Archive for June, 2004

• Wednesday, June 30th, 2004

  Introducing The World’s Smallest Portable Audio Device, The Sony NW-HD1

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  Look out iPod Mini… Sony has released what they call “the world’s smallest portable audio device” built with a 1.8-inch, 20GB hard drive. The silver NW-HD1 model weighs less than 4 ounces and can store up to 13,000 four-minute songs (that is if you record them at 48kbps… expect about 9000 at >128kbps). The internal rechargeable battery provides up to 30 hours of continuous playback and the unit also offers G-Sensor shock protection, which is an advantage over traditional hard drive based MP3 players (like the iPod) by safeguarding the player’s internal mechanisms. The NW-HD1 connects to a compatible computer via a USB 2.0 interface and comes bundled with
  SonicStage version 2.1 software. Accessing music on the Network Walkman player is as easy with the use of Sony’s Jog Dial. The unit also features a seven-line backlit LCD display that makes selections easy to read in four different display modes… track numbers, bit rates, song titles, and artist names. The NW-HD1 Network Walkman digital music player will also come supplied with a USB charging cradle and carrying pouch. It will be available in
  mid-August for less than $400.

  
  

  Posted in Electronics | 5 Comments | Read On

• Wednesday, June 30th, 2004

  More Home Entertainment Stats…

  <% rating = 3 %>According to the just-released 2004 Ownership and Trend Report from The Home Technology Monitor:

      – 4% of TV homes report owning a DVR (such as TiVO) — a figure that has doubled in the past 6 months;
      – 6% have an HDTV set, up 50% versus six months ago;
      – 18% a VCR/DVD dual deck; and
      – 5% a PC with a TV tuner.

  Those percentages seem pretty low to me… maybe they should have surveyed readers of mavromatic.

  - Full Press Release

  
  

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• Tuesday, June 29th, 2004

  The Future of Converged Home Entertainment?

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  The problem with all this new technology is that us geeks don’t account for the rest of the population. So, what we think is cool and something that should catch on, might not be what the rest of the population wants. Example, I’m wiring my new home so I can control it from anywhere in the world… why? Because, I can and wall switches are old technology. Now, I’m not going to remove the traditional wall switches (you need them for the less techy people), but instead use smart switches that can communicate with my lighting controller. Having a simple to use wireless web-based ‘wall switch’ makes more sense to me — heck, the house should know where I’m at and turn on lights based on my activities automatically. Anyways… I can go on for hours about this topic… I came across a report from Ipsos-Insight, a global market research firm and they are reporting the following statistics:

  

  Nearly three out of four (72%) U.S. consumers say they are interested in a product that would easily connect their home entertainment systems to the Internet – commonly referred to as a “Digital Den” – according to results from a survey among 1,000 American adults. However, they also found that most consumers are concerned about the time and knowledge required to set up a Digital Den system, as well as compatibility issues with equipment they already own. So that’s where my home lighting system comes into play… some people might like the idea, but never really care to own one because they think it will be too hard to manage and use.

  Digital Den-type products are typically referred to generically as media hubs, wired-Ethernet media players, and wireless digital media players, with product names like Fireball, Soundblaster, Macsense HomePod and Turtle Beach AudioTron At-100, just to name a few. Some products connect stereos with Internet music files, other products link TVs to Internet movie files, and a few do both.

  

  Survey findings suggest that the lack of big consumer and technology brands behind such products creates uncertainty in the minds of consumers. “Low familiarity and confusion are not surprising given that we are still in the early adoption phase of Digital Den-type products,” said Todd Board, Senior Vice President and head of Ipsos-Insight’s Technology & Communications practice.

  The Ipsos-Insight findings show that two out of three (64%) U.S. consumers say they are not familiar with home entertainment products that act as a central hub for sharing music, movies, games, and other digital content between home electronic devices and the Internet.

  However, among the large bulk of people who expressed an interest in
  connecting their home entertainment devices to one central media hub, the
  majority (64%) said they anticipate purchasing a Digital Den type product
  within the next year, if one is available for a reasonable price. So over all, it’s seems like people are willing to investing in new technologies, but only if they are easy to install and use… which rarely is the case with these types of products. We live in a cruel, cruel world…

  
  

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• Tuesday, June 29th, 2004

  SONY’S New Three-MegaPixel Camcorder

  <% rating = 4 %>I was just talking to a good friend of mine, Mike Davidson, about 3-megapixel cameras being in cellphones, and once that happens there will be no need to carry a standalone digital camera anymore. We’re not quite there yet, but Sony is heading in the right direction with the new Sony DCR-PC350 MiniDV Handycam which boasts a 3.31-megapixel, single CCD. So if you are like me, and travel with both a digital camera and camcorder, then you’ll love carrying one less gadget. It will be available in September, just in time for the holidays, for about $1,300. I wish it were a HDTV video camera… that would’ve earned it a 5 rating!

  - READ THE PRESS RELEASE

  
  

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• Tuesday, June 29th, 2004

  Seabourn Yachts Are Wi-Fi Hot Spots

  <% rating = 4 %>If you are the type that plans vacation destinations based on 24 hour internet connectivity support, then today is your lucky day. Beginning this summer, the ultra luxury, all-suite cruise ships Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend are being upgraded to create one continuous accessible wi-fi “hot zone” throughout each ship, allowing you to connect to the internet via on a cruise vacation. Seabourn has conquered the challenge by installing an active access network manufactured by Wi-Fi Zone that blankets most of the ship, with few “dead zones” or areas where the system is not accessible. Seabourn has also secured a new satellite service provider that is considerably more economical than the company’s previous connection, which results in dramatically lower costs for telephone calls and internet connections than were required in the past. The Internet Center on board each yacht has also been refreshed with new PCs, software, printers and other accessories. It will cost you $4.95 per minute for voice, and 50 cents per minute for the Internet connection.

  
  

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• Tuesday, June 29th, 2004

  Serta’s Fireproof Mattress

  <% rating = 5 %>It’s a scary sight, a conventional mattress (top) and a Serta mattress with FireBlocker (bottom), three minutes, 30 seconds after ignition (caused by friction, etc, etc). During tests conducted at the Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the Serta mattresses with FireBlocker smoldered at very low temperatures for 30-minutes, whereas conventional mattresses immediately became engulfed in flames… which is not good… even if you are the one spontaneously combusting. FireBlocker is a fire barrier system made of a blend of natural and synthetic fibers that helps isolate the impact a fire and block its spread. So, the next time you are looking for a new mattress (you know you need a new set!) check out Serta’s 2004 product line that includes FireBlocker.

  
  

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• Monday, June 28th, 2004

  New Velodyne VRP Line of Subwoofers

  <% rating = 3 %>My first subwoofer was a Velodyne, the VA-1012. I’ve always liked that sub, it was affortable and powerful. That was in 1995, now they have released the powerful and affortable VRP Series, which consists of the VRP-1000 with a 10″ forward firing driver and the VRP-1200 with a 12″ forward firing driver. Both are finished in black ash with an hourglass-shaped front grille with high gloss black accents.
  It’s powered by a bipolar-MOS technology amplifier and each amp incorporates two specialized protection circuits to insure their long-term durability, protecting your investment. Both the VRP-1000 and VRP-1200 use drivers with massive 2.5-pound magnets and copper-wound voice coils in order to maximize the bass response of each subwoofer. Their high power handling capabilities and extended excursions allow these subwoofers to play louder and go lower than similarly priced products, as well as assuring extraordinary reliability. The VRP Series subwoofers will be available for audition and purchase at Velodyne’s authorized dealer network July 1. The suggested retail pricing of the VRP Series ranges from $349 to $449. [via HiddenWires]

  
  

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• Monday, June 28th, 2004

  Restore Your Old Photos With An EPSON Perfection Scanner

  <% rating = 3 %>Everyone has old family photos laying around ready to be scanned in and imported into iPhoto. But, one of the problems is restoring those old photos… why would you want to have old dusty photos mixed in with your prestine digitals? Well, EPSON will be releasing a few new scanners that should help matters. The Perfection 4180 Photo, Perfection 2580 Photo and Perfection 2480 Photo will each offer the abilities to achieve great scanning performance at incredibly affordable prices. The prices will range from $99 up to $199. All three models offer high-resolution scanning for amazing quality, with true maximum hardware resolutions of 4800 x 9600 dpi on the EPSON Perfection 4180 Photo, and 2400 x 4800 dpi on the EPSON Perfection 2580 Photo and 2480 Photo models. Each of these new scanners also includes the second generation of Epson Easy Photo Fix technology, which provides you with precise one-touch color restoration of faded photos, slides and negatives, and one-touch dust removal from slides and negatives. These new scanners should hit shelves sometime in August.

  
  

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• Monday, June 28th, 2004

  SkipJam’s iMedia

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  SkipJam iMedia technology will be releasing a “high fidelity, all-digital integrated home entertainment system that combines whole house audio and video distribution with digital recording and home control”, in a few months. The iMedia is geared to the high end audio/video users that want to instantly transform any ordinary home computer network into a complete whole-home A/V distribution and control platform. I find it interesting that they are referencing AMX as a “competing product”, but maybe they actually have to technology to do everything an AMX system can for a fraction of the price…

  “Competing products for home control and distribution from Sony, Philips, AMX, and others provide a fraction of the functionality at much higher prices, while requiring costly custom wiring and professional installation for even the most basic functionality.”

  The iMedia includes a PVR that records using MPEG-4 to any networked hard drive, universal whole-house remote control so you can control any device from anywhere, even while away from home (the AMX part), live media streaming, a DVR so you can record DVDs, VHS, and music (even radio) to any networked hard drive to watch any time. It can also playback MPEG 1/2/4, MP3, WMA, WAV, Ogg, JPG files. You can even use it as a home intercom that can page to any stereo/TV. It’s powered by 32/64 bit superscalar MIPS architecture CPU with separate DSP processors for audio and video, dual PCI buses and dual Ethernet ports, integrated TV and FM tuner. As for connectivity, it has 4 analog video inputs (3 S-video and 4 composite), 6 analog audio inputs, 4 PCM digital inputs (both optical and coaxial inputs and outputs), Firewire, USB 2.0, 3 IR output ports, IR Blaster LEDs, RS232 control. They are saying it should be out in a few months for about $800. If this devices actually delivers what it’s promising, then every home should have one…

  
  

  Posted in Home Automation | 1 Comment | Read On

• Monday, June 28th, 2004

  Sony 23″ Widescreen Display

  <% rating = 3 %>If you are looking for a larger desktop display that can deliver native 1920×1200 resolution, then the new P234 by Sony may be the answer. It features 500:1 contrast ratio and also comes with Sony’s ErgoBright technology. The P234 also has an ambient light sensor that can be activated to automatically adjust display luminance based on changing room lighting conditions. It will be available this month for about $2600.

  
  

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