In the wake of an eventful year for television technology, January’s Consumer Electronics Show is expected to feature a slew of new announcements, most notably, perhaps, involving a new wave of LED LCD sets possibly filling the void left by plasma. In October, Panasonic announced it would stop manufacturing plasma TVs. While LG and Samsung will likely introduce new plasma models in 2014, compelling features of affordable LED LCD models could possibly take center stage. Continue reading TV: Will 4K LED LCD Replace 1080p Plasma at CES in January?

Major tech companies have joined together to form the AllSeen Alliance group with the common goal of enabling the Internet of Things (IoT), also known as the Internet of Everything (IoE). Consortium members include Qualcomm, LG Electronics, Cisco, Panasonic, Sharp, Silicon Image, D-Link and Haier. The nonprofit Linux Foundation made the announcement of the group, which plans to use Qualcomm technology to connect appliances and gadgets to the Internet. Continue reading AllSeen Alliance Group Formed to Enable Internet of Things

Researchers from Georgia Tech, the University of Tokyo, and Microsoft Research have developed a technique in which cheap, functional electric circuits can be printed using only $300 of material and equipment. This technique uses silver nanoparticle ink instead of utilizing sintering. The researchers were able to print a circuit in roughly 60 seconds onto almost any material that can go through a printer, though some materials worked better than others. Continue reading Researchers Print Micro Circuits with Cheap Ink-Jet Printers

There are only 300 of Valve’s Steam Machine gaming PCs, and they’re being shipped to beta testers. But Valve’s production of the device will end there — this is just a prototype. Third party-manufactured machines will be revealed in January at the next Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, during which consumers will get more information about Steam’s specs. What we know now is that the device will have high- and low-end models. Continue reading Valve Releases Steam Game Machine Prototypes for Testing

The Consumer Electronics Association launched a promotional campaign called “Innovating Safety” last week to emphasize that CE devices and automobiles can work together safely. The campaign is designed to inform consumers and lawmakers about the many devices that support driver safety, such as Bluetooth kits and teen tracking. The campaign launched during a policy forum in Washington, D.C. that addressed distracted driving. Continue reading CEA Launches New Campaign to Promote Car Gadget Safety

A team of researchers at North Carolina State University has created a metal alloy that is liquid, and could be used in 3D printers to make flexible electronic parts and devices. The researchers describe the metal as a “stretchable” alloy, and that many small drops of the alloy can be positioned together in order to create bendable metal sheets and potentially other objects. But it is currently expensive, about 100 times more than 3D printing plastic. Continue reading Metal Alloy Could Be Used for 3D Printing of Bendy Devices

Microsoft and Best Buy announced yesterday that they are teaming up to convert the computing sections of 600 Best Buy locations into new in-store retail shops called Windows Stores. The 1,500-2,200 square feet mini-stores plan to feature an array of Microsoft products including computers, phones and Xbox video game machines. Windows Stores will be distinctly designed featuring prominent Microsoft colors and logos, and plan to start opening this summer. Continue reading Windows Stores: Microsoft and Best Buy Team on Retail Space