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Ken Olsen, founder of DEC, dead at 84

Ken Olsen, co-founder of the defining technology company of a bygone era, Digital Equipment Corporation, has died. He was 84.

A spokeswoman for Gordon College in Massachusetts, where Olsen was a trustee and prominent donor, confirmed Monday evening Twitter reports of his death on Sunday. Olsen's company dominated the minicomputer era of the tech industry from the 1960s through the 1980s with the PDP and VAX series computers, and was a key part of the famed Route 128 technology corridor just outside Boston, along with companies like Data General and Wang.

"Ken Olsen is in the elite club … Read more

Motion control for the Xbox 360: Gametrak Freedom

Whether or not you think the Xbox 360 could use a motion controller, Performance Designed Products (or PDP) will be releasing such a device for the console this fall called the Gametrak Freedom. While the Freedom will use several accelerometers for mapping pitch, roll, and yaw, the controller differs from the Wii remote because of something called ultrasonic 3D positioning.

Unlike the Wii remote, which uses an infrared (IR) lamp for operation, the Freedom will come with two sensors that will be placed on both sides of your display. This setup will enable a more accurate dimensional detection along with … Read more

Pioneer Kuro PDP-5020FD reviewed, and why Panasonic is rated higher

For quite some time, the battle for CNET's "Best HDTV Overall" has essentially been between Pioneer's and Panasonic's plasmas. Plasma technology may be losing market share every year, but it's still the clear winner when it comes to image quality, thanks to deep, rich blacks that LCDs still can't match. And the conventional wisdom lately has basically been that Pioneer is the best bet for flat-panel videophiles, due to its industry-best black levels (excluding Sony's little OLED set.)

We posted our full review of the Pioneer Kuro PDP-5020FD on Friday, and home … Read more

Plasma manufacturers can't keep up with LCD

Though revenue from plasma display panels (PDPs) shipments is on an upswing right now, that's not going to last, according to iSuppli.

It's been predicted for some time now that liquid crystal display (LCD) panels would eat away at the plasma industry, and now market research indicates that plasma panels--including the kind used in TVs--will reach their revenue-generating peak in the next two years. Plasma makers made $7.7 billion last year, and are on track to make $8.6 billion this year. In 2008, they'll top out at $10.2 billion, according to iSuppli.

It's … Read more

China won't let the CRT die

Though Japanese television manufacturers have mostly ditched tube TV manufacturing, their Chinese counterparts are just getting started exporting the sets.

In 2007, China's TV exports will for the first time surpass its domestic shipments, according to a new report from market research firm iSuppli. That's a direct result of Japan's TV makers' decision to focus on the more lucrative business of flat-panel sets, which bring in significantly higher margins, said Kathleen Zhang, iSuppli's China analyst. China will export 39.6 million TVs this year, and ship 38.3 million domestically, iSuppli said.

Though more U.S. … Read more

Enjoy the power of the Pioneer PDP-5070HD

Many years ago, I was unfortunate enough to experience one of life's grandest tragedies. Well worn, and battle scared my television decided to change occupations and become a paper weight. Almost immediately I noticed that my house had become engulfed in an eldritch silence. Emergency plans were created and deployed. I tried going outside, and even reading a book, but nothing could fill the void left by the loss of my glowing friend. I only wish I had an opportunity to replace it with one of the many, increasingly affordable, plasma TV delights such as the Pioneer PDP-5070HD. Fortunately, … Read more

Pioneer unveils its 2007 plasma HDTV lineup

Gizmodo's got the early scoop on the new Pioneer plasmas. Early prototypes of these eighth-generation panels turned heads when they were originally on display at January's Consumer Electronics Show, and the company has finally supplied the pricing and availability details for the entire line:

Pioneer PDP-4280HD (42-inch, $2,700, June) Pioneer PDP-5080HD (50-inch, $3,500, June) Pioneer Elite PRO-950HD (42-inch, $3,200, July) Pioneer Elite PRO-1150HD (50-inch, $4,500, July)

1080p models: Pioneer PDP-5010FD (50-inch, $5,000, September) Pioneer PDP-6010FD (60-inch, $6,500, September) Pioneer Elite PRO-110FD (50-inch, $6,000, September) Pioneer Elite PRO-150FD (60-inch, $7,500, September) … Read more