Skip to Content

Find your next home with Luxist's "Estate of the Day"
AOL Tech

holiday posts

Sharp fires up 43 LCD tree for the ho-ho-HOPE Program

by Steven Kim posted Dec 2nd 2008 at 10:48PM

Sharp LCD tree
New Yorkers passing through Grand Central Terminal will be treated to a 26-foot high holiday bush ensconced in, you guessed it, 43 Sharp LCD panels -- 52-inch behemoths at the base and 19-inch models way at the tip-top. Oohs, ahs and festive lighting aside, the display is meant to raise donations for the HOPE program's "Green Collar Project" that will help students find a green-collar job related to environmental work. Snicker all you want about the heat pumped out by those 52-inch LCDs, but it the tree as a whole beats its plasma counterpart and it's a good cause to boot. Enter to win one of the 43 deciduous panels and $1 will be donated to the program, up to $100,000 (and with a minimum of $50,000). Good on you, Sharp!

5.5 million US households purchased an HDTV over the holidays / Super Bowl season

by Darren Murph posted Apr 24th 2008 at 3:26PM

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) expected Super Bowl XLII to drive over two million HDTV sales, and drive it did. According to a recent study by Frank N. Magid Associates, around 5.5 million US households brought home an HDTV for the very first time during the 2007 - 2008 holiday and Super Bowl season. Of course, these two events weren't the only reason so many folks opted to make the leap to a high-def set -- the study also credits the looming digital TV transition as an encouraging factor. It's also noted that the forthcoming Olympic Games in Beijing may convince even more folks to spend that incoming stimulus check on an HDTV, further boosting the percentage of US households with at least one HD-capable set. Now, if all of these slow-to-move cable carriers would get their acts together and provide a decent array of HD channels to enjoy, we'd be set.

[Image courtesy of AT&T]

Amazon sells heaps of HD movie players this holiday season

by Darren Murph posted Dec 28th 2007 at 8:37AM

Yeah, Amazon's just blatantly tooting its own horn here, but facts are facts, we guess. Reportedly, the e-tailer had quite the impressive holiday sales season -- its "best ever," actually. Beyond the fact that it sold about 17 Wiis per second (while they were in stock) and made deliveries to some 200 countries, it moved enough high-definition movie players to "cover seven football fields." Unfortunately, it didn't bother breaking down the HD DVD / Blu-ray numbers, nor were we told which HD flicks sold more than others, but judging by the firm's rankings it's safe to say that quite a few folks received HD DVD titles this holiday season. If you're geared up to handle even more gloating, hit the read the link and hang on.

Poll: What's the best gift you received?

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Dec 26th 2007 at 2:15PM

Presents
Now that Christmas is over, all the wrapping paper is in the garbage, you've had a chance to go to the mall and spend all those gift cards and buy the things you wanted, but didn't get. We know what you wanted, but now we'd like to know what you actually got? It doesn't matter if you bought it for yourself, we just want to know what everyone else got that we didn't.

What's the best gift you received?

Queen's Christmas Day speech broadcast in HD, on YouTube

by Darren Murph posted Dec 24th 2007 at 5:19PM

Those excited to tune into Her Majesty's Christmas Day speech tomorrow will have yet another reason to watch. This year, her entire speech will be broadcast in HD, and for those not near a television, it'll also be available via YouTube. Tomorrow's production will mark the 50th anniversary of her traditional speech, and the new mediums are being used to satisfy her desire to make the address "more accessible to younger people and those in other countries." Interested? If so, you can tune in tomorrow at 3:00PM GMT.

VUDU box thrown in with select Sharp AQUOS LCD TVs

by Darren Murph posted Dec 20th 2007 at 9:02AM


While Sony's effectively giving away BDP-S300s when you pick up a BRAVIA HDTV from SonyStyle, Sharp is hoping to up its holiday sales figures by bundling in a VUDU set-top-box. Starting now, consumers who pick up a select AQUOS LCD TV that's 42-inches or larger (trust us, there's quite a few choices) can also expect to receive a $399 VUDU box and a $50 movie credit to boot. Off hand, we don't see a definitive expiration date for the offer, but considering that it's billed as a "holiday" promotion (and only available directly through these two, sadly), we wouldn't sleep on this too long if you're remotely interested.

Gifting someone with an HDTV? Don't forget the HD service!

by Darren Murph posted Dec 20th 2007 at 3:44AM


We know, it seems painfully obvious to us, but we can't say we're surprised one iota that the general public would buy a loved one an HDTV and totally overlook the fact that he / she will need HD service to make it truly worthwhile. According to a recent survey conducted on Comcast's behalf, one in four consumers are hoping to receive an HDTV this holiday season, but only 12-percent of gift-givers were even thinking of including HD service. Granted, savvy buyers may be tossing in a gift certificate to pick up an OTA antenna, or they may just let the recipient be responsible for figuring out they need high-definition service. Of course, one must remember who commissioned the survey. Nevertheless, let this serve as a friendly reminder to show consideration when blessing someone with a new HDTV -- they can't watch HD flicks forever!

[Image courtesy of Crutchfield]

Poll: What's tops on your wish list?

by Darren Murph posted Dec 13th 2007 at 2:52PM


It's somewhat of a tradition around here to get all up in your business and find out what you got for Christmakwanzika, but this year, we figured we'd be a little extra nosy. With under a fortnight to go before hordes of crazed gadget lovers tear into packages everywhere, we're curious to know what you're hoping to receive. Anything in particular you've asked for? Got a laundry list of wants needs? Don't be shy, tell us what your heart really desires, you never know who'll be paying attention. Oh, and just check off the one thing you're craving the most below -- fill us in on the rest in comments.

Poll: What gear is on your wish list?

Video Business breaks down Black Friday sales figures

by Darren Murph posted Dec 12th 2007 at 3:51AM

For the statistics freaks out there, you're sure to love this one. After DisplaySearch churned out a plethora of data surrounding Black Friday sales in the HD realm, Video Business took the liberty of breaking it all down for easier digestion. Interestingly, some 600,000 DVD players were moved while only 57,000 high-definition players were sold during the week ending November 24th, but less shockingly, (cheaper) HD DVD players made up 62-percent of that 57K. Nevertheless, Blu-ray hardware grabbed 52-percent of the revenue, even though it sold substantially less units than HD DVD. On the software side, BD titles made up 72.6-percent of all high-definition movie purchases, while HD DVD claimed the other 27.4-percent. We know, numbers only say so much, but it doesn't really look like any recent trends shifted over the US' biggest shopping holiday of the year.

[Image courtesy of SmackShopping]

All I want for Christmas is my HDTV... and an Apple

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 10th 2007 at 9:42AM


A national survey of 1,200 consumers conducted by Solutions Research Group found that 3 out of 4 surveyed Americans wanted a new gadget this holiday season. The rankings went a little something like this:
  1. HDTV (35%)
  2. Windows-based notebook (20%)
  3. Digital camera (17%)
  4. Windows-based desktop computer
  5. GPS car navigation
  6. Cellphone
  7. Digital video camera
  8. Nintendo Wii
  9. Sony PS3
  10. HD DVD or Blu-ray player
So where's Apple, the big bad daddy of consumer electronics? Well, their best showing was the MacBook with an 11 ranking followed by the iPhone at number 15. Pretty good when you consider the level of brand awareness this represents in a field of otherwise unspecified laptops and cellphones. In fact, 1-in-6 consumers are hoping for some type of Apple gear under the Chanukazaa tree this season.

Expect $699 42-inch LCDs this holiday season

by Matt Burns posted Aug 24th 2007 at 2:16PM

LCD prices just keep on dropping and it looks like they might hit rock bottom before the '07 Christmas spending season. Reports suggest that they will finally cost less than their CRT counterparts and bargain shoppers should be able to pick up a 42-inch "second-tier" (aka cheap, no-name house brands) LCD for around $699. The 32-inchers should go for around $299-399 which would officially make 'em less expensive than those 'ol CRTs. Walmart/Costco shoppers might be happy with these prices on the cheaper models and honestly, if a person is satisfied with the picture these sets produce; great, buy the less expensive LCD and start enjoying high definition.

[Via TGDaily]

Microsoft moves 92,000 HD DVD add-ons over the holidays

by Darren Murph posted Jan 15th 2007 at 8:48PM

If you plunked down $200 to snag an HD DVD player for your Xbox 360 over the holidays, you were most definitely not alone, as 91,999 (or thereabout) other folks did precisely the same thing. Although other console-related figures have been a bit shaky, we've researched this 92,000 number fairly well, and we can confidently say that Microsoft didn't do half bad with its November launch. Of course, the biggest temptation is to draw unfair conclusions between how many HD DVD add-ons were sold in comparison to the amount of PS3s sold, but considering users can't opt out of the Blu-ray drive in their PlayStation 3, the correlation just isn't there. But hey, since we know you're wondering, it probably won't hurt to mention that Sony "sold" (forcefully or otherwise) around 687,000 Blu-ray players since November 17th, but there's still no just way to tell which console (if any) had an impact on high definition movie sales.

Legendary Yule Log broadcast pits SD against HD

by Darren Murph posted Dec 22nd 2006 at 2:53AM

Anyone remotely familiar with history in New York or the holiday season in general can remember the ole Yule Log broadcast that showed a burning fireplace with soft, classic seasonal hits cycling through in the background. While it's not likely to be the most invigorating thing on television come Christmas morning, the folks at WPIX, who are restoring the classic log show for a three-hour broadcast, say that it allows families to reminisce and think back on the gatherings of yesteryear. However, Jason Patton -- vice president for business development on INHD -- feels that the new widescreen version of the heartwarming fireplace is the superior rendition. Shot by Ron Roy in high definition, the picture will clearly outshine the "30 year old" version looping on standard cable, but apparently some folks actually prefer the classic look to the new. Nevertheless, we HD freaks should be sure to catch the fiery new version on INHD starting at 7:00AM on Christmas morning and continuing on for 24 hours.

Surprise of the day: HDTVs top holiday shopping lists

by Darren Murph posted Nov 29th 2006 at 11:54PM

Okay, so it's probably not exactly shocking, especially considering the skyrocketing sales of RPTVs in the most recent quarter, and the (presumed) riots over cheap LCDs and plasmas on Black Friday. But the fact still remains that even though Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are off tooting their own (console-based) horns, consumers are still eying those big screen televisions above all else. Reports suggest that TVs don't seem "very complicated, and they're not terribly expensive," which makes sense considering the plummeting prices of HDTVs over the past few months. Notably, the holiday's dust collectors are none other than "DVD players / recorders," presumably including those still pricey HD DVD and Blu-ray units. So if a svelte new set is atop your holiday wish list, rest assured, you're not alone.

Retailers giving HD DVD / Blu-ray titles more floor space, educating consumers

by Darren Murph posted Nov 10th 2006 at 11:39AM

Considering Blockbuster is already trialing HD DVD and Blu-ray rentals in brick-and-mortar locations, Netflix's full backing of the formats, and the record-setting performance of Paramount's M:I III, we'd say that opening up a bit more shelf space for next-gen flicks is a fairly intelligent business move. The Video Buyers Group's 1,700 members will launch HD DVD and Blu-ray sections this month in anticipation of holiday sales, and numerous Targets are going out of their way to not only provide easier access to next-gen store displays, but to educate consumers on the technology behind the buzz as well. Reportedly, the bullseye-clad stores will boast "signage highlighting key differences between the formats," including clear alerts that signify what hardware is necessary to play back the snazzy HD discs. So when perusing the (presumably crowded) aisles this holiday season for those must-have titles, don't be alarmed to see next-generation setups placed front and center in the electronics department -- well, behind the Wii and Playstation 3 goods, of course.




AOL News

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in:

Joystiq
Download Squad
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
BloggingStocks
Joystiq Xbox
Autoblog
Big Download
Fanhouse NFL Blog