TV

Have you gotten your movie tickets yet for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – Part 2?  J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels have been entertaining families across the world since 1997 and movies for ten years.  Now, the last movie of the Harry Potter series is being premiered this week in the United States.

The grand finale is bittersweet for those who have been following the cast of Harry Potter for these last ten years.  On the one hand folks are excited to finally seen Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe) take on the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) head to head.  We have been waiting patiently for Harry Potter to grow up and finally revenge his parents’ murder.  We have also been waiting for Ron’s (Rupert Grint) and Hermione’s (Emma Watson) love story to unfold.  I am told this comes to fruition in this last movie.  However as much as we wish to see the great battle and love story between Hermione and Ron, there is still a part of us who will be sad to say goodbye to our Harry Potter family and leave this magical world.  What will we look forward to now?

If you have not seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – Part 1, TV lift cabinet owners can rent this movie from On Demand or at Blockbuster.  According to the Miami Herald who gave Part 2 an excellent review, it is essential to see Part 1 in order to truly follow the storyline in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – Part 2.

Over the past several months, executives at Sony have found themselves in hot water over a series of security breaches in its PlayStation network. While very popular for their flat panel TVs in TV lift cabinets, Sony is also a gaming giant. In April, a severe security breach allowed hackers to obtain personal and credit card information for millions of Sony users. Despite the massive blow to their reputation, Sony CEO Howard Stringer remained positive at the recent shareholders’ meeting.

Boasting that approximately 90% of users have returned to the service, Stringer told the crowd that brand perception is improving. According to Yahoo News, the attack cost Sony nearly $173 million. Sony’s service gradually reconnected in May, offering users a ‘Welcome Back’ package and a $1 million identity theft insurance policy for the next year.

Stringer expressed concern that he felt that the breach was an attack on Sony’s intellectual property. His words suggest that the attack may have been carried out in possible retaliation to past legal battles with hackers.

Security was obviously a hot topic and it was discussed how a completely secure network is impossible in today’s day and age. Nobody’s network is 100% safe from attacks. Regardless, Sony appears to be committed to protecting users and ensuring the network is as secure as possible.

Mitsubishi, a small-scale player in the TV manufacturing world, is ready to unveil their 92-inch TV to consumers. Yes, you read that right – 92 inches. First introduced in January, this gigantic set uses rear-projection technology and is capable of displaying 3D content. Such a huge TV is a deviation from what the leading manufacturers are introducing to the market. Not only that, but rear projection?

Rear projection TVs aren’t exactly commonplace these days. Not only do 92 inches make this TV way too big for a TV lift cabinet, the 15 inch depth is in stark contrast to 1-inch deep flat panels. Large TVs are popular but once the size increases past 65 inches, there is a steep drop off in sales. Although these super-large TVs may not be the most popular with consumers, they are profitable for the manufacturer and cater to consumers with a need for a huge screen – think media rooms and the like.

Another bonus with rear projection TVs is the cost. The television is much larger than its LCD counterparts (LCD screens only go up to 72 inches) and they are also significantly cheaper.  Mitsubishi’s 92 inch TV will retail for $5,999. In comparison, Panasonic’s 85 inch plasma will cost you a whopping $22,000.

Are rear projection screens a thing of the past? If you’re in the market for a super sized screen, would you consider the less expensive but thick Mitsubishi model?

“Green Lantern” opened at the box office this weekend to much hype. The latest addition to the long list of comic book adaptations was estimated to pull in $55-$60 million domestically in its opening weekend. As the sales amounts begin to trickle in, it appears that the film fell short of expectations bringing in only $52.7 million from 3,816 screens. It’s worth noting that “Green Lantern” has approximately $200 million to make.

In the past, comic book movies have been big hits in theaters so “Green Lantern’s” performance comes as a shock. Two other comic book based films have opened recently, “Thor” and “X-Men: First Class” – both of these films out-performed “Green Lantern”. Like many comic book and action films, “Green Lantern” had a widespread 3D release. It debuted on 2,711 3D screens yet still underperformed when compared to its counterparts.

Box Office analysts reported that from Friday to Saturday, ticket sales dropped a whopping 22%. In comparison, “X-Men” and “Thor” only dropped 8% between Friday and Saturday the weekend that they opened. For more information on this weekend’s box office numbers, check Variety Magazine’s article.

Did you check out “Green Lantern” this weekend or are you waiting to watch it on your flat panel in your TV lift cabinet?

Top TV and programming executives recently sat down for the National Cable and Telecommunications Association’s Cable Show panel. The panel included executives from Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, News Corp and Viacom. The main topics of interest were the growing competition from internet based services, how to provide programming to ‘all screens’ (tablets, smart phones, PCs) and affordability.

With mounting pressure from Hulu, Netflix and Amazon, the cable companies need to start considering how to make their content accessible through new devices that are constantly evolving. Creating ‘on demand’ content for any device was at the forefront of the discussion. Apple and Google were also acknowledged as competitors who could present to be a problem for cable companies. While some executives agreed the increase in canceled cable subscriptions may be due to content not being accessible on particular devices, others felt the cause was affordability.

It’s a known fact that the economy has caused many people to cut out some of life’s luxuries (in many cases, cable TV). However, not all canceled subscriptions can be attributed to the economic downturn. Stale content and paying high monthly rates for far more content than one cares to watch are also big problems. Time Warner has been testing a package called “TV Essentials”. If given a wider release, this could appeal to those consumers who want the bare minimum without all the fluff that leads to inflated rates.

Overall, it seems that the cable companies are aware of their cyber competitors. They seem to be taking steps to provide consumers with what they desire out of their cable service and programming for their TVs in their TV lift cabinets. Whether they actually follow through with their plans, remains to be seen.

If you’re interested in the new 3D TV technology – listen up! Although it may not be an ideal candidate for your TV lift cabinet, the new Sony VAIO L-Series really lives up to its “all-in-one” description.

According to Engadget.com, the desktop PC/TV features a full 3D HD 24” LED touch screen. The system is capable of playing Blu-ray discs, music in surround sound, connecting to the internet and TV and displaying photos. Not to leave the gamers out, games can be played in 3D and the system can also connect to PlayStation 3 via HDMI.

Aside from all the amazing technical features, the L-Series is wall-mountable and includes a wireless mouse and keyboard.  One pair of active shutter 3D glasses is also included as part of the $1,420 price tag. If you’re in the market, pick one up when the L-Series hits stores on July 13^th.

Attention TV Lift Cabinet Owners!  Hulu, the web-based TV show streaming service has launched a partnership with movie giant Miramax to stream some big name movie titles – for FREE! According to variety.com, Hulu Plus subscribers will be able to access movies such as “Good Will Hunting” and “Scream” through the service. The titles will be offered for free of charge through Hulu and will be available for streaming on PCs, tablets and smart phones.

This past Tuesday marked the debut of a new reality talent competition called “The Voice“. Did you see the debut show on your Harbor Green TV lift cabinet?  The Mark Burnett produced show has established singers perform a blind audition in front of four celebrity coaches – Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and Blake Shelton. These blind auditions are conducted with the coaches’ backs to the contestant. They are then judged solely on their voice, not their appearance. The coaches pick contestants they would like to mentor, often leading to fights between coaches. The idea is to mentor their picks until the end where the last contestant standing will receive a $100,000 recording contract with Universal.

When the show goes live in several weeks, viewers will have a chance to vote for contestants they would like to “save” for the next round. Unlike “American Idol”, “The Voice” does not judge and vote contestants off the show, the coaches mentor artists who already have careers in entertainment.  Some have had previous deals or worked on Broadway. Contrary to “American Idol’s” massive open calls in stadiums across the country, contestants on “The Voice” were selected by a team of representatives from the show. One gleaming similarity – Frenchie Davis, who some may recall as the disqualified contestant from “Idol” in 2003, is a contestant on “The Voice”.

With the weekly TV lineup saturated with talent shows, it will be interesting to see how “The Voice” plays out. The “American Idol” finale is scheduled for May 25. Interesting to note, “The Voice” will begin airing live episodes at the end of May – coincidence?

Recently, I was browsing for the latest technology news and I stumbled across an article that exactly reflected my feelings on 3D TV.  Personally, I think the technology is exciting however I’m not convinced that it is something I’d want for my TV lift cabinet.  Between the price and the extra gadgets (namely, the glasses), it just doesn’t appeal to me. I’m perfectly happy with my HD TV. Apparently, I am not alone.

The article I’m referring to is on CNET.com and it discusses why people do not want 3D TV. The manufacturers say CNET hasn’t done enough to convince consumers that this is something they should have.  However according to CNET, the cost of 3D TVs and having to wear the dreaded glasses is proving to be an unfavorable combination for consumers.

When I watch TV, I want to collapse on the couch, turn on the TV and relax. I might have my laptop on my lap while I simultaneously browse the web. I don’t want to have to put on my 3D glasses to watch my favorite shows. I also like the freedom of going back and forth between my computer and TV. The glasses would complicate my ability to multi-task. Prime example – I often watch TV from my kitchen while cooking or doing dishes and the glasses would interfere. The same concerns I have are shared by many consumers, as is evident in the CNET article.

Do you already have a 3D TV?  If so, I would like to hear from you!  I’m curious to hear what current 3D TV owners think and if they’re happy with their decision to move on from HD TV.  Who knows, I could be persuaded…

Have you ever been in a train station minding your own business when out of nowhere music starts playing?  A few people begin to dance.  Suddenly, hundreds of people start breaking out into choreographed dance.  Then just as quickly the song ends and everyone scatters as if nothing has happened.  Well, if this has happened to you, you have been officially mobbed.  For the folks who have not had the pleasure of seeing this live, raise your TV lift cabinet, turn on the TV and change the channel to the Fox network.

The Fox network just aired last Thursday, its special episode hosted by Howie Mandel called “Mobbed” featuring a surprise engagement.  In the episode, a man proposes to his girlfriend with the help of a flash mob.  According to the Los Angeles Times, the special drew in 10.8 million viewers.  The special performed so well that Fox decided to order 8 more episodes of Mobbed.