CES – Sony Betting The Future Is Online
Tom Hanks Appears At CES - Posted By - Perla Jones
Just a few years ago most people were content watching their videos on a TV in the living room. But even though we now watch television over our computers, on high definition flatscreens or even on our iPods, we have still only seen the tip of the iceberg.
That’s according to Japanese electronics giant Sony, which today unveiled a pair of futuristic glasses that project 3D video onto the lens while still allowing you to see the world around you.
The glasses, which are still a prototype, were among the products that Sony unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – one of the technology industry’s largest showcases, where more than 2,700 exhibitors show off their latest gadgets.
The glasses, which Sony claims could be on the market in just a few years, will also form part of a new push by the company to embrace 3D television – and make all of its technologies internet-connected.
Sir Howard Stringer, the company’s chief executive, said that by 2011, 90% of all the products made by Sony – including television sets, cameras and video players – would be able to connect online..
As an example, he unveiled the company’s latest digital camera – a model with built-in Wi-Fi internet access and even a web browser, allowing budding photographers to upload their pictures directly to the internet without ever touching a computer.
“If you can imagine it, we can help you make it real,” Sir Howard said. “At Sony we’re trying to dream the impossible … to turn imagination into reality. No drop in the economy can change that.”
Sir Howard said that 3D – for years restricted to one-off stunts and B-movies – was now coming of age, and would soon be available in cinemas and on TV screens worldwide. Major Hollywood studios Disney and Dreamworks were among those demonstrating 3D, and John Lasseter – one of the founders of Pixar, famous for films such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo and WALL•E – joined Sir Howard on stage to extol the virtues of high-definition, three-dimensional video.
Google Ad Manager Now Open To The Public
Last March, Google began inviting a select number of publishers within its AdSense network to test a new hosted advertisement management tool called Google Ad Manager. Read more
Dirtsurfer Freestyle – Skateboard Bike
The Freestyle Dirtsurfer, a hybrid between a skateboard and a bike, appears to be a winning combo of the best of both worlds. It is more flexible than a bike and more powerful than a skateboard. Read more
Buzz Strong’s Caffeinated Cookies
If you examined the blood of a normal TG employee, you’d find it about 30% caffeine. We also like drinking coffee. And we are crazy about eating cookies. Could we ever combine all these joys into one? Well, if you’ve looked at the image on the left (as studies show you customer folk do first anyways), you know we already have. We are pleased, then, to make the formal introduction: Customers, meet Buzz Strong’s Caffeinated Cookies; Cookies, meet the customers.Source – Read More
Garmin Nuvi 270 GPS
Garmin Nuvi 270
The new Garmin Nuvi 270, is the perfect entry-level gps. My wife, who describes herself as technologically challenged, loves hers and has no difficulty using most, if not all of the many features Garmin has packed into this model. Read more
Sitemeter May Be Cause In Crash of Blogs and Websites
Sitemeter embedded code seems to be at least a partial cause of websites and blogs crashing across the Internet tonight. Visitors using Internet Explorer are reporting the following error message.
Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site http://www.yourwebsite.com.
Operation aborted.
Several site owners have reported that removal of the embedded Sitemeter code resolved the problem.
Sidekick 2008 Available From T-Mobile
T-Mobile launches the new Sidekick 2008 today. It’s a contender in the text-messaging arena for hip and socially connected consumers. Today T-Mobile introduces its latest Sidekick, previously dubbed the Sidekick Gekko. Read more
Preview of The New Lego Universe Multi Player Game
Lego Universe doesn’t launch until 2009 however it looks as if it will be well worth the wait.
Lego Universe developer NetDevil has given us an exclusive peek into Lego Universe, the massive multiplayer online game where you can use bricks to collaboratively “build in real time”, having Read more
Targus Zip Thru Laptop Case Allows Travelers to Keep Their Laptops in Their Bags While Going Through Airport Security
Targus® Inc., maker of the world’s top-selling laptop computer cases and accessories, announced today its Zip-ThruTM 15.4” Corporate Traveler Laptop Case, the first in Targus’ line of checkpoint-friendly laptop cases. As a derivative of Targus’ award-winning Corporate Traveler line, Read more
Freecom Claims Smallest 2.5 Inch External Hard Drive – Mobile Drive XXS
Freecom has launched what they are claiming is the worlds smallest 2.5-inch USB-2 external hard drive, the Mobile Drive XXS.
Their claim is backed by the fact that the drive is 27% smaller than its closest competitor and weighs just 155g, which Freecom believes is also the lightest. Freecom was able to achieve this miniaturization by fitting the drive with form-fitting rubber sleeves, which doubles up as protection for the drive, as well as making the drive easier to grip.
The XXS is available in 160GB, 250GB and 320GB for £44.99, £59.99 and £79.99 ($90.00 – $160.00) depending on capacity and its going on sale immediately.
Vonage Pro – New Service That Will Keep Customers Connected To Their Home
Vonage today announced the launch of Vonage Pro(SM), a first-of-its-kind digital voice offering featuring five innovative components that keep you connected to your home life while on the go, including the ability for customers to use their home phone number virtually anywhere they have access to a high speed Internet connection. Vonage Pro is the next step in the MyVonage(TM) product strategy, which is focused on developing products and services based on the requests of customers who have a wide variety of lifestyles and communication needs. Read more
Lifesaver Water Bottle
This is one of those ‘must have’ item’s.
An ordinary-looking plastic bottle can turn into an extraordinary device that could save millions of lives. The Lifesaver container can instantly clean the dirtiest water, making it entirely safe to drink.
Its inventor, Michael Pritchard, says he felt duty-bound to develop it after watching TV coverage of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 that killed at least 230,000 people and left a vast swathe of destroyed communities and infrastructure. Many of the survivors had little or no supply of fresh water to help recovery.
He explained: “In the days and weeks afterwards, people were dying from drinking contaminated water and it took ages for response teams to reach them. That really affected me and I thought something had to be done.”
The Lifesaver water bottle is the world’s first all in one ultra filtration water bottle. It will remove bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and all other microbiological waterborne pathogens without using chemicals like iodine or chlorine which leave a distinctive foul taste.
The Lifesaver bottle produces filtered sterile drinking water quickly and easily. It incorporates Lifesaver systems’ unique failsafe technology (another world first) which shuts off the bottle’s cartridge upon expiry, preventing contaminated water from being drunk.
With the Lifesaver bottle there is no need for tablets, boiling, chemicals, tubes, shaking, scrubbing, waiting or effort. The Lifesaver bottle produces clean, sterile drinking water with no foul taste – fast!
Garmin Nuvi 500 Introduced
Garmin today announced a new series of personal navigators that combine cutting edge navigation features with outdoor recreation navigation capabilities. With one touch, the nuvi 500 transitions between driving, bicycling, boating or walking mode, while boasting sought-after features such as routing capabilities, improved mapping and water-proof hardware.
“This multi-mode nuvi is the ultimate device for those seeking portable navigation in the car and in the great outdoors,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “This product allows us to combine features from several of our most popular automotive and outdoor navigators into one compact unit. From weekend trips to the lake, to a hike around the trail, nuvi 500 is ideal for people seeking automotive and recreational navigation in one dynamic device.”
Drive, hike, bike or boat with this portable and rugged unit — the nuvi 500 is pre-loaded with both road maps and U.S. topographic maps. For use in and out of the car, simply touch the usage mode indicator located at the top of the home screen to change between driving, bicycling, boating or walking mode.
Get turn-by-turn directions, look up restaurants, and download geocaches from http://Geocaching.com with this versatile series. Ready for the great outdoors, the nuvi 500 models display shaded digital elevation mapping on the 3.5″ water-proof touchscreen. This series comes standard with a compass page, track log and a removable, rechargeable battery for extended outdoor use. With one tap of the screen, users can also see their exact location with Garmin’s “Where Am I?” feature. In addition, with Garmin Connect Photos, users can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google’s Panoramio photo sharing community to provide photo navigation by land or water.
When loaded with optional BlueChart(R) g2 Vision, and Inland Lake Vision marine cartography, the nuvi 500 series is great on the water, providing detailed chart-specific information, spot soundings, intertidal zones, wrecks, port plans, restricted areas and more.
For a scenic road trip, the nuvi 500 series comes preloaded with the Historic Route 66 map guide developed by MAD MAPS. This route spans from Chicago to Los Angeles, while highlighting specific points of interest associated with Route 66 along the way.
The nuvi 500 comes preloaded with detailed street and topographic mapping for the lower 48 U.S. states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The nuvi 550 boasts comprehensive street map coverage of the U.S. and Canada. When either model is used with an optional receiver, users can receive important updated information from Traffic Message Channel or MSN Direct. The dynamic content from the MSN Direct network includes traffic conditions, fuel prices, weather reports, movie listings, headline news, stock updates and local events. A scooter mount will come standard in select European markets and sold as an optional accessory elsewhere.
Wall-e Remote Control Toy Robot Available from Disney – Preorder
The Wall-e remote control toy robot is now available on a pre-order basis. The timing of this may seem a little odd, but the Ultimate WALL-E remote controlled robot is sure to be a sought after gift during the coming holiday season.
It’s WALL•E! See the robot star of the hit Disney/Pixar film ”WALL•E” come to life with the Ultimate WALL•E remote control toy. WALL•E’s charming personality shines through with this interactive toy robot.
Features include:
- With the original voice from the hit movie, WALL•E can chat with you. He can also dance, play music from your MP3 player (cable included), follow you around, or explore on his own. His programmable infrared remote control lets you create more than 1000 action sequence combinations!
- His eyes light up and blink with the expressions you loved in the film
- Designed with advanced technology, Ultimate WALL•E has audio, motion and obstacle sensors
- WALL•E will turn his head towards a sound and respond thanks to 4 audio sensors that give him 360-degree sound detection.
- 4 motion sensors, 3 in the front and 1 in the back, allow WALL•E to detect motion and trigger his curiosity
- Obstacle sensors enable WALL•E to detect obstacles in his path to avoid collisions
- WALL•E’s arms move up and down, hands grip and rotate 360 degrees and his body tilts forward and backward plus he has real working treads
- Play modes include Follow-U mode, Explore mode, Dance mode, MP3 Music mode and Program mode plus he has an interactive Talk Back feature
- Innovative remote control allows WALL•E to be played with using Touch Pad control, dual joy sticks or any of the 16 function buttons for voice, lights, sound effects, music, expressions, special programs and more!
Includes:
- Ultimate WALL•E
- Infrared remote control
- MP3 Backpack and connection cable
- 7.2V rechargeable battery pack and charger
- Instruction guide
Additional information:
- Plastic/PVC/electronics
- WALL•E requires 4 AA batteries (included for store demonstration only. Battery life may be impaired and they may need replacing after purchase). Remote requires 3 AA batteries, not included
- 18” H x 15 1/2” W x 13” D
- Ages 8+
Estimated shipping date of October 16, subject to change
2010 Camaro Unveiled – 26 Miles MPG on Highway
Chevrolet unveiled its long-awaited production version of the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro sports car Monday in the dome in Warren where it was designed, next to historic GM vehicles the ‘50 Corvette Stingray, the ‘51 LeSabre and the 1959 Camaro whose league it hopes to join.
General Motors Corp. believes there is still an ample market for the all-new Camaro, despite the fact that the U.S. consumer’s preference has changed dramatically to favor fuel-efficient cars and crossovers and smaller engines since the automaker revealed the concept version in 2006 to compete in the muscle car segment.
“The new Camaro is the 21st century sports car,” said Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper. “It is a driver’s vehicle, but at the same time a technological tour de force.”
Peper said GM knows the market has changed and believes the new Camaro will appeal to a large segment of buyers when it goes on sale next spring or summer: from traditional enthusiasts to people with more modern interests in technology and fuel economy.
The V6 version of the 3,700-pound vehicle has 304 horsepower and is expected to get 26 to 27 miles per gallon on the highway, Peper said. The V8 has 422 horsepower and is expected to get 23 mpg on the highway.
The question, analysts say, is whether that will be enough to add to the enthusiast ranks to raise the number of Camaro buyers to a large enough number for it to count as a success for GM.
“Since they launched it in 2006, there are other technologies that have emerged as the hot new product,” said analyst Kevin Tynan of Argus Research. “I think they just missed the window. The lead time from drawing room to showroom was just too long. I would be surprised if it sells well enough to warrant a redesign.”
But Jim Hall, managing director of 2953 Analytics, said the secret will be to squeeze a few more miles per gallon out of the vehicle.
For example, he said, 26 mpg may not be enough to get people on the fence into the car, but 28 mpg might be.
Still Peper is confident that there are enough consumers interested in the car that the combination of old-school muscle-car styling, new technology and fuel economy will make the car a success.
More than 600,000 consumers have indicated an interest in the vehicle to GM, said Peper, who doesn’t believe the sports car segment has been fully tapped by the Ford Mustang and Chrysler Challenger.
“A vehicle like this is a very emotional purchase,” Peper said. “At the same time, there are many rational reasons to purchase this vehicle, including fuel economy.”
Production of the vehicle is set to begin Feb. 16 in Oshawa, Ont. GM has not yet released the pricing for the vehicle, but Peper said “it will be the best value in the sports-car segment.”