Technology catch-all thread

[Jake]

http://gizmodo.com/windows-8-1-review-litt...renc-1446625571

 

If you've been hiding from Windows 8 entirely and ignoring the possibility of an upgrade just because of Metro, now is a better time than ever to stop doing that. With the start button and the introduction of a boot-to-desktop mode, it's never been more easy to pretend that Windows 8 doesn't have a whole bunch of tiles.

 

Moreover, Windows 8.1 shows that while Microsoft is willing to make a few concessions to ornery users—like that start button—the basic premise of Windows 8 is here to stay. There's no avoiding it. So you may as well get on the upgrade train now, or find another ride.

 

http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/17/4845142...dows-8-1-review

 

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411451,00.asp

 

I found this especially interesting/convincing: Comparing speeds on Windows 7 vs Windows 8

 

Boot-up is twice as fast, beats W7 in everything except for a tiny bit in large file movement, which they found after the fact is slightly slower because it now automatically performs a malware scan when you do this

[StrangeSox]

Best 55" TV $1500 or under? Don't care if it's plasma or LED, just whatever is better.

[chw42]

The price is what caught my eye. I figured a 7" tablet isn't much bigger than many phones these days.

 

We asked her about the Ipod and she wasn't thrilled with using itunes.

 

That Lenovo tablet you saw probably has an old version of Android and has crappy hardware.

 

This tablet: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E0EY7Z...;pf_rd_i=507846 had a fairly recent version of Android (4.2.2) and has the specs of one of the best tablets last year. And it's very affordable at $130. It's probably the best tablet you can buy for under $150.

[RockRaines]

Best 55" TV $1500 or under? Don't care if it's plasma or LED, just whatever is better.

Theres literally a million. Plasma will always have a better picture.

[Soxbadger]

I got a samsung 55 with wifi etc last year. No regrets.

[Jake]

Why are LED TVs so popular if plasmas have better picture?

 

I'm not very well read, but I certainly have observed the plasma tends to look better.

[Soxbadger]

Plasmas are extremely inefficient (use more energy) and they have a risk of screen burn.

[chw42]

Plasmas are extremely inefficient (use more energy) and they have a risk of screen burn.

 

Apparently they're better about the screen burn in now, but it can still happen.

[Chisoxfn]

Apparently they're better about the screen burn in now, but it can still happen.

Plasmas are way more inefficient then before and screen burn in can be corrected (and isn't a major issue). Oh and btw, plasma's have a great price point and still have the most beautiful picture and by far the best refresh rate (sports like basketball look far better).

[BigHurt3515]

Anybody know when the new Nexus 10 is going to come out?? I have read on black friday but you think there would have been an announcement already.. I figured if that comes out the one from last year will be cheaper and might get it. I looked at the 7 inch tablets and they just seem a bit too small for me. Wish they had it in a n 8 or 9 inch screen.. so figured the 10 inch would be best for me. But still haven't decided. Such a tough decision for whatever reason..

Edited November 26, 2013 by BigHurt3515

[chw42]

Anybody know when the new Nexus 10 is going to come out?? I have read on black friday but you think there would have been an announcement already.. I figured if that comes out the one from last year will be cheaper and might get it. I looked at the 7 inch tablets and they just seem a bit too small for me. Wish they had it in a n 8 or 9 inch screen.. so figured the 10 inch would be best for me. But still haven't decided. Such a tough decision for whatever reason..

 

There were leaks saying it should have come out on the 22nd, but that date's already passed.

 

I don't know, maybe after Black Friday?

[Jake]

The current one is going to be discounted and that thing is an absolute beast. I do hate that Samsung design, though. I can't understand why they make all of their products look like cheap children's gadgets. The new Note 10 is a step in the right direction.

[Y2HH]

Plasmas run at native 600hz without tricks or gimmicks like frame interpolation. That's why plasmas can keep up with fast moving sports, etc, much better than LCD's can. Note, an LED tv is a LCD that's backlit by LED light, nothing more. These TV's use tricks like doubling refresh rates or adding frames to smooth out motion. I do NOT like that gimmick crap when watching movies on LED/LCD tv's, it makes everything look fake to me.

 

I have 2 plasmas in my house, I play video games on them, leave them on all the time, etc., and there are no permanent screen burn issues, and there haven't been for years. There are built in protections like pixel shifting and screen dimming these days that prevent it...and while they're not as efficient as their LED counterparts in the electricity department, they're usually 1/3 to 1/2 the cost up front and their energy consumption has come WAY down over the years.

 

Plasmas are very heavy, however, and they're made of glass, which can cause glare if you put it in a brightly lit room. That said, I have one in a brightly lit room and have no issues, the picture is bright in daylight or darkness, so there's that.

 

I like Plasmas because you can get a very high quality Samsung plasma (new) for under 950$ at 60".

[RockRaines]

Why are LED TVs so popular if plasmas have better picture?

 

I'm not very well read, but I certainly have observed the plasma tends to look better.

LEDs can be larger, lighter and thinner. The picture at times is much brighter and it appears smoother to some people when in the store.

 

When you get it home and turn off the motion tricks it doesn't stand up to a plasma with fast motion or dark scenes. Hockey for example is incredibly better on a plasma since there isn't judder that makes the puck disappear.

[StrangeSox]

Plasmas run at native 600hz without tricks or gimmicks like frame interpolation. That's why plasmas can keep up with fast moving sports, etc, much better than LCD's can. Note, an LED tv is a LCD that's backlit by LED light, nothing more. These TV's use tricks like doubling refresh rates or adding frames to smooth out motion. I do NOT like that gimmick crap when watching movies on LED/LCD tv's, it makes everything look fake to me.

 

Yeah, the "Soap Opera Effect" is caused by these sets trying to fake higher refresh rates than the source provides IIRC. It makes everything look horrible. But, you can always turn that garbage off. Most of the "enhancement" features are garbage.

 

I have 2 plasmas in my house, I play video games on them, leave them on all the time, etc., and there are no permanent screen burn issues, and there haven't been for years. There are built in protections like pixel shifting and screen dimming these days that prevent it...and while they're not as efficient as their LED counterparts in the electricity department, they're usually 1/3 to 1/2 the cost up front and their energy consumption has come WAY down over the years.

 

Yeah, the power consumption thing is somewhat important to me. Looking around at some specs last night, the expected energy consumption was something like 150W. Not horrible. I also don't leave my sets on for very long and have the "auto-off" features enabled for when I accidentally do, anyway. I can't imagine when screen burn-in would ever really be an issue for me. Most devices these days have their own auto-dimming features anyway on top of whatever the TV itself offers.

 

Plasmas are very heavy, however, and they're made of glass, which can cause glare if you put it in a brightly lit room. That said, I have one in a brightly lit room and have no issues, the picture is bright in daylight or darkness, so there's that.

 

I was looking at the specs of comparable plasma and LED tvs. Seemed like you're talking about 40lbs for an LED versus maybe 60 for a plasma. That's really not a big deal. Still a hell of a lot more manageable than an old 36" CRT.

 

I like Plasmas because you can get a very high quality Samsung plasma (new) for under 950$ at 60".

 

I'll have to look into the Samsung, I was checking out their LED TVs and some Panasonic plasmas last night. I care about picture quality, not any of the smart TV stuff or 3D. I wish someone would make a high-end display with the extra stuff stripped out at a lower price-point.

 

I hoping Fry's has some plasmas on display that I can go and check out in person before deciding.

 

[Chisoxfn]

Yeah, the "Soap Opera Effect" is caused by these sets trying to fake higher refresh rates than the source provides IIRC. It makes everything look horrible. But, you can always turn that garbage off. Most of the "enhancement" features are garbage.

 

 

 

Yeah, the power consumption thing is somewhat important to me. Looking around at some specs last night, the expected energy consumption was something like 150W. Not horrible. I also don't leave my sets on for very long and have the "auto-off" features enabled for when I accidentally do, anyway. I can't imagine when screen burn-in would ever really be an issue for me. Most devices these days have their own auto-dimming features anyway on top of whatever the TV itself offers.

 

 

 

I was looking at the specs of comparable plasma and LED tvs. Seemed like you're talking about 40lbs for an LED versus maybe 60 for a plasma. That's really not a big deal. Still a hell of a lot more manageable than an old 36" CRT.

 

 

 

I'll have to look into the Samsung, I was checking out their LED TVs and some Panasonic plasmas last night. I care about picture quality, not any of the smart TV stuff or 3D. I wish someone would make a high-end display with the extra stuff stripped out at a lower price-point.

 

I hoping Fry's has some plasmas on display that I can go and check out in person before deciding.

You really won't find an audio / video guy who would recommend anything but a plasma. People just get drawn to the sex appeal of the LED / LCD (not quite as thin, not the new technology...but still the best technology from a screen perspective).

[Jake]

I have an older, 42" Samsung LCD. It's nice, but just 720p and it really struggles handling blacks. Also very heavy, though that is mostly a product of its time as it was by far the lightest my family had ever owned at the time.

[Jenksismyhero]

Yeah, the "Soap Opera Effect" is caused by these sets trying to fake higher refresh rates than the source provides IIRC. It makes everything look horrible. But, you can always turn that garbage off. Most of the "enhancement" features are garbage.

 

 

 

Yeah, the power consumption thing is somewhat important to me. Looking around at some specs last night, the expected energy consumption was something like 150W. Not horrible. I also don't leave my sets on for very long and have the "auto-off" features enabled for when I accidentally do, anyway. I can't imagine when screen burn-in would ever really be an issue for me. Most devices these days have their own auto-dimming features anyway on top of whatever the TV itself offers.

 

 

 

I was looking at the specs of comparable plasma and LED tvs. Seemed like you're talking about 40lbs for an LED versus maybe 60 for a plasma. That's really not a big deal. Still a hell of a lot more manageable than an old 36" CRT.

 

 

 

I'll have to look into the Samsung, I was checking out their LED TVs and some Panasonic plasmas last night. I care about picture quality, not any of the smart TV stuff or 3D. I wish someone would make a high-end display with the extra stuff stripped out at a lower price-point.

 

I hoping Fry's has some plasmas on display that I can go and check out in person before deciding.

 

Check out some of the big box stores like Sams or Costco. They usually have (1) better prices and (2) the models that are stripped down to give you lower prices. Not sure if you're a Costco member, but they also throw in an extra year of warranty for any electronics purchase.

[StrangeSox]

I have an older, 42" Samsung LCD. It's nice, but just 720p and it really struggles handling blacks. Also very heavy, though that is mostly a product of its time as it was by far the lightest my family had ever owned at the time.

 

That's basically what I'm looking to replace, a 40" Sony. Nice at the time I bought it six years ago, but our (rarely-used) CRT in the basement is on its way out, so I could cycle a new TV into the living room and move the 40" downstairs.

 

edit: why the hell are the Samsung plasmas 51" or 59"??

Edited November 26, 2013 by StrangeSox

[Jenksismyhero]

You really won't find an audio / video guy who would recommend anything but a plasma. People just get drawn to the sex appeal of the LED / LCD (not quite as thin, not the new technology...but still the best technology from a screen perspective).

 

Eh, I had a plasma in my upstairs living room that gets a decent amount of light and it sucked. There is more glare on a plasma and the viewing angles weren't as good (at least a year and a half or two years ago). If you're talking home theater TV I agree, but LED/LCD's are probably going to be a better bet if you're using it as an everyday TV in a room with light and/or odd angles.

[Jake]

I love my parents because they are constantly replacing TVs for no good reason and I reap the benefits since they push them off on me. I have this 42" LCD, a 32" LCD, and I will inherit another 40"+ TV in the near future. I'm going to be moving into a house at some point in the medium term and it will be great to have so many nice TVs. My girlfriend also has a 32" that I bought her. None of them are super nice, but all of them are thin, big, and they look just fine showing HD. I love a big TV and new tech, but I don't need too much more than 720p and a big screen ATM. I think I'll be getting a 50" plasma next that has 1080p, but it has a flicker problem which is why they exiled it (god forbid they call Samsung to fix it)

[StrangeSox]

Plasmas are supposed to have superior viewing angles?

[StrangeSox]

I love my parents because they are constantly replacing TVs for no good reason and I reap the benefits since they push them off on me. I have this 42" LCD, a 32" LCD, and I will inherit another 40"+ TV in the near future. I'm going to be moving into a house at some point in the medium term and it will be great to have so many nice TVs. My girlfriend also has a 32" that I bought her. None of them are super nice, but all of them are thin, big, and they look just fine showing HD. I love a big TV and new tech, but I don't need too much more than 720p and a big screen ATM. I think I'll be getting a 50" plasma next that has 1080p, but it has a flicker problem which is why they exiled it (god forbid they call Samsung to fix it)

 

My friend's grandpa was great for this. He got a two-year old 60" Samsung, one of the their better models, for free, just because his grandpa felt like getting a new one.

[Jenksismyhero]

That's basically what I'm looking to replace, a 40" Sony. Nice at the time I bought it six years ago, but our (rarely-used) CRT in the basement is on its way out, so I could cycle a new TV into the living room and move the 40" downstairs.

 

edit: why the hell are the Samsung plasmas 51" or 59"??

 

If you're replacing the 40 with a 40, i wouldn't buy anything fancy. Just about any "small" TV like that will have a good picture from a brand like Samsung.

[Jenksismyhero]

Plasmas are supposed to have superior viewing angles?

 

Yeah this could be the age or model of the TV, but the front glass of the TV sucked on the one I had.