Archive for November, 2008
Posted on Nov 28, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:45 am
A new information appliance from Silicon Mountain combines an HDTV, PC, and Blu-ray player in a single big-screen wonder.
The device, the Allio, offers a 42-inch 1080p screen, a PC with 4GB RAM and a 1TB hard drive, Ethernet and WiFi connections, and two 12-watt speakers.
What makes the device interesting to me is that, since it’s got a PC onboard, it’s a perfect set up for displaying content delivered over the Internet on a big, beautiful screen in the living room. And, since it’s a standard Windows Vista PC, users can install programs like FrameChannel without any tricky hoops to jump through.
With this on the wall and a FrameChannel account, the Allio could become the world’s biggest, most versatile digital picture frame — when you’re not watching TV, that is.
Posted on Nov 26, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:40 am
Following in the successful footsteps of Netflix, with the Roku player, and TiVO, rumor has it that Blockbuster may unveil a set top box before Christmas. This is the second time the rumor has come up in the last few months – hard to know whether that makes it more likely to be true or not.
The box would allow customers to download online rentals from Movielink over the Internet and then watch them on their TVs in the same way that Roku player works with Netflix’s Watch Instantly service.
As I always say about these kinds of products, features may be the make of break point of differentiation here and these set top boxes are perfect platforms for software that delivers not just movies over the Internet, but also photos, news, scores, cartoons, and other content. A first mover advantage is there for the taking.
Posted on Nov 24, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:38 am
In yet another example of the growing presence of WiFi in our daily lives, a new ad for the Dodge Ram pickup truck uses the vehicle’s WiFi connectivity as a key selling point.
That the Ram has WiFi isn’t completely new – the Chrysler uconnect in-car computing system has been available for a while – but this is the first time I’ve heard it used as a key feature in a major TV ad campaign (I saw the ad during NFL games earlier this month). That Dodge and its ads agency think that highlighting uconnect WiFi features in the vehicle’s ads will help sell trucks says something about how important WiFi is becoming.
Though I haven’t been able to find the ad online (you wouldn’t think it would be so hard!), keep an eye out for it on TV this month. It’s yet another sign that as WiFi heads into cars, so too will information appliances.
UPDATE: I found the site. Took stumbling across the ad on TV, but I found the site – and it’s pretty cool. Enjoy.
Posted on Nov 21, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:31 am
Microsoft has created something of a buzz in technology circles with its Surface, a touchscreen information appliance in the form of a coffee table.
Now, SMART Technologies is taking a very similar device into the classroom. The SMART Table is a multitouch table with a 27-inch LCD for delivering lessons to small groups of students. The table will ship with software for teachers and students designed to make it a learning environment. New content is loaded via USB.
The SMART Table will be available in Spring 2009 for US$8,000 each. At that price, I’d like to see a network connection included, since that would make the product even more useful, but maybe we’ll see that in the next version.
Photo is copyright 2001–2008 SMART Technologies ULC. All rights reserved.
Posted on Nov 19, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:36 am
Home Automation – a category of connected devices that allow for central, electronic management of key home functions like temperature, lights, and alarms – is one of those things that always seems just around the corner. In our increasingly digital and networked world, home automation seems a natural play, but prices and competing standards have prevented it so far.
Now, though, Engadget sees a potential break in the clogged space – the mPanel, from Embedded Automation. The US$1000 7-inch touchscreen LCD can control all kinds of aspects of your house and demonstrates that, in Engadget’s words:
a complete automated home is, for the first time, becoming affordable.
What catches my eye about it is that, much like the ecobee Smart Thermostat, it’s another network-connected LCD installed in multiple places in the house. With a little modification, devices like the mPanel could easily replace digital picture frames by incorporating their features. Maybe a more robust feature set could help get home automation systems on more walls?
Posted on Nov 17, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:05 am
Microsoft’s Surface – the really cool touch- and device-aware tabletop computer – has previously only been available to limited groups: casinos, cell phone stores, and so forth. Now, though, Microsoft may be considering bringing out a consumer version of the potentially revolutionary information appliance. Microsoft is conducting consumer research about a product that it’s code-named “Oahu,” which it describes as:
a flat screen that sits horizontally like a table top. You can interact with Oahu by touching the screen, instead of using a mouse, and more than one person can interact with Oahu at the same time. You and others can move objects on the screen with your hands and touch icons to open up programs, games, or music. People using the device can also use their fingertips to expand and shrink objects on the screen. The screen recognizes people’s hand movements and touches and reacts accordingly. You can bring up an on-screen keyboard to input information. Oahu also works with other devices (such as digital cameras, cell phones, and MP3 players) by getting information from or sending information to them.
Sure sounds like Surface to me. The price they’re testing is US$1499.
All just market research right now, but obviously Microsoft is considering spreading Surface far and wide, which could make our present look a whole lot more like a science fiction future.
