Another Format Ends.

Rest In Peace

It’s, sadly, the nature of technology.  It’s created, it has its heyday, and then it sinks into the abyss.  Some technologies last years (VHS), while some last only a fraction of that time (HD-DVD), and some just go on and on…apparently, with nobody noticing.

I’m extemely sad (not really) and puzzled as heck (honestly and truly) to report that Pioneer will be ceasing production on laserdisc players shortly.

I remember watching Star Wars on a laserdisc player that my friend owned.  The player was extremely cumbersome and expensive; the 12″ disc was extremely cumbersome and expensive; and you had to flip the disc over halfway through the movie.  The fact that these things were manufactured past the demise of HD-DVDs boggles the mind.  I thought DVDs would’ve put the nail in this coffin when they came out.

Apparently, Pioneer thought they had a bit more life in them though.  Why stop production now?  Perhaps Pioneer’s executives woke up and realized that it’s 2009.

Anyway, if, unlike me, you knew that laserdisc players were still being made and couldn’t wait to get your hands on a brand-spanking new one, your time is almost up.  Pioneer will be making its final 3,000 and then shutting down production.  I have no idea where one of these new units can be bought, however.  I haven’t seen a new one being sold in stores for close to 20 years now. 

If, however, like me, you had no idea they were still being made, and only wonder who the heck could’ve still been buying these things, then, like me, shrug your shoulders and just move on, I guess.

Palm Pre Becomes the 6th “First True iPhone Competitor.”

LG Voyager, LG Dare, Samsung Instinct, HTC G1, and RIM Blackberry Storm have all been put up against the indomitable iPhone and have (arguably) failed to measure up.  The HTC G1 with its Android driven OS and open-source apps, has so far seemed the most likely to eventually compete, but so far the iPhone still dominates it, and, as far as the Blackberry Storm goes, once RIM’s app store opens, who knows, but until then…well, let’s just say that the “click” seems gimmicky and it doesn’t offer anything that would make me think of switching anytime in the forseeable future.

Say hello to the Palm Pre.  Palm’s recent attempts to regain their status as THE smartphone to have have been laughable, but laugh no more.  Apparently, the Palm Pre has been all the talk at this year’s CES, and, you guessed it, it’s being touted as the latest competition for the iPhone.  I’ve read a bit about it and it does sound promising.

I must say, that I’m an avid iPhone user.  I love my iPhone.  As an iPhone fangirl, I must say that I really hope they’re right this time.  The Palm Pre, like the Android OS, is looking to be very easy to make apps for and very open to developers.  This is one area that Apple has failed in.  I’m hoping the right competitor will come along and force Apple to do something that it seems completely unwilling to do, allow users to truly “own” their phone.  I want to be able to add themes, run apps in the background…in short do all the stuff that I currently have to jailbreak my iPhone to do, and more.  Is the Palm Pre the phone that will force Apple to consider opening up their heavy restrictions on App developers?  (Will any competitor be able to do this?)  I don’t know, but the Palm Pre sounds very promising and, either way, it sounds like a welcome addition to the great line of smartphones that have come out recently, and I look forward to checking it out in more depth.

In case you haven’t seen anything on the Pre and what it offers, I’ll refer you to people who’ve actually had some hands on time, which I haven’t.  Here’s Engadget’s impressions.  Hopefully, one day, I’ll get my little paws on this one myself and be able to give you my own impressions.  Until then, I hope it’s everything the pundits at CES are claiming it to be, so it gives Apple a little something to sweat over.  I also hope that the rumored $399 price tag turn out to $100 more than reality shows it to be when the official price announcement is released.

In the meantime, here’s my list of demands for Apple; MMS, video, landscape mode e-mailing, background applications, and more customizability with the home page.  Any other must-haves to keep you from switching to the Pre?  Feel free to leave a comment.

Sony’s surf ‘n’ snapper

So, there are a few cameras on the market with built in wi-fi but what if you’re on the go and you’ve forgotten your netbook or smartphone at home? Well now you’ll be able to surf the web from your camera with Sony’s DSC – G3.

As well as coming with the somewhat standard 10MP sensor, 4x optical zoom and face detection, Sony have added a web browser into this compact snapper.

There’ll also be access to the Easy Upload Home Page, Sony’s dedicated place for sticking pics and vids on the web, as well as direct uploading to Flickr and Facebook.

Gadget Geeks, Got the Time?

When I was a little girl, my father and brother would drag me along with them to many big-action, big-explosion, tiny-plot “guy” movies.  Some I liked for what they were, but most weren’t really up my alley.  One group of films I tended to have a love/hate relationship with was the James Bond films.  There was the misogyny, ridiculous plots, and bad action-film-type jokes to provide the hate part.  The love part was due, in part, to guys with British accents and I absolutely adored the gadgets.  I dreamt of owning all the neat little gizmos that were showcased.

“What does this have to do with anything,” you might be asking.  Well, LG has created the coolest watch ever that seems to be ripped straight off the wrist of 007.  It has a 1.4″ touchscreen, 3G, Bluetooth, and even a front facing camera for video-conferencing. 

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of unanswered questions with this watch/phone.  What’s the release date?  What’s the price?  (I’m sure it’ll cost enough to make you say, “DAMN”)  Do I really want to talk to my wrist in front of a room full of people?  Also, umm…looks a bit clunky for me.  Is there a ladies version in the works and how tiny would its screen be if a ladies version came out?

Still, even with all that, the gadget geek in me can’t wait until it’s released and I really hope my local wireless store has a display model.

[via BGR]

Sony’s answer to the iPod Touch

We all know the iPod Touch has been ruling the touch screen roost since it was released, but could that be about to change?

Sony have unveiled there new X – series Walkman with specs even you Apple fans will enjoy. It comes in iPod matching 16GB or 32GB and with a slightly smaller 3in display, it has been described as more ’single hand friendly’. Its killer feature though, comes in the form of its AMOLED screen.

As well as this, you’ll find WiFi with a YouTube app, podcast downloading and an FM tuner. Those features coupled with sound quality that Sony reckons far surpasses anything in its class. Hopefully the software can match the iPods as well!

[Via Stuff.tv]

Macworld – Part 2

17″ MacBook Pro

• And finally – the new 17in Macbook Pro. Oh. Like the other MacBooks it has a unibody enclosure etc etc. But it’s nothing really new. It’s the world’s thinnest (under 1in) and  (6lbs) 17in laptop.
• the new MacBook Pro is available with a matt-finish screen as well as the usual glossy display. It features the new mini display connector rather than a proper DVI connection, which is disappointing. It has up to 8GB of RAM, the multi-touch pad, etc etc.
• The new battery apparently has 8 hour life – but it’s not removeable. This is in order to give it more space for more battery life, but will infuriate some. Still, if 8 hours is true…
• The battery apparently lasts 3 times as long – 1000 charges, or up to 5 years. Makes me think I shouldn’t charge my battery every day…

• The new MacBook is available at the end of the month and costs the same as the old one.

iTunes

• “Over the last six years songs have been $0.99 — music companies want more flexibility. New pricing, $0.69, and another tier at $1.29.”
• iTunes Music Store now supports downloading over 3G networks for the same price – no need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot. Starting today. This is great news, but will it be enough to save this keynote? No Steve Jobs, no significant new hardware… It’s certainly not going out of Macworld on a high.

[Via Stuff.tv]

And that’s it for Apple’s Keynote. No ‘iPhone Nano’, no new Mac Mini and no shockers. Ah well…

Many thanks to Stuff.tv for the info!

Macworld – Part 1

Ok guys, I’m going to try to post MacWorld coverage as it hits the web because, unfortunately, I’m not there.

iLife 09

iPhoto 09

• iPhoto 09 has a new way of navigating – using ‘Faces’. It uses face detection to find faces in the photos – you add a name and then it’ll recognise faces from other pictures.
• There’s also another way of navigating your photos, too – places. It uses GPS geotagging – so you’ll need a GPS-enabled camera such as the iPhone or new Nikon Coolpix. iPhoto will reconise the particular place from the Geotag – for example th Eiffel Tower, Paris, France – and you can use these to search through your pictures. If you don’t have GPS tags on your photos you can add a location by typing in an address – iPhoto will use Google Maps to find the exact place.
• Facebook and Flickr are integrated into iPhoto, too – allowing you to upload direct to Facebook. It’ll even upload the names of the people in the pictures, and sync any additional names back down from Facebook if there’s someone you don’t know in your pictures.
• iPhoto also features Slideshow Themes – with sophisticated animations and the ability to put a face-detected face at the centre of a picture. You can sync these slidehows with the iPhone, too.

iMovie 09

• great news; you can extract audio from clips, which is one of the noticable losses between iMovie 06 and 08.
• The precision editor (picture below) gives precise control not only over video but also the audio tracks, which can be extended and edited independently of the video track.
• The image stabilisation looks very impressive, getting rid of annoying camera shake. You can also put in slow-motion effects in real time, plus some other effects such as vignetting, sepia tones and cartoon effects.

Garage Band 09

• The new Garageband 09 has new guitar effects, new ways to jam and – most importantly – Learn to Play, with your own tutor. Garageband comes with 9 basic lessons for guitar and 9 from piano. You can download more – and there are even personal lessons from Sarah Maclachlan, Sting, John Fogerty and Norah Jones who will teach you to play some of their songs.

iWork 09

• iWork is $99, or $49 with a new Mac. It ships today. But don’t rush out to the stores just yet… there’s definitely one more thing. iLife 09 needs Leopard – so you can get iLife, iWork and Leopared in teh Mac Box Set for $169.
• iWork.com is the beginning of a new service and it’s free… for now. It will, however, become a paid-for service once the kinks have been ironed out. Hmmm. The beta launches today and you get to it through iWork 09.

[Via Stuff.tv]

Part 2 coming soon ..

Google Setting Up for a Microsoft Coup?

First, Google creates Chrome, a web browser to compete with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer; then, Google comes out with their Android mobile platform, Android has been talked about as an iPhone competitor, but that also puts it in direct competition with Windows Mobile, whose latest version has faced delays already; now, it appears that the Android OS could also turn out to be a viable Linux-based OS as well.

It’s been reported that it took Matthäus Krzykowski and Daniel Hartmann a mere 4 hours to port the Android OS into a working Linux GUI onto an Eee 10000H netbook and, once running, supported the onboard graphics, sound, and wireless capabilities of the netbook.

While it’s unlikely to be of much use to PC Gamers, it has left many wondering if Google is aiming for a push of a full OS in the netbook market.  With Android being an open source operating system, it could drive down prices in the PC market and give Microsoft a run for it’s money.  Linux has failed to make much of a dent in Microsoft’s sales, but with Google’s marketing and influence backing their Android OS,  and their bevy of programmers with an ability to make the whole setup and install process more user friendly to the average consumer, they could definitely become a force for Microsoft to recon with.

Whether or not this is Google’s intention, is anyone’s guess.

[via Ars Technica]

Steve Jobs, recovering from hormone imbalance, will remain Apple CEO

Apple has published a letter today from Apple CEO Steve Jobs that addresses speculation surrounding his health. Steve Jobs reveals that he has been recovering from a hormone imbalance that has been causing an unhealthy weight loss.

Dear Apple Community,

For the first time in a decade, I’m getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

I’ve decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.

As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.

Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause – a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis.

The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment. But, just like I didn’t lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple’s CEO during my recovery.

I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple’s CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first.

So now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this.

Steve

Apple’s board of directors also distributed the following statement:

It is widely recognized both inside and outside of Apple that Steve Jobs is one of the most talented and effective CEOs in the world.

As we have said before, if there ever comes a day when Steve wants to retire or for other reasons cannot continue to fulfill his duties as Apple’s CEO, you will know it.

Apple is very lucky to have Steve as its leader and CEO, and he deserves our complete and unwavering support during his recuperation. He most certainly has that from Apple and its Board.

Since Apple’s announcement that Phil Schiller would be giving this year’s keynote there has been intense speculation as to the reasons, both political and health-based.

[Via MacRumours]

LG to build Netflix streaming into its TVs

LG will announce today that a new line of LCD and Plasma TVs coming this spring will have Netflix streaming capabilities built-in to the set. With a library of over 12,000 movies, documentaries, and TV shows available this will put Netflix ahead of its competitors that require set top boxes.

While there is no price information at the moment for these new sets, it will be interesting to see what this does for Netflix. Now if we can get content from the likes of Hulu built in to the sets, this could turn out to be a potential cable replacement. This just adds to the Netflix streaming partnership list with their existing set top boxes, the Blu-Ray player addition, Xbox 360, and Tivo. See the AP link for the press release.

LG high-def TVs to stream Netflix videos directly [Via Google News]