Sharp Shootin' Remote Control

Here's a TV remote control that brings new meaning to the term trigger-happy. Literally a point-and-shoot, the Sharp Shootin' Remote Control (US$20.20) is clearly gunning for the sofa sheriff with The Quick and the Dead aspirations, as the UK's Firebox.com appears to be bundling this with a sheriff's badge and a comedy bang sound each time you pull that trigger. Can't get any worse than the soccer ball remote since if it comes to a showdown twixt the two, this six-shooter at least lets you twirl in style and blast away, one-handed, especially if the programming sucks.. Compatible with most TVs, this ships to most parts of Asia. Yee-hah!

The media center as a work of art?

We've gushed about the storied Italian sense of style many times in this space, especially when it comes to innovative and elegant ways of incorporating flat TVs into interior decor. But this proves that even the best designers can have a bad day.

Although there are many ways to showcase a plasma or LCD screen as a framed work of art, this example from Milan-based Vismara Design isn't one of the better examples. In fact, when we first saw these framed media centers on Dvice, we thought it was some kind of joke, maybe something one might find in a novelty shop--in gold or silver, no less.

But if you've decorated your entire house with the faux gallery motif, you'll be pleased to know that a matching framed shelf to store CDs and DVDs is also available. Classy.

Via Crave CNET

Slimmer and eco-friendly LCD monitors

Taiwanese AU Optronics is planning a new generation of widescreen monitor-centric LCD panels. These have video-tuned 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution ideal for full-HD playback, as well as a thinner and power-saving design. For example, its 24-inch panel is just 14mm-thick compared to conventional 35mm offerings, while consuming up to 50-percent less power. The enhancements were brought about by reducing florescent backlighting units. This, fortunately, does not come at the expense of screen brightness and contrast performance.

According to its press release, these 16:9 aspect ratio panels were developed to meet growing demand in computer monitors and personal entertainment convergence. The full lineup will comprise various screen sizes from 15 to 32 inches. These are expected to debut from Q2 2008, with a 27-inch equivalent slated in Q4.

Via Fareast gizmos | Photo credit: AU Optronics

Sony business projector goes HDMI

Sony has announced four new E-series LCD business projectors for Asia Pacific. Among the lineup is the VPL-EW5, a handsome beamer which offers some interesting features. First and foremost, it has a unique 1,280 x 800-native resolution which is pixel-to-pixel perfect for modern widescreen laptops. In addition, provision for light home entertainment duties is also adequately supported via an onboard HDMI input, compatible up to 1080i HD format.

Business presentation credibility-wise, the EW5 is capable of putting out bright 2,500 ANSI lumens and requires a mere 3.1m short throw to cast a sizeable 100-inch projection. Equally adapted for work with the same level of brightness are the VPL-EX50, EX5 and ES5. The former two have a more conventional 1,024 x 768-pixel resolution, while the latter is an entry-level piece with a humble 800 x 600 equivalent. All models are expected to debut from April, though pricing details were not available at press time.

Denon's US$20K monster A/V pre-pro

This is for all you hardcore home theater buffs. If you folks are eyeing a no-holds-barred A/V pre-amplifier and power-amplifier duo, the US$20,000 Denon AVP/POA-A1HD may be exactly what you need. The THX Ultra2-certified Denon AVP-A1HD will happily decode just about every surround sound format, including the latest studio-grade Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. It also packs a lethal punch in video-processing via an onboard HQV Realta chip, endowed with six full-featured HDMI 1.3 terminals, wireless music streaming and Internet radio.

The towering POA-A1HD power-amplifier, on the other hand, delivers a massive 3,000W output distributed among 10 audio channels. The similarly THX-certified deck is capable of supporting up to 20 independent loudspeakers and can be easily reconfigured for bi-amplification, too. If you own a power-hungry Maggie--slang for high-performance Magneplanar loudspeakers--you could downgrade (bridging) this whopper from 10 to 5 channels to gain a 500W/channel instant boost. That’s besides three assignable retro-like meters that dance to the rhythm from live audio feeds.

Click for larger images:



Via Crave UK

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