According to a new report from Strategy Analytics, Ultra High-Definition is poised for rapid adoption in the U.S., with a projected 33 percent of households expected to have UHD TV sets by 2020. The report, “Ultra High-Definition TV Displays: Global Market Forecast: 2012-2020,” predicts that North America will become the leading region in UHD penetration by 2020, and entry level prices for UHD TVs will drop below $2,000 this year from one or more of the major brands. Continue reading Report: UHD TV to Reach One-Third of U.S. Households by 2020

Samsung announced details regarding its 2014 lineup of Ultra HDTVs and a new 4K video collection. The entry level U8550 flat panel line, starting at $2,500 for the 50-inch model, will launch this month with a 55-inch set and four other sizes in May. The curved U8700 series is expected by late spring in 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes. And the flagship line, the U9000 curved sets with proprietary Auto Depth Enhancer, will be available in 55-, 65- and 75-inch models, priced at $4,000, $5,000, and $8,000 respectively. Continue reading Samsung Unveils Pricing, Availability of Upcoming Ultra HDTVs

Leichtman Research Group conducted its 11th annual HDTV-focused consumer survey and learned that the majority of respondents have not heard of 4K/Ultra HD, suggesting the industry may need to educate consumers in order to foster adoption of the technology. According to LRG, only 30 percent of adults have heard of 4K, while only about one-third of that group has actually seen a 4K TV. Additionally, strong interest in purchasing a 4K set was not evident in the findings. Continue reading HDTV Survey: Most U.S. Consumers Are Not Familiar with 4K TV

Google recently announced a new initiative dubbed “Project Tango” that plans to integrate 3D sensor technology in a series of prototype Android smartphones. The venture involves a 5-inch phone built by Google that features sensors for tracking the device’s movement while modeling the surrounding space and landscape. “This could impact future game design, virtual set construction and location scouting,” notes ETC staffer Phil Lelyveld. “It could enable crowd-sourced 3D stitching of location modeling data.” Continue reading Project Tango: Google Aims to Bring 3D Sensor Tech to Phones

Through its new Data Grants program, Twitter is opening its archives to academics who want access to the data — and it’s all free. The data goes back to 2006, and social scientists and researchers can submit applications until March 15th to request access to old tweets. Until now, Twitter has only made this data available to partner companies for a fee starting at $500 a month. Twitter previously worked with Johns Hopkins University to predict where flu outbreaks will hit; this project hopes to make similar research possible. Continue reading Twitter Makes Its Data Available to Academics with New Grant

Four iconic movie sets recently received a 3D makeover by Dutch artist Siebe de Boer. The artist created fully three-dimensional computer models of the Greenwich Village courtyard from “Rear Window,” the modernist living room of “Gattaca,” the Shangri-La towers of “Brazil,” and the War Room from “Dr. Strangelove.” While the original sets used optical illusions to appear three-dimensional, de Boer’s versions use detailed artistry to allow viewers to look at the sets from any angle. Continue reading Artist Offers New Views of Iconic Movie Sets with 3D Models

The speed of CE technology adoption may be getting an impressive jolt in a potentially unprecedented reversal. From video screens developed as house brands and partnerships of glass and panel producers, we saw a surprising number of quality Ultra HD TV sets at CES scheduled for reasonable price points. Seiki and Polaroid both showcased sub-$1,000 4K TVs, while companies such as Vizio were promising “consumer-friendly” prices for 4K sets launching this year. Continue reading Value Providers Show Impressive 4K TVs at Reasonable Prices

The advent of 4K TVs presents much the same conundrum that HD did when it arrived: fabulous new display technology but very little content. One solution is to upscale HD and 2K content to 4K, but the result isn’t always ideal. “Generally, any form of scaling creates an adverse effect on the image, even though the 4K display is better,” said Graham Loveridge, Pixelworks SVP of strategic marketing and business development. “That’s because the pixels are being stretched. You’re creating a ramp rather than a sharp transition.” Continue reading Pixelworks Enables Content Owners to Upscale HD/2K to 4K

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced Tuesday that CE revenues for 2014 are projected to reach a new record of $208 billion in the U.S., an increase of 2.4 percent over 2013. According to the latest “Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecast” report, smartphones are expected to continue leading the charge shipping 152 million units, up from 138 million in 2013. The report, published twice a year, also predicts increased sales of UHD displays and tablet PCs. Continue reading CEA Projects Record Year in Consumer Electronics Spending

Samsung and LG, the world’s two top TV manufacturers, recently announced they will unveil 105-inch curved Ultra HD LCD TVs at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. While the first wave of curved OLED TVs touted vivid colors and ultra-thin bodies, the prices were prohibitive for most consumers. Producing larger screens with liquid crystal display technology is a more affordable process, but the new curved sets are still expected to be rather expensive. Continue reading Top Manufacturers to Debut 105-inch Curved UHD TVs at CES

In the wake of an eventful year for television technology, January’s Consumer Electronics Show is expected to feature a slew of new announcements, most notably, perhaps, involving a new wave of LED LCD sets possibly filling the void left by plasma. In October, Panasonic announced it would stop manufacturing plasma TVs. While LG and Samsung will likely introduce new plasma models in 2014, compelling features of affordable LED LCD models could possibly take center stage. Continue reading TV: Will 4K LED LCD Replace 1080p Plasma at CES in January?

“Discover, shop, and express your style” is the slogan for Polyvore, an online global community that has created over 80 million collage-like “sets,” designed to give everyone a voice in shaping trends and influencing purchases. While it may not be a household name yet, the social network drives disproportionate amounts of social revenue. At 20 percent, it drives more social traffic than Pinterest (15 percent) and four times that of Twitter (5 percent). Continue reading Polyvore Drives More Social Traffic Than Pinterest and Twitter