LAS VEGAS — Philips Electronics is trying to blur the line between the traditional TV and the PC.
This year, the company will bring to market what it is calling the Streamium TV, a television that with a click of a button brings Internet content from the computer to the TV.
"I think this is very compelling and think our vision . . . is something we can make happen here today on stage and in your living room at home," Rudy Provoost, CEO of Philips Consumer Electronics' global sales and services, told a crowd gathered Wednesday for the International CES, the world's largest consumer electronics trade show.
Philips introduced Streamium products two years ago, but the Streamium TV, he said, "delivers the promise of wireless access to consumers."
During a demonstration Wednesday, company officials showed how clicking a button on a remote switched the TV to broadband Internet content. Using Wi-Fi, the set also could be used to show photos or video stored on a home computer.
Reinier Jens, president of Philips Consumer Electronics in North America, said the company is trying to meet the desires of consumers. Everyone has a TV, he said, but people want one that is "flat, slim and wide" and able to display good content.
The Streamium TV allowed Philips to be among companies trying to make a splash Wednesday — a day before the tidal wave of publicity-seeking by companies at today's "official" CES opening.
While the company did not say what the Streamium TV will cost, it did reveal that it has a few other products that will hit store shelves this year, including:
Streamium home entertainment systems that, along with the TV, will be able to be upgraded and personalized through the Internet. Frans van Houten, CEO of Philips Consumer Electronics Business Groups, announced that the company will partner with Yahoo to develop content and services for the Streamium products, such as music video and movie trailer access and photo library products and services.
A hard-disk DVD recorder with a built-in TV programming guide. The disk will be able to pack more than 130 hours of programming and automatically record favorite programs.
A compact, spherical CD Sound System.
A Pixel Plus 2 TV, resulting in sharp images.
A light-emitting TV using technology that Philips calls Ambi Light. Light will emit from the back of the flat-panel TV onto the wall, surrounding the set with colors and intensity to match the viewer's taste or the TV's setting while making it seem to improve the TV picture.
Twenty-seven new flat TV models.
Wearable products, such as a camcorder key ring holding up to 24 minutes of video; a credit-card-sized Micro Audio Jukebox able to hold more than 25 hours of music; and MP3 players that have a flashing safety light, designed for people who listen to music while exercising or walking at night.
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