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Slingbox plans on adding a software client to complement their popular Slingbox streaming video content hardware device. According to IP Democracy:

Place-shifting pioneer SlingBox is slated to announce
at CES this week a new software client that allows any Windows Media-capable device to serve as a viewing platform for a customers' multichannel video or PVR service. This is a phenomenal development given that SlingBox is cutting across the top-line business priorities of motion picture studios, TV program producers, cable operators, wireless phone providers and even Apple Computer, which hopes to build a business on mobile video.

IP Democracy hits the nail on the head when it states, "So far, not a peep from the litigious studios, or even a threatened lawsuit from cable or satellite operators. I suspect that it's difficult to come up with a legal rationale against what Sling is doing -- this is not unauthorized copying or transmission of content. It's merely controlling the set-top box from a distance; in some cases thousands of miles. Secondly, Sling hasn't caught on yet and so doesn't pose a tangible threat to the media power structure."

Even though this is "personal & fair use" time-shifting of your own recorded TV content transmitting the video content over IP to your remote laptop/PC instead of directly to your TV, I'm sure the Hollywood lawyers will come up with some loophole to try and block this "fair use" technology. Heck, they're trying to block the "analog" copying loophole. Yep, that's right, not only does the government want to protect digital content from being recorded (perfect copies) but now it doesn't even want you recording analog copies (lossy video) either. Streaming from a Slingbox to your mobile device / phone would be cool.

Of course, what Slingbox is doing is nothing new - Orb Networks has been offering streaming video/live TV/recorded TV and music to any Web-enabled device for "free" for quite some time now. I've used it on my Windows Media Center 2005 PC before and it works quite well.

BREAKING! Symbol has two new ruggedized mobile devices coming out called the MC9094 and the MC9097, running Windows Mobile 5.0 with cellular/mobile phone access, a touch-screen, and a full-sized keyboard + dialpad that aims to dethrone the Blackberry. (Update: See my updated thoughts on the MC9097/MC9094 analogy with the Blackberry below) The difference between the two mobile devices is that the MC9094 supports the GSM cellular standard and the MC9097 supports OFDM and the IDEN two-way paging cellular standard created by Motorola. Both devices will support SMS and Bluetooth. This information is according to documents I obtained from the FCC's website.

If this follows the rest of Symbol's 9000 series, then this model will also feature a noise-cancelling, volume-controlled headset and voice recognition software, as maybe even a bar code scanner (the MC9060 has one, but no cellphone capability). Although, I'd be surprised if the MC9094 and MC9097 follows the MC9060 lead in embedding a bar code scanner, since it looks like Symbol is targetting this product to your traditional "Blackberry-type" user and not just "warehouse inventory/management-type" employees. More to follow when I find out more details...

(Update: Upon further reflection I realized that perhaps 'dethrone the Blackberry' is a bit misleading. Symbol's product is more of a "ruggedized mobile phone" that is bulkier than a Blackberry. It's probably more comparable to the Treo 700 mobile phone, but even that analogy is somewhat of a stretch due to the "ruggedized" casing of the MC9094 and MC9097, which lends itself to specific industries and not general enterprise or consumer usage. Thus, its target market is much different than a Blackberry with a specfic
"niche" audience.)

This past weekend my wife and I picked up a used (2000) Jeep Grand Cherokee. We hadn't planned on buying a Jeep for at least a couple months, however when our Ford Taurus was side-swiped smashing in both passenger doors and my 3000GT's clutch died in the same week, our plans changed. The ironic thing is that we planned on trading in the 1999 Ford Taurus until we learned it was probably worth only $500 due to its 150,000 miles. While I am never a fan of getting into an accident, "Providence" must have been on our side since the car that side swiped the Taurus was at fault resulting in $2700 in damage to the Taurus. His auto insurance cut us a check and we decided we were better off using the money to buy a Jeep rather than repair the Taurus.

So we did some car shopping last week via AutoTrader.com and narrowed it down to 8 Jeep Grand Cherokees, 4 of which we visited in person and then whittled it down to two Jeeps. One was a 2001 red Grand Cherokee Laredo and the other a 2000 grey Grand Cherokee Laredo depicted in the photo above. If we went with the red one, we'd have three red vehicles in the family - Viper, 3000GT, and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I was rooting for the red one, but it has 9000 more miles and cloth seats. The grey one is fairly unique in that it has a leather interior. Most Laredos do not have leather and as such you have to go with the more expensive Limited V8 edition to get leather. The red one was a year newer, but the fact that we have two labradors that shed hair and leather is much easier to clean than dog hair sticking to cloth was the main deciding factor.

So on Saturday we went to go look at the grey Jeep and to negotiate price. I whittled him down from $11,495 to $10,700. He didn't take personal checks and it was past 3:30pm so our bank was closed. I decided to call my credit union and finance the car. Unfortunately, the credit union closed in about 30 minutes and we were about 35 minutes away and I didn't know how to get there. Fortunately, my wife decided to splurge this Christmas and got me a Garmin StreetPilot 2720 (retail $699.99) to replace my broken PocketPC GPS. We were able to fly from Naugutuck to North Haven on back roads were weren't familiar with, sign the loan paperwork, pick up the check, and return to the used dealership in no time. We would have had to return another day to pick up the Jeep, so the GPS certainly paid dividends already and so did the Jeep's 4X4 transmission since it snowed twice since we got it.

A new PDA product from Symbol Technologies called the MC70 (MC-70?) is launching that is a "ruggedized" Blackberry-like device running Microsoft's Windows Mobile 5.0. Symbol told me, "This is going to be your 'extreme Blackberry' which targets workers that need a device that won't break. It can go into puddles, you can run over the unit with a Humvee, can get trampled on. It targets nurses, UPS drivers, retail salesforce, anyone in transportation & logistics. There is going to be a major cell phone carrier in U.S. and Europe involved on the day of the launch."

They also talked about how this PDA device will give you remote access to your Windows Desktop. Symbol said, "This is a Windows Goes Extreme type thing - you can now access Windows anywhere, not just the desktop. Symbol is really creating a a new category with this device - there's nothing out like this."

The product will launch on January 5th at ShowStoppers in Vegas. I'm going to try and get a photo and then update this post. (Updated! 1/11/05)

It's an annual event -- the making of New Year's Resolutions.  But rather than look at the typical tried and true resolutions -- lose weight, exercise more, yada, yada, yada -- why not make "Gadgets"-centric resolutions this year?

 How about these:

• Purchase gadgets that I know I will use to their fullest
• Learn more about the capabilities and features of gadgets I already own
• Give away or donate gadgets that I no longer use (old cell phones, cassette players, turntables, radios, watches, organizers -- you know what's in your closet, attic, basement and garage) so that those less fortunate can benefit from all of this wonderful technology that we can sometimes take for granted

Does anybody have any to add?

The Kill a Watt electrical usage meter is an amazing piece of gadgetry that can save you hundreds of dollars a year in electricity by measuring the wattage (power) used by all your home electric appliances (TV, computer, dryer, refrigerator, clock, oven, etc.) Ok, maybe not that "amazing", since the science of measuring watts, voltage, etc. has existed for decades, but cool nonetheless.

In fact, I should mention that last month I received an electric bill for $400 and I have oil (not electric) heat! I called the electric company to cry "foul". Surely, even I, Mr. Gadget Lover could not possibly be using $400/month of electricity! Could my 65" Mitsubishi rear projection TV be sucking that much juice? The electric company (NorthEast Utilities) was somewhat sympathetic to my plight. They explained that they use an average reading and that because my electric bill was low the month before that they had to compensate for this particular month.

Ok, so my electric bill the month before was $64, so you're telling me I spend $64 + $400=$464 for 2 months or $232/month on electricity? The NU rep asked if I had an old fridge (yes) and if I had an extra fridge (yes - a small college fridge) and stated that they could add about $50/month. Even if you take off the $50, that's still a ridiculously high bill. The X-File conspirist in me asked her "Is it possible my neighbor is tapping my electrical line?" She said it was highly unlikely. Nevertheless, I went outside and traced the electric meter and the electric line all the way up to the pole and made sure there weren't any funny looking holes or tunnels leading to my neighbors yard.

Doubleed also sells a similar unit that will log your electric usage to its memory but their low-end model starts at $99.95 where as the Kill a Watt device only costs $20.37 on Amazon, so I think I will pick one up and test my home electric devices, including my plethora of gadgets. I'll report back here with what I find.

Update: There is a newer model called the P4460 Kill A Watt EZ Electricity Usage Monitor. This one can calculate actual costs and forecast by the day, week, month, even an entire year. I bought one myself and it's pretty cool to see dollar amounts for how much you're spending on electricity. I was able to forecast how much I will be spending per month on electricity. The longer it's connected, the more accurate it is. It's only a bit more than the older model which doesn't do forecasting.

I don't know about you, but when I'm watching a DVD or playing a video game I want full surround sound with the bass cranked way up so I can "feel" the explosions of a frag grenade or feel the footsteps of the T-Rex as he stomps closer. There's only one problem with enjoying lots of bass and high volume - the people around you; husband, wife, neighbors, etc. might not want to hear it or feel the bass reverberating through the floors, especially late at night which is "prime-time" video gaming time! Sound was meant to be felt, especially when immersed in a video game. So what's an bass addict to do?

Well, no worries, just put on the Audio FX Force Feedback Headphones ($49.95) which will let you "feel" every explosion and every impact due to its unique force feedback characteristics - all without disturbing the neighbors or waking up the kids or "significant other". Massive force feedback from powerful bass vibrations let you literally feel the gaming action. The Audio FX's bass amplifier interprets frequencies below 20Hz (human ear cannot hear, but can feel these frequencies) and transforms them into vibrations that you can feel through the headphone earpiece. Although these headphones are designed for gaming, you can certainly use them for VoIP applications such as Skype or Google's Gtalk.

The headset features a circumaural earphone design, an adjustable noise-cancelling microphone, and an inline controller for adjusting both the volume and vibration. In addition, There are also multicolored LED level meters on the outside of the ear cups that are synchronized to the sounds coming through the headphones. The headset uses the USB port to power the lights and vibrations, but interestingly enough it also connects to the sound card's analog ports for the microphone and headphones. I'm surprised they didn't run both the audio and power for the vibration over the same USB connector, but perhaps there isn't enough USB power one one port to do both and have effective vibration force feedback.

The headset is a bit bulkier than usual but this is necessary to to accommodate the force feedback capabilities. If you have ever pondered whether to play a video game at 10pm and thought to yourself, "It's not the same without being able to crank up the sound and feel the explosions" then you need to pick up a pair of AudioFX Force Feedback headphones - you won't be disappointed.

According to a Park Associates report, U.S. consumers lead the world in consumption of television-related products; Asian consumers lead in computer products. Some other interesting insights as well, including the fact that Taiwan and South Korea lead the world in the adoption of consumer technologies, according to Global Digital Living (GDL), a new international study from Parks Associates.

GDL surveyed over 10,000 households in 13 countries and ranked nations according to their proclivity to adopt and use MP3 players, video-on-demand (VOD), home networks, computers, online services, and similar advanced technologies. The United States proved the most receptive to TV-related technologies (such as DVRs and digital cable) but fell behind Taiwan and Korea in the adoption of computer-related technologies. Europe countries generally placed behind North America and developed Asian countries like Japan in the adoption of all categories surveyed.

"Each nation has particular strengths and weaknesses in terms of technology adoption," said John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates. "Canada, for instance, is a very impressive market for home networking while Japan is the undisputed champion for mobile phones, with over one-half of all Japanese households using mobile phone features like e-mail or photo messaging every month. Of course long commute times in Japan encourage the use of mobile phone entertainment features."

The results of the Global Digital Living(TM) survey were released to coincide with the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas where Parks Associates will be on-hand to discuss the results (South Hall, booth 25539).

Photo Violation Technologies Corp. ("PVT"), a developer of innovative parking meter solutions, has announced the launch of its patented PhotoViolationMeter ("PVM"). According to PVT, "This self-enforcing parking meter is easy to use, fair, and permits municipalities to keep parking rates low by increasing revenue through compliance." Gee, just when you thought you made it safely past that ominous red light camera staring at you, now you have to worry about cameras where you park.

Anyway, this new meter uses a combination of sensors, photography, and wireless technology to make it the only parking meter that enforces itself while giving municipalities more than five times the revenue of current on-street meters. They've partnered with industry leaders such as IBM, PVT's robust back-end server provides municipalities with secure and reliable implementation. With product trials scheduled for January 2006, the PVM is positioned to forever change the way the world pays for on-street parking.

The PVM makes parking fair for all users by providing every way to pay. Drivers have the "convenient" option of paying by coin (multiple-currency accepted), phone, debit, credit card, or smart card, right at their vehicle. User-friendly features include a No-Fine option, Grace Periods and Instant Notifications (all patent pending). The No-Fine feature gives drivers the option to simply swipe a credit card and the PVM incrementally adds time to the meter, billing the credit card as time passes, and stops billing the minute the vehicle pulls away. The Grace Period feature is available to drivers who are running late, allowing payment at the meter for expired time, rather than receiving a violation.

If they cannot return within the Grace Period, they have the option to pay for violations at the meter for a discounted fine. Additionally, the Instant Notification feature notifies the driver of, and prevents payment for, rush hour and no-parking conditions, preventing user vehicles from being towed. The option to add time remotely by phone, eliminating any third party provider fees, is already integrated into the PVM, and surpasses stand-alone pay-by-phone systems. Features such as these ensure drivers pay for the time they use, no more, no less.

Then even have a portable handheld device called the PhotoViolationHHU (Hand Held Unit - seen to the right). PVT stated, "Municipal governments will greatly benefit from this revolutionary system as it delivers more than five times the revenue compared to the current coin meters or on-street multi-space pay-and-display units. Patented technology makes the PVM the only meter in the industry which can enforce itself by issuing photo violations automatically."

When a vehicle parks and moves away without payment, the camera takes a picture of the offending vehicle's license plate and sends it to the central processing center. They claim that the PVM will drastically cut down on violation disputes and court time by providing a picture of the offending license plate to prove the vehicle was in violation. This self-monitoring meter allows municipal parking personnel to maximize their time and eliminate inefficiencies.

Accordig to them, "The PVM increases compliance to pay parking meter charges and will help keep municipalities' parking rates low. Ensuring everyone pays for parking, the PVM provides multiple ways to pay for those who do comply, and issues violations for those who do not. Added benefits of the system include minimized public frustration by giving users every way to pay and a safer working environment for enforcement officers."

PVM is supported by IBM, who will supply the PVM with a robust back-end server, hosting and maintenance services, minimizing municipalities' worry about downtime, protection of data and server back-ups. John Roberts, a partner at IBM Business Consulting Services, commented, "IBM is pleased to be assisting PVT in the development of their innovative solutions, and we look forward to contributing to PVT's success by providing consulting, integration and support services to their customers in municipal government."

According to PVT this approach minimizes effort and costs for municipalities, which enables rapid implementation of the complete system. Access to all functionalities will be available from anywhere, anytime, using a web browser on any Internet enabled computer.

Photo Violation Technologies product trials are scheduled for January 2006, with the anticipation that the first units will be available to install in a location near you by early 2006. Gee thanks. I can't wait.

Worried if you even get your hands on the impossible-to-get XBox 360 for your kids this Christmas that your kids will spend way too much time playing video games? No worries, mate - just install this puppy. PlayLimit is a new gadget created with the sole purpose of driving kids crazy while giving parents a sick satisfaction at finally being able to control their kid's video game playing time. This is a timer device that connects between a TV and the video game player such as an XBox 360. In theory you can also connect it to a VCR or DVD player to limit your kid's movie watching endulgences. Kids must earn tokens given by their parents for being good little boys & girls. Then the kids simply insert tokens to get access time to the TV. The PlayLimit counts down, but before time runs out, it injects a warning into the video so the kids can save their game. When time is up, the "Out of Time" message blocks the TV screen and prevents you from viewing any other content.


You don't have to limit your kids time in our beanbag chairs, these beanbags come in all sizes. We even have kids beanbag chairs which have removeble covers to keep your beanbag clean.

The PlayLimit system includes 40 tokens. Each token allows 15 minutes of game playing or TV viewing. Unfortunately, the video inputs don't include HDTV connectors, only composite video, so you may even have to downgrade the video quality if your kids are already playing XBox/XBox 360 in HDTV. They'll certainly love that!

On their website they show a father and son both smiling and the kid is carrying a soccer ball, with the obvious implication that the kid is happy to stop playing video games and go outside to play ball. But I know what the kid is really thinking - "Dad, you just wait. You'll get yours. I know the cable box PIN to the Pay-Per-View porn channels. Wait till Mom sees the cable bill for 22 showings of Busty Babes at $3.95 each!"