The focus of Samsungs behemoth keynote this year was undoubtedly its new TVs, with much fanfare around the brand-new F8000 Smart LED TV.
The F8000 will be the worlds first Smart LED TV with a quad-core processor, allowing users to switch between on-air TV, apps and online services up to three times faster. It promises "more vibrant and richer colours, higher contrasts and a brighter picture quality than ever before."
Available in sizes from 40" to 75", its tiny bezel is less than a quarter of an inch, while its general design isnt a radical departure from Samsungs recent LED offerings. During the keynote, Samsung USA president Tim Baxter said its wave-inspired arc stand "gives the impression the TV floats on air."
One of the most exciting unveilings of the keynote was Samsung S-Recommendation, the voice recognition software that will come loaded with all Samsung 2013 TVs. Its effectively Siri for your TV: ask if there is anything good on and it will reply, suggesting relevant programmes based on your viewing habits.
S-Recommendation is integrated into entirely new SmartHub software, which is the first thing you will see when you start up the TV. Its organised into five panels that allow you to easily switch between on-air TV, stored photos, music and video, apps and social media (it supports Skype and has a panel for trending videos from your social networks).
In a slightly Orwellian fashion, SmartHub now analyses your viewing patterns and suggests content depending on the time of day. If you like to watch the news before work and football at 4pm on a Sunday, your TV will be one step ahead of the game.
The keynote also brought up the new T-Commerce function, allows will turn your favourite TV shows into shopping sessions. If you like a jacket being worn by Brody in Homeland, a link to purchase will flash up.
The Korean tech giants also unveiled the hotly anticipated Samsung S9 Ultra High Definition 4K TV, which appears to float within its frame. They displayed an 85-inch model at the keynote, but promised a monster 110-inch version at their CES booth.
source:T3
