Hasta La Gadget!

My local movie theater has a number of auditoriums with different screen sizes. While most of those theaters have flat screens, I’ve noticed that the larger auditoriums have screens that are actually curved. Apparently, that curvature has something to do with making the surface a uniform distance from the viewer’s eyes.

At CES 2013, LG is showing off prototypes of the world’s first curved screen OLED TV. LG says the reason for that curvature is to ensure that the entire screen surface is the same distance from the viewer’s eyes removing any problem with screen-edge visual distortion and the loss of detail. Of course, the curved screens just plain look cool too.

The first curved OLED screen is 55-inches wide and uses LG’s four-color pixel system that has a white subpixel working along with the traditional red, green, blue set up. The extra white pixel gives the TV better color and improved brightness. Pricing and availability on the TV is unannounced, but given the fact that their plain old flat OLED screen will sell for about $12,000, you won’t be seeing these in living rooms any time soon.

One word describes LG’s EA9800 curved OLED: stunning. We were as wowed as anybody else stumbling about LG’s monstrous booth who happened upon this three-panel wide miracle. LG is touting this 55-inch WRGB set as the industry’s first curved ergonomic display with Cinema 3D support. The idea behind the curve is to reduce screen edge distortion by keeping the entire display surface the same distant from your eyes. Pricing and shipping date is a mystery, but, LG’s flat 55-inch OLED set is a cool $12K so you can expect something in that ballpark we’d assume. Unfortunately we couldn’t get as close as we wanted, though we still grabbed a bit of video and some pictures for you to enjoy. So breeze on past the break and check them out.

Continue reading LG’s curved EA9800 OLED display eyes-on

Filed under: Home Entertainment, LG

Comments

OLED TV? Meh, that’s already passé: if you want to hang with the cool kids, you need a curved OLED else they won’t let you into their treehouse. Both LG and Samsung wheeled out flexed OLED panels at scales suited to your living room at CES this year, showing off their skills at twisting organic light-emitting diodes and each claiming to be the first to do it.

Both of the sets come in at 55-inches, and each runs at 1080p Full HD rather than Ultra HD. You’ll have to look to more traditional LED panels if you want 4K resolution, at least for the moment.

Even without those extra pixels, you’re getting a luscious viewing experience. We’re familiar with OLED’s richness of color and crisp detailing, from the previously-shown, flat OLED sets, but standing at the center of the flexed panels new for 2013 does feel somewhat more immersive than before.

Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait to experience that at home. Both Samsung and LG are tight-lipped on detailed specifications, launch plans, and pricing, which leads us to suspect that curvy big-screen OLED TVs aren’t headed to our living rooms any time soon (or at a price we could stomach).

It’s LG versus Samsung in the curved OLED TV wars is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Here at CES 2013, LG’s introing a brand-new Windows 8 line: the Tab-Book and Tab-Book Ultra. As you may be able to tell from the naming convention, the devices are intended to offer the best of both worlds, offering a convertible slider form factor and, in the case of the Ultra, the thinness and lightness associated with Ultrabooks. Both models support five-point multi-touch and pack 11.6-inch 720p IPS displays, in addition to ports for HDMI and USB 3.0. But that’s about where the similarities end. The Z160 is the company’s more high-end offering, weighing 1.23kg and measuring in at 19.4mm thick (versus the H160’s 1.05kg and 15.9mm thickness) and also features a third-generation Intel Core i5, whereas its sibling is Atom-powered. Seen from the side, the two hybrids appear a bit chunky, so we’re not entirely convinced the Z160 deserves the extra Ultrabook-like comparison. To access the sliding function and expose the somewhat cramped keyboard beneath, users will have to press a dedicated button along the left edge of the device. In our brief testing, the screen seemed to snap into place quickly and with ease. We’re not sure how comfortable that “Ultrabook” configuration will be for users considering the hard-edged rim that pokes up just above the keyboard and cuts into the wrist. Again, we don’t know pricing or availability for either of these Tab-Books, so for now check out the gallery below and stay tuned for a video walkthrough.

Continue reading LG Tab-Book Ultra Z160 and Tab-Book H160 hands-on

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, LG

Comments

LG made tentative inroads into the Google TV space last year with only two available sets, but here at CES 2013, the company’s announced plans to expand the line to seven additional models. The sets, which range in size from 42 to 60 inches, feature LG’s Cinema Screen display at full 1080p resolution with 240Hz refresh rate and are also 3D capable. For input options, consumers will have ports for HDMI (4x) and USB 2.0 (2x) along with wired ethernet (WiFi is also supported). The company’s custom Magic Remote has also seen some improvements as the buttons for navigation have all been moved further up, allowing users a more comfortable one-thumb experience. And from the time we spent holding it, it seems that slight change does help enhance overall in-hand comfort. As for new additions to the remote’s layout, LG’s added in dedicated buttons for voice control and its Prime Time Quick Smart Guide which brings up an overlay of currently airing programs and remaining air time. There’s no pricing available at this time, but we do know these sets will hit the market in Q1 of this year.

Continue reading LG’s 55-inch 3D Google TV eyes-on

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, Google, LG

Comments