Philips handing over North American TV operations to Funai

We've had a feeling Philips wasn't really in love with the TV market lately, and now word comes from the New York Times that it will no longer manufacture displays for North America. The name -- and apparently the high concept Ambilight designs -- will still be on shelves, courtesy of a five year deal branding Funai-built televisions (already the name behind Emerson, Sylania, Symphonic and others.) Seeking -- like every other manufacturer lately -- to reduce risk and focus on its patents Philips will still design and manufacture TVs outside N.A., as well as oversee U.S. marketing, while Funai takes over all other operations Stateside beginning September 1.

Update: Philips let us know Ambilight remains dead and buried, but its 2008 models will continue as planned.

[phanbouy @ Apr 8th 2008 2:17PM]

i'm so excited
and i just can't hide it
i'm about to lose control
and i think i like it

[Mark @ Apr 8th 2008 2:29PM]

FUNAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shane @ Apr 8th 2008 2:39PM]

That's really not funai....

[Isindil @ Apr 8th 2008 4:10PM]

FUNAIIIIIII!

(Those who doesn't get it, watch this show: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiji_(manga))

[Isindil @ Apr 8th 2008 4:14PM]

Make sure one of those last parentheses are on the end of the link.

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 8th 2008 2:18PM]

What?

I was really looking forward to their 3D TV! Please tell me this is still coming!

Heres a Vid of it in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3tEdVaGkFA

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 8th 2008 2:22PM]

Heres a better video but by HoloVizio

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 8th 2008 2:23PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOKS8_QFooM&feature=related

[phanbouy @ Apr 8th 2008 2:23PM]

that EU lightbulb is phallic.

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 8th 2008 2:27PM]

Wouldn't that make you queer for connecting those two objects in your head?

[Anonymoose @ Apr 8th 2008 2:29PM]

i saw the eu lightbulb and immediately thought of how much more shocking the shocker would be

[phanbouy @ Apr 8th 2008 2:30PM]

not that there'd be anything wrong with that.

anyway, paging Veronic Bellmont!

[phanbouy @ Apr 8th 2008 2:35PM]

great, now i have "Shock the monkey tonight" by peter gabriel stuck in my head

[Anonymoose @ Apr 8th 2008 2:22PM]

LYKE ZOMG, that PicKtUrEE IZZ sooOOOoo PhoOTOTOOSHoooped!!! LookzIe aT thE pOoR ShAdinG and INconSistenT GRadieNTZZZ, THIZZ IZ SHAMZZZZ

[Rick @ Apr 8th 2008 2:24PM]

This is what happenes when their headquarters are in Amsterdam and they have to keep their fingers in the dykes all day.

[phanbouy @ Apr 8th 2008 2:27PM]

huh? sounds like you've been to one too many dutch "coffee shops" my man

[doctheproducer @ Apr 8th 2008 2:34PM]

That's not Funai...

[Anonymoose @ Apr 8th 2008 2:34PM]

keeping one's finger in an amsterdam's female's vaginal cavity for prolonged periods of time would certainly result in discoloration of the finger, but from fumes alone as, like they say, putting a finger in there would be akin to throwing a rock into the grand canyon

*nods sagely*

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 8th 2008 2:36PM]

"That would be like throwing a hotdog down a hallway."

[Anonymoose @ Apr 8th 2008 2:39PM]

yeah, the hotdog thing is as old to me as engadget commenters blending doom, though.

[phanbouy @ Apr 8th 2008 2:48PM]

i think this thread spells Doom for the Unreally low existing female participation. it'll have an even shorter Half-life. i Quake at the lack of Halo on posters here!

[Anonymoose @ Apr 8th 2008 2:55PM]

word. and the females will be even more scared to Wolfenstein 3D their Call of Duty to Diablo the World of Warcraft on Starcraft booger face.

i think yours might have worked a tad better than mine.

[phanbouy @ Apr 8th 2008 3:04PM]

yep. speaking of hot dogs, i think we're guaranteeing a permanent sausage-fest here

[Anonymoose @ Apr 8th 2008 3:06PM]

i can pretend to be a girl, if'n you want.

so, lyke dudez, lyke yeah and totally.

[phanbouy @ Apr 8th 2008 3:13PM]

on that note, i'm really disappointed when i see a hot girl walk by and then she starts speaking. 9 out of 10 times it's all about the "like" and "totally". i mean, cmon, even in san francisco and non just pre-teens and valley girls?

oh yeah and um monitors are great and stuff. gotta stay topical

[Anonymoose @ Apr 8th 2008 3:24PM]

word. and what's up with the prettiest girls in san fransisco having adam's apples?

and yeah, funai is going to tank in two years because that is when windows 7 and lte are rolling out and the correlation here is just too strong to avoid.

[DWells55 @ Apr 8th 2008 10:50PM]

@ Anonymoose and phanbouy:
http://www.pidgin.im/

Enjoy.

[Pingmeister @ Apr 8th 2008 3:00PM]

I wonder how this effects support... Am 6mos into a 3-year support on my Phillips.

[Anonymoose @ Apr 8th 2008 3:02PM]

i think you should be more concerned about support from merriam-webster

[phanbouy @ Apr 8th 2008 3:16PM]

in the words of a commenter smarter than me, "It is good to grammar. I often."

[Anonymoose @ Apr 8th 2008 3:17PM]

i really don't recall saying that.

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 8th 2008 5:15PM]

I believe he was quoting me.

[PS3guy @ Apr 8th 2008 3:52PM]

WTF is Funai?

[7on @ Apr 8th 2008 5:03PM]

Extreme Super FUN Video Happy Electronics for Video Banzai!!!

[Richard @ Apr 8th 2008 3:55PM]

So, will this affect the quality of the tv's? I have a 47'' Philips with Ambilight that I purchased recently (well, exchanged for. Gotta love Best Buy replacement plans!) and I love it! I'd hate to see the brand suffer.

[Eric G @ Apr 8th 2008 4:17PM]

So basically this is the same kind of "To serve you better we're going to reduce service and increase price while guaranteeing nothing" letters that I'm used to getting from ISPs and cellular providers.

Uhh... Great.

[Squee @ Apr 8th 2008 4:29PM]

That TV really sucks !!! It's not even 3D, plain old 2D. Those of you who saw that lightbulb slap you in the face...got get your eyes checked out by a vet.

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 8th 2008 5:18PM]

Uh... Squee..

Other than the horrible "you are animals" joke and the fact you can't figure out the reply system, to achieve the 3D effect you need you view it with 2 eyes. The camera is only 1 lense, and I'd bet a million you're watching the video on a regular '2D' monitor.

The video was an example of an experimental technology; it wasn't meant to slap you, but by all means, I wish it did.

[James @ Apr 8th 2008 5:38PM]

So.... I've been a fan of Philips, and I have a 50" with Ambilight that I love, however I was going to replace it with the new 2008 model when they hit stores. What is Funai? Will it still have the Philips logo? I'm so confused. LOL!

[tekdroid @ Apr 8th 2008 5:41PM]

Ambilight dead and buried? To be honest, I am surprised it ever made it out to market, but it's to be expected from a company that IMO, has always had decent R&D but is very poor in execution and marketing...and whose natural strength is lighting.

So long Ambilight. I ridiculed you enough, I guess I can shut up now.

[Viakenny @ Apr 8th 2008 7:42PM]

actually, there will still be Ambilight and AUREA, but not in the US.

[Gordy @ Apr 8th 2008 7:44PM]

This sucks. Luckily, my aging HDTV is the only Philips product i own now. Guess I'll see what Pioneer has to offer...never heard of Funai.

[Notos @ Apr 8th 2008 7:45PM]

Now Wal-Mart can add even more crappy tv's to their lineup.

Funai The World!

[tekdemon @ Apr 8th 2008 7:56PM]

Eh, considering that Philips sets had some of the worst reliability out there, the reliability might actually improve.

If you don't believe me just go google for Philips television repairs, or go look at how many refurbs they have to dump for super cheap.

[Wildness @ Apr 9th 2008 2:34AM]

Wow... so the name Philips in TV electronics has now become synonymous with dogs***???

[Evan @ Apr 9th 2008 7:56AM]

Where does this leave LG? Will LG LCD HDTVs continue to be made by Philips, or will they too be re-badged Funai?

[Slick @ Apr 9th 2008 4:49PM]

What happens when my Philips' 32PFL5332D/37 (The 32 model) power supply craps out again and I have to demand a new TV from Philips - do I get a Funai quality TV instead? F that

[Aart @ Apr 10th 2008 12:51PM]

Funny to see that most of you american's don't even know what a wonderfull products Philips is making! Their TV's are and have alway's been one of the best. Now they will be made by Funai (for your country without any consumer electronics brand) but I'm sure the quality will remain the same because that's a part of the deal. (read newspapers) Anyway, keep buying japanese and korean crapp. We Eurotrash will stay with real quality and enjoy ambilight without you. You don't even realized how cool it actualy is!