ifa 2010
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Samsung launches new NF and SF Series laptops with 'shark'-like designs
It's that time of the year again! Yep, the time when most laptop makers start thinking about the holiday season and unleash a massive amount of systems. Samsung's kicking off its announcements at IFA with the SF and NF Series, both of which have a brand new wave or fin-like designs -- they were apparently codenamed "shark" within the company. Beginning with the netbooks, the NF series will hit in the coming weeks and will be available in two skus -- the ivory, single-core Atom NF210 will be $379 and the silver NF310 will have a dual-core Atom processor for $399. We got a chance to check them out a few days ago and found the overall build quality to be really solid -- we really loved the new chiclet keyboard as well as the swirly pattern on the metal touchpad. Sammy's also claiming over 10 hours of battery life on them, but we'll obviously want to test that for ourselves. On the bigger and badder end is the SF Series. Similar to the netbooks, the mainstream laptops have glossy lids with the new wave like edges. According to Samsung's global press release, they'll be available with Core i3 / i5 processors and in three different sizes -- there's the 13.3-inch SF310, 14-inch SF410 and 15.6-inch SF510. The US team tells us the $749 Core i3-powered, 500GB hard drive-packing SF510 will hit the market soon and will be a Best Buy exclusive. We got a peek at that one as well, and similarly love the new chiclet keyboard, though we're hesitant on this one's single-button touchpad. Until we bring you some full reviews, there's additional details in the press release below and some hands-on shots in the gallery. %Gallery-100919% %Gallery-100920%
Philips GoGear Connect hands-on
We had a chance to check out Philips' new GoGear Connect a few hours ago ahead of its IFA debut later this week, a brushed metal media player that pretty closely apes the Muse but adds a wee bit of girth, swaps in Android 2.1 for the proprietary OS, and adds a trackball down below. Interestingly, it's got both a 3.2-megapixel camera and edge-mounted microphone on board, meaning that it's basically just a GSM radio shy of being a full-on smartphone -- but we digress: the point is that the Connect will be going head-to-head with the likes of the Galaxy S-inspired Samsung Yepp YP-MB2 and the new iPod touch for the hearts and minds of the dedicated PMP crowd this autumn. Read on for our impressions! %Gallery-101057%
Sony announces VPL-VW90ES 3D projector at IFA 2010
After a quiet year in projectors, Sony's VPL-VW90ES is landing with a bang as the company's first 3D model. With a 240Hz SXRD panel, it syncs up with the same active shutter glasses used with Sony's 3DTVs. The rated contrast ratio is now up to 150,000:1, while the fan noise measures at just 22db. No word yet on a price (last year's VPL-VW85 started at $8k) but it's shipping in Europe in November, so if any of the TVs we've seen so far just aren't large enough, you know what to buy.
Sony: PlayStation 3 Blu-ray 3D update due in October
Despite what we'd heard before, Sony announced today at IFA that the firmware update bringing 3D Blu-ray playback to the PlayStation 3 will not arrive this month, instead pushed back to October which, we are told, is an entire 30 days away. until then we'll have to live with the recent MotorStorm 3D game that recently popped up on PSN and a slightly-lower res version of Wipeout. Unfortunately, there still aren't many movies to watch for the time being, and even the most ardent early adopters may want to wait until Sony rolls out the Michael Jackson's This Is It - 3D Enhanced Edition and Alice in Wonderland 3D bundles it also announced. For the rest of us, we'll probably still be firmly planted on the fence by the time the Green Hornet and Spiderman movies mentioned on stage come to disc.
Panasonic's IFA showcase brings 3D TVs, players, soundbars, and games
Most of Panasonic's IFA 2010 lineup we've seen before in Japan, like the 46-inch GT25 HDTV, 42- and 46-inch V series HDTVs, and while the DMP-BDT100 3D Blu-ray player previously surface in Poland. If you're looking for new hardware, peep the SC-BFT800 wall-mountable Blu-ray player / soundbar pictured above with virtual 7.1 surround, wireless subwoofer, iPod dock and VIERA CAST streaming. The other new news for the show was a few content partnerships, with SES Astra and Eurosport helping out on satellite 3D broadcasts of the IFA show and US Open Tennis Championship, while a deal with Ubisoft is behind 3DTV support in the Shaun White Skateboarding and Ghost Recon Future Soldier -- details are in the press releases after the break.
Sony's head units Xplod into the infotainment scene with TomTom GPS on in-dash screens
They may not have been the highlight of Sony's IFA 2010 press conference, but the company's new XNV head units deserve a place of their own, given they integrate full-blown TomTom GPS units and audio/video playback into their 7- and 6.1-inch WVGA touchscreens. Presently destined for Europe, the XNV-L77BT, XNV-770BT, XNV-L66BT and XNV-660BT will ship in November with TeleAtlas maps of 45 nations for a number of undisclosed prices, with each sporting Bluetooth, auxiliary and USB jacks, DivX playback and a DVD drive. The presumably-more-expensive "L" models also come with the usual array of traffic and weather alerts plus a Google-powered local search function, and all four decks sport a music recommendation engine that reportedly changes track based on your mood... though how the system measures your emotional attentions, we're not quite sure, and hope to find out soon. Press release after the break.
Sony Qriocity on-demand movie service extends into Europe, 'Music Unlimited' coming by year's end
Sony has just informed Euroland that its Qriocity on-demand ecosystem will be showing up in the continent's wealthier regions this fall. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK will get a chance to savor the Video On Demand option, which will form the vanguard of a wideranging content streaming service, available on Sony networked devices -- yes, that includes the do-it-all PlayStation 3. The heavyweight movie studios behind the venture include 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, MGM, NBC Universal, Paramount and, of course, Sony's moviemaking arm. But you already knew that, given that the whole enchilada's been available to American gringos since April. All Qriocity participants will get to use a new Music Unlimited service, which is launching by the end of the year with as yet undetermined pricing. Plans are also afoot to offer Qriocity on third party devices, but until then you'll wanna make sure to have one of them newfangled web-connected Bravia TVs or any of the litany of Blu-ray players and home theater setups Sony is busy promoting right this minute.
Sony's new S-Frames touching down with AVCHD video playback
Try as we might, we can't totally dismiss Sony's new digiframes. Sure, we find the things kind of played out, but at least the S-Frame DPF-XR100 and DPF-VR100 models (due in November for $250 and $200) now offer AVCHD video support along with the usual 10.2-inch WSVGA LED backlight LCD display. If that weren't enough, the just announced DPF-D830 will also be out in November ($150), and while it doesn't support hi-def video, the 8-inch device is the company's first with a built-in rechargeable battery (up to 100 minutes). Wild, huh? PR after the break.
Sony announces Bloggie Touch pocket video camera
Remember Sony's Bloggie line of pocket camcorders announced back at CES? While those may have been a bit forgettable, the company's just-announced Bloggie Touch video camera makes a considerably stronger first impression (if you can get past the name). Boasting a 3-inch capacitive touchscreen wrapped in what appears to be a brushed aluminum body, this one packs 4GB or 8GB of internal memory, and will capture full 1080p video as well as 12.8-megapixel still images courtesy of the F2.8 wide angle lens and Exmor CMOS sensor. You'll also get a built-in USB connector, HDMI output, and of course plenty of options to easily share your photos and videos on various social networking sites. Look for this one to hit shelves in October in your choice of black or silver for $180 or $200 depending on the capacity. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look, and head on past the break for the full press release. %Gallery-100911%
Rumor: Sony to announce music/video subscription service, will work with PSP/PS3
The Financial Times is reporting that "sources in the media industry" believe Sony will announce a new subscription-based music and video download service, launching initially on PlayStation 3 and PSP before branching out to other Sony devices. An announcement of such a service could be made as early as later today -- the report expects it to be revealed in Berlin at IFA 2010 during Sony's press conference. Don't expect to see the service by the holidays, though -- FT's sources say it won't be out until sometime next year "as deals are confirmed with all the major labels and studios." We'll be following IFA throughout the day for any announcements, and our friends at Engadget are on the ground in Germany, so keep an eye out for more in the coming hours.
Live from Sony IFA 2010 press event
We just landed at Sony's IFA 2010 press event. You know what that means: put on your 3D specs. In fact, just in case we didn't get the subtle hint of the 3D glasses sitting on our chair, there's a 3D intro video playing right this very second to put us in the mood.
ViewSonic ViewPad 7 video hands-on
We just got a chance to mess around with ViewSonic's upcoming ViewPad 7 (one of possibly four tablets they plan to release this year), and while it is indeed a plastic rebadge me-too Android tablet, we mean that in the best sense. Let's take these one by one: Plastic: It looks and feels enough like metal / glass that we won't fault ViewSonic for the cost savings here. Rebadge: ViewSonic has an exclusive on this design for its particular markets (Europe), while the OlivePad is doing its version over in India. Me-too: This might be the biggest knock, since ViewSonic is dropping the ViewPad into a world that's going to be up to its knees in 7-inch Android tablets in a few month's time. ViewSonic wins points for an above average build quality, better than crappy LCD (it's not great, but we've seen a lot worse, and the capacitive response is just fine), passable processor (a 600MHz Snapdragon won't win any bake-offs, but it also makes Android 2.2 completely usable in our opinion), and better-than-Augen Google blessing. Check out our video hands-on after the break. %Gallery-100879%
LG teases world's thinnest (2.9mm) OLED television, other goodies ahead of IFA
We didn't catch any glimpses of an Optimus Pad or anything even close to the monstrous 180-inch plasma we've been hearing about, but a quick stroll through LG's still-under-construction facilities at IFA today revealed the kiosk for its insanely thin 31-inch 3D OLED television, whose price (if it ever even hits retail, that is) is likely to make even Black Card holders squirm. All told, LG's booth consumes an entire floor of one of Messe Berlin's many halls, so it's a big one; the emphasis is clearly on its flat panel TVs, though there are dedicated areas for its Blu-ray gear and store kiosk solution as well. More on all this after the show opens on Friday, no doubt! %Gallery-100860%
We're live from IFA 2010!
You may not be familiar with the Internationalen Funkausstellung Berlin -- better known as IFA -- but it's a positively massive consumer electronics trade show with a European slant, and this year marks its 50th in the game. 3D television technologies and Android tablets are the early favorites to be the big themes at the show, but with LG, Samsung, and Sony all figuring prominently into the equation, it's anybody's guess what kinds of surprises we're going to see over the next few days. Though the show officially kicks off this Friday, some press conferences actually start today -- so keep a keen eye out for coverage! Protip: Use our "ifa2010" tag for all the IFA news this week!
Sony's scheming a streaming music and video subscription service, too?
Perhaps you've heard that Apple's investing in digital video distribution at the moment? Perhaps you've read that Amazon's working on a subscription video network, too? Sony makes number three, as the Financial Times is reporting the electronics giant is looking to launch a multimedia platform of its own. Starting with the PlayStation 3 and PSP, and then later extending to internet-connected Sony TVs, Blu-ray players, Vaio computers and phones, the service will reportedly offer both music and video sometime next year in what's no doubt an attempt to work out deep-seated guilt at the death of Connect. You won't have to wait nearly that long, however, to find out what's what -- the publication says Sir Stringer intends to preempt Apple's six-string reveal by announcing the PlayStation Network-based service from IFA 2010 in Germany. Call us crazy, but this sounds like a perfect fit for the Sony's out-of-the-blue $130 Netbox. [Thanks, dedparrot]
LG's Android-based Optimus Pad gets pictured, looking tablet-like
We've already heard LG talk up its forthcoming Optimus tablet, and it looks like we now have our first look at it. As you can see above in a slide apparently shown during LG's pre-IFA Dealer Days event, the Android-based tablet is now apparently known as the "Optimus Pad," and it's described as boasting "superior performance" and being "thinner and lighter than many competitors' tablets." Not much more than that at the moment, unfortunately, but here's hoping that "more information to come" teaser is a lead-up to a full announcement at IFA this week. [Thanks, Nicole]
ViewSonic ViewPad 7 official: Android 2.2 and 'full' phone functionality
We know you're positively giddy with excitement to get at this OlivePad rebadge and ViewSonic is today fanning those flames of desire with a little bit of pre-IFA PR. Made official today, the 7-inch ViewPad 7 will try to lure in Android lovers with its tasty Froyo parfait, underpinned by hardware that includes front- and back-facing cameras, 3G for both phone and data transmissions, and a full-sized SIM slot. It doesn't seem to have an earpiece so we're unwilling to grant it the claim that it offers "full" phone functionality, but we'd be more worried about the unlisted internal specs on this thing -- the OlivePad makes do with a 600MHz ARM CPU and an underwhelming 800 x 480 resolution, neither of which should be making the iPad quake in its well padded boots. Price is expected to be "no more than £350" ($543) in the UK, though all we know about availability is that review units will start showing up in October. Ah well, the wait for a quality iPad alternative continues.
Philips GoGear Connect is a legitimate Android-based iPod touch competitor (updated)
For all its success, the iPod touch has few dedicated media player competitors capable of matching its big-touchscreen, WiFi, and voluminous App Store. Until today. Philips just went official with its GoGear Connect featuring the full suite of Google Mobile applications pre-installed with access to the Android Market for pretty much everything else. Spec-wize we're looking at a 3.2-inch display, WiFi, sound isolating earphones, built-in camera, and microSD slot. Sorry, no mention of the Android OS version though we've seen it listed at retailers with 2.1. Syncing your music is done over Bluetooth or a USB tether to your PC with Philips' Songbird providing the software assist. The MP4 player also supports Maps and location-based services -- presumably accomplished with the help of Skyhook and not via a GPS radio (though the Philips post is tagged "GPS"). Look for the GoGear Connect to land in Western Europe, China, and yes, the US, starting in late October with the price pegged at €249 (about $315) for the 16GB model. Update: Philips got back to us with additional specs: on-board GPS and compass; 480 x 320 pixel LCD display; and support for .mp3, .wma, .m4a (AAC), .ogg, and .flac audio; .wmv, .mp4 (MPEG4 and H264 up to 720p), .avi (MPEG4 up to 720p) video; and JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF images. Oh, and it's definitely Andriod 2.1.
LG's 31-inch OLED prototype to slice through IFA
OLED's failure to do anything for the mainstream so far outside of phone and camera displays is only bittersweet: sure, we don't have millimeter thick TVs yet, but LCD has gotten slim enough that it hardly matters. So, in keeping with tradition, LG has stolen its own OLED thunder today. In line with earlier rumors, it will be showing off a 0.11-inch thick 31-inch 3D OLED display prototype at IFA this week, but that poor little OLED-that-would will be sharing a booth with a ready for retail 0.35-inch thick LCD that comes in big people sizes. Despite our undying affection for OLED, we know which one we'll be (theoretically) taking home in the windowless van we (theoretically) plan on parking out behind the Messe Berlin.
LG to show first 3D THX-certified plasma at IFA alongside 180-inch 3D plasma prototype
Insanely thin LCDs not enough for you? LG is doing some wild stuff with plasma as well at IFA this week, with its new PX950N (pictured) to supposedly be the first to nab the new 3D THX certification, and a monstrous 180-inch plasma prototype nearby to devour any other unimpressed eyeballs. Unfortunately, details are super short on the 180-inch display, which would be the world's largest if LG is really doing this with one panel (it's hard to tell from LG's scant PR), but there are a few extra PX950N scraps to hold on to. The 600Hz Max Sub-field Drive plasma will support the Multi Picture Format for plugging in 3D cameras and camcorders, and has wireless AV link, DLNA, and NetCast as well. No word on sizes or prices just yet, but IFA kicks off on Wednesday, so there's not long to wait. Update: We've received clarification that the 180-inch 3D plasma is part of LG's Multi Vision lineup. In other words, it's not a single panel.
