Hasta La Gadget!

We’re ramping up rather quickly towards one of the biggest tech events of the year here in the USA with CES 2013, and with it Samsung intends on riding in with a full Smart TV user interface refresh. This update has been tipped by Samsung itself on its own Flickr account where it’s shared an image of one of its Series 8 model televisions from last year – this indicates that the user interface update will not be for new models only, but for legacy models as well. Good news for you Samsung Smart TV lovers of old!

This update appears to be bringing with it new ways to access your television channels with live broadcasts as well as massive amounts of on-demand shows and movies. This version will have a brand new background – an aesthetic tweak that could mean a lot of saved retinas – and a slightly smoother-looking interface overall. You’ve got the ability to work with your apps and photos as always and the full interface will be popping up inside of 2013 without a doubt.

“Samsung Electronics introduces a whole new “Smart Hub” at 2013 International CES in Las Vegas from Jan 8th. The new Smart Hub is Samsung Smart TV’s dedicated contents platform where viewers can enjoy various contents such as real time broadcasting TV programs, on-demand movies, apps, and photos. The platform changed the design of background image and simplified the user interface to better serve the customers.” – Samsung

This update does not, of course, tip us off as to what Samsung will be bringing to the smart television market as far as hardware goes. This update being shown on the Series 8 machine shows us that while the newer models will certainly be getting the upgrade, the software is made for their full lineup. There’s a massive Samsung CES press conference set for Monday, January 7th (that’s during CES, of course), that you’ll want to tune in for with SlashGear – we’ll be there right on the money!

Let us know if you’re pumped up for CES 2013, especially on the Samsung Smart TV tip, and what you plan on doing with all that holiday cash you just picked up over the past couple of weeks. We’re pumped to bring on our recent review of the massive Samsung UN75ES9000 75-inch Slim LED HDTV as well as more Smart TV news than your brain can swallow – see the timeline below to catch up!

[via Samsung]

Samsung Smart TV set for UI refresh at CES 2013 is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Samsung’s HDTV-based Smart Hub is set to land a major refresh at CES, according to a trio of images and a product description that appeared on Flickr this evening. Like previous iterations, the software interface will provide access to real-time TV broadcasts, on-demand flicks, apps and photos, according to the site’s image captions. The new version will feature a new background design, along with a “simplified” UI. While the on-screen interface appears to be new, the screen shot is presented atop last year’s Series 8 model, including an identical stand and a built-in camera up top — there’s no hint at what hardware advances we may see in Vegas early next year. Samsung’s CES press conference is on the books for the afternoon of Monday, January 7th, so we have less than two weeks to go before this new UI — and a whole lot of HDTVs — becomes official.

Update: The Global Samsung Tomorrow blog has revealed a few more details, describing how everything will be split into five categories: On TV (live), Movies & TV Shows (VOD), Apps, Social, and finally Photos, Videos & Music. A “Flipping” function will page through the categories one after the other, hit the source link for all the details currently available.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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Source: Samsung (Flickr), Samsung Tomorrow

The Apple Television has been rumored for a long, long time. We’ve heard that the television will come in multiple sizes, probably be priced a bit higher than the average set on the market, and integrate iCloud. Better yet, it’ll support apps, allowing for more functionality across the board.

The most talk surrounding the television cropped up last year when Walter Isaacson published his Steve Jobs biography. In that, Jobs noted that he believed that he had finally “cracked” the code for a television that would best all others in the marketplace. Analysts, ready to predict Apple’s plans, performed a host of supply chain checks to find out if Apple was in fact working on a television. Nearly universally, they said that it indeed was.

Over the last several months, however, we’ve heard precious little about an Apple television. Either the set never existed in the first place, or Apple has closed ranks and is keeping its plans extremely secretive. It’s as if the television, which was once so much a part of our lives in the technology world, is now a ghostly product that might or might not exist.

That is, of course, unless you read through the lines on what Tim Cook recently said in an interview with Brian Williams of NBC. He stopped short of actually saying that Apple was working on a television, but his admission that the industry is one that’s awfully intriguing to the company makes me believe that there is in fact a set on the way. Exactly when it will launch, however, remains to be seen.

That launch date could be extremely important to Apple’s television’s success rate.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in January, a host of television vendors are expected to show off Ultra HD televisions – sets that are running the technology formerly known as 4K. Although those televisions won’t be ready for the average consumer in 2013, it’s a sign that they’re going to be hitting more consumer-friendly price points sooner than later.

“Apple prides itself on being ahead of the curve”

Realizing that, Apple, a company that prides itself on being ahead of the curve, will need to decide if it wants to stick with 1080p HD or go with Ultra HD. The smart move, of course, is to go with 1080p until Ultra HD pricing comes down. However, the clock is ticking. Ultra HD might be several years away from hitting consumer-friendly prices, but the later Apple launches its television, the sooner it might become obsolete.

Meanwhile, we can’t forget the growing importance of apps in the mobile space. At CES, companies like Samsung and LG are likely going to deliver televisions with boatloads of bundled applications. If one of them includes access to a broader application store than what’s already available, it could once again make Apple look late to the game.

I guess what I’m trying to say is time is of the essence if Apple finally launches its own television. It’s nice to be Apple and have everyone interested in your products, but if you wait too long to launch a supposed “groundbreaking” device, you might actually be stepped over.

And Apple cannot forget that.

When Will That Apple Television Finally Launch? is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you have 31 big ones laying around and want to blow it all on a new television set, Sharp actually has one for you that may fit the bill. The company has unveiled what they call the ICC Purios, and it’s a 64-inch Ultra HD television that will only be made-to-order at a cost of $31,000 starting in February.

The ICC Purios is the world’s first THX-Certified Ultra High-Definition television, and it sports a 3840×2160 resolution, and it’ll be available in Japan starting in February at a cost of 2.6 million yen, or roughly $31,000. We’re not sure when the TV set will make its way stateside, but you can bet that only the wealthy will be able to buy one these suckers.

The ICC Purios is Sharp’s answer to Sony‘s 84-inch UHDTV and a similar 55-inch model from Toshiba, which are priced at 1.68 million yen ($25,000) and 750,000 yen ($9,000), respectively. The Purios is definitely a bit more expensive than its competitors, but it proves that you’ll have to pay a premium in order to get one.

The Consumer Electronics Association renamed 4K to Ultra High Definition a couple months back, and in order to qualify as UHD, a television must have a minimum resolution of 3,840 pixels horizontally and 2,160 vertical pixels. It also must have at least one 4K-capable digital input and display 4K programming natively with no upconverting. We’ll no doubt be seeing some of these new UHD TVs at CES 2013, so be sure to join us during the second week in January for all the action.

Sharp unveils 64-inch UHD TV, priced at $31,000 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This post sponsored by Best Buy

I’ve been a home theater buff since the earliest surround-sound systems came out back in the 1980s. Since then, I’ve seen my home theater transform from a 25″ Trinitron CRT with a Betamax Hi-Fi deck, giant speakers and a standalone Dolby processor to a razor-thin 64″ plasma TV with a Blu-ray player, a couple of game consoles and a 7.1 surround system.

Not only are today’s home theater options so much more refined, the image and sound quality is often more pristine in your home than in today’s crummy multiplex theaters. With that in mind, I though I’d throw out some ideas for home theater holiday gift-giving.

The centerpiece of any home theater these days is the screen. I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to picture quality, and must have the best possible image quality. If a screen 64″ or under is big enough for you, then I personally recommend going with a plasma set. My personal fave has to be the Samsung 8000 series plasma TV ($2899.98 USD). I’ve got the 64″ model in my media room and I couldn’t be happier with the display.It’s got an amazing Full HD 1080p panel, with stellar black levels and an beautifully sharp and cinema-like picture. I’ve actually got the 2011 model, but the latest version adds even more features, especially in terms of the Internet “Smart TV” capabilities, with full support for Netflix, Pandora, YouTube, Blockbuster and more. While it’s not the least expensive TV you can buy, you can’t beat the cinematic image quality for the price. It’s also got full support for 3D. That said, for some of you guys, bigger is always better, and you can’t go wrong with Epson’s latest PowerLite 3020e Home Cinema projector ($1799.99.)

This beast can output a full 1080p image at sizes up to 180 inches! It packs in a bright 2300 lumen light source, so you can even watch in a room without great light control. I also love how it offers wireless HDMI for up to 5 devices, so you don’t have to worry about running wires from your video sources to the projector. The image is brought to life using three 1920×1080 LCD panels, offering a substantial 40:000 to 1 contrast ratio. Like the Samsung flat-panel, it also supports active 3D.

While some home theaters can really take over a dedicated space, with today’s big flat-screen TVs making their way into our living rooms, sometimes that’s all you need. However, many of us can’t really stand wires running all over the place and surround sound speakers taking up room in our main living space. That’s where soundbar technology comes into play. And while there are dozens of soundbars on the market these days, I’m still a fan of Yamaha’s models.

Their innovations with simulated surround sound have impressed me for years, and now they’ve got some very reasonably priced options if you don’t want to drop nearly $2000 on their top-of-the-line model. The Yamaha YSP-2200 does an awesome job simulating 7.1 surround sound from a single small bar that sits at the bottom of your HDTV.

The slim 3-1/8″ tall bar offers 3 HDMI inputs so you can connect multiple devices, as well as an ample, but compact subwoofer for deep bass. It’s also got an auto-calibration feature which can optimize sound for your room nearly instantaneously. The virtual surround is very impressive, and you’ll really think there are speakers behind you – especially if you have a square or rectangular room.

If your gift recipient is already set with their TV and sound system, not to worry. I’ll be following up in a couple of weeks with some more gift ideas for taking home theater to the next level with gifts under $300.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” Technabob received compensation for writing it, however, we only recommend products or services we find interesting or have used personally, and believe will be good for our readers.