Filed under: Gadgets, Handbags, Men’s Style

Orbino Luxury Cases recently debuted the Arista case for Apple’s MacBook Air. This bag is so clean and classic that I’d love to carry it even without a laptop, and with the rich color choices, I might even be persuaded to break away from my traditional black. Handmade by a single artisan in Orbino’s Naples, Italy, workshop, the case is made from vegetable-tanned Tuscan leathers. Features include plush padding to protect your laptop, a gusseted front pocket, an iPhone/cell phone harness and an adjustable shoulder harness. The case is hand lacquered and has buffed, four-coat edging and hand-stitched detailing. Custom options to up the luxury quotient include being able to order a case made-to-measure and/or in limited edition skins such as crocodile, snakeskin and ostrich.

Prices start at $349; lifetime guarantee; worldwide shipment available.

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Filed under: Dining, Gadgets, Garden

Knowing that I’m on the lookout for luxury items, my friend Cliff told me that I just had to look at Frontgate. So I did! Now that al fresco dining season is here, I decided to peruse Frontgate’s grill offerings and came upon this 405-lb. beauty: the Barbeque Grill Island, made with O.W. Lee craftmanship. The wrought iron body has a black suede finish, the feet are cast iron and ceramic briquettes are included. The cooking-related facts:

• 50,000 BTU and a “Sure Start” electronic ignition
• 540-inch square grilling area, 200-inch square warming rack
• Rojo honed marble countertop with 1,300+ square inches of space
• Stainless steel cooking grid and rock grate
• Stainless steel barbeque grill w/a 14,000 BTU rotisserie w/motor
• Storage cabinet for ingredients or tools
• Available in natural gas or propane

Start saving now ($6,667) for the winter gift-giving season, and order early — shipping takes 8-9 weeks, and the grill is only available on the web. You might be a tiny late for Father’s Day, but if your grilling guy has a late summer birthday, you might get one in time.

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Popularity: 10% [?]

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Others

If you’re vaguely remembering a mention of MLD, you’re not crazy. Around this time last year, PureDepth announced that it was teaming up with Samsung to crank out a 46-inch Multi-Layer Display LCD. Fast forward to now, and we’re hearing that the first MLD wares should be hitting the streets relatively soon. The technology itself consists of building displays that are in fact two or more layers of LCD panel that share a common back-light source, thus creating a depth effect when viewing material. As it stands, the outfit has signed agreements with Samsung (obviously) for development of displays in mobile handsets and Sanyo for mobiles, gaming solutions and automotive electronics (including in-car navigation). Interestingly enough, Q1 2008 saw quite the surge in support for the 3D sector, making the launch of MLD that much more applicable to the apparent desires of content viewers. Check out a few sample images and product prototypes in the gallery below.

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Popularity: 11% [?]

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Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray

With all the attention given to major studios, it’s simple to forget that there’s a wealth of smaller indie operations with great content as well. The format war effectively kept these players out of the game — just like consumers, choosing the “wrong” format was just too risky. In the new, Blu world, however, some of these studios are making very successful moves to HD. Try this on for size: Tartan Video is seeing higher sales of “Oldboy” on Blu-ray than any other title in its library, including DVD releases! The film is no delicate, highbrow, foreign art film, either; we’d file it under foreign, gritty action. This really underscores what we think is the value of HDM — properly done, it gets you closer to the director’s vision. And that’s something any cinephile can love, whether the feature is a CGI-laden blockbuster or not. Our recommendation? Try putting some indie HD content in your diet.

[Image courtesy MovieCritic]

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Popularity: 9% [?]

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Filed under: Misc, Satellite, Sports

IPTV providers relying on SES Americom’s IP-PRIME service could soon have some excellent news for their customers, as the aforementioned firm has just landed a deal with NFL Network. Just days after announcing that it was bringing HD service to a solid dozen telcos, the outfit is now able to bring NFL Network to its customers. Interestingly, the release doesn’t specifically mention carrying SD and / or HD feeds, but hopefully the latter will indeed be made available. It is noted that the station is now accessible by all IP-PRIME operators throughout the US, but each operator will still have to sign “individual carriage deals with NFL Network in order to offer the channel to their subscribers.” Oh, goodie.

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Popularity: 11% [?]

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Filed under: Satellite, New content

A couple of months after Star Choice picked up Speed HD, the satcaster has now acquired a new duo for those up in the Great North. Encore Avenue HD, which will only be available to customers west of Ontario, will be situated on 273 and include commercial-free airings of films from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Additionally, TLC HD will be broadcast across all of Canada on slot 272. Both stations will be in free preview mode until the end of May, though there’s no word on what they’ll cost after that.

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Popularity: 14% [?]

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Filed under: Speakers, Others

Not content with dropping a few new HTIB systems and an all new receiver, Onkyo is apparently delivering a 2.1-channel home audio system, too. The HTX-22D, while not sufficient for surround sound purists, may be just the thing for apartment dwellers and movie lovers on a budget. It’s said to be the first system to feature DTS’ CES-announced Surround Sensation feature, and it also boasts a built-in display on the powered subwoofer. You’ll also find a trio of HDMI ports (two in, one out) and support for a smattering of audio codecs. Head on down to the read link for the full list of specs, and keep an eye for these to land across the pond in Might for

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Samsung, Sony, LCD

The rumors were true: Samsung and Sony have agreed to extend their S-LCD partnership in a $1.8B 8th-gen facility. The second 8th-gen facility — dubbed 8-2 — will begin pumping out glass from the South Korean city of Tangjeong in Q2 2009 in sheets up to 220cm x 250cm. 51% of the panels manufactured belong to Sammy while the rest go to Sony. Of course, Sony is also shacking up with Sharp on a $3.5B LCD plant in Japan ready to swing into production sometime in 2010. Oh Sony, you naughty, naughty minx.

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Filed under: ABC, ESPN-HD, Fox, MOJO, NBC, TNT-HD, Listings

What we’re watching tonight:

• ABC (720p) has Men in Trees at 10 p.m.
• NBC (1080i) has Law & Order at 10 p.m.
• Fox (720p) brings ’til Death at 8 p.m., followed by Back to You and American Idol at 9 p.m.
• ESPN HD (720p) brings Yankees/White Sox at 8 p.m.
• TNT (1080i) has NBA playoff action with Hawks/Celtics at 8 p.m. followed by Nuggets/Lakers at 10:30 p.m.
• Mojo HD (1080i) brings 76ers/Pistons at 7 p.m.
• Sci Fi (1080i) kicks in Ghost Hunters at 9 p.m.

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Filed under: Reviews, Samsung, LCD

Spring is in the air and the new HDTVs are hitting the streets — and in the case of Samsung’s Series 6 1080p LCD — our labs as well. The latest 1080p LCD from Samsung once again is sportin’ 120Hz and still possesses many of the things we love about Samsung’s TVs, like a nice looking case, adequate remote and the pleasant little song that plays on power up — well, not so much the last one.

Continue reading Samsung LN52A650 review

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