April 05, 2005
Today SMC Networks announced the newest in its EZ-Stream line of Home Entertainment Networking products, the new EZ-Stream 2.4GHz Wireless Multimedia Extender (SMCWME-G).According to SMC, the EZ-Stream 2.4GHz Wireless Multimedia Extender is a "high-end networked entertainment receiver that streams, plays...
April 01, 2005
I was fascinated by this Gadgets: A blessing and a curse article and I could totally relate. While technology was intended to make life easier it has, in some ways, made our lives more complex. Basically, this article discusses how...
March 31, 2005
MPEG NATION emailed me about their new service that allows anyone to stream video via the web instantly. Ironically, I just talked about streaming video yesterday in my Microsoft Launches MSN Video Downloads blog and I mentioned a pseudo-competitor of...
March 30, 2005
While MSN Video Downloads - both paid and free content - is a cool idea, I still prefer to record shows I like on my Windows Media Center 2005 PC and then stream it using Orb Networks or just copy...
March 24, 2005
I was just telling my coworker this morning how my iPod FM transmitter apparently stopped working. I can barely hear the music while dialed to 87.7FM. There was a strong station on 87.9FM, but I tried getting it to...
March 23, 2005
I'm really not sure what to make of this... iVoice has filed for a patent for a personal air bag! (you wear it) Apparently, it detects a sudden change in elevation and angle and then deploys the airbag. Just what...
March 22, 2005
As a huge GPS fan, I just had to share this bit of news... I have a portable GPS system already - Destinator1 running on a very old PocketPC whose irreplaceable internal battery is on its last legs (holds...
March 14, 2005
I love my PocketPC GPS and GPS technology in general, so this news was especially interesting to me. Basically, using smart2go's MMC card and a smartphone or PDA, along with a BlueTooth GPS, you can instantly turn them into a...
This morning, Orb Networks announced that all Windows XP users can stream any of the digital media held on their home PC - music, videos, photos, (even live TV with a tuner card) to any device with an Internet connection...
Microsoft certainly is strongly pushing their mobile/wireless phone technology. Once they get Microsoft Live Communications Server's (LCS) feature-set to the point where people actually use it, and then they offer the client on mobile phones, things could get interesting. LCS...
March 11, 2005
Breaking news from Blackberry & T-Mobile.T-MOBILE USA WELCOMES A NEW MEMBER TO THE BLACKBERRY FAMILY The BlackBerry 7290 Includes Bluetooth, Brighter Screen and Improved International Capabilities The days are getting longer, temperatures are getting warmer and thoughts of getting out...
C-guys announced today the industry's first ZigBee SDIO card. The card is designed to deliver wireless device-to-device communications for PDAs and Smart Phones. The company will demo its new card at CeBit to show how a ZigBee device can remotely...
Both ZDNet and Engadget are reporting that the first iTunes cellphone is going to be announced, possibly tonight at CeBIT. I assume you'll be able to access the iTunes music library and download songs to your cell phone for $0.99....
March 03, 2005
Wow, this is really cool! Take your PDA, cellphone, laptop, or any other device with rechargeable batteries and place it on a mousepad shaped device and it will "wirelessly" charge your devices using an inductive field. No more tripping over...
February 17, 2005
Microsoft is recalling power cords on 14.1 million Xbox consoles worldwide, following reports of injuries due to defective electric components.The company announced the recall today, saying it is aimed at protecting the consoles from electrical component failures that can pose...
My Plextor 708a DVD burner died a few months ago - like the day after the 1-year warranty expired - Murphy's Law... It was a Christmas gift from my wife and if I recall it cost like $350 two years...
February 16, 2005
Logitech ViewPort AV 100Logitech's new ViewPort AV 100 includes a VGA video camera, integrated microphone with acoustic echo cancellation (which I found out today uses Global IP Sound) and a Bluetooth wireless headset, connected via USB. Logitech's ViewPort AV...
February 15, 2005
According to ExtremeTech, content protection company Macrovision plans to announce on Tuesday that it has developed a way to eliminate the vast majority of DVD copying - that is using DVD "ripping" software. I'll be honest, I've "ripped" DVDs to...
Very interesting release from Radvison which involves Microsoft's upcoming intergrated communications client code named Instanbul as well as Microsoft's Live Communications Server...RADVISION BRINGS 3G VIDEO TO MICROSOFT’S DESKTOP MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATIONS OFFERING AT 3GSM WORLD CONGRESS RADVISION 3G Video Telephony Gateway...
February 11, 2005
TiVo may get all the headlines and they certainly have a rabid following, including geeks who modify their units, add additional hard drives, and perform other tweaks. But I'll tell you, I would not trade my Microsoft Windows Media...
February 02, 2005
Compare this quote from an analyst firm today: "The global handheld market continued to slide in 2004, with shipments slipping to below 10 million for the first time since 1999, according to a new IDC report." with this quote from...
January 31, 2005
SkipJam Touch PanelWhoah! now here's a cool product! Check out the release & feature-set. With SkipJam's controllers, parents can pause their kids' video and tell them to come to dinner through the TV speaker … without ever leaving the...
January 28, 2005
According to Light Reading, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ - message board) has selected Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - message board) as the software provider that will power its fiber-based television and video service offering, FiOS TV, both companies are...
January 11, 2005
In my Streaming Live TV blog entry from November, I talked about how I was able to stream recorded video files across the Internet to a 2nd PC. I did have some difficulty accessing my Sony VAIO's proprietary MPEG encoder...
January 07, 2005
Captain Kirk - "Retrieve all my email. And oh yeah, beam me up Scotty!" Most of us have seen at least one Star Trek episode. Then as you already know, Captain Kirk was able to talk into a communicator...
SBC Communications announced at CES their plan to go after the cable television industry by offering consumers hundreds of television channels using internet protocol (IP) TV technology over a new broadband fibre-optic network. In a keynote address at the Consumer...
January 05, 2005
Windows Mobile 2005 Was just reading this article about the "leaked" Windows Mobile 2005 beta: Windows Mobile 2005 Screenshots @ Dave's iPAQ The article is pretty interesting. In it it mentions that Windows Mobile 2005 will support Wi-fi for...
Personally, I can't live without my Destinator1 GPS running on my PocketPC, but for those with that can't afford GPS in their car, this may be a useful service to get directions... MAPQUEST LAUNCHES NEW SERVICE THAT LETS TRAVELERS SEND...
December 15, 2004
As an iPod user myself, I found this bit of news a bit disconcerting. Basically, Apple Computer has updated its iPod software so that songs purchased from RealNetworks' online music store will no longer play on some iPods. Apple basically...
December 09, 2004
Logitech LX-501 Cordless Desktop Keyboard and Mouse Web site: http://www.logitech.com Price: $79.95 (retail), but I've seen it here for ~$50: Logitech LX-501 Logitech LX-501 Cordless Desktop Ratings ScoreInstallationDocumentationFeaturesUsability/ErgonomicsPerformanceOverallAccording to Logitech, the first "Cordless Desktop" (wireless keyboard & mouse) was invented...
November 30, 2004
According to MSNBC, the next multibillion-dollar surprise in the cellular business will be "ringback" tones. Instead of the usual ringing tone that people hear when calling someone, callers to Verizon Wireless subscribers may find themselves listening to a song until...
November 29, 2004
In keeping with my Media Center Extender review (in conjunction with Microsoft's Media Center Edition 2005) that I blogged today, I just got this press release today, which discusses the growth that Gigabit Ethernet video routers will bring. (Some people...
Sony VAIO RA920G on top of right speakerRatingsScoreInstallationDocumentationFeaturesUsabilityPerformanceOverallLast week I received a Sony VAIO RA920G Desktop PC running Microsoft Media Center 2005 (MCE) as well as the new Linksys Media Center Extender (MCX). The Sony VAIO RA920G has some...
November 19, 2004
I've become quite dependent on my GPS solution (Destinator 3.0 running on an iPaq), which has allowed me to throw out all the maps in my glove box. Unfortunately, I had one very bad experience trying to rely on my...
November 17, 2004
Last week I redeemed 170,000 Sony points to get a Sony VAIO RA920G PC running Microsoft's Media Center Edition 2005 operating system. I was curious if I could figure out a way to "stream" my home PC's multimedia content, including...
November 10, 2004
src="http://entimg.msn.com/i/asx/audio_streams/BreakingBenjamin_BlowMeAway_MBR.asx" controls="1"> Halo 2 This is an excellent article discussing the launch of the immensely popular Halo2 for the Xbox: MSNBC - Gamers go gunning for 'Halo 2'. (If the Halo theme music is annoying, scroll up and hit...
October 29, 2004
I just got an interesting email offering me an eval copy of a new piece of software called ppcTunes that which they claim is the first tool of its kind to allow Windows iTunes users to auto-copy selected playlists to...
October 25, 2004
Treo 650 The palmOne Treo 650 may be one of most "hyped" smartphones ever - with the anticipation causing more than just the casual phone geek to drool at the prospect at owning one of these puppies. The Treo...
October 20, 2004
Pretec 12GB CompactFlash Card Just read a funny commentary on Pretec's new 12GB CF card - apparently it will cost more than a new Honda Civic - $14.900! YIKES! Somebody would really have to be an ultimate geek to...
October 19, 2004
WiFlyer I found an interesting product retailing for $149.95 that lets you convert your dial-up Internet connection to wireless WiFi. So instead of your laptop being tetherered to the phone line, you can roam about freely using a wireless...
October 13, 2004
Audiovox SMT5600 I'm in the market for a smartphone - preferably one with Bluetooth, Windows Mobile software, GPS capability, and email access that can rival a Blackberry. The HP h6315 has certainly seen some hype and a lot of...
October 12, 2004
Linksys Wireless A/G Media Center Extender (WMCE54AG) I have over 167,000 Sony points to use up, so I have been itching to buy a Sony VAIO running Windows Media Center PC for some time now -- which has TiVo-like...
Segway Centaur Prototype Now this is pretty cool. I road a two-wheeled Segway in Disney World a few months ago. You can check out the Segway video and blog post here if you want. Read the full story about...
October 11, 2004
As a home-theater and gadget lover, I've always got my eye out for the latest new gadget that involves home theater equipment. I came across this news release from Orb Networks, which claims this product can "provides spontaneous access to...
September 23, 2004
Just got this press release about a mobile satellite TV antenna that you can install in your car. One of the problems with moving a satellite antenna is losing the "lock" onto the satellite. Ever tried installing DirecTV yourself?...
September 22, 2004
Sony is going to deliver a much smaller PS2 that weighs about two pounds or about less than half what the current model weighs. Additionally, the new model, like the Microsoft XBOX will have an Ethernet port. So I guess...
August 27, 2004
Hewlett-Packard (HP) has been hinting at their HP-branded iPod for some time now. Cnet is reporting the details of the HP-branded iPod which is called Apple iPod from HP. Check out the article and specifications here:HP tips its hand on...
August 25, 2004
The Samsung MM-A700 is one cool cell phone. It's loaded with Sprint PCS's Vision Multimedia Services and a built-in Media Player application. It features a sharp 262,000-color screen, stereo sound, and can play back pre-recorded TV shows at 15fps....
August 24, 2004
Apple is known for having the most userfriendly experience in computing. I've always been a PC fan, even in the old 8086 and 80286 days before Windows even existed - DOS was my friend. My first experience with Apple was...
August 04, 2004
Well, the Federal Communications Commission gave the OK to let TiVo allow users to share and send digital broadcast shows over the Internet, but limited to just 9 TiVo"friends" or users. It uses a key to limit access to the...
August 03, 2004
Many of us own digital cameras or PDAs that use CompactFlash or SD memory cards. Well, I'm sure none of us would want to lose precious photos or important data contained on these memory cards. A show of hands -...
July 29, 2004
HP recently announced a really cool GSM/GPRS-enabled iPaq that also supports WiFi and Bluetooth, making it one of the first to support all 3 wireless protocols. The iPaq h6315 was developed in partnership with T-Mobile USA Inc. and allows users...
July 20, 2004
I promised awhile back (this Disney World blog entry), that I would post some GPS coordinates that I captured while down in Orlando, Florida. Someone trackbacked to my blog entry and reminded me that I hadn't posted the GPS coordinates...
I'm a huge fan of iPod. I've been dreaming about getting one for two Christmas's. Unfortunately, Santa (my wife) didn't fill my stocking with an iPod. : ( (She did buy me some cool accessories for my Viper though.) Of...
July 17, 2004
I was just reminiscing with some old friends and we talked about how this one time we played a prank on a friend when we were teenagers. One night, a couple friends and I snuck into the back yard of...
July 15, 2004
View Large ImageView Large Image The Motorola MPx is one sweet device! I say device, because it can't be classified in one category, although "cell phone" category is the most critical feature. I guess "smart phone" device is the most...
July 13, 2004
PCTEL’S WiFi Seeker http://www.pctel.com I love Wi-Fi. I know have serious problems when I can be walking in a mall, down a street, a hotel lobby, an airport terminal, or in a store and wonder to myself “Hmmm, I...
June 28, 2004
I love Windows CE (use it for my car GPS), but if you think this operating system is used just in PocketPCs and Handheld PCs, you would be wrong. Here's an interesting video clip that demonstrates some cool Windows CE...
April 28, 2004
Shhh, don't tell my boss, but I've always wanted the ability to stream live TV on my work desktop PC. You know for those times when the Yankees are playing the Red Sox in a day game on a work...
April 23, 2004
Zipdash - Mobile Map and Traffic App In a recent blog entry, I talked about my desire to "integrate" GPS with tracking technology to be able to determine traffic speeds and re-route accordingly. Well, who knew that just a few...
April 21, 2004
Have you ever been frustrated by plugging and unplugging USB devices from your measly 2 USB ports (typically most PCs only come with 2 ports) I know I have constantly had to plug/unplug a USB printer, Canon PowerShot G3 digital...
April 19, 2004
I hate traffic. No, let me rephrase that. I HATE traffic! Connecticut's I-95 corridor from Bridgeport to Greenwich is ranked as having traffic in the nation. I know for a fact that commuting on I-95 has knocked off at least...
April 12, 2004
In my last blog entry, I mentioned I would discuss a GPS wishlist. First a backgrounder. I had to disable my Mitsubishi 3000GT's after-market alarm system (with an engine cut off switch) because both remote controls died. One died because...
