LG kicked off this year’s CES press days in an interesting manner. Per usual, a bunch of bloggers and press filed into a room and were surrounded by the bright lights of upcoming TVs and electronics. As the lights dimmed and everyone prepared for the ubiquitous CEO appearance, we were instead greeted by Jane Lynch, of Glee fame, bringing some of her trademark dry humor into the Venetian while introducing us to the theme of LG’s 2011 line of products: smart technology. Only then did the inevitable executive appearance follow, with Wayne Park jumping up on stage to recap the past year from a business perspective and what LG’s business model would be going forward.
Following Mr. Park, the real meat of the press conference started as Scott Ahn took the stage to detail the Korean company’s 2011 products. Three major classes of products were shown this year, with the first being an entirely new line of televisions based on a brand new platform: LG Smart TV. This operating system, which powered one of the models to a CEA innovation award, allows users to have a smart television experience. Besides all the superlatives they threw out, this effectively means that you’ll have access to a number of media applications like Hulu Plus, Youtube, and Netflix, directly through your television.
It seems that the platform itself is what LG is pushing as they are a number of options for how to make your TV become intelligent. For one, you can go the traditional route and buy a brand new monitor which is enabled with Smart TV capabilities. However, if you like what you have now, there is also the option of getting a converter box which uses HDMI to up your TV’s IQ. No matter which method you choose, LG is eschewing traditional remotes, the newest release will be controlled by a six button wand reminiscent of the way you control a PlayStation Move, funny ball on the top excluded.
After that, Mr. Ahn transitioned into mobile devices, probably the most impressive of the three segments. It was in this section that the Optimus 2X was revealed. This baby looks to be the powerhouse of smart phones. It features a two core processor, the ability to display full HD in 1080p, and even has an HDMI output, all in a 3.8 ounce slim package. Necessary? Probably not. Awesome? Absolutely.
Last but not least, LG polished off their new line with some smart appliances. These are a new set of appliances for the domestically inclined techie. The appliance line will feature refrigerators, ovens, washer/dryers, and automated vacuums which can connect into your life in a multitude of ways. Of course, they are wifi enabled so that they can connect to the internet and update accordingly, but also they have the ability to interact with your phone and send you text messages and emails when necessary.
Everything became a little more muted after that, as the executives dug into more detail about what to expect from the line of appliances and briefly went over some more information on their Cinema 3D line and mobile TVs. We’ll be stopping by LG’s booth tomorrow at the show, so we’ll be sure to get a more in depth look at all of these technologies and the Tablet PC that they’ll be announcing tomorrow at CES.
