Perhaps it's a knock on effect of the global rescession, but the latest report by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising has found that TV viewing is at the highest it has been in 18 years.

Viewers watched an average of 3.75 hours of TV a day last year, the highest figure since 1992, according to IPA research.

As one would expect to find, the first and last quarters of the year, with less daylight and fewer people away on holiday, tended to show the highest television viewing figures.

Interestingly, the IPA revealed that only 8.2 % of UK households relied on an analogue signal to catch their favourite shows, showing that the digital switch-over is almost complete.

While ITV and GMTV gathered 19% of the total television audience in the last three months of 2009, likely thanks to the popularity of the X-Factor, BBC1 continued to achieve the highest share of all the terrestrial channels, at 21%. All five analogue channels continue to lose ground however, as multi-channel satellite options grow in prominence.

Name: iViewer (Cello)

Type: 32" LCD TV

Specs:

• Contrast ratio: 3,000:1
• Resolution: Full HD (1920 x 1080p)
• Connectivity: 2x HDMI, Composite, VGA, PC Audio, S-Video, 2x Scart, RF, 2x USB, Ethernet
• Speakers: Nicam Stereo 2x 10 W
• Dimensions:22"H (including base) x 31"W x 4" D
• Features: BBC iPlayer, Web TV, DLNA home networking, news widgets
• Price: £499

Brit based TV manufacturers Cello have made a bold move with their iViewer range. By being one of the earliest web-connected TVs and the first to have BBC's iPlayer as a built-in widget, they are going where none of the big name brands have gone before. But has capitalising upon this brief window of opportunity left them flailing elsewhere with the set? Certainly, but the TV does still hold it's own.

Sensibly, Cello have kept the aesthetics here rather simple. A glossy black frame about two thirds of an inch thick surrounds the screen, while a speaker bar about an inch in height lies just underneath. The screen can be wall mounted, but at 22"H (including base) x 31"W x 4" D it's rather chunky. I'd recommend using the supplied base stand, which is again glossy, black and discrete. Also, while the main manual supplied is perfectly acceptable, the visual guide thrown in is an absolute joke. It verges on Engrish and looks as though it was put together on MS Paint.

Keeping in mind this is at the budget end of the market for a full HD set (£499), the iViewer's picture quality is reasonably good. 1080p playback of the "Che: Part One" Blu-ray over HDMI through a PS3 showed an acceptably sharp image with a good range of strong colours in brighter scenes, as you would expect with an LCD as opposed to a Plasma. Night scenes were less impressive: there was a fair amount of noise, black levels were respectable but hardly deep and response times suffered in fast moving shots. As a result of the noise and sluggish response times, it doesn't score highly as a set for gaming, as proven by a quick session with "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2". For the money you're paying the image here holds up well, but don't expect it to go troubling the big guns.

Likewise, the speakers aren't the greatest. Hollow and echoey, it's a muddled sound that has little in the way of bass, and poor definition between the mids and treble. Higher volumes sometimes caused a slight rattling too.

But, if you've been following this set, you're likely already aware that this isn't exactly a technophiles television. No, the iViewer's trump card lies in its internet-connected capabilities, or more specifically its BBC iPlayer widget, where it does honestly shine.

Getting connected to the web is relatively simple, via either an optional USB Wi-Fi dongle or Ethernet cable. The input connections area on the back of the TV is far too cramped (especially as the USB Wi-Fi dongle is a bit of a sizey beast), but once you're plugged in it's just a matter of finding your network and entering your WEP key, text message style, with the remote control.

The iPlayer interface (and the TV's web UI in general) was designed by Oregon Networks. They've done a great job. It's a good looking UI across all of the web menus, with big icons simple and well defined for the casual user. There's even a dedicated button on the remote for the iPlayer for easy-access to the service. Searching through the iPlayer catalogue will be easy for anyone remotely familiar with the web service. While playback controls can be a little clunky, visually the iPlayer footage scrubs up quite well on the larger screen, providing you don't expect HD levels of clarity.

Web TV channels didn't fair so well. There are 12 in all at present, including a fully-searchable YouTube, Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food and the Sesame Street podcast. Quality of content varies across each, both visually and in terms of entertainment value, and thanks to some unexplainable file error, I couldn't access the Sesame Street one at all. Which was obviously heartbreaking. Also, the news widgets could do with a little more interactivity, and more options in terms of feed providers.

However, the DLNA home network access is strong and very accessible. Providing your PC is on and sharing allowed, you can access pictures, MP3s and a wide range of the most popular video files including AVI and WMV stored on your computer, though I couldn't get high-def formats to work. In a nice touch, MP3s continue to play in the background whilst you browse other folders for content. It's also worth noting that playback is possible from USB memory sticks, providing you can squeeze it in next to the dongle.

As is now standard, there is also an integrated TV tuner in the iViewer. Visually, broadcasts are good. There was a little noise and a few artefacts, but on the whole very watchable. The 7 day EPG however looks horrendous; from a technical standpoint it's perfectly functional and easy to navigate, but fonts are jagged and the most lurid mix of sharp blues and yellows are used.

While it's far from perfect, it's nevertheless hard to dislike the iViewer. The picture and sound quality aren't the best we've ever seen by a long shot, but it's not epically bad. Just especially average. And while some aspects of the web service don't work too well, the home networking and iPlayer are great, especially as this represents the first roll of the dice for the BBC service on TVs. As you'd expect from a product that's currently a Marks and Spencer's exclusive, it keeps it head down and gets the job done. And if you aren't happy, that M&S guarantee will have you covered.

3/5

Pick up the IViewer here

The argument over whether or not top-end cabling makes a noticeable difference to your home-cinema gear will forever rage between technophiles. If you're on the side of the fence that believes more expensive cabling gets the job done better for your HD kit, have a look at IXOS's XEN XHT6688 HDMI cable.

The XEN XHT668 HDMI cable is designed to work with all HDMI v1.4 components including those with Ethernet capabilities, allowing an internet enabled HDMI device to share its connection across the cable.

24k gold plated conductors are used to prevent oxidisation in the cable and a nitrogen gas-injected polyethylene dielectric is used to ensure accurate impedance transfer of HDMI 1.4 Category 2 with Ethernet signals.

The cabling will also be 3D ready, and will support 4kx2k resolutions once they go commercial.

The XEN XHT668 HDMI cable doesn't come cheap though. You're looking at £129.99 for a 1.5m cable. I'd have wanted AT LEAST 1.6m for that price...

For more info, visit www.ixos.co.uk.

Samsung have confirmed that BBC's iPlayer TV catch-up service will be hitting their web-connected TVs in the coming months. The news comes after much rumour and speculation around the possibility of iPlayer hitting the major manufacturer's sets at this year's CES.

A broadband connection to the internet will be all that's necessary to enjoy the BBC service through a Samsung web TV. The iPlayer app will come pre-installed, ready to use straight out of the box.

The Samsung sets will also feature LoveFilm's online DVD rental service and Muzu.tv's legal music video streaming app.

The BBC's Director of Future Media and Technology Erik Huggers told The Telegraph: "BBC iPlayer has enjoyed huge success since launch two years ago, and the next challenge for us is taking the service mobile and into the living room; we've built a version of BBC iPlayer that can be easily adapted to work on internet-connected TVs. "

British manufacturers Cello were the first company to include a built in iPlayer app to their TVs with their iViewer model.

UPDATE:Tech Digest have a full review of the Cello iViewer set here.

The Consumer Electronics show, the behemoth of tech, the Valhalla of gadgetry, has come and gone for yet another year. But this time, rather than arriving with a bang, it slinked into sight with something more like a whimper.

CES 2010 had really had the wind knocked out of it before it had even got into the ring this year. All eyes were already on Apple and their rumoured Tablet in the run up to the event, despite the fact that Apple are traditionally a no-show at CES, instead planning their own top-secret unveiling at the end of January. Likewise, Google delivered a sucker-punch in the shape of the Nexus One, their flagship handset revealed at their own event on the eve of CES 2010's opening.

To make matter's worse, Microsoft's opening keynote speech (delivered by walking personality drain Steve Ballmer) was pretty darn dull. First a power cut, then a load of waffle on the 2 month old Windows 7, Ballmer hardly seemed to be trying to keep our attention. Though the Christmas release date for Project Natal was welcome news, it revealed nothing new about the device, whilst the partnership with Hewlett Packard for the new Slate device seemed merely like a case of keeping-up with the Joneses. Or should that be the Jobs-es?

But the Las Vegas event wasn't without its highlights. Far from it in fact. Maybe it's the recession, or the generally pocket-pinching mood in the air these days, but for once the most sought after tech wasn't in the realms of dreamy aspiration, but was actually fairly affordable.

Take for instance the brand new 3D TVs on show, of which the Sony BRAVIA XBR-52HX900 (video above, courtesy of Ashley) was the pick of the litter. Finally shaping up to the standards set by its cinema siblings, company reps promised that the average 3D TV will cost little more than a top-end Full HD set. Skype and video calling in many TV sets too will help turn your living room into somewhere the Jetsons could only dream of.

E-readers are also looking to be both big and affordable in 2010. As a comic book fanatic I'd have liked to have seen more attempts at a colour screened e-reader (I'm not including the MSI offering, which is really just a dual-touch screened PC, super-cool as it is). Plastic Logic's Que Pro e-reader looked great though, with a massive, durable screen, and was far lighter than the hundreds of books you'd be able to store on the tabloid-sized device.

There were, of course, tablets aplenty. The dual-booting Viliv P3 may be an underdog in the category, but seemed way more exciting than Microsoft's offering. The offer of both Windows and Android on the same device showed a respect for user choice not often seen in the back-slapping world of consumer tech.

There was still time for fun too. The Parrot AR Drone Quadricopter was fun and fresh, combining real-world toys with augmented reality controls. A little less high-tech but full of retro-chic was the Lasonic i931 iPhone dock/ghetto blaster mash-up. Odd's on its at the top of Flava Flav's Christmas list. And there was still some time for the weird and the plain old dumb, too.

Though less prevalent than other years, there were some great examples of brand new tech on show that were genuinely exciting. A real head-turner and my favourite item of the show was the Light Blue Optic Light Touch. Using a pico projection engine and a touch sensitive sensor, it'll turn any flat surface into a touchscreen. It works ridiculously well despite still being in the development stages, and has almost unlimited potential.

Some detractors say that, recession or not, CES looks to be on its last legs. It's sad, but not unlikely, when you consider the audiences that companies like Apple and Google can command for just a single product launch. However, for emerging companies like Light Blue Optics CES is still vital to gain some exposure, not to mention the fact that such a prominent date in the calendar forces the tech giants to have made some significant, competitive advances in their gear, year-on-year.

So here's hoping the old dog's got a bit of life left in it yet. Hopefully next year will kick off the recessionary cobwebs and kick the show back into high-tech gear. It wouldn't take much to tempt us back to the City of Sin once more.

Click here for full CES 2010 pre-show, day one, day two and day three round-ups.

You've had Netflix, you've had iTunes; the next contestant in the great "Battle of the Online Movie Services" is Sony's Qriocity.

Heading to anything with a Xross Media Bar on it (be it your PS3 or soon-to-be-released web-connected Sony sets) in February, you'll be able to stream video in standard-definition or 720p straight to your screen.

Theres already a load of film publishers backing the service, and Sony promise "hundreds" of films ready to go at launch.

Inspired use of the letter "Q" aside, it's a pretty dumb name for a rather important service. Here's hoping more thought went into the service than the moniker it wears heavily around its neck.

Via: Engadget

Another day, another Tech Digest CES 2010 round-up. Fancy Tweeting hands-free in your car or controlling your PC by breathing? Check today's top stories below and find out how.

Twitter coming to Ford cars
The digital equivalent of drink-driving?

Motorola announce Backflip Android Phone
Hinged smartphone is Motorola's big CES 2010 offering

Ion launch the iType full QWERTY keyboard add-on for the iPhone
Making the portable unwieldy

Vuzix demo Wrap 920AR Augmented Reality visor
Turning your trip to the shops into a scene out of Robocop

Zyxio's new breathing-based PC controller, the Sensawaft
Affordable accessibility gadget, perfect for disabled PC users

3D gaming headed to the Palm family
Apple isn't the only mobile now capable of some hardcore gaming action

Is the Viliv P3 the underdog tablet to look out?
Dual-booting tablet is looking very tasty indeed

Razer and Sixense bring motion gaming to the PC
But will it catch on within the incredibly competitive PC gaming peripheral market?

UK getting the Dell Mini 3i
Android phone hitting UK shores in the not-so-distant-future

Video- Armour Home Q2 Tilt Internet radio
Innovative and simple radio from Brit-based Armour

Video - "World's smallest Windows PC" the UMID M Book 1
It makes a gnat's bum look big. Well...not quite. But you get the idea

Video- Casio's Digital Art Frame
Making all those dodgy Facebook snaps look good

Video - The coolest retro iPhone hi-fi ever, Lasonic's i931
Bring 80's boom box street-chic bang up to date

Video - Toshiba's Cell TV that is controlled by hand gestures
Innovative tech, but it makes you look a bit of an idiot; not sure I want a work out in front of the telly

Video - Sony's BRAVIA XBR-52HX900 3D TV
Their flagship 3D set is a stunner

Video - Panasonic's 3D camera
Bet the adult-entertainment industry cant wait to get its mitts on this one

Click here for more CES 2010 coverage from Tech Digest

Tech Digest at CES is sponsored by Best Buy. For more CES stories and videos go here

Come next year you'll be able to bin your remote control as you'll be able to control your TV simply by waving your hand. Well if you will if you own a top-end 3D Toshiba Cell TV. The video is very dark, but you can just about make out how the woman controls the set using her arms. Believe me this is awesome. Just watch how she cycles through the menu options by flicking her fingers.

So launch next year on a 3D HD Cell TV - and that's all we know for now.

It may have gotten off to a dull start thanks to the lacklustre showing from Microsoft, but CES 2010 today threw up some really nice surprises. Keep an eye out for the Light Blue Optic's Light Touch here in today's round-up, and be prepared to be blown away.

HTC unveils the Smart, their first budget smartphone
You might recognise this one from last years leaked HTC product roadmap

Dell tease mini Android based tablet, the Streak
It's like an Archos internet tablet. But red.

Sony Z series laptops hands-on video
Ashley gets a quick demo of the new range of Sony laptops

EarVibe vibrating earphones on the way from Tehcnocell
Somehow improves sound quality. Yeah right....

Lady Gaga new creative director for Polaroid
No, it's not a wind-up, she's got herself a real job

Light Blue Optic's Light Touch turns any surface into a touchscreen
Amazing emergent tech, and the most exciting spot of the day so far in my opinion

Samsung's animated OLED identity card is equal parts cool and creepy
Your ID is about to go crazy cool, Bladerunner style

Microsoft's Ballmer announces the HP Slate
The iSlate...Oh? The HP Slate, right...

Project Natal Xbox 360 motion control coming Christmas
You hear that Santa!?

Microsoft's Steve Ballmer opens CES, but does anyone care anymore?
It's a pretty boring display from the PC giants

Sony's new products
In a quick, handy gallery!

Sony Dash personal internet viewer video
Sony do a Chumby

The five hottest e-readers
Another gallery rundown, this time of the best e-readers so far seen at CES 2010

Is this the hottest TV of the year? Samsung's 3D LED 9000
Real-time 2D to 3D conversion on its way

Five things to watch for
Ashley gives his run down on the best things to keep a look out for at this year's convention

Click here for more CES 2010 coverage from Tech Digest

Tech Digest at CES is sponsored by Best Buy. For more CES stories and
videos go here

With CES 2010 now well under way, it can be pretty tough keeping track of all the latest announcements. Here's Tech Digest's round-up of the of best Day 1 at CES 2010 so far, including all the news from the LG and Toshiba press conferences.

Toshiba Press Conference
Amazing new Cell Tvs promise to deliver real-time 2D to 3D conversion

Samsung ready N-range netbooks
Massive battery life makes this Samsung range stand out from the pack

LG Press Conference
3D tech is as big on LG's agenda as expected

Immerz KOR-FX acousto-haptic gear lets you "feel" your gaming experience
Slightly creepy, sort of cool new tech promises to fully immerse you in games and movies

Sony NW-A845 Walkman finally gets European release
Super-slim MP3 player hitting stores in February

Microsoft to unveil new HP built tablet?
Rumour has it Microsoft may be preparing to square up against the Apple iSlate

Brits get the Amazon Kindle DX from January 19th
Too little too late from Amazon?

PassivSystems heating control
Economise with this hot Brit-built energy management system

ZOMM Bluetooth leash for your mobile
Never lose your mobile again thanks to this Bluetooth alert system

Saygus VPHONE
New Android handset enters the smartphone fray

Parrot's AR Drone Quadricpoter
Augmented reality app controls this fun gadget copter

Iriver Story e-reader goes wireless and gets a proper launch
A long time coming, but finally the Story gets a happy ending

Six of this year's hottest products
Featuring such gadgetry delights as the Skiff e-reader

Why Apple is the real star of the show
Have Apple stolen the lime-light yet again, without even appearing in Vegas?

Will it be any good this year?
In a recessionary year, Ashley Norris gives his views on what to expect from this year's show.

Click here for more CES 2010 coverage from Tech Digest

Tech Digest at CES is sponsored by Best Buy. For more CES stories and
videos go here

Toshiba have been giving all the details for their 2010 plans today at their CES 2010 press conference. President and CEO Atsushi Murasawa admitted 2009 was a tough year for his company and the industry alike, but that didn't stop Toshiba showing off some impressive new home cinema kit.

The most glitzy gear on show was Toshiba's new line of Cell Tvs. Not only will the sets be 3D-ready, but Toshiba representatives also discussed real-time 2D to 3D conversion of video signals using the new Cell TV technology, though there was no demonstration on show.

Though it sounds incredibly exciting, if the Cowboy's Stadium demo was anything to go by Toshiba have their work cut out delivering on that promise.

Toshiba hope that the cell processor powered Tvs will become the ultimate solution for a unified home cinema kit, incorporating 3D tech with internet connectivity and upscaled web TV at 480Hz using the screen's 8 core processors.

A built in Blu-ray player, 1 TB HDD and colour and light sensitive local dimming round out what Toshiba are cringingly dubbing as "Cell-F realisation".

Toshiba also announced a new 3D Blu-ray player, winging its way to shops later in the year. BDX3000 Blu-ray player will be Toshiba's first player to dabble in the third dimension.

To round things up, Toshiba promised to deliver a screen with a 4k x 2x resolution by 2012. Tech Digest waits with baited breath!

Click here for more CES 2010 coverage from Tech Digest

Tech Digest at CES is sponsored by Best Buy. For more CES stories and
videos go here.

Have you got money to burn and a hankering for a cinematic 3D experience in your home? Then you'll be very excited by this mind-numbingly big 72 inch XVT Pro 3D LCD by VIZIO.

This monster XVT Pro set has a 480Hz refresh rate for smooth 3D playback, SENSIO technology and Bluetooth-synchronized active shutter LCD glasses from XpanD.

The 72 inch XVT Pro will not only have built in web apps, but also an integrated Wireless HDMI receiver, allowing HD content to be wireless streamed on the 60Ghz band from your Blu-ray player, PC or other HDMI source.

A TV that big is sure to have a gargantuan price tag, and this one isn't any exception; it'll set you back $3,499, or roughly £2,200. If either the screen size or price tag is a bit too intimidating for you, VIZIO will be offering the exact same features in 55 and 47 inch models too, costing $2,499 (£1,550) and $1,999 (£1,250) respectively.

The XVT Pro series will be available from August of this year.

Click here for more CES 2010 coverage from Tech Digest

Tech Digest at CES is sponsored by Best Buy. For more CES stories and
videos go here.

You can get Skype on a whole host of gadgets these days; what began as a great way to video conference between PCs has grown to cater for also mobile and home phones. Add to that ever growing list TVs then, as Skype prepare to integrate with a new range of LG and Panasonic screens to bring video calling to the living room.

High-def webcams are set to be bundled in with the new lines of internet TVs on the way from LG and Panasonic, making 720p HD Skype video calls possible in front of the telly

The TV's will support all of Skype's standard features, such as free Skype-to-Skype calls, inbound calls and voicemail.

PC users will also be able to go high-def with their video calls, and thanks to new webcams from faceVision and In Store Solutions complete with onboard processing, even underpowered netbooks and laptops will be able to handle the high-def content.

Check the video above for the low-down from the Skype crew.

Click here for more CES 2010 coverage from Tech Digest

Via: Engadget

Tech Digest at CES is sponsored by Best Buy. For more CES stories and
videos go here http://www.bestbuy.co.uk/page/custom.aspx?PageName=CES

The first technical transmissions of Freeview HD have begun today.

The Winter Hill transmitter group is currently beaming broadcasts to select areas of Manchester, with the Crystal Palace group doing the same for pockets of London. They are the first in the world to adopt the DVB-T2 standard and MPEG-4.

James Jackson, BBC head of broadcast infrastructure carried out a demonstration live at the BBC Media Centre. Promotional cuts from BBC HD and ITV HD broadcast by the Crystal Hill group were displayed using brand new IDTV's manufactured by Sony and Panasonic. Both channels were fully incorporated into the Freeview electronic programme guide.

Though the BBC broadcast was the same as is currently available on Freesat, ITV's offering was currently just an upscaled broadcast of the ITV1 channel. ITV have committed however to broadcast most of their top peak programme scheduling in full HD as the service becomes more widespread.

The BBC hope to have a national coverage of 50% for Freeview HD in time for the 2010 World Cup, reaching its maximum 98.5% national coverage by late 2012. Channel 4 also hope to launch a Freeview HD channel in the new year, with as many as five other HD channels in the wings from the network.

For news of when your area will be receiving Freeview HD broadcasts, click here.

See Mr Spock and Captain Kirk as they were meant to be seen warts and all as the digitally remastered version of the original Star Trek comes to Freesat. Three new CBS channels are due to launch on Freesat, November 16 - CBS Drama, CBS Reality and CBS Action - replacing Zone Romantica, Zone Reality and Zone Thriller.

Other classic shows on the three channels include Dynasty, Moonlighting and Models Inc. Freesat, the subscription-free satellite TV service offers over 140 channels and free high-definition (HD) programmes from the BBC and ITV. CBS Drama, CBS Reality and CBS Action will be on channels 135, 136 and 137 respectively.

www.freesat.co.uk

There is going to be a time soon when someone will be giving Freeview boxes away with cereal packets. Until then though retailer Aria has just gone live with a Freeview box for the paltry sum of just £12.95.

The Digilogic Mini SCART Freeview Receiver has no bells or even a solitary whistle, but it can pull in all the usual channels, is accompanied by a remote control and has its own electronic programme guide.

US company VIZIO is really starting to annoy us now. Over the past few years this Californian-based Taiwanese backed company has become a huge player in the US TV market and apparently is number one in sales of LCD TVs. And today they have unveiled what looks like the very first small LED backlit LCD HDTVs.

The two models, a 23inch 1080p model (VM230XVT) and a 19inch set (VM190XVT), are both very skinny, offer high contrast levels, efficient energy consumption and apparently deliver quality pictures - just like most LED backlit LCD HDTVs. Unlike rival sets though they can also double as a picture frame via USB connection and like most VIZIO products they are very competitively priced with the 23inch model going for less than $400.

So why is all this annoying? Well so far VIZIO has no distribution in the UK. In fact they only started shipping to Canada last year. Come on guys - how about a few tweaks to your sets and then a deal with Amazon? It's easy to do this stuff these days isn't it?

More at Engadget

Available now for just £129.95, August International's DA701C is an all-in-one Freeview TV recorder and Media Player.

It's 7 inch screen is paired with an antenna for picking up shows outdoors, and the rechargeable battery should remove the need to carry around a ton of AA Duracells to use it.

The DA701C receives over 40 Freeview channels, 5 analogue channels as well as Freeview radio stations. It also plays AVI video, MP3s, WAV, and photos in JPEG format directly from memory cards, USB sticks or from external media with a USB interface. In a nice touch, the TV also has the ability to record Freeview TV on to an USB memory stick or external hard drive .

The device can also output to TV, though why you'd ever need to hook it up to your 60 inch plasma screen is beyond us.

Here is the full spec list:

Main Features:

·Receives digital Freeview TV / Radio and Analogue TV
· 7" 16:9 LCD display, resolution480 x 234 pixels
· Supports red button MHEG5 UK interactive teletext
· Real time & scheduled Freeview TV recording via USB
·Supports 7day Electronic Program Guide and Subtitles
· Plays MP3, WAV, JPEG, MPEG4 & AVI files
· SD/MMC card reader & USB port for media playback
· Supports PAL & SECAM
· Sleep & wake-up function
· Built-in stereo speakers and earphone jack
· Power supply from built-in rechargeable battery, mains and car adaptors
· Dimension: 191x143x27.5 mm (without stand)
· Weight: 586g net (without stand)

In/Output Ports:

·AV Out
· SD/MMC Card Reader
· USB Port
· External Antenna In
·Earphone Jack
· Power Input

Accessories:

· AC power adaptor
· 12-24v car adaptor
· Portable digital antenna with magnetic base
· Remote control with battery
· AV cable
· Stand
· User's manual

Panasonic clearly thinks it is on to a winner with 3DTV. The company, which of all the big consumer electronics brands seems to have invested the most in the format, now wants to hammer that message home to UK consumers. So it is embarking on a UK tour to show people in 10 English towns what 3D TV is capable of.

Apparently a trio of mobile Full HD 3D theatres will visit shopping centres to preview Panny's Neo PDP Full HD TV technology 3D content but also to show what the new breed of Viera Cast sets are capable of.

The roadshow's itinerary includes...

Grand Designs, NEC Birmingham, (October 9-11); The Bull Ring, Birmingham (15-18); The Trafford Centre, Manchester (22-25); Cabot Circus, Bristol (29-November 1; Bluewater, Kent (Nov 5-8); Centre MK, Milton Keynes (12-15); Gatwick North (19-22); Lakeside, Kent (26-29); Metro Centre, Newcastle (December 3-6); and Westfield, London (8-13).

There's a good round up on 3DTV and what Sky intends to do with it here

More info here

New from I Want One of Those is a Digital TV and Multimedia Player for under £100.

OK it's only got a teeny, tiny 3.5inch screen but for use out and about this seems great - no idea what picture quality is like yet. Thanks to a digital tuner you can watch all the Freeview channels, though you will need to hook the device to your TV aerial first to download all the available channels.

Using the SD card the gadget also doubles as a video or digital audio (MP3 player)

I Want One of Those