All posts by Todd Cochrane

Mobile Content Venture: Live TV on the Go with Dyle

CES 2012, Mobile, TVs, ,

Mobile Content Venture Somewhere in the back of a closet in a box, I have a portable TV. I use to carry it with me when I went camping or to a ball game. If I wanted to watch TV would simply turn it on and pull out the antenna and I was ready to go. Unfortunately when everything went digital, the TV became useless. Mobile Content Venture has joined with Samsung and Metro PCS, the 5th largest wireless carrier to bring mobile live TV back to the US consumer. The handset is made by Samsung and has an embedded mobile E. DTV tuner. Mobile Content Venture created the software application called Dyle which allows you to watch live TV over the device. Once the device is released in the US it will be available in 14 cities. They hope to expand to up to 32 cities. Depending on your location you can receive up to 6 channels including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS and ION. You can also use Twitter, Facebook on the device.

If you already have a iOS device, then you might want to consider a Belkin accessory. This is a small dongle which connects to your iOS device using the 30 pin connector. Normally you would need an antenna to watch live TV however Belkin and Mobile Content Venture have developed a way around that problem by making the headphones the antenna. When you are ready to watch TV, just hit the Dyle application and you are ready to go.

At this time there is no pricing or availability date for the US for either of these two devices. The Dyle application will be free and available from the iOS store.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine

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Qubeey

CES Countdown,

Qubeey It happens to all of us, we follow so many people and companies on various social media sites that we miss the things we are really interested in. Let’s face it most of us have a handful of people or business that we are truly interested in, our family and close friends, maybe a company we are interested in or a favorite band. In the flood of social media, those are the things that are so easy to miss. That is the problem that Qubeey is trying to solve.

It is a cube that sits on your desk top. It captures the information from those you are really interested in and saves them for you to view when it’s convenient. Qubeey also has more visual cues, videos and images than other methods have. It allows you to stay connected with out having a web page open. When you get home at the end of the day you can see that your favorite band has released a new album and has one of their songs on YouTube. Click on it and watch it. Maybe you get a kick out of the crazy things your best friend says on Twitter, but you miss half of them because you are at work, well no more. It also allows business to target people who are truly interested in them. You can also use Skype or GoToMeeting with out ever leaving Qubeey. No more having to have an extra window or tab open in a browser and then having to click on it everytime you want to check your updates. Qubeey sits on your desktop and notifies you when something important to you is posted. Qubeey is currently free and still in beta and unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to try it out yet, Have you used Qubeey what do you think of it

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Steve Lee Wave of Tech

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Nothing But Nets – A surprising visit to our booth

CES 2012, Health,

Todd and Steve get a surprise visit from a funny bug with a serious message. Even though it was Friday afternoon, and everyone was a bit punchy (including the tricaster operator in the studio) they managed to get the word out on this very important issue.

Nothing but Nets is a charity that sends mosquito nets to people in Africa. In Africa 1000’s of people die of mosquito-born illness. Nothing but nets will send a long-lasting, insecticide-treated bed net, distribute it, and educate communities on its use, all for $10. 100 percent of every $10 contribution to cover the costs.

You can donate by going to www.nothingbutnets.net

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IEEE Gives a Look Behind Today’s Tech

CES 2012, Computers,

IEEE, the commonly used abbreviation for the Institute for Electronics and Electrical Engineers, dropped by the TPN booth last month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to chat a bit about what is going on with the organization right now.

IEEE.org looks at all aspects of today’s technology, but also helps to set standards for some of it. You may have seen their logo on some products, but they have their hands on a lot more than you may realize, like 3D for instance. They also offer a lot of conferences on a broad range of topics and a large digital library that is open to the public. In addition, they also work with people to ensure the technical accuracy of papers and documentation before publication.

The video below is a fascinating, but technical, look behind the scenes. If you are interested by how this industry works, though, it’s worth checking out.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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The iTwin Infinite Capacity Thumb Drive

CES 2012, Gadgets

iTwin is solving more than just the capacity problem with thumb drives, they are also tackling remote access at the same time. It all begins with a very small device that looks like a pair of USB thumb drives fastened together back-to-back. It’s a bit more than something that simple though. Each time this device is plugged into a computer it automatically generates AES 256 encryption. Once it’s attached to your PC a virtual folder pops up that allows you to drag-and-drop all of the files you want, in fact you can drop your entire hard drive on it! After copying all of the files you want then you can split the device into two USB drives. Leave one on your home or office PC and take the other with you on the road. Now you have a secure VPN to the base computer without the hassle and expense that VPN can entail.

The iTwin is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems. They have also solved a lot of the potential security problems and dynamic IP problems, as you will see in the video below. The iTwin is available now for a one-time cost of $99.99, no monthly fees like traditional VPN services. It’s available directly from iTwin or from many retail outlets.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDR News and RV News Net.

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Gunnar Digital Performance Eyewear

CES 2012, Video, ,

Gunnar Phenom EyewareGunnar‘s digital performance eyewear is a range of spectacles designed for people who spend too much time in front of a screen. Typically stylish and yellow-lensed, Todd occasionally wears a pair of Gunnars while doing the GNC show.

Joe Croft dropped in to show off the latest specs and Gunnar currently has a four-way line-up with Advanced Computer, Advanced Gaming, Premium 3D and Advanced Outdoor eyewear. As you might guess, three out of the four are primarily for indoor use only.

The eyewear is for those people who use computer screens all day and the glasses help with the typical symptoms of prolonged computer use, such as a lowering in the blink rate leading to dry eyes, tired eye muscles from short range focussing and poor light quality from fluorescent lights. The technology in Gunnar glasses addresses each of those issues to make the eyes more comfortable while using a computer screen.

The new Spring 2012 collection is now out at . Prices from $80 – $300 for standard lenses. Budget up to $700 for custom prescription lenses from Zeiss.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Steve Lee of Netcast Studio for the TechPodcast Network.

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Guardian Trace for Your iOS Device

CES 2012, Mobile, ,

Guardian means security, but a new company called Baytan labs is taking that security into the mobile world with the Guardian Trace for iOS devices. It works with your device’s contacts list and can be set up to send easy alerts if you find yourself in a bad situation. A countdown is begun if you fail to deactivate with your PIN and when it reaches 0 an alert is sent to the contact(s) of your choice via both email and text stating that you have failed to check in from whatever event you enabled, such as a jog or date. The alert will also include your last known location.

The app can also be used on an iPod, which, if you are going for a run, is useful, since that is a common device to carry along. The app also has a simple “Send Panic Alert” button so if a situation unexpectedly arises you can quickly send a message for help. The app is currently free, although that will apparently change later when some premium services will become available. It is currently only available for iOS devices and you can find out more by visiting Baytan Labs.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Diamond Wireless Range Extender and Set-Top Box Preview

CES 2012, Home, ,

Diamond Wireless Range Extender WR300NI remember building a PC many years ago and at that time, Diamond Multimedia was one of *the* graphics card companies. I even seem to remember that it was VL-bus card, so that dates it to a pre-Pentium era. Anyway, it’s great to see that Diamond is still around when so many others have fallen by the wayside. Todd interviews Louis Kokenis from Diamond Multimedia on the latest products.

The Diamond Wireless Range Extender has three functions in one. First, it’s a wireless repeater that eliminates deadspots in wireless coverage. Second, it’s a wireless bridge that will connect a wired network device to the wireless network and third, it’s a standalone wireless access point, creating wireless hotspot from a single network point. With regard to the last mode, the WR300N’s small size means that it’s great for travelling and creating a wireless network in a hotel room. On-sale now for around $60.

Diamond will be introducing an Android-based TV set-top box that combines web browser, media player, ebook reader, game console, anything that can be downloaded from the Android Market. It won’t be tied to any particular media provider as it will either be able to download an app, e.g. Netflix, or else it will be able to browse to any website and play media directly. Sounds cool, especially if it runs ICS.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Steve Lee of NetCast Studio for the TechPodcast Network.

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Nyxio VioSphere Splits your TV and PC

CES 2012, Gadgets,

Nyxio is a new company that is looking to integrate your computer and your TV. They have a product, the VioSphere, which literally splits your monitor screen into half PC and half television. The VioSphere is a touch-screen monitor that has a built-in web-cam and microphone to allow you to video-conference while you are watching that big game on the other half of your screen. It’s like the old picture-in-picture TV features, which allows you to watch both or go full-screen with one or the other.

It functions like an all-in-one PC with a DVD burner also built-in. While it runs on the Windows platform they also are partnered with Bluestacks to include Android apps as well. It also comes with a wireless keyboard and built-in WiFi. As for the TV end of things, it just takes a normal coax input. The VioSphere comes in a wide range of sizes spanning 21″ (although their website states the low end at 32″) all the way up to 65″. A price point isn’t given in the video, but you can learn a lot more info on the product. You can also visit Nyxio online for additional information.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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CTX Technologies Mini All-In-One Computer, iPhone Dock

CES 2012, Computers,

ctx technologies logoThere are some very small computers on the market these days, but CTX Technologies may have one of the most interesting of these new small-form-factor devices. The new box has a mini touch screen and a projector with range up to 80 feet so this tiny screen can be seen as a very big screen on your wall. It has an Intel Atom processor, HDMI port, USB, WiFi, Bluetooth, and more.

CTX Technologies also showed off an iPhone dock that not only charges your handset but can project a virtual keyboard onto the surface in front of it and allow you to type emails, documents, or whatever simply by touching the “buttons”.

The MISEETX computer will be available in April for around $600, while the iPhone dock retails for about $110. You can find more by visiting CTX Technologies and be sure to check out the video demonstration below.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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