TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
ZeeVee is now shipping its ZvBox, which allows users to stream media content from a PC to multiple HDTVs. The ZvBox “localcasts” the content on a channel called Zv to all the HDTVs in the home, with no subscription required. The ZvBox, at a suggested retail price of $499, is sold at Amazon, Best Buy, J&R and other electronics stores. CEPro.com (8/5)
Hewlett-Packard Co. senses the future of computing will be done with touch screens similar to the interface of Apple’s iPhone. According to one estimate from iSuppli, the number of touch-screen devices should more than double to 800 million by 2013. “We see touch as the almost preferred method for nontechnical users,” said an HP spokesman. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires (subscription required) (8/6)
HP’s Expansion Base Docking Stations connect to any HP laptops and add a number of ports including an S-video out, allowing you to plug in peripherals without having to plug and unplug them every time you get up. The cheapest of these goes for about $100, while the more advanced costs over $300, including a DVD Rom drive. Simply connect an S-video cord to the back of your TV and you’re good to go. (Cynopsis 8/6)
Sharp has announced a new addition to its product line of high-definition LCD TVs with the 42-inch LC-42SB45U, which will be available in September for $1,399. The 42-inch model joins the 46-inch model ($1,699) and 52-inch model ($2,299) currently on the market. All of the models come with a dedicated PC input and pixel-response time of 6ms. TWICE (8/5)
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
Of the 83 million U.S. homes with at least one PC, up to 2 million are used to mastermind home theaters. A PC can be configured with a DVD and Blu-ray player, as well as a digital archive for storing movies. PCs also can record television shows, with one hour of HD programming taking up about 6GB, according to this analysis. MSNBC (8/4)
One of HP’s home theater PCs, the Pavilion Elite m9300t, starts at $800. Dell and Sony, as well as other manufacturers, also have home theater PCs on the market.
According to a study by IMS Research, the total number of households with access to HD video programming via broadcast, cable, satellite or IPTV will reach 255 million in 2013. The report also predicts $46 billion in revenue from Blu-ray discs in 2013, with the market growing as more PCs add Blu-ray drives. Broadcast Engineering (8/5)
Blockbuster will begin testing 50 DVD rental kiosks to compete with Redbox, which rents DVDs for $1 per night. Blockbuster plans to roll out 10,000 kiosks over the next 18 months. The kiosks are designed for DVD rentals, but could include digital downloads and sales of movies in the future. The Hollywood Reporter (8/5) , Variety (8/4)
Motorola, joining a growing list of companies in offering software-development kits to cable companies and developers, has made its kit to create interactive-TV applications based on CableLabs’ tru2way platform commercially available. The company was mum on the price for the DevPlatform, but asserts that it costs less than similar available products. Multichannel News (8/5)
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
Ever since Amazon launched the Kindle last November, we’ve been wondering about just how successful it’s been. The electronic book initially sold out and supplies have been tight. The Kindle is such a small part of Amazon’s overall business that the company does not break out how many it’s sold. But we found out anyway: 240,000 Kindles have been shipped since November, according to a source close to Amazon with direct knowledge of the numbers. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/01/amazon-to-acquire-abebooks 8/1)
Speaker designer Matthew Polk demonstrated a new speaker system designed for the slim profile of flat-screen TVs, the SurroundBar 360. The speaker system, measuring 44 1/2 inches wide and 4 1/8 inches high, can fit beneath a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. The SurroundBar 360 will be available for sale this September at a suggested retail price of $1,199. ElectronicHouse.com (8/1)
Sharp has launched a home cinema rack system available with an integrated, upscaling DVD/CD player. The AN-PR1500H system also is equipped with HD-enabling technology and 2.1 front surround speakers. The unit comes with a USB port so users can upload photos or link up an iPod. Pocket-lint.co.uk (8/1)
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
LG Electronics will introduce a device in September that not only plays Blu-ray movies in high-definition but can also be used to stream movies from Netflix via the Internet. The LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player represents Netflix’s latest attempt to transition from a video-by-mail distribution system to an online model. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) (7/31)
About 143 million digital set-top boxes were shipped globally last year, an increase of 18% over 2006, and worldwide revenue reached $14 billion, according to market-research company In-Stat. Of those 143 million, nearly 30% were digital-cable set-top boxes. Cartt News Service (subscription only) (7/30)
Looking to get into one of the hottest segments of the computer market, Sony, Toshiba and Fujitsu have announced plans to develop ultra-low-cost laptops. The trend was started by Asustek, whose EeePC sells for as little as $300 and has already spurred HP, Dell and Acer to launch their own cheap notebook PCs. Financial Times (7/30)
Dell is once again ramping up its effort to take a bigger slice of the CE pie, according to The Wall Street Journal, which reports the company is in the process of testing a digital music player. The device, if it makes it to market, is expected to have downloadable-content and content-organization features. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) (7/30)
