Filed under: Audio/Video, TV, Reviews, Home Video, Televisions, CES 2008Your heroes at Switched came away impressed after our hands-on with Philips' latest high definition (HD) LCD television sets last night. The new sets comprise Philips' 2008 "Design Collection", featuring round-edges surrounded by acrylic framing in all TVs ranging from 19 to 52 inches (diagonal). Forgive us for jumping to the dessert course of the meal, but we think it best to go into detail about the Ultimate Dream TV, the top-of-the-line product from Philip's new 7000 Series that is being hailed as a winner of the 2008 CEA Innovations Award for Design and Engineering. As it's known in technical jargon, this 52PFL7603D model features something called 120 Hz ClearLCD Technology. This screen innovation improves the shadows and detail made up in the ever-important black levels. As far as images and on-screen motion goes, the 7000 Series Dream TV operates at 120 Hz rather than the 60 Hzfound in many sets today, an improvement in response time that eliminates most (if not all) streaking. What may be the coolest, though, is the new HD Digital Natural Motion technology that stabilizes moving images and reduces frame stutter.The Dream model also includes an invisible speaker system that pipes great quality sound from the bottom of the TV throughout the acrylic frame and out to you in Ambisound form (that's just Philips elitist way of not saying "virtual surround sound" like everyone else). All of the TVs in the 7000 series offer four HDMI 1.3a inputs with built-in consumer electronics control (CEC), in addition to a picture calibrating feature that offers a convenient series of two image modes instead of making you tweak all of the levels yourself. We thought that was cool, but you hardcore picture-tweaking freaks will most likely be annoyed. At the end of the demo, the gee-whiz Philips rep set up a "shootout" among Sony and Samsung's 2007 HD LCD sets versus Philips' 2007 and new 2008 products. The 2008 Philips easily won due to its great color, smooth motion and high detail. The 2007 model was much less dominant, but it still seemed to have better image detail, as we could see the blades of grass on its screen more distinctly than in its competitors'. To be fair, we would have loved to see the three companies go head to head to head on equal footing, but Sony and Samsung weren't around to speak for themselves.The Dream TV comes out in May at a whopping retail price of $2,799, while the cheapest, 42 inch 7000 series option debuts in March at $1,699. The only difference outside of size is that the latter lacks only Ambilight, a feature that provides well-balanced light on the screen and behind the set. Philips also has both a 3000 and 5000 HD LCD series, though they come with fewer bells and whistles as the price goes down.The handy chart below includes release dates and prices for those of you itching to spend some cash on a new HDTV in 2008. Related Links:Philips Wants to get in Touch With Its Feminine SideWorld's Largest TV Measures 150 InchesSony Closing Its Rear-Projection Television Line Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, Green Tech, Home Audio, Televisions, CES 2008We've been reporting how Green Technology is making the headlines at this year's Consumer Electronics Showcare. Whether developing atmosphere and energy-friendly cars that run on hydrogen fuel cells or batteries made with no lead, cadmium or mercury, businesses are increasingly becoming eco-conscious as they make new products for the consumer. These sometimes wacky, sometimes futuristic items offer sources of clean, power-conserving energy while minimizing harm to the environment. Check out the gallery for a look at how green things have become.Continue >>%Gallery-13328%Related Links:Green Tech to be a Major Theme at Next Week's Gadget ShowGreenpeace Trying to Clean Up the Gaming IndustryEnergy-Saving Bulbs Causing Migraine Headaches Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car Tech, Green Tech We may be half a world away at CES in Las Vegas, but this announcement out of the 9th annual Auto Expo in New Delhi certainly caught our attention. India manufacturer Tata officially unveiled what is now known as the Tata Nano. But whether you call it the Nano, the People's Car, the 1-lakh, or the $2,500 car it's still a feat of engineering.Sure, for $2,500, you're forgoing a lot of comforts and features (no iPod dock or even power steering here). But what it lacks in modern technical amenities it makes up for in value. Despite the low price tag, this little car gets 54 miles to the gallon, and either meets or exceeds safety standards around the globe. Interest note: Now that Tata is bringing automobiles to developing nations, it's looking to expand its reach in the opposite direction and has begun talks with Ford to purchase the luxury Jaguar brand.From EngadgetRelated links:Car Stereos Gone Wild (and More)GM's New Hydrogen Powered Car UnveiledHonda Testing Clean Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Man / Woman Who Has Everything, CES 2008Our never-ending search for items at the Consumer Electronics Show that are true statement pieces continues with a visit to KEF, maker of the Muon -- perhaps ironically named since a muon is a smaller particle than a quark, yet these speakers, evidenced by the picture above, are clearly not tiny.Nor is their price tag. At $140,000 for the pair, the Muon speakers are meant for only the most discerning audiophile, for whom price is obviously no matter.Only 100 pairs of the speakers will be made, according to Johan Coorg, marketing director for KEF. "The one-hundred and first person who wants one will just have to be disappointed," he said.Why make speakers like these?"This actually started as a testbed project for our engineers," Coorg said. "British audio has always been very well respected. These speakers now are the leading edge in real cool design. It's no longer acceptable to buy a square box anymore."Though they have a somewhat organic shape, these speakers are made of aluminum, shaped and made strong through a process called "superforming."The result is five-hundred combined pounds of visually arresting listening delight.From KEF.Related links:The Audio System That Costs as Much as a House Volcanic Rock Makes Light and Durable Pioneer Speakers New Wireless Bluetooth Speakers Are Finally Affordable  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Car Tech, TV, CES 2008Most of us never think twice about our car stereos. They come preinstalled in your automobile, and you take it for granted. But there is a whole subculture of people whose greatest pleasure in life is crafting absurd mobile entertainment centers that put many peoples' home theaters to shame.TVs galore, more sub-woofers than your bowels could possibly stand, and chains of amplifiers that drive volume up to building crumbling levels -- these are some of the specs we encountered while walking the mobile tech areas at CES. We may well have suffered permanent hearing damage to bring you this massive photo collection of the most intense displays of car audio and video power at CES. A few of them even made this guy's stereo look tame by comparison. Take a look!%Gallery-13310%Related Links:The Audio System that Costs as Much as a HouseWorld's Tiniest Computers17,000 Watt Car Stero Turns Car Into Jell-O Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, TV, Green Tech, CES 2008 We couldn't stop drooling long enough for the Samsung reps to let us near this lust-worthy beauty. Thankfully, the folks over at Engadget were able pick there jaws up off the floor and snag some photos of this ultra thin, environmentally-friendly display.It's only a prototype right now, and Samsung has no immediate plans to bring these to consumers, but we're sure plans will be announced soon enough. Samsung won't want to leave Sony alone in the OLED market for long, though. So head on over to Engadget to check out what is most certainly the future of TV.From EngadgetRelated links:Sony OLED TV Out this Month in the U.S. Samsung One Ups Sony With 31 Inch OLED TV Pioneer Unveils Super Thin, High Contrast Plasma TVs The World's Thinnest TVs  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car Tech, Cell Phones, Google, Green Tech If you've turned on the Discovery Channel at all in the last year you might have noticed that survival is quite the draw. The popularity of shows like 'Survivor Man' and 'Man Vs. Wild' is not only drawing viewers to Discover, though, it's also helping draw attention to an entire cottage industry of gear designed to help you avoid the very situations (read: deadly ones) we love to watch Bear Grylls stick himself in. Well, the gadget industry has always catered to those in dicey and potentially lethal situations, but we've noticed a certain proliferation in survival gizmos this year at CES. Check out some of our favorites in the following pages.Next >>  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cameras, CES 2008Convenience is the name of the game if you plan on using one of Lexar's new wireless SD (Secure Digitalo) memory cards in your digital camera later this year. The new SD card, announced at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, is Wi-Fi capable, using a technology developed by a company called Eye-Fi to wirelessly transfer images from the card to your computer, a photo-sharing Web site or a retail kiosk. Eye-Fi released its own card late last year, but Lexar is the first company we've seen that's using the Eye-Fi technology in one of its own cards.While some digital still cameras are starting to have wireless capabilities themselves -- Panasonic, for example, announced a Wi-Fi capable camera earlier this week -- most consumers own digicams that don't have this very convenient feature. This wireless SD card essentially turns any compatible camera into a wireless device.After taking pictures, you go to within range of an open wireless, or Wi-Fi, hotspot, and your photos are automatically uploaded to your computer or to photo sharing Web sites such as Kodak Gallery, Wal-Mart Digital Photo Center, Shutterfly, Snapfish, Picasa, flickr and Facebook. Your computer doesn't even need to be turned on for the process to work.No word on pricing or availability yet. We've been playing around with the Eye-Fi for a couple of weeks. When we've managed to get it to work, we love it, but as with all things Wi-Fi, it can be temperamental. Still, it beats having to carry a memory card adapter or USB cord around all day. From Lexar.Related links:New High Speed, High Capacity Memory Cards On The Way Chicago Cancels Plans for Free Wi-Fi Man Charged for Using Cafe's Free Wi-Fi  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, CES 2008Riddle us this: what's better than a laptop with one screen? A laptop with two screens!eDetail was at CES this week showing off its award-winning dual screened computer tablet.The unique dual multi-touch screened monster is primarily targeted at professionals and commercial applications, but the company is producing a 14-inch model aimed more at consumers. Professionals can use the laptop to give mobile presentations, showing customers a slide show or questionnaire on the larger front screen while controlling it all from the smaller back screen. The laptop also has a programmable hot key that can be used for launching a presentation. The laptop has a built-in camera and microphone for video conferencing. One can imagine flipping the top screen up to watch a movie or opening iTunes iwhile using a word processor or browsing the internet on the main screen.The 14-inch model is expected to retail for about $1,200 loaded with Windows XP, 512 megabytes of RAM, and an 80 gigabyte hard drive. The one questionable decision was going with AMD's Geode processor,the same chip in the OLPC XO. The Geode allows the eDetail computer to stay cool even with-out fans and last all day without recharging, but the Geode is a little underpowered for running Windows.%Gallery-13304%Related links:World's Tiniest Computers Video: Alienware's New Curved, Wrap-Around Display The iPhone Has One Touch Screen. This Phone Has Two.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, ComputersIn what may be the ultimate illustration of our hyper-industrialized planet, a regional government in India has announced plans to send alerts about the availability of rice and the supply of food to its citizens...via SMS (a type of wireless phone message).Thanks to India's subsidized food distribution program, each family in the country is granted 35kg of rice per month; now, when it's available at the distribution center, SMS alerts will be sent out to registered families.The program apparently will cover 3.4 million families -- or about 60 percent of the state's 20.08 million people. Of course, this all requires that the families have both cell phones and Web access, as they'll have to register their cell numbers at the food and civil supplies department website. Officials have admitted they are unclear how many families actually access to this kind of consumer technology we often take for granted. Once they start checking Switched everyday for updates on the latest rice cookers, it's so on. From TextuallyRelated links:Dvorak says we should send rice, not laptops, to childrenText message sends Indian stock market reeling Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Green Tech, CES 2008At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Green Technology is all the rage. It seems that companies are increasingly embracing an environmentally friendly approach to product development. From hydrogen-powered cars to Freeplay Energy's solar-powered radios, it is clear that technological advances are paving the way for a healthier Mother Earth.We particularly like Hong Kong-based Chung Pak Battery Works, which has removed many of the most harmful elements from its Vinnic and Vinergy product lines without sacrificing power output. For this reason, we enthusiastically support Chung Pak's Green Batteries. (We also enthusiastically support their commercial, so click the image above to watch.)The latest Vinnic innovation is the No Lead Added Zinc Chloride Battery Series, while Chung Pak's completely new line, Vinergy, offers a Mercury and Cadmium free alkaline button cell and battery. The result is an array of different eco-conscious batteries that have no Lead, Mercury or Cadmium added. A more complete list of available Chung Pak products includes several series of the aforementioned alkaline and zinc chloride batteries, in addition to alkaline/silver-oxide button cells;high voltage, alkaline, cylindrical button cells; Ni-MH rechargeable, cylindrical and button cells; battery packs and chargers; and even lithium batteries. Vinnic and Vinergy merchandise is sold in the United States through Evergreen (C.P.) USA Inc. Related Links:FAA Institutes New Bans on Laptop and Gadget Batteries on PlanesExcavator to Blame in Cell Phone Death, But the Battery Still Caught on Fire!Pregnant Woman's Nokia Phone Battery Explodes Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Green Tech, CES 2008The fact that Intel has started using a 45-nanometer manufacturing process may not mean much to you. In fact there's a chance you're staring at your computer screen right now, head titled, with a perplexed look on your face. But it's ok, we at Switched are here to help clear up what the new processors mean for you.45 nanometers refers to the smallest possible features a processor can have. This is made possible by a new manufacturing technique. By comparison, the human hair can be as thick as 181 micrometers, or about 4000 times larger than the smallest features on the new Intel processors. Intel also introduced new a new transistor technology called high-k which reduces the amount of leakage, or wasted electricity. This new technology has been applied to processors across the Intel lineup, from laptop chips, to servers, to the company's new Menlow processors (pictured above) for tiny Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPC) and Mobile Internet Devices (MID).So what exactly does this mean for you, the consumer? It means faster, smaller, cooler computers that use less energy. Laptops that you can actually use in your lap because they no longer get hot enough to cook an egg on, MIDs that will approach the iPhone in size, and computers so fast that most current games won't put a strain on them are all on their way. Intel started shipping processors based on the new manufacturing process back in November, but many companies waited until this week's Consumer Electronics Showcase to unveil products based on them. The bottom line is that this new technology is good for the consumer, but bad for AMD, Intel's main rival.Related links:World's Tiniest ComputersGraffiti Splotched Gadgets All the Rage in 2008Apple's New Super Fast Mac Pro Costs Up to $20,000 Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, CES 2008Binghamton, N.Y.-based McIntosh, maker of high-end home theater equipment for some truly demanding audio aficionados, is showing a $190,000 home theater system here at the Consumer Electronics Show -- a set up which they call, simply, "The Reference System." That $190,000 is just under the $240,000 national average for the cost of an entire home in the United States.Each tweeter (the speakers that produce higher frequencies) in this system has 110 drivers, for example. Spreading the sound output among so many gives a much sweeter tweeter, so to speak. But that's hard for a system to manage, and creates the need for some seriously complex (and expensive) components."It takes a lot of power to produce sound that gives you the same type of experience you'd have if you were in a concert hall," said McIntosh's James Ludoviconi. "Despite this, the system itself is extremely quiet, so the only sound you hear is from the source content." Each 2,000-watt amp utilizes something called "quad-balancing" to eliminate the noise a powerful piece of equipment might otherwise make on its own. Quite a feat of engineering.Frankly, we were impressed just looking at the set up.Better get a bigger piggy bank.Related links: Volcanic Rock Makes Light and Durable Pioneer SpeakersJust Tell Me What to Get: Home TheaterEpson's Home-Theater-In-a-Box Comes with 100-Inch Screen, Projector Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car Tech, Green Tech, CES 2008General Motors Chairman and CEO Rich Wagoner used his keynote address at this year's CES in Las Vegas to outline his company's vision of the future of car technology. The presentation was the first ever by an automobile manufacturer at CES. The most significant item Wagoner touched upon was GM's answer to environmental concerns and the need for alternative sources of energy to power automobiles in the coming years. The answer, Wagoner declared, could be found in the 5th generation fuel cell concept vehicle that rolled out onto the stage with him, a sleek SUV called the Cadillac Provoq.The Provoq, an impressive looking silver specimen, relies on EFlex technology, using GM's latest generation of hydrogen fuel cells and an Advanced Lithium Ion Battery to power it. The result is a vehicle that can achieve top speeds of 100 miles per hour, go from 0 to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, get 300 miles per tank of hydrogen and produces no emissions. In addition, the car comes complete with a solar panel on theroof to power accessories and a front grill with louvers that optimize the vehicle's aerodynamics.EFlex technology - that is, electronically driven cars that have flexible power-deriving capabilities, will function by charging from an electronic source, combining that with a small ethanol or diesel engine, or a hydrogen fuel cell. EFlex allows vehicles to drive up to 40 miles with a single charge from an electronic source. Since most commuters only drive within that range on a daily basis, the zero emission product is astounding. Should the car owner need to travel further, the engine generator uses the other flexible sources of power to allow the car to run at a ridiculous 150 miles per gallon! Until such cars are available, Wagoner pointed to the FlexFuel models that run on up to 85% ethanol, whose production GM will increase to 50% of all of its cars by 2012. The country will need to have more E85 fuel pumps, however, if the ethanol-based system is to be effective nationwide. Over the next four years, GM also plans to introduce 16 new hybrid models. Wagoner dished out another hint of the future when he discussed the potential for cars to drive themselves. He shared that GM recently won the DARPA competition, a challenge in which the Chevy Tahoe "Boss" navigated on its own a 60 mile course that simulated urban conditions in under six hours.OnStar, GM's telematics system, also had its share of developments. The 8th generation of OnStar will soon provide vital information to rescuers following a collision, such as what part of the car was hit and how hard, as well as whether it rolled over. Furthermore, OnStar will also feature Turn By Turn Navigation, a new directions service. Another service coming includes a partnership with MapQuest to add a "send to OnStar" function. Perhaps the most important OnStar upgrade, however, was the "stolen vehicle slowdown" feature, which will gradually decrease power to suspected stolen vehicles upon a request by law enforcement. GM also plans on introducing OnStar in China this year. Finally, Mr. Wagoner introduced V2V technology that will allow cars to communicate with each other in order to avoid collisions. Using transponders and GPS technology, one car will alert another behind it to a sudden stop, allowing the second car to automatically begin slowing down even if the driver is unaware of the situation. %Gallery-13237%Related Links:Smart Tires Tell You When They're About to BlowHonda Testing Clean Hydrogen Fuel Cell CarGM Prepping Electric Car for 2010 Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments