VoIP & Gadgets Blog

What Was Under Your Tree?

So what did you get? What did you get?

(Do I should juvenile or what?)

Actually, just want to know what gadget was under your tree yesterday?

Was it the gadget you craved or something else?

LCD TV, Cell phone, iPod, MP3 player, Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, digital camera, Bluetooth, stereo system, computer, laptop, computer speaker system ...

Interested to hear about what gadget got you excited yesterday -- or what gadget you gave as a gift really got someone else excited.

After all ...

... 'tis better to give than to receive ...

There's Only the Weekend Left!

We're all heading into "Last Call" land for gadget purchases before the end of the holiday shopping season!

Only have the weekend left -- but there will be plenty of extended store hours to fill up on gadget goodies!

Don't miss out!

(That tree in Rockefeller Center is always amazing!)

Are You Dreaming of a Gadget-filled Christmas?

I'm sure I'm not the only one out there with visions of sugar plums -- no, I mean gadgets -- dancing in their heads with Christmas only a few short days away.

(But it seems so far ...)

Big gadgets, small gadgets, gadgets that you can play with, gadgets you can communicate with, gadgets you can take photos with, gadgets you can play music on, gadgets you can ...

(Sure are all types of gadgets, aren't there?)

So, what's your No. 1, Numero Uno choice for a gadget this holiday season?

The phone lines are open ...

PSP Video Service Coming

Now we're starting to make sense, as in synergy, or convergence as Sony likes to say (or at least at one time was interested in).

Make sense? Yes, as in Sony is planning to launch a PSP video download service for its cool portable gaming platform early next year.

This service will enable PSP owners to download a film from the Internet to a PC and then transfer a single, legal version of the film to a Sony device. (Keeping it in the family ... and why not films from Sony Pictures.)

(Sad to say, in this area, this can arguably be called "major progress.")

What is nice is that Sony, which has sold more than 20 million PSPs worldwide, will not require the legiions of PSP fans to spring for new hardware to get these goodies.

Now that's progress!

Interview with WowWee Robots CEO

Robocommunity has an interesting interview with WowWee CTO Davin Sufer. If you've been living under a rock, or perhaps you just don't have kids, then perhaps you're not familiar with WowWee robots. Heck, I have a daughter that is too young to play with robots, yet I'm familiar with WowWee's cool robots. You can't miss them if you walk into Bed Bath & Beyond - or maybe it was Linens and Things. I always confuse those two stores.

In any event, one of those chain stores has the Roboraptor robot on display with a button that activates its eerily lifelike and some might say "creepy" moves. When I first walked past one, I backed up and said to myself "What the heck is that?" Of course I shoved an 8-year old kid out of the way so I could play with it. I'm kidding... Pretty amazing animatronics technology that you used to only see in Disney World or other amusement parks. Now you can have an animatronic robot in your own home!

Some interesting questions are posted by Robocommunity, including, "Our readers really want to know what evil genius comes up with the packaging for WowWee. We even came up with an unpacking guide! Really... bolts? ;-)"

A good question indeed... Those raptors must be mighty dangerous to have them bolted in! ;)

Another interesting question posed was this:
Question: Let's get into some more specifics. What plans do you have for future sensors, servos, software, etc.?

Partial Answer: As far as sensors go, think more intelligent with higher range. We've also been working on new and fun ways for our products to interact with people and each other. We've been adding memory and building engaging personalities.

Go check out the full interview for more.

Playing Xbox Games on the Xbox 360

Nice that Microsoft included the ability to play your existing Xbox games on the Xbox 360 -- or at least many of them.

You can download the list at the Xbox web site, and this backwards compatibility runs the alphabetical gamut -- from A (Air Force Delta Storm) to Z (Zapper) -- with 4 x 4 EVO 2 actually topping the list.

Now while this is great, it's sad to see titles that didn't make it. Woe is my EA Sports MVP Baseball 2005.

Do you have any favorite Xbox games that aren't passing the test to Xbox 360?

Interested to hear about the ones that you're missing ...

Hey Why Not? Amazon To Enter Music Download Biz

And why not indeed!

According to reports, shopping mogul Amazon is planning to launch its own music download store a la iTunes in the first quarter of next year.

And why not indeed!

Record labels aren't all too thrilled about iTunes cornering the music download market and consumers aren't all to thrilled about not having enough choices for where they can download music legally.

(Illegally is another matter ...)

Coolness is that Amazon will reportedly embracing the MP3 file format, completely avoiding all player compatibility issues. It would be very nice if they sold the only format that plays on all portable devices, including the iPod.

Coolness factor #2 -- pricing will reportedly be variable; in other words, not just the usually 99 cents per tune that everybody seems to think is so great.

Now let's see what this looks like when they launch it ...

Only 5 (Make That 6) More Shopping Days ...

Do I need to complete that thought?

Still plenty of time for last-minute gadget shopping for Christmas. (And for Chanukah, too, for that matter.)

(Why don't stores keep these long hours all the time -- much more convenient. )

Cool screensaver, hunh?

Check out www.DesktopXP.com.

The iPhone Arrives ... via Cisco

While all of us blogged on and on about the union of the iPod and the cell phone into something we all loved to call the iPhone, Cisco has quietly been watching and waiting, no saying a word, even though they filed the trademark application for the name 10 years ago.

Now that they have a real product, the iPhone seems less groovy coming from Cisco (or rather Linksys) than it would have coming from Apple -- even if the technology in each product was comparable.

(Note trad keypad and no wheel, alas ...)

There's more about it here and here.

It's amazing what the cool (or less than cool; I won't say "uncool") factor can do ...

Wengo releases Flash VoIP client

Looks like Wengo beat Adobe to the punch in offering a Flash VoIP client. If you recall, both Om and I discussed how Adobe was planning on offering a Flash VoIP client.

Check out the news courtesy of Slashdot:

"Wengo, a French company specializing in VoIP and instant messaging, and patron of the OpenWengo project (previously featured in Free Software magazine and here on Slashdot), has just released WengoVisio — a Flash softphone that you can download and embed in your Web page, to allow readers to call you when you're available through their browser, without downloading any software. (Disclaimer: I work for Wengo, on the OpenWengo project.) It's functionally cut down from the full Wengophone, but it's enough to be able to make a phone call in a Web page for the first time."

Hat tip to Greg for forwarding.

Ringtone Maker: What an Idea!

Can you believe ringtones are such a big business?

Well, if you don't want to add a few more bucks to your monthly phone bill for a custom ringtone, then Magix's Ringtone Maker 2 might just be the product for you.

Ringtone Maker 2 lets you personalize your cell phone by creating your own ringtones from music and video hits without paying any subscription or download fees.

With Ringtone Maker 2, you can create as many ringtones as you like on your PC and then transfers them to your cell phone as a realtone or polyphonic ringtone.

The software also transmits cool video ringtones, cell phone logos and wallpaper.

MSRP: $19.99

As a special treat, your purchase of this product will qualifty you for 75 free music downloads from eMusic (some great music, especially jazz).

www.magix.com

Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser: Now That's What I Call Wireless!

I'm talking across-the-room wireless connectivity, not just short range like other wireless keyboard/mouse combo kits.

With the Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser, you get leading-edge performance, comfort and style as well as things you never thought you could do from your keyboard.

Now, I can take advantage of my PC's great media and communication capabilities, even if I had Windows Vista. (I don't -- but this one is working with a Windows Media Center PC.)

Here's the skinny:

Integrated soft-touch palm rest provides extra support and can help reduce fatigue
Straight keyboard layout features Zero-Degree Tilt, which offers an extremely comfortable and natural typing experience
Full-travel keys maximize comfort, respond instantly and are extremely quiet
Sculpted design of the mouse fits comfortably in my hand

What's really cool is the dynamic search and zoom to find files faster. With the touch-sensitive slider, I can explore Windows Vista folders and images quickly and precisely. Another cool feature is the one-touch Internet calling controls that give me access my favorite Internet calling application; I can start or end a call with a single touch.

And how about that mouse? Gently contoured sides and soft rubber grips offer enhanced support and comfort. The mouse also features an On/Off switch to extend battery life. (So much tech goes into these things.)

Another neat feature is something called AgION antimicrobial technology. Both the keyboard and mouse incorporate this to prevent the growth of a broad range of bacteria, mold and mildew. (Yuck.)

Go wireless, baby!

MSRP: $99.99 - Good price on Amazon - only $80.40

Can't Anybody Get a Gadget Right?

Hey, I'm not picking on Sony this time, but Nintendo, which is facing a silly Wii situation where the strap that holds the do-hickie on your wrist seems to break too easily.

The BBC (aka "The Beeb") has all of the details here.

If you want to find out how to replace your strap, click here (link will take you to Nintendo web site).

I can just imagine all kinds of work-arounds for this problem for gamers that don't want to give up the Wii!

Kinda reminds me of The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight -- maybe that will become the name of the look-back book on the first decade of the 21st century and how some leading consumer/gadget companies just kept shooting themselves in the foot -- or feet.

Laptop and Video over IP captures would-be Thief

According to a Reuters report, a burglar who broke into a home and was attempting to steal stuff was captured through the assistance of a laptop connecting to a remote security system installed in the home, which included a video camera hooked up to the Internet.

A Brazilian businessman traveling in Germany watched by live video as a burglar robbed his house in Brazil. He received an alert on his cell phone from his home security system, booted up his laptop and using video streaming over IP he watched the robber in his home. The police were alerted, surrounded the home, and arrested him.

Ain't technology grand?

Father of the Hard Drive Passes On

Yes, I do believe it's worth a moment to pause and reflect on what Al Shugart (founder of Seagate) and his invention of the hard drive meant to the whole world of gadgets.

Obviously, a key component in the rise of the PC, but look what it spawned with hard drives of various sizes, shapes and technologies residing in Oh! so many gadgets that we know and love today -- from MP3 players to cell phones to digital cameras to ... and the list goes on and on ...

Nicknamed Maverick, Spin Doctor, Computer Pioneer and the Disk Drive King by industry journalists, he was renowned for his unconventional thinking and straightforward manner.

Check out another tribute here.