LD Approved – Page 4 – LIVEdigitally

My So-Called Digital Life

Posted on October 15, 2006 by Jeremy Toeman

Finally! I’ve wanted to use that subject line since I started the blog (yeah, I know others have used it too, but I discovered that after the fact)! Well, I made it to the Digital Life show in New York City this week, took a few pics, and here’s the report…

The show opened on Thursday, and even before the doors opened, a huge line built for people who really wanted to get in. This topic will come up a few times, but I think a lot of industry people miss the fact that this is an exciting show for consumers. Quite a few of my colleagues mentioned to me they didn’t see anything new, or there wasn’t much exciting gadgetry on display, but they forget that the average person out there does not see nearly the same stuff people like me get to see. Show someone an HTC Excalibur (T-Mobile Dash) and they typically ask what is that??? I’ve read about it for months, and started using one weeks ago. That’s what makes Digital Life fun – you get to see consumers’ reactions to the same technology that’s become almost mundane for us industry types.

That said, I personally wasn’t over-the-top excited as Barry Myers (the big brains behind the show) wished Sonic the Hedgehog a “Happy 15th Birthday” but a lot of the kids around sure got a kick out of it. Sonic’s aging well, by the way, doesn’t look a day over 12.

The show was large (not CEDIA-large, but large enough), about 2/3 of the floor was dedicated to booths, the other 1/3 for gaming tournaments. Looked like the kids were really enjoying the gaming, again my assumption is that this was one of the first times most people actually got to play Xbox 360 in high-def (well, other than those in debt of course) or see the PS3 in person. I even saw an area for “amateur” gaming, but judging by my ridiculously poor performance in Halo 2 against my 11-year-old cousin, I ran for the hills.

Many larger companies had booths, including Intel, Microsoft, HP, Alienware, Toshiba, Best Buy, etc. It’s interesting to watch these companies try to learn and react to Digital Life in their attempts to build the right booths. Toshiba’s booth looked like the same thing they use for CES, with the addition of a “Deal or No Deal” game (called “Mobile or No Mobile”), and Intel’s booth was all about futuristic tech. AMD had The Quadfather (ugh – come on AMD, we like you and root for you, but nobody wants puns!), and HP had some medley of printers, displays, and pink stuff. I think Microsoft did a great job at showing off the two things the average show attendee was likely most interested in: XBox and Vista. Sure they had some other demos incorporated as well, but the messaging was clearly consumer-driven. Good job there.

Some of my booth/visit highlights:

WowWee (the makers of the Robosapien product line) had a simple booth showing the robots in all their AI glory. I really like this company, and am looking forward to seeing how they expand their product line next year.
White Box Robotics was located in the Ziff-Davis “digital lounge” where they were showing their $5000 “PC-BOT.” My friend Steven Jones (from TechLore/Capable) thinks it’s a wonderful idea, but I’m mixed. There’s clearly no consumer application here, so we’ve got to look at it as an industrial device. I just don’t see why I need a “robot” that is really a computer on wheels with some sensors when I can diversify that into one computer (or even more than one) and distributed sensors and networked cameras. With the “robot” approach, I have a very expensive thing to fix when it breaks, when it’s diversified I can cheaply and easily replace broken modules. But maybe I’m not seeing the bigger picture here, any comments on this from the peeps out there?
UT Starcom was, unfortunately, not showing the SMT5800, but they did have this waterproof cell phone instead. Meh. I guess it’s good for all those people who keep dropping their phones in the toilet, or maybe my friend Ben who thinks his phone is a good baby chew toy…
Slappa showed all their awesome CD/DVD cases and laptop bags. I really like this company and think they make some of the best products in both categories. Got a chance to talk to them, nice people. Check out their latest entry, a CD case specifically designed for DJ’s (not 100% sure if that link is right). Want to know why it’s smart/cool? They worked with DJ’s to design it. It’s super easy to design products in a vacuum (Sony Network Walkman, hello?), and I respect the smart companies who understand their customers and target markets.
Mio Technology showed a few of their “Digital Walkers” – GPS systems with a few extra frills. I like the user interface and the well-done integration with Windows Mobile, but (as I mentioned to their reps), I really want to see them throw the whole phone integration in place. Even as an unlocked GPRS phone, they could get a lot of traction in an HTC/Imate-like approach to the world. Keep an eye on em (although since I still haven’t played with one, my Garmin Nuvi 350 is still my personal pick).

My personal “best in show” pick absolutely goes to the Sony Reader product. Now I’m not saying to rush out and buy one yet, as I haven’t used it personally, but it is just soooo pretty. Their user interface is a bit clunky (which, being a Sony product, might be a little redundant), and the buttons don’t feel right, but the size and screen are otherwise perfect. It’s light-weight enough to hold comfortably, but I would love to see them add a simple strap on the back to easily keep it in your hand (would be very helpful for the people I know who fall asleep while reading). Most important is the screen – it looks like paper. It might be a generation or two until the product really works as it should (tbd), but it’s an amazing thing to see.

My last batch of pictures are all a little more personal… First, Michael Gartenberg gets interviewed where he is most likely prognosticating on gadgets, gizmos, and whatnots. I didn’t see the taping, but I’ve got to assume he received no fewer than 7 calls on his 3 phones during the 5 minute shoot.

Next there were a couple of Slingbox demos. First, we had the Slingbox PRO on display in the ZD digital lounge (hooked up to a new Digeo Moxi box). Also I spent some time with Matt Whitlock (from SlingCommunity and TechLore) who interviewed Brian Jaquet (Sling Media’s Director of PR) about the upcoming SlingPlayer Mac software.

I also got to walk around with Dave Zatz for a bit (read his moblog of the show here). Highlight moment was goign to the iBloks booth, where we watched a couple of go-go dancers shaking their stuff. I perched in front of the booth while Mr. Z walked into the middle, and we snapped a fantastic pic of the dancers trying to figure out what the heck he was doing there. CLASSIC!

Lastly, my Dad happened to be in New York at the same time, so I had him come by the show for an hour or so and we walked the floor together. This was especially fun for me, as I rarely get the opportunity to really show him anything about my industry. Sure he knows what a Slingbox is, and he gets that a lot is afoot in the digital media space, but this was his first tech trade show. He was genuinely interested in walking around and seeing new stuff, and that experience was really insightful for me to watch.

I’ll reiterate what I said at the beginning of this post: DigitalLife is a great consumer show. If you are an industry guy or gal, it’s not going to show you new tech. Instead, you’ll see your customers’ reactions to the products you build. And that, my dear readers, is truly priceless.

I (heart) OpenTable

Posted on October 5, 2006 by Jeremy Toeman

So the scenario looks a little something like this: Having Geek Dinner 2 tonight and needed to find a place to seat 8 people, preferably in a quieter location where we can chat. Gotta find a spot. Where do I go? OpenTable.com.

I know they’ve been around since 1998, but they made it through the dot-collapse, and while I won’t say they vanished, they aren’t ‘exciting and new’ anymore. But I also know that there’s a lot of folks out there who haven’t heard of them, so I figured I’d give them a little shout-out.

Bottom line is it’s about the easiest site in the world to use. No need to register (although you can and there is a good incentive to do so, which I’ll mention in a moment), you can just start searching. For tonight’s dinner, I clicked on San Francisco and was given a very simple search page.

I selected a few options, including party size and price point, and clicked Search. One really nice option in their search system is grouping – most search engines require you to pick one or another option (e.g. all 2-star restaurants), but they intelligently include grouped options (e.g. up to 2-star restaurants).

Results come back quite quickly, and are presented in a very appealing layout, with simple easy-to-use search and sort options. Not only that, in addition to searching your target time, the OpenTable system automatically displays Earlier and Later options for each result:

Results

I picked my choice, and gave my phone number and email address. I was also able to add comments (such as “we’d like a private room if possible”) which go straight to the maitre d. Also, I’m given the option to register, which gets me “opentable points”. Again, if I don’t want to register, I’m all done, reservation made, voila.

For every reservation you make (and keep – because anyone can make reservations, but it’s keeping them that matters), you get 100 points. Every time you hit 2000 points, you can get a dining check for $20. That’s it, no fees, no nothing.

That’s it – I guess I’m 8 years late on reviewing the service (although I’ve been using it for 3), but hey, I’m not always the first on the block for things. I would like to see a tighter integration with CitySearch (or, yawn, Yelp, I guess), since they have that relationship already. Would be nice to see instant reviews, recommendations, etc all on the same place, but hey, I can always open another window or tab, right?

I wonder if I need a “food” category? 😉

The Transition to Blogger in Beta

Posted on September 29, 2006 by Guest Contributor

Not long ago I started noticing the option to log in to the new Beta version of Blogger. At first I was unsettled because when I did, none of my blogs were actually…there. However, my fears were assuaged when I was told that this is just the beta process and that eventually my blogs and I would be invited to switch over.

Now that time has come! As of yesterday I changed over, so I can take advantage of all the new features and upgraded bits. My regular blog hasn’t really changed much yet, but I made a test blog which you can refer to as you continue reading.

For starters, there is no more publishing screen with that slowly increasing percentage that FINALLY reaches 100. The new process is called “dynamic serving” and is much quicker. Instead of html pages that just sit around until you post or whatnot, they are created for readers straight from the database every time. The database can apparently be updated much faster. To me, making pages from scratch every time SOUNDS like it would take longer than just updating the html. In practice, however, it’s easy to see that this is not the case. It is indeed noticablely speedier. Just goes to show that I am no techie!

It is also a lot easier to customize the layout. In fact, their new system is CALLED “Layouts.” The idea here is that rather than having to mess with html to create things like a link list or a place for a picture to go, etc, you can use the new customization tools. It really is a lot simpler; I’m pretty sure anyone could get the hang of it right away. Your template, instead of being a big scrolly window of html, is now just a box with other boxes arranged inside. You can drag the boxes around to put them where you like or add more boxes. For instance, you can put your link list at the bottom after your entries, your “About me” section at the top, and add other features such as lists of favorite things (or random things…) anywhere you want. No more worrying about code, unless you’re just that advanced and really want to, in which case there is that option as well.

Another nifty editing trick is that if you are suddenly struck with the urge to add a new movie to your list of favorites, you can just click on the handy wrench-and-screwdriver icon next to the list on your blog page when you’re logged in. This will bring up the box just like it would if you were working on it in your template. There is also a little pencil icon next to the permalinks for more immediate post-publication fixes.

So far, all these features (and more, such as Live Journal-esque privacy management) have me pretty impressed with the improvements. The people at Blogger are committed to an ongoing update process, so we can all look forward to further tweaks and additions.

HTC MTeoR review: best Smartphone yet!

Posted on September 18, 2006 by Jeremy Toeman

HTC MTeoR Due to my job, my blog, and well, me, I have a tendency to play with a lot of different gadgets, especially new cell phones. The term ‘smartphone’ gets tossed around a lot, basically covering any phone that does more than just flip open and dial numbers. To me, a smartphone should be a smart phone – it should have enough intelligence to offer me useful services that meet my needs.

Some people want 3D gaming, some people want social networking, me, I want productivity with a little dose of entertainment on the side. I need access to my email, access to browse Web pages, Solitaire, and SlingPlayer Mobile – that’s the cake. Everything after that is, well, icing. After using the HTC MTeoR for a few weeks, I think it’s more like a cookies & cream (with real Oreos) ice cream cake with a layer of mint chocolate chips, covered in hot fudge, and a nice dollop of whipped cream on top. Okay, it’s just a phone, but it’s the best darn smartphone I’ve ever used.

HTC logo HTC is unquestionably producing the hottest phones on the market today and their roadmap is so far ahead of the curve that it almost seems fictitious, only they keep shipping more and more cool stuff (like the upcoming Excalibur, which, trust me, is going to be huge)! The MTeoR is a phone that recently started shipping, and most importantly for the company, is their first foray with their own brand. In the past, their phones were typically OEMed (resold) by other companies, ranging from Sprint and Verizon to QTek, UTStarcom (the company who bought Audiovox – thanks Mike) and others.

The first thing you notice right away when you pick up the MTeoR is how well weighted it is. Some have called it heavy, but I think it’s exactly right. You’ll also notice the high quality of the materials used. Everything about it feels well-polished and refined – this is not a junky piece of plastic, this is a phone for the professional. The buttons and keypad also feel right, there’s never a question as to whether or not you properly pushed in a button, you can feel everything you do.

Also, the front cursor/joystick is centered well in the phone, so when you hold it in the palm of your hand, you can easily navigate the Windows Mobile (SmartPhone edition) user interface. The only thing I don’t like about the button arrangement on the MTeoR is there is a button for videocalling, a feature I find is a bit of a waste. I’d much rather have an extra button that is user-programmable than the forced-fit setup the device has. Also, instead of a jog-wheel (like a Crackberry) it has a scroller on the left side of the phone, but it really doesn’t feel as satisfying as a wheel does.

The MTeoR is a very well-sized phone. While I like the PPC6700 as a mobile organizer, it’s too big to fit in a pocket and be comfortable. The MTeoR happily coexists with my keys, wallet, etc. In fact, it’s probably only about one-third the mass and footprint of the 6700.

I believe one of the big changes in phones and convergence in the next year is going to focus on the cameras. Until very recently, most cameraphones peaked at about .6MP, which is barely enough to be viewable on a computer screen, let alone printable. The MTeoR actually has two cameras, with the rear one offering 1.3MP pictures. This is key, because once you hit above 1MP, you can actually watch and share the photos in an enjoyable way, and they do more than just photo-caller-ID! The next few pictures were taken with a few different settings. If I have any real complaint, it’s the lack of a flash. As an aside, I also think the camera has too many features, including digital zoom, sepia and B&W modes, and various ISO settings, all of which are pretty much useless at this stage (but will probably be a requirement within two years).

The second camera is located on the front of the unit, and takes sub-0.5MP pictures and is primarily for video-calls. Utterly useless in my book.

For one more demonstration of the camera in action, take a look at the pictures below, one taken with the MTeoR, the others with my friend’s 7MP Panasonic Lumix.

Windows Mobile Smartphone edition is typically the poor, unwanted stepchild of PocketPC, as the lack of touchscreen and quick functionality is typically a big drag (although if you are used to flip phones or BlackBerry’s, it can be a big jump up, depending on your particular needs). The MTeoR features three screens of settings pages for you to configure your mobile settings. While you can customize quite a few options, I found it quite glaring that I couldn’t remap any of the hardware buttons. I’m sure there’s some third-party application I could try out, but I think this should be built-into the phone.

As an organizer, it’s not nearly as slick as the PocketPC phones or even the Motorola Q with its keyboard. That said, I was able to surf through some Web sites, and browse and compose emails as well. Actually, I found the T-9 implementation on the MTeoR was extremely well done, with a perfect integration with the Windows Mobile OS to allow for rapid autocomplete and suggestions. In fact, once you get the hang of quickly swapping between ABC and T-9, and have a good feel for the keypad, you can type pretty fast. After some practice I was SMSing faster than a 12-year-old kid playing Dance Dance Revolution.

Additionally, the MTeoR has built-in UMTS support, which allows for transferring data at close to 2Mbps. This is key as we look to the future of mobile devices, with better Web browsing, real-time data access, and, of couse, entertainment applications.

There are exactly three entertainment applications (not including some simple gaming) I want to have on my mobile phone:

Pandora or Rhapsody access – get either my library or my stations, any time. Goodbye iPod.
Sonos control – if my mobile was a Sonos remote (and even better: playback zone), I’d be quite near heaven.
SlingPlayer Mobile – okay, I’m biased here, but using my mobile to watch my TV when in a taxi or in a long line at a Starbucks is just sweet.

The first two don’t exist in this context yet, but the third does. While I was in Sweden and Hong Kong last month I had the chance to use SlingPlayer Mobile with the UMTS connection, and it was pretty amazing. I was consistently watching (and controlling) my home DVR at or near 30 fps (frames per second), with a great picture. The screen is extremely bright, and sized nicely with 320×240 resolution (when rotated 90 degrees). The performance overall was great, and left me a bit jealous with the connection quality we get here in the US.

I was thoroughly impressed with the HTC MTeoR. In fact, if it were available with CDMA (I’m a Verizon customer), I’d probably adopt it as my primary phone. For anyone interested in a smartphone that easily fits in your pocket, has full access to all email and data services, and looks and feels great, I have to recommend you check it out. It’s absolutely LD Approved!

Some other useful links:

Bengalboy review of the MTeoR with a bikini-clad model – lots of pictures, mostly PG-13
Detailed HTC MTeoR specifications
Two posts (here and here) on HTC’s roadmap

Sonos 2.0 – the best gets better!

Posted on September 15, 2006 by Jeremy Toeman

I first heard about Sonos pretty soon after it launched. In fact, I found myself at CES 2005 “face to face” with them over and over again, competing for various new product awards (I think we split evenly, but I’m not positive on that one). Saw them again at an Engadget meetup, and then sooner or later ended up getting a ZonePlayer 100 Bundle. I added a ZP80 to the mix when it debuted, and was pretty happy with my home music configuration.

I always had a few little gripes about the Sonos features, and, as one might expect, never hesitated to voice them to the company. My two biggest ‘wants’? Alarms and better Rhapsody integration. Well guess what, looks like I wasn’t the only one with the idea, as the newly launched Sonos 2.0 features now includes both (and more)!

First, my setup. I have 2 ZP100‘s (the original ZonePlayer unit with a built-in amplifier), 1 ZP80 (the newer unit, with no amp), and a controller (the remote control). One ZP100 is in the back bedroom (I use it to listen to music in my backyard), another in the kitchen, and the ZP80 is in the living room (didn’t need the amp there). All my music (about 80GB of ripped CDs in WMA format) is stored on a Maxtor 500GB Shared Storage Plus.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Sonos interface, it’s braindead simple to use. The screen shows a list of options, you have a little wheel (similar to iPod), and a few buttons with fixed and programmable controls give you access to all the features in the system. Actually, rereading that it still doesn’t sound as simple to use as it really is. It’s EASY. When friends come over, I generally hand them the controller and say “play something” – nobody’s gotten in wrong so far!

When I picked up my controller, I was informed there was an update available. The Sonos system automatically downloads and installs the update on its own, and worked flawlessly for me. In fact, I didn’t even have to touch my PC to do anything! Next time I went to the main menu, a “Clock and Alarms” item was listed there.

Setting the clock was simple, and it’s capable of synching with Internet time – again, virtually no technical configuration needed to get this working. I would like to see the Sonos interface include the clock throughout the graphical user interface (GUI), as its presently only visible when you push a button to show you the clock. I think they can easily add it to the ‘status bar’ at the top of the screen.

Along with the clock comes two other important features. One is sleep, which lets me have the music automatically shut off after a certain period of time. This is good, but what meant even more to me was the new alarms feature.

With alarms, I can have music wake me up. This is nice. But what is outstanding is the amazing flexibility of the alarms. I can…

set multiple alarms, all with completely different parameters
assign radio stations, chimes, or playlists to each alarm
set virtually any type of recurrence to an alarm
have each alarm go off at different volume levels
link zones (or not) to each alarm

Most importantly, I can snooze. Because no alarm system is even worth trying if you can’t snooze your way through the first hour of the morning.

I’d like to make two very minor suggestions in the alarm feature. First, I think an icon should appear (also in the status area) reflecting that an alarm is set. Second, as an advanced option, having a fade-in for each alarm would be a lovely touch. As a troubled sleeper, one thing I’ve learned is the ‘best’ wakeup for people is a slowly brightening room and slow increase in volume of background noise. It’s supposed to be a bit more therapeutic than a sudden entry of sound. Which is why, I think, we all need coffee in the mornings.

While Sonos and Rhapsody have always worked together, in the past it was solely through Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) technology, which was a bit of a rudimentary integration. You were able to access your own Rhapsody music library, but only when your PC was online with the Rhapsody software client running. Now, Rhapsody can stream direct from the source to your Sonos zones. I’m a huge Rhapsody fan (although Pandora is definitely a new impressive contender), so this is an extra win in my book.

With Sonos 2.0, I have complete access to all the Rhapsody services and features. Not only my playlists and music library, but all the ‘live’ aspects too, such as:

Top Charts (albums, artists, and tracks)
Genre and Artist samplers and Key Albums
Staff Picks
Rhapsody Radio

This is one of those cases where the whole is truly greater than the sum of the parts. Sonos 2.0 plus Rhapsody is an amazing combination for music lovers.

If you haven’t heard of Sonos before, there are already some great reviews out there, and I agree that it’s about the best system out there for streaming music around the home. That said, it’s going to set you back at least $1000 to get started ($1200 for the amplified bundle), so this isn’t the solution for the price-sensitive. If you have the money, there’s nothing out there that’s even close. And now with version 2.0, the best around just got even ~~more bestest~~ better.

CTIA Fall 2006 – 8 great new phones

Posted on September 14, 2006 by Jeremy Toeman

It’s true there weren’t many new announcements at CTIA this year, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything cool to see there! Here are the phones coming out (or recently launched) that I am most excited about.

HTC/UTStarcom SMT5800. I have a PPC6700 today, and it’s nice, but has some flaws. The SMT5800 is literally smaller, faster, and better in practically every way. About 2/3 as thick, with the slideout keyboard, EV-DO Rev.A support, and, most importantly, a 10-key keypad on the front. Awesome (good discussion here).
HTC Excalibur. At first glance online, the Excalibur looked like it was going to be a cheap, flimsy Q-knockoff. It took about 3 seconds for me to change that opinion. It’s fantastic. The size is right. It feels good. I would adopt it, unquestionably, upon release.
Samsung i320 “blackjack”. This is another so-called “Q-killer” with a tiny profile. I’m still not the biggest fan of SmartPhone (I like my touch-screens), but this is a nice implementation. The keyboard is too small for my grubby fingers, but I think it’s a nicely done phone.
Cingular 3125/HTC “Star Trek”. The real reason this phone makes the list is because it’s the only flip-SmartPhone on the market. And I’m a flip-phone guy at heart. This takes the RAZR and dumps it into the ocean in my book.
BlackBerry Pearl. First non-Windows Mobile phone to make my list, and frankly, I would’nt use it out of pure Crackberry principle. But, it is so light and the trackball works so nicely, that I give them kudos for the engineering alone.
Palm Treo 700wx. Despite recent competition, I still think the Treo 700 platform makes for the best phone in the Smartphone category. It’s not my favorite all-around mobile device (for now, that’s still the PPC6700 until it gets replaced by the 5800), but they really nailed the usability of the phone better than anyone else I’ve seen. Plus they were demoing the Slingbox on it, so I have to like that, right?
Moto KRZR. For those unfamiliar, it’s pronounced “crazer” and is a sliding phone from Motorola with the familiar “moto” look. It has a really nice feel, and while it’s missing out as far as powerful 3G functionality goes, it’s a good upgrade to the ho-hum RAZR/SLVR lineup.
I-Mate SPL. I think this one truly deserves a higher place on the list, but I’m dinging them for copying the Moto look so closely. It’s actually a really solid Smartphone, though not quite as superbly awesome as my HTC MTeor.

By the way, I’ve got a full review of the HTC MTeor coming, since I, well, have one. It’s great!

Anyhow, that’s my top 8 from CTIA. More to come on the other stuff I saw soon!

NXT-powered Insignia Home Theater System: wow

Posted on August 9, 2006 by ron

I remember the first time I saw the Bose Acoustimass 2 channel system way back in the early 90s and how impressed I was by it. Until I listened to it for a long while and decided I didn’t really care for the sound quality. I’m still impressed by the design and all, but just need more oomph in my living room (otherwise my cantankery upstairs neighbour will have less to complain about). When I saw the NXT Insignia system, I assumed it too would be sorely lack in sound depth and quality. Even though their SoundVu laptop and Kensington iPod dock were both impressive, I just assumed that the scene in The Return of the King where they light the beacons (you know it totally made the movie) would leave me wanting more. I was mistaken.

The Insignia line is from Best Buy, and it is a “home theater in a box” (yes, HTIB is acceptable). This means you buy the box, and get all the pieces you need for a home surround sound experience. Typically, all the cable either use proprietary connectors or have colored ends, in an attempt to idiot-proof the setup process. Took me a good 3 minutes to get the whole system in place, plus another minute to hide some of the wires.

I tried the unit with several DVDs and even a few CDs to test the sound quality. I then did some comparisons with my Definitive tower speakers and Velodyne subwoofer. While my existing setup ‘won’ the test, it should be mentioned that I could’ve bought THREE Insignia HTIB kits for the price of JUST my subwoofer! The other key thing to mention is the Insignia kit was by no means a lightweight. The sound quality was great full of rich, vibrant sound. Dialogue was clear, and it functioned great for high-action, tense drama, and the music CDs sounded nice as well.

The Insignia system comes with 5 speakers, all about the size of a paperback book. They can easily be mounted to a wall, and would leave a very aesthetic appearance, especially if paired with a wall-mounted flat-screen TV. If you don’t want to mount them, they also come with little stands to prop the speakers up. One minor warning for the extremely clumsy: the speakers can be dented, so try not to drop them on something pointy.

All-in-all, I was very impressed with the Insignia Home Theater System. If you have a friend who is still living in a hole with only 2-channel audio (a.k.a. “stereophonic”), this might be the perfect holiday gift. In fact, if it weren’t for my ridiculous needs to have about 11 things hooked up in my living room, I’d have probably switched to it myself (it would most certainly make the wife a lot happier with the living room setup).

It's magic, right?

Posted on August 2, 2006 by Guest Contributor

How computers work, ha. There are little elves that jam the printers! It’s like the Matrix, 1s and 0s all lined up, and they squiggle around all green-like! The internet, a series of tubes, right? That’s what the man said! I got this stuff DOWN.

Sometimes I feel horribly ignorant (but NO I don’t believe any of the above, now stop it!) and when I do, I feel the need to ingest far too much information at one time, so much so that I am almost guaranteed to forget every little snippet. It still feels pretty academic in the moment, though.
My latest wave of inadequacy is over computers. Born in 1985, I kinda missed the early bits (heh, bits) of computery goodness, and it’s sort of like a little hole in my soul. The history intrigues me. Also, one of my excuses for not driving a car is that that I feel like I would have to learn about how they work at least a little so I could do things like change the oil, switch out a flat tire, etc. How then, do I justify knowing exactly diddly-squat about the inner workings of computers? (Don’t ask me to justify my cell phone, my DS, the metro, my shoes, please. I realize it’s a silly roundabout way of getting to the point, but I thirst for knowledge!)

Luckily, this handy book comes along in it’s shiny 8th Edition: How Computers Work. Very ingenious title, I must say, but it gets the point across. Published this past November, the new edition is “Fully updated with coverage of multi-core processors from Intel and AMD; the North Bridge and South Bridge chip sets; digital cameras and photo editing; the iPod; TiVo; spyware and anti-spyware; PCI Express; SLI dual video cards; overclocking and overcooling; plasma displays; Internet security, spam, and chat rooms; plus a complete, new section on PC gaming.” In other words, it covers a LOT of stuff, and that’s only the recent additions.

Unfortunately, this bugger is in hot demand at the library, so I’ve got to take it back before finishing the entire thing. I will put it back on hold, myself, though, because I actually am enjoying it enough to finish it. Plus, I haven’t gotten to the good parts (“Games and Multimedia” and “How the Internet Works”) yet! Each part of the book starts with a timeline of relevant history (which often overlaps between sections) and then launches into a myriad of explanations ranging from “How PCI-Express Breaks the Bus Barrier” to “How eBay Sells Everything,” all with colorful and thorough visual aids. Note that this really only covers the Windows PC, but the author does recommend How the Mac Works for the Apple crowd. Oftentimes I still felt like things were going over my head (i.e. “How Memory Cards and Smart Cards Work,”) but hey, at least I know what a bit is now.

For the already techie folks of the world, this may not be the most useful book on the market, but for the curious mind craving an introduction to a broad range of PC technology, it’s certainly recommended.

Slim Protection for Slim Devices

Posted on July 11, 2006 by Guest Contributor

Today, you can go to almost any store and buy some kind of case, protector, or sleeve for almost any digital device. One such product, the InvisibleSHIELD, takes this to a completely new level. InvisibleSHIELD is a “skin” of sorts that protects your device (in my case, a black iPod Nano) from all sorts of scratches, bumps, and scrapes. It’s made of a sort of clear plastic film, and completely covers your device, protecting it from everyday wear and tear.

Installing the InvisibleSHIELD proved to be quite difficult though…

The problem is that the sticky side of the product is, in fact, incredibly sticky. After first getting it stuck to my finger, then my desk, then my finger again, then to a piece of paper (which, of course, created a mess), I finally got it applied to my iPod, after figuring out that I was able to rinse it all off, and still maintain the integrity of the adhesive (which was amazing).

After the 15 minute installation procedure, I was anxious to see how the product worked, but the instructions said I had to wait a full 24 hours before it was set, so, on to the next day…

I was, to say the least, expecting nothing from this product. How could a thin piece of plastic possibly offer enough protection fir my iPod to survive the worst of the worst: me? I was surprised. Not only did the InvisibleSHIELD protect my iPod from small scratches, it protected them from potentially dangerous ones. Always being one to thoroughly test any product I buy (or in this case, am asked to test), I quickly set about scratching it with my keys. After a few minutes, the primate in me became bored with this, and much to my happiness, my iPod (and the InvisibleSHIELD) appeared unscathed, a true testament to the protective abilities of the InvisibleSHIELD.

Overall, it’s a truly amazing product. Not only did it meet the expectations set forth by the packaging, it exceeded them. I’ve been using it for a little over a week now, and I have to admit, I’m still amazed. Before, I used to be really careful about where I put my iPod. I used to devote a special pocket in my messenger bag for it, but now, I just throw it in with everything else (keys, books, pens, pencils…) and don’t worry about it. I would whole-heartedly recommend this product to anyone looking for superior protection for their digital devices. It’s a small cost to protect a typically expensive type of product, without ruining or hiding the original design of it.

SeV Performance T-Shirt by Scottevest

Posted on June 29, 2006 by Guest Contributor

About a week ago I received the newly designed SeV Performance T-Shirt by Scottevest Incorporated. The shirt is part of their “Technology Enabled Clothing (TEC)” line. This t-shirt is for the avid technologist who is constantly on the go.

Fitting into the shirt and installing your portable devices is a bit tricky. Once I put the shirt on, it did not make it clear where exactly the wires and devices fit. It took more than a few minutes to “figure out” how exactly the devices fit.

When I first tried out the shirt, I could tell that it was light weight, but with an iPod and digital camera it made the shirt feel incredibly off-centered. When using the shirt on a hot day, the fabric did not “soak up” the sun; the shirt did not get that hot. After the first use, this shirt is not designed for the average iPodder.

The shirt is designed out of 100% Polyester 3M Quick Dry fabric – the same materials that athletic clothing is made out of. This type of Polyester is designed to repel moisture from your body, which in turn means the shirt dries faster and the user is not left with a “soaked” shirt after a good workout.

The shirt comes equipped with a patented Weight Management System; in essence, the shirt has extra fabric in the shoulders in which it evenly distributes the weight.

The shirt comes equipped with the patented “Personal Area Network” in which wires are run in the lining of the jacket. All of the pockets have a little hole in the pocket, in which it allows you to connect all of your devices. For example, if you wanted to connect your phone to your Pocket PC you could do this without having any wires showing. The shirt also has a hidden compartment to store a pair of ipod sized earbuds.

After having used the shirt off and on for a little over a week, it has proven to be a great shirt for the outdoor businessman. Having tested the shirt with a Motorola RAZR, Video iPod, and Digital Camera, the shirt held up to all of its claims. The Personal Area Network was very difficult to set up, and was not that much of a help.

Pro’s

Light weight
Comfortable fit
Cost efficient
Attractive Design

Cons

Difficult to install devices
A bit heavy when installing more than an iPod and phone
Lack of documentation or step by step set up guide.

I would recommend this product to those who are constantly on the go and care about having people see your “cords” or “earbuds.” For $34.99 (Plus Tax and S&H), it is a nice luxury, but certainly not a shirt you could wear everyday.

For more information and to purchase the product directly from the manufacturer, please visit Scottevest Online Store. The shirt comes in sizes Medium thru XX Large and is available in both short or long sleeve designs.

Courtesy // Scottevest

This is a diagram of the various components of the shirt.

Courtesy // Scottevest

This is an “inside out” view of the shirt.

Courtesy // Scottevest

This is the shirt as it will first appear once you open the packaging.

For a video demonstration of the Personal Area Network feature see Personal Area Network (PAN)*

… and for the Weight Management System feature see Weight Management System Demo*

* Windows Media Player Required

I'm living in perfect Harmony!

Posted on June 28, 2006 by Jeremy Toeman

I first saw the Logitech Harmony remote back when they were a small Canadian company, demonstrating it at a trade show a couple of years ago. Their initial demos focused on giving EPG functionality to a LCD screen on the remote, but thankfully they made a switch into offering what I will have to call the best damn remote control on Earth. Then Logitech bought them, and 2 years later they’ve managed to not screw it up! Is the Harmony 880 perfect? Nope, but it’s as close as I’ve seen.

In my mess of living room devices are the following:

Sony AV receiver
Syntax Olevia LCD TV
Motorola HD DVR cable box (DCT-6412 Mark III)
Moviebeam
Samsung DVD player (with HD upscaling)
2 Slingboxes
Xbox (no 360 yet)
Sonos
Gefen 4×1 HDMI switch

I have a lot of remotes – 6 of them to be precise. I’ve connected the video for the Moviebeam, DVD player, and DVR to the Gefen switch, which is connected to the LCD. All audio runs directly through the Sony receiver. Changing inputs requires 2 remotes, and then I need the actual device remote. As of about 2 hours ago, I only need one remote now, the Harmony 880.

The Harmony is shipped in Logitech’s signature green packaging (with a nice bubble exposure to show the actual unit), although I almost lost a finger trying to open the thing. it comes with a docking station, a rechargable battery, a USB cable, a quick start guide, and the setup software. After the initial charge was complete, I moved right into setup.

First step was to download and install the Harmony software (easy, but I’d rather not have had to register just to do it). A few minutes later I followed the very intuitive step-by-step setup wizard, and within about 10 minutes everything other than the Gefen switch and Moviebeam were in my devices list. You may be wondering why I was using my laptop to configure my remote control, but trust me when I say it’s worth it. I’ve tried many many different programmable remotes over the years, and they are all awful (yes, especially including the horrific Pronto from Philips). Whether its entering bizarre 4-digit codes or worse yet, pointing two remotes at each other and pushing buttons in odd sequences to ‘learn’ functions, the experience is always bad. Enter Harmony and the PC.

In the PC setup wizard, you simply identify the devices you own by category: TV, DVD player, DVR, etc. All you need to know is the make and model, they have it in their database (although I’ll explain later what happens if they don’t – but don’t worry, they do). The software then uses USB to automatically program the appropriate infrared signals into the Harmony for you. Done. Game over!

And that’s when Harmony starts getting cool. They also have the concept of ‘activities’. An activity is “watch TV”. When I push the “watch TV activity” on the screen of the remote, it automatically performs a macro (a series of commands) to turn on my TV (if its off), switch it to the right input, turn on my Sony receiver, switch it to the right input, and turn on my cable box. Automatically. Best part is this: at the end of the macro, the remote asks you if it worked properly, and if it doesn’t, it helps you get it working right! The on-screen instructions take you question by question to identify the problem (which can happen if you don’t leave the remote pointed in the right direction long enough, something I did a few times while getting used to it). The screens below reflect the key steps in an activity:

Also nice in the system is the ability to rename devices, create channel shortcuts, and have discrete volume control (when I push volume up or mute, it affects the Sony receiver, not the Comcast cable box). Altogether a great experience.

With all of the glowing remarks above, I will say it’s not without it’s faults. While I didn’t have the same problems as Steven did, I found the PC software has a lot of clunkiness to it. When setting up the ‘activity’ to control Moviebeam, for example, I couldn’t get it to accept the concept that my Samsung DVD player doesn’t need to do anything for Moviebeam to work (I did eventually find a manual override, but it was buried deep within the user interface). Also, integrating the Gefen 4×1 HDMI switch was much harder work than it should have been (not due to Gefen, but because Harmony doesn’t have the concept of separate audio and video switching). Finally, the software requires a lot more confirmations and clicking ‘next’ a lot than I think is really needed – I would like to see an ‘advanced users’ version that gives you more direct control over the system (obviously this should be an optional mode, but it should be there somewhere).

There are also a few snags in the physical design of the 880. For example, the playback controls are not distinct in shape, size, or layout, so until you learn that ‘play’ is the upper right button, you’ll never go there instinctively (but the backlight ‘glow’ effect of the remote almost makes up for this). Also the volume and channel change buttons are a little tricky to get comfortable with. Finally, there’s no ‘cancel’ button to exit out of the help or other interactive screens.

But these complaints are really just minor nuisances. If you own 3 or more living room gadgets, grab a Harmony. Think I’m the only one who likes it? Check out Bombippy, Keith, and DigitalGrabber for some other reviews (nope, don’t know any of em). Without any further hesitation, I’m declaring the Logitech Harmony 880 absolutely LD Approved!

Tokyu Hands: Crafts, Gizmos, and Toys, oh my!

Posted on June 4, 2006 by Jeremy Toeman

Imagine taking the coolest aspects of Toys R Us, Best Buy, Target, and hmm.. Home Depot(?), throw em together, and weed out anything really mundane. Now have lots of interactive displays, spread everything out onto 7 floors (each with its own checkout line unfortunately), and turn it Japanese. Next, put the store in downtown Tokyo (right by the Shinjuku station), and you have my favorite store in all of Tokyo.

Tokyu Hands: Creative Life Store.

My friend Yuichiro (we call him Woody, don’t ask) took me here about 4 or 5 years ago, and I’ve been craving it (and Ippudo ramen) ever since. Its a very fun place, with lots of different types of appeal.

On the first floor I really liked the Let’s Play TV demonstrations, featuring 80s classic arcade hits like Xevious and Mappy (ok, so the premise and storylines weren’t as polished as today’s games, but you could pick up a controller and play the damn thing without learning the 14-button sequence to get your guy to jump!). In the US we have some retro TV-based gaming systems, but these seemed like a bit more fun, I think because they were just less polished-looking.

Also featured on the first floor was a huge section devoted to customizing your cell phone, with stickers, studs, jewels, beads, and I think even raw fish. There were also a few interesting carrying cases for iPod nanos in the mix.

Other highlights in the ‘bizarre gizmo’ section included: ifish and idog (some type of music-reactive iPod accessory), about a dozen different digital Sudoku games, and something called Cube World, which really just seemed like a collosal waste of money for the pure sake of LCD screens… ifish was my favorite piece of silliness.

On the remaining floors were other treasures, ranging from blocks of wood for your carving needs, small furniture, cooking supplies, and just about any type of gadget or gizmo related to any hobby or pastime you may have. I spent some time looking through travel gadgetry, but unfortunately didn’t find anything particularly new to waste money on.

Got a few days in Tokyo? Sure, go to Akihabara and Yodabashi, but you pretty much know what you are going to see there. Head to Tokyu Hands for a lot more fun. Who knows, maybe you’ll even get to comparison shop electronic toothbrushes?

« Previous Page