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Sony's 3D Glasses Are Now Available for $150[teaser]Sony states 100 hours of battery life, but you'll have to buy replacements since these don't recharge. [/teaser] Sony's 3D glasses have finally hit the market, and they're about what you'd expect from 3D glasses. They're relatively slick looking – or at least as nice looking as the next pair of 3D glasses – and they let you see in 3D. It boggles the mind that more companies don't make their 3D glasses rechargeable though. In addition to each $150 pair of glasses, you'll have to shell out for batteries after they run out. That's pretty inconvenient. Sony doesn't give you a break on glasses for the kids either. Whether you're buying for the young ones or for adults, you'll be paying $150 a pair. And of course, if your TV doesn't have a built in transmitter, you'll have to pick one of those up for an additional $50. Source: Sony StylePosted Fri Jul 2, 2010 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Home Automation is the Next Big Thing According to Parks Associates[teaser]The research firm says market penetration could be as high as 20 percent by 2014. [/teaser] Most folks don't have a remote control to manage their curtains or a tablet that lets them turn on their music while dimming the lights. That sort of luxury has historically been within the realm of the super rich. According to Parks Associates, it's going to be taking off in a big way over the next few years. Home controls are incredibly cool, and they're actually not as expensive as one might expect. Parks says that one of the biggest issues is consumer awareness, but thanks to an upcoming push from companies like Best Buy, Radio Shack and Schlage, that issue will be a thing of the past. The main focus, of course, will be entertainment controls like music and movie servers and the devices to manage them. These can be expanded to do lighting, windows and security, which should inspire more folks to jump on the bandwagon. As Parks director Bill Ablondi puts it, "Consumers see the value in these areas, which, once established, can serve as the base for expanded control systems in the home." Source: Home ToysPosted Fri Jul 2, 2010 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
The Popbox Pushed Back… Again[teaser]It looks like you'll be waiting until July 23rd to get your hands on the Popbox, now sans Netflix and SDTV support. [/teaser] It's getting harder and harder to be excited about the Popbox. We've been waiting on it for quite a while now, and the latest pushback from the original July 4th launch date means we've got three more weeks to wait. According to Popblog, the official Popbox blog, there's a bit of an issue with the software. If that sounds familiar, it's because the Boxee Box has been delayed for the same reason. The Popbox apps are looking a bit sparse without Netflix there, but the device will still play just about every video file you can throw at it, so that's a bonus. The folks at Popbox want to stress that more providers, which probably includes Netflix, will be available after launch. "We want to make it clear that the PopBox that ships is, TODAY, capable of supporting all foreseeable App partners in the future WITHOUT requiring a hardware upgrade," states the Popblog. Strangely though, the Popbox does support 3D video but doesn't support output to SDTVs. Source: PopblogPosted Fri Jul 2, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Nixeus Launches the Fusion HD Media Player[teaser]It's got built-in wireless networking, Bit Torrent capabilities, and it plays a huge range of audio and video formats. [/teaser] If you've got a collection of digital media files, then chances are you've got a way to play them on your TV. Whether you use an Xbox, PS3, or Blu-ray player, the device almost always leaves something to be desired. The Fusion HD from Nixeus, on the other hand, does just about everything you could ask for. It handles a wide variety of video formats that include MKV, AVI, DivX, WMV, MP4 and even DVD ISO. It's got great audio capabilities, with the only exception being playback of WMA Lossless. But the Fusion HD does more than just play files, it can download them too. If you install an internal or external hard drive into the Fusion HD, you'll be able to use the built-in Bit Torrent client. The Fusion HD has 802.11n Wi-Fi right out of the box thanks to an included USB dongle, and it can play video files at 1080p60Hz. It's certified for Dolby Digital and it includes HDMI, stereo and optical audio outputs. You can pick up the Nixeus Fusion HD now for $219.99. Source: NixeusPosted Thu Jul 1, 2010 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Onkyo Launches a Pair of High-End Receivers[teaser]The TX-NR3008 and TX-NR5008 can handle 3D, multiple audio zones, lossless audio streaming and much more. [/teaser] Onkyo's new receivers certainly aren't for everyone. They're made, essentially, for folks who are willing to drop two grand on a receiver. But Onkyo makes it well worth their while. Both the TX-NR3008 and NR5008 are incredibly capable from an audio standpoint. Each of these receivers has 9.2 channels to work with, which means you can add height and width or just send the audio to another room entirely. They've got support for the latest in lossless audio from Blu-rays and they're at the top of the line as far as digital audio formats go. Whether you're going lossless with WMA or FLAC, these receivers can do it. The receivers are made of much of the same hardware, but the 5008 adds a toroidal transformer and 22,000 uF capacitors. Onkyo's receivers aren't just about audio though, they handle video with the help of HQV-Reon VX processing and upscaling. They've also got an assortment of inputs eight HDMI ins and two HDMI outs. You'll be able to pick up both of these receivers in August. The TX-NR3008 will set you back $2,099 while the TX-NR5008 carries an MSRP of $2,699. Source: eCousticsPosted Thu Jul 1, 2010 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Hitachi Launches a New Line of LCD Sets[teaser]Among the entry level sets is a pair of LED backlit TVs and a surprisingly cheap 55" LCD. [/teaser] Hitachi may not be at the top of your brand list when shopping for a new HDTV, but if you're looking for something on the less expensive side, Hitachi's got it. Among the assortment of televisions Hitachi is bringing to market this summer, two really stand out. The first is the UltraVision LE46S704. The LE46S704 uses LED edge lighting to illuminate the screen. It's capable of 1080p/120Hz and it's Energy Star 4.1 compliant. You can pick this 46 inch set up for $1,499. If you're not as concerned about the backlighting, you can step up to the UltraVision L55S604. It's got four HDMI inputs with Instaport technology, which enables faster switching between inputs. It does 1080p/120Hz and it's even got CONEQ to simulate surround sound. The 55 inch S604 has an MSRP of $1,699, while the 46 inch step down runs $1,199. Source: eCousticsPosted Thu Jul 1, 2010 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Samsung Gets a Hulu Plus Exclusive Preview[teaser]Hulu Plus is coming to Samsung, starting with a preview of the Hulu Plus service. [/teaser] You won't be able to get the full application yet, but you can download the Hulu Plus application and request an invitation to the Hulu Plus preview – something that's currently exclusive to Samsung HDTVs. Once you receive an invite, you'll get access to the Hulu Plus preview. So what does Hulu Plus get you? We already knew about some of it, like access to older shows and more than just five episodes of new shows. The one thing everyone was hoping for has been announced too. You'll be able to watch your shows in HD. You'll have to shell out $9.99 a month, but it just might be worth it depending on what you watch and what the quality of the HD stream is like.Posted Wed Jun 30, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
DirecTV's 24 Hour 3D Channel 'N3D' Launches July 1st[teaser]Content partners have been named, but specific programming is still unannounced. [/teaser] 3D televisions have been selling well, but there's still not much to watch on them. Between the World Cup matches on ESPN3D and the one or two 3D Blu-rays available, you're really limited to what you can watch. But on July 1st, that changes, a little. On the first of the month, DirecTV will be launching a channel called N3D that's got 24 hour 3D content. There's still no word on exactly what shows will be on N3D, but DirecTV has teamed up with Fox Sports, MTV, HD Net, NBC, CBS and plenty of others. There will be documentaries as well as music and dancing programs that were created exclusively for N3D, but prime time sounds like it will be full of more traditional programming. The new channel will officially launch at 9:30am Eastern on July 1st. Source: Multichannel NewsPosted Wed Jun 30, 2010 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Hulu Plus Officially Unveiled[teaser]It's $9.99 a month, it's in HD and it's coming to almost every device you can think of. [/teaser] It's official, Hulu Plus is on the way and it's looking pretty good. To start with, most of the rumors we've heard are true. There are still ads, but there will be less of them. You'll get access to a back catalog of old shows and full season runs of several current shows. You'll be able to get Hulu Plus on your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch and watch it over WiFi or 3G. You'll also be able to get the service on your Samsung HDTV, including an exclusive preview. This fall, both Vizio and Sony TVs and Blu-ray players will have access to the service. The PS3 is the first game console to get Hulu Plus, and one of the first Blu-ray players, as the service hits PlayStations this July. As for the Xbox 360, it'll get Hulu Plus in early 2011. The service will launch soon, but there's no official date yet. You can sign up for a preview of the new service at Hulu's website. Source: HuluPosted Wed Jun 30, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
NEC Announces a 42 Inch LCD Commercial Display[teaser]A commercial display, the V421 can be arranged in configurations of up to five by five. [/teaser] The V421 might not be aimed at the consumer, but it has plenty of features that certain niche markets would find entirely useful. For starters, it's got a wide range of inputs, including HDMI, DVI-D, S-Video and the increasingly rare 5 BNC. NEC's V421 offers up plenty of automation features too. It can be controlled and monitored remotely, and it can even be set to start up and shut down automatically at specific times. One of the coolest features of the V421 is its ability to scale. You can hook up as many as 25 V421 televisions in a five by five configuration to make one giant display. The V421 is shipping this July at a price of $999. Source: eCousticsPosted Tue Jun 29, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by:
