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'L.A. Noire' is coming to HTC Vive and modern consoles
Red Dead Redemption 2's release might've gotten pushed into next spring, but Rockstar Games has something else to fill that gap: an unexpected HD (and UHD) remaster of its 2011 detective simulator L.A. Noire. This goes beyond the expected gussied up graphics for modern consoles though, as it's also getting a pack of missions cases designed specifically for virtual reality.
Samsung has a 43-inch version of its Frame TV for smaller spaces
Samsung has announced that its art-inspired Frame TV, which launched this past June, will soon come in a 43-inch version. The new model could be a good alternative for people who may not be able to fit one of the existing 55- or 65-inch Frame TVs on their wall, or for those who simply think the others are too large for their taste. As part of today's reveal, Samsung also said that it has partnered with Spain's Museo del Prado, aka the Prado museum, on an experience that will let Frame TV owners display about 1,000 of its pieces. There's no word on pricing or availability yet, but you can expect the 43-inch version to cost around $1,500 since the 55 and 65 are $2,000 and $2,800, respectively.
Vizio adds the streaming apps its new TVs were missing
One of the more unique features of Vizio's smart TV lineup is that some models use an Android tablet to cast streaming services to the displays. That's rather than having apps baked directly into the TVs themselves. The TV manufacturer is rolling out an update for its 2017 models that adds apps directly to the displays themselves -- no casting necessary.
'Close Encounters' returns to theaters with a 4K remaster September 1st
Jaws wasn't the last classic movie of legendary director Steven Spielberg's to be remastered; Close Encounters of the Third Kind will get some modern love too. And best of all the 4K digital remaster is coming to theaters, too. Come September 1st you can experience one of Spielberg's first movies about aliens the way it was intended: in a dark room full of both people and the smell of overpriced popcorn.
Microsoft expects consumers to 'figure out' which Xbox is which
The best way to keep a job as a marketer is to never go off message. And that's precisely what happened when I interviewed Xbox's head of console marketing Albert Penello on our E3 stage this week. Though he was more than happy to talk about the Xbox One X's tech specs and the impact of 4K gaming, asking harder questions about Xbox as an organization yielded a lot of non-answers. Still, there were a few tells.
Microsoft’s Twitch competitor gets a new name and co-op streaming
While Twitch has been busy expanding the breadth of what you can watch on its platform, Microsoft has been quietly improving how you watch and broadcast with its Beam service. Just to get it out of the way, Beam will henceforth be known as "Mixer." There's a PR-speak reason for the change in nomenclature, but it doesn't really matter. What does is how the service is improving. Specifically, Mixer now offers co-operative streaming and broadcasts in 4K UHD.
Samsung's The Frame TV blends in with the art on your wall
In 2015, Samsung took a minimalist approach with its Serif TV, a 4K television designed to blend in with your furniture at home or office. That product is part of the company's efforts to make TVs look and feel less obtrusive, all without losing their main functionality: letting you watch your favorite movies or TV shows. As of March, this now includes the "Frame TV," which was created with the idea to double as an art piece. The concept is made up of and LCD, UHD panel, Tizen OS smart TV features and a wall-mounting system that, Samsung says, doesn't require you to hire anyone to set it up.
Samsung and Amazon counter Dolby Vision HDR with HDR10+
Samsung and Amazon have unveiled HDR10+, an improvement of its current HDR10 open standard that brings it more up to par with rival Dolby Vision. The partnership makes sense as Amazon will create and stream HDR content, while Samsung will include HDR10+ in all its 2017 4K TVs, and offer updates for last year's models. The tech will help them counter some, but not all, of Dolby Vision's advantages, while still letting Samsung and other manufacturers avoid paying Dolby licensing royalties.
Watch NASA's first 4K broadcast from space on April 26th
If you've ever wanted to see Earth orbit in stunningly real high-def, here's your chance. On Wednesday, April 26th, you can watch the first 4K livestream from the International Space Station 250 miles above the Earth. Commander Peggy Whitson will speak as part of a panel called "Reaching for the Stars: Connecting to the Future with NASA and Hollywood." While we've seen 4K video from space before, this is the first time it will be live. You'll need a 4K-capable television or monitor to see the full resolution, of course, but there will also be lower-resolution streams on NASA Television as well as the agency's Facebook page and website.
Samsung's second-tier 'MU' 4K TVs are an alternative to QLED
With prices beginning at $2,500 for the most basic model, Samsung's QLED 4K TVs are likely out of reach for a lot of people. The good news is that the company hasn't forgotten customers who can't drop that much for a TV and has released a series that includes more affordable alternatives. Samsung's MU series of smart 4K (Ultra HD) TVs have variants that are almost as cheap as Vizio's new 4K offerings. It's composed of four models that come in different sizes, with the smallest (40 inches), most basic one priced at $549.
DirecTV doubles its live 4K broadcasts for this year's Masters
Last year DirecTV made history with the first live 4K broadcast -- the PGA Masters Tournament. It was only one channel, sure, but up to that point anything we'd seen in UHD had been pre-recorded. For the outfit's return trip to the 4K links, DirecTV is doubling the number of channels available. CBS is handling production duties for channels 105 and 106 from April 6th through the 9th. The former will feature views from Amen Corner, while the latter is dedicated to holes 15 and 16.
Watch today's Liverpool vs Chelsea game in 4K and Dolby Atmos
Are you a soccer (football to the rest of the world) fan with a state-of-the-art home theater? If you answered "yes" to both of those questions and happen to be a BT Sport subscriber, today's match between Chelsea and Liverpool should be of special interest to you. That's because the network will broadcast the game in 4K UHD and Dolby Atmos, according to Dolby's Lab Notes blog.
NVIDIA updates older Shield TVs for 4K HDR game streaming
Remember when we told you the old NVIDIA Shield TV would be getting the new units smarts via firmware update? It's rolling out now as part of an over-the-air patch, TechCrunch has noticed. That means 4K HDR for NVIDIA's GameStream (which lets you broadcast titles from your gaming rig) as well as the newly added Amazon Prime app. (Netflix was already broadcasting in 4K HDR on the box last year.) Of course, if you really want to upgrade your Shield experience, you'll need to pony up for the new game controller. But hey, $60 is a lot cheaper than $200 for the new streaming device itself.
Samsung's stylish speakers upgrade your audio to 32-bit
Samsung's latest speakers aren't just classy AV units that complement your furniture, they also deliver 32-bit audio. The company is promising listeners a new level of clarity thanks to its new Ultra High Quality (UHQ) audio tech, which upscales both existing 8-bit and 24-bit sound to output at 32-bit. Targeting audiophiles who might be able to tell the difference, Samsung's 32-bit audio should deliver sound closer to the original recording. The new tech works with both wireless and wired speakers, and Samsung's upcoming H7 Wireless Speaker and MS750 Soundbar are both compatible. Even if you can't hear the difference in audio quality, the speakers are pretty darn... pretty.
Xbox One starts testing support for Dolby Atmos audio
If you both have a state-of-the-art surround sound setup and are in the Xbox One Preview Program, this week should sound pretty great. That's because the update adding support for Dolby Atmos is rolling out to the Xbox One and Xbox One S, according to Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb. It's via Bitstream pass-through and was originally promised back in October. The feature is under Blu-ray disc options and says "let my receiver decode audio (beta)." It isn't clear when this will make its way to everyone's console, however, so your dreams of marrying next-gen audio with your video format of choice might take a bit longer to materialize.
Hulu is now offering its originals and Bond in 4K
Streaming service, Hulu is making sure your next 4K UHD TV has content. That is as long as you're a super fan of James Bond or enjoy its library of originals. Also you're going to need a Xbox One S or a PlayStation 4 Pro.
BT to roll out next-gen YouView TV update and app next year
With Sky Q growing in popularity and Virgin Media soon to unveil its new 4K set-top box, BT knows it needs to keep innovating its own TV offering or be left behind. That's why it's today announced a fresh round of updates for its YouView-powered platform and confirmed plans for a new mobile app, all of which will be available next year.
Firewatch's free-roam mode wants you to take a hike on PC, PS4
Sometimes the best therapy for whatever you're going through is taking a walk in the woods and reconnecting with nature. With temperatures starting to drop and urban living, though, that might not be the easiest thing for everyone to do. A pair of free updates to this year's indie darling Firewatch, might offer a virtual respite from current events, however. The game's free-roam mode is available now for players on PlayStation 4 and Steam. it made its way to the Xbox One prior to today. Before you can start hiking what develop Campo Santo describes as "miles of trails" and experiencing a dynamic 24-hour day-and-night cycle, though, you'll have to finish the story mode first. Just a heads up.
4K gaming has a video service to do it justice
The problem with this Ultra HD future we're moving toward is that we're in a weird in-between spot where the most convenient media delivery method (streaming) can't hold a candle to the quality of the source material. The tech-minded folks at at Digital Foundry are acutely aware of this. As such, rather than relying on YouTube's lossy and compressed method of hosting videos, DF has struck out on its own for offering source-quality downloads for its game-tech analysis videos.
Samsung's vision of the mobile future is 4K-and-VR ready RAM
While Samsung's customers (and stock price) are still reeling from the Galaxy Note 7 immolation debacle, the tech giant is focusing on the future. As such, the company has introduced a new type of memory that should "greatly improve mobile user experiences, especially for those using Ultra HD, large-screen devices," according to a statement. Specifically, it's 8GB LPDDR4 (low power, double data rate 4) that takes advantage of 16Gb LPDDR4 chips working in concert with 10-nanometer class process technology. Now, note that's not 10nm proper, but somewhere between 10-and-20 nanometers. It seems 1-nm is too far in the future for now.
