HP Debuts iPrint Photo
December 31, 2008 by Laura
Filed under Applications, Cell Phones
HP today announced HP iPrint Photo, a free application available on the Apple App store that gives iPhone and iPod touch customers the ability to print photos anytime, anywhere. It will be showcased for the first time at the 2009 Macworld Conference & Expo and the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
HP iPrint Photo allows for wireless printing of 4 x 6-inch photos from an iPhone or iPod touch to most HP inkjet printers connected to a local Wi-Fi network.The application is fully compatible with Apple’s Bonjour technology and uses the innovative Multi-Touch interface making it designed to provide the easiest and fastest wireless iPhone or iPod touch print experience.
“Today’s news demonstrates how HP is enabling customers to turn special moments captured on the go into high-quality photos,” said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “More than any other company in the world, HP has re-imagined, re-engineered and re-invented the power of printing with exciting new technologies that address real customer needs.”
“There’s a major shift happening in the mobile domain today,” said Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst, Enderle Group. “Annual camera phone device shipments are exploding on a worldwide basis, and mobile photo printing is quickly growing. Until now, customers had no easy way to print the special moments captured on their iPhone or stored on their iPod touch.”
HP iPrint Photo is available at no charge from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.
Zune Users Get Winter Freeze - UPDATED!!
December 31, 2008 by Laura
Filed under Gadgets, MP3 Players, News, News/Events
UPDATE - Frozen Zunes should all be working now, according to Matt Akers from the Zune product team, in a post on Zune.net. The issue stemmed from the way the device;s internal clockhandles a leap year. Microsoft has released information about how to get frozen Zunes working again one the Zune Website. Included in the FAQ is advice for those users who took mistaken advice from internet forums and tried to unfreeze their Zunes by removing the battery which was not meant to be removed by consumers. Microsoft has done a good job keeping feature parity on the original Zune 30 with the models that have come after it by providing firmware upgrades.
Thousands of Zune users (including yours truly) got a winter holiday surpise when they turned on their 30Gb Zune players and the units froze up. The have been numerous reports on Internet message boards from users who are now unable to access the content of their players. Users who attempt to cure the condition by rebooting the device are finding that it has no effect and the device freezes up again when it is turned back on.
Speculation is the the defect is somehow related to the date, similar to the nearly decade old Y2K problem. The only official comment from Microsoft can be found on the Zune Website Press Page:
“Customers using the Zune 30 might experience problems starting their players. We’re aware of the problem and are working to correct it. Sorry for the inconvenience, and thanks for your patience!”
I have been a contented Zune owner and have found the response to defects in the past to be quick and well handled. There was an issue with early Zunes where DRM’d songs skipped for Zune Pass users and that was fixed quickly. As the owner of a now frozen Zune I hope Microsoft will respond quickly with a fix.
Kraft Releases iFood Assistant on iTunes
December 23, 2008 by Laura
Filed under Applications, Cell Phones
Kraft Foods has announced that iFood Assistant, a new application for iPhone and iPod touch that offers users access to food and meal planning ideas, is now available on the Apple App Store. Unlike similar Web Apps that only link to external Web sites designed to be viewed on an iPhone, iFood Assistant is a resident program that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and installed on any iPhone and iPod touch. The launch of iFood Assistant represents the latest effort in Kraft’s commitment to providing innovative solutions for consumers’ busy and increasingly wireless lifestyles.
“People’s lives are becoming increasingly complex and they’re looking for relevant content and solutions to make their lives easier,” explains Ed Kaczmarek, director of innovation, new services at Kraft. “We’ve worked with top interactive agency Genex, a division of Meredith Corporation, to create this dynamic iPhone application that answers the call with not only recipes and food ideas, but meal planning and preparation advice across many categories and consumer brands.”
Fresh features of iFood Assistant include:
- Over 7,000 tested, searchable recipes with clear, step-by-step instructions – also includes an alternate horizontal view to follow along while cooking
- Users can review comments on recipes and share with others
- Shopping lists with nearby store recommendations and the ability to add custom ingredients
- High quality video demonstrations with easy to follow instructions
- Useful tips and shortcuts to aid on-the-go consumers like the “Dinner Tonight” and “Recipe of the Day” sections that feature daily recipes
iFood Assistant seeks to fill a consumer need for convenient mobile solutions that extend beyond the store shelves. The application itself has been designed as an agnostic platform with the flexibility to evolve with partners joining to provide relevant content, solutions and tools that can be integrated into the application.
iFood Assistant is now available for $0.99 from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.
Tivoli Announces NetWorks and Award
December 23, 2008 by Laura
Filed under Home Audio, Home Electronics
Tivoli Audio has announced the release of it’s NewWorks product. Accessing AM and FM stations via a Wi-Fi or Ethernet broadband connection, NetWorks connects to thousands of free radio stations worldwide. It searches for stations by country, genre, or a station’s call letters. It is also one of the first audio products that is automatically upgradeable to keep continuous pace with rapidly changing technology. NetWorks comes with five pre-sets, but through its exclusive Global Portal can add an unlimited number of Internet stations that can be stored to a “Favorites” list. These would include many HD Multi-cast and DAB stations, previously only available from expensive HD or dedicated DAB receivers. Enter the Global Portal online at http://www.networks.tivoliaudio.com/ to add any radio station, chat with a NetWorks community, get the latest NetWorks news, and receive technical help electronically or live from audio experts.
NetWorks allows listeners to tune in to Italian Opera from Milan, rock music from New York City, or Rugby from Australia, any specialty, niche radio station from any location in the world in its native language, and in real time. It also allows access to music stored on PCs from any room in the house through a wireless or Ethernet connection.
“It has been our goal to continually bring the most innovative audio devices to market with the quality and high performance that our customers have come to expect from Tivoli Audio,” says Tivoli Audio Chairman and CEO Tom DeVesto. “The greatest challenge in designing NetWorks was in making it simple to use. It combines function and design with the ability to deliver the world of radio broadcasts to any room in the home, offering global audio networking that sounds as good as it looks.”
NetWorks also has the ability to stream music files from a computer via an Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection. The unit is compatible with most of today’s popular music formats, including MP3, WMA, and Real Audio. Also included is a USB input to connect a compatible MP3 player or memory stick. Additional features include a virtual analog clock, dual independent alarms with sleep timer and snooze function, compact remote control, and easy-to-read four-line by 16 character back-lighted display.
NetWorks employs a full-range 3.5” magnetically shielded driver capable of high quality audio reproduction. For true stereo sound, NetWorks provides a right channel output for the matching NetWorks Speaker, sold separately. A matching CD player and subwoofer are available. As a music system, NetWorks includes stereo headphone, record and subwoofer outputs, and auxiliary and mixing inputs for use with other audio equipment or a computer.
The new Tivoli Audio NetWorks Global Audio System measures 5.51”W x 8.74”H x 5.12”D and comes in Walnut, Cherry, and Wenge furniture-grade wood finishes with gold-toned speaker grille. The NetWorks Global Audio System may be ordered direct by calling toll-free at 1-877-297-9479 or visiting the company’s Web site atwww.tivoliaudio.com. The retail price starts at $600 for the basic NetWorks, the FM and DAB versions will cost slightly more.
Tivoli also announced that this year, Dealerscope will honor Tom DeVesto, Tivoli Audio founder and CEO, among its 2008 Hall of Fame inductees. Every year the editorial staff of Dealerscope Magazine selects from among the most influential leaders in the consumer electronics technology industry for induction into its Hall of Fame.
“It is certainly an honor and a pleasure to be inducted into the Dealerscope 2008 Hall of Fame and distinguished within a consumer electronics industry that prides itself on many significant contributions and innovations,” adds Tom DeVesto, Tivoli Audio founder, chairman and CEO.
In founding Tivoli Audio in 2000, Tom DeVesto had one clear goal: not only to bring simple, easy-to-use, high quality audio products to the consumer market, but to do so with style. Mr. DeVesto’s award-winning career is centered on innovative, never tried before, luxury design, marketing, manufacturing and sales principles, including the first manufacturer to sell consumer electronics directly to consumers over the Internet.
Tivoli Audio manufactures and markets signature audio products that look as good as they sound in a unique range of colors and furniture grade woods . Tom DeVesto is the chief designer of Tivoli Audio products and responsible for innovating radios and music systems that have both fashion and home decorating appeal to consumers of all ages and demographics.
In addition to being Chairman of Tivoli Audio’s board, he also serves on the Board of Overseers of WGHB radio in Boston, MA, and on the Board of the Cotuit Center for the Arts in Cape Cod, MA.
TomTom Announces Five Millionth Map Share Improvement
TomTom today announces that members of the TomTom Map Share community have made a total of five million map improvements worldwide. This milestone results from a surging adoption of TomTom’s proprietary technology by the TomTom Map Share community, which has grown 1000 percent from half a million users at the beginning of this year to over five million users today.
TomTom Map Share allows drivers to make improvements to their map instantly on their device. Leveraging submissions from its base of 25 million users to date, TomTom is able to deliver the most up-to-date maps. Once checked by TomTom specialists, these updates are made available to the entire Map Share community, ensuring TomTom customers always have access to the most accurate maps.
“Community involvement via Map Share is an essential aspect of TomTom’s ‘best maps’ offering, allowing end users to take an active role in helping TomTom ensure our maps are most in line with real-life driving conditions,” said Jocelyn Vigreux, president of TomTom Inc. “To put this five million milestone in perspective: a one-hour trip made anywhere in North America or Europe will be influenced by twenty to thirty Map Share updates. The significance of the milestone also becomes clear when one compares it to the 15,000 reports that Tele Atlas receives on average per month from end users via its online map reporting system, Map Insight.”
Some interesting facts about Map Share changes include:
- Hundreds of thousands of street names have been added;
- Close to a million roads that were incorrectly blocked (or open) are now included (or excluded) from TomTom routes; and
- End users in the U.S., U.K. and Germany make the most improvements worldwide.
“The road is constantly in flux – from changing street names to closed bridges — so the ability to make map updates directly on my device is invaluable,” said Map Share user Roberts Galvis. “TomTom’s Map Share is easy to use and it helps me keep my maps up-to-date and accurate.”
TomTom’s complete map package — high-quality maps pre-installed on all products, TomTom’s latest map guarantee, the TomTom Map Update Service and Map Share — allows TomTom to provide customers with the most up-to-date and reliable maps in the industry.
Map Share corrections are available to all TomTom customers via the TomTom Home software, which comes standard with all TomTom devices.
Adobe Releases Update to Photoshop Lightroom
December 16, 2008 by Doug
Filed under Mac Software, PC Software, Software
Adobe has released an update to its Photoshop Lightroom software, Lightroom 2.2
The new version adds RAW support for seven new camera models including the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon PowerShot G10. The update also includes several refinements such as enhanced performance of the local adjustment tools.
In addition, Adobe’s Camera Profiles are now available natively within Lightroom 2.2 and are provided automatically as part of this release. As the visual starting point for the raw processing workflow, camera profiles provide flexibility that allows photographers to quickly achieve their desired rendering.
Lightroom 2.2 supports the following additional camera models: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon PowerShot G10, Panasonic DMC-G1, Panasonic DMC-FX150, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Panasonic DMC-LX3 and Leica D-LUX 4.
Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.2 is available now as a free download for existing Lightroom 2 customers at http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/. Lightroom 2 can be purchased through the Adobe Store at http://www.adobe.com/store. The estimated street price is $299 for new users with an upgrade price of $99 for qualifying Lightroom customers.
LimbGear Will Show a MP3-Enabled Skullcap at CES 2009
December 15, 2008 by Doug
Filed under Gadgets, MP3 Players
LimbGear, maker of the mp3 enabled apparel and accessories, will exhibit its line at the Consumer Electronics trade show in Las Vegas in January 2009, including the LimbGear Noggin Net. The Noggin Net is LimbGear’s MP3-enabled skullcap which works in conjunction with LimbGear Buds, specially designed earbuds that fit perfectly into the Noggin Net’s earbud channels.
Sprint Nextel Adds Blackberry Curve
December 15, 2008 by Laura
Filed under Cell Phones
Sprint has launched the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone. Developed by Research In Motion (RIM) , the new BlackBerry Curve 8350i is the most advanced push-to-talk BlackBerry smartphone ever.
The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone utilizes iDEN technology on the Nextel National Network. It offers Nextel Direct Connect, the only national push-to-talk service in the industry to offer sub-second call set up to the world’s largest push-to-talk community with millions of users.
The BlackBerry Curve 8350i is the first push-to-talk BlackBerry smartphone to offer:
Built-in Wi-Fi support, allowing customers to browse the Internet and download email attachments quickly and easily wherever they have Wi-Fi access, and they can also send and receive emails or browse the Internet while talking on the phone.Group Connect, enabling customers to instantly set up group conversations with up to 20 participants.
Additionally, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone supports:
- Integrated business solutions, including a large selection of GPS-enabled solutions and access to thousands of other third-party mobile applications for jobs such as dispatch operations and fleet and workforce management.
- International Direct Connect, which enables instant connections between the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru.
- Talkgroup, which connects groups of up to 200 people at once within the same local market and in the same fleet.
“Because of its unique combination of push-to-talk capabilities and several other advanced features, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is likely to appeal to both individual consumers and business customers,” said David Chamberlain, principal analyst with analyst firm In-Stat. “The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone can also address the needs of several industries such as construction, field services, transportation and manufacturing.”
“The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is the most recent example of our solid commitment to iDEN technology and our Nextel Direct Connect customers,” said Danny Bowman, president of Nextel Direct Connect. “The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is designed for customers who require instant convenient push-to-talk services to communicate with friends and family as well as with employees, customers and suppliers. The BlackBerry Curve 8350i is a premium smartphone that strikes a perfect balance between performance and usability.”
Features:
- BlackBerry Device Software v4.6 for a simple and easy user experience with an updated interface, new shortcuts, an enhanced HTML web browser, support for free/busy calendar lookups and more.
- BlackBerry “push” email for easy and efficient delivery of corporate and personal email.
- Robust messaging capabilities with support for popular instant messaging, multimedia messaging (MMS) and text messaging services.
- Integrated GPS for step-by-step directions, navigation and local search as well as support for other location-based applications and services.
- Advanced media player for listening to music, watching videos and viewing pictures.
- 2 megapixel digital camera with digital zoom, flash and video recording.
- DataViz Documents To Go preinstalled for editing Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the smartphone.
- Speakerphone that provides exceptional sound quality.
- Expandable memory of up to 16GB through its microSD/SDHC memory card slot, providing plenty of storage for pictures, videos, music and documents.
- Bluetooth 2.0 support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits, stereo headsets and other Bluetooth peripherals.
- Support for thousands of applications, including business, lifestyle and entertainment titles.
- Stereo headset jack for calls, push-to-talk conversations, music and other audio.
- Removable/rechargeable 1400 mAH battery.
“The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is ideal for customers who want the benefit of the popular Nextel Direct Connect service together with the power of the BlackBerry platform,” said Mark Guibert, vice president of corporate marketing at RIM. “We think Nextel Direct Connect customers will be very pleased with its range of new features and stylish design, and we are very excited to be launching the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone today with Sprint.”
The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is available now at www.sprint.com or 1-800-SPRINT-1 or from a Sprint business sales representative. It is available for as low as $149.99 with a two-year service agreement, an $80 instant savings credit and a $100 mail-in rebate. On January 11, it will be available in Sprint retail stores nationwide.
The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone measures 4.4” x 2.4” x .7” and weighs 4.7 ounces. For more information about the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone, visit: www.sprint.com. For more information about Nextel Direct Connect, visit www.sprint.com/nextel.
Hit the Slopes: Free Snow Reports Now Available From REI
December 15, 2008 by Doug
Filed under Applications, Cell Phones
Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), and Zumobi today announced the availability of the REI Snow Report, a free application that lets iPhone, Blackberry and Windows Mobile users get instant information about conditions at ski resorts and mountains in the United States, Canada, Europe and elsewhere. Available now as a free download, the REI Snow Report also provides one-touch access to REI’s website, featuring winter sports products and helpful information on recreating outdoors.
The REI Snow Report lets Smartphone and “Superphone” users (the term coined by Zumobi for the next generation of Smartphones, including iPhone, etc.) quickly select a slope and access information, including temperature; new, top and base snow depth; snow conditions; and number of open lifts. Each listing includes one-touch access to the resort’s contact information, as well as live Webcam images where available.
“When temperatures drop or snow begins to fall, enthusiasts everywhere will know which of their favorite destinations to head to for the best conditions,” said Tom Vogl, vice president of Marketing for REI. “We are committed to helping people recreate outdoors, and the REI Snow Report is a handy resource for snow lovers to access information through a quick touch on their Smartphone.”
The REI Snow Report further demonstrates The Zumobi Network’s ability to deliver engaging and highly compelling mobile experiences for brands.
“Zumobi is absolutely thrilled to be partnering with the premiere outdoor lifestyle brand on the REI Snow Report application. REI’s enduring commitment to quality is a great match with our approach to creating compelling mobile experiences for leading brands, and we’re excited to welcome them to the Zumobi Network,” said Zumobi CEO Ken Willner.
The REI Snow Report is free to users, and can be downloaded to Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices via the Zumobi website at www.Zumobi.com or from their mobile browsers at rei.zumobi.com. iPhone users can download from iPhone App Store.
ViBook USB Multiple Display Technology
December 15, 2008 by Doug
Filed under Hardware, Mac Hardware, PC Hardware
Village Tronic has announced ViBook which now makes it very easy and inexpensive to run several screens from one computer using just standard USB.
Jon Peddie of Jon Peddie Research, explained, “Having several screens can dramatically increase productivity for almost any computer user. Now that the costs of displays and the multi-screen technology have dropped significantly, we are forecasting a market growth for multi-screen solutions of between 25% and 50% in 2009 as people realize just how much better and productive their working environment becomes.”
Up to six displays can be driven by one Windows based computer and up to four for a Mac OS one. This gives a huge amount of screen area that can significantly increase productivity as many different programs can be open and visible at the same time. Each display is driven by an ultra compact ViBook that plugs into the DVI socket of the display and the other end of the cable goes to the USB port of the desktop or notebook.
“Using USB means that it is extremely easy to set up multiple displays,” said Ascanio Orlandini, Village Tronic’s CTO. “ViBook’s unique plug to display makes it easy to add an extra monitor – it is just like plugging in a USB to DVI cable. Our multi-screen software is just as easy to set up taking only a few minutes to initially configure. Now everyone can surround themselves with an extended desktop of independent applications running on their own dedicated screen or one huge desktop spanning across several screens.”
Technical details
Designed and manufactured in Italy, ViBook is extremely small at only 4.3cm by 7cm by 2.4cm (1.7 in by 2.8 in by 0.9in) and has a three year warrantee. It is supplied as a complete USB Graphics System that includes a DVI to VGA cable for high quality analog output to displays, a VESA mounting cradle and Village Tronic’s sophisticated multi-screen software for an enhanced user experience - VT MultiDisplay software for Windows and VT Voil for Mac. Other cable options are available as optional extras.
The ViBook Graphics USB-DVI Cable is compatible with any computer system with an USB 2.0 port running Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5; and Windows 2000, Windows XP (32-bit), Windows Vista (32 and 64-bit). It can support displays up to 22” in size, with a resolution of 1680×1050 (widescreen) and 1600×1200 (standard) in 16 and 32 bit color. As it draws its power from the USB within the specified power rating, no additional power adapters are required and it can even work via a USB hub. It can be used with or independently of the video card already installed in the computer and can even drive projectors and HDTV displays.
Pricing and availability
ViBook is priced at $129 and is available now.