20
Jul
2012
iPodNN: iHome has released its first docking speaker tower with color-changing LEDs, the iP76. There are 16 LED clusters that can light up in seven colors and fade, strobe, or pulse in tune with the music, or simply light up in a selected color. At the top is an iPod/iPhone dock that will charge the devices as well as play audio content from them. (more…)
22
Jun
2012
25
Aug
2011
Akihabaranews: Good lord! I have to admit that it has been a while since I haven’t been amazed by a TV, and truth to be told I wonder why no one has introduced such TV before!
Ladies and gentlemen, behold Sharp AQUOS F5 Series, a new generation of LED backlights TV that comes with a completely redesigned architecture that now comes in an ultra simple package of just five layers if you include the TV bezel! (more…)
06
Apr
2011
Engadget: Toshiba’s focus at CES was glasses free 3D displays, but it highlighted more conventional HDTVs today at an event in Rome. Its new TVs and laptops all tie in to Toshiba Places, which sorts out access to different types of apps for video, social networking, music and other areas and is ready to launch this month. Separating Toshiba from the competition is a slew of new technology and the top of the line 55ZL1 model checks all the boxes: Seven core CEVO CPU for image processing, a Pro-LED512 panel that is the world’s first with 512 zones of dimming among 3,072 LEDs, Personal-TV facial recognition that picks up on which user is watching then personalizes to their preferred settings and active shutter 3D glasses.
The edge lit LED VL863 series will come in 47- and 42-inch versions featuring LG’s FPR passive glasses 3D and four pairs of glasses, while the 32- through 46-inch UL863 drops 3D for built-in WiFi and Personal-TV. The SL863 series is the final step down, nixing built-in WiFi. Prices weren’t listed but the new models should be shipping soon, until then you can find more details in the press releases linked below — no word on the US-bound models yet.
29
Mar
2011
What Hi-fi:The latest addition to Loewe‘s Art Series of TVs is the £2395 46 LED model, created in conjunction with Phoenix Design.
It’s the largest screen in the range, and comes with a new optional Mocha finish. Other options are a gloss black or high-tech chrome silver finish.
The 200Hz LCD/LED panel delivers “Art’s best ever picture performance”, Loewe claims, and digital media stored on a home network or USB device can be streamed to the screen using the Loewe MediaHome portal.
In addition, the MediaNet feature provides access to online content on Art TVs fitted with an integrated hard disk.
There’s a selection of mounting optiions for the screen from table stands to wall mounts and floor stands.As for audio, the Art 46 handles Dolby Digital Plus, AC3 and DTS soundtracks. A pair of 2 x 20W speakers are built into the set along with a 40W subwoofer.
Standby power consumption is said to be less than 0.4W.
11
Feb
2011
DVICE: Who wants a separate DVR? With three new models of Sony TVs, you won’t need one, as they come with 500GB hard drives built right in. Not enough? You can expand them via external hard drives.
All three models are 1080p LED LCD TVs and come in 40-inch, 32-inch and 22-inch varieties. Those hard drives will be able to store up to 65 hours of HD programming, which should keep you set for a while. They’re coming to Japan first, but they may end up on these shores soon enough as well.
17
Dec
2010
Newlaunches.com: Panasonic’s Viera range of HDTVs has just a new addition in the G3 series – the TH-L42G3. As usually, Panasonic has crammed the new device with quite a bit of functionality making choce just that much more difficult when you’re in a store. This latest 42-inch LCD HDTV is LED backlit, comes with Speed drive technology 2 that is designed to better control vertical / horizontal high motion videos to reduce blur tilted in all directions. It’s even using IPS technology to provide for better viewing angles. An Auto mode uses a sensor that detects the environment you’re in with respect to lighting conditions and will automatically control brightness, contrast or black levels for optimal viewing. An HD Optimizer adjust settings to enable HD content to be the best it can ever be and also helps with standard definition when you’re watching TV or DVD or playing low res games.
Another handy feature with the G3 series is an SD card slot that allows you slip in a memory card and record stuff from Live TV. There’s even a USB port for connecting a thumb drive or HDD for recording or viewing purposes. The full function remote control comes equipped with a record button as well. Oddly though, at least according to the page’s translation, the content recorded onto the SD cards can only be viewed on a VIERA TV. All possible connections are available with the G3 from HDMI to D4 inputs, Ethernet connectivity and Composite and analogue as well. An energy saving mode should also help you cut back on those large electricity bills for the avid TV watching household. The VIERA TH-L42G3 will be out in Japan by February 18 next year and will have an approximate price of $1789 (US or 150,000 Yen).
03
Sep
2010
What HiFi: We’ve just come from Loewe’s press conference, where the company has announced a whole raft of new products and services for the end of 2010 and first quarter of 2011. We’ll be going hands-on with the kit tomorrow, so will add updates (including pricing, with any luck) then, but scroll down now for the early details and pics.
The big news is that Loewe is introducing its first 3D TV, ingeniously titled ‘Loewe 3D TV’. This will be an active shutter model with 400Hz and LED backlighting. It will also be available with an integrated hard disk recorder, which will be compatible with 3D content.
The 3D TV is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2011, along with the 3D Blu-ray player in the picture above.
Interestingly, the company is also doing previews of glassless 3D – more on that later.
The Art range of tellies is also being updated to Art LED, with the biggest new feature being, you guessed it, LED backlighting. As the name suggests, the Art TVs are designed to be very stylish, so edge lighting keeps the profile slim, and there’s a new ‘Mocha’ colour option, as you can see from the pic.
The Art LED will be available in 32in and 40in sizes later this year, with a 46in version following in early 2011. The 40in and 46in models have 200Hz processing, and all have USB inputs for accessing videos, pictures and music via the MediaHome menu. You can also specify a DR+ version, which will add hard disk recording and MediaNet (more on that later).
As with the Art range, the Connect models are also being upgraded to Connect LED. Again, these are edge-lit models, and are available in 32in and 40in sizes, with the bigger of the two getting 200Hz processing. DR+ is standard here, and as well as recording TV, the Connect LED can act as a network server and client, distributing and accessing media right through the home.
Finally on the telly front is news that the Individual range is being expanded with the addition of 32in and 55in models, which flank the current 40in and 46in options. LED backlighting again features here, and while the 32in model has ‘just’ 100Hz processing, the 55in ‘Individual Compose’ boasts 400Hz.
The 55in comes with the 250GB DR+ hard disk, which can also be specified as an optional extra on the 32in, and there are loads of colour options (including custom colour matching for the insets) for you to configure your new telly.
Loewe is also going big on internet content with its MediaNet service, which has been developed in collaboration with Philips and Sharp. The web portal will contain a selection of internet sites that have been edited and optimised for large screens with CE-HTML.
You can expect video on demand (including BBC iPlayer), internet radio and information services to be included, and you can also access the full-fat internet using the Opera internet browser. MediaNet launches in November.
10
Mar
2009
Core77: Philips’ Master LED bulb has the same form factor as the old-fashioned kind, making it “simple for people to use and feel good about using.”
The bulb draws just 7 watts but gives off light equivalent to 40 watts’ worth, and lasts 45,000 hours, as opposed to the 1,500 of its incandescent predecessors.
The bulbs are now available in Europe.
23
Jan
2009
Crave: This year sees a new range introduced to the Samsung TV family. In the US it’s going to be called Luxia, which is the umbrella name for the LED-backlit screens. In the UK, we won’t be calling them that, but it’s not clear yet if these new tellies will have some sort of catchy moniker or not.
In the LED-backlit stakes, Samsung has announced three lines, namely the 6000, 7000 and 8000. The 6000 range will be the ‘entry-level’ TVs, with four sizes, 32, 37, 40 and 46-inches. The 7000 range also comes in four screen sizes: 32, 40, 46 and 55 inches. You can either opt for an updated ‘Rose Black’ design or a new ‘Platinum’ style. This range will have access to the Yahoo Widgets. The 8000 range has two screen sizes: 40 and 46 inches. They’re both 200Hz sets, which is supposed to further increase the quality of on-screen motion, and they come with a beautiful aluminium stand.
There are some impressive LCD TVs on the way too though, which should offer better value for money. The big news this year is that all Samsung TVs larger than 32 inches will be 1080p. Series 7 are the most exciting screens in the LCD range. They’ll feature Yahoo Widgets, 200Hz for smooth motion, four HDMI inputs and multimedia playback courtesy of WiseLink Pro. The popular Bordeaux shape that Samsung introduced a few years ago has also made a comeback, the Series 6 screens all have the distinctive curve at the bottom of the screen, but also feature the ‘Rose Black’ finish too. In plasmas, Series 8 offers a new ultra-thin design, with a depth of 30mm.
22
Jan
2009
EETimes.com: The light-emitting diode (LED) market is expected to be a rare bright spot in what is forecast to be an otherwise dismal year for the semiconductor industry in 2009, according to market research firm iSuppli Corp.
Aided by rising demand from LCD-TV makers, revenue from LEDs is expected to increase by 2.9 percent in 2009, following 10.8 percent growth in 2008. In contrast, the overall semiconductor market is set to decline by 9.4 percent in 2009, according to iSuppli’s latest forecast.
The LCD-TV market in 2009 will consume $163 million worth of LEDs, up 221.9 percent from $51 million in 2008, according to iSuppli. By 2012, LCD-TV LED revenue will grow to $1.4 billion, nearly nine times its 2009 value, according to the firm’s latest predictions. LEDs are used in LCD TVs to illuminate the display.
15
Jan
2009
Engadget: Terrific-looking LED-backlit HD displays were all over CES this year, and it sounds like they’re only going to get better.
Scientists from Renssalaer Polytechnic Insitute and Samsung have developed a new polarization-matched LED that cranks out 18 percent more light while being 22 percent more efficient than traditional LEDs.
The improved performance is due to a reduction in “efficiency droop,” which causes regular LEDs to turn less power into light when fed higher currents — the team replaced the traditional active layer of the LEDs with a new specially matched layer.
