Hasta La Gadget!

Finally, we find a market that is truly enthusiastic about 3D. Tokyo-based researchers BCN, cited by CrunchGear, report that a cool 57 percent of all Blu-ray recorders sold in Japan last month had 3D playback functionality built in, while 23 percent of all 40-inch-plus TVs sold had the ability to relay stereoscopic imagery. Both those numbers are major leaps in popularity within the nation itself and also easily dwarf penetration rates for 3D hardware in other parts of the world. 3D has apparently grown a lot more affordable in Japan, but lest you think these data are just a symptom of people upgrading their equipment without regard to its third-dimension skills, word is that there’s still a chunky 30 percent premium associated with adding 3D to your BR recorder purchase. So, it would seem the trendsetting Japanese are leading from the front on this one — awkward, unstylish glasses be damned!

Japan loves its 3D: more than half of all Blu-ray recorders sold last month had 3D, 3DTVs popular too originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 06:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When the Philips’ 56-inch 21:9 3D TV was released in Europe with no US ship date in sight, darkness fell over our home theater world. Then, Vizio announced its own 21:9 3D TV and we knew it was all going to be ok. They say when it rains it pours though, and now it’s looking like JVC will release its own 50-inch 21:9 full HD 3D TV in the US sometime in the third quarter of 2011. Other details are scarce, but JVC’s talkative CES booth attendant also mentioned the TV might be sold in varying sizes and might feature internet connectivity. The possibility of internet connectivity was also supported by a few screens teasing an integrated information bar, which appeared on the left-hand side of the screen without blocking HD content. Needless to say, we’ll be keeping a close eye on this TV as more news emerges, and in the meantime bide our time dreaming of the ultra-wide CinemaScope-style movies we could be viewing in late 2011. Oh and if you’re curious that’s JVC’s newly-announced TH-BC3 soundbar positioned right below it carrying a sweet paper iPhone 4.

JVC shows off prototype 50-inch 21:9 full HD 3D TV, says it could hit US later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 22:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thanks to a couple of carefully planned slips over in South Korea, hardly anything about LG’s CES 2011 is apt to take you fully by surprise. But if you just so happened to disconnect over the holidays, we’ll break it all down below to ensure you remain firmly in the loop.

• For starters, the outfit seems pretty darn proud of its new SmartTV platform. Hinted at last month, this system enables HDTVs, Blu-ray players and other sources to access all sorts of streaming media, apps and even provides users with a way to surf the web. Four main sections are given — TV Live, Premium Content, TV Apps and a Launch Bar — and for TV models, owners will control things with a wave of the hand (read: Magic Remote). SmartTV picks up where NetCast left off, offering access to Vudu, Netflix, YouTube, CinemaNow, Hulu Plus, Amazon Video on Demand, NHL Gamecenter, NBA Game Live and MLB.tv. This here functionality is baked into quite a few of the outfit’s 2011 HDTVs, but should own an older model…
• Then there’s the all-new SmartTV upgrader! The ST600 is a minuscule set-top box that aims to transform any TV into a SmartTV. So long as your set has an HDMI input, you’ll be able to access the content mentioned above. But, of course, it’s on you to source your own Magic Remote.
• If it’s an all-new TV you’re after, the company is also revealing its 2011 LED and LCD HDTV line. Nary a one is different than those we heard about last week, but at least you can now rest easy knowing that the LW9500 and LW7700 Nano Full HD 3D models will indeed see a stateside release this month. The best news here is the use of polarizing glasses — none of that headache-inducing active shutter mess. There are 13 new LED LCD models in all, with nine of ’em shipping with the SmartTV platform embedded. Unfortunately, LG’s not dishing out pricing information on these bad boys just yet.
• Not so keen on picking up an LCD? Plasma still lives, you know! LG’s rolling out its 1080p Infinia PZ950 and PZ750 lines here at CES, with both available in 50-inch and 60-inch class sizes. Both lines come equipped with the SmartTV platform, a gesture-based Magic Motion remote andl as a free Android / iPhone app if you’d rather use your phone as a remote. The 50- / 60-inch PZ550 is saddling with NetCast 1.0, but it — along with the PW350, PZ950 and PZ750 lines — can handle 3D imagery. Sadly, LG’s also straying from providing pricing details on these.
• Wrapping things up, the company is debuting its 2011 line of networked Blu-ray players and home theater systems. The BD690 supports 3D BD playback and ships with an inbuilt 250GB HDD and the SmartTV platform. The majority of LG’s line also includes WiFi, DLNA streaming support and a MusicID feature by Gracenote that enables consumers to play a song from a movie of TV show by mashing a single button on the remote. The BD670, BD650, BD640, BD630 and BD650 are also seeing the light of day, with the latter being LG’s first portable BD deck.
• Finally, LG snuck in an image (seen above) of a 3D mobile TV prototype. We’ve no details whatsoever to go on, but you can rest assured we’ll be scouring the show floor in search of just that.

For more information on all of the goods here, head on past the break for the full releases. Don’t expect to find any pricing information, though.

Continue reading LG’s CES 2011 HD lineup: SmartTV platform, network Blu-ray players and HDTVs

LG’s CES 2011 HD lineup: SmartTV platform, network Blu-ray players and HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We doubt we’ve seen all of Vizio’s 2011 product lineup yet, but the latest information is that it’s expanding upon the one Theater 3D TV model currently available with an entire line — promising to offer 3D with passive glasses in sizes from 22- all the up to 71-inches. There are 21 models detailed in the press release after the break including LED edge lit LCDs, direct LED backlit models, ones with the Yahoo! Widgets VIA package and a couple of the new Google TV-powered models. No word on price or ship date yet, but the company is quick to point out that putting the 3D processing into the screen means cheaper movie theater-style 3D glasses with ostensible greater brightness and less flicker, plus compatibility with Oakley’s “optically correct” specs. Check out all the details in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Vizio unveils Theater 3D HDTVs with passive glasses tech in 22- to 71-inch sizes

Vizio unveils Theater 3D HDTVs with passive glasses tech in 22- to 71-inch sizes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 09:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG swore up and down that it would be bumping its smart TV investment to kick-start 2011, and lo and behold, it looks as if this is one New Year’s resolution that’ll be kept. The aforesaid company has just revealed that it’ll be bringing the planet’s largest LED-backlit 3D LCD HDTV to CES 2011 next week, with the LZ9700 handling both 2D and 3D content and offering TruMotion 400Hz to smooth out Cam Newton’s faster-than-fast evasion techniques. As you’d expect, this set is also outfitted with the company’s Smart TV functions, giving owners access to TV apps, games, language classes, etc. The company’s also talking up its Magic Motion Remote Control — a diddy we’ll definitely be anxious to put to the test once we land in Vegas. There’s no mention of an expected price, but it’ll be available starting in “early 2011” for those who passed on HDI’s 100-incher.

Continue reading LG bringing world’s largest LED-backlit 3D LCD HDTV to CES: 72-inch LZ9700

LG bringing world’s largest LED-backlit 3D LCD HDTV to CES: 72-inch LZ9700 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 10:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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