Samsung 2013 LCDs and plasmas revealed: quad core CPU, new menus and more
As a leading manufacturer of HDTVs, Samsung has predictably returned to CES with a heaping armful of new displays of both the plasma and LCD variety. There are many common factors across the higher end models, including new A15 quad-core 1.35GHz CPUs that claim a 3.6x speed boost over last year's dual cores. That extra horsepower isn't being wasted either, as this year's sets are the first to decode HEVC video, and also feature improved voice control with natural voice commands, better recognition of gestures with support for two-handed gestures, pinch to zoom and more.
All are due during the first half of 2013 and include Samsung's AllShare DLNA client, as well as the S-Recommendation lists to help you find things to watch. The F8500 series plasma features brighter whites and blacker blacks as well as other picture quality enhancements compared to years past and is available in three sizes; 51, 60 and 64 inches. The flagship F7500 LED 3D TV is available in 46, 55 and 60-inches, while its bigger brother, the F8000 series, does what it can do and adds a built-in camera and mic; and is available in five sizes ranging up to 75-inches.
Like the higher end 2012 Samsung HDTVs, the new models also feature a Smart Evolution slot for future expansion. Owners of last year's sets will be able to pick up a Smart Evolution Kit and add the new features of this years models without replacing their TV.
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Samsung Transforms the Home Entertainment Experience with Intelligent Navigation and Discovery
2013 TVs offer the ultimate lean back experience with new Smart Hub,
S-Recommendation with Voice Interaction, and enhanced content connectivity; supported by superior picture quality in larger screens and design for a premium viewing experience
LAS VEGAS – January 7, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today created the ultimate lean back experience with first-of-its kind Smart features, larger screen sizes with breakthrough picture quality and elegant designs that push the boundaries of technology across its 2013 TV product categories. Regardless of consumers' viewing preferences for LED, OLED or the innovative Ultra High Definition (UHD), Samsung's 2013 Smart TVs allow consumers to enjoy a seamless, integrated and immersive entertainment experience. With increasing consumer demand for larger screen sizes, Samsung will also expand the number of models available in 60 inches and above, in addition to the world's largest commercial UHD TV at 110 inches.
Highlights of the 2013 features include:
· Samsung Smart Hub: Five intuitive panels help consumers manage and navigate different types of content, which are displayed as thumbnail images for the first time so it's even easier to select and watch the content on the big screen. With a light hand gesture (flipping), you can discover five totally different experiences in Smart Hub, as if you have five new TV sets.
· S-recommendation: Quickly and easily search for TV programs, premium video-on-demand, apps, social content and locally-stored content on personal devices. The special recommendation engine also offers customized content recommendations for the most personal TV experience ever.
· Advanced Smart Interaction: Use everyday language and casual gestures to find content or command and control the TV.
· Content and device convergence with multi-screen features: Samsung's Smart View allows consumers to move their content seamlessly between devices in real-time; AllShare connects the TV to compatible mobile devices and home appliances wirelessly and creates a smart center for media and whole-home automation. Users also gain the ability to mirror their TV content on compatible Samsung GALAXY tablets and phones.
· Evolution Kit: Owners of flagship Samsung 2012 TVs will be able to update their TVs with the latest Smart TV features simply by slotting in this Evolution Kit without having to buy a new TV.
"As the plethora of apps and content grow, consumers are faced with the overwhelming challenge of discovering quality content that appeals to their interests. They are looking for ways to experience converged content, and they want to do it easily," said Kim Hyun-Suk, Executive Vice President and Head of Visual Display business at Samsung Electronics. "We have simplified the process with TVs that offer more intuitive features, endless connectivity and content options, and larger screen sizes with true-to-life picture quality. Consumers can now enjoy the ultimate lean back experience, which is richer and easier than ever before."
In recognition of its leadership in innovation, design and engineering, Samsung won four CES 2013 Innovation Awards for its TV line. The Samsung S9 UHD TV received a CES Best of Innovation award, while three Smart TVs - the F9500 OLED TV, F8000 LED TV and F7500 LED TV – were named as 2013 CES Design and Engineering honorees.
Ultimate lean back experience with personalized viewing content
Samsung Smart Hub has been redesigned to simplify the process of discovery for consumers. Apps and content are arranged into five dynamic panels with an easy-to-navigate interface and dynamic thumbnails for instant previews. These panels are:
· On TV – shows the channel that is currently playing as well as the most relevant, personalized suggestions that may be airing shortly based on consumer viewing habits
· Movies & TV Shows – an easy view of movies and TV services and over-the-top content that are available from various content providers. Content is recommended based on the consumer's viewing habits
· Photos, Videos & Music – allows consumers to organize personal content and files on Samsung Smart TVs and other linked devices
· Social – highlights user-created content from friends and family, popular videos from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and video call services
· Apps – organizes downloaded Samsung Apps and recommendations for easy access
Samsung's new S-Recommendation technology also enables the discovery of personalized content based on previous viewings and user ratings. Available on Samsung 2013 Smart TVs, Smart home theater and Smart Blu-ray players, S-Recommendation checks preferred content across various services, including broadcast TV, streaming video-on-demand content, applications, social content and locally-stored content from personal devices to ensure there is always something to watch.
In 2012, Samsung launched the industry's first TVs with voice and motion controls. This year, Samsung is giving consumers a more instinctive and intuitive way to navigate and control the Smart TVs.
Samsung's advanced Smart Interaction utilizes powerful algorithms to ensure even more enhanced voice and motion controls. With advanced Voice Interaction™, consumers can use everyday language to command the TV. Viewers can also ask their TV to search for content currently available by actor, title or genre, and it will provide recommendations.
Motion Control now recognizes more natural movements, with two-handed gestures and better viewing environment flexibility. Viewers can pinch to zoom, or use a flip motion to easily navigate between Smart Hub panels.
Setting up a home entertainment network between compatible devices is easy with Samsung's AllShare. Once consumers have connected their Samsung Smart TVs to other devices in the same wireless network using built-in wireless connectivity features, they can easily send and receive images and audio between devices.
UHD TV – The Highest Resolution on the Largest Screen
Samsung's S9 UHD TV represents the largest screen in home entertainment viewing with brilliant picture quality in ultra-HD resolution. The S9 comes complete with features to ensure the best picture quality possible regardless of video source. Samsung's proprietary up-scaling engine can up-convert HD or Full-HD to UHD-level picture quality by restoring detail information to create greater precision and real-life picture quality.
With Samsung's Precision Black Pro technology, the S9 delivers deep, real blacks as well as pure vivacious whites. It combines an extremely high contrast ratio and Ultimate Dimming control functionality – which utilizes hundreds blocks of LEDs and precise BLU control – to deliver sharp resolutions previously unseen on large format displays.
In addition to picture quality, the S9 combines a powerful sound system with a fast quad-core processor to ensure a premium experience and true multitasking capabilities between content and apps. The S9 comes with 3-way 2.2 channels of 120 watt sound for an audio experience six times better than a typical TV. This system provides a dynamic range of sounds in a commanding and outstanding experience to complement the UHD picture.
The Timeless Gallery design of the S9 raises the standards of luxury television design. The TV appears to be floating within its frame and showcases the juxtaposition of a minimalist concept with such a large display.
OLED TV – Multiple Viewing and Picture Quality
Samsung's OLED TV – the F9500 – provides self-emitting red, green and blue sub-pixels, eliminating the need for backlighting so that images are produced with absolute blacks and pure whites. The F9500 is the world's first television to offer Samsung's Multi-View feature, a unique feature that allows the TV to become a truly personal experience. Multi-View allows two people the ability to watch completely different Full-HD content simultaneously on the same screen with corresponding audio and controls. This feature is enabled by Samsung's special 3D glasses, which come with personal speakers built in, providing clear stereo sound for the corresponding program. With a significantly high contrast ratio that provides unparalleled detail in shadows, shapes and subtle colors even in the darkest of scenes, the F9500 delivers the most immersive experience without any motion blur.
LED TV – The Brightest Picture Available
Samsung continues its leadership in the LED Smart TV market by integrating new hardware with spectacularly designed televisions to provide the finest viewing experience available. The F8000 offers more vibrant and richer colors, higher contrasts and a brighter picture quality than ever before. With Samsung's proprietary Micro Dimming Ultimate technology, the TV line brings greater contrast, deeper black levels and maximum brightness of 3D images, allowing for an amazing image. The F8000 is the world's first Smart LED TV with a quad-core processor, so consumers can toggle between apps, online services and on-air TV quickly and easily without missing a moment of their favorite entertainment. The F8000 will be available this year in 46", 55", 60", 65" and 75" class screen sizes.
For a TV that offers a dramatic design revolution, the Samsung F7500 is a beautiful piece of art that effortlessly complements any living room set up. Its slim bezel with rose gold accents creates sophisticated lines that flow elegantly into the base, forming a stunning ripple effect along the bottom of the TV. Samsung's Micro Dimming Pro technology delivers sharper contrast, deeper blacks and crystal clear detail enhancements. The F7500 includes the same quad-core processor offered in the F8000, enabling Smart Interaction and other advanced features. It is available in 46", 55", and 60" class screen sizes.
Plasma TV – New industry standard for picture quality
Designed to become the new industry standard for plasma TV excellence, the Samsung F8500 offers the ultimate in picture quality with the deepest blacks and the brightest picture available. In fact, the F8500 delivers the same brightness levels and eight times the black expression of regular LED TVs, thanks to new luminance enhancements and Samsung's proprietary Deep Black Algorithm and Real Black Pro II for improved black expression. The F8500 is also one of the first televisions with native support for HEVC-encoded content. Built specifically for current and future HD televisions, this next-generation codec ensures that the F8500
delivers the richest, most immersive content today, and also for the future.
The F8500's unique design is the perfect blend of both aesthetic aspects and functional aspects. Its premium design is created using a single piece of metal. The futuristic design is highlighted by the TV's dark titan metal color, an ultra-slim frame, naturally curved lines and a unique square-shaped stand, making it appear more like a work of art than a TV. It will be available in 51", 60" and 64" class screen sizes.
Samsung Evolution Kit – Delivering Smart TV feature updates
Each flagship Samsung Smart TV comes with a Smart Evolution slot at the back of the TV that allows consumers to easily update the hardware and software on their TVs so that they can stay up-to-date with the latest innovations. By adding the Evolution Kit to their 2012 Smart TVs, consumers can enjoy a redesigned Smart Hub, enhanced Voice Interaction and Motion Control, as well as a quad-core chipset for increased processing power. Flagship 2013 Smart TVs will also be equipped with slots for future Smart Evolution kits.
Please visit our booth to experience this future technology firsthand. Samsung's product line will be displayed from January 8-11 at booth #12004 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Full details, video content and product images are available at the Samsung microsite at www.samsungces.com or mobile site at m.samsungces.com as well.
The Samsung press conference and Samsung Tomorrow TV CES 2013 Specials will be streamed live on the Samsung Tomorrow blog at global.samsungtomorrow.com and the Samsung microsite site.
After the live presentations, videos will be available at http://youtube.com/SamsungTomorrow
