In the March issue I did a Hook Me Up on how to shoot in HD. I mentioned there would be web content with links to HD resources and such. You can find that very web content here. Don’t bother reading it if you haven’t read the first part, ah, first.
I like writing about tablets about as much as I like getting kicked in the privates, but when big companies announce big dumb things, I feel obliged to cover it. Last week it was Microsoft, with their could-be-awesome-but-probably-won't-be Surface tablet. This week it's Google and the Nexus 7 (and the Q streamer). As usual, the lazy tech writers made hyperbolic comparisons, claiming it a Kindle Fire "killer" and... oh WTF IT'S THE CONTENT.
I recently completed a review of the TC-P55VT50 from Panasonic, look for it in an upcoming issue. Performance wise, it was damn near incredible: One of the best contrast ratios I’ve ever measured, accurate color, and deep blacks.
However, there was one “feature” that really pissed me off.
As I'm sure you've noticed by now, nearly every piece of electronic equipment you own creates heat. Some, like projectors, create a lot. Others, like DVD players, don't create very much at all. Depending on how you have your gear set up, though, any heat can create a problem. What's worse, you may not even know there's a problem until it's too late. There are solutions, though, and they vary depending on how you store your gear.
Everyone wants a matched system, so how about some speakers to match your plasma? That’s right, plasma speakers. These puppies will really wow the neighbors. They’re not common, and the seller buries the most important sentence in the middle of the posting “Measurable amounts of O2 (ozone) are produced during operation.” Let’s not nitpick that ozone is actually O3. The next sentence is even better “Some people claim they are sensitive to this in the room, others find it fresh smelling or don’t notice it!” Yeah, until it kills you. Leave a door open, turn out the lights, and marvel at the pretty tweeters that make sound with "light."
Get 'em while they're hot (literally).
It's rare that a product will get journalists from different publications all calling each other—and by rare I mean never. But that's what happened with Samsung's BD-P1000. There have been calls back and forth between different magazines, then different manufacturers. Even content providers have been keeping the phone lines busy for the past few weeks. At first, it was to see if everyone was seeing the same things, stemming from disbelief. Then, it was thoughts on what was going on. Next, it was trying to find answers. And it all started with this little DVD, er, Blu-ray player. (See my full review on page 126.)
After years of speculation and skepticism, drooling and disappointment, longing, frustration, and pensive excitement, Organic Light-Emitting Diode televisions are finally available. OLED (oh-lead, if you like), is the first true next-generation HDTV technology since LCDs emerged from their nascent toy stage and started stomping all over plasma TVs.