Meet Sony Internet TV, the world’s first HDTV incorporating the Google TV platform.

With the advent of Internet TV, who knows it will soon phase out the usual televisions? In the words of my friend Pocholo: “The TV that will literally kill the local TV. No more manipulative broadcasting. No more abusive ads. NO MORE NONSENSE BROADCAST. This is what I call Personalcasting. ABS CBN and GMA… what’s your next move!”

Imagine using Sony Internet TV that provides richer internet access so you can browse the web just like you would from a computer. Seamlessly navigate between websites and TV channels or enjoy both at the same time. On the same screen.

What else can it do?

1. makes searching for content faster and simpler than ever before. Whether you’re looking for a channel, show, or website, it’s never been easier to find what you want.

2. customize your experience that you’ll have access to the ever-evolving library of Web content and built for TV apps. Automatic upgrades help ensure the software powering your Sony Internet TV is up to date.

3. Enjoy the performance with Intel Inside®. The Sony Internet TV has enough processing power to easily load sites and stream videos, while a wireless handheld QWERTY remote makes navigation simple.

To understand Google TV, here is a video:

Visit www.google.com/tv

Rep. Manny Pacquaio was awarded a 52-inch Sony BRAVIA LX9 3D TV by Sony Philippines president and CEO Takao Kuroda. The Sony president said that it is an honor for Sony to stand side by side for the “world’s greatest products” with the world’s greatest boxer.

“It is our honor to welcome this great hero into the Sony family,” said Mr. Takao Kuroda, President and Managing Director, Sony Philippines. “Pacquiao is a man whose personal achievements have given his countrymen a shared experience of national glory. Being a true symbol of power and triumph make him the perfect ambassador in our campaign to bring the sensational experience of the Sony 3D World to the Philippines.”

Pacquiao is excited to be part of this project. “I am very happy that Sony Philippines is investing in bringing their most advanced 3D products to the country,” he said. “I am also happy that they have entrusted me to help Filipinos appreciate their 3D technology.”

It was in February 2010 when I first tested the Sony 3D TV, also known as the first 3D TV to be unveiled in the Philippines. Featuring full high definition 3D technology from Sony, the Sony 3D TV has the high frame rate made possible in 240Hz LCD TVs together with Active Shutter glass technology. This creates incredibly realistic depth and vivid 3D images.

PlayStation 3 owners are also in for a real treat. To complement the launch o fthese devices, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is releasing four 3D stereoscopic PS3 games through the PlayStation Networks. These promo games include something fun for the entire family, from the exciting Motorstorm Pacific Rift and WipEout HD, to the family-friendly Super Stardust HD6. Purchasers of the 3D TVs get these games for free.

There are currently three types of Sony 3D TVs. The biggest one of them all is the Sony Bravia XBR-LX900 series, which comes with a 3D sync transmitter and two pairs of 3D glasses. This model will come in two sizes, a 52-inch one and a 60-inch one. The second model, the Sony XBR-HX909, comes in 52- and 46-inch sizes and do not come with the built-in transmitter. The KDL-HX800 model, on the other hand, is the most affordable with sizes at 55, 46, and 60 inches. However, none of these come with 3D glasses or the transmitter.

If you’d like to know more about Sony’s exciting new line of 3D TVs, please call (02) 878-7600 or 0917-8077669, email info@sph.sony.com, or log on to www.sony.com.ph.

3D HDTVs have finally reached the Philippines! And so have a new line of HDTVs from Sony.

I attended the press launch of the new models for Sony Bravia at the Boracay Shangrila thinking it was just your ordinary television.

But before I show you how Sony plans to revolutionize home entertainment, let me explain to you the concept behind Sony’s 2010 Bravia collection. This is the Monolithic Design concept infused within all the new BRAVIA models. The first feature is the On/Of Conscious, which allows viewers to be enlivened by an extraordinary spectacle when the BRAVIA is turned on, while being enamored by a gorgeous single surface when the BRAVIA is turned off. The second is Upward Style – you can recline the TV at a 6° angle – giving you the impression of the TV looking towards you, while adding a sense of space to your room. The final theme, or Contrast of Material, proves that the Sony BRAVIA TVs can blend into any environment to bring contrast and unity.

These concepts are part of the philosophy of Tatazumai, which artist Kidlat de Guia used as inspiration for his latest collection. His work, which is showcased together with the launch of the 2010 BRAVIA collection, further emphasizes the trends that have redefined television design this year. Whatever model you choose, there is a BRAVIA to ensure that your entertainment experience is nothing short of a dream come true.

Sony Bravia LX900

On with the new HDTVs! This is the new Bravia LX900, also known as the first 3D TV to be unveiled in the Philippines. Featuring full high definition 3D technology from Sony, the LX900 has a the high frame rate made possible in 240Hz LCD TVs together with Active Shutter glass technology. This creates ncredibly realistic depth and vivid 3D images.

While Full HD 3D is the new frontier, Sony stands tall not just as the company with the widest array of 3D ready products, but also as the only the consumer electronics with a grasp of 3D content. Bringing 3D movies into your home is now made easier as Sony moved to take its triumphant Blu-ray technology into a whole new dimension with the introduction of a new affordable 3D Blu-ray Disc Player. Also featuring Sony’s Monolithic Design Philosophy, the BDP-S470 with software upgrade will be ready to play 3D Blu-ray Disc movies on a 3D enabled TV.

You can easily plug an external Hard Disk Drive or USB device into the front USB port of the Blu-ray Disc Players and enjoy movies, music or photos through your TV or home cinema system. With Blu-ray compatibility extended to an even larger range of file types, including DivX HD and MKV format, it’s easier than ever to share personal entertainment from all over the home.

BRAVIA NX Series

A presence in any room, the BRAVIA NX series exudes excellence in form and function. Further, combining the prowess of the Internet and TV broadcasts, the BRAVIA NX series is a web-savvy AV enthusiast’s dream-come-true.

BRAVIA Internet Video offers you the experience of seamlessly streaming a variety of on-demand Internet content such as YouTube video clips among a number of content providers, the way you experience TV broadcasted programs. In addition, BRAVIA Internet Widgets lets you keep in touch with the world with configurable and customizable add–ons that allow access to the news, weather and all sorts of information. There’s no need to hook up your PC or watch on a cramped screen; you can quickly access new videos and services as they’re added and stream full-screen content direct to your TV. Your online world of content and services will keep expanding so there will always be plenty more entertainment to discover and enjoy.

BRAVIA EX Series

HDTVs look like they consume a lot of power, but the Sony Bravia EX series certainly doesn’t. The BRAVIA EX series sports energy-saving features such as Ambient Sensor, LED backlight , and advanced Presence Sensor technologies , minimizing power consumption without compromising on picture quality. The Ambient Sensor will automatically adjust the picture brightness, according to the amount of ambient light in the viewing environment, to lower power consumption. Similarly, the Presence Sensor will automatically turn off the picture when the sensor does not detect the viewer’s presence.

BRAVIA BX Series

We all get the impression that the HDTV experience is only for those who have a lot of money to throw away, but the Bravia BX series brings the beauty and detail of the cinema straight to your living room at a more affordable price. The BRAVIA BX series offers a host of technologies like Full HD resolution, BRAVIA Engine3 imaging processor, and fuss-free connectivity to other devices among other things, all in an affordable, accessible package.

Last Christmas’s Samsung E1080 giveaway is continuing well into this year! For every purchase of a featured Samsung LCD Monitor, you get entitled to a free Samsung E1080 mobile phone. This phone is known for its slim size, ergonomic design and comes with a host of unique features like an SOS emergency message that you can send with just one click of a button. So not only will you enjoy the exquisite design and crystal clear display of a Samsung LCD monitor; you get an awesome phone too! Look under the jump for the Samsung LCD monitors included in the promo:

EcoFit P2270G and P2370G: Made with the environment in mind, the Samsung EcoFit monitor is built without the use of lead and volatile compounds which can harm the environment. Plus, it even uses up to 33% less energy that traditional computer monitors. And, the best part is, the image resolution is extremely clear and vivid with a dynamic contrast ratio of 50,000:1 and a response time of only 2milliseconds.

LapFit LD190G and LD220G: With today’s need to multi-task, having one screen on your laptop just won’t cut it. Samsung has a developed the perfect mate for your laptop with the LapFit. It easily extends your workspace by easily connecting this additional monitor via USB. The LapFit is even designed to mimic the angle, height and brightness of your laptop screen so your virtual workspace looks seamless.

P2050 and P2250: Designed with poetry in mind, the P2050 and P2250 LCD monitors were made to resemble a piece of art. With its flawless fine lines, delicate sunset bezel and slim neck, these monitors are sure to beautify any home office. But, they’re not only appealing to look at, the P2050 and P2250 also provide the best viewing experience with a 16:9 wide screen and a 50,000:1 contrast ratio.

2333HD, T240HD and T260HD: Not content with watching DVDs or streaming videos on your LCD monitor? Why not watch your favorite TV shows as well? With these multi-function monitors, you not only get an LCD monitor, you even get an LCD TV. Built with their own TV tuners, the 2333HD, T240HD and T260HD monitors allow you to plug in your cable connection for the ultimate balance of work and leisure.

Promo starts February 1 and ends March 31, 2010. Grab your Samsung LCD monitor now!

Samsung sure wasn’t kidding when they said they’d revolutionize home entertainment viewing. That up there is their new C9000 3D HDTV and yes, it really is that slim! It has 3D support, a number of USB and HDMI slots on the base, and the remote can even function as a mini smartphone that views streaming media from other sources. No word on the actual dimensions and price of this fine gadget, but I bet it will cost thousands of dollars and dominate a living room.

Source

Remember when I said that CES 2010 will be showcasing 3D HDTVs? It turns out that Samsung is one of the companies who will be releasing a 3D device lineup. For these innovations, the Consumer Electronics Association awarded Samsung with 23 CES 2010 Innovation Awards, including three Best of Innovations: three eco-design honors, three LED HDTVs, one Plasma HDTV, three Blu-ray players, one home theater system, two digital audio players, two digital cameras, one refrigerator, six mobile phones and one monitor for multi display. That’s a lot of awards!

But I’m interested in 3D technology, as this is clearly going to revolutionize home entertainment. This year, Samsung will be delivering the first complete 3D ecosystem, with an advanced 3D television, sophisticated 3D Blu-ray player, stylish active shutter 3D glasses and a home theater system. The full 3D product lineup includes the LED 9000, LED 8000 and LED 7000 as well as LCD and plasma televisions and Blu-ray players. These all are compatible with multiple 3D standards including half and full HD resolution formats, as well as the Blu-ray Disc Associate ratified “Blu-ray 3D” standard. So consumers will know that all their 3D devices will work together perfectly. Samsung will deliver the industry’s best 3D image quality due to its custom-designed 3D chip from Samsung’s semiconductor division. To customize the home viewing experience, Samsung also unveiled Samsung Apps, the world’s first HDTV-based application store. Users can download and purchase applications from select 2010 Samsung HDTVs, Blu-ray Players and Home Theater systems via the upgraded Internet@TV feature.

Santa, I think I know what I want for Christmas this year.

Today, I watched a group of young Filipino inventors unveil the first Filipino-made television with an unusual feature: the capability to watch television and access the internet at the same time. Called the Ilumina LCD Interactive Television (iTV), it has the features of a regular 32-inch LCD televisions but enhanced with personal computing functions. The prospect of the Ilumima LCD iTV is very exciting, especially since I’m very fond of multitasking. On a typical evening I’m seated in front of the TV, catching up with local news, world news, or celebrity gossip while I write blog entries and update my social networking sites on the Macbook on my lap.

The brains behind the Ilumina LCD iTV is a group called the Inovent Team, a coalition of young Filipino engineers, industrial designers and programming experts. The beta prototype has been in the works since 2008 and was literally produced from scratch in the garage and dorm of the Inovent team members. The Ultra Alpha Prototype was launched on November 30, 2008 and today (Independence Day), the Ilumina LCD iTV was ready for a soft demo. According to the designers, the Ilumina LCD iTV is a multi-media device with access to Google Gadgets, Plasma widgets, and Mac OS X dock widgets. It is the first convergence product made in the Philippines that synthesizes the functions of an LCD television and the personal computer.

Housed in a uniquely bold and minimalist inspired curved casing, the Ilumina LCD iTV is equipped with a High Definition (HD) webcam, a Blue Ray DVD slot drive, VoIP, DVR, Wifi/LAN, 1.5 tera byte Hard drive, wireless keyboard, and a blue tooth head phone built-in the back of the remote control, which is also motion gesture base. The device allows you to watch your favorite local and cable shows while browsing the internet.

This remote control, which looks rather large and unwieldy, will also act as a blue tooth head phone, and microphone.

Inovent Inc. founder Brian Quebengco describes the new chassis design as “bold and revolutionary. The Ilumina LCD iTV is supposed to have a unique, curve design that lets it stand alone. Currently, however, the beta prototype is made of fiber glass which makes it bulky. Inovent plans to outsource the chassis so they can come out with a sleeker design, as shown in the photo above.

the HD webcam

In a private closed door demo launch today, Brian Quebengco described the Ilumina as a revolutionary product that would change the TV experience of every Filipino. Brian added that the Ilumina LCD iTV aims to “free” the Filipino from the mundane experience of watching television. Unfortunately, I was not able to see all the working features as the motherboard overheated halfway through the presentation.

Before the ilumina LCD iTV died on me, I was able to witness the powering up of the Ilumina LCD iTV which revealed a multimedia interface that allows you to record television shows, download documents from the web, play on-line games, even call your loved ones abroad in the comfort of your living room using the VoIP function. Think of the possibility of the modern family whose loved one is an OFW and will be able to talk to her/his family right there in the living room. This definitely adds value to the iTV as a device that connects families.

The driving force behind the ilumina LCD iTV is “Free Yourself”. The future of the Ilumina LCD iTV will be the center of the living room and it will eliminate a lot of the unnecessary clutter of having too many devices and wires plugged in your TV. Although it still turns on like any regular TV, with a flip of a switch, you can browse the internet, download your favorite TV shows straight to your 1.5 tera byte hard drive and watch TV and talk to someone over Skpye, just to name a few of the functions.

The Ilumina LCD iTV proves that Filipino industrial designers, engineers, and programmers have what it takes to conquer the highly competitive global LCD television industry. Amidst a worsening global economic crisis, it is fitting to launch a purely Filipino inovention , says Brian, because they hope that their inovention would uplift the sagging spirits of the Filipino and give the country something to be proud of.

Brian adds that “it’s what the country needs. For many years, we have been thinking of how to penetrate the market and hopefully have a chance to begin competing against Samsung and Sony. The LCD iTV industry, being very new is our chance. Once this is launched, it will harness the collective talents of our best engineers, designers, programmers, executives, managers, local OEM and EMS manufacturers and slowly build the image of the Philippines as a inoventive country. This will eventually reverse the brain drain we are experiencing. I see a future where the best Filipinos around the world will want to come back and work in Inovent Electronics, Inc. in the Philippines.”

Surely there are other brands out there that claim to be an interactive TV. But is it truly interactive? LG and Sony for instance has a few interactive options. Their interactivity is only 20% of the fully integrated Ilumina LCD iTV. The ilumina LCD iTV is not locked into a system or a content provider.

Really, truly, fully interactive is what Ilumina LCD iTV is about. The Ilumina LCD iTV is expected to hit the shelves in the first quarter of 2010. There is no definite price yet but it could range from 90,000 pesos to 120,000 pesos.

Here is a short video I took at today’s unveiling.

Ilumina LCD iTV specs

High definition (HD) webcam
blue ray DVD slot drive
VoIP
DVR
Wifi/LAN
1.5 tera byte Hard Drive
Wireless keyboard
Remote Control with Blue tooth Phone receiver and motion gesture
Intel Atom

The Inovent Electronics team is composed of Quebengco as its founder and leader; chief marketing “inoventor” Mark Ruiz; senior design “inoventors” Peter Can, Jonas Peralta, and Jaed del Mundo; junior program “inoventor” Ryan Bitanga; and junior “inoventors” Victor Yu and Nikko Garcia, who are undergraduates at the De La Salle University (DLSU) taking up electrical engineering and electronics and communications engineering (ECE), respectively.
For more information, email Brian Quebengco at brian@inoventdesign.com or visit their site at Inoventdesign.com