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Chill out with the iPhone-powered massage chair
We've seen an iPhone-controlled R2-D2, a quadricopter, a dog treat dispenser, a tank, and even an iPhone-controlled soda machine. But c'mon people, let's get a little more practical here -- let's hook it up to a massage chair. That's exactly what Human Touch did with the HT-9500. For just US$4,999, you can sit back, relax, and let your iPhone do the massaging. The free HT-Connect app designed to work with the chair allows you to control posture and massage frequency, and you can even set schedules and create programs designed to work your back in just the right way. Sure, sure, playing Angry Birds or texting friends on your iPhone might be cheaper, but this chair lets you -- oh wait. Yeah, that's the... oh yeah, right there. Oooohhhh yyeeahhhhh. [via Engadget]
Onkyo's HT-S7300 and HT-S6300 HTIB bundles are totally ready for 3D, man
Shocker of shockers -- Onkyo has outed a pair of home-theater-in-box bundles, and both of 'em are 3D ready. Crazy, ain't it? The HT-S6300 and HT-S7300 both have 3D-ready HDMI-1.4a inputs, 1080p video upscaling, lossless Dolby and DTS high definition audio, Dolby height processing, Audyssey automatic room equalization and seven total loudspeakers (plus a subwoofer). The primary difference between the two is the pair of 41-inch tall floorstanders that come with the S7300, as both systems ship with a 7 x 130W amplifier and a 290W subbie. As expected, there's also an outboard dock for iPod and iPhone, and the Faroudja DCDi Cinema processor should keep upscaled content looking its very best. The duo is available now for $749 and $899, respectively, and the full presser awaits just past the break should you find yourself interested.
Control4's Home Controller HC-300 outputs GUI in HD
For those looking to make the leap to home automation whilst making sure that elegance is taken into account, Control4 is hoping its newfangled Home Controller HC-300 will fit the bill. The relatively low-cost IP-based home controller offers up a multitude of serial, infrared, and video sensing ports, plays nice with standards-based communication technology including Ethernet, WiFi, and ZigBee mesh networking, and can dictate multi-room music, smart lighting, advanced temperature control, and security without breaking a sweat. Most notably, however, is its ability to output the graphical user interface in sparkling 720p, meaning that you will no longer be ashamed of flashing your home controller's GUI on the big screen. Additionally, Control4 revamped the device by adding an anodized black aluminum chassis and a glossy black faceplate, and it plans on shipping these things out sometime in July for a respectable $699.[Via CEPro]
Planar dives head first into high-end home theater market by acquiring Runco
Joining the growing array of recent acquisitions is Planar and Runco International, as just today Planar has written a check for $36.7 million to take on the assets of privately-held Runco International, Inc. Planar, while not a household name in the home theater biz, managed to hold its own amongst competitors in the HT market, and while the majority of its products catered to the mid-range consumer, we suspect that picking up Runco was the easiest way to launch into the high-end realm. As expected, it looks like the Planar, Runco, and Vidikron brand names will remain as they are, and just as Planar will continue to sell through its current network of distributors, it sure sounds like Runco will remain a niche offering rather than bleeding over towards the mainstream.
Sharp XV-Z3000 DLP projector reviewed
You know how every time you consider how cool it would be to install a front projector in your place to throw up an 80-inch screen for some movie-watching and gaming goodness, and then realize that all the really good HD projectors that can handle dodgy lighting conditions are at least $10,000? Enter the Sharp XV-Z3000 DLP projector. HT geeks, prepare for geekery. Non-HT geeks, we apologize in advance. This shiny black box shoots 1280 x 768 and sports (two!) HDMI and RGB PC inputs. While that all sounds pretty normal, the surprising $3,000 price point is even more impressive when one considers a 0.001 foot-lamberts black level at 3000:1 contrast ratio paired with some serious brightness (27 ft-L). There are issues, of course, according to reviews, such as a loud fan and a little more video noise than expected. But generally speaking, Home Theater gave the unit tip-top ratings, and at this price and performance, that basement fantasy of ours just might be one lumen closer to reality[Via HDBeat]
