Samsung-inspired TV dangles like a jeweled pendant on your wall in desired orientation

Posted on 17/09/2021 by Gaurav Sood

Hanging a TV set like a picture frame on the wall may seem too risky at the first glance, but if you consider that it’s a design that’s pretty tested, and it opens up the TV for a range of use case scenarios, you’re instantly intrigued!

If you have used a Samsung Series 4 LED TV, you’d relate to the fact that they came with a metal string like this one predicted for the Pendant TV. It would rest on a pulley-like mount screwed into the wall, allowing the TV set to hang like a good old picture frame.

This way of mounting a TV, for me definitely, was a far better choice than the current day mounts. It was way sleeker and held the TV set closer to the wall, unlike the brackets now used with larger display-sized televisions, which tend to protrude from the wall leaving a sizable gap between the wall and the TV. We can give it for the fact that hanging the large displays this way would be a little dicey and unstable, but the entry-level sizes, maybe even up to the 43-inch odd, can still resort to this sleeker and convenient way of hanging TVs to the wall.

That said, Pendant TV is influenced but different from the hanging mechanism Samsung has executed. Considering this conceptual TV is a result of a workshop with Samsung, we can presume the design here is influenced by the South Korean tech giant. While the marketed hanging style from Samsung actually ensured the hanging sting hid behind the display; the clean hanging layout makes the fine fabric strap visible with the Pendant TV display.

Interestingly, the Pendant TV can be hung on the wall, using an eye-pleasing hook, in either landscape or portrait orientations – facilitating you to match the display to the sort of content you’re binge-watching – just like you’d with a smartphone. What really makes me intrigued is the kind of convenience it brings to the ultimate technology Samsung has been working on. You’d remember the Sero 4K OLED TV Samsung introduced at the CES 2020. The TV automatically tips between landscape and portrait orientations to match the content user’s playing.

With a TV set like the Pendant, you’d have to make some effort to get up from the sofa and change the orientation, but the humungous cost it’ll save you is going to be worth that long walk from the couch. Besides, the Pendant TV is also versioned with an attachable kickstand, which you can connect to instantly allow the TV unit to sit on the table in either orientation. Now that’s as convenient as picking the TV from the wall and placing it on the table – no installation, mounts, or any sort of help required.

Designer: il-seop yoon

SAMSUNG TU-8000 UHD Review (2021)

Posted on 22/02/2021 by Aswin Rajeev

Seeing is believing and Samsung knows this very well. The global giant known for creating some of the most stunning displays across several device categories is no stranger to Televisions. The Samsung 8 series TVs are quite popular with buyers and have been in the market for a while. This particular range from Samsung strikes the right balance between performance, aesthetics, and value for money. In this review, we will look at the Samsung TU-8000 UHD TV, so let us jump right in.

Design and build quality

The design is minimalistic and simple that lends the TV a very sleek and modern appearance. Although the TV uses plastic for its construction, it felt sturdy enough during our testing. The bezels are quite negligible and help to add to the sleek and modern look. The thin bezels also mean that we get an almost edge to edge picture. The TV has two V-shape brushed plastic legs fixed at the bottom. The legs are sturdy and help to hold the TV in place quite firmly, although we did feel it was a bit bulky. The other noticeable design feature is the small but significant Samsung logo on the bottom bezel. Although the Samsung TU-8000 will not make heads turn with its design, it is pretty well designed for the price point.

Features

The Samsung TU-8000 UHD TV comes in 6 sizes, 43 inches, 50 inches, 55 inches, 65 inches, 75 inches, and 85 inches. The device runs on a modified version of Samsung’s native Tizen Smart TV OS. The Tizen OS on the TU-8000 is a stripped-down version from that found in higher-end models, however, it does have most of the same features. It has a host of popular streaming apps such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV, and YouTube. However, the selection of apps is not as comprehensive as that on Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, or Roku TV. This is not a major drawback and the TU-8000 compensates this with other features such as Steam Link for playing games from a PC.

It also supports voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Samsung’s Bixby. The TV also supports screen mirroring as well as Apple AirPlay, and Samsung’s SmartThings app. Additionally, the TV features remote access to PCs, Samsung’s DeX docking system, and cloud access to Office 365, and also includes a web browser. In terms of connectivity and ports, the Samsun TU-8000 has 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, 1 Digital Optical Audio Out as well as 1 Tuner and Ethernet ports each. While using the TV as a wall-mounted display, one of the HDMI port’s becomes unusable due to being at the back. In terms of wireless connectivity, it is fairly standard and the device offers WiFi, WiFi direct and Bluetooth 4.2. The remote control is quite simple with minimal controls and voice input options. There are keys for Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Samsung TV Plus.

Performance

The TV has the Samsung Crystal 4K processor that upscales content to 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160). The picture quality is decent and nothing amazing, which is expected at this price point. The panel is a bit dim and colour reproduction is fairly neutral and we felt it was a bit undersaturated at times. The effective contrast ratio of 7,177:1 is good but is restricted by the absence of local dimming. Once again, this is an entry-level TV and is expected. Although the TV does support HDR, the brightness is not sufficient for the footage to stand out and is average. While previewing some HDR content, we felt it lacked the depth and definition expected from an HDR video. The lack of peak brightness is very evident and is a bit disappointing but considering the pricing and the segment, it is not a deal-breaker by any means.

The Audio performance is decent and there is support for Dolby Atmos audio that enhances the overall experience. However, the frequency from the 20W speakers is just ok and audio distortions are noticeable especially near the maximum volume. One commendable performance feature is the input lag. The TV has a normal input lag of around 90 milliseconds, however, in gaming mode, it drops down to 20 milliseconds. This makes the TV well suited for gaming.

In the box

The Samsung TU-8000 comes with Remote control, 2x AA batteries, a quick setup guide manual, and Cable management clips in the box.

Pros and Cons

The Samsung TU-8000 is not a masterpiece of a device by any means. It falls short in a few categories such as picture quality and colour performance, a dim picture panel and the small number of HDMI ports. Another drawback is the presence of ads on the home screen. This can reduce the overall user experience as there is no option to turn the ads off. However, the device does offer some solace in terms of useful features such as screen mirroring, options for multiple voice assistants as well as AI 4K upscaling. Apart from that the device also has one of the best contrast ratios in this particular segment. It also boasts of a very low input lag factor that could make it an attractive buy for gaming enthusiasts.

Verdict

Our verdict is, go for the Samsung TU-8000 if you want a well-balanced package at a great price point. The design is clean, simple and the TV comes with a host of useful and handy features. The TV may not be the most stellar of performers but it does tick a lot of boxes for us. This device would make a solid buy if you can overlook some of the minor shortcomings we pointed out.

The post SAMSUNG TU-8000 UHD Review (2021) appeared first on Walyou.

Google Assistant is rolling out on Samsung’s 2020 TVs in the US

Posted on 16/10/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

After years of trying to make Bixby happen, Samsung is coming around and enabling support for better AI helpers like Alexa and Google Assistant. The company announced at CES this year that you can choose to use these assistants on its QLED 8K TV, but...

Samsung will sell its rotating Sero TV outside of Korea

Posted on 06/01/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

Back in April, Samsung announced a rotating TV called 'The Sero.' Like Microsoft's Surface Hub 2, the screen can swivel between a conventional landscape setup and portrait orientation that's optimized for smartphone-centric content like Snapchat, Ins...

Best Buy’s weekend sale includes up to $500 off 12-inch MacBooks

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Best Buy's three-day weekend sale includes a bunch of discounts on Apple and Amazon products, as well as cuts on laptops, TVs, smartwatches and smart home products. The sale runs through Sunday, and if you've been waiting to buy a new device, it's wo...

8 Early Black Friday Deals on Samsung & LG TVs

Posted on 14/11/2018 by Ehud Riven

The weeks and days before Black Friday are probably the best time of the year to buy a new TV set. Here are incredible discount offers on 4k Ultra HD Smart TVs from Samsung and LG:

Samsung 2018 4K Ultra HD TVs

You can get incredible Samsung TVs at equally incredible prices if you move fast (Biggest savings marked in bold):

Samsung 65-inch flat 4k UHD series 8 smart TV: $997.99 instead of $1297.99. Buy it here.
Samsung 65-inch curved 4k UHD series 8 smart TV: $1097.99 instead of $1799.99. Buy it here.
Samsung 75-inch flat 4k UHD series 8 smart TV: $1597.99 instead of $2197.99. Buy it here.
Samsung 82-inch flat 4k UHD series 8 smart TV: $2497.99 instead of $2997.99. Buy it here

LG 2018 4K Ultra HD TVs

And here are some awesome offers on LG Super UHD TVs (best one in bold):

LG 49-inch 4k UHD Smart TV: $596.99 instead of $899.99. Buy it here.
LG 55-inch 4k UHD Smart TV: $696.99 instead of $1199.99. Buy it here.
LG 65-inch 4k UHD Smart TV: $869.99 instead of $1199.99. Buy it here.

The post 8 Early Black Friday Deals on Samsung & LG TVs appeared first on Walyou.

Samsung’s Voice Controlled TV Could Eavesdrop On You

Posted on 12/02/2015 by Jasmine Henry

As gadgets begin to offer more and more features, a new smart TV from Samsung highlights our serious fears about new technology.

In theory, smart televisions sound like a phenomenally good idea. Instead of having to buy specific boxes such as the Amazon Fire TV or a games console to to access media apps, your TV would already offer them and so all you’d have to do is use your TV remote to connect to Netflix or Amazon Prime Video to catch up on that show you love. Similarly, you’d also be able to watch shows on YouTube, where media creators are increasingly releasing web series. Or you could listen to music; or play games, or interact with your friends on social media.

The possibilities are endless, which is why smart TVs are speedily increasing in popularity. But as a warning included with Samsung’s smart, Internet connected TV shows, the future of our televisions is also a scary one. That suggestion comes from the following policy, regarding the Voice Recognition feature in Samsung’s new TVs:

“You can control your SmartTV, and use many of its features, with voice commands. If you enable Voice Recognition, you can interact with your Smart TV using your voice. To provide you the Voice Recognition feature, some voice commands may be transmitted (along with information about your device, including device identifiers) to a third-party service that converts speech to text or to the extent necessary to provide the Voice Recognition features to you. In addition, Samsung may collect and your device may capture voice commands and associated texts so that we can provide you with Voice Recognition features and evaluate and improve the features. Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition.”

Yes, the company has confirmed that the things you say to your TV to control it will be sent to a third-party service, where the data is then analysed and sent back, to tell your TV what to do. And while it’s true that most of the time the third-party service is just another tech device (and there’s no human interaction), that’s still incredibly scary.

Samsung has also explained that users can disable Voice Recognition data collection (where Samsung collects various bits of data and text versions of the thing you say in order to improve Voice Recognition’s performance) but doing this will prevent you from using Voice Recognition at all. They also note that you can disconnect your TV from the Internet and that a microphone icon shows up on the screen when the Voice Recognition is activated so even if you think you’re being eavesdropped on, you would know about it. But who will want to disconnect their TV from the Internet every time they want to have a person conversation? And who wants to constantly be on the lookout for that little microphone symbol? No one, that’s who.

And other concerns still remain. Namely, even if Samsung themselves isn’t collecting our voices for whatever usage, what if somebody else is? What if the smart TV gets hacked and some nefarious human being uses it to spy on us? Less bizarre things have happened, so we wouldn’t write it off.

If smart TVs (and indeed, all Internet-connected smart gadgets) are going to take off, privacy concerns like this will need to be addressed in the future. We’ll keep you posted should Samsung make any more statements.

Source: TechCrunch

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Best Buy will End Hot Cyber Monday Deals in 2 Hours

Posted on 02/12/2013 by i4u

The Best Buy Cyber Monday 2013 Sale started on Saturday with a hot new promotion. You get up to a free $50 savings code with your purchase. You earn $10 savings for each $100 spent when you choose...

New Best Buy Cyber Monday Deals Released