The new Samsung LE40B0B650 has found a way to package the internet and your television into one efficient gadget. A lot of companies have been trying to do this recently but have really, to be quite honest, been utterly unsuccessful. Samsung however has actually pulled it off as they are the first ones to incorporate an internet widget platform that was created and designed by Yahoo and Intel.
These new PC widgets, or “Internet TV” as Samsung refers to it, are basically flash memory items that are stashed into the LCD TV. They can be accessed quite easily by using the memory dock available at the bottom of the screen. As of right now, you can easily access Flickr, YouTube, and news and weather information. Samsung has announced that you will be able to access a wider number of widgets and applications in the near future however.
Unlike other brands that have blended a television in with a PC, the whole process with the Samsung LE40B0B650 is really quite simple. All you have to do is plug in an Ethernet cable and get on your way. Even if you do not have a wired internet network, you can purchase a wireless hub with all the appropriate drivers along with the TV for a reasonable extra fee.
The set itself has very respectable network credentials which allow for streaming video and audio files from different computers on your network and the ability to quickly access any digital content. There are also a bunch of extra add-ons such as recipes, kid’s stories and image collections that you can access.
If you want to just take a good, straight look at the TV, it is rather impressive as well. The black flat screen is shiny and really provides some very good quality images. The full HD panel provides a wide range of details and colors and adds that little extra zip to your pictures, video and content.
Of course when you buy a TV such as the Samsung LE40B0B650 you are expecting HD material to look good. However the great part about this set is that standard definition also comes in looking bright and clear. The internal PC has the ability to read images and video and perform a unique up-scaling process to make it all look better.
There are also a ton of connections that come along with this LCD TV which make it extra useful. You can connect to composite AV, HDMI, a PC Connection, USB’s. Analog audio input/output, Ethernet jack and digital audio input/output.
One drawback for the Samsung LE40B0B650 is the fact that it uses standard CCFL backlighting which brings blacks on screen that look a little bit shallow. You really are only going to notice this though if you are extremely critical and in the know when it comes to screen resolution.
As usual with Samsung products the audio you get from this LCD TV stands above the crowd. The invisible speakers provide some good quality sound along with multiple music modes and a very nicely integrated five band equalizer.
When compared with other LCD TV’s, the Samsung LE40B650 is not really that slim and it isn’t revolutionary when it comes to picture by any means, but it is a great step in the right direction for LCD TV’s and widget TV. While this new idea just seems to be breaking the ice, it could very well be an example of the future of home television systems. Give it a trial and you will surely be more than impressed.