Matt Whitlock – LIVEdigitally

The Demise of Sony's PSP

Posted on August 21, 2006 by Matt Whitlock

Not long ago, everyone was excited about Sony’s PSP. Why shouldn’t we have been? It’s by far the most technologically advanced handheld device that has ever been conceived. It plays games, music, and movies, and even surfs the Internet when connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot. It’s a very versatile handheld device, one that could have been the biggest thing since sliced bread. But like so many gadgets that have come before, the PSP is currently sitting idle in the closets of its once rabid fan base. The biggest question is why?

Peter Redmer, a gaming enthusiast from the Chicago suburbs, is one of many disappointed PSP owners. “I was so excited about the release of the PSP. I scraped together all the loose change I could find, and even traded in some of my older games to get one, but now…

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Panasonic Oxyride Review – The Revolution in Battery Power

Posted on May 19, 2006 by Matt Whitlock

-Courtesy TechLore.com

One of the key problems facing consumers is that portable electronic devices are getting more power hungry with each new generation, but those single-use alkaline batteries that power them haven’t really improved much over the last decade. Perhaps 10 or 20 years from now, it will seem silly that we had to tote around two or three spare sets just to make sure that we could always use our portable device whenever we wanted to. Or, has that time come already in the form of Oxyride?

In this review, I pit Panasonic’s new Oxyride batteries against Energizer Max and their own alkaline battery. Does Oxyride provide the increase in battery life you need to keep that digital camera and MP3 player running when you need it most?

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Why HDMI is the Clear Choice for HDTV Connectivity

Posted on May 10, 2006 by Matt Whitlock

Let’s face it. The transition to HDTV has been a painful and confusing one. It’s bad enough that there are now 10 different types of TV technologies available in the market, but what’s worse is that display makers, content providers, set-top box manufacturers, and the entire PC industry has been pushing several completely different ways of connecting high definition components since the launch of the first HDTV products in 1998. What’s the end result? There are now millions of high definition products in the market, and they all have different plugs on the back. Component video, FireWire, DVI, and HDMI have all graced the back of a TV set at some point over the last eight years, and now consumers are thoroughly confused.

Fortunately, understanding the differences among these types of connections doesn’t mean you need a degree in rocket science. With a little bit of knowledge you can get a grasp of the current state of video connections, and learn which digital connection is the one you want to look for when shopping for a new HDTV.

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Is HD-DVD the Next Generation For Movies? Maybe, Maybe Not

Posted on May 4, 2006 by Matt Whitlock

HD-DVD -Courtesy TechLore.com

The HD-DVD Camp has struck the first blow, as Toshiba’s HD-A1 HD-DVD player is now available at retail stores. Coming in at a surprisingly affordable $499 for the hardware, this “first of its kind” player is priced cheaper than the initial DVD players of 1997. The ability to own your favorite blockbuster hits in actual high-definition quality is something that early adopters have been looking forward to for longer than most would care to admit. Unfortunately, HD-DVD needs more than just the early adopter if they’re going to be successful this time, and it’s anyone’s guess if they’re going to make it.

Why is HD-DVD’s success questionable?

Good Price, but Competition Looms

First and foremost, it won’t be the only game in town for long. Sony, Dell, and an army of other bigwig electronics companies have their own format, known as Blu-Ray, coming this summer. (Check out the article “HD-DVD and Blu-Ray Not To Merge – War on the Horizon” for more.) While the Blu-Ray folks have some advantages in terms of technology, initial reports are that they’re pricing themselves right out of the market from the get-go. The first Blu-Ray players are expected to debut at nearly double the price of HD-DVD. It looks like HD-DVDs approach to not completely redesign the technology wheel is paying off in terms of affordability.

Prices will drop on Blu-Ray hardware as time passes, but their biggest ticket to success comes in the form of a game console. Sony’s Playstation 3 will be equipped with a Blu-Ray drive, and though a price for the system hasn’t yet been announced, anything over $500 would practically hand the console war over to Microsoft AND guarantee Blu-Ray’s failure as the next dominant format. Microsoft is expected to release a HD-DVD add-on for the XBOX 360 sometime in the near future. Pricing has not yet been formally announced, but anything reasonable could give HD-DVD the early success it needs to stay on top for the long haul.

Software is double-edged sword, and cannot be used as a determining factor for HD-DVD’s success. Each has lined up a good number of studios that will support one or the other, but it’s split just about even enough to be considered a tie. Some of the titles you want will be for HD-DVD, others for Blu-Ray.

HD-DVD does have one good advantage when it comes to software…price. Retail prices on HD-DVD movies that are currently available are selling between $18 and $25, higher than regular DVD titles, but not by much. Blu-Ray discs will cost more to manufacture in the beginning, which will be felt at retail with prices expected to start at $29 per movie and go up from there. Surely a plus for HD-DVD, but only if the movie you want is available.

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