Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

03:35 PMJG Mason said:

And that is it, I am off to the front of the room to get more images of these hot looking LCDs.

03:32 PMJG Mason said:

Gamers will get their own GP3 32”, 1080p, available in black, white and dark red. Also new for Blue-ray, coming this spring is a 1.1 version player featuring picture in picture.  New iPod docks (woo hoo), new shelf system and home theater.

03:29 PMJG Mason said:

Sharp is launching SE94 Series begining at 65 and 62 sizes.  Next month will bring two units in the 50s.  All will feature Aquos Net service.  1080p of course, 27,000 to 1 contrast ratio.  A 10 bit panel for more accurate color reproduction is featured.  The D74 Series is 1080p as well.  D64 will get the addition of a 37” size and a 10,000 to 1 contrast ration.

03:26 PMJG Mason said:

Next up is Bob Scaglione, Senior VP who will intro some new products for us.  Aquos Net brings web based content straight to the TV via an Ethernet connection.  Aquos Net will launch later this month.  Forget the Weather Channel, widgets for the Aquos Net will give you weather, news, sports etc. and is customizable.  As stated before, the Aquos Advantage Live can allow agents access to settings on the TV, easing the burden of ownership and set up.  The Aquos Advantage Live is like another channel that will feature information, a FAQ and TV info.  Sharp will offer PLC adapters that will hook up the TV without an ethernet cable via the electric wires to a router in another room.  Interesting.

03:21 PMJG Mason said:

Like everyone else today, Sharp is looking to get more green.  Did you know Sharp is the leader of solar cell manufacturers?  Me neither.  They have joined with Panasonic to join the joint venture MRM, an independent company to help deal with electronic recycling efforts.  Sharp also sponsors Major League Baseball, getting down with the sports fans.

03:18 PMJG Mason said:

Sharp adds customer support for its LCD TV, Aquos Advantage, a free service.  This year this will expand to help customers with set up and helps potential customers with research and straight talk answers on the ever advancing technologies.  Helpfully, the customer support agents can dial into the customers TVs to alter settings as needed.  More on that in a moment.

03:14 PMJG Mason said:

Sharp is trading technology with Toshiba to advance both.  Sharp sees Toshiba’s semi conductors as a big helping hand.  Now Michael Troetti, Sharps US president.  He tells us of explosive growth in LCD demand in niches, up to 130% over last year.  He sees OLED TVs will not replace LCD for the following reasons:
- tv should last 10 years, not 4.
-OLED’s are difficult to produce on a large scale.

03:11 PMJG Mason said:

From my vantage point in the back of the room, the picture looks phenomenal.

03:08 PMJG Mason said:

Sharp is building a new widescreen LCD facility in Japan.  Fujimoto is showing off a 60” LCD, just a little thicker than an inch and weights 88 pounds.  100,000 to 1 contrast ratio.  They are not releasing a delivery date on this prototype but its advances are already trickling into other products.

03:03 PMJG Mason said:

Toshiko Fujimoto CEO of Sharp has taken the stage and is tackling the LCD TV market first.  Market is estimated at 74 million units worldwide.  LCD is the future because of the true HD display, low power consumption and thin form factor possibilities.  Demand is only growing.