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LG Intuition review: Optimus Deja Vu with a Verizon LTE twist
More Info LG Optimus Vu review LG Intuition officially announced Intuition by LG hands-on It's not uncommon for US carriers to take an international smartphone under their wings, make a few adjustments to hardware and firmware, stamp their fat logos in multiple places and then sell it to the masses. Verizon is no exception: the LG Intuition is its interpretation of the Optimus Vu, a 5-inch phablet we reviewed over the summer. Perhaps calling it an "interpretation" is a bit of an overstatement: aside from a bump in firmware and Big Red's LTE, it is the Optimus Vu. In fact, going into this review, we had a difficult time believing our experience would be much different than our run-in with the Korean version. Our first reaction is that this doesn't bode well for the carrier. If Verizon opted for the Intuition in order to fill a gaping hole in its lineup, we have a hard time understanding why it would choose to greenlight this particular device with the Samsung Galaxy Note II coming within the next two months. The device's quiet launch is a solid enough indication that the network isn't planning on throwing a lot marketing dollars behind it, so it feels as though the Intuition's main reason for existing is to bolster Verizon's rapidly expanding LTE portfolio. Is there something intriguing about the Intuition ($200 with a two-year commitment) that wasn't there when we first played with the Vu? Or will we find ourselves in the Twilight Zone, reliving the same moment over and over again? Let's find out.
iriver Story HD e-reader preview (video)
Our trailer was just visited by an iriver rep bearing his company's Kindle killer in waiting, the Story HD. This 6-inch e-reader touts a bodacious 1024 x 768 resolution, which contributes to an even better contrast ratio than on Amazon's E Ink slate, while software optimizations between now and release are expected to make the Story HD the fastest-refreshing device of its kind. The display itself is built by LG Display and is accompanied by a Freescale Cortex A8 CPU, 2GB of onboard storage, and an SDHC card-reading slot. Sun rays are, as expected, absolutely no problem and we have to admit that on first sight we thought the device had a sticker affixed to its front -- its that good at reproducing printed materials. Physically, it seems to have been constructed with the third-gen Kindle as its dimensional blueprint, albeit with quite a different control scheme. The hand-built proto unit we played with wasn't really ready to have its ergonomics judged properly, but iriver has plenty of time until the expected May launch to iron out any kinks. Content distribution partnerships have already been sewn up for the US, so now it's just a matter of patience until we get our e-reading on in gorgeous XGA resolution. Video hands-on after the break. %Gallery-113350% %Gallery-113351%
AAXA busts out its bright little XGA M2 projector
AAXA is known in some circles for making bright little pico projectors, and its newest, the M2, is no exception. This latest model packs 110 lumens of brightness, XGA (1024 x 768) resolution -- seemingly a first for the world of tiny projectors. It also has 1GB of built-in storage plus an SD card slot if you need to get serious. The micro projector also boasts VGA, HDMI, and USB ports. Other than that, the M2 has a built-in media player with support for MP4, MP3, AVI, JPG, and other file formats, and optional cables for iPod, PSP and smartphone hookups. AAXA's M2 is available now, and you can grab one for $369.
Casio's slim XJ-A projectors repurposed for gaming, we take a gander
Casio's XJ-A series projectors wowed us in January with an ultra-slim 43mm design, but at E3 2010 we got the chance to see whether image quality was equally bright -- the watchmaker was there with some economical models to attract the portable gaming crowd. Sure enough, it's an interesting choice if you want to play Xbox 360 in the field. Though hefty, the projector's small enough to fit into a messenger bag, and can throw a pretty decent-sized screen; using the company's 2,500 lumen, XJ-A240 model ($1,000), we emulated a 70-something-inch, 720p HDTV. At that size and resolution, colors were a little washed out, but impressive nonetheless -- though we did note that when attempting to play 1080p content on the same projector, the result was quite fuzzy. Casio claims that image's good for 20,000 hours, as the projector doesn't use a bulb, relying instead on a proprietary combo of laser and LED. The PJ accepts all standard TV resolutions through VGA or HDMI and has optional composite and component video breakout cables, though sadly no audio passthrough -- only a 1W integrated speaker. Starting at $800, the true bargain models sport only 2,000 lumens and a 1,024 x 768 resolution, but we could still see some snapping them up for split-screen Halo on a giant, portable TV.%Gallery-95581%
Casio's XJ-A series portable projectors are both attractive and environmentally conscious
Here's something you don't see everyday: a projector with some sex appeal behind it. Casio's XJ-A Series is quite the looker by design. It's pretty slim, too, measuring 43 mm in height. Your green friends can enjoy knowing it's Merucury-free, and you can take solace in up to 3,000 lumens. Of the seven models in the lineup, two have WXGA and five XGA, and depending on your choice you'll get USB or WiFi connectivity and a price tag between ¥148,000 and ¥318,000, or $1,518 and $3,399 if converted to stateside currency. See? Not everything exciting has to come from CES this week.
Samsung's 1080p-blasting A800B and A900 projectors unveiled, plus six more
Good ole' Sammy's announced an octuplet of new projectors, and while we'd like to say they're all special in their own little way, two models definitely catch our eye more. The A800B DLP boasts a 1080p output, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 1000 ANSI lumens, two HDMI ports, and a variety of other input options. The luxury doesn't come cheap, of course: retail price is $10,000. The other full HD model is the A900, and although we're lighter on details with this one, we do know it's packing 1000 ANSI lumens, only one HDMI port, an impressive 12,000:1 contrast ratio, and what we can only assume is price tag of equal magnitude. As for others, we've got the travel-sized $700 P400 with SVGA output, the L220 (price unknown) and $1100 L300 for bringing VGA / XGA to classrooms, respectively, the XGA-blasting D300 for large venues, and a $1500 A400B for home theaters, which features WXGA, 2500:1 contrast ratio, and 2000 ANSI. We kindly direct your attention to the read link for all the nitty-gritty details.[Via About Projectors]
Ericsson: 20 megapixel cellphones shooting Full HD video in 4 years
It's tough to predict the future, especially with cutbacks to R&D budgets in the face of a global economic slowdown. Still, it's always nice to see a forward-looking corporate-slide related to mobile handsets from the taller, blonder half of that Sony Ericsson partnership. LTE and fast CPUs are certainly no surprise, nor is that 1,024 x 768 XGA screen resolution that Japan's superphones are already bumping up against. The most compelling vision is that of the embedded camera sensors: 12-20 megapixels capable of recording Full HD video by 2012. Adding more fuel to firey speculation that handsets are about to find themselves embroiled in a megapixel war. Fine by us, just as long the optics and image processing are there to support such a resolution. Even though 12-20 megapixels seems high compared to the 5-8 megapixel cell phones we see today, those numbers are entirely within reason when you recall that Samsung hit 10 megapixels in Korea two years ago. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised in the least to find Ericsson's mythical device on the market well prior to 2012. Combined, these features certainly make for a tantalizing glimpse at the wireless handset future.
Softbank introduces Sharp Aquos Fulltouch slider with quasi-XGA resolution
Just when we thought the Touch HD really packed the pixels in, Softbank and Sharp have announced the Aquos Fulltouch 931SH slider, which sports a wild 1024 x 480 3.8-inch touchscreen. That's almost the same res as most netbooks, for comparison -- we're not sure what all that pixel density is good for at this size, but we know we want it. Apart from the screen it's also a pretty solid 3G Softbank featurephone: browser, Bluetooth with A2DP, 5.2 megapixel camera with image stabilizer, accelerometer, 1seg TV tuner, and a media player with microSD expansion. Sure, sure -- but look at that screen, people. That's the stuff dreams are made of. Anyone up for a trip to Japan?[Thanks, Paul]
Seiko Epson's 500ppi 3D display for phones: how dense is dense enough?
Not that we're complaining, it's just that human eyes usually can't discern denser than 300ppi, and few interfaces are built to take advantage of... ah, who are we kidding? This is awesome. Seiko Epson has built a 2.57-inch 3D display for phones that runs at an astounding XGA resolution, and should be ready for commercial applications in two years. There's a special lenticular lens on top of the pixels to allow you to view images from multiple angles, which usually means a hit to the pixel density, but obviously this display can handle a bit of that.
Mitsubishi shows off XD211U DLP projector
Talk about product overlap: just over a month ago, Mitsubishi introduced its XD500U, boasting a pixel count of 1,024 x 768 and brightness of 2,200-lumens. Now say "hello" to the XD211U, with the same pixel count, brightness, and BrilliantColor specs. The XD211U weighs in at 0.5-pounds lighter and does boast a new DDP 2230 TI microarray, however. The theft-deterrent security hook will protect the $1595 beamer from any grabby hands around the office or classroom. The projector might be secure, but you know some deadbeat is going to make off with the detachable keypad and render this thing unusable -- better order a spare keypad right up front.[Via AboutProjectors]
Mitsubishi's XL1550U and XL2550U projectors: right at home outside of homes
We'll be straight with you -- Mitsubishi's latest duo isn't exactly cut out for in-home use, but that's not to say it wouldn't be the source of copious quantities of enjoyment if you snagged one from the supply closet one weekend. Without further ado, we present the XL1550U, which features an XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution, 3,100 ANSI lumens and a lamp life of up to 5,000 hours. Moving on, we've got the XL2550U, which touts the same resolution but offers up 4,000 ANSI lumens, the firm's new BrightEra LCD panels and a lamp good for around 4,000 hours of use. Furthermore, both units promise side-loading lamps, built-in Ethernet ports for LAN asset management and an RS-232 port for third-party integration. Both of these beamers will be on the market before this month draws to a close for $3,995 and $4,495, respectively. [Via AboutProjectors]
ByD:sign's new low-cost XGA 42-inch plasma
If those 42 and 47-inch 1080p LCDs from ByD:sign we saw on Monday were just too much excitement for you, there's always this new PH-4201DFK to bring things back down to earth. The 42-inch plasma sports a mere 1,024 x 768 resolution, and while the 1,200 nit brightness and 10,000:1 contrast ratio actually sound fairly decent for the price (179,800 yen, $1,555 US), we're sure you'll manage to curb your enthusiasm somehow or other. The display can handle a 1080p signal over HDMI and includes optional stereo speakers along with a customary compliment of ports. You should be able to pick one up in Japan now. [Via Impress]
ABS Mayhem Blackhawk is 3.8 pounds of Merom and GeForce goodness
It's not always easy to balance power and portability when it comes to gaming notebooks, mainly because gamers want to stuff as many graphics cards, fans, and sticks of RAM as possible into a big screen package. Well ABS Computer Technology's new Mayhem Blackhawk may only offer a 14.1-inch XGA display, but it makes up for the relatively low resolution by offering a Core 2 Duo processor, NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 graphics, up to 2GB of RAM, and 160GB of storage in just a 3.8-pound enclosure. Also on board are a DVD burner, three-flavor WiFi, your choice of XP or Vista, and of course the all-important 56.6kbps modem. All this and more -- like a free Logitech headset, Age of Empires III, Far Cry, and MS Works 2004 -- can be yours starting at $1,500.[Via Computer Shopper]
Texas Instruments demos first 720p playback from a mobile phone
Texas Instruments demonstrated its first processor to enable high definition (720p) playback on mobile phones yesterday at 3GSM World Congress. The OMAP3430, first announced last year, is the first in TI's series of OMAP 3 processors and also first to include support for the OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics standard for 3D acceleration. The 3430 gets the muscle to move your HD files and 3D gaming from its embedded ARM Cortex-A8 processor, but from the specs it seems that the video portion is only currently supporting up to 1024 x 768 (XGA) output via composite or S-video connections. Still, with this power available, sometime in the future your common cellphone will be playing back HD on the go or outputting video to a big screen HDTV. We previously expected to see handsets based on the technology this year, but while TI is shipping samples of the processors now, don't expect your HD-capable cell to hit stores until early 2008.
Infocus shows off new projectors, none "true HD"
In almost a bit of underwheleming news -- considering the "true HD" pitches that other companies are making -- Infocus has announced three new projectors, none of them displaying higher than XGA. The Work Big IN24+ and the Work Big IN2+ (both of which are available now) share mostly similar specs including a brightness of 2,200 lumens, contrast of 2,000:1, and VGA, S-Video, and Composite RCA ports; they only differ in resolutions -- the IN24+ ($649) features 800 x 600 SVGA while the IN26+ ($799) sports an XGA-tastic 1024 x 768 pixels. Its other big model for CES is the Play Big IN1, which is scarce on deets -- including pricing and availability -- but has an integrated DVD player and allows you to display movies onto your ceiling so you can enjoy them without the stress of having to sit up. As convenient as that may be, we'll continue to go out of our way to be upright if it means watching at least 720p.
Pioneer @ CEDIA - New PureVision Elite plasmas on display
Pioneer is showing three new Elite PureVision plasma HDTVs during CEDIA 2006, the 42-inch PRO-940HD, 50-inch PRO-1140HD and 60-inch PRO-1540HD models may not bring the 1080p of the PRO-FHD1 but they have a bevy of new features to make up for it. Their color filtering, color zone mapping and improved phosphor technology are all part of the package to help color and image quality, as well as the crystal emissive layer for better contrast. These plasmas are also the first to include Pioneer's Home Media Gallery support, with built-in Ethernet and USB ports to allow home users to stream music, videos and pictures directly from a DLNA compliant PC or other device in HD quality. They include Microsoft PlaysForSure DRM support, as well as the MPEG-1, WMV9 and MPEG-2 codecs. CableCard slot and NTSC/ATSC tuners are onboard, plus dual HDMI (1080p/24hz) inputs, two component inputs, PC input and RS-232C support. The 42-inch PRO-940HD has integrated bottom speakers while the 50- and 60-inch TVs feature detachable side speakers. The 42-inch is 1024x768 resolution with an MSRP of $4,000, while the PRO-1140HD (pictured above) and PRO-1540HD both have 1365x768 resolutions and are priced at $5,500 and $8,000 respectively. All are now available and shipping.
Toshiba intros LCD projector with document camera
Most PowerPoint presentations tend to be pretty boring, because no matter how good the projector, your audience is still forced to sit through an endless series of poorly-formatted infographics. Well Toshiba's got a new LCD projector on the market known as the TLP-XC2500U that should help spice up those drab meetings and training sessions by incorporating a three megapixel digital camera on an articulating swing arm, allowing you to display documents and 3D objects along with the usual assortment of bullet-point-filled slides. Specs-wise, this model certainly won't make it to the top of the class -- its XGA resolution, 400:1 contrast ratio, and 2,500 ANSI lumens of brightness place it somewhere in the middle of the pack -- but at $1,539, you're getting a pretty good deal when you factor in that bonus camera. Other nice features include a bundled remote with digital zoom, monitor mirroring so you can face your audience and still keep track of what's on screen, and best of all, instant shut-down with no cool down period so you can get the hell out of there as quickly as possible if your presentation was a real dud. Also on board are dual security systems: a removable control panel makes the projector useless without a password (though it could still be jacked and scrapped for parts), and its 8.8-pound weight means that potential thieves will look pretty conspicuous trying to lug it out of the conference room.[Via About Projectors]
Sanyo's LP-XL40 wide-angle projector for short-range duty
With some big glass like that, we can't imagine Sanyo's new LP-XL40 projector will get by in the classroom without at least a bit of teasing -- kids can be so cruel. But while they're laughing, the XL40 will be propping up some fairly large XGA images at the "worldwide shortest projection distance." At 30 inches you can fill a 60-inch screen, while with 40-inches of distance it can focus an 80-inch image. You can even set up the unit to project from an angle to the side of the screen without image distortion, to allow you to point at the screen without the temptation to make ducky shadow puppets. Sanyo is mainly targeting this LCD projector at the educational market, for cramming into those crowded classrooms, but it might make a nice option for that home theater you were trying to squeeze into your walk-in closet. The 1500 lumens and 400:1 contrast ratio aren't much of anything special, and the $4,478 price tag seems a bit counter-intuitive to the crammed spaces they're hoping will give this thing a go, but we suppose it's a bit cheaper than square footage.[Via Impress]
Ask HD Beat: What's the deal with 1366 x 768?
Reader Rob writes in and asks, "What's the deal with 1366x768? It seems like most of the HDTV's out there in the 32-37" range have those dimensions. How does that translate on a pixel to pixel basis, and why don't they do 1280x720?"Rob that is a great question and one that has come up many times before. I even asked the Pioneer representative at CES this year the same question. His response was that it was a PC resolution that has been standardized. He was of course talking about XGA which is 1024x768 but it is the same premise. More pixels is better, there is no arguing that, but the question still remains where do the rest of those pixels come from and how can they make a 16x9 display from a 4x3 resolution? The answer is actually pretty simple; it is not a 1:1 pixel mapping and pixels don't have to be square. In fact the Pioneer Elite plasma (arguably the best plasma) has a 1024x768 resolution and rectangular pixels.
Definition of HDTV: here we go again
So what IS the minimum resolution requirement for something to be called "high-definition"? We kicked this around last year (and then we got kicked around in the comments) when discussing "Truth in Advertising". On on hand folks believe that any display that can show 720 horizontal lines qualifies as high-def, meaning that XGA (or 1024 x 768) should be considered high-def. Our contention is that XGA is a computer resolution and that the more traditional 1280 x 720 (or higher) would be required for the HD moniker. We'll be running a poll on this one later today, but before we do, take a look at Henning's thoughts over at HDBlog for his insights on the subject.
