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CES 2011
Panasonic Reports Healthy TV Sales
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 05, 2011
Recession? What recession? Panasonic's TV sales were up 30 percent in December 2010 over the previous year, the company reported at today's press event -- and sales of Viera sets were up 45 percent. So the little logo projected above the doorway in the picture above is one potent little symbol. The biggest sellers were 54-, 58-, and 65-inch sets. Areas of future growth include 3DTV, projected to rise to 32 percent of the worldwide market by 2014, and IPTV, expected to hit 42 percent the same year.

Perhaps the biggest news for 3DTV fans is that Panasonic will push for a standard for active-shutter glasses. For consumers, this would be a big improvement over the current balkanized situation, with each manufacturer having its own type. Panasonic says eyewear interoperability would drive growth. We're guessing it would also help the company defend its investment in active-shutter 3DTV technology at a time when passive 3DTV is starting to arrive from Vizio and LG. Panasonic is also opening a 3D Innovation Center to foster production technology in Hollywood. A new committee of the International 3D Society will do the same in Japan. Panasonic also seeded the student filmmaking community with 3D camcorders, with results to be chronicled on the website of the Campus Movie Fest.

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CES 2011: Monster Announces a Heap of New Products
Stan Horaczek  |  Jan 05, 2011

It's clear that when Monster found out they had 45 minutes for their press conference here at CES, they took it as a challenge to see just how many new products they could cram into that time period. The results were impressively prolific, including everything from slightly lowered HDMI cable prices (their cheapest model is now $30) to a line of car cleaning products made in conjunction with West Coast Customs. Rather than bombarding you with the whole pile, here are some of the products that caught our interest.

The Monster Vision 3D Glasses

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CES 2011: LG TVs Get Smart
Al Griffin  |  Jan 05, 2011

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CES 2011
Monster Thrives on Yao Power
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 05, 2011
A life-size mannequin of Chinese basketball wonder Yao Ming was the most visually striking element of Monster Cable's typically eventful pre-show press conference. This "aspirational figure" says he integrates technology into his busy life because "music helps me achieve." He promo-toured China with Monster last summer, but what really raises an eyebrow is that Monster has opened 10 Yao stores in China. Entire stores devoted to a single marketing idea. Wow.

Monster now has 34.9 percent market share in headphones, thanks to its Beats line, with only Bose even coming close. Last year's Miles Davis Trumpet earbuds have gone into a second generation at a lower $299 price point. The "world's smallest" in-earphones achieve their small size by building the driver into the tip, not the body. Trumpet-valve-like controls are built into the cord. A release of Davis' classic Sketches in Spain in surround complements the product.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
My Dog Skip (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Jan 05, 2011
Young Willie Morris (Frankie Muniz) has trouble making friends in school and when his idol, Dink Jenkins (Luke Wilson), is shipped over to Europe to fight the Germans in World War II, his life couldn't get any worse. Sensing his need of a good friend, his mother (Diane Lane) gets him a puppy for his ninth birthday and his life undergoes a transformation. The talented pup helps turn bullies into friends and helps Willie earn the affection of the most beautiful girl in school (Caitlyn Wachs).

Good family films are hard to find, but this is one of the best non-animated one I've seen in years. Granted, I'm a sucker for dog movies, but this has a lot of heart and the relationship between Willie and Skip is genuine and fun. It gets a little corny on occasion, especially when Willie tangles with some moonshiners, but the message of friendship and trust between a boy and his dog overcomes any of its shortcomings.

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CES 2011: Toshiba Glasses-Free 3DTV First Impressions
Stan Horaczek  |  Jan 05, 2011



Las Vegas- Toshiba isn't throwing a press conference here at CES 2011, but they did bring along one of their glasses-free 3DTVs and I got a chance to check it out at a party last night. The panel was set about 6 feet behind a velvet rope with three pieces of gaffer's tape carefully arranged to denote the positions from which the 3D effect would be visible.

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Driving to Vegas
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 05, 2011
I always love driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas for CES, especially when I avoid snow and rain as I did by one day this year. Topping the last summit affords a beautiful view of Primm, NV, with its hotels, casinos, and outlet stores in the middle of the desert.
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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole 3D—Warner Bros. Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jan 04, 2011
Young owl Soren marvels at tales of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, mythic winged warriors who battled to save all owl kind from the evil Pure Ones. When he and brother Kludd fall into the talons of the Pure Ones, it's up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave owls and seek out the Great Tree, home of the Guardians.

This was one of the best looking animated films on Blu-ray with its 2D release, and the 3D sacrifices nothing in terms of contrast, clarity of depth. The 3D aspect isn’t as aggressive as some of the other titles on the market, but it does add some immersion to the experience. I didn’t see any troubling artifacts such as ghosting or line twitter, and the depth of the 3D presentation adds a lot to the overall dimensionality of the film. The DTS-HD Master Audio mix is also first rate with incredible dynamic range and an immersive sound mix.

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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Alice in Wonderland 3D—Walt Disney Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jan 04, 2011
Inviting and magical, "Alice In Wonderland" is an imaginative new twist on one of the most beloved stories of all time. Alice, now 19 years old, returns to the whimsical world she first entered as a child and embarks on a journey to discover her true destiny. This Wonderland is a world beyond your imagination and unlike anything you've seen before. The extraordinary characters you've loved come to life richer and more colorful than ever.

The 3D Blu-ray presentation is pretty much exactly what I remember from the 3D theatrical presentation. While the 3D does add some depth to the opening sequences, you really don’t get the full effect until Alice makes her trip to Wonderland. From there it is eye candy galore with rich color and amazing detail.

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TV ReviewsLCD TV Reviews
Toshiba 55WX800U 3D LCD HDTV
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 03, 2011
Price: $3,300 At A Glance: Vivid picture with outstanding resolution • Solid 3D performance • Skewed color and gamma

3D Pictures, Ultra-Thin HDTV

LEDs and 3D. Add in Internet connectivity, Wi-Fi, and an ultra-thin panel, and you have the mix that matters in today’s HDTV market. That also describes Toshiba’s new 55-inch 55WX800U. Together with its smaller sibling, the 46-inch 46WX800U, it makes up Toshiba’s current 3D lineup.

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