-
Philips OLED Mirrorwall – What a Waste of OLEDs![teaser]The good news is that Philips is ready to put OLEDs into your house. The bad news is that, well, they’re pretty pointless. [/teaser] For just $15,000 per square meter, you can get dozens of OLED panels that sort of act like a mirror. “Sort of” because they don’t do a very good job of mirroring. They just sort of outline your body (or your face if you get really close) in black while the surrounding panels shine white. Far be it from me to judge someone for their choices of lighting solutions. As I type, I’ve got the Philips amBX lighting system pulsing along to my music. I get the ambient light thing, and I get the idea of having something that’s a bit gimmicky in your home to show off. What I don’t get is why we can’t be doing something better with all those OLEDs. If you’re into it, you can pick up a square meter for between ten and twelve thousand Euros, which comes out to around fifteen thousand dollars. If you’re just looking for a temporary setup though, you can rent the full mirror wall directly from Philips for about $15k a week. Source: OLED-InfoPosted Fri Feb 26, 2010 at 11:30 AM PST by: -
Walmart is Shutting Down Vudu’s Adult Section[teaser]We wondered if Walmart would be imposing their own censorship restrictions on their new acquisition, but we sure didn’t have to wonder for long. [/teaser] You may know the world’s largest chain store best for their smiley faces, their low prices, or from People of Walmart. If you’re a music fan that lives out where other CD stores and UPS drivers dare not tread, you may know them better as the guys who decide what CDs are appropriate for your consumption. Sometimes you can find the unedited “explicit” version of your favorite album, but there are cases when only the edited version will be available. Walmart is a big company, and they have a lot of sway. They’ve taken it upon themselves to use that influence to dictate what kind of content is appropriate for you. As of yesterday, Walmart announced that the “After Dark” section of Vudu would be removed. Until this point, Vudu had the distinction of being the only major streaming service that carried adult material. According to a Walmart spokesman, all customers who had previously purchased movies with adult content will be fully refunded. Walmart only announced the purchase of the service earlier this week, and the elimination of what seems like a profitable stream of revenue is a pretty big deal. Whether more changes are in the works, we have yet to see. Source: Tech CrunchPosted Fri Feb 26, 2010 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
Sony Style Retail Locations Get the 3D Treatment[teaser]3D Bravia televisions already showcased in the Style store are now matched with 3D content to show off. [/teaser] 3D television has been an issue on the minds of every home theater enthusiast. Whether you’re for it or against it (there’s no such thing as middle ground on the internet after all) you probably have an opinion about the 3D technology that companies are eagerly wheeling out. Of course, not everyone has had the chance to demo 3D televisions yet. If you live near a Sony Style store, then you’re in luck. Their new Bravia sets have finally been paired up with 3D content and are ready to be seen. The demo rooms are set up to mirror typical living rooms and you’ll have the chance to check out a variety of content including a clip from a FIFA soccer match, several PS3 games and some footage from 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.' Sony’s Bravia XBR-52LX900 will be the television used in the demos. Unlike some of Sony’s other sets, it’s got 3D functionality built right in. It’s got an integrated transmitter that syncs up with 3D active shutter glasses. Source: SonyPosted Fri Feb 26, 2010 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
Wind Top All-in-Ones from MSI do Just About Everything[teaser]MSI’s new all-in-one computers can do 1080p, 120Hz and 3D, but something’s missing. [/teaser] All-in-one solutions have gained ground in the entertainment market, but MSI is hoping to cement their place with a new series of computers that will be hitting shelves later this year. Known as the Wind Top – though the press release doesn’t say it, I think we can assume that’s wind the noun and not wind the verb – these all-in-one PCs can handle just about everything. The AE2420 is at the top of that line with a 24” multi-touch screen and an Intel i7 processor. For the first time, speakers have been added to Acer’s all-in-ones. They’re not much to write home about; the most powerful speakers only use 10 watts. Still, MSI says that their PCs are capable of producing excellent sound across low, medium and high frequencies. The high-end AIOs from MSI will all be able to handle 3D with no problem. They’ve got a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1080p resolution. The one thing none of the new models seem to have is a Blu-ray player, which would make the 3D functionality a lot more useful. When they launch, you’ll be able to configure the Wind Top AIOs to your heart’s content, even as far as changing the color of the PC. Source: MSIPosted Thu Feb 25, 2010 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
Samsung 7000 Series is Shipping Now[teaser]Several online retailers now have Samsung’s first entry into the 3D television market available for purchase. [/teaser] Samsung’s new 7000 series has been pretty hotly anticipated, and why shouldn’t it be? The sets look great, they’re packed with features, and the release marks the start of what could be a new era of television. The 240Hz LED backlit LCD sets that make up the 7000 series feature a pair of “Ultra” features, being Samsung’s Ultra Clear Panel and an Ultra Slim Design. They sport the Mystic Earth touch of color and, thanks to extremely efficient LED lighting, they’re 57% more efficient than Energy Star 4.0 standards require. Each of the sets is capable of grabbing media from a thumb drive; audio, video and image files can all be played right from the USB port. If you plug it in to your home network via an Ethernet cord or the Samsung Link Stick you’ll be able to stream right from your PC as well. The streaming doesn’t stop there though. Internet apps are a focus for Samsung, including access to Netflix, Amazon, and Blockbuster’s video services. You’ll also be able to connect with YouTube, Twitter, Flickr and even eBay. And lest we forget: the Samsung 7000 series can do 3D too. You’ll need to pick up a set of 3D Active Glasses to get the full experience of course. The 55” inch UN55C7000 is already in short supply and is selling for $3,299. The 46” UN46C7000 can be had for $2,599. Source: AmazonPosted Thu Feb 25, 2010 at 10:30 AM PST by: -
PS3 Operating System Slims Down – New Features Could Come Soon (UPDATED)[teaser]The formerly bloated operating system used by PlayStation 3 consoles has been getting some stealth reductions in recent firmware updates. The PS3’s OS now takes up 70MB less of the main system RAM. [/teaser] You may have heard of the PS3’s impressive Cell processing. It’s being used in all sorts of fields including Toshiba’s CELL TV. It’s a great processor and it still hasn’t truly reached its full potential. But games can still run slow, Blu-rays can still load slowly, and the Xross Media Bar still gets unresponsive every now and then. One of the main chokepoints for the PS3 is the incredibly small amount of RAM used in the system. The graphics processor has 256MB and the main system processor has 256MB. The Xbox 360 has the same 512MB of ram, but it's shared between the two, which means when it's not needed for one process, it can be used for another. Combine this with the obscene amount of RAM taken up by the operating system – originally a 120MB footprint – and you’ve got a recipe for system slowdown. Sony knows that the limited RAM is a problem and they’ve been addressing it by slimming down their operating system over the last few firmware updates. The formerly chunky 120MB footprint has been cut by more than half. It’s now down to 50MB. This should result in a slight improvement in system performance, though nothing’s been announced at this point. At the very least, the extra 70MB should help to avoid some system bottlenecks. It’s more likely though, that this space was freed up to add more in demand features. Source: JoystiqPosted Thu Feb 25, 2010 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
LG Accidentally Leaks HDTV Release Dates and Specs[teaser]Thanks to the accidental sharing of a Google Docs spreadsheet, we’ve got some early details of LG’s upcoming LCD releases. [/teaser] There were a few releases today from LG that related to their new laptops, but what of more interest was the accidental leak of the new lineup of already announced and as of yet unseen televisions. For starters, it looks like LG’s CES lineup - including the Infinia series is going to start hitting shelves next month. Releases will be trickled out until April, and then May will mark the beginning of the 3D boom for LG, when both 3D televisions and 3D Blu-ray players will begin hitting stores. LG’s document also mentioned a 47 inch, 480Hz model that measures only a quarter of an inch thick, though other details are not available. Finally, we learned a little bit more about LG’s Skype functionality. Like most TV manufacturers, they’ll be offering 720p Skype, and like most manufacturers, they’ll be bringing out their own webcams. Whether you’ll have to use that LG webcam is still up in the air.Posted Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 11:30 AM PST by: -
Tributaries Releases Performance Value HDMI Cables[teaser]The new Series 1 HDMI cable is designed to pair performance with value. [/teaser] Though they were designed specifically for custom installers, the new Tributaries Series 1 cables are now available for consumer purchase. The Series 1 cable was created with value in mind just as much as performance. Tributaries says that the new cable is triple shielded to ensure low noise signal transmission and for “added piece of mind.” The Series 1 HDMI cable is a HDMI 1.3b Category 2 cable and is classified as a high speed cable. Joe Perfeto, the president of Tributaries, says that the company took extra time on its end to reduce chances of problems in the field. He also pointed out that though the new cables don’t cost a lot, that doesn’t mean they’re made poorly. ““The Series 1 cable is proof that there is a distinct difference between inexpensive and cheap,” says Perfeto. The cables are available in sizes from the $25 ½ meter cable up to the 3 meter cable that runs $40. Source: TributariesPosted Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'Monsters vs. Aliens' 3D Blu-ray Hits UK in March – Only From Samsung[teaser]Overseas customers who pick up a 3D capable Blu-ray player or TV from Samsung will have first dibs on nabbing 'Monsters vs. Aliens' in 3D. [/teaser] Samsung loves 'Monsters vs Aliens.' They showed it off at their CES press conference, even going so far as to bring Jeffrey Katzenberg up on stage to talk about 3D. They had it on display on almost every 3D display at their booth. Now they’ve taken it a step further. Samsung’s 3D components hit UK shelves in March, and they’re coming with a bonus. Anyone who purchases a 3D capable Samsung television or Blu-ray player in the UK will get a copy of the 3D 'Monsters vs. Aliens' Blu-ray. There has been no announcement for US markets, so it looks like our friends overseas may be getting a DVD release before us. It’s hard not to be a little jealous, but pack-in items being what they are, you may end up with a few copies of 'Monsters vs. Aliens,' just like in the early days of DVD when they couldn’t give out enough copies of 'Lost in Space.' Source: Tech RadarPosted Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
New Details on Walmart’s Vudu Purchase[teaser]Vudu’s press release shines a bit of light on exactly how the Walmart deal is going to go down. [/teaser] In case you missed the news, the deal between Walmart and Vudu is official. Walmart is picking up the internet video company in an effort to get a foothold in the digital world. It’s all expected to happen within the next few weeks. Once the deal is closed, Vudu will become a Walmart subsidiary. "The real winner here is the customer," said Walmart vice-chairman Eduardo Castro-Wright. While there are definitely some potential downsides to the sale, Castr-Wright may have a point when he says that “Combining VUDU's unique digital technology and service with Walmart's retail expertise and scale,” will help the consumer in the long run. There’s a reason Walmart can keep their prices so cheap. It’s not because they pay their employees less or because they sell inferior products, but because they buy millions and millions of products at a time. You’ve seen the bulk rates you can get for paper towels at Costco, now imagine the bulk rate on ten million paper towels. If Walmart hopes to be successful in the online video marketplace they’ve got to do one of two things: convince consumers that an on demand experience is superior to subscription, or lower prices. With Walmart’s influence and reach, lowering download prices seems like the most likely solution. One potential downside that hasn’t yet been brought up is Walmart’s desire to control content. The company is despised by many music fans, since Walmart only carries edited versions of CDs. Explicit content is not allowed. They’re looser with DVDs, and don’t seem to have any problem carrying R rated films, but the issue of censorship is a sensitive one. Source: VuduPosted Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 11:50 AM PST by:
