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Bang & Olufsen's BeoVision 10: something awesome in the state of Denmark (update: video!)
If you're an HDTV buff with style, taste, and money to burn (and if you're reading Engadget we have our doubts about at least two of the three) then you've probably been waiting impatiently for Bang & Olufsen to make this one official. The BeoVision 10 is a wall-mounted LCD flat screen that boasts 40-inches of real estate, a brushed aluminum frame, and bottom mounted speakers that are available in a variety of colors. As the company boasts, "every aspect of the design is thought through." It also said something about "vægplacering," the definition of which we will leave to your imagination. On sale now at the B & O store on Kongens Nytorv in central Copenhagen for 43,495 Kroner (roughly $$8,700) -- not shockingly expensive, as far as this company is concerned, but still far too dear for you. No word on stateside pricing or release date.Update: As several astute readers pointed out, the translated source for this one listed the price in British Pounds when it should have been listed in Danish Kroner (DKK). The thing is far less expensive now -- so feel free to send us one for an early Christmas present! You have the address. Oh, and a vid's after the break!Read - Here is the new B & O televisionRead - B & O's new flat panel
Bang & Olufsen's BeoTime alarm clock / remote favors a flute
Bang & Olufsen -- the Danish boutique retailer famous for engineering gorgeous AV products that only a sliver of humanity can afford -- has just introduced its newest product, and it's a far cry from the gargantuan HDTVs and superfluous sound systems that it's used to shipping. Designed by Steffen Schmelling and inspired by Mozart's The Magic Flute, this elongated wireless alarm clock actually serves another purpose. Once it has awoken you from your slumber just in time to catch The Price Is Right in high-def, you can take it with you in order to control some of your other B&O components. The cubes you see are actually displays, and the built-in motion sensor enables display backlights to activate with a simple touch. We're told that the device should hit showrooms this August for $375, though you should probably budget for an anger management course to keep from smashing this thing to bits the first time it buzzes at 5:30AM.[Via PRNewswire]
Bang & Olufsen's BeoVision 7 goes Blu
As a brand that pairs high fashion with prices to match, the addition of Blu-ray to Bang & Olufsen's lineup seems like it should have happened a long time ago, but only now is B&O making play dates between its BeoVision 7 LCD and the format. Getting the B&O marketing fluff and buff on the latest iteration of the BeoVision 7-40 are the built-in Profile 2.0 Blu-ray deck, DVB-HD tuner, 40-inch LCD with 120Hz refresh rate, and your choice either the BeoLab 7-2 stereo soundbar (for those who haven't heard good surround sound) or the minimalistic BeoLab 7-4 soundbar with the Acoustic Lens (for those who don't care). If you're flat broke after laying out the $13,500 for this HTIB, no problem -- with its motorized stand, the BeoVision 7-40 is all set for placement right on your floor, so be sure to factor that savings in.
Samsung's M7600 Beat DJ music phone on sale at O2 UK
Quite a bit has gone down in the cellular realm since Barcelona opened its beautiful doors to host Mobile World Congress 2009, but how could we ever forget this gem? Samsung's M7600 Beat DJ is about as close as we'll ever come to a real live Pilotfish Ondo, and after months of waiting, it's finally on sale across the pond. Available for purchase right now at O2 UK, the Bang & Olufsen-infused handset packs a 2.6-inch OLED panel, perfect for mixing, scratching and texting your mum when you stay out too late. It's all yours for between £0.00 and £146.80 ($233) depending on your choice of contract, and if any of you kind, gentle Britons feel like importing a few for the deprived Yanks over here, drop us a note in comments.[Thanks, Todd]
Bang & Olufsen's BeoVision 4 103-inch plasma on sale in USA: $93,050
So, there are two ways to look at this: the first is that this television set costs almost as much as many homes, while the second is that it's around $40,000 cheaper than the Euro-conversion price. Specially designed for plutocrats who need to brag that Mark Cuban has the bargain version of their HDTV, Bang & Olufsen's 103-inch BeoVision 4-103 plasma brings along a 1080p panel and plenty of wow. The unit has just been let loose here in America, going on a US press tour and becoming available for special order for those with loads of disposable income. It can be purchased in an array of color options including black, silver, red, blue, and dark grey, though there is a three to four month lead time for each set. The pain? $93,050 on wall mount, $111,805 on motorized floor stand -- though we hear that it's hand delivered by Dos Equis himself.
Leaked Samsung M7600 phone sports Bang & Olufsen sound, Helio looks
We don't know exactly where this one came from... but these leaked photos appear to be of an Ocean-esque Samsung M7600. Here's what we know about it, spec-wise: it's an HSDPA phone which will have a 3 megapixel camera, GPS, a 2.8-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, and yes, a Bang & Olufsen amplifier. We understand that it'll also sport some kind of of DJ scratching app -- which should make your nightlife way more interesting -- and that it's supposedly set to appear sometime in May of this year (though we'd be surprised if we don't see more of it at MWC). Check a few more shots after the break, and hit the read link to see the device in all its glory.
TouchDiva: the greatest entertainment device you've never heard of
Now, we're sure that everything's on the up and up here, but the lack of information about the TouchDiva from any source other than the makers of the TouchDiva gives us pause, especially as the product's apparently launching on December 1st. Regardless, here's what we've gathered: the device is a 15.4-inch touchscreen unit you install in your home, and, via the magical wonders of the internet, you get all the music your heart could ever desire, free of charge -- besides the $75 $13 monthly subscription fee, of course. The Danish manufacturers claim to have "agreements with the four major music companies in the world (Warner, EMI, Sony-BMG and Universal)," giving them access to over 2 million songs. Housed inside the unit are two 125W ICEpower (Bang & Olufsen-manufactured) amps, and the Diva itself has just two buttons -- an on / off, and a reset, giving it a pretty stark exterior. As you can probably imagine, it's um, not cheap -- in fact, you're going to have to cough up $6,000 $1,100 if you want one, and you'll have to live in Europe, where the device is (supposedly) about to go on sale. Update: As a few commenters have pointed out, the prices are in Danish Kroner, and we've updated to reflect that. Read - Danish invention will change music salesRead - TouchDiva[Thanks, Soren]
Kanye West fails to single-handedly save B&O's handset biz
Looks like Bang and Olufsen might have a harder time getting out of the cellphone game than it thought -- especially now that Kanye's throwing cash at it. Yep, Yeezy just picked up the year-old Serenata in Singapore, and he's thoughtfully posted up some unboxing pics for us. We thought the Samsung-built handset was a hot little number when we played with it back in January at CES, but we've moved on since then -- it's a triband dumbphone, after all. We've got some hotter gear to show you, 'Ye -- call anytime.[Thanks, Philip]
NYC SoHo luxury condo with matching Bang & Olufsen gear, great view, $975,000
The downturn in the housing market is producing some interesting cross-marketing promotions. Well-heeled jet-setters moving into NYC's SoHo Renwick luxury condos when it opens in 2009 will be greeted by Bang & Olufsen gear, including a BeoVision 8 32-inch LCD TV, BeoSound 4 audio player and a BeoLab 4000 speaker. For sure, luxury space comes at a premium price in SoHo, so we can understand the desire of residents to own a compact system. And with the Renwick's all-glass exterior, the super-bright output of an LCD display also makes sense. Top it all off with B&O's famous design, and you've got a system that's a good fit for the target demographic. Sure, it's not the most bang-for-your-buck setup, but we don't really expect that Renwick residents will be counting pennies anyways -- prices for the units start at $975,000 for a one-bedroom unit. For that price, couldn't they toss in a larger 1080p set?
Samsung gets official with B&O-infused F400 dual slider
Mmm hmm. That F400 dual slider we originally got wind of in February is the real deal, as confirmed by Samsung today. Designed with music aficionados in mind, the handset is equipped with ICEpower from Bang & Olufsen, which gets complemented with a 3-megapixel camera (with AF and a LED flash), 2.2-inch display, 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, twin stereo speakers, music hot key, FM tuner, Bluetooth 2.0, a 1GB microSD card and USB 2.0 connectivity. The unit itself is built on HSDPA tri-band technology, and while we know you US'ers would love to wraps your paws around it, Sammy would rather dish it out to the French in black / white motifs later this month, while sending it to other regions of Europe, Asia and the Middle East shortly thereafter. Tough noogies.
B&O teams up with Aston Martin -- but that's not why we're smiling
Aston Martin and Bang & Olufsen just announced a new "creative partnership." No details were provided but we can assume that it means the introduction of some B&O audio into future Aston Martin automobiles... and not the other way around. The result of which will be something you can neither afford nor differentiate from a Delco in the deep cacophony of rage known as mid-town Manhattan. Now hit that read link -- you'll appreciate the blast of over-exuberant, CEO blow-harding which fills your colon. We sure did.[Via Audio Junkies]
Samsung, Bang & Olufsen get official with Serenata
Who would've thought that the bizarre Serene handset (if you can even call it a "handset") would see a successor? Samsung and Bang & Olufsen must think that they have a good thing going, extending their design partnership by officially announcing the Serenata musicphone. Rumored as the Serene II, the predictably strange lookin' device holds a triband GSM radio (no 850 -- sorry, North America) plus UMTS 2100, a 240 x 240 touchscreen display (augmented with a scroll wheel for UI navigation and control), Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and an integrated stand for displaying your pricey toy on a desk while busting out tunes or calls. Look for it to show up in your friendly local Bang & Olufsen boutique, and if you have to ask the price... well, you know what they say.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Peripheral vision
While we are still waiting for the iPhone's killer accessories to show up, this week sees a few items worth mentioning drop on our desks. We look at a stylish Bluetooth headset, a couple cases, and a couple cabling / connectivity adapters to round it all out. Belkin, Griffin or some clone outfit really has to kick an FM transmitter out into retail land -- unless you've see one working, and if so, please let us know! -- for our favorite iPhone, but until then, enjoy this week's goodies right after the break.
Bang & Olufsen's Helping Hand reminds you to take meds
While our favorite Danish gadget company, Bang & Olufsen is better known for making fashionphones and audio gear, it also has a medical devices division, known as Medicom. This division has just released a new device to help patients make sure they're on track for taking medication. The aptly named "Helping Hand," which looks like a slightly curved handset, stores a blister pack of medication and then will send a signal to a computer or cell phone (via Bluetooth or USB) to remind you to take your meds. The Helping Hand's red, yellow or green lights will go off to give a visual cues as to how many instances have been missed, and can upload that info to your doctor (or medical assistant robot), so the next time you see her, she can give you a stern reprimand. Speaking of reminders, we'd like to alert B&O Medicom that its press release doesn't have a price or a release date on it -- so get on that, guys.[Via medGadget]
