Hasta La Gadget!

After a year of hearing about 3DTVs nonstop we finally got some of the main contenders in house to examine, although we’ll start by pointing out that this isn’t so much of a “3DTV” roundup, since a more apt description of these displays is 3D-capable HDTVs. That’s an important distinction to make, since nothing about the 2D performance of these TVs suffers because of their ability to do 3D, and in many cases they cost the exact same price as their comparable 2D-only models from last year. With that said Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Mitsubishi and LG’s finest have had their moment and on the next page we’ve done our best to compare them in a way that makes sense for the average HDTV buyer who might also want to take in a 3D event or movie from time to time. Right now, there’s barely enough 3D content to support more than a couple of hours viewing per week, much less support a full viewing conversion to all-glasses, all the time — but more about that later. Check out our full impressions after the break.

Continue reading 3DTV roundup: LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung & Sony square off

3DTV roundup: LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung & Sony square off originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Panasonic has finally made official several pack-in deals already in effect at retailers both physical and online that add Blu-ray 3D players, glasses and most notably, an exclusive copy of Avatar on Blu-ray 3D (also available to existing owners via a mail-in offer, owners of the Extended Collectors Edition can preview a 3D Easter Egg there too.) Despite being the highest grossing 3D movie of all, it’s still not available at retail and is unlikely to show up there anytime soon, sending the price of those pack-in copies skyrocketing on eBay as owners of non-Panasonic 3D capable TVs try to get their hands on the ultimate demo material. Many current auctions are above the $200 mark, while the highest sold price we saw was $399 about a week ago, although considering a copy of Bee Movie went for $400 back in the day, we can’t say we’re too surprised. Check out the details about Panasonic’s current promotions on its highly rated HDTVs (and the demo tour that just started) in the press release after the break and bring your calculator, if Dances With Smurfs wasn’t your cup of tea anyway, we might have found the perfect way to finance your new home theater upgrade.

Continue reading Panasonic officially launches exclusive Avatar Blu-ray 3D pack-in, discs hit $400+ on eBay

Panasonic officially launches exclusive Avatar Blu-ray 3D pack-in, discs hit $400+ on eBay originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Explore3DTV, ConceivablyTech  |  eBay  | Email this | Comments

If there’s one thing that actually sorta makes sense to buy on Black Friday, it’s an HDTV—many are crazy discounted. But picking out an HDTV can be a big ball of suck. That’s where this guide comes in. More »

Oprah? Total tech junkie. There are a number of gadgets dotting the queen of daytime’s lift of “favorite things.” At the top of the list is Apple’s iPad, which Winfrey told her audience is “the best invention of the century so far.”

As is her custom, Oprah gave the tablet away to customarily overzealous audience members. The free iPads were also stocked with a Scrabble app and a digital copy of O Magazine.

“Words cannot describe what I feel for this magnificent device,” she told the audience “Thanks to my iPad, I now read about four newspapers a day. I write my column for O magazine on the iPad way before the deadline because I love writing on it so much.”

Also on her list this year was a Sony BRAVIA LX900 3D HDTV ($3,600), a Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera ($700), and a five-year subscription to Netflix, which, as we all know, is worth more now than it was a few weeks ago.

The biggest prize prize? That fleet of 2012 VW Beetles.

Budget-friendly HDTV-maker Sceptre has just introduced three HDTVs, and they could be just what the budget shopper is looking for this holiday. First off, the new 32-inch LCD (model X320BV-HD) offers a crystal clear display, 3 HDMI ports, and a 6.5ms response time. You’ll also get a USB port for loading JPEGs or audio, It’s sold at NewEgg, Amazon, Target, Sears, and Kmart for a list price of $399.

For a brighter, smaller screen, check out Sceptre’s 23-inch LED HDTV E230BD-FHD (shown here), which offers 1080p resolution and a 5ms response time. This model includes an embedded DVD player. It lists for $499 and sells at Amazon, NewEgg, Target, and Walmart. Finally, the 24-inch E246BV-FHD 24-inch LED widescreen includes automatic contrast enhancement for more lifelike imagery and a 5ms response time. It sells at NewEgg, Amazon, Target, Sears, and Kmart for a list price of $499.