Yet another consumer electronics segment is bouncing back from the recession--demand for LCD TVs is showing new signs of life.
Third-quarter shipments of LCD TVs rose for the first time in a year, according to DisplaySearch's "Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report," released Wednesday. That upward motion suggests that TV sales for the first quarter of 2010 could surpass those of the first quarter of 2009, the first gain in six quarters.
Total TV shipments will climb 6 percent in 2010 to reach 218 million units, versus 205 million for 2009, according to DisplaySearch's forecast. LCD TV shipments specifically will account for around 170 million units in 2010 versus 140.5 million this year.
TV manufacturers and vendors can thank North America, Japan, and Western Europe, where consumer demand continues to grow. But emerging markets have also developed more of an appetite for flat-panel TVs.
"China is a hot growth engine for the global flat panel TV market as the transition from CRT to LCD and plasma TVs continues to drive market growth," said Hisakazu Torii, vice president of TV market research for DisplaySearch, in a statement. "Government stimulus activity is having a positive effect on demand for flat panel TVs in both China and Japan, while several upcoming analog-to-digital broadcast changes in 2010 are likely to increase demand in Western Europe for digital TVs. Meanwhile, large price declines in North America have been driving strong unit demand, especially for 19" to 32" sizes."
Price declines of 9 percent this year for all flavors of TVs have hurt revenue but boosted demand, with 2009 revenue likely to drop 10 percent to $101 billion from $112 billion last year. But prices will not fall as much in 2010, says DisplaySearch, and so continued consumer demand will reward the industry with some sales growth next year.
Around 14.6 million plasma TVs are expected to ship next year thanks to growing demand in China. Meanwhile, the older CRT (cathode ray tube) TV continues to hang in there, with 32 million units likely to ship in 2010, predicts DisplaySearch. But that forecast is lower than the company's previous estimate based on declining demand and a dwindling supply of key components.
Alternative technologies like LED-backlit LCDs and 3D TVs will play a role in driving growth for the industry. Demand for LED-backlit TVs will jump in 2010, according to DisplaySearch, with just about every TV manufacturer bringing a variety of models and sizes to the market.
LCDs with higher frame rates will catch on as manufacturers add higher performance features to their TVs, DisplaySearch said. TVs with 100/120 Hz frame rates will capture 26 percent of global sales in 2009, while those with rates of 200/240 Hz will soak up only about 5 percent. But by 2013, 100/120 Hz TVs will account for 31 percent of global revenue, with 200/240 Hz TVs winning nearly 20 percent.
(Credit:
DisplaySearch)
(Credit:
Best Buy)
For our final 2009 Crave giveaway, we've got the Insignia NS-DPF8PR digital picture frame. It's an 8-inch LCD digital frame with 800x600 resolution, 1GB of internal memory, and USB and flash memory inputs. You can find more information about it on Best Buy's Web site--and we thank Best Buy for providing the prize.
We'd also like to give a shout out to Shopper.com for helping set up this Crave giveaway. Shopper.com powers CNET's price-comparison engine, and it's a great site for finding the best prices on products. (See all of Shopper's deals, coupon codes, and rebates).
Normally, the Insignia NS-DPF8PR digital picture frame would cost you about $130, but you have the chance to get it gratis.
So, how do you try to win this Insignia NS-DPF8PR digital picture frame? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.
- Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, there's no need to register again.
- Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
- Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
- The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive (1) Insignia NS-DPF8PR Digital Picture Frame. Approximate retail value is $130.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
- Entries can be submitted until Thursday, December 24 at 6:59:59 a.m. EST.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 6:59:59 AM EST on December 24, 2009. See official rules for details.
Good luck.
(Credit:
Joshua Goldman/CNET)
Sony will be bringing its S-Frame DPP-F700 printer to the U.S. in January, the company announced Thursday. It's basically a dye-sub snapshot printer, but with a 7-inch LCD. The screen can be tilted up when the printer is in use and then folded flat against the printer so that when you remove the paper tray, you can stand the unit up horizontally or vertically.
I had a chance to play around with one and, well, it's a photo printer with a larger-than-usual LCD on top. The extra screen real estate is nice, though, especially when using the F700's editing options such as cropping and adjusting brightness, contrast, hue, and sharpness. And, of course, it's better than looking at just a photo printer.
Check out the slideshow below for more details or just because you're bored and/or love looking at pictures of tech products.
Also, quick poll, how long till point-and-shoot cameras are primarily set to shoot in wide-screen resolutions? Has anyone stopped shooting 4:3 in favor of 16:9?
(Credit:
John P. Falcone/CNET)
HP has one big request for when you're talking about its new DreamScreen product line: don't call it just a digital photo frame.
Fair enough. The DreamScreen can display your photos effortlessly, but that just scratches the surface of what it can do. Available in 10.2-inch and 13.3-inch versions (both 800x480 resolution), the DreamScreen offers 2GB of onboard memory, plus slots for all standard flash media card types as well as USB storage. If loading your digital media via flash memory is too old-fashioned for you, the DreamScreen can also connect to your home network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and--according to HP--the included software lets you drag and drop the files you want to move to it via the network.
Beyond photos, the DreamScreen can also play videos (MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264) and music (MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV) through its built-in speakers (or you can use the headphone jack to connect to an outboard stereo); it can also play music in the background while displaying a slideshow. But if you don't have a single audio file, you can instead opt for one of thousands of Internet radio stations or Pandora's streaming audio service instead.
But wait, there's more! ... Read more
How on earth are you going to install that gun rack in your track if you don't have properly buffed guns on your arms? That's right, it's all about fitness tech. Now, Jason has to take a run around the block to catch a cab.
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EPISODE 153
Sandisk Sansa Clip+ mp3 player looks pretty, plays awesome
Ultra-thin Sony VAIO X laptop weighs just 1.5 lb
Webcycle doles out internet speeds as fast as you’re pedaling (thanks, Morely!)
What would James Bond use? The Japanese pistol camera
What the hell!?
Really Snowing Picture Frame Makes It Winter Anytime
Pink Watch
Barbie’s gadgets
PRETTY (Bugatti Edition!)
Tea kettle of the future from Bugatti
Swarovski crystals and Italian leather for your Bugatti Diva
Why Didn’t I Think Of That?
Buttcam makes jeans shopping easy
(Credit:
Sony Electronics)
News of the A850, Sony's full-frame follow-up to the Alpha DSLR-A900, surfaced on the Web weeks ago--Sony itself accidentally leaked the entire manual, for pity's sake--but the most important aspect of the product, the camera's price, remained only speculation. Without that context, one really didn't know what to make of the subtly stripped-down version of the A900. Now we know it'll cost $1,999 for the body, making it the least expensive full-frame dSLR currently available. That makes it newsworthy, but does that automatically make it droolworthy?
It's worth taking a step back and considering the benefits--and drawbacks--of a full-frame dSLR; that is, a camera with a sensor that has the same active area as a frame of 35mm film. In comparison, typical consumer dSLR sensors are anywhere from two thirds to half that size. Since larger sensors are generally better for cramming a lot of pixels in without losing ground to an excessive amount of image noise, full-frame sensors are commonly accepted as the best choice for high-resolution and/or low-light photography (without opting for the significantly larger and more expensive medium format option). It's also easier to build wide-angle lenses for larger sensors.
A big, low-noise, high-resolution sensor: what's not to like? Well, for one thing, big sensors mean big cameras; they require lenses with larger circumferences than the smaller sensors, larger viewfinders, larger bodies, and so on. And all of that costs more. The A850 is still $1,000 more and 10 ounces heavier than its newly minted 14-megapixel little brother, the A550.
... Read moreOn Sale Now: $1,999.00 - $1,999.99
View the latest prices for Sony Alpha DSLR-A850 (body only)
(Credit:
Toshiba)
It's not surprising when a TV or monitor manufacturer decides to enter the digital photo frame market. It's already got its hands on the panels, designers, and brand recognition, so why not throw something out there and see if it can sell some units? So again, not shocking that Toshiba announced Monday one 10-inch and two 8-inch Digital Media Frames (especially since its dabbled in this market outside the U.S.).
Toshiba's not calling them photo frames, because they do more than just display pictures once you connect them over Wi-Fi to the Internet. A partnership with FrameChannel will give you access to more than 1,000 channels of personalized content, such as news, weather, sports, and financial data as well as photo-sharing sites, social networks, and RSS feeds.
The 8-inch model (pictured) comes in black or white at a suggested retail price of $179.99 and features "an acrylic front finish and eye-catching reflective trim." It also looks like they have some touch-sensitive buttons that hopefully disappear when not in use. The $229.99 10-inch frame is black only and has "a striking faceplate design and a slim profile."
Look for them to be available in August.
(Credit:
SilverPac)
OEM manufacturer SilverPac has announced its latest digital photo frame, the SilverFrame, at the Computex tradeshow in Taipei, Taiwan. Before you brush this gizmo aside as "just another digital picture display," stop right there.
The 10.1-inch touch-screen-operated SilverFrame is probably the most advanced digital photo frame we have seen. It runs Windows CE 6.0 R2 with 512MB of RAM and supports Microsoft applications such as Windows SideShow and Live FrameIt. This means you can also surf the Web and access instant-messaging clients such as MSN.
As it is Wi-Fi-enabled, the SilverFrame (PDF) can view pictures and videos stored on social-networking sites such as Facebook, Flickr, and Picassa. It also has Bluetooth to receive images sent from your mobile phone, which can be stored in the 1GB onboard memory. As with most other digital photo frames, the SilverFrame has a multicard reader and micro USB/USB ports to import images from cameras.
According to SlashGear, the SilverFrame is on display at Microsoft's booth at Computex. But since SilverPac is just an OEM manufacturer, the company is now waiting for other firms to pick up the design.
Other noteworthy features:
... Read more
What's around the corner?
(Credit: Photojojo)
(Credit:
Photojojo)
The Wrap-Around-the-Corner photo frame from Photojojo is so innovative that we asked ourselves: "Why didn't we think of it earlier?"
The frame fits comfortably at almost any corner of the house and consists of 12 separate panels that can hold 7 to 12 photographs of various sizes. For a picture to wrap around the corner, you'll need to splice it in half and fit it into the adjacent slots. While that may sound like a hassle, we think this makes for an interesting montage of your work.
The retail price of $99 for the Wrap-Around-the-Corner is a bit deterring, but if you have the dough to spare, this picture frame can spruce up a boring corner of your room. As Photojojo's Web site says: "Happy memories are just around the corner."
(Source: Crave Asia)
(Credit:
Jobo AG)
I really liked the last Jobo frame I reviewed, but it was just a little short on features in comparison with other models in its price and size range. It looks as if the company's latest model is no different.
The 8-inch Jobo Plano 8 has an 800x600-pixel resolution LCD with a 400:1 contrast ratio and measures 8.4 inches wide by 6.5 inches high by 0.9 inch thick. There are slots for SD, SDHC, MMC, MemoryStick, and xD cards (not CompactFlash, though), and a USB port for connecting external storage. There is no internal memory, but you do get a wall-mounting kit and a remote control.
It supports JPEG files only, so no MP3 or Motion JPEG support. Not that it matters since there are no speakers for audio either. However, if the controls and menu system are like its other frames, it'll be easy to setup and use.
The Jobo Plano 8 will be available in late June with an AC adapter, remote control, and manual for about $129. The 7- and 10.4-inch models will be available for $99 and $179, respectively.
Do you want an inexpensive frame, but can't wait till the end of June? Read reviews of photo frames for $125 or less.
