The Clicker: Is TiVo Killing Television?

December 29th, 2006 by

Stephen Speicher

Filed under: Features, Home Entertainment

Stephen Speicher contributes The Clicker, an opinion column on entertainment and technology:

If you're like me, there is a very good chance that you say a weekly "Thank you" to the DVR gods. For me (and I'm sure for many other readers also) it's hard, nay impossible, to even imagine a world without the commercial-skipping-goodness that is TiVo. No longer does one feel compelled to rush home to see if Ross and Rachael will work things out and finally be together. In this oh-so-modern world we're free to see Ross and Rachael's present-day counterparts, Jim and Pam, awkwardly stumble through their feelings on OUR schedule.

I don't mean to overstate the importance of DVRs. However, if one were to rank the DVR on a technological progress chart, it would most likely place somewhere between cavemen discovering fire and Jonas Salk's introduction of the Polio vaccine. It's just that good.

So why, then, is TiVo killing television?

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Mossberg harshes on Comcast’s DVR (and says something or other about TiVo Series3)

December 29th, 2006 by

Peter Rojas

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Media PCs

Mossy has a pleasant little rant today about one of our biggest pet peeves here at Engadget: namely, how totally crap the DVRs offered by cable companies are, especially when compared with the new TiVo Series3. He focuses primarly on Comcast's abomination of a box, the Motorola DCT3412 (pictured above), but we can tell you that the garbage you get from Time Warner Cable isn't any better. Mossberg nails the dilemma facing every gadgethead who wants a DVR that can handle HD cable: you can either overpay for an elegant solution or cough up a few bucks a month for a frustrating, awful solution. The smart thing would be for the cable companies to license TiVo's technology, which would allow them to charge a little bit more for a premium experience, but still way less than the total cost of ownership of a TiVo Series3. That's supposedly what Comcast is doing (we're still waiting to see the first fruits of their partnership), but in the meantime we're keeping an eye out for the first CableCARD-ready Vista Media Center PCs. Nah, they won't be as cheap as a Series3 (at least initially), but at least you get a full-fledged PC for your money -- and there isn't a silly monthly service charge for program listings.

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Apple receives patent for hybrid low-power Bluetooth mouse

December 29th, 2006 by

Darren Murph

Filed under: Peripherals

Although it took Apple quite awhile before taking its Mighty Mouse to the Bluetooth realm, it looks like Cupertino could have yet another mousing device up its sleeve, this time requiring a few less AA cells to keep that cursor moving about. In a recent patent granted to the company, plans for a "hybrid low-power computer mouse" were laid out, including mention of the Bluetooth protocol. In a presumed attempt to please environmentalists and cut down on battery requirements, the new device would sport both an accelerometer and an optical tracking engine (hence the "hybrid" moniker), and wouldn't activate the latter until the accelerometer's "tracking information is deemed inadequate," hopefully reducing the power usage in its optical mouse. Of course, we've no idea if (or when) Apple plans on implementing this snazzy new design into their current mice, or if it plans to kick out a different animal altogether, but Mr. Jobs would probably love nothing more than for regulators to grab hold of this and force other mice breeders to lay down royalties for the sake of Mother Earth.

[Via SlashGear]

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TV Compass sneaks WiFi, LCD equipped Smart Remote by FCC

December 29th, 2006 by

Paul Miller

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals

If you're looking for a little bit of extra snazz in your TV remote, then you might be interested in the Windows Embedded Smart Remote from TV Compass, which takes a few Windows Mobile interface cues, mixes in some WiFi and a LCD, and manages to do little more than its smart remote peers, just with a little more ugly. The remote, which just recently passed through the FCC, does all that usual channel-changing and home theater control stuff, plus adds in WiFi for programming guides off the internets. You can also access news, weather and the like via WiFi and the click365 service. No word on detailed specs, launch date or price, but perhaps we'll spot this thing in Vegas this January. Keep reading for a few more pics and screens.

Continue reading TV Compass sneaks WiFi, LCD equipped Smart Remote by FCC

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Linux claimed to be running on Zune

December 29th, 2006 by

Donald Melanson

Filed under: Portable Audio

With Linux running on iPods for a few years now, it would seem that it was only a matter of time before someone got a version of the operating system up and running on Microsoft's Zune, especially given the fact that the player's Freescale iMX31L processor can already handle the OS. Well, according to one fearless warranty-voiding individual, that prospect is now at least one step closer to reality. In a post on ZuneBoards, "Mys Videl" claims that he's managed to get Linux on Zune "partway working," currently only able to be booted while synced and with limited capabilities. While Videl's not willing to let the secret loose just yet (or even provide pics of it in action for that matter) he is promising to release it as open source when its finished, and open it up to beta testing before that. Exactly when that might happen, he isn't saying.

[Via Zune-Online.com]

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Meet your shiny new 2007 HTCs

December 29th, 2006 by

Chris Ziegler

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Wireless

If the X7500 "Athena" somehow managed to fail to attract your attention and you found the Vox, Libra, Love, and Cavailer positively forgettable, first verify that you have a pulse (because we really don't think that's normal) then check this out: HTC's 2007 arsenal is shaping up to be a doozy, with several previously-unknown models stepping into the spotlight. First up is the "Kaiser" (pictured top left), a follow-on to the Hermes that adds GPS -- a feature that's becoming increasingly common in high-end Pocket PCs. The "Elf" (top right) and "Panda" (not pictured) are midrange devices; they'll lack 3G radios, but the Panda's claim to fame will be a giant QVGA display that weighs in at well over 3 inches, while the Elf makes a name for itself with a fashion-friendly design and a touchpad in place of the typical d-pad. The "Wings" (bottom left) will ultimately take the torch from the Vox -- yes, the still-unreleased Vox -- by adding 3G, GPS, and a beefier processor. Finally, a new clamshell Smartphone will pick up where the Star Trek left off, rocking a GPS receiver and more wireless radios than its predecessor. If you can't find yourself an '07 HTC to your liking now, well... that's just crazy talk, but we know a Finnish outfit that might like your business.

[Via PDA247]

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