3D TVs, cameras and ebooks highlight Samsung 2010 showcase

Samsung held a product showcase in Singapore this week to show off its hero products for 2010. While many of the devices were first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, this regional forum clarified pricing and availability for specific models we'll see hitting the Australian market in the coming months.

Like CES, 3D TVs were the star of the show. More cameras, including Samsung's answer to the growing segment of interchangeable lens compacts, the NX10, featured prominently as did some new laptops and even a Samsung ebook. Click through our photo gallery for more info.

Pam Carroll attended the Singapore Forum as a guest of Samsung.

In 2009, Samsung made a big splash with LED TVs. It is jumping in with the same enthusiasm for 3D this year, introducing full HD 3D options across its LED, LCD and plasma range, for a total of five models all up by mid-year.

We're not sure what the very tall, rather strangely-dressed models had to do with 3D, but there were plenty on hand at the launch.

Samsung claims its built-in 3D processors can be applied to automatically convert 2D viewing into 3D in real time — be it broadcast TV, games or your existing DVD library. We didn't get much chance to see the 3D conversion process in action, but we'll have a very close look at that when we get our first review units in. If that doesn't do it for you, there will also be a 3D copy of

There will be two or four packs of active shutter 3D glasses bundled with all 3D TVs. Samsung's frames are extremely lightweight (good), but we'd guess they'd be easy to break if left between the sofa cushions (potentially bad).

Due out in April, Samsung's first 2010 3D TV in Australia will be the C7000, a full HD LED TV that also includes an Ethernet port and wireless-ready capabilities for the company's Internet@TV feature and gateway to Samsung Apps, an HDTV-based applications store. A 63-inch 3D plasma, the PDP 7000 (RRP AU$5,499) is also due for release in April.

So far, the content providers lined up for Internet@TV include YouTube,

Skype video calling will also be available on Samsung 7000 and 8000 LED series models in 2010. The proprietary webcam needed to Skype is extra, but it includes four speakers and simply attaches to the top of your set by magnets.

The top of the Samsung 3D range on show was its full HD, 200Hz LED 9000. This flagship model oozes style with a (literally) pencil-thin 7.9mm brushed aluminium bezel. To achieve this new thin benchmark, the panel's TV tuner, AV sockets and loudspeakers have been offloaded to its swivel stand. But be patient, the LED 9000 is not scheduled for release in Australia until August.

Control

The Blu-ray player line-up for 2010 includes two new models. To continue the slim-theme, the BC-C7500 (pictured) is only 28mm high and can be wall mounted on a 25-degree angle stand. The upcoming BC-C6900 features 3D playback and multi-channel HD surround sound. Both have wireless LAN built-in and support Samsung Internet@TV. This is good news for those who bought Samsung LED TVs in 2009, as they offer a way to access Samsung Apps and the online content there without upgrading the screen itself.

The star digital camera of the show was the NX10, which throws down a strong challenge to all the vendors trying to grab a stake in the growing market for compact cameras with interchangeable lenses. Samsung claims the lightweight, 353g NX10 beats its Micro Four Thirds competition from Panasonic and Olympus due to its larger CMOS sensor, which collects 50 per cent more data to produce better image quality. It also boasts a beaut 3-inch AMOLED screen, which is becoming more common on many Samsung mobile phones.

Available in Australia by the end of March, the NX10 will initially be available in two lens bundles — with the 18-55mm standard zoom lens (pictured) for AU$899, or with a 30mm pancake lens for AU$849. A 50-200mm telezoom lens is also on offer for AU$549. Samsung says its NX lens offerings will grow to eight by the end of the year. It also expects third-party lens adapters to be available later in the year too, which makes the NX10 more attractive to those who have investments in non-Samsung lenses.

Samsung's ultra-compact camcorder, the HMX-U20 (AU$299), is trying to capitalise on the "my-movie's-on-the-web" craze by including a built-in USB port and a one-touch Upload button that links directly to YouTube. It records in 1920x1080 resolution and has an HDMI port to display directly onto HD televisions and monitors.

The R580 multimedia notebook and the N210 netbook were the pick of Samsung's new consumer laptop products. Samsung claims the N210 stands out from the netbook crowd with its full-sized keyboard and 12 hours of battery life. The company is also leveraging its expertise with mobile operators by offering a quad-band 3G version on monthly plans through Telstra and Optus.

While Samsung took the opportunity to show off its first e-readers (with 10- and 6-inch models), details were still rather sketchy on pricing and exactly how the company is going to approach the digital book market in Australia. Samsung execs were keen to point out that their eBook enables handwriting directly on the display and that it also could connect with its new interactive touchscreen whiteboard — implying they saw applications in the business and education sectors as well as with book-loving punters.