Home Media server from Apple [ December 29th, 2008 ] Posted in » Latest gadgets and Technology

9to5Mac reports that Apple has been working on a home media server to access your iTunes and other files anywhere you have internet access. The site compares it to HP’s just updated Media Smart Server which offers a centralized location for backup, storage and file delivery to your computers locally as well as remotely:

Your music, photos, videos and other media are part of your life — but they’re scattered over multiple computers, disk drives, CDs, DVDs, and MP3 players…. Macs and iPods too. The HP MediaSmart Server centralizes all your files, from all your home computers, in one place so you can grab them anywhere you have an internet connection and share how you want.

Apple’s take on the system would reportedly expand out Time Capsule’s functionality from being a single drive backup system into a more robust multi-drive backup server. In addition, tie ins would be made to Apple’s MobileMe services to deliver access to your files and media from anywhere on the internet.

9to5mac suggests that media could also be shared to your iPhone and iPod touch, providing full access to your media while mobile. The device could also serve media files to other computers at home as well as to your Apple TV.

Source: Macrumors.com

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OMG! 40-inch 1080p OLED display from Samsung

Anyone who figured OLED would go the way of SED has another thing comin’, and Samsung’s got the prototype to prove it. Over at the OLED-heavy FPD International 2008 show, Samsung is showcasing the biggest panel (of this nature) that its pilot line can even create: a 40-inch Full HD OLED display. 1,920 x 1,080 pixels of delicious OLED goodness, mixed with a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, a color gamut of 107% NTSC, a luminance of 200cd/m2 and a thickness of just 8.9-millimeters. Judging by first hand reports, the actual quality wasn’t top-notch, but we’re willing to forgive the early glitches in hopes of a better tomorrow.

Click here for more information >>>

Source: Engadget.com

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October 30th, 2008 | 2 Comments

Netflix, Samsung partner on video streaming

Samsung BD-P2500 / BD-P2550(Credit: Samsung)

Samsung is adding the ability to stream Netflix videos and Pandora’s online music service to its latest Blu-ray players. Starting today, a free firmware update will add both services to the BD-P2550. (The nearly identical BD-P2500 will get Netflix support, but not Pandora.) The Samsung players join the LG BD300 Blu-ray player, the Roku Netflix Player, and (once a forthcoming firmware update goes live in November) the Xbox 360 as the only devices to date–outside of a PC–that can access Netflix’s online viewing service.

Both Samsung players have been available at retail for several weeks. In addition to Netflix and (for the 2550) Pandora support, a subsequent firmware update due on October 30 will add DTS-HD audio support (on-board decoding for DTS-HD High Resolution, bitstream output for Master Audio) for both players, and BD-Live support for 2550 (it’s already available on the 2500). Those features are in addition to the players’ already impressive feature set, which includes HQV video processing (which, in previous players, provides improved quality when playing standard DVDs); 7.1-channel analog audio outputs (good for interfacing with older AV receivers); and 1GB of on-board flash memory (no need for adding an SD card or USB flash drive to deliver compatibility with online BD-Live features).

The Netflix viewing experience should be nearly identical to that offered by the Roku player; it offers unlimited viewing of the growing (12,000-plus) library of on-demand movies and TV shows to any Netflix subscriber on the $9/month plan or above. The ad-supported Pandora personalized Internet radio service is free.

Both players carry a list price of $400, so anybody with even a passing interest in music should opt for the BD-P2550 (available at Best Buy). CNET will have a complete hands-on reviews of the players as soon as the full firmware updates become available.

Source: Cnet.com

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October 23rd, 2008 | 1 Comment

Name-brand Blu-ray players break the $200 barrier

EngadgetHD has been keeping a close eye on the prices of Blu-ray players, and recently noticed that both the Samsung BD-P1500 and Sony BDP-S300 have fallen below the $200 mark at certain stores (RadioShack and Amazon, respectively.) This is right in line with previous reports of falling Blu-ray prices, and while the BDP-S300 is pretty old, the BD-P1500 is currently Samsung’s most recent Blu-ray player. In many ways, these cuts are more important that the budget players we’ve seen from Insignia and Memorex, since for many people it’s a lot easier to drop $200 on Blu-ray if they know they’re getting a “Sony”.

EngadgetHD’s link to RadioShack is no longer working and we couldn’t find the BD-P1500 on the site by searching–we’re guessing they’re sold out. But if you can find the BD-P1500 for $200, it’s a much better deal than the BDP-S300. When we tested the BDP-S300, we found it painfully slow and it only supports the older Profile 1.0 standard. The BD-P1500, on the other hand, is currently Profile 1.1 compatible and is upgradeable to Profile 2.0, and considerably faster to use than the BDP-S300. The BD-P1500 is also on deck to get DTS-HD Master Audio decoding in the future, which means you’ll be able to get high resolution soundtracks using most HDMI-equipped AV receivers.

Source: crave.cnet.com

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September 22nd, 2008 | Leave a Comment

New Samsung LCD TVs boast thinner bezels, LED backlights

Samsung today ushered in new high-end models to its LCD TV line-up: the Series 8 and Series 9 flat-panel LCD HDTVs. They’re the step-ups to the Series 6 and Series 7 models, both of which garnered high marks when reviewed by CNET earlier this year (the LN52A650 scored an Editors’ Choice). Full details follow.

Samsung Series 8 LCD HDTVs

  • Samsung LN-46A850 (46-inch; $2,700; September 2008)
  • Samsung LN-52A850 (52-inch; $3,400; September 2008)
  • Samsung LN-46A860 (46-inch; $2,800; September 2008)
  • Samsung LN-52A860 (52-inch; $3,500; September 2008)

Key features of the Samsung Series 8 line:

  • native 1080p resolution
  • 120Hz refresh rate with dejudder processing
  • 4 HDMI inputs (3 rear, 1 side)
  • slim “Touch of Color” bezel (rose accent on the A850 models, blue on the A860s)
  • InfoLink (access to online RSS content from USA Today, including news, weather, and stock quotes)
  • digital media playback via USB and DLNA network sources (play MP3 audio, JPEG photos, XviD and MPEG4 videos)
  • Energy Star compliant

At first glance, the Series 8 line doesn’t look too terribly different than the Series 7. The main step-ups here are the thinner bezel (1.9 inches at its widest point) and the fact that you can opt for the midnight blue color, which a lot of folks will likely prefer to the rose red accent. One note on the so-called DLNA compliance: in the Series 7 model, we found that the TV only recognized digital media from a PC running Samsung’s own server software. That’s fine, but that doesn’t measure up to our understanding of the DLNA standard, which is supposed to provide for streaming from any DLNA-certified device, such as network hard drives.

Samsung Series 9 LCD HDTVs

Models

  • Samsung LN-46A950 (46-inch; $3,200; August 2008)
  • Samsung LN-55A950 (52-inch; $4,200; August 2008)

Key step-up features of the Samsung Series 9 line:

  • LED backlit LCD screen
  • “Touch of Color” bezel (charcoal gray accent)

The big step-up for the Series 9 is the LED backlighting (as opposed to the compact fluorescent backlights on standard LCD models). It’ll be interesting to see if Samsung has improved its LED backlight technology beyond the level we saw implemented in 2007’s LN-T81F line.

All of the above models are equipped with an Ethernet port for accessing the Internet or network-based digital media and information. However, the $35 Wireless LinkStick accessory will add Wi-Fi access as well (to the Series 8 models, at least).

CNET will strive to review these latest Samsung TVs as soon as they’re available. In the meantime, for those who don’t need the streaming media features, thinner bezels, or LED backlight, the Series 6 models continue to deliver the best bang for the buck in the Samsung 2008 LCD line-up.

Source: Samsung press releases (Series 8, Series 9) via EngadgetHD and Crave.cnet.com

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July 23rd, 2008 | Leave a Comment

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