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Home Entertainment
Media Chair offers iPod dock, speakers, projector – and comfort
By Jeff Salton
17:04 November 19, 2009 PST
Usually, when you envisage a media chair your mind conjures up thoughts of weird (read uncomfortable) pieces of furniture that would be more at home in a museum of modern art than your lounge room. But Martin Emila’s Media Chair is something else. Sure, it’s a bit “left field” but it’s a concept chair that would look pretty good at my place I reckon. It features embedded speakers, an iPod dock, a projector and, above all, looks pretty darn comfortable. Read More
Zeppelin Mini: Bowers and Wilkins' high-end iPod dock gets downsized
By Jeff Salton
21:04 November 12, 2009 PST
No longer resembling a Zeppelin like its aptly-named big brother, the Zeppelin Mini iPod speaker system from Bowers and Wilkins still rates as an edgy, stylish design. B&W says the new sound dock delivers everything listeners love about the Zeppelin - advanced acoustic technology, intelligent design and elegant connectivity - but instead of being an almost prohibitive 26 inches wide, the Zeppelin Mini is a mere 12.6 inches, making it much easier to locate on bookshelves or other tight spaces. Read More
Portable power - the Bose SoundDock 10 digital music system
By Mick Webb
17:55 October 26, 2009 PDT
As the number of music-lovers who find their collections bundled snugly into the confines of an iPod continues to grow, so too does the number of increasingly more powerful docking stations that appear on the market to play those tunes aloud. One of the latest additions to the party, the SoundDock 10, comes with a promise from Bose that it delivers quality sound from a minimalist package. The SoundDock 10 features a newly-designed subwoofer, audio input and video output as well as optional Bluetooth capability. Read More
Netflix streaming coming to Sony PS3
By Jeff Salton
05:32 October 26, 2009 PDT
A new feather in the Sony PS3's cap is its ability to stream instantly thousands of movies and TV episodes from Netflix. From next month, Netflix members in the U.S. will have access to the Netflix library via their PS3s at no extra cost. Netflix says the PS3 is currently sitting in around 9 million U.S. homes while Netflix has notched up an impressive 11.1 million U.S. subscribers. Read More
Philips' Wireless HDTV Link transmits up to 1080p
By Jeff Salton
19:33 October 22, 2009 PDT
Philips' Wireless HDTV Link (SWW1800/27) replaces the cables that connect the HD cable set-top box, HD satellite receiver, Blu-ray player or gaming console to a HDTV and delivers up to 1080p picture quality at a range of 75 feet. This solution should appeal to viewers who have suffered from a lack of flexibility with their set-ups because of unsightly or too short cables. Read More
Feature: What is an LED TV?
By Jeff Salton
04:06 October 19, 2009 PDT
Buying a TV has become as complicated as selecting the right mobile phone plan. Before large flat panel displays invaded our lives, the only real question when purchasing a CRT (cathode ray tube) TV was how big did you want it and how much space did you have in your room to house it? Sure, there were some quality issues but mostly it was dictated by how many diagonal inches you could get for your buck. While some of that justification still rings true with today’s TVs, now there’s the issue of plasma versus LCD to contend with, and just when you had that sorted out, LED TVs have entered the arena as an option. However, there still seems to be a fair bit of confusion surrounding what exactly an LED TV is. Well, basically, it’s another form of LCD TV that uses LEDs to provide its light source. Read More
The ultra-thin JVC SP-FT home theater – only 31mm thick
By Jeff Salton
20:23 October 14, 2009 PDT
Just when you thought your room wasn’t big enough for a home theater, JVC has come to the rescue with its ultra-slim amplifier and speakers, designed to sit perfectly alongside or underneath your ultra-slim 50-inch TV or projector screen. The SP-FT model from JVC is a pair of 31mm thin satellite speakers and matching amplifier which pump out an adequate 80W total output over four independent channels and support Dolby Digital, DTS and AAC formats. Read More
Stream and access media files on the big screen with the definitive WD TV Live
By Paul Lester
17:52 October 14, 2009 PDT
Despite being relatively late to bat in the media streamer/jukebox market, Western Digital came up with a gem of a product last year with the WD TV, which featured in our recent take on Media Streamers. This slimline, stylish device was designed to attach to a TV and play back music, photo and video files from connected storage, but lacked the streaming capabilities and HD support of more versatile (and expensive) rivals. Buoyed by the success of the WD TV, Western Digital is back with the WD TV Live, which addresses the above issues by offering full-HD, 1080p playback via an HDMI 1.3 port, and the ability to stream files across a wired or wireless network. Read More
The GlideTV Navigator is a mouse, keyboard and AV remote that fits in the palm of your hand
By Darren Quick
03:54 October 14, 2009 PDT
TVs are no longer dumb receivers sitting in the corner of the lounge, displaying whatever trash the networks have decided to cram down our throats. Nowadays, a TV is just as likely to be hooked up to a home theater PC (HTPC) for playing games, accessing media content stored on a hard disk, or surfing the Internet. For more complex tasks like that, the humble remote starts to look a little underdone. That's where remote controls on steroids, such as the GlideTV Navigator, come in. It combines the functionality of a keyboard, mouse and AV remote control in one distinctive-looking unit that fits in the palm of your hand. Read More
Toshiba's Cell Regza 55X1 is the pinnacle of LED TVs
By Jeff Salton
21:05 October 5, 2009 PDT
Toshiba has upped the ante in TV technology by unveiling its flagship model, the Cell Regza 55X1. This new 55-inch LED unit has the TV junkie in mind with many features not seen before, including the ability to record up to eight channels at once, a 3TB hard drive (record and store up to 26 hours of HD programs), a powerful processing chip identical to the one found in the PS3, a dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1, 240Hz scanning, a display divided into 512 distinct areas (each with individually-controlled lighting and luminance that deliver an industry high 1250cd/m2 – 2.5 times higher than typical TVs, and a seven-speaker sound bar. All for a lazy ¥1 million (US$11,500 approx). Read More
Fraunhofer slims down its ultra flat loudspeakers to less than one inch
By Jeff Salton
18:20 September 24, 2009 PDT
It seems the world has become obsessed with ‘skinny’ – watch your diet, exercise more and aspire to be ‘model thin’. But skinny isn't always better when it comes to speakers – good sound reproduction needs room to vibrate. However, at IFA, Fraunhofer scientists (in cooperation with Sennheiser electronic) presented a completely new concept for ultra-flat loudspeakers that still deliver full sound reproduction. What’s more, these speakers can be integrated inconspicuously on walls or in furniture because they're only 24mm thick (0.94-inch). Read More
Wall-mounted bar for cool cocktail parties
By Jude Garvey
17:24 September 22, 2009 PDT
If you’re the type of entertainer who likes to make their guests green with envy, then this wall-mounted bar is sure to get your attention. This cooler-than-cool concept is smolderingly good-looking with its dark, smooth drinks cabinetry. The stunning silver ice dispenser and suspended drinks tray just add to the appeal. Don't you wish you could get your hands on one immediately? Read More
Pure Sensia DAB/WiFi touchscreen radio
By Jeff Salton
00:08 September 22, 2009 PDT
Not long ago, radio manufacturers had only to worry about the basic look of their devices. Rarely were new stations added, reception methods hadn’t changed in a long time and, generally, smaller was better. Sure, they had to combine an alarm clock in some models, but that wasn’t too difficult. Now a radio has to be a veritable Swiss army knife of appliances, and this is where the new Sensia from Pure excels. Its list of features includes a large color touch screen display, DAB, FM stereo and digital radio with full Band III, wireless media streaming, input from iPods/iPhones and MP3 players, and Pure Apps that let you connect with Facebook, Twitter, Picasa and thousands of podcasts. Read More
BBC to sell 'Project Canvas' web-based TV concept around the world
By Paul Lester
17:12 September 16, 2009 PDT
Those outside of the UK may not be overly familiar with the BBC iPlayer, a streaming web-based TV service for the British institution’s range of channels that has seen burgeoning success and spawned a number of terrestrial and satellite-based rivals. It’s also worth summarising the aim of Project Canvas, a venture by the broadcasting giant that looks to bring a similar streaming service to the home and will notably look to incorporate other channels, on-demand services and web-based content from sites such as YouTube, Flickr and Facebook, as well as built-in PVR functionality though a set-top box connected to a TV. Read More
Video: DivX demonstrates DivX Plus HD
By Gizmag Team
03:21 September 15, 2009 PDT
After seeing CE devices that were certified for DivX Plus HD playback at IFA 2009, wondering what exactly what DivX Plus HD was, and finding next to no information about it on the web, we decided to go straight to the source. In short, it's a bunch of nifty stuff for both high-definition content consumers and creators, but if you want to know much, much more, click through for the video of Tim Hanlon talking to DivX at IFA. Read More
Cast a spell on electronic wizardry with the Kymera Magic Wand universal remote
By Darren Quick
00:05 September 15, 2009 PDT
If you’re looking for a universal remote to complement any Harry Potter marathons screening on the tube, you might want to consider the Magic Wand universal remote control from Kymera. Sure to raise the eyebrows of any nearby muggles, the remote allows budding magicians to control their magical picture box or other piece of remote controllable electronic wizardry with a flick of the wrist - 'Abracadabra' optional. Read More
Ellion's LazBox-110 plays all the formats for under $100
By Tim Hanlon
04:57 September 10, 2009 PDT
We've seen HD media players like the Western Digital WDTV and the Popcorn Hour A-110 before, but Ellion's LazBox 110 packs best-in-class functionality into a small form factor at a mass market price. Read More
LG’s flagship SL9000 ‘BORDERLESS’ LED TV
By Darren Quick
03:53 September 8, 2009 PDT
LG unveiled its flagship SL9000 ‘BORDERLESS’ LED TV to a string of 'ooohs' and 'aaahs' at IFA 2009 this week, where it stood out from the pack with a uniform, seamless surface from edge to edge, with no visible frame. By using a special sheet of laminate film LG was able to eliminate the gap between the screen and the bezel and also reduce screen glare. The SL9000 is also extremely thin at just 2.9cm, with the end result being a TV that appears to be a continuous sheet of smoked glass. Read More
Sharp DK-AP8 docking system adds the right touch
By Jeff Salton
01:37 September 8, 2009 PDT
Sharp has designed its new iPod docking system to match the look and feel of an iPod or iPhone. Finished in glossy piano black, the DK-AP8 has a removable touch panel that controls the system button-free via infrared. Something a little different, the Sharp unit has various ports including AUX input and video (FBAS) output on the back which enables it to be connected to a TV for viewing photos or videos stored on the iPhone or iPod. Read More
Grundig’s latest TVs turn any USB drive into a PVR
By Darren Quick
22:46 September 7, 2009 PDT
Grundig has just come up with a replacement for your Tivo or similar recording device, and the odds are you already have it – well, part of it anyway. By adding USB-recording technology to various models of its new TVs, which it had on show at IFA 2009, Grundig has turned any standard USB flash drive or external hard disk drive (HDD) into a personal video recorder (PVR). The only catch is you will only be able to watch the recorded content on a compatible Grundig set. Read More
Looqs casts its line into the digital media stream with its MeeSeries media streamer
By Darren Quick
19:34 September 7, 2009 PDT
Media streaming is a technology threatening to break into the mainstream in a big way over the next few years. One company who certainly hopes it does is Looqs, a new entity that was showcasing its media streaming wares at IFA 2009. Its MeeSeries Media Streaming system lets users stream multimedia throughout their house - nothing too exciting about that I hear you say. But what sets the Looqs products apart is its ability to stream not only video content to a TV, but also photos and online content to multiple digital photo frames. Read More
Toshiba unveils JournE touch home multimedia tablet
By Jeff Salton
00:25 September 7, 2009 PDT
Toshiba’s JournE touch is a portable, wireless home multimedia tablet with a 7-inch (17.8cm) color touch screen display, which serves as a communication and infotainment center for every member of the household. Users can browse the Internet and download digital content anywhere in the house in a flash, because the device boots instantaneously. However, with its small size (only 14mm/0.5in thick) and great user-interface, we say families better get ready for a fight over who gets to use it. Read More
Toshiba's Regza SV series LED-backlit HDTVs
By Paul Ridden
06:27 September 6, 2009 PDT
Toshiba has chosen IFA 2009 to confirm that this month Europeans will be able to get their hands on two new full 1080p HD televisions in its Regza range, a 46in and a 55in. As well as being LED backlit for the first time, these new SV models also sport a sensor that monitors ambient light and constantly readjusts image settings so that the viewer automatically gets the best possible picture. Read More
Panasonic’s 2.25:1 PT-AE4000 home cinema projector premieres at IFA 2009
By Darren Quick
03:59 September 6, 2009 PDT
The Panasonic 2.35:1 PT-AE4000 is to projectors what the Philips Cinema 21:9 is to HDTVs. Aside from being something that most of us can only drool over and never hope to own, the PT-AE4000 is aimed at serious home theater enthusiasts and audio video professionals who are looking to eliminate the Cinemascope issue - a problem that sees the picture frame either shrunk down to ensure the entire width is visible, the edges cropped, or the image squished together making everyone on screen look thinner than Kate Moss. Read More
The Metz Primus 55 FHDTV 200 twin R – the TV with the lot
By Gizmag Team
03:46 September 6, 2009 PDT
The Metz Primus 55 HDTV 200 twin R was shown for the first time at IFA in Berlin yesterday and it’ll be as close to the state-of-the-art all-purpose TV when it goes on sale in November. As brilliant (200 Hz, 1920 x 1080, LED and backlight with Local Area Dimming) as the 55 inch picture is, it’s the connectivity (integrated HDTV tuner, DVB-C and DVB-T), separate sound module and 500 GB digital recorder (PVR) which makes it very special – open the back and there’s a circuit board designed for easy removal and upgrading. They’re the first to do it and won’t be the last! Read More
Terotech
- November 21, 2009 @ 19:38 UTC
