Ok, CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2009 was off a little in the number of exhibitors and attendees. So? It was a bad second half of ’08 folks. No one has been drinking happy juice about the prospects for the next six months! Best guess there were only about 90,000 people at the Vegas show (after 5-10 shows a year for 10++ years…you get a feel for these sorts of things).

But…you could get a flight at the last minute…Get a hotel room at the last minute…Get a cab… Not be cramped on the tram…Get a dinner reservation…Talk to the right people…Sounds good to us!

The buzz focused on 3D content, entertainment everywhere and mininotebooks. Everything else supported the buzz. Lots of groups want 3D here sooner rather than later, for starkly different reasons. Jeff Katzenberg, chief executive of DreamWorks, has been all over the globe pushing the idea of movies in 3D. He is pretty certain that a really trippy entertainment experience is the way he can drag you back into theaters. To whet your appetite, he’s shipping out 150 M of his 3D glasses to folks so they can watch his 90 sec Super Bowl commercial (sorry no costume malfunctions!). Read more

January 8, 2009 – Panasonic just announced the U.S. debut of its world's first 3D Full HD Plasma Home Theater System (3D FHD) this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show 2009. The system made its world debut at CEATEC JAPAN 2008 in October 2008 to very strong reviews.

Panasonic’s 3D Full HD Plasma Home Theater System enables the viewing of true-to-life 3D FHD images by using a Panasonic 103-inch Plasma HDTV and a Panasonic Blu-ray Disc (BD) player, capable of distributing full High Definition (1920 x 1080 pixels) images to the left eye and right eye.

“This goes well beyond conventional 3D and Panasonic is fully committed to making it a reality, and soon,” said Bob Perry, Executive Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “Plasma is currently the only TV capable of delivering a 3D Full HD experience due in great part to its ability to refresh at a speed which enables multiple image display without loss of resolution. The integration of Hollywood’s 3D content with Panasonic’s industry leading Plasma, Blu-ray and 3D FHD technologies deliver a truly immersive experience which will elevate home entertainment to a whole new level of excitement. You will no longer just be watching a movie, you’ll be experiencing the realism of Hollywood film.” Read more

January 8, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Panasonic just introduced its expanded line of VIERA HDTVs at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show. Building upon its award winning portfolio of high definition televisions, Panasonic will broaden its offering in 2009 by introducing new screen sizes in both Plasma and LCD lines with a new 54-inch class plasma and 19-inch class LCD. In addition, VIERA will extend its unique technology features, such as the acclaimed VIERA CAST web menu, to additional model lines.

VIERA CAST, originally launched in 2008, will broaden its entertainment offering with the addition of Amazon's VOD streaming video service. Panasonic also extended the prestigious THX Certified Display to three product lines. With a continuing emphasis on improving the television's performance and reducing the impact on the planet's carbon footprint, Panasonic's 2009 line of VIERA HDTVs have improved their energy efficiency vs. last year's models, while also improving the overall picture performance of the HDTVs.

Year after year, Panasonic has been dedicated to bringing new picture improving technologies to HDTVs and 2009's line-up continues that trend. With the digital transition on the horizon and an increased awareness among consumers of high definition, consumers now demand blacker blacks, faster response times and the billions of colors that Panasonic VIERA HDTVs deliver. Read more

January 7, 2009 – LG Electronics today unveiled 12 stylish new HDTV product lines – nine series of LCD models and three plasma series – with screens ranging from 19- to 60-inch class sizes. Each of these HDTVs blends a refined design with smart technologies to elevate and personalize the home theater experience. The entire line is being introduced this week at the 2009 International CES, Booth #8214, Central Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center.

Technological Innovation and Energy Savings

Many of LG’s HDTV series incorporate advanced technologies – such as LED Backlighting, TruMotion 240Hz and wireless capabilities. Four core technologies – AV Mode II (Cinema, Sport, Game), Invisible Speakers, Clear Voice II and Picture Wizard – further enhance the entertainment experience.

Two new series of “Broadband HDTVs” feature LG’s “NetCast Entertainment Access”. These plasma and LCD models offer Ethernet connectivity providing access to a wide variety of information and entertainment content directly from the Internet. Through LG’s new alliances with Yahoo!, Netflix and YouTube, consumers can enjoy even more content from the comfort of their home. Consumers can use the Yahoo! Widget Engine for access to up-to-the minute weather reports, stock quotes, Flickr photos, and more. LG HDTVs will be the first to offer instant streaming from Netflix and will also enable access to the vast array of user-generated content on YouTube directly on the LH50 and PS80 series. (See separate release.) Read more

January 5, 2009 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Yahoo! Inc. today announced a new Internet-based service to Samsung televisions available in the spring of 2009. Select models in Samsung’s 2009 flat-panel HDTV line-up will be powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine, a fifth-generation applications platform that enables TV watchers to interact with and enjoy a rich set of “TV Widgets.” TV Widgets make it easy to interact with Internet content and services to complement and enhance the traditional TV viewing experience. The lightweight Javascript and XML applications bring content, information and community features available on the Internet within easy reach of the remote control. The new televisions will be displayed at CES 2009 in Samsung’s booth located at Central Hall, Booth #11033.

Select models in Samsung’s 2009 flat-panel HDTV lines will support the new TV Widget service, called “Internet@TV - Content Service.” The service, which adapts the Yahoo! Widget Engine, enables users to engage in a variety of experiences that traditionally could only be enjoyed on a PC. Not only will users be able to track their stock portfolio and stay on top of headline news, but they may also browse through videos, share photos and interact with friends. Users can access the service by connecting the HDTV to a home network via the built-in Ethernet port or using an optional Wi-Fi USB dongle. Read more

January 5, 2009 – LG Electronics today extended its groundbreaking partnership with Netflix, Inc., as the two companies announced the first broadband-enabled HDTVs with Netflix streaming software embedded directly in the TV, requiring no external device. LG’s new LCD and plasma “Broadband HDTVs” will display the growing library of movies, TV episodes and high-definition (HD) content that Netflix members can watch instantly directly on the TV with Ethernet connectivity.

Available this spring, the new LCD and plasma HDTVs will join the LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player, the first Blu-ray disc player to stream movies instantly from Netflix. These products – and five new models of Blu-ray Disc players and home theater systems planned for 2009 – will offer consumers a variety of ways to enjoy more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes instantly from Netflix. Netflix members owning one or more of the devices pay as little as $8.99 per month for unlimited instant streaming and unlimited DVDs from a catalog of more than 100,000 DVD titles in more than 200 genres. Read more