LG Unveils Smarter Connected TVs, 3D TV and Smartphones

Smart was the name of the game for LG Electronics at their press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The Seoul-based company introduced a new line of connected and 3-D TVs, smartphones, and home appliances -- all of which the company says are smart.

For LG, 2011 is going to be all about smart products, including smart TVs, smart phones, and smart appliances, said Dr. Skott Ahn, the president and chief technology officer of LG Electronics. It's no longer enough just to offer static services -- consumers today want to connect and enjoy a constantly updated range of content and applications. We understand this, and that's why 2011's going to be a big year for LG.

The connected TV products either come embedded within a TV set or as a small digital receiver called the Smart TV Upgrader. The Smart TV Upgrader works on any TV with an HDMI output. Tim Alessi, LG's director of new product development, said the company took three things into consideration when creating the connected TV products.

We did a lot of consumer research and found three things people wanted. It has to have a lot of content, connect into the home and has to be easy to use, Alessi said.

For content, LG said it has partnered with a team of premium content providers including Netflix, Amazon.com video-on-demand, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Vudu, CinemaNow and a few others. The connected TV also has smart share capability, which lets users share content through USB and DLNA portals. It also has the LG app store.

We are second to none for content, Alessi declared. He added the connected TV products also feature Wi-Fi connectivity and a simple to user browser and interface. The interface is divided into four sections: live TV, premium content, TV apps and a launch bar. Stacked against competitors such as Apple TV and Google TV, LG said in a user study group its product rated highest.

LG introduced a slate of 3-D products as well. This included 3-D TVs, blu-ray players, projectors and laptops. Ahn said with its lineup of 3-D products, LG is looking to replicate the cinema experience. To do this it uses a film-type pattern retarder, which allows for an optimized view of the separation of images for the left and right eye. This image is filtered through LG's new 3D glasses, which weigh less than 20 grams.

Along with connected TVs and 3-D, LG introduced two new devices, the LG Optimus 2X and the Optimus Black. The Optimus 2X has a dual-core processor and a full HD screen, the Optimus Black is 3.8 ounces and only .23 inches thick. Ahn also showcased the company's long term evolution technology (LTE).

We think LTE is a big deal for mobile data and we take it very seriously. We have developed a LTE chipset that features a LTE, CDMA and USB modem, Ahn said.

On the appliance side, LG introduced a number of smart appliances including washing machines and ovens. These appliances can be monitored and controlled via smartphones or tablets with LG's thinq technology. Ahn said an example of the thinq technology at work is it can automatically select the most cost-effective time to do the laundry.

Ahn also said the company was planning on introducing a tablet at the CES on Thursday at a separate event.