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NEC unveils massive display with slimmer bezel

If you're planning to display a large image across several monitors--you know, maybe you're into world domination--then a wide bezel is a problem. With a wide bezel, there can be as much as several inches between sections of the image.

This week, NEC announced the 46-inch MultiSync X461UN "ultra-narrow" professional display, the intended use of that is in video wall solutions. The kicker here--and the reason for my setup paragraph (see previous paragraph)--is that when two of these behemoths are placed next to each other, there is only a 7.3 millimeters distance between the … Read more

Samsung goes green with the UNB6000 series of LED-backlight LCDs

Last year Philips won our best of CES award with the Eco TV, and in 2009 other companies are following suit with their own green TVs. The Samsung UNB6000 series of Samsung LCDs is "eco-friendly", with the company claiming 40% or more energy savings over traditional LCDs. The sets also put a focus on energy usage by including a power indicator menu and an optimized energy savings mode, which dynamically adjusts settings to conserve power. We can't say we're fans of dynamic adjustments for image quality, but those that value energy savings over performance might prefer … Read more

Samsung's step-down LED-backlit LCDs feature Yahoo widgets, 120Hz

The A950 series was Samsung's only LED-backlit LCDs in 2008, but the company is serving up several LED-backlit lines in 2009. The UNB7000 is the step-down from the top-of-the-line UNB8000 series, but includes nearly all the same features except 240Hz refresh rate. Here are the details.

Key features of the Samsung UNB7000 series:

120Hz response time Slim design, around an inch thick LED-backlit Ultra Clear antireflective screen Internet@TV capable (Yahoo widgets) Built-in Ethernet Wi-Fi-ready, with purchase of additional adapter Energy Star 3.0 compatible

Pricing and availability of the Samsung UNB7000 series (estimated street prices):

40-inch UN46B7000 ($2,… Read more

Samsung UNB8000 LCDs put LED-backlighting and 240Hz in a one-inch frame

Samsung has put a big emphasis on LED-backlighting on this year's LCDs, and the UNB8000 series are the most souped-up models the company has at CES 2009. Here's a quick rundown of the feature set.

Key features of the Samsung UNB8000 series:

240Hz response time Slim design, about an inch thick LED-backlit Ultra Clear antireflective screen Internet@TV capable (Yahoo widgets) Built-in Ethernet Wi-Fi-ready, with purchase of additional adapter Energy Star 3.0 compatible

Pricing and availability of the Samsung UNB8000 series (estimated street prices):

46-inch UN46B8000 ($3,299, May) 55-inch UN55B8000 ($3,999, May)

Like the step-down … Read more

Sharp's E77 series LCDs sport four HDMI inputs and antireflective screens

Updated (07/09/09)

While competitors like Samsung, Sony, and Vizio are rolling out new features such as 240Hz refresh rates, LED-backlighting, and interactive content to their LCDs, Sharp's new E77 lineup is fairly conventional, even by last year's standards.

Key features of the Sharp LC-E77UN series:

1080p native resolution Advanced Super View screen 120Hz refresh rate and dejudder processing Four HDMI inputs Two component video inputs PC input RS-232 port Swivel stand EnergyStar 3.0 compliant 40-, 46- 52-, 60-, 65-inch screen sizes

While most of these features are pretty standard, Advanced Super View (ASV) is a … Read more

Green disinformation stunt fools media

The U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a high-profile collection of 33 corporations and environmental nonprofits, pledged Monday to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2050, and demanded that no new coal power plants be built.

The only problem with that announcement was that it was a lie.

The story, picked up by the Dallas Morning News and other media outlets, originated from a phony press release issued by environmental activists Rising Tide North America. The trick was timed to coincide with the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Bali, Indonesia.

The exploit aimed to throw egg … Read more

Wacky tripods that even ninjas could love

We've all been there: breathlessly plugging your camera into your computer, firing up your photo software, and stopping dead at the sight of horrifically blurry pictures. How to rectify the situation? Get a tripod. Lug that chunky thing to the pub, the beach, take that bad boy everywhere. Maybe not.

Or you could follow our advice and think differently. We've rounded up seven of the coolest, wackiest and most un-tripoddy tripods, monopods and camera supports money can buy. Click here for the collection.

(Source: Crave UK)

For some, AIDS evolving into national security threat

CORONADO, Calif.--The real threat to the future security of the world might just be the AIDS virus, according to a U.N. official.

More than 25 years after the discovery of the virus that causes AIDS, 65 million people have been infected and 25 million have died, said Peter Piot, executive director of UNAIDS, at the Future in Review conference. The way the world looks at AIDS is changing from short-term fear to long-term worries about the stability of countries that fail to control the epidemic, he said.

"It's moved into one of the defining issues of … Read more

Facebook follower gets 'unfaced'

Rocketboom anchor Amanda Congdon's blog, Amanda UnBoomed, took on a new meaning when she allegedly got fired. The site of a University of Texas sophomore, UnFaced.com, is following a similar path.

UnFaced is a site that employs technology designed to identify frequent viewers of users' Facebook profiles and calculate compatibility with them.

Economics student John Arrow, founder of UnFaced--"all about UnFacing Facebook. Whatever that means," according to its About page--seems to have found another meaning for the word.

Hours after school newspaper The Daily Texan wrote about UnFaced last Monday, describing the site as a &… Read more