Sharp's 12.1-inch ASV type liquid crystal module for mobile device

Sharp displayed its new 12.1-inch ASV type liquid crystal module designed for mobile device during CEATEC 2007.

Adopting LED backlit, it supports 2000:1 contrast ratio and 8ms response speed. According to the company, it is expected to be utilized for laptop and TV.

40GB PlayStation 3 to use 65nm tech

The 40 GB version of the PlayStation 3, going on sale November 2nd, should run at lease somewhat more smoothly than its predecessors, reports say. Sony is said to be switching to smaller 65nm circuitry in the revised console, reducing power consumption from 200W to 135W. Aside from wasting less energy , this should make the system cooler, which Sony is taking advantage of by shrinking the heatpipe. As part of the revision, the motherboard is being replaced, and a new battery will power the clock when the rest of the console is off. The 40GB PS3 is otherwise stripped-down from the current 60GB and 80GB models, lacking backwards compatibility with PS2 games, as well the storage card reader and half the USB ports. It will sell for $400

Sharp announced the AQUOS P series

Sharp today introduced a completely new line of LCDs designed equally for computers and TV watching.
The AQUOS P series is designed as much to sit on a desk as in a living room and is one of the first HDTV lineups to offer full 1080p video at small sizes; the 22-, 26-, and 32-inch sets all display up to 1920x1080 using either DVI, VGA, or one of the two available HDMI inputs. An integrated digital TV tuner and two 5-watt speakers allow the sets to operate independently of any outside device but can be used with a picture-in-picture mode to let users run a computer while keeping track of a TV show. While input and resolution remain the same for each LCD, contrast ratios vary between 1,200:1 for the 22-inch display and 2,000:1 for the top 32-inch model. Sharp is initially releasing the AQUOS P in Japan with the country's proprietary D5 video input as well as support for HDCP-encrypted videos through DVI and HDMI. Pricing will be open on the market when the displays ship on November 22nd.

LG rolls out small E300 notebook with hybrid HDD

LG today added a new model to its XNOTE line in the form of the E300-AP75K, a new version of the company's 13.3-inch portable. The system becomes one of the smallest and lightest (at 2.9 pounds) to include a hybrid hard drive and includes a 160GB disk with 256MB of flash memory to speed boot times and responsiveness without requiring either a space-consuming separate cache or an external USB stick. This speed emphasis is also reflected in the unusually fast specifications: the stock model is based on a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo and comes with 2GB of memory, according to LG. Video on the system is provided by an integrated Radeon X1250 chipset, which also provides HDMI output.
The AP75K also comes with a 1.3-megapixel webcam and should be available first in Korea at a price roughly equal to $1,715. LG has not announced outside launches but has seen some of its systems released in North America through importers

Kenwood puts the K1000 on sale

Kenwood's K1000 is the combination of a CD player and Pre-Amplifier, give it a compact body, equip it with features to enhance the sound quality and there you have it.

The CD player (DP-K1000-N) is taken from the Supreme EX range of Kenwood and features the DPAC (Digital Pulse Axis Control) promising yet another step in audio quality. The most commons audio files are supported such as MP3, WMA and AAC.
Then comes the R-K1000-N Pre-Amplifier, also equipped with the DPAC, a radio tuner (AM/FM), Auto ROOM EQ and 2x50W @ 6Ω.

Lenovo's L220x Monitor the First 22-Inch

Lenovo ThinkVision L220x Wide monitor Features 22 inches wide Full HD 1920X1200 Resolution 103 dpi (dots per inch) 92% color gamut USB Hub ( 1 in,4 out) Autorotation with Pivot Soft-OSM 16:10Aspect Ratio Analog input (VGA) & Digital Input (DVI-D) HDCP Support Screen Performance WUXGA Recommend Resolution: 1920x1200@60Hz Response time: 6 ms (G to G) Brightness: 300 cd/m2 Viewing Angle: 178°/ 178°(H/V, @10:1 CR) Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (typical) Design Stand tilt/swivel/lift/pivot 100mm VESA mount Best engineer cable management lift range:610mm-760mm Interface cable length (Analog): 3M Interface cable length (Digital): 3M USB Cable length: 3M Power cable length:3M

ViewSonic Diamani DUO PC/TV hybrid LCD Displays Swing Both Ways

ViewSonic takes a tilt toward practicality with its PC/TV hybrid LCD displays, packing a passel of inputs into its Diamani DUO 19-inch NX1932w and 22-inch NX2232w screens. It makes sense: You have all this resolution floating around, why not tack an HDMI port on board, add an ATSC HD tuner and 10-watt speaker system, and then have a dual use display? Good idea in theory, but the execution falls short.

First of all, that HDTV tuner just captures over-the-air signals, and that'll be good for about 5% of the viewing public that watches their HDTV that way. Plus there's no 1080p, because the highest resolution of the largest screen—the 22 inch—is only 1680x1050. That doesn't quite cut it. Stick a couple of CableCARDs in there, a processor, a terabyte hard drive for recording, and make it a 1920x1080 pixel screen but still flat and compact even with all those computery innards, and then ViewSonic will have our undivided attention.

But a pie-in-the-sky idea like mine would cost you well into the multi-thousands, while these two sets are shipping now for $349 for the 19-incher and $399 for the 22-inch display. Not a bad deal if you want to occasionally watch TV in the same place you do your computing

Dell's 20-inch LCD With Built-in Webcam Available Now

That 20-inch Dell SP2008WFP LCD monitor we told you about has finally launched, complete with the 1680x1050 resolution, 2ms response speed, and a 2000:1 contrast ratio. The best part, besides the great display itself, is the built-in 2.0-megapixel webcam, which makes it pretty unnecessary to purchase another webcam. Unless of course you're not happy with this current webcam a couple years down the line, in which case go right ahead. And instead of the $400 we guessed, this retails for just $289.

JVC Introduces The Clapper TV

JVC has introduced another display technology in progress at this year's CEATEC. Specifically, it's a TV that responds to claps and gestures, or "handclap & gesture recognition TV" as it's officially labeled. Here's a little channel surfing scenario to demonstrate:

You clap your hands 3 times to bring up a round menu screen. A set top camera then tracks your hand, transforming it into a cursor. To click a button, the user just hooks their finger (ala signaling someone has a tiny wiener).

Users can also control functions like the volume just by clapping in set sequences. The convenience here is lost on us, save maybe for...we can't think of any handicap that favors clapping over a basic remote control, even with your gross imaginations.

Frankenreview - Gateway XHD3000

The XHD3000's uncluttered design hides a bevy of adjustments...When you press the menu button, menu items appear on screen, and flat, touch-sensitive buttons light up under the glossy black bezel. These blue-lit buttons—which remain invisible until you summon them—change with each of the many menus; only the ones that are needed appear
One of the more striking features—beyond the displays 30-inch size—is the integrated product tour and tutorial. This is actually built into the firmware of the display, and shows you different usage models and points out key features. You can disable this bit of eye candy in the menu.

Gateway's EzTune is a version of Portrait Display's DisplayTune application customized for Gateway displays...Take the PiP feature, for example. Using EzTune, you can move the PiP anywhere on screen—it's not limited to one of the four corners.

Thanks to the XHD3000's HDCP support, you can watch your content-protected video on a suitably equipped Windows Vista machine.

Most of our judges preferred the Gateway's image over that of the Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP and the Samsung SyncMaster 305T.

As we've seen, the XHD3000 is a competent, if not highly exceptional, desktop display. But simply using this as a desktop display would be a waste. If all you want is a 30-inch desktop display, you'd be better off with the HP LP3065, which offers a wider color gamut at a lower cost...As a multifunction display, though, the XHD3000 excels.

Acme Lunchbox Computer Features Triple 17-Inch LCD Screens

Acme classifies the LPG370TS lunchbox computer as "portable," but when you pack three 17-inch high-res LCD screens into a briefcase style design, chances are you will need to hit the gym or buy a mule to tote this thing around. Still, having the triple screen option is great, and the Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz processor, 2GB RAM, Dual nVidia 8800GTX cards in SLI mode, 8 channel audio, Firewire and Dual Gigabit LAN make for a decent gaming rig—especially if you are into flight sims. No pricing details have been made available

Samsung LN-52F91BD - HD LCD Display With LED Backlight

Samsung LN-52F91BD is a 52-inch full HD LCD display that has LED backlight which is supposed to offer better brightness than what we had a few years before.
This little one is pretty big for me to use for me to watch the Gladiator and feel like one. It sports 3 HDMI 1.3 ports, USB 2.0 and Infolink function that will give you stock quotes and news updates from MSN. My office cries for such, but I should spare 4800 euros to buy one from Korea, because there’s where they have it now.

Pioneer announces UK release date for Kuro full HD plasmas

Pioneer has announced the UK launch date for its latest KURO high-definition plasma TVs.

The new products will be launched at a ‘Black Screen Party’ at Claridges in London, on 25 September.

Kuro means black in Japanese, and the TVs feature state of the art, intelligent technology, which displays 80% deeper black levels than rival models, providing richer colours and sharper images.

The KURO flat screen TVs take source and room conditions into account when processing images - a daytime football match will be processed differently to a floodlit match - giving crisp, clear images whatever the conditions.

The 1080p compatible plasma display is available in 50in and 60in screen sizes.

The PDP-LX508D KURO model from Pioneer has recently been voted the best full HD 1080p plasma in Europe by the European Imaging and Sound Association.

LCD TV KIMONO 52`

Nakamichi presented its 52-inch LCD TV 'KIMONO 52' with the concept of kimono, national costume of Japan, during Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2007, which supports 1920 x 1080 resolution, 178-degree viewing angle and 5000:1 contrast ratio.

LG to target fast-growing niche TV market with its 32-inch plasma TV

LG Electronics announced the launch of its first 32-inch plasma TV ‘32PC5RV’ in Brazil this month. This new plasma TV will also be released in 27 nations worldwide by November, including countries in America, Europe, CIS region, North and Southwest Asia and the Middle East.

The 32-inch wide flat panel TV is the fastest growing segment in the industry, as the large-size market is becoming saturated. According to DisplaySearch, demand for 32-inch LCD TVs has grown to comprise 24.9 million units in 2007, and is expected to increase to 33.4 million units in 2008.

However, as recently as 2005, 32-inch LCD TV demand was 5.8 millions. What has driven this remarkable change is the growing consumer preference for secondary or private TVs for the home in the high-end market, and newly increasing demand for affordable flat panel TVs in emerging markets.

The 32PC5RV features 16:9 aspect ratio screen, 0.001ms response time, HDMI ports and LG’s SIMPLINK technology making it easy to control an array of compatible devices with a single remote control. Suggested price will range from 1,000(USD) to 1,100(USD) depending on the market.

Linksys debuts dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi gear

Linksys on Tuesday announced the first dual-band Wi-Fi devices. Rather than operate two frequencies one at a time to accommodate different wireless standards, the WRT600N router and WPC600N PC Card adapter can run both at once: a standard 2.4GHz frequency handles typical 802.11a, b, g, or n devices, while a 5GHz transmitter operates on 802.11n for devices that are particularly susceptible to interference, such as computers used for gaming or streaming video to a media hub. The dual-band approach lets users effectively reserve a high-bandwidth, low-latency connection for their most important devices, according to Linksys.

The WRT600N includes a USB 2.0 port for network-attached storage and four gigabit Ethernet jacks to attach wired devices at full speed. It ships now for $280 and will be followed at the same time by the WPC600N adapter for $100. ExpressCard and USB equivalent adapters should be ready in early 2008 but will be launched later.

Sony KDL-46XBR4 review

The Sony KDL-46XBR4 have a excellent black-level performance for an LCD; accurate color; 120Hz processing smoothes judder in motion; fine screen uniformity and off-angle viewing for an LCD; numerous picture controls; solid connectivity with three HDMI inputs and one PC input; distinctive "floating glass" design; interchangeable bezel color option.

The bad: Expensive; benefits of 120Hz blur-reduction hard to discern; smooth motion seems unnatural for film-based material and introduces some artifacts; main menu system kludgy to operate; many picture adjustments seem unnecessary and/or harmful.

The bottom line: Although not quite as impressive as the best plasmas, the 46-inch Sony KDL-46XBR4 outperforms any flat-panel LCD we've tested so far

AUO offers peek at HDTV with 5,000:1 static contrast

AU Optronics on Tuesday revealed what it believes is one of the best-looking LCD TV panels ever released. A new, 'bumpless' pixel design, an integrated backlight, and better color resistance have let the company produce a display whose natural contrast ratio is 5,000:1 -- double the 2,500:1 managed last year and more than four times the 1,200:1 achieved in 2005. The technology is the most vivid of any technology on shelves today that uses a mainstream cold-cathode fluorescent (CCFL) backlight and will be the best until LED-lit displays are in the mainstream, according to the company. Displays with dynamic contrast ratios should provide an even larger ratio by shutting off parts of the backlight during dark scenes.

The technology should be on show at the FPD International display expo on October 24th and will reach production HDTVs in the near future. AUO typically does not produce HDTVs itself but often produces the LCDs for major international TV makers such as ViewSonic, which should make the technology available to North American customers.

Additionally, the company noted that extra-thin display technology was soon to be in mass production for HDTVs and uses a new display film to dramatically reduce the needed thickness of a given display. A 32-inch HDTV screen can be just 0.8 inches deep versus 1.3 for old panels and shaves off 4.4 pounds from the total weight, AUO said. New sets should appear within the next few months that take advantage of the extra-thin display, though no manufacturers were named in the update.

Portable TV tuners PX-HDTV500U

Today on hdtv blog i show you the Portable TV tuners have reached such a low price point that one of the only ways for profit-seeking manufacturers to turn is HDTV; for the entertainment-seeking road warrior, that means a new generation of portable television that promises super-high resolution. However, with even standard definition tuners sometimes suffering from poor quality except when used with a fixed aerial, the difficulty is not in building the USB dongle itself but an antenna capable of receiving a strong enough signal.

The aerial supplied with the PX-HDTV500U has to be one of the oddest I’ve seen; at first, I thought it was being photographed in front of the tuner’s retail packaging, but in fact it really does have an oblong mini-billboard apparently laced with some sort of flexible composite. Plextor also include a remote control and software capable of viewing and recording TV.

HDMS-S1D Digital Photo Album Compatible with HDTV

Sony has introduced its new product called HDMS-S1D Digital Photo Album, which can store, organize and show off the photos on HDTV. The digital album can be connected in an HDTV using HDMI.

Coming with a storage capacity of up to 80 GB, the album has the ability to display up to 50,000 high resolution images. You can also sort the images by a specific date, occasion, or grouped into up to 3,000 albums. Using Sony’s software, the device can display images on high definition televisions and create slide shows and scrapbook pages.
The HDMS-S1D Digital Photo Album is currently available online for $400

The HDMS-S1D is compatible with flash memory cards, CDs, DVDs, USB drives and Ethernet cables. To navigate the images, users can operate the remote control and the interface.

X-PictStory, a slide show software, enables owners to choose from multiple transitions and play one of the 30 included songs to accompany their slide show. Sony’s face detection technology identifies the location of subjects and applies transitions around them, while the slide show is played.

Sub-$200 HD DVD players just around the bend?

A standalone HD DVD player for less than two Benjamins? From a manufacturer that we've heard of? We've been waiting for that day for some time now, and while there have certainly been wild claims by less popular foreign outfits and even price hiccups that have paired certain players with a (temporary) sub-$200 pricetag, it's about time for entry-level units on the whole to settle beneath the barrier. If a number of reports circling the web are true, we just might see it happen in the not-too-distant future, which isn't all that shocking considering how HD DVD player prices have been (expectedly) falling in recent months. Apparently, a $198 Toshiba HDA2-W has been noticed in Wal-Mart systems, and you won't color us surprised if it's joined by a few other name brand alternatives in time for the holiday rush. Of course, it remains to be seen if buyers will be willing to forgo the extras that higher-end units are blessed with in order to simply have a player that understands HD DVD, but historically speaking, money talks (the loudest).

Sony's PlayStation 3 to double as IPTV set-top-box

Sony hasn't exactly been shy about expanding the capabilities of its PS3, and according to new reports from The Korea Times, even more non-game-related goodness will be headed its way. Apparently, KT (Korea's primary telecom operator) and Sony will "launch an internet-based TV service in November that runs on the PlayStation 3 game console," and as expected, the machine would act as a set-top-box for KT's IPTV service (Mega TV). Reportedly, neither company was willing to disclose pricing information (or any additional details, for that matter) just yet, so it looks like we'll be forced to play the wait-and-see game for now.

Popcorn Hour's Networked Media Tank seen early

If you're scouting a decent media server that just so happens to double as a NAS drive and BitTorrent server, we'd probably wait out this weekend. Apparently, the Popcorn Hour website is set to go live in T-minus two days, but an eagle-eyed individual managed to pull down what appears to be a screenshot of the firm's forthcoming Networked Media Tank. The NMT reportedly enables users to "watch, store and share digital content on your home network," and it also allows for "seamless integration between your digital media and your entertainment system." Best of all, buyers can toss in a hard drive of their choosing, and the 1080p output is sure to please the HD buffs. According to the capture (shown in full after the jump), all this functionality will only run you $179 (sans an HDD), but we'll out find out for certain in a matter of hours.

UPDATE: Seems this could be a rebadge of another product -- guess we'll wait and see, eh? Thanks for the update, Gabriel M.

PS3 firmware update coming to boost Blu-ray functionality

Details are admittedly scant on this one, but after Don Eklund, executive VP of advanced technologies for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, got done praising the growth of high-definition movies at HDTV DisplaySearch, he also mentioned that the PlayStation 3 was due a firmware update. More specifically, he noted that the PS3 "is expected to soon offer a firmware upgrade to boost its Blu-ray interactivity functionality," but unfortunately, he failed to elaborate. One could hope that the update would bring along at least some of the niceties waiting in Profile 1.1, but until we get clarification (or are surprised by the actual release), we'll leave the speculating to you.

AMD unveils trio of new ATI TV Wonders

Those looking for a fresh way to capture OTA signals on their computer need to look AMD's way, as the firm is kicking out three new ATI TV Wonder devices today. Up first is the TV Wonder 650 Combo USB, which includes two TV tuners to pick up OTA HDTV signals / ClearQAM programming, analog TV and FM broadcasts. For those with desktops, the TV Wonder 600 PCI or TV Wonder 600 PCI Express should fit the bill quite nicely, as they offer up the same features as their USB sibling in less portable forms. Notably, all three units come bundled with Catalyst Media Center software, which enables the devices to quickly convert (read: "with two mouse clicks") recorded programming to formats suitable for use on the iPod, Zune, PSP, iPhone, Palm Treo, etc. Price wise, the 650 Combo USB will demand $149, while the other two (pictured after the jump) will run you just $99 apiece.

Syntax-Brillian intros new 1080p Olevia LCD HDTVs

Just before folks really get their minds set on waiting for Black Friday, Syntax-Brillian is unveiling a trio of new 1080p Olevia LCDs. Up first is the 65-inch 265TFHD, which features the Silicon Optix Realta HQV video processor, a black aluminum bezel, built-in ATSC / NTSC tuner with Clear QAM support, USB port for firmware upgrades and a decent assortment of ports including two HDMI / component / S-Video / composite jacks and a single VGA input. We're left to assume the 52-inch 252TFHD sports a similar set of amenities, while we're told the 47-inch 247TFHD touts an MTK MDDI video processor but otherwise remains identical to its 65-inch sibling. Price wise, the 265TFHD is set to run you a stiff $6,999, while the 252TFHD and 247TFHD will ring up at $2,499 and $1,999, respectively.

Lumenlab shoves PC inside 42-inch 1080p display, calls it Q

There's all-in-one PCs, and then there's the Q. This behemoth sports a unique identity crisis, as it attempts to pose as an aluminum-framed HDTV while featuring a full-fledged computer within. Nevertheless, the 42-inch Q packs a 1080p panel, compatibility with the Lumenlab's own Hotwire PnP powerline networking technology, a fanless design, 1TB of HDD storage, 2GB of RAM and an Intel Core Duo processor. Unfortunately, details beyond that are fairly slim, but we should get a better idea of specifications and pricing when its ship date draws closer.

Panasonic's internal LF-PB271JD drive burns Blu-ray at 4x

Nah, Panasonic's LF-PB271JD couldn't hold a candle to Sony's BWU-200S in a runway competition, but when it comes to performance, we'd say the two are practically neck and neck. This unit fits snuggly within any Windows-based machine lookin' for a 5.25-inch optical drive, and it has no problems burning dual-layer BD-Rs at a furious (ahem) 4x pace. Additionally, you'll find a SATA interface along with backup software bundled in, and just in case you're not working exclusively with BD-R, it can also toast BD-RE at 2x, DVD±R at 16x, DVD±R DL at 8x, DVD-RW at 6x, CD-R at 40x and CD-RW at 24x. Of course, you'll be paying through the nose for the luxuries presented when it lands on November 10th, but the ¥55,000 ($468) asking price is still a good bit lower than what Sony's demanding.