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Samsung has just spilled the beans on its new telly range, set to be unveiled at CES at the start of January. Its new goggleboxes will let you change the volume and switch channels just by waving your fingers.
Not only that, Samsung has tweaked its voice controls too, meaning you have to say less to change channels. It’ll roll out its voice-controlled sets into 12 new markets as well, meaning they’ll be available in 23 countries in total.
Controlling the TV set using your fingers sounds pretty cool, though it could also be quite hazardous. According to Samsung’s official blog, you’ll be able to stop what’s playing on the telly by moving your finger anti-clockwise. All very convenient, though you might do so accidentally. So careful what you point at.
Samsung has also improved the voice control feature. One of the tweaks makes it easier to change the channel — just say which channel number you want to watch, and it’ll flick over. In comparison, Samsung’s 2013 models required you to say “Channel change” and then the channel number you’d like to watch.
Smart TVs have so far failed to catch on here in the UK, with most being too complicated to use, not to mention way too expensive. Sky’s Now TV Box is a great alternative, effectively turning your telly into a smart set for just a tenner. But no one’s really nailed a new interface, or how to build a web browser into a TV. Apple is rumoured to be working on its own smart TV after Steve Jobs let the cat out of the bag a couple of years ago in his biography. His replacement Tim Cook has dropped a couple of hints, but so far nothing has materialised from the Cupertino company.
CES kicks off on 7 January. We’ll be on hand to bring you all the news as it happens. Would you like a TV you can control with your fingers? Let me know in the comments, or finger-paint your thoughts over on our Facebook page.
