The ruby TV--because diamonds are so passe

Just for the record, iPhones and iPods aren't the only objects of jewelers' affections. In fact, some aren't even portable at all.

There's almost no better example of this than this HDTV embedded with 155 rubies, which comes with screens in sizes from 32 to 40 inches and goes for around US$85,000. (We say "almost" because, as BornRich notes, the Yalos Diamond bests it with 160 diamonds and white gold trim for US$130,000.)

And if you don't mind mixing and matching your precious minerals, we have the perfect place to display your ruby TV: the "diamond dust" stand, for just another US$142,000.

Via Crave CNET

Upgraded LinkTheater streams HD recordings

Japanese company Buffalo has just released a firmware upgrade for its current series of LinkTheater multimedia streamers. The latest update enables the wired LT-H90LAN and wireless LT-H90WN to stream MPEG-4-AVC recordings from Sony's BDZ-X90 and BDZ-L70 Blu-ray recorders. That is in addition to it current suite of HD video format supports which range from AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition) to Windows Media Video.

It's just a shame that these streamers are strictly for the Japanese market. Likewise for the Sony recorders. Tough luck, folks.

Click for larger images:



Via Akihabara News | Photo credit: Buffalo

B&W high-tech wireless HTIB

Wireless HTIBs are nothing too fancy by today's standard, but Bower & Wilkins' CES-announced Liberty system is offering a couple of new tricks under it belt. For starters, it has a new Dynamic Channel Selection technology which toggles audio transmission frequency on-the-fly. This has the advantage of tapping onto a wireless frequency least utilized to minimize interference and sound delay.

Futhermore, its stylish brushed-aluminum digital radio/disc player module is also capable of streaming up to eight audio channels with multi-zone support. This adds the flexibility to set up an independent 5.1 home theater and two-channel stereo. Lastly, you have a choice of either compact bookshelf or floorstanding loudspeakers in addition to a matching center equivalent and a subwoofer.

The B&W Liberty is expected to launch in the fall of 2008.

Via CNET.com | Photo credit: Bower & Wilkins

Zeiss does video glasses with the Cinemizer

There are so many makes and models of video glasses on the market that we lost count of them long ago. But one that was launched at Macworld this week may be worth mentioning, for the famous name associated with it if nothing else.

Expert photographers may debate the quality vs. hype of Carl Zeiss lenses, but the companies that use them in their products clearly think the brand packs plenty of marketing muscle--just ask Sony, which touts them every chance it gets for its cameras.

So it makes sense that the German company would want to cash in on that reputation directly with its Cinemizer.

The video glasses, which come with a wired remote, plays video from iPods and other media devices while projecting the virtual equivalent of a 45-inch screen from 78 inches away. But the best feature, as far as we're concerned, is that you can wear them over a pair of eyeglasses--turning us four-eyed individuals into six-eyed viewers.

If they would just add a built-in media player, we'd be first in line.

Via Crave CNET

Firmware fixes on deck for Samsung Blu-ray players

Blu-ray may be coasting to a format war victory over archrival HD-DVD, but it's still got some mopping up to do in the meantime--namely, improving player compatibility with some of the more popular movies already available. Samsung has begun rolling out firmware upgrades for all of its players to address issues that have plagued some users when watching Blu-ray versions of such favorites as Ratatouille, Spider-Man 3, Live Free or Die Hard, Blade Runner, and Pirates of the Caribbean 3.

According to Samsung, the updates will be available as follows:


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