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Report questions Sony's next-gen TV claims
Mike Yamamoto | May 09, 2008
Sony appeared to be on the verge of starting the next revolution in TV technology last year when it introduced its first OLED television, most notable for its paper-thin screen. The display, which uses bright and low-power organic light-emitting diodes, appeared so promising that the prospects for LCD and plasma TVs were soon called into question.
A new study, however, may cast that future in a different light. A research firm called DisplaySearch tested Sony's XEL-1 TV and found that its brightness began to degrade significantly after 1,000 hours--translating to a loss of half its original quality in 17,000 hours, according to the Associated Press. That projection stands in marked contrast to Sony's claim that the display would last 30,000 hours or 10 years of typical use before reaching that degradation level, which is a standard industry measure.
The company reportedly stands by its claims, and DisplaySearch did acknowledge that longstanding longevity problems with OLED displays have been addressed in the latest versions of the technology. Still, the research follows other reports of production issues that have slowed Sony's development of the OLED TV as a mass-market phenom. And given the high cost of making them, which has produced retail prices of US$2,500 for an 11-inch screen, they probably won't be a standard living room fixture anytime soon.
Via Crave CNET
One cable TV, eight times the soccer mania!
Philip Wong | May 08, 2008
Psst! Singapore's StarHub is going to simulcast eight Barclays Premier League matches live this coming Sunday for its cable TV Sports Group subscribers. That’s eight times the soccer action and a convenient click away for minute updates on the latest teams' scores and ranking. These will be aired at 10pm, including Wigan Athletic versus Manchester United in HD on HD SHOWCASE channel. Repeat telecasts are available, too, in case you missed those magic seconds while busily toggling between channels.
That's not all. Non Sports Group customers will also have a complimentary go at the Chelsea vs. Bolton match on its Preview channel. If you're a diehard soccer fan and a cable customer, high time to stock up on beers and chips for the games this weekend. Before we sign off, do try to be a wee bit considerate to your poor neighbors. You know that deafening "GOAL" lion roar echoing throughout the estate?
Click here for more information on its program schedule.
B&O takes a different angle on TV sound
Mike Yamamoto | May 08, 2008
The BeoLab 10 is a center speaker designed to work with the BeoVision 4 HDTV. Mounted beneath the plasma, according to Audio Junkies, it uses its Acoustic Lens Technology to disperse sound 180 degrees with twin amplifiers.
And never leaving anything to chance, B&O is also planning to offer a range of grill covers to match any given decor. No pricing has been released yet but, given the company's reputation, the BeoLab 10 might require you to move into a smaller place to afford it.
Via Crave CNET
Logitech's mini keyboard for media PCs heading this way
Reuben Lee | May 07, 2008
It's taken a while for Logitech to bring its palm-sized diNovo Mini keyboard to Southeast Asia since first debuting at the Las Vegas-based CES tradeshow in January this year. But for many users here who have their PCs connected to their TVs, it may just be worth the wait.
Possibly one of the coolest-looking keyboards we've come across thus far, the diNovo Mini was designed to replace the clunky keyboard and mouse in a PC/TV living room setup. It's about the size of the Nintendo DS handheld gaming console, which makes it really easy to use (especially seated on the couch). Nor will it clutter your coffee table. Because it uses Bluetooth 2.0 for connectivity, the keyboard is wireless within a 30ft radius without the hassle of messy cables. An internal rechargeable Lithium-ion battery, which can last for about a month between charges, also takes away the inconvenience of frequent battery replacements.
Read more »
Go round with Sony's terabyte-sized NAS
Philip Wong | May 07, 2008
Which company produces uniquely round network-attached storage (NAS)? Sony, of course! If you're a fan of its similarly shaped VGX-TP2G Media Center PC, the 1TB VGF-HS1 and 1.5TB HS1S will right feel at home, too. Design and generous capacity aside, these networked storage boxes also come with an integrated multiformat memory reader and a USB port.
Since they're DLNA-compatible, both will readily stream with a PlayStation 3 and PCs running Windows Media Player 11 software. Format-wise, there are MP3, WAV, ATRAC, AAC, WMA, JPEG, BMP, PNG, AVCHD, MPEG-2 and HDV support. To value add, there is the VAIO Picture Lab software to enable photo playback through PCs
As with most Japan-centric releases, these will be mainly for the Japanese market priced at US$570 and US$760 for the 1TB and 1.5TB model, respectively.
Via Akihabara News | Photo credit: Sony
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