TVSnob monthly roundup for August 2010

Blu-ray

THX, BluFocus team up to push 3D Blu-ray into more living rooms

HDTV

Media Streamers

Apple TV, AKA iTV, rumored $99, only 720p

Mobile TV

Plasma

Panasonic, Netgear connect for Viera wireless web access

Web TV

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Netflix streaming comes to iPhone, iPod Touch

A Netflix app has been available for the iPad for some time now. Nada for other iOS devices such as the iPhone and the iPod Touch. But today Netflix announced that the latter two devices are supported and an updated app is available from the iTunes store:

Get Netflix on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Just download this free app and you can instantly watch TV shows & movies streaming from Netflix.
- It's part of your Netflix unlimited membership. Not a Netflix member? Start your FREE trial today.
- Watch as often as you want
- Resume watching where you left off on your TV or computer
- Browse movies and manage your instant Queue right from your device

The use of the app does require a Netflix subscription which starts at $8.99/month, but judging from the text above you can start off with a free month or two.

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Sony, Toshiba working on glasses-free 3D HDTV

A couple of the world's biggest HDTV makers, Sony and Toshiba, are reported to be working on bringing autostereoscopic 3D technology to the world in the next year. Autostereoscopic 3D tech utilizes tons of tiny mirrors built into the TV set in order to eliminate the 3D glasses required of plain old stereoscopic 3D. The auto version has been utilized in smaller displays and digital signage for a few years already but it's cost prohibitive for the average home theatre buyer.

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Justin Davey Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This |

Sunny Ocean announced glasses-free 84-inch 3D TV

Sunny Ocean Studios, based in Singapore and the United States, has unveiled an 84-inch 3D display that, according to the company requires no special glasses. Viewable from various points within a room, the 84-inch display is suitable for larger venues. In fact, it was debuted for the first time at the Youth Games in Singapore. According to the company, founded by Carl Zeiss-trained Armin Grasnick, we'll hear several international distribution agreements launched at IFA in Berlin next month.

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Justin Davey Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This |

Apple TV, AKA iTV, rumored $99, only 720p

Rumors of a new $99 Apple TV continue to fly as Techcrunch, citing a report by Engadget, says the network box is just around the corner. Not only is it supposed to carry the very mainstream $99 price tag, it's functionality is rumored to be pretty mainstream as well. This won't be the hackable original Apple TV, but a locked down (meaning you'll have to buy your content off of iTunes) device that will only do what Apple wants it to do. Rumors state that the so-called iTV will only support 720p, the max for iTunes content, have a variation of the iOS system that runs on the iPhone/iPad but supports HD content, and be completely missing the ability to stream local or network content. Sounds pretty boring, but a mainstream Apple TV will do something good - open up the market for other, competing network media streamers that have way better features!

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Panasonic, Netgear connect for Viera wireless web access

Netgear has become the first third-party hardware manufacturer to produce a gadget that supports Panasonic Viera HDTVs. Panasonic has chosen Netgear to provide Viera owners access to online content via a wireless connection. The connection will be provided by the Netgear N600 Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter which features a simple setup via Push 'N' Connect technology. Once set up, Viera owners can view Amazon VOD, YouTube, Picasa, Viera Cast weather and stock market information, along with tons of other internet content directly from the TV. You can currently purchase the Netgear N600 for $79.99.

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THX, BluFocus team up to push 3D Blu-ray into more living rooms

THX and BluFocus have teamed up to ensure 3D Blu-ray viewing experiences meet up to a performance standard that will push the 3D home cinema industry forward. With the partnership's new THX-BluFocus 3D certification, Blu-ray discs will now undergo rigorous analysis to ensure that AV quality, player interoperability and even the potential to cause viewer fatigue (those glasses!) are either met or eliminated.

When you buy a Blu-ray disc, you'll be able to see if it is certified by looking for a certification logo and artwork on the packaging.

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Motorola, Verizon, Google in cahoots to develop TV tablet

TV tablets are on the way, if a report by the Financial Times rings true. Motorola is reportedly developing a 10-inch touchscreen tablet that will run on Google's Android operating system and tie in closely with Verizon FiOS paid digital TV service. The Apple iPad rival, which is rumoured to launch as early as fall 2010, is said to also support Adobe Flash (unlike anything Apple), have 2 cameras and be able to share a wireless connection with nearby devices.

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TVSnob monthly roundup for July 2010

Blu-ray

Gaming Systems

New Xbox 360 not as popular as PS3, Wii in Japan

General News

HDTV

Home Theater A/V

LCD TV

Media Center

CinemaGo BV-5005HD media hub announced

Media Streamers

Mobile TV

Qualcomm looking to sell Flo TV, no money in mobile video

Web TV

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Justin Davey Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This |

Apple outs 27-inch LED Cinema Display with 2560 x 1440 resolution

This September, Apple fans will be able to get their hands on a 27-inch LED Cinema Display, the latest size upgrade from the company's 24-inch model. The larger display sports 2560 x 1440 resolution, 16:9 edge-to-edge aspect ratio, an iSight video camera, USB 2.0 port, an ambient light sensor, in-plane (IPS) switching, a 178 degree viewing angle, microphone, speakers and a MagSafe connector.

Apple boasts that the Cinema Display also uses mercury-free LED technology, arsenic-free glass, recyclable materials, no brominated flame retardants and PVC-free cables and components. The company also claims Energy Star 5.0 compliance and EPEAT Gold status.

Coming in September, the 27-inch LED Cinema Display will cost $999 and can be hooked up to any Apple product with a Mini DisplayPort.

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Qualcomm looking to sell Flo TV, no money in mobile video

A couple of years ago, many companies thought mobile TV was about to take off. Qualcomm was one of them and it heavily pushed its Flo TV service, buying up spectrum, building out infrastructure and pushing to get its own TV-compatible chipsets into mobile phones. Fast forward a couple of years, and Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs is now saying the company is looking to sell its expensive, unprofitable Flo TV service. While a wide variety of suitors could be interested, look for Flo TV to be picked up by another mobile entertainment provider or a company looking to shut down the service and take advantage of the valuable spectrum for another service.

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Panasonic's latest 3D Viera includes Blu-ray recorder, HDD

Panasonic Japan has added a couple of new sets to its 3D Viera RT2B family. The 42- and 46-inch sets sport the usual 3D functionality requiring active shutter glasses when viewing, but also packs in a Blu-ray player/recorder and an HDD from which TV shows/movies can pulled onto Blu-ray disc at a later date. While pricing is a bit of an unknown, the 46-inch set is rumored to be priced around the equivalent of US$5100. Release date is a confirmed August 27.

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Plextor PX-B120U BD-ROM only $100!

The next time I'm looking around for a laptop, I'll make sure it has the guts to handle one of these. The Plextor PX-B120U is a BD-ROM drive not only capable of playing back Blu-ray discs from your laptop, but also burning blank DVDs and CDs. The impressive bit is that it's 100% USB-powered and when connected to the upcoming Plexmedia, the PX-B120U can be converted into a living room-based Blu-ray machine. Did I mention it's only a completely (it seems) reasonable $99.99?

Check out the full press release after the jump.

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Continue reading: "Plextor PX-B120U BD-ROM only $100!"

Redbox going online to take on Netflix, others

Redbox, the company that places DVD rental kiosks in dark corners of grocery stores and other such places, is reportedly working on the development of a web strategy to take on the likes of Netflix. Now's probably a good time. Redbox may have upwards of 24, 000 kiosks out there, but the company only offers around 200 titles. Compare that with the 100, 000 mail order titles and 20, 000 online titles that Netflix offers.

Likely Redbox will tie up with a technology provider like Sonic Solutions to make it to market faster. But is it already too late. With competition from Netflix, Apple, Best Buy, Walmart's Vudu and even to some extent, Blockbuster, is Redbox coming to the game too late? It remains to be seen.

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Justin Davey Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This |

GNPC Android TV come out of South Korea

Yet another Google Android-based HDTV has appeared out of the woodwork. This time from GNPC, a South Korean company, and dubbed the SmartRoi. Seemingly only available in a 42-inch display size currently, the SmartRoi sports support for Android upgrades in the future (not sure what the current version is), an LED backlit panel, 5, 000, 000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 500cd/m2 brightness, and a handful of USB ports.