VIZIO Adds Smaller TVs to its LED Lineup

LED Backlit LCD HDTVs are all the rage these days, but so far, only in the larger television market. Yesterday, VIZIO set out to change all of that when they announced they were adding two new TVs to their LED lineup: a 19 inch and a 23 inch model.

Both the VM190XVT and the VM230XVT offer a sleek, thin, one-inch profile with full edge to cover glass and invisible proximity touch controls that illuminate when you touch it and fade as you move your hand away. They also feature an ambient light sensor that ensures you always have the best picture and maximize energy savings by allowing you to adjust the brightness based on your room's lighting. Not watching TV? Your television can double as a digital picture frame when it's off. Both are earth-friendly, the VM190XVT exceeds Energy Star Guidelines by 55% while the VM230XVT exceeds thems by an outstanding 65%.

The TVs are mercury free and feature a 20,000:1 Dynamic Contrast ratio, which makes blacks deeper and whites brighter. These stylish TVs have the ability to tilt up to 25 degrees and feature SRS Truvolume, which eliminates inconsistencies, and SRS TruSurroundHD which delivers immersive high definition surround sound. The 19-inch model will retail for about $349.99, while the 23-inch will set you back about $399.99. VIZIO did not say when the TVs would go on sale in the United States.

Samsung's New 40-inch LED the World's Thinnest?

Ever picked up your standard no. 2 pencil and thought "Man I wish my TV was this thin"? Well if you have then your wish has come true. The world's largest flat screen TV maker has just made the world's smallest flat screen TV. Samsung, which is also the largest producer of memory chips, has reported that the new LED TV on it's line measures an incredible 3.9mm thick. This is just around a third of the size of the last TV Samsung released yet it still maintains the same high-definition quality.

The 40-inch flat screen is an LED, or light emitting diode, panel TV. LED TVs have proven to be lighter and more energy efficient than LCD TVs, or liquid crystal display TVs. The only downside is that LED TVs are more expensive and not as available as LCD TVs. Samsung had previously held the record for the world's thinnest LCD TV which came in at 7.9mm thick. This was beaten by LG's 42 and 47-inch LCD's which come in at 5.9mm thick.

Samsung is known for delivering quality products and this new LED is no different. This 40-inch model has a 120Hz refresh rate along with a reported 5000:1 contrast ratio. That is all the info currently available on the product as of late but keep checking back for more information as it arrives. Overall, thin is the way to go in terms of TVs so it looks like we can expect even smaller ones in the future. Maybe we will reach a time when we watch TV on a piece of glass like we see in all those niffty futuristic movies. But until then, I think we will be o.k. settling with a 3.9mm thick TV.

Dell SX2210T Brings Multitouch to 1080p Panel

Dell's new SX2210T Flat Panel LCD Monitor has a lot of really cool features. It's touch-sensitive meaning it detects your fingers vs. another pointing device close to the screen. It has tilt adjustment capability, plug and play capability, on-screen display adjustment, software documentation media, energy saving features, a security lock slot, and 2.0 mega pixel internal webcam with integrated microphone which is great for using Skype.

The monitor features a 1920x1080 resolution, including full-screen support for lower resolutions and it is 21.5 inches. It also has HDMI and DVI inputs and like the original SX2210 (which is not touch-sensitive) a 1,000 : 1 contrast ratio and 2ms grey-t0-grey response time.

The SX2210Tis now available for a mere $469 at Dell's online store and when attached to a computer running Windows 7, the accompanying multi-touch panning and zooming should work like a charm!

Mobile TV Coming to a Device Near You

On Friday, the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) approved a standard for mobile digital broadcasts. The ATSC oversees United States television standards. The new standard will allow local television stations to broadcast to mobile devices such as laptops, handheld TVs, mobile phones, and in-vehicle systems on frequencies they already have. Other countries, such as South Korea and Japan, already have mobile TV. Samsung and LG helped make the standard happen by joining together and presenting the ATSC with unified specifications.

LG is said to already be conducting trials using the prototype GSM and CDMA phones in addition to a single-chip tuner (LG2160A). It will most likely ship in portable DVD players and other mobile devices sometime in 2010. Samsung also revealed a single-chip mobile digital TV tuner that is small and has enough power to work with mobile phones and smaller devices.

Some American consumers already have the ability to watch television on their Verizon Wireless and AT&T handsets via the FLO TV network, but FLO TV is a national service and is paid. Experts say the new technology will become a competitor for FLO TV. The ATSC hasn't specified when compatible products will be shipped but did say that about 70 broadcasters would have test signals set up by the end of 2009.

Best Buy to Sell "Value" Version of 32-Inch LCD & Blu-ray

It may not have 120Hz motion processing and a contrast ratio higher than 20,000:1, at least not compared to a similar model made by Sharp, but it will be a few hundred less dollars. Best Buy has decided to sell a 1080p LCD with Blu-ray disc player under it's Insignia store brand and even though reviews say not to expect a lot in the way of loading times or audio support, it is a very good deal for the 32-inch LCD. It has a built-in HDTV tuner, is ENERGY STAR qualified, and a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. It features PC video input, 2 HDMI inputs, a built-in Ethernet port, and 3 audio outputs.

The Best Buy website says the product is "coming soon" and lists the price at $699. They also offer a two year parts and labor warranty.

Here is a run-down on some of the specific specs:

Product Height: 21-3/5" with stand (19-4/5" without)
Product Width: 31-1/3"
Product Weight: 30 lbs. with stand (26.4 lbs. without)
Product Depth: 11-4/5" with stand (4" without)
Screen Size: 32"
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Display Type Flat: panel LCD
Built-in Player: DVD
Built-in DVR: No
Maximum Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Vertical Resolution: 1080p
Brightness: 450 cd/m²
Comb Filter: 3D Y/C digital
Media Card Slot: No
USB Port: No
HDMI Inputs: 2
DVI Inputs: No
S-Video Inputs: 1
Component Video Inputs: 1
Composite Inputs: 2
PC Inputs: 1
RF Antenna Input: 1
Headphone Jacks: Yes
Audio Outputs: 1
Watts/Channel: 10
Speakers: 2
Simulated Surround: Yes
Language Options: English, French, Spanish
V-Chip: Yes
Sleep/Alarm Timer: Sleep timer, yes; alarm, no
Channel Labeling: Yes
Remote Control Type: Standard
ENERGY STAR Qualified: Yes
Screen Refresh Rate: 60Hz
USB Input: No
Ethernet Port: Yes

3 New Smart USB Monitors from DoubleSight

Monitor manufacturer, DoubleSite Displays has announced the release of three Smart USB LCD monitors. With USB connection for both power and video, these monitors are easy to add to any computer (they are both PC and Mac compatible) and their small size makes them the perfect accessory for any desktop, laptop or netbook computer. The monitors feature built-in support for Multi-Monitor Mode, both landscape and portrait viewing, and supports a variety of applications. Best of all, no additional video port, cable or power adapter is needed!

The Smart USB Monitors are perfect for exporting toolbars and menus; monitoring emails and viewing calendars; instant messenger or internet phone applications; watching movies and internet video; and viewing pc-based photo albums. Their light weight - less than a pound - and small size (they tuck easily into an average size briefcase) make them easy and convenient for travel, especially when you're using it as an addition to your laptop. The stand is removable and a snap-on cover protects the monitor when it's not in use.

There are three different models of the Smart USB Monitors:

DS-70U Smart USB LCD Monitor - 7 inch LCD Screen - Priced around $119.00
DS-90U Smart USB LCD Monitor - 9 inch LCD Screen - Priced around $139.00
DS-90UC Smart USB LCD Monitor with Web Cam - 9 inch LCD Screen - Priced around $159.00