-
Samsung's Press Conference - CES 2011[teaser]Samsung’s up next with a press event that holds more than a few surprises and reiterates the same push towards interconnected “smart” products that the whole industry seems to be pushing towards. There was also a complete absence of Google TV.[/teaser] The Samsung press event is quite literally standing room only. People are packed in here like it’s a subway car and things are looking bad. I got here an hour early and I just made it in. There are a few hundred people outside waiting to get in too and they’re pissed. Understandably so. Samsung’s press events have been among the most popular year after year and it’s time they get into a bigger room. There’s a lot on the stage, including an HDTV or two, some phones, Blu-ray players and a tablet. There are also two chairs, since the event is being presented as some sort of strange talk show. It’s a unique choice, but not a very good one. It all starts off with a recap of 2010, which was an incredibly successful year for Samsung. 3D may not have blown anyone away sales-wise, but Samsung defends it. Defensive is the right word for it too – while the rest of the conference was very put-on, the representatives actually seemed quite passionate about the lack of faith in 3D. LG was all about smart products and they’re not alone. Samsung is focusing on what they’re calling “smart devices” this year. Samsung boasts that they’ll have even more 3D screens this year than they did last year. This includes larger screens above 55 inches. Also in the plans are smart sets. 2/3 of their new TVs will be smart TVs. Samsung has always been a company that’s about style as much as about content. Their new sets are absolutely gorgeous thanks to a 0.2 inch bezel. Both the new 7000 and 8000 sets will have this tiny bezel. Plasmas got larger – sort of. Samsung’s new tech allows them to increase the size of the screen without having to increase the size of the TV. They’re calling it “Plasma Plus One.” More screen without a bigger TV. Not bad. Samsung’s plasma’s are certainly well worth while, but boy do those LCDs look good. Even from the back of a mid-sized conference room, they were bright and clear. I’m definitely excited to see what they look like up close. For all the rumors and speculation there was a complete lack of Google TV at the event. It’s all about Samsung Smart TV. One cool new technology that we really need to go hands on with is the One Foot Connection. It allows you to automatically connect a /Samsung device to your wireless network by simply holding it within a foot of an already connected Samsung device. Sounds like that could save a lot of headache. Samsung is also introducing a feature that will let you search for video across all platforms, including online sources and your PC. There’s no word as to whether or not DVRs will be included in the search. Samsung revealed the winner of their app competition and it left me feeling unimpressed. It’s a drawing game similar to Pictionary that requires a connected smartphone for the drawing. Samsung is high on the bright future of their apps, but there really wasn’t a lot of innovation from the apps they announced. Samsung earned quite a bit of praise last year for their touchscreen remote and they’re improving on it this year with a new one that even allows you to watch different programming than what’s on the TV you’re controlling. Samsung talked about the Samsung Galaxy Player, which is essentially a smaller version of the Galaxy tab. It’s already out in Asian markets, but will be hitting the US in 2011. In addition to everything announced by Samsung today, they teased two things for tomorrow. The first is a new TV accessory that they say will get everybody excited. The second is one or more new content providers that help to provide access from the cloud.Posted Wed Jan 5, 2011 at 06:34 PM PST by: -
'The Man from Nowhere' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The South Korean smash hit is coming to Blu-ray this March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA is preparing 'The Man from Nowhere' for a Blu-ray release on March 8. Written and directed by Jeong-Beom Lee ('Cruel Winter Blues'), 'The Man from Nowhere' was the highest grossing film of 2010 in South Korea, with a box office total of $45 million. “'The Man from Nowhere' is a great addition to our fast growing home entertainment library and a major release for us in 2011,” said Tony Vandeveerdonk, Executive Vice President for Well Go USA. “With such a strong box office showing in Korea and thus far in North America, we anticipate 'The Man from Nowhere' will have tremendous success on DVD and Blu-ray. Bin Won is truly a star on the rise, with his brilliant performances in this film and last year’s critically-acclaimed 'Mother.'” Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $26.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Man from Nowhere' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 8.Posted Wed Jan 5, 2011 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Save $5 on 'Dinner for Schmucks' Blu-ray[teaser]Save $5 on the Steve Carell/Paul Rudd comedy, and get an even better deal at Best Buy! [/teaser] Paramount has a coupon offer to save $5 on the 'Dinner for Schmucks' Blu-ray. An even better deal can be found at Best Buy, as the retailer is also offering a $5 gift card with the title and another $10 discount if purchased with 'Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - The Rich Mahogany Edition.' Click this link to access to the page where you can read full details and print out your coupon valid at participating retail stores. The promotion expires on January 31.Posted Wed Jan 5, 2011 at 10:45 AM PST by: -
'Mad Men: Season Four' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The fourth season of the hit Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series will be released on Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate has revealed 'Mad Men: Season Four' starring Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, and January Jones for high-definition on March 29. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentaries on all 13 episodes, Divorce: Circa 1960's, Marketing The Mustang: An American Classic, How To Succeed In Business Draper Style, and 1964 Presidential Campaign. Suggested list price for the 3-disc Blu-ray set is $49.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Mad Men: Season Four' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 29.Posted Wed Jan 5, 2011 at 10:20 AM PST by: -
'Jawbreaker' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1999 black comedy is in the works for high-definition this April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment is preparing 'Jawbreaker' starring Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, and Julie Benz for a Blu-ray release on April 5. Three of the most popular girls at Reagan High accidentally kill the prom queen with a jaw-breaker when a kidnapping goes horribly wrong. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $17.97. You can find the latest specs for 'Jawbreaker' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under April 5.Posted Wed Jan 5, 2011 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
LG Press Conference - CES 2011LG Press Conference [teaser] The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show kicks off with a press conference from LG with a focus on smart and simple technology. [/teaser] It’s early –I specify since in Vegas, 8:00 in the morning could either be early or late – and press members, buyers and other attendees are packed into a midsized conference room that’s filled with inoffensive Weather Channel jazz. There are rows of video cameras set up behind me, as well as a few HD DSLRs, and all around me people are excited for the first press conference of the day – the thing that really kicks off the show. The brightly lit stage in front of us has three different projectors set up to show off products, and seven different TVs spread around the stage. Six sit together, one sits apart. The separate TV doesn’t look as slick as the rest of the units on display. Could this be something special – something new - or is it just there for looks? The conference begins with an intro video from comedian Jane Lynch. It’s nice to see that she’s achieved “pay me to show up at your thing” celebrity status but the video doesn’t have jokes and that just seems to defeat the purpose of bringing Lynch on. It’s not that the jokes aren’t funny – there just aren’t jokes. The initial announcements from the CEOs and VPs speaking are all about business. The company is doing well where LCDs and plasmas are concerned. LG isn’t doing great in cellphone sales, but they’re #1 in customer satisfaction. They’re also the kings of washer/dryer combos, apparently. They stress that massive research and development investment they’re making this year though. Twelve billion dollars going to improve and develop new products – not too shabby. We’ll see what happens, but that sounds like a good start. Dr. Skott Ahn, who might have one of the coolest names ever, is now introduced to show us new technology and developments. Smart TVs, Smart phones and Smart appliances. To start things off, LG is launching an all new Smart TV platform. It’s got a nice layout that looks like a mix between an Apple product and a cable box. It’s got a launcher bar on the bottom for your main functions, different tabs and quick launch icons on the right and live TV in the upper left corner – much like a cable box. It’s friendly and familiar, which sounds like the way to go. It gets even simpler though, as LG is introducing a motion control remote. Motion control isn’t exactly the quickest way to navigate content as the Nintendo Wii makes evident. As a tool for those that just aren’t comfortable with traditional remotes though, it may be key. LG says that there are three main things consumers want from Smart TVs . They want the ability to grab content from their home network, they want them to be easy to use and they want content. LG is responding to the last part by introducing Hulu Plus and Amazon Video on Demand this year. The Smart TV upgrader is a set-top box after all. It plugs in via HDMI, so it’s not LG specific. That just raises the question – why would you want one? We didn’t get pricing of full capabilities yet, but it seems like a more general Roku, Boxee or WD product would be a better buy. 3D was a big part of the press event as you might imagine. LG stressed Cinema 3D that uses passive glasses instead of active glasses, promising less headaches, and an elimination of crosstalk. This seems like something we’ll be hearing from a few different companies this year. We’ll have to wait until we go eyes-on to pass any real judgment. A total of 43 new models are hitting the market from LG this year, half of which will boast Smart TV capabilities. 21 will be LED displays – some of those with the new nano tech – and the higher end LCD and plasma sets will all do 3D. At the show are two prototypes – a 31 inch OLED 3D TV and a larger scale autostereoscopic 3D TV in addition to the glasses-free portable solution that’s hitting later this year. LG’s press conference passed over Blu-ray players for the most part, only stopping to mention that several new players will use the LG Smart TV platform and that LG is introducing its first portable Blu-ray player. The time not spent talking about TVs was primarily focusing on smart appliances, like a washing machine that lets you program your own wash cycles and an oven that can download recipes. It’s the same thing we’ve been hearing about for a while and honestly it all seems like more work than I’m willing to put in to doing a load of laundry. One standout from the non TV technology is the Optimus 2X, a smartphone that utilizes a dual core processor and offers an HDMI output so you can hook it t your TV to watch files you’ve downloaded and video you’ve recorded. LG is also bringing a tablet to the show, but sadly they didn’t bring it to their conference. They say it’ll be launch tomorrow, so we’ll be on the lookout. That wraps up the LG press event. Also on the docket for today are Samsung, Sony and more.Posted Wed Jan 5, 2011 at 09:17 AM PST by: -
'Every Day' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The independent modern family comedy is getting ready for Blu-ray this March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment has revealed 'Every Day' will have a Blu-ray release on March 8. The film features an all-star cast, including Carla Gugino, Liev Schreiber, Helen Hunt, Brian Dennehy, and Eddie Izzard, and is directed by Richard Levine ('Nip/Tuck'). Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements include cast interviews, deleted scenes, and a trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.97. You can find the latest specs for 'Every Day' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 8.Posted Wed Jan 5, 2011 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
'A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]The Chinese remake of the Coen brothers' 'Blood Simple' coming to Blu-ray in February has been fully detailed. [/teaser] As previously reported, Sony has revealed Zhang Yimou's 'A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop' starring Sun Hunglei and Xiao Shenyang will be headed to the Blu-ray format on February 1. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include a boatload of featurettes: Styling the Actors, Workaholic Director Zhang Yimou, Casting the Film, Director Zhang Yimou discusses the Look of the Film, Director Zhang Yimou discusses the Script, Actors Who Like to Sing, The Filming Starts, Actors Falling, Actors Joking Around, Behind the Scenes Antics, In the Makeup Trailer, The Actors Discuss their Roles, The Actors Discuss Zhang Yimou, Zhang Yimou Directs the Cast, Actor's Features, First Day of Shooting, Time to Dance!, Actors Trying New Things and Actors in their Roles. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is set at $38.96. You can find the latest specs for 'A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 1.Posted Wed Jan 5, 2011 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
'The People vs. Larry Flynt' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The biopic of the porn tycoon is coming to Blu-ray this April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment says 'The People vs. Larry Flynt' starring Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, Edward Norton, and James Cromwell will have a Blu-ray release on April 5. The 1996 film was nominated for two Oscars including Best Actor (Harrelson) and Best Director (Milos Forman). Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $17.97. You can find the latest specs for 'The People vs. Larry Flynt' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under April 5.Posted Tue Jan 4, 2011 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'Tamara Drewe' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The Stephen Frears film based on the comic strip by Posy Simmonds is getting the high-definition treatment this February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony has revealed the comedy 'Tamara Drewe' starring Gemma Arterton will have a Blu-ray release on February 8. When Tamara Drewe returns to the rustic village of her youth transformed by a glamorous new career as a columnist – and a dazzling new nose – she captures the imaginations of all of the men in town. But when she turns out not to be the innocent lass everyone remembers, passions are enflamed and lives are changed forever. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include: Commentary with Gemma Arterton and Luke Evans, The Making of Tamara Drewe, and Reconstructing Tamara Drewe. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $38.96. You can find the latest specs for 'Tamara Drewe' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 8.Posted Tue Jan 4, 2011 at 10:00 AM PST by:
