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LG's OLED TVs get modest discounts for Black Friday
LG is offering discounts on a number of its TVs for Black Friday, and these reduced prices are available now through December 1st. For its OLED C8 with AI ThinQ line of TVs, LG is discounting the 55-inch and 65-inch models by $800, bringing them to $1,700 and $2,700, respectively. And while the 77-inch version, at $7,000, is currently priced $2,000 below what LG suggests, you've been able to purchase it at that price point for the past few months.
Google Play will upgrade your HD movies to 4K for free
If you purchased a movie in SD or HD from Google Play in the past, make sure to fire up the Movies & TV app as soon as you can. Google will tell you if your previous purchases are now available in 4K, and if they are, you can get the upgrade at no additional cost. As long as you have the latest version of the app, you'll be able to stream the titles in 4K quality.
TCL's 6-Series Roku TVs sport a metal design, 4K and Dolby Vision HDR
Building off of the success of its budget-friendly P-Series TVs, TCL is teaming up with Roku again on new 4K HDR sets for 2018. First up, the company has introduced its 6-Series premium line, which feature a slim, metal design, Dolby Vision and will be available in 55- and 65-inch models. The 6-Series models also come with a new Roku TV voice remote, 802.11ac WiFI, Ethernet and three HDMI 2.0a ports. TCL says that its latest TVs are designed to be a powerhouse in image quality, with things like a Contrast Control Zone Technology and an HDR Pro Gamma that's meant to reproduce the smallest of details in the darkest and brightest scenes.
Hisense's $10,000 'Laser TV' is a true home cinema in box
Hisense announced a new theater system today -- the 100-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart Laser TV -- which is essentially a projector with speakers. The company says it uses movie theater technology to provide crisp, bright images that don't depend on the lighting in the room and Harman Kardon speakers to provide "room-filling sound with virtually no distortion."
Samsung's 43-inch Frame TV is like a fancy art piece for your wall
When Samsung announced The Frame TV earlier this year, it quickly became a product of interest for people with minimalist taste. That's because it's essentially designed to double as an art piece, and its aesthetics can easily blend in with any paintings you may have on your wall. It launched in June in both 55- and 65-inch size, but at IFA 2017, Samsung unveiled a new 43-inch model. This may be a good option for those of you who maybe liked the looks of the TV but would prefer it in a smaller size.
Samsung has a 43-inch version of its Frame TV for smaller spaces
Samsung has announced that its art-inspired Frame TV, which launched this past June, will soon come in a 43-inch version. The new model could be a good alternative for people who may not be able to fit one of the existing 55- or 65-inch Frame TVs on their wall, or for those who simply think the others are too large for their taste. As part of today's reveal, Samsung also said that it has partnered with Spain's Museo del Prado, aka the Prado museum, on an experience that will let Frame TV owners display about 1,000 of its pieces. There's no word on pricing or availability yet, but you can expect the 43-inch version to cost around $1,500 since the 55 and 65 are $2,000 and $2,800, respectively.
Apple might announce a 4K TV box at next month’s iPhone event
Apple is unveiling another new product with its latest iPhones and Apple Watches in September, according to Bloomberg. Cupertino is reportedly announcing its 4K- and HDR-capable Apple TV, as well. If you'll recall, the publication reported earlier this year that the tech titan has updated its TV streaming box with the capability to stream in 4K resolution and to play more color-rich HDR videos. Since the upgraded box is expected to stream bigger files with a higher resolution, it will come with a faster processor. Obviously, you'll need to pair it with a TV that's also capable of playing 4K HDR content to bring out its full potential.
Samsung's Smart TVs stream your Steam games with no extra hardware
You can now play PC games on your 4K Samsung Smart TV without having to buy a Steam Link device. Instead, just install the Steam Link app from the Samsung App Store and you're good to go.
Samsung's The Frame TV blends in with the art on your wall
In 2015, Samsung took a minimalist approach with its Serif TV, a 4K television designed to blend in with your furniture at home or office. That product is part of the company's efforts to make TVs look and feel less obtrusive, all without losing their main functionality: letting you watch your favorite movies or TV shows. As of March, this now includes the "Frame TV," which was created with the idea to double as an art piece. The concept is made up of and LCD, UHD panel, Tizen OS smart TV features and a wall-mounting system that, Samsung says, doesn't require you to hire anyone to set it up.
Samsung's QLED 4K TVs will start at $2,500
If you've been waiting to buy one of Samsung's QLED 4K TVs, which were unveiled at CES 2017, today is your lucky day. The company is now taking pre-orders for its Q7 and Q8 sets, starting at $2,500 for a 55-inch, non-curved model. In case that's not big enough, you could shell out $6,000 for a 75-inch Q7 or $4,500 for the curved Q8. What's missing from this list is the flagship Q9 panels, which Samsung still hasn't revealed pricing for. As a refresher, the QLED lineup is intended to rival high-end TVs from LG and Sony, with the promise of Quantom Dots delivering a picture quality on par with OLED technology. Samsung says the Q7 and Q8 are expected to ship "late" February.
The first 4K Roku TVs hit Best Buy for $400 and up
Roku TVs afford you all the same features and apps the dinky set-top boxes do without cluttering up your entertainment center. Last year, Roku caught up with the times by launching the Ultra HD-ready Roku 4, also setting the stage for its TV partners to build 4K sets with the platform baked-in. Chinese manufacturer TCL was expected to be the first to market, but it's been beaten to the punch by Best Buy today with the launch of the first 4K Roku TVs under the retailer's Insignia brand.
LG's 2016 4K OLED TVs promise 'superior' HDR experience
LG's TV lineup for 2016 includes eight new 4K OLED TVs in addition to the new LCDs -- including an 8K model -- that it announced earlier. They come in various shapes -- some of them are flat, while others are curved -- sizes, designs and components. The 77- and 65-inch G6 series and the 65- and 55-inch E6 series flagship models, for instance, are extremely thin with a depth of a tenth of an inch behind the screen, translucent glass backs, barely-there bezels and forward-facing soundbar speakers.
Video license deal protects the future of 4K
The future of 4K video has been in doubt as of late. You see, the HEVC Advance group that's licensing the H.265/HEVC video format (crucial to stuffing 4K into modern data pipes) wanted steep royalties seemingly everywhere, with no cap -- even free services faced a small outlay. It was so pricey that tech giants started work on their own royalty-free format to avoid being on the hook. At last, though, HEVC Advance has seen the light: it's offering a revamped licensing scheme. While it could still be costly for some, it's inexpensive enough that it might safeguard the future of 4K content.
Vizio's 120-inch Reference Series 4K TV with HDR costs $130,000
Although Vizio is known for making affordable 4K TVs, the manufacturer's also busy exploring other areas. Revealed back in April, its Reference Series television sets are designed for home entertainment buffs, featuring Dolby's Vision high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging technology -- which promises astonishing colors, contrast and brightness. Vizio's making its Reference Series available in two sizes, 65- and 120-inch, and they are both LED-backlit, Smart UHD TVs with Dolby and DTS sound options to boot. If you're interested, be prepare to break the bank: The 65-inch model costs $6,000, while the bigger 120-inch is priced at a whopping $130,000. You can order either one now from Vizio's site.
4K is boring and other musings on the failures of innovation
The cardinal rule of technology is simple: It must never, ever, under any circumstances, be boring. The engine that motivates consumers to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on a device that's not essential to furthering our lives is all down to the excitement it gives us. That's why IFA 2015, Europe's buttoned-down equivalent to Las Vegas' Consumer Electronics Show, has proved to be a disappointment. The event has been marked by risk-averse and conservative product showcases -- a sentiment that may sound whiny and entitled coming from a member of the tech press, but it's not meant to be. If companies can't create compelling, must-have products, then they simply won't survive. The existential threat these tech companies face is two-fold: consumer apathy and content with the status quo. For most consumers, innovation takes a back seat to products that are merely "good enough."
What it's like to use Samsung's Tizen-based 4K TV (in a non-4K world)
It's not easy getting a massive 65-inch TV inside a Brooklyn apartment. But, oh, is it worth the trouble. In this case, I'm talking about the Samsung JU6500, a 4K (3,840 x 2,160) smart TV powered by the company's newly minted, homegrown Tizen OS. Unless you were dead-set on Android TV, the set comes with most everything you would want in 2015: support for Ultra High-Definition media, access to entertainment apps and an actually reasonable price point. Although it's listed at $2,800, you can get one for around $2,100 from retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, Adorama and Samsung's own site. Unfortunately for the company, its JU6500 seems expensive compared to Vizio's cheap 4K series -- which makes the buying decision harder for people who want a UHD TV.
Sony's super-thin 4K TV arrives this summer
A year after Sony's 4K TV launch, the company is detailing the US launch of a revamped collection with HDR-compatible sets. You can now pre-order six models in Sony's new Ultra HD lineup, with deliveries arriving in May. The line starts off with a 43-inch TV that costs $1,300, and goes up to a 75-inch behemoth at $8,000. Sony isn't talking about pricing for the X900C, reportedly the thinnest LED TV in the world, but it's poised to arrive this summer. It could be worth the wait -- at 5.08mm, it's thinner than your smartphone (unless you're using Oppo's 4.8mm R5). It also has a "Vanishing Edge" technology that makes the picture fill the entire screen.
A look at Vizio's affordable M-Series 4K TVs
Earlier today, Vizio introduced its latest 4K TVs, the M-Series. In similar fashion to the P-Series from last year, which started at $1,000, this year's models also come with an affordable price tag. But the M-Series ranges from $600 for a 43-inch model to $4,000 for the largest of the bunch, an 80-incher. Vizio says that with the M-Series, it was all about making refinements and not compromising in order to bring the price down even further. As such, most of the tech found on the P-Series has made its way into the new M-Series, like the LED panel and low-latency HDMI port (a feature loved by gamers, according to the company), among other things. Better yet, these UHD TV sets look great in person; they're relatively thin, sport a solid industrial design and, most importantly, have a picture quality that's not far behind its more expensive competitors. If you like what you see, some online retailers in the US are selling them as we speak.
Which 4K TVs are worth buying?
Both Netflix and Amazon stream in 4K. Cameras like the Sony a7S and the Panasonic Lumix GH4 can shoot in 4K. Even smartphones have been getting in on the act, with handsets like the LG G Pro 2 and Sony Xperia Z2 capable of recording 4K video. So with the amount of 4K content available increasing every day, you may have been thinking about buying a 4K set so you too can bask in the glow of 3,840 x 2,160 resolution. But 4K sets don't come cheap, and you're going to want to do a bit of research before dropping that much cash. While we don't really review televisions here at Engadget, we've done the next best thing, compiling the opinions of trusted critics from across the web. Which set offers you the most bang for your buck? Do bells and whistles like a curved screen make a difference? Check out a few members of the 4K Class of 2014 below.
Samsung's curved, 105-inch 4K TV can be yours for just $120,000
There were so many TVs on display back at CES, that you'd be forgiven if they all blended together. So allow us to give you a recap: The Samsung UN105S9W was, in the company's own words, the "world's first, largest and most curved 105-inch curved UHD TV." Well then! Sounds like an expensive piece of kit, huh? You have no idea. Sammy just put its flagship TV up for pre-order and it's kind of a doozy. The whole thing costs $120,000 -- also known as a mortgage. For the money, you get 5,120 x 2,160 resolution on an unusually large screen, with an unusually wide aspect ratio of 21:9. Additionally, you'll receive a visit from one of Samsung's "Field Engineers" to walk you through all the features, if that's any consolation. It's also a Smart TV, with all the usual built-in apps, and the ability to separate the screen into four quadrants for watching live TV and surfing the web at once. Honestly, though, we'd be offended if a TV this expensive didn't do that. You can pre-order now if you like, but let's be real: Most of you are probably saving $120,000 for your future child's college tuition.