Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

Update: By now, most of you have figured out that Iomega and LaCie only make the housings, so if the drive itself fails, you have to unscrew the box to see who the real culprit is. Also, anyone voting for IBM can just vote for Hitachi, which bought the whole IBM storage division a number of years ago.

As for those of you who complain that this poll is not scientific, you are TOTALLY RIGHT!!! It's not scientific. Go back to your Science and your Nature for the raw research, cuz over here we're talking about life experiences.

Why We Care: MRAM uses just 10% of the power of DRAM and offers instant-on computer booting. Plus we're sick of typing "DRAM."

Why It's Too Good To Be True: Engineers still needs to get their MRAM failure rates down to 1% over a decade before the technology will be deemed acceptable. Everyone thinks that this can happen by 2015 (which is a lot further off than, say, tomorrow). [NikkeiNet via techradar]

Hitachi Delivers Performance Without Sacrifice in New 7,200 RPM Travelstar Hard Drive

New 320GB Notebook Hard Drive Combines High Capacity and Superior Performance With Power Efficiency and Low Acoustics

SAN JOSE, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Continuing its longstanding tradition of delivering superior performance with no sacrifices required, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST) today began shipment of its fourth-generation 7,200 RPM mobile hard drive, the Travelstar™ 7K320. The new drive delivers 60 percent higher capacity than its predecessor, while improving application performance by 12 percent and power consumption by 22 percent. The drive's quiet acoustics improve the experience of watching movies or listening to music on a notebook PC. The 2.5-inch drive is offered with optional Bulk Data Encryption for users wanting increased data security. Hitachi also plans to ship enhanced-availability (EA) models, designed to provide high-capacity storage for low-duty-cycle, 24x7 applications.

The performance attributes of the Travelstar 7K320 allow consumers to opt for a full-featured notebook or compact desktop model, while still achieving all the capacity and performance typically associated with a more traditional desktop PC. The new drives bring forth a number of essential features that are in strong demand from manufacturers of notebooks, compact desktops, gaming systems, blade servers and video surveillance systems. Some of these attributes include best-in-class operating shock protection of 400Gs, 5,400 RPM-equivalent power consumption and quiet acoustics.

"As operating systems have grown more complex, users have struggled with an overall decrease in system performance," said Larry Swezey, director, Consumer and Commercial HDD, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. "Solid state drives (SSD) have yet to deliver an overall increase in speed, and certainly not at an affordable price. The 7,200 RPM speed of the Travelstar 7K320 provides an improved overall experience, at the capacities users want and at a far lower cost than SSD."

Gartner is predicting worldwide mobile PC shipments will surpass global desk-based PC shipments in the second half of 20091. This evolution has been driven by the ever improving performance-for-price of mobile PCs, relative to desktop PCs. Hitachi believes the greater availability of 7,200 RPM hard drives will help accelerate this trend, as more users realize the benefits of combining desktop-class performance with the convenience and portability of a notebook.

Advanced Features

The Travelstar 7K320 includes many features that translate into very tangible benefits for users, including:

* 320GB capacity for storing approximately 80 hours of high definition video, 320 hours of standard video, 100 movies, 80,000 4-minute MP3s or 160 games2
* The 7,200 RPM provides any operating system with a noticeable advantage in boot times and application performance. A SATA 3Gb/s interface and fast media transfer rates provide faster file copying and document retrieval, better graphics and improved game performance
* Best-in-class operating shock protection of 400Gs to minimize the effects of rough handling and vibration
* Power utilization on par with Hitachi's 5,400 RPM mobile drives, so that users can enjoy more "unplugged" notebook computing time
* The drive's quiet acoustics provide a richer audio listening experience for music, movies and games

Protect Your Data

The Travelstar 7K320 features optional Bulk Data Encryption (BDE), a capability that Hitachi has offered in its mobile hard drives since the start of 2007. Previously, data on a hard drive could be protected either through software-based encryption or a system-level password. Hard drive level encryption provides improved performance and a higher level of security than any of the previously available methods.

When employing bulk data encryption, data is scrambled using a key as it is being written to the disk and then descrambled with the key as it is retrieved. Thus, data encryption at the hard-drive level represents a more sophisticated approach of securing users' data and is generally considered to be virtually impenetrable. Another benefit is that it speeds and simplifies the drive re-deployment process. By deleting the encryption key, the data on the drive is rendered unreadable, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming data-overwrite.

BDE models ship exclusively with a SATA 1.5Gb/s interface.

Technical Specifications:

Travelstar 7K320
320/250/160/120/80GB
9.5mm in height
7,200 RPM
252 billion bits per square inch maximum areal density
2/2/1/1/1 glass disks
4/4/2/2/1 TMR recording head(s)
1000G/1ms non-operating shock
400G/2ms operating shock
4.2ms average latency
12ms average read time
1.0W active idle
0.8W low-power idle
Serial ATA 3Gb/s, 1.5Gb/s encrypted
115/110 grams in weight
2.5Bels typical idle acoustics
2.8Bels typical operational acoustics

Availability

The Travelstar 7K320 is now shipping to customers worldwide. The enhanced-availability version of the drive is expected to ship in the third quarter of 2008.

About Hitachi Global Storage Technologies

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies develops advanced hard disk drives to store and preserve the world's valued data. Founded by the pioneers of hard drives, Hitachi GST enables users to fully engage in the digital lifestyle by providing high-value, high-capacity storage in formats suitable for the office, in the home or on the road. With vertically integrated research, design and manufacturing capabilities, Hitachi GST delivers leadership technology and quality to its global customer base.

With approximately 33,000 employees worldwide, Hitachi GST offers a comprehensive range of hard drive products for desktop computers, high-performance storage systems and servers, notebooks and consumer devices. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.hitachigst.com.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies trademarks are authorized for use in countries and jurisdictions in which Hitachi Global Storage Technologies has the right to use, market and advertise the brands. The Travelstar trademark is authorized for use in the Americas, EMEA, and in the Asia-Pacific region in the following countries: Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE:HIT) (TOKYO:6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 384,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2006 (ended March 31, 2007) consolidated revenues totaled 10,247 billion yen ($86.8 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.

1 Garter Global PC Forecast and Shipments Quarterly Statistics, George Shiffler, March 13, 2008

One GB is equal to one billion bytes and one TB is equal to 1,000 GB when referring to hard drive capacity. Accessible capacity may be less.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies' trademarks are authorized for use in countries and jurisdictions in which Hitachi Global Storage Technologies has the right to use, market and advertise the brands. The Travelstar trademark is authorized for use in the Americas, EMEA, and the following Asia-Pacific countries and jurisdictions: Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan. Hitachi Global Storage Technologies shall not be liable to third parties for unauthorized use of its trademarks.

2 Actual storage may vary depending on the compression rate applied. Capacities may not be combined.

Hitachi to Showcase the World's First UltraThin Line of Displays at Annual Dealer Show This Week

The Much Anticipated and Only "1.5" Displays Are Now Available to Consumers
CHULA VISTA, Calif. —(Business Wire)— May. 1, 2008 At its Annual Dealer Show this week, Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc. will showcase its "1.5" family of UltraThin Displays, which, for the first time, are now available for purchase by U.S. consumers.

Unveiled to rave reviews at the Intl. CES in Las Vegas in January of this year, the 1.5 displays — so named due to their sleek 1.5-inch depth — continue to generate excitement and momentum, particularly now as consumers are able to purchase these slim, stylish displays through retail and specialty AV dealers nationwide for the first time.

Available in four screen sizes (32-inch, 37-inch, 42-inch and 47-inch), the 1.5 displays embody an array of Hitachi's engineering breakthroughs which have resulted in an award winning design, unrivaled thinness and outstanding picture quality. From the patented ventilation technology to the backlight, power supply and unique crystal frame, the innovations found in the 1.5 line represent Hitachi's achievements in areas as diverse as automotive design, server systems and optical R&D.

The new 1.5 line is further differentiated by its appealing design that, importantly, extends a complete 360 degrees around. So whether the displays are seen from the front, a side angle or from the back, the elegant lines and distinctive aesthetics demonstrate an attention to detail that make the displays the ideal complement to a luxury lifestyle.

Another important first: Hitachi has now outlined the pricing structure for the new 1.5 line, which will be offered in Director's Series (X) and Ultra Vision (V) models. Pricing and availability for each model is as follows:

M70 Specification
Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology
- Intel Core™ 2 Duo T7500 ~T7700/T8100/T8300/T9300 Processor
- Mobile Intel® PM965
- Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965ABGN Network Connection; Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (optional)
Genuine Windows Vista®
- Genuine Windows Vista® Business
- Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate
- Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
- Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic
M70SA: ATI Mobile Radeon HD3650 with 1G VRAM (500GBx2)
M70SR: ATI Mobile Radeon HD3470 with 256MB VRAM
DDRII 667MHz, 2 up to 4GB*; Support Intel Turbo Memory
*Depends on OS support
Built-in 1.3M pixel swivel webcam
12.5" HDD 500G/ 9.5" HDD 160/200/250/320G; Support Dual HDD: up to 1 Terra HDD (500GBx2)

[via wired]

There's also an iVDR port for iVDR drive cartridges, dual tuners and DLNA and 1080p compatibility. The cleverest bit? Most of the TVs' guts are in a separate box, connected by Ultra Wide Band, which is presumably how they keep the screen so skinny. They've got black or white bezels, and are available from June in Japan, for $2,670, $3,360 and $4,350. We don't have a date for their US release yet. [Akihabaranews and AV Watch]

It condenses moisture in the air with a Peltier device and applies high voltage to the water to produce electrically-charged minute water particles. The particles attach to the skin and, with moisture in the air attracted by the electric charge, soak into it.

This function enables to maintain the moisture content of the skin 20% more, on average, than the normal air heating of the air conditioner, the company said.

While these Big Four gained ground—often by keeping profit margins slim and exploring cheaper manufacturing—other well-regarded brands like Sharp, Philips and Hitachi fell back. The strongest competition in LCD came from Vizio and Polaroid, but many other brands clamored like barbarians at the gate.

DisplaySearch's charts with market share number are just below, but first answer this simple question:

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

[DisplaySearch]

The W61H will have a 2.8-inch internal WQVGA display (240 x 400), 1.97MP camera and an onboard 2GB micro SD (non-expandable.) The E-Ink phone goodness will last 250 minutes of call time on a single charge, and will most likely never get the chance to live the American dream (it's a Japan only release). [AVING]

Anyone who's ever tried to "install" a 50 inch plasma or LCD all by themselves (GUILTY!!) knows that this here is wonderful news, and not too far off. Many of these TVs will be shipping in 2008 and some in 2009. By and large, the buzz is that, before we get to the next wave of TV technology, there will be some nice improvements in the current stuff. TV manufacturers, my back and my little pinky finger thank you!

It is BD-R version 2.0 compliant, and also can use version 3 BD-RE disks, which should allow you to edit the on-disk video in the camera. Recording at its maxium resolution of 1920 x 1080 in Mpeg 4, it can squeeze about an hour of hi-res video onto an 8 cm Blu-ray disk, and 9 hours onto the hard drive. You can get around 30% more time at 1440 x 1080 pixels, and if you like to record to old fashioned DVD it has a low-res 720 x 480 pixel mode. Still shooting now comes with a 3-megapixel 16:9 mode as well as the standard 5 Mpix 4:3 ratio, but whether this new CMOS sensor tackles the apparently poor low-light performance of the previous generation, we don't know.

At least Hitachi has improved the brightness 1.4 times on the 2.7-inch viewing LCD, and put all this in a package that's 3.15 x 6.5 x 3.42 inches in size and weighing in at 1.55 pounds. Its got the full slew of HDMI, component AV outputs and USB 2.0 connection for PC editing. Out on February 12th in Japan for ¥180,000 (around $1700), and presumably heading over the Atlantic soon. [AV Watch]

The slim design was made possible through the use of a new JVC-developed slim panel backlight unit and power supply substrate, or chassis. The new slim LCD panel backlight unit is 40 percent smaller in depth and bezel width compared to a conventional LCD backlight, measuring just 0.79 inches (20mm) deep and 0.51 inches (13mm) wide. In addition, the unit weighs only 26.4 lbs (12kg) and consumes a mere 145W (see diagram 1).

Efforts to reduce the depth of an LCD panel backlight result in uneven hot spots appearing on the LCD screen surfaces because CCFL light sources are brought closer to the liquid crystal panel (see diagram 2). To overcome this problem, either light-diffusing plates are applied or more CCFL tubes are used. But the former approach can result in lower brightness, while the latter approach can be costly and increases power consumption.

JVC's display engineering team succeeded in developing a new, slimmer backlight unit by optimizing the light-diffusing plates and light-reflection sheets, as well as improving its overall composition. This provided uniform light-diffusion at all the corners and edges without the addition of more CCFL tubes, while maintaining adequate luminance to ensure that the screen always remains bright (see diagrams 3 and 4).

JVC also developed a slimmer yet efficient power-supply substrate and employed a direct-mount configuration for it on the LCD panel backlight unit with a fan-less heat dissipation system to further reduce power consumption.

Both models will be VESA compliant for easy wall mounting, but JVC will also offer its own mounting solution - a wall mount designed to position the slim TV closer to the wall than does a standard mount.

The new JVC super-slim LT-42SL89 and LT-46SL89 will be available in early summer. Prices will be announced at that time.

HITACHI SHOWS OFF NEW ULTRA THIN PLASMA DISPLAY AT CES

— Just 1.5-inches Thin, Hitachi's New Plasma Display is Centerpiece of "Innovations Showcase" at its CES Booth —

LAS VEGAS, INTL. CES (Booth: Central 11906) - Jan. 4, 2008 - Hitachi has developed an Ultra Thin plasma display panel (PDP) that is a mere 1.5-inches in depth. Having shaved more than one third of the thickness off of today's comparable plasma displays, this new product represents an engineering achievement of significant importance from Hitachi.

This new Ultra Thin plasma display will be the centerpiece of Hitachi's Innovations Showcase here at CES, which also features:
• A "super" Ultra Thin LCD at just .75 inches in depth
• An advanced search technology that can be applied to visual images
• A system that allows video to be shared between homes and then viewed on a TV, not a PC
• A wireless video gateway for sharing content among several displays in the home
• An IPTV user interface for accessing, managing and sharing content at home or on the go

Complete Family of Ultra Thin Displays
While a handful of companies, including Hitachi, have already developed Ultra Thin LCD models, Hitachi is among the first vendors to demonstrate an Ultra Thin plasma display. For various technical reasons, the challenges in producing a thin plasma display greatly exceed those associated with developing a thin LCD, making Hitachi's achievements - 1.5-inch Ultra Thin models in both LCD and PDP - even more impressive. As a result, Hitachi expects to seize an early lead in the rapidly emerging and commercially attractive new category of Ultra Thin Displays.
- more -
"Hitachi has a long history of innovation and a proven track record of making breakthroughs that advance the consumer electronics industry," said Daniel Lee, vice president of marketing for Hitachi America, Ltd., Ubiquitous Platform Systems Division. "But what is even more important than being first with a prototype or concept is being first to deliver the end product to consumers. Especially for our complete new line of Ultra Thin displays, we already have the manufacturing processes, sales and marketing investment and overall corporate commitment in place to put these products into consumers' hands months, if not years, ahead of other suppliers. From our perspective, and that of our distribution partners, being first with a product in the sales channel is ultimately what is most important."

Developed using highly proprietary and innovative technology from Hitachi, which is so secretive and highly competitive it cannot be revealed, the new plasma display sample is 50 inches in screen size. Hitachi expects
to commercialize the product by late 2009 and other sizes may be available at that time.

Alongside its 1.5-inch Ultra Thin PDP, Hitachi is also showing off its "super" Ultra Thin LCD which measures an incredible .75 (19mm) in depth. First seen at CEATEC in Japan last Fall, this 32-inch wonder offers another proof point for Hitachi's engineering prowess. The other breakthrough technologies Hitachi will feature in its Innovations Showcase include:

Similarity Based Image Retrieval System - With the volume of data already at unprecedented levels and expected to continue to increase rampantly, technology enabling quick searches of still and video images is much in demand. In response, Hitachi has developed a Similarity-Based Image Retrieval technology, a search engine for just such large-scale image and video archives. Similarity-Based Image Retrieval technology automatically extracts quantified information intrinsic to the image — such as color, shapes and forms — and runs searches to locate a match. This innovative search technique can be used for something as basic as searching for a movie scene or image on a camcorder to something as complex as searching for facial imagery in security, video surveillance or law enforcement applications.

Personal Video Sharing - Throughout CES, Hitachi will conduct ongoing demonstrations of its Personal Video Sharing System, which allows users to easily share and play content recorded for personal use, both inside and outside the home, via a home data center. The demonstration goes through a sample application in which content recorded on a video camera can be shared between two homes - for example, a consumer's home and that of their parents - simply by using the first home's central server. The parents can then easily view the latest videos of their grandchildren simply by using their television to access the network - there is no need to hassle with a PC.
- more -
Wireless HDTV System - This demonstration will show how high-definition video content is distributed over WiFi from a Hitachi wireless video gateway device to two Hitachi LCD HDTVs. The content is stored locally on a hard disk drive, but the server can also connect to a local PC or IPTV for HD content. Each TV has a remote control to select different content via a user-friendly menu. This form of wireless HDTV content distribution enables consumers to be located anywhere in the home where a power supply is available. Complicated and troublesome management of unsightly cable, satellite or other wiring is no longer needed. Easy access to stored video and Internet content provides an added advantage.

IPTV User Interface - Hitachi will also demonstrate its new IPTV User Interface. This innovative GUI features a set of intuitive controls for selecting and enjoying content from various sources (home
server/network, broadcast, Internet, handheld devices, etc.); a customizable menu with the ability to set user-specific preferences to enhance personalization and control; and multi-device support, which allows users to store and access content using multiple devices both inside the home and on the go.

Hybrid Monitor - Hitachi will show its one-of-a-kind Hybrid Monitor that uses an advanced Light Source System capable of generating an eight million to one (8M: 1) "mega contrast" ratio and optimum light efficiency. Through the ingenious combination of Hitachi's proprietary Micro Display system, a Sole Polarized Light Source a magnifying lens and an LCD panel, the Hybrid Monitor perfectly controls color gradation, allowing the viewer to see pure black and natural images in a more true-to-life way than ever before possible.

For more information about Hitachi's activities at the 2008 International CES, please visit http://av.hitachi.com/

In similar news, ASUS has also partnered with Hitachi to place 5K500s inside their upcoming M50 and M70 notebooks, and will have two inside the M70 for a max 1TB storage (striped). We're excited because we actually like taking all our data on the go with us instead of leaving it at home on a NAS.

Due to the unprecedented number of hits on the Hitachi website (everyone wanting a piece of the 31-inch high, 29-pound robot, I suppose), EMIEW 2's wireless communications took a beating, and the little android crashed into its desk, meaning he had to be put through his paces later on in the day.

The Mk 2 version sports Transformer-style legs and a weird face that looks like it's begging to have a Hello Kitty bow and whiskers drawn on it. It can get on its knees — something I always look for when I'm on the hunt for a new slave — as well as lift its feet over obstacles that are an inch off the ground. There's also a built-in radar system that, when it is working properly, stops it from bumping into objects in the room. [Pink Tentacle]

Vizio was the steaming turd of the study, with its GV47FHDTV scoring both the 400-line static res and the shabby-as-hell 360-line motion res.

The plasmas did the best on the test. The two Panasonics tested (50PZ700 and 50PZ750) scored full 1080 when still, and 880 when moving. A Samsung plasma (FPT5084) got high marks with 1080 static and 830 motion res. (Note: the test Merson used originated with a consortium of plasma makers—Advanced PDP Development Center—so plasma scoring higher is no big surprise.)

The LCDs that fared best on this resolution test were from Sharp, with 1080p static and 600 lines in motion, almost across the board. An LG model also scored 600 in motion, while Sony and Samsung LCDs scored in the high 500s.

For more detailed analysis and a look at Merson's chart, hit the Home Theater Magazine article. [Home Theater]

Later, the disgruntled tester even went so far as to call its indoor shooting "a mess," decrying the camcorder's noise, blur and poor dynamic range. "Overall, we were none too pleased with the world's first Blu-ray camcorder." On the plus side, the reviewer noticed the camcorder has a resolution that's "comparable with the best of the AVCHD camcorders," but added that it can only do well in "perfect, bright light."

On the plus side, well, at least the Blu-ray disc hatch opens quickly. There's that. Another plus is the way the camcorder feels great in the hand, a characteristic that we can vouch for after our brief encounter with it. However, the reviewer didn't care for all of the hidden controls nestled within the great-looking Hitachi DZ-BD7HA, and called its manual/automatic controls "abysmal." We won't spoil the review's frank conclusion for you, you'll just have to see the savage drubbing this camcorder receives from the thorough reviewer. Ouch. [Camcorderinfo.com]

The reduction in size was achieved by utilizing the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process, where the transistor is formed directly on the silicon base. It may be disparaging to know that an RFID chip, measuring 0.15mm x 0.15mm x 0.0075 mm, holds the title for world's smallest item in that category, whilst simultaneously being far larger than your winky. Hey, at least your twinkle can memorize 38-digits... oh, it can't? Why do you wake up in the mornings? [TFOT]

• Hitachi used automotive technology to build the radiant beveled edge with a translucent back-coating of metallic paint. In Japan the metallic paint may be red, blue, white or other colors; in the US, it will be silver.

• Ventilation engineering came from Hitachi's mainframe division: the system is called "airflow analytic design" and it helps the TV achieve ultra-quiet no-fan cooling.

• The bulb in the Ultra Thin series is an external electric fluorescent light (EEFL) which is apparently more efficient than CCFL and can provide a better color range than white LEDs.

HITACHI LAUNCHES NEW LINE OF ULTRA THIN DISPLAYS

— Available in 2008, Hitachi's Chic New HDTVs Mark the Debut of an Entirely New Category of Display —

TOKYO - October 23, 2007 - Hitachi has achieved yet another consumer electronics breakthrough with today's announcement of its new line of 1.5-inch (35mm) Ultra Thin HDTV's. Hitachi also expects to be first to market with its new Ultra Thin series, which will be available in the Japan market in December of 2007. U.S. consumers can expect to see Ultra Thin models in early 2008 - many months before thin displays from other manufacturers.

These slim, stylish LCDs from Hitachi represent an important new category of product that is being called Ultra Thin Displays. This new type of display is designed for a highly affluent and refined segment of consumers who seek luxury, style and prestige. This extremely discerning audience also demands a set of features, technologies and design aesthetics that are separate and very distinct from those found in today's traditional Flat Panel Displays.

"As very large consumer markets grow and evolve, sub-segments with particular nuances will emerge," said Daniel Lee, vice president of marketing for Hitachi America, Ltd., Ubiquitous Platform Systems Division. "This is precisely what we're seeing in the HDTV market and our new designs are at the forefront of this shift. What's happening is that the more traditional Flat Panel Displays will continue to focus on 'bigger is better.' Hitachi knows this segment very well, and we have for years held a leadership position with our Director's Series plasmas. But our research shows a new trend emerging: consumers want access to information and entertainment throughout the home. This is the promise behind the 'networked' and 'digital' home. And it's also what's behind the emergence of these new Ultra Thin Displays from Hitachi, which are very thin, versatile, lightweight and stylish and can elegantly be placed in any room or multiple rooms throughout the home. At Hitachi, we will be tailoring our engineering product development and overall go-to-market strategy to address this important and exciting market dynamic."

Initially offered in three sizes (32", 37" and 42"), the displays are designed to provide consumers with a range of options for placement throughout the home. Hitachi's research shows consumers want Ultra Thin Displays to be more discreet, flexible, modern and sleek, since they will often be purchased for a kitchen, bathroom, office or bedroom.

Ultra Thin, Yet Feature Rich

"Hitachi understands that when selecting an Ultra Thin Display, consumers want a very modern, thin profile and a lightweight unit but they do not want to trade off any of the features or performance of a top-of-the-line HDTV," said Bill Whalen, director of product development for Hitachi America, Ltd., Ubiquitous Platform Systems Division. "The Ultra Thin Displays from Hitachi pack style and performance into a sleek, compact form factor that makes absolutely no compromises when it comes to innovative technologies, groundbreaking features, theater-quality image optimization, state-of-the-art electronics and wall-shaking sound. Typical of Hitachi's complete line of products, these new displays perform at the top of their class." The new Ultra Thin Displays embody the following features:

External Electrode Fluorescent Lamp (EEFL) - The thinness of the displays was achieved through Hitachi's proprietary implementation of a technology called EEFL, which affords greater power efficiency, delivers better and more flexible color accuracy and delivers a longer overall life span for the display.

Wide Viewing Angle - By implementing In Plane Switching (IPS), Hitachi has achieved the sharpest, clearest LCD possible, regardless of the angle at which the viewer is seated. A vertical and horizontal viewing angle of 178 degrees maintains natural colors and brightness, making it ideal for watching TV with the whole family and friends.

Hitachi's Proprietary "Anti-Judder" Technique (37" & 42") - Movies provide the illusion of motion by showing a series of still images over time. In fact, all Hollywood movies flash 24 individual images each second. However, Hollywood's 24 frames-per-second do not match our television systems, which show 60 frames each second. A conversion technique called "3:2 pull-down correction" is used to make the 24 frames of film fit the television's faster 60 frames. As this conversion is done, the viewer can often observe a jerky, troublesome visual effect that is called "judder." It appears as if the image is jittery or stuttering and is especially noticeable when the picture pans or makes sweeping, side-to-side movements. In its new Ultra Thin line, Hitachi has implemented proprietary technology which accurately and automatically eliminates the jerky "judder" motion. It does so by creating interpolated frames based on the original film images. It smoothes out the movement and correctly matches the motion of the original movie.

Picture Master Full HD — Hitachi's enhanced high-resolution image processing engine, Picture Master Full HD, analyzes and processes image at a high speed, providing state-of-the-art high picture quality. It achieves this in three ways:

* Advanced Dynamic Contrast — analyzes every picture that appears on the screen and optimizes its contrast frame by frame.
* 3D Color Management — adjusts the three constituent components of color (hue, saturation, and brightness) pixel by pixel using 3D data.
* Advanced Dynamic Enhancer — expresses images which are simultaneously detailed and dynamic, and controls detail gradation and sharp edges. In addition, Hitachi added a circuit which enhances the crispness in scenes to capture subtle details, such as details in human skin or a three-dimensional expression of mountain ridge, which reduces the grainy effect and pulls out the natural beauty.

High Audio Quality — The 6.0 watt + 6.0 watt digital amplifier produces an exceptionally clear sound. The speakers located at the left and right sides of the bottom of the monitor are Hitachi's newly developed box-type speakers which are high quality and slim enough to fit the 35mm thickness of the monitor. The three sound modes allow consumers to select the most suitable type of audio effect depending on the contents - "clear voice" to pick up human voices clearly, "surround" for natural, clear three-dimensional sound, and "bass boost" for the optimum bass sound depending on the input signal.

Highly Refined and Energy Efficient Design

A glossy and high precision frame surrounds the picture area of each of the displays. The frame is beveled to present the viewing picture as if it were a work of art. The combination of a bevel on the outer frame combined with a radius on the inner frame presents a visually unique addition to any living environment. Not only are the new Ultra Thin Displays gorgeous in their appearance, they are responsible and sustainable in their design due to Hitachi's energy-efficient features such as "auto power off," to prevent consumers from forgetting to turn off the TV. The UT series also feature a "video power save" which allows consumers to switch to stand-by mode when there is no signal coming into the TV.

OLED has lightning response times (reports of < 0.01ms), viewing angles with nearly no color fallout and contrast ratios as high as the eye can see (Sony's new 11-incher claims 1000000:1). I mean, LCD, it's not that we don't appreciate the gesture. And if Sharp could make a .68mm-thin 60" TV, we'd be all over you. But...uhh...we sorta already agreed to go to the prom with OLED...and his dad's renting a limo and everything. [avwatch]

Mirrors, seats and air-conditioning will be automatically adjusted to the preferences of whichever driver has his or her finger on the scanner. The crime prevention factor is obvious: if the car only works for the person whose veins are in the scanner, then it won't go "brum" for someone who's nicked it &mdash unless, that is, your thief is the same redheaded mofo from 24 who sawed off the real pilot's finger in order to steal the stealth bomber and blow up Air Force One. [Hitachi via Pink Tentacle]

The Woo part of the product name is in fact an accompanying external tuner, which has been separated from the televisions to shave off a few inches. The digital tuner houses 3 x HDMI inputs, SD/MMC slot, iVDR recorder and an Ethernet port. The televisions will all have 2 x 6W speakers, 1 x HDMI/1 x D-sub inputs and an impressive 178degree viewing angle. An optional UWB hub will allow for streaming with a 9m range and will cost an additional ¥90 000 ($786). If all those facts have not got you hot under the collar, check out those white leather boots—saucy. [AV Watch]

I can't decide whether it looks more like an MP3 player or a sex toy. [Aving USA]

The StarBoard can integrate with any computer and projector, though Hitachi recommends their vertical projection model. Nicest bonus? You can record AV and play it back later. The StarBoard was just announced here at IFA and will run 4,600 euros. But damn does it look good—and super easy to use.

The announcement? It WAS the Blu-ray camcorder. The same one we've talked about for months, is on posters around Berlin and isn't new. Blu-ray, I didn't have a dog in this fight. But now I hope HD DVD rises from lousy sales ratios and destroys you, Blu-ray. I hope they burn out your eyes with inferior laser technology until you cry and then realize you can't cry without them. (This, of course, won't stop a hands-on with the camcorder we have planned for later today).

No exact price at the moment, but we should know more after its July 12th launch. The prospect of another cheap toss-around voice recorder is always appealing to us bloggers when we leave our caves for trade shows.

[Product Page via electronista]

Here are all of the new 1080p flat-panel TVs, with pricing and features:

The S601 Series
50-inch Plasma S-Series P50S601 - $3499 - July
47-inch LCD S-Series L47S601 - $2999 - September
42-inch LCD S-Series L42S601 - $2299 - September
Features: 1920x1080 resolution; a motorized "Power Swivel" stand; anti-reflective screen

The V651 Series
47-inch LCD V-Series L47V651 - $3199 - September
42-inch LCD V-Series L42V651 - $2499 - September
Features: Same as S601 plus metallic gloss black design; SD card reader; split screen; glow-key remote

The V701 Series
50-inch Plasma V-Series P50V701 - $3999 - August
Features: On top of the other features, this has something Hitachi developed called "Reel60". When you put movie content, filmed at 24 frames per second onto TV, which runs at 30 frames per second, you can get a weird, jerky picture. Previously, TVs used something called 3:2 pulldown, which would repeat certain frames. Now, with powerful video processors, TVs can do more. Reel60 interpolates between frames, creating 60 distinct frames out of a film's original 24, for smoother action. (While this particular process is unique to Hitachi, many other TV makers, including Sony, Philips and Mitsubishi, are promoting their own solutions to the problem.) The V701 is also CableCard compatible, with TV Guide On-Screen.

The X901 Director's Series
50-inch Plasma X-Series P50X901 - $4299 - August
60-inch Plasma X-Series P60X901 - $7999 - August
Features: The top end has Reel60 and the rest of the V701 feature set, plus some crazy high-end requirements, such as "Digital Color Management" and "Custom White Balance." The P60X901 is Hitachi's first and only 60-inch 1080p plasma.

Hitachi is currently selling plasmas in two other less expensive groups, the H401 and T501 series, introduced this spring.

Company Page [Hitachi]

Previously, Hitachi's brain scanner gave the wearer the ability to turn off light switches without having to lift a finger. Like the Clapper, but not retarded. As the technology continues to progress, Hitachi's wide aims look more feasible. How cool would it be to walk into your house and just think the lights on? To imagine your car starting up as you get ready for work and find it ready and waiting? The biggest obstacle right now is size, however. True, it makes you look like a cyborg, but there are some crazy people out there not into that.

Hitachi has already proven its brain-machine interface technology in medicine back in 2005. Simple inputs from a paralyzed patient would output yes or no responses to questions. The same kind of idea lies behind the brain-machine interface. Anything the wearer does, from simple calculations to running the latest Internet fad song through his mind, will trigger the helmet to output in some way. In this instance, making a toy train move. "But Gizmodo," you cry, "surely there are other uses!" Probably. – Kevin Hall

A 1000GB Blu-ray disc is a technical impossibility because the strict standards of format production will always limit the laser and 25GB/layer storage. A double-sided 8-layer could presumable get you somewhere around 400GB, but it's still short.

So what is this $2000 mystery 1TB Blu-ray burner? It's the new 1TB Hitachi hard drive with a burner attached—all in happy home theater form. That's our bet, at least. And this new announcement still could be pretty cool. – Mark Wilson

1000GB Blu-ray Burner Announced By Hitachi [via digg]