3D Is Not Dead – The just-concluded Consumer Electronics Show promoted 4K UHD displays heavily and last year’s pushing of 3D was absent. But most of those UHD displays also had 3D, and isn’t the UHD hype a bit absurd when there is almost no 4K product available to view, much of it is actually pseudo-4K (reduced from the theatrical projection systems), it requires a gigantic screen to appreciate the improvement, it cannot yet be broadcast or put on the Internet, and it won’t even fit on a 50GB Blu-ray? 3D has its problems—and yes, a small percentage of the population cannot view it—but it is moving beyond the introductory phase (complicated by differing technical approaches) and into a sustainable product, with proper marketing and technology. Plus some terrific feature films in which the 3D is far from a gimmick.
Carnegie Hall Concert with Ives, Beethoven & Wayne Shorter – Tonight at 8:00 there will be an unusual concert at NYC’s Carnegie Hall honoring the 40th anniversary of the acclaimed chamber orchestra Orpheus. The program opens with the overture to Beethoven’s Creatures of Prometheus, and Ives Third Symphony. Then the Wayne Shorter Quartet, with Brian Blade, John Patitucci and Danilo Perez, will be heard in three works by Shorter: Pegasus, The Three Marias and Prometheus Unbound.
New B & O Speaker for Wireless Music – The Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay A9 self-powered speaker system won a “Best of Innovations” award at the 2013 CES. It is not only beautiful but has 480 watts of power, a 2.1 bass-reflex systems combining five speaker units and amps with a proprietary DSP algorithm to tightly control the 8-inch bass unit. Volume is adjusted via iPhone, iPad or Android-based devices, by waving a hand over a sensor. It sits on a tripod of wooden legs or can be wall-mounted. SRP is $2699.
Harman to Market OEM Upgrades and Services Thru Car Makers, Car Dealers and Aftermarket Retailers – Harman International will market infotainment hardware and software upgrades and streaming services, the first supplier to offer such a program. Harman’s Chairman said “For a car bought three years ago, the technology is antiquated. We know where the hiring harnesses and connectors are.” (Referring to the potential for selling 4G/LTE-connected head unit upgrades for Harman systems currently on the road.) Harman will also sell multiple Cloud-based services for the car, including subscription-based services and those that are purchased for a lifetime. Harman’s Aha Cloud-based infotainment service aggregates music services such as Rdio, Radio.com, Deezer, AccuRadio, Live365, Rhapsody and Slacker, and also offers podcasts. The services are streamed via a free iPhone or Android app.
