WebProNews

Tag: Televisions

  • Target Black Friday 2014: Maybe the Cheapest HDTV Deal Around

    Black Friday 2014 will see one of the best deals on an HDTV. It can be found at Target … but not in the store.

    Target is offering a Black Friday 2014 deal on an Element 40-inch 1080p LED/LCD TV for $119. However, (here’s the catch) it’s only offered as an online “doorbuster” deal with limited quantities and no rain checks.

    Walmart is selling a similar model for $298.

    Although Element is a secondary brand that can mainly be found at retailers like Target and Walmart, the Target Black Friday deal is still one of the best out there as for as televisions go. It even beats Best Buy’s 40-inch Insignia 1090p LCD HDTV for $180.

    But the 40-inch Element isn’t the only Black Friday 2014 television deal that Target will be offering. Opening at 6:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, Target will also be offering the following:

    * a 29-inch Element 1080p LED/LCD TV for $79 (one of the cheapest ever listed)
    * a 39-inch Vizio 60Hz 720p LED/LCD TV for $220.
    * A 48-inch Westinghouse 60Hz 1080p LED/LCD for $235 (special online-only purchase)
    * A 55-inch Westinghouse 60Hz 1080p LED/LCD, model DWM55F1G1 for $395.

    Needing add-ons for your TV? Target has those, too.

    A Google Chromecast media streamer will sell for $25, ten dollars less than the normal cost. Also, an Apple TV will go for $89 and a Sony Blu-ray player will be offered for $50.

    Another special Target Black Friday 2014 deal is less about the savings and more about what you get back. Customers will receive a free Target gift card when they purchase any iPad mini or iPad air at regular price. For example, if you buy an iPad mini 16GB with Wi-Fi you would receive an $80 gift card to use on other purchases. An iPad Air 2 16GB with Wi-Fi would give you a $140 gift card. This is a fairly good deal considering that Apple is always reluctant to reduce the prices on its products.

  • Apple TV May Come In Sizes Ranging From 46 To 55 Inches [Rumor]

    The Apple TV is already a thing, but people are still holding out for an actual television from the hardware giant. Rumors of an Apple HDTV have been around for years, but 2012 saw a decided jump in reports and rumors. Now at the end of the year, it’s looking more and more like Apple really is making some televisions.

    A report out of Focus Taiwan says that Foxconn is now testing several hardware designs for an Apple TV. The rumor states that Apple’s current TVs are being tested with displays ranging from 46 inches to 55 inches. The LCD panels for the televisions would come from either Japanese or Taiwanese companies.

    That being said, the rumors point to Sharp being the LCD panel supplier for Apple’s first real dive into the television market. The reasoning is that Foxconn’s chairman Terry Gou holds a stake in Sharp. Even then, the report states that it’s not yet known who exactly is providing the LCD panels.

    So, when can we expect to see an Apple TV unveiled or even mentioned? The report points to CES as a likely option, but Apple has traditionally avoided the trade show. The company usually opts to host its own events, but an Apple TV would most likely destroy the competition if it were to be shown at the largest consumer electronics trade show in the world.

    As for when the devices will actually be made available, the report says it’s “unlikely” for shipments to “begin as soon as the end of the year.” If true, we probably won’t see an Apple TV until 2014.

    It should be noted that all of this is just a rumor at this point. None of it has been confirmed and Apple has been famously tight lipped over the potential existence of an Apple TV. It’s looking like we won’t know for sure until next year, and even then, I wouldn’t expect it to be announced at CES. Apple always holds an event early in the year, however, and an Apple TV could be on the menu.

    [h/t: AppleInsider]

  • 2 Million Apps Downloaded for Samsung Smart TVs

    A rep for Samsung emailed WebProNews to tell us that Samsung has reached 2 million apps downloaded for its smart TVs in 53 days. Not quite as impressive as Apple’s Mac store hitting a million app downloads in a single day, but the connected TV industry is a bit of a different beast. The rep writes:

    Samsung Apps continues to gain significant traction among consumers – in a short span of 53 days, over 1 million apps were downloaded to Samsung smart TVs globally. This means that over 2 million apps have been downloaded to date with the one millionth app downloaded in November, and 268 days after the store’s launch last year. 

    In the US, people can choose from more than 180 applications from a wide variety of content and service providers. The most downloaded applications from Samsung Apps include YouTube, Hulu Plus, ESPN Next Level, AccuWeather, Google Maps and Texas Holdem, showcasing the wide variety available.

    Samsung Apps create an inclusive experience that brings people together in the home. We continue to lead the industry by partnering with apps developers to deliver the best entertainment experiences on their TVs and make them smarter. For example, as a result of our partnerships and the recent Samsung Free the TV Challenge, people will have access to apps that allow them to explore the universe in 3D, take a Pilates class together, track live sports scores, play games or search out the latest online video – including in 3D.

    Samsung TV Apps

    Many of Samsung’s apps are free, ad other cost anywhere from 99 cents to $4.99 (at least that appears to be the range so far). 

    While Samsung’s App store only consists of TV and video apps for the time being, the company does indicate that cell phone apps will be coming soon.