[pivotCE] Next LuneOS stable release available: Antoccino
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By pivotCE
Well, it’s 2024 and technology continues to advance. The TouchPad isn’t new by any means, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be slightly modernized to be more convenient today. Specifically, it is entirely possible to convert the TouchPad’s Micro USB port to USB C for charging and USB storage access. I’ll show you how.
This is a tough mod which requires micro-soldering and modifying a PCB which you will have a hard time sourcing a replacement for without buying another TouchPad. Proceed at your own peril.
Tools for the Job
To do this mod you’ll need a few things for tools and parts. Here’s a list of what I used:
– Needle nose pliers/tweezers
– USB C boards with 5.1k resistors
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– Soldering iron, solder, flux and a hot air station
– Flush cuts
– Dremel with cutting or sanding wheel
– 28 AWG wire or smaller. 30 AWG is pretty good but any wire around 0.25mm to 0.5mm should work.
– Small file and screwdriver set
– Painter’s and kapton tape
– Metal spudger Disassemble the TouchPad
This is where you’re going to want to get that metal spudger out and be very careful not to snap clips. I can’t explain it better than iFixit already did so go check out their and then come back here.
Modify the USB Connector Board by Removing the Micro Port
There are a few ways to remove the Micro USB port. I added a bunch of flux and coated all the connectors in fresh leaded solder and then used a hot air station set to 800 degrees while wiggling the port very slightly with needle nose pliers. You don’t have to be particularly careful here so if you want to cut the port off with the dremel or the flush cuts or just rip it off with the pliers, (I don’t recommend it but…) that’s fine. We’re not using the pads it’s soldered to anyway. You should STILL be careful not to crack the board. Go slow. Be patient.
Trim the USB C Board
We need to expose the USB C port a bit on this board so let’s cut it down. Grab the painter’s tape and flip the USB C board upside down. You’ll see a small trace between the front and rear anchor points on the right side, which we don’t want to cut. Mark the tape just on the other side of that trace like I did. Dremel along the tape line until you get to the port. You can then use needle nose pliers, a flat file, and/or flush cuts to remove the rest of the board from the bottom of the port.
Prepare the USB Connector Board for the USB C Port
We need to slide the port into the old space so grab the painter’s tape again and mark off the area I marked to make room for the USB C port. You can place the port up to it like I did and use that as a guide. Grab your dremel again or a similar tool and cut out what you marked off. When you’re done, the USB C port should slide easily into the groove. It will fit tighter when we add the kapton tape in a later step.
Make Room in the TouchPad for the Added Thickness of the USB C Board
The USB C board will sit underneath the USB connector board so we have to make room by trimming away the plastic underneath. For this you’ll need to use flush cuts or any other tool you have to chip away. You could use the dremel for this if you’d like. Be careful to not go beyond the first inner layer. Beyond that is the outer shell of the TouchPad. There’s no real method here, just cut out the screw posts and chip away. Use the pictures below as a guide.
Cut the USB C Hole from the Old Micro USB Hole
To open the micro USB hole enough to fit the USB C port, take a rounded file to the left and right of both sides and just file a little bit at at time. Use a small flat file to widen the top and bottom of the port. This process is just trial and error. File a little and then grab the USB C board to test. The port will need to fit inside the hole a bit so you can push it through from the outside to test the hole size if that’s easier. Note: the USB C board will likely not rest on the bottom of the TouchPad and will float a little. This is good because it makes room for your wires and a little kapton tape underneath.
Tape the USB C Board
Since we hacked away at the USB connector board it’s possible we’ve provided the perfect environment for creating shorts! Oh no! So get out the kapton tape because we’re going to add a layer on both sides. You’ll see how I did it on one side below. Do it on both sides. You’ll also notice how I did not cover those two small square contacts just at the bottom of the tape. That’s because we need them.
Where To Get Power and Data
You’ll see the diagrams below which I’ve marked with VBUS (power), data in, data out, and ground. Obviously the old port is gone and most if its pads, but I wanted to show that both sides of the board have the connections. You could possibly do this mod differently, and if you so choose, hopefully these help.
A quick note: this mod can be done with a 4-pin USB C port. That would give you power and data just like with the USB C board I’m using in this guide, however, a 4-pin USB C board will not charge with a USB C charger (ie USB 3.1). The board I’m using in this guide provides the ability to use any charger because it comes pre-built with 5.1k resistors wired to CC1 and CC2 to ground. This is the trick that tells the USB C chargers to send power to the device.
Solder the USB C Board into the USB Connector Board
This isn’t a “how to solder tutorial” so hit up youtube and find a good tutorial that works for you. In general though, use flux, pre-tin the VBUS, Ground, D-, and D+ pads on the USB C board as well as the points on the bottom of the USB connector board.
Now for the tricky part, I didn’t list it in the Tools section above, but it would really help to have magnification or a digital microscope for this. I have these things and I used both. You might have steadier hands and better eyes than me. The picture below was my first attempt of the three TouchPads I modded, and it’s not my best soldering work, but fundamentally, this is what yours should look like.
Put the Pieces Together
You can use a bit of kapton tape to secure the wires in place a bit more if you’d like but it’s not required. It won’t short since it’s only plastic underneath. This is all press fit into place, but if you’re uncomfortable with that, you can add a little hot glue under the board as you put it back into the TouchPad. You don’t have to put the metal shield back into place if you don’t want to. It’s all a pretty tightly fit and if you find the TouchPad screen isn’t as flush as you want, just leave the metal shield off. A little kapton tape right on top would be fine instead.
Congrats, You Now Have USB C
I did this mod on three TouchPads and each one works fine with any USB charger I could find, including USB C port having USB 3.1 chargers. I can also confirm the data connection works just like it should to connect via USB mode on PC. Sadly, this doesn’t do anything to stop webOS from telling you the charger you’re using isn’t the original TouchPad barrel charger, but you can make a custom cable to stop that which I’ll cover in a future article on pivotCE.
#webOS4ever
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By News Reporter
Company Announces Integration of Latest Intel Core Ultra Processor in the LG gram
Lineup at Intel Launch Event, Marking Giant Leap Forward for Personal Computing
SEOUL, Sep. 4, 2024 — LG Electronics (LG) is excited to announce that its newest LG gram laptop featuring the Intel® Core Ultra processor (Series 2) will be showcased at the Intel Core Ultra Global Launch Event from September 3-8. Renowned for its powerful performance and ultra-lightweight design, the LG gram series now integrates advanced AI capabilities powered by the latest Intel® Core Ultra processor. The LG gram 16 Pro, the first model to feature these new Intel processors, will be unveiled before its release at the end of 2024.
As the first on-device AI laptop from the LG gram series, it offers up to an impressive 48 neural processing unit (NPU) tera operations per second (TOPS), setting a new standard for AI PCs and providing the exceptional performance required for Copilot experiences.* Powered by the latest Intel® Core Ultra processor, the LG gram 16 Pro is now more efficient thanks to advanced AI functionalities such as productivity assistants, text and image creation and collaboration tools. What’s more, its extended battery life helps users handle tasks without worry.
The Intel® Core Ultra processor (Series 2) AI processor, which is three times more powerful than its predecessor, enhances a PC’s AI performance dramatically. With up to 48 NPU TOPS and up to 67 GPU TOPS, this next-gen processor offers up to 120 total platform TOPS to unlock new levels of productivity while maximizing user convenience. The new LG gram offers a smoother user experience, since the Intel® Core Ultra processor is optimized for Windows PCs.
“Together with LG, we are bringing to market the next generation of AI PCs that offer incredible performance, power efficiency and security capabilities for consumers. The LG gram 16 is a great example of an ultra-lightweight AI PC, powered by the all-new Intel® Core Ultra processor, that delivers an outstanding and seamless experience for creators, working professionals and everyday users. We’re thrilled for people to experience the wide-ranging benefits these AI PCs can enable,” said Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Intel executive vice president and general manager, Client Computing Group.
“Building on LG gram’s renowned ultra-lightweight design and powerful functionality, our newest model integrates Intel’s exceptional AI technology to push the boundaries of on-device AI laptops,” said YS Lee, vice president and head of the IT business unit of LG Business Solutions Company. “The enhanced performance and productivity offered by the latest Intel® Core Ultra processor is poised to enrich the LG gram user experience with AI, ushering in a new era of on-device AI laptops.”
In line with the company’s AI vision of “Affectionate Intelligence,” an approach that seeks to understand customer needs and deliver differentiated experiences that go beyond traditional AI, LG plans to add more AI processor models to its gram lineup following the introduction of the LG gram 16 Pro with Intel® Core Ultra processors (Series 2).
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* Rolling out gradually in preview within the latest update to Windows 11 in select global markets. Timing of availability varies by device and market. Learn more here: aka.ms/WindowsAIFeatures.
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By News Reporter
With the Theme of ‘Experience, Affectionate Intelligence Home,’
LG’s IFA Exhibit to Highlight Company’s ‘AI Home’ Vision and AI-Powered Appliances
SEOUL, Aug. 7, 2024 — LG Electronics (LG) is inviting consumers from around the globe to Berlin, Germany, to experience its latest AI appliance innovations at IFA 2024, taking place from September 6-10. Under the theme Experience, Affectionate Intelligence Home, the company will present its comprehensive and inspiring vision for the next chapter of the AI home.
At LG’s large-scale booth, located in Hall 18 at Messe Berlin, visitors can experience the elevated quality of life made possible by the company’s diverse lineup of AI home solutions. In addition to introducing its newest offerings powered by Affectionate Intelligence, LG will demonstrate its considerable progress in realizing the AI home of the future and reaffirm its strong commitment to leading a new era of AI innovation.
Those unable to attend IFA in person can still learn all about LG’s AI home appliance showcase through the LG Booth video, which will be available on the LG Global YouTube channel (
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By News Reporter
LG first incorporated Wi-Fi modules into its home appliances over a decade ago, and since then, the company has continued to enhance home living with its groundbreaking innovations. A leader in the fast-growing AI home appliance market, LG is now applying its proprietary on-device AI chip – the ‘DQ-C’ – to its latest lifestyle solutions, infusing them with the unique power of ‘Affectionate Intelligence.’
Introduced by CEO William Cho at CES 2024, Affectionate Intelligence underscores LG’s commitment to delivering differentiated customer experiences via cutting-edge AI technology that is more caring, empathetic and attentive.
Affectionate Intelligence is built on three pillars: Real-time Life Intelligence, drawing insights from real-life data gleaned from our global LG smart products and diverse IoT devices; Orchestrated Intelligence, seamlessly coordinating the operation of interconnected devices in alignment with customer preferences and intentions; and Responsible Intelligence, ensuring secure learning and adaptation, upholding privacy and integrity while delivering personalized experiences.
Enhancing Convenience with an Expanded ‘Affectionate Intelligence’ Lineup
LG’s expanded Affectionate Intelligence home appliance lineup now boasts 11 product categories: air conditioners, washing machines, dryers, Styler, air purifiers, robot vacuums, refrigerators, electric ranges, dishwashers, water purifiers and TVs.
Launched earlier this year in South Korea, the Affectionate Intelligence stand-type air conditioner offers unparalleled comfort with enhanced ‘AI Smart Care,’1 a feature that detects the user’s location in real time and automatically adjusts airflow directionality, intensity and temperature. Another innovative addition is the WashCombo all-in-one washer and dryer, which selects the optimal drum motions from LG’s 6Motion technology to gently yet thoroughly care for user’s laundry2 after analyzing each load’s weight, humidity level and fabric types.
Looking ahead, LG plans to evolve its Affectionate Intelligence into a generative AI-based service that extends beyond the smart home to diverse sectors and spaces, including mobility and online.
LG’s AI Home Appliances: From Wi-Fi Modules to Hyper-Personalized ThinQ UP 2.0
In 2011, LG became the first manufacturer to apply Wi-Fi modules to its home appliances. Six years later, in 2017, the company expanded Wi-Fi connectivity to most of its appliance lineups, introducing the LG ThinQ brand and ushering in the era of AI home appliances.
In January 2022, LG elevated customization and convenience with the launch of ThinQ UP, allowing the addition of new features to compatible LG appliances based on the analysis of customers’ usage patterns and habits. ThinQ UP home appliances operate intelligently, reducing the time and effort associated with household chores. They also offer flexible subscription options along with the ability to add new user-friendly services. With 336 downloadable ThinQ UP features now available3 – and more being added regularly – users can continually update their existing appliances for a tailored, always-evolving customer experience.
Last year, LG signaled the beginning of a new era for AI appliances with the South Korean debut of ThinQ UP 2.0. This latest smart life solution from the company offers hyper-personalization with advanced, new features plus a range of subscription services from LG and various partner companies.
Dedicated On-Device AI Chip Lineup and Expanded Application
In July 2023, after more than three years of research and development, LG revealed the DQ-C chip – a sophisticated on-device AI chip – and a brand-new operating system for home appliances. Last year, the company also established an organization specifically tasked with developing the next-generation of AI chips for future Affectionate Intelligence home appliances. This forms part of LG’s strategy to diversify its growing portfolio of state-of-the-art AI chips, and to bring the many benefits and advantages of AI-powered performance and features to more customers.
With ‘Affectionate Intelligence’ and impressive core technologies, LG has solidified its position as a global leader in the home appliances industry, and cemented its reputation as a smart life solutions company.
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1 Products capabilities are currently available in Korean region only.
2 Availability for products, features and home services may vary depending on model and region.
3 Availability for products, features and home services may vary depending on model and region.
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By pivotCE
link hidden, please login to view hold a number of events. This year’s will be of interest to fans of webOS phones, tablets and other computing devices of the past. The festival is held at the and runs over three days from the 12th to 14th of April. The festival includes three elements:
– some with modifications to function in the modern environment. and . . For readers of this blog, representation of webOS devices will be in two of those areas. Jon W of the is attending over the weekend and will give a 50 minute talk at 900am on Saturday the 13th. The consignment shop will have a small selection of webOS devices for those who are interested.
So if you are in the area, why not go along?
If you can’t make it, you can follow along via the and TouchPads are available remotely at
Discussion is at the . You can read more .
Picture Credit: .
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