On the eve of Japan’s CEATEC trade show, electronics giant Toshiba has formally unveiled the Regza 55X1 HDTV (Japanese), the company’s first television to be powered by the Cell processor—the same chip at the heart of the PlayStation 3. And while the 55X1 will not be offering support for PlayStation games—consumers will still need to buy a console for that—it does feature an integrated DVR, 3 TB of storage space, an innovated LED backlighting system, DLNA compatibility, and access to broadband content via the Internet.
As a display, the 55X1 offers impressive specs: Toshiba claims the 55-inch HD LCD panel sports a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio (dynamic, presumably), enabled in part by an LED backlighting system tha divides the display into 512 zones with individual lighting control. The 55X1 will also sport 1250cd/m&exp2; of brightness and a 240 Hz refresh rate.
But the true star of the 55X1 is the cell processor, which Toshiba claims is just the first step on future “super resolution” technology. The Cell processor lives in a separate box from the 55X1, and offers some 143 times the computing capacity of a current Regza television, improving image quality, color, and brightness across the board. Toshiba is also building in a mammoth DVR with 3 TB of storage capacity, 2 TB of which can be used to timeshift recorded programming, capturing up to 26 hours of high-def programming and recording up to 8 broadcast channels at a time. Toshiba has also developed a custom navigation interface that lets users search on-air, archives, and future programs—shows are shown as thumbnails, with other shows circling it based on perceived relevancy: more relevant shows are closer, while others orbit further away. Users can search on keyword, actors’ names, genre, title, and more. There’s also a multi-thumbnail mode that can handle up to 40 time-divided thumbnails of a program, making it simple for users to find the point they want in a program.
The Regza 55X1 will also support broadband content, with integrated support for YouTube video, a built-in version of the Opera Web browser, and (amazingly enough) will also handle displaying JPEG photos. The 55X1 is also DLNA compatible, so it can integrate with media capabilities on a home network.
Toshiba says the 55X1 will be available in Japan in December 2009; no pricing information has been released, but reports have the suggested price near ¥1 million, which translates to over $11,000 USD. There’s no word on when, or if, Toshiba plans to market the Regza 55X1 outside the Japanese market.
However, Toshiba has talked about future plans for Cell-based televisions, including tapping the Cell processor to offer 3D technology, and a set that upconverts 1080p signals to 3840 by 1260 resolution. Other possibilities include a integrated home media server. Time will tell.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.