Samsung Leads Consumers to a Life Made Simple at CES 2008, Unveils Breakthroughs in Digital Media Technology and Design

“Touch of Color” design, OLED, “quadruple full high-definition” establish new benchmarks in TV evolution; New advanced networking, IPTV features ensure complete connectivity and total access to content

LAS VEGAS — Samsung Electronics opened the CES 2008 show today unveiling its vision of a world of complete connectivity, one in which the boundaries to both rich content and beautiful design are gone and the result is a life made simple. Samsung’s entire array of products can be seen at the Samsung booth # 11033 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year’s announced products, which garnered an impressive 33 CES Innovation Awards, represent Samsung’s commitment to providing the highest levels of connectivity, content and creativity in markets such as visual displays, digital music players and home theater systems.

“The world of the consumer is rapidly evolving, from the sources of the content they are viewing to the influences on how their products are designed,” said Dr. Jongwoo Park, President of Digital Media Business, Samsung Electronics. “Our products and technologies not only achieve the highest levels of performance and beautiful design, but they connect together the user experience in a way that simplifies life.”

Creativity in TV design, technology

With the release of the ultra-thin Series 7 LCD TV and its unique transparent and opaque coloring, Samsung has reached a new benchmark in the evolution of television design. The new paradigm seizes on the notion that television design is being influenced more and more by industries such as fashion and art and demographics such as women and families.

For the first time, a manufacturing technique, previously used only for smaller A/V devices and luxury car interiors, is used to create a distinctive TV that stands out from traditional black design. The new look, which is also available on the Series 6 LCD and Series 7 Plasma TVs, is achieved by infusing a hint of amber coloring to the translucent cabinet to produce a clean, glass-like finish. The manufacturing process behind this unique design feature is called TOC (Touch of Color).

From an innovation standpoint, Samsung will be unveiling two (14.1″ and 31″) organic light-emitting diode (OLED) models in addition to an ultra-slim 52-inch LCD and the world’s largest “quadruple full high-definition” (QFHD) model to date at 82 inches. QFHD refers to a resolution of 3,840 pixels by 2,160 pixels, which is four times greater than that of a typical HD display and the next step in picture resolution.

Samsung also remains committed to enabling technology, arriving at CES 2008 with an update on the progress of its revolutionary A-VSB standard for mobile television viewing. In addition to the announcement of performance improvements and a complete end-to-end technical solution, Samsung has unveiled prototypes for A-VSB-enabled mobile phones, MP3 players, portable media players, UMPCs and notebooks.

Connecting User Experiences

Samsung’s ongoing commitment to providing its customers with total connectivity shines through brightest in the releases of its media center and mobile music offerings at CES 2008. Samsung is also redefining the role HDTVs play in the home by integrating a variety of advanced networking and IPTV features into more models than ever.

Many of 2008’s entry-level and premium sets have side-mounted HDMI and USB 2.0 ports, enabling consumers to use their digital peripherals through their sets with a simple plug. The more advanced models will be able to receive RSS feeds, streamed Web content, PC files, and more directly through their HDTVs, transcending what traditionally has been a “viewing-only” device into a truly interactive media hub that connects consumers to the rest of the world. Additionally, Samsung is building on the success it had debuting the world’s first 3D-enabled DLP last year by expanding the same capability to its plasma HDTVS–another world’s first.

Samsung’s new AV media center and home theater system not only provides connecting technology for MP3 players, PCs and CDs but also a gesture-based touch screen that provides the simplest interface imaginable.

Samsung’s MP3 player collection seeks to connect users to their digital content in the crispest and most intuitive ways possible. The P2 palm theatre features a 16:9 widescreen, soft touch gesture screen and Bluetooth connections while remaining the slimmest portable media player model in its class.

The T10 MP3 player, meanwhile, takes the user interface to a new level with animation that makes scrolling through the content menu an interactive experience.

The Best Content – from creation to consumption

As its customers continue to live a more robust digital life, Samsung ensures that it is a life of simplicity, which mean seamlessly bringing the best full high definition content seamlessly from devices to the living room.

Beginning at the point of capture, Samsung announced two exciting additions to its HD family of devices. The NV24 HD digital camera not only provides stunning HD imagines through its 10 mega-pixel resolution and super wide angle zoom lens, but plugs in via an HDMI cable to the living room HDTV. On the video front, Samsung takes full HD a step further with the introduction of the HMX20 camcorder, allowing consumers to show crystal clear home videos on their Full HD flat screens TVs.

Samsung continues its leadership in the arena of HD players with the release of its latest Duo HD Player, which plays 1080p native content for both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats and supports interactive technologies BD-Java and HDi, providing access to bonus content such as enhanced menus, games and picture-in-picture commentary.

Bringing the entire home viewing experience together is Samsung’s HT-X715 home theater system, which features 5.1 channels of stereo sound and Bluetooth connectivity that allows users to stream their favorite tunes from an MP3 player. Samsung’s Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) makes all of this possible through the use of a single remote control.

“The leaders of the next generation of consumer electronics will be defined not just by the largest screens, clearest sounds or sharpest resolutions,” said Dr. Park. “They will lead by providing the most complete and connected user experience, delivering the best content from anywhere through beautifully designed products that make emotional connections.”