HDTV:

Remember 3D viewing? Sat in a cinema with a pair of silly glasses? Well, it's now available in your living room.

The 22-inch Hyundai W220S has launched in Japan, using TriDef Technology, which allows 2D viewing and horizontally interlaced stereoscopic 3D images. There's also WSXGA+ resolution (1680x1050), a brightness of 300cd/m?, a contrast ratio of 1,000:1 and a response time of 5ms.

Should you be bold enough to step into a pair of included polarized glasses then you'll also be treated to a suite of bundled 3D-apps including Google Earth 3D, a pair of 3D games, and TriDef media player for 3D video content. The W220S launches in Japan tomorrow for about 3.

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Through June 16, OneCall is adding extra value to consumers' tax rebate checks in the form of free 1-year warranties. With income tax refunds and economic stimulus checks going out to more than 130 million households, American consumers are poised for what could turn out to be the third biggest shopping season of the year, behind Christmas and Back-To-School.

Consumers spending their rebate checks on HDTVs over 9, hi-def Blu-ray Disc Players, home theater receivers and HTIB (Home Theaters In a Box) systems will receive a free 1-year extended warranty. "With today's consumers feeling the squeeze of these tight economic times, we decided to offer a more relevant value-added promotion during this summer of tax rebates," explained Murray Huppin, the President of Huppin's / OneCall. "By offering free warranties on things like HDTVs over 9, we're giving customers the peace of mind that their purchase is a sound investment."

In recent years, consumers have been bombarded with varying opinions on the value of extended warranties. Perhaps most notably, Consumer Reports has made their disdain of warranties clear, with the exception of rear projection TVs and Apple computers.

Matt Clark, OneCall's Director of Sales, added to Mr. Huppin's remarks, "Shoppers are accustomed to salespeople trying to upsell them on extended warranties. Some people would rather avoid that exchange altogether, feeling that the final price is just being run up on them. But with these high-ticket items, there's a new level of consumer confidence when we can simply tack on that 1-year warranty at no extra cost to them. We consider this another aspect of our commitment to customer service, and we certainly hope it helps to foster customer loyalty."

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