IFA 2010: Hands on: Viewsonic ViewPad7 review
After announcements today from Samsung and Toshiba, it's high time we had a decent touch-and-feel with the Viewsonic ViewPad 7.
We've been following the 7-inch Android 2.2-based tablet for a few weeks now.
It's based around Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor (QSD8250 , clocked at 600MHz) so expect network operators to offer it – it can make phone calls thanks to the silicon.
There's no UK release data as yet but October seems to be a safe bet, with a price point of "less than £350."
It's pretty speedy in terms of operation and we were impressed at how quick things were despite the underclocked processor. The capacitive multitouch screen is responsive, even if it seems a little grainy for our liking.
The device has a standard-size SIM slot housed under a flap alongside a micro SD slot. There's also a 0.3 megapixel VGA front facing camera and a 3 megapixel one on the rear.
Other connectivity includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS.
We really like the ViewPad 7 – it certainly seems well finished and isn't too heavy. For an Android tablet it really seems excellent. However, we can also see the argument that £80 more will get you an iPad. But the Dell Streak is even more than that and, as such, we think it's fairly competitively priced.
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IFA 2010: Sharp shows off glasses-free 3D tablet, phone and camera tech
Sharp is no stranger to glasses-less 3D technology. It was the company which gave Nintendo its screens for the 3DS and the company has also hinted that more handheld consoles are on the way with this 3D technology.Although Sharp did not actually announce any glasses-less 3D gadgets, it did show of a few prototypes which looked more than a little intriguing,
To view the parallex barrier tech properly, you need to be round 30cm away from the screen – so this is great technology for the likes of phones and cameras.
The screens contain 800 x RGB x 480, when seen in 2D and 400 x RGB x 480 when viewed in 3D.
The prototypes we saw were impressive. There was a tablet-sized screen, around 7-inches, shown off with some animated 3D, and also a smaller 3.5-inch screen which could easily be ported to a mobile phone.
Seeing both these in action was great, although it is all about the sweet spot when viewing this content. A few times we were too far away, too close and moved our head the wrong way and the illusion of 3D was shattered. It is great to see 3D work without glasses, though.
The most intriguing non-glasses 3D tech, though, was the prototype camera on show. The camera had the parallex barrier panel on the back and images looked crisper than you would expect.
It could also shoot moving images and still video.
Sharp are in no rush to bring this technology to the masses but as we have seen with the 3DS, the panel tech is around and it is being picked up by the big boys of the technology world.
Sharp did also hint that screens as big as 9.7 inches will be in the market before long as well – which is the same size as an iPad.
Not that we are reading in to this at all...
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IFA 2010: Hands on: Sharp Aquos Quattron 3D review
Sharp chose IFA 2010 to anounce its contribution to a burgeoning 3D TV market, the Sharp Aquaos Quattron 3D.Sharp has taken its time with its 3D offering. Instead of jumping feet first into the third dimension, it pushed out its Quattron technology while everyone else was showing of their 3D wares.
This was a good thing, as Quattron may well hold the key to brighter, better three-dimensional images.
TechRadar was given a demo of the TV, which showed how four colours 3D compares to three colours. And the results were noticeable. Colours sparkled that little bit more and this seemed to enhance the effect of the 3D.
Essentially the fourth colour in Quattron pimps out the yellow in an image and we have to admit most of the demo we saw was based around the colour yellow, which does mean that what we were shown favoured Sharp's TV technology.
Saying that, we have seen a mountain of 3D and this is definitely near the top of the pile when it comes to quality stakes.
To stop judder, Sharp has managed to squeeze in 4000hz into the TV which should bring a smoother picture. Unfortunately, there was a few niggles with the demo and judder was apparent. This was to do with the 3D signal rather than the TV itself, however.
At 60-inches the Quattron is optimum size for 3D. While the likes of Panasonic seem to be bigging up smaller sets for 3D – it announced a 42-inch plasma – 60 inches gives you enough screen to immerse yourself in the image.
When it comes to glasses, you get one pair in the setup which we can't help thinking is a touch stingy, considering that it will cost you £100 for another pair.
But the glasses do hold a nice bit of tech that seems lacking on any other TV. If your friends are watching a 3D movie and you don't want to see it in 3D, then what you can do is press a button and view the content in 2D through the glasses. It is a simple but great idea.
While an extra pair of glasses will cost extra, at least the 3D is in-built in the TV, so you don't have to mess around getting external sensors to enjoy 3D content.
At £3,500 the Sharp Quattron 3D is an expensive buy – but with 3D this good, it would definitely be a worthy investment.
The 60-inch Sharp Quattron 3D TV has a UK release date of October 2010.
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IFA 2010: Toshiba to show glasses-free 3D in October?
Atsushi Murasawa, head of Toshiba visual products, said during today's IFA press conference that the company would have "some announcement" on glasses-free 3D for smaller screens as soon as October's Ceatec show in Japan. "Glasses free 3D? Yes, sure, but as of today we are not ready to come to market with glasses-free, but we are going to make some announcement about glasses free 3D in the small screen sizes in October...Ceatec."
Bye bye Cell TV
The press conference also carried the revelation that Toshiba has effectively killed off its Cell TV before it's even arrived in Europe. Instead, the Japanese manufacturer introduced a new TV engine for which Cevo is the European codename.
Essentially the successor to Cell, Cevo is a new multiprocessor platform that is said to show best in class picture quality, advanced 3D graphics and network solutions.
Atsushi Murasawa also showed off the new Cevo chip and explained that a new 55ZL1 Cevo-powered TV will be out in the UK sometime in 2011 – probably, we'd guess, making its debut at CES 2011. "We believe the engine is one of the most important things," he said.
Cevo is being branded as an evolution of the Cell chip, offering 400hz for smoother images and 512 LED clusters for local dimming, which is said to garner perfect black reproduction.
The Cevo means that there is also a lower level of crosstalk for 3D. Toshiba is calling its 3D Mega Bright and Intelligent 3D because of this technology.
Toshiba claims this technology means it can offer the same picture quality for 3D as it does with 2D.
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IFA 2010: Hands on: Toshiba Folio 100 review
We grabbed a few minutes with Toshiba's new Folio 100 tablet, based on Android 2.2 and running Nvidia's Tegra 2. It's an impressive looking thing - certainly miles ahead from the Journe Touch that Toshiba demonstrated at last year's IFA.
As you'd expect there's Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as standard, while Tosh will also be making a 3G version available.
As you can see, Tosh irritatingly kept the Folio 100 wall-mounted for the press preview of the company's new kit, but we've still nabbed these shots.
As you can see, the Folio 100 is an iPad-matching 10-1-inches and is pretty thin as well, very much like Apple's device. It's actually slightly thicker at 14mm as opposed to 13.4mm with the iPad.
Toshiba software, such as the Media Player and newly-announced Market Place (not Marketplace) are to be found on the home screen.
Elsewhere it's pure Android, with the standard menu interface.
The power cable is a little ugly and it's joined by an HDMI out port, docking port, lock switch and SD card slot (expandable to 32GB - it doesn't appear there's any in-built memory).
There's also a headphone jack next to the power cable. The unit also boasts a 1.3 megapixel webcam.
The side controls are simple to use, phone-like in function and glow when you press the buttons.
The device boasts full internet browsing, complete with Flash 10.1.
The unit weighs in at 760g, again more than the iPad's 680g. Below you can see Toshiba's Market Place app in evidence.
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IFA 2010: Toshiba Camileo S30 and P20 outed
Toshiba has unveiled two new camcorders with the Camileo S30 and P20 offering lightweight, simple video recording. The Camileo S30 and P20 both take 1080p footage and high quality stills and offer easy YouTube uploads.
They have a 3-inch touch-sensitive screen and 10x digital zoom with SD card compatibility.
The S30 is 19mm thin and offers more advanced features which "provide excellent quality full HD performance, 8MP still photos, video stabilisation and a touch-sensitive menu system offering quality, reduced shake and ease-of-use."
P20
The P20 costs 20 quid less, offers 5MP still images and has a pocket-friendly pistol grip design.
The Camelio S30 has a UK release date of January 2011 and will cost £139.99, and the P20 arrives in October 2010 and has a UK price of £119.99.
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IFA 2010: Toshiba shows off entry-level 100Hz 1080p 42" TV
Toshiba has announced a budget 42-inch Regza 42SL738 television, offering 1080p and 100Hz in a TV that it describes as 'perfect for the modern living room'. Toshiba announced the Regza 42SL738 at IFA, describing it as a high-quality, entry-level LED TV.
"The new REGZA 42SL738 blends energy saving LED backlighting with a series of high-quality features, including proprietary Active Vision processing and extensive connectivity, adds Toshiba's release.
"Each model also boasts a new, super slim design, combining a sleek gloss black finish with stylish silver accenting - stylish LED performance at an equally attractive price.
Modern
"The perfect TV for the modern living room, the REGZA 42SL738 features a full 1920x1080p HD resolution, allowing viewers to enjoy stunning HD content in maximum detail," states Toshiba.
"Its 107cm (42-inch) screen provides the perfect platform for blockbuster action movies and fast-moving sports content by using Toshiba's advanced Active Vision M100 processing offering a smooth cinematic playback of all on-screen action."
Regza SL
Toshiba also announced smaller Regza SL televisions, with a 19-inch, 26-inch and 32-inch screen designed as a second television.
"Ideal for the kitchen, bedroom or living room, the REGZA SL738 series is designed to provide excellent everyday performance," adds Tosh.
"Each model offers a range of Toshiba features and technologies, combining energy saving LED backlighting with advanced proprietary picture processing for enhanced performance."
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IFA 2010: Toshiba's Freeview HD-ready Regza VL series announced
Toshiba has unveiled its Freeview HD-ready Regza VL series - billing the new arrivals as a 'premium range of Full HD LED TVs'.Toshiba's Regza VL series carries the DVB-T2 tuner required to watch Freeview HD, doing away with the need for an external box.
The series is available in two sizes, 40 inches and 46 inches, and both models offer 100Hz picture processing and Full HD.
They also include Wi-Fi compatibility, with applications for YouTube and BBC iPlayer.
Danish design
"Designed in collaboration with Danish designer's Jacob Jensen Design, the Regza VL series features a completely revised appearance from any Regza range launched before it," explains Toshiba's release.
"Manufactured using complementary and visually striking elements, each REGZA VL series model boasts a unique look based on the principle of clean lines and the use of high quality materials, including glass and metal."
The Regza VL series has been given a UK release date of October 2010, with no prices released as yet.
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IFA 2010: Toshiba unveils 3D Blu-ray player - BDX3100KB
Toshiba has announced its first 3D-enabled Blu-ray player, with the BDX3100KB announced alongside the BDX1100KB. Toshiba's first Blu-ray player with 3D playback offers what the company describes as an immersive and three-dimensional experience.
"When connected to a 3D TV, the BDX3100KB enables users to enjoy a whole new kind of home cinema, with greater depth of field and enriched colour production," adds Toshiba's release.
Full HD 24p
The BDX3100KB provides Full HD 1920x1080p 3D output with Blu-ray movies played back at 24 frames per second.
"A 3D-capable HDMI port allows output of 3D content from Blu-ray 3D discs to a 3D capable TV set, allowing users to enjoy a fully immersive home cinema experience," adds Tosh.
The less featured BDX1100KB offers 1080p upscaling, 1024p/24p playback, BD-Live and Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD - like its more expensive brother - but does not have 3D capability.
The BDX3100KB and BDX1100KB from Toshiba have been given a UK release date of October 2010, with prices yet to be announced.
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Toshiba announces Folio 100 Tablet
Toshiba has announced the Folio 100 Tablet, a 10.1-inch Android tablet, with a 3G version due later in the year.Toshiba announced the tablet at IFA, stating that the computer would use Android 2.2 as its operating system.
The Folio 100 will offer full Flash support, a multi-touch screen, HDMI port and built in Wi-Fi.
The tablet will run on Nvidia's Tegra chip, and boasts a full day's battery life (according to Tosh) and a built in webcam.
Enjoyable to use
"Fast, easy and enjoyable to use, the Toshiba Folio 100 offers a rich multimedia experience, with a highly intuitive touchscreen interface designed to run on top of the Android 2.2 (Froyo) platform," said Toshiba.
"Toshiba FOLIO 100 features a wide range of connectivity options to offer outstanding flexibility, with an SD card slot, HDMI connector, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth all included as standard, while the integrated 1.3MP front-facing webcam also makes video-chat simple.
"A mobile broadband model with 3G support will also be launched later in the year, providing on-demand access to the web, regardless of location."
There is an optional dock, and the Folio 100 boast a weight of 750g - with a thickness of 14mm.
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Breaking: Toshiba announces Folio 100 Tablet
Toshiba has announced the Folio 100 Tablet, a 10.1-inch Android tablet, with a 3G version due later in the year.Toshiba announced the tablet at IFA, stating that the computer would use Android 2.2 as its operating system.
The Folio 100 will offer full Flash support, a multi-touch screen, HDMI port and built in Wi-Fi.
The tablet will run on Nvidia's Tegra chip, and boasts a full day's battery life (according to Tosh) and a built in webcam.
Enjoyable to use
"Fast, easy and enjoyable to use, the Toshiba Folio 100 offers a rich multimedia experience, with a highly intuitive touchscreen interface designed to run on top of the Android 2.2 (Froyo) platform," said Toshiba.
"Toshiba FOLIO 100 features a wide range of connectivity options to offer outstanding flexibility, with an SD card slot, HDMI connector, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth all included as standard, while the integrated 1.3MP front-facing webcam also makes video-chat simple.
"A mobile broadband model with 3G support will also be launched later in the year, providing on-demand access to the web, regardless of location."
There is an optional dock, and the Folio 100 boast a weight of 750g - with a thickness of 14mm.
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IFA 2010: Toshiba's Regza WL LED 3D TV series arrives
Toshiba has announced its first 3D LED television, with the Regza WL768 series offering that the company describes as the "very best home cinema experience".Toshibas' Regza WL series is available in 40-inch, 46-inch and 55-inch sizes and boasts Active Shutter 3D technology along with 'Intelligent 3D'.
"Launched to coincide with the availability of commercial 3D TV content in the UK, the range has been designed to offer the very best home cinema experience, with premium Toshiba features providing advanced 3D viewing," states Toshiba.
Broadcast content
"Viewers can enjoy broadcast content in incredible 3D, while new Blu-ray 3D players provide the ability to enjoy films in a completely new way," it continues.
"Integrated Wi-Fi connectivity and applications for YouTube and BBC iPlayer provide an expanded range of content for users to enjoy, and all models also feature a stunning exterior... offering unrivalled style to complement advanced performance."
All of the Regza WL768 models have Full HD 1920x1080p HD panels with LED Edge backlighting.
The Toshiba Regza WL series has been given a UK release date of October, with prices yet to be confirmed.
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IFA 2010: Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Tab review
Samsung's Galaxy Tab device might not have been the best kept secret in the world, but its arrival at IFA still saw a lot of excitement and clamour to try out the new tablet.The dinky device, which has a 7-inch screen and weighs in at only 380g, is meant to be the portable and pocketable answer to the heft of the iPad, and certainly feels that way when you first play with it.
Running Android 2.2, the Galaxy Tab is certainly a cutting-edge device when it comes to the specs - svelte chassis aside, it's also packing a 1024x600 WSVGA screen, making it much higher resolution than Apple's iPad.
It sits nicely in the hand, with one-handed operation easy thanks to the seven-inch screen, and the rear of the Galaxy Tab (which comes in black and white) is smooth plastic but easy to grip.
There's a 3.5mm headphone port, for media and handsfree kit connection, with a 30-pin plug on the bottom rather than a microUSB adaptor.
Samsung says the reason for the 30-pin is two-fold: firstly, the 4000mAh battery wouldn't be charged fast enough on a standard microUSB, and the data transfer to get HD movies onto the screen would be too slow.
You can slot a SIM card into the side of the screen, and also expand the storage with a microSD card (up to 32GB) with easy to open covers.
The front of the device - well, it looks like an iPad. There's no other way of saying it when you see that thick black bezel around the side, but the size of the screen helps make it seem like a very different device.
There are four touch sensitive buttons on the front, for menu, home, back and search, and these are easy to press and provide some nice tactile feedback.
However, a 3MP camera is a little under-powered in our opinion - admittedly the iPad doesn't even have a camera, but we'd have thought a 5MP option with flash would have been an obvious choice.
The interface is basically Android with a little tweaking, as Samsung looks to make the UI as simple to use as possible. The home screen is a widget-fillable fest, letting you put whatever you want on there, and the options are very similar to those provided by the Galaxy S (ie not very many).
A quick look into the menu opens up a pleasant translucent menu, sitting on the top of your wallpaper, and scrolling through it is very easily in both landscape and portrait mode.
Ebook reader
One of the main selling points of the Samsung Galaxy Tab is the fact it's the same size as a paperback, and as such is good for consuming books.
The ebook reader function is pretty good - the size is fine and the ability to switch the text size and colour is nice. However, the options are a little lightweight, and you can't go bigger on text than the picture we've got.
The internet, arguably the most important function on the Samsung Galaxy Tab, thankfully is a decent experience, thanks mostly to the top-notch WebKit browser from Android.
Firstly, the speed is impressive (although we only tested it over Wi-Fi) and web pages loaded as fast as they might on a HTC Desire or iPhone 4.
There was a little lag in processing some pages, and sometimes they'd reload from time to time, but on the whole the internet experience was solid.
Elements like Flash and HTML5 support are a real bonus, with text reflow allowing you to get in as close as you like to the text. However, like in the early iterations of the Samsung Galaxy S firmware, you need to zoom in (using multi-touch of the onscreen buttons) and then double tap the screen to make the text re-jig itself.
Email and messaging
Email is a similarly nice experience, with a dual approach on offer to see who has sent you a message over the interwebs.
You can see your inbox in a simple list view, or flip the Android tablet on its side to see both the inbox and the message in a dual screen view.
Messaging is supplemented by the popular Swype system, which allows you to slide your finger around the screen tracing out words. It's not everyone's cup of tea, so there's also the option to tap letters in in both portrait and landscape modes.
The large screen is a good size for text input, but those with smaller hands might struggle to accurately hit the right letter each time.
What is odd is the media experience on the Samsung Galaxy Tab isn't as mind blowing as we'd thought it would be.
Music is a pretty average experience if we're honest - yes, there are the normal number of options such as shuffle, repeat, equaliser and so on, but the interface looks a little boring, despite the large album artwork.
Admittedly we didn't get the chance to listen to a number of tracks through high-end headphones, but the fact there was no music widget in the pull-down notifications bar grated.
There is a music portal on offer from Samsung, but oddly it's a little expensive, with tracks costing £1.29 at a go, which seems a little much when you can suck them down from the web for less than 80p.
The UI is nice though, and if you're yearning for a certain track and can't find it on YouTube and Spotify, then this is a good way to get your fix.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab's Super AMOLED screen is one of the best we've seen on a portable device, and the Super TFT LCD on offer with the Galaxy Tab doesn't seem as impressive.
Even with brightness turned right up, the high-res screen still only looked... OK. It's the match of Apple's iPad, no doubt, but we had hoped it would look so good we would beg to lose our vision as nothing would ever beat the visage put in front of us.
Mapping is a nice touch though, and the seven-inch screen feels like the perfect size for wandering around an unknown town looking for a shop.
Google Maps Navigation is a quick and easy system to use and that experience is replicated on the Samsung Galaxy Tab, offering some quick directions in double-quick time.
Newspapers and magazines
The final two features we ran our eye over were the magazine and paper viewers and the nascent games for the Samsung Galaxy Tab.
The newspaper viewer is an interesting one - it didn't like being held in landscape mode, as the paper didn't fill the page properly, although in portrait things looked a lot more professional.
One nice feature is the ability to tap on any story and see it presented on the screen in its own right - making viewing a newspaper in the way you want much easier.
Samsung claims the Galaxy Tab will "play an important role in the digitisation of printed material" and if newspaper subscriptions all look this good on the Tab then we can see why.
The magazine viewer crashed on us a couple of times though, so we can't tell you whether it's as good as the newspaper version - we'll put this down to early firmware rather than an inherent problem with the OS, but it's a little disconcerting.
Gaming
Gaming on the Samsung Galaxy Pad is the equal of the iPad though, offering a nice size for holding in two hands and playing a game or three.
We checked out Need For Speed: Shift, and it was much better than we expected. The accelerometer is accurate, the screen bright and visible, and while it was a little easy (or we're just really good at it) the promise for better Android games is obvious.
Overall, we were very impressed with the Samsung Galaxy Tab - its size and chassis certainly make it stand out from the crowd.
We've used devices like the Archos 7 Internet Tablet before, but this is so much quicker and more powerful (not to mention more pocket-friendly) and just seems to make the tablet conundrum make sense.
We liked
The pocket-friendly shape is a real boon - you can pull this out to impress a girl in a bar and she won't even know you had it in your jacket pocket. She might not care one bit, but hey, at least the lines in your clothes are safe.
The speed of operation was, on the whole, quick and efficient, and the times it got a little bogged down seem more to do with early firmware than a real problem.
The screen is the right size for things like playing games, reading books and browsing the internet, and the email and messaging options are plentiful and easy to use as well.
We disliked
The Samsung Galaxy Tab crashed on us a couple of times, which is always worrying, but par for the course on pre-production devices.
The screen didn't blow us away either - it shows how good Samsung is in the display market that we consider it not being amazing as a negative, but we didn't get the wow factor of the Samsung Galaxy S.
The music player is similarly average - we need to investigate the sonic ability of it, but overall we think the interface could be a little bit better.
Verdict
Put it this way - if Apple had made this, there would be Jobs-fans crying in the streets, as it's a pretty darn neat device.
Android still needs to go some way to shake the nerdy reputation that comes from being the darling of the geek community, but things like the Samsung Galaxy Tab should show that it's come a long way since the T-Mobile G1.
One problem we can see, especially in the UK, is the fact that users can't have the same number on two SIM cards (our European brethren are allowed such a treat).
This means two contracts rather than one unified number, and that's going to grate a bit, as well as raise the price. However, Apple's managed it with the iPad 3G, so perhaps Samsung can repeat the trick.
But pound for pound, it out does the iPad at every turn (other than the larger screen size) and adds in a few treats like video and voice calling, a camera and Flash video playback.
The screen size, hand-friendliness and simple ease of operation make this a potentially awesome gadget - now we just need to find out the price to see if it's going to be really popular, so stay tuned for our full Samsung Galaxy Tab review.
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Exclusive: Philips to launch glasses-free 3D TV in 2013
Pleasing news for all you 3D sceptics out there - Philips is set to launch the world's first glasses-free 3D TV as early as 2013.That's according to Maarte Tobias of Dutch company Dimenco, which is developing the lenticular glasses-free technology on Philips' behalf.
A working prototype of this TV is on display in the Philips hall at IFA, and it really is truly impressive.
Philips has displayed a glasses-free 3D TV prototype at IFA every year since 2007. But only now has the technology looked so genuinely fantastic, and Tobias says that not only will the finished product go on sale in the next three to five years, but a professional monitor like the one on display at the show will be going on sale within months.
The technology works very much like a lenticular photograph where the illusion of depth is created by the use of a series of interlaced strips at different angles.
In development
Dimenco is made up of a team of ex-Philips engineers who left the company when it decided not to further pursue the use of lenticular panels in 3D TVs. They're now developing the tech, in conjunction with Philips, and have made several breakthroughs in making the tech viable.
The underlying panel on display has a resolution of 4K (four times 1080p) which is the minimum needed to produce a 1080p 3D picture once the lenticular lens has split the light from the CCFL LCD panel underneath.
"As a TV people will be able to buy this in three to five years, and as a monitor it'll be available in a few months. This panel you see today is a 56-inch panel but the one we're bringing to market will be a 52-inch model," said Tobias.
"How it works is that we put a lenticular lens over the panel which creates a left view and a right view, each eye then sees a slightly different image and that's why you perceive 3D. The panel we have here today uses CCFL LCD but it will work just as well with LED."
Flaws in the system
While the 3D panel was striking – it was displaying full-motion movie footage and looked flawless from directly in front - there was a definite shimmer when walking off axis, and the panel blurred considerably - with all 3D effect being lost - when viewed from an acute angle. Tobias said this will have to be overcome before the TV can be brought to the consumer market.
"There are some big innovation steps still possible, the quality will be hugely improved especially when it comes to the consumer market," he said.
Tobias also said that the Dimenco/Philips lentcular 3D display is currently the most advanced glasses-free TV in the world.
"It is important to build further on the lenticular technology. I think this will be the future – 3D without glasses."
The Dutchman also added that the lenticular panel currently uses specially created source material and isn't compatible with standard 3D Blu-ray, for example, but that by the time the product hits the shops, it will all be standardised and compatible with all 3D formats.
And of course, Philips is not the only company currently researching lenticular 3D TV panels – Toshiba is rumoured to be working on the tech, and no doubt the other big hitters are too. But still, no one has yet demonstrated such an advanced model – it's just a pity our 2D photograph can't do it justice.
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In Depth: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad
Samsung has now officially outed the Galaxy Tab, its eagerly awaited 7-inch Android tablet. But how does it match up to the Apple iPad, which has set the standard for slate computing? Sure, the iPad has a bigger screen. But there are several areas where the Galaxy Tab is superior...
Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad: display
The Apple iPad incorporates a touch-sensitive IPS display that measures 9.7 inches across. It's undoubtedly a gorgeous screen, boasting a resolution of 768 x 1,024 pixels.
Samsung has opted for a smaller display in the Galaxy Tab. It's still a decent size at 7 inches, which is a full 2 inches bigger than the Dell Streak tablet-phone. It gets closer to the iPad's specification with a resolution of 600 x 1,024 pixels, which looks superb on an LCD this size.
Winner: Apple iPad
Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad: size & weight
Despite its size, the Apple iPad measures 242.8 x 189.7 x 13.4mm and weighs 680g (although it feels a lot lighter when you hold it in your hand).
With its 7-inch display, the Galaxy Tab is obviously more compact. Samsung's quoted dimensions are 190.09 x 120.45 x 11.98mm, which makes it thinner than Apple's device. The Galaxy Tab weighs a mere 380g, which is almost half the weight of an iPad.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab
Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad: wireless
As you'll know by now, the Apple iPad is available in two versions, one with 3G networking and one without. We'll use the basic 16GB 3G + Wi-Fi version in this example. It means that Apple's lust-object features data-only 3G/HSDPA connectivity, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR.
The Galaxy Tab arguably has a better specification. It also packs 3G/HSDPA (up to 7.2Mbps), but like the Dell Streak, the Samsung tablet can be used to make phone calls (via a Bluetooth headset) and to send/receive SMS/MMS data. The addition of 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 complete a great specification.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab
Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad: storage
Again, using the basic 3G + Wi-Fi iPad in this comparison, both entry-level models feature 16GB of internal memory. Of course, like Apple's iPhones, the iPad lacks any sort of expansion slot so you're stuck with 16GB if you opt for that model. If you demand more storage, you'll need to look at the 32GB or 64GB models.
In contrast, you can expand the 16GB of memory in the basic Samsung Galaxy Tab (a 32GB variant will also be available). Like its Galaxy S smartphone, the Tab features a microSD slot and will support memory cards up to 32GB. This will boost the overall capacity of a 16GB model to 48GB and elevate the roominess of a 32GB Tab to 64GB.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab
Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad: camera
The camera in the iPad... No. Wait. There is no camera in the iPad. The Galaxy Tab, meanwhile, boasts a 3 Megapixel lens with an LED flash. In fact, it has TWO cameras. There's also an extra 1.3MP camera on the front for basic QVGA video calling.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab
LACKING: The Apple iPad is missing some key functionality. Roll on iPad 2...
Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad: battery life
Apple claims a ten-hour battery life for its iPad, which compares to 7 hours quoted by Samsung for the Galaxy Tab. We shouldn't be surprised. The Galaxy Tab is smaller and lighter, there's less space for a meaty Li-Ion cell.
Winner: Apple iPad
Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad: performance/usability
In terms of performance, it's hard to separate the two. Both can rev up a 1GHz engine - the iPad is powered by Apple's own A4 chip, while the Galaxy Tab uses a ARM Cortex A8-based 'Hummingbird' processor. It also gets some extra graphical grunt from a PowerVR SGX540 core.
The big difference is in the software. Apple newest updates to the already impressive iOS4 will include a new Game Center, TV rentals, iTunes Ping functionality and AirPlay wireless streaming. Apple's App Store is also a colossus, boasting an unrivalled 250,000 apps.
The Galaxy Tab, meanwhile, runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) and can match the iPad for multi-touch control, pinch-to-zoom and general speediness. The Android Market might have fewer apps (around 70,000+ at last count), but Android still boasts one thing that the iPad doesn't have - Flash 10.1 support.
Winner: Draw
And the rest...
The iPad also includes A-GPS functionality (3G + Wi-Fi models only) and a built-in digital compass. It can playback H.264 video up to 720p and doubles up as a e-reader thanks to Apple's own iBooks app and downloadable Kindle software. Prices start at £429 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model, rising to £699 for the full-whack 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G variant. Ouch.
As for the new Galaxy Tab, it will come with built-in gyroscopic and geo-magnetic sensors, plus A-GPS or even full-blown GPS - Samsung's press release is vague on the details. It has its own iBooks rival too in the shape of 'Readers Hub', which has access to 2 million books, over 2,500 magazines and more than 1,600 newspapers. Samsung has yet to reveal pricing details, which will probably be set by the mobile carriers who sell it.
Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad: Our verdict
While the iPad is still the most desirable tablet computer available, the Galaxy Tab will provide some stiff competition. Especially if it's sold at a sub-£300 price point.
Samsung's device can't match the iPad for screen loveliness or battery life. But it steps up the technology battle by including a built-in camera and expandable memory.
With Android rapidly improving and Samsung currently producing some of the best mobile hardware on the planet, the prospects for the Galaxy Tab look bright. As ever, seeing the new device, holding it, surfing the web and watching videos on it will be key.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab
Ooh. Now that's controversial...
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Blu-ray body still looking to gaming industry
The Blu-ray Disc Association believes that the latest innovations in the technology will be a boon for the games industry, with the likes of Sharp's new 100GB capable BDXL upping storage significantly. The PS3 is currently the only console to offer Blu-ray support, and it can only currently read a dual-layered 50GB disc.
But the BDA believes that spinning media still has a future in gaming - despite the growing weight behind downloaded content.
Ambition
"The ambition of [games] developers is unlimited and therefore you will see new and exciting innovations that could well require additional storage capacity," European Blu-ray Disc Association chairman Graham Heaton told CVG.
"Blu-ray is in a position to be able to grow with the industry and ensure that disc storage capacity can support the ambitions of the developers."
Of course, 50Gb is a lot of storage already, but games have traditionally been the most storage hungry pieces of software.
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Official Twitter iPad app released
The official Twitter app for iPad has been released today, with a host of new features to keep Twitter fiends happily poking away at their Apple tablet's screen for the foreseeable future.Twitter's official iPad app is far more than a mere expanded version of the iPhone app, offering an entirely new-looking interface which lets users see links to webpages, pictures and videos from tweets almost immediately in a new pane on the screen.
"Panes" and "Gestures"
Twitter for iPad also makes really good use of the iPad's multitouch interface.
For example, you can pinch outwards to get more information on a particular user whose witty tweets you might be reading at any given time or you can swipe down with two fingers to reveal the whole conversation.
"Today we are bringing Tweets to a device that really lets content shine - the iPad", says Twitter on the company's blog.
"Twitter for iPadtakes advantage of the iPad's fluid touch interface, letting you move lots of information around smoothly and quickly - without needing to open and close windows or click buttons".
Twitter for iPad is available worldwide from the App Store. Grab it now over on iTunes
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IFA 2010: In pictures: Sharp BD-HP90S
Sharp's first foray into 3D Blu-ray territory is a super stylish affair. While it was no secret that Sharp was preparing to enter the world of 3D, we're impressed with how it has managed to create a Blu-ray player that stands out from the crowd.The Sharp BD-HP90S is part of the company's Aquos range and compliments the company's first 3D LCD TV – the Sharp Quattron 3D.
Sharp is going big on 3D and it may seem like it was one of the last companies to hit the 3D button, but the company was at pains to point out that it has been in the 3D business since 1992, when it created its first 3D panel in Oxford.
10 years down the line and Sharp also managed to add a 3D screen to a laptop – which was a world's first.
It will be interesting to see how its latest line-up stands up against the competition when it is released this October.
The BD-HP90S has a built-in wireless LAN function. Using this feature, viewers can establish a wireless connection via DLNA to other devices in the home network in order to transmit music, photos or videos from PC to TV.
You can play YouTube videos directly through the machine. The Internet connection also means you can enable automatic updates of the Blu-ray player software.
An On-Screen Control Panel function means the basic functions of the Sharp Blu-ray player can be controlled from an on-screen menu by a TV remote.
The BD-HP0S has a UK release date of November 2010 and is priced at £379.99.
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Opinion: iTunes 10: has Apple killed all its good UI designers?
Yup. Apple's decided it's been at least a few months since it screwed with the iTunes UI, and so it's made some changes with iTunes 10.Some of them actually work. There's a decent 'hybrid' list view, and the main interface pane offers more clarity. However, two changes are mind-boggling:
1. iTunes previously coloured its sidebar items. This enabled you to - without thinking - associate certain items with certain colours; even if you didn't do this, each item was differentiated. Now, you have to think before you click, and the usability of this area of the app has been substantially reduced.
2. The close/minimise/zoom buttons are now aligned vertically in the full window mode. In the mini-player window, this was always the case, but in the full window mode, it's a baffling decision.
Even though Mac OS X's hardly a bastion of total consistency these days, these three important buttons usually stay put, and people's muscle memory enables quick access to them.
Now, iTunes 10 chucks Apple's Human Interface Guidelines (the ones Apple seemingly expects every developer but itself to follow) out the window, in order to save a little horizontal space. However, this again reduces usability - not only are these buttons now in the wrong place, they're also much smaller and harder to hit.
In the past, iTunes has foreshadowed subsequent updates to the look and feel of Mac OS X.
I seriously hope that isn't the case this time, because the iTunes 10 UI is a botch job - a collision of fairly good ideas (which are incremental updates) and the very worst in interface design.
To that end, I wonder where all Apple's best UI designers have gone. They're certainly not on the iTunes team.
UPDATE: In the comments on the original post, mr_phillip writes: "For what it's worth, defaults write com.apple.iTunes full-window -1 restores the default close/minimise buttons". So at least Terminal-savvy Mac users have an option to deal with the second of Apple's UI disasters.
This article was first posted at Revert To Saved.
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Philips announces 3D ready 9000 series TVs
Alongside announcing its second-generation 21:9 TV, Philips has also unveiled its latest range of 9000 TVs.Alongside being 3D ready (Philips is adopting the external transmitter/glasses bundle approach for these screens) it boasts the new top-of-the-range Perfect Pixel HD processing engine, 400Hz technology, 1,792 LEDs in 224 segments for local dimming, ISF calibration and a claimed 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 0.5ms response time.
Danny Tack of Philips showed TechRadar a demo of the 9000 series TVs before IFA and compared the new flagship TV against rival models from Samsung, Sharp, LG and Sony (with the latter screen, an 803 model, only arriving at the factory the day before).
Interestingly, the demos were conducted with the screens' vivid/dynamic modes and frame rate enhancement tech activated. This is because vivid mode, according to Philips' research, is the one consumers prefer.
In a blind test alongside the brand's Natural and Movie modes, Vivid scored highest by some degree. Alarmingly for AV purists everywhere, Movie mode was last.
Halo free
The TVs include something called 'halo-free' Perfect Natural Motion technology. With all the screens running at their highest frame rate modes, he showed how haloing (which occurs when a fast-moving object crosses in front of a detailed background and the processing engine struggles to accurately create the detail in the artificial additional frames) blights all brands.
The 9000 was the least affected by artifacting, but it was still noticeable – halo-free doesn't quite live up to its name. Switch off Perfect Natural Motion, though, and the artifacting disappears. But then you get judder. The choice is yours.
With pricing to be announced, the 3D-ready Philips 9000 series of TVs will be out before the year is out.
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T3: iPad edition announced by Future
Future Publishing has announced the launch of its first full bespoke digital magazine, with T3: iPad edition scheduled to go on sale in autumn 2010. Future, which also publishes TechRadar, has launched a number of iPhone apps, and is now looking to take one of the UK's biggest tech magazine brands and turn it into a T3 iPad interactive magazine.
"As Future's flagship consumer technology brand in the UK, with a highly tech-literate audience, T3 is a logical choice for the company's first fully bespoke paid-for digital magazine for Apple's tablet," explained the company's release.
"Future is the UK's leading consumer electronics publisher and T3 is one of its biggest multi-platform brands with 23 international print editions, a fast-growing T3.com website and live events including the annual T3 Gadget Awards."
Autumn
The magazine will launch in the autumn, and go on sale on iTunes at the same time as the magazine arrives on newsagent shelves.
Nial Ferguson, Publishing Director for Future's Entertainment & Tech Lifestyle portfolios, said: "The natural synergies between T3 and the iPad create a dream union for both consumers and our commercial partners.
"Our research tells us that T3 readers are high-spending early adopters, who are already voraciously consuming media on the platform.
"We've worked very hard and liaised with Apple to ensure that T3: iPad Edition will give our readers the quality and authority of the print magazine, combined with the unique interactivity and functionality the iPad platform provides.
"Early testing among consumers and commercial partners has been very positive."
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Gary Marshall: FaceTime on iPods could change the way we chat
We've been promised video calls for years, but they've never really taken off - but thanks to last night's Apple announcements, we might need to smarten ourselves up whenever the phone rings.Apple changed music with the iPod - and it looks like it's going to use the same bit of kit to change the way we talk, too.
Adding the FaceTime video calling system to the iPod touch means that FaceTime may be heading for prime time.
Until yesterday FaceTime was brilliant and largely pointless: it was only available for the iPhone 4, so if all your friends weren't early-adopting free-spending latte-sipping hipsters who hold their phones really, really carefully then FaceTime suffered from the Only Fax Machine In The World problem: who do you call when no-one has the kit?
FaceTime on the iPod touch changes that. Steve Jobs reckons Apple is activating 230,000 iOS devices a day, and a good proportion of those devices are iPod touches - which means that over the Christmas period hundreds of thousands of people will end up with FaceTime-enabled iPods in their stockings.
The odds are that while you might not know many iPhone 4 owners, you'll know plenty of iPod touch owners - and increasingly, you'll be able to talk to them via FaceTime.
FaceTime everywhere
The next step for Apple is obvious: FaceTime in everything else.
There's no technical reason it can't be in OS X - FaceTime's really just iChat AV in different trousers - and the widely expected cameras in next year's second generation iPad mean it should come to Apple's tablet, too, ushering in a whole new world of chinny videos shot from unflattering angles.
While Apple is at it it could easily add it to the Apple TV: an add-on camera wouldn't be that expensive, even with Apple's massive profit margins, and FaceTime on your HDTV would deliver some of the wow factor Apple's telly box desperately needs.
Don't forget that FaceTime is supposed to be an open standard, too. In the long term, that means it should appear on all kinds of devices, not just ones with the Apple logo.
The big question is whether people want to see one another on the phone. I think the older generation hate the idea. I certainly do, but that's because I have what's best described as a face for radio and some really ugly friends.
Phone networks won't like it, either, because if it takes off it'll mean massive data demands over networks that often struggle to cope with Twitter.
But I reckon The Kids - that is, the constantly videoing, texting, chatting, oversharing Kids who can't take a breath without videoing it and uploading it to YouTube - will love it.
Apple isn't the first firm to try to take video calling into the mainstream - but it wasn't the first firm to make an MP3 player, either. That worked out OK, didn't it?
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IFA 2010: Hands on: Sony Bloggie Touch
Sony announced its Bloggie Touch Full HD camcorder yesterday and we've had a pick-up-and-play with one at the Sony stand here at IFA.The unit is a lot more compact than the Flip HD line and you can shoot 1080p instead of the 720p found on the Flip HD and the iPhone 4. It uses Sony's Exmor CMOS sensor and can focus on objects as close as 10cm away - this is a particular weakness with many pocket camcorders.
The 8GB unit is actually quite a looker, with a brushed aluminium body that looks as though it could withstand a few knocks.
Sony is also still going on about shooting 360-degree video using a clip-on lens, but the results remain terrible – surely this isn't of any interest to anybody?
The interface is much-improved over the first generation and things are really easy to use on the 3-inch touchscreen. Uploads are via a USB cable and the Bloggie's own software.
You can also take 12.8 megapixel stills, too, even if you're taking video with the device at the same time.
The Bloggie Touch is available in pink, silver and black.
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In Depth: Samsung Galaxy Tab: 10 things you need to know
Samsung has released final details of its iPad-rivalling Android tablet - the Galaxy Tab (GT-P1000). It looks like a fascinating device, a natural extension of the excellent Samsung Galaxy S smartphone that's currently giving Apple's iPhone 4 a run for its money.
The Galaxy Tab heads a battalion of imminent tablet PCs and slate computers from the likes of LG, HP, MSI, Archos, Toshiba, Blackberry and ViewSonic.
Here are the 10 things you need to know about Samsung's lovely 7-inch plaything.
1.The Galaxy Tab is also a phone
Rather than aping the 'data-only' 3G connectivity of the Apple iPad, the Samsung Galaxy Tab has more in common with the Dell Streak. With built-in GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz) and 3G/HSDPA (7.2Mbps) connectivity, the Tab also acts as a mobile phone, supporting voice calling and SMS/MMS messaging. Throw in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 and the overall Samsung Galaxy Tab specification looks good.
2.It has a 7-inch LCD display
The new Galaxy Tab aims to be more portable than the Apple iPad and features a 7-inch WSVGA LCD display with a resolution of 600 x 1024 pixels. It's noticeably smaller than the iPad's roomy 9.7-inch IPS screen and it also doesn't best its 768 x 1024 pixel resolution. Good enough for HD video? You bet. Samsung lists 'full HD video playback' as one of its multimedia highlights.
3.The Galaxy Tab is way lighter than an iPad
Because Samsung has opted for a smaller screen, the Galaxy Tab is a smaller, thinner and lighter device than the iPad. According to the spec sheet, it measures 190.09 x 120.45 x 11.98mm and weighs a mere 380g.
4.The Galaxy Tab runs version 2.2 of the Android OS (Froyo)
As expected, Samsung has chosen Android 2.2 as the OS of choice on the Galaxy Tab, giving it access to over 70,000 apps in the Android Market. Alongside support for Google Maps Navigation and Google Goggles, Froyo also supports Flash 10.1 giving it a significant web browsing edge over Safari on the iPad. Samsung has also revealed that the Galaxy Tab will feature Thinkfree Office, Swype text entry and Hybrid Widgets.
5.It's fast. Really fast.
Like the Samsung Galaxy S, the Galaxy Tab is powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor (probably Samsung's Hummingbird core, although it's not directly mentioned), which gives it a decent turn of speed. The specification also includes some extra graphics muscle in the shape of a PowerVR SGX540 chip to further boost application performance.
6.The Galaxy Tab only has 32GB of internal memory, but…
According to Samsung, the Galaxy Tab will be available in two versions – a 16GB model and a 32GB variant, both featuring 512MB of RAM. Usefully, Samsung has also built-in a memory slot, which will enable the overall memory to be boosted to 64GB with the addition of a suitable memory card.
7.There's a built-in camera
Has your iPad got a built-in camera? No. It hasn't. That said, the lowly 3 Megapixel lens fitted into the Galaxy Tab isn't worth making a song and dance about. To put things into perspective, it's on a par with the camera in the iPhone 3GS; disappointing considering that 5MP cameras are starting to become the norm. Samsung has also added a front-facing 1.3 Megapixel camera for video telephony.
8.The Galaxy Tab has 'hubs'
Four of them to be exact. The 'Readers Hub' provides access to a digital library of ebooks and is powered by technology from Kobo, PressDisplay and Zinio. This gives Tab owners access to more than 2 million books, over 2,500 magazines and more than 1,600 newspapers. The 'Media Hub' acts as a gateway to an equally in-depth e-library of films and videos, while the 'Music Hub' does the same for music. Lastly, the 'Social Hub' streamlines access to your favourite social networks.
9.You can have a Galaxy Tab by Christmas
Want a specific Samsung Galaxy Tab release date? Well we can't give you one. "The Samsung Galaxy Tab will be launched in the UK in the coming months," says Samsung.
10.The Samsung Galaxy Tab price is…?
Not mentioned. Why? Because the Galaxy Tab is a 3G-enabled device, it will be sold via various mobile carriers who will be free to subsidize it as they wish. This means that we could potentially see the device available for free, albeit with a hefty monthly subscription. Considering the specifications of the Galaxy Tab, it should easily undercut Apple's iPad current pricing structure. We'll have to wait and see.
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IFA 2010: Hands on: Panasonic TX-P42GT20B review
The Panasonic TX-P42GT20B is the world's first 42-inch 3D TV (and thus, the world's smallest - for now), and the first Panasonic 3D TV to hit the UK outside of the brand's top-end VT20 series.It launches alongside a 42-inch version of said VT20 series (the TX-P42VT20B), and Panasonic has also announced a whole raft of other new 3D products this week, claiming that they're going to combine to 'change the world'.
Featuring most of the key features in the VT20 3D plasmas, the GT20 includes 24p 'Smooth Film' for 3D, 2D-3D conversion, 600Hz subfield drive, THX and a High Contrast Filter.
The three key differences between the GT20 TV and the VT20 series are that it features a slightly less advanced filter, it has no subwoofer and it doesn't come with any 3D glasses in the box. The design of the TVs are slightly different too, although you'd need to look pretty close to see the differences - the bezel is subtly different, and the VT20 set is slightly slimmer.
Panasonic says it's not shipping free 3D glasses with the GT20 because it has just launched three new types of 3D eyewear and it wants to let people choose which type and which size to buy. We think it should still be supplying glasses with the TV, but there you go.
The GT20 is also being aimed firmly in the direction of gamers. There are lots of 3D TVs on the Panasonic stand hooked up to Nvidia 3D Vision PCs, and the company thinks that the convenience of the 42-inch size will attract gamers who want to ride the 3D wave with games like Gran Turismo 5 on the PS3.
Connectivity
In terms of connections, the GT20 has four HDMI 1.4a ports, and comes with new firmware which will recognise the 3D AVCHD files from Panasonic's new 3D camcorder. All existing VT20 series TVs will also have access to this firmware if you've already bought one and wish to update.
The inclusion of 2D-3D conversion in this new TV (it wasn't in the original VT20 TVs) is also a bit of a surprise. We get the impression that it has been included more to tick a couple of boxes rather than to offer more truly top-end features. Because frankly, as clever as 2D-3D conversion is, it's nowhere near as beautiful as true 3D content and in many cases it's just uncomfortable to watch.
Wearing 3D glasses can be a painful experience even at the best of times, and we don't really see the appeal unless you're watching something that's been shot and presented with 3D in mind.
Not surprisingly, Panasonic is only showing the GT20 displaying proper 3D pictures, with no demonstrations of the 2D-3D conversion to be seen. We'll let you know when we've given this feature the once-over.
TechRadar spoke to Markus Wagenseil, technical marketing manager for Panasonic's TV group, and he said that the GT20 will enable the Japanese firm to properly gauge the interest in 3D among the public.
"The VT20 series sold extremely well," he said, "but it's hard to tell if that's because it's our top-end TV range or whether it's because people are really keen to have 3D."
He said that because the GT20 series is a step-down from the ultra high-end, if it still sells as well it'll be confirmed that people really do care about 3D. We reckon it's a bit of both – because if you can afford to drop £2,000 on a new TV, you're going to want the option of 3D even if you don't anticipate using it much, right?
Performance
In terms of performance, from what we could tell the TX-P42GT20 is an admirable addition to Panasonic's 3D TV range. Motion clarity is excellent, cross-talk (where the two images necessary to make a 3D picture bleed into each other) is kept to a barely detectable minimum, while blacks remain typically deep.
Panasonic's plasma TVs have improved massively even in the last few years, and all the technical improvements are crammed into the GT20.
Is 42 inches too small?
We're unsure though, as to the validity of 3D on a 42-inch screen. To truly appreciate the depth and beauty of 3D, you need your field of vision filled as much as possible. While we were impressed by the 3D pictures on the GT20, we couldn't help feeling that it's just a bit small. We reckon 50-inches is probably the smallest you'd want to go if you really care about 3D, but even so, there's talk that several of the main TV manufacturers are already working on 32-inch 3D TVs, so what do we know?
Needless to say, the GT20 looks extremely impressive in standard 2D mode also.
The Panasonic TX-P42GT20B is on sale now for around £1,500. Not as cheap as we'd like, but you can expect to see that price fall in the coming months. Stand-by for a full TechRadar review in the next few weeks.
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