Sony's BDP-N460 Blu-ray Player Also Streams Netflix, Web Content
Remember the days when you were content with a DVD player doing nothing more than playing back DVDs? Those days are long gone. Now, Blu-ray decks aren't even considered worthwhile against rivals unless they can do a whole mess of other things, including stream Web content, check Twitter feeds and enable users to access BD-Live material. And that's why Sony has made sure that it's new BDP-N460 is well connected, ready to take on whatever the Internet can throw at it. Introduced at CEDIA Expo this past week alongside
Read More ...
WD Redesigns My Book Essential & My Book For Mac Drives
In addition to the new Ultra-Portable My Passport Essential Drives WD announced recently, the company also redesigned the My Book Essential and My Book for Mac Drives. The smaller and sleeker My Book Essential and My Book for Mac desktop external hard drives now come with the new WD SmartWare software and hardware-based encryption. The new My Book Essential and My Book for Mac drives are offered in capacities ranging from 500 GB to 2 TB. WD Unveils Redesigned My Book Essential and My Book for Mac Drives With
Read More ...
Alltel Wireless Gets Samsung Freeform
Alltel may be a bit of a lesser player in the wireless market now that it is selling a large part of its assets off to Verizon Wireless, but the carrier is still competing and continuing to offer new phones. In fact, Samsung and Alltel recently partnered to offer the new Samsung Freeform (SCH-r351) to Alltel customers. This sleek bar phone has a 2.2-inch QCIF color display and a four row QWERTY keyboard. The phone offers multiple messaging options and features threaded text entries. The Freeform also lets users
Read More ...
JVC Makes Impossibly Thin 32" HDTV: Just 6.4mm Thick!
Don't get us wrong, we know that JVC is a trusted name in consumer electronics, but it's hardly the first name we think of when considering a new TV. When big brands such as Sony, Samsung and Sharp soaking up the ad time, it's oftentimes hard to remember that JVC is in the mix. Of course, all that could change thanks to one set, but we'd argue the pricing needs to be aligned with current market demand before anyone eyes it seriously. Announced this past week at the CEDIA Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, the super sleek,
Read More ...
JVC Makes Impossibly Thin 32" HDTV: Just 6.4mm Thick!
Don't get us wrong, we know that JVC is a trusted name in consumerelectronics, but it's hardly the first name we think of whenconsidering a new TV. When big brands such as Sony, Samsung and Sharpsoaking up the ad time, it's oftentimes hard to remember that JVC is inthe mix. Of course, all that could change thanks to one set, but we'dargue the pricing needs to be aligned with current market demand beforeanyone eyes it seriously.
Announced this past week at the CEDIA Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, thesuper sleek, super-thin LT-32WX50 is easily one of the thinnesttelevisions we've ever seen. It's only available in 32" form, butreally, that means this could be the perfect HDTV/big screen LCDmonitor for gaming and movie watching. It features a 1080p panel, so ifyour GPU were up to the task, you could play Half-Life 2: Episode 2 onhere in full resolution. Talk about inducing envy!
Other specifications include a 12.5lb. chassis, RS-232C port for homeautomation installs, an edged-light LED backlight system, a wide colorgamut, two HDMI ports, a VGA socket and a price tag that'll make youcringe. The set measures just 6.4mm at its thinnest point, and as youcan tell from the picture, it can easily be hung or mounted thanks toits small dimensions and light weigh. The only issue is the near-$3000price point, but at least you've got until November to save up!
Read More ...
Alltel Wireless Gets Samsung Freeform
Alltel may be a bit of a lesser player in the wirelessmarket now that it is selling a large part of its assets off to Verizon Wireless, but the carrier is still competing and continuing to offer new phones. In fact, Samsung and Alltel recently partnered to offer the new Samsung Freeform (SCH-r351) to Alltel customers.This sleek bar phone has a 2.2-inch QCIF color display and afour row QWERTY keyboard. The phone offers multiple messaging options andfeatures threaded text entries. The Freeform also lets users play music filesusing stereo Bluetooth wireless technology and an expandable memory up to 16GB.
Key features of the Samsung Freeform include:
- Slim Bar Design with Four-row QWERTY keyboard
- Music Player
- Stereo Bluetooth Wireless Technology
- Multiple Messaging Options with Threaded Text Messaging
- Web-enabled
- GPS-enabled with Alltel Navigation
- Expandable Memory up to 16GB
- Speakerphone
- Voice Recognition
- Dimensions: 2.4†x 4.42†x .50â€
- Main Display: 2.2†QCIF, 262K TFT LCD
Read More ...
Pioneer Announces First THX Certified Blu-ray Disc Player
At the CEDIA Expo, Pioneer announced that its Elite BDP-09FDrBlu-ray Disc Player has become the world’s first to achieve THX certification.The company’s Elite EX Series in-wall speakers have also attained THX Select2certification. Both of these products complement the company’s Elite A/VReceivers, which are also THX Ultra2 Plus Certified and feature Class D digitalamplification. By meeting these certifications and adhering to the company’sown strict principles for faithful reproduction of content, Pioneer feels thatits line of products rival the movie theater experience.Pioneer Showcases the World’s First THX Certified Blu ray Disc Player
Company Delivers Cinematic Quality to the Home with
Complete Line ofTHX Certified Audio and Video Products
“Pioneer recognizes THX as the industry benchmark forrigorous, unbiased testing and endorsement of high performance home theaterproducts,†said Russ Johnston, executive vice president of home entertainmentbusiness solutions group at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “As true A/Vspecialists, our engineers have worked relentlessly to craft a full line ofproducts that rival the movie theater experience, which not only meet Pioneer’sstrict principles for faithful reproduction of content, but now feature THXcertification.â€
First and Only toFeature Three Categories of THX Certified A/V Products:
Pioneer’s no-compromise engineering approach continually strives to delivercontent with the same level of detail, precision and power as it was producedfor the cinema or in the studio. Pioneer’s THX Certified series includes:
- EliteBDP-09FD Flagship Blu-ray Disc Player: At the forefront of optical discinnovations for more than 30 years, Pioneer continues to lead Blu-ray Discproduct advancements with its BDP-09FD. Outfitted with high-grade componentsand proprietary processing technologies, the player’s THX certificationguarantees performance that matches the original content.
- EliteEX Series In-Wall Speakers: Built from the ground up by Chief SpeakerDesigner Andrew Jones and his team of engineers, the Elite EX line integratesPioneer’s 70-year heritage in speaker manufacturing and is specificallydesigned for ultimate fidelity throughout the home. Pioneer’s S-IW891,S-IW691and S-IW691Lintegrate the exclusive Coherent Source Transducer (CST) driver technology thatimproves off-axis performance and provide a smoother, more accurate frequencyresponse to fundamentally expand a room’s “sweet spot.†THX Select2certification validates their capability to output the same sound level as whatis required in the movie theater.
- EliteA/V Receivers: Pioneer’s ICEPower Class D amplifier is uniquely designedfor a more compact chassis resulting in higher power output and better energyefficiency of any A/V Receiver on the market today. First shown in the flagshipSC-09TXto meet the emerging needs of high-resolution audio formats, THX certificationverifies that the A/V receiver can deliver crisp, clear sound even at studioreference volume level. Pioneer has continued to integrate this digitalamplifier technology in its current THX Certified SC-25and SC-27.Worldwide, Pioneer has the most THX Certified A/V Receivers in the industrywith more than 100 models.
Read More ...
LG Introduces Two New Wireless HDTV Series
LGshowed off its first-ever series of wireless LCD HDTVs, including an LED model,at the CEDIA Expo 2009. Both the 55-inch class Slim Wireless LED-Backlight HDTV (model55LHX) and the LH85 series of wireless LCD HDTVs giveinstallers the freedom to put the HDTV anywhere in the room without having todeal with wires. To enable this wireless experience, LG uses a supplied mediabox that transmits an uncompressed Full HD 1080p signal with virtually nointerference or delay to the TV.LG ElectronicsBroadens Home Entertainment Options
With Two New Wireless HDTV Series
Wireless LCD HDTVsOffer Flexible and Convenient Custom Installation Options
Whether it's design, technology or screen size, LG's wirelessHDTVs have something for everyone, according to Peter Reiner, senior vicepresident, marketing, LG Electronics USA, Inc. LG's 55-inch class* SlimWireless LED-Backlight HDTV (model 55LHX) combines advanced technology withcutting-edge style for a TV that blends beautifully into any home environment.For those seeking a variety of design options, LG's LH85 series of wireless LCDHDTVs will be available in 47- and 55-inch class* sizes."As custom installers look to create a truly uniquespace, the wireless capability found in the 55LHX and LH85 models allow thefreedom to place the HDTV anywhere in the room," said Reiner. "Withwireless HDTVs, LG continues to expand home entertainment design and placementoptions to meet consumers' ever evolving needs."
Entertainment Freedom
Both 55LHX and LH85 wireless models allow installers thefreedom to place the HDTV virtually anywhere in the room - without messy wires.To achieve this wireless experience, LG uses a supplied media box to transmitan uncompressed Full HD 1080p signal with virtually no interference or delaydirectly to the TV. The HDTVs can receive a wireless signal up to 30 feet away,allowing consumers to hook all content sources (such as a cable or satellitebox, Blu-ray disc player, game console and home theater systems) into one box.
Enhanced PictureQuality
The 55-inch LHX model features superior picture quality withan elegant ultra-slim design - less than one-inch thick at its thinnest point.This unit has attained THX Display Certification. This certification ensuresthat the 55LHX delivers exceptional images, bringing a more immersive andenjoyable movie, broadcast and video game experience to consumers' living room.Since THX certification begins during the initial product design phase, everyproduct detail is meticulously mapped to THX standards and tested in laboratoryand home theater environments to ensure quality, usability and compatibility.
By presenting HD and standard-definition content at themaximum resolution with the correct color and luminance level, the LHX providesconsumers a crisper, clearer image. To achieve this, LG uses a full-array LEDbacklighting system with local dimming technology, for precise picture controlresulting in deeper blacks, wide color gamut and an incredible 5,000,000:1dynamic contrast ratio. This model also incorporates TruMotion 240Hz technologyfor smooth motion during fast-action scenes.
LG's LH85 series delivers an 80,000:1 contrast ratio fordeeper blacks and greater picture detail. Additionally, the LH85 seriesfeatures LG's 24p Real Cinema technology that allows consumers to enjoy a truecinematic experience at home, the way the movie was intended to be seen. Forthose that want more from their HDTV, the LH85 also includes USB 2.0functionality allowing easy access to MP3 files and viewing of JPEG photos fora more enjoyable TV viewing experience.
ISFccc CalibrationOptions
Those seeking advanced calibration based on their own hometheater environment, will appreciate LG's ISFccc option on both the 55LHX andLH85 series. The professional ISF calibration helps to deliver picture quality,representing what filmmakers intended viewers to see.
Using the LG Expert Mode, an ISF-certified calibrationtechnician will use professional equipment to calibrate the HDTV using ISFparameters based upon individual home theater environments and ambientlighting. Once calibrated to the optimal setting, the calibrations are saved asISF "Day" and ISF "Night" modes. With ISFccc, LG offers asuperior 10-point calibration. This provides an extra level of precision forgray scale calibration resulting in a more uniform picture.
Energy Savings
With Intelligent Sensor, both wireless models automaticallyoptimize the picture to the lighting conditions in the room for a personalizedand more enjoyable viewing experience; and potential energy savings. Both theLHX and LH85 series are Energy Star 3.0 compliant, and with LG's "SmartEnergy Saving" package, which consists of features such as backlightcontrol options and video mute, LG further paves the way toward greater energysavings, while also allowing consumers to customize their viewing experience.
The 55LHX will be available soon at a manufacturer'ssuggested retail price of $4,799 and the LH85 series will be available laterthis Fall in 55- and 47-inch class* screen sizes with MSRPs of $3,199 and$2,399, respectively.
For more information please visit http://www.virtualpressoffice.com/kit/LGCEDIA
* 55LHX 55-inch class/54.6-inch diagonal
* 55LH85 55-inch class/54.6-inch diagonal
* 47LH85 47-inch class/47.0-inch diagonal
*Specifications subject to change without notice
Read More ...
WD Redesigns My Book Essential & My Book For Mac Drives
In addition to the new Ultra-Portable My Passport EssentialDrives WD announced recently, the company also redesigned the My BookEssential and My Book for Mac Drives. The smaller and sleeker My Book Essentialand My Book for Mac desktop external hard drives now come with the new WD SmartWaresoftware and hardware-based encryption. The new My Book Essential and My Bookfor Mac drives are offered in capacities ranging from 500 GB to 2 TB.
WD Unveils Redesigned My Book Essential and My Book for Mac Drives
WithNew WD SmartWare Software
Helping Consumers Keep Their Digital Lives Safe in One Place
According to research firm Parks Associates, the averageU.S. broadband household currently has over 120 gigabytes (GB) of digital mediaand files, which is expected to grow to over 1 terabyte (TB) of data by 2013.The accelerating shift from physical media (such as photo negatives, CDs andDVDs) to digital media (such as digital photos, videos and downloads) means thatconsumers' real lives and digital lives are increasingly overlapping. And while70 percent of consumers back up their content, the majority of these people areusing manual, cumbersome methods such as copying and pasting to multiple CDsand DVDs, and less than 18 percent use software that automatically andcontinuously backs up their content. As a result, many consumers' digital livesare unprotected and at risk.
When the My Book Essential drive is plugged in for the firsttime, the simple and intuitive first backup process launches automatically. Thereal-time visual interface of WD SmartWare software gives users a reassuringview of their backup as it happens. After the first backup, users' files arebacked up automatically every time they change or add a file.
My Book Essential and My Book for Mac drives also featureuser-selected password protection combined with military-grade 256-bit hardwareencryption, which scrambles files before they are stored. Typically found onlyon much more expensive drive systems, the encryption acts as a virtual padlockto keep users' data safe.
"Keeping an extra copy of your digital life used to bea painstaking, manual task undertaken only by the most expert and diligent ofusers. WD's new My Book Essential and My Book for Mac external hard drives,powered by WD SmartWare, have finally made it easy enough so that anyone can doit," said Dale Pistilli, vice president of marketing for WD's brandedproducts group. "WD's new drives combine massive storage capacity, visualbackup, and hardware encryption, so consumers can now actually see theirdigital life, safe in one place."
WD SmartWare software works on Windows PCs and Maccomputers. WD My Book Essential hard drives are designed for Windows-based PCswhile WD My Book for Mac drives are formatted for Mac computers and arecompatible with Apple TimeMachine, Apple's integrated backup solution.
Price andAvailability
The new My Book Essential drives are offered in capacitiesof 500 GB, 1 TB, 1.5 TB and 2 TB. My Book Essential drives are available now atselect retailers and online at shopwd.com. MSRP ranges from $99.99 to $249.99USD depending on model.
WD SmartWare softwarefeatures:
-- Visual backupdisplays that show content in categories and shows the progress of backup;
-- Automatic, continuous data backup willinstantly make a second copy whenever you add or change a file;
-- Retrievevaluable data to its original location whether it's lost data or the file hasbeen overwritten; and,
-- Customizabledata backup that allows user to set drive security, run diagnostics, manage thepower settings, and more from the WD SmartWare control center.
My Book Essential
The new WD My Book Essential and My Book for Mac drives withWD SmartWare software feature:
-- Smaller,sleeker, more streamlined design and elegant book-like shape that takes upminimal space;
-- 256-bithardware encryption and password protection for peace of mind knowing that datais protected from unauthorized access;
-- Illuminated capacitygauge lets user see at a glance how much space is available on the drive;
-- USB 2.0interface - for convenience and compatibility among multiple computers;
-- WD GreenPower Technology lowers internaldrive power consumption by up to 30 percent, a sleep mode reduces power duringidle times, and a power-saving feature turns the drive on and off with yourcomputer;
-- Planet-friendlypackaging derived from recycled materials to minimize waste;
-- Ready toplug-and-play with Windows PCs; and,
-- 2-year limitedwarranty.
The My Book for Mac drives are plug-and-play ready for Maccomputer users and compatible with Apple TimeMachine.
Read More ...
Tomorrow's Chips To Stack Cores Vertically
When microprocessor manufacturers ran into increasing complications as they tried to make chips runs faster, they shifted gears, and started building more powerful processors using multiple cores. We're still at the early part of the multi-core revolution, but researchers at the University of Rochester claim that microprocessor manufacturers will eventually run into similar challenges with today's multi-core processor design because of the "limits of miniaturization." So what comes next?The answer still lies with multi-core processors, but instead of just packing cores in next to each other on the same plane, the cores will be stacked on top of each other vertically. The concept of a three-dimensional chip is not a new one; in fact, IBM has been working on a "3-D chip stack" processor for a while. The 3-D chip designs of IBM and others essentially take modern chips and stacks them on top of each other--similar to today's multi-core design, but turned on its side. The Rochester team's design, however, differs from what IBM and other researchers are doing:
"Unlike past attempts at 3-D chips, the Rochester chip is not simply a number of regular processors stacked on top of one another. It was designed and built specifically to optimize all key processing functions vertically, through multiple layers of processors, the same way ordinary chips optimize functions horizontally. The design means tasks such as synchronicity, power distribution, and long-distance signaling are all fully functioning in three dimensions for the first time."
آ  |
| آ Credit: University of Rochester |
"What makes it all possible is the architecture Friedman and his students designed, which uses many of the tricks of regular processors, but also accounts for different impedances that might occur from chip to chip, different operating speeds, and different power requirements. The fabrication of the chip is unique as well. Manufactured at MIT, the chip must have millions of holes drilled into the insulation that separates the layers in order to allow for the myriad vertical connections between transistors in different layers."
آ  |
| آ Vasilis and Friedman's "How to" book, due out this month. (Credit: Elsevier) |
the layers interact like a single system... He says the chips inside
something like an iPod could be compacted to a tenth their current size
with ten times the speed."
Friedman's vision isn't that different from what today's microprocessor manufacturers say we should expect from tomorrow's horizontally oriented multi-core processors: As chips start to get many more processors, we're likely to see the different cores take on different, dedicated tasks. Tilera's 64-core TILE64 processor takes a similar approach, as does Intel's 80-core Teraflop prototype processor. These designs show that it is possible to integrate many--albeit specialized--cores onto a single processor. There will come a point of diminishing returns, however, when multi-core processors will either need to start going vertical or an entirely new processor architecture will take microprocessors in a whole new direction.
Read More ...
Sony's BDP-N460 Blu-ray Player Also Streams Netflix, Web Content
Remember the days when you were content with a DVD player doing nothingmore than playing back DVDs? Those days are long gone. Now, Blu-ray decks aren't even considered worthwhile against rivals unless they cando a whole mess of other things, including stream Web content, checkTwitter feeds and enable users to access BD-Live material.And that's why Sony has made sure that it's new BDP-N460 is wellconnected, ready to take on whatever the Internet can throw at it.Introduced at CEDIA Expo this past week alongside the gorgeous JVC HDTVwe spotted earlier, this Blu-ray Disc player also handles DVD playback(upscaled to "near HD") and streaming Internet video. Owners simplyplug in a live Ethernet cable and, like magic, they have access to avast library of premium and free on-demand content from the BRAVIAInternet Video platform. Said portal features thousands of movies, TVprograms, and music from YouTube, Slacker, and, later this fall,Netflix.
On the BD front, this one delivers Full HD (1080p) playback and 24pTrue Cinema output, and it also decodes the latest audio formatsinternally. Naturally, it's also Profile 2.0-compliant, meaning thatBD-Live discs are welcome here so long as you can provide your own 1GBUSB stick for holding the additional content. Also of note, this unitincludes built-in software specially designed for use with the Linksysby Cisco Wireless-N Ethernet Bridge with Dual-Band (WET610N, soldseparately); the bridge helps ease the connection between theEthernet-enabled player and a wireless router in either the 2.4GHz or5GHz radio band for optimal streaming.
Finally, the heck includes a feature that frequent Netflix renters willlive: Sony's Precision Drive technology. This addition helps it toetect and correct wobbling discs from three directions, supportingstabilization of warped or scratched Blu-ray Discs and DVDs duringplayback. Those interested can pick one up this October for around $250.
Read More ...
No comments:
Post a Comment