Full FeedTiVo killing Series3, to focus on HD model
Rumor has it that TiVo is planning on killing off it’s higher-end Series3 model in favor of concentrating on it’s more affordable HD TiVo. The Series3 came to market less than two years ago and it seems as though they’re ready to kill it off. The details of how this is going to happen are still pretty fuzzy, but it make sense that series three would be biting the dust. While it’s a pretty impressive unit, it comes with more recording space than the HD TiVo model, an OLED display and a backlit remote but the $800 price tag kept many customers away. Those that are still interested can currently score one from TiVo for less than $500.
Read [TV Squad]
RelatedSony introduces new digital photo frames
Sony has made some significant announcements today, introducing three new digital photo frames. All the frames contain 800 x 480 WVGA displays with an aspect ratio of 15:9, and are capable of displaying pictures up to 48-megapixels in size. The 7-inch DPF-V700 and 9-inch DPF-V900 contain 512MB of internal storage, have built in Bluetooth, and HDMI outs. This is the first digital frame I’ve ever seen with an HDMI out and I wonder if that is a harbinger of things to come. A less expensive 7-inch DPF-D70 has 256MB of internal storage and loses the Bluetooth and HDMI out. All of the frames come with a remote and can utilize nearly every memory card style available. That’s another impressive move for a company not know for playing well with other companies formats. The DPF-V900, DPF-V700 and DPF-V700 digital photo frames will sell for $250, $190 and $140 and will be in stores in the spring.
Read [Sony]
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National Geographic puts another nail in HD DVD’s coffin
National Geographic has announced that they will be joining the ranks of those who are now Blu-ray exclusive. This is certainly no surprise that National Geographic would make this decision as they are a subdivision of Warner. It does however continue the sad march to the dead pool for HD DVD. Of the Warner subsidiaries only BBC continues to holdout for non-exclusivity. The first title to be released as a Blu-ray exclusive will be the April release of Sharkwater which should get an official announcement in the next few weeks.
Read [Blu-ray.com]
RelatedSony profits up thanks to Cybershot, PS3 success
Sony has posted a small rise in quarterly profits recently, but are being cautious about painting too rosy a picture. Sony’s Cybershot series of cameras and Handycam camcorders had a strong fourth quarter which helped to bolster the Japanese giants overall numbers. Sony even managed to get better numbers out of it’s gaming division by lowering production costs on the PS3 as well as getting some improved sales figures for the PSP.
“The game division turning into the black is a positive,” said Takeshi Osawa, a senior fund manager at Norinchukin Zenkyoren Asset Management. “But the U.S. economic outlook is a cause of concern for its consumer electronics business.”
Acer intro’s Ferrari 1100 laptop
Acer is releasing its Ferrari 1100 Series notebook with specifications that make the notebook live up to the Ferrari name. The 1100 features an AMD Turion 64 X2 processor, ATI Radeon X1250 graphics card, 12-inch display, 250GD hard drive and built-in fingerprint security. The laptop weighs about four and a half pounds and the casing is made from carbon fiber. Most importantly, you’ll be able to flash that Ferrari logo all around Starbucks while you pretend to work. The Acer Ferrari 1100 is available now and can be had for around $1800.
Via [ubergizmo]
RelatedBlu-ray sales outpacing standard DVD sales
Now that the latest disc based format war seems to be coming to an end with Blu-ray as it’s winner, it’s a good time to look at how it’s doing compared to the venerable DVD format that it’s attempting to replace. It’s important to remember that DVD was essentially unopposed as the new standard bearer of next generation video during it’s run (no I don’t count Laser Disc as a viable competitor.) In turn, there was little more than consumer demand to drive the prices of DVD players down. With the competition between Sony and Toshiba’s formats forcing the prices down earlier, Blu-ray players are out-pacing DVD at the same stage.
Saverclip: Showing you what an energy hog you are
As gadget and tech enthusiasts, I’m pretty sure that we all share a common love and respect for an open electrical outlet. We also have the common problem of energy consumption. There have been lots of gadgets released over the last year that have tried to capitalize on the growing green movement, but I personally think this one is one of the more elegant. The Saverclip attaches to your power cables and gives you a visual display of your power consumption. By reading the electromagnetic field around your wires, it can help remind you when to shut things down. It also uses the same electromagnetic field to charge itself; thus preventing the Saverclip from being yet another energy sucker in your house.
Via [Yanko Design]
Related
Panasonic sells exactly fifteen 103-inch plasmas in 2007
At and earlier CES Panasonic had revealed their 103-inch plasma screen. It sold for $80,000 and has been available since 2006. Panasonic has now revealed their sales numbers on that model. And guess what? The demand for $80,000 televisions isn’t all that large. Panasonic has sold exactly fifteen total units and five of those went to one customer in the middle east.
I think we all appreciate that a TV this large isn’t going to move any serious numbers. A flat panel set over a hundred inches is really just to gain industry attention, but you have to wonder if this kind of attention-grab is worth it when you only sell fifteen total sets.
Read [TG Daily]
RelatedDirecTV offering remote recording via cellphone
DirecTV is set to offer an excellent new feature for DVR customers. Remote recording will allow you to log into the mobile DirecTV site (m.directv.com) from your phone and set up recordings on your DVR while you’re away from your couch. This feature is coming stock on the now shipping HR20-700 DVR model, but it will also be available on the older workhorse-like TiVo HR10-250 model. The official rollout of this feature is slated for next month and is bound to be a big hit will all the poor saps (present company included) that spend as much time traveling as they do watching the tube.
Read [DBS Talk]
RelatedAT&T; your new private Big Brother
AT&T has proposed a new stunning new concept in user monitoring. Essentially, the telecom giant is planning to set up huge filters to look for illegal copywrited material.
“Ultimately, our customers and their online experience come first. This is not about the vast majority of customers who consume content online legally. This is about combating illegal activity.”
—Michael Balmoris, spokesman, AT&T
This is a huge error on AT&T’s part. Certainly, there will be some legitimate material that is going to significantly slowed or blocked by such a filtering plan. I can only imagine the massive amounts of customer complaints that AT&T call centers will receive after such a plan is implemented. The poor call center employees should be issued bulletproof vests and get purple hearts for the kind of abuse they’ll likely receive at the hands of users who are unable to send relatives their own home movies through the net.
This also raises a legal question. Many years ago the telecom industry struck a deal with the federal government. The carriers have never wanted to culpable for any illegal activity that passes over it’s lines, which is understandable. Thus, the bargain of Common Carriage was enacted. The idea is a simple one. The telecoms would treat all calls equally, and in return, they would have no liability for illegal activity that occurred over the lines. The new strategy reverses this. This could be catastrophic for both the consumers and AT&T. If I was a shareholder in AT&T, I’d have to seriously consider dumping AT&T.
Read [CNET]
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