The highlight of CES 2009 for me back in January was the unveiling of Yahoo’s Internet TV widget platform. Given so many partner announcements (Intel, Samsung, Vizio, Sony, LG) and demos, I was hopeful we’d see a glut of Yahoo Connected TV products, including HDTVs and set-top boxes, by mid-year. Yet Yahoo’s Linux-based SDK hasn’t … Read more
With the Showtime EBIF app already raking in dough on TV sets across the country, the cable network has decided to go mobile. Showtime launched its own iPhone app this week complete with teaser episodes, video extras, and broadcast schedules. Given that the EBIF version may not be available in your area, the iPhone application … Read more
A periodic roundup of relevant news… from our friends at Last100: Adobe Flash seen running on Palm Pre – Netbooks, MIDs, and other smartphones Adobe was already known to be working with smartphone platforms from Palm (WebOS), Nokia (Symbian) and Microsoft (Windows Mobile), along with a raft of content providers, chip makers and consumer electronics … Read more
As I wrote the other day, I can’t say I’m ever happy to see a product or company die. But I just don’t see a place in the world for Spawn Labs. Introduced at TechCrunch50 (video above), they liken their product to a Slingbox for video games. Making them a niche within a niche. The … Read more
Although the Star Trek holodeck always held great appeal (when it wasn’t malfunctioning and killing off lesser characters), many people reserve a bit more skepticism on the need for 3DTV. This has a lot to do with left-over images from the 1950s, but it also stems from the fact that 3D viewing still requires special … Read more
After reading rumors of new Macs with integrated Blu-ray drives for the umpteenth time, I posed a query to my Twitter followers: “Would you buy an AppleTV if it had a Blu-ray drive, too?” Because a computer or laptop with a Blu-ray playback capabilities doesn’t do much for me. I prefer to watch HD movies … Read more
Inrix Traffic! Inrix is the company that powers or supplements quite a few traffic related services, including the (discontinued) Dash Express during my tenure at Dash Navigation (acquired by RIM). And while Inrix typically licenses their data to others, the iPhone app is completely free – perfect for getting a quick read on the situation. … Read more
Ooma’s refreshed home VoIP hardware has started trickling into Best Buy brick & mortar outlets nationwide. And it’s safe to say that their full complement of retail partners will shortly have Telo ($250) inventory. I first caught sight of the product update last November and, like it’s predecessor (the Hub), Telo effectively offers unlimited US … Read more