Live from LG's CES 2011 press event
We're entering the day of the liveblog here at CES with all the major electronics manufacturers finally ready to make their big splash announcements for 2011. LG is almost certain to drop some knowledge on us about its new triumvirate of Android smartphones, while 3DTVs, of both the mobile and supersized variety, are expected to feature strongly as well. Let's not waste time prognosticating, however -- there's a set of well groomed Korean gentlemen ready to do right by us with a surely awesome presentation. Why keep them waiting? Jump past the break for all the steaming-hot liveblog action.
8:42AM Just as a reminder: the LG Optimus 2X and super-skinny Optimus Black were announced on the mobile front, both Android smartphones. We're still expecting the LG Revolution to bring its LTE goods to us tomorrow, most probably at Verizon's press conference.
8:40AM Alright folks, we're all wrapped up here. Fast and torrid list of announcements on the home appliance and entertainment fronts, while the smartphone section was skipped past very quickly. Looking forward to that tablet tomorrow! Bring on the Optimus Pad.
8:38AM "Some of the best looking and best performing monitors" in 2011 are also being promised, along with optical disc drive and network-attached storage products.
8:38AM Nine new Blu-ray models coming this year, most of them including SmartTV, WiFi, and a trio of Cinema3D models.
8:37AM Plasmas are getting 12 new models, including a bunch of 1080p panels, SmartTV and 3D TV. industry's thinnest bezel in a thin design also promised.
8:37AM 31 models in 13 series of new LCD TVs. Two thirds of those will include the Nano LED backlight.
8:36AM Nano Full LED lighting allows televisions that can be housed in panels less than one inch in depth.
8:35AM Another chart showing the Cinema3D set against its shutter glasses competitors. LG wins again.
8:35AM Four pairs of glasses will be in LG's sets of 3D goggles. Cheaper, lighter, just better, apparently.
8:34AM LG took its Smart TV Upgrader box to some consumers and asked them what they'd prefer. Their box beat out set-top boxes. Surprising.
8:33AM Magic Motion Remote, we saw this at last year's CES. It has six buttons and relies on gesture control. "Very simple, very fun, and very intuitive." Very smart too, no?
8:33AM WiFi capabilities will be available in "pretty much every" smart product that LG builds.
8:32AM "Second to none in the market with the amount of content that is delivered to our consumers." Access to the web with a very simple, easy to use browser, right in the TV. And DLNA compatibility, of course.
8:31AM LG's research revealed that three main elements are required by smart tv consumers: lots of content to watch, easy connectivity to home network, and ease of use.
8:31AM Cinema 3D and Smart TV make up LG's smart strategy on the television front.
8:30AM Okay, now we're finally getting the US home entertainment product roadmap. Tim Alessi on stage.
8:30AM "Imagine a refrigerator that has the ability to text you a shopping list." Dude, we've been imagining that for two decades. He was supposed to give us specifics and he dropped a bunch of imaginary products on us. Thanks, Patrick, we appreciated our time together.
8:28AM Incredibly quiet linear compressor technology in LG's range of fridges. Do they have Optimus Pads inside the fridges? No, why should we care again?
8:28AM "Imagine a dishwasher capable of blasting the toughest lipstick off the most fragile of glasses."
8:27AM "Imagine a laundry product that has the ability to determine whether to call someone if it has an issue."
8:27AM Optimal cooking results, yo! An oven "so smart" as to inform you when your roast is about done. Great, our kitchen's about to start texting us.
8:26AM "Smarter cooking, smarter, cooling and smarter cleaning." Man, we want to hear more about smarter computing.
8:26AM Parick Steinkuhl coming on the stage to dish out some specifics. "This is a year of first. LG's first time presenting home appliances at the Consumer Electronics Show. First time the industry has had the infrastructure to support smart home appliances."
8:24AM 2011 product launches for United States are about to be disclosed now.
8:24AM As to LG's LTE phones, the company said to check out its stand tomorrow. Separate session to introduce a new tablet tomorrow!
8:23AM Most of LG's stuff works over WiFi, but there is ZigBee support as well.
8:22AM Smart Grid function will let you program the times at which your appliances run in order to capitalize on cheaper electricity costs.
8:21AM Live video feed from LG vacuum cleaner's onboard camera. Fun!
8:21AM Man, LG really cranked through its smartphone announcement. Now it's sped right along to smart home appliances and is discussing the Thinq home connectivity system.
8:20AM Mobile DTV with autostereoscopic 3D. Still just a teaser.
8:19AM Wow, they're skipping on the Revolution announcement. Guess they'll let Verizon make that official. We're happy to have the 9.2mm Optimus Black anyhow.
8:19AM We're talking about LTE now. Guess the Revolution is coming. "We have developed our own LTE chipset."
8:18AM Optimus Black! Nova display with 700 nits of brightness.
8:17AM "A true cinema in your pocket."
8:17AM Smartphones on the brain now. We're seeing the Optimus 2X up front. World's first dual-core smartphone. Full HD 1080p video.
8:16AM 31-inch OLED TV promised!
8:15AM Promise brighter picture, zero flickering, lighter glasses (they're passive, so no need for charging).
8:15AM FPR 3DTVs will be coming out this year.
8:12AM SmartTV platform being explained right now. Launcher bar across the bottom will allow you to do stuff without losing your TV picture.
8:12AM 2011 is "smarter" with Smart TVs, Smart phones, and Smart appliances.
8:10AM Introducing Dr. Skott Ahn
8:04AM Competitiveness, preparedness, quality and people. LG's four priorities.
8:03AM A warm LG welcome for the boss man himself, Wayne Park. Good morning, Wayne!
8:03AM Smart technology. Smart TVs, smartphones, etc... LG just ran a teaser about "Simply Smarter." Home entertainment products, home appliances and mobile phones.
7:59AM Our program is about to begin, folks! There's a fridge perched up immediately next to the speech podium. Guess we know where LG's priorities lie.
7:57AM Ooh, washers and dryers too! These bad boys have a tablet jammed into the top of them, which looks to be removable for the ultimate in connected cleanliness.
7:54AM We're seeing Blu-ray players, robotic vacuum cleaners, LG's magic motion gesture remote, and of course, all those HDTVs.
Smooth jazz welcomes us to LG's presentation. The chairs are comfy, the air is clear and the lighting is surprisingly good. SmartTV signs and large HDTVs surround us.
