14 DAY TRIAL // Showing that this really is the age of hybridization, Samsung has announced, among various other things, the Series 7 Smart Station.
The Series 7 Samsung Smart Station is based on a Series 7 HDTV monitor but does more than just display images, in quick succession or otherwise.
The reason it stands apart from monitors and TVs is its ability to connect to peripherals, the network, audio/video devices (AV) and even mobile gadgets (tablets, phones).
For comparison, normal monitors and HDTVs can't do much more than hook up to a PC, media player, set-top box or satellite/cable TV.
The Smart Station has the CB750 product name and comes in 24-inch and 27-inch sizes.
The native resolution is 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, Full HD as it were.
CB750 can establish physical links to the aforementioned variety of items via USB 3.0 (2 ports), USB 2.0 (one port), LAN (1 port) and an audio jack.
Not only that, but the company gave it wireless support as well, with streaming quality of up to Full HD and the ability to act as a wireless hub.
Furthermore, buyers will find a pair of 5W speakers built into it, along with HDMI, among other things.
Availability is set for March, at $549 (425 Euro), but an early glimpse of the Smart Station can be caught at CES 2012 (January 10-13).
“The PC market has been slowly evolving as users move away from desktops in favor of the convenience of laptops, tablets and even smartphones,” said Todd Bouman, vice president of product marketing at Samsung Enterprise Business Division.
“By doing this, users are limited to comparatively small screens, touchpads, limited keyboards and multiple peripheral connections. The new Series 7 Smart Station [...] solve[s] these problems by providing users with an easy way to reduce desktop connection clutter and combine the convenience of a laptop or mobile device with the traditional advantages of a desktop PC.”