Business News Holding

Tag: pandora

  • 2011 Sony HDTV Still Leads the Industry

    Several other high-end HDTV units have come to market over the past year. But none have topped Sony’s Bravia XBR-46X929 in terms of style and ability. And with new models coming to market at year’s end, deal hunters could find one at a greater value than ever before.

    Sure, the $2,500 price tag might have discouraged some consumers from stepping up to the plate on this device. But while there may be larger units than Sony’s 46-inch model, none of them marry technology and aesthetic value so completely.

    The front of the Bravia XBR-46X929 is a single piece of Gorilla Glass, giving it a seamless, smooth look when hung up on your wall. And at only 1.5 inches wide, it’s barely noticeable, until you want it to be.

    And once you turn it on, you’ll truly understand the power of what you’ve purchased. The color is as good as it gets, the unit automatically adjusts the backlight section by section, and the image is smooth as can be, even during scenes of huge action.

    The Bravia comes stock with Netflix and 3D capabilities, as well as other huge bonuses such as Amazon Instant Video, YouTube, Hulu Plus, Skype and even digital music services from Pandora. All of those bonuses make the menu system a bit much to manage, but the set will quickly become your only requirement for total home entertainment.

    Again, you can certainly find a cheaper 46-inch than the Sony Bravia XBR-46X929, and the remote is a bit clunky and counterintuitive. But if picture quality and a massive amount of applications mean more to you than the temporary pain of shelling out a few extra hundred dollars, you simply won’t find a better HDTV set on the market. At least until Sony releases its next model.

  • Logitech Delivers Google TV to Living Rooms

    Consumers today have access to an enormous amount of content, delivered by a range of sources and increasingly complex devices. To bring this content together through a single interface on the best screen in the house – the TV screen – Logitech has worked with Google on a line of products designed to create the Google TV experience for the U.S. households with an HDMI-ready TV.

    Google TV brings traditional TV programming together with the entire Internet, with the ability to search across them both.

    Logitech yesterday unveiled Logitech Revue with Google TV, a compact, plug-and-play companion box with its Logitech Keyboard Controller, which together provide control over the Google TV experience and home-entertainment devices. The company’s portfolio of products for Google TV also includes the Logitech TV Cam and Vid HD service for HD video calling, Mini Controller as well as other applications designed for the Google TV platform.

    The box is capable of outputing a 1080p (60fps) signal and comes with with HDMI 1.3a in and out, two USB 2.0 ports, audio optical output (S/PDIF), 10/100BaseT Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n connectivity, the Logitech Harmony IR blaster port, and a built-in Logitech Unifying receiver.

    The box ships with a compact keyboard complete with integrated remote and touchpad, HDMI cable, and one IR mini blaster. There is also a selection of accessories: a $149 webcam, and the Revue-specific version of Mini controller for $129.99, as well as Logitech Harmony app for Android and iPhone.

    The Logitech TV Cam lets you make and receive high-definition video calls on your HDTV – no computer required. It has Carl Zeiss wide-angle autofocus lens with 5x digital zoom and two digital, directional microphones and connects with Logitech Revue box using USB. Together, the Logitech TV Cam and Vid HD software enable HD video calls of up to 720p.

    Available for pre-order on Logitech.com, Amazon.com and BestBuy.com, Logitech’s line of products for Google TV are expected to be available online and in Best Buy stores across the U.S. by the end of October. The Logitech Revue suggested retail price is $299.99. The Logitech Mini Controller will be selling for $129.99, and the Logitech TV Cam for $149.99.

    “Just as we have done with the PC and with home entertainment systems, our role with Google TV is to give people the ability to control and interact with their content and devices with unprecedented ease,” said Gerald P. Quindlen, Logitech president and chief executive officer. “With our line of products for Google TV, Logitech will help redefine the user experience in the digital living room.”

    “Logitech Revue with Google TV makes it easy for people to use just one controller to find and enjoy content from a variety of sources – programs from TV providers; the entire Web, including Flash-based games; music, photos and videos from their personal library; and a growing selection of apps,” said Ashish Arora, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s digital home products group. “Logitech not only delivers the Google TV experience for any HDMI-ready TV, but we build on it with exceptional interface devices, control of living room components through Logitech Harmony Link and enhanced experiences such as video calling in the living room.”

    “Google TV combines the power of search, a full Web browser, and Android apps with the TV experience you know and love,” said Mario Queiroz, vice president of product management for Google. “We’re proud to be working with Logitech to launch the very first set of Google TV devices, helping you and me easily access great Web and TV content, all on the same HD screen.”

    “Smart TV delivers a truly integrated experience, with broadcast and the Internet united on one screen,” said Wilfred Martis, general manager, Retail CE, Intel Digital Home Group. “The Logitech Revue brings Google TV to existing televisions, and also offers video calling to provide a new dimension to home entertainment. The smart TV experience requires advanced processing performance, as well as outstanding audio/visual capabilities, and we’re proud that Logitech selected the Intel Atom processor CE4100 to power this revolutionary product.”