Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, March 26, 2010

Rumor: Google's Set Top Box Won't Replace Your Current One, But "Daisy-Chain" Them [Google]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5502602/rumor-googles-set-top-box-wont-replace-your-current-one-but-daisy+chain-them

Rumor: Google's Set Top Box Won't Replace Your Current One, But "Daisy-Chain" Them Google's upcoming set top box won't replace what you've already got, VideoNuze has reportedly been told by sources. Instead, it'll daisy-chain between the boxes and the TV via HDMI, bringing the best of the web to your TV.

All we know for certain so far is that the box will be built by Sony and Intel, run on Android, and use Google Chrome as a browser. VideoNuze's "additional information" heard from sources will show Google "contemplating an entirely novel strategy for its set top box."

"In other words, the MVPD's set-top's HDMI output would be connected to the Google TV set-top's HDMI input, and then its HDMI output would be connected to the TV. The authorized TV channels would still be delivered, but Google TV would collect data from the MVPD's set-top and introduce an entirely new UI for users to control their TV experience, to include searching and browsing channels. It would also add a host of new interactive web-type capabilities around the content."

Jason already ran through his wish list of features, which would include all Google services as well as support for Hulu and other streaming sites. [VideoNuze via SlashGear]

Microsoft's budget 720p HD-5000 LifeCam reviewed (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/26/microsofts-budget-720p-hd-5000-lifecam-reviewed-video/

A week after becoming a reality, Microsoft's LifeCam HD-5000 webcam has been given the review treatment by Mobile + Netbook and, while it delivers what looks to be generally excellent quality video, it doesn't score perfectly high marks. For one thing, this cam does not feature onboard hardware encoding, which resulted in 40 percent CPU utilization for this tester when recording at 720p on a Core i5 750 processor -- ouch. This also means that the cam will not be usable for Skype HD, as that service requires onboard hardware encoding. But, other than some slow focus issues, the camera delivered quite good quality and color and, at just $50 MSRP (we're seeing them for $40 online), it's still quite a bargain.

Continue reading Microsoft's budget 720p HD-5000 LifeCam reviewed (video)

Microsoft's budget 720p HD-5000 LifeCam reviewed (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vitality GlowCap hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/25/vitality-glowcap-hands-on/

We just got a quick look at one of those Vitality GlowCap bottles. It's about as dead simple as it looks: the LED at the top of the cap glows (orange, but there's also a blue mode that must mean something else like "you're all going to die"), and with the right amount of adult supervision you can push down and twist off the cap. All the details of the service, which involves patent recognition to figure out the best way to remind you and incentivize you to take your pills via phone calls, flashing lights, and social network reminders, aren't completely ironed out, but it sounds like Vitality is paying AT&T up front for the bandwidth -- at least you won't have another charge on your AT&T bill to worry about. Not shown is a base station that the GlowCaps connect to over 2G wireless (more unclarity here, but rest assured your prescription infos will be beamed over the internet via AT&T's network), and which does the primary flashing when you need to take a pill.

Gallery: Vitality GlowCap hands-on

Vitality GlowCap hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:51:00 EST. Plea! se see o ur terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS O!Play AIR reviewed, deemed 'capable'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/25/asus-o-play-air-reviewed-deemed-capable/

When we first saw the ASUS O!Play Air set-top box the latter part of last year, we were interested -- when looking for a networked media player, it's definitely good to have options. Now that the kids at Bit-Tech have got their hands on a review unit, however, are enthusiasm has dampened quite a bit. Sure, it looks good in print: HDMI 1.3, composite video and audio output (for lovers of antiques), eSATA and USB ports, CF, SD+MMC, MS+MS Duo card readers, and 802.11n -- none too shabby, eh? Once you got past the "greasy plastic outer surface," however, things were not so awesome. The interface felt "sluggish" as the reviewer "repeatedly watching the timer... waiting for menus to load," and the device itself eschews support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS MasterHD in lieu of multichannel HD LPCM audio over HDMI -- a tongue twister for sure, but also a deal-breaker for some. On the other hand, the kids did find the UI intuitive, and an automatic media preview especially helpful for wonky filenames. The question remains -- is it worth it for $130?

ASUS O!Play AIR reviewed, deemed 'capable' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isabella's Vizit touchscreen, cell-connected photo frame goes hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/25/isabellas-vizit-touchscreen-cell-connected-photo-frame-goes-ha/

Buying and pre-setting up a $280 touchscreen photoframe for your mom (Isabella calls the target market "parents of parents") sounds like a tall order, and you add in the $6 a month service fee on top of that and you're really buying in here with the Vizit photoframe. So, how does it perform? In a word: sluggish. Shuffling through pictures or the mystery-meat carousel is an exercise in patience, thanks to some slow Flash Lite UI performance, but at least the menus are simple and friendly, and the touchscreen is responsive enough that if you're prepared for the pace, it's not that frustrating of an experience. The actual service aspects are much more impressive, pushing and pulling photos all over the place, with an integrated web app for managing a white list of contacts. The advantage of the AT&T service plan is that your mom won't have to do any work setting this up -- when you buy the device it's tied to an online account that you can set up for her before she even gets it -- and that the device can also receive OTA firmware updates, so expect further functionality (like video playback, for instance) going forward. There's a video after the break with the CEO of Isabella, showing us what's what.

Gallery: Isabella Vizit hands-on