The truth is, the Spider Phoebe chair looks downright comfortable—until its legs close upon you and your laptop is repurposed to replay its Sesame Street casting tapes...from before the accident
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Connecting to your TV via HDMI/composite and your router via ethernet, the Digital Entertainer can stream a boatload codecs from your PC or networked storage, load media from a USB stick or stream YouTube from the web.
The catch, however, is that you'll need to purchase PlayOn ($40) if you'd like to stream the premium internet video services like Hulu, Netflix and CBS from a computer.
In other words, the Digital Entertainer's $150 price jumps to almost $200. And for $200, you're in console territory with the PS3 and Xbox 360 supporting UPnP, popular codecs like DivX and PlayOn services. Plus, the 360 obviously supports Netflix out of the box.
I'm not saying there's no point to one of these media streamers, but for $150 when they're not a turnkey solution to everything you want to do anyway, it's probably smart to shop around a bit. [Netgear]
Read more...NETGEAR Introduces Digital Entertainer Live, Compact All-in-One Set-top Box for Playing Home Media and Streaming Internet Video on HDTVs
Plays Movies, Videos, Music and Photos from USB Drives, Computers and Network Attached Storage; Accesses YouTube, Roxio CinemaNow On-demand Movies, Internet Videos, Hulu, Netflix and More
SAN JOSE, Calif. - September 8, 2009 - NETGEAR, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, today launched the newest Internet-connected set-top box in its popular "Digital Entertainer" product family. The new Digital Entertainer Live (EVA2000) is an easy-to-use and affordable Internet set-top box that enables viewers to play their digital media collections, YouTube videos and a wide range of other Internet content on big-screen TVs. Rather than having to watch downloaded movies and online videos on small computer screens, families can now enjoy media collections stored on USB storage devices, computers and network storage directly on their HDTVs, from the comfort of their couch.
In addition to personal media collections and YouTube, consumers can now easily browse, download and play newly released pay-per-view movies from Roxio CinemaNow. They can also view videos on their TV from a wide variety of Internet sources, such as Hulu, Netflix and CBS, through free software trials and optional subscriptions. The Digital Entertainer Live incorporates all of these functions into a single compact player, an advantage for cluttered home entertainment cabinets.
"People are amassing a huge amount of their own downloaded and personal digital music, photos, and videos, as well as consuming more and more Internet video," said Phillip Pyo, NETGEAR's director of product marketing for connected home entertainment products. "According to comScore's Video Metrix service, between January 2007 and July 2009, there was a 331 percent jump in the number of minutes of video watched per average viewer per month. It went from 2 hours, 31 minutes to 8 hours, 20 minutes."
He added, "The vast majority of people are still watching these videos on small computer screens, so it's logical to assume that the amount of time spent will continue to increase as devices such as the Digital Entertainer Live make it even easier to watch online video on HDTVs. NETGEAR is thrilled to offer an affordable, content-rich, and easy-to-set-up and -use solution that bridges this gap and enables people to fully enjoy their home media collections and online video from popular Internet sites on the best screen in their home - their big-screen TVs."
The Digital Entertainer Live - Product Features
The Digital Entertainer Live is a compact, "plug in and go" home media player with a simple remote control that enables consumers to easily access their digital movies, videos, music and photos directly from their USB storage devices and watch them on their TV. Users need only plug a USB hard drive containing digital media content into one of two USB 2.0 ports on the Digital Entertainer Live and connect the Digital Entertainer Live to their HDTV using an HDMI or composite cable. The Digital Entertainer Live also features regular RCA jacks for connecting to older analog TVs.Furthermore, with its integrated network port, the Digital Entertainer Live easily makes an Ethernet wired connection to the Internet and the home network, enabling access to digital media content stored on computers and network storage devices in the home network, as well as Internet content over the web. If consumers do not have an Ethernet connection available near their TV, they can use the optional Digital Entertainer Live Wireless USB Adapter (EVAW111) that connects the Digital Entertainer Live to the Internet and the home network via Wi-Fi. Alternatively, they can use existing electrical power outlets and a powerline device, such as NETGEAR's Home Theater Internet Connection Kit (XAVB1004), to connect the Digital Entertainer Live to the Internet and the home network.
By connecting the Digital Entertainer Live to a broadband Internet connection, consumers enjoy the full YouTube experience - searching, browsing and watching millions of videos with access to subscriptions, playlists, country selections, categories and channels - all without the need for a computer. Instead of huddling around a small computer screen to watch the latest funny video, consumers can now show it on their TV for everyone to enjoy.
To widen the search for Internet video content, the Digital Entertainer Live is shipped with a built-in Internet video search engine that can locate videos on the entire worldwide web. The Digital Entertainer Live performs dynamic keyword searches of more than a hundred thousand websites for Internet videos without needing a computer. The search feature yields dynamic results with each letter inputted and automatically categorizes popular subjects into easy-to-find folders.
The Digital Entertainer Live also supports pay-per-view movies on-demand from Roxio CinemaNow, where users can buy or rent a range of newly released movies as soon as they are available on DVD and watch them in minutes. Consumers no longer have to wait for the mail or drive to the nearest rental store. They simply browse all the movies on their TV and download them to a USB storage device using their Digital Entertainer Live and Roxio CinemaNow account.
Additionally, the Digital Entertainer Live includes a free trial of VuNow, which provides access to hundreds of other Internet videos, live Internet TV and live Internet radio streamed from popular sites from around the world, such as Bloomberg, CNN Video, C-SPAN, ESPN, Germany's 2DF, Al Jazeera, BBC Worldwide, China's CCTV, Germany's DWTV, Euronews, EuroSport, France 24, France's Orange Sport, Germany's RTL, and Sky News. The Digital Entertainer Live also comes with a free trial of PlayOn software. By running this optional software on a computer also connected to the Internet and home network, users enjoy hit TV shows and movies from popular Internet video services such as Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, BBC iPlayer, CBS, NFL, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. and more, wherever the service is normally available via the Internet.
"There is an ever-increasing amount of digital media - TV episodes, movies, photos and music - being stored on computers and other devices throughout the home, as well as on the Internet," said Jayant Dasari, broadband and television infrastructure and services research analyst at Parks Associates. "In fact, some people have even maxed out their personal computers with media, requiring external storage, such as one that connects via USB. Due to this increase in distributed digital media content, consumers are looking for ways to enjoy their digital media and online videos in one place. Internet-connected set-top boxes are one solution that enable the entire family to benefit from viewing the broadest spectrum of digital content on their HDTVs from the comfort of their living rooms."
Pricing and Availability
Backed by a one-year warranty and 24/7 technical support, the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer Live (EVA2000) is available in the U.S. through leading retailers, e-commerce sites and value-added resellers at an MSRP of $149.99. The Digital Entertainer Live Wireless USB Adapter (EVAW111) has an MSRP of $39.99. Worldwide availability of the Digital Entertainer Live is planned for the coming months.
What do you add to a pocket projector that already has a massive 640 x 480 resolution and the power of 9 suns lumens? Why, a WinCE-powered computer, of course. Now, when everyone else is fumbling around with their bulky laptops, you can bust out your Darling, use the top-mounted touchpad to navigate, and be the fastest projector gunslinger in the office. There's even a stand, a pair of mini-USB ports for hooking up a keyboard and mouse, and an SD expansion slot to augment the already super-generous 1GB of Flash storage. So how much does a PC with a huge display and SSD cost these days? $180. Don't tell us that ain't progress. Check it out after the break.
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Siemens discControl nobs are perfect for the iPod generation in that they're completely touch based sliders, as the product's name suggests. But beyond that they hide a very cool, very safe little feature for households with small children.
The childproofing is really pretty simple: When you're done cooking, or when the stove top is not in use, simply remove the magnetic discs from their holders and the unit is effectively impossible to turn on. Presto change-o, no toddlers running around your kitchen screaming to child services that they have third degree burns on their hands and arms.
And as the picture implies this is an induction unit that's the perfect fit for your eclectic collection of cut in half skillets and other cookware. Read more...
Even Haier is getting in on the wireless HDMI game.
(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET)Here at IFA, several companies showed products using either WirelessHD, which uses the 60Ghz band to send signals, or WHDI, which operates in the 5 Ghz band.
Philips, which has shown wireless HD kits at CES for several years, is giving it a go in Europe too. The new kit comes with a transmitter and receiver pair that can send up to 1080p signals at 30 frames per second (fps) at a range of about 65 feet. Toshiba and Funai also demonstrated similar versions of WirelessHD adapters here.
Long the domain of big brand names in electronics, promising wireless HDMI products has now even come to smaller and regional manufacturers. Three new companies demonstrated TVs that receive high-definition signals without wires: Haier, Vestel, and TCL, all using the WHDI standard. If you haven't heard of any of those three, you'd be excused since one is more known for its air conditioners and washing machines, another makes white-label TVs, and the third is sold mainly in Europe.
Vestel's wireless HDMI adapter.
(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET)But the tide could be starting to turn. Just recently the European Union finally approved use of the 60 GHz band, which WirelessHD operates in. That could theoretically open the floodgates for more wireless high-def products. However, there are problems with in several European countries, so mass adoption is likely still a ways off.
You see, the Esprimo is tiny. Almost hockey puck tiny. Get it? But in that tight little form factor is a wealth of surprisingly robust features, like 4GB of memory and a 320GB hard drive for all your tiny file saving needs. Also inside is a Blu-ray optical drive and an accompanying HDMI port, which makes sense. The Core 2 Duo tops everything off.
One last caveat: All those features above are found in the "higher end" model, which is weird to type because the base model will cost a cool grand when it arrives in Germany in late September. Read more...
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The ESP 3250 (above) is similar to the ESP 3, but for the same $130 price point it adds a multifunction card reader and a 1.5-inch LCD (the ESP 3 has no display).
The ESP 5250 (pictured up at the top), which at $170 is $20 more than the ESP 5, adds Wi-Fi to the mix, a welcome new feature. It also keeps the ESP 5's multifunction card reader and shrinks the display to a 2.4-incher.
These printers both use Kodacolor, a tech which Kodak claims reduces ink costs by up to $110 a year. Without having tested them we can't really tell, but Kodak's ink sure is cheaper than competitors: A three-color cartridge for either printer costs $15, and black is $10. Compare that to Canon's ink, which is $13 per color and $15 for black. If Kodak's printers are efficient, that'll mean a lot of money saved. [Kodak]
Read more...KODAK Printers Offer Lowest Total Ink Replacement Cost in the Industry
Rochester, NY, September 2, 2009 - Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK) invites consumers to print, copy, scan and save with its new KODAK ESP 3250 and ESP 5250 All-in-One (AiO) Printers. The ESP 3250 and ESP 5250 Printers join Kodak's innovative line of printers that are revolutionizing the inkjet business by offering the lowest total ink replacement cost in the industry². With KODAK AiO Printers, consumers can print vivid color documents and KODAK lab-quality photos³ at home for less, saving an average of $110 a year on ink¹ compared to other leading consumer inkjet printers on the market.
"The introduction of the new KODAK ESP 3250 and ESP 5250 AiO models delivers on Kodak's commitment to bring consumers affordable, first-class printing solutions," says Randy Brody, Vice-President, Worldwide Marketing, Consumer Inkjet Systems at Eastman Kodak Company. "With our line of innovative and intuitive printers, Kodak is committed to providing high-quality, in-home printing with fairly-priced ink so that consumers can print what they want, when they want, without fear of the ink replacement cost."
Innovations in Printing Solutions
KODAK ESP 3250 and ESP 5250 AiO Printers continue to combine the latest in printing technology with low-cost, high-quality pigment ink cartridges that deliver brilliant documents and KODAK lab-quality photos³. The end result is what consumers want – an easy-to-use printer that produces exceptional prints that last a lifetime and are rated highest in water and stain resistance as well as savings on their ink replacement costs.
The KODAK ESP 3250 and 5250 Printers are designed to efficiently print with a speed of up to 30 pages per minute in black and 29 pages per minute in color. In addition, both feature improved paper handling with intelligent paper tray systems that automatically adjust settings based on paper type and size to reduce printing errors and save time. With color LCD display screens and memory card slots, the ESP 3250 and ESP 5250 Printers make it easier than ever to create color and black-and-white documents and photos without a computer.
KODAK ESP 3250 AiO Printer ($129.99 MSRP7) features a 1.5" color LCD along with memory card compatibility, making it easy for consumers to view and print without a computer.
KODAK ESP 5250 AiO Printer ($169.99 MSRP7) is enabled with built-in Wi-Fi, offering increased efficiency and flexibility for the freedom to easily print from anywhere in the home and without cables. The printer also features a 2.4" color LCD and memory card compatibility to view, edit and print photos.
Quality and Performance for Less
KODAK All-in-One Printers use Kodak's premium pigmented inks that come in a simple two-cartridge set-up, saving consumers an average of $110 a year on ink¹. Black cartridges retail for $9.99 U.S. MSRP7 and a five-ink color cartridge retails at $14.99 U.S. MSRP7. The exclusive KODACOLOR Technology embedded in each printer enables consumers to cost-effectively print crisp documents and KODAK lab-quality photos³. This technology is a combination of four key elements: pigment-based inks, micro-porous photo papers, color and image science and a Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) print head.
Furthermore, Kodak's Home Center Software includes the exclusive Facial Retouch feature that enables consumers to improve their personal photographs right at home by automatically reducing blemishes and enhancing facial features in just one click. Also, KODAK All-in-One Home Center Software contains an Optical Character Reader (OCR) which allows the user to scan documents that can be edited.
Both KODAK ESP 3250 and ESP 5250 Printers are ENERGY STAR qualified and include features such as manual two-sided printing and multiple-pages-per-sheet printing. In "Standby" mode, both printers use less than one watt of power. Both printers are also compliant with the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, which limits the presence of certain substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
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