Category: Television / Display

OnePlus To Skip Foldable Smartphones This Year, To Release A Smart TV Instead

OnePlus, one of the most well-recognised smartphone OEMs in the world has seen unprecedented success since its inception in 2013. The company is known for launching just two devices every year since 2016. Fresh reports claim that it may now be looking to expand its lineup of products. A senior OnePlus executive has said in an interview to an Italian publication and confirmed that while the company may not launch a foldable smartphone this year, it may release a smart television soon. Alongside the smart TV, It is also planning products in the automotive and PC market for the future.

OnePlus’ Plans For The Future

The senior executive at OnePlus, said there are many reasons for the company not to invest in a foldable smartphone just yet. The reasons cited are not providing any additional functionality than a regular handset; and the cost of the current foldable smartphones, which are known to be considerably expensive. According to him, the prospect of developing a smart TV is something the company is looking forward to. The executive further claims there has been no significant innovation in the space for around 20 years, which OnePlus is planning to tackle with their product. The final product from the company may not feature a remote control as it is developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) to take its place. Interestingly, the idea of a smart TV developed by OnePlus isn’t new and the plans for it were announced a while ago.

OnePlus 6T

Also read: Honor Launches The 8A Pro With A Waterdrop Notch

Furthermore, OnePlus is not stopping at smart TVs, or ‘Smart Displays’ as the senior executive calls them. The company is also developing products in the automotive sector. While creating a car is too complex according to the executive, development in the software side of things is being looked into. Also in the pipeline are products for a smart office, which includes the PC and cloud space, to allow for seamless connectivity. Unfortunately, no information on when to expect the aforementioned products have been provided. However, given an official confirmation, they are expected to be announced starting later this year.

April 13, 2019
Samsung Launches New Range Of Smart TVs In India, Price Starts At Rs. 24,900

Samsung on Monday launched a range of smart televisions for the Indian market. These new devices are manufactured locally and vary in sizes from 32 inches to 82 inches. While these are not the first range of smart TVs by the company to be available in India, they are claimed to have some industry-first features. All the new products have been launched in a new range called ‘Unbox Magic Series’.

Samsung Smart TVs

The newest members of Samsung’s smart TV lineup are claimed to offer superior colours, details and contrast levels. Among the plethora of features these devices share, the first one is a personal computer mode. This lets the user utilise the televisions as a computer, using popular services such as making word or powerpoint files through the cloud. An option of mirroring one’s laptop with the TV without any internet connection is also provided. The second feature utilizes several visual elements which are highlighted while playing music from certain applications.

One more feature of the new Samsung smart televisions is the ability to create local cloud storage. With the USB drive attached to the TV, users can back up their media wirelessly, without an internet connection. This is expected to save storage space in the smartphone as the data is automatically backed up whenever the mobile device is in close proximity to the TV. Other features of the smart TV include a live casting feature, which will help share media over the internet in real time; and a simultaneous two way syncing between the TV and the mobile device. Also included is the company’s Smart Hub, which curates content across different sources and displays them on the screen.

Pricing & Availability

Also read: Nubia Alpha Foldable Smartwatch Launched In China

While Samsung has announced smart televisions with the aforementioned features, more details about the devices are still awaited. It is expected to be made available starting April 11 via the major online and offline retailers. The 32 inch TV will be available at a price of Rs 24,900 and the prices of other models will be announced soon.

April 8, 2019
Xiaomi To Soon Launch An Affordable 4K 50 Inch TV In India

In the month of January this year, Xiaomi extended its Mi TV lineup in India by launching the 55-inch Mi TV 4X Pro and 43-inch Mi TV 4A Pro. Soon after their launch, the company launched yet another affordable TV, the 32 inch 4A Pro. According to a notable tipster on Twitter, the company is now planning to launch another TV, the 50-inch Mi TV 4A which has a 4K UHD display.

Mi TV 4A 50-Inch Features

Interestingly, the Mi TV 4A 50-inch is not a new product as it was previously launched in China last year. Nevertheless, it offers most features that are expected of a 50 inch UHD television. According to the source, the upcoming TV will carry a different moniker in India and will be price below the Mi TV 4X Pro variants.

In terms of design, the Mi TV 4A 50 inch has a sleek look with thin bezels surrounding the large display. The display panel has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 px and a static contrast ratio of 5000:1. It has a 178 degree wide viewing angle and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. Noteworthy, the upcoming TV also supports HDR10+ content. Under the hood, it is kitted with the 64-bit Amlogic L962 chipset with four 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 cores along with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage.

In terms of connectivity, the Xiaomi Mi TV 4A has 802.11 Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.2, three HDMI ports, two USB ports, AV in, Ethernet port, and S/PDIF audio output. Similar to other Mi TV 4A models, the upcoming TV runs the company’s custom PatchWall UI which offers a wide variety of content in numerous languages.

Mi TV 4A 50-Inch Price

Also Read: Apple Watch Saves Another 23-Year Old’s Life

The India specific pricing of the Mi TV 4A 50-Inch will be announced at the time of its official launch which is assumed to happen soon. Though, it can be priced similar to its Chinese counterpart which costs Yuan 2099 (Rs. 22,000).

April 8, 2019
LG Granted Patent For OLED TVs With Rollable Display

With the evolution of all forms of technology, TVs are not far behind. In the modern day, a TV is not only limited to its functions and features but it is also something that can improve the aesthetic value of a living room. Manufacturers like Samsung, LG and Sony have a strong grip over the market in terms of TVs. Although the focus from TVs has now shifted to smartphones and mobile devices, these handheld gadgets cannot replace a large screen TV entirely at least for now. LG was granted a patent for a futuristic television that has an unconventional rollable display.

LG Electronics filed three patents with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) in August 2018. The KIPO published the three patents on February 28, 2019, and they clearly depict a roll-up display that emerges from a housing.

Design And Features

LG unveiled its first rollable TV at the CES 2018 (Consumer Electronics Show). The company showcased a 65-inch 4K OLED TV called the LG Roled, or the LG Signature OLED R9. It retracts into a cuboidal shaped enclosure when not in use. The company previously stated that the rollable OLED TV will go on sale this year itself. This time, LG has moved past the rollable TV, instead, it is just including a rollable screen in a housing-cum-base for the device.

The flexible screen is housed in three different types of casings, as shown in the patent images. The housing sports a triangular design to prevent the flexible screen from bending over. All three housing designs are a bit different from each other. The reason for this is not clear, but it may be because LG is testing out the most stable base for the Roll-up screen.

The TV can also function as a speaker system if the display is not completely raised. Similar to LG’s TV at the CES, the upcoming TV may be equipped with a 100 Watt Dolby Atmos Speaker. The flexible screen can be completely rolled out to have a normally functioning television. In 2018, LG was granted a patent for a similar flexible display for its smartphone.

Availability

Also Read: Qualcomm Announces QCS400 SoCs series For Smart Speakers And Soundbars

No information regarding the futuristic television is available yet, although it seems that the company will take its time to polish the technology before releasing it in the market. As per reports, Samsung is also planning to release a rollable TV whose screen can be rolled towards the sides unlike LG’s design. The TV is expected to be placed at a higher price point too, owing to the technology implemented in the same.

March 20, 2019
Samsung Announces NU6100 UHD TVs In India
Samsung has launched a lineup of online exclusive UHD TVs in India which carry the Super 6 Series branding and NU6100 moniker. The newly launched TVs will compete against the likes of Mi LED TVs which have gained a lot of popularity due to their low price. The Samsung UHD TV lineup includes three sizes which are 43-inch, 50-inch and 55-inch.

Samsung NU6100 UHD TV Features

Click here to buy the Samsung NU6100 UHD TV

The NU6100 UHD TVs feature the PurColor technology that aims to deliver vivid colours with high levels of sharpness and optimized levels of contrast for an immersive experience. Also, the TVs are bundled with Smart Hub and Smart Convergence features. They allow the uses to stream content wirelessly on the large screen TV directly from their mobile phones or tablets.

The Super 6 Series UHD TVs from Samsung are equipped with a Quad Core processor which in combination with the UHD picture engine allows playing 4K games without lag from consoles on the device. The TVs run on Tizen OS which supports several media streaming services including Netflix, Hotstar and Youtube.

The inbuilt media streaming service on the NU6100 UHD TVs has access to over 60,000 international and national movie titles which can be viewed in 10+ local languages. All three variants of the UHD TVs have 20w speakers and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz. The UHD TVs have two HDMI ports and one USB port for playing content via a thumb drive or an external hard drive.

Price and Availability

Also Read: ASUS ROG Launches RTX Powered Gaming Laptops & Desktops In India

The Super 6 Series UHD TVs from Samsung will be exclusively available from online channels and will be available for purchase from the 12th of March. Flipkart will sell all three models of the TV while Amazon will only sell the 50 inch variant. In addition to Flipkart and Amazon, the UHD TVs will also be available from Samsung’s online store. The price for different variants of the UHD TVs are as follows:
- 43 inch – Rs 39,999
- 50 inch – Rs 49,999
- 55 inch – Rs 59,999
Click here to buy the Samsung NU6100 UHD TV
March 12, 2019
Samsung Patents A Wireless Television

Samsung is a leader in several fronts of technology including smartphones and televisions. Earlier this year the company had launched the world’s first smartphone with an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor in the form of Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10+. Another interesting product that the company is expected to launch is wireless Television. A freshly granted patent demonstrates how the aforementioned Television operates and functions.

Patent Revelations

Samsung filed a patent with WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) for a wireless power transceiver and display equipment in the month of March last year. The patent was granted to the company on the 28th of February 2019, which details how Samsung envisions to power the TV wirelessly. Traditionally, wireless power transfer can be achieved with the help of using a wide coil. But, it is not feasible to accommodate the apparatus in thin televisions of the modern day.

The patent granted to Samsung exhibits a slim bar-shaped wireless power transceiver which is mounted horizontally behind the TV unit. A transceiver is a device that can both transmit and receive connections. The power transceiver is provided with dual coils which are wound in opposite directions. The patent also details a power supply unit which is placed below the TV but does not physically touches the display unit. Except for this information, other details like the size of the display, type of the display are currently unavailable. According to reports, the TV with this technology will take a few more months to turn into consumer-ready products. Accordingly, the company can showcase such a TV at the upcoming IFA 2019 event or CES 2020.

Also Read: Samsung Is Readying Two More Foldable Phones

March 6, 2019
Xiaomi Launches 32 Inch Mi LED TV 4A Pro In India

Xiaomi launched its new 32 inch smart LED TV in India, which is the Mi LED TV 4A Pro. It was announced at the Redmi Note 7 launch event held in New Delhi on February 28. Xiaomi claims that it is India’s smartest Android TV so far, and that it brings exciting features to the table. The company also launched the Redmi Note 7, Redmi Note 7 Pro and the Mi Bluetooth Wireless Earphones at the event.

Features

The Mi LED TV sports an Ultra-bright HD ready display, which promises vivid colours and enhanced brightness. The display is paired with 20W (10W x 2) stereo speakers with dts-HD support, which deliver a powerful sound experience. The LED TV has thin bezels giving it an elegant appearance. It also has inbuilt PatchWall to personalize content by curating shows and movies for the user.

Xiaomi claims that the Mi LED TV 4A has more than 7,00,000+ hours of content available. All this content is available across streaming services like Hotstar, Voot, TVF and Sony LIV, which are preloaded on the Mi LED TV. It also features inbuilt Play Store Chromecast and the Google Voice Assistant for hands free operation. The TV runs on PatchWall and Android TV OS.

The Smart TV has a powerful 64-bit Quad Core processor to minimize system lag. Furthermore, Mi LED TV has 1GB RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage. Multiple connectivity options such as HDMI, USB 2.0, AV and a 3.5 mm audio jack are available on the television. Wireless connectivity support includes Bluetooth v4.2 and Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz).

Also Read: Xiaomi Launches Redmi Note 7 In India

The MI LED TV 4A Pro 32 is priced at Rs. 12,999 and will be available for purchase from March 7, 12 pm onwards via the Mi Online Store.

February 28, 2019
Samsung Patents Smart Mirror TV, A Mirror & Television As One

Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 saw a lot of smart mirrors being unveiled. Smart mirrors are basically mirrors which have built-in assistants to receive voice commands. Some touchscreen mirrors can also display apps on the screen with extended functionalities, for instance, a smart speaker. It looks like Samsung is also targeting the same market, as it recently published a design patent. The patent clearly indicates that Samsung is working on a smart mirror. However, not taking the conventional approach, Samsung’s newly patented idea shows a TV that can convert into a smart mirror.

We have seen Samsung Smart TVs making their mark in the market. Samsung even designed a lifestyle television called “The Frame” which could be used as an art frame when the TV wasn’t being used. Samsung can use the same concept with the Smart Mirror with some tweaks.

The Patent And Design

The patent was filed in the US with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Shortly afterward, the patent was registered with the Global Design Database of the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO). The patent was actually filed on October 16, 2018. According to the design patent, the Samsung Mirror TV will have a square design with rounded corners. The screen edges look to be almost non-existent, indicating that the device can be illuminated from all sides. The rear of the Mirror TV had space for all the connections and the power supply.

Features

The Mirror TV is supposed to have two different states. In the first state, you can use the device as a television, whereas, in the second state, you can use the device as a mirror. A similar principle was used with Samsung’s “The Frame”. It still isn’t clear how a square television can take the place of the conventional rectangular television, but all we can do is wait for an official launch in the distant future. As per the images included in the patent, it’s possible that you can display the contents of your smartphone directly on the TV. The device is also expected to have touchscreen enabled on the Mirror TV, in addition to Samsung’s very own voice assistant, Bixby.

Also Read: Samsung Teases The Launch Of Its Foldable Phone

Samsung’s Mirror TV design will probably take a lot of time to implement, but once it does, Samsung will have one of the best TV models portfolio in the market.

You can view the patent for the Samsung smart Mirror TV here

February 13, 2019
Benq EL2870U 4K Gaming Monitor, Features & Review
As the supply for high-quality video content increases, more companies have started offering 4K video capable monitor and TVs. BenQ has launched the EL2870U monitor in India which is packed with features, has a sturdy build and supports 4K video.

Specifications and Build

The BenQ EL2870U has a quality plastic build that feels solid and sturdy. It measures 657.9 x 476.27 x 194.6 mm and has a net weight of 5.7 kg. The 4K monitor has thick bezels on all four sides which due to their dark colour feel less intrusive. The bottom bezel of the monitor has a metal strip which looks very attractive and carries the company branding.

As the name suggests, the BenQ EL2870U has a 28 inch TN panel that has a 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160 px and a pixel density of 158 ppi. The display panel has a native contrast ratio of 1000:1 and a maximum brightness level of 300 nits. It has a typical DCR (Dynamic Contrast Ratio) of 12,000,000:1 and supports a 60 Hz refresh rate.

The rear of BenQ EL2870U has universal VESA mounts which allow the monitor to be easily mounted to walls or flat surfaces. The 4K monitor also has dual bottom firing speakers that can produce a maximum sound output of 2 watts each. In terms of connectivity, the BenQ monitor has the following ports:
- 2x HDMI
- 1.4 Display Port
- Power Port
- 3.5mm Audio Out
Features

The BenQ EL2870U 4K monitor is packed with features which range from super-resolution mode to low blue light technology. In super-resolution mode, the monitor simulates high-resolution picture quality by increasing the pixel density of low-resolution standard-definition content for better clarity.

As the name suggests, low blue light technology can filter the amount of blue light that the display panel emits. This feature reduces the strain that is put on eyes while viewing the display for extended periods of time. The monitor offers four different viewing modes which the user can choose as per their needs. The different modes are as follows:
- Multimedia
- Web-surfing
- Office
- Reading
The BenQ EL2870U 4K monitor supports HDR video and B.I+ technology (Brightness Intelligence). With the help of B.I+ technology, the display panel of the monitor can self-adjust its brightness according to ambient light. The display panel of the BenQ EL2870U is equipped with the companies proprietary flicker-free technology which again helps in reducing eye fatigue and potentialities of vision damage.

The BenQ EL2870U 4K monitor has a GTG response time of 1ms that eliminates motion distortion for smooth gaming and video playback. Another noteworthy feature of the BenQ EL2870U 4K monitor is smart focus. This feature dims the area around the selected window that helps the user to concentrate on the main viewing content by reducing distractions in the background.

Box Contents and Price

Except for the monitor itself, BenQ packs the unit with the following items:
- HDMI Cable
- Power Cord
- Detachable Stand
- Drivers CD
- User Manual
The BenQ EL2870U 4K monitor has an MRP of Rs 35,000 but is available for Rs 28,999 on Amazon.in.
February 11, 2019
Mijia, A Xiaomi Subsidiary Launches 4K Video Projector
Xiaomi launched the Mi Laser Projector in the first half of 2017 which was warmly welcomed. Reportedly it raked in sales worth CNY 10 Million in just 2 hours after it first went on sale. The Mi Laser projector was able to project images and videos of 1080p resolution. Mijia, a subsidiary of Xiaomi has launched 4K Projector with the same design. Despite the image resolution bump from 1080p to 4K, the new projector has the same price as the Mi Laser Projector.

Features

The Mijia Laser Projector 4K has the same design as the original Mi Laser Projector but the new model is available in dark grey colour whereas its predecessor was available in white. It has a 0.233:1 large depth of field and has an ultra-short focal lens design. The device has a compact footprint and can rest on top of a TV cabinet and the wall can be utilised as a projectable area.

The Mijia Laser Projector 4K can produce a projection of maximum 150-inch. To project an image of this size, it needs to be placed 49 cm away from the projection area. It can also produce smaller size projections for which the projection area distance can be further reduced. The distance for different screen sizes is as follows:
- 120-inch- 34 cm
- 100-inch- 24 cm
- 80-inch- 14 cm
Most notably, the lens on the projector does not require manual adjustment as it can self adjust depending on screen size selection. According to the company, the lamp on the Mijia 4K projector has an illumination life span of 25,000 hours. For reference, the lamp can be used for 17 years if it is used for 4 hours every day during that span. The projector can reach a maximum brightness level of 1500 lumens when projecting a 150-inch screen. It diffuses the light in such a manner that the screen has a low effect on the viewer’s eye.

The Xiaomi Mijia Laser Projector 4K also has built-in speakers, one USB port, three HDMI ports, sockets for audio and RJ45 connector for internet connectivity. It runs on the same OS as MI smart TVs and is shipped with a wireless remote for controlling different functions.

Price

Also Read: Samsung S10 Launch Billboards Suggest Galaxy Fold Will Launch In February

The Mijia Laser Projector 4K will go on its first sale on 18 January at a price of CNY 14,999 (around Rs 1,57,600). But the company has also announced a presale where the device will be available for only CNY 999(around Rs 1,05,000).
January 16, 2019
Xiaomi Launches Mi Home Projector Lite

Xiaomi has a vast array of products from home electronics, smart home, kitchen appliances, smartphones, televisions, computer appliances – almost everything imaginable. Xiaomi also has had launched projectors in the past, one of which had also won Japan’s 2017 Good Design Award! Now, the company has launched a small portable projector called the Mi Home Projector Lite that can be a perfect fit if you are a movie buff or like to consume your entertainment larger than life. This will be the company’s second projector after the Mi Laser Projector 150 which was released in early 2017.

Specifications

The projector is a compact long-throw projector which is perfect for smaller houses with relatively smaller rooms. However, the small size does not mean that it is less powerful. The projector can project 1080p images between 40 and 200 inches in size with a native aspect ratio of 1.2:1. It also features 500 ANSI LED lamp that has a life of 30,000 hours. The projector supports HDR10 which is great for viewing quality videos.

The projector also features a built-in speaker, along with Dolby Atmos and DTS support which are all handy features to have. But the most impressive feature is it’s built-in Mi TV functionality along with voice control. The projector supports different kinds of wired input connections and has HDMI, USB and aux inputs. It is quite understandable from the name of the product that Xiaomi is aiming to sell these projectors for homes and not necessarily for workplaces.

The projector however will be only available only in White colour and will be sold in China for the moment. It will be amazing to see this sold in India, but there is no news of that yet. The projector is currently up for crowdfunding and will be available for CNY2199 ($320) which will later increase to CNY2499 ($364).

January 16, 2019
Xiaomi Mi LED TV 4A Pro 43 Launched In India
Xiaomi held a launch event where it announced three new products. The list of products launched includes the Mi TV 4X Pro 55, Mi TV 4A Pro 43 and Mi TV Soundbar. Out of the two TVs launched, the Mi TV 4A Pro has a smaller 43-inch display and is more economical.

Click here to buy the Mi TV 4A Pro 43

Design and Features:

The Mi TV 4A Pro 43 measure 970 x 565 mm and tips the scale at 7.4 kg without the base stands. The TV has a 43-inch LED panel with a 60 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 px. The display panel has a viewing angle of 178 degrees and a typical response time of 6.5 milliseconds.

The bottom of the Mi TV 4A Pro 43 houses 2 x 10-watt bottom-firing speakers, power button and base stand mounts. The rear of the TV harbors multiple input and output ports which are as follows:
- 3 x USB
- 3 x HDMI
- 1 x V
- RJ45 Ethernet Connector
- 1 x Auxilary Out
The Mi TV 4A Pro 43 is kitted with a 64-bit quad core Amlogic Cortex A53 CPU along with the Mali-450 GPU. In terms of memory and storage, the smart TV has 1 GB Of RAM and 8 GB of built-in eMMC storage. The TV has a storage temperature fo -15 degree Celsius to 45 degree Celsius and consumes 75 watts of maximum power.

The Mi TV 4A Pro 43 runs on Xiaomi’s in-house developed PatchWall OS. According to the company, PatchWall OS has 7,00,000+ hours of digital content. For wireless connectivity, smart TV also has support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Xiaomi ships the TV with several items which include two base stands, AR11 Bluetooth remote with voice control support, user manual, power cord and screws for attaching the base stands. Except for English and Hindi, the Smart TV supports with 11 other regional languages.

Price And Availability

Click here to buy the Mi TV 4A Pro 43

The Xiaomi Mi TV 4A Pro 43 will be on available Flipkart, Mi.com and Mi Home Stores across the country starting 15th Jan. The Mi TV 4A Pro 43 will be available at a price of Rs 22,999.
January 10, 2019