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Vizio's 2022 TV lineup includes a 40-inch TV with VRR for less than $250
Vizio's new TV lineup brings high-end gaming features to cheap 1080p TVs.
Vizio's latest 4K TVs are dirt cheap
Vizio continues to push TV prices down to the point where it would be crazy not to go 4K on your next TV. With its latest D-Series, a 65-inch 4K (Ultra HD) model costs $900, while the 55-inch Ultra HD model is just $570. To be sure, these are not fancy HDR-equipped OLED or quantum dot models, but they do have full-array LED backlighting, built-in WiFi and Vizio's own smart TV system with built-in apps like Netflix.
Vizio's cheapest 4K TVs are on sale starting at just $600
Worried that Vizio's $130,000 120-inch Reference Series TV is a bit out of your price range? For the budget-constrained buyers among us, Vizio has recently launched a new series of 4K TVs that are cheaper than any it's ever offered before: the D-Series. The smallest one is a 50-inch television (D50u-D1) that slices an extra $30 from its M-Series counterpart to sell for under $600. The largest 4K version is a 65-incher (D65u-D2) that costs just $1,300, $100 less than the step-up M model. Of course, to meet those price requirements something had to give, and I think those compromises mean the M-Series is still a better option.
Is Samsung applying Analog Sunset 480p only rules to its new HDTVs? No.
Over the weekend news popped up at CEPro that industry forums were buzzing about Samsung's new D series LED HDTVs only supporting a maximum 480p resolution through their analog (component) inputs. The author apparently confirmed this with a customer service rep which raised the possibility that Samsung had needlessly extended Analog Sunset rules from its 2011 Blu-ray players (which are limited to 480p out over analog per the new rules) to TVs. In response, Bill Whitaker of Neothings went over to his local Magnolia and confirmed with hands-on testing 1080p via analog worked on the new sets. Just to make sure this applies to all TVs in all situations we checked with Samsung directly and received this official response: Samsung has made no change to its support for HD input via component connection. Our 2011 televisions continue to support up to 1080p signals through component inputs. We hope everyone's feeling a little more at ease now and can concentrate on the important things, like whether that funky dual-sided QWERTY remote is a good idea.
Lenovo teases IdeaCentre Q100 / Q110 nettops, D400 home server
There's not a lot to go on here, but Lenovo's official Twitter account posted pictures of two products that are purportedly being revealed in more detail later this week. The IdeaCentre Q100 / Q110 nettops are said to be "some of the thinnest nettops in the world," and while the teaser image is certainly a looker, for better and for worse we can already smell the Atom processor from here. Also on the menu is the IdeaCentre D400, the company's first home server. We Got Served did a little digging, and as it turns out, the D400 was released in Asia at the beginning of this month, with four hot swappable bays, four USB ports, and an eSATA port. It'd be nice to know when this week Lenovo was planning to lift the veil of secrecy, but at least we won't be worrying about it come Saturday. [Via ThinkPad; thanks, Mark] Read - Q100 / Q110 nettops Read - D400 home server Read - More details on the D400
Sharp's AQUOS D series 10 gets hip with the online kick
Bargain LCDs are selling like hotcakes, but apparently folks are still buying the higher-end models too. Just a few weeks after announcing its new A series, Sharp is now releasing another new selection of sets, the AQUOS D 10 series. Ranging in size from 32- to 52-inches, the new LCDs have similar specs to the A, including a 1080p resolution, 15,000:1 contrast ratio, a judder-hating 120Hz mode, and the ability to automatically adjust contrast, but will sport one potentially major addition: compatibility with online video content services. Right now streaming seems limited to Yahoo! Japan's online offerings, but if and when these come Stateside here's hoping they have a little Hulu up in there. All are said to be shipping in Japan right now for an undisclosed price. [Via Akihabara News]
Plethora of new Acer Aspires, eMachines, Gateway laptops and netbooks unveiled in one fell swoop
In addition to Timeline and the 11.6-inch Aspire One, Acer decided today to announce new laptops much in the way Nikon and other camera makers roll out their PMA lineup -- in groups of eight or more. By our count, we've got at least ten different models here. Aspire 5935 and 8935: The 18.4-inch 8935 laptop can output a 1080p resolution, True 5.1 channel surround sound and houses up to two HDDs totaling 1TB capacity. The 5935 meanwhile can hold just one 500GB HDD and doesn't do full HD. Both support up to 4GB DDR3 memory, biometric fingerprinting, 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, and optional WiMAX. Aspire 3935: A 13.3-inch ultra portable with 1366 x 769 resolution LED-backlit LCD and Intel Core 2 Duo / GM45 express chipset. Features built-in Wi-Fi / WiMAX, up to 4GB DDR3 RAM, biometric fingerprints, and 8 hours of use with a 8-cell battery. eMachines D, E, and G series (pictured): 16 x 9 aspect ratio LCD. Available with Intel Celeron or Pentium processors for all models, plus option for AMD Athlon with E and G series. 14-inch D and 17-inch G have up to 4GB DDR2 RAM, 500GB HDD, while the 15.6-inch E series can feature up to 5GB. All of them boast a wide keyboard, WiFi, webcam, DVD drive, a 5-in-1 card reader, and Windows Vista SP1. Gateway EC series: Lightweight and less than 1-inch thick. The 13-inch netbook has an LED backlit screen with 16 x 9 aspect ratio, Dolby Sound Room, SSD, DDR3 RAM, HDMI out, optional 3G and Bluetooth, webcam, and capacitive hotkeys on top of the keyboard. Gateway 10.1-inch LT20, 11.6-inch LT30: Both are under 2.62 pounds, boast built-in WiFi, Webcam, optional Bluetooth and 3G modules, 5-in-1 card reader, and up to 160GB HDD. The touch pad supports multi-gesture features and reportedly it comes with a "cool protective bag" -- yay? Gateway ID series: Available in glossy midnight blue or night sky with a matte interior and silver-colored touchpad. It's got an 15.6-inch LED backlit screen, slot-in DVD drive, webcam with a curtain (for privacy, obviously), mult-gesture touchpad, and capacitive hotkeys on top of the keyboard. There's still got plenty of missing pieces here, such as pricing and availability for anything here, but one thing's for sure: we are thoroughly overwhelmed by the sheer number of new offerings.
