This new self-healing glass could make its way to a smartphone near you

We've all dropped our phones once or twice, and some of us have even shattered our screens in the process. That may soon be a thing of the past if this new technology by Japanese researchers comes to light.

Researchers from the University of Tokyo told Science that they have discovered a type of glass that can heal itself, which could be used in phone screens and other devices. This is all thanks to a new polymer called "polyether-thioureas" that allows the screen to repair cracks when pressed upon.

Related

Display showdown: AMOLED vs LCD vs Retina vs Infinity Display

It can be argued that the display on your smartphone is its most important feature, as it is the principle way in which you interact with your device. A poor display means a poor user …

Similar self-healing methods have been applied to plastic and rubber, but the researchers say this is the first of its kind since it can be repaired at room temperature. The researchers noted that the glass is "highly robust mechanically yet can readily be repaired by compression at fractured surfaces."

Funnily enough, much like the potato chip or chocolate chip cookies, this too was discovered by accident. A student named Yu Yanagisawa was attempting to use the material as glue when he discovered its healing properties. Believe it or not, the glass can supposedly return to its original strength after just a few hours.

This is not the first proposed solution for broken displays, and it probably won't be the last. Recently, Motorola filed a patent for self-healing display technology that would fix cracks when heat is applied. The LG G Flex 2 also came with a back panel that could repair small scratches by itself. Whenever self-healing displays come to fruition, it will be a welcome improvement in the smartphone world.

Source: This new self-healing glass could make its way to a smartphone near you

The top three smartphone innovations of 2017

2017 wasn't exactly a banner year for smartphone innovation. It felt like the industry took a break from bringing out new features, as most companies simply brought consumers more of what was already out there.

However, three interesting trends either started in or became more pronounced this year, and we hope we will see more of  them in 2018. These three smartphone innovations promise consumers a better overall experience, and we will certainly see them show up in future handsets over the next 12 months.

18:9 display ratio displays

Historically most smartphones featured displays with a 16:9 aspect ratio. This is the standard ratio for big screen televisions and feature films in theaters, so it made sense for phones to use that same measurement for playing movies on the small screen. However, in 2017 a number of major smartphones moved to an 18:9 ratio.

It started with the LG G6, which used the 18:9 ratio for its 5.7-inch 2,880 x 1,440 display. As we mentioned in our review of the phone from earlier this year, this design move, which LG termed as FullVision, actually made the G6 a bit smaller than the older LG V20, despite both having 5.7-inch displays.

The 18:9 displays got an even bigger boost just a few weeks after the launch of the LG G6 with the release of both the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Both phones use that aspect ratio (well, technically it's 18.5:9) and Samsung made it a big selling point. The "Infinity Display" allowed the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus to have very little bezel space while increasing screen area. Since the launch of LG and Samsung's phones, we have seen the 18:9 (or 2:1, if you want to go that route) aspect ratio on many other phones, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, LG V30, OnePlus 5T, and more.

Even Google has embraced this new format, adopting it for the Pixel 2 XL's 6-inch display. Apple went even further with its almost bezel-free iPhone X. It put in a 5.8-inch display with an even taller 19.5:9 aspect ratio.

18:9 displays still have issues with some movies and TV shows. While content tailored to the new format is starting to come out, the standard aspect ratio is still 16:9. That means lot of content will either have to stretch to fit the screen or use letterboxing to prevent distortion.

It seems to be a minor issue for consumers though, as there is growing acceptance of the 18:9 format in smartphones. We expect that this innovation will continue to pop up in 2018, and likely in more mid-range, and perhaps budget, smartphones. Everyone likes a bigger screen. If it doesn't actually make the phone bigger, even better.

120 Hz smartphone screens – better looking graphics

Another 2017 smartphone innovation centers on the display, but it's been far less common than the 18:9 aspect ratio. The Razer Phone, which launched in early November, is perhaps the most well-known smartphone to support a display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, instead of the normal 60 Hz. A few of Sharp's Aquos branded smartphones (generally only available in Asia) have also added support for 120 Hz refresh rates.

Editor's Pick

120Hz adaptive displays: the future or just a gimmick?

When we talk about the future of mobile displays, much of the focus has been on the continued transition to OLED, the emergence of bezelless designs, and the possibility of bendable and flexible models on …

Why is this a big deal? A screen's refresh rate refers to how fast a it can update a picture every second. In theory, if your display has a higher refresh rate, its image should be smoother and clearer, even while scrolling on your smartphone. Razer promoted the higher rate with another technology it developed called Ultra Motion, which syncs with the phone's GPU to change its refresh rate depending on the needs of what's being run. This maintains an optimal refresh rate when you play games, resulting in much smoother looking graphics with less screen tearing.

As we move into 2018, we will likely see more smartphones with better support for virtual and augmented reality experiences. We will also see more stand alone VR headsets that use smartphone hardware inside, running Android based games. Having a higher refresh rate for these displays will make VR and AR apps look better, with lower latency. The Razer Phone's push to add a higher refresh rate will likely result in more gaming and VR-oriented smartphones launching with similar rates on their displays in the next year.

The eSIM – ditching the old fashioned SIM card

No matter how advanced your smartphone is, you still need a good old-fashioned SIM card inside if you really want to use it as a normal cell phone. If you buy an unlocked phone from Amazon, or give an old one to a family member or friend, that device still needs that tiny card to be installed manually to use it with AT&T, Verizon, and other carriers. In 2017, we saw the first preview of a new way smartphones will finally, hopefully, get rid of this old technology.

The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are the first phones released with new eSIM technology. Both devices have an embedded SIM cards designed so they cannot be removed. The advantage of this technology is that you should be able to switch carriers with a software app menu and a few taps on a screen. This kind of technology will not only be helpful for people who buy unlocked phones or give old phones as gifts, but also international travelers, who won't need to get an extra SIM card to make calls and connect with cellular data networks in other countries.

At the moment, the eSIM support is only available for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL owners if they sign up for Google's Project Fi. However, the fact that Google is adding eSIM support for its latest flagship Android smartphones means the company is encouraging both phone manufacturers and wireless carriers to support eSIM in future handsets. 2018 will likely see the release of more phones with both Nano SIM and eSIM support. Hopefully in a few years phone makers will get rid of physical SIM cards entirely.

Conclusion

2017 was not a hugely innovative year, but there progress has been made in making displays larger and better, along with a first effort in getting rid of a legacy smartphone technology. 2018 will hopefully offer at least a few more innovations.

What do you think we will see that's new and cool in next year's phones? Let us know in the comments!

Source: The top three smartphone innovations of 2017

Why smartphone cameras were the most important tech of 2017

Your smartphone camera is about to reshape everything, but it has nothing to do with snapping photos. 

Sure, phone makers are getting really, really good at creating cameras. Between hardware improvements and advancements in computational photography, we've never had better optics in our pockets than we do with the latest generation of flagships.

But that's not why cameras matter more than ever before. It's because cameras are at the heart of a paradigm shift that's transforming the way we interact with the world around us. From augmented reality to camera-based search, cameras are increasingly becoming the interface through which we experience technology and find information.

Cameras take over

Say you're walking down the street, and you pass by a restaurant you want to know more about. Right now, you might whip out your phone and type the name into Google, or Yelp, or some other service. But in the near future, you'll be able to simply point your camera at the restaurant to get the same information.

Right now, we're used to spending hours a day tapping away on our phones' keyboards to access what we need. But much of that tapping would be unnecessary if we could just share visual context about the world around us. Instead of Googling how to fix your toilet, what if you could just hold up your camera to the broken part and get repair instructions?

Though we've been slowly approaching this shift for some time, it's never been more apparent or more dramatic than it was in 2017. Some observers have taken to saying "camera is the new keyboard" as a kind of shorthand for what's happening.

It's already happening

One early sign of this shift is the unlikely comeback of the QR code — a feature once so maligned it inspired a 2013 marketing tome called QR Codes Kill Kittens. 

Yet just four years later, Spotify, Pinterest, Venmo, Snapchat, and Facebook Messenger all have their own versions of the feature. Even Apple added QR code-scanning to the iPhone's camera — itself a tacit admission that QR codes aren't going anywhere.

But for an even better look at where the future is heading, look to camera-based search, which stands to dramatically change how we find information. Google and Pinterest both launched products this year that allow you to conduct specific types of searches just by pointing your camera at objects in your surroundings. 

Google's version of the tool can, for now, recognize text, household objects and landmarks. Pinterest's tool is more about inspiration — point your camera at food to find relevant recipes or at a pair of shoes for style ideas. 

While those tools, both coincidentally called "Lens," are still in the early stages, they paint a pretty clear picture as to where the tech is heading. "Search what you see," Google summed up in a blog post earlier this year.

Microsoft is also experimenting with computer vision in the camera. The company introduced a new app called Seeing AI that's meant to help the visually impaired "see" the world around them The app will narrate what's around you as you point the camera at your surroundings.

Like Google and Pinterest's Lens apps, Seeing AI is still in early days so the app has more than a few kinks. But it's not difficult to imagine how the technology could be transformative to the visually impaired. 

What happens next?

Still, there are potential issues. While it's difficult to deny the efficiency of pointing your camera at something and instantly getting helpful information about that thing, it does raise the question of who gets to decide what information comes up. This is fundamentally different from getting a page of blue links as search results. Sure, those are ranked, but it's still ultimately up to the searcher to choose one. With AR search, you likely won't even know alternative info is there.

Moreover, cameras and computer vision will accelerate the idea that combing through multiple pages of results feel as obsolete as texting with a numeric keypad. The price of that convenience, however, will be granting more power to whomever is deciding what the one "right" answer is any given situation. 

AR changes the privacy equation, too. By opening up these apps to the world around us, we're handing huge amounts of private information over to these services, which will now know even more about what we're doing, feeling, and thinking at any given moment. That's not something that can be easily walked back. 

These are valid concerns — and ones that tech companies should address sooner rather than later as these changes are only going to accelerate. This year more than ever we've seen what happens when tech companies release tools to the public and are slow to adapt to the abuses of those tools that inevitably happen. 

Regardless, the smart camera is rapidly become a reality. Everywhere you look, tech companies are adding layer upon layer of intelligence to their cameras at a surprising rate. And while none of these applications are, on their own, enough to change our lives, put them all together and it adds up to a world where the camera — augmented by powerful chips, precise sensors, and a vast database in the cloud — becomes the most important app on your phone.

Source: Why smartphone cameras were the most important tech of 2017

A practical, stylish and convenient smartphone series with serious attitude

Korea – WEBWIRE – Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Samsung Electronics today announced the latest additions to the Galaxy A series: the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018).

The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) feature a Dual Front Camera, a large Infinity Display and stunning ergonomic design that draws on Samsung's flagship design heritage and experience. With additional everyday features, the Galaxy A series is more stylish, practical and convenient than ever before.

"With the release of the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018), we're bringing our customers' favorite features from our flagship smartphones, such as the Infinity Display and our first Dual Front Camera with Live Focus, to our Galaxy A series, which is already known for its premium design," said Junho Park, Vice President of Global Product Planning, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. "The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) exemplify our continued dedication to meeting the needs of our consumers by providing them with greater choice and convenience."

Snap bright, clear selfies with the 16MP F1.7 rear camera and 16MP+8MP F1.9Dual Front Camera, no matter where you are or what you're doing. The Dual Front Camera is made up of two separate cameras so you can switch between the two to take the type of selfie you want – from close-ups with the background to portrait shots with a clear and crisp background. And with the advanced Live Focus feature, you can easily adjust the bokeh effect before or after you take the picture to create high-quality images.

From day to night, the advanced camera makes sure you capture sharp images, even in low-light conditions. The new devices also allow you to customize your photos with fun options, from adding stickers to your selfie or highlighting a culinary extravaganza with Food Mode.

Shaky video footage will be a thing of the past with video digital image stabilisation (VDis) technology, and with an added hyperlapse feature, you can now create time-lapse videos that let you record, tell and share even longer stories.

When watching movies or playing games, the latest Galaxy A devices set a new standard for uninterrupted, immersive viewing experiences. The Infinity Display goes beyond the bezel with an immersive 18.5:9 display ratio1, so that you can view the whole scene across your screen for the ultimate cinematic experience. The large screen is supported with ergonomic curved glass on the back and front. Its sleek glass and metal frame, smooth curves and comfortable grip make it even easier to watch or interact with content on your phone. The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) are available in four colors including black, orchid grey, gold and blue to suit your personal style2.

Both devices will continually keep you informed with the Always On Display, meaning you can get information at a glance without unlocking your phone. With Samsung Pay3, there's no need to bring your wallet with you every time you go out. Supporting Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) and Near Field Communication (NFC), the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) can be used virtually anywhere you can tap or swipe your card. Every transaction via Samsung Pay is secure, yet very simple. All it takes is one swipe and one fingerprint scan.

Offering IP68 water and dust resistance4, the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) can withstand the elements, including sweat, rain, sand and dust, making it suitable for nearly any activity or situation. The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) support microSD cards so you can expand your storage capacity by as much as 256GB, and are the first in the A series to support Samsung's Gear VR.

The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) will be available in early January 2018.

--------

* Features and functions will vary by market and mobile operator

* All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document

including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability,

and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

1 Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners

2 Color availability may vary by country

3 Availability of service may vary by country

4 Carrying an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. Based on test conditions of submersion in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes

( Press Release Image: https://photos.webwire.com/prmedia/6/218183/218183-1.jpg )

Related Links Source

WebWireID218183

This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted.

News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.

Source: A practical, stylish and convenient smartphone series with serious attitude

A new type of glass that was discovered by accident can fix its own cracks – and it would be perfect for smartphones

Jeff Turner/Flickr (CC)

A new type of glass was developed that can repair itself.

The discovery was made by accident when researchers at the University of Tokyo were researching new adhesives. 

Broken glass can fuse back together with firm pressure.

It's still in its early stages, but it could have huge implications for smartphone displays. 

While researching new kinds of adhesives, researchers at the University of Tokyo stumbled upon a type of glass that can repair its own cracks, according to Japan Today. 

Two broken shards can fuse back together in just a few seconds with firm pressure, and the glass regains its original strength in a couple of hours.

The research is in its early stages, so don't be put off by the glass' brown color or the seam that remains after the glass has fused back together. As Japan Today says, "it's still a step in a hopeful direction."

Self-repairing glass is surely an appealing prospect for a wide range of industries. For the smartphone industry, it could mean self-healing displays and glass backs. 

We've seen self-healing materials on smartphones before, like the LG G Flex and G Flex 2's plastic back that can repair light scratches from objects like keys. It was a great idea that wasn't exactly successful in the long run, as smartphones haven't adopted the self-healing plastic since. Perhaps that's because smartphone makers were veering away from plastic on their premium devices in favor of metal or glass.

The LG G Flex had a self-healing back that could repair light scratches over time. YouTube/MKBHD

But self-healing glass is arguably more appealing. Still, I wouldn't hold onto to my current smartphone until self-healing glass becomes more mainstream, as it can be several years before self-healing glass becomes fully developed and ready for smartphones.

It's simply good to know that self-healing glass has been discovered, and it could become a reality in the near future. 

SEE ALSO: The $500 OnePlus 5T is my favorite Android phone of the year, and it's even better after comparing its camera against the $850 Pixel 2 XL NOW WATCH: 7 iPhone X power user tricks you need to know
Source: A new type of glass that was discovered by accident can fix its own cracks – and it would be perfect for smartphones

Cell Phones and Cancer Risk?

No one wants to get cancer. No one wants to have to go for treatment for cancer and no one wants to be led to believe they are "cancer free" when that's not the case. Cancer is in remission, never cured. I'm not a physician, but a psychologist, and I know that the very word "cancer" strikes fear into everyone's heart, so we have to begin to re-think our use of cell phone based on new information.

Year ago, cigarettes were seen as items that carried a sense of sophistication, helped people relax a bit in social situations and we were assured they were safe. In some cultures, cigarettes were even seen as "healthy." We now know, thanks to vigorous lawsuits and thousands of cigarette-related deaths, that cigarettes are anything but sophisticated or healthy. Plainly speaking, cigarettes kill.

The increasing use of cell phones for everything from everyday conversations to corporate conference calls has made cells an indispensable item in our daily lives. Kids can't seem to do without them, but here we know there's also an element of safety.

Walk down the street in any metropolitan area and you'll see people using their cells addictively. Some people seem incapable of not talking on a cell as they walk along. Psychologists might see this as either a protective device or a sign that the person is incapable of being "alone" in any sense of the word.

Cell phone radiation has been a concern for scientists for many years and now the attention being paid to it is heating up. A court in Italy this year awarded a worker a monthly pension after it was determined, by a physician, that he had developed a brain tumor secondary to cell phone usage. In Israel, another man who developed cancer in his ear was awarded a "humanitarian" claim by his company because they indicated that the World Health Organization had not found a link between cell phone use and cancer.

Literally, billions of hours are spent on cell phones all over the world and we have to wonder if they are safe when some research suggests otherwise. We must ask why there are more reported cases of brain cancer now than ever before.

Of course, any researcher will tell you that it may mean that more people are going for check-ups and the technology has advanced to the point where they are easily revealed. In prior years, people may have died with tumors but the cause of death was listed as something else. Not all tumors are cancerous.

In 2017, a lawsuit was filed by Joel Moskowitz, Director, Center for Family and Community Health at UC Berkeley School of Public Health regarding cell phone risk. No governmental standard for the level of risk associated with cell phone radiation has been established and the danger of bias or inaccuracy of measurement, research design, etc. are always to be carefully considered. Research with rats and other animals may not be sufficient for applying these findings to humans. Often, this can be the case. The question is often how much use and for how long before effects of radiation show up? The length of time may be as long as 20 years.

The moral of this story is: Use a cell phone, but use it wisely and take precautions. You will hear conflicting opinions on this because, as you may know, we are receiving radio waves constantly from our TVs, hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, microwaves and any number of other gadgets we use in our daily lives. But the sum total, while small, may be injurious. Who is to say how much is too much?

Anxiety, for whatever reason, is something all of us want to keep in check. If you are concerned about cell radiation possibilities related to cancer, there are several suggested ways to minimize any risk.

Scientists are suggesting that we:

use headphones, earbuds or the speaker on our phones, for one thing

keep your cell at least at arm's length when you have it lying near you

don't sleep with your cell under your pillow or near your head

don't put your cell into your bra

However the information or research turns out, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially when it comes to cancer risk.

Website: www.drfarrell.net

Author's page: http://amzn.to/2rVYB0J

Attribution of this material is appreciated.

Dr. Patricia A. Farrell, Ph.D.

Dr. Patricia A. Farrell, Ph.D., LLC

Source: Cell Phones and Cancer Risk?

NEW: Darkened Atlanta airport saw peanut stampede, dead phones, tears

WEST PALM BEACH

Tiffany Hornback of Palm Beach Gardens made the three-hour trek from the University of Alabama to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta on Sunday so she could fly home. At 1 p.m., she was next in line to get food. Then the lights went out at one of the world's busiest airports.

Five hours later, Southwest Airlines brought out a cart with peanuts and a stampede of people attacked the cart, her mother, Debra Dominguez, said Monday morning. Hornback, who hadn't eaten since 8 a.m., picked up what was left on the floor.

The corridor eventually became smoky, Dominguez said, and people were evacuated to a different part of the concourse. Hornback was eventually able to get outside, Dominguez said, but it was freezing cold and Hornback's phone had died. She sat on the concrete and cried.

" 'This is what the apocalypse would look like,' " Dominguez quoted her daughter as saying about the snack-cart attack.

But Hornback then spotted a nearby building where she charged her phone and was able to get an Uber and hotel. She is scheduled to return on a 10:30 a.m. flight. Dominguez said Southwest had not figured out where Hornback's luggage is.

Hornback's flight was one of several flights either canceled or delayed Sunday and Monday due to the power outage that shut down the Atlanta airport, a major source of passengers to South Florida airports. Power didn't go back on until nearly midnight.

On Monday morning, flights from PBIA to Atlanta at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. were canceled. Flights to Atlanta departing as early as 11:15 were listed as "on time" on the flight information display system. Flights from Atlanta scheduled to arrive at PBIA at 10:28 a.m. and 12:45 a.m. were on time but a flight scheduled to arrive at 11:44 a.m. was canceled.

There were seven cancellations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: four departures and three arrivals, as well as 14 arrival delays and four departure delays, all from Atlanta, said Greg Meyer, airport spokesman. He added that yesterday there were 17 canceled and 34 delays. He was unable to say when cancelations would end.

Delta Air Lines, whose largest hub is at the Atlanta airport, said at about 7:30 a.m. it already had canceled 300 Monday flights already, on top of nearly 1,000 canceled Sunday.

Delta canceled nine flights in and out of PBIA Sunday and rerouted one, and canceled four PBIA flights Monday morning, airport spokeswoman Lacy Larson said. She said she hadn't yet heard from Southwest. Those two were the only airlines flying between PBIA and Atlanta Sunday and Monday, Larson said.

"Delta is working to reaccommodate customers. Those who need booking assistance are encouraged to go to the Fly Delta app or delta.com to check flight status before leaving for the airport," the airline said in a notice. It also suggested monitoring "@ATLairport" on Twitter.

The airline said people flying to, from or though Atlanta can make a one-time change and that the airline had frozen travel for unaccompanied minors, although those in transit could continue.

Delta tweeted Monday morning that it established a line to assist customers with checked bags that were impacted by the outage and that customers should call (888) 977-1005 to arrange bag delivery.

Southwest Airlines canceled 70 Atlanta departures out of 120 on Sunday and said Monday it was at full schedule. Spokesmen couldn't provide specifics for flights in and out of PBIA Monday morning.

The airline said people who were scheduled to travel through Atlanta on Sunday and Monday and want to change plans can in most cases rebook with no extra fee.

Travelers at Palm Beach international said the cancellations affected their work schedules.

"It doesn't work that they have me travelling all day tomorrow because it means I'm losing two business days," said Krista Lowery, of Jupiter, whose Delta flight had to be rerouted.

Other customers said they were also inconvenienced, but staff was making the experience as pleasant as possible.

"The agent has been wonderful. She made sure we had food vouchers, a place to stay, gave us alternate plans, let us decide which way we wanted to go," said Carol Fosson, who was vacationing at Palm Beach Shores on Singer Island, "It's as pleasurable as this experience could be."

Source: NEW: Darkened Atlanta airport saw peanut stampede, dead phones, tears