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Toshiba joins 3D TV push with LED, widgets, Wi-Fi

Until now the only quasi-real Toshiba 3D TV we'd heard about was the ridiculously expensive, "ultrapremium," mainframe-equivalent-in-a-flat-panel Cell TV. Today the company announced that the first 3D model to actually go on sale in the U.S. would be the slightly less ridiculous, but still expensive, WX800 series.

When the WX800 arrives in late September Toshiba will be the sixth TV maker, after Samsung, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Sony and LG, to allow its 2010 TV viewers the ability to see into the third dimension.

Like those makers Toshiba will require you to buy a pair of its glasses (model FTP-AG01U, $169 list) for each viewer who wants to see the 3D effect--nope, this isn't the company's rumored glasses-free 3D TV.

The WX800 comes in two sizes: the 46-inch 46WX800 ($2,599 list) and the 55-inch 55WX800 ($3,299). Both LCDs sport an edge-lit LED backlight, not our favorite kind, that lacks the dimming found on some competitors. They're superthin at 1.2 inches deep, however, and have a look as sleek as we expect from a modern high-end TV.

Toshiba does attempt to differentiate itself from the pack by including its "3D Resolution+" processing, said to improve 3D picture quality by reducing crosstalk, a common artifact we've seen on other 3D models, in particular LCDs (although our past experiences with 2D Resolution+ have not been life-changing). Unlike the Cell TV, as well as select models from Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and LG, the WX800 does not have 2D-to-3D conversion.… Read more

Dangerous deliveries

Mirror's Edge was already available for iPad, but it now makes its debut on the iPhone as probably the best of the running/escaping genre on iOS devices. Based on the popular 3D first-person running game for consoles and desktop computers, Mirror's Edge for iPhone manages to keep the overall aesthetic of the 3D versions, but with a side-scrolling 2D (2.5D?) variation. Even with the lack of first-person views, Mirror's Edge for iPhone manages to be very fun and visually intense (especially on the iPhone 4's Retina Display) as you run through increasingly challenging levels … Read more

Sling webs and run for your life: iPhone apps of the week

As we close out a week that brought us a new line of iPods, an upgrade to the Apple TV, and news of several new features via iOS upgrades, we're pretty happy here at CNET to be on the eve of a three-day weekend. With the extra day of leisure in mind, I've decided to promote a couple of new (or new to iPhone) games that should give you plenty to do during downtime over the long weekend.

If your planned activities and this iPhone gaming duo don't fill up your long weekend, ponder this: as the reviews start to roll in about the latest devices from Apple next week, which will be the biggest hits (and misses)? Even with the low price point, can the Apple TV replace your cable connection? Is the new iPod Nano a welcome fashion accessory or a waste of a touch screen? Will your new smaller shuffle just end up in the wash? What do you think of adding video and FaceTime to the iPod Touch? Let me know what you think in the comments.

This week's apps include an action game with our favorite web slinger and a beautiful side-scrolling running game where your goal is to escape.… Read more

Verizon could get Entourage Edge

On Monday, I relayed some hot gossip about Verizon's Android device roadmap for the rest of the year. The Boy Genius had originally uncovered the information, and I added new details that I received independently from someone in the know. I apologize, however, for making a mistake when reading my notes on the carrier's upcoming Android-powered tablets. Please find the correct dish below.

The Samsung P1 tablet, which is due in September, will not have the dual tablet/e-book reader design that I mentioned in my first blog. Instead, Verizon should offer the Entourage Edge dual book sometime … Read more

Is this the best iPad case?

A few of us here at CNET have been fiddling around with various iPad cases, trying to find ones to recommend to readers. I've been personally looking for cases that combine decent protection with the ability to prop your iPad up at various angles--and that includes placing the iPad in a portrait or landscape position.

While the JavoEdge Axis series isn't quite perfect, there's a lot to like about it. For starters, the model I tested, the Fiber Axis, has a clean, modern design that's eye-catching (it at least impressed editor Dan Ackerman, which is hard … Read more

M-Edge's waterproof Kindle case now shipping

Otterbox is known for its ultraprotective iPhone cases. Now, M-Edge, which specializes in Kindle cases, is doing the same for the Kindle, with an announcement that its first waterproof Kindle is now shipping.

The company says the Guardian is made of molded plastic and protects your Kindle in all water environments up to 1 meter deep, whether you're in the pool, ocean, or just soaking in the tub. Your e-reader is totally sealed in the case, but you can still access all the buttons through "flexible sealed button cutouts." Even better, the case turns your Kindle into … Read more

Sony 3D TVs throw in free 'Meatballs'

Sony announced three series of 3D-compatible TVs at CES in January, and on Wednesday the company filled in the remaining details with pricing, availability, and a list of included 3D material. The principal throw-in is "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" on 3D Blu-ray, as well as vouchers for 3D games on the PS3.

Pricing, as with that of rivals Samsung and Panasonic, is pretty high. Sony's 3D models, all with LED backlights, start at 40 inches and $2,100 for the Sony KDL-40HX800. Samsung's least expensive LED-based 3D TV at that size is the UN40C7000 ($1,800), although the similarly-priced 50-inch Samsung PN50C7000 plasma and the non-LED-based 46-inch Samsung LN46C750 LCD (about $1500) both provide bigger screens for the buck. Panasonic, for its part, charges about $2,500 for its cheapest 3D TV, a 50-inch plasma known as the TC-P50VT25/TC-P50VT20.

One of the three Sony series, the flagship XBR-LX900, includes two pairs of the necessary 3D glasses, which is more than Panasonic (1 pair) and Samsung (zero pair). The other two, dubbed HX909 and HX800, require you to buy the glasses ($150 a pair--the same as Panasonic and Samsung) as well as a separate emitter to synch the glasses to the TV ($50--both Samsung and Panasonic build the emitters into their TVs).

Sony does offer the most extensive throw-in bundle of the three at the moment, at least for PS3 owners. According to the press release:… Read more

Quick Take: Sony Bravia KDL-HX800 series

Sony has announced three series of 3D-compatible TVs for 2010, and the least expensive is the KDL-HX800. This three-size line starts at $2,100 for the 40-inch model, which is still quite expensive compared to non-3D TVs but compares well with the similarly equipped, 3D-compatible Samsung UNC7000 series.

Like the Samsung, the Sony HX800 doesn't come with the glasses you'll need to watch 3D content ($150 per pair). Sony also requires a separate emitter ($50) to send the synch signals to the glasses; Samsung and Panasonic 3D TVs, along with Sony's flagship LX900 series, have emitters built-in.… Read more

Sony integrates 3D, Wi-Fi in flagship LED-based LCD

Updated June 9, 2010 with pricing, availability and other information. Despite announcing smaller sizes of this series at CES, Sony has only confirmed the 52- and 60-inch models for now.

Sony has announced a trio of 3D-capable HDTV series this year, but only the flagship XBR-LX900 actually includes the glasses--2 pair !--you'll need to enjoy 3D content. Of course, other family members beyond the first two will have to get their own pairs, sold separately ($150 each), but at least with this model Sony builds the emitter into the TV (the others make you purchase the $50 emitter separately). … Read more

LED TVs compared: Local dimming, edge-lit, and full array

If you thought all LED TVs were created equal, you're underestimating the power of confusion as a marketing tool. In their continuing efforts to compete against the picture-quality advantages of plasma-based flat-panel TVs, makers of LCD TVs have introduced numerous new technologies. The most successful in our opinion is full-array LED backlighting with local dimming. When you see the words "LED TV" in an ad, it definitely refers to an LCD TV with an LED backlight, but what type of LED backlight, and how it's configured, make all the difference.

To help you out, we compare … Read more