Colors are "sensational and bright" and the reviewer goes so far as to describe the TV ""the best home-entertainment display in America." Strangely there's no mention of the TV's built-in 3D capabilities and still no pricing information for the fabled 73-inch model, but it's only a matter of time. Check to full review at Time, though it's of a distinctly non-technical flavor (prepare lots of overly descriptive asides about his neighbor's "man cave"). The important thing is that this TV apparently is as good as it sounds. [Time - Thanks, Josh!]

Yes, the MMR25 will have nine motors in each wheel, one to spin the main structure and eight more to control smaller embedded wheels for traction while deftly maneuvering along the highway, maybe even driving sideways. Special "oblique aerodynamics" mean that the sideways driving won't be penalized by wind resistance, either.

There's no glass: It's too damn heavy, and you won't need it, what with visual information coming in via a crazy camera array that feeds a 360-degree panoramic screen that surrounds your "pod."

It's plenty power efficient, too, getting 1,000 miles per charge out of lightweight composite-nano-fiber-jiggied lithium-based batteries. (No word on explodeyness, but presumably that's solved too.)

We're gonna go one step further and guess that the electric charge itself will come from just an hour or two under the hot sun, thanks to efficient solar cells. But ha ha, that would just be ludicrous, right? [Jalopnik]

Trading a few millimeters shaved off the panel for a big honking box may not seem like a hugely advantageous situation, but WHDI has a range of over 100 feet (into the closet it can go) and allows for seamless pairing of compatible HDTV gear throughout your home, meaning the tuner (or the external Mitsubishi Blu-ray recorder shown next to it) could potentially be linked to other panels in the house. I kind of like the idea of stashing all of my modular source gear in a home theater server room of sorts, leaving only ultra-thin panels to receive the signals visible. That seems to be where WHDI is taking us, although Panasonic (who is not a WHDI member) could have something else up their sleeves. [Tech ON]

With too much inventory and not enough demand, the HDTV makers are cutting prices yet again to clear out stock. After these guys finish slashing, you can expect other bigwigs like Pioneer, LG and Sony to follow suit. So before you shell out for that sweet new LCD or plasma set, make sure you're not overpaying and check out the chart of everything we know so far. [HD Guru]

*Note: The following are "minimum advertised prices". Street pricing, or what they actually charge in store after sales, etc., is usually much less.

One great thing about the set is that you can change the way it does sound depending on room size and TV placement using simple menu options. Oh yeah, and the picture on the 120Hz set wasn't bad either. The 149 comes in two flavors, a 46" for $3300 and a 52" for $3700, out soon. [Mitsubishi]

The foggy "sometime this year" release date has narrowed to Q3, so sometime late summer, though that's about all Mitsubishi is spilling aside from the fact the line's official name is LaserVue. Price and exact D-Day are coming in June, giving you a couple of months to scrounge some pennies together in anticipation. We're already drooling to do our own best TV ever side-by-side with this thing, 'cause whoever loses, we win. [HD Guru]

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Kizuna is expected to go live in July following a setup process once it is in position, but a speed boost is not the only aim of the game. Having a satellite in space means natural disasters on Earth are not going to have any ramifications on the country's connectivity, which can be imperative in disaster zones. If all should go well, expect such an infrastructure to hit the mainstream. Does that mean everyone will have a 1.2Gbps connection? Will outages become a thing of the past? Does Simba eventually become a good leader? The answers come in July, when the service rolls out. [JAXA via Yahoo News; AP]

When pressed for details, they kept repeating their mantra about laser being the "purest light source," but from what we could see, we think it must have something to do with hot-looking dancing girls, frickin' lasers, smoke and maybe even mirrors. We were taking shots of the TVs, but all these women kept getting in our way. Oh, well.

Notice that the Dyson has a HEPA air filter but the Mitsubishi doesn't? Says the Dyson camp:

The Jet Towel draws the already filthy air through a basic gauze filter (designed to protect the motor) using the heating element stores unfiltered air at around 95°F (ideal temp for breeding bacterial) and then blows it out on your hands and back into the room. Even though you just washed your hands, the air from Jet Towel contaminates them all over again with warm bacteria laden air. It's a vicious cycle.

[The HEPA filter] clogs very quickly and when it does the air flow is dramatically reduced. Mitsubishi found this to be true when they experimented with HEPA filters long ago.

Because the Airblade has no drain tank (unlike the Jet Towel's drain tank which is easily emptied in about five seconds), when the filter runs out and has not been changed the bacteria is exhausted into the environment. Very unsanitary. [Also] water splashes out the sides of the unit and therefore drips down the side of the unit and onto the floor. You will probably notice this happens even after 5-10 uses. It does not happen with the Jet Towel. A serious sanitary issue.

Waste water stagnates in a collection tray mounted right above the storage heater, warming up and brewing bacteria.

The Dyson motor's lifespan is estimated at about 1/3 of the lifespan of the Jet Towel [we have ascertained that this is true]. If there is a problem with the Dyson motor, it is mechanically almost impossible to replace it. On the other hand the Jet Towel motor is modular and can be easily swapped out if needed (but has not happened in our experience).

Jet Towel's DC brushless motor is less efficient and not as powerful, therefore only generating a 200MPH airflow. [Mitsu claims even less at 180MPH.]

We totally feel like Don King right now. Remember when we interviewed James Dyson about his Airblade, and he said it could put a hurtin' on Mitsubishi's Jet Towel? Well, Mitsubishi fired back, saying, "We obviously take issue with his claims and would love the opportunity to dispute it." Then, only a day ago, this arrived at our door:Yep, a freakin' Jet Towel—the latest and greatest one, too.

Dyson's on board. Not long ago, he wrote us personally, saying:

I hear our demo sparked Gizmodo's curiosity in seeing a battle take place between Airblade and the Mitsubishi Jet Towel... I never shy away from such fun and I look forward to seeing the outcome!

We're not sure the world is fully ready for an Ultimate Hand-Dryer Battlemodo between Dyson and Mitsubishi, but baby, ready or not, here it comes... Stay tuned for Battlemodo details and a tale of the tape early next week.

Special thanks to Mr. Frucci for the cartoon witticisms above!

They have two layers of high viscosity ink that creates 0.1mm Braille bumps in order to easily identify a disc just by feel. Since they've perfected it on CDs, it should be pretty easy to port to DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD as well. The Braille is pre-written, so you can't label your Boner Jams '08 discs yourself, but you can correlate whatever's written on there to whatever you've burned.

Why they didn't think of this sooner is anyone's guess. [M-Kagaku via Cool Hunting via Sci Fi]

It's nice that 3D won't just be reserved to an old creepy Michael Jackson space movie but it'll be interesting to see how this thing actually works when it comes out. You guys know you can't really do true 3d without recording video stereoscopically first, right? [SciFi]

This three-chip LCD projector can toss out a contrast ratio of 12,000:1 according to Mitsubishi, using its automatic iris mechanism that dynamically adjusts according to the brightness of the scene. Most intriguing is the quote of 19dB of noise sneaking out of its cleverly named "sirocco fan," and if the company's not fudging on that spec, that would be the quietest projector we've ever heard. Nice.

Mitsubishi is starting a limited run of these babies in Japan in October, and maybe if the reception is good this one might compete against that Panasonic and Epson $3000 1080p projector juggernaut. Available in an either black or white, expect this one to sell for just north of $3K if it ever makes it to these shores.

UPDATE: Mitsubishi PR tells us this projector won't make it to the US market: "This product is for Japan only; the product that is being introduced in the US market has a different name, specs and price." [AV Watch (translation)]

Standing a childlike 3'3" tall and weighing 66 pounds, the robots cut a decidedly non-imposing figure, flashing a dorky-looking expression and generally doing nonthreatening things. They are at able to perform a few manual tasks, however, and we're thinking that bringing us a beer might not be too challenging for these little droids. While we see opportunities for employing nonjudgmental servants, others may sense the beginning of the end for humanity. It might be a little of both. [Pink Tentacle, via Ubergizmo]

Dyson Airblade Copied Mitsubishi Jet Towel? [Gizmodo]

James Dyson Shows Giz His Airblade [Gizmodo]

Sony is now using the XMB (cross media bar) interface developed for the PSP and the PS3 in its Sony Electronics products, such as the Mylo, a new receiver or two, and most new televisions, starting with the 37-in. Bravia KDF-37H1000 rear-projection LCD. See the XMB interface:

Now see the Bravia's XMB interface superimposed over the PS3's XMB interface (just for fun):

When I was checking out the new Mitsubishi LCDs, I had a look at their NetCommand system for assigning remote control commands. While the system itself has been around a while, the colorful higher-res visuals make the whole thing easier to figure out.

I asked David Katzmaier, TV reviewer at CNet, whether he thought I was onto something, and he replied speedily with more examples to the affirmative.

On a new HP:

This has a "simple menu" option that limits the number of controls available in the OSD. In simple mode, you can't adjust any of the picture parameters directly, just shuffle through modes.

Like many new TVs, all Samsungs and Sonys have text explanations of various menu items. When you select "Size" in the Samsung's menu, for example, the explanation reads "Selects the picture format according to source. The P SIZE button on the remote accomplishes the same function." This is a great substitute for reading the user manual. And of course, Samsungs play their little chime to let you know the TV is turning off and on. While annoying, it's also good feedback especially for sets that take awhile to warm up (DLPs for example). Sony, for its part, has a highly nested menu system where simpler options appear first. It's both easier for novices to navigate and more annoying for experts to find the item they want.

Now, am I wrong, or are TV's getting friendlier? I'll let you have the last word on the subject. – Wilson Rothman

All Things TV Related [Gizmodo]

The Game FX system isn't just for 3D gaming, but it also supports "dual view" gaming: with the right dongle, you will be able to connect two game systems. If you and your friend are wearing the special glasses (sold separately or as part of a future bundle), you will be able to see your side of the game fully on the screen at 60Hz, and your friend will be able to see his or her version of the same game on the full screen, also at 60Hz.

The DLPs are much lighter weight than last year's model, in spite of performance improvements and decreased footprint. The 73-incher shown in profile below didn't just slim down from 17.5 inches to 15.3 inches, but it dropped from 190lbs to 92lbs. I asked what came out, and no one could tell me. My guess is lead, you know, for ballast. They're also fairly green compared to other TV technologies, consuming 275 watts or less.

Mitsubishi laser-assisted DLP is on schedule for year end, designed for better brightness, but also improved color and overall performance. The DLPs in the current line are 6-color wheel with a single light source. Mitsubishi is not building LED-projected DLPs, like Samsung's current DLP lineup. The world will get its first glimpse at CES 2008.

Below, you'll see the new interface, featuring NetCommand for painless (if not exactly quick) programming of the Mitsubishi remote to handle you components. Also, check out the side inputs of the Diamond-class LCDs. For more info on all the new TVs, take a look at our original post. – Wilson Rothman

Mitsubishi Thin Frame TVs [Gizmodo]

Follow the jump for a breakout of all the models and another sweet picture; all pricing is in something called "suggested value price." More on that and on the TVs themselves later today, when I visit the showroom.

The entry-level 733 Series 1080p DLP HDTVs are characterized by a 6-Color Light Engine, three rear HDMI 1.3 inputs a front HD component input.
•57-inch WD-57733 ($2499)
•65-inch WD-65733 ($2999)
•73-inch WD-73733 ($4699)

The step-up 734 Series (shown above) has everything a 733 does, plus enhanced contrast through the DeepField Imager for dynamic adjustment within an image; a front HDMI input; and NetCommand for on-screen control and setup of other home theater gear.
•57-inch WD-57734 ($2799)
•65-inch WD-65734 ($3299)
•73-inch WD-73734 ($5099)

The primo DLPs are in the Diamond series, naturally. Everything above is included here, plus some serious tweaker bonuses: Smooth120Hz for more fluid and smoother moving images free from motion blur; TV Guide On Screen 9.0; Game FX - 3D game capability; IEEE1394; and an RS232C input.
•57-inch WD-57833 ($3399)
•65-inch WD-65833 ($3999)
•73-inch WD-73833 ($5899)

When it comes to the new LCD flat-panels, Mitsubishi skips 720p altogether and starts off at 1080p, with the 133 Series 1080p LCD flat panel HDTVs, which include a "high contrast" picture and three rear HDMI 1.3 Inputs.
•40-inch LT-40133 ($2699)
•46-inch LT-46133 ($3399)
•52-inch LT-52133 ($4499)

A lone soldier in the 134 series, a 40-incher, has all of the above features plus NetCommand and a side HDMI 1.3 input.
•40-inch 134 Series LT-40134 ($2899)

The 144 Series naturally assumes you are going to pass on the 40-incher; starting at 46 inches, it includes the 133's features plus a side component input and Smooth120Hz (true 120Hz 1080p performance).
•46-inch LT-46144 ($3899)
•52-inch LT-52144 ($5099)

The king of the hill, the Diamond class, also comes in 46- and 52-inch models (shown above). It has everything that the starter 133 line has, plus Smooth120Hz, a CableCard slot, TV Guide Daily, NetCommand and a side HDMI input.
•Diamond LT-46244 ($4499)
•Diamond LT-52244 ($5699)

Stay tuned for more model shots, our own photos, and some of our more-emotional reactions when we check them out later today. – Wilson Rothman

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Introduces Nine 1080P DLP HDTVs [Mitsubishi]
Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Debuts Eight Thin Frame LCDs [Mitsubishi]

So the story goes as follows: Nintendo releases DS. DS becomes instant bestseller. Touchy-screen dual number becomes next game fetish. NTT DoCoMo and Mitsubishi think it may be a good idea, announce DS-like phone. Big N releases Wii; becomes instant bestseller. Wiimote becomes next game fetish device. Same suspects release D904i, a phone that needs to be tilted, shaken, stirred and bashed against any object to play games. The rest of the world looks the other way and pretends nothing happened. The End.

I mean, beyond playing Marble Madness-type games, how in the name of all that is good, sacred or uses a Hylian Shield I am supposed to play a game "swinging the handset like a tennis racket or wield it like sword"? Did anyone think about how to follow the action on screen while shaking it? Unless they are really talking porn, we will probably never know. Or care. – Jesus Diaz

DoCoMo's new phones offer motion-sensing game play [Reuters]

But why would you want to claim the world's fastest washing machine? I can see why it might be useful for B&Bs or people with 87 children, but it's like boasting about having the world's cleanest car. And as far as my limited experience as a domestic goddess goes (dirty clothes? wear 'em in the shower) I don't think that 35 mins for a wash and 2 hours for a dry is particularly Bugatti-tastic. – Ad Dugdale

Speedster of a Washing Machine [UberGizmo]

Press Release [Via Kotaku]

Sure, it is one of the only 1080p projectors coming in at less than five grand. But the image is softer than they'd like at full res. What it's great at is shooting a contrasty image (15,000 to 1 ratio), having deep black levels, and being vewy vewy quiet. Oh, its a bit portly, and without a horizontal lens shift, you have to place it dead center to your screen or deal with digital resizing of the picture (blurry time).

So, it earns second place in their rankings for 1080p sets under $5k.

I know you're dying to know which they liked more. Jump!

Suplise!

Mitsubishi's HC5000 looks like the better deal.

It's sharper, and brighter. It has less contrast, but has a sharper image. It comes in a few hundred cheaper at ~$4500. And has both vertical and horizontal lens shifting for placing the projector off center, and still getting an even image. It does not have a snappy nickname like the pearl, however. –Brian Lam

Sony VW50 Pearl [Projector Central]
Mitsubish HC5000 [Projector Central]

It's about time someone started bringing these electric cars to market in mass quantities. Big electric car fans, we're still holding out for a Tesla, which sings the body electric in style, not to mention its zero-to-60 time of four seconds. – Charlie White

Mitsubishi Working up Electric Car for US Market [Jalopnik]

Called the Jet Towel, the dryer works in a virtually identical way to removes water from the front and back of freshly-washed hands.

We'll give Dyson the benefit of the doubt here, since there's only so many ways you can get water off your hands using air. – Jason Chen

Dyson Airblade appears to be a copy of Mitsubishi Jet Towel [Pocket Lint]

Huh? Wouldn't you just point the television set toward you before you sit down? And if you're moving around, you're already up, so you could rotate the TV accordingly. This is just dopey, but we certainly like the proud posture of the cute young lady displaying it. – Charlie White

Mitsubishi swiveling LCD TVs [Newlaunches]

Looks like the cost of ownership will be reasonable, too, and Mitsubishi says the 5000-hour lamp is easy to replace. Of course, that impressive number will only happen if you use the projector in what Mitsubishi calls "low mode," plus that bulb might last longer because of its rather paltry 1000-lumen light output. But here's the kicker: the price is the lowest we've seen yet for a 1080p projector, $4495, and it will be available next month. – Charlie White

Product Page [Mitsubishi]

The creator of this invention, Ramesh Raskar and his team at Mitsubishi has teamed with MIT to further develop this invention. Looking forward to seeing this developed further. – Travis Hudson

Mitsubishi Electric Develops Deblurring Flutter Shutter Camera [Digital Camera Info]

This is definitely good news, especially in a time where the FCC is pounding portable satellite radio manufacturers in the ass for FM frequency violations. It is better to have it already integrated into the sound system than dealing with FM transmitter nonsense anyway. – Travis Hudson

SIRIUS Satellite Radio to be Standard &Factory Option on All Mitsubishi Vehicles in 2007 [Orbicast]