Smart TV – allowing you to access the
Internet on TV – is more and more important with the tendency that
manufacturers add a plenty of features into their TVs. In CES this year in Las
Vegas, even companies who hadn’t often involved in TV production started to
take actions. Here is the latest addition to the Smart TV.
Ubuntu TV
After the statement that it wanted the
version of Linux open source operation system became the base of multi-screen,
Ubuntu TV released at CES, showing that how Linux could be used to make TV
smarter.
Though in the demo stage, Ubuntu revealed
the design which proved the concept of running on Boxee Box media streamer. It
also showed its ambition of integrating this operation system direct into the
TV with the final version, put it in the centre of home entertainment system.
Currently, it was designed to work without
Internet connectivity; besides, the final version would be able to access the
online contents. In reality, it would be an extremely important part of the
system, but at first Ubuntu wanted the public “paid less attention to the saved
contents”. This meant all of the contents were taken from the online services
and network as well as presented together with an easily using interface.
Besides, Ubuntu is on the way of adding
more content services. At this moment, Ubuntu One store only offers music, but
it is finding a way to expand it by bringing video into its platform. The one
and only key to this is having the suitable hardware to play all types of video
which customers will desire to use. To any TV with the installed operation
system, hardware acceleration is the essential matter. Both ARM and x86 are
well supported, but basing on the fact that Intel didn’t concentrate on TV, the
system can run on the ARM CPU.
For an illustration, Ubuntu ran the speed
of 60fps but had no degraded sings while playing Full HD 1080p video. Once
again, everything can be totally changed before the final version but the
interface was quite neat. Video were divided into many sections counting on the
fact that whether they were bought, rented or recorded.
You can enjoy Live TV with a clever
integrated manual. Support for a built-in PVR is available in advance;
therefore, you can record through the user interface. TV instructions allow you
to know what are available and built-in with any PVR utility installed into the
TV.
Its source code has been released to the
open source community and Ubuntu is on the way to discuss with the potential
partners. There will be information at the end of this year along with the
Ubuntu illustration on several different types of products.
MySpace TV released
Justin Timberlake – the one who acted in
the film “Social network” in 2010 and currently is a shareholder of MySpace –
was on stage in CES 2012 to inform that the website of this social network
would re-define the way how we watched TV.
Between the exclusive corporation with
Panasonic and Viera Connect platform, the social network giant would release
MySpace TV. The services were totally designed to offer the exclusive channels,
as well as other social network features.
“MySpace will let you enjoy the experience
of where everybody can connect with what others are fond of along with connect
with each others basing on the shared love”, Timberlake mentioned.
MySpace TV will supply an application to
Panasonic customers which will allows them to watch every channel and use
social network features as mentioning above. Furthermore, this service was
introduced in accompany with music - MySpace has a library with more than 42
million songs and 100 thousands music video – however, news, sport coverage and
reality shows will be definitely available.
MySpace
TV social viewing to launch on Panasonic Viera HDTVs
The content for MySpace TV will pass by
many providers, including services on request and real time television
programs.
What makes MySpace TV extremely
differentiated is the social network aspect. The users can share the contents,
have a look of what is hot among friends recently as well as what a virtual
programs with friends, comment about in real time.
The online synchronization enables you to
have a look at the content on tablets, smartphone or computers, or even send to
your friends to join. This service is also potential for the “live
transmitting” to anything you are watching; therefore, the action of switching
from the tablet to TV just needs one press.
While it looks pretty smart, we are not
completely sure that whether it is enough to change it destiny; everything
depends on the available content. There are no further details about its
publishing in England.
Samsung brought web to any TV
The latest home entertainment device of
Samsung, InTouch, was absolutely designed in order to offer the Internet
services available on the new premium HD TV into the older models. It is not as
impressive from the appearance, including a sleek black unit by the side of the
TV and a remote control which looks a little bit weird with a large panel with
buttons. Nevertheless, its capability is so amazing.
InTouch is actually Android device, which
runs the heavily skinned Android 2.3 version. There is no support for the
application downloading but it has a wide range of installed applications.
Its main feature is Skype, with the 3MP
webcam of the device supporting images for video chat and a two-way microphone
for audio. It also offers access to YouTube video, though in the resolution of
720p. Having web browsers, it can enable you to browse images on the internal
storage devices which connected with the USB ports or from online websites. We
didn’t announce it now but it maybe includes several websites such as Flickr
and Picasa.
The setting of this device is quite easy by
using advanced-installed wireless 802.11n. The one and only cable, apart from
the wire, is HDMI. The tiny keyboard of the remote control seems to be fine to
type the URL address, but a long email can make us exhausted and tired.
InTouch was on sales in the USA in Mar at
the price of $199, and will be available in England in the middle of this year.
