Thursday, April 2, 2009
Can the Web save the Big 3 automobile companies? Probably not, but making Web-friendly vehicles could help to sell a few more cars. Tech companies have increasingly been showcasing web applications for automobiles. Microsoft was working with Hyundai on making an in-car computing system and OnStar may be incorporating Twitter into its vehicle systems. Now Ford will be allowing owners of the Ford F-150, Super Duty, E-Series and Transit Connect trucks and vans to access the web from their vehicles through the Opera mobile browser. Opera will be the featured browser on Ford's first broadband-capable, in-dash computer.Ford is purposely installing these computers in trucks and vans to appeal to contractors, farmers, and construction workers to turn these cars into "mobile offices." Truck owners will be able to use the in-dash browser to access sales information, contact databases, job-site plans, inventory lists, calendars, e-mail, or even the weather.
But don't think about driving using your cell phone, that is far too dangerous...
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Taking steps to help expand the marketplace and improve the consumer experience for digital entertainment, Microsoft Corp. today announced that PacketVideo Corp. will include support for Microsoft PlayReady technology in its CORE multimedia platform, significantly broadening PlayReady's reach to a range of mobile device platforms. Microsoft also announced the availability of the PlayReady Service Provider Program, in addition to announcing a range of content and technology companies that join the more than 50 companies that have selected Microsoft PlayReady technology to power products and services to deliver mobile and in-home entertainment content. PlayReady is a content access technology that enables content owners and service providers to deliver virtually any type of digital content, using a wide range of business models, from on-demand streaming video and subscription to rental or download-to-own. PlayReady also provides significant improvements in ease of use for consumers looking to access, manage and sync protected content with devices.
More Microsoft news...
At CTIA 2009, Robbie Bach, head of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division, ran through essentially the same news that his boss, CEO Steve Ballmer, presented about six weeks ago during the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona. The company demonstrated how Windows 7 has built-in software for connecting to 3G wireless networks, showed off some of the features of Windows Mobile 6.5, and played a quick video highlighting its mobile application store, Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
The demonstrations were all geared around Bach's central theme of the "three screens:" the PC, the television and the mobile phone. Microsoft intends to make sure Windows is able to give people access to their personal data, information, and services on all three of those screens.
But Bach promised that Windows Mobile phones will be the subject of Microsoft's next big advertising push, and said the company's partners will have 10 phones running Windows Mobile 6.5 ready when that operating system arrives in the second half of this year.
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SANYO Fisher Company (SANYO), a subsidiary of SANYO North America Corporation, today announces that shipping has started for the new, 2009 Dual Camera Xacti lineup announced in January this year.
The all-HD Dual Camera lineup for 2009 offers a variety of unique features including 1080p, 60frames per second High Definition Video with 8 megapixel photos (VPC-FH1), standard (720p) High Definition Video, up to 2 megapixel photos and 30x optical zoom (VPC-TH1) on land, or even underwater - down to a depth of 10 feet for an hour (VPC-WH1), and standard (720p) High Definition Video and 10 megapixel photos (VPC-CG10).
As part of the launch for the new lineup, SANYO has also unveiled part of its marketing plan for the 2009 Dual Cameras part of which includes a push into online communities. One highlight of the plan features SANYO's Dual Camera line in a number of videos alongside a number of Web Stars - many of the hottest names in online video culture. Some of these stars earn a living making viral videos capable of generating audiences that often surpass that of some hit TV series. Web names such as Lisa Nova, iJustine, Rhett & Link, Mr. Safety, Audrey Kitching, Brandon Hardesty and Apprentice A are creating a variety of videos typical of their style, but with a theme relevant to the 2009 Dual Camera line.
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Is gaming all about ego? Gosh I hope not!
"Most people are very narcissistic," said Electronic Arts' Wright, creator of the Sim City and Sims franchises and now last year's avant-garde Spore, onstage with Federated Media's John Battelle. "The more you can make the game about that person, the more interested, the more emotionally involved they will get."
Advancements in technology have made it possible for the customization craze of the social-networking world to permeate the console and PC gaming sectors, and that has begun to open up the industry to new users who didn't see the appeal in hardcore gaming or immersive role-playing virtual universes.
When it comes to the Wii, probably not.
"The Wii, to me, represents the idea of non-immersive gaming," he said. "When you think about the Wii...most of the entertainment is not happening on the screen, it's about watching your friend act like a doofus swinging the thing around and maybe throw it into the TV set."
Labels: auto, camera, dashboard computer, ford, gaming, Microsoft, sanyo, wii
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The rumors were true. Canon has crammed the $1500 50D's sensor and 5D-Mark-II-like 1080p video capture into an $899 entry-level Rebel. We ran it through its paces for a few hours, and it's awesome.So what we have here is almost the exact sensor from the 50D-a 15.1 megapixel CMOS with sensitivities up to ISO 12,800 at its top-end H2 boost setting. And almost the exact same HD capture from the 5D Mark II-the only change is that 1080p video is captured at 20fps, down from the 5D Mark II's 30fps.
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On Tuesday night, a Los Angeles Times blog post pointed to an soundbite that Facebook "gaming guru" Gareth Davis produced at the GamesBeat conference in San Francisco: that the company is "looking at" offering a virtual currency to developers. The virtual goods industry, the article notes, is a $1.5 billion behemoth.
This would mean that games and other apps with a presence on Facebook could use a universal "Facebook currency" that would not only be interoperable between apps, it could also line Facebook's pockets with some extra cash. But Davis' language ("looking at") is about as ambiguous as it gets, so my advice to potentially-excited developers would be "don't hold your breath."
Late last year, Facebook switched the payment system for Facebook Gifts from U.S. dollars to "credits," making it easier for the site to charge more or less than its previous standard $1 for the virtual items.
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If you're planning on any outdoor parties, like camping out or just hanging around a bonfire, it's always nice to bring some music with you. This BoomCooler is easy to wheel around no matter where you go, although you might want to keep a tarp or something around to protect it just in case it rains. It has a built-in CD player or you can hook up your iPod to the cooler. They actually recommend for better sound using something plugged into the aux input or USB input as opposed to using the CD player.*~*~*
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's GDC keynote today has revealed that the Wii will not be on the receiving end of a new hard drive, but will instead support the SDHC memory card format. Owners of the Wii will be able to do so using the Wii Menu 4.0 by downloading content straight onto the SDHC card from the Wii Shop Channel, where up to 240 SD channels are supported. With the SDHC standard to hit 32GB in the near future anyways, it makes perfect sense to use this relatively diminutive card instead of a portable hard drive.
And a new Zelda in the works?
Nintendo's CEO Satoru Iwata took the keynote stage at GDC this morning to encourage the developer community, talk about the DSi handheld and unveil some new titles for the Wii and DS platforms including a new Zelda game called Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (working title).
Labels: boomcooler, camera, canon, digital, dsi, Facebook, nintendo, photography, video, wii, zelda
Monday, July 28, 2008
Now that everyone and their brother either owns or desperately wants to own the Nintendo Wii Fit, there are sure to be an influx of games ready to compete against the fitness fun model.Conspiracy Entertainment Corporation announced that "Summer Athletics The Ultimate Challenge
" for the Nintendo Wii is set to "sprint" into stores in early August. The suggested retail price of $29.99 USD will make "Summer Athletics" the perfect game for families and casual gamers.I remember the Track and Field game for the original old school Nintendo and I loved it. My brother and I spent many hours playing to win the gold. I can only imagine what it will be like to play this on the Wii. I mean the screenshots of the game alone have me drooling!
"Summer Athletics" features 25 sports such as sprinting, archery, javelin, hammer throw and swimming. A custom character editor, lifelike graphics and realistic animations will immerse players in the game's diverse and challenging events.
I am also excited and anticipating the release of "Active Life: Outdoor Challenge
" on the Wii. The game it will have available on it include: Mole Stomper, Kayak Attack, Pipe Slider, Mine Cart Adventure, Lake-top Trampoline, Stone Stepper, Head-on Hurdler, Log Leaper, Conveyer Runner, Seesaw Battler, Waterfall Climber and more.It is a little bit more expensive as it requires a bigger mat to play on, but it looks so much fun!
I am thrilled that video games are becoming more interactive and promoting fitness!
Labels: fitness, summer athletics, video game, wii
Monday, March 10, 2008
Since a Nintendo Wii is so hard to get when you see the chance to get one you all but throw yourself at it. Trust me, I know, but we finally got one for Christmas from my family. It is such a great family console system, it gets everyone involved which makes it wonderful.
Anyway, Charter High Speed Internet is giving one away. It's this site where you actually bid on how much you would pay for high speed internet. The starting bid has to be at least $10. Not only does registering with them put you in the pool to win the Wii but it also puts you in a pool to win high speed internet service FOR LIFE.
These are the things communication companies need to do to get customers since there are big monopolies out there sucking the life out of the smaller guys. Charter Communications, Inc., the third-largest publicly traded cable operator in the U.S., serves approximately 5.7 million customers in 29 states. You'd think being the 3rd in line would be good, but unfortunately in this realm of business, that being media and communications, third is rough. But that is good for us, because look, they came up with the idea of bidding your own price for their service. That's awesome, I don't know how they'll be able to keep track of it or how they can even do that, but it's a cool idea.
Click Here for a Chance to Win a Nintendo Wii!
The winner will receive a Nintendo Wii Console, Wii Stand, 5 Sports games ( Boxing, Baseball, Tennis, Golf and bowling), 1 Remote Controller, 1 Nunchuk Controller, 1 Sensor Bar, 1 Wii AC Adapter, 1 Wii AV Cable
This is a sponsored post.
Anyway, Charter High Speed Internet is giving one away. It's this site where you actually bid on how much you would pay for high speed internet. The starting bid has to be at least $10. Not only does registering with them put you in the pool to win the Wii but it also puts you in a pool to win high speed internet service FOR LIFE.
These are the things communication companies need to do to get customers since there are big monopolies out there sucking the life out of the smaller guys. Charter Communications, Inc., the third-largest publicly traded cable operator in the U.S., serves approximately 5.7 million customers in 29 states. You'd think being the 3rd in line would be good, but unfortunately in this realm of business, that being media and communications, third is rough. But that is good for us, because look, they came up with the idea of bidding your own price for their service. That's awesome, I don't know how they'll be able to keep track of it or how they can even do that, but it's a cool idea.
Click Here for a Chance to Win a Nintendo Wii!
The winner will receive a Nintendo Wii Console, Wii Stand, 5 Sports games ( Boxing, Baseball, Tennis, Golf and bowling), 1 Remote Controller, 1 Nunchuk Controller, 1 Sensor Bar, 1 Wii AC Adapter, 1 Wii AV Cable
Labels: communication, internet, wii
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