debut "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" in two theaters in New York and two in Los Angeles. An adaptation of author John le Carre's famous Cold War thriller, the picture has also earned critical acclaim.
The Garry Marshall-directed romantic comedy featuring such celebrities as Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher and Zac Efron, as well as veterans Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro, is expected to collect between $20 million and $25 million in North America this weekend, according to those who have seen pre-release audience surveys.
This weekend's other new offering, the raunchy R-rated Jonah Hill comedy "The Sitter," is likely to have a more modest start with $15 million or less.
"New Year's Eve," produced by Warner Bros. production unit New Line Cinema for about $56 million, is a follow-up of sorts to Marshall's 2010's hit, "Valentine's Day." That picture was also a vignette-style story set around a holiday, headlined by a cavalcade of stars.
Despite being panned by critics, the earlier movie was the date-night pick of choice for most couples over the Feb. 14 weekend last year, with a strong debut of $56.3 million. It went on to collect about $110 million by the end of its domestic run.
Warner Bros. is expecting a softer opening for "New Year's Eve" because it does not have the benefit of falling on the actual holiday.
However, the studio felt it would be more beneficial to open the picture weeks in advance of Dec. 31 because "with most Christmas-themed movies, once you pass the holiday, the audience loses interest in them," said domestic distribution president Dan Fellman. The movie is expected to appeal mostly to young females.
"The Sitter" stars Hill as a college student who gets roped into baby-sitting his next-door neighbors. The film, produced by 20th Century Fox for about $25 million, is the latest low-budget comedy from director David Gordon Green. Although his 2008 stoner comedy, "Pineapple Express," ended up being a hit with a domestic total of around $90 million, his most recent film, "Your Highness," flopped this past spring. That movie, which also featured marijuana but was set in medieval times, ultimately grossed just over $20 million.
"The Sitter," which has not been beloved by critics, has been sold with a unique marketing campaign. Some advertisements for the movie feature an image of Hill and a phone number below the phrase "Need a Sitter?" The number on the ads typically goes to a voice-mail message left by Hill, though the actor has actually answered the phone a few times himself, to the surprise of a handful of fans.
In limited release, Paramount Pictures will open Jason Reitman's "Young Adult" in eight theaters in five cities. The film, which stars Charlize Theron as a woman attempting to win over her now-married high school sweetheart, has so far received largely positive reviews.
Focus Features will also debut "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" in two theaters in New York and two in Los Angeles. An adaptation of author John le Carre's famous Cold War thriller, the picture has also earned critical acclaim.
2011年12月7日 星期三
BenQ unveils W7000 3D home cinema projector
Looking for a home cinema project capable of 3D projection? Well if you happen to be in a market for such a projector, the good news is that BenQ may have something in store for you in the form of the W7000, which is apparently the first projector in the world to be accredited with the TUV Rheinland 3D Full HD Certification.
The W7000 is powered by DLP Link and is said to be able to deliver crosstalk free 1080p Full HD 3D images to both eyes while sporting a contrast ratio of 50000:1. It will also feature a maximum brightness of 2000 ANSI lumens, while its projection lens is comprised only of glass-made elements that BenQ claims will not only deliver more image details, but provide better brightness performance while supposedly being able to match the Rec. 709 color gamut.
It will also feature a lamp life of up to 2500 hours and will support both NTSC and PAL encoding systems. It will feature a pair of HDMI 1.4a ports, a D-Sub connector, component video and S-Video and an integrated RS232 port that can be used to control the projector remotely. No word on how much this will cost (although given its specs we don’t expect it come cheap) and is expected to be made available later this month.
The W7000 is powered by DLP Link and is said to be able to deliver crosstalk free 1080p Full HD 3D images to both eyes while sporting a contrast ratio of 50000:1. It will also feature a maximum brightness of 2000 ANSI lumens, while its projection lens is comprised only of glass-made elements that BenQ claims will not only deliver more image details, but provide better brightness performance while supposedly being able to match the Rec. 709 color gamut.
It will also feature a lamp life of up to 2500 hours and will support both NTSC and PAL encoding systems. It will feature a pair of HDMI 1.4a ports, a D-Sub connector, component video and S-Video and an integrated RS232 port that can be used to control the projector remotely. No word on how much this will cost (although given its specs we don’t expect it come cheap) and is expected to be made available later this month.
2011年12月6日 星期二
New projectors launched by NEC
NEC has launched two additional models to complement its PX Series projector line, it has been confirmed.
The PX700W and the PX800W are both installation models that have been designed to cater for the needs of larger venues, such as auditoriums and higher education establishments.
They are particularly suited for this kind of location thanks to their intense light output, which comes from dual lamp installations. This technology allows the devices to deliver 7,000 lumens of light, making them perfect for areas that require a larger screen size and have to operate in high ambient light conditions.
However, there is also the option to stack the PX Series devices. By stacking up to four projectors either vertically or horizontally there is the additional option of delivering an image brightness of over 30,000 lumens, while also ensuring against downtime.
Rich McPherson, senior product manager of projectors for NEX Display Solutions, commented on the launch: "The integrated option slot allows users to implement the projector in digital signage applications, which allows greater flexibility when planning an installation.
"The potential for the PX700W and PX800X to be valuable in lecture halls, training rooms and auditoriums is reliant on its professional-grade quality and multitude of included features."
The PX700W and the PX800W are both installation models that have been designed to cater for the needs of larger venues, such as auditoriums and higher education establishments.
They are particularly suited for this kind of location thanks to their intense light output, which comes from dual lamp installations. This technology allows the devices to deliver 7,000 lumens of light, making them perfect for areas that require a larger screen size and have to operate in high ambient light conditions.
However, there is also the option to stack the PX Series devices. By stacking up to four projectors either vertically or horizontally there is the additional option of delivering an image brightness of over 30,000 lumens, while also ensuring against downtime.
Rich McPherson, senior product manager of projectors for NEX Display Solutions, commented on the launch: "The integrated option slot allows users to implement the projector in digital signage applications, which allows greater flexibility when planning an installation.
"The potential for the PX700W and PX800X to be valuable in lecture halls, training rooms and auditoriums is reliant on its professional-grade quality and multitude of included features."
2011年12月5日 星期一
Viewsonic PLED W500 rated highly in projector review
The Viewsonic PLED W500 portable projector has been given an 80 per cent rating in a recent projector review.
The projector is being marketed as an “ultra-portable business beamer” which executives can use whilst working on the move or travelling to demonstrations and meetings. The reghardware.com projector review finds that the projector has a WXGA 1280 x 800 native resolution, making it suitable for detailed presentations
The reviewer concludes that the 500 ANSI gives a clean, sharp image with a 6000:1 contrast ratio.
One of the reviewers main positives about the projector is that it is compact and light, weighing just less than 1.2kg. Another advantage outlined in the projector review is that the device has an internal memory as well as being able to display data from USB sticks and flash cards, so no laptop is needed.
In their Viewsonic PLED W500 projector review, the reviewer also finds something unique about the device – it does not heat up like many other projectors, largely due to the LEDs which provide the light. There is also a fan which blows out cold air but the reviewer finds the sound from this is “not intrusive”
The projector is being marketed as an “ultra-portable business beamer” which executives can use whilst working on the move or travelling to demonstrations and meetings. The reghardware.com projector review finds that the projector has a WXGA 1280 x 800 native resolution, making it suitable for detailed presentations
The reviewer concludes that the 500 ANSI gives a clean, sharp image with a 6000:1 contrast ratio.
One of the reviewers main positives about the projector is that it is compact and light, weighing just less than 1.2kg. Another advantage outlined in the projector review is that the device has an internal memory as well as being able to display data from USB sticks and flash cards, so no laptop is needed.
In their Viewsonic PLED W500 projector review, the reviewer also finds something unique about the device – it does not heat up like many other projectors, largely due to the LEDs which provide the light. There is also a fan which blows out cold air but the reviewer finds the sound from this is “not intrusive”
2011年12月4日 星期日
Repair LCD Power Supply The Easy Way
The power pack module type is easy to diagnose because you can replace another working unit just to make sure is the power pack that giving problem. You may also use an external dc power supply to power up the LCD to confirm if the power pack is faulty. If you do not have the external dc power supply, you can always use this method to isolate the problem especially the symptoms are no power, low power and power blink. Using the rear light bulb (12 volt) from a car and connect it to the power pack output jack. If it light brightly then the power pack is okay. If it blink or dim the power pack have problem. Why have to use this method to test it? Because, if there are components shorted or leaky at the LCD main board, it will affect the power supply performance.
From experienced, most of the LCD power supply problems whether in the power pack or built into main board were due to the failure of electrolytic capacitors (most probably due to heat) in the primary and secondary section. Most of the capacitors have a high ESR which causes the power supply to produce low output, blink or no power at all. Typical value electrolytic capacitors in the primary side are 47 and 100 micro farad 50 Volt and the secondary sides are 1000 to 2200 micro farad 25 volt. Sometimes you can see the capacitor top casing became bulge and the sleeve that covered the capacitor casing turned into darker color like brownish.
The power section in some of the LCD screen are still using the UC3842 pulse width modulation (pwm) ic. This type of ic is quite easy to find in the market compare to some power ic which is very difficult to get. Samsung 153V LCD monitor is using the TOP247F power ic which is quite easy to troubleshoot if power fail in this model. Some power pack that came in only have minor burnt and after cleaning it and replaced the fuse, it will work as good as the new one.
Troubleshooting LCD power supply is not that difficult provided if you know how a power supply work. If you are unsure of how to troubleshoot power supply, I urge you to read all my power supply articles at the power supply page. I will continue to post more power supplies articles at that page and hope you could drop by more often to check out my website.
From experienced, most of the LCD power supply problems whether in the power pack or built into main board were due to the failure of electrolytic capacitors (most probably due to heat) in the primary and secondary section. Most of the capacitors have a high ESR which causes the power supply to produce low output, blink or no power at all. Typical value electrolytic capacitors in the primary side are 47 and 100 micro farad 50 Volt and the secondary sides are 1000 to 2200 micro farad 25 volt. Sometimes you can see the capacitor top casing became bulge and the sleeve that covered the capacitor casing turned into darker color like brownish.
The power section in some of the LCD screen are still using the UC3842 pulse width modulation (pwm) ic. This type of ic is quite easy to find in the market compare to some power ic which is very difficult to get. Samsung 153V LCD monitor is using the TOP247F power ic which is quite easy to troubleshoot if power fail in this model. Some power pack that came in only have minor burnt and after cleaning it and replaced the fuse, it will work as good as the new one.
Troubleshooting LCD power supply is not that difficult provided if you know how a power supply work. If you are unsure of how to troubleshoot power supply, I urge you to read all my power supply articles at the power supply page. I will continue to post more power supplies articles at that page and hope you could drop by more often to check out my website.
2011年12月1日 星期四
Viewsonic PLED W500 portable projector
I've always liked projectors – the big screen, the sense that you're in a cinema in your own home. But projectors tend to be bulky, with fans that make their presence felt while cooling costly lamps that need replacing after a few thousand hours of use. By that definition the Viewsonic PLED-W500 hardly qualifies as a projector. But it is.
Viewsonic is touting it as an ultra-portable business beamer, something a rep or exec can take on the road for demos and meetings. Its WXGA 1280 x 800 native resolution is ideal for detailed presentations, and although 500 ANSI lumens doesn't look too bright on the page, in practice the clean, sharp image with a 6000:1 contrast ratio shows up clearly enough for use in diffused daylight.
This thing is small: just 214 x 164 x 42mm and weighs in at a lightweight 1.18kg. You don't even need a laptop either, as the PLED-W500 has its own 1GB of memory and can display a variety of data types from a USB stick or SD flash card plugged in at the rear. Standard picture formats like PDF, JPG and BMP are catered for, as are Microsoft office document and PowerPoint formats. 3M's MPro range of pocket projectors have had such capabilities for a while now, but they're not as bright as the W500.
Instant start up and power down is an impressive feature, but here's something I've never come across in any projector before: it runs stone cold. The 500 lumens are provided by LEDs that are rated to run for 20,000 hours, and that's effectively the life of the kit. Yes, there is a fan in there, mostly blowing out cold air. So it's not silent in operation, but the noise certainly isn't intrusive. Slides can be changed from the remote control, which even doubles as a laser pointer.
So, costing around half-a-ton, with no lamp changes to worry about, the PLED-W500 ticks all the boxes for being written off as a business expense. Now the fun can begin. Don't tell HMRC, but this little job also doubles as a terrific home theatre projector.
Viewsonic is touting it as an ultra-portable business beamer, something a rep or exec can take on the road for demos and meetings. Its WXGA 1280 x 800 native resolution is ideal for detailed presentations, and although 500 ANSI lumens doesn't look too bright on the page, in practice the clean, sharp image with a 6000:1 contrast ratio shows up clearly enough for use in diffused daylight.
This thing is small: just 214 x 164 x 42mm and weighs in at a lightweight 1.18kg. You don't even need a laptop either, as the PLED-W500 has its own 1GB of memory and can display a variety of data types from a USB stick or SD flash card plugged in at the rear. Standard picture formats like PDF, JPG and BMP are catered for, as are Microsoft office document and PowerPoint formats. 3M's MPro range of pocket projectors have had such capabilities for a while now, but they're not as bright as the W500.
Instant start up and power down is an impressive feature, but here's something I've never come across in any projector before: it runs stone cold. The 500 lumens are provided by LEDs that are rated to run for 20,000 hours, and that's effectively the life of the kit. Yes, there is a fan in there, mostly blowing out cold air. So it's not silent in operation, but the noise certainly isn't intrusive. Slides can be changed from the remote control, which even doubles as a laser pointer.
So, costing around half-a-ton, with no lamp changes to worry about, the PLED-W500 ticks all the boxes for being written off as a business expense. Now the fun can begin. Don't tell HMRC, but this little job also doubles as a terrific home theatre projector.
2011年11月30日 星期三
Epson's E-TORL puts projectors in a new green light
The Epson Twin Optimized Reflection Lamp (E-TORL) is probably the projector industry’s most significant innovation in lamp design since the arrival of the modern multimedia projector. Pioneered by Epson in 2005 and found in almost every Epson projector today, the E-TORL is a projector lamp that features an elliptically-shaped reflector with an additional sub reflector unit to achieve an unprecedented 20% improvement in light projection efficiency. This results in lower power consumption, cooler operation and longer operational life compared to conventional projector lamps.
A projector lamp is basically composed of a burner element and a reflector. Conventional projector lamps feature a semi-circular, parabolic reflector shape that does not efficiently reflect light generated from the lamp’s burner element toward the projector’s optical system. This is because the curvature of the conventional lamp’s reflector allows a significant portion of the light to be reflected away from the light path of the optical unit, where it is lost as heat. If a projector’s light source loses too much light through such inefficiency, the picture it produces will appear dim. With the goal of radically improving the efficiency of a projector’s lamp, the Epson visual instrument research team developed a completely new design for the projector lamp system, resulting in the E-TORL.
In the E-TORL, the parabolic reflector has been replaced with an elliptically shaped one that reflects light beams to the optical system far more efficiently. In addition, Epson engineers added a sub-reflector unit to the E-TORL, which further improves efficiency by collecting and channeling the light from the area in centre of the lamp into the optics.
The E-TORL’s innovative new design is smaller than a standard lamp, yet it runs cooler, more efficiently, and brighter. The reduced size allows Epson to shrink the projector’s optical engine, resulting in an overall reduction in the projector’s size.
Elliptically shaped reflector.The lamp and the sub-reflector unit.Brilliant Results
The E-TORL design allows almost 100% of the light from the lamp to be collected and channeled through to the projector’s optical system. This gives the E-TORL an overall improvement in efficiency of 20% when compared to a conventional lamp, helping users to save on power costs. In practical terms, this higher efficiency means that an E-TORL can provide an output of 170 watts, versus 136 watts from an ordinary lamp with the same input.
The E-TORL runs cooler than a standard lamp of similar wattage because the design incorporates an air gap between the reflector and the burner. This cooler operation also enables further benefits: 1) this means that the cooling fan of the projector does not need to spin as fast, further reducing power consumption.
A projector lamp is basically composed of a burner element and a reflector. Conventional projector lamps feature a semi-circular, parabolic reflector shape that does not efficiently reflect light generated from the lamp’s burner element toward the projector’s optical system. This is because the curvature of the conventional lamp’s reflector allows a significant portion of the light to be reflected away from the light path of the optical unit, where it is lost as heat. If a projector’s light source loses too much light through such inefficiency, the picture it produces will appear dim. With the goal of radically improving the efficiency of a projector’s lamp, the Epson visual instrument research team developed a completely new design for the projector lamp system, resulting in the E-TORL.
In the E-TORL, the parabolic reflector has been replaced with an elliptically shaped one that reflects light beams to the optical system far more efficiently. In addition, Epson engineers added a sub-reflector unit to the E-TORL, which further improves efficiency by collecting and channeling the light from the area in centre of the lamp into the optics.
The E-TORL’s innovative new design is smaller than a standard lamp, yet it runs cooler, more efficiently, and brighter. The reduced size allows Epson to shrink the projector’s optical engine, resulting in an overall reduction in the projector’s size.
Elliptically shaped reflector.The lamp and the sub-reflector unit.Brilliant Results
The E-TORL design allows almost 100% of the light from the lamp to be collected and channeled through to the projector’s optical system. This gives the E-TORL an overall improvement in efficiency of 20% when compared to a conventional lamp, helping users to save on power costs. In practical terms, this higher efficiency means that an E-TORL can provide an output of 170 watts, versus 136 watts from an ordinary lamp with the same input.
The E-TORL runs cooler than a standard lamp of similar wattage because the design incorporates an air gap between the reflector and the burner. This cooler operation also enables further benefits: 1) this means that the cooling fan of the projector does not need to spin as fast, further reducing power consumption.
2011年11月29日 星期二
Hella Lighting Featured on New 2012 Volkswagen From Puebla
A major global supplier of automotive lighting and electronics, Hella has lighting production facilities with more than 2,000 employees in Mexico - two in Guadalajara and one in Mexico City.
Shown for the first time at this year's New York International Auto Show, the new Beetle is equipped with Hella headlamps, fog lamps, front side markers, tail lamps, rear reflex reflectors and a center high-mounted LED stop lamp.
In addition, Hella Electronics' products supplied for the new vehicle from the company's San Jose Iturbide manufacturing plant include daylight-running-lamp printed circuit boards, which are part of an energy-saving module.
"Hella's relationship with Volkswagen and the VW Beetle dates back to the first Beetle prototype in 1935 and the start of mass production in 1945," said Ignacio Moreno, CEO of Hella Lighting for the Americas and president of Hella's Corporate Center Mexico. "Our lighting partnership with Volkswagen has continued on a variety of Beetle models over the years."
Volkswagen officially started production of the new Beetle in July at its Puebla plant during ceremonies attended by Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Hubert Waltl, board member for Production and Logistics at Volkswagen Passenger Cars.
Hella began development of its lighting programs for the new 2012 Beetle in 2009. To develop the tail lamps, members of Hella's engineering and product development staff in North America led a core design team located in Lippstadt, Germany. The headlamps were designed by an engineering team in the Czech Republic.
Hella will be providing halogen and HID versions of the headlamp for use in the Americas and Europe. Hella's halogen headlamp uses a standard reflector system using an HB2/H4 bulb for high and low beams. Daytime running-lamp and position-lamp functions are achieved by using one double filament bulb. Production of the halogen version of the headlamps for the new Beetle started earlier this year at a Hella plant in Mexico City.
Hella's HID headlamp consists of a bi-xenon projector using an innovative 25-watt burner - an energy-efficient solution that offers savings of 30W when compared to halogen-bulb solutions. Hella also uses LED technology to generate daytime running-lamp and position-light functions. The LED arrangement gives the headlamp a distinctive appearance.
One of many Hella lamps on the new Beetle is a front side-marker single-function lamp. Located in the front fender of the vehicle near the wheels, the side-marker is a single lamp that uses standard bulb technology.
The rear-reflectors are a safety features that reflect light, enabling other motorists to see a parked vehicle or a vehicle driving without the tail lamps on. It is integrated into the rear bumper. Hella also provides VW with a six-function tail lamp. Stop and tail-lamp functions feature a dual filament 21/5-watt incandescent bulb. The turn signal and backup lights use standard bulbs. The side reflex reflector is incorporated in the lens of the tail lamp. The side marker function (only required for the US market), is achieved by using a single LED. This function assures basic visibility of the vehicle at night.
The 2012 Beetle's center high-mounted stop lamp is comprised of 18 LEDs. It is mounted above the trunk lid in the rear for the vehicle.
Volkswagen's Puebla plant is the largest automotive facility in Mexico and one of the Volkswagen Group's biggest vehicle manufacturing plants. Puebla supplies vehicles for both North and South America, as well as Europe, and has a workforce of more than 15,000.
About Hella: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. develops and manufactures lighting and electronics components and systems for the automotive industry. Its joint venture companies also produce complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems and vehicle electric systems. In addition, Hella has one of the largest automotive aftermarket organizations in the world, with its own sales companies and partners in more than 100 countries.
Hella Group sales were $4.98 billion in fiscal year 2009-2010. Hella is one of the top 50 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. Nearly 23,000 people work at 70 locations in more than 30 countries, including more than 3,500 research and development engineers and technicians. Additional information .
From its three lighting facilities in Mexico, Hella supplies a number of the world's major automakers, including BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes, Nissan and Volkswagen.
Shown for the first time at this year's New York International Auto Show, the new Beetle is equipped with Hella headlamps, fog lamps, front side markers, tail lamps, rear reflex reflectors and a center high-mounted LED stop lamp.
In addition, Hella Electronics' products supplied for the new vehicle from the company's San Jose Iturbide manufacturing plant include daylight-running-lamp printed circuit boards, which are part of an energy-saving module.
"Hella's relationship with Volkswagen and the VW Beetle dates back to the first Beetle prototype in 1935 and the start of mass production in 1945," said Ignacio Moreno, CEO of Hella Lighting for the Americas and president of Hella's Corporate Center Mexico. "Our lighting partnership with Volkswagen has continued on a variety of Beetle models over the years."
Volkswagen officially started production of the new Beetle in July at its Puebla plant during ceremonies attended by Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Hubert Waltl, board member for Production and Logistics at Volkswagen Passenger Cars.
Hella began development of its lighting programs for the new 2012 Beetle in 2009. To develop the tail lamps, members of Hella's engineering and product development staff in North America led a core design team located in Lippstadt, Germany. The headlamps were designed by an engineering team in the Czech Republic.
Hella will be providing halogen and HID versions of the headlamp for use in the Americas and Europe. Hella's halogen headlamp uses a standard reflector system using an HB2/H4 bulb for high and low beams. Daytime running-lamp and position-lamp functions are achieved by using one double filament bulb. Production of the halogen version of the headlamps for the new Beetle started earlier this year at a Hella plant in Mexico City.
Hella's HID headlamp consists of a bi-xenon projector using an innovative 25-watt burner - an energy-efficient solution that offers savings of 30W when compared to halogen-bulb solutions. Hella also uses LED technology to generate daytime running-lamp and position-light functions. The LED arrangement gives the headlamp a distinctive appearance.
One of many Hella lamps on the new Beetle is a front side-marker single-function lamp. Located in the front fender of the vehicle near the wheels, the side-marker is a single lamp that uses standard bulb technology.
The rear-reflectors are a safety features that reflect light, enabling other motorists to see a parked vehicle or a vehicle driving without the tail lamps on. It is integrated into the rear bumper. Hella also provides VW with a six-function tail lamp. Stop and tail-lamp functions feature a dual filament 21/5-watt incandescent bulb. The turn signal and backup lights use standard bulbs. The side reflex reflector is incorporated in the lens of the tail lamp. The side marker function (only required for the US market), is achieved by using a single LED. This function assures basic visibility of the vehicle at night.
The 2012 Beetle's center high-mounted stop lamp is comprised of 18 LEDs. It is mounted above the trunk lid in the rear for the vehicle.
Volkswagen's Puebla plant is the largest automotive facility in Mexico and one of the Volkswagen Group's biggest vehicle manufacturing plants. Puebla supplies vehicles for both North and South America, as well as Europe, and has a workforce of more than 15,000.
About Hella: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. develops and manufactures lighting and electronics components and systems for the automotive industry. Its joint venture companies also produce complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems and vehicle electric systems. In addition, Hella has one of the largest automotive aftermarket organizations in the world, with its own sales companies and partners in more than 100 countries.
Hella Group sales were $4.98 billion in fiscal year 2009-2010. Hella is one of the top 50 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. Nearly 23,000 people work at 70 locations in more than 30 countries, including more than 3,500 research and development engineers and technicians. Additional information .
From its three lighting facilities in Mexico, Hella supplies a number of the world's major automakers, including BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes, Nissan and Volkswagen.
2011年11月28日 星期一
Epson PH eyes mass market for new 3D projectors
The two 3D home theater projectors – the Epson EH-TW6000 and the Epson EH-TW8000 — will be available starting December 2011.
Although the units have a price tag of P160,000 and P119,000, respectively, the company said their cost is still much cheaper compared to existing 3D projectors which are being sold from P300,000 to P500,000.
The 3D models are just two of the 17 new projectors which Epson announced in the Manila leg of the company’s largest-ever projector launch in Southeast Asia. The other models are targeted at different parts of the market such as schools and businesses.
The EH-TW6000 and EH-TW8000 are Epson’s first-ever 3D projectors. With a form factor that is slimmer compared to other 3D projectors, the units can be used in the homes.
By upgrading projector shutter systems from 240Hz to 480Hz, the company said it was able to make the technology viable for home use, as well as solve a common 3D concern with slower projectors (240Hz) on maintaining image brightness and picture quality.
Epson said the time is already ripe for the launch of the 3D projectors with the dramatic increase in the amount of 3D content being produced, as well as the more mature level of 3D as a technology.
A feature which Epson officials highlighted during the launch was the ability of the Epson EH-TW8000 to convert 2D movies to 3D.
The Epson EH-TW6000, the more affordable alternative to the higher-end EH-TW8000, meanwhile has the brightest 3D images in its class as it shares the same image engine of the EH-TW8000 with a 480 hertz refresh rate.
Although it lacks the 2D to 3D conversion capability and the advanced Epson image processing technologies like Super Resolution Technology and Frame Interpolation that the EH-TW8000 offers, it has a pair of 10 watt high quality speakers and auto color mode.
Also at the launch event, held at the Dusit Hotel in Makati City, the Japanese tech firm also unveiled the Epson MG-850HD – the world’s first Apple device HD projector — which allows owners of iPhones, iPads or iPods to dock their devices onto the projector for playback of movies, photos or music.
The projector also features built-in 10W speakers, and a brightness of 2800 lumens, a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, and a resolution of up to 1280×800 (WXGA) — along with a microphone port, for those who would like to use the projector for karaoke or business presentations.
Although the units have a price tag of P160,000 and P119,000, respectively, the company said their cost is still much cheaper compared to existing 3D projectors which are being sold from P300,000 to P500,000.
The 3D models are just two of the 17 new projectors which Epson announced in the Manila leg of the company’s largest-ever projector launch in Southeast Asia. The other models are targeted at different parts of the market such as schools and businesses.
The EH-TW6000 and EH-TW8000 are Epson’s first-ever 3D projectors. With a form factor that is slimmer compared to other 3D projectors, the units can be used in the homes.
By upgrading projector shutter systems from 240Hz to 480Hz, the company said it was able to make the technology viable for home use, as well as solve a common 3D concern with slower projectors (240Hz) on maintaining image brightness and picture quality.
Epson said the time is already ripe for the launch of the 3D projectors with the dramatic increase in the amount of 3D content being produced, as well as the more mature level of 3D as a technology.
A feature which Epson officials highlighted during the launch was the ability of the Epson EH-TW8000 to convert 2D movies to 3D.
The Epson EH-TW6000, the more affordable alternative to the higher-end EH-TW8000, meanwhile has the brightest 3D images in its class as it shares the same image engine of the EH-TW8000 with a 480 hertz refresh rate.
Although it lacks the 2D to 3D conversion capability and the advanced Epson image processing technologies like Super Resolution Technology and Frame Interpolation that the EH-TW8000 offers, it has a pair of 10 watt high quality speakers and auto color mode.
Also at the launch event, held at the Dusit Hotel in Makati City, the Japanese tech firm also unveiled the Epson MG-850HD – the world’s first Apple device HD projector — which allows owners of iPhones, iPads or iPods to dock their devices onto the projector for playback of movies, photos or music.
The projector also features built-in 10W speakers, and a brightness of 2800 lumens, a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, and a resolution of up to 1280×800 (WXGA) — along with a microphone port, for those who would like to use the projector for karaoke or business presentations.
2011年11月27日 星期日
Cyber Monday 2011 ViewSonic bargains
A small holiday getaway excursion fiends do it all, but nevertheless , progressively more men and women select the entire world broad net. On the total, retail retailer income occasions for thanksgiving are predicted to make confident you bounce A few percent or probably even really a lot a lot less on 2011, but however , on the internet product sales events are anticipated to leap more than Fifteen p.c.
And as a outcome 34 fraction of customers noted in a Worldwide Marketing Federation examine that they may possibly truly get a tiny sum of merchandise on the internet this yr. Routinely, we transformed ones types. Enhanced within the past, 20-7.9 % of clientele paid out for merchandise on the internet. Employing the advancement of capsules and smartphones one particular the marketplace, purchasing has turn out to be faster.
“It is an irritation to appear to get while in the most frantic purchases time period of the genuine twelve months,Ins noted Daniel signifiant Grandpre, ceo of the dealnews.org . “On-line is less complicated.Ins
And there is a completely without wider day vs Cyber Monday Through the distinct Tuesday customers aftermath in the Thanksgiving gluttony and comprehend Xmas is in reality only a calendar month down.
This distinct past calendar year, on the internet potential buyers expended $ 1 billion connected to Cyber Monday, a day-to-day capture designed for purchasing, nonetheless it should have identically development this calendar year, unless of course Provide Day of the week connected to January. sixteen factors towards every single other.
In assist of good offers, it can be second finest day’s purchases soon soon after Black Friday, signifiant Grandpre reported.
Leisure, the expense and selection unquestionably are driving a automobile the distinct double-digit, yr-above-year development in on the internet product sales events, Sucharita Mulpuru reported in a Forrester holiday excursion guess.
“The basic rewards of the on the web, combined with industrial uncertainty, the call to use up correctly, and permanent offer-facet investment cash can lead to just an additional effectively-built regrowth twelve months designed for on the internet getaway excursion retail store product sales activities in 2011,Ins your girlfriend printed.
At the very same time, males and girls make an on the web purchase in addition to boutiques use up 20 fraction higher than and beyond these that retail store normally to get, NRF Advertising communications Vp Ellen Davis reported.
Purchasing continues only a tiny proportion of the retail keep sales events Via Forrester delivers on the internet revenue events shall be $ 59.Few of billion this yr. Collectively with $ 465.Six to eight billion entirely retail keep product sales occasions envisaged for thanksgiving, significantly like a Worldwide Promoting Federation guess, which can be less than a single practically each single twelve getaway trip price range.
Financial experts and retail retailer viewers say the economic system generates a man or woman to be stingy creating use of their price range. In actuality, we’ll actually buy considerably a lot less gift ideas, Sixteen., considerably like Deloitte’s 12-monthly holiday getaway trip examine, which can again down for fifth 12 months when. Around 2007, absolutely everyone was in fact getting your self 24.1 simple merchandise.
Traditionally we could finding a handful cozy merchandise for that household members simply no a whole lot a lot more time investing merchandise with so a lot shoppers. Who wishes to commit a acquaintance inside of of the posture of the reciprocating when you are you will not completely have the money for the subsequent?
Gian Fulgoni, account supervisor chairman of the comScore Corporation., just what race tracks e-commerce, documented center-earnings possible consumers retain an eye on the top part of the on the web product sales functions, 43 fraction.
Even now decrease-cash flow men and women who also will be a good deal far more, for that reason tech-savvy, unquestionably are expanding way quicker, Fulgoni noted. Several Millennials are normally favorable with regards to economic system, a little too, he stated.
This present calendar year folks unquestionably are current sources these as the world extensive world wide web to learn great deals, both by comparison purchases about the smartphones a single the industry about the boutiques, preshopping on the world wide web for leading stage good bargains, or possibly even flat-out obtaining by yourself on the world wide web specifically where these firms discover the greatest the cost.
“Some vendors are declaring these are viewing their personal rivaling the globe extensive world wide web on their distinctive boutiques,Ins Fulgoni reported in a most current internet-based mostly manifeste speaking.
Most have ended getting stressed and obtained likely undertaking one it. The primary increasing world wide web distributors are mainly multichannel distributors, Fulgoni noted, decryption these bricks-and-mortar boutiques unquestionably are studying to management their likely clients ranging from in-keep to make certain you on the world wide web and however yet again.
Cyber Monday fingers down will present evidence by utilizing the bulk of the initial suppliers carrying out a all-out power developed for on the net income events tomorrow. At the identical time, industry distributors have an incredible standing. Moment best store’s Twitter report or perhaps even preserve to the preserve attached to Forums for more info.
“You become a a number of smaller organizations getting concerned in Cyber Monday,Ins signifiant Grandpre noted. “Black Unique is in simple fact dominated by big-box vendors.Ins
Consist of a excellent World enviromentally pleasant. Just in circumstance individual, tablet or perhaps even cellphone just isn’t protected against viruses and also of spyware and your credit card debt info and passwords shall be taken any time you buy points (for the reason that really does practically all folks preserve on your difficult drive or maybe even consider on the net).
Offer anti-virus and anti-adware computer software setup and up-to-date. No matter whether the relevance of dependability programs are over and above reach, over perform a single about the free of charge sites to select from. Look into ‘best gratis antivirus’ and ‘best gratis mobile mobile phone products antivirus’ to have features.
Secure and secured your online connecting. Distinct your pc’s firewall software is in truth connected to. Make use of a wireless provider it wants to be secured for this reason a individual is in fact skulking out of doors will not accumulate your facts . Hardly ever before obtain a open up to the manifeste Wi-Fi service program to have a types of personal debt operation an additional kinds of delicate data equilibrium transfer.
Incorporate responsible institutions. If you do not conscious of save, research the world wide web created for assessments organization users’ feels complete a credentials view by staring at pages that can search at e-stores (most notably, Epinions, BizRate, Much better Enterprise Bureau ).
Get absent from fraudulence. Via remain away from fraudulence is not hard: Hardly ever before push a web site inside an electronic mail software or possibly even on the internet promoting campaign does not make a difference how of excellent standing the specific set up net web page or perhaps even electronic mail sender will be. Get a search motor outcomes and look for the offer or possibly even save your way of life.
Help personal information. A lot of e-commerce and cell cellphone units organization pages prompt one particular can end result in a certain individual report, such as the if you retail keep on that point there sometimes. Even larger a lot more involved, do not allow the phone store retain the financial debt info about historical past.
Whether or not the support provider requests added information financial institution checking account, Online Security, or perhaps even drivers licenses percentages Do not present people. A tiny of good standing institutions will request some other questions your passions, challenging to ought to be different of every single be attentive.
Attempt to make transactions securely accompanied by a credit rating card or possibly even properly-revered reimbursement services plan. Cost card acquisitions limitations your authorized obligation but the greater part of atm cards might not furnish carrying out this insurance coverage protection. Or perhaps a obtain a reimbursement services plan a thing like PayPal that can hides from view your debt info in the on the web store and will frequently be set up to get capital from the bank checking account. Keep away from examinations, cashier’s examinations, twine transfers or possibly even money order placed simply because have best worries designed for sham.
And as a outcome 34 fraction of customers noted in a Worldwide Marketing Federation examine that they may possibly truly get a tiny sum of merchandise on the internet this yr. Routinely, we transformed ones types. Enhanced within the past, 20-7.9 % of clientele paid out for merchandise on the internet. Employing the advancement of capsules and smartphones one particular the marketplace, purchasing has turn out to be faster.
“It is an irritation to appear to get while in the most frantic purchases time period of the genuine twelve months,Ins noted Daniel signifiant Grandpre, ceo of the dealnews.org . “On-line is less complicated.Ins
And there is a completely without wider day vs Cyber Monday Through the distinct Tuesday customers aftermath in the Thanksgiving gluttony and comprehend Xmas is in reality only a calendar month down.
This distinct past calendar year, on the internet potential buyers expended $ 1 billion connected to Cyber Monday, a day-to-day capture designed for purchasing, nonetheless it should have identically development this calendar year, unless of course Provide Day of the week connected to January. sixteen factors towards every single other.
In assist of good offers, it can be second finest day’s purchases soon soon after Black Friday, signifiant Grandpre reported.
Leisure, the expense and selection unquestionably are driving a automobile the distinct double-digit, yr-above-year development in on the internet product sales events, Sucharita Mulpuru reported in a Forrester holiday excursion guess.
“The basic rewards of the on the web, combined with industrial uncertainty, the call to use up correctly, and permanent offer-facet investment cash can lead to just an additional effectively-built regrowth twelve months designed for on the internet getaway excursion retail store product sales activities in 2011,Ins your girlfriend printed.
At the very same time, males and girls make an on the web purchase in addition to boutiques use up 20 fraction higher than and beyond these that retail store normally to get, NRF Advertising communications Vp Ellen Davis reported.
Purchasing continues only a tiny proportion of the retail keep sales events Via Forrester delivers on the internet revenue events shall be $ 59.Few of billion this yr. Collectively with $ 465.Six to eight billion entirely retail keep product sales occasions envisaged for thanksgiving, significantly like a Worldwide Promoting Federation guess, which can be less than a single practically each single twelve getaway trip price range.
Financial experts and retail retailer viewers say the economic system generates a man or woman to be stingy creating use of their price range. In actuality, we’ll actually buy considerably a lot less gift ideas, Sixteen., considerably like Deloitte’s 12-monthly holiday getaway trip examine, which can again down for fifth 12 months when. Around 2007, absolutely everyone was in fact getting your self 24.1 simple merchandise.
Traditionally we could finding a handful cozy merchandise for that household members simply no a whole lot a lot more time investing merchandise with so a lot shoppers. Who wishes to commit a acquaintance inside of of the posture of the reciprocating when you are you will not completely have the money for the subsequent?
Gian Fulgoni, account supervisor chairman of the comScore Corporation., just what race tracks e-commerce, documented center-earnings possible consumers retain an eye on the top part of the on the web product sales functions, 43 fraction.
Even now decrease-cash flow men and women who also will be a good deal far more, for that reason tech-savvy, unquestionably are expanding way quicker, Fulgoni noted. Several Millennials are normally favorable with regards to economic system, a little too, he stated.
This present calendar year folks unquestionably are current sources these as the world extensive world wide web to learn great deals, both by comparison purchases about the smartphones a single the industry about the boutiques, preshopping on the world wide web for leading stage good bargains, or possibly even flat-out obtaining by yourself on the world wide web specifically where these firms discover the greatest the cost.
“Some vendors are declaring these are viewing their personal rivaling the globe extensive world wide web on their distinctive boutiques,Ins Fulgoni reported in a most current internet-based mostly manifeste speaking.
Most have ended getting stressed and obtained likely undertaking one it. The primary increasing world wide web distributors are mainly multichannel distributors, Fulgoni noted, decryption these bricks-and-mortar boutiques unquestionably are studying to management their likely clients ranging from in-keep to make certain you on the world wide web and however yet again.
Cyber Monday fingers down will present evidence by utilizing the bulk of the initial suppliers carrying out a all-out power developed for on the net income events tomorrow. At the identical time, industry distributors have an incredible standing. Moment best store’s Twitter report or perhaps even preserve to the preserve attached to Forums for more info.
“You become a a number of smaller organizations getting concerned in Cyber Monday,Ins signifiant Grandpre noted. “Black Unique is in simple fact dominated by big-box vendors.Ins
Consist of a excellent World enviromentally pleasant. Just in circumstance individual, tablet or perhaps even cellphone just isn’t protected against viruses and also of spyware and your credit card debt info and passwords shall be taken any time you buy points (for the reason that really does practically all folks preserve on your difficult drive or maybe even consider on the net).
Offer anti-virus and anti-adware computer software setup and up-to-date. No matter whether the relevance of dependability programs are over and above reach, over perform a single about the free of charge sites to select from. Look into ‘best gratis antivirus’ and ‘best gratis mobile mobile phone products antivirus’ to have features.
Secure and secured your online connecting. Distinct your pc’s firewall software is in truth connected to. Make use of a wireless provider it wants to be secured for this reason a individual is in fact skulking out of doors will not accumulate your facts . Hardly ever before obtain a open up to the manifeste Wi-Fi service program to have a types of personal debt operation an additional kinds of delicate data equilibrium transfer.
Incorporate responsible institutions. If you do not conscious of save, research the world wide web created for assessments organization users’ feels complete a credentials view by staring at pages that can search at e-stores (most notably, Epinions, BizRate, Much better Enterprise Bureau ).
Get absent from fraudulence. Via remain away from fraudulence is not hard: Hardly ever before push a web site inside an electronic mail software or possibly even on the internet promoting campaign does not make a difference how of excellent standing the specific set up net web page or perhaps even electronic mail sender will be. Get a search motor outcomes and look for the offer or possibly even save your way of life.
Help personal information. A lot of e-commerce and cell cellphone units organization pages prompt one particular can end result in a certain individual report, such as the if you retail keep on that point there sometimes. Even larger a lot more involved, do not allow the phone store retain the financial debt info about historical past.
Whether or not the support provider requests added information financial institution checking account, Online Security, or perhaps even drivers licenses percentages Do not present people. A tiny of good standing institutions will request some other questions your passions, challenging to ought to be different of every single be attentive.
Attempt to make transactions securely accompanied by a credit rating card or possibly even properly-revered reimbursement services plan. Cost card acquisitions limitations your authorized obligation but the greater part of atm cards might not furnish carrying out this insurance coverage protection. Or perhaps a obtain a reimbursement services plan a thing like PayPal that can hides from view your debt info in the on the web store and will frequently be set up to get capital from the bank checking account. Keep away from examinations, cashier’s examinations, twine transfers or possibly even money order placed simply because have best worries designed for sham.
2011年11月24日 星期四
All-New 2013 GS Illustrates Fresh and Exciting Brand Identity
Lexus raised anticipations when the all-new GS debuted at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The new 2013 GS combines bold, dynamic styling, precise handling, innovative technology, and a spacious interior.
In addition to the GS 350 that will be at dealerships early next year, Lexus completes the line-up with the GS 450h hybrid which goes on sale in spring 2012.
The new GS conveys an enhanced sense of confidence to the driver, with a redesigned chassis and a wide, strong stance that inspires and rewards driver participation with crisp and precise handling. Engineers developed a more spacious interior environment while leaving exterior dimensions virtually unchanged to ensure excellent maneuverability. Richly endowed with world-class features and premium details, the new GS is supported by advanced, performance-enhancing technology that makes it more than just a luxury car. The 2013 Lexus GS 350 is available in rear-wheel driveor all-wheel drive configurations, and can be equipped with the available Premium, Luxury or F SPORT packages for greater personalization.
The GS 450h was the first hybrid-powered luxury sport sedan to enter the market when it was originally introduced for the 2007 model year. Today, it is part of Lexus’ five-vehicle hybrid line-up, more than any other luxury brand.The new GS powertrains have been enhanced for 2013 to provide better fuel economy and more responsive performance. The GS 350 is powered by an advanced 3.5-liter V6, four cams, and four valves per cylinder engine with dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence. At 306 horsepower, it is one of the most powerful base engines in the segment, as well as the only one with both port and direct injection. It propels the GS 350 from 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds and at the same time, boosts its fuel economy to projected EPA-estimated ratings of 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined.
Acceleration from 30 to 50 mph can take just 3.0 seconds, and improved intake and exhaust sound characteristics via an intake sound generator and optimized muffler chamber complement the bolder, more energetic personality of the new GS. The six-speed sequential shift automatic transmission comes with paddle shifters and sport driving functions for enhanced driving pleasure. An optional electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system can vary front-to-rear torque balance from 50/50 to as much as 30/70, depending on driving conditions, for exceptional control.
The 2013 GS 450h incorporates improvements to its hybrid powertrain and is equipped with a second generation Lexus Hybrid Drive system.
With a total system power output of 338 horsepower, the GS 450h will accelerate effortlessly from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds. Conversely, fuel consumption is expected to be improved by more than 35 percent versus the previous version with projected EPA-estimated ratings of 29 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined. The GS 450h is expected to be certified as a Super-Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle which has lower emissions than clean diesels. For enhanced driving dynamics, the new GS hybrid also features a Drive Mode selector with Normal, Eco, Sport S, Sport S+ and EV modes.
As with all Lexus hybrid vehicles, the new GS 450h is a full hybrid capable of operating in gas-only or electric-only modes, as well as a combination of both. Its Lexus Hybrid Drive system features an ultra-smooth running, next generation D-4S direct and port fuel injection system with an Atkinson cycle 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to a compact, high-output, water-cooled permanent magnet electric motor powered by a high performance nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The two powerplants drive the rear wheels both independently and in tandem, as needed.
Improved fuel consumption is achieved through a high compression ratio of 13:1, a new mid-port intake tumble generator and the adoption of a Lexus four-stroke, direct injection technology, D-4S.
With one injector installed in the combustion chamber and a second mounted in the intake port, D-4S combines the strengths of both direct and port injection, realizing optimum engine efficiency throughout the power band and improving torque across the rev range, while minimizing fuel consumption and emissions.
The D-4S system features new slit-type injector nozzles with a modified port shape, a higher fuel pressure for more efficient combustion, and idle port injection for improved NVH characteristics.
The cooling performance of the hybrid system’s Power Control Unit helps reduce fuel consumption and has been improved through the adoption of dual cooling paths and a single-piece, integrated DC/DC converter.
In addition to the GS 350 that will be at dealerships early next year, Lexus completes the line-up with the GS 450h hybrid which goes on sale in spring 2012.
The new GS conveys an enhanced sense of confidence to the driver, with a redesigned chassis and a wide, strong stance that inspires and rewards driver participation with crisp and precise handling. Engineers developed a more spacious interior environment while leaving exterior dimensions virtually unchanged to ensure excellent maneuverability. Richly endowed with world-class features and premium details, the new GS is supported by advanced, performance-enhancing technology that makes it more than just a luxury car. The 2013 Lexus GS 350 is available in rear-wheel driveor all-wheel drive configurations, and can be equipped with the available Premium, Luxury or F SPORT packages for greater personalization.
The GS 450h was the first hybrid-powered luxury sport sedan to enter the market when it was originally introduced for the 2007 model year. Today, it is part of Lexus’ five-vehicle hybrid line-up, more than any other luxury brand.The new GS powertrains have been enhanced for 2013 to provide better fuel economy and more responsive performance. The GS 350 is powered by an advanced 3.5-liter V6, four cams, and four valves per cylinder engine with dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence. At 306 horsepower, it is one of the most powerful base engines in the segment, as well as the only one with both port and direct injection. It propels the GS 350 from 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds and at the same time, boosts its fuel economy to projected EPA-estimated ratings of 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined.
Acceleration from 30 to 50 mph can take just 3.0 seconds, and improved intake and exhaust sound characteristics via an intake sound generator and optimized muffler chamber complement the bolder, more energetic personality of the new GS. The six-speed sequential shift automatic transmission comes with paddle shifters and sport driving functions for enhanced driving pleasure. An optional electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system can vary front-to-rear torque balance from 50/50 to as much as 30/70, depending on driving conditions, for exceptional control.
The 2013 GS 450h incorporates improvements to its hybrid powertrain and is equipped with a second generation Lexus Hybrid Drive system.
With a total system power output of 338 horsepower, the GS 450h will accelerate effortlessly from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds. Conversely, fuel consumption is expected to be improved by more than 35 percent versus the previous version with projected EPA-estimated ratings of 29 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined. The GS 450h is expected to be certified as a Super-Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle which has lower emissions than clean diesels. For enhanced driving dynamics, the new GS hybrid also features a Drive Mode selector with Normal, Eco, Sport S, Sport S+ and EV modes.
As with all Lexus hybrid vehicles, the new GS 450h is a full hybrid capable of operating in gas-only or electric-only modes, as well as a combination of both. Its Lexus Hybrid Drive system features an ultra-smooth running, next generation D-4S direct and port fuel injection system with an Atkinson cycle 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to a compact, high-output, water-cooled permanent magnet electric motor powered by a high performance nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The two powerplants drive the rear wheels both independently and in tandem, as needed.
Improved fuel consumption is achieved through a high compression ratio of 13:1, a new mid-port intake tumble generator and the adoption of a Lexus four-stroke, direct injection technology, D-4S.
With one injector installed in the combustion chamber and a second mounted in the intake port, D-4S combines the strengths of both direct and port injection, realizing optimum engine efficiency throughout the power band and improving torque across the rev range, while minimizing fuel consumption and emissions.
The D-4S system features new slit-type injector nozzles with a modified port shape, a higher fuel pressure for more efficient combustion, and idle port injection for improved NVH characteristics.
The cooling performance of the hybrid system’s Power Control Unit helps reduce fuel consumption and has been improved through the adoption of dual cooling paths and a single-piece, integrated DC/DC converter.
2011年11月23日 星期三
Acer C110 Pico Projector review
Joining companies, families and superskinny models, personal tech too seems to be following the downsizing and belt-tightening trend. All our regular consumer gadgets – phones, laptops, cameras and tablets – are becoming smaller, thinner and most importantly, more efficient. The projector market too has seen a fair bit of flab being trimmed from their top performers, and today you can get a Full HD projector that comes in a zippable carry bag and weighs less than 2 kgs.
It's also no wonder that projectors themselves are adapting to the prevalent anorexia, and Pico, or handheld projectors are becoming the latest tool of choice for people on the move. Acer recently launched the C110 Pico Projector in the Indian market, which is aimed at making the boardroom portable.
It's actually quite surprising how small the C110 is. It weighs just 175 grams, and with dimensions of 4.3x3.3 and a thickness of just under an inch, this could probably fit into your laptop bag, with a bit of a squeeze. The small black unit has a plastic exterior but despite being light doesn't feel too flimsy. While the top panel has a shiny finish, the edges are ribbed with a grille design. The controls are minimalist too, with just a single USB port at the rear and a focussing wheel on the side.
Unlike some of the other pico projectors available, like the BenQ Joybee projector, the C110 does not require an external power source – it both connects and charges through the USB cable. Also unlike some other pico projectors, the C110 has an LED lamp, which means longer lamplife – estimated at 20,000 hours - and less power consumption. These are both great positives if you're going to use the projector with a laptop running on battery power. The projector can also connect up to an Android tablet with a USB port, which makes its portability a lot more appealing.
Connecting the C110 was easy as pie. I plugged it into a Windows 7 laptop, and I was immediately prompted to run the built-in software. Once that was installed, I was given options to choose my preferred resolution, and I was set to go. The USB cable that comes with the C110 has dual-USBs at one end, and if you plug both into your computer you get a brighter display. Unfortunately the projector does not support Apple devices, so you won't be able to connect your Mac to it.
The projector comes with a handy optional foldable screen, which you'll have to buy separately. It opens up to a 25-inch wrinkle-free display and doesn't require a stand, which is great for small group presentations. Acer claims that using the screen also increases image brightness by 200 per cent and contrast by 300 per cent. The C110 has a contrast ratio of 1000:1, and brightness of 50 lumens but using the screen can pump it up to 100 lumens. I played back some videos on the screen and off a wall, and the results were significantly different. The colours on the screen were visibly richer and there was more saturation and detail. On a wall, the projector offers a maximum screen size of 60-inches. At that size, I didn't notice any visible fringing on the edges.
Although the C110 is primarily for business needs, it could potentially work as an entertainment device to watch a movie or videos with a few friends. The projector's maximum resolution is 1280x800 and is not bad for a movie night. A few of the videos I had streamed were fine on the sharpness and colour, but there was quite a bit of shake between fast moving frames. When I cranked the screen size all the way up to maximum, this shake was even more magnified, and can be quite disrupting if you're watching an action scene.
While I wouldn't recommend it for home users, the C110 is a really handy little device to carry around with you, if you travel frequently and you have a lot of group meetings. The fact that it doesn't require a power source and that the foldable screen can fit into your laptop bag can make it a useful addition to your briefcase.
It's also no wonder that projectors themselves are adapting to the prevalent anorexia, and Pico, or handheld projectors are becoming the latest tool of choice for people on the move. Acer recently launched the C110 Pico Projector in the Indian market, which is aimed at making the boardroom portable.
It's actually quite surprising how small the C110 is. It weighs just 175 grams, and with dimensions of 4.3x3.3 and a thickness of just under an inch, this could probably fit into your laptop bag, with a bit of a squeeze. The small black unit has a plastic exterior but despite being light doesn't feel too flimsy. While the top panel has a shiny finish, the edges are ribbed with a grille design. The controls are minimalist too, with just a single USB port at the rear and a focussing wheel on the side.
Unlike some of the other pico projectors available, like the BenQ Joybee projector, the C110 does not require an external power source – it both connects and charges through the USB cable. Also unlike some other pico projectors, the C110 has an LED lamp, which means longer lamplife – estimated at 20,000 hours - and less power consumption. These are both great positives if you're going to use the projector with a laptop running on battery power. The projector can also connect up to an Android tablet with a USB port, which makes its portability a lot more appealing.
Connecting the C110 was easy as pie. I plugged it into a Windows 7 laptop, and I was immediately prompted to run the built-in software. Once that was installed, I was given options to choose my preferred resolution, and I was set to go. The USB cable that comes with the C110 has dual-USBs at one end, and if you plug both into your computer you get a brighter display. Unfortunately the projector does not support Apple devices, so you won't be able to connect your Mac to it.
The projector comes with a handy optional foldable screen, which you'll have to buy separately. It opens up to a 25-inch wrinkle-free display and doesn't require a stand, which is great for small group presentations. Acer claims that using the screen also increases image brightness by 200 per cent and contrast by 300 per cent. The C110 has a contrast ratio of 1000:1, and brightness of 50 lumens but using the screen can pump it up to 100 lumens. I played back some videos on the screen and off a wall, and the results were significantly different. The colours on the screen were visibly richer and there was more saturation and detail. On a wall, the projector offers a maximum screen size of 60-inches. At that size, I didn't notice any visible fringing on the edges.
Although the C110 is primarily for business needs, it could potentially work as an entertainment device to watch a movie or videos with a few friends. The projector's maximum resolution is 1280x800 and is not bad for a movie night. A few of the videos I had streamed were fine on the sharpness and colour, but there was quite a bit of shake between fast moving frames. When I cranked the screen size all the way up to maximum, this shake was even more magnified, and can be quite disrupting if you're watching an action scene.
While I wouldn't recommend it for home users, the C110 is a really handy little device to carry around with you, if you travel frequently and you have a lot of group meetings. The fact that it doesn't require a power source and that the foldable screen can fit into your laptop bag can make it a useful addition to your briefcase.
2011年11月22日 星期二
'Breaking Dawn' to devour three new family films
Multiplexes will be stuffed with new family releases over the Thanksgiving holiday, but the latest installment in the "Twilight" franchise will likely feast on the most ticket sales yet again.
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" opened to an impressive $138 million last weekend, and the film could rake in another $60 million from Wednesday through Sunday, according to those who have seen prerelease audience surveys.
Meanwhile, three new PG-rated films, all of which have earned exceedingly positive reviews, are hitting theaters Wednesday. "The Muppets," starring Jason Segel and Jim Henson's popular gang of puppets, is expected to collect about $45 million by Sunday. "Arthur Christmas," a 3-D computer animated holiday tale, is expected to gross $15 million to $18 million in the same time frame. And "Hugo," director Martin Scorsese's 3-D film about an orphan living in a 1930s Paris train station, will likely bring in only $10 million to $13 million for the five days.
"The Muppets" is returning to the big screen for the first time since 1999, when "Muppets from Space" debuted with a lackluster $4.8 million. Co-written by Segel, the new film is generating interest from children and adults nostalgic for the 1970s television program "The Muppets Show," which featured Kermit, Miss Piggy and their pals.
The movie cost Walt Disney Studios about $45 million to produce. It will open in Mexico on Friday.
"Arthur Christmas" was made by Sony Pictures Animation and the British animation house Aardman Animations, the production company behind the popular Wallace and Gromit movies, TV show and commercials. This marks the first collaboration between the two studios.
The movie, which cost Sony about $100 million to produce, is about how Santa's son learns how to deliver presents worldwide on Christmas Eve. "Arthur Christmas" is going after a younger audience than "Hugo" or "Muppets," hoping to capitalize on the interest of kids ages 7 to 11.
Though audience polling indicates "Arthur" may have a soft opening, the studio is hopeful that it will follow in the footsteps of its recent summer release "The Smurfs." Early tracking had projected that the animated movie featuring miniature blue cartoon characters would have a weak opening, but it debuted with a surprisingly strong $35 million in July and ultimately raked in over $550 million worldwide.
Overseas, "Arthur Christmas" has already opened in five foreign markets, where it has so far collected $9 million. The film is performing especially well in the United Kingdom, where it has sold about $7.6 million in tickets. This weekend, it will play in a total of 25 countries, including Japan and Australia.
"Hugo," an adaptation of the best-selling children's book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," is playing in 1,200 theaters -- about 2,000 less than the other new movies in wide release this weekend. Rob Moore, Paramount's vice chairman, said the studio opted to open the film in fewer theaters because it is hoping strong word-of-mouth will propel it to box-office success in the coming weeks.
"Instead of putting everything into this very crowded Thanksgiving, we decided to wait and use the great reviews to push and expand the movie into December," said Moore.
The film was initially set for release by Sony on Dec. 9, but financier Graham King was adamant that it bow over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Because the studio already had plans to debut "Arthur Christmas" over the holiday, King moved the film from Sony to Paramount Pictures.
Scorsese's first family picture was financed by King, who said it cost less than $150 million to produce. Another person familiar with the film's budget, who asked not to be identified so as not to damage business relationships, said it cost around $170 million. Paramount is releasing the picture for a fee and paying for the film's prints and advertising.
In limited release, the Weinstein Co. is releasing two possible awards contenders. "My Week with Marilyn," starring Michelle Williams as the tragic Marilyn Monroe, will open Wednesday in 12 markets and expand to 244 theaters Friday. The film, which cost about $10 million to make, will also debut in the United Kingdom this weekend.
Meanwhile, the company's silent black-and-white silent movie "The Artist" will debut in two theaters in New York and two more in Los Angeles on Friday. Although the movie has already collected more than $16 million in France -- where its lead actors hail from -- it remains to be seen if the unique $14-million production will resonate with American audiences.
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" opened to an impressive $138 million last weekend, and the film could rake in another $60 million from Wednesday through Sunday, according to those who have seen prerelease audience surveys.
Meanwhile, three new PG-rated films, all of which have earned exceedingly positive reviews, are hitting theaters Wednesday. "The Muppets," starring Jason Segel and Jim Henson's popular gang of puppets, is expected to collect about $45 million by Sunday. "Arthur Christmas," a 3-D computer animated holiday tale, is expected to gross $15 million to $18 million in the same time frame. And "Hugo," director Martin Scorsese's 3-D film about an orphan living in a 1930s Paris train station, will likely bring in only $10 million to $13 million for the five days.
"The Muppets" is returning to the big screen for the first time since 1999, when "Muppets from Space" debuted with a lackluster $4.8 million. Co-written by Segel, the new film is generating interest from children and adults nostalgic for the 1970s television program "The Muppets Show," which featured Kermit, Miss Piggy and their pals.
The movie cost Walt Disney Studios about $45 million to produce. It will open in Mexico on Friday.
"Arthur Christmas" was made by Sony Pictures Animation and the British animation house Aardman Animations, the production company behind the popular Wallace and Gromit movies, TV show and commercials. This marks the first collaboration between the two studios.
The movie, which cost Sony about $100 million to produce, is about how Santa's son learns how to deliver presents worldwide on Christmas Eve. "Arthur Christmas" is going after a younger audience than "Hugo" or "Muppets," hoping to capitalize on the interest of kids ages 7 to 11.
Though audience polling indicates "Arthur" may have a soft opening, the studio is hopeful that it will follow in the footsteps of its recent summer release "The Smurfs." Early tracking had projected that the animated movie featuring miniature blue cartoon characters would have a weak opening, but it debuted with a surprisingly strong $35 million in July and ultimately raked in over $550 million worldwide.
Overseas, "Arthur Christmas" has already opened in five foreign markets, where it has so far collected $9 million. The film is performing especially well in the United Kingdom, where it has sold about $7.6 million in tickets. This weekend, it will play in a total of 25 countries, including Japan and Australia.
"Hugo," an adaptation of the best-selling children's book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," is playing in 1,200 theaters -- about 2,000 less than the other new movies in wide release this weekend. Rob Moore, Paramount's vice chairman, said the studio opted to open the film in fewer theaters because it is hoping strong word-of-mouth will propel it to box-office success in the coming weeks.
"Instead of putting everything into this very crowded Thanksgiving, we decided to wait and use the great reviews to push and expand the movie into December," said Moore.
The film was initially set for release by Sony on Dec. 9, but financier Graham King was adamant that it bow over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Because the studio already had plans to debut "Arthur Christmas" over the holiday, King moved the film from Sony to Paramount Pictures.
Scorsese's first family picture was financed by King, who said it cost less than $150 million to produce. Another person familiar with the film's budget, who asked not to be identified so as not to damage business relationships, said it cost around $170 million. Paramount is releasing the picture for a fee and paying for the film's prints and advertising.
In limited release, the Weinstein Co. is releasing two possible awards contenders. "My Week with Marilyn," starring Michelle Williams as the tragic Marilyn Monroe, will open Wednesday in 12 markets and expand to 244 theaters Friday. The film, which cost about $10 million to make, will also debut in the United Kingdom this weekend.
Meanwhile, the company's silent black-and-white silent movie "The Artist" will debut in two theaters in New York and two more in Los Angeles on Friday. Although the movie has already collected more than $16 million in France -- where its lead actors hail from -- it remains to be seen if the unique $14-million production will resonate with American audiences.
訂閱：
文章 (Atom)