Compact 'eyeball' camera stretches to zoom

A CAMERA inspired by the operation of the human eye can "zoom" without the need for bulky lenses, making it more compact than conventional cameras.

The device builds on a non-zooming eyeball camera developed in 2008 by John Rogers of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Now he has given the technology a twist by building in a stretchable lens and a flexible photodetector whose shape alters as the magnification of the lens changes. This produces a camera with a 3.5× optical zoom.

Traditional cameras capture their images on a flat surface, formerly photographic film but now usually a digital photodetector. In a conventional camera, extra lenses are required to flatten the image before it hits the detector, otherwise it appears blurry or uneven.

The eyeball camera does away with the need for these extra, movable lenses, and reshapes the sensor instead. Rather than adjusting the image to suit a flat surface, it flexes the sensor to match the curvature of the image and the lens.

To achieve this, Rogers has mounted an array of silicon photodetectors on an elastic membrane, which in turn forms the surface of a fluid-filled chamber (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1015440108). Using hydraulic actuators to adjust the amount of fluid in the chamber, the membrane can be flexed to take up convex or concave shapes.

The lens is formed by fluid held in a gap between a glass window and an elastic membrane whose shape can also be adjusted hydraulically.

The eyeball technology could be used in night-vision cameras that now typically use bulky and expensive lenses to capture infrared images. Another application would be endoscopes, where very tiny cameras with a wide field of view are required, Rogers says.

Corin Gawith, an optoelectronics researcher at the University of Southampton, UK, says the device is an elegant solution to the problem of making lens systems less bulky. "In an endoscope you can see how it would be very useful because you've got a very small lens and what you are trying to do is take an image of quite a wide area," he says. "Same again in the security camera. What they are offering is a very compact way of achieving that."

For now, Rogers's camera can only produce images with an effective resolution of a few thousand pixels, but that could be dramatically improved. "There's no law of physics that needs to be broken in order to go from where we are now to a 5-megapixel camera," Rogers says.

White iPhone 4 paint issues fixed, is it time for it to hit the market?

Apple’s white iPhone 4 has started showing up in various carriers’ stock handling systems recently throughout the world but it has been unclear whether it was a mistake or white iPhone really is coming soon. Actually Apple is delaying the white version until Spring 2011 due to ‘manufacturing problems’. According to sources at the time the painting of the handset with a white color was proving more difficult than Apple had hoped with producing a uniform color being the main problem.

Now though, the issue has been resolved by a small company in Japan.

According to Macotakara, the unknown company has developed a new type of paint that can be applied in a more uniform way than before. This means more uniform colors, which in turn means a happy Apple quality controller.

According to a source, specified printing white color for iPhone 4 brings poor yield and then huge number of defective products. This is the reason of disturbing to start manufacturing, a source said.

To solve this problem, a Japanese company developed miracle painting material which is able to be set thickness of painting layer.

For those who are still on a wait for White iPhone, I say what you need now is a pill of patience. With no official news from Apple we can just wait and see.

Asus U36JC A1 - Core i5 460M 2.53GHz - 13.3" TFT

ASUS's U30 series of 13-inch ultraportable notebooks has long provided a strong mix of portability and power, from the original U30Jc with its 7 hours of endurance to the snazzy bamboo U33Jc. The ASUS U36Jc ups the ante with a slick 3.8-pound frame, snazzy aluminum-magnesium alloy lid, speedy 2.53-GHz Core i5 CPU, and Nvidia's Optimus switchable graphics. But are its strong specs good enough to justify its price--$1,000--and beat out its competitors?

Design

Super sleek, the 0.76-inch thick ASUS U36Jc's lid is built from a lightweight, raven black aluminum-magnesium alloy, while its matching palm rest is covered in a soft matte material that ASUS describes as "nanometer" coating. Unfortunately, the area near the screen doesn't have the same premium look as the palm rest and lid; its glossy plastic hinges drag down the aesthetic a bit, as does the gap between the screen and the deck.

At 3.8 pounds, the U36JC is quite a bit lighter than the previous generation U33Jc (4.4 pounds), but a little heavier than the Toshiba Portege R700 (3.2 pounds) and the Lenovo IdeaPad U260 (3 pounds). With dimensions of 12.9 x 9.28 x 0.76 inches, this laptop is also slightly larger than the U260 (12.5 x 8.1 x 0.7 inches) and R700 (12.4 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches).

Heat

While the top surface of the ASUS U36Jc stayed relatively cool throughout our testing, its underside reached uncomfortably high temperatures. After playing a full-screen video for 15 minutes, we measured the touchpad at a pleasant 85 degrees and the G and H keys at an acceptable 95 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the bottom measured a warm 105 degrees and, while playing World of Warcraft, it reached 110 degrees.

We consider temperatures below 95 degrees acceptable on the top surface of a notebook and temperatures of 100 degrees and below unpleasant but common for the bottom. However, this type of underside heat would make us think twice about placing the U36Jc on our lap while gaming.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The U36Jc's island-style black keyboard has the same look and layout as those on a number of Eee PC netbooks, from the 10-inch Eee PC 1015PN to the 12-inch Eee PC VX6. There's no flex at all, but the keys do feel a little stiff, which led us to a make a few more errors than usual while typing. We also wish the right Shift key were larger.

The 3 x 2-inch touchpad has a pleasant matte surface that matches the palm rest and allowed us to navigate around the desktop with ease. It also supports multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom. Though we would have preferred two discrete buttons, the single mouse bar provided good tactile feedback and was not too stiff.

HP Mini 1103

HP is once again targeting the education market with its new Mini 1103 netbook. Unlike the kid-focused Mini 100e, this netbook looks and acts like a consumer model, but keeps the price low for cash-strapped schools and other institutions. Though not the flashiest system on the block, the $299 Mini 1103 combines very long battery life with decent performance for $50 to $100 less than many competitors.

Design

The HP Mini 1103's design is basic yet attractive. The overall aesthetic is closer to the Pavilion dm1and dm3 rather than high-end business netbooks such as the Mini 5103. The glossy black lid and display bezel pick up smudges, but thankfully the rest of the netbook features matte plastic. As with the Pavilion dm1 and the Mini 210, the bottom of the unit is a smooth line with just one panel to remove. This makes it easier to upgrade or repair internal components, such as the RAM or hard drive.

For the target market, the non-descript yet functional design of the Mini 1103 is just right. You won't find the same flair as other HP models, but it's not as toy-looking as the Mini 100e, which is geared toward younger students. However, the Toshiba mini NB505 offers bright color options and a more eye-catching design.

Heat

The top of the Mini 1103 stayed pretty cool, with the touchpad measuring only 85 degrees after playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes. The space between the G and H keys was about the same: 86 degrees. The underside of the netbook got up to 92 degrees, which is within our acceptable range.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Mini 1103 doesn't have the modern chiclet-style layout of the Mini 210. However, the keys are well sized and placed, and we like the terraced treatment, which provides a better grip. We like that the media and system controls are one touch away, while the Function keys are secondary.

The 3.1 x 1.25-inch touchpad on the Mini 1103 has a fairly small surface when compared to other recent netbooks and even other HP models. This is due to the system having separate mouse buttons instead of integrated ones, as with a clickpad. The buttons are fairly large as well. Users who prefer physical buttons will likely not mind sacrificing some of the touch surface.

Display and Audio

One curious aspect of the 10.1-inch, 1024 x 600-pixel resolution screen on the Mini 1103 is that users can open it a full 180 degrees, allowing the entire netbook to lie flat. However, the viewing angles on the anti-glare display are somewhat narrow. Two people sitting side by side can share the screen, but sit any further away, and you'll encounter color distortion.

The 1103's volume was surprisingly strong from the narrow speaker just under the netbook's front lip. We were able to fill a medium-sized room with audio with the volume on 70 percent. When watching Hulu videos, we didn't need to crank it up to hear. Sound was somewhat flat and a little tinny at the at the max, but that's to be expected.

Deal of the Day: Fujitsu LifeBook PH52 for $399

There is a lot to like about the Fujitsu LifeBook PH5. With it’s lightweight construction, great battery life, and sleek style, it makes a great netbook for the mainstream user.

Some of the other features include a 320 GB S-ATA, 5400 rpm hard drive, an AMD Athlon™ II Neo Processor, an 11.6″ Crystal View WXGA HD display, 2GB of RAM, an integrated webcam, and it comes with Windows 7 Professional.

If a light and extra portable netbook is what you need, then you should definitely check this out. Originally priced at $599, you can now get it for $399 until January 30th. So strike while the iron is hot.

Purchase the Fujitsu LifeBook PH52 for $399 from LogicBUY.

Motorola Atrix 4G Promo Video Shows Why It’s a Superphone

Motorola has unleashed a splashy promotional video for its Atrix 4G smart phone. This is the gadget that stole the show at CES 2011 with a ground-breaking list of features, most notably the ability to plug into a laptop dock. When docked, you can use this superphone to surf the fell web via a Webtop application (powered by Firefox 3.6), complete with tab support. You can also see your smart phone screen in one window on the dock’s display and the web in another. A separate media dock lets you output video, pictures, and music to an HDTV.

Dubbed as “The World’s Most Powerful Smart Phone”, Motorola also trumpets the Atrix 4G’s dual-core CPU (Nvidia Tegra 2), 1GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage memory, and its ultra-sharp qHD screen. There’s even a fingerprint scanner for increased security.

Our excitement is certainly growing for the Atrix 4G, and we can’t wait to run it through its paces. Check out the video below for more

Dell Venue Pro (T-Mobile)

Most Windows Phone 7 devices are almost identical when it comes to software, but there certainly isn't a lack of hardware variety. So far we've seen an ultra-light slab phone (Samsung Focus), one with a slide-out speaker (HTC Surround), a big-screen monster with a kickstand (HTC HD7), and a Motorola Droid-style slider (LG Quantum). The Dell Venue Pro ($99 on contract with T-Mobile) adds yet another variation to the mix: a vertical slider design that's easily one of the most beautiful gadgets the company has made. With its ultra-bright AMOLED screen and plump backlit keyboard, the Venue Pro gives Microsoft's slick and highly customizable OS an executive-class sheen. Keep on reading to find out if this hardware-software combo has what it takes to stand out.

Design

After picking up the Dell Venue Pro we could immediately tell that its design is a cut above most smart phones. From the rubberized top and bottom to the chrome accents on the sides to the subtly curved Gorilla Glass display, this device screams luxury. We especially like the attention to detail, such as the textured diamond pattern on the black back cover. This pattern changes to silver on the top half of the phone when slid up.

The top half of the Venue Pro houses a headphone jack on the left and the power button on the right, which is not only recessed but positioned on a downward slope. This makes waking the phone unnecessarily difficult. Two large silver volume buttons and a camera button line the right side, and on the bottom you'll find stereo speakers and the microUSB port.

While the Venue Pro's heft is a telltale sign of its high quality, its presence was felt in our pocket. Measuring 4.8 x 2.5 x 0.6 inches and weighing 6.8 ounces, this smart phone has the same thickness but weighs much more than the LG Quantum (6.2 ounces), which also has a slide-out keyboard. The HTC HD7, which has a larger but inferior 4.3-inch display, weighs 5.7 ounces. The Samsung Focus, which has a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen but no keyboard, only weighs 4.1 ounces.

Display

Another major selling point of the Venue Pro is its gorgeous 4.1-inch AMOLED display (800 x 480 pixels). As with the Samsung Focus, colors are quite rich and contrast is sky high, which makes everything from photos and videos to the tiled interface really pop. The curved display limits viewing angles somewhat, but they're still better than the HD7.

Keyboard

The Venue Pro smoothly slides open to reveal the keyboard, which ends with a satisfying click. As far as sliders go, this is one of the better layouts we've laid our thumbs on. While packed tightly together, the evenly backlit keys are plump enough to provide satisfying tactile feedback, beating out the BlackBerry Torch. We appreciate the dedicated .com key, but we'd also prefer a dedicated @ key instead of having to press FN first. This could easily replace the marginally useful emoticon shortcut key.

In our testing we banged out e-mail replies fairly quickly and accurately using the physical QWERTY, but Windows Phone 7 benefits from one of the best touch keyboards around. We typed faster when using just the display, even though we made a few more errors. You'll have to really like physical keys to justify carrying around the Venue Pro's extra weight.