Movie-on-demand with US Vudu

Wouldn't it be nice if there were a vast library of blockbusters and movie hits right at your finger tips? It sure beats the excruciating long wait for your DVD mail order which sure takes forever to reach the mailbox. Now American Vudu has this nifty box which is a gateway that puts you in access of appropriately 5,000 titles without being tied to a dreaded monthly subscription. All that's required is a TV and Internet broadband connection.

It also doubles as a personal library with storage capacity for 100 hours of rented and paid content. HD-ready out-of-the-box, the compact gadget is capable of delivering up to 1080p24 judder-free videos and 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound via HDMI 1.1 and dual digital audio outputs. We sure would like to get our hands on this baby, but it seems we are out of luck as it is strictly US-based only. Double damn.

Via: Uncrate | Photo credit: Vudu

Blow away the Joneses with a ceiling TV

Once upon a time, just having a wall-mounted flat-panel TV was enough to make a huge impression by itself. Never satisfied, of course, showy consumers have since tried to one-up each other with plasmas and LCDs that lift from cabinets, hide behind mirrors, and pop up from the bed frame or even out from underneath it.

So what's left? The ceiling, of course.

The "Automated Ceiling Lift" from Chief Manufacturing "will make your TV like a drop-down projection screen", according to Electronic House. And it's not one of those small drop-down numbers like those under-cabinet kitchen models either: It can handle displays of more than 61 inches, the company says, or up to 190lb.

Still, there's more than one way to make a statement. For our taste, we'd prefer the bar TV.

Via Crave CNET

Sony's SXRD projector en route for Asia

For you technology adopters, Sony has two spanking new Silicon X-tal Reflective Display beamers on the plate. The VPL-VW60 and VW200 Bravia full-HD projections are outfitted with newly designed panels that double the previous dynamic contrast to a whopping 35,000:1 rating. Both also support 24p True Cinema for judder-free 1080p24 video playback, while the flagship couples that with 120Hz Motion Flow picture frame rate-doubling technology and Bravia Engine Pro video processing.

Other common features for the two new entries include a powerful 1.8x optical zoom, handy lens shift and provision for ultra-widescreen anamorphic lens. Design-wise, there are very few variations from their predecessors except for minor cosmetic tweaking in terms of casing hues.
The S$6,999 (US$4,751.53) VPL-VW60 is already available in most parts of Asia, while the VPL-VW200 is expected to hit retail shelves from December. Detailed pricing was not available at press time.

Qingbar GP300: Sony Glasstron take two!

Anyone can still remember the ill-fated Sony Glasstron? A pair of goofy uber cool-looking glasses that can project supersized videos for a personalized yet theatrical experience. YelloMosquito has taken the concept one step further with the Qingbar GP300, a world's first wireless video glasses with an integrated media player. The company claims it can simulate a 50-inch screen, while an onboard miniSD card slot takes care of MP3, WMA, DivX, JPEG and E-book playback.

It does look reasonably compact and comfortable, measuring 180 x 175 x 40mm and weighing 100g. Another nice touch is the provision of a swappable rechargeable Lithium battery, so you can stay on-the-go for extended road trips. The GP300 is currently available for pre-order in the US at US$299 and is expected to ship in early December. If you're not dropping by the US anytime soon, it does have an Australian distributor in our region. Check it out here.

Via Engadget | Photo credit: YelloMosquito

Sony's "budget" pink LCD TV

Christmas is coming and that means colored TVs and other electrical goods. We saw this pink Sony Bravia coming from a mile away, and we don't just mean because it's brightly colored--each year parents seem to give their children increasingly extravagant gifts in increasingly ludicrous colors.

When we were nippers, we used to get awesome presents, but they were generally small and cost a little bit less than today's child-pleasers. For example, we'd get an Optimus Prime toy, or if our parents weren't pacifists, maybe a Megatron. We also didn't have TVs in our bedrooms, but these days it seems that every five-year-old in the land has a goggle-box in their room. Hence the pink Bravia.

Of course, it's a great TV--the S series includes good budget models--but we mean the word "budget" in a relative sense, because let's not pretend the word means the same to Sony as it does to, say, Goodmans. This TV goes for 445 pounds, or about US$920. Yes, that's right: It's a 20-inch TV for the same price as you could get a 32-inch one for.

The KDL-20S3070U has one HDMI, a PC input, component in and some Scart sockets. Obviously it's happy with high-definition material up to 1080i, and will make a good companion for games consoles such as the PS3 or Xbox 360, especially if your children have one of those in their bedrooms too. The lucky beggars.

So if your children are called Tarquin and Tamara and you live in a house with more than two floors, this is the sort of TV you'll be interested in giving this Christmas. To prove its posh credentials, Sony calls it "Fuchsia Pink" instead of just "Pink". If you're a regular Joe with kids called Frank and Sarah, you'll probably just want to get a slightly more sensible TV for the kiddies--that's if you really think letting them watch I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here in bed is a good idea.

Via Crave CNET

Crave is...

The name says it all. Crave is our new blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.

Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.

Crave for...

» Mobile Phones (900)

» Digital Cameras (511)

» Notebooks (612)

» PC & Peripherals (674)

» Handhelds (322)

» Printers (47)

» Home AV (606)

» Music & Play (495)

» Gadgets (1115)

» Future Tech (219)

Previously...

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Subscribe to
Crave

Today on CNET |  Reviews |  Crave |  Blogs |  CNET TV |  Digital Living |  Downloads