Archive for January 4th, 2006
Abcron Corporation today announced the addition of PlayO PA-201 Personal Theater Surround Sound Headphones to their line of consumer electronic and optical media products.
The PlayO Personal Theater Surround Sound Headphones enable users to enjoy a total immersion audio experience with true 5.1-Channel technology that combines left/right channels, center channel, rear channels, and deep bass subwoofer all-in-one. The virtual 7.1 channel mode uses digital sound processing to emulate the effect of two additional side speaker channels.
Andy Huang, Abcron Vice President of Business Development stated, “With four strategically placed speakers in each ear, the PlayO PA-201 Personal Theater Surround Sound Headphones allow you to hear every screech, crash or laser blast with incredible clarity, while the enhanced bass processing ensures you’ll feel every smash, bump and thump.” Huang adds, “These headphones are ideal for gamers who want to feel thrust into the center of the excitement, as well as for movie enthusiasts who want to totally escape into the action on screen.”
The headphones’ light weight and built in volume controller and mute function allow for comfortable and private listening; and the headphones easily connect to a PC, media center or laptop using a standard USB 2.0 connector. A detachable microphone is included for gaming, chat and karaoke applications.
January 4th, 2006
Creative today announced ZenCast, a new application for accessing, creating and transferring thousands of audio and video blogs for select Creative Zen MP3 players.
ZenCast provides quick and easy access to a wide range of interesting and entertaining audio and video content on the Internet. The experience begins at www.zencast.com. The ZenCast home page reveals different channels with subjects ranging from world affairs to tech gadgets to entertainment. In addition to providing categories of specific interest, ZenCast also offers a “What’s New” list of audio and video blog broadcasts, and a “Today’s Top 10″ of popular downloads.
“ZenCast provides your one-stop destination for breaking news, entertainment, sports — all available free for download to your Zen player,” said Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and CEO of Creative. “You can even host your own show. ZenCast is like having a personal Internet TV broadcasting station, where anyone can create their own program and broadcast it to the world.”
ZenCast Organizer, specifically designed by Creative, seamlessly integrates podcasts and video blogs with select Zen players or a PC. The application enables viewing and listening to content and can be set up to manually or automatically download content to select MP3 players such as the Creative Zen Vision:M. Users can subscribe to top name broadcasts from companies such as CNET, ESPN, RocketBoom and the Singapore Straits Times through the ZenCast Organizer, and they can specify how often fresh content is downloaded. ZenCast Organizer also enables users to browse and subscribe to channels from other online broadcast providers. A convenient Auto Sync feature can be set to immediately download content to the player or the PC.
A beta version of the Creative ZenCast Organizer is available free today for all Zen Vision and Zen Vision:M users. The Creative ZenCast Organizer will begin shipping with the Zen Vision and the Zen Vision:M in the first half of 2006. Download of the ZenCast Organizer will enable users to experience any content from www.zencast.com. For more information and software updates on Creative ZenCast, please visit www.zencast.com.
With exciting new relationships with Yahoo! Music Unlimited, Soundbuzz, DIRECTV 2Go and RocketBoom, Creative continues to provide compelling digital entertainment experiences for Zen MP3 and media players. Creative Zen players also support Napster to Go, Rhapsody to Go, and Music Now for music, and TiVoToGo and more for video.
January 4th, 2006
Ulead Systems, Inc., a 16-year industry leader in video, image and DVD software, today announced the Ulead VideoStudio 9 iPod PowerPack, a free update to the company’s consumer editing software allowing users to easily produce video for the new video-enabled Apple iPod.
“Watching video on mobile devices is an important step in the convergence of IT and consumer electronics,” said Eldon Liu, president of Ulead. “Whether users want to create or convert content for the iPod and other mobile devices, Ulead is uniquely positioned with a wide range of consumer-to-professional tools to do the job.”
The new iPod PowerPack makes use of the Ulead MPEG-4 Plug-in for VideoStudio 9 and includes templates for outputting standard and widescreen iPod movies. The MPEG-4 Plug-in enables the software to output video for a range of devices including the Apple iPod, Sony PSP and DVD players supporting MPEG-4 playback from disc. Advanced users can configure MPEG-4 output settings to meet individual needs.
Pricing and Availability
The Ulead VideoStudio 9 iPod PowerPack is available at no cost to all registered users of VideoStudio 9. Users can download the plug-in from the Ulead Website at www.ulead.com. The iPod PowerPack requires that users first install the Ulead MPEG-4 Plug-in for VideoStudio 9, also available free for registered users of the full version of VideoStudio 9. The iPod PowerPack works with all language versions of VideoStudio 9.
January 4th, 2006
Belkin has announced its new CableFree USB Hub, the industry’s first USB Hub that does not require a cable to connect to the computer. This Hub allows people to place their laptop anywhere in the room while still maintaining wireless access to their USB devices, such as printers, scanners, hard drives, and MP3 players. This is the first UWB-enabled product to be introduced in the U.S. market. The CableFree USB Hub’s wireless functionality is enabled by Freescale Semiconductor’s Ultra-Wideband technology.
Beginning in early spring 2006, Belkin will offer a four-port hub that will enable immediate high-speed wireless connectivity for any USB device without requiring software. The CableFree USB Hub gives desktop computer users the freedom to place their USB devices anywhere in the room without running long cables. Laptop users gain the freedom to roam wirelessly with their laptop around the room while still maintaining access to their stationary USB devices.
Belkin’s CableFree USB product will be compatible with the more than 700 million USB devices estimated to be in the market today. Indeed, according to market research firm In-Stat, the number of USB devices is forecast to increase to 2.1 billion in 2009.
“We have always focused on ease of use when developing our products,” comments Mark Reynoso, Sr. VP of Sales and Marketing for Belkin. “With the proliferation of USB devices and the increasing demand for wireless functionality, it’s important that we not only continue to bring innovative wireless products to the marketplace, but also to bolster them with easy installation. With CableFree USB, you can now get the ease of USB without wires.”
“These CableFree USB products represent innovative technology, but, more importantly, will extend the capabilities of millions of USB products,” says Martin Rofheart, Director of the UWB Operation at Freescale. “With the convenience of Belkin’s Plug-and-Play solution, consumers will not be burdened by software upgrades in order to achieve wireless functionality for their USB devices. Indeed, Belkin is taking a leadership role in bringing true wireless USB to the market, and we are thrilled to work with them on this initiative.”
About Ultra-Wideband Technology
Freescale’s UWB solutions enable high rate transfer of video, audio, and data streams wirelessly. At rates 100 times faster than Bluetooth(TM) technology and with wire-like quality, UWB brings a new wireless option to auto, consumer electronics, and PC/peripheral manufacturers. Using UWB, for example, an MPEG2 movie or HDTV stream can be broadcast in real time wirelessly. This allows consumers new freedom in the use of multimedia-centric products, as they no longer need to be connected with wires.
January 4th, 2006
Larry Page, Google’s co-founder and president of products, is due to give a keynote address as CES 2006 in Las Vegas. The potential subject of that speech is currently exercising the minds of IT journalists around the world as many are predicting that Page will announce the entry of Google into the hardware market.
The rumour consensus is that we will see a low cost Google-branded PC. Putting aside the obvious problem of getting a decent specification of hardware for a price as low as $200, costs would be held down by avoiding Windows and instead pre-installing an OS based on Linux.
Sone retailers already sell such low-cost PCs. WalMart has previously sold Linux-based machines, but consumers are naturally wary of buying a device that won’t run the majority of the software with which they are familiar. The Google name could be just the incentive consumers need to get over that issue.
So is there any substance to these rumours? They are originating from some very well-connected sources, but the thought of Google risking a head-to-head battle with Microsoft in the OS arena is hard to believe at this stage of the search engine’s development. Our prediction? The Google Web Browser. It’s not a massive leap for the firm and is merely taking on Microsoft in an area where others are already making inroads.
We’ll bring you the real facts after Larry Page’s keynote on Friday.
January 4th, 2006