Hardware
Phillips brings Ambilight technology for TV sets to India
MUMBAI: Phillips Electronics India is striving to up the ante in television technology to compete in an increasingly tough market. If last year, it introduced Pixel Plus 2 technology, it has now brought in ambient lighting (ambilight) technology for its plasma and LCD TV sets.
The company states that the technology makes the viewing experience more intense by throwing a soft glow on the wall behind the screen to enhance perceived brightness, contrast and colour accuracy. Ambilight projects background lighting from the rear of the TV set onto the wall behind the set.
Ambilight works by analysing the incoming TV signals and producing background lighting that matches the images displayed on the screen. There are four fixed preset and two special active preset modes. There is a relaxing mode and a dynamic mode that responds faster to the action on the screen.
Speaking on the occasion Phillips Electronics India executive director and senior VP consumer electronics D. Shivakumar says that ambilight provides a cinema like viewing experience.
On the occasion of the launch Phillips invited director Pradeep Sarkar who made Parineeta to speak. Abroad Phillips used Martin Scorcese who made The Aviator. Both these directors spoke on the use of light, shadow and colours.
Sarkar said, “The ability to recreate the magic of the big screen on television makes it possible for cinema buffs to enjoy a true to life reproduction of various nuances including colour and light. It is critical that viewers are able to enjoy the full spectrum of the cinema as intended by the director.”
Hardware
Specs Inc. partners with Qualcomm for next-generation smart glasses
Snap subsidiary to power future Specs with Snapdragon XR platforms.
MUMBAI: Snap’s Specs are about to get a serious upgrade and this time, they’re teaming up with Qualcomm to make sure the future looks crystal clear. Specs Inc., a Snap subsidiary, has announced a multi-year strategic agreement with Qualcomm Technologies to power future generations of its advanced smart eyewear with Snapdragon system-on-a-chip (SoC) technology.
This marks the first flagship engagement for Specs Inc., which is preparing to launch its standalone, see-through smart glasses for consumers later this year. The Specs are designed to seamlessly blend digital experiences into the physical world, allowing users to see, hear, and interact with digital content as if it were part of their real surroundings.
By integrating Snapdragon XR platforms, the glasses will benefit from edge AI and high-performance, low-power computing. This combination enables intelligent, context-aware experiences to run directly on the device, delivering faster and more private interactions.
The partnership builds on more than five years of collaboration between Snap and Qualcomm, during which Snapdragon platforms have powered multiple generations of Snap’s Spectacles.
Snap Inc., co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel said, “We believe the future of computing will be more human and grounded in the real world. Our work with Qualcomm provides a strong foundation for the future of Specs, bringing advanced technology and performance that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Qualcomm Incorporated president and CEO Cristiano Amon added, “The next era of computing will be defined by devices that understand what you see, hear and say, and respond instantly to the world around you. Our collaboration on Specs will enable power-efficient interactive AR devices that feel natural and intuitive.”
The agreement establishes a scalable foundation for developers and partners building experiences for Specs, supporting a predictable product roadmap and increasingly sophisticated digital interactions over time.
In a world racing toward augmented reality, Specs Inc. and Qualcomm are ensuring that the next pair of smart glasses doesn’t just look good on paper, they perform brilliantly in real life. The future of wearable computing just got a powerful new lens.
