PlayStation 2 ditches its power brick

The Sony PlayStation 3 has morphed tremendously over the years, from a fat black box to a streamlined sexy thing in colorful contrasting hues. The only problem with the last installment is a cumbersome external power brick, an idea possibly "inspired" by its Redmond rival. This is now going out the window with a new 9000-series with integrated AC power supply. Three colors (Charcoal Black, White Ceramic and Silver Satin) are available and each will be retailing in Japan at 15,000 yen (US$142). There were no launch details for the rest of Asia at press time.

Via Gizmodo

Sweet Uniden Mickey Mouse TV

Are your kids big fans of Mickey or Minnie Mouse? If you're having sleepless night pondering over a perfect gift for your young tykes, check out this cute-looking LCD TV from Japanese Uniden. Complete with the signature mousy motifs and hues, these 20-inch panels are almost a guaranteed instant hit right down to the bundled remote controller. Nice touch on the oversized foot base, too.

We reckon even the tech-savvy will bow down to this seemingly innocuous HD-ready set. Not only does it pack a high 1,366 x 768-pixel resolution for its petite size, it also comes with dual 1080p-ready HDMI inputs and a battery of digital TV tuners. You can pick up one of these lightweight 10kg cuties in Japan for US$876 a piece. Not exactly affordable based on the current offerings, but what's there to complain about for a Disney fan?

Via Akihabara News

The LG BH200 dual-format player is coming!

Apparently, the Samsung BD-UP5000 is not the only dual-format HD player heading our way. We just had an insider tip that LG is also pressing ahead with an early launch of its new second-generation BH200. While information is extremely sketchy at the moment, we were told the player should be available in Asia from January 2008 (read: Potential roaming target). This will put it on a head-on collision with the above-mentioned Samsung slated for release in December.

There is no official mention of its onboard video processor, but from the initial press release dated September 5, the LG player is fully HDi- and BD-J-compatible. You will get to enjoy full interactive experience with picture-in-picture, etc., on both the HD-DVD and Blu-ray platforms. A/V playback-wise, it does 1080p24 video, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD bitstream audio output via HDMI. These combinations make the BH200 a complete dual-format HD player which is capable of unlocking the full potential of the next-gen DVD media.

Sony plays Santa in France

How about a free 60GB PS3 for every purchase of a Sony Bravia? That's exactly what the Japanese electronics giant is offering in France from now till January 15, 2008. The actual mechanics of the promotion revolves around a bundled purchase including a TV and standalone Blu-ray player or PS3. Depending on the model of the panel, you will be entitled to a cash refund of the latter capped at 250 and 500 euros, respectively. The players up for grab range from an entry-level BDP-S300 to S500 and its flagship S1E.

Come on, how about to a similar promo here in Asia, too?

Via Akihabara News

HD-DVD player going for just US$99? OMG!

Before you get all excited about it and start heading down to your local electronics store, here's the deal. The sub-US$99 player is the Toshiba HD-A2 and the special offer is available only in the US (read: The US of A) from selected Wal-Mart and Best Buy retail outlets. And get this. Toshiba (US) will also bundle five free HD-DVD movie titles with any purchase of its HD-DVD players. Talk about a super-duper deal. And all this action is happening this Friday only.

If you have friends or relatives in the US, this is the time to activate them to start lining up outside Walmart and Best Buy. And, oh yeah, don't forget to buy that all-important step-down transformer (if you don't already have one) for the HD-DVD player. Else all you'll end up with is another toasted device to add to your junkyard collection.

Oh, by the way, Wal-Mart is also offering a Sanyo 50-inch plasma HDTV for US$998 and an Acer 1GB RAM laptop for just US$348.

Via CNET Crave

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