Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Sharp intros entry-level SB series of 1080p LCD HDTVs

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/356656860/

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Oh sure, Sharp's doing the whole OLED thing because of societal pressures, but it's no secret where its passion lies. The outfit best known for its AQUOS brand has just introduced a trio of newcomers aimed at those looking for an "entry-level" HDTV: the 42-inch LC-42SB45U, 46-inch LC-46SB54U and the 52-inch LC-52SB55U. Each of the LCD HDTVs boast a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution panel, glossy piano-black finish, a pair of component jacks, a dedicated PC input and built-in NTSC / ATSC / ClearQAM tuners to boot. As for HDMI sockets, you'll find four on the big fellow, two on the 46-incher and three on the "little guy." The pain? Try $2,299.99 for the LC-52SB55U (available now), $1,699.99 for the LC-46SB54U (also ready to snatch right away) and $1,399.99 for the September-bound LC-42SB45U.
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USBFever Reinvents iPhone 3G SIM-Eject Tool, Sells it for $3 [Eject Eject]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/355413652/usbfever-reinvents-iphone-3g-sim+eject-tool-sells-it-for-3

When Apple reinvented the paperclip for the famous SIM-eject tool, it was at least a free gizmo, included in the package. USBFever clearly thought there was a gap in this market though, and have reinvented the reinvention. The new SIM-eject tool has a rubber-bung top that allows it to be stored in your iPhone 3G's headphone socket ready to be whipped out at a moment's notice when you need to change the SIM card. Probably only for really frequent SIM-swappers who don't use headphones, though, since it will cost you $3. [USBFever]


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NEC Packs All Blu-ray Functions on Single Chip, Smaller Players to Come [Blu-Ray]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/355413653/nec-packs-all-blu+ray-functions-on-single-chip-smaller-players-to-come

The EMMA 3PF is the first large-scale integration (LSI) chip to pack all of the necessary Blu-ray controllers onto a single piece of silicon. The new chip performs all audio and video decoding, analog to digital conversions, and HDMI output. It supports the Blu-ray 2.0 profile and will start shipping in September 2008, allowing player sizes to continue getting ittier and bittier. [Tech ON]


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Rumor: Nokia Working on Zune Marketplace Integration [Zune]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/355592040/rumor-nokia-working-on-zune-marketplace-integration

Zune Scene's been tipped off by a "well placed source" inside Microsoft that Nokia is working on integrating Zune Marketplace into its phones. What's the deal here? Would Microsoft take what they wanted to be a complete vertical solution—Zune player with Zune Marketplace with Zune software on the PC—and let other people get their hands on it? Perhaps. If the rumor is true, it could point to MS wanting to get as wide a footprint for their Zune platform as possible, even if it does mean integrating the ability to play/watch content on other devices. [Zune Scene]


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Green Umbrella Gives You One Extended Warranty For Almost All Your Gadgets [Warranty]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/355713572/green-umbrella-gives-you-one-extended-warranty-for-almost-all-your-gadgets

Green Umbrella has a very interesting service plan: a all-in-one extended warranty plan that covers all your gadgets for three years. You pay $9.99 a month, and it'll cover most of your home electronics (TVs, Computers) and appliances (Washers, Dryers, Refrigerators, Microwaves) as long as they come with at least a 90 day warranty if you purchase after you sign up, and 1 year if you purchased before. The downside is that they don't cover cellphones, and they don't cover accidental damage.

Is this worth it? It depends on your luck. Most products don't break within the first three years of their lifespan, but if you buy enough STUFF, the odds are that at least one of your things will break. Since we're all Giz readers here, we're likely to fall under this category. So here's the bottom line. You're paying $360 over the course of three years (the extend that they cover a product) for this. If in that span of three years, something(s) breaks that will cost more than $360 to fix or replace, you're out in front. If not, you're out $360.

We can't say whether they're good with honoring repairs since they're a new company, but they are owned by the parent corporation Experian. Does Experian ring a bell? They also own FreeCreditReport.com, which signs you up for a $14.95 a month fee when you get a "free" credit report from their site. [Green Umbrella]


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