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Quick Take: Sony KDL-HX729 series

Although CNET did not review the Sony KDL-HX729 series, we did review the similar KDL-NX720.

Comparing the two on Sony's Web site, the HX729 has Sony's "Deep Black Panel" while the NX720 has the "OptiContrast Panel." We can't be sure how this difference affects picture quality, especially in bright rooms, but we suspect the two will have similar black-level performance since both use Sony's Dynamic Edge LED backlight (more info).

The HX729 has a 240Hz refresh rate, compared with the NX720's 120Hz. We don't expect this difference to have a … Read more

Quick Take: Samsung UND7000 series

Although CNET did not review the Samsung UND7000 series, we did review the UND8000 series.

The UND8000 has a higher contrast ratio, and in this case we do expect it to deliver better black-level performance. That's because the UND8000 has local dimming of its edge-lit LED backlight, which the company calls "micro dimming," while the UND7000 does not (more info).

Both TVs have the same ultraslim bezel design, however, so we expect the UND7000 to share the uniformity flaws we saw on the UND8000. The bezel of the 7000 has black accents, whereas the 8000 is entirely … Read more

Quick Take: Sharp LC-60LE632U

Although CNET did not review the Sharp LC-60LE632U, we did review the LC-60LE830U.

Comparing the two on Sharp's Web site, the 830U has a slightly higher contrast ratio and Sharp's Quattron technology. In practice we doubt either specification difference will make a big difference in picture quality (more info). In our testing of the 832U, Quattron provided no benefit to color accuracy.

The 830U also has a slightly different design, with squared-off edges and somewhat larger dimensions and weight. It includes a built-in subwoofer as well.

As far as we can tell there are no other major differences … Read more

Galaxy Tab users to get TouchWiz update tomorrow

Owners of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet will receive an update starting tomorrow that will deliver the TouchWiz UX interface and a host of other enhancements.

Sent OTA (over the air), the update package will include Samsung's revamped Media Hub service, Samsung Kies 2.0 support for PCs and Macs, and mobile features for the enterprise crowd.

The most notable feature of the update, the customizable TouchWiz interface, runs on top of Android 3.1 Honeycomb. Among its many options is a Live Panel, which offers home screen widgets that show you the latest news, weather, e-mail, … Read more

Apple releases printer driver and QuickTime 7.7 updates

Apple has released driver updates to supply additional support for printer and scanner devices from HP, Samsung, and Brother. These updates are for OS X 10.6 and include all the printer drivers supported on OS X from the respective companies. Apple uses its Common Unix Printing System (CUPS) in OS X, that uses generic driver sets that are enhanced to support specific features and functions of individual printer models, so as new models come out Apple can more easily tweak drivers to work with them. The latest printer drivers can be found at the following locations:

HP Printer Drivers v.2.7 for Mac OS X v10.6… Read more

Search and scroll

Google puts incredible amounts of information at our fingertips, and it usually does a pretty good job of producing results that are relevant to what we're looking for. Sometimes, however, the specific things we want to know are buried within lengthy Web pages and aren't immediately obvious. Google Quick Scroll is an extension for Chrome that aims to quickly identify relevant information within Google search results, saving users time and frustration. It's not perfect, but it works.

Like most Chrome extensions, Google Quick Scroll installs easily. Using it is simply a matter of using Google as you … Read more

Three time-saving extensions for Google Chrome

Whether you're checking your e-mail, looking through bookmarks or trying to find things on the Web, these extensions are built to save your precious time. Check out the list below and give them a spin.

1. Mail Checker Plus for Google Mail. If you have Chrome open often, there's no need for the desktop Gmail notifier once you have this extension. A chime will sound as a new e-mail arrives, and the icon will do a little dance back and forth. Not to mention the fact that you can pick from a range of color options indicating … Read more

Quick Take: Sharp LC-LE835U series

Although CNET has not reviewed the Sharp LC-LE835U series, we did review a similar TV model, the LC-LE830U series.

According to the manufacturer the major difference between the two is that the LC-LE835U series is 3D-compatible and works with active 3D glasses (not included). See our 3D TV FAQ for more. The 835 has a 240Hz refresh rate, while the 830 has a 120Hz refresh rate. We don't expect this difference to have a major impact on picture quality. Check out the article 240Hz: What you need to know for details.

The 835 also has a glossy screen finish … Read more

Quick Take: Sharp LC-60LE831U

Although CNET did not review the Sharp LC-60LE831U, which is exclusive to Best Buy, we did review a similar, non-exclusive TV, the LC-60LE830U.

According to the manufacturer the only differences between the two are that Best Buy's LC-60LE831U lacks Quad Pixel Plus and IP Control features, and that the dynamic contrast ratio specification on the 831U is 5,000,000:1, compared with the 830U's 6,000,000:1.

We don't expect the difference in contrast ratio specification to have a major impact on picture quality, but we can't say for sure since we haven't … Read more