ThisNext Blog - *Technology/Gadgets

apple files patent for touchscreen mac tablet

VMA — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:24:50 +0000

Albeit difficult, disregard the grotesque hands. These are images from Apple’s recent 52-page patent filing for a touchscreen computer interface. Seems like they’re trying to port their iPhone technology over to personal computers. According to insiders, the patent is for a tablet Mac. Users would be able to use simple gestures to perform a series of functions like zooming, panning, scrolling, data entry, rotating, etc. Though the initiative is clearly in stealth mode, CFO Peter Oppenheimer promised that it would be “state of the art” and without equal.

revisiting apple tv

VMA — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:48:57 +0000

Admittedly, when it was first released in the Spring of ‘07, I overlooked the Apple TV, casting it off as a trendy device attempting to exploit a fleeting UGC video trend. After taking some time to give it a spin, it’s clear that the powerful box is much, much more and truly provides a glimpse at the next generation of home entertainment.

The sleek Apple TV is a clever digital media receiver that allows you to instantly rent high-definition movies, purchase and watch TV programming, enjoy YouTube videos, access Flickr and podcasts, and more. You can even use it to purchase music through iTunes and pipe tunes through your home entertainment system. Imagine having access to all of this content from your couch. From Apple’s stylish laptops to their iPhone to this stunning device, the innovative company shows a clear commitment to allowing consumers to enjoy media wherever they are.

The Apple TV is available in 40GB and 160GB capacities, and is priced from $229.

Video Game Girl

VMA — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:33:00 +0000

So I have a confession to make: I’m a girl that digs video games…an absolute junkie. Yep, this ThisNexter plays console games and often references them in her stand-up comedy act (coming soon to an Open Mic near you). Though I find the PS3 and Wii interesting, I’m what you call an “old-school gamer”. I long for SNES (that’s Super Nintendo for you young’ns) with Mario 3 and Mario Kart, and even the original Nintendo and Duck Hunt games. Frankly, I’m just not old enough for Atari or Commodore but if I was, they’d make the list too. Admittedly, I do enjoy some of the current pop culture titles, ie Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Civilization is cool too, and have you checked out Pixel Junk Monsters for PS3? - also a bit addicting…actually maybe you’d better not start!

honda fcx clarity

VMA — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:52:47 +0000

Gas prices got you glum? Introducing the FCX Clarity, Honda’s new zero-emission, hydrogen-powered sedan. How does it work? Well, to avoid all the technical jargon, let’s just say that it combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity which in turn powers the electric motor. Cool, huh? Though you can avoid the traditional pump entirely, you do have to refuel at designated hydrogen stations, a nominal cost in comparison to gas consumption. The only issue is that with few places to refuel, limited quantities will only become available to Southern Californians in the summer of 2008. It makes a great commuter car, but don’t expect to take any road trips.

So, what’s the price? Well, due to the demand and limited availability of refueling stations, for now, the FCX Clarity is only available by lease and runs $600/month for a three-year term. Trust that the customer queue consists of plenty of Hollywood A- and B-listers.

Win a Kindle e-Book Reader!

VMA — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:50:51 +0000

The Kindle is Amazon’s revolutionary reading device that allows you to wirelessly download electronics and read them on a crisp, high-resolution screen that looks as natural as real paper. With over 150,000 titles available, readers can consolidate extensive collections on the slim, lightweight device that measures only 3/4” thick. On the Kindle’s release day in November 2007, it sold out in less than 6 hours and remained out of stock until April ‘08. Well, the good folks at ThisNext have one and wanna give it to YOU! To enter the giveaway, simply tag your recommendations “TN Reads”. Details here. Hurry, the contest ends on 9/2.

Check out CNet’s Kindle review:

no more cell service contracts?

VMA — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:59:46 +0000

In a recent Supreme Court ruling that if upheld, would have a substantial impact on the mobile telecom industry, a California judge decreed that cell phone termination fees are illegal and violate state law. The preliminary ruling orders Sprint-Nextel to kick back over $18 million in reimburstments to customers. In addition, they must cease attempts to collect $54.7 million from California customers that prematurely disconnected without paying the cancellation fee.

Of course this judgement will be appealed and if not overturned, carriers will find ways to exploit a loophole and impose the fees as “rates”. But take some time to briefly entertain the implications of this ruling. Cell carriers rely on these contracts as a core part of their customer retention strategy. It allows them to subsidize hardware (consider the 3G iPhone offered at $199), because they’ll recoup their money from the extended service contract. Otherwise, consumers can expect to pay full MSRP for their cell hardware. Perhaps, this is the price we pay for being liberated from these near-predatory carriers.

To avoid an absolute fallout, the FCC Chairman proposes cancellation fees that decrease as the contract reaches its expiry. A messy but hopefully unlikely scenario is that each state would have its own plan. We’ll see how this drama unfolds.

scrabulous saddled

VMA — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:11:25 +0000

Many compulsive social networkers that tried to fire up some Facebook Scrabulous this past Wednesday were deeply disappointed to find that the app had been removed from Facebook. Scrabulous is a rogue, unauthorized version of Scrabble. Gamemaker Hasbro (Scrabble’s licensors in U.S. and Canada) is not too keen on the trademark and copyright infringement and sued Scrabulous’developers - two brothers in Calcutta, India. Mattel, owners of the Scrabble license in the remaining regions, is seeking legal recourse in Indian courts.

There’s been a tremendous backlash by the Facebook community against Hasbro and their official Scrabble app (created by Electronic Arts) that they recently launched. There’s even a Scrabble boycott group calling for users not to install the licensed version. With over 500k Facebook installations, the Scrabulous unplug deleted a wealth of user records. Just hours after Scrabulous was taken offline, hackers attacked and disabled the Scrabble application. Hackers: 1; Hasbro: 0.

blu-ray baby!

VMA — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:23:30 +0000

And the winner is…Blu-ray. Blu-ray is the high capacity, next generation optical disc storage format that recently beat out HD DVD, staking its claim as the new media standard for high-definition video. Blu-ray discs deliver 1080p (HD) video resolution, premium uncompressed sound, and increased interactivity with content. Of course to truly experience their full power, you need to pair it up with a 1080p HDTV, which are rapidly becoming more and more affordable.

How does Blu-ray work? It uses as a blue laser which has a shorter wavelength than the red lasers used by DVD consoles. These lasers are much more precise which is necessary to read high-density data packed together in the disc’s spiral grooves. This capability allows dual-layer blu-rays to store 50GB of data, 6x that of a dual-layer DVD.

Though Blu-ray players have had several price point reductions since their market entry, they do pose price a premium over DVD players. However, the cinematic experience is well worth the dollar. The PS3 has a built-in Blu-ray player which is an economical option for those looking for a high-end gaming console as well.

“blu-ray” recommendations at ThisNext
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flashy flash drives

VMA — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:55:27 +0000

Large amounts of data have becoming increasingly portable with the advent of micro storage devices like USB flash drives. Typically no larger than a pack of gum, this compact, removable memory allows you to conveniently carry around up to 64MB of digital files. To assuage security concerns, many devices offer password protection with some going as far as having biometric sensors for fingerprint recognition. With the increasing popularity of removable storage, vendors are adding as much form as functionality to their devices. From race-inspired Ducati designs (see image) to Disney motifs, the market is filled with a wide variety of distinct flash drives. Here’s a robust selection to browse through:

“flashdrives” recommendations at ThisNext
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ThisNext attacks the iPhone line: Part 2

FashionKitty — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:14:52 +0000

This past Friday our awesome VMA crew at ThisNext attacked the iPhone line. They almost got arrested in the process but hey, it’s all in good product recommendation fun.

If you were one of the lucky ones to snag the new iPhone or if you already have an iPhone you might like some of these awesome products that our community has recommended. Enjoy!

“iPhone” recommendations at ThisNext
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a trip to the video game graveyard

VMA — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:00:00 +0000

We’re all familiar with the prevailing cutting-edge video game consoles currently captivating the attention of gamers wordwide - Nintendo Wii, XBOX 360, and PS3. But what about those short-lived devices that never really gained any mainstream traction?
Let’s look at a few:

Atari Lynx
The Lynx debuted in 1989 as the first handheld with a color LCD display. It boasted 16-bit graphics and an accelerometer similar to the iPhone that adjusts the screen according to the unit’s orientation, acommodating both left and right-handed gamers. Nonetheless, a lack of titles and the popularity of Nintendo’s Game Boy and Sega’s Game Gear slayed the Lynx.

NEO GEO
At a $650 price point and with game cartridges costing $100-$200 each, the NEO GEO faced imminent failure upon its 1990 release. While it’s sound and color display were far superior to that of other consoles at the time, it couldn’t deliver the flashy 3D graphics and realism that gamers were starting to demand.

TurboExpress
This was possibly ahead of its time. Released 1990, the TurboExpress was the portable spinoff of NEC’s TurboGrafx-16 console. It was superior to Nintendo’s flagship Gameboy handheld in that it displayed 16-bit graphics in color. But with a $399 MSRP that eventually bottomed out at $199, consumers sought cheaper (albeit inferior) alternatives like the Gameboy.

Sega 32X
Released in 1994, this was an add-on to the popular Sega Genesis console that enabled gamers to play 32 bit-titles on the 16-bit system. The peripheral was doomed by hardware failures with many of its games having severe programming errors. Game developers jumped ship and without the titles to support the system, consumers looked elsewhere.

Other notables are the Atari Jaguar, Panasonic 3D0, and the Sega Dreamcast.

No More Phone Bills

VMA — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:07:43 +0000

Your phone bill will never be the same. In fact, if Ooma has it’s way, it will balance out to around $0 each month. Ooma’s clever phone service bridges telecom and peer-to-peer networking to deliver free VoIP phone service. Simply purchase the Ooma hub device, partner it with your high-speed internet connection, and you’ll “own your dial tone” with unlimited US domestic calling with no monthly fees. Caller-ID, call-waiting, and voicemail services are bundled into the purchase at no additional cost.

How does this all work? Each Ooma customer is a member of a P2P routing network that nondisruptively transmits calls from box-to-box and then terminates in a free local call. So if Joe in Los Angeles (an Ooma user) wants to call Jane in Miami, the call is routed through a path of Ooma users in between. Exploiting the fact that local calls are always free, once the call gets close enough, Ooma places a local call for the final leg of the route. Clearly, there’s a strong network effect here; the more Ooma users, the more service integrity. So to kick off the network, the company seeded it with 1500 hubs distributed free to people around the US. You can get your award-winning unit for only $249.

Hands-free Hottie

FashionKitty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:28:18 +0000

Today the new law in CA went into effect … Hands-free phone use while driving. You know what that means? Time to buy brand spanking new hands-free devices!

This isn’t going to be easy for me. I am a Blackberry addict and when that phone rings I am fast to pick it up no matter where I am! I dug out my old bluetooth headset from years past today and let’s just say, it’s busted. Not only is it busted looking I can’t ever figure out how to turn the damn thing on. You have to hold the button down and wait for it to blink 4 times, put it on, then you can’t hear anyone because you realize you turned it off instead of on.

The whole process is stressful to say the least so I am buying a new headset. The headset that I really want is the Jawbone but it’s $129 and that is just too much to spend on something that isn’t shoes :)

I ended up finding a really cool one on Amazon today. It’s by Jabra and it comes with 33 interchangeable faceplates!

HandsFree it's the Law!

VMA — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:12:12 +0000

If you reside in Washington or California, starting July 1st, 2008, it is illegal to be on the cell phone while driving without the use of a handsfree set. This is a list of some of the cooler handsfree devices. It’s a $20 fine for the first offense and $50 for subsequent offenses. Add in court fees and you’re looking at $150+ for talking while driving on a cell phone. It’s just not worth it.

See more of my HandsFree It’s the Law! list at ThisNext.

hello, my name is "oled"

VMA — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:02:03 +0000

Introducing OLED, the next generation of flat panel displays. OLED (organic light-emitting diode) pixels self-generate light without the need for separate backlighting. This allows for significantly thinner displays (a few mm thick) than existing flat panel standards - LCD and plasma. Additionally, they have much lower energy consumption. How’s the picture quality? OLED displays boast astounding response times, image crispness, unparalleled brightness, and no viewing angle issues.

Currently, Sony has an 11” OLED on the market which retails for around $2500. Expect significant price drops as manufacturers achieve better production efficiencies.