Adobe Photoshop Express beta blurs the lines

The lines are blurring. Again.

Adobe has just launched a public beta of a new version of Photoshop called Photoshop Express, which allows users to upload and edit JPEG images through any web browser. Once photos are uploaded into the web application, you can crop them, distort them, remove red eye, and do many of the standard image edits you’d do in your computer-based image editing software. The service, which requires you to fill out a brief registration page, also includes 2 gigabytes of storage to upload images. What this means is that no matter where you are, if you have access to a computer and the Internet, you’ll be able to make edits to your photos.

This is certainly not the first free online image-editing tool. There are many others available, including FlauntR and Picnik. So, Adobe’s not the first to blur the lines between an image editor and what many call a Web 2.0 application, or a software app that runs via a web browser. But since Adobe sells such well known image-editing programs like Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop Elements 6, it's able to make this type of web app more mainstream. The company has even designed the Express version with the same clean interface that appears on CS3 and Elements.

Flat-panel HDTV prices still falling, but not as much as last year

Prices on flat-panel LCD and plasma TVs will decline in 2008, but not as dramatically as they did last year, when prices dropped by more than one-third overall. Still, look at the glass as half-full--you’ll be getting lots more screen for the money. For the first time, you should find a good selection of LCD and plasma HDTVs with 40- to 42-inch screens for less than $1,000, and so-called “full HD” 1080p models in those sizes for $1,100 to $1,200.

In addition to better values, you’ll also find more TV sizes—including bigger LCD displays and smaller plasmas—and a new type of display, OLED, which could be the wave of the future.

Here’s what you can expect if you go shopping for a TV during the holiday season later this year.

LCD TVs
In midsized to larger LCD TVs, price cuts will range from 5 percent to 19 percent, according to industry experts at the recent DisplaySearch Flat-Panel TV Conference (click here to see the previous blog). You’ll save more on 19-inch 720p models, which will average about $258 by year’s end, 25 percent less than in December 2007. (All the DisplaySearch price forecasts listed here are for average selling prices at the end of this year compared to the end of last year.)

• a 32-inch 720p set will sell for $647, down 7 percent from December 2007
• a 37-inch 720p LCD TV will cost $782, down 5 percent
• a 40- or 42-inch 720p LCD TV will sell for $944, down 5 percent
• a 40- or 42-inch 1080p set will sell for $1,123, down 19 percent
• a 46- or 47-inch 1080p set will sell for $1,528, down 17 percent
• a 52-inch 1080p LCD TV will sell for $2,243, down 19 percent

Plasma TVs
DisplaySearch doesn’t expect anything close to the cuts we saw last year, when overall plasma prices dropped 35 to 40 percent from the prior December, and prices of 50-inch 1080p models were down an astounding 63 percent. This year, price cuts will range from about 17 to 27 percent, they predict.

• a 42-inch 720p set will sell for $803, down 20 percent from December 2007
• a 42-inch 1080p model—which were scarce last year—will sell for $1,200, down 20 percent
• a 50-inch 720p model will sell for $1,154, down 17 percent
• a 50-inch 1080p model will sell for $1,817, down 27 percent

Other trends
• New TV sizes —55-inch LCDs and 46-, 37-, and 32-inch plasmas—should start to make inroads in the U.S. DisplaySearch noted the growing success of smaller plasmas in other regions of the world, and said that some manufacturers could look to grow their business in the U.S. by offering those sizes here to compete with LCD.
• There will be an increased emphasis on 120Hz technology, which minimizes the motion blur that has plagued LCD displays, even though it can add 30 percent to the cost of a set.
• Expect a shakeout among some second- and third-tier LCD brands as margins tighten and first-tier brands go after market share.
• The use of LEDs will surge, both in TVs and in notebook PCs. In the latter category, they could represent 10 percent of the market by the end of the year and 20 percent in 2009.
• OLEDs will have a breakout year—120 percent growth is predicted—although the technology won’t have an impact on the mainstream TV market for several years. It will represent only 2 percent of the overall North American TV market in 2012.
• Wal-Mart and the warehouse clubs will continue to be more important retail outlets for TVs. These retailers are largely responsible for Vizio’s emergence as the Number 3 flat-panel TV brand, and sales at these outlets are proving to be less seasonal than at other retailers. Wal-Mart is now the Number Two TV retailer behind Best Buy.
• As average selling prices and margins decline, look for retailers to push larger, higher-resolution TVs, or “bundles” that could include everything from Blu-ray high-def DVD players to accessories and extended warranties. For example, in 2006 the average gross profit on a 42-inch 720p LCD TV was $246; at the end of last year, it was $94, a 62-percent drop.
• Look for a mix of big brands and up-and-comers in stores. Based on unit sales, Samsung is the leading TV brand in North America, with 13.3 percent of the market, trailed by Sony (8.8 percent), Vizio (8.3 percent), Funai (7.8 percent), and Sharp (7.2 percent). But the lead changes hands periodically. Vizio was the number one brand in the second quarter of 2007 based on unit sales, and Sony rose to become the top LCD TV brand for the first time in the fourth quarter.

Despite price advantages in some screen sizes and some technological edges, plasma TV market share will continue to slide as more U.S. consumers continue to opt for LCD TVs. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog that will address our take on the relative merits of the two technologies, and ask for you to let us know which type you'll be buying and why.—James K. Wilccox

Send us your digital camera questions

Digital camera manufacturers keep coming up with new and innovative features. On the surface, these should make cameras easier to use and help you take better pictures. Face detection, for example, tries to set focus, exposure, and color balance so that faces appear sharp, well exposed and the proper color.

But is face detection really all that helpful to you? Have you seen an improvement in your photos? Did you know that when a little green box appeared around your subjects, that the camera was trying to change the exposure, focus and color balance so that that particular subject looked the best? And what if you didn't want to use this feature?

We're interested in hearing questions like these from you about every aspect of digital cameras and digital imaging, which we can answer as part of our summer photography feature that will post online in June. We'll choose the questions of interest to most people.

The questions can include not only queries about digital cameras, but also lenses, digital imaging software, printing, and camera accessories. Also, if you have any questions on how digital imaging technology works, or particular features, we'd love to hear them.

Your input will help us create upcoming content on digital cameras and related products.

A high-def box for your HD-ready TV

If you have an HD-ready TV hooked up to an antenna, you need to prepare for the February 2009 switch to all-digital broadcasting.

That's because HD-ready TVs have only an analog tuner, and analog broadcasts will be discontinued next year. To continue getting free television programming, you'll need to buy a digital converter box and connect it between the antenna and the TV. There are two types of boxes available.

You can use a basic converter box, which costs $40 to $70, but it will provide only standard-definition content. The government is offering a $40 coupon, which can be used only for a basic model. We've tested a few coupon-eligible boxes and found that they performed well overall. This is the way to go if you don’t care much about HD programming.

But since your TV has the ability to display HD, it might be worth spending more—closer to $200—for an HD-capable digital converter box. This will enable you to get free high-def programming from the major broadcast networks, and you don't have to wait till next year. HD broadcasts are already available in most areas, so you can start enjoying them right away.

One model to consider is Samsung's DTB-H260F converter box. At $170, the Samsung isn't cheap, and it's not eligible for the coupon program. But it will get you free HD, with great picture quality. In our tests, picture quality for both 720p and 1080i HD signals we pulled in via a rooftop antenna was excellent, rivaling if not surpassing what we've seen with the typical cable feed.

The converter box should give you access to just as many stations as an HDTV with a built-in tuner, assuming of course that you have a good antenna in either case. When we fed the DTB-H260F progressively weaker signals, it did a good job with weak signals, comparable to several late-model 42-inch flat-panel HDTVs we tested. A signal-strength meter, accessible via the remote, helps you adjust the antenna to the optimal position.

Other nice features include an onscreen guide that shows programs and start times, and lets you scroll among digital channels.

—Nick Mandle and Chris Andrade

 

Converter boxes: More info for making the jump to digital TV

Have you gotten your $40 coupons yet? If so, you might be tempted to rush out to your local electronics retailer or online store and buy a digital TV converter box now—before your government-sponsored discount coupons expire in 90 days.

Before you shop, check out our "First Look" at three low-cost set-top boxes we've mentioned previously. From our review of the Magnavox TB100MW9 ($50), Insignia NS-DXA1 ($60), and Zenith DTT900 ($60), there's good news and some not-so-good news you'll want to consider.

Announcing a new feature for the Electronics Blog

As our annual State of the Net survey has shown for the past several years, the insecurity of online consumers is a severe national problem that affects nearly everyone and costs American consumers billions of dollars annually.

Coverage of this important subject has become an integral part of our electronics content, both in print and online. While we will continue reporting on Internet threats of all types, and testing the key products and services that help you protect yourself online, this year we will begin to do even more.

Flat-Panel TVs in 2008: Fewer LCD brands, lesser price drops

If you've been putting off buying a flat-panel LCD TV with the hope of getting one for a dramatically lower price this year, it looks like you're out of luck. During the DisplaySearch Flat-Panel TV conference I'm attending in La Jolla, Calif., this week, panelists said they expect price declines in 2008 to be moderate, and some LCD models may actually be a bit more expensive.

There may also be fewer LCD brands to choose from, several panelists warned. Less familiar brands may be pushed off shelves as some better-known brands, including Sony and Vizio, continue to market models specifically for mass-market market retailers such as Wal-Mart.

In plasmas, the other major flat-panel technology, panelists predicted more and deeper price drops than for LCDs, though nothing to rival the declines of the past few years. In both plasma and LCDs, price drops will be greater for 1080p (so-called "full HD") models than for those with 720p resolution.

Both technologies will continue a growing overlap in screen sizes. In addition to a growing number of sub-40-inch plasmas, some 55-inch LCD models are expected. Ross Young, president of DisplaySearch, predicts we'll also see 46-inch plasmas emerge to compete with 46- and 47-inch LCD TVs.

Cell-phone spam: How to curb it

Cell-phone spam still trails computer spam, with the typical cell-phone user receiving at most a few spam text messages per year rather than the thousands that may bombard their computer-based e-mail accounts. But in some ways, cell spam is more annoying. It can cause your phone to ring or vibrate at inopportune times and possibly cost you money—typically 10 to 25 cents per message if you don't have a text-messaging plan.

Since 2005, the CAN-SPAM Act (Controlling the Assault on Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) has prohibited commercial e-mail and text messages to be sent to cell phones without "express prior authorization." Unfortunately, the law leaves commercial entities lots of loopholes. For example, it doesn't prevent your carrier or its partners from sending you upgrade offers or account notices. Also, non-commercial organizations such as charities and political campaigns can shoot you all the messages they want on your dime.

In spring, a phisher's fancy turns to taxes

If tax season is here, can IRS e-mail scams be far behind? Here's a tempting one making the rounds: An e-mail that looks like it's from the IRS tells you the agency has "determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $746.35." All it takes to get that cash is a simple click on a link to "access the form for your tax refund."

If you get one of these, don't start planning that vacation yet, and definitely do not click on the link or fill out the form. The IRS doesn't send unsolicited e-mails about tax refunds or any other matter. What you've actually received is not an opportunity to claim hundreds of unexpected dollars. It's a phishing scam designed to load malicious software onto your system and collect personal information for use in identity theft schemes.

This and other scams that use refunds from the IRS as bait are more prevalent than ever. Meanwhile, even newer scams are showing up surrounding the recent Federal tax rebate, according to Paula Greve, director of Web security research for Secure Computing.

In fact, Greve notes, there has been a 3,000 percent year-over-year increase in phishing attacks and malicious Web sites targeting the IRS, with more such attacks in January 2008 alone than in the first six months of 2007 combined. Close to 600 IP addresses sending e-mail purporting to be from the IRS have already been tracked, and Greve expects that number to increase.

A Timely Reminder

Like last year, daylight-saving time begins three weeks earlier this year than it used to. To be exact, it begins this Sunday, March 9, at 2 a.m.

The switch to an earlier date initially occurred in 2007, as a result of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, so your Windows computer is probably ready to handle it. To double check, go to Microsoft’s support page for daylight-saving time and follow the steps outlined there to make sure your computer is updated.

Mac users can pick up the latest daylight-saving time updates for OS X here. On the "Apple Downloads" page, search for "daylight saving."

—Donna Tapellini

Sprint’s unlimited talk—and data—is cheaper

Talkative cell phone users got a buzz last month when major carriers, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile began offering $99.99 unlimited calling plans. Now Sprint has also announced its own unlimited plans.

Like its competition, Sprint's "Simply Everything" plan offers unlimited voice calling, free nationwide long distance, and no domestic roaming charges. But for the same $99.99 per month, subscribers also get unlimited text/picture/video messaging, mobile Internet, and walkie-talkie style push-to-talk service.

That's a better deal than, for example, Verizon's Unlimited plans, which charge $99.99 for voice, $119.99 for voice and messaging, and $139.99 for voice, messaging, and mobile Internet.

However, as we previously advised, before getting a pricey unlimited plan you should first consider less costly somewhat unlimited plans.

In the case of Sprint, its new "Everything 900" anytime voice minute plan also comes with unlimited messaging and Internet (as well as unlimited voice nights and weekends and mobile-to-mobile) for only $89.99 per month. If you can live with 900 daytime voice minutes per month—still a hefty 40 minutes or so per weekday, after all—you'll save $120 annually over the $99.99 "Simply Everything" plan or up to $600 per year over competing carrier unlimited plans.

Pioneer to stop making plasma TVs

Pioneer, one of the leading plasma TV manufacturers, confirmed recent rumors by releasing a statement acknowledging it would stop making its own plasma TV panels, and instead source them from other panel suppliers, most likely Panasonic (Matsushita).

Pioneer joins a growing list of companies that have exited the plasma manufacturing business. Many of them—including Sony, Mitsubishi, and Fujitsu—no longer sell plasma sets. Pioneer, however, will continue selling plasmas under its own label. It's not clear, though, how much of its touted Kuro plasma technology will make its way into the new sets, something the company said it was exploring. Many Pioneer models have been among the top performers in Consumer Reports' Ratings of plasma TVs.

The company will also start selling LCD TVs for the first time as a result of a previously announced deal with Sharp Electronics, which will supply the sets as part of an investment in Pioneer.

In the statement, Pioneer described its decision as a cost-cutting move that will allow the company to be more competitive in the plasma business and focus its internal resources on other product categories, such as home audio and video (including Blu-ray players) as well as mobile electronics, including in-dash car navigation systems.

"This move will allow us to transform our business model for displays from vertically integrated, capital-intensive operations to a leaner business model geared to making value-added product proposals," Pioneer said in a press release. Going forward, the company will source the components, then assemble the sets and sell them, and will continue R&D on technology to improve performance.

Exclusive: First tests of digital TV converter boxes

With the digital TV transition less than a year away, digital-to-analog converters have started showing up in retail stores. These set-top boxes convert digital transmissions pulled in by an antenna into analog signals that can be accepted by an older tube TV and other sets that don’t have a built-in digital tuner.

We tested three of the first digital-to-analog converters to hit the market: the Magnavox TB100MW9 ($50 at Wal-mart), Insignia NS-DXA1 ($60 at Best Buy) and Zenith DTT900 ($60 at Circuit City). If you buy any of these boxes, you can use the $40 coupon offered by the government, reducing your out-of-pocket cost to $10 or $20. (The Magnavox is pictured above. You can click on it for a closer look.)

[Feb. 14, 2008 UPDATE: We've further reviewed these digital TV converter boxes and have posted more information about them in our report, "Digital TV converter boxes: First Look," on ConsumerReports.org. —Ed.]

These converters did what they're supposed to—they provided access to free, off-air digital TV programs when we connected them to a rooftop antenna at our Yonkers, NY, lab. In addition, we tested to see how well each box performed when we lowered signal strength to marginal levels. All three boxes did an equally good job with weak signals, comparable to several late-model 42-inch flat-panel HDTVs we tested for comparison. (One important note: While the boxes can pull in both HD and standard-def digital channels, they'll convert HD programs to standard-definition analog.)

Picture quality from all three converter boxes was decent and should be fine on a relatively small-screen set. It's likely to be better than analog broadcasts you're watching on that same TV now. It won't match what you can get with a good digital TV, but the difference in quality isn't that great that you should buy a new TV unless you're ready to change for other reasons.

For an extra $10, the Insignia and Zenith boxes provided a slightly better image than the Magnavox and some added features that make them more convenient to use. The Zenith and Insignia performed closely overall, but the Insignia had a few quirks in picture quality when we used the composite-video output, so we would opt for the Zenith.

If you're in the market for a converter box, stay tuned for our full test report on these three models, which we expect to post next week on ConsumerReports.org.

—Eileen McCooey

Portable chargers powered by nature

Imagine being able to charge your cell phone, MP3 player, and other electronic gadgets when you're on the go. And I mean really on the go—when you're hiking, biking, or whenever you find yourself far from any wall socket.

Well, that's exactly what the makers of HYmini and Solio had in mind when they created their portable renewable energy chargers. Both products are about the size of your hand, light-weight (about 3 and 6 ounces) and produce electricity from the wind and sun. The juice can be used to directly power a mobile gadget or stored within the chargers' own internal batteries for later—to charge a GPS unit during dinner at night by the camp fire, for example. (How much energy you get and can actually use varies greatly with environmental conditions and the specifications of each device—cell phone, GPS unit, etc.)

The chargers, which were recently on display at Greener Gadgets, a conference in New York City, haven't been tested by Consumer Reports. But they did capture our attention. Here's a quick look at these two innovative mobile power-supplies:

HYmini

It may look like a fan to keep you cool, but in reality the $50 HYmini is a cool way to get power. (Click on image above for a closer look.) Miniwiz, HYmini's maker, says the first generation of these hand-held turbines are designed to capture energy from winds of up to to 40-miles per hour—gusts similar to what you would get from jogging or bike riding. (The company offers armbands and bicycle mounts just for those kinds of activities.) But even when there is no breeze, HYmini can still generate power by connecting an optional $25 solar panel. (Up to four can be used to charge the HYmini's internal battery.)