Picture This

Looking for a cool and entertaining gift for your significant other? Here are some ideas to set the mood.

By Maggie Tiojakin

Nothing says “I’ve got it all figured out” like a sleek, ahead-of-its-time home entertainment set, sure to impress those prying dinner-party guests who wander through the house to check out your media unit. But while it used to be all about size – the bigger the TV, the better the buzz – this year it’s all about intelligence. Check out these smart entertainment devices to get the picture.

• Beam Me Up

  A few months ago, Samsung unveiled its latest – and baddest – technology, which allows users to beam movies from their handsets. The handset may not look like all that, but tech geeks will be bawling over the new Samsung AMOLED Beam (SPH-W9600) with its integrated projector that can project images up to 50 inches in size. It is supported by a 3.3 WVGA screen, 5-megapixel camera and a sleek look to boot. The handset comes with up to 16 GB storage space, which means you can store movies on it. So the next time you’re at a meeting, maybe you could beam an Indiana Jones movie onto the projector’s screen as opposed to, you know, work stuff.

• Play It Again, Sony

  Ever wished for a DVD player that can do more than, um, play DVDs? Sony is onto it. Early this year, they released the highly anticipated Sony BDP-S770 – a Blu-ray DVD player with a 3D feature and a range of other integrated capabilities, such as Wi-Fi connection, Netflix module and home-network access. This means that not only does the player generate 3D images, it can also access Internet TV, web radio, Netflix, Amazon Video and YouTube à la cable on-demand. It also boasts a full HD 1080p picture quality, BD-LIVE functionality and a unique iPhone/iPod remote control application from the Apple app store. The built-in wireless connection allows you to easily transfer files to and from your computer (photos, music, films, etc.). This is DVD deluxe.

• Squeeze The Music

  In 2001, Logitech introduced a new device called Squeezebox, which is a network music player that plays Internet radio and digital audio streams via Wi-Fi or ethernet connection. Squeezebox made it possible for choosy listeners to select their particular music style, and it helped the fledgling digital radio industry gain a cult following. In April this year, Logitech released a new version of this player, called Squeezebox Touch. Squeezebox Touch comes with a 4.3-inch color touch screen LCD. Talk about setting the mood, eh?

• Who Needs TV When You’ve Got Apple?

  On top of everything else, Apple has created its own brand of digital media receiver. This year, however, Apple TV got better and smaller. The new digital media receiver fits into your palm and can deliver all-streaming content from your PC, as well as web TV, radio, and other web entertainment. The latest tagline of this much-coveted product is “Silent, cool and small”: it doesn’t make noise when it runs, it stays cool without being fanned and you can carry it easily in your pocket wherever you go. It’s not TV, it’s Apple TV.

• It’s a Phone, an iPhone, a Remote!

  Wait ... what? You heard right. In January, L5 Technology introduced the L5 iPhone Remote, which is a dongle that turns your iPhone into a universal remote for your TV, DVD player, radio, etc. You can arrange the buttons as you see fit, according to your specific style. Now, there’s another reason for you to get that special someone an iPhone.

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