Podcast #756: Home Theater News and Talk

Home Theater News and Talk

Apple introduces iPhone 7 ($649), iPhone 7 Plus ($769), and wireless earbuds

The company later revealed the new devices would come in 32GB, 128 GB, and 256GB sizes. Prices start at $649/£599 for the iPhone 7 and $769/£719 for the iPhone 7 Plus. Pre-orders begin on Friday, September 9, and devices will ship on Friday, September 16. iOS 10 will arrive on September 13 to support the new releases.

Sony unveils new versions of PlayStation 4

Sony Interactive Entertainment, a division of Sony Corp (6758.T), unveiled on Wednesday two new versions of its PlayStation 4 Console in an effort to help Sony maintain its sales lead over Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.T).

The PlayStation 4 Pro, which will launch Nov. 10, will support higher resolution and more realistic imagery by enabling 4k resolution and higher dynamic range (HDR), said Andrew House, chief executive of Sony Interactive Entertainment, at a PlayStation event in New York City Tuesday announcing the new products. The console will cost $399.

Additionally, the company unveiled a slimmer, lighter and more energy efficient version of its PlayStation 4 Console, which will come out Sept. 15 and will cost $299.

IBM aims to weave Watson smarts into the home

IBM plans to integrate its Watson intelligence into gadgets and appliances such as washing machines, security cameras and wireless headphones. The company has partnered with Panasonic, Whirlpool, Nokia and Bragi to create Watson-equipped internet of things devices for the home.

LG readies new OLED, quantum dot TVs

LG is preparing to debut an OLED TV with "an exclusive hardware platform" at CES in January, and is readying a lineup of quantum dot TVs to compete with Samsung at a level below LG's most premium sets. The quantum dot TVs will utilize a quantum dot filter on an LCD TV and sell for approximately $1,000 less than LG's OLED TVs.

Amazon updates Fire TV features

Amazon on Tuesday announced a software update for its Fire TV and Fire TV Stick that adds features to the devices. New features include voice search on apps, recommended viewing options from HBO and Netflix, and sports updates from Alexa.