Recent Comments:
Belkin delays FlyWire Wireless HD box yet again {Engadget}
Oct 23rd 2008 1:23PM This is apparently yet another case of the 'powers that be,' i.e. 'legal issues' constraining Belkin's ability to get a top-notch video distribution system to market.
As an extremely happy (yet frustrated--see below) owner of their RemoteTV wireless SD video system, which delivered fantastic A/V quality w/ no fuss, I'm not surprised at their current situation. The RemoteTV system was top-notch, working as advertised--but they pulled it off the market in such a manner over 1 yr ago that I can only surmise was due to it being 'too good' and invoking pressure from content providers. It absolutely removed the need for secondary cable/sat boxes or cumbersome wiring installs. That, I think, peeved some folks off and they leaned on Belkin to kill the product. I bought my parents the set-up via an eBay reseller before the supply totally disappeared...and, again, it worked in their home like no other solution I've seen (transmits through 3 floors, allows remote-control of the source device, great PQ and plug-n-play).
I think the ONLY reason that Belkin is being "allowed" to bring their HD solution to market is under the tightest constraints from some very similar content/industry players AND under the pretense that its not priced to cheaply as to escape from being a niche product.
They're like Tucker, on in the A/V market.
Netflix sees 30% rise in profit, expects 500,000 Blu-ray subscribers {Engadget HD}
Oct 21st 2008 4:04PM What are your other choices for highest quality HD movies AND extras?
I use movie download services for rental, too...but ideally, you want to see certain films as good as they can be viewed and with all the bells and whistles. When, exactly, will VOD or downloads offer what Blu-ray can in that department, I wonder?
Netflix sees 30% rise in profit, expects 500,000 Blu-ray subscribers {Engadget HD}
Oct 21st 2008 11:36AM I'm one of those likely "new" blu-ray customers...though I'm really a 'return' customer having been a Netflix sub way back when they first started up. I was a huge early supporter and DVD enthusiast...and now I'm all about the blu-ray.
I took a 'time-out' on Netflix/disc rental to allow for there to be enough disc-based HD content--went whole-hog into satellite/cable premium HD content subbing the past couple of years. Now that blu-ray releases are ramping up--time to go back to Netflix and scale back on my monthly cable bill.
Netflix rocks!
Dolby Volume featured on H/K AVR 7550HD and Arcam FMJ AVR600 {Engadget HD}
Sep 3rd 2008 4:46PM I've been more excited about the Dolby Volume technology than just about anything else that's come along the past 10 years (save for HD, perhaps). This is going to prove to be a truly transformative technology that, once people have it, they're going to wonder two things: 1) how did I live without it?!; 2) why did it take so long for someone to develop this and bring it to market?!
Seriously, in the age of super-aggressive movie/TV sound mixes that seem to want to bury the voices and blow you out of your seat w/ loud effects, NOT to mention the ridiculous lack of standards/enforcement of volume levels of commercials in the age of DTV...this is a Godsend. Thanks Dolby, I can't wait to get a new A/V receiver w/ this feature.
How would you change Amazon's Kindle? {Engadget}
Feb 1st 2008 6:55PM I absolutely cannot believe people will stash another gadget in their road warrior kits. Laptop, cell phone, iPod and now this?
No thanks...just develop cheap e-publishing via .PDF and text-to-speech technology so you can have those e-books read to you if you wish. NO reason to use anything other than a nice iPod touch or iPhone device, or your tablet/laptop PC to read books/magazines...and if you decide you'd rather listen on the train, voila!
The only way this will fly is if it gets VERY small and VERY cheap...think $49.99 reader hardware that is the size and weight of an average magazine (not Cosmo, but, say PC World, et al).
Best Buy stops selling the 80GB PS3 {Engadget}
Jan 25th 2008 6:06PM Not convinced this is the end of PS2 backwards compatibility.
It simply doesn't make sense--a machine having access to the biggest, most successful library of video game entertainment is worth a few bucks in chips. To do so w/ the entire product line, rather than with a stripped-down entry level system only, seems utterly foolish.
I think Sony has another plan stewing here.
If not--its got to be their biggest mistake yet. And I'm doubly glad I got my 80GB when I did...
Dolby Volume set to eliminate loud commercials {Engadget HD}
Sep 5th 2007 12:48PM When I first heard about the new Dolby technology some months ago via the HTguys podcast, I almost literally threw my hands up in the air and yelled "Hallelujah!" We've needed a high-quality (read perceptibly lossless in mix distortion) volume regulator for sooooo long. And it's NOT for just commercials, folks.
Think of it this way...how many times have you changed channels (digital, satellite, cable, OTA, you name it) and the variance in volume level is astounding, right? So this will really change surfing, for one.
And also, my BIG pet peeve: how many "action" or "thrillers" or "horror" or "sci-fi" etc movies have soundtrack mixes where they seem to rely on blasting sound effects as a way to 'surprise' the audience (an ANNOYING cheat, as it should be quality filmmaking that does this, not cheap shots like this)? They have the dialogue volume really low so you crank up the volume to hear what the hell the actors are saying, then WHAM!!! a window shatters or a machine gun suddenly rattles off. It's not shocking or exhilerating in any substantive manner and it really only ends up annoying the crap out of me (and I know I'm not alone). A loud battle scene I can understand, but the filmic equivalent of a fireside sudden "BOO!!" is way, way, way overused.
I said it when I first heard of this Dolby Volume and I'll say it again--the SECOND it shows up in an A/V reciever, I'm buying it. Money well spent and I think it will prove to be about as groundbreaking/transformative to a quality, user-empowering HT experience as the commercial skip button on DVRs and macro-programmable remotes have proven to be.
Bring it one, Dolby! Hoorah!
EchoStar CEO trivializes DirecTV's 100 HD channels {Engadget HD}
Aug 15th 2007 12:28PM Brendan, it's not a slight on the D* sub...its against the marketing BS. In the end, I think we all (HD consumers) benefit from the market competition between cable and duelling sat carriers--complacency would have dominated had that factor not been at play. I've personally seen the fruits as I have more national HD channels, premium HD exclusives, and updated HD hardware w/ newly added functionality and capacity as the result.
Again, I think the reactions you're getting here are because for some, its just talking about the cards on the table--not the poker face or the bluff. Once we really see D*s hand, we'll know how things stack up. If they truly blow away the competitions offerings, good for them (and the D* sub)...and, I suspect, good for all of us, in the end, as it will mean others will have to meet the challenge.
We'll see, right?
EchoStar CEO trivializes DirecTV's 100 HD channels {Engadget HD}
Aug 14th 2007 8:25PM Sorry, Brendan, but I'm one of those folks who have been enjoying the broadest array of HD content and some of the best HD DVR equipment available...while D* has been all hype and fine print when it comes to the "100 Channels" promise. It's not the agenda of delusional deranged zealots--we're just pointing out that the reality is, DirecTV has been trailing woefully for almost 2 years now and now they're weasling around the verbiage of their sales tagline to make it APPEAR like they're going to leapfrog the competition.
I suggest you try the alternative and maybe you'll see what the real deal in HD delivery leadership looks and feels like. Trust me, as a former D* customer of 7 years, it is NO comparison. Dish blows them away on all fronts save the sports packages...and as a lover of movies and the vast array of non-sports HD content thats out there NOW (and yes, that includes Voom), its a real no-brainer.
BTW, the reason why D*'s counting of HD RSNs in their 100 HD is that many are either not full-time and they're also susceptible to black-outs--the viewer won't SEE 100 channels, they just EXIST.
Revenge of Apple patent attack: giant laptop touchpad {Engadget}
Aug 9th 2007 6:09PM Just got back from Siggraph '07, and one thing was readily apparent after perusing the 'Emerging Technologies' section...the ripple-effect of the Apple iPhone's multitouch and the Nintendo Wii's Wiimote is validating all the alternative input research that's been done the past decade+. There were tons of cool tactile/motion sensitive interface designs on display.
Apple is correct to begin expanding the implementation of this interface technology throughout their product lines...
Just like they were avant garde w/ their early use of the mouse (which the didn't invent, but knew a good thing when they saw it), they know this is the way of the future.
