Tag Archives: unique

Entelligence: 3D TV falls flat for me

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. It's generally a bad idea to extrapolate larger consumer behavior from personal experience and say "if I like it, surely everyone else will as well." It's a mistake that happens all the time, but there's is one case where I will use my personal behavior to at least start the foundation for analysis -- when I don't want a new gadget or technology. Granted, sometimes I'm just not the target audience, but even then I'm usually able to remove myself from the process and say it might not be for me but others will love this. In the case of 3D TV, however, I think my lack of interest doesn't bode well for the market. I'm surprised by figures, forecasts, predictions and prophecies all showing a rosy outlook for 3D TV beginning as early as this year, because I've seen most of the 3D offerings available and I have no plans to buy -- not now and not anytime soon. I should be a part of the core demographic for 3D: I like TV, movies and video games. I'm am early adopter. I have reasonable disposable income. I'm not afraid of betting on the wrong standard. And yet, I'm not buying. Here's why. Continue reading Entelligence: 3D TV falls flat for me Entelligence: 3D TV falls flat for me originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Google Voice Calling Gets Faster in Android and BlackBerry Apps [Updates]

Google Voice connects its users' calls through its own server, which meant that smartphones placing a call through Voice had to make a data connection before dialing. That's changed with the latest updates to Voice's Android and BlackBerry apps . Now the unique numbers created for each contact (shown in a previous guide to Google Voice calling from any phone ) are stored directly on your phone, so no preliminary connection is necessary. In a few test phone calls, I saw the three to five-second waits I was used to drop down to about half a second. Android users can grab the update from the Market; BlackBerry users should head to m.google.com/voice in their browser. As a reminder, Google Voice is now open to everyone . [ Google Voice Blog ] More
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Entelligence: The evolution of the TV

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. > In a world of connected screens, the venerable TV continues to wait in isolation while the personal computer and the cell phone have become ubiquitously connected. Sure, there have been experiments in interactive TV -- gadgets like WebTV and modern game consoles are connected devices, and set-top boxes like the Roku and TiVo add connected components -- but most TVs in the US remain blissfully ignorant of the internet. There's arguably more TV content viewed on PCs than there is web content consumed on TVs. Here's why the TV remains disconnected and how that might change. First, the PC and TV don't get along well. It's been a match that's been tried for more than a decade. It would seem like a no brainer: take a device with great connectivity and pair it with the TV. In the 90s Gateway introduced a line of Destination PCs that were designed for living room use, Microsoft later built some of the best TV and PC integration with their Media Center efforts, and even Apple has added a ten foot user experience to Mac OS with its Front Row UI. None of these efforts ever went mainstream. Why? Simple: PCs are designed for smaller screens, mice and keyboards, and TVs aren't. No matter what shell you layer on top, you're still stuck with a PC OS underneath that's not optimized for the TV experience. Continue reading Entelligence: The evolution of the TV Entelligence: The evolution of the TV originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Entelligence: App stores are not enough

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. A little over two years ago, Apple changed the face of mobile computing when it launched the App Store and broke down the barriers between app developers and end users. There was no longer a need for users to go to a third-party web site, hand over a credit card, download an app to their computer, and sync it to their device. The App Store's integration with iTunes made it easy for the consumer to purchase apps, and purchase apps they did. But while Apple now commands a major lead in the sheer number of apps for the iOS platform, it's far from game over in the mobile market, and other competitors can catch up. But it's going to take more than just an app store for other platforms to level the playing field -- that's just the table stakes now. Here's what mobile platform providers need to compete effectively. First, the devices must stand on their own. Before Apple introduced the iPhone OS SDK, the developer program and the App Store, the company sold more than a million iPhones and iPod touches. That is, it had captured a large enough market for developers to notice before third-party apps were brought into the equation. Handset vendors and platform providers must have devices that are compelling to consumers out of the box, with features and form factors that attract buyers independently. Seeding a market with quality devices is one way to capture the attention of developers who will all want to be part of a platform with room to grow. Continue reading Entelligence: App stores are not enough Entelligence: App stores are not enough originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Prepare for Unique, Personal Annoyances Before Buying Appliances [Buying]

We've all learned to do brand research before making big purchases. Home improvement weblog This Old House reminds us that you should not only know the product, but know yourself and your habits before buy a new major appliance. More
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Get a Cool and Unique Cutting Board on the Cheap by Visiting a Local Artisan [Kitchen]

Looking for an exotic cutting board for your kitchen without spending $$$ on it? Local woodworking outfits can help you get an eye-catching and custom cutting board on the cheap. More
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Versace Unique launched, Vertu put on notice

And here it is, the Versace phone . Teaming up with the ModeLabs outfit that's already quite familiar with building lush phone-like pieces of handheld jewelery , Versace has just announced its first foray into the world of touchscreen communicators. It's quite the striking debut, too, coming with a sapphire crystal screen that is apparently the largest single piece ever offered in a consumer device, as well as gold plating and "high-tech ceramic" construction options. Hand assembly is an obvious standard feature, as is the Medusa-embossed leather back. LG is responsible for putting together the innards, including the 3-inch display and 5 megapixel camera, and worry not, we understand a black version will be available too. Look for the Unique in the usual places you find wildly overpriced gear starting next month. Continue reading Versace Unique launched, Vertu put on notice Versace Unique launched, Vertu put on notice originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 04:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Unique View of Atlantis Docking to the ISS Over the Sun [Image Cache]

I've seen the shuttle crossing the Sun's path . I've seen the International Space Station 's solar transit . But I've never seen the shuttle docking to the ISS against the Sun's surface. A unique, awesome view of two beautiful machines. More
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Forget Cookies: Over 8 in 10 Browsers Have a Unique Fingerprint [Privacy]

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (they're the good folks on the digital frontier fighting for our digital rights) conducted a study of the uniquely identifiable information your browser regularly sends out in the open and found that "an overwhelming majority of web browsers have unique signatures — creating identifiable "fingerprints" that could be used to track you as you surf the Internet." That information includes things like operating system, browser, and common plug-ins. [ EFF ] More
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Entelligence: Thirty three screens and a cloud

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. There are some devices that are universally loved or reviled -- I don't know anyone who doesn't think HTC EVO 4G is awesome, or anyone who doesn't think the WikiReader was awful. Then there are some that seem to be quite polarizing, and these are the ones that I'm usually most interested in -- just listen to Joshua Topolsky and me debate Kin on the Engadget Podcast, for example. The latest of these polarizing devices is the Sony Dash . The Dash is hard to categorize. It's a connected screen, based in part on the venerable Chumby. Nilay Patel was somewhat lukewarm about it. Ross Rubin likes it and the Wall Street Journal was somewhat ambivalent about it. Here's what I've learned from a few days living with one on my nightstand. 1. The vision is fundamentally correct. There's a lot that needs to improve about the Dash, both from a marketing and implementation perspective, but the core idea is sound. Microsoft likes to talk about "three screens and a cloud" and I agree with that vision -- my phone number is 408-3-SCREEN -- but it's really a statement about consumption, creation and communication. Count the number of PCs, TVs, phones, game devices, media players and navigation devices you have around the house and interact with -- it's more like 33 screens. The idea that there's going to be multiple connected screens that consumers interact with is real. Continue reading Entelligence: Thirty three screens and a cloud Entelligence: Thirty three screens and a cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 May 2010 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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