Samsung gave us a detailed tour of its new TVs today, as well as a look at the world’s slimmest Blu-ray player, the 7500. It goes without saying that the player is a sleek machine, and is also wall mountable. It includes browsing and Samsung’s new smart hub technology, connecting users to its app store and other network accessories.
But the scene stealer was easily the 75-inch HD3D LED TV, the LX9500. We heard conflicting reports as to the TVs future status – one exhibitor told us the TV was purely in its concept phase while another said it was expected to be out for the second half of the year. We’ll update as soon as we hear more, but they both agreed that there is no price estimate.
We also got a chance to try on the already famously flexible 3D glasses that Samsung’s developed. They are, as promised, extremely flexible and seem like they would hold up well under considerable wear and tear. Of course they dim the picture but are still significantly brighter than any others we’ve tried on to this point. The TV will also be available (conceivably sooner) in the more consumer-friendly 46-inch and 55-inch models as well.
There weren’t only monstrous, bank-breaking TVs on display in Samsung’s booth though. The 7 and 8 LED series were also available, and include 3D, Wi-Fi, and web browsing. The step up, the 8000 and 7900 are identical to the others except for a sleeker body and can pair with the touch screen remote, a new accessory Samsung is marketing that also includes a full Qwerty keyboard and a screen to for additional program viewing in additional to traditional remote capabilities.
One other interesting accessory Samsung showed us was its prescription 3D glasses. Any lens wearer has been generally left out of any 3D hype, but now their individual optical prescriptions will be built-into the devices, eliminating the discomfort of wearing two frames at once.
Samsung also focused on its plasma lineup, adding its Plasma Plus+ technology to the TVs. The update generally means the devices now use a thinner bezel and a thicker screen than the last generation had. The higher end plasma TVs also include features like limited to full browsing capabilities and brighter screens.
Along with its home entertainment products, we also got an intimate look at Samsung’s 8-inch touchscreen built into its new refrigerator. While home appliances aren’t really our style, this touchpad functions as a tablet installed into the refrigerator and gives full access to apps like Pandora, Facebook, and Epicurious, as well as has Wi-Fi and an SD card slot. You can also share any of its saved media with other smart devices.
There’s also Samsung’s new 9 series netbook. It’s the developer’s answer to the MacAir (everyone seems to have one this year) and it’s definitely going to turn heads. It’s a sleek, 16.3 mm thin machine with tapered edges and 13.3 LED backlit display, and it weighs under three pounds. As we heard at Intel’s press conference yesterday, it’s going to be powered by the manufacturer’s new Sandy Bridge core processor and will have a 128 SSD as well as integrated graphics. With some a miniature body, you’d think Samsung would have to skimp on some hardware features but it has two USB ports as well as an HDMI port. Samsung told us it will be available in February for approximately $1,599 – although the price is subject to change.
