PLuGHiTz Live! - The UpStream

Netgear: How Many Devices Are on Your Router? [Live]

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:48:37 MST

Double the Count in One Year

Connected devices - tablets, streaming video, smartphones,thermostats - are growing rapidly, with the average home deploying over seven devices on a home router - almost doubling over the past year. Netgear announced eight new products, optimized to serve all of these devices. Products such as the Netgear N-900 Router give better range, and the ability to give priority to certain types of traffic, such as gaming or VoIP.

In the interview, we also discuss PowerLine Carrier as an alternative in the home. Netgear just announced a 500Mb/sec version, with a 1Gb system on the roadmap.

Interview by Andy McCaskey and Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Ivee: The Talking Alarm Clock That Listens

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:45:27 MST

Ivee is a personal digital assistant - equipped with speech recognition circuitry that offers Natural Language Processing. By analyzing digitized portions of the voice signal as they are spoken, ivee determines the most probable word given the phonemes you spoke.

That's the tech story. What that means is that all you have to do is ask the time, date, weather or temperature. Ivee can generate three different sleep sounds, and understand 35 commands. Price class $50

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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I'm Watch : Fashion, Tech, Jewelry, and Marketplace

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:43:23 MST

The world's first real smartwatch: With a Smart UI

Multi-tasking, easy to use and love: touch, drag, swipe or pinch. Get your intuitive interface in a complex world.

Slick, thin and ergonomic, i'm Watch claims that the product is made to be part of you: phone, web, music, radio, organizer, photo, video, and whatever App you may come up with. While other personal items may have some of these applications covered, the I'm Watch is the only unit that combines them into a user interface that is consistent across all applications.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Armour Group PLC : Q2 Internet Radio

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:39:52 MST

A novel unit out of the UK simplifies Internet Radio.

The Q2 Internet Radio has one of the most interesting interface systems for selecting station presets and adjusting volume that we saw at CES2012: Simply flip the cube. The listener can pre-select stations or podcasts in the control interface online , and choose from five color schemes. Price class $110.

Interview by Andy McCaskey and Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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4iConcepts: Better Smartphone Typing Accuracy

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:36:43 MST

All thumbs? Almost anyone can feel that way on the iPhone keypad.

That's where iConcepts and their unique 4iThumbs2 invisible keypad saves the day. It is a transparent plastic overlay for your glass screen that has built in ridges between the letters. You have the tactile feedback that you need to increase accuracy and speed while texting or emailing from your iPhone.

It's easily removed and re-installed when needed - if your game of Angry Birds needs to resume.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Vertix: Wireless Helmet Communicator for Motorcycles, Skiers and Drivers

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:09:00 MST

Communications with your co-rider or with other bikes on the road is always a challenge.

Vertix Ltd introduced a sophisticated system they project will reach the North American market for about half the retail price of conventional motorcycle communications gear at CES2012.

The VERTIX Raptor-i provides convenient and uninterrupted mobile communication while on the move and features models for both full-face and open-face helmets. The EZ-Mount system also allows easy "attack angle" adjustments of your control unit for improved aerodynamics when you change bikes with different riding styles. The unit combines intercom, MP3 player, FM radio and features on the move charging that keeps the unit ready to go at all times.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Tylt: Adding Style and Design to the Everyday Wireless World

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:04:21 MST

No matter what technology is involved, consumers are still anxious about their battery levels - and mobile connectivity is "critical path" to almost everyone's business and personal lives.

That results in a bag full of cables, backup battery packs- usually one for each system. Add in wall adapters and tangles and the opportunity for a more elegant solution is right in front of your eyes.

Bringing Design to the world of power cables, Y adapters, power blocks and battery chargers captures the innovative approach that comes when products are Built to Tylt.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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PrivacyStar: Call and SMS Blocking for Android and Blackberry

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:57:42 MST

If you want to ensure that you are on the Election Year "Do Not Call" list, this is the app for you.

Privacy Star allows you to block numbers from annoying pollsters and solicitors, and if they get really obnoxious, report them to the Federal Trade Commission. Similar calls from bill collectors including date, time and frequency are logged for action.

There's also an optional Do Not Disturb mode, which forwards all non blocked incoming calls to voicemail with the option to send a custom text message acknowledging the call.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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iTwin: An Infinite Capacity Thumb Drive?

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:51:33 MST

There is nothing more handy than having a USB stick - the ubiquitous "thumb drive" or "jump drive" with your critical documents. The problem is - the document hanging around for years on your desktop system is NOT on the thumb drive. You need it Right Now! ASAP! That's the problem that iTwin solves.

You plug in one-half of iTwin into your online office computer, then drag-and-drop files into the iTwin window to share them. Take the other half of iTwin with you and you will have instant access to all of the shared files, from any other online computer. No configuration, no VPN token card, no login.

Available for both Mac and PC, price class $100.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Keep Your Tablet Clear with the Lenspen SideKick [Live]

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:46:38 MST

Lenspen have a long history of products in the photography market and they've brought their expertise of lens cleaning to the mobile gadget space. Their client list reads like a who's who of the photography market with Nikon, Canon and Sony all producing OEM-branded version of Lenspen's lens cleaning tools. Todd and Don chat with Peter from Lenspen to get an update on the latest products.

Last year, Lenspen introduced the first SideKick and since then the product line has been expanded with new colors and new packaging. The SideKick is a matchbox-sized spring-loaded carbon pad that is wiped over the screen and completely removes fingerprints from tablet and smartphone screens. Using a carbon-based technology, the SideKick absorbs oils without any abrasion, leaving a perfectly cleaning screen. It then closes up to keep all the carbon inside. One cartridge will do 300-400 cleanings before needing to be replaced. The SideKick is available online and in retail stores from $14.99 for a single SideKick. Other package combinations are available.

Lenspen also has specific cleaning products for LCD monitors and screens, such as the Laptop-Pro, that removes both dust and fingerprints.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine, The Gadget Professor for the TechPodcast Network.

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iBike Powerhouse for your iPhone

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:39:45 MST

For a long time now cyclists, at least serious ones, have mounted mini computers on their handlebars. The devices provide information on time, distance, average speed and even elevation and temperature. Now iBike is bringing us the ability to do all of this with our iPhone and eliminate that second device.

The iBike Powerhouse provides a weather-proof case for your iPhone that can be easily mounted on your bike's handlebars and the accompanying app provides all of the data you are used to getting from a traditional cycling computer plus a whole lot of additional information such as a heart rate, training plans and more.

The product and app are the creation of real cyclists and coaches, so the information provided by the app is what even professional riders want and need to know. Check out the interview below with the iBike representative, who has a side job coaching Olympic and professional riders, to get more information on the iBike Powerhouse, along with pricing and availability. You can also visit iBikeSports to check everything out.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Samsung Series 9 Notebooks

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:35:50 MST

If you are in the market for a new notebook computer then you may want to check out the latest offerings from Samsung with their Series 9, which was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas just recently. Samsung calls it the world's thinnest laptop, which is saying something given the MacBook Air and all of the new UltraBooks that were unveiled at CES.

The new Samsung Series 9 will come in both 13 inch and 15 inch versions. The new laptops are extremely thin and light and sport all-aluminum bodies. In addition, the Series 9 has a back-lit keyboard, a 128 GB or 256 GB SSD, an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor but a low-resolution 1600 x 900 screen. The Samsung Series 9 notebooks should be available sometime this spring for an as-yet-undisclosed price. You can get a look at the 15" version in the video posted below.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Kidz Gear Volume Limiting Headphones [Live]

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:31:14 MST

CES regular Jack Peterson talks with Todd and Don on the latest headphones for children from Kidz Gear.

Kidz Gear produces headphones with smaller headbands and ear cups to fit the smaller heads of children. This year they've brought to the market new wired headphones that have a built-in volume limiter that prevents children's hearing becoming damaged through excessive sound levels. The headphones reduce the maximum sound level by about 20% into the 80-95 decibel range.

The new headphones are compatible with the iPad, iPhone and iPod ranges and include an inline remote and mic control. They're available from the Apple Store or direct from the Kidz Gear store for $29.99.

An additional new product in the same vein is a volume limit cable which can be added to already-purchased headphones to make them safer for children. Priced at only $9.99, there's currently a special price of $5.99 showing on-line.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine, The Gadget Professor for the TechPodcast Network.

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Polkast: Making Your Computer the Cloud [Live]

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:22:19 MST

Cloud-based solutions for accessing the data on your computer off site are great, but they have their limitations. First, they are slow because everything has to upload to the cloud before you can access it off-site. Second, most cloud solutions have a limit on how much you can store on their sites. Third, they can get expensive if you have to store a lot. Finally, you have to depend on them to be up.

What if you made your computer the cloud? That is the solution that Polkast came up with. You install the Polkast server on the computer you want to access the files from and then the Polkast app on your mobile devices, including your smartphone, tablets or laptop. You can then access the files on that computer from anywhere in the world as long as the server is running. To access files using Polkast, you have to sign in with a username and password. Everything is encrypted while going from PC to PC or mobile device. Unlike a cloud-based solution, there is no storage limitation and it is as fast as your local ISP. You can also share specific files with other people by email or through their Polkast account. The service is free for one computer and for multiple devices it is $49.95 per year. If you are looking for a way to access your home files on the road, but are wary of a cloud solution, this might be a solution for you.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine, The Gadget Professor for the TechPodcast Network.

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Parrot Introduces Cool Products like AR Drone Mark 2 [Live]

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:17:35 MST

There are some products that are shown at CES that are just cool and everyone who is a kid at heart just wants, the AR. Drone by Parrot is one of those gadgets. This year at CES 2012 they introduced AR. Drone Mark 2. The Mark 2 (aka AR. Drone 2.0) is controlled by a smart phone or tablet. It has a one button launch. Once it is launched it will sit and hove till the next command. The AR. Drone Mark 2 can fly up to 150 feet in the air, or as far as WiFi will allow. AR. Drone Mark 2 has stabilization and pressure sensor technology built into it. On the front is an HD camera and a standard def camera on the bottom. You can stream and record the video back to the phone via WiFi. The video can then be uploaded to your favorite social site, including YouTube and Facebook.

It comes with two hulls: one for in-home use and one for outdoor use. It is built to take some crashes, but if something breaks you can get replacement parts online. The AR. Drone Mark 2 should be available in the second quarter of 2012 for about $299.00, according to Peter George of Parrot.

Once you are finished playing with the AR. Drone Mark 2, you may want to relax with a little music and some quiet time; well, Parrot has you covered there too. They are introducing a pair of stereo cordless headsets that are noise canceling called the Parrot Zik. They work over either Bluetooth or the included cord. They run on a rechargeable battery and give about 5 hours of listening pleasure. Once the battery runs down you can continue listening by connecting the cord. What makes the Parrot Zik headphones stand out besides the great style by French designer Philippe Starck are the controls on the headphones. There is a touchpad on the headphone which allows you to skip back and forth through tracks by swiping right or left and control volume by swiping up and down. The headphones fold down flat to fit into a small carrying case. There is no price or launch date at this time, but they should be available sometime in 2012 at various retailers. All together Parrot introduced seven new products at CES 2012, including three additional products in the car environment and the asteroid marketplace. You can take a look at all of them at their website.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine, The Gadget Professor for the TechPodcast Network.

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iLuv Wins With New Travel Gadgets

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:05:18 MST

iLuv will be familiar to many with their extensive range of matching accessories for tablets, smartphones and MP3 players. At CES this year, iLuv won no less than 5 CES Innovations Honoree awards to add to their collection of accolades. Todd gets a review of their latest products from Peter of iLuv.

The DreamTraveler is combined iPhone dock, USB charger and mains power strip squared aimed at those unfortunate souls who have to spend time in poorly equipped hotel rooms. It has two USB charging ports, three power outlets and an Apple connector for charging iPhones, iPods and iPads.

For the international traveller, iLuv has the RockWall, a dual USB charger that comes with the right mains plugs for different countries round the world.

Finally, the Mo'Beats is a portable tablet or smartphone cradle with Bluetooth wireless speakers that has a built-in lithium-ion battery which will run for about 4 hours.

All the products will be available in April or May. The Mo'Beats SRP is expected to be $89.99 but the website is currently showing $99.99. I think Peter gets his prices mixed up in the video as the RockWall is priced at $49.99 on the website and the DreamTraveler is $129.99.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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New Sony Google TV Products

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:02:02 MST

Sony was the first to market with Google TV and, while the platform had a rocky start, Google is sticking with it and working hard to improve it. Sony is also sticking with it and at CES they showed off their latest Google TV products. The two big releases are a new version the Sony Google TV-enabled Blu-Ray player and a brand new Networked Media Player with built-in Google TV. There is also a new dual-sided remote control with a simplified user experience - one side has the basic buttons along with a touch pad for mouse-like control , while the reverse side features a QWERTY keyboard which is only active when it is facing up, eliminating those accidental clicks.

The Blu-Ray player and networked media player are expected to be released sometime in the late spring or early summer. No pricing information is available as of this writing. You can check out the boxes and the really cool new remote control in the video below.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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IOGear Introduces HDMI Switch with 2D to 3D Conversion

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:59:54 MST

According to IOGear about 70% of the people currently looking to buy new TVs are leaning towards 3D, but are scared off by the lack of available programming. That's why they have decided to produce what is the worlds first conversion box for making 2D content available as 3D, that also has up-converting features and an HDMI switch built-in.

This new HDMI switch has 4 ports and it does a lot more than simple conversion. This as-yet-unnamed IOGear box allows the user to make adjustments to get the 3D picture looking right for their individual tastes. Since it has four HDMI inputs you can also up-convert your 2D DVD's as well. It also up-converts resolution types by turning 480 into 720 and 720 into 1080, which then converts to 3D, making all of your existing content available in 3D. The box is expected to be available in March for an MSRP of $199. That's about double a basic 4 port HDMI switch, but it contains functionality which can't be had all in one box until now, and it's all in one very small box. You can check it out in the video below. Now all it needs is a name.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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LG Styler Overview

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:30:25 MST

If you are a businessman or women you know how important it is to have your cloths wrinkle free and smelling fresh. You also know how expensive dry cleaning can get. LG may have an answer for you, the LG Styler. The LG Styler is about the size of a storage wardrobe. The clothes hang from a rack and steam is used to gently remove wrinkles and odors. There are no harsh chemicals involved. It takes about thirty-nine minutes to steam and dry a shirt.

Right now the LG Styler is only available in S. Korea and Japan, but they hope to have it available in the U.S for around $2,000 by the end of the year. At this point LG is looking at selling the Styler not only to individuals, but also to high end hotels and other companies that cater to the business travelers. Wouldn't it be nice to get to a hotel room, unpack and place your shirts in the LG Styler and then in less then 40 minutes you are ready to go. Your cloths smell fresh and are wrinkle free. The LG Styler isn't supposed to replace dry cleaning, but it might keep your cloths ready to wear between dry cleanings.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Ford Focus Electric at 100 MPGe

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:25:47 MST

Eric from Ford talked with Jeffrey about the Ford Focus Electric at CES. Items discussed included the internal battery system, the interactive charging system inside, strength of the vehicle, recycled material, and how these vehicles can be 100% made in the USA.

Over 50% of the body is high-strength steel. The battery is around this steel, which will protect you and the battery in case of a crash. With the new Ford assembly line (a video Jeffrey recorded in December), a power train vehicle build can be switched at a moments notice.

The best part is the Focus Electric will get you over 100 miles per charge. That, along with recycled bottles and rubber making the seats, floormats and gaskets around your car, this is a truely green vehicle for you.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine for the TechPodcast Network.

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LG Pentouch For a PC and TV

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:23:51 MST

The new LG Pentouch technology connects to your TV and a computer to bring touch-screen technology to your flat screen TV. The Pentouch consists of the box for connecting a Windows PC to the Plasma TV, which comes along in the package. It all works on WiFi so there won't be any messy cables either. It's geared more towards a business than home user as it essentially turns the TV into a whiteboard, but there are a lot more features than just that. You can also edit Office documents and there are two pens included so that two people can work on the screen at the same time.

There is no exact release date yet, although LG hopes to make it available in the early Spring. There is also no price point as of yet, although with a plasma TV included you probably shouldn't expect it to be too cheap. You can find out more by visiting LG and by watching the video below.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Trikke A Fun (Electric) Ride

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:55:24 MST

If you live in the city or suburbs and are looking for a vehicle that you could ride to work and have fun doing it, then you may want to take a look at the Trikke. As the word indicates the Trikke is a three-wheeled electric vehicle. Because it has three wheels it is very stable and easy to ride. You simply turn the throttle and go. You can lean into the curves and the wheels never leave the ground. It folds up so you can easily fit it in the back of a car or carry it into the office. A Trikke weights between 35 and 48 pounds (with battery) depending on the model, so you are probably not going to want to carry it far. You can plug it into any outlet to recharge it. A battery takes about three hours to fully recharge. On a fully charged battery a Trikke will go from 10 to 24 miles depending on model and weight of the rider. You can reach speeds up to 17 miles per hour.

Trikkes are available in different colors and models and the prices range from $1300 to $2200 depending on the model. If you are a skier a Trikke would be a great way to keep in shape for the skiing season. You use the same muscle and movements on a Trikke that you do for skiing and it is low impact. Easier to ride than a bike and a lot better on the bottom.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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The Mighty Dwarf BlueII Bluetooth Speaker

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:46:15 MST

Today most of us travel with portable music devices, and in a lot cases that's now our smartphone or tablet. Those device don't always have very good external speakers, but most them do have Bluetooth capability. That same Bluetooth technology is now built into external speakers, which really helps to bring these new portable devices to life.

The new BlueII Bluetooth speaker from Mighty Dwarf brings surface induction to the external speaker world. By using the surface the speaker is sitting on to amplify the sound Mighty Dwarf has added a whole new dimension to this external speaker. For those with a device that doesn't feature Bluetooth technology there is a model for you as well.

The new BlueII will be available in March of this year and carries an MSRP of $120 for the Bluetooth model, and $100 for the standard version. There are also other versions already available in the $75 range. You can visit Mighty Dwarf to find out more, and also check out the video demo posted below.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Take Control of Your Car with Mavia

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:29:21 MST

Todd chats to Madison of Mavizon about their new Mavia automotive product which keeps tabs on your vehicle in more ways than one.

Mavia is a small box (see picture left) that plugs into your vehicle's ODB-II port - that's the connector used by technician's to check on the car when there's a problem. The Mavia combines readouts from this port with its own internal GPS receiver to provide location and technical information that is sent back to an online hub at www.mymavia.com. Android and iPhone client apps can be downloaded too.

The MyMavia hub will show data on the vehicle such as gas mileage and distance to next service, plus any diagnostic error codes. MyMavia can interpret some of the diagnostic codes and it enables the owner to consult other resources, online or otherwise, to find out more on what's wrong with the car. MyMavia incorporates location services too, showing where the vehicle is on Google Maps and there are connections to social sites like Foursquare.

The Mavia is in a beta testing phase so pricing is not confirmed but is expected to be around $200. The device will be available from retail outlets later in the year and requires no special fitting; it's a self-install.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Careverge Takes A Social Approach To Health

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:07:10 MST

The fast pace of modern Western life doesn't lend itself to a healthy lifestyle and many of us struggle to keep on top of the weight and exercise regularly, including myself. Careverge can help as a one-stop health and well-being site that brings together fitness, health and support in one place. Careverge's Henry de Phillips talks to Jamie Davies of the MedicCast and the Nursing Show about what the site can offer.

Careverge's approach is to create a social networking environment to encourage good health behaviours rather than to simply sell a product or a plan. The site brings networking, gaming and recommendations together so that within only a few moments of starting to use the site, the individual is given personalised suggestions on reading and possible activities. The focus of Careverge is to encourage people to health through fun while providing quality health information and support to reach their goals.

Careverge is free to use for consumers.

Interview by Jamie Davis of The Pod Medic for the TechPodcast Network.

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LifeStation Web managed Pill box

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:56:53 MST

From the CES 2012 floor, Jamie Davis from Promed Network talks with David from LifeStation about their new web enabled pill box for people on daily medications. The pill box had compartments for up to 4 doses a day and once full holds a week's worth of pills. The pillbox doors flash when it's time for that dose and if after a time, the door isn't opened it starts beeping. If the person still doesn't take their meds, it sends and email, text and automated phone call to the patient and their care giver. In tests, the pill box got a medication compliance of up to 92% (which is very good)

For more information go to medicationstation.com or lifestation.com.

Interview by Jamie Davis of The Pod Medic for the TechPodcast Network.

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Mercedes Benz Introduces mbrace2

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:41:52 MST

We talked to Robert at the Mercedes-Benz booth at CES 2012 about Mercedes-Benz's new mbrace2 technology. Mbrace2 is Mercedes-Benz's newest generation of connected car technology. It is fully loaded with Mercedes-Benz apps which are customized versions of popular apps including Google Local Search, Yelp, Morningstar Finance, news and others.

Safety of both the driver and those around them is very important to Mercedes-Benz, so each app is customized for the driving environment. For example on Yelp and Google Local Search data entry is disabled while driving. The driver can only access predetermine search terms such as banks, restaurants, hotel while driving. Moving up and down through choices is done through a knob that sits on the center console of the car. You can call or navigate to a location directly from mbrace. If you are using the news application while driving it will only show you the headlines and maybe a picture. However there is a one button push to send the full article to an email address.

Everything is controlled through the center panel. All updates will be done through the cloud. As time goes on Mercedes-Benz hopes to integrate more of the GPS technology available in the car with off-board tools that are on phones. Mercedes-Benz hopes to have mbrace available on all models starting in 2013. There will be a monthly subscription fee but the price has not been determined.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Mercedes Benz Helping You Connect to Your World

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:22:51 MST

Right now if you own a SL class from Mercedes-Benz you can access data, make calls and play music on your phone directly through the mbrace system. However if you have a C class or a GLK series car that option is not available to you.

Mercedes-Benz is currently developing a concept that will allow customers with C class or GLK series owners to be able to integrate their smart phones or iPod Touches directly into their car. Once the device is plugged in the car will take over the info and become the infotainment system. You can then control the smart phone directly from the car, allowing for hands free-calling and access of supported applications on the smart phone through the car interface. All updates will be done through the smart phone so you will always be up to date.

The system they are now developing for the C class and GLK series will allow those customers to get connected at a more reasonable price. They hope to have the system available for C class and GLK series cars by the 3rd quarter of 2013.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Recon Instruments Head Up display for Skiers

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:57:30 MST

Recon Instruments shows Todd their heads up display for skiers, snowboarders and alpine sport enthusiasts. The display will give you a "dashboard" type display inside of your goggles that tells you speed, altitude, distance traveled, height of your jump and a whole lot more. It even gives you GPS data and with the Android powered version will allow other apps. It will even give you caller ID for an incoming call so you can decide if it's worth stopping and answering the phone. It will, however, not let you text, make calls or answer calls while skiing. (And you thought driving while texting was a problem). The unit is installed in the goggles and is controlled by a bluetooth remote that can be worn just about anywhere on your body and is very tough.

The android version is $399 and the Non-Android version is $299.

For more information go to reconinstruments.com.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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The Kit by Livio Radio

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:45:16 MST

I have a 1998 Nissan Sentra it has an Am-FM radio and a cassette deck, which is how I connect my iPhone to listen to music. It works for that purpose, however I can't legally make or take calls while I am driving. The car runs great so I am not in the market for a new car, however I would love to be able to make hands free calls in my car. The Kit by Livio Radio was made for someone like me. It was shown at CES 2012. The Kit will work with any car that has an FM radio and a 12 volt adapter. The device plugs into the 12 volt adapter and then works with your iPhone or iPod Touch through Bluetooth. With the Kit by Livio Radio you to make hands free calls with the integrated microphone. You can voice dial anyone in your iPhone address book. It also allows you to stream music from your favorite music application including iTunes through the award-winning car Internet application. The Kit is around $119.99 and is available through the Livio website.

If you have an older model car and are looking to get connected, the Kit by Livio Radio maybe your answer if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch. It runs around $119.99 and is available through the Livio Raido website.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Biscotti TV Phone with Google Video Chat

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:39:28 MST

Biscotti's TV phone is a small camera unit that sits on top of your big screen TV, connecting to the TV via HDMI and to the network via WiFi. Once connected up, owners can make high-definition video calls to other Biscotti owners and Google Video Chat users. And you will not believe how small the camera unit is. Todd chats to Matthew Shoemake to learn more.

The TV Phone uses an HDMI pass-through technology, meaning that there's no need to change channels when receiving a call as the Biscotti notifies users via a pop-up message on screen. By using Google Video Chat, the Biscotti TV Phone can connect to any device that has a Chat client, whether it's Android, iPhone or a PC. Connectivity with other video clients will be forthcoming, but no details just yet.

The Biscotti TV Phone is available for $199 and no monthly fees. Watch the video to get free shipping. (disclaimer - not sure how long this promotion will run after CES finishes)

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Speakers in Your Clothes by VeriSonix

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:28:55 MST

Speakers in your clothes, at first I thought why would anybody want to have speakers in their clothes, but the more I thought about the more I liked the idea. Okay, maybe we should step back for a minute, what are we talking about. We are talking about Electret-electrostatic Flexible Loudspeakers (EFL) from VeriSonix. These are super thin speakers, about the same thinnest as a very thin piece of cardboard only flexible. Unlike regular speaker that have large cones, these speakers create sound by the use of positively charged membranes. They use only 10 percent of the power of normal speakers. The sound isn't great, it is like the sound you get from a pair of modestly priced headphones, but it's okay.

VeriSonix sells the speakers to end customers. The end customer comes to VeriSonix and tells them how they want to use the speakers. VeraSonik then integrates the Electret speakers into the end customer's design. I could see these speakers being placed in many things, including pillows, backpacks, stuffed animals, backs of chairs just to name a few. VeriSonix is based in Taipei, Taiwan and has been around since 2010. Electret-electrostatic Flexible Speakers were developed by Taiwan electrets electronics corporation (TEEC). Have you ever heard these speakers, what did you think of the sound.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Allure Energy: Proximity Energy Management

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:21:19 MST

Allure Energy's patented Proximity Energy Management system is the advanced solution to energy management with today's active and somewhat unpredictable lifestyle. Older internet enabled thermostat systems allowed changing settings from smartphone apps - but the user still had to remember to manually intervene.

Allure Energy's system does the resets automatically, based on the reported position of the smartphone from GPS information to the system. Thus, the home is always at the proper temperature when occupants are away,but when they leave or return throughout the day, the energy is automatically adjusted for maximum energy efficiency.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Altair Semiconductor: Design for LTE Devices

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:08:47 MST

Many of the devices that were featured at CES2012 involved chipsets designed and manufactured by Altair Semiconductor. Altair Semiconductor specializes in ultra-low power, small footprint and high performance LTE semiconductors.

By incorporating Software Defined Radio (SDR) technologies, Altair Semiconductor chipsets can be tailored to a specific application requirement,enabling personalization of the device and service for the customer.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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CES 2012 - TPN Studio Packout [Back Channel]

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:51:21 MST

Studio Gear is headed to Fedex in the morning so that we can setup the Broadcast Studio at CES. Quick Update on our CES coverage and an overview of the gear pack-out.

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It's CES Time! [Back Channel]

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:50:38 MST

Andy McCaskey and Courtney Wallin are roaming the studio, powering down gear, and turning off the lights. Along with Andy "HeadHardHat" Smith of the RVNN.TV show "Geocaching World", we are all headed to Las Vegas for TPN coverage of the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. Here's the backchannel of some of the prep! Andy takes off Friday, and Courtney and Andy (the other one) fly in on Saturday. Stay tuned ,and follow us on Twitter!

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CES 2012 or Bust [Back Channel]

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:49:22 MST

It is time to load up and head to Las Vegas for CES 2012. There is so much left to do, but watch and you'll see why and what's to come.

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Why CES? It's Warmer! [Back Channel]

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:47:34 MST

Courtney Wallin shares one reason to join the TPN Team at CES 2012.

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Geocaching CES Wishlist [Back Channel]

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:46:35 MST

What's Most Attractive about CES for the Active Geocacher?

Andy 'HeadHardHat' Smith gives the low-down on the top ten product categories in this special edition of Geocaching World, as he prepares to head to the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

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CES The Beginning [Back Channel]

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:44:49 MST

Steve and I cruised into Las Vegas early this afternoon at a snail's pace of 55MPH, RV trailer in tow. After getting the RV hooked up, we quickly hooked up with Todd, Jack, Andy, Courtney, and Andy over at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The plan was to get the show started: place the tables, hang the lights, run the cables, and so much more. Much of it was completed and Day 2 brings the joys of testing the audio, the video, and the entire setup. In two days, the Convention Center will be transformed into the epicenter of tech. CES 2012 will dominate the airwaves, the Internet, and people's conscience. Keep up with all the CES action at tpn.tv as we bring you everything from glamorous Las Vegas.

-Steve (@netcaststudio) and Dave (@daveandfirefly)

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Fired Up - Ready to Go [Back Channel]

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:40:28 MST

Andy 'Head Hard Hat' Smith seems ready to head to his first CES and first trip to Las Vegas.

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WiFi Compatible Sony Bloggie Live with Live Streaming from Qik

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:38:16 MST

Monday, 9 am, Todd Cochrane and Jeffrey Powers head to Ceasar's Palace and the Sony Lifestyle store to talk about the newest version of the Sony Bloggie - The Bloggie Live.

The Bloggie Live itself is an update of last years Bloggie Touch. With a big touchpanel and 1080p video (at 30fps), you can do video and stills on the camera with the 12 MP still image capture and 1080p /30 and 720p/60i. You can also do video and stills at the same time (but not while streaming).

We keep the Bloggie very simple and easy to use. The large red button remains, your power button and photo button are the other two. It is fully PC and Mac compatible.

The fun comes in after you shoot. You can live stream into Qik (which needs to be set up ahead of time). People on Qik can send messages - you cannot respond, but you can see that information on the screen.

Play Memories Mobile Lets You Tether Your Bloggie

With a cellular signal, download the Play Memories Mobile (for iPhone or Android) and you can use your phone as a hot spot for your photos or video.

The Bloggie Live is available on January 10th for $249.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine for the TechPodcast Network.

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Sony Bloggie Live Wifi Unboxing - CES 2012

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:33:56 MST

Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central unboxes the Sony Bloggie Live with WiFi connectivity at the Sony Event on January 9th. The Bloggie Live is available today starting at $249.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Jeff Gets Head Shaved at CES 2012 - Schick Hydro 5

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:27:20 MST

During the fun at CES 2012, Jeffrey Powers stopped by the Schick booth, where barbers were on hand to take care of that stubble - on his head. The barbers were using the Schick Hydro 5 razor, with 3 vibration settings, for a smoother shave.

Elliot from Elliot & Co was the barber who tended to Jeffrey's hair. During the event, he talked with Jeff about the Schick Hydro 5 razor.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine for the TechPodcast Network.

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Entrance to CES Unveiled [Back Channel]

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:29:57 MST

In this backchannel video, we look at the line coming into CES Unveiled. Jeffrey then enters into the hall and walks around CES Unveiled right before the masses enter.

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CES Unveiled Show Floor [Back Channel]

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:29:03 MST

This backchannel video is a closer look into the show floor of CES unveiled. See interviews of Nast, Escort, LaCie, Marley and more.

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Alcatel-Lucent Emergency Response Vehicle Geeks Out

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:21:22 MST

In this episode, Wayne from Alcatel-Lucent walks Jeffrey Powers through their geeked-out SUV loaded with every item found in the public safety realm, along with E-node B. They downsized it and connected to the emergency band in order to access the internet.

We walk through this SUV and geek out with all the cool items Alcatel-Lucent added. We also look at a special app that can be used for communication and information.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine for the TechPodcast Network.

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LaCie Thunderbolt at CES Unveiled

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:19:05 MST

Mike Mihalik from LaCie shows off their new Thunderbolt-connected hard drives for the Apple Macs, including the previously announced Little Big Disk and the new 2big, which has two internal 3.5" drives. Also announced was the eSata Dock, a docking station that connects legacy SATA devices via Thunderbolt.

Thunderbolt offers seriously quick data transfer speeds with write speeds of 252 Mb/s and read speeds of 459 Mb/s shown in the video.

The Little Big Disk is available now, but the 2big and eSata Dock units won't be available until later in the quarter, with pricing to be announced.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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CastIV iPhone, iPad, Tuner Mounts for Musicians - CastIV Sidekick - CES 2012

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:14:01 MST

There are many smartphone-tablet holders out there. CastIV is one of them, but they look to add a little more than just a stand.

Geared toward the musician, the CastIV sidekick allows you to put your iPhone or iPod within eye-shot so you can practice your tunes. Even a Korg guitar tuner fits well in the sidekick. Just place the belt on the strings, push together and clip with the mount.

If you would rather have the iPod, Android device or iPhone on your microphone stand, well, they make an interchangeable clip so you can cuff it on the stand, put the device in place and start playing.

For those iPad or other tablet owners out there, you can also get the Tab station - a mount for your iPad that connects to a tripod or microphone stand.

The Guitar Sidekick and smart station are $24.99, with the Tab station for $34.99.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine for the TechPodcast Network.

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GreenWave Reality Smart Home Services

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:06:29 MST

Todd interviews Greg Memo from GreenWave Reality, a global innovator in the emerging smart home services market including home monitoring and elderly care. On show is their home energy management solution that uses wireless (ZigBee) plug-in devices to monitor and control power consumption.

The system is not just limited to power management as other remote monitoring and control technologies such as lighting and video can be included. The complementary iPad app allows the homeowner to select individual rooms within the property and make adjustments if necessary - for example, a thermostat could be turned down or the timings changed to alter when the heat comes on.

The overall solution won a CES 2012 Innovations Award, so congratulations to GreenWave. Available now, starting from $200.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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PowerBag: the New Way to Charge Devices on the Go

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:02:48 MST

Dan from Powerbag shows off the latest in geek fashion, a messenger bag that has a built-in battery and charging system. Up to four different devices can be charged in the bag at the same time. Included are a selection of charging tips, including the Apple connector and USB variants. The battery capacity should charge a smartphone several times, or a tablet once.

Available now for $139 to $249 for a rolling bag with a bigger battery.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Roku Hardware & Channel Update CES 2012

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:00:30 MST

I am a big fan of Roku. I currently have version one of the Roku 2 XS which I love and version 2 is even smaller. However both have the problem of being separate boxes which means more wires to run to the TV and another power cord to plug-in. Roku has an answer to this problem the Roku Streaming Stick. Ed from Roku showed off the product at CES 2012

The stick is a little larger then a regular USB stick and plugs directly into a HDMI port. It is Roku's answer to smart TV. It has the same chip and ram as the Roku 2 XS with the same great performance. It is based on the MHL standard. The one problem I see is that for this to work the TV has to be MHL capable, which I suspect many TVs especially with the lower price models are not.

This may confuse consumers, Roku needs to make it clear which TVs this will work with or what to look for It will come with a motion control remote that has WiFi built-in. The remote control will have power and control out. The Roku Streaming Stick can also be controlled by the TV remote.

The Roku currently has 400 plus channels. The channels are organized in the store by categories, including favorites, religion, sports, movies and more. Among the channels available in the Roku store are TPN.TV and the Blubrry Network. Roku is continuing to update the channel store, to improve its interface and usability. The Roku is currently in over 2 1/2 million households and is still growing. The Roku Streaming Stick should be available in fall of 2012 and run between $50 and $100 depending on model.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Energizer iSurge Travel Protection @ CES 2012

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:56:12 MST

Energizer introduced their newest iSurge Travel Charger at CES 2012. The newest charger is specially made for micro USB powered device. It has a cable which allows you to plug-in a micro USB powered device. It has two USB ports which have 2.1 amp shared. If you plug-in one device it will use all 2.1 amps. If you plug both it will share the 2.1 amps.

There are three surge protected outlet on the side. The plug rotates 180° which allows it work no matter how the outlet is set up. This new charger should be available later in 2012 and will run $59.99.

Energizer has already released a charger which is specially made for the iPhone. It has a 30 pin connector at the top, that the iPhone plugs directly into. It also has the two USB ports and the three surge protected outlet on the side. It is also $59.99 and is available now.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Nest Thermostat Overview

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:35:30 MST

The nest thermostat has received more than its fair share of press coverage recently, but that's because it's both smart, cool and well-designed. Todd chats with Kate from nest about this great new product.

The nest thermostat is a smart thermostat that learns from your habits and behaviors and adjusts itself to match them, turning the heat up when you want it and down when you are out of the home. It's exceptionally easy to use - you turn it up, you turn it down, that's it. The nest has several learning modes, including schedule learning and activity detection, which help it keep you comfortable but the energy costs down.

The nest thermostat costs $249 but it's on back order because it's been so popular. The thermostat comes with everything you need to install the devices yourself, including a screwdriver!

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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LiftMaster's MyQ - The Connected Smart Garage Door Opener

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:04:25 MST

LiftMaster is known for its range of garage door openers and this year, they're introducing their new MyQ technology that will let home owners monitor and control their garage door from a smartphone or tablet anywhere in the world, including iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android devices.

Intended to be professionally installed, the cost is $350-$400 for a new door opener that incorporates MyQ technology and it's available now.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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J5Create Mac - PC Wormhole

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:03:05 MST

J5Create may be familiar to Apple Macintosh users as they're designers of aesthetic Mac accessories, but their latest gadget will be of interest to those of us with a foot in the PC camp. Here Todd talks to John about their new Wormhole Station.

The Wormhole Station combined with the Wormhole cable creates a keyboard and mouse switch which not only controls both a PC and a Mac from one mouse and keyboard but also moves files seamlessly from one computer to the other. Even cooler, you can set the configuration up so that moving the mouse cursor off one side of Mac screen transfers the cursor to the PC screen. It's a bit like having a dual monitor setup, only with two OSes!

If you like the sound of this, it's available in both laptop and desktop configurations. Available now, the Wormhole Station will set you back $109.99 and the cable is $39.99. The CES folk like it so much, they gave the Wormhole Station an Innovation Honoree Award.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Invoxia VoIP Desktop iPhone Dock

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:01:21 MST

Todd talks with Eric from Invoxia about their latest office product, a stylish dock that converts iPhones and iPads into a VoIP desktop phone. Winner of a CES 2012 Showcase Engineering Award, it's really quite stunning.

The NVX 610 can use Skype or a SIP telephony provider and control of the desktop phone is via an app on the iPhone which uses Bluetooth to communicate with the dock. The unit has built-in speakers, creating a hands-free phone and a music dock all in one.

Available on-line now for $599. Cool but pricey.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Marvell Demos a new OLPC Tablet @ CES 2012

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:55:32 MST

At CES 2012 Marvell showed off the OLPC XO 3.0 Tablet. The tablet has an eight inch screen and is made for kids in the developing world. It has the ARM based ARMADA PXA618 SOC processor, and is built on the Linux platform. It has a mini Wikipedia and other existing educational applications built right into the device. This is important since these devices are used in areas where wi-fi is often not available. The tablet can be charged by solar power, hand crank, and from any device that can produce 10-25 watts of DC power. The solar panel produces 4 watts of power by placing it in the sun for an hour. You then snap to the tablet and it will charge the tablet for up to two hours of usage. Like all OLPC products the OLPC tablet is easy to take apart and repair.

Marvell builds the design. They work with Quantive manufacturing, who build the tablets based on orders from agencies like a Ministry of Education or an educational organization. Their goal is to have the unit price well below the $180.00 which is the cost of the OLPC computer.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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BitTorrent intros New Services @ CES 2012

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:49:55 MST

BitTorrent was original created to allow people to share large files over the Internet efficiently. In the last couple of years more and more people are sharing their digital media over the Internet with friends and family. Unfortunately because of the way things are currently setup they often have to compromise on quality. BitTorrent is attempting to solve this problem. They have a new software application called Share which they introduced at CES 2012. This program will allow people to share large media files with family and friends. There is no limit on file size, number of files or recipients. Each person will have to be authenticated either by email or connecting on Facebook. They will also have to run Share in the background. Share is less the 1 mg in size and takes up very little resources. The media file will be uploaded to each recipient who along with the cloud application will act as seeders. Once you reach a critical mass the cloud application will drop off. Share is currently still in Alpha and being tested.

BitTorrent is also working on a live video streaming protocol which will allow people to share live streaming video without a hosting service. This is also currently in Alpha, you can participate in the test every Friday night at BitTorrent Live. BitTorrent also announced 4 partnerships with various companies in Europe and Asia, that would embed the Bittorent protocol directly in their devices.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Fisher Price Kid-Tough DVR

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:35:45 MST

Leave it to Fisher Price maker of great toys for kids and the kids in all of us to make a DVR that is kid friendly. That is what they were showing at CES 2012 the Kid-Tough DVR.

The Kid-Tough DVR is made for 3-5 year olds. It is rugged and easy to use. There is a touch screen kids can use to scan through the available videos. When they are ready to play a video just tap on the screen and it will start playing. They can also fast forward or rewind through a video. To record a video you just place the DVR into its dock which sits between your cable box and the TV, set the record time and hit record.

The Kid-Tough DVR will be available around June-July. It will be approximately $150.00 and include the DVR, headphones, docking station, a car charger and a case. If you have a small child and take a lot of car trips this is worth a look

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Sony's New Google TV

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:30:48 MST

When the Google TV first came out I thought it was an interesting concept. However the one thing that I didn't like was the size of the remote. The idea of having a remote the size of a regular keyboard was not very appealing. Sony introduced a new generation of the Google TV at CES 2012. There are three versions, the one that is embedded within a TV, a Blu-Ray player with an integrated Google TV and a stand alone Google TV. Both the Blu-Ray player and the stand alone player have a smaller form factor than before. They all run Android 3.2 with Android Market well-integrated and is full HD capable.

The thing that caught my eye the most was the remote control. It now looks like a real remote control instead of large keyboard. The front of the remote is set up like a traditional remote with a touchpad on it. On the back is a keyboard when you need it. The keyboard works only when it is facing up. So there is no chance of typing while you are trying to hit play or record. This is a great improvement on the first generation of Google TV. I can't wait to get a hold of one later this year.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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MyLink Radio by Chevy

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:15:44 MST

Most people today especially teenagers and young adults want to be connected with their music and phones at all times, including when they are in their cars. Often though the cars that have infotainment systems are above the budget they can afford. If you are a fan of the Chevy brand than you maybe in luck.

In 2012 Chevy is introducing the MyLink Radio for two of their entry level vehicles the Chevy Spark and the Chevy Sonic. The MyLink Radio comes with AM/FM and SirusXM installed. You can connect a Bluetooth enabled smartphone, a USB device or an iPod. Then the music plays directly though your car speakers and you can see what is playing by looking at the MyLink system instead of having to pick up your device. MyLink Radio will also come with the ability to launch Pandora and the Stitcher Radio apps.

The apps themselves will run and be updated through the phone. You can also make calls through the system either by using the touchpad on the screen or buttons on the steering wheel. It also pulls the information from your phone directly on to the device. There is also an option to view slideshows or watch movies through MyLink Radio. Because of safety issues this will only work in when the car is in park.

The MyLink Radio is an optional feature and should be available in June for the Spark and in September for the Sonic. They are considering opening up the API for other developers. This will be a great option for those who want to be connected but can't afford those vehicle with the full infotainment systems.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Lethal Protection Gadget Positioning Device

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:12:50 MST

Lethal Protection is the name of the company but it's not a clue as to the product. It's not a bullet-proof vest, it's not ferocious guard dog but what is it? Todd finds out what it is from Melissa of Lethal Protection.

Winner of a CES Innovation Award, it's called the Life-Phorm Pro and it's an one-size-fits-all gadget positioning device. Only it's weird... very weird... but in a cool way. Think GorillaPod but scary and it's not just for cameras - tablets and smartphones fit on just as well.

The flexible six legs allow myriad standing, gripping and hanging positions, all the while keeping your gear off the floor. The Pro version is made from aluminum and carbon fiber, weighing in at only 8oz.

Lethal Protection is setting up manufacturing and production of the Life-Phorm Pro and it's expected to ship in April of this year. The Pro version will run $149 and the basic version will be $69.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Belly-Bean Functional Workplace

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:52:27 MST

One of the biggest problem with laptops is that they get too hot to use on a lap. Many answers to this problem aren't very stylish and look rather dorky. Belly Bean is a stylish solution for this problem. It looks like a cross between a skate board and a surf board. Belly Bean is made of hard-rock maple and on the back is EVA (Ethylene vinyl acetate) foam, which prevents heat transfer. EVA foam is also used in diving and dry suits.

Belly Bean is a functional workspace large enough for a 17 inch laptop with room left over. It is $49.00 and is available through the Belly Bean Web site. So now you can look great and be cool while you continue to work with a lap top on your lap.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Cadillac User Experience (CUE) - Showstoppers at CES 2012

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:52:38 MST

While at CES Showstoppers, we stopped by Cadillac for the customer user experience (CUE). This is Cadillac's in-car NAV and computer system. The Cadillac CUE is a full infotainment and interface. It will start in the XTS and ATS, along with the SRX in 2013.

This is Cadillac's "centerpiece" of future interiors. Along with the side dash, they remodeled the drivers dash. Capacity multi-touch display, haptic feedback (tactile feel to pushing a button) and other great advancements through the touch system.

Another interesting change is where the glovebox is - under the button panel. All in a stylish interface.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine for the TechPodcast Network.

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CES 2012 - TPN Slideshow

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:51:35 MST

When we are not doing interviews we are taking pictures. Here is a compilation of pictures from CES 2012.

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GoPano Turns iPhone Camera into 360° Periscope - CES Unveiled

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:48:02 MST

By now, we've seen a lot of lenses that you can attach to your iPhone to make them take better pictures. But this lens from GoPano does something different: It makes some great 360° pictures and video without hassle.

Simply attach the iPhone case, then attach the GoPano mount. Start your camera (or video) and you are recording in panoramic view. When you are done, upload it to the GoPano website and you can pan the video to see what's happening around you. Attach a microphone to your iPhone and people can get a new experience from your videos.

GoPano starts at $79.95 and is for the iPhone 4 and 4s. They also have a lens attachment for other cameras if you want to get higher quality photos or video. You can then use the Video Warp software to process and publish video.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine for the TechPodcast Network.

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HP Envy 14 Spectre

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:46:19 MST

Last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas computer maker HP unveiled the Envy 14 Spectre, a new 14 inch laptop with some fairly impressive specs behind it. It comes with either a Core i5 or Core i7 processor, an option for a 128 GB or 256 GB SSD, 4 or 8 GB of DDR3 RAM, Mini DisplayPort, HD webcam, Gorilla Glass inside and out, and USB 3.0. Users also get a choice of Windows 7 Home Premium, Ultimate or Professional, but you will have to go with the 64-bit version, as this new notebook doesn't come in a 32-bit version. HP claims a nine hour battery life, but perhaps the nicest touch is the keyboard, which has individual LED's behind each key to make them easily visible in low, or even no, light conditions.

Although I haven't seen the HP Envy 14 Spectre referred to as an "Ultrabook" that's the first word that comes to mind when I see it. The sleek, thin design and the lack of an optical drive all point to that category, which was the hot meme at CES 2012. There is more to this notebook than just the specs I listed above, but you will need to watch the video below to get all of the details. The Envy 14 Spectre will start at an MSRP of $1399. You can also visit HP for more info.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Toshiba introduces a USB 3.0 Thumb Drive!

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:30:30 MST

Todd talked to Scott at the Toshiba booth about the new "SuperSpeed" USB 3.0 Thumb drives that will be available this spring. The drives are up to 10 times faster then USB 2.0 at 220mb/sec reading and 94mb/sec writing.

They will be available in 32GB and 64GB sizes and will be $100 and $200 respectively.

Scott also showed off Toshiba's new SD Cards with WiFi. The product will be called "FlashAir" and will be a 2 way WiFi enabled SD Card. Other WiFi cards have only been one way where you can pull photos from the card wirelessly. This new card will allow you to put files on the card from other devices as well as download from the card wirelessly.

For more information check out toshiba.com

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Basis Wearable Health Monitoring

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:20:51 MST

Todd talked to Jeff from Basis at the digital experience event at CES 2012 about their new product for health monitoring.

Basis is coming this spring with a wrist wearable health monitoring system to help you keep track of your overall activity level. Different from the heart monitors you would wear for working out, this new system will track your heart rate, temperature, perspiration, sleep and activity level as you go about your daily life. It will take that information and upload it to Basis' cloud service and give you all the data along with some recommendations of things you need to do to get into better overall health.

The device and service will be available in early 2012 for $199. This includes a lifetime membership to the cloud service.

For more information, go to www.mybasis.com

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Zagg HZO - Waterproofing for Electronics

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:12:54 MST

Zagg's protective films are popular "first purchases" for new smartphone owners and at CES 2012, Zagg shows off their latest protection mechanism. Todd chats to Bill from Zagg to find out what it protects against.

The adage is that water and electricity don't mix, and by extension, water and mobile devices don't mix well either. Zagg hopes to change that with a new nanotech-based coating, HZO, that repels water so effectively that a dunk in the drink will have no effect on the device.

The HZO coating is applied during the manufacturing process so that every component is properly treated and waterproofed. There's no physical skin or cover as the water-repellency is at the molecular level. Almost any device can be waterproofed - smartphones, tablets, MP3 players, headphones, but it has to be done during manufacture, not by the end-user.

Zagg is currently in negotiation with major OEMs so expect water-repellent devices to hit the market in 12-18 months and if you want to see an iPhone working underwater, then watch the video.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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G-Form Extreme Gadget Protection - 100k Drop test

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:48:26 MST

G-Form is best know for its protective gear for high adrenaline sports but using this know-how, it's protecting something much more precious - your expensive tablet with its Extreme range of cases. If you think this is gimmick, these guys dropped an iPad in an Extreme Portfolio from a weather balloon at 100,000+ feet... and it survived.

Todd talks to Rick Garrard to find out more about the high altitude drop and gets a demonstration of what happens when an 8 lb bowling ball lands on a packet of chocolate M&Ms covered with G-Form's Extreme protection. Mmm, chocolate.

The Extreme cases and sleeves are on-sale nowc from $34.95 upwards for the iPad and Kindle Fire (or 10" and 7" tablets).

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Aftershokz Headphones

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:46:41 MST

Aftershokz Bone Conduction Headsets use the same technology that military Special Ops teams depend upon. Now consumers can be street legal - nothing in, on, or covering your ears. Direct vibrations are carried by the bones to the inner ear. In military and police applications, their ears are open in order to hear the movements of both their targets and other members of their unit.

Aftershokz Headphones enable joggers, bike riders, skateboarders, hikers, and other athletes to safely listen to their portable music player while participating in their favorite activity.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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InCarBite: Tablet Mounting System

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:44:12 MST

InCarBite solves two problems: How to keep your iPad securely mounted in a vehicle, yet keeping it easily removable for use inside the house. InCarBite allows you to safely mount your iPad or Android tablet to the headrest support in the family mini-van. While it delivers a personal viewing experience to the backseat passenger on the road, the same unit un-snaps from the vehicle mount, and travels easily to the home for under-cabinet kitchen mounting.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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DeLorme In-Reach Satellite Communicator

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:21:39 MST

GPS Plus Emergency Satellite Communicator

The Award-Winning DeLorme In-Reach allows you to stay reliably connected wherever you go. You can end and receive text messages, even while out of cell phone range - letting your friends in basecamp or family know that you have crossed a phase line, milepost or difficult portion of your hiking or climbing route. You will get confirmation of message delivery. And most importantly, you can send Interactive 2-way SOS in a real emergency and communicate with responders to make sure that they understand the nature of your emergency.

The system includes global coverage, and is in the $250 price class.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Maytag: Clean Oven in an Hour

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:17:36 MST

Maytag Induction technology transfers energy directly into any magnetic cookware, for faster, more energy-efficient cooking. It is a special treat for moms, culinary enthusiasts, chefs and just about anybody who loves to cook with fast results in a safe and convenient cooking environment.

The cleanliness of electric cooking with the speed and control of gas. Plus, an exceptionally fast cleaning cycle keeps busy Moms happy!

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Connect Wireless Speaker By Sharper Image

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:15:06 MST

One thing Shaper Image has always been known for is it's ability to design in-home products that meet the consumer's demands and needs. One of those demands is to enjoy music while relaxing in the kitchen, the bathroom, the porch, or the bedroom without giving up that valuable counter space.

Their latest Connect Wireless Speaker is no different. The Connect Wireless Speaker plugs directly in your AC outlet and provides quality audio production. The product allows you to listen to music via BlueTooth and also has a built-in microphone so that you don't miss those important incoming calls. The speaker also includes a Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery with an estimated 3-4 hours life span.

Don of Sharper Image expects the product to hit shelves in May-June 2012 with a price tag of $49.99, available at major retailers and Sharper Image stores around the nation.

Interview by Steve Lee of Waves of Tech for the TechPodcast Network.

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Hengedocks Macbook Docking Stations

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:08:25 MST

Steve came across a very interesting booth while combing the halls of CES 2012. If you struggle with a cluttered desks and have issues with cable management, Hengedocks is the product for you! Clean up your work space, save space, increase productivity, and more with this product.

Hengedocks has created a pretty slick docking station for your Mac Book Pros (13,15,17in) and Mac Book Airs (11, 13in). The docking station has spots for all your cables - USB, Firewire, Power, Video, and more. Simply place the Apple product into the docking station, touch the keyboard, and the unit it ready for use. You can use it on your work station or even set it up next to your HD TV or Smart TV. The docking stations are on the market now and range from $60-$75.

Hengedocks also manufactures a product called Clique. It's a quick and easy way to combine your Apple keyboard with your Trackpad. Clique is selling for only $25! Check out the entire video and get a live demonstration of how Hengedocks works.

Interview by Steve Lee of Waves of Tech for the TechPodcast Network.

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Paysaber: Mobile Payment Processing

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:04:58 MST

Small business owner? Credit processing does not have to be a pain. Paysaber offers a complete point of sale solution with an encrypted credit card reader, barcode scanner and thermal printer: all in the palm of your hand. It is ready to work with any iOS device, and features encryption of every swipe and transmission to and from the credit processing gateway.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Hovercam: Efficient Document Scanning

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:00:58 MST

Past ten or fifteen pages, scanning a lengthy document on a flatbed scanner is a pain. Scanning a book without destroying the binding is just one of the features of the Hovercam system. The included HoverCam Flex software makes managing scanned files and full screen presentations easy.

Interview by Andy McCaskey and Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Intouch Remote Health Monitoring

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:57:03 MST

InTouch Health along with Verizon had developed the RP Express and the RP 7 Mobile Robot and other similar devices to allow doctors to access their patients from remote locations. The RP Express is a mobile device for an individual to carry in the field. The RP 7 Mobile Robot is made for hospitals or other medical facilities. Both devices allow you to plug in medical instruments including EKGs, Ultrasound equipment and other devices directly into the machine allowing doctors to take and read vital signs from anywhere in the world. The video and audio are in real time and work over the Verizon 4G network, or wifi. (I am not sure what happens if the 4G or wifi networks are not available, hopefully there is a solution to that problem.) The doctor can control the RP 7 Mobile Robot and the RP Express from any computer that has the control station installed on it. The RP 7 robot allows for 178 degree field of view.

These devices are FDA cleared for connection to diagnostic medical devices on wifi. They are still going through the approval process for the 4G version. They hope to have those versions available for hospitals later this year. It is nice to know that now people in remote areas have a way to get access to the medical care, including the specialist that they need.

Interview by Jamie Davis of The Pod Medic for the TechPodcast Network.

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Zagg Sparq Portable Power

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:49:20 MST

Zagg's protective films are popular "first purchases" for new smartphone owners and but Zagg offer other products in the mobile working space. Todd chats to Nate from Zagg to about the Zagg Sparq, a portable rechargeable battery pack.

The Sparq is mains charged, with two front-facing USB ports to recharge any portable device with a USB-type connector. The internal battery has sufficient capacity to recharge four times the average smartphone. Perfect for when you're on the road.

Available now for $99.99 from Zagg online with free shipping.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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my-Ditto Key

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:00:47 MST

Do you put data on a USB stick and then do you tend to lose that USB stick? Do your kids store their homework on a USB stick and then lose it? I sure for most people the answer is yes to all of the above. Let's face it we've all done it; we've put data on a USB stick that we want to bring with us, then we put it down somewhere or leave it behind. That use to mean that not only was the USB stick was gone but all the data on it. No longer now the information on the USB stick can also be in the cloud.

That is the idea behind my-Ditto Key. You register your my-Ditto Key with my-Ditto and then all the information on the key is copied to the cloud. Now if you lose your my-Ditto Key USB stick or leave it behind you still have access to your data anywhere in the world. You can store up to 100 GB of space in the cloud. It doesn't matter what type of data it is it can be music, videos, documents it's up to you. Simple and easy to use, but effective that is what my-Ditto key is all about.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Swingline Stack-and-Shred

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:53:23 MST

Do you have that box of papers next to you or maybe across the room, you know the one. It's the one full of papers you need to shred. You keep telling yourself you need to take care of it, but then somehow it never gets done. You tell yourself you are too busy or you have other things to do, but in reality you don't do it because you hate having to feed the paper in one at a time.

Swingline to the rescue. Swingline has been making products for offices for over 80 years including shredder, stapler, punches, trimmers and sharpeners. Their latest products in the shredder line are hands free shredders called Stack-and-Shred. There are multiple lines and models both for home and office. These new shredders allow you to place a stack of papers into the shredder and then close the lid and the machine takes over from there. No more having to feed in one paper at a time. The home models are made to take 8×11 inch paper and have a separate feed for envelopes. Other models for business take larger size paper. There is an auto unjamming feature, so the machine will try to clear itself, before asking for help.

These personal shredders are currently available at Office Max, Office Depot and Staples and run between $150.00 to $250 depending on size and models. So now you have no more excuses for not getting those papers shredded.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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eFun Brings the APen Stylus to the iPad

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:48:28 MST

The iPad was purposely designed to be used without a stylus, but that doesn't stop some users from wanting one. It's especially handy for things like editing a document, writing notes, or for drawing apps. Now eFun has introduced one especially made for the iPad. The new stylus comes with a lot of options as well. You can not only write, draw, and edit, but you can do so in multiple colors and line weights.

The stylus, which debuted last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is available now for $99 from APenUSA. To see this cool new iPad pen in action you can check out the video posted below of a live demo from the CES show floor.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Kingston HyperX SSD

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:44:15 MST

Kingston is known for their memory, but now they are branching out into the world of hard drives and, more specifically, solid state hard drives, or SSD's as they are commonly referred to. The HyperX is the top of the Kingston line when it comes to this technology. The SSD is a much-hyped technology that has remained a dream for most consumers because of their price-point, but they are starting to come down into the realm of the affordable, although still top-end, drives. The SSD provides much faster speed than the traditional HDD, plus they are much smaller in size, which is driving the new Ultrabook craze, which was also capturing the media at this year's CES.

The new HyperX comes with an external drive bay that you can plug into your computer and software to clone you current drive to get you started without any down time. The new Kingston drive may still be out of reach for the average user, but that's okay, because they know it's for the enthusiast, who knows how to get inside a PC and change out hardware, clone drives, and use all of the hardware and tools that come along with a project such as this.

Currently for the 120 GB version seen in the video below the price is coming in at a little over $200. To find out more be sure to check out the video and visit Kingston.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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CES 2012 Preshow Hour 1

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:39:31 MST

CES 2012 Preshow Hour 1 coverage with highlights from CES Unveiled

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CES 2012 Preshow Hour 2

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:38:45 MST

CES 2012 Preshow Hour 2 coverage with highlights from CES Unveiled

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CES 2012 Preshow Hour 3

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:36:50 MST

CES 2012 Preshow Hour 3 coverage with our own Jon Wurm and Allante Sparks, featuring highlights from CES Unveiled

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CES 2012 Preshow Hour 4

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:35:12 MST

CES 2012 Preshow Hour 4 coverage with highlights from CES Unveiled

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CES 2012 Preshow Hour 5

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:34:29 MST

CES 2012 Preshow Hour 5 coverage with highlights from CES Unveiled

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CES 2012 Preshow Sony Wifi Bloggie Reveal

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:31:59 MST

CES 2012 Preshow where we reveal the new Sony WiFi Bloggie

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Polkast: Personal Cloud at Lightening Speed

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:19:38 MST

Why upload and download to the cloud when you can create a personal cloud for data anywhere?

Polkast is a new P2P approach to file access that you control. Your files are stored on systems that you control, and it doesn't matter where the files are stored. With Polkast, you get anytime access to all of your files from any of your computers or mobile devices.

And, on your local network, files transfer at 10x the speed of a traditional upload/download from an external cloud service. And Polkast indexes and enables you to search for files from your mobile device- then pull just the one you need.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Sococo: Virtual Workspace and Communications

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:09:16 MST

Social Communications and Workspace for Remote Teams

More and more organizations, particularly start-up companies are dispersed across a wide geography. Virtual organizations, with skilled team members around the world, are the heart of innovation in many areas. Sococo provides an integrated tool set around the metaphor of a map of a virtual office - cubicles, offices, common areas, meeting rooms - and then introduces an avatar based mode of interaction between team members and the outside world.

Sococo's main advantage is integration of such tools as online meetings, shared documents, VoIP telephony, presence indication and privacy - instead of a cobbled together mix of online tools, email, IM, VoIP, and desktop sharing.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Logitech: Logitech Cube Presenter Mouse

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:49:46 MST

Innovation Award Winner: CES2012

A tiny grab and go mouse, that is also a presenter! At a $69.99 price point, it needs to be in the bag of every road warrior. It is a basic wireless mouse, but when you lift it from the desktop, you have the ability to advance or reverse slides that are being displayed on your laptop or projector screen.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Contour: Action Video for Extreme Sports

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:41:48 MST

More Affordable Version of Contour Sports Camera

Contour has long been known for high performance sports and adventure video - but they were concentrated at the premium end of the marketplace. Not any longer! The new ContourROAM has an MSRP under $200! And, they've paid attention to ease of use, introducing one-step recording. Just slide the record switch, and you're instantly filming. Easy as that. It's the ideal camera for a fun, stress-free experience capturing your adventures anywhere life takes you.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Other World Computing: Power2U AC/USB Wall Outlet

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:37:33 MST

The only UL-Listed in-wall solution for powering and recharging USB devices

Is your home infested with Wall Warts - the wall transformer power supplies that seem to multiply like rabbits in any home that has a tilt towards technology? The OWC wall outlet is a solution to that problem -most assuredly wife approved, removing cords and clutter from countertop, desk, or dresser. You don't have to unplug the light to charge yourApple iPad ,iPhone, Android tablets and phones, tablet computers, cellphones, gaming systems (Nintendo, Sony PSP, etc.), Bluetooth headsets, digital cameras, or GPS devices which charge via standard USB plug.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Penclic: It's Time For A New Mouse

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:32:33 MST

It's Time to Leave the '80s Behind

This innovative Swedish design mimics a fountain pen,creating a natural working position, eliminating unnecessary "mousing around" in endless clicking. The mouse looks, feels and moves like a pen., with natural position of the forearm on the work surface.

Penclic Mouse has 5-buttons and scroll wheel. The left click, right click and middle click are on the pen shaft's right side. On the pen shaft's left side the backward click and forward click for surfing are positioned. It is offered in wired and wireless (Bluetooth) versions.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Shodogg: Fetch, Toss, Share Video

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:21:17 MST

Stream Your Favorite Videos from Smartphone to Computer

It's kind of like Apple's Airplay, but with multiplatform support for Android, game consoles, internet connected TV's, laptops, desktops and mobile devices. Shodogg is a video delivery platform that allows any smartphone the ability to send any streaming media content to any screen whether it's a desktop, a tablet or an Internet enabled television.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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iOnRoad: Android Co-Pilot App Monitors Traffic

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:58:50 MST

A Smart Phone Equals a Smarter Driver

This app from iOnRoad turns your Smartphone into a Personal Driving Assistant. This app (Android now, iOS to come) mounts in the center of your windshield and uses the built in video camera to look at the road ahead. It then computes the closing speed to vehicles or objects ahead and sounds a warning if things are moving too fast.

What does this mean? It means that there are another pair of "eyes" on the road immediately in front of you. Collision warning, lane departure warning, and when you leave the car, a handy feature that allows you to locate your car when you come back after a flight.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Lil' Wiz: Amp Up your Sounds with a 'Solid' Speaker System

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:53:22 MST

360 Degree Sound

This little gadget, called the Lil' Wiz lets you bring along big sound - turning almost any solid surface into an amazing sound system. You connect it to your sound source (computer, smartphone, music player or tablet), and then attach with the build in suction cup. Some of the models connect to your device via BlueTooth, and there are also options that include a reader of a micro-SD card- where you can put your playlist on the card and have no connection required.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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ZipBuds: Tangle Resistant Earbuds with Style

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:20:38 MST

Easy Zip-To-Store Design

If you enjoy a daily fight with your smartphone or music player earbuds, skip this article. If you are like the rest of us, you will think ZipBuds are pretty cool. Available in Black, Blue, and Pink - you can pick your color and be active in style. And without the rats nest of earbud wires.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Microsoft CES 2012 Keynote Liveblog

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:13:13 MST

Join us at 6:30pm eastern for a liveblog from Microsoft's last CES keynote. Hit the break for the show!

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CES 2012 Tenative Schedule

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:09:08 MST

Greetings all. While most people have overdosed on technology over the holiday 2011 season, you haven't, and our insatiable thirst for keeping you plugged won't allow us to either. January 2012 means another CES and this year we are coming in stronger than ever with plans to double our coverage from last year's show thanks to Allante Sparks, the newest member of our CES 2012 team. But wait, there's more. We are also combining our forces with the Tech Podcast Network, because we know that when it comes to this kind of thing, the concept of "too much" is irrelevant.

Just like last year, we will be doing a live show almost evey night from various locations in Las Vegas such as The Stratosphere Hotel and Casio. There will also be a wide variety of guests such as Avram Piltch, the online editorial director for Laptop Magazine, who you may know from The Piltch Point segment of Refreshing Technology. This will mark his first live, in-person appearance on the show!

Here are the tenative times and dates for the live shows:

Sunday, January 8th at 9PM ET/6PM PT

Monday, January 9th at 9PM ET/6PM PT

Tuesday, January 10th at 9PM ET/6PM PT

Wednesday, January 11th at 9PM ET/6PM PT

Thursday, January 12th at 9PM ET/6PM PT

Friday, January 13th at 9PM ET/6PM PT

Sunday, January 15th at 9PM ET/6PM PT

Since we can't guarantee that anything in the schedule will happen as planned, be sure to find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube so you can stay plugged into the fast-paced world of CES 2012. Also, make sure to stay tuned into the TPN live stream for coverage right from the floor.

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Sony Still Hopes for 15 Million PS3 Sales This Year

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:20:56 MST

Even after all of the destruction Sony has suffered this year, like their PlayStation Network crashing, including the second round of account comprises and the delay of the Vita, they are still ridiculously optimistic. Not only are they making improvements to the PlayStation Home, they still feel confident in their PS3 sales.

This week, Sony has said that despite it all and through everything, they are still right on track to push 15 million units across the globe for its fiscal year ending in March. Head of Sony Computer Entertainment Andrew House said that PS3 sales are actually ahead of what they've projected year-to-date. However, he was a little timid on commenting whether or not the Vita is going to meet initial estimates.

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Bear Naps in NJ Basement, Woken Up By Cable Guy

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 15:42:24 MST

My home state always seems to have something weird and random in the news at least twice a year. Either that, or there's some new smell emanating from the state because we're downwind from New York. I'm talking about my Garden State, New Jersey.

This week, something interesting came across my wire that certainly beats the pants off of the burning squirrel car story we talked about a couple years ago.

Courtesy of The New York Post and with special thanks to the great city of Hopatcong, NJ, I will simply quote The Post's article, which is also available in the source link below. I simply cannot do this story any better justice than the short, concise version provided by them.

A cable TV repairman got quite a surprise when he walked into the basement of a New Jersey home.

There was a 500-pound bear sound asleep on the floor.

The bear had been spotted wandering in the neighborhood in Hopatcong earlier Wednesday. It's not clear how it got into the home.

The bear ambled out of the house before state Fish and Game officials arrived.

WNBC-TV in New York reports the officials fired a tranquilizer dart at the animal, which walked a few blocks to the Missouri Trail before it was knocked out.

Officials plan to relocate the bear.

In a follow up, the bear has demanded that the next place it decides to crash at must have Verizon's potentially upgraded network, or at least a nice fish spread. The bear has been reported to have not had high remarks on the large assortment of spray tan bottles, stating that they "taste like regret and shame." When asked why he decided to nap, he said that he was hiding his eyes from the possible burn they could suffer after hearing news that Jersey Shore would be returning to TV.

Photo courtesy of Westfield, MA Educational System.

Are Too Many Gadgets Draining Our Batteries?

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 13:50:29 MST

Probably most people have asked themselves at certain times, when is enough, enough? We live in a world that is cannibalized by digital devices which brings along with them a world of connectivity to a torrent of streaming, real-time information. It could be like draining your battery from both poles. Consumers are bombarded by technology, that is essential for life in the civilized world, at an ever increasing pace. Also, consumers have to determine if they should invest their resources in upgrading technology on a continual basis. Does version x.xx of y device actually provide value that justifies upgrading from an existing device or does it merely offer a few more optimizations that produce marginal returns? Underwriters Laboratories conducted a study in search of an answer that culminated in a 42 page report so we'll just cover the results.

The study revealed some findings that someone could infer from common sense as well as some that are less obvious and maybe a little surprising. Health and location of parts manufacturing were surprisingly notable. Over half, 55% of the 1200 consumers from 4 countries that participated in the study noted that where products are assembled isn't as concerning as where the parts are manufactured. This could have to do with both health and economic reasoning but consumers also seemed to be weary of an ever greater exposure to radio waves with the proliferation of WiFi devices.

The analogy of draining our battery from both poles might be surprisingly true with regards to gadget fatigue, as the study concluded that the major problem is a combination of too much innovation and a lack of innovation all at once. "Speed to market" is something that is valued more here by consumers than in other countries and that doesn't change the fact that innovations in design, testing and manufacturing have significantly decreased product cycles. Also companies feel more pressure to compete, which can result in the annual churning out of products with a few tweaks or features that are represented as an entirely new innovative product, like what Apple does. This refers back to the value proposition in the beginning: there has to be a balance between perceived value to the consumer and just being innovative with crap. As a tech savvy consumer yourself, do you ever feel drained keeping up with all your current and future potential devices?

Paypal Says They Can Do Groupon Better

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:06:44 MST

Paypal has decided to infiltrate the confined space of daily deals along with the likes of Groupon, Amazon, Living Social and thousands of other companies that barely register on the pie chart since an estimated 73% of the market is owned by Groupon and Living Social, according to Yipit. Living Social has managed to stay under the radar unlike Groupon who has been plastered with negative media about their business model, internal practices and lawsuits, not to mention a rather disappointing IPO. Chances are that sometimes Groupon even questions the viability of daily deals but Paypal feels they can make a name in that space for two reasons: they already have 103 million users and they are more familiar with what their users like.

More specifically, what Paypal wants to target are daily deals for the mobile space, not simply targeting deal placement on the geographical location of a city or zip code like Amazon. This is something that Groupon made a big deal about in their IPO roadshow: a targeted method to deliver deals based on current location. Users would be notified of a deal for a retailer when simply walking by their location. Groupon also made a big deal about being able to target deals based on consumers' personality and preferences. The live example they gave during their IPO presentation was notifying an adrenaline junkie of a deal for half-off a couple laps around a NASCAR track. Still, Paypal feels they know their customers better. According to President Scott Thompson,

The experience is going to be completely different than anyone else's, through and through. We'll only give you something that we think fits the category of unique and relevant. Everyone else is going to bombard you.

There are some other reasons why Paypal may want to enter this arena besides their "we know our customers better" reasoning. Find out more after the break.

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Cox Becomes Latest Cable Company to Join Verizon Wireless

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:40:39 MST

A few weeks ago, Verizon made some agreements with cable providers to enhance their wireless network. Bright House, Comcast and Time Warner all had spectrum won in the post-analog television auctions, yet none of the companies had planned to build their own wireless networks. Together they licensed their spectrum to Verizon in exchange for reseller and branding agreements.

This week, Cox Communications, not wanting to be left out, has joined the group in giving control of their owned spectrum to Verizon. The deal with Cox will allow Verizon to sell Cox service in their retail stores, and vice versa. This is an important move for Verizon, because they have decided to stop building out their own FiOS service.

What does this partnership mean for Verizon and Cox customers? Hit the break to find out.

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Google Wallet's Major Security Flaw

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:35:09 MST

Google has recently launched their new Google Wallet platform - a way for people to pay for at retail stores simply by waving their phone at a device in the store. You can pay using a MasterCard, Google PrePaid card or store gift card, as well as using rewards cards. Obviously this technology requires special devices at stores as well as a phone with Near Field Communication (NFC) included.

Security research firm ViaForensics released their review of the new Google Wallet platform for Android this week and the news, while not unexpected, is disturbing. It turns out that the software stores several pieces of user data in plain text on the phone. While credit card numbers and actual transactions are encrypted, data such as cardholder name and transaction history are not, allowing for the possibility of social engineering attacks.

Social engineering, for those who do not know, is defined by Wikipedia as,

Social engineering is commonly understood to mean the art of manipulating people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. While it is similar to a confidence trick or simple fraud, the term typically applies to trickery or deception for the purpose of information gathering, fraud, or computer system access; in most cases the attacker never comes face-to-face with the victims.

In other words, by having the right information, a person could gain access to your credit card account, and all of that information is stored on your phone. Hit the break to find out what information is stored on the device and why it is such a big deal.

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Next Generation Vending Machines Are One Step Closer to Feeling Pain When You Kick Them

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 13:28:27 MST

Vending machines are a technology that Japanese people have adopted like no other. We've seen vending machines that sell panties, crazy anime and novelty items as well as the traditional convenience store quality food and beverages that everyone in the U.S. has become accustomed to. We've also seen people from Japan dressed up as vending machines so it comes as no surprise that the next generation vending machine concept could be exporting from none other than Japan.

The trifecta of companies working to usher in a new era of the unparalleled vending machine experiences is Intel, Okaya Electronics and Sanden who is a big vending machine manufacturer in Japan. All things considered there is a lot of technology built into the next generation vending machine concept. For example, I haven't run into a vending machine here in the U.S. that has a 65" transparent, 1080p, touch-screen display... in fact I haven't ever run into a TV or monitor that matches that criteria. The screen allows the customer to see products behind the user interface they will need to interact with. It will also be able to help identify your preferences based on anonymous recognition of your gender but it won't know anything about the individual. If there is no customer present, the machine can sense this and displays advertisements or a digital clock until approached. A representative for the concept vending machine put it this way,

This vending machine uses the Intel SandyBridge Core. It features Audience Impression Metric, or AIM, and can do anonymous face recognition. So this machine can recognize whether customers are male or female, or old or young.

The real question is will this concept change the way we experience vending machines? Find out more after the break.

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - Fastest Selling CoD Game

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:17:37 MST

Here's some interesting news out of Activision this week. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 sold $1 billion in its first 16 days. That is one day LESS than it took Avatar to accomplish the same goal. In comparison to other games in the franchise, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops each took 2 full months to reach this milestone.

Obviously, Activision is pretty freaking excited about this. It proves to them that CoD has not yet become Guitar Hero. Activision released a statement saying,

Call of Duty is now amongst that rarified group of sustained franchises like 'Star Wars,' 'Harry Potter,' 'Lord of the Rings' and the National Football League that attract or engage tens of millions of people every year or every new release.

Those are some pretty lofty claims and, as much as we all kind of expected a down-slide on the Modern Warfare series after the Infinity Ward disaster, well deserved for its sales. Any game that is able to outsell Avatar in dollars certainly does deserve to be considered a sustained franchise. Now, if Activision can keep the franchise from becoming Guitar Hero they will be in good shape.

This isn't the only thing Activision is proud of right now. Hit the break to find out what else is going on and to read the full press release.

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Internet Explorer to Deprecate Itself

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:43:30 MST

Microsoft has been on a worldwide campaign to phase out Internet Explorer 6 because of its incredible age; it was released a decade ago. The Internet has changed a lot in the last decade, and the accidental longevity of IE6 has meant that web developers have had to contend with the limitations of the old browser. Because of this, Microsoft has been advertising and encouraging the upgrade to the most modern browser for your platform: IE8 for Windows XP or IE9 for Vista and better. Unfortunately, where there has been some progress made, it hasn't been great. In fact, as of writing, 8.3% of the world still uses IE6. That is a frightening number.

Microsoft has finally decided to go a little militant on IE6 (and IE7) by adding Internet Explorer updates to the critical list on Windows Update. They have also retired the need for IE upgrades to be interacted with (such as hitting next 10 times before IE8 will install on XP). Over the next few months, any computer running Windows Update will automatically be upgraded to the most modern version of the browser for their computer.

This leaves Apple's Safari as the only major browser to not automatically update itself in the background without any input from the user. This is a feature that all IT and software professionals have been wanting for ages now. Supporting antique browsers means tremendous amounts of work for both sides of the computer industry. IT has to worry about a decade worth of security flaws and holes that have remained open because users will not upgrade. Web developers have to go through major tricks to make older browsers still run more modern websites. Some sites, such as Google and WordPress, have dropped support for the old browsers entirely already, informing their customers that if they want to use the software, they need to upgrade.

Of course, if you like running on the cutting edge of 20th Century technology, you do have the ability to opt-out of the upgrade, but we suspect very few people will do this. If you are still running IE6, it is probably because you don't know how to interact with a dialog box, so going into Windows Update scheduled settings and turning off automatic updates is probably not going to happen.

Microsoft Gets Socl with New Social Learning Site

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:48:36 MST

Back in July, Microsoft made a mistake and gave us an accidental look on their secret project, Socl.com, codenamed Tulalip. Their probably brilliant mistake has turned into a full project as this week the company announced the launch of So.cl (socl.com redirects you to so.cl), which is a hybrid of social media meets project sharing meets learning network. The difference between this and Google Wave is that Microsoft has an idea of what they want to do and we're they're going with this new site.

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Xbox LIVE Gets Select Media Partners Signed on Shortly After Dashboard Update

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:53:19 MST

If you haven't heard by now, Xbox LIVE's new dashboard update was released last week. On the grand scale, the update was an overall pleasant one, however the lack of the new media partners at rollout of the update left a bitter taste in the mouths of the masses. To be fair, Major Nelson did report that we'd see the video and live TV content during the holiday season and not specifically with the dashboard update, but it would've made more sense for Microsoft to release it all at the same time.

At any rate, just a handful of days after the dashboard was refreshed, we now have more media partners signing on to LIVE. While we're still waiting on a couple, there's some nice additions waiting for your downloading pleasure. We dive into the details after the break.

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Clearwire Gets Some Help from Sprint for Future and Existing 4G Networks

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:07:59 MST

The past few weeks have been a little uncertain for Clearwire. From their possible skip on a huge debt to losing 3 resellers, the industry was worried that it would lose a big player in the wireless game. Never fear, though, because Sprint is here to save the day. The company announced this week that there may be up to $1.6 billion in payments to Clearwire for their WiMax and future LTE services.

These modified agreements were made in what seems to be Clear's last hour of life, but was also put together to meet Sprint's growing 4G needs, as it gives Sprint unlimited access to the network.

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OnLive Goes Mobile with Full Versions of Games

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 15:59:02 MST

It's been a while since OnLive has made headlines. We go back about a year ago, when we last spoke of OnLive and that they launched a microconsole for your gaming enjoyment. This week, OnLive has recognized the trend that people play games on smartphones and tablets. However, OnLive hasn't drank all of the GameStop Kool-Aid, and won't limit the way or what games you play on the mobile platform.

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Apple Fires Employee for Facebook Rant, Internal Policy Revealed

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 15:18:32 MST

What happens when you work for the big Fruit company and you go rant on Facebook about your iPhone, apps and other things Apple? You get fired, of course. That's what happened to employee Samuel Crisp, one of Apple's beloved and adorned Geniuses. It turns out, even though his profile was set to private, one of his friends turned in his comments to Apple management. Apple termed the guy, stating that his comments violated the company's social media policy.

We've talked about firings over Facebook in the past. However, those were a little bit different. This employee's profile was private, as were the comments. Just because one of his friends/co-workers could only think the things Sam was man enough to post and decided to rat him out doesn't mean he should be canned.

This week, Samuel lost his appeal of the wrongful termination, so obviously the next thing that would happen would be that Apple's internal, private social media policy mysteriously was leaked online, and we have it after the break.

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Nintendo 3DS Sees Shallow Sales in U.S. and Europe

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:37:47 MST

Until the defining question of "Will you Wii U," is answered after Nintendo's latest console, that was debuted this year at E3, hits store shelves it will be up to the 3DS and remnant Wii console sales to keep all the yen Nintendo is burning up in losses from creating a financial black hole from which even Mario can't escape.

You may remember back in August, the 3DS price was slashed from $249.99 to $169.99 after Nintendo revisited their 2010 sales forecast and re-evaluated at a 82% decrease which put Nintendo at $257 million for this year. Even for a company like them, a number that low needs no translation as to what it could mean if the 3DS sales don't start spin-dashing in the opposite direction. The good news there is that Satoru Iwata expects to make it rain 3DS's in Japan with 4 million units sold by March 2012 and he recently said that the device had regained it's momentum in an interview with the Nikkei Business Daily. The bad news is that everywhere else in the world that matters, sales were about the same as those for a mediocre Mario game.

This month Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo America, told Reuters that maintaining the momentum captured by the 3DS from Black Friday sales in the US was his main focus. From March through September, US sales had only made up 34% of all 3DS sales worldwide, just behind Europe at 37%. The major reason attributed to this is the slouching economy is both the US and Europe, but the Xbox 360 had record sales of 960,000 units for the week of Black Friday so that may not be entirely true. Lucky for them, Sony won't be getting their new PS Vita handheld on store shelves until February 22nd, 2012 but if things aren't really happening for the 3DS by then, the only hope Nintendo has of seeing gold coin showers again is if they manage to find some star power.

PowerShrink Technology Cuts CPU Power Consumption by 50%

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:03:00 MST

The PowerShrink technology from SuVolta comes as a breath of fresh air in a world that has been enamored by new mobile operating systems and applications while improvements in core technology seem to have been slowing down. PowerShrink looks to get the momentum rolling again by improving core technology that is specifically related to special transistors that perform voltage scaling for the CPU in a unique way and reducing leakage, which is a problem when chips can have over 1 billion transistors.

The main focus for PowerShrink is 65nm technologies (1nm is one billionth of a meter) where independent testing by Fujitsu Semiconductor verified their claims of decreasing power consumption by 50% without impacting performance and reducing power lost from leakage by 5 times more than current leakage reduction technology. That's quite a thing since everyone stands to gain from improvements in hardware efficiency.

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AT&T-Mobile One Step Closer to Failing

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 23:53:25 MST

This week, the plot has thickened on the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger. So far, the Department of Justice has filed suit to block the merger, and the FCC said they would vote to prevent it after receiving a document revealing their reasoning for the merger. AT&T's response to the FCC was to pull the FCC application, citing a focus on the DoJ case. This has not worked out as expected.

Because of the withdrawal, the DoJ has said they will file to postpone proceedings. Their reasoning? A lack of an application to the FCC. Since both agencies have to sign off on the merger, they feel there is no need to rush the proceedings if AT&T is currently not seeking approval from the FCC. The comments came about during hearings to determine whether or not U.S. District Court Judge Ellen S. Huvelle will reconsider a speedy trial. Both AT&T and T-Mobile USA have said that a speedy trial is essential or the merger will certainly fail.

Legal teams from both companies have said that the FCC request was pulled to allow them to focus on a single application, while the DoJ says that removing their application to the FCC shows a lack of faith that the merger is viable. AT&T needs the speedy trial because there is a $4 billion timer ticking down to September of 2012, while T-Mobile needs a speedy trial because, at present, they are losing investor, customer and partner confidence.

If the trial is delayed, Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile USA's parent company, will be forced to consider canceling the merger, which means losing out on that $4 billion cancellation penalty against AT&T. In a time of financial difficulty, that could really hurt them, but it is possible that another 7 months of waiting for an answer could hurt them more.

Xbox LIVE's Enhancements and Downgrades

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:52:59 MST

This has been a big week for Microsoft and its Xbox LIVE platform. We saw the launch of the dashboard update promised at E3 2011, plus the beginning of the media enhancements we have been waiting for. We got a surprise iOS app, called My Xbox LIVE, plus a Sony-esque User License alteration.

Let's start with the bad - in a similar move to the PlayStation Network, post hacking, Microsoft has added a new clause to their Terms of Service, preventing lawsuits against the company based on events involving Xbox or Xbox LIVE. Obviously, this is a reaction to the Sony breach earlier this year, however, they have taken a different tact. Sony allowed for an opt-out on the new clause, while Microsoft has not. While this lack of an opt-out has created a lot of discontentment in the Xbox community, it is important to note that, to date, the Xbox community has never risen against Microsoft, even while dealing with the RRoD problem in the early days of the 360.

To get the details on the iOS app and the dashboard and media enhancements, hit the break.

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FreeCast Wants to Give You a Whole New World of Free Content

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 20:05:58 MST

FreeCast is an online content provider and aggregate that takes an interactive approach to making all the free TV, radio, movie, YouTube and cable content out in the world available in one place, at no cost to the user. They have thousands of channels for Internet-based TV content from some big networks like USA, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, AMC and more. They can also stream multi-player games and radio stations to your computer, TV (with WiFi) tablet and smartphone users thanks to their Android and iOS apps. Their own FreeCast Network focuses on production of original content through user-created channels that can be about practically anything, adding some unique content on top of the 1.5 million new videos they integrate into their service everyday.

All of this has been integrated in an effort to achieve the lofty goal of becoming the largest open collection of media channel links on the Internet. IMDB made a similar claim a long time ago but FreeCast seems to be moving forward quickly with their free and unlimited approach.

Since FreeCast does not charge its users and only focuses on the integration of free content, they have been able to put together some interesting partnerships with paid subscription-based services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Samsung and more.

Free My Jukebox Software – Create Your Own Home Jukebox of 1000′s Songs! (Value $99.00)
Free 1 Month Trial Amazon Prime Unlimited Streaming and Home Delivery New Release Movies
Free 1 Month Trial Netflix Unlimited Streaming of New Release Movies
Free Online Games Membership – Unlimited FREE Play Games
Free Adult Movies Membership and Starter VOD Minutes. (Must Be 18+ Years of Age)
Free Daily Promotion Play for Chance to Win Top of the Line Samsung High Definition Home Entertainment & Personal Electronic Makeover or $50,000.00 Cash!

FreeCast also has something in mind for Facebook users, find out what after the break.

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HP Sends webOS to the Web

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:14:38 MST

HP's most recent CEO Meg Whitman kept her promise when saying we would know webOS's fate within 2 weeks. In fact, there was only a week between this promise and the official decision, handed down yesterday. HP has decided to open source webOS. According to Whitman,

webOS is the only platform designed from the ground up to be mobile, cloud-connected and scalable. By contributing this innovation, HP unleashes the creativity of the open source community to advance a new generation of applications and devices.

In addition to webOS itself, ENYO, the development platform for webOS will also be headed to the community in the coming weeks, as well as the remaining components.

This could either save or destroy the platform. Hit the break for my take on the future, the reasons for the decision and a letter from Whitman to employees.

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RIM's Most Recent Marketing Blunder

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:42:14 MST

Early last year, Research in Motion purchased QNX, a developer of operating systems. RIM started the seemingly long and complex transition of their products from the aging BlackBerry OS to the new QNX-powered operating system. The first device to run on this platform was the BlackBerry PlayBook, announced at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. Ever since the launch of the device, running the most innovative BlackBerry OS since the original, everyone wanted to know when the new OS would hit phones.

Well, that day is around the corner, but it isn't going quite the way they expected it to go. Like RIM's hiring portal mistake, no one thought to do research on the new product's name - originally dubbed BBX. Well, as it runs out, BBX is a name that is already trademarked, and it didn't take long for the trademark holder, Basis International, to notice and file suit. Basis sued in October and an initial ruling was handed down this week.

To find out the ruling and where RIM goes from here, hit the break.

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Super Mario 3D Land [Review]

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:27:09 MST

Mario has been jumping on our television screens and killing evil woodland creatures for over 25 years now. You would think we would get tired of the same formula of: beautiful princess running a peaceful kingdom of mushroom people in diapers, an evil dragon... turtle... thing decides to kidnap the princess just because he wants to, princess calls out to the four foot tall neighborhood plumber to come to her rescue, he defeats the evil fire-breathing bastard and saves the princess all for one single kiss. Well, apparently, we are not tired of this formula, because Nintendo seems to find a way to make each and every experience fresh and sometimes revolutionary.

Nintendo's newest installment to the Super Mario franchise has arrived. Super Mario 3D Land jumps, flutters and fireballs its way into our 3DS consoles and our hearts with stunning graphics, familiar nostalgic gameplay and powers, and level designs that will keep you questioning how good you really are at gaming.

For more of my thoughts on the game, hit the break.

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Console Game Developers Say 'Press Subscribe to Continue'

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:25:23 MST

Any hardcore gamer can guess what this is about. Subscription-based gaming is the norm for most social games that aren't free to play and companies like Zynga have not only enjoyed a more stable and predictable cash flow but they've been chipping away at the console gaming market at a steady pace. For the past few years console game developers have been trying to avoid getting pwned by bad economic conditions and the threat of shrinking market share, so naturally they have been gravitating toward the same subscription-based model in an effort to have more security for their revenue streams than Sony had for the PSN back in October. According to THQ's CEO Brian Farrell,

The big win there is you have a consumer base that pays you the subscription fee each month ongoing. That's a very different revenue model for a video game company, when you have this monthly subscription revenue rather than a one-time purchase.

Read on to find out why subscription-based gaming is gaining more momentum after the recent Reuters Global Media Summit.

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Spotify Welcomes Developers with Apps and an Open Platform

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 13:44:09 MST

Just a few short months after Spotify launched in the US, it was already running into a couple of hiccups, outside of getting enough subscribers to the service. Independent and smaller music label talent were both pulling their songs out of the service, claiming that the artists were not making enough off of each song play. To respond, Spotify has tried to make amends with the affected artists.

Outside of that realm, however, the new streaming company has tried to make a name by teaming up with other companies to show off cool demos and even appearing on our beloved WinPho 7.

So what's next for Spotify? This week, the company announced that it will start to open its music-laden arms to developers, asking them to create apps and other things to distance Spotify from the pack of other new music streaming companies out there, like Google Music.

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Nintendo Uses Its Strong Black Friday to Push Through to the New Year

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 13:20:33 MST

A failed product launch quickly followed by a price drop of that same product are two reasons a company has to apologize for a potential upcoming disaster. Ask Sony for the other reasons a company could fail. For Nintendo, however, things weren't looking so good after the 3DS fiasco. Many analysts of the gaming industry were predicting the tragic end of an iconic company if the holiday season wasn't a success for them.

This week, Nintendo responded to the call. We have the details after the break.

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Toyota and Yamaha Bring the Future into the Past With e-bike Collaboration

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 12:44:15 MST

Looking forward into the future, Toyota and Yamaha understand that urban areas will become much more densely populated over the next decade and that population requires reliable and economical transportation capabilities. There are only so many cars that can fit on the road and the forward looking approach Toyota and Yamaha have taken is to focus on small electric vehicles such as bikes and scooters that could play a big role in personal transportation in the future.

The EC-Miu three-wheeler, called the "electric commuter" and PAS-WITH e-bike concepts appeared at the Tokyo Motor show this year and one of the obvious benefits is the "cool" factor built into its futuristic design. It also runs on electricity, which is a plus for those who would like hold their noses up at Prius owners every time they drive by. The best part of this conceptual technology is actually under the hood, so to speak. The collaborative relationship that Toyota and Yamaha are leveraging involves Toyota's Smart Grid technology which was developed through a partnership with Microsoft.

Read on after the break to find out what makes it so cool and to see a video of the technology in action.

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Foot Path Steps in It

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:27:57 MST

Well, it turns out not everyone was so jazzed about the new technology from Path Intelligence, Foot Path, that allows retailers to anonymously track a cell phone's journey through a retail environment. To recap last week's report, The malls, owned and operated by Forest City, Promenade Temecula in Temecula, California and Short Pump Town Center in Richmond, Virginia, were trying out the new technology to survey shoppers behaviors in a way more accurate and anonymous than the old "give us your email and we'll send you a coupon" method.

As expected, people have taken offense to the concept of being tracked and after concerns were raised by US Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), Forest City has decided to halt their testing of the equipment, at least temporarily. Schumer said,

A shopper's personal cell phone should not be used by a third party as a tracking device by retailers who are seeking to determine holiday shopping patterns. Personal cell phones are just that—personal. If retailers want to tap into your phone to see what your shopping patterns are, they can ask you for your permission to do so.

To find out exactly what caused all of this and how the parties involved have responded, hit the break.

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Cisco Cius Tablet is Slated for Larger Models Next Year

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 07:52:19 MST

With all the news about new tablets constantly bombarding us, it's no surprise that Cisco's own tablet, the Cius, would get lost in the clutter of white noise and dessert treats that are iOS and Android devices. The Cius is also running with Android but Cisco's unique experience is largely ingrained on a deeper level that breeds some interesting and exciting usability in what I would designate a hardcore enterprise tablet. RIM and HP should take note.

Cisco's goal with the Cius is to "Redefine the way you work," by allowing employees to stay connected, reduce costs and increase productivity. Staying connected involves ubiquitous connectivity over Ethernet (With Cius docking station), 802.11 WiFi, 3G/4G and Bluetooth. Increasing productivity, refers to their AppHQ store which is a Cisco suite of apps that are tested to be sound and are secured from end to end. Cisco collaborative applications like Quad, Jabber and WebEx Meeting Center offer one touch functionality because they are not bolt-ons to the Android system, they are ingrained much more deeply. Something else worth nothing about AppHQ is that businesses can develop their own apps and create their own app suites within AppHQ, essentially allowing them to have a personal sub-app store within AppHQ. These applications are also subject to scrutiny by Cicso to ensure integrity and security, so they seem to be taking the whole security thing seriously. Another highlight of their product, that goes in-line with productivity and connectivity, is their Virtual Experience Infrastructure. To find out what VEI means for you and what Cisco has in store for the Cius, read on after the break.

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Clearwire Loses 3 Resellers

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:21:01 MST

When Sprint first announced a shift to LTE, we all knew it was a bad sign for Clearwire and their Clear mobile broadband network. Clear, a joint venture with Sprint, Bright House Networks, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, receives almost all of its 9.54 million subscribers through reseller agreements, mostly through Sprint. Well, that business model won't be viable much longer.

In addition to Sprint's transition to LightSquared's LTE network, the other 3 major investors have also announced a transition away from the network. Bright House Networks, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, who all purchased spectrum in the 2006 auctions, have pledged to lease that spectrum to Verizon Wireless in exchange for reseller agreements. Comcast, who currently offers Xfinity Internet2Go via Clear, will be moving that bundled service to Verizon Wireless, closing up its Clear partnership.

What does this mean for users of the resellers' technology? Hit the break to find out.

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Windows 8 Public Beta Could be Out as Soon as February

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:58:57 MST

Microsoft's recent //build/windows Conference let us have a real good look at what makes Windows 8 the next best operating system. The Developer Preview has been out for a little while now and engineers have been able to come up with some cool, innovative ways to interact with the new OS.

Microsoft has an upcoming developer event on December 6th, and has informed us that we should see Windows 8 hit public beta sometime around February of next year. Following that, we may even see the RTM (release-to-manufacturing) version arriving somewhere in June. Fun fact: Dec 6 also marks the date where we should see the new Xbox dashboard, coming off the heels of their recent holiday updates.

The announcement of Windows 8 moving so quickly is good news for anyone wanting a decent Windows tablet that isn't the Slate 2. Microsoft needs to make a dent in the tablet market as soon as possible if they want to try and compete moving into 2012. However, it's also great for Windows 7 users who upgraded to the OS when it first launched and need an upgrade option.

We have no word right now on the features we'd see in the beta but we were told that the feature list has not been set yet. Also keep in mind that the Developer Preview is changing every week and that we will see additions in the beta that we may not have seen at all in the Preview.

At any rate, this is exciting news as Microsoft gets geared up for CES and the new year.

Call of Duty: Elite Passwords not Totally Secure

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:47:06 MST

I tend to think the best of people, and I am often disappointed. For example, we all remember the PlayStation Network outage earlier this year, combined with Sony Pictures being hacked. We can all assume that the industry has learned their lesson and has protected their user data better, especially for newly designed and launched services, right? Well, if you think that, you will be as disappointed as I am.

Activision's newly launched Call of Duty: Elite service has proven that they are not as secure as one would think, based on the past 12 months. When requesting password help, instead of answering your secret question and being prompted to change your password, you are sent your password. That's right, Activision is storing password in the clear, or through some sort of reversible encryption, which provides for a much easier and interesting target for hackers.

What does this mean for Call of Duty: Elite? Hit the break to find out.

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HP's Whitman Will Decide webOS's Future Within 2 Weeks

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:31:00 MST

It is always a little bitter-sweet to write one of these articles. As a person who owns 3 webOS devices, including a launch Palm Pre, plus a PLuGHiTz Live! app, the future of the OS is very interesting to me. Since HP first purchased Palm for $1.2 billion, the road has been rocky for webOS, with several rumors that HP might retire the platform. When the hardware division was closed and the fire sale started, it looked like the end. Then, HP fired their CEO and things looked brighter. Now, that CEO has a decision to make, and she says she will make it soon.

In fact, HP CEO Meg Whitman has said that the decision will be made within 2 weeks as to what the future of Palm/HP's highly reviewed and poorly sold platform, and the devices that will or will not run it. The decision is a difficult one; she has to weigh the initial cost of $1.2 billion against the sales of devices and, of course, the possibly value of selling the platform. There have been plenty of rumors of interest from outside, including Facebook and Amazon, both of whom want hardware but don't want to offer Android on said devices. We know that HP will release Windows 8 tablets after that platform goes live, but HP wouldn't be the first company to offer multiple platforms. Samsung currently offers phones with Android, Windows Phone 7 and their own proprietary OS.

So, the constant stream of rumors and conjecture are almost at an end. No matter which way it goes, I think everyone will be happy to be able to stop talking about it.

GamePro Closing Its Doors

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:01:10 MST

It is the end of a gaming era. GamePro magazine, which went into publication in 1989, will officially shut down its website at noon on Monday, December 5. One final physical magazine will be published and released after the closing of the website.

GamePro started publishing the physical magazine in 1989 and went digital in 1996. Like all niche physical publications, GamePro has struggled to maintain relevance and readership in an increasingly digital world. A few concept changes over the years, including writers going from handles to real names and the most recent, going from monthly publication to quarterly in July of this year.

While the site and magazine may be going away, GamePro is not entirely dead. Hit the break to find out where GamePro is headed next.

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Facebook IPO Might not be the Smartest Thing After Groupon's Failure

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:36:31 MST

It's like we're living the dot-com bust over again and the addage that history repeats itself really is true. Months before some analysts started to doubt the Groupon IPO, we predicted its demise right on our show. As it would turn out, we were right. Groupon's IPO for $10 billion, initially, worked like a champ, however investors have dumped almost all of their stock just as fast as they bought it up. Shares fell from just over $31 to half of that at $16 at the time of this writing. The stock has even seen a low of just under $15, bringing the company's valuation to under $10 billion and leaving no hope for them in the future, or any other Internet company for that matter. Investors are now afraid of the Internet yet again and the financial industry is in shock as if they have no clue why this didn't work. At least Groupon is one of the few companies with a business model.

With all of that being said, now would be a bad time for another company to try and start an IPO, right? Zynga would be wise to stay out of that mix for the time being, so it only makes sense that Facebook thinks now's the perfect time to shoot for a $100 billion valuation and $10 billion in an IPO, and that's not a typo.

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Microsoft Signs NDA with Yahoo to Help Financially with Buyout

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:42:28 MST

Well, Microsoft got there first. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. That is the mentality of Microsoft as, after rumors of them possibly purchasing Yahoo from under Google's nose, have come to fruition. The company has signed a non-disclosure agreement with Yahoo. Along with Microsoft are other investors like Silver Lake and TPG Capital who all believe that the success of Yahoo lies within a new, better management team.

Microsoft is looking to tap into Yahoo's 81.2 million unique news readers and by signing the NDA, they will be able to dive into Yahoo's financials a little more. However, all of these investors are not interested in a full buyout. Instead, bidders are looking to buy a minority stake in the company. Microsoft's goal is to help finance a bid and not buy them outright, according to sources closer to the matter.

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Clearwire Might Skip on Upcoming Debt Payment

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:26:11 MST

Clearwire has been in a little bit of financial trouble as of late. Aside from Sprint deciding that they would be moving to LTE in the future of their 4G deployment, leaving Clear behind after 2012. This week, we're adding more fuel to the fire, as Clearwire is thinking about not paying a huge debt that is due in about two weeks.

In September, the company had $698 million in cash and short-term investments, so it should be able to afford to pay the $237 million it owes on December 1st. The problem is that the company has to raise a lot more money in order to stay in business in a year's time.

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Windows Phone App Marketplace Reaches 40,000 Apps

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:52:30 MST

It's time to show love to the WinPho 7. The Windows Phone app marketplace is now loaded with more than 40,000 different apps. The All About Windows Phone website uses a tracking system that can identify trends and project figures. The system currently shows that about 165 apps are added to the Marketplace each day, would should give us more than 50,000 apps in January.

In the past three months, we've seen 11,000 apps added to the store and around 5,000 of them were submitted in the past 30 days. For the Marketplace in general, the numbers show that the WinPho platform is really starting to gain attention off the heels of their giant Windows Phone event. 10,000 of the recently added applications are from new and different publishers.

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More Google Shutdowns

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:43:00 MST

The latest round of shutdowns at Google has been announced and it is, once again, a number of products most people have never heard of or assumed were already gone. We'll start with our favorite Google disaster: Google Wave. The product was announced at Google I/O in 2009, but no one was ever as excited about Wave as Google was. The social collaboration system, which allowed email, text messages and real-time document editing, was never the hit Google assumed it would be and inevitably was closed for development. Jan 31, 2012 will see Wave go read-only with full shutdown April 30.

Knol was billed as a replacement for Wikipedia in 2007, allowing experts in the field to maintain the data. Unfortunately, no one ever knew the product existed and it suffered the standard Google fate. The service will be retailed through April 2012, allowing users to get their data out, or migrate it to WordPress. The system will be shut down completely October 1.

That's not all that's going away. Hit the break for the rest of the list.

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Chinese Student Builds an iPad - Sort Of

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:35:20 MST

Apple seems to hold a strange place in the hearts of the people of China. From selling kidneys and virginity, to counterfeiting entire stores, they sure do show their attachment to the company and its products. What do you do if your girlfriend wants an iPad, but you are not a virgin and need to keep both of your kidneys? Build it yourself, of course.

That is exactly what Wei Xinlong, a senior at the Art & Design Department at Northeast Normal University did. Well, kind of. Using a touchscreen and battery he purchased and parts from an old laptop, Wei built an entirely touchscreen device that "one can read, download, watch movies, play games by just touching the screen." The casing, all hand-cut, is adorned with rhinestones and has the Apple logo on the front. Unlike an iPad, though, it can be used for useful things because it runs Windows. It even has all of the ports you would expect on a device, like VGA and USB. The best part? It only cost him $125 to build.

It seems to me this thing is like the perfect gift - less expensive than an iPad, running Windows and has connectivity, plus it was built by someone she loves. It doesn't get much better than that. Head over to the source article at the bottom to see some more pictures of the device.

AT&T-Mobile Might be a No-Go

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:02:36 MST

It has been a long, hard battle for the AT&T/T-Mobile USA merger so far. They have faced a public who is reluctant to have only 1 GSM carrier left in the country, a Department of Justice lawsuit looking to prevent it and a leaked document revealing AT&T's real reason for wanting T-Mobile USA. Recently, the FCC got involved in the issues when the chairman recommended to his board that they disallow the merger.

AT&T's reaction was not quite what was expected but not terribly surprising. AT&T withdrew their bid for FCC approval completely. Now, this might seem to indicate that perhaps they feel they have failed, but I don't think that is what is happening here. With a major DoJ case coming up, their legal team needs to focus all of their attention there, not let it get spread across fighting two big battles. The easiest way to do that is to eliminate one of the problems. Done.

That's not their only reason for delaying the FCC. Hit the break to find out what else is going on.

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Tracking Customer Behavior in the Real World

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:43:14 MST

We all know the Internet changed the way retailers interact with their customers. Most importantly, it gave retailers the ability to learn about how their customers shopped to help target marketing or even determine product mix. Brick and mortar retail, however, has never really had this luxury. Sure, they have tried "give us your email and we'll send you a coupon" promotions to help track behavior, as well as in-store credit cards to keep track of purchase trends, but nothing is quite like the good old cookie. That is until now.

A company out of Portsmouth, England, named Path Intelligence, has developed a new way to track people in physical retail almost the same way as online, only they don't use cookies; they use your wireless phone. No personal information is able to be recorded, of course, but just like a digital cookie, it is able to follow the anonymous you through the store to see where you go and what you look at. It can even be used in a full mall to see what types of stores customers are spending a lot of time in and which stores are being skipped all together.

Right now the technology is being tested for US consumption in 2 US malls. Hit the break to find out where and why the management believes the data is important.

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Best Buy Stays In the Red with 'Premier Silver' Customers this Black Friday

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 13:11:07 MST

In preparation for this year's Black Friday, the supposedly 'epic' deals that are synonymous with that weekend and is what starts the retail golden quarter, happened prematurely. Some big name companies such as Walmart, Target, hhgregg, Amazon and Best Buy kicked things off early this year in an effort to gobble up few more percentage points of the golden quarter pie. This isn't at all surprising when retailers in general are combating declining revenues and in some cases losses but it is a little surprising when a lack of follow through on the retailer's part makes good deals go sour.

Best Buy has been fighting losses that date back over 5 straight quarters in stores that have been operating for more than 14 months and was one of the retailers to reach out to select customers with exclusive pre-Black Friday deals. The specific customers in this case were their Premier Silver customers who qualify for that distinction by spending over $2,500 per year with the company and also being a Rewards Zone member. On November 21st, the Premier Silver customers were supposed to be able to take advantage of special offers related to laptops, TVs and videogames through Best Buy's website but many were digitally denied by some technical issues that prevented them from completing their orders. Oops. Read some negative customer feedback after the break.

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Search Different With Volunia

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:42:45 MST

Massimo Marchiori is an Italian mathematician who played in big role in what Google currently uses as their page rank system. Back in 1996 he presented his Hyper Search algorithm at a conference that was attended by Larry Page and well, the rest is history, until now. Marchiori has plans to create his own search engine that is not intended to be "better" than Google but "different" and really useful to people.

If you have received an e-mail from Volunia with an offer to become a "power user" and participate in some preliminary testing then you would know because the video linked in the e-mail consists of Marchiori sitting on a park bench with a magical white board that seems to have something in common with Ghost Writer. He's not able to give away much information but he is able to say that this is something new, exciting and different.

It's not just Google plus 10 percent. It's a different perspective. It's a new radical view of what a search engine of the future could be.

Check out the video for yourself after the break.

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Sony PlayStation Home is Cozier When You Watch Movies with Friends

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:46:23 MST

There isn't much to say about PlayStation Home that hasn't been said before. For most, it's just a big space that feels like you're the only one in it. The movie theater seems to only play "C" movies and the slushies at the ice rink are luke warm at best. After three redesigns, it appeared that Sony was really just missing the mark. However, the PlayStation Home may have some life still left in it, or it at least will go down kicking and screaming.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab Gets an N for New, Germans Celebrate

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 13:36:29 MST

Back in August, Apple and Samsung got into a heated debate about the originality of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. The injunction Apple asked for was upheld in September during the patent litigation hearings in Germany. So, in Germany, you were unable to purchase a Galaxy Tab. That is, until this week.

Samsung has slightly altered the Galaxy Tab to make it just different enough to allow it to be sold in Germany.

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Google Music Service is Not Music to Amazon and Apple's Ears

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 10:00:25 MST

The Google Music Beta is now up and running to the delight of Google and it's partners, EMI Group, Universal Music and Sony Music. It's not certain that actual users will welcome the service with open arms yet but we can be sure that it won't be so warmly welcomed by Amazon, Apple and Microsoft who now have to deal with another contender in the $6.8 billion dollar online music industry.

The concept of Google Music is nothing terribly original, everyone is familiar with Zune, iTunes and the Amazon Music Store already and Google is trying to tie Google Music into the social aspect of users lives to change the way recommendations are made and how users purchase music according to Google's director of content partnerships, Zahava Levine.

Recommendations from friends are the single most important way that people discover new music. And we think that this social feature has the potential to really transform purchasing behavior.

Find out what role Google+ and Android devices will play in the success of Google Music after the break.

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Apple Names New Chairman and Director

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:41:43 MST

For about a week or so, since the discovery that the latest iPhone had more problems than the Apple team knew about, the Cupertino camp has been relatively quiet. With the iPhone announcement event being a little lackluster after the untimely resignation of Steve Jobs, a lot of people were left wondering what else could go wrong for Apple. There were some holes that needed to be patched or filled and it seemed that they had no idea who was going to step in.

This week, Apple did state that they have decided on a new Director of Apple and a new non-executive Chairman of the Board.

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Samsung Makes Microsoft Surface Available to Consumers...Finally

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:25:17 MST

At the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year, the staff at PLuGHiTz Live! Radio was able to see Microsoft show off their new Microsoft Surface 2.0 technology which yielded major improvements over Surface 1.0. Their trademarked PixelSense technology allows the LCD display to recognize over 50 points of contact at once and the demonstration at the Microsoft Keynote ended with 20 fingers simultaneously bombarding the Samsung SUR40 LCD screen for about 30 seconds with seemingly no lag or response and rendering issues. They also made the announcement that Surface 2.0 would be available sometime late in 2011 which we had completely forgotten about until the recent announcement for the pre-order that is now open to 23 countries including the U.S. and Canada.

If you're a little curious as to the hardware involved:

4" thin

40" LCD screen with 1920x1080 (1080p) resolution

AMD Radeon HD 6700M Series GPU with DirectX 11 support

AMD Athlon II X2 Dual-Core Processor 2.9GHz

Windows 7 Professional OS

Never had a chance to see it in action? Check if your country is one of the 23 able to pre-order and how much you might expect to spend per unit after the break.

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Xbox Greets You for the Holidays with LIVE Updates

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:19:54 MST

We knew that the dashboard updates that rolled out just a couple of months ago were only the beginning. In October, Xbox announced their new video lineup, complete with content for just about everyone. So with the beta for the new dashboard update wrapping up, there had to be more features announced right around the corner.

For us, it's right after the break.

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Huge Windows Phone Event in NYC Brings Us 4 Small Devices and One Giant WinPho

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 13:57:53 MST

Microsoft had a huge Windows Phone 7 event this week. It was enormous in both size of the event and size of one of the device they showed off, which puts the 4.3" screens to shame. The Microsoft team constructed and displayed a six-story model of a Windows Phone, smack in the middle of NYC's Herald Square for their launch event of four new phones.

The giant WinPho was also used as a stage, in which the tiles opened up to display performers such as the Far East Movement and showcased over 8 hours of live entertainment. Oh yeah, and all of the tiles on the Windows Phone were dynamic LED screens, and they changed and updated as the event went on into the evening.

Aside from the fun, as mentioned this was all for a launch of four new devices.

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Adobe Closes Mobile Flash Development

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 13:03:01 MST

It has been a hard fought war between Adobe and Apple, leading Adobe to throw in the towel. They have even gone farther than conceding to Apple, they have conceded to mobile, closing up shop on their Flash Player for mobile project.

Adobe won't let this set them back, however. They have committed to contributing to the HTLM5 standard and will continue to promote its AIR platform, allowing developers to build an app once and allow it to live natively on multiple OS platforms. This raises the question, however, if you are going to continue to deliver Flash to mobile devices to power AIR, why would you drop the browser support?

The answer is simple, and follows the break.

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U.S. Air Force Wants a 'Floral Disruptor' to Eliminate Pesky Weeds

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 13:00:24 MST

It's not uncommon for the U.S. Air Force to contract out businesses for the development of technologies through their Air Force Small Business Innovation Research & Small Business Technology Transfer portal. However, there is one project titled "Floral Disruptor - Directed Energy Weed Abatement and Prevention Tool" that is particularly odd in about every single way. Yes indeed, 'Directed Energy' implies a technology similar to sound or energy weapons and all for the purpose of keeping the yard neat and trim, like the military traditionally likes things. The Air Force outlines the objective for the device as follows.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a device that uses directed energy technology to prevent and abate unwanted plants (weeds) in areas that require control or defoliation. The purpose of this system will be the removal of unwanted plants and keep seeds from germinating.

Maybe, touching down on an unkempt runway after a successful bombing run puts a damper on victory or maybe the government doesn't want to spend millions a year and waste their time keeping the yard in shape anymore. Either way, read on after the break to see the actual document and learn more, it won't be disappointing.

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Free Your Hands with EyeAsteroids from Tobii

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 07:52:54 MST

Tobii is a company that offers eye tracking software and hardware solutions that can be applied to a wide variety of industries like surgery, assessment and diagnostics, consumer computer, law enforcement, automotive and, most importantly, gaming. While all of those other industries are relevant I just can't get past the fact that their eye control technology combines two things I greatly enjoy, playing videogames and not moving. Don't get me wrong, Kinect and PlayStation Move are just fine and offer enhanced gaming experiences but sometimes my hands need to stay out of the equation to keep me comfortable. Thankfully, this is also a philosophy that Tobii has taken to heart.

When playing the eye-controlled Tobii EyeAsteroids, your hands literally become superfluous. It is guaranteed to provide an entirely new experience that differs radically from traditional controls, dance pads and gesture-controlled games, where you need to actively do something to make things happen.

I can't think of a better way to introduce this new gaming control technology into the world than creating your own Eye Asteroids arcade console based on the classic Asteroids arcade game and that's exactly what they did. I could describe it but you should just check out the video after the break.

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Apple's App Store has a Security Flaw

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 23:21:08 MST

It was just before the summer earlier this year that we finally saw the Apple lovers of the world admit that their computers can get viruses, too. The same could not be said for their iOS mobile devices, though, as Apple's closed platform has led to no security breaches or attacks.

That is, until now. The shiny, circa 2007 iPhone 4S has already run into several battery issues that they have not addressed yet. Now, they run into even bigger problems.

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Spotify Spotted on Windows Phone 7

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:39:31 MST

It's not just Ford that is going to enjoy some tunes on the go. Windows Phone 7 is finally getting some streaming music love that is not just the Zune Marketplace. This week, after all of the Spotify talk and hype, if you swing over to the App Marketplace, you can download Spotify Mobile and get streaming.

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HP TouchPads on Sale for Developers (UPDATED)

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:28:09 MST

Update: From the Developer Program post, "We currently have more requests for coupons than we have devices and will not be accepting any further requests."

Ever since the HP firesale of the TouchPad, the $99 and $149 pricepoints have set the tablet world abuzz and people have been scrambling to try and get their hands on as many as possible. Regardless of HP's decision to now keep their PC business after deciding to spin it off not too long ago, the company promised a second round of TouchPads, likely clearing out their component inventory in their factories. Unfortunately, Wal-Mart and Best Buy got their hands on almost all of the initial secondary run and scooped them up, forcing you to buy a PC if you wanted a TouchPad.

While that might be a route you may want to take, some of us just want the tablet, and until now, you were out of luck. This week, developers get a little bit of a break.

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Mobile Phone Games Are Cutting Into Other Handheld's Sales

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:47:43 MST

Smartphone gaming is not a new concept. If you don't at least have Angry Birds Lite front and center on your device, then you are one of the few who practically does no mobile gaming (if you are, don't feel bad, I'm part of the 1% as well). What's interesting is how the landscape of mobile gaming has shifted from 2009 until now. Flurry Analytics and the NDP Group have released some statistics that show a dramatic increases in smartphone game sales for the iOS and Android platforms and corresponding decreases in Nintendo DS and Sony PSP game sales.

Even just 2 years ago in 2009 the Nintendo DS was a monster in the mobile gaming industry drinking in 70% of total mobile game sales. The PSP was clinging to 11% of the market and iOS/Android owned the other 19%. The projections for the end of 2011 tell a much different story. iOS/Android are starting to look more like Pacman on the pie chart as they consume the DS's 36% and the PSP's measly 6% to attain 58% of mobile game sales with a nice little cherry on top. iOS/Android are expected to round out 2011 with $1.9 billion in sales and the PSP/DS are expected to bring in around $1.4 billion. Read on after the break to find out if iOS/Android games will turn DS and PSP games into power pellets that will be swallowed up with the rest of the market.

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AT&T Aims to Implement 3G/4G in Your Next Ride

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 06:35:48 MST

When AT&T is not focusing on eliminating T-Mobile or capping your data, they are working to position themselves in emerging markets with high growth potential. In this case, they are transitioning their communication services into the third fastest-growing mobile device, your car. Audi is already experimenting with its implementation in their 2012 A7 and Glenn Lurie, President of AT&T's Emerging Devices division is working with Ford, Nissan and BMW to see their technology roll out with these car manufacturers in three to four years.

Vlad Sejnoha, the CTO of Nuance, a company who has developed speech recognition software for many auto manufacturers, gives his take on how the technology will be implemented.

Apps will reside on a built-in computer…a local computer, powerful, with a lot of memory, and it will include communication capability so it can connect to a server at any point. That server might include some data, some natural language processing, and the user will just simply be aware they are talking to the system. It can select media from the entertainment system, switch radio channels, you can ask for the nearest gas station. It will allow drivers to respond to their SMS texts that can be read outloud using synthetic voice. And a lot of these guys will also make it possible to connect to your smartphone for an app or music. But they won’t rely on the phone for the wireless connection.

The real question is, why would you pay extra for something your smartphone can already do with it's own 3G/4G connection that you are already paying for? Audi gives their take on that after the break.

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Sony Cuts Up TV Division Into Three Pieces

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:39:01 MST

Guess what happens when a division of your brand loses money eight years in a row? You split it up, of course! That's exactly what is happening with Sony's TV division, furthering their bad year that just keeps getting worse.

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GameStop Dips it's Toes into Android Tablets For the Holidays

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 14:27:52 MST

At the end of September, Tony Bartel, president of GameStop, announced they would try to market a "GameStop-certified gaming platform" that involved tablet devices. As we inch closer into the holiday season, GameStop has announced that 200 of their U.S. stores will be sporting a variety of Samsumg, Acer and Asusteck Computer Inc. Android tablets. According to GameStop's CEO, J. Pauls Raines,

Customers have been telling us that they like to game on multiple devices. We believe there is a gaming opportunity on tablets.

Along with the tablets, GameStop is offering a package of 7 games that will be included with the purchase of the device. They also have a specially designed controller that you can pick up for an additional $39. The purpose of the controller is to allow gamers to play 4 of the 7 games from across the room, assuming that you can send the video to your TV, or that the tablets are about 27". You'll also be able to access the Android Marketplace and GameStop's own mobile app store, Kongregate Arcade. How much will one of these tablets set you back and will all that in-store credit you've racked up do you any good? Find out after the break.

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Nook E-Reader Gone Tablet

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 07:45:44 MST

It looks like Barnes & Noble didn't want to take the chance of getting burned by the Amazon Kindle Fire this holiday season. Some internal documents surfaced that revealed a November 15th release date for the their new Nook Tablet device. From the image it is nearly impossible to tell the Nook Color apart from it's younger brother but according to Barnes & Noble, the differences are mainly on the inside.

- 8.1- x 5- x 0.48-inches

- 7" color VividView IPS with 1024x600 resolution

- 16GB of flash storage

- 1G of RAM

- SD card slot

- 802.11b/g/n WiFi

- 1.2GHz dual-core OMAP4 processor

Hit the break to see if you can tell the Nook Tablet and Nook Color apart and to find out how much you can expect to drop for this device come November 15th.

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Kinect's One Year Anniversary Comes Complete with Commercial SDK Announcement

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 22:40:03 MDT

This week marked a year since the Kinect took effect on the Xbox 360 and made a world-changing impact on gaming and life itself. Since the Kinect entered the market before the holidays last year and set records across the globe, we've seen tons of new games at E3 and more and more creative ways to use Kinect.

What we've also seen is professional and amateur developer teams alike come up with so many different ways to "hack" and use the Kinect that Microsoft decided to embrace the community and come up with fun things like Kinect Fun Labs.

However, there's been some interesting things brewing up on the Microsoft side as well and in 2012, we will see the fruits of their labor.

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HP Commemorates Staying in Hardware with the Slate 2

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 17:38:46 MDT

It's been a rough ride for HP with the game of executive musical chairs that has continued even after HP announced it would stay involved in the hardware business. So with some of the confusion out of the way, they have decided to drop another Windows 7 tablet in our laps, the Slate 2.

The Slate 2 seems to be scaled up for enterprise applications and scaled down for everything else. The Atom Z670 single core 1.5Ghz processor is a less powerful than it's predecessor, the Slate 500, and is still limited to x86 operating systems and processors. The Slate 2 will also be sporting 32GB of storage and an 8.9" screen. Kyle Thornton, category manager for emerging products at HP, has talked about other perks that we can expect to see like easy integration into infrastructure and security and management features. The tablet can be traced if stolen with Computrace Pro, administrators can remotely access the device and remotely wipe it if the need should arise. Admins can even roll out a standard software image across hundreds of tables if they like. Find out more about the Slate 2 after the break.

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Another HP Exec Bites the Dust Shortly After Turnaround Plan was Announced

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 22:37:27 MDT

Sure, as of last week, HP might be looking a little brighter than a few months ago. Their destructive leader, Leo Apotheker, has been thrown out and replaced by former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. After a few weeks of uncertainty, she was able to regain some control and she may even bring HP back from the brink of total disaster.

However, for about a month now, top level execs have been fleeing the company. First, HP's CTO Shane Robison took off, shortly followed by his understudy, VP of Worldwide Developer Relations, Richard Kerris. These departures happened before Whitman announced her plan to spin around 180 degrees and take HP back to what they know.

Unfortunately, whether this exec got that memo or if he's tired of all the crazy decisions as of late, another one bites the dust. More details on who and why are after the break.

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Google Might Buy Yahoo but Microsoft Might Get There First

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:21:51 MDT

When Hulu went up for sale, it seemed that Yahoo, among other companies, was at the top of the running list to acquire the video streaming service. However, we learned a couple of weeks ago that Hulu was backing out of its proposed sale, partly due to Disney not agreeing with anyone. Yahoo pulled out shortly before the end of the sale, citing controversial and internal problems within the company.

This week, after rumors were flying for several days, we have learned that Yahoo has been shopping around for possible buyers. Not only that, we discovered that Google has contacted several private equity firms in order to aid them in the purchase of Yahoo.

Will Google be able to take out one of its top competitors with this move? What happens now? Details are after the break.

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Sony Buys Out Ericsson to Take Full Control of the Mobile Phone Company

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:20:31 MDT

Sony looks like they might be doing something right here for once. This week, they will be acquiring full ownership of Sony Ericsson, removing Swedish company L.M. Ericsson Telephone from the picture. This will allow Sony to further their mission to put more music, games and videos on their devices.

This move will cost Sony $1.46 billion in exchange for the 50% share that Ericsson currently has. This also involved a patent and licensing agreement between the two companies, where Sony will now be in control of five important patents from Ericsson.

The acquisition will be another page in the "patent war" chapter of the book of mobile devices as of late. We talk about that after the break.

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Samsung Takes Top Spot, Beating Out Apple as #1 Smartphone Manufacturer

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:52:40 MDT

Samsung's last quarter produced results so successful that it has allowed them to beat out Apple for the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. This adds a new level of interest into their legal issues, among them the distribution of the Galaxy Tab in Germany and other places.

Here's the numbers that gave Samsung the much-deserved top spot. Reports are in that last quarter, Samsung shipped 27.8 million devices, which makes up 23.8% of the smartphone market. Apple came in second last quarter, shipping only 17.1 million, which is 14.6% of the market. In third was Nokia, who stayed in third place, but that should change once numbers come in about their recently launched Lumia.

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Augmented Reality Looks to Keep Your Eyes on the Road

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:58:19 MDT

Last week we discussed Microsoft expiramenting with augmented reality in an effort to create ad hoc surfaces to interact with touchscreens that work in conjunction with mobile devices. Making Virtual Solid is another company that is familiar with the concept of AR and they want to trick out your windshield with some GPS navigation.

Their goal is for the system to be simple and affordable. Current navigation systems are loaded with icons and symbols that take the drivers attention off of the road and focus it on deciphering the screen. Not to mention they are rarely placed at eye level on or around the windshield. Anyone who remembers fiddling around with suction cup mounts will understand why. Today, practically every smartphone has navigation built-in and if they aren't in your pants they are usually hanging around the center console where the cup holders and car charger plugs in.

The "Virtual Cable" that appears on your windshield to guide you is MVS's version of "follow the yellow brick road," except in this case it's a simple red line. The line can be projected onto the windshield from any built in or external navigation system and is easily seen in daylight and at night. MVS is constantly making improvements to the line with True-3D Technology and is focused on staying cost effective. If they keep this up it might actually start making it into some vehicles but while we wait to see it in real life, enjoy their demo video.

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Groupon Looks to Group Buy it's Way Out of Termoil

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 09:14:44 MDT

This week Groupon kicked off their roadshow in hopes of winning over investors for a successful IPO (initial public offering) which they need to help smooth out the turbulent waters they've been sailing through. So far they've been battling a plethora of negative publicity in the media, class action lawsuits and now they're pushing for a successful IPO at a time when the markets are in bad shape.

The presentation focuses on the untapped potential there is in local markets, how Groupon will take advantage and the financial rewards for the company in the future. CEO Andrew Mason asserted that their new platform's potential is in the trillions of dollars and that it provides consumers with twice the buying power and increased profits for merchants.

The driving force behind those claims is their "Triforce: The Foundation of Groupon" (yes, it is an intentional The Legend of Zelda reference). The basis for which is their proprietary Smart Deals system which they refer to as "the deal factory." Smart Deals is how they get the right deals in front of the correct consumers and how they tailor the type of deals in accordance to the preferences of their merchants' customers. They also claim this allows them to drive up conversion rates which translates into happier customers and increased loyalty. The Smart Deals system is fed by their lead optimizer which fuels the sales team to keep the deal factory growing. The final part of the trifecta is a new service called Groupon Now. It focuses on allowing Groupon users to get real time Groupon deals from merchants on their mobile devices as they are out and about in a particular area. Mason summarizes all this as follows, Daily Deals (customer acquisition), Groupon rewards (loyalty and retention) and Groupon Now (yield management).

Their CFO, Jason Child, tried to communicate a bright financial future despite some difficult circumstances surrounding them in the present. Find out more and watch a video of their roadshow presentation after the break.

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In Living Color Returns to FOX

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:27:47 MDT

Sketch comedy shows come and go, but it isn't often that one goes and comes back. FOX has decided to follow the lead of the other networks and movie studios and reboot a previously cancelled series: . This series, unlike, say Knight Rider, launched a large number of careers, including Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, and David Alan Grier.

The new version of the series, like the original will be produced by Keenan Ivory Wayans, the creator of the original series, and will feature unknown, young comedians. It will also, presumably, be controversial. The original series was full of groundbreaking comedy and things never before seen on television. Over time, as the series became more popular, the censors cracked down on the content more and finally cost the show its edge and therefore its viewership.

FOX is a lot more comfortable with being edgy since the 90s, with series like The Simpsons and / American Dad being among the top-rated shows on the network. Hopefully this will prevent the rebooted series from the same fate as its predecessor. We can look forward to two 30-minute specials airing this spring as a test for the market to see if the show will come back in the Fall or mid-season.

Are you looking forward to seeing new In Living Color, or should the networks leave past series in the past? Let us know in the coments section.

Amped Wireless Gives Us Long-Range WiFi

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:09:27 MDT

Anyone who has ever worked in an office building can understand the problem of weak signal in the corners of the building. In our offices, we have great reception in the development office, but if you need to use it in a conference room, you have to hope someone has an open connection somewhere near. Now, Amped Wireless (not Amp'd Mobile) is coming to our rescue with its professional line of access points and repeaters, offering WiFi access up to 1.5 miles from the base.

The 600mW Pro-Smart Repeater SR600EX runs only $179.99 and claims a full 1.5 mile range. Considering that some standard Linksys and Netgear repeaters run in the same price range, I am a little concerned about the possibilities of this device. The company does offer a range increase guarantee, so if you try it and it is no better than what you have now, they will refund your money.

It seems like, for under $200, it is worth a shot if you are in the same boat that we are.

If you give it a shot, let us know in the comments. Also, to read the full press release, hit the break. To read more about the product, hit the source link.

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Google Reader Updates Cause Protests?

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:53:08 MDT

It turns out I'm not the only one concerned about Google Reader's "upgrades." In fact, it seems almost everyone dislikes the discontinuation of the internal sharing options. We'll start with the one that is more funny than anything else: a protest in Washington.

There is a group upset about the changes; they call themselves The Sharebros. They define themselves as "person(s) whom one is following and followed by on Google Reader (as formally recognized by a Google Reader founder)," and they are the most dedicated Google product userbase I have ever seen. They have created their own online language, including hashtags and pictograms.

A group of 15 or so Sharebros members got together to protest at Google's offices in Washington about the impending changes to Google Reader. The group came up with some clever, amusing signs and put their interests out in front of people. What they had on their side, however, was an adorable little girl who was holding the best sign ever.

They aren't the only ones upset about the changes. Hit the break to find out why Iranians are upset about the change and to see the signs from The Sharebros.

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HP's Future: A Little Less Confusing

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:10:42 MDT

I have a theory: HP and Netflix are actually the same company. Let me explain. Netflix has had some problems lately. First, they raised prices, then announced that they would spin off DVDs to a new company. A lot of backlash and the company undid some of its decisions. Reversing direction, however, did not prevent a loss of customers.

HP has been in a very similar boat. First, they announced intentions to spin-off their hardware division, as well as discontinuing webOS hardware. After a lot of backlash from customers and investors, they replaced their CEO, but new CEO Meg Whitman said she would stay the course. This week, HP announced that they had decided not to spin-off their hardware division, claiming it to be too expensive to accomplish. This reversal, however, might be too little too late for consumers who are concerned about the longevity of the company.

What are the plans for the hardware division and webOS? Find out after the break, along with an interview with Todd Bradley, HP's Personal Systems Group Executive Vice President and the full press release.

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800,000 Customers Leave Netflix for Possibly Greener Pastures

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:37:52 MDT

Ever since Netflix's confusing and frustrating, yet understandable and needed price hike (and brand restructuring), the company hasn't been doing as well as they have in the past. Aside from the thousands of negative comments on their Facebook page, clambering for Netflix to go back to their old price structure, they realized that after all is said and done, you shouldn't just increase your prices by 60% without at least telling your millions of subscribers why. Because of that, their idea of Quikster and separating DVDs by mail from their Internet streaming service quickly fell through and Reed Hastings pretty much said that they were just kidding this whole time. What a bunch of goofballs over there at Netflix, right?

Still, customers didn't find Hastings' comedic timing to their liking and complained more about how dumb of an idea splitting up the companies was to begin with. What happened next lies after the break.

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HP Loses Another Exec Who Quickly Touches Down in Nokia World

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:10:08 MDT

This piece of news is a public service announcement. To every company not named HP, if you ever wanted an idea of how to further implode your company, keep reading. This week, after CTO Shane Robison hit the dusty trail in search of greener pastures, we thought that it would be the last bad thing we'd see out of HP. Well, something else happened that isn't helping them out one bit.

What happened and what's next for HP? We have the scoop after the break.

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Canada Causes $200,000 T-Mobile Bill

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:51:30 MDT

Data roaming charges are a bitch. Florida resident and T-Mobile user, Celina Aarons, realized this after receiving a phone call from the telecom company about her data roaming and that she owed them $201,005.44. This is proof that data should be turned off when roaming on a 4G 3G network that has a spotty network comparable to Swiss cheese.

Aarons' bill typically runs around $175 per month, so $200,000 seems to be a little bit on the high side. So high, in fact, that she claimed she was "freaking out" when they let her know of such an overage. There has to be a reason to such a high bill, though, right?

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HP's CTO Shane Robison Leaving the Company

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:17:40 MDT

This has not been a good time at all for HP. First, their TouchPad disaster caused the CEO, Leo Apotheker, to be replaced. The new exec, eBay's former CEO, Meg Whitman, said she was going to stay the course and continue HP's plans to restructure and sell-off it's computer business.

This week, more bad news for HP. Their Chief Technical Officer, Shane Robison, has left the building. Robison, who also served on the HP executive council, will be leaving the company on November 1st after serving for over 11 years. However, his position will not be filled once his desk clears out.

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Sony's 3D Display On Sale November 13th

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:44:55 MDT

Four months ago at E3 2011, Sony, while trying to recover from its breach bonanza, gave us a peek at their upcoming 24" 3DTV that could display two different images, simultaneously. We learned that we would see this TV sometime around the holidays and it would sell for $499, but that was it.

This week, however, Sony let us in on their plan for this really cool game room TV.

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Microsoft Investigates New Touchscreen Surfaces such as Your Body

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:39:47 MDT

The future is looking bright for people looking for an excuse to touch themselves and other ad hoc surfaces with purpose, literally. Chris Harrison of the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft researchers Hrvoje Benko and Andrew Wilson have been focusing their efforts on creating OmniTouch technology that expands touchscreen surfaces beyond the normal array of touchscreen devices like the phones and tablets that we have all become so accustomed to. They realized that the average human hand has more surface area than most touchscreen phones and that there were a lot of usable surfaces already existing in the real world, like your hand, coffee tables and notepads, that could be put to better use. According to Benko,

We wanted to capitalize on the tremendous surface area the real world provides. The surface area of one hand alone exceeds that of typical smart phones. Tables are an order of magnitude larger than a tablet computer.

Find out how this is possible after the break.

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Sony's Post-Valentine's Day Present: Vita Due out February 22nd 2012

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:26:22 MDT

The PS Vita first came to our attention in January of this year when it became known that Sony was working on its next generation portable (NGP) device that hopefully wouldn't not be a PSP re-hash... again. We got a glimpse of what we could expect the hardware to be but were left in the dark as to whether Sony would actually improve the device besides beefing up the hardware or not.

Five months later, at E3 2011, the Vita came to light and everyone's speculation was surprisingly put to rest by a very good Sony keynote. This is something they desperately needed after extensive PSN outages in April that went unresolved until May 14th after Geo Hotz tweeted a major PSN security flaw. Their keynote was also an extension of the Welcome Back for Sony's handheld gaming devices that had been floundering for years. The key changes that will give the Vita a fighting chance are the addition of a new Android-like operating system that has replaced the old XCrossMediaBar, the PSN functionality that is incorporated with Vita and addition of touch-controls, which were demonstrated through an Uncharted: Golden Abyss demo.

Sadly, a few months after the great news, Sony broke some bad news to the U.S. and Europe about when they could get these devices in their pants. Hit the break to find out more.

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Google Reader's Makeover

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:45:33 MDT

Over the past few months, Google has been incredibly active. The company has had comical auction bids, several rounds of product closures, as well as a visual redesign of current products and launches of new products. This has all been since co-founder Larry Page's return to the company in an attempt to make Google profitable and relevant again.

The latest Google product to fall victim to the redesigned interface is Google Reader. This one won't just be a refresh to make it look like the rest of Google - there will be a lot of features removed, and some new ones added. On the list of things going is: friends, Reader sharing and favoriting (starring). You also will not be able to share subscriptions with friends (partially because friends are going away). All of these features will be replaced by integrations of the Google + brands; the +1 button and Google+ social networking.

How does Google plan to handle the inevitable objections? Hit the break ot find out.

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Samsung and Hitachi are Getting Out of Hard Drives

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:37:41 MDT

We all know that the era of hard drives is coming to an end, replaced by the quicker, more power-efficient solid state drives. Between a technology shift and a number of conspiracies and scandals, Samsung and Hitachi have decided to close up shop on their hard drive businesses and sell them off to the competition.

The problem here is that the competition is few and far between. In fact, as of right now, there are only 4 companies manufacturing hard drives: Hitachi, Samsung, Western Digital and Seagate. Because of this, Western Digital has agreed to purchase Hitachi's business for $4.3 billion and Seagate will pickup Samsung's business for $1.375 billion. Clearly the, now, big 2 believe there is still enough of a market to shell out a combined $5.675 billion to lock-in the industry.

Why would they spend the money instead of just letting these guys fail? Hit the break to find out.

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HDTV is So Last MacWorld

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:18:22 MDT

Isn't your new HDTV exciting? All of those 1920 pixels of amazingness makes watching television and movies fun again, right? Well, I have some news for you that you should NOT tell to your TV. The ITU Study Group on Broadcasting Service has announced that thye have come to an agreement on most of the specs on what Ultra High Definition Television (UHDTV) will be.

In case you haven't been following the UHDTV discussions, UHDTV is the equivalent of a 33 megapixel photo. When compared to current HDTV, which is the equivalent of a 2 megapixel photo, the picture will have more than 16 times the precision. The added pixels will make for higher clarity, for sure, but will also make the possibility of high-quality glasses-free 3D video a reality, since 3D requires more pixels than standard video. It should also allow for wider viewing angles.

When can we expect to see this in action and when will it be widely accepted? Hit the break to find out.

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Bizarro Siri Released for Bizarro iPhone (Iris for Android)

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:15:53 MDT

I would imagine that by now everyone has heard about Apple's iPhone 4s, and its acquired voice command software, Siri. Siri has been such a hit that Android developer Dextra has released a new app for Android entitled Iris. The company obviously has a great sense of humor because the name is an anagram, which stands for Intelligent Rival Imitation of Siri and is, itself, Siri spelled backwards.

All of the fun being poked at Apple aside, the software itself is a lot more fun than Siri. While Iris may not be as productive, she certainly can hold a conversation like no other artificial intelligence, Smarter Child included. Rather than trying to schedule an alarm when you say something, Iris will respond with appropriate conversational responses. For example, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck" results in "A woodchuck could chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck obviously." Even her response to "Who are you" is met with a joke about Siri.

Sure, using voice to do calculations between cities and such is fun, it is definitely not the productive, useful system that Siri is. If you have an Android phone and enjoyed interacting with Smarter Child and his friends on AIM, give this app a try. If you're looking for something to be productive, however, you might want to look elsewhere.

If you do try it out, let us know your favorite conversation in the comments section.