Show Them You Mean Business.
Samsung's six-screen monitor. Exciting? Sure. Accessible? No, not really.
(Credit: Samsung)LAS VEGAS--Coming into CES 2010 I wasn't expecting much. Most vendors I'd made plans to meet with didn't have anything really new and exciting planned. At last year's CES, we saw the emergence of 16:9 monitors as well as the first real rumblings of LED backlights and 3D technology.
At this year's show, most vendors seemed to be leaning heavily in the LED direction, with some vendors, such as AOC, outfitting the majority of their lineup with LED backlights. Monitors with LED backlights didn't really start taking off until late last year, even though they'd been one of the "next big things" at CES 2009. It really wasn't until the Samsung SyncMaster XL2370 that the LED marketplace got exciting.
And Samsung is looking to follow the success of the super-thin XL2370 with an even super(er) version of the PX2370. Samsung also showed off its three- and six-panel multiscreen monitor using AMD's ... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog
ViewSonic's sand-frolicking model is back!
(Credit: ViewSonic)LAS VEGAS--Last year, I reviewed two 3D monitors: the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ and the ViewSonic FuHzion VX2265wm. While the ViewSonic monitor delivered a 3D experience comparative with the Samsung, its overall worse performance and lack of an onscreen display meant that, pound for pound, it just wasn't worth the investment.
At CES 2010, the company announced it's trying 3D again with the debut of the 23.6-inch V3D241wm-LED monitor. This time, the monitor had a 16:9 aspect ratio with a 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution--up from the 1,680x1,050-pixel resolution of the FuHzion VX2265wm.
The V3D241wm has DVI and VGA inputs, integrated speakers, and an LED backlight, making it the first 3D computer monitor that doesn't use a traditional CCFL backlight.
Once again, you'll have to use some 3D form of glasses like the ones included in last year's Nvidia GeForce 3D Vision kit. ViewSonic also states that while the previous version didn't use an onscreen display, this one ... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog
The VOT125 stands alone...most times.
(Credit: ViewSonic)LAS VEGAS--ViewSonic says its new PCs are smarter and greener. Let's just see about this.
First, the 13.3-inch VNB131 ViewBook Pro, a notebook featuring a ULV SU7300 Intel Core 2 Duo processor that comes with Windows 7 Home Premium OS installed. With a purported 1-inch thickness, the system also includes a 320GB hard drive, 2GB internal memory, and a removable DVD RW Super Multi ODD into an aluminum alloy chassis.
Other features include:
- Integrated 802.11b/g/n wireless
- Two USB 2.0 ports
- HDMI and VGA connections
- A 7-in-1 card reader
- Six-cell battery and extra three-cell
The VNB131 ViewBook Pro will be available early this year for a suggested retail price of $949.
Next, the ViewSonic VOT125 PC mini. Like the LinkPC from last year, the VOT125 is small, compact, and mountable on VESA-compatible monitors. The system can be found in four different CPU flavors: single-core SU743 Celeron ($499 suggested retail price); dual-core SU2300 Celeron ($529 suggested retail price); Pentium SU4100 ($629 suggested retail ... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog
The 4200 is like watching rainbows and tropical waterfalls...at all times.
(Credit: ViewSonic)LAS VEGAS--You can't swing a CES badge around without knocking over a LED TV this week, it seems. ViewSonic isn't doing much to help the situation as the debuted four new LED HDTVs during the show.
First up are the 18.5-inch VT1900LED and 32-inch VT3200LED. Both are 720p, Energy Star 5.0 compliant and offer a response time of 5ms.
The 42-inch VT4200LED and 23-inch VT2300LED feature full HD 1080p panel resolution, delivering the ultimate visual experience for HD movies and Internet content. In addition, the VT4200LED delivers 120Hz operation, fast 4ms response time, and a 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio.
Sleek
(Credit: ViewSonic)LAS VEGAS--Can't have a corporate presentation or a movie-in-the-driveway night without a projector, right? Well, I guess you could, but it would probably not be worth the trouble. Luckily for us, companies continue to push projector technology forward.
Case in point, the ViewSonic PJD6531. A wide-screen 120Hz and 3D-ready DLP projector that uses BrilliantColor technology to purportedly produce more vibrant colors.
According to the specs, the projector delivers 3,000 lumens with a 1,280x800 WXGA, 16:9 native wide resolution. So, given that resolution, no quite ideal for projecting Avatar on Blu-ray several months from now, which honestly is the only application I'm thinking of at the moment.
The device also includes RJ-45 connectivity, "extensive"--according to ViewSonic input options, and integrated 10W speakers.
The PJD6531 will be available in quarter one of 2010 at an MSRP of $800.
The W2420R was released in Europe in 2008.
(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET)LAS VEGAS--I'm kind of a sucker for a good viewing angle. There's just something about being able to lay back in my chair, with my eyeline below the middle of the screen, and still be able to see image details without the slightest bit of color or gamma distortion.
This is why I love in-plane switching (IPS) panels. They usually deliver on viewing angle and despite what some say, I still find many of them great for games. Perhaps I'm just weird like that.
Anyway, at CES this week, LG showed off the 24-inch Super (S)-IPS monitor, the W2420R. Previously released in Europe, the monitor has a 135 percent color gamut based on NTSC standards, 16-bit internal color processing, a 12-bit lookup table, and a RGB LED backlight.
Here are a few more specs of the 24-incher.
- 16:10 aspect ratio
- 1,920x1,200 resolution
- 250 cd/M2 brightness
- 1,000:1 contrast ratio
- 6ms response time
- Four-way ergonomic
LG has 31 flavors of users on one system.
(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET)LAS VEGAS--Have you ever had the desire to put 31 users on one PC? No? Not even a little? OK, well I guess I'll just be leaving then...Oh, now you're interested once I start walking away? Typical human.
LG's N+ monitor technology supports up to 31 desktop LCD monitors on a single computer. LG is targeting schools, offices, and call centers with the system.
According to LG, these N+ monitors (model N224WA) can be installed in just a few minutes and can reduce the amount of maintenance and IT support needed for a typical office. However, the problem is that if that one PC dies, everyone loses work. With this setup, everyone has a symbiotic relationship with their colleagues.
The N224WA also has USB ports for a keyboard and mouse and includes a 5ms response rate. Additionally, according to LG, "this system offers consumers straightforward management including easy software and hardware set up, and central control support."
My photo of a random gray wall never looked so good.
(Credit: Samsung)LAS VEGAS--This week at CES, Samsung unveiled what they're calling the slimmest digital photo frame yet for displaying "high-quality" images, the Samsung 700Z Digital Photo Frame.
The frame has a foldable "L" stand design and an active matrix (AM) OLED panel. The device uses DLNA-licensed technology to sync with other home or mobile photo and video devices.
Samsung claims that at 9 inches long by 6 inches wide by 4.6 inches deep, the Samsung 700Z can also be used as a secondary home or office monitor by connecting it to a PC through a USB cable, up to a resolution of 1,024x60 pixels. According to Samsung, the frame can be viewed from a wide 180 degree angle, as well.
Bluetooth allows users to share multimedia content across devices wirelessly, including uploading mobile photos and sharing pictures across multiple 700Z frames.
The Samsung 700Z has a suggested retail price of $300 and will be available in stores March 2010.
Is it a movie or a book? Well it's not a movie, but the VPD513T Moviebook does play them.
(Credit: ViewSonic)LAS VEGAS--We all know of ViewSonic's display pedigree, but in this business, it pays to branch out. ViewSonic recently dipped its toe into the personal media player waters, or what it calls MovieBooks, and are continuing to support the format at CES 2010 with the debut of two new MovieBooks.
First, the VPD550T features a 5-inch 800x480-pixel high-resolution LCD touch screen, and can output video in 1080p to a supported source. The device, which includes 8GB of storage space, also supports the playing of music and viewing of photos. This is in addition to digital book support and voice memo recording support.
Look for it in Q1 for about $199.99.
The 4.3-inch VPD422T also features an 800x480-pixel resolution screen, 8GB of storage space, and has 1080p video output.
The VPD422T is coming in Q2 for about $189.99.
The better photo of the E2237Fwh. Now do you want one?!
(Credit: AOC)LAS VEGAS--A few months back, I reviewed the AOC V22 Verfino monitor. While it lacked a DVI input and ergonomic features, I gave it points for its good performance, thin design, and useful extras.
It's too early to say whether AOC's V22 follow up, the E2237Fwh will live up to its predecessor--that will be determined when I get a review unit--hopefully in a few weeks. Unfortunately, AOC didn't increase the number DVI ports on the E2237Fwh from the zero found on the V22. Its sole video connection is HDMI, as it was with the V22.
Also announced this week is the LE24H067, a 24-inch HDTV with a LED backlit screen. It has two HDMI ports and a digital photo frame feature that lets users display photos from a USB source.
According to AOC, expect both screens to be available in the first quarter of this year. However, AOC has yet to provide me with pricing information.
