Toshiba has shown off new HDTVs in Europe, along with a new content platform for connected TVs and computer.
Toshiba Places
The service, which is called Toshiba Places, will be available via a web browser on a PC or laptop and through a dedicated user interface on Toshiba Regza TVs. Once connected to the portal using a Toshiba ID, users will be able to access a range of content via a series of different ‘places’.
The places are split up into different categories such as the video place, music place, news place, game place, app place and services place. For example, users can rent a film from the video place much like the service Apple provides with iTunes.
The new Internet link brings access to Video on Demand services such as Acetrax, Viewster, Woomi, Box Office 365, Hit Entertainment, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and Boing. There are also music, social networking, gaming, app and services areas users can access and explore.
The music place is for downloading or streaming music, and is powered by 7Digital. The services for sharing video and photos, you can probably work out what they are called, are powered by Flickr and Dailymotion.
Some of the ‘places’ are accessible via both PC and TV while others are limited to one or the other. Toshiba Places will launch later in April.
New TVs
Leading the hardware was the range-topping 55-inch 55ZL1 HDTV that’s the first to sport a seven-core CEVO CPU for image processing and a Pro-LED512 panel with 512 zones of dimming in its 3,072 LEDs. The 3D TV uses a 1080p panel and has a 500GB hard drive, PVR function, a built-in camera, and Personal-TV facial recognition that will see which family member is watching TV and adjust settings accordingly. It ships in Europe in May, though prices aren’t available.
The edge-lit LED VL863 HDTVs will be available sometime this spring in 47- and 42-inch versions. Each ships with four pairs of passive 3D glasses for the FPR panels. The sets are Wi-Fi-ready.
The UL863-series can be had in 32-, 37-, 42- and 46-inch sizes and gets Wi-Fi and Personal TV. They also arrive in the spring.
The SL863 series comes in the same sizes as the UL863 when they arrive in May. The LED-backlit 1080p panels are Wi-Fi ready and are DLNA-certified.
If or when these TVs will arrive in the US remains to be seen, though it is very like US equivalents will ship this year.
Toshiba 55zl1
Toshiba SL863
Toshiba UL863
Toshiba VL863
