LG at CES 2014: webOS TVs, LG Flex, and Lifeband Touch – The Verge

Texting with a washing machine: hands-on with LG’s HomeChat

2014-01-07T16:24:32-05:00

homechat

From Siri to Google Now, every company wants to make interacting with technology a bit more natural. LG is now extending that idea to smart appliances with a new service called HomeChat, but it isn't focused on using your voice - it's instead based around the instant message.

Your washing machine can send you stickers

The service lets owners of a new LG smart washer, drier, fridge, air conditioner, or vacuum cleaner control functions of their appliances just by sending a message. You could tell the washer to start a load of laundry, have your vacuum stop cleaning before you get home, or turn off your air-conditioner if you plan on staying ou …

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LG’s new webOS interface is a smart, simple, but occasionally jittery way to navigate your TV

2014-01-07T14:20:38-05:00

LG webos TV interface

The CES show floor is officially open, and we've finally had a chance to take LG's new webOS TV interface for a spin. There's little doubt that LG has come up with a clever and simple way to run your TV, compared to the commonly overwrought interfaces seen on most other smart TVs. Unfortunately, the product also showed some flaws due to the combination of a tough CES connectivity environment and early-stage software.

As we learned yesterday, the interface is composed of three sections. The "present" area, always accessible by hitting the "home" button on the remote, shows your favorite apps and content sources as selected by each user. Here …

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Our first look at LG’s new webOS TV and curved 105-inch UHDTV

2014-01-06T13:48:13-05:00

LG webOS

It's rare, if ever, for TV software to be the most anticipated debut at a big CES press event, but that's exactly what LG's webOS interface achieved ahead of the company's presser today. Alas, we weren't allowed to touch LG's Magic Remote, which will work in concert with the webOS UI, and really get to grips with it; but in terms of its look and feel, it really does convey a sense of much smoother and less cluttered interaction between user and TV. It's still somewhat odd to need to direct a cursor across the screen, but there's no denying that the slices representing each app and the general interface that we were shown had the right idea o …

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LG’s new flexible OLED TV is its most stunning one yet

2014-01-06T13:47:12-05:00

Gallery Photo: LG's 77-inch curved OLED TV

One of the best traditions of CES is getting to see the jaw-dropping brilliance of large-screened OLED TVs, primarily from the two Korean giants LG and Samsung. This year has been no different, though LG has cranked things up a couple of notches by curving its 77-inch OLED panel. The new TV, though it's taking a secondary position behind the new webOS software and the 105-inch curved IPS LCD, is my personal favorite from LG's debuts at CES 2014, with its stupendously thin bezels and engrossing picture quality. It has to also be said the curve on the display works much better on such a large scale than it does on the peculiar 6-inch G Flex ha …

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LG G Flex coming to AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile this winter

2014-01-06T11:55:48-05:00

LG G Flex 1024px

LG's curved smartphone, the G Flex, is heading to the US. On stage at CES today, LG announced that AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile will all begin carrying the G Flex this quarter. Pricing and exact availability haven't been announced yet, but interested buyers will want to hope that the carriers offer a sizable subsidy: off-contract, it's been going for around $940. Whether there will be a lot of interested buyers is another question though. While its curves are certainly impressive, there's nothing on the phone that takes advantage of them, and we found LG's Android customization to be more of a detriment than an improvement. Whether it succeeds …

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This is LG’s Bean Bird

2014-01-06T11:29:39-05:00

Gallery Photo: LG's Bean Bird

By far the most controversial part of LG's new webOS smart TVs is going to be the feathered digital assistant that accompanies them. Meet Bean Bird, a brown little, well, bird shaped like a bean. The bird won't live in the entire LG webOS TV interface, like Microsoft's infamous Clippy did in Office. Instead, it will just show up during an LG TV's setup process. The idea is to get you to actually complete the entire setup, every single step - many users don't, and so therefore don't take full advantage of the features on their smart TVs.

When you first boot up your smart TV, Bean Bird encourages you to calibrate your remote and walks you throu …

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The Verge Live: LG at CES 2014

2014-01-06T11:09:18-05:00

The Verge Live at CES 2014

We're live at CES 2014. With one day to go until the show floor opens, literally dozens of major companies are making their big announcements today.

Join us this morning for The Verge Live at 9AM PT / 12PM ET after LG's press conference. Joshua Topolsky and Dieter Bohn will be on hand to talk about the company's big announcements (hint: webOS).

We'll be back with live discussion at 3PM after Samsung and then capping off the night at 6PM after Sony with The Vergecast After Hours. Stay tuned in between for press conferences and a playlist of our own coverage. Keep it locked!

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LG reveals massive plans for webOS TV platform

2014-01-06T00:57:14-05:00

webOS TV LG Korea

LG hasn't yet taken the stage for its CES keynote, but the company's Korea division has already revealed the webOS TV. Palm's mobile operating system has been resurrected as a TV interface that focuses on ease of use. And LG is putting its weight behind the effort: webOS will be used on over 70 percent of the company's 2014 Smart TV lineup. webOS on the TV is very different from what you remember on mobile phones. It's now based around three new features: simple connection, simple switching, and simple discovery.

Simple connection aims to help users properly set up the TV. When you first turn on the TV, an animated character called Bean Bir …

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LG puts webOS front and center at CES 2014

2014-01-04T19:14:55-05:00

LG webOS TV CES show floor

It's still a few days before CES kicks off, but it's looking like LG is planning to make the webOS brand a major part of its marketing for the first webOS TV. A tipster has provided The Verge with images from the CES show floor, and the webOS TV has a highly prominent place in LG's massive booth. From what we can tell, it doesn't look like the set is actually out and on display yet, but there's a large area where LG will show off the highlight features of its new set. LG's touting an "easy navigation," "fun setup," and "simple connection" features, but it's not clear yet how any of these features will work. There's also a new webOS logo - it …

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