Televisions that will let viewers browse the Internet freely and integrate Web with broadcast content are still in the making, but Vizio’s new line of LCD sets advances the convergence between PC and TV. Several of Vizio’s XVT (Extreme Vizio Technology) models are equipped to access Vizio Internet Apps (VIA), an assortment of content and services—from Netflix, Amazon, VUDU, Blockbuster, Rhapsody, Pandora, Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook—specially configured for use on large screens.
Vizio says its Web-based content is the largest selection offered by any television maker. In addition, the VIA-connected sets take commands from a remote control with a concealed, slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The Bluetooth-powered remote promises quicker, more convenient navigation of applications than users get with the onscreen text entry required by competing TVs.
The new XVT line boasts impressive specs, including 240Hz processing, which helps fast picture movements appear nice and smooth, and LED backlights, which produce darker blacks and are more energy efficient than traditional fluorescent light sources. VIA-capable sets come in 42- to 55-inch sizes ($1,200 to $2,200) at stores including Target, Costco, and Walmart.
