Minneapolis-based Best Buy has chose to ease the increasing demand from consumers for video content over the net. Hulu, Netflix and others have come up with services to provide easy access to consumers to view online video content. This therefore is no surprise that Best Buy has hopped in to grab in a share as the demand is relatively high in this section. The Big box retailer made an announcement recently that its own brand Insignia was to get an extension of a pair of Internet-ready models. The announcement included a no-cost TiVo user interface which would be for two models which are of 32-inch and 42-inch. The UI would be in-built in the hardware.
The consumers will be able to access Napster, Pandora, YouTube, CinemaNow and Netflix via these Insignia sets. The company stated that the development of these sets was based on the inputs received from the consumers and it would be easy for the consumer to setup and use these sets. Vice president of Exclusive Brands at Best Buy, Patrick McGinnis said that they have been hearing complaints from consumers relating to Smart TV as to it could be intimidating because of which they have worked hard to make their Smart TV’s journey comfortable and with ease.
Built-in search capabilities, easy content discovery with TiVo and step-by-step guided setup has been included in this Smart TV. Along with the said features, the Smart TV has applications which are preloaded on it. These applications are of Chumby which is a content platform and includes Reuters News, Accuweather, Photobucket and importantly Facebook and Twitter. There is even a provision for a user to choose additional content via the said content platform, which has support for numerous applications for the Smart TV.
For the specifications, Insignia would have LED backlighting and would be full HD (1080p). It would run at a refresh rate of 120Hz. Expectedly, it would include Best Buy’s own wireless audio streaming protocol Rocketfish wireless, but this can be use through an extra card which would cost the user 40 USD. It would even have built-in Wi-Fi (dual-band 802.11n), 4 HDMI inputs and SRS sound processing. One would even get a universal remote which would be in the package and would via Z-wave let the user control the TV.
There was a forecast made in regards to connected TV shipments by DisplaySearch’s Quarterly TV Design and Features Report. Is said in its report that such TVs will be shipped in excess of 138 million on a yearly basis by 2015. it went on saying further that Connected TV share in flat-panel TVs shipped in 2015 would account for 47 percent. Another prediction was that half a billion connected TVs would be shipped by the end of 2015. For the current year however it said that about one-fourth of total shipped connected TVs this year would be Internet-ready.
The pricing from the company’s side has been set as 499 USD and 699 USD for 32- and 42-inch screen sizes respectively. There is no need for one to subscribe, but it even has a disadvantage as one cannot record TV shows even. The company is however confident of doing good business related to Insignia.