Facebook May File for IPO By WednesdayCNBC

Facebook could file papers for an IPO as early as next week and is looking at a valuation of $75 billion to $100 …

Article source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/research-markets-hdtv-3dtv-dvr-164300006.html

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d775a5/hdtv_3dtv_and_dvr)
has announced the addition of the "HDTV,
3DTV and DVR Forecasts" report to their offering.

HD-ready penetration will double from 25.9% at end-2011 to 50.9% in
2016. However, HD-ready penetration will be higher than 80% in 18
countries by 2016.

Simon Murray (author of the HDTV,
3DTV and DVR Forecasts report) said: Most sets on sale in developed
markets are now HD compatible, with a growing proportion also providing
3D functionality. Retail prices are falling as production reaches
economies of scale, as competition increases and as consumer acceptance
grows.

More than 300 million HDTV-ready households existed at end-2011 for the
40 countries covered in the report. The US supplied 79 million of the
total, followed by China (35 million) and Japan (24 million).

The HD-ready household total will more than double to 652 million by
2016. China will become the market leader, by providing 151 million
homes - up by 116 million on 2011.

Published in January 2012, this 63-page report is the most
geographically comprehensive to ever be published. The PDF report comes
in four parts:

• Executive Summary which analyses the current HDTV, 3DTV and DVR market
  as well as explaining the forecasts in-depth.
• Global forecasts summary from 2010 to 2016
• Comparison forecast tables for 40 countries.
• Individual country forecasts for 40 territories.

Forecasts (2010-2016) contain the following detail for each country:

• TV households (000)
• Digital TV households (000)
• Digital cable TV households (000)
• DTH households (000)
• Pay IPTV households (000)
• DTT households (000)
• Digital TV households/TVHH (%)
• Digital cable TV households/TVHH (%)
• DTH households/TVHH (%)
• Pay IPTV households/TVHH (%)
• DTT households/TVHH (%)
• HDTV-ready households (000)
• HDTV active households (000)
• 3DTV-ready households (000)
• 3DTV active households (000)
• DVR households (000)
• HDTV-ready households/TVHH (%)
• HDTV active households/TVHH (%)
• 3DTV-ready households/TVHH (%)
• 3DTV active households/TVHH (%)
• DVR households/TVHH (%)

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d775a5/hdtv_3dtv_and_dvr

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Article source: http://www.sys-con.com/node/2144623

It seems as if you just bought that flat screen HDTV, doesn't it? And based on the headline of this post, a sickening feeling is curdling in your innards that that HDTV you sorta just bought is already out-of-date.

Rest your sphincter. Your current HDTV in fine and dandy, and will be fine and dandy for a long time to come. No need to have an HDTV inferiority complex.

Right now, the state of the TV business is like the Republican presidential field of about a month ago – a lot of squabbling contenders. None of these new technologies detailed below will be ready for prime time – literally and figuratively – for a while.

But at the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show (CES), I caught a glimpse of multiple TV futures, many of which I blurbed last week in "Best of New CES Gadgets: HDTV Edition."

Here's a bit more on each of these possible TV futures.

'Smart' TV

All we heard at CES was this TV is smart, and that TV is smart, blah blah blah. None of these TVs are smart (which is why I use quotes around "smart"). These "smart" TVs are the same old boob tubes they ever were, except "smart" TVs connect you to the Internet via apps, just like your smart phone. In fact, your smart phone is a whole lot smarter than any of these big ol' lumbering "smart" TV.

You want a smart TV? Try TiVo. That thing's not only smart, it's a mind reader.

Pretty much all TVs from all the major manufacturers can and will be able to be connected to the Internet. Internet connectivity is likely to be as normal a feature of future TVs as the volume up/down buttons.

But the entire TV business, "smart" and of normally low IQ, is holding its collective breath waiting to see what kind of HDTV Apple is rumored to unveiling later this year.

Considering Apple's computing and user interface pedigree (of which current TV makers have none) and the company's penchant to completely disrupt existing techno-paradigms, an Apple TV is likely to be George Milton compared to the Lennie Small that are current connected HDTVs. (Extra points for knowing the George-Lennie reference without clicking on the link.)

3D TV

Let's clear up a popular misconception once and for all – a 3D HDTV is not ONLY a 3D HDTV. Yes, a 3D HDTV let's you view something that is in 3D (i.e. a 3D Blu-ray – and by the end of 2013, ALL Blu-ray players will be 3D capable – or a 3D TV channel such as ESPN 3D). But a 3D TV is otherwise a really good 2D HDTV for normal, everyday, 2D, non-3D TV and movie watching. The technology that makes an HDTV 3D also makes it a great normal HDTV.

Like "smart" TVs, 3D HDTVs are already out there. According to GfK, a global market research firm, just 8.9 million 3D HDTVs were sold worldwide last year (Apple has sold nearly 40 million iPads during roughly the same period). According to industry projections, by 2014, half of all HDTVs will be 3D capable.

None of which means that anyone is actually WATCHING 3D HDTV. I have yet to encounter anyone watching 3D TV in the wild (i.e. outside industry events).

But the industry will be keep pushing 3D, and the only reason I'd recommend one is because they are the best regular HDTVs available.

Glasses-free 3D

Perhaps the primary reason we are blasé about 3D is those stupid glasses we have to wear at home.

To correct this problem, lots of folks are experimenting with glasses-free 3D, especially Toshiba. At CES, Toshiba once again demonstrated an experimental super high-resolution glasses-free 3D HDTV (see "Toshiba 55-inch 4k2k 3D"), following up on the more consumer-friendly glasses-free 3D the company showed at IFA last September (see "Toshiba No-Glasses 3D No Good").

I am cynical that any glasses-free 3D HDTV will be commercially viable until much higher-resolution 4k2k HDTVs are available in the coming years, if then. A full recap of my glasses-free 3D cynicism can be found in my "Forget Glasses-Free 3D."

OLED

There's no denying it – OLED HDTVs give stunningly beautiful images. An old compatriot of mine, CNET's David Katzmaier, arguably the sharpest-eyed TV reviewer extant, got a behind-closed-door look at both the LG and Samsung 55-inch LEDs at CES and filed this detailed OLED report.

LG and Samsung say they'll start selling their respective 55-inch OLED models, I'm guessing for around $8,000-$10,000, later this year. Sony displayed its Crystal LED technology, which I found curious since Sony had been the primary OLED hawker at past shows. But I think Crystal LED is more of a show-me technology than anything the company plans to actually sell.

Someone will buy the first OLED sets – they'll serve as a one percenter's TV bragging rights. Not you or I, though, not until the price drops substantially, which is unlikely for many years – it's taken 10 years for current flat screen HDTVs to drop from $10,000 to under $1,000.

Regardless of OLED's brilliance, thinness and lightness, I stand by my OLED cynicism explored in my "Ignore News About 'New' OLED HDTVs."

Ultra HD 4k2k

I'll be honest – I'm not sure if the "k" is supposed to be capitalized or not. I've seen it both ways.

In all events, 4k2k HDTVs offer four times the resolution of current 1920 x 1080p HDTVs. Several TV makers exhibited 4k2k HDTVs at CES, including Panasonic, which has hung its 152-inch 4k HDTV at the last few CESs. Sharp has taken the next step with an 8k4k set ("Sharp 8K4K LCD HDTV").

But 4k is nearly useless at the usual HDTV sizes – you can't detect the pixel difference on such relatively small sets. You don't even have to worry about 1080p until you get to 50-inch HDTVs, for instance – 720p is fine for smaller flat TVs. Unless you plan on buying a 70-inch HDTV or larger, say Fahrenheit 451 wall TVs, it'll be hard to see the advantages of 4k2k sets – except perhaps for glasses-free HDTV.

So in a decade from now, what kind of TVs will be watching? Maybe all of them.  Maybe 80-inch 8k4k 3D OLED HDTV with full connectivity and computing capabilities will be the norm.

Or maybe a whole new technology will emerge by then – 3D holographic HDTV? One day, we may consider R2D2's plea from Princess Leia, "Help me, Obi-wan. You're my only hope!" as quaint.

Article source: http://tech.lifegoesstrong.com/article/what-future-television

In a letter to shareholders about 4th Quarter 2011 results, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings reported good news and bad news. As I read the letter, it looks to me that while the company may have made some very public missteps along the way, there is no question in my mind that the corporate change of direction was a good choice and that it is already paying dividends.

The big news for many people is that the online streaming subscribers now outnumber the DVD-in-the-mail subscribers almost two t0 one. Netflix ended the year with nearly 22 million streaming subscribers and a little more than 11 million DVD subscribers. The DVD users still produce the bulk of the profits, however, $194 million for the quarter compared with just $52 million for the streaming. Still, the company had hoped that streaming would account for as much as 8% of the company profits by the end of last year; it turns out that they exceeded that goal with almost 11% of profits coming from streaming.

Netflix has turned the corner and is not looking back. They see that the days are numbered for DVD rentals; “As expected, DVD members declined this quarter to 11.2 million due to the continued impact of the price changes, as hybrid members continued to predominantly choose a streaming-only plan over a higher priced hybrid plan.” The consumers are voting with their dollars, and moving from disc to broadband delivery. One interesting point is that they see the existing television subscription services as their main competition going forward. “Just as broadcast networks have substantially transformed themselves into cable channels over the last twenty years, both broadcast and cable networks will effectively also become Internet networks like Netflix. As a pure-play we have many advantages, however, just as cable did over broadcast.” Netflix clearly has a strong head start over the others in streaming video, and their commitment to expanding their catalog of content is evidence of their will to compete. They lost the Starz content, but they have already contracted with studios to license many of the same titles directly. And they’re even launching their own original production of content, including a resurrection of the popular series “Arrested Development.”

The company’s future success is anything but guaranteed, but it clearly remains a force to be reckoned with in the market. The transition from in-the-mail to Internet has not been without its bumps, for certain, but Netflix looks strong and will play a role in shaping the future of television.

Posted by Alfred Poor, January 27, 2012 5:00 AM

Article source: http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/columns/2012/01/hdtv-almanac-netflix-posts-good-news.php

On Monday I told you how to turn your PC into a DVR by connecting an inexpensive, antenna-powered TV tuner. I also said I'd be back on Wednesday to explain how to connect that PC to your TV. Then I plumb forgot.

I'm here now, though. No harm, no foul?

So here's the deal. If you've outfitted your PC with a TV tuner and leveraged Windows Media Center's awesome DVR capabilities, it stands to reason you'd want to enjoy your live and recorded shows on your big ol' HDTV. There are several options for making that happen.

For a direct PC-to-TV connection, your best bet is an HDMI cable. (Tip: Any $5 cheapie will do. Spend more than that and you're overpaying.) That's assuming, of course, that both your PC and your TV have HDMI ports.

If they don't, check out Lincoln Spector's "The HDTV has HDMI, but the PC Does Not."

Alternately, if you're looking for a solution that doesn't involve parking your PC right next to your TV, there are other ways to stream video from one to the other.

For example, if you have an Xbox 360, you can use it as a Media Center Extender. This is about as simple as it gets; the Xbox pairs with your PC (via your network router), then gives you remote access to Windows Media Center--just as though you were sitting at the PC.

You might also want to consider a gizmo like the Veebeam HD or Warpia StreamHD, which wirelessly beam video from your PC to your HDTV.

Of course, they'll set you back around $125. If you're going to cough up some cash anyway, it's probably worth spending a bit more on an Xbox 360. It's not only a great Media Center Extender, but also a pretty good game console.

Contributing Editor Rick Broida writes about business and consumer technology. Ask for help with your PC hassles at hasslefree@pcworld.com, or try the treasure trove of helpful folks in the PC World Community Forums. Sign up to have the Hassle-Free PC newsletter e-mailed to you each week.

Article source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/248798/connect_your_tunerequipped_pc_to_your_hdtv.html

A 46-inch HDTV for $409?! Get outta here...

(Credit:
Walmart)

TGIF, am I right? To help kick off your weekend, I've rounded up five eclectic deals--a little something for everyone, I hope. First up: a ridiculously inexpensive HDTV.

1. An story in today's USA Today suggests that pre-Super Bowl TV deals are "less super" this year, but apparently Walmart didn't get the memo. They've got the Sceptre X460BV-FHD 46-inch LCD HDTV for $409.98, plus sales tax where applicable. You can bag free shipping with the site-to-store option. The user reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

2. Today only, 1SaleADay has the factory-refurbished Jawbone One Bluetooth headset, in black or silver, for $9.99. Shipping adds $5. This is a top-rated headset that originally sold for (if memory serves) around $125.

3. Also today only at 1SaleADay, outfit your
iPad 2 with the Titan Bluetooth Keyboard Case for $19.99, plus $5 for shipping. Cases like these routinely sell for around $50, if not $100.

4. Speaking of iDevices, if you've got one, Warner Bros.' Batman Arkham City Lockdown for iOS is on sale for $2.99. That's half what the game cost when I wrote about it just last month. I love getting console-quality games for a fraction of console-game prices.

5. I also love noise-isolating earbuds. Newegg has the MEElectronics M9 noise-isolating earbuds for $9.99 shipped. Regular price: $29.99. They come with a tangle-resistant four-foot cord, a carrying case, and several extra sets of 'buds to ensure a proper fit.

Okay, that's it, I'm outta here. (Well, actually, I'll have another deal over on Marketplace later today.) See you Monday!

Article source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-57367303-58/five-deal-friday-an-hdtv-a-bluetooth-headset-a-batman-game-and-more/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheCheapskate

Courtesy of HD Guru

By Gary Merson
HD Guru

With the big game just around the corner, here's a guide to help you pick the HDTV that is best for viewing the annual spectacle.

The game will be broadcast in high definition on NBC on Sunday Feb. 5 at 6:30 EST. This means it will be past sunset on the East Coast and about two hours before it in the West. The western time may affect ambient room lighting conditions if your game viewing environment does not have curtains or window shades.

There are four main criteria for great sports HDTV viewing. They are screen size, viewing angle, motion performance and screen brightness.

Screen Size
With the game broadcast in 1080 line resolution, you'll want to sit close enough to see all the detail. The further the seating distance, the larger the screen needed to see all the resolution of the broadcast. Here is a link to our viewing distance chart . Below are some examples of screen size viewing distances below (measured diagonally) versus maximum viewing distance (distance may be slightly rounded up or down):

Screen Size=Max Viewing Distance

42-inch = 5.5 feet

46-inch = 6 feet

50-inch = 6.5 feet

55-inch = 7 feet, 2 inches

60-inch = 7 feet, 10 inches

65-inch = 8.5 feet

70-inch = 9 feet, 2 inches

80-inch = 10.5 feet

How Viewing Angle Can Affect Contrast
If you watch the game alone or with one person next to you, all the current HDTVs will provide a good picture. However, if you expect to have a crowd over, then you should know about viewing angles and how they affect picture performance.

Called off-axis viewing, some HDTV images lose contrast and color saturation and may shift colors, and all these anomalies can degrade your viewing experience. There are two types of large flat screen technologies currently available, LCD and plasma. What TV makers often call LEDs are really LCD panels lit by LED lamps instead of fluorescent (CCFL) lamps. While the so called LED LCDs may have a thinner form factor and can reach a higher maximum brightness (more on this later), the viewing angle with this type of lighting is no better than the lower cost CCFL LCD models.

Plasma TVs have the best vertical and horizontal viewing angle — everyone sees the same high-quality image no matter where they are sitting or standing in the room.

LCDs and LED LCDs have a limited vertical viewing angle and lighter blacks and darker whites (known as lower contrast) and are noticeable as you move above or below the screen.  LCDs and LEDs (LCD) also suffer from lower contrast as you move from center to the side of the TV with performance varying greatly depending on the screen technology. LG and Panasonic LCDs use IPS panels in their respective large screen sets and these IPS panels consistently have the best off-axis horizontal viewing. Samsung, Sony and Sharp all use a type of panel called VA and these panels suffer from more contrast loss as one moves off center though results may vary from one model to another. If you plan to have viewers off center, an IPS LED LCD or IPS LCD (CCFL) or a plasma TV should be considered. You can test this yourself by moving off center at your desired viewing distance at the dealer showroom.

Motion Performance
All LEDs and LCDs with a 60 Hz refresh rate blur fast motion, such as runners and pans. In our tests of hundreds of sets we found 60 Hz models reduced image sharpness about 70 percent during fast motion. If you are considering a large screen LED or LCD you should get one with at least a 120 Hz refresh rate to reduce motion blur. And 240 Hz is even better but the improvement is not as dramatic  as when comparing 60 Hz to 120 Hz. All plasma HDTVs have excellent motion resolution.

One more word of caution: While higher refresh rates work fine with sports that are shot by video cameras, these circuits called ME/MC have a side effect for film-based content such as movies and many scripted series. They make the film look like video and create other artifacts. Here’s our article here and here explaining what is called “the soap opera effect” and how it affects picture performance. Plasma TVs do not need this circuit for excellent motion resolution, so you will not see this effect (with the user controls set properly)

Brightness
If you are upgrading from a large screen CRT old-style TV you will be happy with either screen technology as all are far brighter than the big bulky old CRTs. However, if you want to watch in daytime without curtains or window shades, LCDs and LEDs can be cranked brighter than a plasma. Keep in mind high ambient light levels degrade image quality by masking deep blacks you will see a better picture by controlling a room’s ambient light level via shade or curtains.

Reception Tips
If you are a satellite or cable subscriber, make sure a few days before the game that you can receive NBC in high definition. This requires a special high definition set top box, not the one you’ve been using on your 15-year-old standard def TV. You will also need a special cable called HDMI to get a full high-definition picture and sound over a single wire from the set top box to the HDTV. We’ve used the Amazon Hi-Speed HDMI Cable with perfect results. A 3-meter length sells for $9.99, including shipping. Best Buy sells similar ones for up to $140 each.

If you want to see the Super Bowl via over-the-air signals, you will need an antenna that can pick-up your local station and it must be pointed in the direction of the local NBC transmitter. For more information go to antennaweb.org. You may also call your local NBC station for advice.

Have a question for the HD Guru?  Email

More from HD Guru:

• CES 2012 Post Show Report Part Two-Vizio’s HDTV Line
• 5 New 2012 HDTV Technologies that are actually interesting
• CES 2012 Post Show Report Part One-Sony’s HDTV Line Shrinks

Article source: http://gadgetbox.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/26/10237654-choose-the-right-hdtv-for-super-bowl-xlvi