LG Tab-Book 2 and lighter Ultra PC coming to CES 2014

LG has announced a couple new products that it will be showing off at CES 2014 kicking off next week. The new products will include the Tab-Book 2 and a refined LG Ultra PC. The Ultra PC model 13Z940 tips the scales at less than 1kg and has a very clean and minimal design.

Despite its lightweight, the machine packs an Intel Core i5 processor under the hood. The Ultra PC is offered with two different choices for storage including a 128GB SSD or a 256GB SSD. The display for the machine is a 13.3-inch IPS unit that uses LG's Super Narrow Bezel design. The bezel is only 4.4mm thick and the machine weighs 980g with a thickness of 13.6mm at the thickest point.

The other new machine that LG will be unveiling is the Tab-Book 2. It's not all new, but a refresh of the original Tab-Book that was unveiled at CES 2013. It runs Windows 8.1 and has 10-point touch control. The machine also features a slide-out keyboard that stows under the screen when not needed.

The Tab-Book 2 11T740 model is 16.7mm thick and weighs 1.05kg. It has a full HD resolution 11.6-inch screen with a brightness rating of 400 nits. The brain of the computer is a fourth gen Intel Core i5 processor. Another model of the Tab-Book 2 called the 11T540 weighs in at 930g and is 13.7mm thick. LG will also show off its 27-inch AIO PC at CES featuring Intel Core processor and NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M graphics.







SOURCE: LG

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LG to release a smattering of sound systems for audiophiles in 2014

LG is focusing its 2014 product efforts on sound, hoping to position itself as the home entertainment manufacturer for audiophiles seeking flexibility in in-home streaming. Tonight it announced a wide array of updates to its existing lines of home sound equipment. The company will reveal these officially at CES 2014 in January.

Adding to its SoundPlate line, LG announced an updated under-the-TV speaker, model LAB540W. It sits only 4cm thick and can accommodate TVs with displays ranging from 32 to 55 inches. This SoundPlate is a 4.1 channel, 320W system with an external wireless subwoofer with an on-board Blu-ray player and smart TV conversion technology. It is set up for Bluetooth streaming from compatible mobile devices.

Continuing with its wireless speaker motif, LG announced two new speakers designed for maximum customizability in terms of home setup. They come in 70W (model NP8740) and 40W (model NP8540) power options. Both are equipped with 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth enablement and MESH network capability. They're designed to work with an LG app that functions as a master control unit for all LG speakers in the house, with two modes: Party Mode for sending one sound stream to all speakers, and Personal Mode for customizing each room.

It also announced two new SoundBar models. The NB5540, LG's flagship model, has 4.1 channels with a big 320 watts of output and a wireless subwoofer. It has two front-facing and two back-facing channels for sound balance. It includes Hi-Fi DAC, an analog Class D amp, HDMI connectivity, and Bluetooth enablement for streaming from mobile devices. The NB3740A model in this line adds content from Netflix, CinemaNow, Pandora and other streaming services.

Finally, LG will release two new Blu-ray players with 3D 1080p compatibility, smart TV conversion, stream-to-Bluetooth functionality, and Wi-Fi. The premium version includes compatibility with services like Netflix, VUDU, YouTube, and others. There's also a 500W audio system on deck.

Keep an eye on our CES 2014 channel in early January for a closer look when LG reveals the machines.




SOURCE: Slashgear

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LG Smart TV to WebOS: You're coming to Vegas

LG has made good on its promise to resurrect WebOS in the living room.

An LG researcher, Hong Sung-pyo, said at an event in Korea on Thursday that the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month will play host to the company's first WebOS-based Smart TV. The television will include a 2.2GHz dual-core processor and 1.5GB of RAM, according to Hong.

WebOS has had a long and disappointing experience in the electronics business. The operating system was initially hailed as the Palm's savior, but quickly proved incapable of resurrecting the mobile firm. After HP acquired Palm, WebOS was again pushed as an option for the company, but again the carpet was pulled out from under the operating system.

Earlier this year, much to the surprise of many industry pundits, LG announced that it had acquired WebOS from HP. But unlike its predecessors, LG said it had no plans to bundle it with mobile, deciding instead that it might be a suitable option for HDTVs. We'll find out for sure if it actually is a suitable option early next month in Las Vegas when the industry's massive conference kicks off. And as always, CNET will be there to catch every last minute.


VIA CNET

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LG Enact Android slider keeps Verizon in the QWERTY business

It’s not as if the LG Enact was the last device on the planet to offer a full physical keyboard with Android software – though the most recent entry with Verizon was the BlackBerry Q10. This LG device brings a sliding front panel that reveals a full QWERTY keyboard much in the same way that the Motorola DROID 4 did back in February of 2012. There’s also a near-identical device by the name of LG Mach that was released earlier this year – not that you’d need to know that if you’re sticking with Verizon.

This device works with many of the LG-made software innovations that’ve appeared on higher-end Android devices from the manufacturer over the past several months. You’ll be working with QSlide 2.0, meaning you can have two apps open at once, and QuickMemo – a note-taking service that also works over screenshots. LG has also added what’s called Q Translator, able to use this device’s camera to scan and translate text in 44 different languages.

On its back, the LG Enact works with a 5 megapixel camera able to record 1080p HD video, while a front-facing VGA camera works with LG’s “Cheese Shutter” – saying, “Cheese” takes a photo. You’ve got other software features for the camera added by LG like HDR, Panorama, VR Panorama, Beauty Shot, and Continuous Shot.

Up front the LG Enact features a 4-inch WVGA display at 800 x 400 pixels with a Corning Gorilla Glass pane to protect it. The slide-out keyboard features 5 rows of keys and dedicated keys for Google Search as well as Write & Share. Inside you’ll find a 2460mAh battery that should easily keep your usage time up to a full day.

This device is launching with a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus dual-core processor at 1.2GHz clock speed and you’ll be rolling with 8GB of internal storage. There is a microSD card slot – if you’re worried about the tiny built-in storage – that you can use to expand your space by another 64GB. LG Enact is available starting this week for $19.99 USD on a two-year contract.

VIA: Verizon

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LG Display unveils world’s first Quad HD AH-IPS LCD for smartphones

LG Display has announced the creation of the world’s first 2566 x 1440 panel for smartphones, a Quad HD AH-IPS LCD. This massively high resolution accompanies a 5.5-inch panel, giving it a 538ppi. As such, says the display maker, this is both the highest resolution and the highest pixels per inch of any mobile display created thus far.

The Quad HD brings clearer images than what you get with the common 1280 x 720 resolution found on many handsets, something LG Display says results in “more delicate colors” in addition to better contrast and vividness than smartphones currently offer. All of this culminates in images that are said to be both more crisp and life-like, as well as video quality that is Blu-ray equivalent.

Furthermore, the Quad HD panel is said to provide users with a full view of Web pages that is equivalent to what you get on a PC, no distortion or clipping present. Comparing this with Full HD displays, current users would only get access to about three quarters of the full screen experience, leaving a full quarter to be desired. Obviously, this has benefits for zooming in content.

Text is sharper on the Quad HD than on Full HD (and lower) displays, for example. Such a creation comes at a time when demand for larger screens is increasing in the market. The research firm DisplaySearch estimates that LTPS-based handset displays will hit a record of 765 million units being shipped in 2014, something fueled by desire for not only larger screens, but also higher resolution and lower power consumption.

As far as size goes, the panel is 1.21mm thick, and has a 1.2mm bezel in LCM, also earning it the titles of slimmest and narrowest available. The 5.2-inch Full HD panel that LG released last month, for example, is 12-percent thicker than the Quad HD.

Vice President and Head of LG Display’s IT and Mobile Development Group Dr. Byeong-koo Kim said: “LG Display, which pioneered the high resolution mobile market with introduction of the world’s first Full HD smartphone panel in 2012, again opens new possibilities with the successful application of QHD technology. With this breakthrough, LG Display will continue to raise new standards for mobile resolution and lead the mobile display market.”

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