Thursday, December 30, 2010

Nintendo Issues Health Warning to Parents: Beware of the 3DS

Scheduled to be released in March 2011, Nintendo is now warning parents that their Nintendo 3DS may be harmful to children aged six and under.  The popular, portable gaming device, which requires no 3D lenses or glasses, may strain kids' eyes and disrupt vision development.  Nintendo is also claiming that this is not just specific to the 3DS -- 3D movies that require special glasses may be hazardous, as well.

To be on the safe side, stick with the regular, 2D, Nintendo DS. 

Source(s): Yahoo

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Five Steps to Cut the Cable/Satellite Cord and stream, Stream, STREAM to your TV!

If you've already read my previous post about streaming and the cloud and thinking "I'm ready, but I need concise instructions" then this is the post for you.

1. Inventory Check
So what do you have so far?
Um, you haz everything? whattayadoinhya? Go sit on the couch!

2. What do you care most about?
Movies (Tier1:2-3 months from theatrical release)
all these services allow you to purchase a movie, but the availability dates vary wildly

Movies (Tier2:2-3 months from theatrical release+shipping time)
Netflix (Blu-Ray Discs/DVD)

Movies (Tier3:1month from DVD/Blu-Ray release)
Netflix (streaming), Hulu/HuluPlus

TV Shows
Stream (Latest): Hulu/HuluPlus
Stream (Older): Netflix

Sports

Premium Content
HBO Go (just of matter of time for this to be an independent streaming service)

3. Make the most of what you have
Already have video game console (Wii, Xbox360, PS3)? Services like Pandora, Netflix, Hulu/HuluPlus, VUDU, Amazon Video on Demand are already available on these devices. Give it a whirl. Subscribe for a month and see how you like it. With an Xbox360 and AT&T uVerse you can experiment with some semi-cut the cord-services.

Have a laptop/desktop? All these services are available on a computer and probably the best environment to do a test drive. If you have the necessary cables to put your screen on your TV, give it a go to see how it looks. You could even invest in something like Veebeam which wirelessly transmits your lcomputer screen to your TV. But keep in mind that the content on computers are different definition from the content on TVs. For example the if you rented the movie Inception on your computer's Amazon VOD site it would be in 480p standard definition (SD) whereas on the Amazon app on your TV/media device you are able to rent the (HD) high definition 720p/1080p version.

4. If you're already planning to buy a....
Video game console: Keep in mind that a Wii can play CDs, Xbox360 CDs+DVDs and PS3 CDs+DVDs+Blu-Rays.
Laptop: Get one with a blu-ray player and an HDMI output. That'll make it super easy to watch Blu-Rays and online streaming content directly on your TV with just an hdmi cable.
Digital Media Center: You have three great options; Roku, Boxee or AppleTV. GigaOM has an excellent article on trying to make this decision.
Blu-ray/DVD player: Get an internet connected one. If you can wait, then wait. Black Friday 2010 had internet blu-ray players at close to $50. The prices are definitely falling as streaming becomes more popular.

5. Baby Steps
Moving away from cable is hard.
Start with a Netflix subscription on your laptop, see how it works out. Amazon Video on Demand and VUDU typically provide you with around $5 credit just for setting up an account. You can rent an HD movie to see how you like the service. With a nice HD tv and surround sound system, that's about 1/10th the cost of a movie theatre date!

I have an internet connected TV with apps on it. As new apps get released, I can download it on my TV. I have access to Amazon Video on Demand, Netflix and VUDU to name a few. I also have an Xbox 360, so I have access to the same content plus the Zune Store and ESPN3.

There is a great article by Mark Glaser @ PBS MediaShift. It is a bit dated (Jan 2010) but still worth a click here, where you can read about how others went about to cut the cord.

Good luck, Wannabe Techie!

source(s): GigaOm, PBS


Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Verizon's Red Brick Road to LTE. ATT Right behind.

LTE is proving to be super fast. Even though we're super excited about the advent of Sprint's WiMax in the bay area, it is only a matter of time for the crushing to happen.

So far we've seen only tests and working pictures of LTE connectivity devices (dongles). Today we just came across images of two handsets that are not just technically capable of handling an LTE connection, but also showing an active 4G connection over LTE. Sick. Hit the links below for the deets courtesy of the folks at BGR.


edit1.1: looks like we have a date for the HTC Incredible. January 6th 2010.
edit1.2: the page for the HTC Incredible HD/Thunderbolt 4G is now live here.
edit1.3: Verizon is not going to keep us waiting. We'll see the 4G handsets at CES, Jan 6-9 2011.
edit1.4: AT&T isn't going to be left behind. Not only are they announcing their LTE plans at CES today, Rolling Stone magazine also outed HTC's plan for a 4G AT&T handset.

source(s): Gizmodo, GigaOM, Verizon, BGR, Cnet, Android Central


Saturday, December 25, 2010

After-Christmas Sales Start Early Morning On 12/26

If you missed out on Black Friday or are just looking for bargains, you're in luck.  Retailers are overstocked with inventory and need to make room for other items.  According to Raycom and ShopperTrak, shoppers spent $7.9 billion the day after Christmas in 2009, making it the number 2 performing day of the season, next to Black Friday.  This year, 43 percent of people surveyed by American Express Spending & Saving Tracker said they planned to make a purchase on Dec. 26.

OC Register gives you a sneak peak of the the deals that will be available, as well as links to a few of the retailers' circular ads.

Wake up early, because most stores open their doors at 6am!



Sources(s): Raycom, OC Register

Friday, December 24, 2010

The Coolest, Most Useful App? Word Lens

It's one of the most unique and useful apps out there, especially if you're a traveler.  Just recently released by Quest Visual, it translates text in Spanish to English, and vice-versa.  What's so cool about it?  It does it in real-time, as you can see in the video below.  It may not be 100% accurate and complete yet, but we're assuming its future updates will create improvements, as well as added features.  One main functional element we think is missing is a screen shot button to save the image.    

Currently, it's only available on the iPhone, but Broadband Genie is reporting that it will eventually be released on Android (and included in the upcoming Nexus S).  Go ahead iPhone fanboys, keep bragging to the Android fanboys while you still can!





Source(s):  Broadband Genie, YouTube, Quest Visual

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Do you really need 4G?

You can call it whatever you want: LTE, HSPA, WiMAX or 4G.  Sprint claims up to 10 Mbps.  Verizon claims up to 12 Mbps.  And T-Mobile claims up to a whopping 21 Mbps.  AT&T is still stuck on 3G, but claims its network gets 7.2 Mbps.  Now, keep in mind, these are the fastest speeds possible, being at the right place at the right time -- the average customer would be lucky to even achieve half of this.  I won't get into the details, but the average 3G speed is roughly 1-1.5 Mbps, which is more than enough to watch a standard definition YouTube video on your mobile device.  It's also sufficient enough to connect to Facebook and Twitter, which I would say is what the majority of mobile users engage in.  So what's 4G good for?  It's great for streaming high definition video (Netflix) and mobile wi-fi (mi-fi) hot spots.  Everything else is doable with 3G, given you have some patience waiting for higher-quality media to load.  And until technology improves, 4G will eat your battery alive.  My HTC EVO using 4G hot spot lasts for about 3 hours until the battery is completely drained.  4G is nice to have, but isn't necessary for most of us.   



Source(s):  PCMag, lifehacker

iPhone 4 on Verizon? Yes!

Edit: We were right! See it for yourself on Verizon's site. Looks like they updated the hardware a bit, probably due to it being on a CDMA network (rather than GSM).

We're pretty sure Apple has no plans of announcing the iPhone 4 on Verizon any time soon -- at least not till next year. Since Apple doesn't do trade shows, it's unlikely that anything will be announced at CES. According to Beatweak, Verizon will have a keynote, but chances are, anything this huge, must definitely be announced by Mr. Jobs. This should give Verizon extra time in getting their LTE network setup, and developing upcoming LTE smartphones. With Android rapidly gaining market share, Apple's got to make a move.


Source(s): Beatweak

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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

4G hungry San Franciscans: December 28th, Save the Date

Sprint Newsroom has just confirmed with CNET that Sprint will launch their 4G WiMax (high speed internet on mobile phones) service on December 28th 2010, to complete their 2011 4G rollout in the United States, as expected in their roadmap.

This is tremendous news for EVO and EPIC users in the bay area and will start opening up some cool stuff we can start doing with this device -- especially using the phone as a wifi hotspot. With speeds of around 4Mbps, it is possible to use your EVO as an option to cut the cord.

Hang around with us and we're going to try using the EVO to stream HD Netflix on a 46" TV after 4G goes live in San Francisco.


Monday, December 20, 2010

Nokia N8 ... Powered by Windows Phone 7 OS?

When Nokia hired Microsoft Exec Stephen Elop September of this year, I knew some big changes were coming up for the mobile strategy of both firms.

Nokia, suffering from a corporate structure that is resisting change by resting on the laurels of its global featurephone domination, needed a facelift. Suing Apple wasn’t really doing it for the Finnish company’s powerhouse image. Nokia had a leading edge OS – Symban S60 – in the N95, but that was back in 2007. Nokia is now essentially last in line in the smartphone race.

Microsoft on the other hand released a seriously depressing device – the Microsoft KIN. Was it the marketing, was it the feature set, was it the delivery? Nobody knows completely, but we’re all on the same page -- that it bombed.

Nokia has excellent hardware device construction. They’ve made some of the best devices of our modern age, cramming some serious electronics into our palms, featured in films and music.

But, they could really do with a single OS line (right now they’re befuddled with Symbian^3, Meego and Maemo).

Microsoft on the other hand could do with a solid, dedicated hardware partner and some customers for their refreshed OS -- Windows Phone 7. They’ve developed a fantastic device but just frankly too late to the game. Anybody who would have gotten a Windows Phone (like Ian and I) waited so long that we lost hope and jumped ship to Android earlier this year. Sure, Microsoft has teamed up with Samsung and HTC to offer some fantastic devices -- but these manufacturers are goaled on moving devices, and are uncaring to whether they carry Android or Windows Phone 7. With the Android share numbers that we're looking at right now, wonder what the big wigs with the ROI pitch-books would do.

Going back to where I started this article and the hint of the image that’s been circling the internet; there is a lot of value in an alliance between Nokia and Microsoft. Great hardware + software = awesomeness. Nokia has a ton of featurephone customers who will upgrade to a smartphone when LTE (true 4G mobile network) becomes daily coffee and data plans become much cheaper. When they’re ready to switch, Nokisoft will be ready for all those consumers. @ 40% of global mobile consumers, that’s an amazing place to be.

Let’s find it all out during CES 2011. Keep checking back, wannabetechie!

update1.1: some blogger just commented that even though this could be a perfect stopgap measure, it is very likely to be warded off as 'loony' as Nokia has the same stringent control patterns exhibited by Apple. See the rant/post here. You make the decision.



Sunday, December 19, 2010

Chrome OS Pilot Program: Deadline to Apply is December 21st

If you haven't applied for the Chrome OS pilot program yet, there's still time. According to Engadget, Google supposedly has 60,000 units to distribute. What are you waiting for? You've got nothing to lose, and only a Mac-inspired Chrome OS netbook to gain.

Apply here:
http://www.google.com/chromeos/pilot-program.html

Make sure you're over 18 and do it by December 21, 2010.

Source(s): Engadget, Google

Nexus S With Gingerbread: The Latest Specs

It's 100% Google.  No need to run a 3rd party skin, or user-interface, like HTC Sense or TouchWiz.  The phone comes complete with it's own improved interface built into it's newest and fastest version of Android (2.3 aka Gingerbread).  Unlike the original Nexus manufactured by HTC, Google recruited Samsung this time around to build the uniquely curved smartphone.  Armed with an improved front and rear camera to take vibrant photos and video, a 480x800 AMOLED screen to display exceptional color, brightness and contrast, NFC capabilities to wirelessly transfer secure (payment/credit card) information, and, of course, Gingerbread, it comes very close to being the complete package.  While the screen resolution is not quite as high as Apple iPhone 4's retina display, we still prefer it due to it's amazing AMOLED screen (as opposed to Apple's Super LCD IPS).  We still don't know where Google will take us in regard to NFC (near field communications), but whatever it is this phone will be ready for it.  We were hoping to see the dual-core processor and 4G with the Nexus S, but unfortunately Google seemed to be in a rush to get this out to the market.

Connectivity
* Quad-band GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900
* Tri-band HSPA: 900, 2100, 1700
* HSPA type: HSDPA (7.2Mbps) HSUPA (5.76Mbps)
* Wi-Fi 802.11 n/b/g
* Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
* Near Field Communication (NFC)
* Assisted GPS (A-GPS)
* microUSB 2.0

Display
* 4.0" WVGA (480x800)
* Contour Display with curved glass screen
* Super AMOLED
* 235 ppi
* Capacitive touch sensor
* Anti-fingerprint display coating

Size and weight
* 63mm x 123.9mm x 10.88mm
* 129g

Hardware
* Haptic feedback vibration
* Three-axis gyroscope
* Accelerometer
* Digital compass
* Proximity sensor
* Light sensor

Processor and memory
* 1GHz Cortex A8 (Hummingbird) processor
* 16GB iNAND flash memory

Cameras and multimedia
* Back-facing: 5 megapixels (2560x1920)
* 720 x 480 video resolution
* H.264, H.263 MPEG4 video recording
* Auto focus
* Flash
* Front-facing: VGA (640x480)
* 3.5mm, 4-conductor headset jack
(stereo audio plus microphone)
* Earpiece and microphone
* Software noise-cancellation

Battery
* Talk time up to 6.7 hours on 3G
(14 hours on 2G)
* Standby time up to 17.8 days on 3G
(29.7 days on 2G)
* 1500 mAH Lithum Ion

Software
* Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
* Android Market
* Calendar
* Gmail
* Google Earth
* Google Maps with Navigation
* Google Search
* Google Talk
* Google Voice
* Voice Actions
* YouTube


Source(s): Google

The Next Generation of Smartphones

Buying a computer isn't an easy piece of work. You spend hours to weeks (depending on how detail oriented you are) on trying to find the right machine that works for your budget and needs. As with most of us, a few years later when we're ready to replace the machine, everything has changed.

One of the biggest changes we saw was a move from Pentium to the Core architecture (Intel). A lot of people were confused with the technology shift. Core Solo, Core 2 Solo, Core Duo, Core 2 Duo etc. A lot of words, often confusing. Basically, think of a core as an engine. Double (or triple or quad) them up and it's like having a bunch of engines inline. A significant improvement in power. There was a significant performance different when the number of cores doubled.

Fast forward to today and that same shift in technology is coming to smartphones. BGR reported last week that LG just revealed the first dual core smartphone.

I'm excited to see how the operating systems will take advantage of this leap in technology. We're just a quad core processor (4 cores) and an improvement in low power good brightness display technology from seeing super computers in our palms.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Streaming and the Cloud: Is this for you?

What's this article about?

2011 is around the corner. You're thinking of cutting the cable. But you're not sure what that really means. You think that Hulu, Netflix and network sites like thewb.com are really for laptops and iPads. You say things like:
  • I don't want to watch this 1080p movie on a 14" laptop. Hold on, what the heck is 1080p! Why does my home video look grainy on my TV? I don't want peas in my soup!
  • iPads don't do gameday.
  • I don't really want to connect my laptop to my TV with a thingamajigga mumbo jumbo to save a few dollars
  • What's streaming? What is this cloud thing all about? I don't like clounds n e ways because they cause rain.
So let's tackle 'em one by one.

NTSC, PAL, SECAM and 1080p
Yeah, sounds like a whole load of baloney. Prior to purely digital content that we have today, there was really a whole bunch of baloney (complexity) around how TV content was distributed from the TV station to your home. That's the past. Fast forward to the present and the display technology in our computers are mirrored in our TVs. 480p (standard definition), 720p (high definition) and 1080p (high definition) are ways to describe screen resolution/quality.

Bullet points
  1. 1080p is high end
  2. Most US HD broadcasts are 720p. So naturally 720p is good enough if this is what your budget allows for
  3. 480p is so yesterday
So if you have a "Full HD" TV, then you're pretty much hooked up. You're ready for the future. Back to the topic at hand. While a 480p video would look great on a laptop, it ends up being not that great on a 46" TV. So whatever thoughts that go into considering a video solution for your laptop, you need to rethink that for your TV.

Next you need to get your TV "connected". In addition to a broadband internet connection you will need one of these in order of ease for us wannabe techies:

*need more help? check out this post from GigaOM
**Wii - Netflix; PS3 - Netflix, Vudu, Content Store; Xbox 360 with $50 per year Xbox live subscription - Netflix, Content Store, ESPN3 (depending on internet provider)

iPads don't do gameday?
Just checking if you're paying attention. Well, I'm trying to make a serious point here. Sports fans, cutting the cord is probably not that easy. TV fans have Hulu/Hulu Plus, Movie buffs have Netflix/Vudu. Sports fans who need their dose of live Monday Night Football - cutting the cord is going to be hard. There is a little hope with ESPN3 on the Xbox 360 with Xbox live gold subscription but the quality is a bit behind.

Is this complicated? Is it hard to do? Am I going to stuck with expensive upgrades to save a few dollars?
Dear wannabe techies: with TV bills at around $60 per month for basic content, we're talking about the potential of saving $720 per year. What are the incremental costs? Were you planning on buying the equipment anyway (TV, media device or gaming platform). Let's assume you have an HDTV, will dish out $150 on a network blu-ray player, $199 on an Xbox 360 and $50 on an annual Xbox Live subscription. You still have $321 in savings and have upgraded the technology in your home. That's enough for a monthly Hulu Plus & Netflix subscription with Blu-ray in the mail discs and two HD on demand movies. We're only talking about those with basic cable packages. Those with $100-$150/month TV content, there is a lot more money in the pocket or in other investments.

What's this cloud thing? What's streaming?
Imagine a nearing future where there are no blu-ray discs and DVDs. Think about how we consume music now -- in the form of digital MP3. Now take that digital content and put it in a server in the internet (the internet is the cloud). Audio is streamed through music services such as Pandora, Zune and Grooveshark. Similarly, this is how Netflix distributed video to households using streaming technology. The movie resides in the internet and is ready to start playing when you request it.

OK, so what does this all mean for my cable-free media strategy?
As referenced in my previous post, the lines that used to separate Hulu (TV show heaven) and Netflix (movie buff land) are getting blurry. Hulu Plus provides access to some previous season content and is required to get access to Hulu on your TV. Give the service a single month whirl and see if it really better for you than using Hulu on your computer augmented with Netflix. ESPN3.com is something you should check out to see if it a) works with your internet provider and b) has the lineup of sports events that you are interested in. That covers most of the basic content.
Moving on to on-demand, there are a bunch of options to order a movie just sitting on the couch - Xbox Live, CinemaNow, Vudu, Amazon VOD and Apple iTunes Store
Inception just released a few days ago and I thought I'd see how the cost of on demand digital content stacks up against the competitive set.


Xbox LiveVuduCinemaNowAmazon VODiTunes Store
SD (480p)n/a3.993.993.993.99
HD (720p)n/a4.994.994.99n/a
HD (1080p)n/a5.994.994.99n/a
SD Purchase(480p)16.999.9915.959.9914.99

Vudu advertises its 1080p service as HDX alluding to the blu-ray quality video and digital 5.1 HD surround sound. Formerly Vudu had an advantage here being the only digital on-demand provider to even deliver this content. Since around September 2010, CinemaNow and Amazon VOD are providing the same level of clarity for video and audio at their former 720p $4.99 price point. We wannabe techies will have to wait and see if Vudu will make any changes to their current price structure.

What's really interesting to look at is the cost of buying the digital copy of the movie. For select titles an HD version runs about $19.99. The inception DVD + Blu-Ray + Digital download is $17.98 at Walmart.com and $17.99 at Amazon.com. The prices are definitely converging and we're all living in a very exciting time.

Good night, wannabe techie!


ABC TV Shows on Netflix


Netflix is a game changer.

High speed internet in the home coupled with very affordable streaming solutions is making it very easy to cut the cable cord. For a lot of folks, that's savings of up to a $100 a month!

Sure, Netflix's massive streaming collection is mostly older movies and new movies can take upto 28 days to become available on streaming but at $7.99/month (streaming only) or $11.99/month for streaming + DVD + Blu-ray, it's a heck of a deal.

Despite all that stands for the Netflix business model (16MM subscribed households and a rocketing stock price), they're not going to sit on their pile of cash especially with rumours of Amazon and Vizio/OnLive intending to enter the streaming game. Whatever shakes out, it is nothing but good news for us wannabe techies.

In a press release from Dec 8th 2010, Netflix announced a deal with Disney-ABC that enables prior seasons of the following TV shows on the streaming service immediately, and current season airings to become available 15 days from the respective first air date. Exciting news! Here's the list...

TV Shows
  • Grey's Anatomy
  • Brothers & Sisters
  • Desperate Housewives
  • Lost
  • Ugly Betty
  • Scrubs
  • Reaper
  • Phineas and Ferb
  • Good Luck Charlie
  • Hanna Montana
  • The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
  • The Suite Life on Deck
  • Wizards of Waverly Place
  • Greek
  • Make it or Break it
  • Melissa & Joey
  • The Secret Life of the American Teenager
ABC Family Movies
  • High School Musical
  • High School Musical 2
  • Camp Rock
  • Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam
  • Beauty & the Briefcase
  • Avalon High
  • Revenge of the Bridesmaids
That's a very wide target audience. This is one of the big changes that is going to make the next couple of months a very interesting time for wannabe techies. What's the perfect home package? Should I get an internet connected TV? What about blu-ray? 5.1 HDMI 1.4 receiver? What does that even mean? Lot's of questions and we'll try to get all the answers for you, from today all the way to CES 2011 and beyond.

I'll try to talk about the components that can make a solid entertainment package, on a budget, in my next post.

Until next time... wannabe techie!

source(s): BGR