Recently in Home Entertainment Category

As I wrote a few days ago, Verizon plans to launch the Verizon Hub. I just learned the Verizon Hub will launch February 1st. As I also was the first to point out, my source told me that the Verizon Hub is essentially the same thing as the Verizon One (created by OpenPeak), which I wrote about in March 2007. In my post from a few days ago, I wrote, "One of my sources told me that the Verizon Hub is the same thing as the Verizon One, but apparently Verizon changed the name to the Verizon Hub deskphone."



The Verizon Hub is the evolution of the Verizon One. As part of that evolution, I hope they no longer restrict you to surfing specific websites. Or if they do have to limit it, I hope the list of allowed websites includes YouTube, Digg, Yahoo! + Mail, Gmail, Google, MSN, and Hotmail. The device sports a touch-screen interface for surfing, checking the weather & traffic, and more. It also allows users to make PSTN phone calls via its POTS connection (no VoIP ), access email, search the web, view a calendar, stream music from the web, and view photo images from a digital camera - essentially making it double as a digital photo frame when not in use.

Update: It is VoIP. I found some documentation that mentions attaching a 911 sticker to the phone (E-911 compliance laws) as well as how to hook up the device. It only mentions Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity - no mention of connecting a RJ11 wire to a wall jack. So obviously it is VoIP. My source says is it is VoIP using SIP on the backend.



It sports a WiFi and an Ethernet connection, so I'm not sure why they didn't include VoIP support. At least make it work with Verizon VoiceWing, which is Verizon's VoIP broadband service. Though I have heard from another source that it will support VoIP. I'll get to the bottom of this and let you know. As mentioned in the above update, it does do VoIP. My source says they are leveraging SIP and he believes it is using VoiceWing, but needs to confirm.

It also has visual voice mail, an address book, and even audio directions which the Hub can send to Verizon Wireless phones.

I was hoping it might include a femtocell to improve signal bars in locations with a weak Verizon signal, but alas my sources tell me it won't include femtocell. It will however run on any broadband connection and features tight integration with Verizon Wireless services. It also can integrate with Verizon FiOS and let you control your FiOS TV service from this device.



Update: 2:50pm Just to reiterate - it is VoIP. I found some documentation that mentions attaching a 911 sticker (E911 compliance laws)  to the phone as well as how to hook up the device. It only mentions Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity - no mention of connecting a RJ11 wire to a wall jack. So obviously it is VoIP. My source says is it is VoIP using SIP on the backend.

Price: $199.99 after $50 mail-in rebate. $34.99/month fee with unlimited calls anywhere in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Update: 1:58pm: Found some more info from a source
It appears that the Verizon Hub will have the ability to upload photos to http://verizonwireless/hub (currently unavailable). You will be able to port your existing number by calling 800-922-0204. The home screen widgets will give you quick access to Missed Calls, Voice Mail, Messages--Text, Picture and Video, Call Forwarding, and Time & Weather. You will also be able to view movie listings, showtimes, and even video trailers. Yup, the Verizon Hub supports video. You'll even be able to purchase movie tickets from the phone. It also supports Verizon V Cast, which enables you to watch popular video clips of news, sports, and more. It also sports a Chaperone feature that lets you track where your kids are via their cell phones.

Update 11:47am They just put this on the news wires. No mention of VoIP.

Verizon Wireless Reimagines the Home Phone

In a dynamic move sure to rattle devotees of plain old home phones, Verizon Wireless will introduce the new Verizon Hub on Feb. 1. Only Verizon Wireless can launch a new touch screen home phone system designed to replace old-style home phones with a souped-up home communications system, bridging wireline and wireless connectivity in one simple service, that runs on any broadband connection whether supplied by Verizon FiOS Internet or DSL or any other high-speed service provider.

Innovative Verizon Hub Helps Manage Busy Lives and Helps Users Stay Connected to Family and Community

In a dynamic move sure to rattle devotees of plain old home phones, Verizon Wireless will introduce the new Verizon Hub on Feb. 1. Only Verizon Wireless can launch a new touch screen home phone system designed to replace old-style home phones with a souped-up home communications system, bridging wireline and wireless connectivity in one simple service, that runs on any broadband connection -- whether supplied by Verizon FiOS Internet or DSL or any other high-speed service provider.

Families with active lifestyles and virtually anyone who wants to stay current and connected need a tool that helps manage their communications, contacts and calendars simply and smartly -- all from one easy screen. The Verizon Hub is poised to help pave the way for people to stay in touch and up to date with the information they need to navigate their increasingly busy days and nights.

"The Verizon Hub reinvents the home phone system that's been centered on your kitchen counter for years. We're bringing huge new functionality to a common household device that will unlock its true potential. And in the process, Verizon Wireless is updating the tools busy families can use to manage their lives," said Mike Lanman, vice president and chief marketing officer at Verizon Wireless. "The Verizon Hub is going to change the way you think about what you want and need your home phone to do. Whether you're thinking about getting rid of your home phone or can't live without it, now is the time to try out the Verizon Hub."

The Verizon Hub uses your existing broadband connection, and it's quick to get it up and running. It will work with any open broadband connection from virtually any broadband provider -- telecommunications or cable -- anywhere in the United States.

Out of the box, the Verizon Hub will have all the calling features users expect from the most advanced home phones, plus visual voicemail and robust contact list management. Verizon Wireless has also added exciting messaging options, including text message calendar alerts and audible turn-by-turn directions delivered to Verizon Wireless phones from the Verizon Hub -- with just a few simple taps on the screen.

Information will be at a family's fingertips, literally from an easy-to-navigate touch screen with clear icons on the Verizon Hub. Families will start and end their days with nuggets of customized information from the Verizon Hub:

• Check local traffic and weather in the morning before leaving the house
• Update your calendar and automatically receive a text when an appointment changes or as a reminder not to be late
• Get directions to the new site when the location for soccer practice is moved
• Find the number of the new pizza parlor to order a pie
• Preview the trailers from an upcoming movie that you might want to take the family to over the weekend, then purchase tickets using the Verizon Hub

Families on the go can access all the information and functionality of the Verizon Hub remotely from a companion Web site, even adding calendar entries for family members and inputting new contacts from the Web site. The home-based Verizon Hub is instantly updated.

Verizon Wireless customers who bring the Verizon Hub into their homes can connect to popular applications including VZ Navigator(SM) and Chaperone(R), as well as incorporate their wireless devices through text, picture and video messaging between wireless phones and the Verizon Hub. New and exciting V CAST content will also be available on the Verizon Hub, and when not in use, the Verizon Hub doubles as a digital picture frame displaying all of your favorite photos.

More details on the Verizon Hub, including pricing and service plans, will be available in the coming days. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, please visit www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 83.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Apparently YouTube has decided to ignore the whole "fair use" thing. You know, the law whereby you are allowed limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders, such as use for scholarship or review. Fair use also allows for copyrighted materials to be used in spoofs, parodies, etc.

Many YouTube users create an original video using their favorite song as the audio in the background. They won't be able to do that any more, since YouTube has started muting any videos that use unauthorized copyrighted music. You will see a message at the bottom of the video that says "Notice This video contains an audio track that has not been authorized by all copyright holders. The audio has been disabled. More about copyright"

You can see examples here, here and here.

Now does background music mixed into a video constitute "fair use" or copyright infringement? That's a good question. Certainly, someone could strip the audio from the YouTube video and then upload to their MP3 player. Why they would do that is beyond me since the audio bitrate on YouTube isn't that great and often times the music is overlaid on top of people's voices speaking on the video.

But how far does this go? What if I capture a home video with my CD player playing music in the background with my 2.5 year old daughter dancing to it? Will YouTube "silence" the audio leaving my daughter dancing in eerie silence?

I think copyright holders need to get a grip in the digital age. Besides, people don't go to YouTube to listen to music for free. They go for the fun & entertaining videos. By removing the YouTube user's artistic license and replacing it with silence I feel as though my 1st Amendment right to "freedom of speech" has been silenced. Where's the ACLU when you need them?

via Mashable

Apparently, my skepticism over Nortel web.alive was lost on Lenovo since Nortel and Lenovo today announced the first-ever customer to its web.alive Virtual World Application. Lenovo uses web.alive to let shoppers browse, demo and interact with other shoppers and Lenovo Staff in real-time 3D.

In addition, Nortel has licensed the Unreal gaming Engine for web.alive Engine which they claim will create more realistic, interactive 3D Environment for Web 3.0 Collaboration, Training and Commerce. Wow, I used to play Unreal on my old PC. If Nortel web.alive uses the Unreal Engine and looks anything like the video game I used to play, then maybe I'll retract some of my skepticism.


                                                       Unreal Tournament 2004

Here's both news releases coming out any second on the newswires...

Just months after announcing its incubation efforts to develop web.alive, a new virtual world business application, Nortel* [NYSE/TSX: NT] today announced that Lenovo, one of the world's largest manufacturers of personal computers, is using the application in a new online virtual store as a way to give consumers an exciting new avenue for e-commerce.

The Lenovo "eLounge" virtual store is being showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week at the Venetian Hotel's AquaKnox.

What are the benefits of virtual stores?
• Shoppers can create personalized avatars to walk around the 3D virtual store and browse through products while interacting with other shoppers and sales staff from around the globe.
• Shoppers can also attend product demonstrations or tutorials given by the virtual store staff.
• People can build social/virtual shopping communities/groups and host online shopping get-togethers with their network of friends, family and associates - a concept defined as assisted e-commerce or social shopping.
• Customer service online is taken to an entirely new level as customers do not need to email, click to call or deal with hundreds of pages of forum based questions and answers. If a customer has a question, they can simply log on and walk up to a customer service representative or ask another customer with a high feedback rating.
• Businesses can use their online stores to test out new store designs/ideas - in a virtual setting.
Interested in seeing Lenovo's virtual store prototype?
• To see the new Lenovo eLounge, visit www.lenovo.com/elounge** or visit them at CES at the Venetian Hotel's AquaKnox.
• For more information on web.alive, visit www.projectchainsaw.com or www.nortel.com/webalive.

OTTAWA - Nortel'* [NYSE/TSX: NT] announced it has licensed Epic Games' Unreal Engine for Nortel's new web.alive virtual world software application.
"The Unreal gaming engine provides an array of core technologies, content creation tools, and support infrastructure essential to Nortel's web.alive application," said Arn Hynman, web.alive chief architect. "By collaborating with Epic Games and licensing the Unreal Engine, we are enabling our customers to benefit from the same platform that powers industry-leading video games and complex 3D simulations."

"The Unreal Engine enables companies to build dynamic, interactive virtual worlds for the next-gen workforce, and this licensing agreement signifies Nortel's commitment to take its e-commerce and learning initiatives to the next level," said Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games. "Nortel's web.alive application uniquely showcases how Epic's engine technology can be leveraged to improve business collaboration."

To learn more about the Nortel and Epic collaboration and to hear an interview with Arn Hyndman and Mark Rein, visit http://podcast.nortel.com/podcasts2/nortel_web_alive_7961.mp3.

web.alive integrates spatial, high-definition audio and customized 3D spaces with conventional telephony, corporate systems and software to create a "real-life" experience in a virtual environment. Epic's Unreal Engine 2.5 enables the display of stunning 3D environments and avatars with lifelike movements and interactivity. Nortel brings this impressive capability to your web browser as a thin client.

Nortel has also announced that Lenovo, one of the world's largest manufacturers of personal computers, is using web.alive in a new online virtual store as a way to give consumers an exciting new avenue for e-commerce.
Nortel's web.alive is a collaborative, browser-based virtual world application for enterprise use that provides an immersive, interactive and web integrated world with 3D voice and graphics. The application facilitates internal collaboration as well as customer interactions over the web and in real time. web.alive brings new dimensions to business collaboration, virtual training and ecommerce. For more information on web.alive, visit www.projectchainsaw.com or www.nortel.com/webalive.

More proof that my prediction of a Blu-ray Christmas is coming true... According to the Blu-ray Disc Association, British consumers bought 462,500 Blu-ray discs in November, an increase of 165% from October. They put out a release with a very positive title that proudly claims, "Blu-ray Beats Recession Blues Sales Soar in Lead Up to Christmas at Even Quicker Rate than DVD".

Like I said in my pro- Blu-ray prediction, "I think consumers are looking to escape today's harsh economic climate. Watching movies is a heck of a lot cheaper than going to the movies. People are going out a lot less, eating out less, but they still want some form of escapism and quality entertainment. For that reason, I think it's going to be a very "black" Blu-ray Christmas."

Echoing my sentiments, according to the news release, "Despite the gloomiest of financial forecasts, sales of Blu-ray disc movies are defying the odds and bucking the credit crunch - with record figures reported in the run up to Christmas. And it's not just films flying off the shelves, Blu-ray disc players are also following suit, with a strong upsurge in European sales that is expected to continue into the New Year. In fact, overall sales are predicted to more than triple in 2009, reaching 2.5million units Europe wide* (and that figure does not even include the millions of Playstation 3 consoles, with their in-built Blu-ray players, that will be sold over the next few months)."

It also states that sales figures from the British Video Association (BVA) released in December, show that block-buster Hollywood titles such The Dark Knight sold a whopping 513,000 units in one day with Blu-ray disc representing 21% of all discs sold.

What's even more telling in these figures from the U.K. is that the British pound is much weaker against the Japanese yen and since no Blu-ray players are made in the U.K., that means there is a premium paid due to the pound-to-yen exchange rate. The U.S. dollar is also weak against the Japanese yen, however there are Blu-ray players made in the U.S., including the Magnavox NB500MG9 Blu-ray player which was sold on Black Friday at Walmart for $128.

So I expect U.S. sales of Blu-ray players this Christmas to be even better than the United Kingdom. We shall see if my prediction was right when most experts are expecting Blu-ray disc sales to disappoint due to the global slowing economy.

Toshiba announced that it will showcase a 512GB solid-state drive (SSD) at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month, with shipments of this large SSD in the second quarter of 2009. These NAND-flash-based solid state drives (SSD) will be the industry's first 2.5-inch 512-gigabyte SSD and features fast read/write times and reliable performance for laptops/notebooks, and other equipment.

In addition to the 2.5-inch, 512GB drive, the 43nm NAND SSD family also includes capacities of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB, offered in 1.8-inch or 2.5-inch drive enclosures or as SSD Flash Modules. The drives feature a maximum sequential read speed of 240MB per second (MBps) and maximum sequential write speed of 200MBps. This should definitely result in faster boot and application loading times. The drives also offer AES data encryption to prevent unauthorized data access.

512GB soon... next stop 1TB (1 terabyte)!

More

I have a Blu-ray player on my Christmas list that I hope to get. Santa Claus hasn't failed me yet. I also have a subscription to Netflix and planned on upgrading it to the Blu-ray package for an additional $1/month should I stay off Santa's "naughty list" this year.

This would give me access to Netflix's massive Blu-ray library. Apparently, I shouldn't get too excited though. According to this CNET article, Blu-ray movies discs aren't being delivered as quickly as regular DVDs.

Logitech today introduced what they deem a "Game-Changing Gameboard" called the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard. Hyperbole aside, the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard is an interesting concept. It sports a naturally contoured design, on-board memory, customizable backlighting, and programmable keys. A keyboard with memory? What's next? A keyboard which is a full-fledged PC? Oh wait, that's been done.

Anyway, the Logitech G13 advanced gameboard is a hybrid gaming keyboard designed to complement your Logitech keyboard and mouse. It gives you 25 programmable keys and an analog stick, as well and three game modes to help the PWN factor against your gaming buddies.

The Logitech G13 is basically a mini-version of the Logitech G15, which is a full-sized traditional keyboard that costs just about the same as the G13. Personally, I prefer full-sized keyboards for gaming, with programmed buttons & macros, but to each their own.

Logitech stated, "Whether you're rescuing hostages, on a quest with your guild or saving humanity, you don't want to worry about hand fatigue or hitting the wrong key."

The iconic contoured design complements the natural shape of your hand and fingers, while the smooth, concave home-row keys make it easy to locate buttons by touch. With three game modes, 25 programmable keys and a programmable analog stick, the G13 gameboard offers up to 87 ways for you to control your game (software installation required). And you can set up custom button-profiles for each one of your favorite titles. You can even create macros on the fly without having to pause your game.

And for another tactical advantage, the 160-by-43-pixel GamePanel LCD shows live game stats, system info and even messages from other players. Though look away from the computer screen at your own peril!

With the G13 gameboard, you'll also get backlit keys that help you easily locate the right key in low-light conditions or lights-out play. And you can select from hundreds of available backlight colors.

A handy solution for the laptop gamer, the G13 gameboard includes onboard memory, letting you program up to five ready-to-play profiles and take them with you to your next LAN party. The G13 gameboard also offers pre-configured settings for many popular games, including World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade, Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™ and many others.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech G13 advanced gameboard is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in December for a suggested retail price of $79.99 (U.S.). Question is will it be available before Christmas?

Blockbuster has chosen Reno, Nev., as the test market for a new store concept that combines video rentals with sales of video game accessories, high-definition TVs and other home entertainment products.

Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes said the company is "selling convenience" with the new design.

And you know we gadgeteers love convenience, even if we have to wait for it.

We hope the still have snacks!

More a the The Cincinnati Enquirer/Gannett News Service. 

I hate to say I told you so, but today's PriceGrabber.com gadget report on Black Friday sales, once again proves my opinion that this Christmas will be a "black" Blu-ray Christmas! My opinion goes against conventional wisdom that Blu-ray won't succeed, and that streaming HD using Roku/Netflix, and cable providers offering HD content is now closing the window of opportunity for Blu-ray. I'm not buying that theory. Additionally, several other articles, including CRN's Consumers Not Planning a Blu-Ray Christmas article and Register Hardware's 'A Blu-ray Christmas? Don't bank on it' don't believe my opinion that it will be a Blu-ray Christmas.

The most popular products on Black Friday - specifically look at #3, the Blu-ray player:

1. Nintendo Wii Console
2. Ugg Australia 'Classic Short' Boot (how about that!)
3. Sony BDP-S350 1080p Blu-Ray Disc Player
4. Samsung LN52A650 52" LCD TV
5. Nintendo Wii Fit
6. Panasonic TH-42PX80U 42" Plasma TV
7. Sennheiser HD 555 Headphones
8. Canon EOS Rebel XSi Black SLR Digital Camera Kit
9. Acer Aspire One AOA110-1295 Notebook
10. Canon PowerShot A590 IS Black Digital Camera

Out of all the possible gadgets in the world, a Blu-ray player ranks #3.

Also, as previously blogged, here are the Top 10 categories and percent growth over Black Friday 2007. Once again look at #3, which sports a 147% increase!

1. Women's Boots - 203%
2. Watches - 202%
3. Blu-ray/HD-DVD Players - 147%
4. Women's Sleep & Lounge Wear - 415%
5. Games & Puzzles - 151%
6. Women's Jackets - 110%
7. Music - 96%
8. Headphones - 103%
9. Women's Dresses - 107%
10. Women's Casual Shoes - 143%

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm l keeping my eye on Amazon for any Blu-ray specials. (see: Amazon Blu-ray player special prices). Today, I see a Sony BDP-S350 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player for just $198! I might just get my brother-in-law a nice Blu-ray player after all!

It appears it just might be a Merry Christmas even with the doom & gloom surrounding the economy. I guess President-elect Barack Obama must be the Messiah, since he's already creating miracles and he hasn't even been sworn in yet. Or it could just be that credit card loving Americans just don't know when to quit spending & charging.

Check this out:

NRF Survey Finds Black Friday Gets Holiday Season Off to Energetic Start
-- Great Bargains, Pent-Up Demand Drove Shoppers to Stores, Web

Though the holiday season is far from over, retailers across the country are breathing a collective sigh of relief after shoppers headed to stores and websites in droves over the weekend. According to the National Retail Federation's 2008 Black Friday Weekend survey, conducted by BIGresearch, more than 172 million shoppers visited stores and websites over Black Friday weekend, up from 147 million shoppers last year.*

Shoppers spent an average of $372.57 this weekend*, up 7.2 percent over last year's $347.55. Total spending reached an estimated $41.0 billion.

"Pent-up demand on electronics and clothing, plus unparalleled bargains on this season's hottest items helped drive shopping all weekend," said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. "Holiday sales are not expected to continue at this brisk pace, but it is encouraging that Americans seem excited to go shopping again."

Friday was clearly the busiest day of the weekend with 73.6 million people hitting stores and websites for doorbuster sales. Though traffic did subside after Friday, retailers were also buoyed by two-day sales as 56.9 million people shopped on Saturday, up from 48.3 million last year, while another 26.2 million people planned to shop on Sunday. Thanksgiving Day also continues to increase in importance as the number of people who shopped on Thursday was up 48 percent over last year (16.2 million people vs. 10.9 million people).

Those who shopped on Friday lived by the adage that the early bird catches the worm. The survey found that 23.3 percent of shoppers were at stores by 5 a.m. while more than half (57.6%) were at stores by 9 a.m. Bargains appeared to be so good that people have more of a jumpstart on shopping.

According to the findings, Americans have completed slightly more shopping than they had one year ago (39.3% vs. 36.4%), indicating that traffic and sales over the next several weeks will moderate.

"Though retailers should be encouraged by strong traffic and sales over the weekend, consumers are still being cautious," said Phil Rist, Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, BIGresearch. "Weekend shoppers indicated that they are still sticking to a budget and thinking carefully before making any holiday purchases."

Though retailers in all categories were featuring big bargains, a majority of shoppers visited discount stores for holiday deals. According to the survey, more than half (54.7%) of this weekend's shoppers visited discount stores. Nearly half (43.0%) shopped at a traditional department store, up 11.1 percent from 38.7 percent last year. About one-third of shoppers visited specialty stores like clothing or electronics stores (36.0%) and shopped online (34.0%).

As expected, many shoppers (50.9%) purchased clothing and accessories over the weekend while 39.0 percent bought books, DVDs, CDs and video games and 35.9 percent purchased consumer electronics. Toys were also big sellers, as 28.5 percent of shoppers bought a toy. Gift card purchasing dropped ten percent with 18.7 percent of shoppers purchasing a gift card over the weekend, down from 21.0 percent last year.

NRF continues to project that holiday sales will rise 2.2 percent this year to $470.4 billion.

About the Survey

The NRF 2008 Black Friday Weekend survey was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to the winter holidays. NRF defines the weekend as sales from Thursday, November 27 to Sunday, November 30. The survey, which polled 3,370 consumers, was conducted for NRF by BIGresearch from November 27-29, 2008. The consumer poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7 percent.

BIGresearch is a consumer market intelligence firm that provides unique consumer insights that are gathered online utilizing very large sample sizes. BIGresearch's syndicated Consumer Intentions and Actions survey monitors the pulse of more than 8,000 consumers each month to empower its clients with unique insights for identifying opportunities in a fragmented and changing marketplace.

The National Retail Federation is the world's largest retail trade association, with membership that comprises all retail formats and channels of distribution including department, specialty, discount, catalog, Internet, independent stores, chain restaurants, drug stores and grocery stores as well as the industry's key trading partners of retail goods and services. NRF represents an industry with more than 1.6 million U.S. retail establishments, more than 24 million employees - about one in five American workers - and 2007 sales of $4.5 trillion. As the industry umbrella group, NRF also represents more than 100 state, national and international retail associations. www.nrf.com

Via NRF