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The combo TV fireplace--just shoot us

This would be laughable if it weren't so sad, but apparently the "Plasma TV Fireplace" is here to stay. Picture House Cabinets has come up with a new version of its fully functional hearth that conceals a pop-up flat screen, according to Shiny Shiny, this one complete with marble finish (so classy).

We understand that furniture makers are struggling to adjust to the era of plasmas and LCDs, but this is nothing more than an exercise in poor taste. It's also an example of technological perversion at its worst, as described in the company's product … Read more

Sharp adds touchpad to the remote

This one definitely falls under the category of What Took Them So Long? Universal remotes have claimed (dubiously) to do everything under the sun, but they've gotten increasingly difficult to use by cramming in more keys and buttons, not to mention indecipherable commands.

Sharp has responded to that frustration with "the world's first remote controller with a touchpad," according to Gearfuse, for its updated line of Aquos TV-PCs. The design overhaul means 40 percent fewer buttons and computer-like navigation on the remote.

The new products appear to be available only in Japan for now, but we'… Read more

LCD monitors for the sake of art

With monitors breaking the 30-inch mark, a 20.1-inch LCD seems downright puny--which may be one reason Europe's Formac is taking a distinctly aesthetic route to market its new displays. It makes good sense regardless of size because the "Gallery 2010 Xtreme-5" is aimed at professional designers and photographers, with a "unique controller board" for color rendering, according to PCLaunches.

As companies continue to expand their thinking on monitors, we've seen designs that look appropriate for settings ranging from architect's offices to museums. As long as they don't take the form of … Read more

Sony breeds bevies of Bravias

Just when you thought Sony's 2006 lineup of flat-panel LCD HDTVs was getting a little long in the tooth, out come the 2007 models. Today the company announced seven new Bravias, an acronym for--I kid you not--"Best Resolution Audio Visual Integrated Architecture." In fact, a whole press release was dedicated to how Sony intends to extend the brand to nontelevision products, like home-theater systems, but I doubt anyone outside Sony's marketing department cares. And if you happen to care about how much you'll be asked to spend on the new TVs, you're out … Read more

Sony slims 1080p LCD rear-projection TVs

Some of the more notable products announced at the Sony line show today are three rear-projection HDTVs--remember those?--that use LCD technology housed in foot-deep cabinets. Sony has been selling LCD-based RPTVs such as these as its somewhat less-expensive alternative to SXRD-based rear-projectors such as these (more info), but this year there's a new twist: Two of the three LCDs have 1080p native resolution, the highest available today. In other words, just one 2007 Sony RPTV so far, the KDF-37H1000, will have less than 1080p resolution.

The two new 1080p LCDs, the 46-inch KDF-46E3000 and the 50-inch KDF-50E3000, are … Read more

TV hides the bed, and vice-versa

Remember the TV that hides under your bed? Well now we have a bed that hides under your TV.

It's not an exact opposite, however, because this bed is actually vertical when in hiding. As BornRich points out, the flat TV appears when the Murphy bed folds into its upright position, exposing an underside that looks remarkably like a wall unit. But we're not sure how comfortable we'd be swinging our TV set around like this every night, not to mention the fact that we'd never be able to doze off while watching Letterman.

Neither concern … Read more

Turn the backyard into a theater

It may not seem like it, but winter will end someday. And when it does, you'll wish you'd gotten an "Ultimate Outdoor Theater." Cal Spas, a hot tub manufacturer that's almost synonymous with the California lifestyle, has taken a giant leap into the upscale realm with this all-in-one system. And we do mean all in one. In addition to an anti-fog, anti-glare 63-inch LCD television, surround sound, a DVD player, iPod docking station and satellite radio receiver, BornRich says the setup includes a five-burner grill, wet bar, weather-proof recliners and two fire pits--with everything built … Read more

But officer, I was just watching TV

Well, at least the marketers of this in-car video system made some kind of attempt to make their product seem road-safe: They portrayed it on the passenger side, not the driver's.

Nice try, but we seriously doubt that the "Sun Visor TV/DVD Theater" could be ignored by anyone in the car, especially the driver sitting right next to it. It's not that we have anything against video entertainment on the road; we'd love to have a 7-inch LCD and FM transmitter like this one seen on Red Ferret, especially for extended trips, and it … Read more