While many TV makers are using polarized glasses in their 3D concepts, Sony’s plans involve high-definition active shutter glasses that alternate the image for the left and right eye. Hopefully they won’t make me cross-eyed like my old 3DFX Voodoo shutters did. [Sony]

This leak is all according to an unnamed source, so don’t get too worked up, but supposedly Sony is set to announce the product at next week’s IFA in Berlin. Panasonic has already committed to work on 3D TVs, but Sony could still be the first to get a product out the door. We’ll have to wait until next week to find out if there’s any truth to the rumour. [Wall Street Journal]

The design is both clever and functional, with the display’s ports tucked behind the monitor in some sort of cross between a folded piece of paper and a photo frame. In turn, the necessarily hardware becomes its own stand, and the display can tilt, too (not that the viewing angle on most OLEDs is necessarily lacking).

The 15-incher will officially debut at the IFA 2009 show in Berlin, LG execs told Reuters, after which it will sell first in Korea before making its way overseas sometime after November.

And better still, at least for OLED fans, is word that LG is also preparing a 40-inch OLED product in the “not so distant future”. We probably don’t have to tell you that this “product” will undoubtedly be “expensive”. [Reuters]

The biggest reason is that even though the two premium players feature DLNA functionality, the function is restricted to just playing back photos. And while I happily admit I’ve been using my PS3 to play back slideshows on my 50-inch plasma for a while now, I also use it to playback video and music files stored on my home computer.

There are still some things that make these players attractive for those who don’t want a PS3 in their loungeroom – the BDPS360 entry level player ($449) has a six second startup time, which is lightning fast when compared to the near-minute times of their ancestors; the BDPS560 ($549) adds HD audio decoding, Wi-Fi and DLNA for photos; and the premium BDPS760 ($729) adds gold plated connections and a headphone jack, among other things.

But none of those features outweighs the ability to stream video over my home network for me. Don’t get me wrong – I think they’re all a step in the right direction, but they still can’t top the versatility of the PS3.

[Sony]

The game played out on the stadium’s 160ft. x 72ft screen—the world’s largest 1080p HDTV—as part of a fan appreciation day sponsored by EA and PlayStation. More than 10,000 were expected to attend.

Driving the game as it unfolded high in the air was a humble (in comparison) PlayStation 3. [Kotaku]

Available to system builders for a steep $US380, the Y95054 doesn’t seem like a fully-baked product: despite adhering to some parts of the HDMI 1.4 spec, it doesn’t yet have full certification, and the feature list seems to imply that the cable might not even support 1080p, much less the super-resolved 4k set on the distant horizon—although in the future, maybe lowly, ancient 1080p output is just taken for granted? Who knows! In any case, the gates have officially opened on what may be the lamest “first on your block” race in recent memory. [DBL via Engadget]

The move is to try and drive people who don’t want to watch the regular content to the new Go! channel.

On the (albeit small) upside, Ellen, The View, Entertainment Tonight, Nine’s Late News, Gilmore Girls, NRL Footy Show and Today Weekend Edition will all be broadcast in HD now. Joy!

[TV Tonight]

I mean just look at it. It’s from the future or something .

The obviously 1080p set is using white LEDs, along with local dimming, unlike say, Sony’s which use tri-color LEDs for better colour. You can cue up the usual so-great-they’re-meaningless measurements you get with LEDs though: 7,000,000: 1 contrast ratio, 2ms, Auto Motion Plus frame interpolation, and an Ultra Clear Panel that “works to improve image clarity and brightness regardless of a room’s ambient lighting.” But it is only 1.6 inches thick.

There are two models, the 46-inch class (45.9 inches) set for $US3600, and the 55-inch class (54.6 inches) for $US4500, both out in September.

AMSUNG INTRODUCES STYLISH NEW LED HDTV THAT DELIVERS EXCELLENT PICTURE QUALITY, CONNECTIVITY AND INTERACTIVE FEATURES

Joining Samsung’s Award-winning LED TV Line, 8500 Series Offers Consumers Supreme HD Experience

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. – July 30, 2009 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today unveiled the flagship model of its expanded LED HDTV lineup with the all-new 8500 Series. The new HDTVs combine the award-winning picture quality and thinness of Samsung’s previous LED HDTVs, with the latest networking and interactive features, to provide an ideal option to all TV connoisseurs.

“For consumers who are looking for the ultimate HD centerpiece and high-level performance in their home theatre, the Samsung 8500 Series delivers break-through quality and design,” said John Revie, senior vice president of Visual Display Marketing, Samsung Electronics America. “The 8500 Series underscores Samsung’s dedication to providing a full range of HDTVs that not only achieve the highest levels of picture quality, but also provide unique and immersive entertainment experiences through our Medi@2.0ä suite.”

Samsung 8500 LED HDTV Series Pricing and Availability
- Price: 46-inch class: $US3,599.99 / 55-inch class: $US4,499.99
- Availability: September 2009

Picture Quality and Control
With Samsung’s innovative use of white LEDs as a backlight source, the 8500 Series is capable of a stunning 7,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for extreme detail and image depth. Its Wide colour Enhancer Pro ensures that colours are consistently vibrant, while Samsung’s Ultra Clear Panel works to improve image clarity and brightness regardless of a room’s ambient lighting. The 8500 Series is also compliant with the latest Energy Star® v3.0 ratings, and includes an optimised energy savings mode that adjusts the backlight and picture quality, without sacrificing the overall viewing experience. Additionally, its “Natural” mode optimizes picture settings to model the brightness advantage of LCD displays and the cinema-like richness of plasma displays with any content.

The 8500 Series incorporates an ultra-quick 2ms panel response time, combined with Samsung’s latest version of its Auto Motion Plus™ frame interpolation technology that has a true 240Hz refresh rate to significantly improve playback of fast-paced content. Going beyond the three standard Auto Motion Plus™ presets, users can also separately adjust the levels of judder and motion blur reduction for superior picture control.

Connectivity and Content
The new 8500 Series features Samsung’s Medi@2.0ä suite, allowing users to access content from more sources than ever before. The Internet@TV – Content Service, developed in association with Yahoo!, provides onscreen access to popular web-based content from Yahoo! (Flickr, Video, News, Weather, and Finance), USA Today (Sports), Twitter, YouTube, and others. The widgets-based interface and scrollbar are activated with the push of a button, and run along the bottom of the screen for easy browsing of the latest programs and content available.

Even after purchase, consumers will be able to use a growing library of widgets, as the widget development kit is available for other content providers to develop new offerings. Samsung’s Medi@2.0ä suite provides wired and wireless DLNA compatibility to enjoy photos, music and videos from a networked PC right on the television. Pre-loaded photos, artwork, games, and recipes are also included for entertaining, and two USB 2.0 connections can be used for playing a plethora of video, photo, and audio files from portable devices, including external hard memory.

Designed to Stand Out
Measuring at just 1.6 inches deep and featuring Samsung’s Touch of Color™ (ToC™) bezel, the 8500 Series provides consumers with style and flexibility in an HDTV. Additionally, both the 46-inch and 55-inch models come with a built-in tuner and an array of multimedia connections. Samsung’s innovative, ultra-slim wall-mount solution (sold separately) makes installation akin to hanging a picture frame, by reducing the gap between the TV and the wall to a mere 0.6 inches – a major improvement over traditional mounting systems.

Samsung Electronics America’s press releases, video content and product images are available at www.samsung.com/newsroom.