Zatz Not Funny!

Cisco Funds Disney’s MovieBeam

If you recall, MovieBeam was a Disney service similar to Akimbo offering pay-per-view rentals of downloaded movies via leased set-top boxes. After testing the service in a few markets, Disney shut it down and later spun off the company. Most, including myself, figured it was gone for good despite comments that service would be relaunched … Read more

DISH Satellite To Launch

Echostar plans to expand DISH Network bandwidth with Wednesday’s launch of satellite X. Adding an extra satellite doesn’t really impress me, but I am intrigued by the launch details. As with DirecTV and XM, Echostar has enlisted Sea Launch’s Odyssey platform — a vessel that motors out to sea for launch. Sea Launch will be … Read more

Wired Proclaims TiVoHD, Mac TTG Vapoware

Wired is out with their annual Vaporware Awards. As with last year, TiVo has made the list… this time placing tenth for failing to deliver a stand-alone HD model and a Mac version of TiVoToGo. While it’s true they didn’t surface in 2005, I’m hopeful we’ll see both in 2006. Wired says: High-def TiVo and … Read more

TiVo Analyzes Super Bowl

TiVo has released their annual Super Bowl analysis compiled from an “anonymous” sampling of data from 10,000 boxes. On average, TiVo viewers hit rewind, replay, or pause more than 100 times during the broadcast. Two of Pittsburgh’s touchdowns were replayed more than four times each and Ameriquest topped the most replayed commercials. Many of the … Read more

Echostar Backs Sling Media

On Malik reports EchoStar (aka DISH Network) has participated in the current round of Sling Media funding. Combined with Echostar’s investment in Archos, there’s a high potential for synergistic devices. I give them credit for aggressively investing in these unproven, peripheral technologies… then again, maybe that’s what a #2 needs to do in order to … Read more

LG’s Microsoft DVR Drops Guide Fees

That was quick! After only two months, Microsoft and LG have abandoned DVR guide fees. Furthermore, those who have previously paid are entitled to refunds. The fee structure was originally $9.99 a month or $249 pre-paid for an infinite subscription. At $599 a pop, the LG LRM-519 rivals the cost of some Windows Media Center … Read more

Instant Replay PIP Stored On Remote

Just about everybody and their mom has been applying for (bizarre) DVR-related patents lately. Today I’ll spotlight IBM, who wants to own the rights of presenting “instant replay” content within a window. But wait, that’s not all… if you order now, they’ll also store that video right on your remote control’s “non-volatile” memory! And I don’t know why…

IBM says: The invention provides systems, apparatus and methods for recording a television broadcast, and a retrospective section of the record. These enable a television viewer to use a television control to select and store a retrospective section of a recorded television channel, while watching the channel. The retrospective section typically comprises a section of the channel that has just been watched by the viewer, so that an immediate replay of the retrospective section corresponds to an “instant” replay. An example method includes the steps of generating a record of the television broadcast, and operating a television remote control to select from the record, while viewing the television broadcast, a retrospective section of the record. The method further may include storing the retrospective section in the television remote control.

Hands On With The Sony Walkman Phone

Like most gadget freaks, my buddy Matt has an impulse control problem. That’s how he ended up with the Sony Ericsson W800i, aka the Walkman Phone, with a new Cingular contract… in addition to his existing Sprint phone and contract. Not that I need an excuse for a road trip, this seemed like an excellent time to drive up to NJ and check the phone out.

Let me begin by saying I haven’t read the manual for my new Panasonic Lumix FX9, so these pictures aren’t the greatest. But trust me when I say the W800i is a sexy little phone — the unique color scheme looks sharp. The display is bright and vivid with a slick animated theme. For those of you familiar with the SE T610 and it’s derivatives, the W800i is of similar size and shape.

The phone is no iPod. It’s also no ROKR. The music interface is nice enough, though navigating via the sensitive thumbstick often resulted in overshooting selections. Sony provides a data cable and PC software to load the phone up with MP3 and AAC tracks. Unlike the ROKR, there’s no restriction on the amount of songs you can play from a Memory Stick PRO Duo card. The phone has a built-in FM receiver — a nice-to-have at my gym which broadcasts television audio via FM. I don’t normally make it a habit to share earbuds, but in the name of science I tried these. The bundled buds are small, soft, and low-profile that fit securely but comfortably — they don’t isolate sound the way my Shure’s do, but you can wear Sony’s for an extended period of time without discomfort. What really surprised me is the external speaker that puts out decent audio. I could definitely envision sitting the phone on my desk and listening to some tunes at work.