Samsung intros 3D Blu-ray player with Wi-Fi, apps
Samsung has announced its first 3D Blu-ray player, which will also feature built-in Wi-Fi and the capability to access the company's new Samsung Apps platform.
LAS VEGAS--As we predicted, 3D is coming to Blu-ray and Samsung has announced its first 3D Blu-ray player, the BD-C6900. Details on the player are scarce, but here's what Samsung has announced so far:
Key features of the Samsung BD-C6900:
- 3D Blu-ray player
- Slim design with a transparent cover
- Supports Internet@TV/Samsung Apps, which will provide content from Netflix, Pandora, Vudu, Blockbuster, Picasa, and Twitter
- 15 second disc load; 15 second boot up
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- No release date or pricing announced
3D is obviously a big story at CES 2010 and the BD-C6900 will be part of the first crop of Blu-ray player to support the new technology. As far as whether 3D Blu-ray is going to be worth the price premium, we haven't had enough hands-on testing with the new format to draw any conclusions--although we lean toward the skeptical side. It's worth mentioning that 3D Blu-ray will likely require a compatible HDTV and a new HDMI 1.4 cable, so the true cost of 3D will be relatively high.
Internet@TV and Samsung Apps are Samsung's new proprietary content portal for home theater products. As of now, it's not perfectly clear exactly how it will work; According to Samsung, the first free apps will launch in the spring, with premium apps following in the summer. There's no word yet as to whether services like Netflix and Vudu will be free or premium apps. With other players offering the same functionality for free, we expect it will be difficult to charge a premium for standard streaming media apps like Netflix.
Both 3D and Internet@TV/Samsung Apps raise more questions than answers, and there's no pricing or release date for the BD-C6900. We'll have to wait for more information before we're able to get a handle on how it will compare with other Blu-ray players announced at CES 2010.
