TV

Sony plans to boost production of ultra-thin TVs

That recent report questioning the longevity of Sony's OLED television displays apparently has done little to deter the company's headlong rush into the new technology.

The company is reportedly spending $210 million to manufacture medium to large versions of the paper-thin displays in fiscal 2009, according to Engadget. That's a big step up for the screens, which use less power and are far more flexible than plasmas or LCDs. To date the only OLED TV actually available for purchase has a display that measure just 11 inches--the XEL-1--hardly a size that can compete in a market where … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 728: Rock the Roku

Today in "we have actual tech news to report" tech news, Netflix's new box hits the price sweet spot, Napster is offering 6 million DRM-free MP3s (déjà-vu?), and Gizmodo! Confirms! The 3G! iPhone! Release! Date! Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 728

Look out, Apple TV: The $100 Netflix Player has arrived http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9947582-1.html

6 million DRM-free MP3s now at Napster http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9945987-7.html

Breaking: iPhone 3G launch date confirmed http://gizmodo.com/391960/iphone-3g-launch-date-confirmed http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05/20/ apple_wwdc_rumour_revival/

Microsoft … Read more

LG Scarlet: Irritating marketing campaign

If you've been tramping around the Internet much recently you will almost certainly have seen adverts about a hit new TV show called Scarlet. It turns out that there was no hit show at all, and it was all a big publicity stunt for a new LG TV "series" (meaning range) called Scarlet. There was even a party at some vile, trendy dive in Central London that caused one TV reviewer to launch into what can only be described as a Kermodian rant.

The TV is called Scarlet because it has some distinctive red highlighting, and because '… Read more

Look out, Apple TV: The $100 Netflix Player has arrived

The Netflix box is finally a reality.

The Netflix Player by Roku is the first product that allows subscribers to have movies and TV shows from the service's Instant Viewing feature (aka "Watch Now") to be streamed directly to their TV screen. Previously, Instant Viewing was available only to Windows PC users through the Internet Explorer browser. With the release of the Netflix Player, subscribers need only have a wired or wireless broadband connection to access the entire Instant Viewing catalog through their TV. The full review--with hands-on video--is available at CNET Reviews. But for those who prefer to cut right to the chase, here's the short and sweet version: … Read more

When will Panasonic's huge plasmas ship?

You may have read about Panasonic's Neo PDP plasma technology, and even caught a glimpse of the prototypes at January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. However, they could actually be coming to retail stores as early as June 2009 after initial May production from the Japanese company's P5 plant, Panasonic's latest plasma panel manufacturing facility currently undergoing construction in Amagasaki, Japan.

The lineup includes a petite 24.7-millimeter-thick 50-incher and its larger-than-life 150-inch sibling. The latter also offers four times better image details over standard full-HD TVs with a native 4,096 x 2,160-pixel … Read more

Philips' Eco TV: The Prius of televisions

It's official: The Philips 42PFL5603D consumes less power than any HDTV we've tested, regardless of screen size. The so-called Eco TV earned our nod for Best in Show at CES by hugging trees harder than any flat-panel HDTV yet. We based that decision partly on a Watts Up! power meter Philips had set up in its booth, which showed the 42-inch LCD sucking down electricity at a miserly rate between 60 and 80 watts (check out the video).

As proven by our somewhat more rigorous power consumption test, the Eco TV deserves a place next to your Prius, your low-flow toilet valve, and your almost-watched copy of An Inconvenient Truth. The display set new records among all of the HDTVs whose power use we've tracked, scoring an average of 91.23 watts in the default picture setting, 67.29 watts in the power saver mode--that's right, barely more than a standard incandescent light bulb--and just 0.33 watt in standby… Read more

Qualcomm to take Mobile TV abroad?

Qualcomm may be preparing to launch its MediaFlo mobile TV service in the U.K.

The company this week said it has won 40MHz of wireless spectrum in the U.K. that would be ideal for mobile TV and broadband services. The spectrum is in what's known as the L-band, which is between the frequencies 1452MHz and 1492MHz.

Ofcom, the telecom regulator in the U.K., auctioned off the spectrum earlier this month. And Qualcomm, a wireless chipmaker and mobile patent holder, came away the big winner spending 8.3 million British pounds, or $16.1 million.

So far … Read more

Turn your PC into an HDTV with Hauppauge USB tuner, $40.79 (after rebate)

The Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-950, a "hybrid" TV tuner (meaning it can tune in over-the-air digital broadcasts or standard cable), normally sells for $79. Dell's Home store has it for just $40.79 plus five bucks shipping. That's after a $20 mail-in rebate, but I reckon Dell's good for it.

Hauppauge tuners are widely regarded as some of the best in the business. The HVR-950 comes with DVR software but also works with Windows Media Center. (Also included: Elgato EyeTV Lite, meaning you can use the tuner with a Mac!) You'll have to supply the antenna … Read more

Dish drops unpopular Voom HD channels

Just two days after it launched 22 relatively high-interest HD channels, Dish Network has stopped broadcasting the 15 specialty Voom HD channels. The channels, which Dish has long been interested in dropping to make way for more popular channels, include names like GamePlay HD, Treasure HD, Kung Fu HD, and Monsters HD, and programming most viewers have never heard of.

StumbleUpon's Stumble Video adds new content partners

Media "discovery" site StumbleUpon announced Tuesday that its video service, Stumble Video, has a host of new content available: content sites College Humor, Funny or Die, and VBS.tv, as well as video-hosting sites Vimeo, DailyMotion, and Veoh.

Stumble Video, which uses past preferences to pick out videos that a member might like--in other words, a nifty procrastination tool--already amasses content from big sites like YouTube, MySpaceTV, and Metacafe.

StumbleUpon was acquired by eBay last year, about six months after it debuted the Stumble Video feature. There's also a specialized version of Stumble Video for Nintendo's … Read more

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