RED, WHITE AND BLU With many of the nation’s lounges now furnished with a flatscreen TV, attentions are turning to houses’ smaller rooms. Perfect for the kids’ bedrooms, or your own, is Sharp’s funky new 19-inch LCD TV. Available in red, white or traditional black, the 19D1E produces a cracking Freeview picture – and can even show high-definition in all its glory, so it’s perfect for owners of a Blu-ray player, PlayStation 3 or Xbox360.
AFTER DINNER SPEAKER An ingenious way of saving space comes from iMu, a tiny vibrating unit that can turn any hard surface into a giant speaker. This 5cm, 400g device changes the electrical signals of music into mechanical energy as vibrations – typically from an iPod, phone or laptop – which are then amplified by any hard surface the iMu is left on.
Sharp LC-19D1E 19inch LCD TV £249
iMu vibrating speaker £49
www.sharp.co.uk
www.gadgetshop.com
ON AN UPWARD CURVE Seriously impressive and hidden home cinema is what this uniquely curved projector screen is all about. Made by Vutec, the Vision-X Dyna-Curve screen is one of few on sale that helps remove the black bars above and below most films on a DVD or Blu-ray disc. It even compensates for the slight distortion from the anamorphic lens of a projector, while also lending a more involving feel. The screen itself is slightly perforated, meaning the speakers can be totally hidden from view. Vutec Vision-X Dyna-Curve projector screen £16-20,000 www.marata.co.uk
what’s up dock? COINING IT IN With the iPod now allpervading, the chance to build a simple home hi-fi around Apple’s genius gadget is proving irresistible. The latest offering is Intempo’s InConcert, a diminutive dock whose twin midrange speakers and integrated subwoofer can pump out an impressive 35W of audio power. Crisp sound is backed-up by a remote that lets you flick through iPod tracks and control the volume.
It’s no wider than a £1 coin, but Panasonic’s latest plasma screens could save you a pound or two. Consuming less power than ever, these plasmas use NeoPDP tech to achieve a slimmer profile and ‘infinite black’ to boost the realism of films. Its Viera Cast features let you stream video from YouTube or digital media from your home PC or Mac, while wireless technology connects to any set-top box, DVD or Blu-ray player – the Z1’s just need to be plugged into the mains. Panasonic 46-inch TX-P46Z1 and 54-inch
Intempo InConcert iPod speaker dock £99
TX-P54Z1 plasmas £TBC
www.intempodigital.co.uk
www.panasonic.co.uk