Streaming media players are no joke. In fact, cable has become the joke. Just take a look at this “Shit Silicon Valley Says” video — the first joke is, “are you cancelling cable?”
But at the moment, it’s still difficult to do so. You can’t get everything that you could possibly want through a streaming set-top box. The only place you can get everything you want is on the TV, or (cough cough illegally) on the internet. But what if you could get everything a streaming media player has to offer, like Netflix, HuluPlus, etc., but also wirelessly stream all of the content on your laptop to your big screen TV?
That’s clearly the question Netgear asked itself before building the NeoTV Pro HD streaming media player, which is one of the only media players on the market that can wirelessly stream your laptop display up onto your television screen. Of course, there are some limitations, as you’ll need an Intel-based Wireless Display laptop to play along. Sorry Mac users.
Past that, there are plenty of channels offered through the NeoTV Pro HD, including Netflix, HuluPlus, YouTube, Amazon Video, and Vudu and hundreds more. It also comes with built-in 300Mbps Wifi, an Ethernet port, and supports 1080p HD video resolution.
You’ll be able to download an iOS or Android app that will let you control the media player straight from your smartphone. And if you don’t have a smartphone, a regular remote comes in the box.
The NeoTV Pro HD is available now for $ 69.99.
Do you wish your phone would wake up when you commanded it to, like Galaxy S III? Well, it’s not gonna happen (at least not without some hacking). But, your next phone might just sport the feature, all without having to be saddled with the rest of TouchWiz. Nuance is bringing its powerful voice recognition tech to OEMs and offering them the ability to not only unlock phones with voice controls, but lock them down using biometrics. In that way, it’s actually got a leg up on S Voice. Dragon ID isn’t a gimmick — it’s a security feature. In fact, if properly integrated, it can recognize multiple voices and open up to custom homescreens for each user. Sadly we have no idea when or where this tech will first show up, but we wouldn’t be shocked to see it on both Android and Windows 8 tablets, as well as smartphones and PCs in the near future. For a few more scraps of info, check out the PR after the break.
Continue reading Nuance Dragon ID secures phones, tablets and PCs with your voice
Nuance Dragon ID secures phones, tablets and PCs with your voice originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony’s PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset made a splash when it landed last year, but there were two inescapable quirks: a lack of bass and a lack of any wired fallback for your other devices. The brand-new Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition should solve both. Its earcups now carry a new trick, BassImpact, that reportedly delivers the headset’s eponymous pulses and just that bit more punch at low frequencies. We also can’t help but appreciate having a 3.5mm headphone jack (and cable) to plug in an Xperia S or, if you’re daring, a device that goes without Sony’s logo. The noise-cancelling microphones and the overall headset are considerably subtler as part of the remake, to boot. Gamers will have to go without the Pulse-upgraded headset until the fall — not to mention pay a higher price, at $ 150 — but they can get a video overview after the break to bide their time.
Continue reading Sony intros Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition, lets your non-PlayStation gear feel the bass (video)
Sony intros Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition, lets your non-PlayStation gear feel the bass (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 15:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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RIM showed off the BlackBerry Music Gateway with the promise of a June release, and it’s clearly not wasting any time: the first of the month has seen the tiny audio bridge go on sale. It’ll set you back $ 50, but you’ll get a conduit for music from any Bluetooth-packing device, whether or not it has that signature 7-dot logo on the back. The extra-special BlackBerry affection comes through NFC support, where equipped phones like the Bold 9930 can pair faster through a friendly tap. Buying straight from the source will lead to a one- to two-week wait, but if you’re looking for the most polished way to share your musical tastes from a BlackBerry or PlayBook, it’s likely worth being patient.
BlackBerry Music Gateway goes on sale, brings a little NFC into your life originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 03:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Well, it’s about time. Many of us were absolutely floored by the iCache Geode mobile wallet when it first appeared back in April, and now the company has announced that the hotly-awaited accessory is now available for $ 199.
In case you missed it the first time around, the iCache Geode is an iPhone case with a particularly wonderful twist — in addition to just wrapping a protective layer of plastic around your phone, it also sports a rewritable magstripe card on its rear end. Once the corresponding app has been installed on an iPhone 4/4S, users can store their credit card information on their smartphones and write it onto the so-called GeoCard.
That one card can effectively become any credit card you own whenever you need it, eliminating the need to schlep all that plastic around. What’s more, there’s a small e-ink display also mounted on the back of the Geode which displays the barcodes for loyalty cards that have been stored in the app. To tie it all together, a small fingerprint reader sits just south of the iPhone’s home button, ensuring secure access to your digital funds.
iCache founder (and Oracle alum) Jon Ramaci has been working with his team to create the Geode mobile wallet for the past three years, and it seems like their efforts have paid off. Their Geode Kickstarter campaign garnered $ 352,918 in funding, absolutely demolishing their original goal of $ 50,000.
Though their Kickstarter campaign officially wrapped up back in April, that doesn’t mean the team has been resting on their laurels. They’ve been busy getting their manufacturing processes squared away — last time Ramaci and I spoke, he mentioned all of the production would take place in the United States — and responding to customer requests for more colorful cases and a way to carry around ID cards. In short, these past few months have been busy but fruitful — they even took home a few E-Tech Awards from CTIA 2012.
This is quite the milestone for the iCache team, but if recent reports are any indication, they’ll have to keep on their toes. Two of the major recurring rumors about Apple’s forthcoming iPhone deal with substantial hardware changes — specifically a much longer body and a redesigned dock connector — that would render this particular $ 199 purchase useless. Ramaci is no stranger to these reports though, and mentioned to me that the company would do what it could to help their customers out if a dramatic redesign actually came to be. He noted that the company was mulling over offering existing users a 50% rebate on a redesigned Geode if the current model won’t fit the new iPhone, but for now we’ll have to wait and see what Apple has up their considerable sleeves.
Website: www.householdhacker.com In today’s episode, we show you how to craft a directional antenna to improve your Xbox 360 wireless connection. This will reduce latency (ping times) and improve your general connection if your router signal is weak. You will need 1) Roll of clear tape 2) Aluminum Foil 3) Empty chip bag 4) SporkDisclaimer: As with this experiment and all other HouseHold Hacker videos. We cannot be held responsible for damage or mistakes made if attempting the experiments. These projects are for demonstration purposes only and should not be attempted at home. Video Rating: 4 / 5
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The microphone in the iPhone 4S is pretty good — I have found it to capture excellent quality on all my consumer-ish recordings and videos. Of course, that is not to say it could not be improved.
When the iRig MIC Cast was announced at CES this year, I was pretty excited. I have gotten a lot of use out of the original iRig MIC and this miniaturized version seemed poised to make my travel recordings an even more portable affair.
Thankfully, it did not disappoint. The mic’s dual gain setting really extended the abilities of my iPhone for my consumer Video/Audio recordings, which is especially impressive considering the microphone is about the size of a half dollar. The new iRig also comes with a desktop stand to prop my phone while I’m recording, and I while didn’t use it too often, it could definitely come in handy for sit-down interviews and the like. Oh, and in case you felt some weird urge to do so, it works just fine when taking phone calls too.
While I am not sure what other non-iOS devices are actually supported, I was able to get it to work with things like the Korg Kaossilator 2 — a nifty bonus for sure.
What can I say, I am a fan of this little gadget in all of it’s portable glory. It’s shipping today and costs $ 39.99/€29.99. More info at www.irigmiccast.com
PlayOn can now stream your favorite content straight to your Android phone over wi-fi or anywhere on 3G! Also new. With new channels being added all the time, PlayOn brings the most entertainment to your phone or gaming console. Free trial at www.playon.tv Video Rating: 4 / 5
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PayPal’s mobile payments have been on a whirlwind American tour this year, but they haven’t had a chance to cross the border so far. Someone must have finally stamped the company’s passport, since it’s now an option for UK residents to pay using the InStore app for Android or iOS. A trio of fashion outlets — Coast, Oasis and Warehouse — can soon scan an on-screen barcode to take payment for that posh new shirt instead of requiring ye olde wallet. As it is in the US, there’s no need for any NFC magic or even an Internet connection to clinch the deal, and there’s still the same access to discounts and refunds as for paper- and plastic-wielding buyers. A total of 230 shops will take your PayPal credit starting May 31st, although they won’t stop your potential fashion mistakes.
Continue reading PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video)
PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Although one could argue that Facetime and Skype are already nearly perfect telepresence systems, there’s definitely some value in having a jolly little robot sit on your shoulder and transmit, in real time, everything you see and hear to a friend far away. Right? Please say I’m right?
This experimental robot is called the Miniature Humanoid 2 or MH2 and was built in Japan by Yuichi Tsumaki, Fumiaki Ono, and Taisuke Tsukuda of Yamagata University in Japan. The robot requires a big honking backpack so it’s a little bit cumbersome but essentially the MH2 can move around on your shoulder as you move around the world, creating a sort of Master/Blaster relationship or, more likely, a Kuato/host human situation.
Here’s a description from the IEEE:
This may seem a little bit weird at first, but here’s the idea: you’ve got a friend or a relative that you want to share an experience with. Like, you’re traveling or something, and you want some company. Instead of having said friend come along with you (we’ll assume that they’re busy as opposed to just antisocial), you can bring along an MH-2 instead. Back home, your friend puts on a 360-degree immersive 3D display and stands in front of some sort of motion capture environment (like a Kinect, for example). Then, they get to see whatever the MH-2 sees. Meanwhile, the robot on your shoulder acts like an avatar, duplicating the speech and gestures of your friend right there for you to interact with directly.That’s right: this thing simulates a little friend so you don’t feel so alone. Welcome to the 21st century.
via Giz via Ieee.org
