Panasonic will bring Firefox OS to your smart TV this year
Firefox OS won’t be confined to small devices for much longer. Panasonic has announced a partnership with Mozilla that will see it launch Firefox OS-powered smart TVs and other “smart screens.” The deal potentially opens up the frequently proprietary world of TV software — since the program guide and other interface elements will be web pages, they won’t be limited to any one company’s hardware. It should also be easier to write remote control apps, personalize the interface and integrate TVs with home automation systems. Panasonic isn’t going into more detail about the hardware at this stage, but it tells us that the first Firefox OS TVs should arrive in the “latter part” of this year.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Household, Software, HD
Source: Mozilla Blog
Sharp is teasing a 3D-ready, 85-inch 8K display at CES, no glasses required
Sharp loves to show off the 8K technology it hopes to see in your living room in the future. It’s no surprise, then, that the outfit is yet again using CES as a platform to tease another super, super high-res 85-inch screen. Unlike the gorgeous panel we saw last year (pictured above), though, this time Sharp’s rolled into the desert with a glasses-free 3D flavor of its 7,680 x 4,320 display. The company isn’t sharing many more details at the moment, but, for what it’s worth, it did mention that its latest 8K creation was done in collaboration with Philips and Dolby. While we haven’t seen this thing ourselves, we know it’s here, somewhere in Las Vegas, so we’ll be sure to update this post as soon as our eyes meet all those pixels.
Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Sharp
Toshiba enters 2014 with extra-bright 4K TVs, simpler streaming media hubs
Toshiba knows how to shine in the 4K TV space when there’s a sea of competitors — by making brighter 4K TVs, of course. Its 2014 Ultra HD TV lineup (not yet pictured) centers on 58- and 65-inch Premier L9400U models that both have extra-bright “Radiance” LED panels. They similarly share a third-generation 4K video-scaling engine, a 240Hz refresh rate, DirecTV RVU support and voice control. If brightness isn’t what you’re looking for, there are more conventional alternatives. The 84-inch L9450U relies on more conventional local-dimming LEDs while preserving the rest of the L9400U’s features, and the 50- and 58-inch L8400U sets cut costs through both their smaller sizes and 120Hz panels. All three TV lines are poised to ship this summer, although Toshiba isn’t ready to commit to pricing.
The electronics giant is also launching a pair of next-generation Symbio set-top boxes, both of which combine Blu-ray with streaming media using a newly simplified, one-page interface that brings Smart TV Alliance app support. The BDX5500 leads the group with 4K upscaling and 3D playback, while the BDX3500 saves some cash by sticking to 2D. Toshiba doesn’t yet have pricing for the new Symbio line, but it should grace store shelves in the first quarter of the year.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Toshiba
LG’s latest 84-inch 4K TV breaks cover at CES
Sure, a 105-inch curved, ultra-widescreen TV is LG’s pride and joy at CES 2014, but it’s also brought along a handful of flat Ultra HD televisions along for the ride. We’ve just laid eyes on the 84-inch variant of the 4K (3,840 x 2,160) set and came away fairly satisfied. Sure, the LCD panel isn’t nearly as vivid as an OLED one, but it still manages to handle itself adequately while keeping a thing profile. Hidden from sight is the “Tru-ULTRA HD Engine Pro” chip, which handles upscaling anything SD, HD and “True HD” (read: 1080p) content. The set itself doesn’t have an extravagant stand or frame as is often the case with UHD sets, but its sleek body and pair of thin, side-mounted speaker bars would look right at home in any (exceptionally large) entertainment center. To lay eyes on the panel for yourself, check out the gallery below.
Intel CEO hints at wearable plans for CES
Want to see what Intel will do next with its extra-tiny Quark processors? You won’t have to wait long. CEO Brian Krzanich tells Recode that his company is launching a full-scale assault on the wearable space at CES. The chip designer will introduce both a relevant Quark chip and a host of third-party wearable devices at the Las Vegas event. You likely won’t get to try any of these gadgets for a while, however. Although Krzanich has been accelerating Intel’s shift toward ultra-mobile processors, the hardware unveiled at CES won’t ship until April at the earliest.
Don’t expect Intel to say much about its stalled TV plans at CES, for that matter. The executive says that the technology behind the online video service is in good shape, but there isn’t enough content to watch. It needs a partner that could rapidly expand the media library, Krzanich explains. Recode suggests that Verizon might come to Intel’s rescue, but there’s no official news at this stage.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wearables, HD, Verizon, Intel
Source: Recode (1), (2)
Daily Roundup: Samsung Galaxy Camera 2, LG WebOS TV, ZTE BlueWatch and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung unveils Galaxy Camera 2 and NX30
Samsung revealed two new additions to its camera lineup: the NX30 and the Android-powered Galaxy Camera 2. Click the link for hands-on photos and more information about their NFC-based “Tag & Go” feature.
Rumored LG WebOS TV interface leak
LG is rumored to be releasing a new WebOS Smart TV at CES, and according to @evleaks, this is what it looks like. Click through for more details about the smartphone-like UI and potential launch apps.
Mozilla delays Windows 8 Firefox app
After being announced almost two years ago, Mozilla has yet again delayed the release of its Windows 8 Firefox app until mid-March. Follow the link for details.
ZTE Grand S II and BlueWatch for CES debut
ZTE is bringing an impressive seven devices to CES, and leading the pack are the Grand S II handset and BlueWatch smartwatch. Click on through for more information.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Home Entertainment, Blackberry
Want to stream ABC shows the day after they air? Better get cable
As the legions of cord cutters continue to grow, companies are looking for any way to keep customers tied to their increasingly archaic (and offensively priced) pay TV subscriptions. ABC is just the latest network to get in on the frustrating practice, by requiring users sign into their cable account if they want to watch shows online the day after they air. On January 6th the change is coming not only to Watch ABC, but Hulu as well. Though, if you subscribe to Hulu Plus you’ll still have access the next day. Otherwise you’ll have to wait a full week after an episode airs to stream it for free. Of course, ABC is hardly alone in the practice. Fox did the same back in 2011, while premium outlets like HBO and Showtime have limited their streaming services to verified pay TV subscribers since day one (with a few experimental exceptions). The list of participating TV services includes all the usual suspects, including Time Warner and FiOS, as well as new comers like Google Fiber. If you’ve got any nagging questions you can check out the FAQ at the source or call Watch ABC’s customer service at (800) 230-0229.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Via: GigaOM
Source: Watch ABC
Daily Roundup: Tech’s biggest misfires, Samsung’s 110-inch UHDTV, 2013 in review and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Tech’s biggest misfires of 2013
2013 was filled with highly anticipated product launches and big news stories, but it had a few hiccups as well. Click the link to take a trip down memory lane to relive tech’s biggest controversies of the year.
Samsung’s 110-inch Ultra HDTV
Samsung’s larger-than-life Ultra HDTV is on sale, for those who can afford it, anyway. The Associated Press reports that this monster’s price tag comes to a whopping $150,000. Follow the link for more details.
Archos to debut smartwatches at CES
In just a few weeks, Archos will debut a selection of smartwatches at the Consumer Electronics Show. What’s more, at least one of these “Pebble-like” devices will cost under $50. Click the link for more information.
2013 in review
As the new year swiftly approaches, Engadget takes a closer look at the biggest triumphs, breakthroughs and failures of the past 364 days. From the Netflix explosion to the rise of wearables, we’ve got you covered. Click through to take a look.
Filed under: Misc
Samsung’s latest developer kit lets you control appliances from your TV
Ever wish you could turn on the air conditioning without leaving the couch? Samsung’s new Smart TV SDK 5.0 will give you the luxury of being that lazy. The programming kit gives the TV control over home appliances, including network-savvy lighting and refrigerators. Developers should also have an easier time building apps thanks to a new web framework that both supports HTML5 and uses Native Client to run software across a wide range of TVs. Apps can run on mobile devices, too. Samsung has already posted a beta SDK, but aspiring big-screen app builders will have to wait until January 6th to get the finished tool.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Household, HD, Samsung
Source: Samsung D Forum, Samsung Tomorrow
Cloud.TV puts Dayframe Prime and HD Widgets on Sale for a Dollar
We are pretty sure that pretty much everyone owns HD widgets. It has hit ever special and promo I can think of over the years since it was launched. It is a great collection of customizable widgets that also pack in a series specifically for the bigger screen phones and tablets.
Dayframe Prime on the other hand hasn’t made its rounds too many times just yet. There is a free version of this app available too. In a nutshell, it is an app that turns your device into a living photoframe. We don’t just mean the photos in your device either. Dayframe connects to Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Google+, Dropbox, Flickr, Twitter, 500px and many others. Giving you a WIDE variety of images to be displayed. Dayframe Prime is the add-on pack for the free version that adds in even more customizations like creating playlists of photo streams, app timer, brightness timer and more.
Dayframe Prime will be $4.99 when it goes fully out and has been on an early bird special for $2.99 for a little while. For Christmas though, Cloud.TV has put the app up for just $0.99. You should check it out. It would be a great app to have running on a tablet sitting out for your friends and family to see. Just be sure to keep your feeds appropriate for grandma.
Dayframe free – Play Store Link (must be installed to get Dayframe Prime)
Dayframe Prime – Play Store Link
HD Widgets – Play Store Link
FYI – They just made the change, so the price might not reflect just yet.
AIVAnet 