Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

As February 17, 2009 creeps closer and closer, many people are rushing out to upgrade their old analog TV sets with brand new digital HD models. Of course I have no problem with that, but did you realize that fancy new LCD monitor you bought for your PC can also serve as a high-def display? It probably won’t be able to tune in an over-the-air HD signal right out of the box, but that’s where the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick comes into play.

It’s a small USB dongle that connects to your PC or laptop and allows you to watch standard or high-def TV broadcasts alongside your spreadsheets and email. You can even use your PC as a PVR with the included software, which will take care of all that free hard drive space you have lying around. And if you find that clicking a mouse button takes away from your TV watching experience, it even includes a remote control for turning your workstation into a pseudo home theater. You can read my full review of the PCTV HD Pro Stick after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Andrew Liszewski

I guess my XEL-1 review unit from Sony must’ve gotten lost in the mail, but thankfully I was able to get some one-on-one time with the OLED TV at my local Sony store. Not surprisingly the display looks amazing, and is exactly what you’d expect with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. And even though it only has a native resolution of 960×540 pixels, you don’t really notice it since the display is just 11 inches in size. But am I tempted to take one home? Absolutely not.

As far as I’m concerned the XEL-1 is nothing more than a tech demo/marketing exercise. Sure, it’s cool that Sony was the first company to get an actual OLED TV to the market, but who’s going to pay $2,499.99 for a display that can’t even do 720P? Even the XEL-1’s design seems engineered to promote the technology first and foremost. By keeping all of the controls and connections in the base of the unit, it allowed them to make the actual OLED display remarkably thin. And it works, as that seems to be the biggest feature most people noticed as they walked past. But while OLED technology is definitely a viable contender when it comes to who will rule the flat screen market in the future, it’s probably a good idea to wait a few more years before making the investment.

By Andrew Liszewski

While video games have traditionally been a passive experience, the Wii changed things up by forcing players to get up and get active. Now I’m not saying that being forced to stand is a good thing, but games like Wii Tennis and Wii Bowling are considerably more fun when you’re not laying on the couch. And to make it easier to see your flat screen TV while standing, Thanko has created the ‘Electric Up and Down Big TV Stand’ which can be used to lift your display up to 130 cm.

It can be operated remotely with an included wireless and wired controller and it’s apparently able to lift displays that are up to 110 lbs in weight, which is pretty impressive. But like most things you’ll have to decide if the convenience and improved sight line when playing your Wii is worth the $675 price tag for the stand.

[ Thanko Electric Up and Down Big TV Stand ] VIA [ Digital World Tokyo ]

By Luke Anderson

Watching TV in bed seems like such a natural thing to do. I tend to turn on something rather random and set the sleep timer before I conk out, when I don’t read before bed that is. Since most people who watch TV in their bedroom do so from their bed, wouldn’t it make sense to have a TV built right into the bed frame? As long as it’s done right, I think it would be an excellent idea.

The Chicago bed from Mayflower Designs shows exactly how it should be done. Have a small LCD TV set in a rising stand at the foot of the bed. When not in use, it just retracts into the frame where it is out of sight. You can customize almost every detail of these beds from the upholstery to free standing ottomans and cabinets. This bit of luxury will no doubt set you back a hefty sum, though there’s no information currently regarding pricing.

[ Mayflower Designs ] VIA [ Born Rich ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Every homeowner has to make that tough decision between having the convenience of a TV in the bathroom, or the luxury of heated towels. But there’s finally been a breakthrough in bathroom appliance technology that now allows you to have both! That’s right, the Aquavision Towel Rail TV incorporates both a 17 inch waterproof LCD display and fully heated chrome rails to make your towels all toasty warm in the morning. What a time to be alive!

The TV also has a special finish so that when it’s turned off, it can be used as a bathroom mirror. There’s even a waterproof remote which I guess is an important feature if you’re planning on using it while taking a bath, or other activities.

Sadly though, like any piece of cutting-edge technology the Aquavision Towel Rail TV comes with a ridiculous price tag of just over $6,000 from High Tech Living. But not having to choose between warm towels or TV in the bath is a big step forward for mankind.

[ Aquavision Towel Rail TV ] VIA [ Home Improvement Ideas ]

By Evan Ackerman

In September, I posted an article over at BotJunkie about a robot helicopter that reminded me a little bit of Airwolf. After that, I rented some Airwolf DVDs on Netflix, and now that I’m hooked on the show (okay, not really, I remembered it being way more awesome than it actually is), I just had to show you this working Airwolf helmet which is currently for sale on eBay. When I say “working,” it means that the helmet is a padded fiberglass custom motorcycle helmet that will, in fact, protect your head. It also features a speed visor, an LED targeting bar, and a specially designed battery pack. Whether the speed visor and LED targeting bar also work in some fashion is unspecified. The helmet itself is painted in the original Airwolf color, “Phantom Gray Effect.” Totally badass, and yours for the buy it now price of $900. A just because it’s Airwolf Airwolf video after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

by Shane McGlaun

If you have ever wished that you could sit in your backyard in the hot tub or at the pool side and watch the big game or your favorite movie SunBrite has something you will be interested in. SunBrite announced a new 46-inch weatherproof outdoor LCD TV.

The 4600HD is designed to be left outdoors at all times in residential and commercial applications and the set has it’s own internal thermostatic-control that turns on an internal heater allowing the TV to be outside in temps as low as -24 degrees F.

The resolution on the TV is 1366 x 768 and it has a 1600:1 contrast ratio. The enclosure the TV is housed in is impact and scratch resistant and has an anti-glare coating. The 4600HD TV is available now for $4995 and ships with a water-resistant remote.

VIA [ SunBrite ]