Windows 7 beta goes public January 9thDuring the kickoff Microsoft keynote that marks the start CES, Steve Ballmer announced that Windows 7 beta is available starting today for TechNet and MSDN subscribers. Nothing too exciting there for the average Joe, we know, which is why we were excited when he also mentioned that the beta would also be publicly available beginning this Friday, January 9th. You’ll be able to grab either the 32-bit version, or the 64-bit version of the Windows 7 beta software if you are one of the first 2.5 million people to hit the download button. You just need to head to the Windows 7 product page to do so. Just be aware that the beta software will expire on August 1, 2009.
As part of the release, Microsoft was also happy to note that Windows Live Essentials, “a free suite of communications and sharing applications that make it easy for people to communicate, share and keep their online lives in sync and in one place with one login,” is now also available on a worldwide scale. Netflix streaming hits VIZIO Connected HDTV [UPDATED]VIZIO is launching a new platform that they’re calling “Conneced HDTV,” and with it comes confirmation of the second Netflix direct-to-TV partnership. VIZIO’s Connected HDTV platform is designed to compliment traditional television viewing. You just connect the television to your home network, and if there’s nothing good on, you can go into Netflix, and I am sure there will be other services (YouTube? Hulu?) that you’ll be able to pull up as well. This is a trend we are definitely liking, let’s eliminate set-top boxes while providing more viewing options for the consumer.
EDIT: Okay, we just got more details on this. Aside from Netflix, the VIZIO Connected HDTV platform also brings Amazon Video on Demand, Pandora, Flickr, Blockbuster OnDemand, Rhapsody, Adobe Flash content, games from Accedo Broadband, and the Yahoo! widget engine. Very, very interesting! Sharp build Blu-ray players into BD-series Aquos LCD HDTV lineSharp is aiming to help eliminate at least one set-top box from your rack with their BD-series Aquos LCD HDTVs, which come with a Blu-ray player packed in to the television unit, announced today at CES 2009. If interested, you can pick one up later this month in 32-, 37-, or 42-inch flavors, or if you need something larger, next month the 46- and 52-inch models drop. These also bost the Superlucent ASV panel technology which means less glare in the end, and a brighter picture. It also does 24p through HDMI, in case you have an old HD DVD player you have lying around that you want to use (since the included Blu-ray technology doesn’t use up an HDMI port.) QAM and ATSC tuners along with RS-232C inputs round this one out. Full release after the break. RCA announces EZ209HD, their slimmest Small Wonder camcorder everWe are loving just how prevalent small HD cams are becoming, and the RCA EZ209HD looks to be an impressive unit when it comes to that category. This is the company’s slimmest and “sexiest” (their word, not mine) Small Wonder camcorder ever, and captures high definition video while sporting a 2-inch display. Even better, though, unlike some of the other handheld HD flash camcorders we’ve seen, the EZ209HD even has an HDMI port, so you can plug directly into a television to watch your home movies. The rechargeable battery lasts for two hours, which is also nice, and the camera even supports a 60fps Sports Mode for fast action. Once your recordings are done, you can easily upload them to YouTube and Box.net. You’ll be able to get your hands on an RCA EZ209HD by the end of this quarter, and it’ll sell for $119.99.
Full press release available after the break, which includes details on the EZ207 as well. VIZIO busts out $200 VBR100 Blu-ray player at CES 2009So, you know how VIZIO was working on switching from being a discount player to wanting to be seen more as a high end manufacturer? Well, looks like they are looking to merge those two together with their VBR100 Blu-ray deck, which they announced today at CES 2009. Here’s a look at the features of this 2-inch thick Blu-ray player:
Video outputs: HDMI (1.3), component, and composite
Audio outputs: 7.1 channel analog audio, coax and optical digital audio, and analog stereo (RCA)
Dimensions: 17 X 11 X 2”
Includes Remote Control (Oh rly??)
In addition, when watching a standard DVD, you can set the player to upconvert to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, and it has on-board Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA decoders, and that can be output from the unit’s 7.1 analog outputs. You can pick this one up in April for $199.99. BUG Labs announces five new BUGmodules at CESWe are big fans of BUG Labs, so we are naturally excited about the news this morning coming out of CES that they are set to release a total of five new BUGmodules. If you are unfamiliar with what BUG Labs and the BUGbase is all about, check out our video from last year’s CES after the break. Anyhow, here’s a list of the new BUGmodules:
BUG3g: Gives you phone and/or data connectivity
BUGwifi: Give you 802.11b/g Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR capabilities
BUGbee: An 802.15.4 antenna to be used with ZigBee home automation setups
BUGsound: Give you a 20mm speaker jack, four 3.5mm jacks, and an omnidirectional microphone
BUGprojector: An integrated DLP Pico projector which outputs at 480x320 resolution
None of these have been priced, or have even been stamped with a specific release date, but you can expect them to ship before the end of the quarter. Toshiba to integrate Media Center Extender technology into HDTVsHey, it’s CES time, and that means we are getting slammed with news from all ends. Toshiba, happy to get in on that party, has just announced that they’ll be integrating Media Center Extender technology directly into their REGZA line of HDTVs, and that they are even working on a standalone device that you can integrate into your home theater setup as well to get the same functionality. I guess this is the most we can expect from the company whose HD DVD technology lost out to Blu-ray in a major way. We’ve got the full release for you after the break. China Limits Internet Usage, Cites Porn and Obscene ContentChina has decided to cut back on their country’s Internet access to porn and obscene content by blacklisting 19 portals and sites. Included in that list are Netease, Baidu and Google. The deputy director of the State Council Information Office, Cai Mingzhao, said “Immediate action is needed to purify the Internet environment.”
Supposedly the Chinese Google has links to porn sites and although China’s Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center asked them to take them off, nothing was done. A spokesperson there said, “Google is neither the owner of those Web sites and porn nor does it spread (that) information intentionally.” We figure if someone wants to find that sort of content, there is always a way. Apple Mac G4 Clock“pixelthis” has designed this clock out of an old Mac G4 side panel. It has a quartz drive movement and runs on a AA battery (included.) Other clocks made include parts from the Apple G4 computer front cover, an Old Hitachi Turntable and Tom Petty LP, and a Computer CD drive. PT is very flexible in that he will substitute other clock hands or design something specifically for you at very low prices. The clock pictured here runs $59.00 while most are in the $30.00 to $50.00 price range. iGo Products Turn Off ElectronicsThe iGo Laptop Charger knows when your laptop is fully charged and then automatically shuts it down. The company’s Surge Protector also has an auto shut-off and can handle up to 8 devices/peripherals, etc. IGo also has a travel adapter, multi-card reader and a wall outlet that will not only save you energy, but make you feel less guilty. They have plenty of tips available to fit almost any electronic gadget and even more eco-friendly adapters on their site. Prices are quite reasonable considering all the energy savings. New Zealand Doctor Claims Carbs Are AddictiveGood news for those who insist that their spare tire is due to genetics. That is not quite the case, but a New Zealand scientist claims that carbohydrates may be as addictive as cigarettes, giving us a new excuse. He claims that heavily processed carbs found in as cereal and desserts raise the amount of sugar in blood. The result is that the sugar rush stimulates the same part of the brain that involves nicotine addiction. Dr.Thornley says that more studying is needed but that so far his research shows that those with a high body mass index have fewer brain pleasure receptors like in those who are addicted to cocaine and alcohol. MSI Wind NetOn With Dual-Core AtomMSI is sharing its Wind NetOns at CES. It is available in a 19-inch model AE1901 that will run on an Atom Dual Core CPU with 720p video support. The earth-friendly device consumes only about 20% of average PCs. The AE2203 is powered by a Core 2 Duo CPU. With advanced entertainment and AV features, the higher end NetOn has full HD video. Two other models, the AP1900 and the AP1902, will also be shown. No price or date of release has been given. Motorola MOTOSURF A310 SmartphoneOne of Motorola’s offerings at the CES is its MOTOSURF A310. The smartphone features a touchscreen with the company’s new widget-based home screen which includes an auto-updating RSS reader. Running on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, it also has trackball navigation, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support, a microSD card slot and a 3 mp auto-focus camera. The A3100 will start out in Asia and China, while the rest of us will have to wait until it finds its way further. How to upgrade your iTunes purchases to DRM-free iTunes PlusEarlier today during the MacWorld 2009 keynote, Apple announced that the iTunes Store was on the way to completely dropping DRM. As of today, 8,000,000 of the 10,000,000 tracks are now available as DRM-free iTunes Plus tracks, and that even includes music videos. We figured we’d give you a quick look at how you go about upgrading your library of purchased content.
So the first thing you want to do is go to the iTunes Store, and look on the right-hand side. You’ll see “iTunes Plus” as one of the links, with a number next to it. That number represents the number of pieces of content that you have available that can be upgraded. Click on that. Keynote Remote app introduced by AppleApple just announced their latest contribution to the App Store this morning in their MaWorld 2009 keynote. Keynote Remote is the official method of controlling your Keynote presentations from your iPhone or iPod touch. In order to advance slides, you swipe across the screen. You are also able to see your presenter notes beneath your current slide, and you can preview your next slide by turning the device to landscape mode. You can pair your iPhone or iPod touch to any Mac with Keynote ‘09 installed. In fact, that is an important point to bring up - Keynote Remote only works with the newly announced Keynote ‘09, part of the iWork ‘09 productivity suite. You can download it now for $0.99. Panasonic Plasma 3DTV With Blu-ray PlayerYou will still need some glasses, but Panasonic will be offering a 103-inch Plasma 3DTV and Blu-ray disc player that will deliver 1930x1080p high def. The company says that they put 2 sets of HD images onto one disc and have a way to record, decode and playback the images. The glasses themselves are synchronized shutters instead of those cheapy ones you used to watch Captain Eeo way back at Disneyland. Okay, but we bet they will still be nerdy and prices will be expensive plus. Audio-Technica SOLiDGE Forged SpeakersJapan’s Audio-Technica is releasing a new line of portable speakers they have dubbed SOLiDGE. Made of a forged aluminum structure, the manufacturing is similar to that of Katana swords. The company claims that using that technique will enhance their “signature sound” by reducing vibrations. We are not sure that is true, but we certainly like their looks. Due out January 23, the AT-SPS7 will cost about $280.00 while smaller the ATH-SPS5 will retail for about $130.00. iTunes goes DRM-free, gets price adjustmentsIn the final announcement of the MacWorld 2009 keynote, Phil Schiller listed off some of the changes coming to the iTunes ecosystem. First and foremost, in our mind, is that iTunes is going completely DRM-free. Starting today, 8 millions songs on the service will be DRM-free, and by the end of March, all 10 million will be without DRM. Consumers will be able to upgrade their entire purchased music library to iTunes Plus, which means no DRM and much higher quality at 256 kbps.
In a related note, Apple also announced that the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store is no more, and that instead, your iPhone can now download iTunes tracks no matter what connection you are on - that means no need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot in order to download the latest from Flo Rida. Of course, iPhone downloads are also DRM-free and sport the same quality. Samsung HDTV With Internet@TVSamsung has announced that many of its HDTVs released this year will feature Internet@TV service. The 5th generation Yahoo Widget Engine allows users to check news headlines, stocks, and search Internet based photos and videos on such sites as Flickr, and Yahoo News and Finance. Social interaction will also be available as well as access to YouTube, eBay and other sites. Connection is by Ethernet or optional wireless USB dongle. iLuv iMM183 Speaker DockiLuv has unveiled its iMM183 Speaker Dock. With room for both iPhone and iPod 4G or later, it can, like its older brother iMM173, play from either, has a built-in alarm clock, FM tuner and an aux-in jack for other audio sources on the 6W stereo. Add to that weather texted alerts from NOAA and SAME. They come through preset channels and up to 10 of them can be archived. An LED flashes to let the user know there is a new catastrophe brewing. The iMM183 should be out in March with a price probably close to the 173’s $150.00 mark. 17” unibody MacBook Pro announcedThis morning during his MacWorld 2009 keynote, Phil Schiller announced the new 17” MacBook Pro. The notebook is the world’s thinnest 17-inch notebook, at just 0.98 inches thin, and weighs in at 6.6 pounds. It’s got the same LED backlit display with a 1920x1200 resolution, 700:1 contrast ratio, and 60% greater color gamut. It’s got the glossy screen, but on this model there is a $50 anti-glare option that can get built-in behind the glass. As far as connections go, it’s got 3 USB ports, FireWire 800, Mini DisplayPort, ExpressCard, gigabit ethernet, and digital audio in/out. The notebooks rock the Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93 GHz processor with 6MB L2 Cache, and support up to 8GB of memory. It’s got the two integrated NVIDIA 9400M and 9600M graphics cards, and ships with a 320 GB hard drive, which can be upgraded to a 256 GB SSD. The big news here, though, is the battery life. Sine the battery is non-removeable, Apple was able to cram a bunch of cells into this thing, with the end result being 8 hours of battery life on a single charge using integrated graphics, or 7 hours using the discrete graphics chip.
The new 17” MacBook Pro comes in one configuration and sells for $2799, so no price increase over the last model. That gets you 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 RAM, a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, and a 320 GB hard drive, and it ships in late January. Canon FS200 Flash Memory CamcorderCanon’s latest flash memory camcorder will be making its debut at the soon to be CES 2009. The FS200, available in silver, wine or blue, features the company’s Quick Charge, which reduces battery charging time, 41X advanced zoom, a DIGIC DV II Image Processor and a 680k CCD image sensor. It also has a 2.7-inch widescreen LCD, image stabilization, and mic and headphone jack. While no price is available as yet, look for the Canon FS200 to come out sometime this month. iWork ‘09 announced at MacWorld 2009Aside from the new iLife ‘09 suite that was announced this morning, Apple is also showing off the new version of iWork, iWork ‘09. Here is a look at some of the highlights:
Keynote: New to Keynote, you can now identify objects within slides, and Keynote will take care of moving them around between slides. There is a Magic Move feature, which will do everything automatically, including resizing and rotating an object. There are new animations as well, featuring fly-ins on charts and graphs, rotating and grow on bars, zooming in on charts, etc. New deck themes have also been added.
As a side note, there is also a new Keynote remote control app available in the App Store that will allow you to use your iPhone or iPod touch to control your Keynote presentations. It will cost $0.99.
Pages: Pages ‘09 gets a few new features. First up is a fullscreen view that makes everything else on your screen disappear. Basically, you get the document you are typing on, and everything else fades to black, to help you focus. There are also new dynamic outlines, which let you outline what you are going to write before you actually start writing, and you can switch back and forth to reorganize your thoughts. Pages also gets a new mail merge feature, which works with Numbers, connecting to tables, and it also works with MathTpye and EndNote. Oh, and you get 40 new themes.
Numbers: Numbers 09 picks up easy formula writing, advanced chart options (like mixed chart types, error bars, trend lines) and new table categories. If you have a Pages document that is linked to data from a Numbers document, if you update it in Numbers, it is automatically updated in Pages. Nice. Lastly, Numbers also gets theme templates, which is rare for a spreadsheet application.
iWork ‘09 ships today, and sells for $79, or $99 for a family pack that is good on up to five Macs. If you purchase it with a new Mac, it costs just $49. Thanko Video Camera MP4 WatchThanko is helping you play spy with its Video Camera MP4 Watch. It has a built-in 4GB flash drive and can record images, MP3 and WMA audio and AVI video with its mic and camera. It also has a handy headphone port for private playback and it handles uploading, as well as file conversion, through your PC USB port. Compatible with Windows XP/Vista, the watch has a TFT 1.8-inch display with a video resolution of 352x288 and a picture resolution of 640x480. Expect 3.5 to 8.3 hours of playback, a battery charge time of 4 hours and a price of $249.99. iLife ‘09 announced at MacWorld 2009During his first (and only) MacWorld keynote speech, Phil Schiller announced the latest update to the iLife suite of software, iLife ‘09. Let’s take each app, one by one, and look at the changes and additions:
iPhoto ‘09: New to iPhoto is Faces. Faces uses facial recognition to organize and tag photos of people. iPhoto will find a face in a photo, and you tell it who it is. It will then find other photos that it thinks are of the same person. Easy way to grab snapshots that feature the same person. Another new organization feature is called Places. This uses the geotagging feature available on a lot of modern cameraa, and puts pins on a map showing the different places that the images were taken. If you have photos that aren’t geotagged, you simply tell iPhoto where the image (or event images) was taken, and it fills in the rest. The map feature is based on Google Maps, so you can zoom in on a location, look at satellite or street view, etc.
Apple has also added in built-in support for Facebook and Flickr to iPhoto - that means no more fumbling around with clunky plugins to get your pictures out of iPhoto and onto those services. A very welcome addition. Facebook users can add the names of people in their images, and iPhoto will retain that info as well (presumedly for the Faces feature.)
iPhoto also gets new slideshow themes. You choose a theme and photos, and iPhoto puts it all together. It uses the Faces to find the faces in images so that those are centered and zoomed. You can save slideshows to iTunes, and they can be synced to an iPhone or iPod touch. Something new for the Books too, you can now automatically get maps included, with pins that show your location. Great for making travel books.
iMovie ‘09: Apple has admitted that, since it was new, iMovie ‘08 didn’t have all the features that older customer wanted. This year, they aim to change that. iMovie ‘09 gets a new Precision Editor, Advanced drag & drop (that give you context-sensitive menus,) dynamic themes, and even animated travel maps. So, again, you can use your location data to insert 2D and 3D maps of those locations into your movies.
GarageBand ‘09: GarageBand ‘09 is being updated with a new feature called “Learn to Play,” which brings up an instructor which plays video lessons. If that’s not enough to get you excited, there are even Artist Lessons. You get people like John Fogerty, Colbie Caillat, Sting, Sarah McLachlan, Norah Jones, and Patrick Stump, who will teach you how to play instruments like the guitar or piano.
iLife ‘09 also includes updated versions of iWeb and iDVD, and ships free on new Macs. You can purchase an upgrade for $79, or buy a family pack (good on up to five Macs) for $99, and it will be available in “late January.”
For those wondering, Apple has also released a new version of iWork - iWork ‘09. SlingPlayer for Mac HD to appear at MacWorld 2009In addition to SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone making an appearance at MacWorld 2009, Sling Media has also made it known that we can expect a first look at high definition SlingPlayer content on OS X. Oddly, though, the HD streaming won’t be through the actual SlingPlayer application installed on your Mac - instead, it will be through the browser version at Sling.com. While we’d prefer to see it in the native app (and one would think that functionality has to be coming,) we will take whatever we can get as it pertains to SlingBox streaming in OS X. Oh, and since its housed on Sling.com, the HD streaming will be free. SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone appearing at MacWorldSlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone is set to make its debut this week during MacWorld 2009. If you own a Slingbox and an iPhone, then you’ve been waiting for this moment for quite some time. Sling Media will be showing off the current build of their SlingPlayer Mobile iPhone app, which they plan on submitting to Apple for App Store approval by the end of the first quarter of the year. This is gonna be one to watch. We’ll try to get more screenshots, or even video of the app, from Sling in the meantime. Bleeding Edge TV 302: Zune Originals packageWe’ve said it for months, but we will say it again, as far as digital music goes, the Zune Pass is the best deal in music. Of course, if you want to take advantage of the tracks you download using the Zune Pass, you’ll need an actual Zune device. Sure, you could hit the store and pick up one of the generic Zunes you’ll find on the store shelves of any Target or Best Buy, but why not get something a little more customized? That is where the Zune Originals line comes in. We were able to get our hands on a custom-designed Zune Originals device, and we thought we’d give you a hands-on look at what exactly it is you get when you spend an extra $15 or so on a customized Zune. As you’ll see, you get premium packaging, a neat design etched into your Zune device, a piece of artwork, etc.
For all the details, go ahead and watch the video. Apple introduces the MacBook WheelOkay, well, not really, but here on the eve of MacWorld 2009, we thought we might have a little fun. We adore The Onion here at Gear Live, and when we saw this video, we had to share it with you. After all, we know that Mac fanboys will buy anything, that prices on new Apple products can be high, and that sometimes battery life can be horrible. The Onion used that fodder to put together the masterpiece you see above, the first Apple notebook with no keyboard.
Okay, enough of that, we’ll be back with the real MacWorld 2009 news tomorrow morning! Picasa 3 beta released for MacOn the eve of MacWorld 2009, Google has finally gone and released a Mac version of Picasa. Picasa 3 for OS X is a beta version of the massively popular Picasa photo management software that Windows users have been enjoying for about five years now. If you are unfamiliar, unlike iPhoto, Picasa doesn’t wrangle all your images into one area - instead, if finds them and leaves them where they are. If you move an image, it will know where it went. You can do simple editing, and since Picasa is a Google product, it ties in to all the other Google offerings in exactly the ways you are thinking. Yup, emailing photos using your Gmail account, uploading videos to YouTube, and sending both photos and videos to the free Picasa Web Albums service, where you can then share them with friends, the world, or keep them private.
Picasa is free, and you can grab it immediately. AT&T iPhone tethering plan to launch this week?It seems that the days of silly iPhone tethering workarounds may be coming to an end (for those who are willing to pay for it.) Rumor has it that AT&T might finally launch an iPhone tethering plan, which would allow owners of the iPhone 3G to use the phone as an Internet access point. Now, we know that MacWorld 2009 kicks off tomorrow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the tethering plan will be announced there, but as our friends at Ars bring up, the functionality would likely require an iPhone OS update, and that in and of itself might be newsworthy enough to be mentioned tomorrow morning, if all of this comes to fruition.
The costs may outweigh the benefits, depending on your travel schedule and how much you’d plan on using the tethering option, as we are expecting the cost to be at or around $30 per month. A little spendy, we think, unless you plan on using it frequently - but then the issue of the iPhone battery comes in to play. Sure, you can plug it in to a USB port, but unless your notebook is plugged in to a power source, then you are using up extra notebook battery life. Or, you could just use a Mophie Juice Pack.
The fact that there was never an official tethering plan for the iPhone has always been odd to us, since other AT&T smart phones have those plans ready from the get go. Let’s hope this rumor rings true. Live Autographs Get a Celeb to Do You a FavorA new start-up is promoting personalized video messages from your fave celeb. At Live Autographs you tell him/her what you would like to ask or say to another as a gift. You receive a video, autographed memorabilia verified by a security-encrypted barcode and a free video download. Prices start at $149 from participants like William Shatner, Dave Navarro, Hulk Hogan, Tricia Helfer and many of the cast of “Lost.” You had better be quick about it though, as they reach a certain limit and sell out. We think Captain Kirk is the first casualty as we tested the system and were denied his services. Laptop Power Meter PlusMatt Collinge wasn’t satisfied with the small icon to show how much power his battery had left so he came up with his own power meter for Windows 9x/XP/2003. The meter appears as your battery winds down. The lower the power, the more pronounced the meter appears. Charge your laptop and the meter goes away. You can place it on either the bottom left or right on your display and it will run from your Start menu or create a shortcut. The Power Meter Plus is free for home use while businesses get a free trial of 10 days and then must pay a minor fee of $10.00 per installation. Chinavasion Portable DVD PlayerChinavasion has a portable DVD player with TV that will handle most disc formats. It has a 9-inch LCD swivel screen, an analog TV tuner, and SD and USB card slots. It also features an 8 bit Nintendo emulator and gamepad, can display photos and play music. The 251 x 42 x 195mm device comes in black, has 2.5 hours of viewing per battery charge and comes at a $133.50 price. Steve Jobs says he has hormone imbalance, isn’t dyingSteve Jobs has addressed his health, in detail, for the first time in a public venue this morning with a letter published by Apple. Since it was recognized that Steve had seemed to be losing a bunch of weight throughout 2008, many thought that either his cancer had come back, or that some other very serious affliction had caught up with him. Adding fuel to the fire was the news that Steve Jobs wouldn’t be delivering the MacWorld 2009 keynote address, with Phil Schiller filling in instead. Many figured it meant Steve was preparing for an exit from his position as Apple CEO. In order to quell everyone’s fears, Steve posted a note saying that he has been suffering from a hormone imbalance that had been “robbing” his body of the proteins it needs to remain healthy, and has recently begun treatment and is on the road to recovery. He also says that Phil is giving the MacWorld keynote so that he can spend the holiday season with his family, which is the first time in a decade that he is able to enjoy that pleasure.
We’ve posted the note, in its entirety, after the break. Give it a read - hopefully now we can finally put this Steve Jobs health issue to bed. Gov. Paterson Proposes iPod TaxNew York’s Governor David Paterson is trying to come up with creative ways to pad the state’s $15.4 billion deficit. One of these is an “iPod tax” that would charge for downloaded music and other “digitally delivered entertainment services.” In addition, cable and satellite TV services, movie tickets, taxis, soda, beer, wine, cigars and massages will also be taxed. The proposal must still get legislative approval and we expect that if it passes, there may be an influx of New Yorkers flooding to places like New Jersey to get their tunes. Apex DT502 Converter Box Only a PennyComp USA is offering a digital converter for only a penny. The DT502 features a smart antenna jack, RCA audio out, and coax, composite and S-video out. The Apex Converter comes with a remote control. The device retails for $59.99 and has an instant $19.98 savings. Put in your coupon code in the ADD TO CART space and that leaves you with only a cent to pay. And don’t try to cheat with an expired card as they will catch it. Aerial 7 Street Series HeadphonesAerial 7 has released some really garish Street Series headphones. Fortunately, they also have some plainer ones as well. Available in the styles of Tank (that comes with an extra cable and microphone,) Matador and Chopper, the company promises DJ quality sound. Each style has variations for those who want multi-color and those who prefer basic. Compatible with iPhones, MP3 players, handhelds and cell phones, each has an adjustable headband and thick cushioned earpads. Prices vary from $49.99 to $79.99. Vote For Best AppsThe 2008 Best App Ever Awards is the first for iPhone OS Applications. The goal of the competition is supposed to be to draw attention to the best available from the App Store, but it certainly won’t hurt sales. Although the nominations are over, you can still vote in 34 categories with 10 apps in each this week.The winners of the achievement awards will be announced January 7 at the 2009 MacWorld Expo. Apple T-Equalizer ShirtWe came across this Apple T-Equalizer Shirt that works like the others we have shown you with a sound sensor and a battery pack that goes in the pocket. Made of 100% cotton, it needs 4 AAA batteries (not included.) The pack is detachable for shirt cleaning. In case Apple decides to sue, there are a whole slew of other styles to choose from for $45.00, including Jurassic Park, Godzilla, iRock Inside, Astroboy, Metroid, MDJ and Addidas.
Jenda Lifetime Voice CalendarSince it is time to put up your new calendars, we were thinking how nice it would be if we could have an everlasting one. The Jenda Lifetime Voice Calendar fits that request quite nicely. Record important dates and messages to yourself or other family members with an easy interface and one-touch recording. It features a low-battery notice and runs on three AAA alkaline batteries. Best of all, order now and pay a price that was recently reduced to $39.95. Some Digital Photo Frames Carry VirusesIt turns out that digital photo frames are more susceptible than ever to viruses. If you bought or received a Mercury 1.5-inch keychain from Walmart or other retail stores, you could be at risk. Amazon emailed a warning to owners about Samsung’s SPF-85H 8-inch frame which was infected as well on its installation disc. Last year, the trojan Mocmex was found in some items from retailers like Best Buy, Costco and Target. If you are worried that you may have one, contact the store your frame came from or the manufacturer. Nextar NXBT-001, 002 Solar Bluetooth KitsPay attention, people of California. It is now illegal for you to use your cell phone while driving unless you have a hands-free device. Nextar, located in the same state, has cleverly released two solar Bluetooth kits, the NXBT-001 and 002. Each clips to a sun visor and recharges in standby mode. The 001 provides 250 hrs.of standby and 10 hrs. of talk time. It has an LED signal display, supports A2DP and AVRCP and comes at a price of $59.99. The 002 has 6 hrs. of talk time and 150 hrs. of standby with a backlit LCD display and caller ID. Its price is $69.99. Both will debut at the CES and come out in the spring. Zune Z2K Caused by Leap Year?By now, you have probably heard of the temporary sepuku occurring in 30 GB Zunes. If not, then you either don’t have one or undoubtedly haven’t plugged yours in the last few days. Many have suggested that the “Z2K” problem was caused by 2008 being a leap year. Microsoft offers tips if your Zune has ceased to exist. They suggest disconnection, allowing the battery to drain, then reconnect the Zune to its USB port on your computer or AC adapter. Check with Microsoft if you have questions or your own theory. More Demand Than Supply for Digital TV Converter CouponsThe conversion to digital TV is less than 2 months away, so if you stashed your coupons in a drawer somewhere, they have probably expired. Apparently there is a last minute rush as the Department of Commerce says there are simply not enough available. They are hoping that Congress will allow additional funding.
“Once the obligation ceiling is reached, the program will hold coupon requests until funds from unredeemed coupons become available,” said Meredith Attwell Baker, acting asst. secretary for Communications and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. There are about 60 models out there to choose from, but without the coupon, you will pay between $40.00 and $90.00. iKids Play - For Those Long Car TripsYou get to play with your iPhone or iPod touch apps all the time, so next time you go on an extended trip, instead of hearing “Are we there yet?” pass your brats the phone with one of the iKids Play titles installed. One of the applications has 5 activities that include a coloring book, stories, finger painting, reading/recording aloud and a hidden image game. The company claims that it promotes tactile, listening and motor skills, visual/spatial coordination and color recognition as will as reading. More books will be available later, and for the introductory price of $2.99 at the App Store, it is definitely worth the mini-cost.
iKids Play titles:
A Creek Runs Down Our Street
A Caterpillar’s Dream Spy Pen With MP3 PlayerThis is no ordinary Spy Pen. It has a cam and mic and captures AVI video and replays it on your PC, and when your covert operations are completed, you can use it as an MP3 player and USB drive. The device, at a size of 150 x 15 x 15mm and a weight of 45g, supports Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/Vista and needs a two hour charge. The Spy Pen comes with earphone, USB cable and AC adapter at a price of $65.00. NU EBC 100 DVD and Blu-ray External DriveTaiwan’s NU EBC 100 is said to be the slimmest Blu-ray combination external drive with 8X DVD writer and 2X Blu-ray ROM. It is plug and play with its USB 2.0 interface but also comes with power adapter. At a size of 155 x 141 x 17.6mm and weight of 400g, it automatically adjusts writing speed to minimize error of low quality during high-speed recording. It also prevents under run errors and stabilizes while writing. No availability or price has been announced at this point. New Years Ball on Display All YearYou probably caught the Times Square New Years Ball on TV last night, but now you can visit it at a later date. The organizers have announced that it will be a permanent attraction for the entire year. The globe is a 12 ft. geodesic sphere and weighs almost 12,000 lbs. It is about twice the size of previous ones. The ball is covered with a Waterford Crystal design named “Let There Be Joy” and Philips’ 32,256 Luxeon Rebel LEDs that create more then 16 million colors in billions of patterns. Oddly enough, we watched last night and only got to see about 3 of them. Top 20 Gear Live stories of 2008We welcome the coming already-here year of 2009 with open arms, but we thought it would definitely be appropriate to take a look back at the stories that made 2008 a memorable one. We’ve compiled the 20 stories from 2008 that were read more than any other, and the fact of the matter is that you guys (like us) are iPhone junkies, who also appreciate our giveaways, and reviews. So without any further delay, away we go:
20 most read Gear Live posts of 2008:
Flash on iPhone is just around the corner
Apple beta testing iPhone 2.1 firmware, adding more GPS features
What do you want to see us cover at E3 2008?
Our Verizon FiOS customer service nightmare: Why won’t they protect my private customer information?
iPhone 3G: The details
Why is Apple stalling Flash on the iPhone?
HP Magic Giveaway: Enter our contest to win over $6,000 in electronics!
How to tether your iPhone 3G to your laptop
iPhone 1.1.4 Firmware Update now available, already jailbroken
iPhone Dev Team jailbreaks and unlocks iPhone 2.0
iPhone 1.1.3 Q&A: Batch Two
Get the Mac OS X Update for MobileMe right now
T-Mobile G1 details
iPhone 1.1.3 Jailbreak app for OS X now available
Venus, Jupiter and Crescent Moon In Alignment Tonight
iPhone Pwnage Tool 2.0.3 now available
iPod nano updated, elongated, and nano-chromatic
Apple Time Capsule vs. Airport Extreme size comparison
iPhone firmware 2.1 detailed
MacBook Air SSD review
So, how does that look to you? You feel like anything was missed? Was there a particular Gear Live article that you enjoyed, but didn’t make the cut? Sound off in the comments, peeps. Oh, and have a fantastic New Year!
|
