The town is Los Angeles, and the kid is Sezmi, a new way to get your TV. Sezmi offers live, recorded, on-demand and online content, all personalized to you. (And the service starts at $4.99 a month!) If you live in LA, check it out.
Stay Tuned
Best Buy Exclusive 03/13/2010
TV as we know it is changing
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And that’s a good thing. No, reality shows haven’t been banned. In fact, it’s only a matter of time before they start making us cringe in glorious 3D (consider yourself warned.) But entering the third dimension isn’t the only thing you and your TV have to look forward to in 2010. Here are six technologies that will forever alter your relationship with moving pictures. And yes, one of them is in 3D (figuratively, not literally.)
Skype
Skype
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Beginning this spring, you may want to think twice about watching TV in your underwear. Why? Because your mother-in-law might be calling (or maybe that’s a good reason to watch TV in your underwear…) Regardless, Skype is coming to a TV near you. What you’ll need is a special webcam, a high speed internet connection and a Skype-enabled TV (and it’s only a matter of time before we see TVs with built-in webcams and mics). Currently, Skype has partnered with LG, Panasonic and Samsung to embed their latest software in select models. Skype is bringing scattered families together in full HD… Whether you like it or not.
3D
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Even though Avatar got snubbed at the Oscars®, this is still the “Year of 3D.” 3D TVs were center stage at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, but now you can actually go out and buy one of these bad boys (don’t forget the glasses!) The technology is amazing, but admittedly, right now there’s not much in the way of, you know, stuff to look at in Full 3D. However, that will slowly start to change. This summer, ESPN and DIRECTV are scheduled to begin broadcasting 3D content (3D gaming is going to be huge too.) As with any new technology, it can be a little confusing, so click here to learn more.
Microsoft
Project Natal
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That’s the code name for Microsoft’s soon-to-be-named-for-real gaming platform that is going to revolutionize video games. You thought the Wii-mote was amazing? How about no “mote” at all? With Project Natal, the controller is YOU. It detects your body and voice, and the game actually tracks all of your movements and voice commands during game play. Which begs the question – if you have to actually get up off the couch to pretend to play soccer, why not just go play soccer? (We’re just saying…) Right now, Project Natal is scheduled for a “Holiday 2010” release.
Apps, Apps, Apps!
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Apps are all the rage on mobile phones, but on TVs, they’re in their infancy. This year, they grow up. Widgets on connected TVs are a start, but things really get interesting when your phone starts bossing your big screen around. You can already program your DVR with your phone. Or, use your iPhone as a game controller for your TV. Soon, you’ll be able to use your TV to play Texas Hold ‘Em with your friends… And each friend’s cards will be dealt to their own phone! That’s pretty cool.
Mobile DTV
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Because having phones that can ONLY surf the web, take pictures, give you GPS navigation, access 20,000 apps and let you watch live TV isn’t enough, in the very near future you will be also be able to watch live LOCAL TV too. This spring, 8 local stations in the Washington D.C market are set to begin broadcasting mobile DTV signals. At CES, Samsung showed off a phone with a Mobile DTV chip built in, which will enable you to get live local TV in the palm of your hand. This wasn’t possible before the DTV transition, so “Thank you U.S. Government!”
Intel Wireless Display
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So you invite some friends over to your place. At dinner, someone references that cat playing a keyboard video. Remarkably, one of your friends hasn’t seen it. So you all gather around your little laptop to watch. Well, now you can see that cat tickle the ivories on your big screen TV. Intel figured out a cool technology that wirelessly beams what you’re watching on your computer to your TV. All you need is one of our latest Blue Label laptops, a special Netgear adapter and a TV.
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Did You Know
There’s a new kid in town
YouTube began with elephants
The first video ever posted on YouTube starred two elephants and a German. "Me at the zoo" was uploaded on April 23rd, 2005 by Jawed Karim, one of the site’s founders. The video lasts only 19 seconds.
Online news beats paper news
When it comes to getting your news, the Interwebs are more popular than paper, now. Or radio. But TV still reigns supreme. And what’s the number one news topic across the board? Click here to find out.
You can watch hoops at work
Enjoy the college basketball tournament from the (dis)comfort of your cube. Here’s a link to get FREE, live streaming of all the games on your computer. Just remember, keep one eye on the ball and the other on the location of your boss.
The Internet has a speedometer
Speed matters when downloading movies on your Internet connectable TV. Geek Squad recommends at least 1.5 Mbps for standard def video and 4 Mbps for HD. Don’t know your Mbps from your NSFWs? Here’s a free speed test.
You can play Sudoku on your TV
All you need is a love of integers and an Internet connectable TV that can access Yahoo! Widgets. Remember, that’s Sudoku (the puzzle game), not Sodoku (the infection from rats).
Some of the best HD is FREE
Well, you’ll likely need to buy an antenna, but once it’s hooked up, you’ll discover that the picture quality of over-the-air HD is amazing. Sure, it’s mostly local channels, but hey, free is free.
Your HDTV can go wireless
Rocketfish makes an adapter that can wirelessly send HD signals up to 32-7/8’. (They tried SO HARD for that extra 1/8-inch.) Now you can mount your TV far away from your Blu-ray Player. (Far = 32-7/8’)
Pop culture guilt can be cured
It’s just like carbon trading: Every hour spent watching PBS earns you the right to watch one episode of Jersey Shore. It’s a scientifrical fact, bro. Now let’s hit the hot tub.
Soon we’ll all have bionic eyes
At least that’s what the founder and Chief Inspector of the Geek Squad thinks. Don’t believe us? Click here. Do believe us? Still click here.
How Do I?
What The Plug
DVI (Digital Visual Interface)
They made it on digital. You watch it on digital. This high-bandwidth connection bypasses those dreaded analog video conversions (analog video conversion = eating soup with a fork).
Component Video Connection
If you’re currently using a S-video connection, this tri-colored beauty is a step up. If you’re currently using an HDMI connection, it’s a step down. Like Malcolm, it’s in the middle.
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
USB was supposed to eliminate all other cables. By the time it does that, cables will be obsolete. Until then, it gets most stuff into and out of computers, including newer TVs. No bus pass needed.
RGB Connection
It’s not just for monitors anymore. If your TV has one, connect it to your computer and play PC games on your plasma. If you have surround sound, even better (for you, not the neighbors).
IEEE-1394 Connection
AKA FireWire or iLink. With enough of these, you can connect up to 63 compatible, electronic devices and—theoretically—control them all with one remote. Perfect for control freaks.
Optical Digital Audio
Get clearer sound from your CD or DVD player by connecting digitally to your receiver. Optical signal means less interference, thus making explicit lyrics more explicit.
Coaxial A/V Connection or RF
This guy has been known to hook cable or satellite to your TV. It’s also been known to make you bleed if you poke it. Much like smooth jazz, it should come with a warning label.
Switchbox
Perfect for hooking your Atari up to your Zenith. If you’re still using one, put down the Missile Command and come in for an upgrade (and bring that analog TV, we’ll recycle it).
Ethernet
For wicked fast streaming and downloading, run this beauty directly between your Connected TV and your router. It’s reliable. It’s secure. Perfect for long walks on the Interweb.
S-Video Connection
The S-Video squeezes all of the color and light from your VHS, Hi8 or DVD player and pours it onto your screen. If HDMI is an option and you’re using this, it’s time for an intervention.
Coaxial Digital Audio
Let your receiver do the job it was born to do, and hook it digitally to your DVD or CD player. This electrical connection offers a much sweeter sound. Coaxial. That’s a funny word. Coaxial.
Composite Video / Stereo Audio
These solid, dependable A/V cables create sound that you can hear and a picture you can see. Nothing fancy, but life would suck without them (although life would suck less with HDMI...).
Stereo Audio Connection
Basic 2-channel analog connection gets sound moving from your CD player to your home theater receiver. Available in white and red. Operators are standing by…in 1987.
HDMI
Simply put, this convenient, one-cable solution for digital connectivity means:
High (maximum sweetness) Definition (every little detail) Multimedia (whatever you’ve got) Interface (CONNECTED).
Comments
Test comment
looking forward to seeing the new Microsoft natal gaming system
SKYPE TV
I cannot wait for the Skype-enabled TVs!! This will be excellent for including my uncle and aunt (in New Zealand) in Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners!!
Really?
I think it's cool to have a TV in 3D, but one who wants to watch TV with glasses on, two I already have to wear glasses to see so how will that be comfortable, three James Cameron just came out with the newest 3D technology and I wouldn't think he is just going to hand that information over, and most importantly four HDTV isn't even a common house hold item yet and they are just beginning to broadcast more HD channel so why would consumers buy a 3D TV and why would tv networks broadcast in 3D? I hope it does better than I am expecting but it will be interesting to see. I wish them the best fo luck because I hope it leads to holograms where I can reenact Tron.
Yes really
The fact that you can not buy a TV that ISN'T HD means that it will quickly become a house-hold item, and those waiting to replace their old Tube TV will find prices going down quickly and newer technologies like internet connectivity that will make it a tempting investment. The 3D TVs now cost about the same as what non-3D TVs of the same size cost just a few years ago, so in another year or two they will be hundreds if not thousands less. By then 3D content will be much more available with the increase of movies, sports, video games that will support 3D. Did you know The Masters Tournament this year was shot with 3D cameras. Guaranteed next year the Super Bowl will be broadcast live in 3D, and everyone is going to want the TV that can support that. It will start as a niche market, but so was Digital and HD when it first started. Just gotta give it time. I wear glasses too, and it takes a little getting used to, but they make them big enough to go over most glasses comfortably.