TVs, streaming boxes, and HDMI gear for the living room.
Western Digital refreshed its WD TV media player in May 2014, with a new interface and wider format support including .mkv, .mp4, and .avi. It adds social apps like YouTube, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and Facebook, plus Miracast for projecting.
I bought the Google Chromecast from Amazon for US$35, excluding shipping. It works like Apple's AirPlay. In the US you can stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Google Play content, but for everyday users in Singapore, there's little beyond YouTube streaming.
My four-year-old Hitachi 32-inch LCD TV, bought on 30th December 2007 for S$1,099, finally gave up, sound playing but no picture. Rather than pay an uneconomical repair, I bought a new Samsung Series 5 32-inch Slim LED Smart TV.
I bought the Apple TV (2nd Generation) from San Francisco's Apple Store for US$99, or US$107.67 after tax. I wish it were sold in Singapore, but without an iTunes movie and TV rental here, I doubt it will be soon.
I got the Logitech Harmony 300 for S$49 at Comex 2011 last week. It's a universal remote that controls up to four devices, such as your TV, cable box, Xbox 360, and media player. I'd planned on the Harmony 200.
I'd long wanted a Logitech Harmony remote for my TV and media player, but they were always pricey. Now there's a more affordable option, the Logitech Harmony 200, arriving in Singapore by early September 2011 at a recommended S$39.
Hooted the A.C. Ryan Playon! HD Mini 2 at IT Show 2011 for S$189 after the CitiBank card discount off its S$199 RRP. This January-launched media player features USB 3.0, gigabit LAN connectivity and the brand-new GUI 2.0 interface.
A.C. Ryan has announced the Playon!HD2 and Playon!HD Mini2, just after I got my Playon!HD back in November 2010, argh! I love the new gigabit wired networking, since the original's 10/100Mbps made transferring files over my gigabit LAN painfully slow.
My second hoot from SITEX 2010 is the A.C. Ryan Playon! HD at S$349, bundled with a 2TB drive and a free Wireless N dongle. I chose it because it plays nearly every format, including RM and RMVB.
My parents bought me a new Hitachi 32-inch LCD TV, the L32A01A, to replace my old 21-inch Toshiba CRT. We got it at Best Denki VivoCity for S$1,099, with a three-year warranty, HDMI cable and wall-mounting bracket included.