AUO announces first deadzone-free naked eye 3D notebook panel

Stereoscopic 3D seems to be the next big thing, as evident by this year’s CES show at Las Vegas. We had 3D projectors and 3D HDTVs hitting the showfloor then, with the latter being a staple in just about every manufacturer’s press conference. Well, over the past months, more advancements in the world of 3D has been made, including Sharp coming up with a glassless 3D display for the Nintendo 3DS, not to mention 3D-enabled cellphones in Japan as well as 3D lens for digital cameras. AUO has jumped aboard the 3D bandwagon by announcing the world’s first deadzone-free naked eye 3D notebook panel at FPD International 2010. More on this technology can be read up in the extended post.

Unlock hotel rooms remotely!

One of these hotels is the Clarion Hotel in Stockholm, and this hotel is currently running a trial program that allows visitors to check in and collect their room key without waiting in line at the reception. In fact, there are no keys, when you make a reservation, you get a message with a link that allows you to open door to your hotel room with your smartphone. You just need to put your phone next to your lock and that’s it, because Near Field Communication will do the rest.

Although this idea is still on trial, it sounds like this is the future for managing hotels and its guests, no mention on what mobile OS this is to work with though.

NFC mobile phones replace hotel room keys in Sweden

A world’s first pilot is starting at the Clarion Hotel Stockholm in Sweden. ASSA ABLOY, Choice Hotels Scandinavia, TeliaSonera, VingCard Elsafe and Venyon, a fully owned subsidiary of Giesecke & Devrient, have joined forces to replace hotel room keys with NFC-enabled mobile phones. The technology makes it possible for hotel guests to check-in and out using their mobile phones.

Colleges Switch To E-Text To Save Money & Help Save Environment [E-Textbooks Are Seen As A Way To Save Money & Lessen The Use Of Paper]

Digital technology has gone leaps and bounds in other industries, such as the music market, where a big chunk of purchases today are digital. Colleges across the US want students to save money on books, and E-textbooks might just have the same effect on the textbook market.

College administrations are aware of the rising costs of textbooks, where in some cases, single textbooks would go for no less than $250 each. Some are even going as far as saying there’s something wrong with the system if the cost of textbooks is bigger than the tuition fee itself.

Some students are creative with saving money on books–they borrow, buy secondhand, or simply make do without books at all, but some colleges discourage this practice. Book publishers are also on the losing end, as they only earn from every new book purchased. With a new system being adopted by colleges like Virginia State and Daytona State College, it could be a win-win situation.

Colleges are now able to negotiate for lower per-unit costs for e-versions of textbooks, bringing down the prices to as low as $20 each. Some books can even be accessed in their online versions for free.

E-books are cheaper to produce than physical books. They also have a lighter carbon footprint. No trees are cut down to make paper, and no ink is used for printing. Of course, there are disadvantages, such as the inability to make marginal notes, and the difficulty in reading in some scenarios (like when lying down in bed). But when you consider the cost-savings, e-textbooks might be the best way to both save money and the environment.