CES 2011: TVs at CES 2011 Samsung Smart TV

Samsung’s internet TVs were already ahead of the competition, but its taken another leap forward with its new Smart TV system. Building on the success of 2010, it’s integrated an expanded app store, with full web browsing, an impressive content search option, movie recommendation facility and your home network files into one slick interface. Smart TV is built into its mid to high-end TV ranges.

Find out more in our Samsung Smart TV first look video review live at CES 2011.

Samsung Smart TV video first look

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Samsung apps and web browser

Samsung was the first manufacturer to develop an app store in 2010. This year it’s added more apps (over 200), many developed by third parties on Samsung’s own open platform.

Brand new for 2011 is the addition of full-web browsing. Entering text via the virtual on-screen key-pad is a bit fiddly (it requires lots of glancing up and down from the remote) but the addition of cursor and tab options controlled via the remote, makes it straightforward enough to navigate around pages.

Samsung touch-screen remote

Navigating the web is easier with the advanced touch-screen remote included with the D8000 series TV. The D7000 comes with the standard Samsung design but its possible to buy the touch-screen as an optional extra, or even download an app to your smartphone to do the same thing.

Yet the touch-screen remote has to be taken with a pinch of salt and is not something you can easily just pick up and use straight away. The multiple options, scattered over a collection of different touch screens require time and patience to learn, something not usually associated with a TV remote.

Searching content

Perhaps the most impressive feature is the all-in-one search facility. The dedicated ‘search’ button on the remote makes it easy to call up the ‘search’ box at any time. Text is entered via a fiddly on-screen keypad, but it searches across all the media platforms plugged into the ‘smart hub’. So relevant hits, be they apps, movies, web pages or Youtube clips are handily listed accordingly and easily accessed.

Movie search

Other new features are almost too innumerable to mention. The TV will make movie recommendations based on your search behaviour and aggregates search results from across multiple movie apps, detailing options on price and movie quality. So for example, the same movie might be available on LoveFilm and AceTrax (both Samsung apps), but at different prices.

Twitter and Facebook can be activated and used whilst watching TV or movies, allowing you to send and receive posts to friends. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but Samsung clearly has an eye on encouraging use for event TV like football matches, or ultra-popular TV shows (you know the one with the X).

We’ll fully test the Samsung Smart TV system when its new ranges launch in the spring.

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