2013年3月30日 星期六

Google and Microsoft as makers of personal computers/Google街景拍攝 徒步北極圈/flexible display panel

iPhone環繞顯示器 申請專利

〔編譯俞智敏/綜合報導〕蘋果公司正替使用環繞式顯示裝置的新iPhone設計申請專利,這種環繞式顯示器包覆住整支手機外緣,不但使顯示面積大幅增加,更除去了所有實體按鍵。
蘋果公司提出這項專利申請,顯示該公司正考慮研發利用新一代顯示技術的手機,這些顯示裝置的外型不再像目前的液晶螢幕那樣扁平、死板。
根據這項專利申請內容顯示,新手機可能使用環繞式顯示器,取消按鍵裝置,裝在「透明外殼」內的可撓性顯示面板(flexible display panel)能從手機各處顯示內容。
這種手機可能包括兩個主動矩陣有機發光二極體(AMOLED),反應速度比有機發光二極體(OLED)更快。使用主動矩陣有機發光二極體和圓錐狀的可撓式顯示面板,還可提供使用者一種「模仿3D經驗的景深幻覺」。
顯示面積增加 去除實體按鍵
此外,專利申請書中還提到可能使用臉部辨識技術來偵測使用者身分。
申請書中指出,新設計的目的是要利用傳統手機的「未使用空間」,擴大手機背面及側邊的功能性,因此,蘋果公司可能考慮使用曲面螢幕及可撓式顯示器,並以觸控完全取代按鍵。
蘋果公司這項專利申請早在2011年9月即已提出,但美國專利暨商標局直到本月27日才公布專利內容。蘋果跟其他科技公司一樣,經常提出日後從未正式生產的產品設計專利申請。
根 據富比世(Forbes)網站指出,這項專利凸顯出蘋果似乎有意朝OLED面板發展。富比世說,雖然蘋果執行長庫克已多次公開讚揚蘋果使用的視網膜顯示器 優於OLED,但是據OLED-Info.com網站報導,蘋果已聘請前樂金集團(LG)一名精研OLED科技的研究人員,加入其顯示器部門。


Google街景拍攝 徒步北極圈

〔編譯張沛元/綜合報導〕已深入北韓與日本福島核災區呈現當地景象的Google街景小組,如今又派出穿戴厚重衣物對抗低溫與北極熊的成員,以徒步方式拍攝、記錄位於北極圈內巴芬島上的小鎮街景。
Google 街景小組成員過去是把攝影機架在車上拍攝街景,但如今在位於北極圈內的加拿大努納武特領地首府伊魁特拍攝街景時,則改由小組成員以徒步方式,揹著重達18 公斤的伸縮攝影機四處走透透。這群徒步客面對的是荒涼的景色,更別提還有遭北極熊攻擊之虞,甚至還要踏上若干鮮為人知的步道,包括長15公里、被稱為「烏 有路」的一條死路。
巴芬島入鏡 可望吸引觀光
街景團隊花了4天時間探索野外與記錄影像,以便在今年7月將人口僅7000的伊魁特街景呈現於世人眼前。事實上,伊魁特的街景除了能讓外界一窺北極圈內的景致,當地人也能受惠;該鎮希望能利用街景服務吸引外來者造訪,甚至定居,也希望街景服務能加速該鎮的城市計畫。
街景團隊的第一個挑戰是,蒐集到足夠資料來填補現有衛星地圖照片的不足。他們發現,衛星照片儘管十分準確,但卻趕不上這座近年來因礦業發達而變化快速小鎮的腳步;像是一條去年為採礦而新闢的路,在地圖照片上就沒有。
第 二個挑戰則是,如何正確地在地圖上顯示商店和住家的位置。這些商家因為都把郵件地址寫在當地郵局,因此在地圖上就變成以鎮中心的郵局為核心,四周都是商店 和住家。所幸靠著30名當地熱心人士的協助,街景團隊發給他們一人一台筆記型電腦,教導他們如何正確登錄地址,花了一個晚上終於解決問題。
其實,為了這次計畫,Google去年起就在離伊魁特有1700公里遠的另一個小鎮,進行類似徒步拍攝工作,並分析可能遇到的困難。計畫領導人布林戴爾說,他們還沒挑選好下一個要記錄的北極圈城鎮,但他希望3、5年後,人們就可以看到十分不一樣的加拿大北極圈景色。



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