The organo-chemical materials like dye that are used in the lighting are made by BASF, and the OLEDs are manufactured by Philips. The transparent OLEDs can be turned into a solar panel by sandwiching them with transparent solar cells. The entire surface of the OLED light can produce a soft light with no harsh shadows.

That would make for nice illumination at night in a car when bright light can affect night vision. There is no indication of when this lighting might find its way into production automobiles. I could see this sort of thing being nice in EV and hybrid applications for gathering power for batteries.

“This combination allows the driver to enjoy a unique open-space feeling while it generates electricity during the day and pleasantly suffuses the interior with the warm light of the transparent, highly efficient OLEDs at night,” said Dr. Felix Görth, head of Organic Light-Emitting Diodes and Organic Photovoltaics at BASF Future Business GmbH.

[BASF via Electronics Weekly]

There’s only 500 of these devices available in the entire world, ladies and gentlemen, and they’re going to cost you a whopping $1,099.99. If you prefer the non-limited edition, on the other hand, you can grab the DS9800W mentioned above for a slightly more affordable $799.99. You’ll be blasting hard, whatever you do, with SoundCurve technology for crystal-clear audio and FullSound technology to “restore sonic details” to compressed music. The 100W RMS total output power wont sound bad either.

The spherical nature of this device will make full use of your music, humming it out from your desk in full fashionable style. What do you think – gonna pay over a thousand bucks for a limited edition wood-covered speaker that’ll blow your mind with full AirPlay abilities for your iDevice? You could also, of course, head back down to the SoundSphereMini as well, that costing a cool $499.99 and rolling out with 50W RMS total output power.

The Mini will be available in March of 2012, the basic SoundSphere is out now, and the limited edition will be out in April 2012. Might as well grab em all!

Hardware

A 14 x 14 x 2.5 cm white plastic box, the goLITE BLU is fronted by a pair of panels: a sizable blue LED array on top, and a smaller, blue-backlit touchscreen underneath showing time, light settings and battery status. The only physical control is a power button on the right side; on the left is a socket for the included AC power adapter. Philips also throws in a set of international plug adapters.

A notch on the lower rear panel holds a metal rod, which can be slotted into a hole to prop the goLITE BLU up. Magnets keep the rod in place in both, and there’s a faux-leather slip case for transporting the whole thing. Unfortunately there’s only one possible angle at which you can stand the light unit at, rather than an adjustable base.

Setup is straightforward. Tapping the bell button sets the alarm, using the plus and minus buttons to adjust the time; the stopwatch icon sets the length of time the light is on for. Alarms can be either an audible tone or the LED lights, or a combination of both, while anything from 1 minute to an hour – in minute increments – can be set as the duration.

As well as waking up to light, you can trigger an impromptu session manually. Pressing the power button once turns on the touchscreen, and a second press turns on the LEDs; you can adjust the intensity – in 25-percent increments – and the length of time the goLITE BLU is on for. A temporary pause in a session can be added by pressing the power button briefly, or turning the intensity down to zero, though if you leave it paused and running on battery power for over five minutes, the goLITE BLU will automatically power off.

Performance

Philips recommends 15 to 30 minutes of time in front of the light each day, initially starting off at 50-percent brightness and increasing if you don’t notice a difference after a week. Rather than sitting directly in front of the LEDs, basking in their glow as you might a tanning lamp, Philips advises putting it off to one side so that it shines tangentially onto your face. That, along with the limited angle options from the stand, can make finding the best position tricky, though it’s easier if you’re working at a desk at the time.

Instant results aren’t promised, but the idea is that if you invest several weeks you can gain more energy, alleviate your mood or even help bypass jetlag. Using the goLITE BLU in the morning, when you first wake up, is supposed to make it easier to get out of bed, while a quick session in the middle of the day can, so Philips says, top up your energy levels when you more normally might be flagging.

By using the goLITE BLU for a few days before you travel, you can help your body clock reset itself to the new timezone at your destination: a few morning sessions when traveling east, or a few evening sessions when going west. Normally, though, Philips doesn’t recommend using light therapy in the evening, because of its body-clock tweaking tendencies.

Does it work? That’s a tricky one to judge: unlike, say, a smartphone battery test or laptop benchmarking, there’s no way to conclusively say whether the goLITE BLU is working or not. All we can go on is my personal experience with the light.

After a week or so of use – running the Philips light for 15 minutes in the mid-morning each day – I felt more alert and found myself working continuously for longer periods without realizing it. It’s not like the jolt of energy you get after a strong cup of coffee: instead, I simply felt more balanced and less aware of time passing. Following a 7-10 days of use, I could scale down to using the goLITE BLU every other day, and still feel suitably perky.

Philips rates the goLITE BLU’s battery as good for between three and five sessions. In practice, at 15 minutes each time, I found it was capable of as many as eight.

Wrap-Up

With street pricing at around $132/£190, the Philips goLITE BLU is an expensive buy if you find it doesn’t work for you. Philips does offer a 30-day guarantee just in case, mind, and has plenty of research to say it will have an impact.

Waking up with the goLITE BLU proved somewhat jarring – imagine throwing open the curtains as soon as your alarm goes off, on an incredibly bright day – but as a daily top-up to your energy levels I had a good experience. You pay for the convenience of an alarm, portable form-factor and a rechargeable battery, though.

Hardware

Electric toothbrush technology usually falls into one of two camps: either you have actively wiggling, sliding or rotating bristles, or some sort of high-speed vibration. Philips’ Sonicare system falls into the latter category, promising the equivalent of 31,000 brush strokes per minute with its patented diamond-shaped bristles.

It’s worth noting that this is the UK version of the DiamondClean, and the US package may differ slightly. Still, both give you a decent range of accessories, certainly more than we’re used to seeing from a regular toothbrush. The DiamondClean itself is a fairly long, slightly tapering matte white rod, with a single power button and – only revealed when it’s turned on – a column of mode lights and a battery status indicator. It’s easily held and weighted relatively evenly along its length. Philips throws in a pair of brush-heads, which slot on easily, along with a hard-sided carry case with room for the toothbrush and both brush-heads.

The carry case isn’t just for protection, however, it also recharges the DiamondClean. On the outside edge is a mini USB port, and when you place the toothbrush inside and plug in – either via the included USB AC adapter, or into one of your your computer’s USB ports – it charges it up. However, there’s also a second charging option: a water glass. That sits on top of an inductive charger puck – powered by a regular shaver plug – and rejuices the toothbrush when you stand it up inside. It’s certainly a little more convenient than lining up the usual notched base on a typical rechargeable toothbrush, though those looking to pick up a DiamondClean for all the family should note that you can only use the glass with a single toothbrush at a time, and it won’t work with previous Sonicare models.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean hands-on:

Unlike most brushes, there are five modes to choose from on the DiamondClean. The default is “Clean” with a simple two-minute brush, while “White” adds an extra thirty seconds on top for you to give the front teeth some extra attention. “Polish” is a minute session of intensive front-teeth buffing, while “Gum Care” pairs the “Clean” experience with a further minute of gentler gum massage. Finally, “Sensitive” ramps down the enthusiasm of the Sonicare system for those with sensitive teeth and gums. Pressing the power button cycles through each mode in turn, then shuts the toothbrush off.

Performance

If you’ve not used a sonic-style toothbrush before, the DiamondClean’s high-speed vibrations take a little getting used to. Nonetheless, we soon got into the habit of gently guiding the brush-head around our teeth and gums, relying on the Philips’ useful 30-second interval buzz to remind us to move between the four quadrants of our mouth and stick at it for the dentist-recommended two minutes.

In keeping with other electric toothbrushes, we’d like to see the DiamondClean continue to run beyond the last timer buzz: as it stands, the Philips shuts off straight away, and there were times we were caught short and would’ve liked to have carried on brushing for a little longer. The longer Gum Care mode does factor in some extra time, however. We also quickly learned to switch between modes while the brush-head was in our mouth, otherwise you give the bathroom mirror a good toothpaste spattering. Previous Sonicare models had two buttons – one for choosing mode, one to start – which is a tidier way of handling it.

Compared to an Oral-B electric brush, the Sonicare system did seem to get teeth to that “tingly fresh” stage more consistently. It’s worth noting that the Oral-B we’re used to was a sixth of the price, however. The diamond-shaped bristles proved adept at getting into the gaps between teeth, and tricky to reach back teeth felt cleaner after the DiamondClean than with a rotating-head electric brush.

In comparison to a manual toothbrush, there’s little competition: unless you have a bionic arm you’re unlikely to get a traditional brush moving fast enough to compete with the Philips.

Battery

A full charge of the non-user-accessible battery is good for up to three weeks, Philips suggests, a figure our testing would support. In fact, we were at closer to four weeks before the DiamondClean began protesting. We’d like to have seen a segmented battery icon to give a more granular indication of remaining charge; instead, you have to wait for it to turn orange and then start blinking to know you’re running short.

Having two methods of recharging is neat, though we never envisaged ever having to scold a toothbrush manufacturer for opting for mini USB instead of the more common micro USB standard. There’s also no room in the carry case for the USB cable itself, which seems a missed opportunity.

Price

$300/£250 is a huge amount to spend on a toothbrush. Even with a street price closer to $190/£150, it’s an expensive option. Brush-heads add to that as well, with a pack of two – Philips’ recommend changing every three months – priced at $30/£20 (street price closer to $23/£14). In contrast, other Philips Sonicare brushes can be had for well under $100, though only this particular model uses the newest DiamondClean heads that are said to contribute in no small amount to the overall experience.

Wrap-Up

Philips promises “to brighten your smile in just one week” which is a somewhat tricky thing to judge. Nonetheless, we found our teeth and mouth felt cleaner and fresher after switching to the DiamondClean from our regular electric toothbrush, both immediately after using it and in the hours that followed. Whiteness is a more subjective matter, and after around four weeks of use we’re yet to see noticeable changes. That’s in keeping with other user reports, however, that indicate closer to 2-3 months of frequent use is required before a distinguishable change in whiteness is observed.

On that front, although it’s not as quick as a dentist whitening session, it’s cheaper in the longer term. Making more use of the dedicated whitening mode could accelerate the process as well. For convenience and geek-appeal, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean certainly has its strengths; we’d advise shopping around for the best price before committing, however.

Hardware

Fingerprint haters, look away: the Fidelio AS851′s glossy black plastic body is an ideal way to keep a record of everybody who grazes it with their fingers. The plastics themselves are solid and flex-free, however, and the metal mesh front is less demanding of your polishing cloth. It’s worth noting that the green Android peering out at our Galaxy Nexus in the photos is just a sticker; you can peel it off if you’re feeling more discrete in your platform choices. Behind the mesh are two 3-inch drivers each with 15W of amp power.

Ports include a 3.5mm aux-in (with a suitable cable in the box), a power port for the AC adapter and a handy USB port for charging a second gadget (or one that doesn’t use microUSB, such as the proprietary ports on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab slates). Up front there’s a power button, a Bluetooth status light and volume up/down buttons. A sturdy little IR remote is included, controlling power, source (Bluetooth or aux-in), mute, play/pause, track skip, volume, and offering shortcuts to the internet radio function of the companion Fidelio app (more on which later), the Songbird app and the Fidelio app’s clock screen.

It’s the FlexiDock system that Philips is so proud of, however, the company’s patent-in-process way of dealing with Android device manufacturers’ refusal to standardize on where microUSB ports are located. While an iPhone dock only has one port to consider, Android phones spread their USB options far and wide: some have a socket on the bottom, like the Galaxy Nexus, while others opt for it on the side, like HTC’s recent line-up.

Philips Fidelio AS851 overview:

As the video above shows, the FlexiDock puts its microUSB plug on a moveable platform that slides left and right to accommodate phones in horizontal orientation. There are two support blocks, the height of which can be independently raised/lowered to suit, and the plug itself can be rotated 180-degrees. In short, it caters for most devices with a microUSB connection, and while it can be a little wobbly until you get the support blocks just right, it certainly works.

However, USB isn’t used for music, only for charging: instead, Bluetooth A2DP comes into play. That means that, while Philips bill the AS851 as an Android speaker dock, in actual fact it will work with any gadget that supports the stereo Bluetooth standard: Windows Phone, iPhone, Mac or PC, all are welcome. Bluetooth use is independent from charging, too, so even if your device won’t fit in the dock physically – the top-mounted, flap-covered port on Nokia’s Lumia 800 comes to mind – you can still stream music from it.

Software

iPhone docks have simplicity in their favor: plug your smartphone in, and music comes out through the speakers. Bluetooth could add a layer of unwanted complexity to the Fidelio AS851, and so Philips offer a free Fidelio app in the Android Market. That can be found by scanning a QR code on a sticker on the dock itself when you first open the box.

Run the app, and it scans and pairs with the AS851; later, whenever you dock your phone to charge, the Fidelio app restores the Bluetooth connection automatically. We had no problems with this with Android 2.x devices, though a Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0 did periodically pop up the “Connecting Bluetooth” message in the notification bar, even though the phone was already connected and music was playing.

The Fidelio app also offers access to around 7,000 internet radio stations, sorted into genre categories and the like. It also prompts you to install Songbird, a music player app that supports straightforward synchronization with your desktop music collection. However, any app that outputs sound will play through the Fidelio: we had no problems with Spotify or YouTube, though to enjoy videos through the latter on our Galaxy Nexus we had to undock it since there’s no support for device rotation. The remote control’s play/pause and track skip buttons worked with Spotify, though it was frustrating that there was no override to stop the phone’s display from locking after a few moments: if we wanted to see what was playing, we had to unlock the phone again.

Unfortunately, Philips hasn’t outfitted the Fidelio AS851 to handle voice calls. When a call came in, music paused but the audio was routed back to the smartphone’s own speaker. The AS851 lacks a microphone, too, even if Philips updated the firmware to support routing in-call audio through its speakers.

Performance

Loud but not especially refined is the order of the day with the AS851, though we can’t blame the dock’s speakers and amp entirely for that. Bluetooth A2DP is a lossy standard, and while the Fidelio can be cranked up room-fillingly high, that tends to reveal the crunchier bass and not entirely shimmering top-end. Switch to a wired connection via the aux-in and the limits of Bluetooth become clear: the same source sounds that little bit crisper, that little less distorted at higher volumes.

It’s frustrating, though we do recognize that while Philips could have opted for a lossless alternative like Kleer, or a Bluetooth lossless option like apt-X, it would’ve been reliant on smartphones supporting those too. That’s still uncommon, leaving Bluetooth the broadest possible choice.

Generally, quality is decent, and at regular listening levels we had no problems. Bass has a fair thump to it, and vocals pipe through the mix neatly; classical music suffered from more noticeable fuzz than, say, pop, rock or rap. Equalizer settings are handled through the Fidelio app, with various presets and degrees of manual tinkering possible if that’s what makes you happy. It’s certainly useful being able to charge a second device from the rear USB port.

Wrap-Up

Any generic Android speaker dock is going to be a compromise in comparison to Apple’s tightly-controlled ecosystem, but that’s the price you pay for the flexibility in device options Android has enabled. Philips FlexiDock system certainly addresses it in the most reasonable way we’ve seen to-date, and the use of Bluetooth means you’re not actually limited to Android phones or tablets at all.

Bluetooth also brings its own drawbacks, of course, with less than stellar audio quality being our main frustration with the AS851. Paying $200/£200 for a speaker dock when you know there’s a trade-off in quality rankles somewhat; for that reason, Philips’ cheaper, smaller AS351 ($130/£130) and AS111 ($90/£70) models arguably make more sense, since their more conservative audio ambitions perhaps better match those of Bluetooth A2DP.

Still, for casual listening, the Philips Fidelio AS851 packs a hefty punch and looks the part. Philips’ docking system is clever and the flexibility of the Bluetooth/app setup leaves plenty of room for the various media apps proliferating on Android. Audio purists will want to look elsewhere, but if simplicity and versatility are your primary concerns then the Fidelio AS851 is worth considering.

All three use Philips’ patented FlexiDock, a way to work around the fact that – unlike iOS products – Android phones put their microUSB ports in a range of different places. The microUSB plug can be shifted from left to right, and the socket itself twisted 180-degrees; you can even adjust the height of the phone supports on either side of it, to suit your handset. Bluetooth 2.1 is used to stream music (which actually means you can use any of the models with your iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Phone or any other gadget with Bluetooth A2DP support, and indeed charge them if they have a microUSB port) and Philips offers a special Fidelio app which automatically pairs and connects your smartphone when docked.

The Philips Fidelio AS851 is the flagship model, packing a pair of 3-inch full-range woofers, each with a 15W amp, along with a 3.5mm input and a spare USB port for charging a second gadget. Next comes the Fidelio AS351, with a smaller design and a 10W amp. Finally, there’s the Fidelio AS111, intended as an alarm clock for your nightstand, with a 4W amp and no second USB port or aux-input. However the AS111 does offer a night lamp and the clock automatically syncs its time when your Android phone is docked.

The Philips Fidelio AS851, AS351 and AS111 are on sale now, priced at $199.99/£199, $129.99/£129 and $89.99/£70 respectively. The Philips Fidelio app – which also controls equalizer settings, can be used to import and organize your music collection, and offers access to 7,000+ streaming radio stations – is available here.

Currently, while several manufacturers have smart TV offerings, most use different approaches to how applications are developed. That forces coders to either stick to a single brand or spend time porting their apps between platforms; meanwhile, other approaches – such as Google TV - are yet to even support third-party software.

The TV trio have mobile-style success in their sights, with Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics describing the deal as “a major step towards creating an app market every bit as inventive and dynamic as the one that exists for smartphones.” They’re also inviting other vendors to join them.

What remains to be seen is whether LG, Philips, Sharp and others can shore up developer support before one of the big CE names like Apple or Google begins taking smart TV seriously and launches their own app platform for the living room. So far, iOS and Android developers don’t have a simple route to get their software onto the TV, but it’s a case of “when” not “if” Apple TV and Google TV get opened up to their respective app stores.

When the user is close to the screen, they can draw on it. LG says that the sets are the first to offer this feature. The TV can also be connected to a computer to turn it into an entertainment hub according to LG. The sets use 3D active shutter glasses and only a single pair of them comes with the TV. Naturally, it has USB and HDMI inputs on the back.

It’s not clear if the TV will allow you to draw on the screen no matter what the content on the screen is. If you could draw on your favorite or least favorite people right on the TV, this thing might be fun. I know many folks that would get a kick out of drawing horns on Obama during his next speech.

[via The Inquirer]

The app allows the user to play their own music playlist and stream from the web. There are three different docks in the Android line including the AS851, the AS351, and the AS111. The AS851 is the top of the line offering and it has a design made to structure the acoustics for deep bass and great sound. The device uses crystal-sound technology and uses digital sound processing. It has 30W RMS total power output.

The AS351 is the next step down the range with the option of battery or AC power to allow it to be used on the go and at home. It has bass boosting technology and 10W RMS total power output. It also has an AUX input for other devices on the back. The final docking station is the AS111 with a compact design perfect for your desk or nightstand. The dock has 360-degree sound to provide sound quality anywhere in the room.

[via Android Community]

The toothbrush is crazy fast with 31,000 brush strokes per minute and it has two DiamondClean brush heads. Philips claims that the toothbrush removes 100% more plaque than a normal toothbrush. Philips also claims that you can see improvements in gum health in only two weeks. The toothbrush also whitens teeth and has five modes to choose from.

The battery inside the toothbrush is good for 42 two minute brushings and it has a glowing icon for indicating the battery life. The little display on the brush handle shows the mode you are using and is invisible when the power is off. The toothbrush isn’t cheap at around $220.

Philips has announced a new green LED light bulb that has the same light output as a 75W incandescent. Philips claims that it is the first bulb to offer the light output of a 75W via LEDs. While it produces the same amount of light, it consumes 80% less power than your average 75W incandescent. Not only do the LED bulbs use less power, they also last longer.

The LED bulb is rated for 25 times the life span of your typical incandescent bulb. The bulbs in my home only seem to last about 30 days at best and some of them are way up high in the air with vaulted ceilings and can be very difficult to change. The bulb uses 17W of power and produces 1100 lumens of light. The kick in the groin with this bulb is the price. One will cost you $40 to $45 and when a single fixture usually has two bulbs at least, replacing an entire home is far from cheap.

[via Inhabitat]

“Finding a solution for our Television business was our top priority and we strongly believe that the intended 30% / 70% joint venture with TPV that was announced today will enable a return to profitability for the Television business, and an increased portfolio focus for Philips in health and well-being. Philips has been active in the TV industry for many decades and the long-term strategic partnership with TPV shows our commitment to the continuity of Philips televisions for our consumers and trade partners.

The joint venture leverages the innovation and brand strength of Philips with the scale and manufacturing strength of TPV. Philips will receive a deferred purchase price and brand license income as part of the agreement. We expect certain costs in relation to the separation which will impact short-term earnings.” Philips statement

In six years time, meanwhile, Philips will have to option to shift the final 30-percent to TPV. The company already licenses Philips TVs in China, while Funai does the same in the US. It’s unclear whether the same line of Cinema 21:9 sets will continue going forward – or, indeed, use Philips’ Ambilight technology – in an attempt to make the HDTV business profitable again.

Philips has reported a €87m loss in its television business for the past quarter, down from €7m profit in the same period one year ago. Overall net income for the company was €137m, with particular growth in lighting such as the Philips Living Colors lamp range.

The premise is straightforward: you get an iPod/iPhone dock, into which your Apple PMP slots, recharges, and shoots over audio to the speakers. Alternatively, though, it can pick up audio streamed via AirPlay, Apple’s wireless system that works with the latest iOS devices and computers like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

As for the eye-catching speakers themselves, Philips reckons that by using a semi-spherical shape for the body and separating out the tweeters as the “eyes” suspended up above, the SoundSpheres reduce interference, make the top end more easily heard and add up to a more 360-degree audio experience.

In practice, while the mids and bass certainly held up whether we were in front or at the sides of the speakers, the treble proved more directional. We could hear the top end far clearer stood directly in the line of the tweeters, and these are really still speakers you’ll want to place with an eye on where exactly you’ll be listening to them.

Still, the AirPlay system works as expected. The final remaining question, naturally, is whether the Fidelio SoundSphere system will be worth its €799 ($1,154) price tag when it hits retail in May 2011. Considering that would get you a Sonos multi-room starter system we can see people being quickly drawn in by the SoundSpheres’ unusual appearance, and then equally quickly propelled away by the premium figure Philips has settled upon.

As for the Philips Harmony Component HiFi, that slots into the company’s 8000 Series DVD line-up and has an integrated iPhone/iPod dock, CD, DVD, and USB support. No WiFi, but you do get a 2 x 80W RMS Class-D digital amp.

Finally, the bulbous Philips Fidelio SoundSphere packs WiFi for streaming Apple music over AirPlay, as well as a local dock for getting content off your iPod or iPhone. It will go on sale in May 2011, priced at €799 ($1,115); no word on pricing or availability for the other two systems.

Press Release:

Philips introduces Wi-Fi Multiroom Hi-Fi System with best-in-class High-Fidelity sound

Barcelona, Spain – Philips is taking the sound quality of wireless Multiroom systems to the next level: the new Philips Wi-Fi Multiroom Hi-Fi System offers crystal clear sound from the latest so-called ClariSound speakers, while giving you access to all your favorite songs anywhere around your home.

With the MultiroomMusic function it does not matter where you are in the house; you can enjoy different songs in different rooms, or play the same tunes in every room by a simple touch on the screen. You can easily stream all your music wirelessly from the Multiroom Music Center to the different Music Stations placed anywhere in your home.

Pristine sound from ClariSound speakers
Philips’ new Multiroom Hi-Fi system will fill the room with pure sound through the new ClariSound speakers. To reproduce high-end frequencies perfectly, the soft-dome tweeter of the ClariSound speaker is positioned on top of the speaker box, allowing sound to travel along the speaker baffle. This helps recover the richness and wideness of the original performance.

For these speakers Philips also makes use of a glass fiber woofer cone, which produces a more natural sound thanks to its lightweight design. An innovative front-firing bass port, filled with acoustic material, ensures pure and tight bass reproduction.

A world of music at your fingertips
The Philips Multiroom Hi-Fi system gives you access to all your music, independent of source or format:

· Listen to all your digital music collection stored on the external USB Hard Disc of the system. With up to 2000 albums available anytime at the touch of the screen, you do not even need to turn on your computer to access your favorite tunes
· Explore over ten thousand Internet radio stations from around the world as well as online music subscription services at the touch of a button. Alternatively, you can listen to your favorite local FM radio stations in the traditional way
· Wirelessly stream music and pictures from PC, MAC or your home server in excellent sound quality without having to worry about wires
· Additionally, you can play your favorite tracks from the CD/DVD player, connect any other USB device for more music content or add an optional dock to play and charge your iPod or iPhone

Simplicity in usability
While the full color touch screen of the Multiroom system allows you to easily navigate through your content and enjoy album artworks, you can also turn any iPhone, iPod Touch or Android smartphone into a comprehensive remote control by using the complimentary AV remote app. Using the app you can wirelessly browse and play any source of music the Multiroom system offers. You can download the app for free from iTunes AppStore or Android market place.

The connectivity and convenience of the Philips Multiroom Hi-Fi system enables you to easily access all your favorite songs without any hassle and anywhere in your home. Coupled with the sleek design and premium finish, it sits perfectly within the home where it will fill the rooms with quality, authentic sound from any source you like.

Press Release:

New Philips Harmony Component Hi-Fi system range delivers authentic sound reproduction

Barcelona, Spain – Philips introduces its new Harmony Hi-Fi range, delivering music-lovers an ideal combination of authentic sound reproduction, premium design and a simple user experience.

As part of the Harmony range, the new 8000 series DVD Hi-Fi component system offers impressive sound quality for a compact system thanks to the new ClariSound speakers, which offer the finest balance between natural sound, detailed precision and bass tightness.

Pristine sound with true-to-life details

To reproduce high-end frequencies perfectly, the soft-dome tweeter is positioned on top of the speaker box, allowing sound to travel along the speaker baffle. This helps recover the richness and wideness of the original performance and thus offer a wider soundstage.

For these speakers Philips also makes use of a glass fiber woofer cone which ensures a more natural reproduction of voices and instruments thanks to its lightweight design. An innovative front-firing bass port, processed with acoustic material to reduce turbulence, ensures pure and tight bass reproduction.

The system comes with an innovative integrated dock which plays and charges iPad, iPod and iPhone, even in its protective case. The system is designed with a 2 x 80W RMS Class-D digital amplifier, and lets you enjoy your CDs, DVDs (with HDMI output delivering 1080p upscaling) and music content from your USB storage devices.

Combining the finest materials like pure aluminium for the casing, real wood for the speaker boxes and glass fiber woofers, giving a unique design identity to the speakers, the new Philips Harmony 8000 series DVD Hi-Fi component system enables you to experience natural, true-to-life sound right from your living room.

Press Release:

New Philips Fidelio SoundSphere uses Wi-Fi and supports Apple’s AirPlay®

Barcelona, Spain – Philips today unveils the merging of two of its most successful product lines, SoundSphere and Fidelio, in order to bring music lovers the ultimate, full-fidelity listening experience. Combining the impressive functionality of its docking speaker range Fidelio, the superior sound quality of the Philips SoundSphere technology and Apple’s AirPlay®, the Philips Fidelio SoundSphere docking speakers delivers authentic sound – while your device simply stays in your hand.

With Airplay, the Philips Fidelio SoundSphere docking speakers give you both an amazing sound and hassle-free access to all your music from iTunes.

The Sound is in the Design The amazing sound quality of the Philips Fidelio SoundSphere docking speaker lies in its design. The curved design of the separate speakers with their unique free-floating tweeters on top of both speakers mean Philips Fidelio SoundSphere delivers sound in all directions for a deeper and wider audio impression with minimized interferences.

The Sound is in the Air The Philips Fidelio Soundsphere docking speaker utilizes Airplay1 to seamlessly play music over a home Wi-Fi network from iTunes on Mac and PC, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. With AirPlay, you enjoy all your music via the brilliant speakers of the Philips Fidelio SoundSphere without plugging in cables or even docking your device.

The Philips Fidelio SoundSphere docking speaker integrates perfectly with your iTunes, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch and gives you an authentic sound experience everywhere in your home through a unique combination of technology, design and functionality. Philips Fidelio SoundSphere will be available from May 2011 with a recommended retail price of 799 EUR.

The smart TV services will include Facebook and Twitter access, streaming photos, music and video from tablets, smartphones and computers, online movie and TV rentals, and remote control from phone or slate. There’s also Multiview, the ability to split the screen in two and show multiple sources simultaneously; for instance, live broadcast TV on one half and internet content on the other.

Full HD, a 100Hz refresh rate, LED backlighting, integrated WiFi and Philips Ambilight Spectra 2 round out the main specs, along with a USB port for hooking up an external drive and recording TV directly to it. No word on pricing at this stage, but none of this will come cheaply.

Press Release:

Philips affirms leadership in Cinema 21:9 category with new Cinema 21:9 Gold series Smart LED TV

Barcelona, Spain – Affirming its leadership in the category of cinema proportion TVs, Philips is making the ultimate cinema experience available to a broader audience by expanding its range with the Cinema 21:9 Gold series Smart LED TV. Following the launch of Cinema 21:9 Platinum Series last year, the world’s first cinema proportion 3D TV, the new Cinema 21:9 Gold series TV will make every night a premiere at home.

Presenting movies exactly as the director intended, the new Cinema 21:9 Gold series TV is the ideal wide screen to enjoy a world of film and connectivity. The Cinema 21:9 Gold series uses Philips-pioneered formatting technology to display movies in their authentic format and completely filling its 50-inch screen. Unlike other TVs on the market, the Cinema 21:9 Gold series TV is the ideal companion for movie lovers as it presents movies without those annoying black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. The Cinema 21:9 Gold series is equally accomplished with 16:9 material, including broadcast television, gaming and DVDs, giving you the option to resize the picture to fill the screen without any visible distortion.

Its ultra wide screen is also the ideal format to enjoy a world of connectivity. With a third more screen space than a normal 16:9 TV, the Cinema 21:9 Gold series provides easy access to the internet through Philips Smart TV, so you can comfortably look up the soccer scores or Facebook (available soon) or Twitter with friends whilst you watch a movie or TV program.

Easy 3D
The Cinema 21:9 Gold series makes the 3D home cinema experience widely available to consumers with Easy 3D. The Cinema 21:9 Gold series offers a comfortable 3D viewing experience with sharp images and low crosstalk. Using lightweight passive 3D glasses in combination with the Cinema 21:9 Gold series’ advanced 3D polarized screen, Easy 3D brings 3D realism into the home for the whole family to enjoy, and at an attractive price.

2D to 3D
This year, Philips is introducing real-time 2D to 3D conversion across its range of 3D TVs. This means that your entire movie collection – even old black-and-white classics – can seamlessly jump from the screen. Philips uses sophisticated software to deliver the best high-quality conversion available. It ensures that subtitles are shown at a constant depth and that there are no errors such as parts of the background appearing in the foreground. 3D depth adjustment controls also enable you to customize the level of your 3D experience, so you can choose the image depth that suits the on-screen content or your personal preference.

Staying connected
With one of the most comprehensive smart TV packages available, this year’s Cinema 21:9 Gold series is a superconnected media portal that hooks you up with online content; stream music, photos and videos from your tablet, smart phone or laptop; and store programs and movies on your hard drive on demand. Built on the four pillars of SimplyShare, Control, Net TV and Program, Philips’ Smart TV provides easy access to a rich gallery of online apps. These will connect you to virtual movie rental stores for instant movie-nights, enable you to share your experiences with family and friends via Facebook (available soon) or Twitter, let you control your TV using your smart phone or tablet, and help you manage your content as you see fit.

Multiview
As the first and only brand to introduce multi-window viewing on cinema proportion TVs, Philips’ Cinema 21:9 Gold series features Multiview. Taking full advantage of the TV’s ultra-wide screen, Multiview allows comfortable viewing of multiple content sources at once so you can watch a TV program and keep up with the latest sports results via Net TV.

Accessible performance
Next to the high performance Cinema 21:9 Platinum series TV launched in 2010, the Cinema 21:9 Gold series is a welcome new addition to the category of cinema proportion performance TVs. Packaged in a 50” Full HD screen in 21:9 aspect ratio, the Cinema 21:9 Gold series includes innovations such as edge Full HD LED, 100Hz and Philips’ powerful Pixel Precise HD picture processing engine to produce brilliant, sharp and smooth pictures. Complemented with two-sided Ambilight Spectra 2, Cinema 21:9 Gold series completely immerses you with a truly cinematic viewing experience.

Additional product features
· The Cinema 21:9 Gold series stands out due to the intricate picture quality and fluent movement during even the fastest action scene. With four trillion colors the picture quality is taken to a new level thanks to Pixel Precise HD.
· The latest LED lighting technology gives the Cinema 21:9 Gold series its sleek design, stunning picture quality and one of the lowest power consumptions in the category. With the Full HD LED backlight of the Cinema 21:9 Gold series, you can enjoy low power consumption, high contrast picture performance, ultimate sharpness and deep vibrancy.
· Cinema 21:9 Gold series’ 100Hz clear LCD screen with a response time of only 2ms ensures that you always get the sharpest, most vivid and detailed images.
· Movie scenes will appear as the director intended and home movies will no longer judder thanks to the award-winning HD Natural Motion which corrects juddering movements in both broadcast and recorded movie material.
· With Wi-Fi internet built into Cinema 21:9 Gold series access to online services through Philips Net TV, such as premium video stores and on-demand TV shows, is just a push of the button away.
· Cinema 21:9 Gold series offers smart USB recording so if you are unexpectedly interrupted when watching your favorite program, you don’t have to miss a thing.
· Providing you with a truly immersive viewing experience, patented Philips Ambilight Spectra 2 technology adds another dimension by projecting a glow of light from the back of the screen onto the surrounding wall. Ambilight automatically adjusts the color and brightness of the light surrounding the TV to match the picture.

Full-screen gaming for two
In 2D mode, the Cinema 21:9 Gold series displays standard dual-player games on a split-screen: player one gets the top half, and player two gets the bottom half. But when you activate this mode with Easy 3D and put on your Philips 3D glasses, each player simultaneously sees his or her view expand to fill the entire TV screen – truly the next level in the home gaming experience.

Matching home theater experience
For an even deeper immersion, the Cinema 21:9 Gold series is perfectly matched with the 7000 series Immersive Sound home theater system and the 7000 series SoundHub. The powerful performance of these home theatre systems lets you experience sound like you would at the cinema and embraces you completely with the unique Philips 360Sound performance.

In addition to being more than a millimeter thinner, the iPad 2 display also has a smaller bezel. That should give Apple more flexibility in its overall casing design, since there’s less bulk to fit in. Considering the first-gen iPad was basically a sandwich predominantly comprised of display and batteries – with the electronics squeezed in – that could make a huge difference to the overall aesthetic.

Going by the product code, LP097X02-SLN1, and some online deduction – still unverified – one of the 9 to 5 Mac commenters has worked out that the display could well be an LG Philips panel running at 1024 x 768 XGA resolution and using H-IPS technology. Again, that would fit in with suggestions that Apple is saving an iPad Retina Display update for the third-generation model.

[Thanks Paul!]

The 5000 series LED backlit sets have 40″, 46″, and 55″ sets with the same basic specs of the 4000 line but they add in a Pixel Precise HD engine and 120Hz refresh rate. The sets will be in the April/May time frame at up to $1099. The 6000 series have similar specs to the other two new TV lines, but they are all 3D ready. Screens will be in the 40″, 46″, and 55″ range at up to $1699 with the high-end version having Netflix access and more.

Philips also has five new home theater systems with three of those new offerings supporting 3D. Some of the higher-end sets have wireless rear channel speakers and they all have Blu-ray with prices from $269.99 to $449.99. If all you really want is a new Blu-ray player Philips has five to offer starting at $169.99 and going up to the high-end $129.99 price point with support for 3D video in all. The most expensive model gets MediaConnet and NetTV as well.

Via Engadget

According to the owners, the video output is being altered, causing all sorts of issues on the color front of viewing their favorite programming. Unfortunately, some of the issues include a strange green tint on the display, or even inverted colors. Some owners are even experiencing black screens, where they can’t see anything at all. Owners of these TVs apparently date back to early October, but there’s no word on what, exactly, is causing the issue.

However, Apple is aware of the situation, and as anyone might have guessed, they are hard at work on trying to figure out a solution. Apple engineers have in contact with some owners, trying to acquire more information about the problem, while those who have contacted AppleCare due to the issue, have been reportedly told that a fix is in progress, and should be coming soon. Check out the video below to see an affected TV in action.

[via Electronista]

What they mean in a nutshell is that the remotes didn’t sell well. Philips shopped the Pronto line around and tried to sell it off to another company and no one bit. This means that Logitech with its great line of Harmony remote controls will have the market pretty much to itself.

The Pronto line was been around since the 1990′s. The last product to be unveiled by the company was the TSW9500 in-wall touchscreens. It’s sad to see the brand leave, it had some cool products. That said the line of Harmony offerings is great.

The set has green features and needs only 40W of juice in eco-mode and is made from recycled aluminum. It also and has a 0W mode when turned off. BORING. What’s not boring bout the set is its remote control. Philips bundles a remote with the TV that is solar powered. That is something you don’t see on every TV.

The solar remote has been designed to be green and needs no batteries. Few details are actually offered about the remote, but I can say I wish my Harmony One were solar powered. It will run for just long enough on a charge for me to forget the thing needs to be placed on the charge cradle across the room. The Philips solar remote appears to lack multi device control capability. The downside to solar power is that you will need to be able to set the thing near a window and if there isn’t one near your set that can be a pain.

As the image above clearly shows, the Home Control DUAL remote control promotes buttons not only on the top, but also on the bottom of the remote. And, with many more remotes now featuring full QWERTY keyboards, why would you want it all on one side, cluttering everything up? Philips’ decision to conceptualize the full keyboard on the underside of the remote, and making it a full landscape one at that, means that we have more room to type on, hopefully making it more comfortable.

As we get back into the whole Internet-connected TV trend again, and we navigate through our favorite web spaces right there from our TV, we’ll need more remotes like this. And, with the Home Control DUAL’s touchpad, you’ll be able to navigate the cursor with ease, from one corner of your screen to the next. No word on when this could see the light of day, unfortunately.

[via App Market.tv]

Both units will feature Philips’ SoundSphere Systems, which will allow the units to pump out 100W RMS output. As for the MCD900, that’s going to be where your traditional media shines through. If you’ve got your DVD and CD collection gathering dust somewhere, then you’ll be happy to know that the MCD900 will support playback from both physical media options. Well, happy if you still feel like using your DVD or CD collection. It doesn’t support Blu-ray, though.

The MCi900 is the “future” piece of equipment between the pair. Along with featuring the SoundSphere Systems, it will also be able to play music back courtesy of the Streamium technology therein. You’ll be able to access music from USB hard drives, as well as the integrated 160GB hard drive within, so you should always have plenty of music ready to go. There’s also built-in WiFi, so you can take your pick of Internet radio stations, too. And yes, if you were wondering what the SoundSphere Technology looked like, it is those two spheres popping out above the main speakers.

[via IT Tech News]

Philips claim the Bluetooth makes for much better video enjoyment – you can watch with the iPad in your lap, but not have to make do with the tablet’s mediocre integrated speaker.  Happily there’s a rechargeable battery to make moving it around easier (together with an integrated carry handle) which the company expects to last for up to 5hrs from a full charge.

A remote is bundled, and there’s an aux-in socket for non-Apple sources.  Meanwhile a free app in the App Store – called Fidelio+ – lets you use it as an alarm clock, change equaliser settings, and more.

The only thing Philips could do to improve the Fidelio is make it wall-mountable – we still like the idea of a wall-dock for the iPad, which would be clearly visible from across the room – but perhaps that’s too much to ask

The concept behind 3D Cinema 21:9 remains the same: rather than having true cinema-scale content be sandwiched between black bars, even on 16:9 widescreen TVs, the Philips’ set is properly sized for films.  That makes for an enormous, broad picture, that still manages to be impressive even among the huge scale HDTVs you see at shows like these.

As for the 3D, well, that’s just as useful – or pointless – as everyone else’s 3D technology, requiring glasses of course and working terribly well with Philips’ new BDP-9600 Blu-ray player.  That slots in at the top of the company’s range, and also features NetTV, Philips’ new streaming online content service.

Philips has partnered with Sharp and Loewe to produce a standardized IPTV platform which allows for access to YouTube, Picasa, Dailymotion, TomTom, eBay and other content.  It’s available not only through Blu-ray players but integrated into several home theater audio systems and HDTVs themselves, and the trio of companies are hoping to get other manufacturers onboard so that content or apps from one set will work across the board no matter what brand you pick from.

Video demo after the cut

Smaller than an iPod touch and, at 3.2-inches, using a smaller, non-multitouch display, the GoGear Connect feels more phone than PMP in the hand.  In fact, with a microphone and speaker, together with full access to the Android Market, it’ll happily load a VoIP app and allow for calls over WiFi b/g/n.  Other connectivity includes Bluetooth 2.1 and USB 2.0, plus there’s a microSD slot (for up to 32GB cards) that augments the 8GB, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.

Philips has included a trackball for navigation, but most of the time it’s easier to use the touchscreen.  The homepage has three swipe-sliding panes onto which you can place shortcuts in the usual way, but there’s no dragging down on the status bar like on an Android phone.  Preloaded are Google’s own apps, together with Philips’ own media software for audio, video and images.  The former is a brilliant example of how music management can be done right – three columns shift intuitively through artist, album and tracks – and we wish Google would “borrow” it for native Android.  Other neat touches include the equaliser, which maps the various presets on a pane suggesting which frequencies they emphasize and minimize.

The browser is pretty standard, though of course misses multitouch, while Google Maps gets the benefit of true GPS.  You’ll obviously need a WiFi connection, which does somewhat limit its effectiveness on the move.  App switching performance is reasonable, with only minimal lag, though the demo units we tried did show a tendency to crash; still, given Philips only had a couple of GoGear Connect models on hand, they were probably feeling the strain.

Philips preload Android 2.1, but say they’re working on Android 2.2; no timescale for that, and they wouldn’t comment on any possible plans to produce an Android tablet.  With prices set to kick off at €249 ($320) it’s not cheap, but we’re looking forward to playing with a review unit for a longer period to see if it can live up to the high standard set by Apple’s iPods.

They’re also stepping away from the usual awful headphones bundled with PMPs and instead offering a noise-isolating set that, they claim, are actually reasonable.  Alternatively there’s Bluetooth, which can also be used to wirelessly sync media files with your PC via the Philips Songbird system.

Storage is 16GB, with a microSD card slot to add more, and the whole thing weighs 128g.  MRSP is €249 ($315) for its October launch in the USA, Western Europe and China.  We’ll be catching up with Philips at IFA this week to find out more.

Video demo after the cut

As the video below shows, the iPad is basically using its ever-so-bright IPS display to cycle through various colors.  There’s no nifty remote control like Philips give you, though we suppose a more complex app could allow you to use an iPod touch or iPhone to tweak the colors.

To be fair, a $499+ iPad is a little more expensive than the $257 Philips lamp, though the latter’s App Store has a lot fewer titles to choose from (read: none).  If you still can’t decide, check out our iPad review and our LivingColors lamp review, though we’ll admit that we didn’t think to do a direct comparison.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/11513541[/vimeo]

[Thanks Andy!]

The MirrorWall is a series of OLED screens that work with a camera. The camera picks up the person or persons looking at the screen and projects them onto the OLED screens like a mirror would. You can check out the video below to understand what the thing actually does.

If you really like the MirrorWall, you can now order your own, which is custom built to your specifications and it isn’t cheap. The thing will set you back about 10,000 to 12,000 € per square meter. If you want to try one out before you buy it, Philips will rent you theirs for the tidy sum of 10,000 € per week not counting shipping, installation, and insurance. The install alone takes three days.

Video demo after the cut

VoIP use will be aided by a speaker and microphone, and there’s also GPS for using the GoGear Connect as a sat-nav handheld.  Also tipped is haptic feedback for the display, a memory card slot, rear-facing camera (no word on the resolution) and a range of internal storage kicking off at 8GB and rising to 64GB.

Philips have developed their own custom UI for the PMP – which you can see in the video below – which unsurprisingly prioritizes media playback.  No word on pricing or specific release dates, though a Q3 2010 period has been tipped.

[via Android Community]

In the box there’s the LivingColors lamp itself in a drawstring fabric bag, a remote control and three AAA batteries, the AC adapter and the user documentation. The bag seems a little like packaging overkill, but it did keep the clear plastic of our review unit free of any scratches during transport; Philips also offer patterned, frosted and smoked versions. Setup is straightforward: plug in the mains adapter and sit the lamp facing the wall (around 50cm away for best results, according to Philips’ advice).

Control is via the included remote, which uses RF rather than IR and as such doesn’t demand line-of-sight; useful if the lamp is under an end-table or otherwise tucked out of the way. All of the controls are touch-sensitive, with power buttons at the top, a color-wheel in the center with saturation controls inside, and brightness controls at the bottom. We had to pair the remote with the LivingColors lamp before it would work – you bring it near the Philips logo and hold down the power-on button until the lamp flashes three times and then briefly glows green – but after that we found it had sufficient range to be used from the next room. While we only had one to test, you can control multiple lamps from a single remote, or conversely pair multiple remotes with a single lamp.

It’s worth noting that the remote control uses the 2.4GHz band, and Philips do warn that you can experience some interference with a wireless router. The manual gives instructions to change the default channel, should you believe that’s happening, though we used the LivingColors right next to our router and had no issues with it.

Two modes of operation are supported, either a single stable color or a constantly shifting rainbow that cycles through all the hues available. In the former, tapping at any point around the color wheel instantly sets the lamp to that color, or running your finger slowly around the wheel gradually mixes the LEDs to tweak the shade. It’s worth noting that, somewhat confusingly at first, the latter process doesn’t necessarily line up with the color your finger is over on the control wheel itself: you can tap and hold on dark blue, for instance, then scroll 180-degrees, and the color will have only shifted to light blue (rather than the yellow your finger is now touching). That basically means that for precise color control you need to watch the lamp rather than the remote. Of course, subsequently tapping at any point on the wheel flips the LivingColors to that hue. You can then use the saturation buttons to deepen the tone or weaken it (until it’s pure white), and the brightness buttons to adjust the lamp strength.

In the second mode, the lamp cycles through all the colors it’s capable of. That’s triggered by running a finger clockwise around the entirety of the color wheel, then tapping the power-on button. Tapping on the wheel then controls the speed at which the colors change, and you can adjust saturation and brightness as before.

The selling point to LivingColors Generation 2 is that it produces 50-percent more light than the first-generation lamps. It’s certainly bright enough to dazzle your eyes if you look directly into the color disk at full-brightness, and even in a daylight room the color effect is strong and noticeable. Obviously the effect is better in darkness, however, though if you really want to bathe a normal-sized room completely you’d probably need at least two lamps. Alone, the LivingColors lamp is particularly suited to highlighting particular corners or areas of the room, rather than general lighting.

Is it worth the £159 ($257) MRSP? If you consider lighting to be purely functional rather than a source of decoration, then perhaps not. Philips’ press materials bill the LivingColors as a way of matching room to mood, or even brightening your day in a form of DIY color therapy. We didn’t feel any great mood enhancement, but tweaking the tones and generally playing with the light was surprisingly addictive. Company’s like Mathmos have shown that there’s a market out there for decorative lighting, and thanks to the extra brightness in this second-generation model you certainly feel like you’re getting more color for your money. As well as a mini-version, which lacks the remote and is controlled by a color wheel on the body of the lamp itself, Philips are offering wall, ceiling and floor-standing models as part of the LivingColors Luminaires series; think of them as designer-style lighting and the prices start to look more reasonable in comparison. Since they can all produce standard white light you could feasibly replace task lighting with them too, then turn the room into a personal disco later on. Not an essential gadget, perhaps, but then again the best gadgets we play with seldom are.

Philips LivingColor Lamp demo video:

The new software is called ProntoEdit Professional 2.4 and it extends the capability of home integration and control while cutting the time and cost for custom programming for dealers. The new software is UPnP and DLNA compatible. The software works with two-way integration modules between AV servers, players, and control devices.

Philips unveiled a couple new control modules along with the software including modules for Sonos multi-room audio systems and one for TwonkyMedia devices. The new software has an interface that looks like the iPhone and it is compatible with all Pronto controllers.

Philips uses a large light box that simulates a natural sunrise with light that gradually comes on starting 30 minutes before your alarm is set to go off. Philips claims the clocks are clinically proven to have an impact on the quality of awakening. After the 30-minute light period, the device can wake you to sounds or music.

Sounds the devices offer include chirping birds, gentle beep, African jungle sounds, or soft chimes. The iPod version of the device can wake you to FM radio or playlists from your iPod as well. Both versions have the FM tuner. Both versions are available now for $169.99 for the HF3480 and $199.99 for the HF3490.

The gadget is called the Philips DirectLife Activity Monitor. The thing looks like a fancy pedometer and has the necessary status bar in green LEDs on the front. Using the software the device ships with you enter your fitness goals and then go about your day with the thing in your pocket.

As you meet your daily fitness quota in 15% increments, one new LED will light up. The thing will even track days you go over your quota. The only day that happened to me was when my power was out last week and all the twitching from data withdraws tired me out. The Activity Monitor sells for $80 and Philips went nuts and tacked a $12.50 monthly fee onto the device to ensure it fails.

Video demo after the cut

The concepts range from a motion-sensitive “pebble” decorative lamp, through the “Reflections” mirror which automatically dims and brightens squares of OLED light around your reflection.  There are also some vaguely gimmicky “lightbulb shaped” pendant lamps, which seem ideal for accidentally banging your head on.

So far, so good, but we won’t be content until the interesting lighting concepts end up in Philips’ Lumiblade shop.  So far you can buy an “experience kit” with a few differently-shaped panels, but no end-product like you see here.

[via OLED-Display.net]

The device has 16GB of internal storage ad can play both audio and video files. Philips claims the Muse will deliver best-in-class sound quality thanks to its proprietary FullSound technology that equalizes varying tones in the music tracks.

The device has a 3-inch QVGA screen and the player uses Philips SuperScroll technology to search large libraries. Other features include a FM tuner with RDS and 20 presets, high-def earphones with three interchangeable ear caps, support for DRM free tracks from iTunes, and a battery good for 30 hours of playback. The device is available now for S$349 or about $244 in America. There is no word on if the player will make it Stateside though.

Other defendants include Cowon, Philips, LG, Meizu and TrekStor, amounting to twenty in total.  However it’s Apple – as lead in the PMP segment – which Tsera view as the biggest cash-cow here, with claims that they notified the Cupertino company as far back as September 2004 as to the nature of the patent and accusing them of being “wanton” in continuing the “misuse”.

Tsera is seeking ongoing royalties from each of the companies, together with damages for prior infringement.  However from Apple they’re seeking “enhanced” damages, likely a result of all that “wanton” behavior.  A jury trial has been requested, which if granted will be held in the Eastern District of Texas (Tyler) District court.

[via Apple Insider]

Coming in for particular praise are the Ambilight Spectra 3 system, which backlights the HDTV with matched LED lighting, plus the straightforward installation and slickly designed UI.  Sound is “well rounded, faithful and genuinely muscular” thanks to integrated subwoofers.

Most importantly, though, the image quality is excellent, as long as you’re feeding it a decent source.  That needn’t just mean 1080p; the Cinema 21:9 copes admirably with standard definition DVDs, but Freeview is blocky and shows all the artifacts you’d expect.  All in all, a stormer of an HDTV; it’s just a shame that the price will put it out of reach of most buyers.

Video of the OLED lighting panels after the cut

Of course one of the most noticeable aspects is the thinness: each panel is just 1.8mm thick.  Given their size, they don’t put out a huge amount of light – Philips own OLED lighting concepts generally use ten or more of the individual units – but they’re each rated for 10,000 hours runtime.

Commercial products from Philips will hit the market next year, but before then it’ll be up to the DIYers to make their own lamps.  The Lumiblade OLED panels are priced from €71 each ($96) while the electronics are €70 ($94).

Philips

The Philips Luminaire Chandelier consists of five OLED ‘blades’ balanced out from a thin central pole.  Light from the Lumiblades increases as movement around the chandelier is recognized. 

Video demo of the OLED lighting after the cut

Meanwhile a touch-sensitive button on the base of the light fixture controls power, while a proximity sensor is used to control dimming.  There’s no word on whether Philips will commercially release the Luminaire Chandelier concept.

[via OLED-Info]

With OLED’s, light can be incorporated into designs, rather than hidden within the fixture. It can become a part of the artwork, which Philips has demonstrated at a conference in Milan. The designs are beautiful displays of light and art meshed together to demonstrate the applications of OLED’s.

Kristin Knappstein, Business development Manager at Philips Lighting says that “The OLED technology is available, but the opportunities they present go much further than lamps, OLEDs are actually a kind of building block – a new type of magic material – that can be combined with others to produce a striking new and creative whole. OLEDs in clothing, furniture, vehicles, jewelry, works of art: the possibilities are endless. But just hearing about OLEDs isn’t enough to be able to fully appreciate their unique characteristics and potential. That’s the purpose of the exhibit and the online OLED shop. We want to make it possible for people to see, touch and experience OLEDs for themselves. And if they get inspired, Philips Lighting is always interested in co-development and partnerships. When it comes to OLEDs, just about the only limit is your imagination.”

Hit up the link for more amazing photos.

[Via OLED-Display.net]