Communications Technology

3D TVs are the next big thing in home entertainment. If you are interested in purchasing this fancy new technology check out these on offer now.

SONY BRAVIA
KDL46HX800LCD
(46-inch)
Price: $3499
Included 3D glasses: None. 3D
transmitter $69
Extra 3D glasses: $99 a pair
Rating: ****

SONY’S HX800 TV is one of its best 2D televisions thanks to its new Bravia Engine 3 processor that promises improved contrast, colour and clarity. It delivers, too, though black levels let down the picture quality.

The HX800’s ability to handle fast motion is impressive when watching sport, usually an LCD stumbling block, because it uses Sony’s 200Hz MotionFlow to keep the picture smooth and virtually judder-free.

A word of warning: the glasses are bulky.

LG
47LX9500 (47-inch)
Price: $4099
Included 3D glasses: Two pairs
Extra 3D glasses: $99 a pair
Rating: *** 1/2

LG’S panel is impressive right out of its box thanks to its svelte proportions and edge-to-edge glass screen. Onboard the full HD TV is TruMotion 400Hz to smooth out the picture, and Picture Wizard II to optimise the colour and brightness on the fly.

In 3D mode the picture depth is outstanding and immersive, while sharpness and clarity is consistent even with fast motion on the screen.

But the biggest disappointment in 2D and 3D modes is the easily noticeable picture grain that is more obvious in darker colours.

SAMSUNG
LED7000 (46-inch)
Price: $3699
Included 3D glasses: Two pairs
Extra 3D glasses: $99 per pair (battery rechargeable), $129 per pair (USB rechargeable)
Rating: ****

SAMSUNG’S first 3D panel is a head-turner with a slim design, LED-backlit LCD screen and on-screen internet widgets.

Viewing 2D TV on the Samsung Series 7 is a pleasure thanks to full HD resolution, rich and accurate colour reproduction and plasma-like black levels.

There is blurring in the background of some 3D sports telecasts, but this could be the fault of the broadcast.

Samsung’s 3D TV is the only model to off er 2D-to-3D conversion.

PANASONIC - OUR PICK
TH-P50VT20A (50-inch)
Price: $3299
Included 3D glasses: One pair
Extra 3D glasses: $199 a pair
Rating: ****

THIS plasma panel might be bulkier and more power-hungry than its LCD rivals, but these concessions are forgiven when the screen comes to life.

Plasma has the advantage over LCD when displaying fast-moving images and natural colours and the latest Panasonic panel continues the trend.

Whether watching sports or movies, the Panasonic plasma delivers in colour and clarity.

The Panasonic off ers comparable costs per square inch to rival 3D TVs, but you only get one pair of glasses with the TV.

No Tags

And you thought an Apple iPhone cost a ton of money.

Italian fashion house Versace plans to introduce its first mobile phone in May, to the tune of some $5,000.

The company is partnering with French manufacturer ModeLabs Group for the device, which also makes phones for French fashion house Christian Dior and watchmaker Tag Heuer, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Introduced in 2008, the Dior phone retails for about $5,000. The new Versace device is said to retail for even more than that, and will be officially unveiled next week in Paris.

The Versace phone joins the Dior handset as well as Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Armani handsets as phones become, well, pricey (disposable) fashion accessories.

The rub: The high-end mobile phone may be the next luxury watch.

Such devices are in demand the most in Asia, Russia and the Middle East, according to the WSJ report.

True to Versace style, the bespoke phone — yes, it can be customized for the individual customer — will feature premium materials such as leather.

The operating system? Your guess is as good as mine.

No Tags

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc is preparing to launch a tablet personal computer in late March or April, with manufacturer partners poised to roll out as many as 1 million units per month, according to an Oppenheimer research note.

The highly anticipated tablet is expected to pitch Apple into the digital book market popularized by Amazon.com’s Kindle e-reader. Apple declined to comment.
Oppenheimer analyst Yair Reiner said the new tablet could boost Apple’s earnings per share by 25 cents to 38 cents per quarter, assuming that it sells 1 million to 1.5 million units each quarter at an average price of $1,000 and a corporate average net income margin of 22 percent.

“Our checks into Apple’s supply chain indicate that the manufacturing cogs for the tablet are creaking into action and should begin to hit a mass market stride in February,” Reiner wrote.
“The February ramp schedule suggests a late March or April commercial release, since Apple will need to build at least 5-6 weeks of inventory before going live.”

He said the tablet will have a 10.1-inch multitouch LCD screen similar to that of Apple’s iPhone.
Apple has also approached book publishers to distribute their content electronically, and has offered them a revenue cut of 70 percent without requiring exclusivity, Reiner said.

He said that compares favorably to the Kindle’s 50 percent deal, and that Kindle only offers a 70 percent cut to publishers that give Amazon exclusive rights.
“As innovative as it is, we believe the Kindle has disgruntled the publishing industry (book, newspaper, and magazine) by demanding exclusivity, disallowing advertising, and demanding a wolfish cut of revenue,” Reiner wrote. “The tablet is set to change that.”

Reiner forecast Apple’s fiscal 2010 profit at $8.39 per share, compared with $6.29 in fiscal 2009, saying his estimate has not yet factored in the new device.
Shares of Apple were up 1.6 percent at $192.89 on Nasdaq.

No Tags