LAS VEGAS — For LG, it wasn't enough to build a big 77-inch 4K TV with a curved screen. It also upgraded the display technology itself by adding a fourth subpixel to every one of the 8+ million pixels in the display.
While most TVs have three subpixels (red, green and blue or RGB), the LG 77EC9800 adds a fourth white one (WRGB). LG isn't the first manufacturer to offer four-pixel screen tech — Sharp has been doing it in its Quattron line for years — but it's the first time we've seen it applied to a 4K set.
See also: 10 Innovations That Improved the World in 2013
The advantage of having four pixels is improved color accuracy and contrast. In fact, LG claims its 4K wonder has "infinite" contrast, meaning the blacks are as black as can be. Also, the TV's Color Refiner tech keeps a constant watch on every pixel, adjusting color temperature as necessary to maintain a smooth and consistent picture.
The set also has all the regular 4K goodness, with 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, and LG's Tru-Ultra engine upconverts all video to that resolution. The set is equipped with HDMI 2.0, so it can handle full 4K video at 60 frames per second, and it's compatible with HDCP 2.2 content security as well as high-res videos in the H.265 format. It's also capable of displaying 3D content, should you care.
LG is also building a new smart TV interface based on webOS, which gives the set direct access to services like Netflix and Hulu Plus, no set-top box required. LG says webOS enables fast transitioning between services, and it's compatible with many open-source technologies (such as webkit), so we could potentially see many apps on the platform eventually.
LG's quad-pixel 4K TV will be ready and waiting for your living room/man cave by the summer for the tidy sum of $29,999.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Image: iStockphoto, loops7
Schwinn unveiled the CycleNav Smart Bike Navigator. Schwinn CycleNav is a free mobile application paired with a handlebar-mounted smart-bike navigation unit designed to give riders turn-by-turn audio and visual navigation from their handlebars.
Toshiba joins the list of Chromebook manufacturers with a 13.3-inch netbook. While it isn't the largest-resolution Chromebook on the market, Toshiba's Chromebook has an impressive $279 price tag.
The Skulpt Aim, smaller than an iPhone, collects data when pressed against your muscles. Use it to track body-fat or set and share goals.
This smart bracelet, from Neatatmo, measures sun exposure and connects to iOS devices to let users know if they've had too much (or too little) sun.
The Tao coaches you through 50 exercises related to isometrics — the science of applying pressure, which is the basis of many popular workouts such as pilates and plank exercising — and adds a gaming element.
Withings sleep system works with a pressure-sensitive pad and a light system that measures the appropriate time to wake you and the appropriate hues for falling asleep and waking up.
At CES Unveiled, Sphero introduced the 2B model, the second model of the popular Orbotix toy.
Kolibree introduced a smart toothbrush that monitors user's brushing habits and let's them keep track of their routines on an app.
Any CES wouldn't be complete without a fleet of drones. Parrot introduced a minidrone model at CES Unveiled.
Chevrolet announced it is bringing 4G LTE to its OnStar infotainment system.
The 2015 Corvette Stingray has a performance data recorder which allows drivers to record hi-definition video and share with friends.