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Sharp LCD beats bands, belittles electricity bill

It's been awhile since we reviewed a Sharp TV. The last big-screen model was the company's LC-52D64U from more than a year ago. At the time we liked most aspects of the TV's performance, but there was one big problem we noticed in that TV and in models we reviewed in previous years:

The bad: Uneven uniformity manifests as irregular bands across screen.

Judging from the new 52-inch LC-52D65U we reviewed, Sharp has finally beaten the bands. We noticed no untoward uniformity issues with our review sample, and its picture quality was all-around decent given its entry-level place in the big-screen LCD totem pole. This Energy Star 3.0-compliant set is also one of the most efficient we've tested, thanks in part to a new power saving mode.

Read the full review of the Sharp LC-52D65U.

… Read more

Sharp's Aquos LCD TV with Blu-ray recorder inside

Sharp will make the first LCD TV with a Blu-ray Disc recorder built in.

The high-definition disc recorder will be wedged into the side of Aquos DX-series TVs. It will have dual digital tuners, allowing users to watch and record simultaneously on different channels. It will record using the encoding format MPEG4 H.264/AVC.

The TVs will be available in sizes ranging between 26 inches and 52 inches for the equivalent of $4,923 to $1,674.

The catch? They're only available in Japan for now, but Sharp is planning to sell it in the U.S. by … Read more

Photos: Gadgets at Ceatec, day 1

CHIBA, Japan--The entire Makuhari Messe convention center here in Chiba, just outside Tokyo, is packed to the gills with technology. But it's not just completed products. Though several halls are, of course, full of TVs and phones and notebooks and Blu-ray players, there are also entire halls dedicated to parts: LEDs, LCD screens, batteries, and other important building blocks of consumer electronics. Over the next few days we'll bring as much of it to you as we can. In the meantime, have a look at this gallery from day one of Ceatec 2008.

Click here for more coverage of Ceatec 2008.… Read more

The smart cell key phone

In the latest move by convergence, your car keys are about to be swallowed up by your cell phone. The big goal of convergence seems to involve emptying our pockets, not of cash, although that is a side effect, but of things. The fully equipped tech nerd used to carry a cell phone, PDA, MP3 player, and digital camera. Cell phones took over all those functions, so convergence went rummaging through your pockets looking for something else to subsume. And it found your car keys, which, thanks to new smart keys, can easily be converged into the cell phone.

Nissan, … Read more

Report: Pioneer bringing LCD TVs to North America next year

Plasma TV purveyor Pioneer is bringing its LCD TVs to North America and Japan early next year, according to reports.

A Pioneer representative in the U.S. didn't have an immediate comment on the report in the Japan Corporate News Network citing unnamed Pioneer officials as saying at a recent company product showcase that it will bring 32-inch and 37-inch LCD TVs to Asia and North America "in the first half of 2009." The report also says Sharp will be supplying the panels, but doesn't give any model names.

But it makes sense. Pioneer is already … Read more

HDTV makers turn to budget stores, larger screens

LOS ANGELES--There are a lot of bad economic winds swirling, but the high-definition television industry doesn't appear to be moved.

Here at DisplaySearch's HDTV Conference, there is far less handwringing than in past years, when manufacturers complained about rapidly falling prices, the sudden appearance of too many brands, and consumer confusion.

Instead, far more confident industry leaders led a discussion Tuesday that revolved around how to make gentle adjustments to keep the HDTV sales machine in top condition. In North America, shipments are still increasing 17 percent year over year, according to DisplaySearch data. And this is despite … Read more

Sharp rolls out two new Blu-ray players, but both are Profile 1.1

Earlier this year, Sharp introduced the BD-HP20U, which was the company's first Blu-ray player and at the time offered the fastest load times of any standalone Blu-ray player, loading up discs in as little as six seconds. Sharp is now following up on its initial player with two new models--the BD-HP21U and BD-HP50U--which both offer the quick start feature and relatively low prices tags. Let's take a look at their key features:

Sharp BD-HP21U

Key features of the Sharp BD-HP21U:

Blu-ray Profile 1.1 Onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Quick start option loads discs … Read more

Steam oven heats things up

The name of the Sharp Healsio Oven comes from healthy oven, adapted to healthy-o with a bit of a Japanese pronunciation. The oven uses superheated steam to cook foods, melting away fats and reducing salts in your food without losing the vitamins that other cooking methods often remove from food. Meats cooked in the Healsio are exceptionally juicy and retain the flavors and textures lost in more traditional ovens. The oven can grill, bake, reheat, and defrost.

The Healsio has an appearance similar to a microwave oven, although a bit larger. It can fit comfortably on a counter top. When … Read more