The Death of the Plasma TV

With the announcement by Samsung that they are pulling the plug on Plasma TVs, it is official the Plasma TV is now dead. The worst part of this for me is that I love my Plasmas. It is a sad reminder that it isn't always the best technology is the most successful.

I am barely old enough to remember the VHS/Betamax, but from everything I've read and everything I've heard the Betamax was simply the better product. The same, unfortunately can be said for Plasma TVs.

I was on vacation last week staying at a rental home. This home was equipped with a brand new top of the line Visio LED TV, and I found it difficult to watch. There was ghosting and strange artifacts that I never see on my TVs. Even the colors seemed overly saturated. Quite frankly it was part of the reason that I so successfully managed to take almost a full break from Technology (despite the World Cup's attempt to pull me back in)!

I understand that technologies die, but if Plasma has to die, then please TV manufacturers take heed: For the love of God fix the little glitches in LCD and LED TVs, especially before trying to sell me on new technology like 4K.

Clearly people forget Apple's history...

I want to preface this by saying that I am in no way an Apple fanboy. I do own an iPad, and a MacBook Pro (which does have Linux, Windows 7 and Windows 8 on it!), but quite frankly the reason I own them is because I feel that they are the best devices for me at the moment (although I am considering swapping that iPad for one of the new Nexus 7s). To further punctuate the previous assertion, I HAD an iPhone but it only lasted my 8 months before I went back to an Android handset. In addition my Apple TV has lost its spot in my home theatre to a ChromeCast. My point is, that I write this post not from a fanboys point of view but from that of a Tech Geek.

I couldn't help but notice Sharif Sakr's article on Forbes.com today titled: "iPhone Obsessed Apple Leaves Living Room Wide Open for Sony and Microsoft".  To which my immediate thought was "huh?". For one thing, this release was an iPhone event. Allow me to repeat that, THIS WAS A FUCKING IPHONE EVENT. It wasn't like Apple is giving an update on their entire line! They didn't title the event "Hey let us show you something new!" No it was billed as an I phone event and thats what it was, it has nothing to do with Apples plan for the living room.

Second last time I checked Apple does actually have the Apple TV, you know that thing with Airplay? That thing that allows you to pretty much toss anything on your iPhone up onto that big ass screen in your living room? Including any Apps, Games, Browser, Movies, Pictures etc? The thing that also is HUNDREDS of dollars cheaper that one of the Sony or Microsoft GAMING consoles? I mean the PS Vita box STILL REQUIRES A GAMING DEVICE. Its not like Apple is totally neglecting the living room, their strategy is just different. What if you don't play Video Games (I know, what a fucking crazy notion!)? Why would you ever buy one of those things? What is Microsoft and Sony's strategy then?

Speaking of Microsoft and Sony brings up a third point. Google's ChromeCast was kind of just tossed in there as a non gaming option, and that because of its price point it's the go to option. Um, news flash, Apple devices have never been the cheapest. If thats your best argument clearly you don't understand how Apple rolls.

Which brings me to my last point. Remember when cell phones were just phones? You know when Nokia and Blackberry ruled the mobile world? Remember how in 2007 Apple bulldozed the market with their vision of what phones could be? Remember when in 2010 Apple release a "magical" new device called the iPad? You know when no one else could figure out how the hell to sell tablets? So to say that Apple is leaving the battle for the living room wide open is kind of like saying leaving your computer on (and locked) is just asking for it to get hacked. Sure its possible, but first your competition really has to no what its doing.