Panasonic EZ Touch Remote Features Dual-Touchpads, Simple But Effective Interface

Remote controls might not be the sexiest of gadgets to overhaul, but Panasonic's done a pretty neat job with this recent revamp. The company demoed a touch-sensitive remote at CEATEC, which features a touchpad on each end of the device and a crowd of buttons in the middle. Instead of using a touchscreen like many of its high-end ilk, the EZ Touch Remote superimposes an image of a traditional remote control on the television screen. More »

JVC Pseudo 3D Glasses Don't Cause Headaches, Still Look Dorky

Digital tech has reinvigorated the 3D dream since the cardboard glasses and headaches of yesteryear. JVC showed off a nifty prototype TV at CEATEC outside Tokyo that converts high-def 2D video into what it calls "pseudo 3D" in real time. With the eyewear on, it takes a few moments for your brain to adjust, and then footage of the Alps in spring starts taking on eye-popping depth. It's not exactly convincing enough to want to reach out and touch the wildflowers, though it makes regular flatscreens seem, well, very flat in comparison. More »

KDDI Cellphone Concepts from the Space Age

Japan cellphone carrier KDDI has a knack for turning out handsets that belong in museums. Past hit designs like the INFOBAR, talby, neon and MEDIA SKIN made into the permanent collection at the MoMa in New York. The trendy telecom showed off some of its concepts at CEATEC outside Tokyo, showcasing the talents of Hideo Kambara, a designer from Hiroshima who also made into the MoMa with his Kadokeshi eraser that has 28 corners. Kambara's PLY phones are inspired by songs, novels, numbers and symbols. PLY means "lamination layers," according to KDDI, and the whimsical handsets in the series include concepts like a mobile projector, a printer, a game controller, tissue dispenser, and a mint tablet dispenser. The other concept phones from KDDI include models resembling jewel boxes and satellites, and are apparently equipped with mini solar panels. Just in case civilization fails, there's always the sun. More »