Archive for June, 2004

• Saturday, June 12th, 2004

  Portable Media Centers

  <% rating = 0 %>If you check out the product specs of the ZEN, you will notice that it only plays Windows Media Video 7, 8 and 9, Windows Media Audio 8, Windows Media Image, MP3, JPEG and TIFF files. Great, but this is suppose to be a Portable Media Center… right? A device that syncs up and plays the files stored on your full blown media center. That’s what I thought… but the Microsoft Media Center computer only records MPEG-2 files because it uses a hardware encoder. How am I suppose to playback my Seinfeld and Daily Show clips for when I’m on the go? You’re probably saying to yourself, “Microsoft can just change that and let you record shows in the WMV format”. Sure, but then you have the problem that the Portable Media Center cannot play anything bigger than 320×240… I think this is due to lack of CPU power in the devices. In the end, you are stuck using Windows Media Player 10 (in Public BETA now) to convert and sync up your files. Let’s say I have an episode of TechTV’s ScreenSavers on my HP Media Center that I wanted to copy over. To simulate converting of a video asset, I brought it into Window Media Encoder to see how long it takes to encode a MPEG-2 show that is 30 mins long. It takes about 45 mins. There is no way this would fly for anyone on the go, unless you’re very organized and plan months in advance. When I first heard about these Portable Media Players I was thinking they would have fast CPUs and the ability to play any type of video files but as I’m seeing the specs come out it makes me think that I’m wrong.. I’d rather invest $400 in a PocketPC and do the exact same stuff via SD cards, today. Plus, a PocketPC can do A LOT more than just playback media assets. If you want a device that is small, portable, and can playback anything XP can, plus has the power of a full blown machine, then the only option worth considering is the $2000 OQO. I guess will just have to wait and see…

  
  

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• Friday, June 11th, 2004

  20” Glasses-Free 3D Monitor

  Forget about the new rumored aluminum Apple Cinema Displays… StereoGraphics has just announced the release of the SynthaGram 204. It’s a 20″ Glasses-Free 3D LCD monitor! The SynthaGram 204 falls into StereoGraphics’ mid-range monitor line with high resolution (1600 x 1200) and has a new stylistic design and takes advantage of new advances in glasses-free 3D technology to create even brighter and more realistic 3D images than ever before. The SynthaGram 204 also automatically transitions between DVD-quality 2D and 3D. The SynthaGram 204 is available today for $4,764 (MSRP), a bit more than a Cinema display, but if my memory is correct… the first 22″ Apple display was around that price at it didn’t do 3D, just looked pretty.

  
  

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• Thursday, June 10th, 2004

  Don’t Fall For It!

  Gizmodo posted about the $744 Power cable a couple days ago… It took me a while to find this good article that New York Times wrote a few years ago about about High-End Speaker wire. It doesn’t matter if it’s a power cable or interconnects… it’s all electricity. Read up and see exactly why it’s a waste of your money buying cables that cost more that what some people make in a year and forward it to your friends that waste there money needlessly on cables.

  - NY TIMES – A Spat Among Audiophiles Over High-End Speaker Wire

  
  

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• Wednesday, June 9th, 2004

  Sony Releases Networking Devices

  It seems like most of the cool new products are meant for commercial uses… Sony has released a couple new network devices that allow you to monitor, control and even send content to displays across a standard IP network. The new EBS-N100 network box (pictured) is designed to provide network status and control of Sony plasma monitors, including the PFM-42V1 and the new PFM-42X1 and FWD-50PX1 models. Through this new solution, Sony plasmas and networked LCD projectors can be combined on a single networking platform using Sony’s PJNet! management software (sold separately) and allows users to monitor and troubleshoot multiple devices from a central location. The new EBS-N200 network box provides the ability to stream MPEG video, access the web and present remote desktop applications across a standard IP network. The EBS-N200 is a pretty cool idea! So now you can just wire CAT5 behind your plasma and just send MPEG video to the display directly.

  
  

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• Wednesday, June 9th, 2004

  Sony’s New 60,000 Hour Panel Life Plasma Display

  

  Sony’s new displays are taylored for the corporate customer, but if you are a serious television or movie watcher it may make sense to invest in these new panels because they are rated to deliver up tp 60,000 hours (based on the panels half-life). The Sony’s new PFM-42X1 display features a 42-inch XGA 1024 x 768 progressive panel that includes speaker capabilities. The PFM-42X1 model also has new option boards, embracing component/RGB active loop-through and 5-BNC component input. If you want something a bit bigger, the new FWD-50PX1 plasma display is a 50-inch WXGA 1280 x 768 progressive panel that is ideal for PC and HD content. The FWD-50PX1 has optional speakers and a built-in 7W + 7W digital amplifier. This plasma also features additional image retention protection, and optional component/RGB active loop-through, 5-BNC component input and network management card BKM-FW31. The PFM-42X1 will be available in July and the FWD-50PX1 will be available in September and will be priced at about $5,900 and $8,500, respectively.

  
  

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• Wednesday, June 9th, 2004

  High-Tech School Busses

  

  Wow, even school buses are looking cooler and the children in High Point, N.C, were the first to take a ride on the all-new school bus to be manufactured in a new $39.7 million Thomas Built Buses plant in High Point. The company officially opened its state-of-the-art plant today and were joined by business, government and community leaders from throughout the state. The school bus features new safety advances and will be on the streets this fall.

  
  

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• Tuesday, June 8th, 2004

  The Best Seat In The House

  

  We are bombarded with studies that prove we are getting bigger. The New York Times reported in March that the first national survey of adult size since World War II found men and women all bigger in 240 different measurements “from tip to toe.” Manufacturers have even rushed to churn out a huge array of products for our
  growing population. Everything from scales that go up to 1000 pounds, to
  super-sized towels and oversized steering wheels are now available. But until Aitan Levy developed The Big John Toilet Seat, nothing had been done to provide comfort for that vital area right between tip and toe that had been crying out for relief — the BOTTOM. Aitan’s background involved high-class design and manufacturing for 5 star hotels and high-end kitchen and bathroom products. His clients have included Kevin Costner, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, W Hotels, and several major athletes.

  The Big John is:
  
  - Specially designed and manufactured for the Plus Size / Big & Tall consumer.
  - Stylish ergonomic design has a larger, more comfortable opening and a luxuriously contoured sitting surface that is roomier
  than any other toilet seat on the market.
  - Engineered tough for long lasting durability uses the highest-grade anti-microbial plastic that is both stain and chemical resistant.
  - Durable “Continuous Stainless Steel Mount and Hinge” that provides unbreakable strength where others fail.
  - Stabilizing “Rubber Bumpers” that literally grip the porcelain, keep the seat from any un-wanted shifting.
  - 4″ more Sitting Surface, 2 1/2″ wider Opening, and 2 ” Taller than a standard toilet seat.
  - “One size fits all”. Big John Toilet Seat has been uniquely engineered to perfectly fit either a Round or Elongated toilet bowl.
  - Guaranteed not to break – Lifetime Warranty.

  It can be ordered directly from their website for a special internet introductory price of $88.00.

  
  

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• Tuesday, June 8th, 2004

  New Sony Notebook Makes the Most of Small Spaces

  

  A few weeks ago Sony announced the razor thin X505, a great looking machine, but a bit to expensive at $3k. But maybe there is a better alternative… I just read that Sony will be finally be releasing the Type S here in the states next month. It has a 13.3″ widescreen display that uses their high contrast X-BRITE display technology, a full-sized keyboard and an integrated optical drive which makes it nice to use as a portable DVD player. The VAIO S series notebooks sport all that and more within a thin, black case that weighs just about four pounds. Screams “Sexy”! It’s powered by Intel Centrino mobile technology and can deliver up to five hours of work time on a single charge. Unlike the X505, the Type S has integrated wireless access and all series S notebooks come with a wealth of connectivity options including two USB 2.0 ports, a Memory Stick media slot, and an i.LINK IEEE 1394) digital interface. The VAIO S series notebooks will be available next month for about $2,000. Now we’re talking Sony!

  
  

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• Tuesday, June 8th, 2004

  Polariod Instant Camera With A Digital LCD

  Just when I thought Polaroid was dead, they come out with an all-new Polaroid Image1200 instant camera. It’s their first instant camera to sport a preview LCD viewfinder which is similar to a camcorder’s viewfinder and allows users to frame the image prior to taking the picture. The Image1200 also features true 10-zone
  auto-focus as close as 24 inches and uses the wide-format Polaroid Image film. The new Image1200 is available now at major retailers for a suggested U.S. retail price of $169.00. I don’t expect you to run out and buy one, I was just surprised to see an instant camera with a LCD screen.

  
  

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• Tuesday, June 8th, 2004

  HD Windows Media Players Coming Soon?

  Microsoft and STMicroelectronics have teamed up to bring us High-Definition Windows Media 9 Content on leading set-top box and DVD hardware platforms. Today announced that the two companies are working together to develop a series of new integrated circuit components for manufacturers of consumer electronics products. These components will extend the reach of high-quality, secure Windows Media 9 Series content, in both standard and high definition. Support of Windows Media 9 Series in products means we will be able to easily enjoy the high audio and video quality that Windows Media provides. I’m a huge believer in the WMV HD spec, it works with current technologies and is inexpensive to produce. I just hope it becomes the standard.
  
  
  Some useful facts:
  - Windows Media Audio 9, which provides playback of high-quality two-channel audio with remarkable compression efficiency
  - Windows Media Audio 9 Professional, which delivers 5.1 or even 7.1 channels of discrete digital surround sound at bit rates as low as 128 kbps, and supports 24-bit resolution and 96 kHz sample rates to deliver better-than-CD quality sound
  
  - Windows Media Video 9 (including VC-9), which delivers high video quality at all bit rates and even supports high-definition video, with up to six times the resolution of DVD-video, at approximately one-third the bit rate of MPEG-2

  
  

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