The coolest way to be entertained at home
It’s going to be a ‘leap year’ all right for personal entertainment. BT More tells you what will make you want to stay at home in 2008.
Coming at You
PHILIPS 3D TV: Remember Who Framed Roger Rabbit? To view Hollywood’s first foray into 3D films you had to wear dorky looking glasses. Forget about all that. There’s a new player in town.
Why it's hot: A new line of 3D televisions being tested by Philips is poised to change all that. It uses the familiar 3D trick of sending different images to our two eyes— which mimicks our view of the world. The images reside on a 42-inch LCD screen.
Price: To be announced, expect to see it sometime in mid-2008
Look it up at: www.philips.com
FUJITSU LIFEBOOK U1010: It is the latest in line of the increasingly popular tablet PCs. The sheer amount of specs it has in its small body is astounding.
Why it's hot: Whether you're making a presentation or watching a film, its 5.6-inch SuperFine WSVGA screen makes the colours come vividly to life and its 40 GB hard disk adds a lot of value. Looking for more flash? Well, then how about the touch screen, the fingerprint sensor or the low power consumption?
Price: Rs 85,000
Look it up at: www.fujitsu.com
Slim ‘n’ Lite
SONY PSP: Imagine the PlayStation 3 in the palm of your hands. Now imagine that it can also shoot pictures and has a GPS attachment. Voila! You have the new PSP, aptly titled Slim & Lite.
Why it's hot: The iconic Nintendo Gameboy is definitely the model for this baby. But it’s a lot lighter and has PlayStation’s cutting-edge technology to back it up.
Price: To be announced
Look it up at: www.playstation.com
THE PANTHEON 25: What is common between a Dutch cable company and an out-of-Pune audio system maker? They both want you to spend m75,000. The Netherlands-based Siltech, celebrating its 25th anniversary as a cable manufacturer, has launched the Pantheon loudspeakers.
Why it's hot: Standing 63 inches tall, the Pantheon loudspeakers marry a pair of 16” Audio Technology woofers for dynamic sound. The Pune-based Cadence supplies its trademark high sensitivity tweeters. We will see Siltech’s Pantheon in India this coming year.
Price: m75,000 (Rs 44.25 lakh approx.)
Look it up at: www.siltechcables.com http://www.ossaudio.com/cadencemain.htm
What Not to Buy(BOX)
So, what shouldn’t you be buying? Considering the choices now available in terms of HDTVs and LCDs, the regular colour TVs and Plasma screens can be avoided. They consume a lot of power and cannot offer a similar degree of sharpness.
As far as phones are concerned, the design breakthrough of the iPhone has definitely brought about a new era. Once it is officially available in India in the latter half of 2008, other makers will have to follow up with similar nonfussy designs and a complete media package. So, steer clear of phones that do not offer enough bang for your buck.
A GREAT THING IN A SMALL PACKAGE
Irritated with those wires of a home theatre? Spend your dosh wisely on the new small, yet potent offerings from the KEF. The latest KIT 120 and KIT 140 instant theatres use NXT panels to offer the surround sound effect along with using Uni-Q devices. They use HDMI ports for single cable connectivity and come in matt silver or gloss black paint.
How much: KIT 140—$2,480 (approx. Rs 99,200); KIT 120— $3,100 (approx. Rs 1,24,000)
