Ad: Manage updates with the Download App
ie8 fix

philips

Philips Aria, Vibe, Opus MP3 players come to U.S.

According to a recent Philips press release, the Aria and Opus GoGear MP3 players announced for Europe last February are coming to the States, joined by a wallet-friendly newcomer named the GoGear Vibe.

The Philips GoGear Vibe is due out in April, priced at $49 for 4GB, and $59 for 8GB. You can pick the player up in either black or white (the white model looks pretty cool, actually), each featuring a 1.5-inch color screen and support for music, photos, video, FM radio, and voice recording.

If you need an MP3 player with a little more meat to it, … Read more

Emo jacket for the movies (emo boy not included)

This one's from a research team at Philips Electronics.

Designed to enhance the emotional experience of watching a movie, the emo jacket comprises 64 independent actuators, arranged in 16 groups of 4, across the arms and torso. Eight of these, spaced 6 inches apart and located on each sleeve, can create the illusion of being tapped in several spots.

A pair of AA-size cells is sufficient to keep the jacket juiced for an hour, though the team should be looking at extending this since most movies run for about two hours on average.

Lest you're worried, the garment … Read more

Sony, Philips, Panasonic to create single Blu-ray license

Companies that wish to make Blu-ray devices will very soon have a less expensive and simpler licensing process, according to a joint announcement Wednesday from Sony, Philips, and Panasonic.

A new license will be established by mid-2009 as a "one-stop shop" for device makers. The license will include all necessary Blu-ray, DVD, and CD patents for selling Blu-ray players. The licensing program will be handled by a new licensing company to be led by Gerald Rosenthal, former head of intellectual property at IBM. It will be based in the U.S., but will have local branches in Asia, … Read more

Philips plunks down two new MP3 players in E.U.

I thought Philips had finally turned a page last December, when its started giving its MP3 players actual names (not just model numbers) and broke away from its tired black MP3 player designs. Unfortunately, mediocrity has reared it's bland, shapeless head again, as Philips announced two new additions to its GoGear MP3 player line-up destined for Europe in April (no word on whether the U.S. will be so blessed).

The GoGear Ariaz (shown here) is the more unique of the two MP3 players and includes touch-sensitive buttons, a rocker switch for scrolling through menus, a 2-inch screen, FM … Read more

Philips GoGear Spark MP3 player review: adorable and affordable

The GoGear Spark is the first MP3 player we've seen from Philips in years that isn't a study in mediocrity. In fact, the little Oreo cookie-size MP3 player is downright adorable, and a decent bargain at $49 (2GB) or $59 (4GB).

The Spark includes a music player (MP3, WMA), photo viewer, FM radio, and voice recorder. In light of its size and price tag, however, the Spark's most unique feature is its 1.5-inch color screen--an asset dearly lacking from competitors such as the iPod Shuffle or Sansa Clip. The Spark also uses a unique pressure-sensitive screen … Read more

Philips Lighting rides analog-to-digital wave

The lighting industry is changing from analog to digital technologies, a move that could bring traditional semiconductor and IT suppliers into lighting, said Philips Lighting CEO Rudy Provoost.

Before heading the 117-year-old Philips Lighting business, Provoost was CEO of Philips Consumer Electronics, a position that gave him a good understanding of the digital world.

"Over time, as the shift from analog to digital technology continues, we will indeed see companies in the ICT (information and communications technology) world probably get involved in digital lighting," he said.

Potential new competitors would be Asian high-tech manufacturers or semiconductor makers, he … Read more