Simmer down, North Americans / Europeans / Africans / etc. -- you should know this here deal is being reserved for those in Australia, so don't go ordering yourself a new Sammy without reading the fine print (or buying yourself a plane ticket). Reportedly, Samsung is looking to rival Sony's "Free PS3" promotion by tossing in a newly launched Foxtel iQ2 HD DVR for folks picking up a Samsung flat-panel HDTV and connecting to the HD+ service. Better still, Samsung will pick up the tab on the $200 connection fee as well. An official announcement of the partnership is expected within a fortnight, so if you've been looking to snag a new HDTV and make the dive into pay-HDTV, we'd hold off just a bit longer if you're even mildly fond of fantastic freebies.

[Via CNET]

Whoa, Nelly! After what seems like eons, Comcast and the Big Ten Network have finally put their problems aside and reached an agreement. Of course, we heard yesterday that the deal was close, but we didn't exactly predict that it was this close. Under the terms of the deal, Comcast will "initially launch BTN as part of its expanded basic level of service to promote it to the majority of its customers residing in states with Big Ten universities on August 15th. Next Spring, the carrier reserves the right to "move the network to a broadly distributed digital level of service in most of its systems in these states." As expected, users will have access to all high-definition feeds as well, which is sure to bring a smile to Big Ten fanatics across Comcast's footprint.

We sort of figured the flames in the AT&T / EchoStar relationship were all but extinguished, but this pretty much puts the lid on things. According to a recent 8-K filing with the SEC, AT&T is demanding that DISH Network pay back a $500 million note which is due July 2010. Reportedly, the note would have eventually converted to DISH shares at $60.25, but given the current $33 stock price, it seems AT&T isn't really interested in twiddling its thumbs. Bernstein Analyst Craig Moffett mentions that the note was "first acquired in 2003 as part of AT&T's strategic resale agreement with DISH (formerly EchoStar)," and while neither party has outrightly denied a potential buyout, this kind of action seems to signify that the love connection has been terminated.

[Thanks, VANBROTHERS]

Could it finally be happening? The bigwigs at Comcast and Big Ten Network are actually closing in on a deal? According to a recent writeup originating in the Chicago Tribune, a long-awaited partnership between the carrier and station is expected to become official at any moment. A BTN spokesperson told the Star Tribune that "while the deal between the sides is close, there is nothing to report at this point." However, the individual did admit that the two parties "remain close to reaching an agreement." Needless to say, quite a few individuals (hundreds of thousands, actually) in the Big Ten footprint would be elated to have their upcoming football season around and in HD, but considering just how long this bickering has been going on, we aren't jotting this one in stone quite yet.

Oh sure, GalleryPlayer enables your HDTV to instantly turn into an art display, but it doesn't even pretend to be anything classier than a multifaceted television. Samsung, however, is looking to change the game by partnering with Thomas Kinkade on a new 46-inch prototype Digital Masterworks Art-TV. The unit was recently showcased to news media, and it's said to be "housed n a Thomas Kinkade frame designed to accentuate the fine art theme." From what we can gather, it's being aimed at folks who'd love a nice piece of art sitting above their mantel, but when the time comes, they can switch off the paintings and throw on a day's worth of NFL in HD. The wild thing here is how important the actual art aspect is to the display, with hidden touch controls planned to enable viewers to flip through artworks and zoom in / out as they please. Heck, there's even integrated WiFi, a 40GB hard drive, 3,000:1 contrast ratio, 8ms response time and 500 nits of brightness. The set is due out exclusively through Thomas Kinkade's Signature Gallery later this year, with iffy plans to release it to other retailers in 2H 2009.

[Via CNET]

Considering that everybody is buying panels from everybody else these days, we're thrilled to announce that one more cute couple is joining the fray. Sanyo has recently announced that it has "started buying liquid crystal display panels from Sharp for use in its flat TVs sold in North America." According to Sanyo spokesman Hiroyuki Okamoto, the two firms are also pondering "joint development of kitchen appliances such as microwave ovens," but no further details were immediately available. LCD HDTVs and blenders -- a match made in heaven.

[Thanks, Atiba]

Although Sony's mesmerizing XEL-1 has been picked apart (and not entirely in a good way), the firm has just announced a breakthrough in OLED technology in conjunction with Idemitsu Kosan. The two have teamed up to achieve 28.5-percent internal quantum efficiency (IQE) in deep blue fluorescent OLED devices, the "world's highest level of luminous efficiency for this technology." Though there's quite a bit of technobabble behind all of this, the gist is this: blue OLEDs are the most energy-intensive of the three primary RGB colors, and the development is expected to "significantly reduce the power consumption of OLED panels." Granted, most of the release is just bragging, but we ought to find out what this really means for consumers in the not-too-distant future.

[Via FarEastGizmos]

Just to add another variable to your next BRAVIA, Sony's announced a deal with 3M to include some of its optical film technology the company's prismatic films for LCD TVs. Like other partnerships announced on this Friday evening details were scarce, but 3M claims it can make TVs, laptops and cell phones brighter, more energy efficient and more vibrant, so no matter who actually made your next Sony HDTV, it should have an even better look to it.

After tying the knot with AT&T and Verizon, it seems that Lifetime HD has wooed Cox Communications as well. Lifetime Networks has just announced a "wide-ranging agreement" that will bring all of its multi-platform channels -- including Lifetime Television HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD, Lifetime On Demand and Lifetime Movie Network Espanol On Demand -- to the cable carrier. Of course, the network took the opportunity to restate just how many females aged 18 to 54 will be absolutely elated to hear the news, but they'll all have to patiently wait until June before it begins rolling out to Cox systems.

Online TV network Revision3 has just announced a lovey-dovey partnership with DivX that will make watching the outlet's content via DivX Connected devices a lesson in simplicity. Put simply, the deal enables Revision3 material (you know, PixelPerfect, Diggnation and our personal fav Tekzilla) to flow smoothly over the DivX Connected platform. According to Jim Louderback, CEO of Revision3, the agreement will make watching its original HD programming in the living room much easier than in months past. Now, if only some of these DivX Connected items would find their way over to America, we'd be set.

Here's an interesting one. DirecTV, self-proclaimed satellite TV carrier, has up and joined the Multimedia over Coax Alliance. For those unfamiliar, MoCA is an "open, standard body promoting networking of multiple streams of high-definition video and entertainment using existing coaxial cable already in the home," otherwise seen as the de facto standard for home entertainment networks over coax. DirecTV has joined at the Contributor level, and managed to shake hands with Arris, Broadlight, Intel, ST, Time Warner Cable and Texas Instruments on the way in. According to MoCA president Charles Cerino, the organization is "looking forward to [DirecTV's] vital input in shaping the alliance." How funny -- so are we.

For those with ridiculously sharp memories, you'll easily recall that DuPont has been dabbling in OLED technology for years. Now, however, the company famous for showcasing the miracles of science has formed a strategic alliance with Dainippon Screen Manufacturing to "develop integrated manufacturing equipment for printed OLED displays." Furthermore, the duo has agreed to "bring together the elements needed -- materials, technology and equipment -- to mass produce OLED displays." In essence, the two are hoping to produce higher-quality units at a lower cost than what's currently available, and we can happily say we hope they succeed. Now, if only we knew when some product would emerge from this here wedding...

With the 2008 Olympic Games right around the corner, Intel is tag-teaming it with Legend Silicon in order to promote HDTV viewing on portable devices -- laptops, most notably. The pair has seemingly convinced Lenovo, HP, ASUS, Sony, Samsung and Toshiba (among others) to offer up their machines with a DTTB USB dongle in the coming days, enabling Chinese citizens to watch HD on-the-go right out of the box. If you couldn't surmise, DTTB is yet another Chinese broadcast standard, and while we wouldn't bet the farm on it, the nation's government is hoping to offer up multiple high-def programs via DTTB by 2010. Who would've guessed -- the Olympics catapulting HD programming in China?

As evidenced by the rash of partnerships entered into by Syntax-Brillian in the past several months, the company is aiming to "undertake a series of strategic initiatives to position [it] for future growth." Looking beyond the corporate speak, you'll find plans to "simplify its network of supplier relationships through which it develops and manufactures its Olevia and Vivitar product lines, streamline its channel partnerships to focus on a more targeted group of customers within Syntax-Brillian's current base of 3,000 retail and online partners, and eliminate positions representing an approximate 20-percent reduction in overhead costs." Unfortunately, we're not told exactly how many employees will be sent packing, but the firm is expecting the workforce reductions to result in "annualized savings of approximately $4 million in operating costs."

Back at EHX in Orlando, VUDU's partnership extravaganza announcement was curiously light on details. Now, however, we're beginning to see how VUDU's positioning its movie set-top-box as a mainstay in the connected home. Reportedly, the deal with NetStreams will soon allow VUDU XL (vanilla VUDU left out?) owners to stream video around their domiciles using the VUDU XL as the video server. Reportedly, the box would have to be connected to the DigiLinX IP-Based Distributed Audio, Video and Control system, after which content could be accessed from other rooms. Unfortunately, that's all the details that have surfaced thus far, but we can't help but realize that the VUDU just got a whole lot more attractive for those with deep pockets.