Toshiba sticks to what it knows with new LED HDTV range
Toshiba’s already spilled the beans on its 4K TV line-up for this year, and right on cue, it’s just revealed the new range of 2014 LED sets that might interest us folk still clinging on to the regular HD era. The entry-level 3 series gains a number of new recruits, all with some smart TV features, baked-in WiFi and Freeview HD, in the UK at least. The L3 range is full HD, with 40- and 48-inch options, while the lone W3 model is a 32-inch, 1,366 x 768 affair. With the same resolution and screen sizes from 24 to 40 inches, the D3 series also have DVD players on board, and all of the above are slated for launch in the US and UK later this month.
The new L54 duo, available in 40- and 48-inch full HD flavors, include all the same features as the 3 series, with active-shutter 3D and 2D to 3D conversion, to boot. Making a step up to the L64 42- and 47-inch pair grants you Toshiba’s more advanced “Cloud” smart TV platform, with DVR capabilities and WiDi support. You’ll lose 3D credentials, but gain a bunch of buzzwords that speak of improved image and audio quality, as well as support for Toshiba’s mobile apps. We reach the top end with the L74 series of 42-, 47- and 55-inch models. These have all the features of the L64 range, plus passive 3D and Toshiba’s own CEVO picture and audio processing technology. All models in the L54, L64 and L74 crews are due to hit shelves during the second quarter.
Also arriving before July are a trio of speaker setups to complement your new set. There’s a simple 40-watt sound bar, and two sound bar/subwoofer combos. The “Mini 3D Sound Bar II” is the smaller of the two, as the name suggests, with 90 watts of total power and Bluetooth/NFC alongside probably all the physical connectivity options you might need. Unlovingly named “SB3950M1,” the bigger combo is much of the same, but with 150 watts of total power to make your eyes rattle just that little bit more.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Netflix UK adds ‘Homeland’ and ‘American Horror Story’ to its US TV show roster
UK Netflix subscribers looking to get their fix of US TV will soon have two new popular series available to add to their binge-watching schedule. Expanding its partnership with Twentieth Century Fox, the streaming giant announced today it will exclusively add the first two seasons of Golden Globe winning drama Homeland and paranormal series American Horror Story from March 13th. It’s another big coup for Netflix as it attempts to supplement its ever-increasing line-up of originals, which includes House of Cards, with earlier seasons of shows still pulling in strong TV audiences. Sure, it’d be ideal if the episodes appeared as they aired, but we’re secretly hoping for a spin-off starring Saul from Breaking Bad and Saul from Homeland… maybe they could call it “Better Call Sauls.”
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Netflix (PRNewsWire)
Google has acquired Green Throttle; will we see a gaming-centric Google TV?
You may remember almost a year about we reviewed an Android gaming system made by a company called Green Throttle Games; the system was simple enough, combining Bluetooth controllers with Green Throttle’s own app to create a console gaming experience with any Android device you possessed (you can check out our full review here). Green Throttle has actually since then removed their app from the Play Store which makes their entire system worthless despite still being sold on Amazong. Even so, their work has caught somebody’s eye as Google has acquired Green Throttle Games in what’s reported as their endeavour to recreate a Google TV set top box.
We’ve known for some time known that Google has aspirations to recreate Google TV into something that can legitimately challenge the Apple TV, and something that has some Green Throttle-inspired gaming capabilities would definitely give it an edge in the media streaming space. The report says that Google will be making use of Green Throttle’s parts and labour to help create the set top box.
What do you think about Google acquiring the gaming-centric technology of Green Throttle? Would you be more likely to get a Google TV if it had gaming capabilities? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: 9to5Google via TalkAndroid
Apple to Focus on Selling Entry-Level iPhones and iPads in Small Stores Across India [iOS Blog]
Apple will reportedly look to build a presence in India by opening small stores with resell partners and emphasize sales of entry-level iPhones and iPads, according to a new report from The Economic Times. The plan follows comments from Apple India executives Maneesh Dhir and Sanjay Kaul last October stating a desire for the company to build 100 exclusive standalone stores under the franchise model throughout the country.
An Apple Premium Reseller in India
Apple has informed distributors and trade partners in recent meetings that it is looking to set up exclusive 400-600 sq ft stores in neighbourhoods and some popular high-street locations. They will focus on mobility products such as iPhones and iPads, besides entry-level Mac computers and iPods, said three of Apple’s trade partners aware of the plans.
“Apple wants to focus more on its entry-level models in these stores such as iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPad mini and iPad 2, which are essentially in the sub- 30,000 segment and also its largest-selling products in India,” said a senior executive of a leading trade partner of Apple.
The report adds that the company is looking to build these new stores in populated areas such Pune, Vizag, Guwahati, Durgapur, and Gangtok, stating that Apple is looking to attract the large number of students as well as residents with “high disposable incomes” in those regions. Currently, India does not have any Apple Retail Stores to call its own, although a report in January 2012 stated that Apple was interested in setting up locations in the country after business regulations were relaxed.
Q2 2013 figures from Canalys reported last August showed that India is the third largest smartphone market in the world, posting 129% growth and resulting in the shipment of 9 million smartphones during the quarter. Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned during the company’s Q3 2013 earnings call that iPhone sales in India increased by 400% year-over-year, as the iPad posted double-digit growth in the region. It was also reported last month that Apple would be restarting iPhone 4 production for India, Indonesia, and Brazil in order to recapture market share in those countries.
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Rdio plans to stop using Echo Nest, because Spotify bought it
Rdio’s CEO, Anthony Bay, doesn’t want Spotify knowing what it knows, and to that end, the music service is looking to break away from Echo Nest. However, the music intelligence company, recently bought by Spotify, is just one of several partners that Rdio taps for its music data, including Rovi. Spotify has previously said that it’ll run Echo Nest as a “wholly-owned subsidiary” which should keep the data service relatively free from any meddling. In an interview with CNBC, Bay said: “We, probably like most people, have multiple sources of data that we use. So we will stop using that source of data [Echo Nest] and use other sources.”
Filed under: Internet
Via: GigaOm
Source: CNBC
Rumors of an Amazon music service, TV set-top box swirl yet again
We’re still not sure whether Amazon’s truly launching a music streaming service, but if it does, you might only be able to access songs and albums for a limited time. According to the Wall Street Journal, the e-commerce company hopes to offer music streaming as part of Prime to justify an annual membership (from $79 to $119) price increase. Unlike other services like Spotify or Pandora, Amazon’s end goal is to entice people to download tracks from its MP3 store, hence, the time limit. Meanwhile, Billboard reports on rumors compiled from sources at multiple labels, where Amazon’s apparently going after older titles, and proposing smaller, capped payments based on the number of plays. The service’s existence depends on whether Amazon and recording companies can agree on licensing fees, though — it’s reportedly far from being a done deal.
Music streaming isn’t the only Amazon rumor that’s recently resurfaced with more details. Remember the streaming box the company was supposedly launching last year? Well, according to GigaOm, when it does become available, it’ll come loaded with Netflix and Hulu Plus in addition to Prime Instant Video. It’s also intriguing that Amazon appears on a list of companies registered to use the DIAL protocol pushed by Netflix and YouTube. That suggests the ability to fire and control streams from your mobile apps for those services and/or the addition of similar features to Amazon Instant Video. Of course, none of these are set in stone (hey, Amazon hasn’t even confirmed either product yet) until we hear from the company itself.
[Image credit: Mike Seyfang/Flickr]
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Billboard, GigaOm
Ting lets you bring your iPhone 5 to its pay-for-what-you-use cellular service
You haven’t had many choices for non-Android phones if you’ve wanted to switch to Ting, where you only pay for the cellular service you use — aside from the since-vanished HTC 8XT, you’ve had to bring over an aging iPhone 4 or 4S from Sprint. Your options just got a little better, though, as Ting now lets you activate a Sprint-compatible iPhone 5. That still leaves the modern iPhone 5s sadly out of reach, but Ting says that Sprint’s device restrictions are keeping Apple’s latest handset off-limits until September at the earliest. Even so, the newly expanded support is big news for eligible iPhone fans eager to trim their cellphone bills.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Apple, Sprint
Source: Ting
Oppo Sends Out Event Invites Like You’ve Never Seen Before [Video]
Oppo plans on making a splash in the mobile market this year, when they launch the Oppo Find 7. It will be the first phone to have a 2K display, as well as some other fancy features we are anxious to check out. Oppo has planned an event in Beijing on March 19th, and the invitations they sent out are quite fancy…and frickin awesome.
Oppo definitely wants to grab our attention when it comes to their products, and this invitation they sent out is something you might find in a futuristic scifi movie. I am not even going to try to explain what they did here, but luckily there is a video below to see it in action. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Source: Phandroid
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Google buys an Android gaming platform, possibly with a set-top box in mind
Green Throttle Games was late to the Android gaming platform party, and paid the price for it — the company effectively wound down at the end of 2013. However, its efforts may not have been in vain. Google has confirmed to PandoDaily that it has acquired key parts of Green Throttle’s business, including its parts, labor and two co-founders. The crew in Mountain View hasn’t said what it will do with its new resources, but PandoDaily sources claim that Google wants to refine the Bluetooth controller for its long-fabled (and possibly gaming-focused) TV set-top box. Whether or not that’s true, the move suggests that Google’s interest in games is extending beyond software.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Peripherals, HD, Google
Source: PandoDaily
The All New HTC One Photos Won’t Stop! Oppo Find 7 Lookin’ Sexy! – The ManDroid Show
Time for that video portion of the Android news my friends. More All New HTC One photos have leaked out, and I think you can all agree it is getting pretty old. We are pretty much going to know everything about this phone before HTC’s unveiling event. Kind of sad, but we can you do. The Oppo Find 7 is looking mighty sexy, making get all excited just because it has a glow underneath it. It’s the little things. Enjoy the show!
News Topics
Lots more All New HTC One photos surface
All New HTC one gets a fancy flip-cover
Oppo Find 7 images
LG might have leaked the LG G3
Touchless voice controls for the Nexus 5
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AIVAnet 