Hasta La Gadget!

The OnLive MicroConsole is one way to get your streaming game fix, but here comes Vizio with four more — the bargain television company just revealed that those brand-new VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray players (as well as that VIA Tablet and VIA Phone) will come with OnLive on board. Despite running as an internet app on top of the existing Vizio hardware, we’re told the service will support full 1080p resolution, stereoscopic 3D images, and OnLive’s low-latency wireless gamepads too — as Vizio’s units will apparently support IEEE 802.15.4. While the jury’s still out on when OnLive will actually be playable on touchscreens, CEO Steve Perlman says some games are being adapted to support touch right now, and that tablets that support external game controllers could also use OnLive normally. We’ve also got more good news for the home theater crowd, as OnLive’s signed a deal with SRS, bringing 5.1 surround sound as a free update to all OnLive users early next year. Because there’s nothing quite like having ears bombarded from all directions with digital explosions. PR after the break.

Continue reading OnLive turns into Vizio VIA Plus app, destined for TVs, tablets and phones

OnLive turns into Vizio VIA Plus app, destined for TVs, tablets and phones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 is shaping up to be a big year for tablets at the Consumer Electronics Show, and TV maker Vizio will be part of the touchscreen scene.

Attempting to beat the onslaught of product releases to come this week on the convention floor, Vizio announced the debut of its soVIA Tablet and VIA Phone, both of which will run on the Android OS.

As to whether the devices will run Froyo, Gingerbread, or another version of Android, Vizio isn’t saying. Both devices will, however, be running the VIA Plus skin, a new app platform debuting with the VIA models.

The specs on the VIA Phone sound enticing. The VIA Phone boasts a 1-GHz processor (manufacturer as yet to be named), 4-inch capacitive touch screen and HDMI output with HD video playback.  There’s a front-facing camera to make video chats possible, while the 5-megapixel rear camera allows for photos and HD video capture.

As for the VIA Tablet, it’s got most of what the phone has: a 1-GHz processor, an HDMI output and a MicroSD card slot for memory expansion. The capacitive touch screen measures in at 8 inches — slightly smaller than that of the 9.7-inch iPad.

But the real competitive advantage may end up in the price points.

“There is a huge gap in the market for people who can’t afford the iPad or whatever else,” Vizio CTO Matthew McRae told Bloomberg. The company hasn’t announced what the VIA Phone or Tablet will cost as of yet, but according to Bloomberg, McRae says that the products will be “very aggressively priced.”

In addition to Vizio, several key manufacturers, including Toshiba, LG and MSI, are expected to unveil tablet devices at this week’s show. Stay tuned on Gadget Lab for live coverage from the CES show floor.

Photo courtesy Vizio

Vizio has unveiled more about its plans for the new year which seem to consist largely of a huge push on Android, from the 4-inch phone and 8-inch tablet running a (still unspecified) flavor on their 1 GHz processors, to new VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV built in. The VIA Tablet and VIA Phone (not necessarily final names, judging from the PR) have a few other details mentioned — though we don’t know if the phone is GSM or CDMA, it does have a 4-inch screen, WiFi N, GPS, MicroSD slot, dual cameras and HDMI output, while the 8-inch tablet brings similar chops minus any sort of 3G connectivity. With the new Vizio Internet Apps Plus, it aims to provide a seamless experience from the handheld to the big screen, including the ability to pause and resume content across devices. Judging by the screenshot, it looks like the company may be wrapping its own Yahoo! Widgets-like skin around the Google TV experience in a way we haven’t seen from Sony or Logitech yet. Another pic and the full press releases await after the break, the rest will have to wait until we get our hands on the devices in Las Vegas.

Continue reading Vizio details specs on VIA Tablet and VIA Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV

Vizio details specs on VIA Tablet and VIA Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teasing tablets ahead of the CES deluge is nothing new for manufacturers now, but we’ll at least give Vizio a few style points for its expensive approach to the tactic. That’s because what looks like a Vizio-branded tablet made a not-so-secret appearance during the Rose Bowl. Specifically, the device appeared about 15 seconds into the chairman’s message in the hands of Vizio chief sales officer Randy Waynick. Just in case a mere sighting was too subtle, Waynick was also kind enough to mention Vizio’s dedication to “entertainment freedom for all” and the ability to view content on “any of their great new products, from anywhere” — wink wink, nudge nudge. Details on the gadget are obviously unknown, but we’re confident the actual specs (if any) will emerge next week. We’re also pretty positive it’s not Vizio’s 7-inch razor portable TV. If you weren’t watching the game, check out a video of the device’s brief cameo on national television after the break.

Update: We originally speculated that this tablet was probably running Android based on the buttons. Some eagle-eyed readers have pointed out though that only three buttons are visible at the bottom of the Vizio screen — which means WP 7 could also be a possibility. It’s worth noting too that no traditional Android buttons were visible on the prototype Motorola Honeycomb Tablet. The bottom line is we can’t make a ruling on the OS based solely on the buttons.

Continue reading Vizio teases entry into the tablet fray with pizazz via Rose Bowl spot (video)

Vizio teases entry into the tablet fray with pizazz via Rose Bowl spot (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Jan 2011 01:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If the current crop of active shutter 3D televisions isn’t your style and you’d prefer some cheaper specs, say hello to VIZIO’s new 65-inch Theater 3D Razor XVT3D650SV LED set, its biggest TV yet. Previously spotted lurking about on the manufacturer’s website, this set uses cheap polarized glasses like the ones in most movie theaters unlike the more expensive (and, according to the press release, more prone to dimming and flickering) active shutter glasses used on most televisions today, including a few of VIZIO’s own. Beyond that, it’s a 120Hz edge lit LED LCD set that comes with four pairs of glasses and also includes VIZIO Internet Apps and SRS TruSurround integrated speakers. The downside for the cheap glasses however, is that most of the cost is in the display itself ratcheting the price up to $3,499 when it arrives on Sam’s Club shelves this month — until then, check the details in the press release after the break.

Continue reading VIZIO’s 65-inch Theater 3D TV with passive glasses is official, launches this month

VIZIO’s 65-inch Theater 3D TV with passive glasses is official, launches this month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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