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LCD
Next-generation TMOS displays closer to mass production
16:26 October 21, 2009 PDT
Uni-Pixel, a company based in Woodlands, Texas, has announced it is about to start mass production of a thin-film to be used in time-multiplexed optical shutter (TMOS) displays, a next-generation display technology that exploits retinal persistence in the human eye and promises significantly better performance than CRT, LCD and OLED displays with, among other things, great durability and dramatically improved energy efficiency. Read More
VIDEO: Sony crash tests PS3 into Bravia LCD TV at 50mph
By Jeff Salton
18:58 October 20, 2009 PDT
What’s more fun than watching a brand new out-of-the-box PS3 slim-line console slam into a fully-functional Sony Bravia 46-inch LCD TV at 80kmh (50mph)? Well, not a lot, really, unless you get to watch it happen three times. Gizmag was one of only two media outlets invited by Sony Australia to witness the stunt at a vehicle safety testing facility in Melbourne, Victoria. The event was aimed at promoting a forthcoming advertising campaign – buy a Sony Bravia and get a PS3 thrown in free (though not as literally as the ones I witnessed). 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
Kempler & Strauss W Phonewatch
By Paul Ridden
14:35 October 12, 2009 PDT
Being able to hold a conversation on a wrist-bound communicator has been a staple of popular fiction for many a year, but real world offerings have so far been a bit of a hit and miss affair. Things recently improved with devices from LG and Samsung but they're somewhat expensive solutions. Now Kempler & Strauss has launched the quad-band W Phonewatch which threatens to shake things up a bit. Offering similar functionality to its competitors at a fraction of the cost, the W also comes with its own Bluetooth headset that doubles as a stylus and MP3 control. Read More
Creative gets in touch with ZEN X-Fi2 PMP
By Mick Webb
10:32 September 29, 2009 PDT
Creative's latest personal media player - the ZEN X-Fi2 - is the company's first full touch screen offering and features a 3” screen with a simplified navigational menu in landscape format, X-Fi sound enhancement and a TV-out connection for viewing video and photos on the big screen in a package that weighs just 75g. 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
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
Sonos Controller CR200 gets touchy-feely
By Paul Ridden
22:46 September 4, 2009 PDT
The Sonos Controller has just undergone a makeover. Like the CR100 before it, the new controller will allow you to effortlessly manage music throughout your home but instead of controlling the action using a scroll wheel and buttons, the new Sonos CR200 now has a 3.5in capacitive touchscreen, full-color VGA 640 x 480 LCD display with LED backlighting. Read More
Sony adds new Alpha DSLRs
By Alan Brandon
21:55 August 31, 2009 PDT
Sony has announced two new cameras in its Alpha range of consumer-oriented DSLRs. The DSLR-A550 and the DSLR-A500 feature two live-view focus modes, in-camera high dynamic range (HDR) capability, and low-light performance with sensitivity of up to 12800 ISO. The new Alphas also feature tilting 3in (7.6cm) LCDs as well as a new in-camera SteadyShot feature. Read More
Sony makes some noise - S Series Walkman with built-in speakers
By Mick Webb
22:14 August 27, 2009 PDT
Sony has announced the latest update of its enduring stalwart, the Walkman, with some additions to their range of portable music players. Rather than just providing music for one, the S-Series includes built-in speakers to share the sound, while the new E-Series offers a stylish entry-level option. Read More
Samsung DualView cameras put the photographer in the picture
By Darren Quick
03:43 August 14, 2009 PDT
Seems one LCD display per camera is not enough for Samsung, which has just unveiled two compact digital cameras that feature dual LCD screens – one on the back and one on the front. The extra displays found on the TL225 and TL220 are designed to make turning the camera on yourself a bit more reliable than the "hold at arm’s length and hope" method usually employed when taking self-portraits and profile picture shots. And for those after a digital camera that boasts unprecedented connectivity, Samsung has also unveiled the CL65 with geo-tagging, Bluetooth 2.0, DLNA, and Wi-Fi capabilities. Read More
SY Thalia - an electronic haven on the high seas
By Jeff Salton
07:41 August 13, 2009 PDT
The SY Thalia is a yacht with a difference … while it’s a beautiful looking vessel outside, it’s what’s inside that really takes your breath away. The 159-foot ketch is fitted out with an award-winning array of the latest and greatest AV gear that is usually reserved for luxury homes. In total, the $300,000+ installation has 12 entertainment, video and navigation zones, including five video screens, one of which is a home theater. Read More
Viewsonic launches personal media players
By Paul Ridden
18:37 August 2, 2009 PDT
Viewsonic is about to break into the portable media player market with the release (in Taiwan initially) of two new players - the 8GB View Show VPD400 and the 16GB View Show VPD500. Sporting an impressive 800 by 480 screen resolution and supporting most media formats, the players will nudge their way in at the very top end of their class. Read More
LG unveils new slimline LCD and LED HDTVs
By Darren Quick
00:24 July 31, 2009 PDT
LG has unveiled its newest LCD and LED HDTVs at its annual Summer Line Show in New York. It sounds more like a fashion show than a platform for launching consumer electronics, but given that the new TVs’ main selling points are more in the looks rather than the specs department, perhaps it is. Both the SL80 (LCD) and SL90 (LED) series comprise FullHD 1080p resolution units featuring a single edge-to-edge panel of glass over a slim bezel, which incorporates an Invisible Speaker design to give the units a clean seamless look. Read More
Share your point of view with the EVGA InterView 1700 Dual-Panel Display
By Darren Quick
02:35 July 21, 2009 PDT
For users who find that one display is never enough and can’t afford the NEC CRV43, EVGA has released the InterView 1700 Dual-Monitor system. The unit consists of two side-by-side 17-inch widescreen LCD monitors suspended on a central frame, which houses a built-in 1.3MP webcam, built-in microphone, and three port USB 2.0 hub. With a supported graphics card the dual displays can be set up as a span to provide an extended desktop, or cloned to allow one display to be flipped 180 degrees for easy viewing by a second person on the opposite side of the desk. Read More
Bang & Olufsen's magical Beotime flute alarm
By Paul Ridden
07:19 July 20, 2009 PDT
Inspired by Mozart's famous Opera, the new Beotime alarm clock will, according to its creator Bang & Olufsen, turn the chore of waking up in the morning into an "extraordinary experience". As well as finding all the usual functionality of a standard alarm clock onboard, the elegant flute-like tube of aluminum can help you control all of your (compatible) audio/video gadgetry and even your room lights. As the suggested price tag of USD$375 indicates, this is no run-of-the-mill alarm clock. Read More
ECCO: The handy GPS locator on a keyring
By Paul Ridden
20:42 July 16, 2009 PDT
Thanks to personal navigation systems, the days of getting completely lost whilst out wandering are well and truly behind us. GPS navigation systems can now show you 3D representations of your surroundings, give you multiple routing options and can even let you know if there's a good restaurant nearby. You can buy units to mount in your car, on your bike or on your wrist and can now even get GPS capabilities in most modern mobile phones. But if all you want is to be able to find your way back to where you started from as quickly and easily as possible then the ECCO personal GPS navigator might be of interest. Read More
Carefully choosing colors in OLED displays can prolong battery life
18:26 July 9, 2009 PDT
Researchers from the Simon Fraser University in Canada have developed two different color maps for organic LEDs that, thanks to an appropriate choice of colors and by exploiting characteristics of human perception, can consume up to 40 percent less power and could be used to increase battery life for a wide range of portable devices. Read More
Shape Up Alarm Clock Dumbbell to wake masochists
By Darren Quick
23:19 July 5, 2009 PDT
We’ve looked at a few alarm clocks designed to rouse the reluctant riser from their slumber over the years. There’s the Puzzle Alarm Clock to get the gray matter working first thing in the morning and Clocky to get you up and running. Joining the ranks of masochistic devices is the Shape Up Alarm Clock Dumbbell which won’t stop screeching until you’ve done 30 reps. Read More
Viewsonic enters the PC market with the VPC100 All-in-One PC
By Darren Quick
21:35 July 2, 2009 PDT
Viewsonic, well known as a manufacturer of affordable LCD monitors, has decided to add a little bit extra to its latest release by cramming the guts of a PC behind a 19-inch LCD display to produce the VPC100 All-in-One PC. Viewsonic’s first entry into the PC market maintains the company’s reputation for affordability with its USD$599 price tag and cuts office clutter with its lone cable. Read More
Garmin's handy GPS navigators
By Paul Ridden
21:50 June 22, 2009 PDT
Whether you're just out for a leisurely stroll, out on the piste or on patrol in some remote tundra, Garmin's new personal navigation systems promise to make sure you know everything you need to know to get where you want to be. The Foretrex 401 and Foretrex 301 GPS navigators don't get lost thanks to new technology that allows them to lock on and keep track of positioning satellites even in the most testing of conditions, making these go-anywhere, do-anything, tough, waterproof personal travel gadgets much more than just big wristwatches. Read More
Sony offers new VAIO NW laptop with Blu-ray at affordable price
06:34 June 22, 2009 PDT
Sony has released its new VAIO NW laptop, which comes with an optional Blu-ray player. The 15.5-inch widescreen display features Sony’s XBRITE-ECO LCD technology for sharper viewing but, helpfully, the notebook also has an HDMI output, so it can directly connect to a TV for that big-screen, high-def experience. But perhaps the laptop's most impressive feature is the price. Read More
Samsung's all-in-one HD video conferencing monitor
By Darren Quick
22:08 June 18, 2009 PDT
Video conferencing offers businesses a way to save time and money on travel expenses while providing that all-important face-to-face communication. Samsung, partnering with RADVISION, has developed the VC240, a new all-in-one solution that integrates all the components required for high definition desktop video conferencing into a single unit. As well as operating as a standalone desktop HD video conferencing device without the need of a PC, it can also be used as a high-resolution monitor. Read More
Shrinking displays, growing resolution
By Darren Quick
01:13 June 12, 2009 PDT
While most of the focus is on bigger and bigger displays, microdisplay manufacturer, Kopin, has gone in the opposite direction, producing the world’s smallest 600 x 480 resolution VGA color-filter LCD. The tiny display, which measures just 0.27-inches diagonally, was made possible by shrinking the color dots down to a mere 2.9 x 8.7µm (microns) - to put that in perspective a strand of human hair is about 100 microns wide. Read More
Barry J
- November 10, 2009 @ 00:59 UTC
