Some buyers surprised by extras needed for HDTV

Fittingly, high-definition tele­vision sets seem to be one of the clear choices this Christmas, but some buyers are finding out it takes more than just a new TV to get that perfect picture.

Retailers are surprised by the number of customers who don't know that not just a new TV, but usually a digital service and a con­verter from the service provider are required to get viewers the HD channels and pictures they want.

The good news is that while there may be additional charges that some buyers don't know about, these may be more than compensated for as prices of the TVs themselves continue to drop.

Prices on the top-end sets have dropped dramatically since last year, making the once-luxury units available to more house­holds. Jeff Samuels, a spokesman for Panasonic, said a popular 42-inch model has a suggested price of $1,400 this year, compared to $2,700 a year ago.

Samuels pointed out that retail­ers set their own prices and can discount models on their own.

HDTVs were popular items for retailers' limited-time sales on the day after Thanksgiving, and retail­ers such as Wal-Mart say the dis­counts will continue.

Retailers say sales are up, and cable providers say subscriptions to the service are increasing. But both said they have been surprised by the number of customers who don't know what is required to get reception.

Lynne Coker, a spokeswoman for Charter Communications, said December is a big month for new high-definition customers.

"It was a trend last year," she said. "It was a huge December for us last year, and we think it will be big again."

But the cable provider has re­ceived complaints from some cus­tomers with HD sets who are dis­mayed to find their picture is no better than what they had before.

"People hear about this," she said. "They think when they get home and plug it in, they will have high-definition TV.

"It is a service high-def TVs are capable of showing, but you have to subscribe."

The HDTV receiver rents for about $7, and the service itself adds less than $5 to the monthly bill, depending on service level. In­stallation is extra, but a self-in­stallation kit is available for about $15 from providers.

People who don't buy HDTVs don't have to worry about losing reception as more providers go to the high-definition signal.

Samuels said there is a differ­ence between digital and HDTV.

"All digital is not HDTV, but all HDTV is digital," he said. Once a signal goes all digital, all sets will require a converter if they are not digital-ready, but the set will con­tinue to work.

At least some retailers figured out the problem and started warn­ing customers. Alabama Power, which operates some appliance and electronic sales centers, now advises every customer of what is required to get the service, accord­ing to spokeswoman Jan Ellis.

"When we sell a TV, we explain to the customer that they can't just go home and plug the TV into the wall and get HDTV reception," she said.

She said about half of custom­ers at Alabama Power stores are unaware of the processes before it is explained to them.

Alabama Power only sells TVs that are high-definition now, Ellis said.

Michael Cohen, who manages the electronics department at Co­hen's on the East Boulevard, said his customers are a little more sav­vy and generally understand the process.

He said the availability of pro­gramming is driving sales of the sets more than dropping prices.

"High-def is on the top of every­body's mind," he said. "The cable companies are adding more high-definition channels all the time."

Charter offers about 20 chan­nels in high-definition, Coker said. She said the company adds more regularly, based on a couple of fac­tors. Channels are added to the high-definition lineup based on customer requests and the avail­ability of a channel in high-defini­tion.

"We want to provide every­thing in high-definition," she said. "We are just the conduit. We get the signals from different chan­nels."

Coker said cable facilities can carry high-definition for all of its channels over its existing lines in the Montgomery area.

Those content providers, she said, have to make their own in­vestment in high-definition equip­ment to produce programming.

Most cable customers in cen­tral Alabama have high-definition available, she said. Still, she said customers should call the compa­ny before investing in a new set.

"Call your cable company and find out what should you do," she advises customers.

She said anyone shopping dif­ferent cable and dish high-defini­tion plans should ask not only how many channels are available, but what programming on each chan­nel is in high-definition. Some pro­viders, she said, only offer high-def programming for a few hours or less each day.

Others offer it around the clock.

Cohen said some customers are buying HDTV now to get ready for a major migration to the signal in the next 15 months or so. Accord­ing to Cohen, all outlets will use HDTV by early 2009.

While cable providers urge cus­tomers to understand how HDTV works before buying a set, electronics retailers say they should also look into how well built a set is and what features it has matters.

"Quality still matters, and there is still a big difference in set quality," Cohen said.

Quality, he said, goes beyond simple screen size and screen den­sity. He said buying a known name brand from a reputable dealer is a key to getting good quality.

"There are about 106 different brands of HDTV," he said. "You have to know what you are get­ting."

He also said style is an issue.

"Thin is in, and everybody wants a sleek TV," Cohen said. "You need to look at more than price.

For people who get the correct set and hook it up correctly, HDTV can be worth it.

"When people get it right, they are sold on it," Coker said.

Source: Montgomery Advertiser, 12/02/07

Target testing online sales of used electronics

Target Corp said on Tuesday that is testing sales of used electronics on its Web site.

Target said on its Web site customers can purchase "pre-owned" Apple Inc iPods, video games consoles and televisions. While results have been positive, it has not made a decision on whether or not it will continue the business.

The discount retailer, on a call with analysts held after it released its quarterly earnings. said it began the test about 30 days ago after seeing that many used electronics returned to its stores in "perfect working order."

On its Web site, it says the used items listed for sales were checked, inspected and refurbished by "either a manufacturer-authorized or Target-managed third party."

"This means they're essentially good as new," the Web site states.

A look at the site on Tuesday showed many used iPods and high-definition flat-panel televisions listed for sale, but there were no used video game consoles available.

Source: Reuters, 11/20/07

Getting ready for a hi-def holiday

As holiday season expectations heat up for sales of HDTV sets and associated products, retailers, broadcasters and the cable industry hope increased floor traffic and newly launched transition information campaigns will lead to better-educated consumers.

The Consumer Electronics Association expects $48.1 billion in retail sales for the fourth quarter. Of this, about 28 percent ($13.5 billion) is expected from sales of audio video products such as TVs, DVD players, VCRs, and home theater equipment, according to spokeswoman Becca Hatton. CEA data indicates that “any type of TV” ranked in the top five wish list items for all adult survey respondents. A concurrent Solutions Research Group study indicated that a third of the Americans it surveyed would like a flat-screen HDTV for Christmas.

THE INTELLIGENCE GAP

Yet despite the cravings, survey after survey indicates that consumers don’t know what HDTV is, let alone the implications of an end-of-TV-as-they-know-it scenario. A recent Best Buy survey reported that although it expected that more than 52 million U.S. households would own an HDTV by year’s end, 41 percent of current HDTV owners “said they understand little to nothing at all about HDTV.”

The NAB has a multiplatform digital-TV-education campaign valued at an estimated $697 million. As a follow-up to a general education program it launched in January, the NAB’s agenda includes PSAs, crawls and news tickers, speeches to community groups, a DTV Road Show, and banner ads on Web sites.

The NAB initiative follows on the heels of a $200 million campaign announced by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association in September.

Meanwhile, the FCC announced a lineup of DTV educational workshops leading up to the analog shutoff in February 2009, and Congress held hearings last month to debate the government’s DTV consumer education efforts, with some legislators calling for the formation of a DTV Task Force to coordinate efforts.

Source: TV Technology, 11/07/07

HD DVD Breaks the $100 Barrier (With a Little Help from Wal-Mart)

If you'd asked me a week ago -- and as a matter of fact, someone did -- I'd have said that you could sum up the high-definition disc war like this: Blu-ray is selling a lot of software, and HD DVD is aggressively pushing hardware. Essentially, each side has banked on either the chicken or the egg.

In scenarios like these, industry observers look for knockout punches (rare), or potential tipping points (a bit more common). We may be witnessing one right now: as part of its "pre-Black Friday" promotion, Wal-Mart will be offering Toshiba's entry-level HD-A2 player (soon to be replaced by the HD-A3) for a mere $98.97 -- making it a lot easier for cash-strapped consumers to get into the HD world at their own pace.

Should Blockbuster start restocking their shelves to take advantage of a potential wave of new HD DVD owners? I guess we'll find out pretty soon.

Source: PC World, 11/1/07

Judgement Day for Movie Theaters

Will technology terminate the future of the cinema -- or is it the key to its survival

"The unknown future rolls toward us," says Sarah Connor after narrowly averting a technological Judgment Day in Terminator 2. It's a scary scenario, and one that parallels the bleak outlook for motion picture theaters. like music before it, the movie theater is battling for its very existence in a highly volatile environment comprised of advances in technology and rapidly changing consumer tastes.

Call it the Digital Revolution. The iPod Age. Whatever you like. A generation where everything is on-demand, portable and downloadable within minutes. YouTube, Netflix, MySpace, iTunes, Movielink, CinemaNow, Tivo, Vlog Central, etc.- they're all changing the way films and video are distributed to audiences.

In its heyday, the movie theater represent- ed the traditional social outing: Dinner and a movie. But today, the theatrical is being replaced with convenience. The big-screen, high definition televisions with surround sound that many people have in their very own living rooms rival many neighborhood movie theaters. In addition, a virtual assort- ment of movies and television shows are available at the touch of a button, download- able to devices smaller than your palm- whenever you want, however you want.

With all the entertainment options and technologies vying for audience attention, today's movie theaters are under attack. Even though box office receipts this year may show some promise, particularly with the number of slated summer sequels (Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End), this is merely a fa?ade, mask- ing immediate dangers.

Theatrical survival will depend upon how well these crucial battles are fought...

Theaters vs. Internet

While the main distribution hub for films has always been the theater, the Internet is leading this revolutionary charge. Laptops, home theater hard drives and por- table devices like iPods are all capable of playing movies-not to mention the assort- ment of new formats, like video phones and digital devices the size of a pen, that are arriving on the market in force.

Theaters vs. DVD

The gap between theatrical and DVD releases was once fixed at six months. But that gap is narrowing-down to four months or less in many cases. Steven Soderbergh's Bubble hit theaters and DVD on the same day. The smaller the gap, the more likely audiences will forego the theater for the DVD. Add to that the huge decline in DVD prices, which are now equivalent to the cost of a single adult ticket on a Friday night. (We haven't even mentioned the diluted effects of DVD piracy.)

Theaters vs. Television

As high definition television prices go down and the amount of high definition content goes up, fewer people need to go to the theater to experience high-quality entertainment. Additionally, with network and cable stations producing more cinematic content, original movies and series like "The Sopranos" and "Lost," the "uniqueness" of motion pictures dissipates.

Theaters vs. Other Entertainment

Video games, online communities, por- table music, home theaters and other forms of entertainment are taking audiences away from the theater. Although last year movie attendance was up 3.3 percent, it has been steadily declining. In 2006 video game sales one again surpassed the movie industry's, $12.5 billion to $9.49 billion.

So what does all this mean for movie the- aters? Are they about to say "Hasta la vista, baby?" Or will they continue to thrive as a unique social experience?

In spite of all the doom and gloom, there is hope. Recognizing that it's no longer a Field of Dreams situation (if you build it with stadium seating, audiences will come), the theater industry must get creative and take more chances to stay in business.

In an all-out effort to preserve the future of the theater experience, here's how some moviemakers, theater owners and industry entrepreneurs are shaking things up.

D-Cinema

The most obvious change, of course, is in the area of digital projectors and digital libraries (known as d-cinema). The addition of digital projectors results in better resolu- tion and a higher quality image. In conjunc- tion with high-speed technology and stor- age devices, theaters will be able to request and receive "virtual prints" in a matter of minutes, increase their programming flex- ibility, encrypt the prints and help prevent the threat of piracy and save on transporta- tion fees without the risk of damage.

The roll-out has officially begun. It's a slow and onerous one, however, due to lack of standards, varying technologies competing with one another in an attempt to meet DCI specifications and, most significantly, the high cost associated with the upgrade. An old projector might set you back $30,000, but it will last 30 years; the cost for a digital projector is $120,000 to $500,000-and there's no telling how long such emerging technology will last.

Currently, a little over 1,500 screens operate with digital projectors. According to John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO), the transition to digital for the nearly 40,000 screens in the United States may take approximately 10 years.

Cinema with a Twist

if you live in Massachusetts or the surrounding area, you're probably already aware of the cinematic experience known as "Cinema de Lux." One of the most cutting- edge cinematic experiences today is derived from National Amusements, a world leader in cinema with over 1,500 screens in the U.S., U.K., Latin America and Russia. With Egyptian or 1950s themes, its theaters pro- vide a unique and glamorous atmosphere for watching movies, live entertainment and upscale dining.

Says spokesperson Wanda Whitson, National Amusements is "focused on put- ting the 'wow' back into the movie-going experience... [making our] theaters a com- munity entertainment destination."

The sixth largest exhibitor nationwide is always exploring new options-a baby grand piano greets patrons in the lobby, ushers lead moviegoers to reserved, leather seats in the Director's Hall and a bartender serves up wine and cocktails from the movie lounge, replete with plasma televisions and sporting events.

Recognizing the power of video games, Enrique Martinez has created the concept of Cinegames, a small theater at the Yelmo Cineplex in Madrid that has transformed computer game play into a community event.

A hybrid movie theater with HD projec- tors, vibrating seats, game pads, laser and black lights, smoke and dozens of 17-inch screens attached to individual chairs, this theater shows movies while also providing audiences with games and entertainment. Such games as the futuristic "Battlefield 2142" and realistic and arcade driving games such as "GTR2" and "Trackmania United" are all available on the big screen.

Recognizing the need for theatrical change, moviemakers are putting the "theater" back into the movie theater. Director Guy Maddin, whose recent Brand Upon the Brain! represents a throwback to the silent movie era, incorporates a live orchestra, five-person sound effects team, castrato and celebrity narrator a la Isabella Rossellini, Alanis Morissette or Crispin Glover. Says Maddin, "Anything can go wrong with these crazy elements; every performance is always different."

A black-and-white teen detective serial with a smashing debut at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival, Brand Upon the Brain! is slated for more live per- formances this summer at The Music Box in Chicago, The Village East in New York and The Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. If it catches on, it may captivate and energize audiences in the same way midnight show- ings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show have in the past.

Innovations

More recently, theaters are adapting to the widely popular innovations that 3-D and IMAX technologies provide for the presentation of films. Unlike anything you could replicate in your home theater, the IMAX experience boasts the largest of screens (up to eight stories high) and some of the most crystal clear images and crisp digital surround sounds you'll ever hear or see.

The growth is phenomenal, as moviegoers seem to be flocking to these large screens in record numbers. Take, for instance, The Polar Express, which grossed $121 million on 3,500 2-D screens while the IMAX 3-D experience grossed $40 million on just 68 screens! Obviously, moviemakers must use IMAX cameras and theaters must have IMAX projectors, screens, sound and DMR. But many of the year's biggest blockbusters are expected to have an IMAX print. Recent films such as Night at the Museum, 300 and Spider-Man 3 have been shown in this large format, to be followed this summer by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Like IMAX, many auteurs such as James Cameron are innovating and pushing the technical boundaries of the static cinematic experience. Combining IMAX technology and using stereoscopic digital 3-D, Cameron is stretching the limits of moviemaking and performance capture with his own 3-D HD cameras. "I've made the decision to shoot all the movies I direct in the future [in 3-D]," said Cameron at NAB 2006. Such technol- ogy will be on display soon, with the upcom- ing releases of Avatar and Battle Angel.

4-D amusements

Along those same lines, if you've ever experienced R.L. Stine's "Haunted Light- house 4-D" at SeaWorld, Universal Orlando's "Shrek 4-D" or Disney-MGM Studios' "Muppet Vision 4-D," you may have witnessed one future of motion picture cinemas, one closer to a lively amusement park ride than a static experience. Replete with water shots, rapid bursts of air and varying smells to tickle the senses, these 4-D amusements are highly interactive and could easily land in your neighborhood the- ater with just the right technology.

So what is the future of the theatrical experience? Will theaters succumb to ever- changing technology, the Internet, DVDs, home theaters and the endless stream of film distribution capabilities? Or will they adapt and change, evolving into something extraordinary?

The key to survival is understanding the theater's primary purpose: To provide a communal experience that cannot be repli- cated at home, like watching the latest com- edy with a packed house of raucous viewers rolling in the aisles or a scary movie with strangers jumping at the sound of a creak. Ponders Maddin, "What activity, other than a shooter-drinking contest, is a better first date than going to the movies?"

Innovations such as these may help usher in the theatrical experience of the future. But only if theaters adapt and change with the times. If they do, they just might avoid Judgment Day-the day when technology terminates the movie house.

Sleek Design Penetrates High-End Gadgets

If ``big, bold and cheap'' were the keywords drawing in customers in the past, it now seems that ``small and sleek'' is the catch phrase causing consumers to open their wallets to purchase high-end gadgets.

This results in a seemingly endless fine-tuning of design thresholds in all aspects _ from miniaturization and materials to consumers' overall sensory experience.

The so-called ``look and feel'' phrase is being casually tossed about nowadays, yet it sums up the essence of what people seek in their electronic devices, such as handsets and flat panel televisions, and how intimately we now interact with them.

Color, sleek design and sensation are increasingly driving the lucrative consumer electronics market.

Market analysts say design has already become the main differentiator in the highly competitive consumer electronics market, which reflects the increasingly dynamic role of electric items in our daily lives.

``Robust sales of premium phones, including Ultra Edition, played a key role in selling 42.6 million handsets in the third quarter, a quarterly record. This brilliant achievement comes with the strength of our outstanding design,'' said Choi Chang-soo, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics' telecommunication division.

``Samsung has gained worldwide recognition quickly in design,'' he added.

Samsung's latest Ultra Edition II handsets are the outcome of the company's steady design-oriented strategy reflecting consumer demand.

``I was inspired by the recent trend of layered clothing. Each layer covers another and it forms an outline. The phone looks as if it is covering something too. I also tried to show smooth curved lines in the overall look,'' Kim Jin-soo, a senior designer of Samsung Electronics mobile telecommunication team, said in a recent interview with Samsung's newsletter.

``I can say product design constitutes five main categories _ minimalism, soft minimalism, organic minimalism, retro minimalism and emotional expressionism. I think more specified minimal styles will be the main pursuit of product designers, given the increasing number of high-end buyers,'' said Kim Eun-young, a designer from Samsung's mobile team.

Experts say ``minimalism'' implies being pure, restrained, cool and seductive, while ``soft minimalism'' represents discreet and sophisticated. ``Organic minimalism'' explains fluid and sculptural, and ``retro minimalism'' stands for modest, humane and familiar. ``Emotional expressionism,'' which looks somewhat old-fashioned, cites playful and cute.

``But what is important is that such main categories could be incorporated into one main concept _ `sleek','' said Kim Sung-eun, a graduate from Milan-based design school Domus Academy.

The unique and slim design of LG Electronics' minimalist Black Label series enabled emotional interaction with the user and boosted its popularity.

The Chocolate phone, which has drawn keen interest with more than 14 million being sold since its global debut in 2005, resembles a bar of dark chocolate. When it is slid open, its touch sensitive keypad turns red and its LCD screen, which sleeps when not in use, lights up. Another hit, Shine phone's glittering silver mirror exterior also turns into an LCD screen when the keypad slides open.

``We have created a new segment of the market with design,'' said Chang Ma, who is in charge of design strategy at LG's mobile communications division.

`Bordeaux' TV's High Popularity

The sleek and simple concept is not confined to smaller devices.

With a curved base that resembles a crystal wine glass, Samsung's LCD TV, nicknamed ``Bordeaux,'' has been selling like hot cakes around the world as consumers capitalize on its exquisite design as well as quality.

``Do you know why there is speculation that Haier, a Chinese electronics giant, may have copied the incursive design of the Samsung TV? One definite reason is that its design appeals to consumers,'' said a Samsung official who declined to be named.

The robust sales of the TVs, reaching more than 2 million in the six months following its debut, are regarded as the main contribution to Samsung digital media division's brilliant performance in the July-Sept. period.

Samsung will exhibit the industry's slimmest 40-inch full-HD LCD TV at the ``FPD International'' fair in Japan. The fair is one of the three major display exhibitions around the world, and is being held from Oct. 24-26.

``Striking looks, exclusive feel and slim design of high-end electronic gadgets, combined with their uncompromising performance and function, attract fashion-conscious consumers and multimedia enthusiasts,'' said Choi Gee-sung, president of Samsung's telecommunication unit.

Source: The Korea Times, 10/25/07

Will digital TV leave Matures in the dark?

What's Happening

* When the country switches to DTV, some older Americans may be stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide. The Senate Special Commission on Aging is studying how Matures will be affected when free analog signals cease in February 2009.
* There's reason for concern. Americans 65 and older are far more likely to live in over-the-air households. 61% of those viewers have “no idea” the transition is taking place, according to an American Public Television Society study (SeniorJournal.com 9.17.07).
* To help analog households navigate the switch, the government is offering $40 coupons toward the cost of set-top converter boxes. The Catch-22? To qualify, consumers must have a unique U.S. address, making many nursing home and assisted-living residents ineligible.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

* It's great that the Senate is spotlighting this issue, but that's only the first step. Matures and other consumers likely to be affected need knowledge in order to maintain control of their media.
* The red tape attached to converter-box coupons could plague the program with Medicare Part D confusion.

Source: Iconoculture, 10/18/07

Viewers keep TVs tuned on

The amount of time U.S. households keep their televisions turned on remains equal to the typical workday.

The Nielsen Company reported Wednesday that television tuning during the 2006-2007 television year was 8 hours and 14 minutes per day, the same amount of time as during the 2005-2006 season, maintaining the record.

Ten years ago, TVs were on an average of 7 hour, 12 minutes each day.

The New York-based company said actual daily viewership was virtually unchanged. The average amount of television watched by individual viewers during the same period was 4 hours and 34 minutes, down 1 minute from the previous year.

A decade ago, the figure was 3 hours, 56 minutes per day.

More and more viewers are also watching programs at their convenience, that is, based on the number of homes with Digital Video Recorders. That figure has grown steadily over the past several years with Nielsen's National People Meter sample showing 20.5 percent of households having the device, up from 17.2 percent in May 2007. When Nielsen began measuring DVR estimates in its samples in January 2006, penetration was estimated to be approximately 8 percent of households.

Source: BizJournals, 10/17/07

As boomers go gray, will big money mean better tech?

BOSTON--With software pitches, robots and hands-on video game demonstrations, this year's national AARP convention more closely resembled a consumer electronics show than a meetup of retired people.

It's no secret that people over 50--particularly retirees--with their disposable income and leisure time, are a prime target for consumer goods.

In 2004, people age 50 and older spent, on average, 47.6 percent of their family budget on "nonessentials," according to statistics from the Bureau of Labor. And the number of retirees is growing as the large baby boomer population joins the group.

In July 2006, there were an estimated 89 million people age 50 and over in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

But in the past that group, which traditionally might have had trouble programming a VCR, were of little interest to tech companies.

That's all changed. "This is the first tech-savvy retirement generation...Maybe they didn't grow up with it as a teen and in college, but they have been living with it for the past 15 years," said David Kelly, president and founder of Upside Research, a technology research company based in Newton, Mass.

Companies like Nintendo, Microsoft and others are targeting this lucrative market. For the first time, Nintendo had a booth at the national 2007 AARP conference in Boston, which took place in September. While Wii Fit was introduced at the E3 gaming conference in July, the AARP convention offered the first opportunity for the public to play and test the balance board controller that goes with it. Like Wii Sports, it offers interactive athletics and tracks progress, but the sports in Wii Fit include yoga, stretching, balance exercises and monitoring your body mass index.

Baby boomers will be the first test group for companies on how elderly people interact with digital technology, an important topic to study since, as the AARP likes to say, "100 percent of the population is aging." Today's Second Life "millennials" will someday be octogenarians using tech.

As for the upper end of the mature population, even someone over 70 has likely used a cell phone and has a DVD player instead of a VCR. Many use e-mail and other online services.

In 2006, about 68 percent of people age 50-64 years used the Internet, compared to only about 31 percent in 1998. For the same time span, Internet usage increased from 12 to 53 percent among those age 65 to 74 and from 4 to 24 percent for those 74 years and older, according to a report from the AARP (PDF).

The long lines at the conference to play with Wii Fit and other Wii games, such as Flash Focus and Brain Age 2, showed there is a high level of interest among older people to at least try video games.

"Nintendo changed our company strategy about two years ago to try to go after what we considered an expanding audience. We'll of course still market to (people) under the age of 25, but as an industry it's getting stagnant. So we set off with the DS and Wii to go after expanding from the age of 25 up to 70," said George Harrison, senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications at Nintendo.

Products like that make perfect sense, according to William Gribbons, founder of the Design and Usability Center at Bentley College and director of its human factors and information design program.

"This population is looking to maintain their lifestyle, stay very mobile and age in a way of their own choosing. It's not like 20 years ago, when it was off to the home in retirement," he said.

Something like the Wii, with a controller that uses natural motions through the air, seems like an easy intro into video games. The AARP members testing it out were able to start playing immediately after watching the person ahead of them for only a few minutes.

Other companies seem to agree that what we think of as the traditional video game audience has changed.

Nintendo has partnered with building firm Dell Webb to have its systems incorporated into the club houses and lounges in their over-50 communities. It's also partnered with Norwegian Cruise Lines to make Nintendo available on flat-screen TVs in the ship lounges. The partnership has resulted in some of the ships holding Wii tennis, baseball and bowling tournaments.

"In general, it's not just making hardware easier to use. It's what people could use: self-improvement software...If you look at Wii Fit software, no one would have even considered that to be a video game. We've expanded that," said Harrison.

But while baby boomers and even older people may be conversant in computers, they might not necessarily be savvy enough to set up and customize systems themselves.

"You'll probably see organizations coming out with additional services around the products such as installation and support service customization. Because even though this is the first tech-savvy generation, you will still need help in configuring and optimizing. I think we're already seeing that in the general population with Geek Squad and home theater services like Best Buy is selling," said Kelly.

Google seems to already understand that. At the AARP convention, its representatives were not just registering visitors for Gmail accounts, but taking the time to customize them for people.

Galen Panger, a Google representative, helped retiree Carol Weiss of Cambridge, Mass., set up a Gmail account and customize it to include an alumna e-mail account from her alma mater so she could send e-mail from different addresses.

She admitted that she probably could not have figured out how to set up the extra Gmail features by herself, but she had the same e-mail complaints and needs of any young person.

"I had AT&T and Eudora, then the computer died and with it went everything. Over the summer, I was using AT&T at the library, then I got a new computer and Verizon DSL--I graduated from dial-up--but that AT&T lost all my messages," she said.

She also marveled at the same things early adopters did when they first used a Web-based e-mail application. She said she liked that it offered access from any computer, unlimited storage, searching, the ability to send from multiple e-mail addresses and the same e-mail address for life. She was also keen to be using the latest tech, not one geared toward older people specifically.

"He's telling me that it's popular and this is what the young people use, but is that true? I mean, do you use this?" she said.

Weiss, like most retirees, wants the latest and greatest technology, not a separate, dumbed-down device geared toward them.

The Jitterbug cell phone, with its large buttons and limited features, may have appealed to older people in the past--and even young people who wanted a simple phone--but baby boomers likely won't like a product like that, said Gribbons.

They'll be insulted with inch-and-a-half buttons and demand something stylish, said Gribbons.

At the same time, they'll need aids as their eyesight, hearing and fine motor skills begin to deteriorate over time.
"In 20 or 30 years, you're still going to be at a computer. It's important that (companies) start thinking about this audience now so you can continue doing what you love when that time comes." --Brannon Zahand, lead test engineer, Microsoft

Since they don't want to be put into an "old box" and buy products geared specifically for them, companies will begin to incorporate subtle accessibility features into cutting edge products sold to everyone, according to both Gribbons and Kelly.

New clothes washers and dryers are one example. Complaints from seniors about having to stoop low to retrieve dryer items resulted in the new style of machines where the door is placed higher from the floor, something that has appealed to everyone, not just older users, said Gribbons.

More Web sites are offering an option, embedded on their home page, that allows users to increase font size automatically. While its original intent was to aid older readers, companies are finding that lots of people are using it, said Gribbons.

GPS devices for cars have also increased in size, according to Kelly.

That change was due partly because larger screens have gotten cheaper to make, but also because the manufacturers went from targeting young early adopters to mainstream users, which include older people. The result is that GPS devices are now more usable for everyone, not just the older driving population.

At the AARP convention, Microsoft offered demos of Vista, its latest version of Windows, throughout the day, but with a twist.

"I'm here to show you what you can do if you spend a half hour with Windows Vista, training the computer to hear your voice," said the Microsoft spokesman.

Pandora CEO Tim Westergren demonstrated how to use his company's DIY customizable Internet-radio service. While the questions he got from the AARP crowd were quite different from the young people who attend his Pandora "town meetings," he said the excitement level and general response once he explained the service was the same. People loved that they didn't have to buy music and that it had a simple interface, he said.

More ambitious was Microsoft's Xbox 360 booth with funky black leather couches and a giant flat screen set up with the Xbox 360.

While one Microsoft representative agreed that his grandmother would probably not be playing Halo anytime soon, he insisted that the Xbox 360, with its all-in-one capability directed toward multimedia and communication, is easier for a luddite.

"If you gave a new Xbox to your grandmother and grandfather and gave them the manual, they could have it set up in 10 minutes. Why do they need a DVD player and CD player and TiVo when (they've) got everything here?" said Brannon Zahand, lead software development test engineer on Microsoft's Xbox team.

"Half the problem is the intimidation factor...but if I sent my grandmother this (a USB device) with photos and videos, she just plugs in and presses play. With a PC it would be a little trickier," he said.

He also pointed out that the Xbox can be used to play things like UNO, a classic game a grandparent likely already knows how to play. In the new format, it would allow her to connect with a long-distance grandchild.

"The tech is going to support the life themes that are important to baby boomers," like maintaining independence, mobility and staying connected with family and friends from anywhere you are, said Gribbons."So any degree that tech can serve those life themes, you have a market product...It's like Apple, where we're talking about not just usability but the larger experience," he said.

While the analysts may know their current aging statistics and trends, they both neglected to mention one very key point .

"You know, you forget. In 20 or 30 years, you're still going to be at a computer. It's important that they start thinking about this audience now so you can continue doing what you love when that time comes," said Microsoft's Zahand.

When today's gamers retire they'll still want to play video games and they'll even have more time to do it. But they might need bigger icons or voice recognition or who-knows-what by then, he said.

Source: New York Times, 10/9/07

Boes Goes HDMI

Two new Lifestyle home theater systems are Bose’s first with HDMI connections, built-in video transcoding and upscaling, and a hideaway media console, which connects with other-brand source components.

The hideaway console makes it possible to hide connected source components because the sources can be controlled from the systems’ supplied RF remote, which also controls a connected TV. As a result, the only visible components in one of the Lifestyle-based home theater system is the TV, small speakers, and a small standalone Bose display with a handful of control buttons.

The two new Lifestyle systems are the V20 and V30 at minimum reselling prices of $1,999 and $2,999, respectively. They are the first Lifestyle systems without integrated music and video sources such as CD player or DVD player, and they give consumers the ability to add any source component they want, including HDMI-connected HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc players. Both systems, however, incorporate an AM/FM tuner.

To control a TV and hidden source components, the supplied RF remote accesses the media console, which contains a database of IR remote commands for multiple brands of A/V equipment. Supplied IR flashers deliver the IR commands to the source components and the TV. The standalone display features buttons to control source selection, volume, mute, and on/off.

The main difference between the two systems is the V30’s use of Bose’s smallest Lifestyle-system speakers, the Jewel Cubes. Both 5.1-channel systems feature two HDMI 1.2a inputs and one HDMI 1.2a output to transport audio and video over the same HDMI cable. They also feature the ability to transcode video from connected composite-, S-, and component-video sources to HDMI and upscale connected video sources up to 1080p.

Other features common to both systems, and available on existing Bose systems, include ADAPTiQ digital room correction and Videostage 5 decoding, which delivers surround sound from stereo and mono sources. Both systems also feature Bose Link, which can be can be used to create a wired two-source, 14-room multiroom-audio network. Audio can be played in remote rooms through Bose Link-equipped systems, including the company’s two-speaker virtual-surround systems, the Wave Music System table radio/CD, radio-only Wave Radio 2, and Roomate one-chassis amplified speaker system sold with RF remote. A $399 wireless transmitter and receiver kit can cut the cord to eight rooms.

The new systems are available in all of the company’s 115 Bose-branded stores, Bose’s web site and toll-free number, and authorized Bose dealers.

In the spring, Bose began offering the VS-2 video-switching accessory to deliver HDMI connectivity and video transcoding/upscaling capabilities to home theater systems built around the company’s current Lifestyle systems.

Source: TWICE, 10/02/07

HOME DEPOT SEIZING SHARE WITH HOLIDAY CARDS

CHICAGO -- As the slumping housing industry drags down the earnings of the home improvement retailers, the big box players will be embroiled in a game of grabbing each other’s market share. Home Depot will try to gain an edge going into the holiday shopping season through a broad gift card initiative that includes rectangular plastic that double as DVDs and holiday themes.

Starting next month, consumers can purchase the pre-paid cards that also feature 25-minute how-to-videos of home improvement tasks like how to hang a ceiling fan, the basics of painting, and installing a faucet. Graphics on the cards will flag one of seven do-it-yourself projects demonstrated by an employee donning the familiar orange Home Depot apron. These cards can cost the vendor about $1.50 each, not including the production expense for the content, compared to about 20 cents for a regular plastic card.

“Consumers know that in-store demos are the cornerstone of our brand so this is not a promotion; it’s a strategic offer that we’re making to our consumers with no up-charge,” said Manish Shrivastava, president of Home Depot Incentives. “We wanted the (gift card) to be a fit for what we stand for and from a brand perspective, it’s a great theme.”

POP designed by MSI, Chicago, will support, and additional advertising is being considered. Richards Group, Dallas, is the agency of record.
Circuit City was among the first national retailers to use the interactive gift cards last year. The store-branded card offered music downloads, a video game, screen savers and a link to a product catalog at circuitcity.com. In May, Circuit City partnered with Disney and rolled a collectible pre-paid card that included a Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End movie trailer and a pirate aptitude test.

Serious, a digital publisher with operations in New York, London and Singapore, makes the proprietary cards that have the magnetic stripe for storing value on the front and a hole in the center so it can be played on DVD players, Windows and Mac drives, and game consoles. The cards also feature scratch-off bars with PIN codes on the front to deter fraud.

Home Depot‘s gift card rack also will include Coca-Cola’s Polar Bears. Once activated, the cardholder can redeem the plastic at the store for a free 20-ounce bottle of Coke products. The pre-paid card lineup also will sport religious themes such as a manger scene for Christmas, a menorah for Hanukah and the three wise men for Hispanic customers who celebrate the Epiphany on Jan. 6. Also Uniworld, New York, designed a “Cool Yule” card targeting African American consumers featuring a snowman in a lawn chair.

Although pre-paid cards—a $76 billion business last year, according to the National Retail Federation—have been knocked as the impersonal gift, Shrivastava contends the branded DVD demos and the themes will change that perception for Home Depot cards. Besides, the cards tend to be used rather than sit in a drawer. Homeowners spend 43% of their disposable income on home improvement.

Source: Brandweek, 9/27/07

Cablevision to Add TBS HD to High-Definition Line-Up in Time for Start of Major League Baseball Playoffs

TBS HD will become the 41st high-definition programming service available to Cablevision's iO TV customers at no additional cost. In addition to the best HD picture and sound, iO customers receive HD channels without the fees and charges Cablevision's competitors require customers to pay for HD.

"We are pleased to have reached agreement to add TBS HD to our line-up of more than 40 high-definition programming services in time for the MLB playoffs," said John Trierweiler, Cablevision's senior vice president of product management. "This is great news for local baseball fans, and for our growing base of more than 800,000 HD customers."

TBS HD will become available to some iO TV customers with HD-capable set- top boxes on channel 739 beginning on Monday, Oct. 1, and the channel will be available to customers across the company's entire service area by Wednesday.

Source: CNN, 9/27/07

Stylish Green Kitchen Gear

The kitchen is a hotbed of environmental no-nos. Nearly everything runs on electricity. Some things run almost constantly. And of course, there are the careless mishaps. How many times have you left that coffee pot plugged in, or that refrigerator door open?

We're guessing more than you can count.

You might want to start--the typical refrigerator uses 4.6 million Btu per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That's nearly 5% of total household annual electricity consumption. The bill? On average, $126 per year is spent on powering one's refrigerator.

Now think about fridges that run on less. The Sub Zero 601R is one such model. It requires less energy than a 100-watt light bulb and is expected to cost owners $37 per year to run.

Products like this represent the future of high-end appliances, says Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys, Inc., a New York City brand and customer loyalty consultancy. Machines like ovens, coffee makers and fridges already have all the bells and whistles they can handle. Now it's time to improve their efficiency.

"There are only so many things you can do with an oven or a fridge," says Passikoff. "Some sense of added value is what consumers are responding to."

One example: The NatureMill Automatic Indoor Composter allows you to efficiently transform biodegradable items and paper into fertilizer. It uses only 10w of power, which totals about .50 per month, or $6 per year.

High design, not just efficiency, characterizes other green appliances. The stainless steel Smeg FU67-5 Oven features clean lines that will fit in to even the most minimalist kitchen and boasts an energy-saving, quick preheat option.

Who is behind these ecological improvements? Consumers, Passikoff says, are the ones demanding changes from manufacturers. But industrial designers are responsible as well.

Designer Joey Roth created his new teapot, available this fall, with sustainability in mind. All parts are recyclable, and pigment and paint free. The packaging on which instructions for use are printed is made of unbleached, recycled cardboard.

Will Roth's customer appreciate such touches as much as they appreciate the product’s utility? He thinks so.

"As the situation with the environment becomes more serious," he says, "I see a trend toward small and mindful products."

Source: Forbes, 9/12/07

Vizio emerges from flat-panel TV shadows

Upstart American TV maker Vizio Inc. has been nipping for three years at the heels of household names such as Sony and Samsung.

Quietly selling its affordable line of flat-panel sets in wholesale club stores instead of electronics retailers, it knocked its foreign competitors from the top spot in the second quarter to become the largest seller of flat-panel TVs in North America.

It is too early to say the company will bring an American brand back to the top ranks of TV makers for good. But Irvine, Calif.-based Vizio is poised to benefit from a variety of trends, including the rising popularity of flat-panel sets and the need for all Americans to upgrade to a digital TV by the federal government's February 2009 deadline.

And CEO William Wang's experience as a supplier and then consultant to PC maker Gateway Inc. convinced him that consumers who might spend big for a feature-laden set for the living room would want a more affordable alternative to replace sets in other rooms.

Aided by a few one-time boosts in retailer inventories, Vizio grabbed 12 percent of the flat-panel market in the second quarter. That was more than four times its share in the year-ago quarter and enough to propel the private company, which had been the nation's 15th-largest flat-panel TV supplier in the second quarter of 2005, past rivals such as Sony Corp., Samsung and Sharp Corp., according to market researcher DisplaySearch.

Source: Associated Press, 9/7/07

Kitchen Kaboodle- To find the right look, upgraders and remodelers look inward

What's Happening

* Just mention the words “kitchen remodel” and more obsessives come out of the plywood than you can shake a whisk at. Kitchen outfitting has never been so buzzworthy, even if the stuff is all for show. Call it the influence of open kitchens, Top Chef or the mainstreaming of foodie sophistication — kitchens aren’t just the heart of the home, they’re now the showroom.
* What are consumers looking for when choosing appliances, whether large or small? Personalization is still the driving factor, but it’s morphing from design to functionality. In other words, shoppers still like to find the look that’s right for them, but their lifestyle and lifestage are dictating decisions more.
* Under that umbrella, we’re seeing a few key trends emerge in the world of kitchen appliances, both big and tiny.
* “Smart” for techno-nerds: Is anyone buying those Internet fridges we started hearing about at the turn of the millennium? They certainly haven’t mainstreamed, but early adopters are starting to think about a totally wired or otherwise cutting-edge kitchen. For this group, smart goes without saying. What’s still considered pretty far out there? Combo fridge/ovens (leave the meat in fridge mode when you leave for work, return to roasty succulence at the end of the day), talking stoves and thermometers, nutrition-boosting fridges that use photosynthesis and cutting boards that double as scales. What’s living in the here and now? The GE Wine Vault, which syncs to the Internet for cellar tracking; “Set it and forget it” types like the GE Profile dishwasher with SmartDispense auto detergent; music networks like Sonos for rocking and cooking. What do we think is on the verge of breaking through? Millennials, setting up house for the first time, will gravitate toward “digital cookbooks” like coo.boo and Yummy Kitchen Connect. The growing number of safety-conscious consumers will go for gadgets like SensorfreshQ and hands-free faucets.
* Prosumer for plebeians: Sub-Zero used to have the lock on the double-wide fridge, but now consumers have a wide range of price options for achieving the professional, upscale look. Infrared grills have gone all affordable on us, as have induction cooktops. But affluent foodies still have ways to strut their stuff. TurboChef speed ovens, born in restaurant kitchens, will set you back about $7,000. Sharp’s Microwave Drawer opens like a big CD player with the touch of a button. Speaking of touch of a button, Gaggenau’s Lift Oven practically levitates. Many mansion dwellers dedicate a whole kitchen station to turbo espresso machines.
* Space-saving for downsizers: Empty nesters, first-time homeowners dealing with the realities of space-crunching, Boomers ditching the exurbs for urban utopias — people are needing to go Euro, and that means mini. Not enough counter space? We’re seeing the rise of appliance garages. Not enough room for a second fridge? We’ve noticed more drinks-filled minibars at kid level. Boffi caused a mini-sensation with the reintroduction of the MiniKitchen in 2006.
* Eco-friendly for everyone: All demos are getting in on the green act, and thankfully the market is teeming with stylish energy savers that actually work. Remodelers like the option of two dishwasher drawers for those times when you just have a mini-load. Bosch washers and dishwashers tout an ECOOPTION button. Williams-Sonoma’s Ecopod provides a sleek storage solution for recyclables.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

* Design has been done, so to speak. Now that everyone has access to good-looking and well-performing kitchen workhorses, consumers are taking a good hard look at how they really use their kitchens in order to make purchasing decisions.
* A new equation for kitchen design applies to today’s average shopper: Style + performance (track record, word-of-mouth) + value ÷ my daily habits = my dream kitchen.
* Think niche: Gadget geeks are searching for show-offy specs, busy parents are desperate for convenient set-and-forget options and überfoodies want artisanal-friendly features that promote a from-scratch existence.


Source: Iconoculture, 8/14/07

Best Buy partners with Liz Claiborne in style

What's Happening

* Does this PDA case go with my shoes? Alas, the perfect 21st-century ensemble now includes tech accessories. But fashionistas can sync style with gear by purchasing from the Liz Claiborne fashion line, exclusively on sale at Best Buy in October 2007.
* This geek-chic collection offers laptop bags and sleeves, cell cases, MP3 cases and camera cases, in an assortment of designs and fabrics like luxe leathers, jacquard patterns and metallic and patent finishes.
* The goods cost considerably less than haute couture: Price tags range from $25 to $200.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

* Dressing for success now includes all manner of tech to go. For women who care what they wear, an array of accessory style options is a fashion do.
* Striving for individuality isn’t gender specific — even the guys aren’t immune to preening like peacocks while carrying geek goods with a personal stamp.

Source: Iconoculture, 9/4/07

High-def formats duel over prices, new films

If you're thinking about buying into one of the new high-definition video disc formats, your decision just got tougher. That's because the studios are still shifting sides.

Last week, Paramount and DreamWorks joined Universal in exclusive support of HD DVD, battling Sony's Blu-ray for space in your home theater setup. With three major studios now in each camp — Disney and Fox also support Blu-ray, while Warner releases films on both formats — the war shows no signs of ending, certainly not before the holidays.

"It really splits things down the middle," says Peter Bracke of High Def Digest (highdefdigest.com). Where Blu-ray had seemed to be pulling ahead, now "it's back to a stalemate."

In coming months, studios will attempt to woo buyers with waves of new movies for each format, including Spider-Man 3 (Blu-ray) and Transformers (HD DVD).

"There will be titles that will have some ripple but nothing that's going to amount to a tipping point," says Phil Swann of TVPredictions.com.

A major weapon could be the price of the players. HD DVD now holds the upper hand with a $179 add-on for Microsoft's Xbox 360 game system and Toshiba players for less than $300. Samsung and Sony sell Blu-ray players for less than $450; the Blu-ray-based PlayStation 3 starts at $499.

Swann sees the possibility of "a $99 HD DVD player this season in discount stores." And he says "the Blu-ray camp has to meet them, not necessarily dollar for dollar, but they have to get pretty close."

LG sells a player that handles both formats, and Samsung plans one by year's end, but both go for about $1,000. (All players handle standard DVDs; some play CDs.) Swann calls the dual-format players "dead on arrival" because "no one wants to spend $1,000 on a DVD player." But with recent announcements, "the concept obviously makes more sense today."

Blu-ray movies have outsold HD DVD 2-to-1 so far this year. Blockbuster has announced plans to offer Blu-ray exclusively for rental in most stores, and Target said it planned to sell a Sony Blu-ray player only. "The momentum was clearly with Blu-ray," says Chris Roden, analyst with research firm Parks Associates.

HD DVD's supporters expect that retailers may reassess their allegiances as player sales increase. "The same way I changed my mind, watch how many other people change theirs, starting with Blockbuster," DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said last week in announcing the studios' shift.

Katzenberg said he had been skeptical about releasing films such as Shrek on high-definition discs because high prices of players precluded many families from adopting either format. Now, he expects sub-$200 HD DVD players by the holiday season. "If the consumer sees a value and wants it, retail is going to find a way to put it front and center for them," he said.

But the reality is, both sides need to get the word out, because consumer surveys done by Parks and the NPD Group suggest that most consumers aren't aware of either type of disc, "much less that there are two formats," NPD's Ross Rubin says.

"Consumers don't think about releases in terms of which studios release them, they think about stars or franchises like Harry Potter or the Pixar movies," he says. "As long as there remains uncertainty about which format which titles are going to appear in, there's going to be a significant barrier to adopting either format."

Source: USA Today, 8/27/07

DVD KILLED THE VIDEO STORE

That is exactly what the unique DVD rental concept stores, Red Room DVD have done - but in an interactive, entertaining and revolutionary way. The brainchild of Sydney entrepreneurs Dan Joyce and Nic DiVenuto, the Red Room is a DVD rental store come interactive library. Rather than prowling meters of shelves and pacing back and forth along the aisles, Red Room DVD has created interactive movie stations which are equipped with touch screens. The stations allows you to browse the entire stores selection by new release or genre categories, locating your exact search within seconds. Once located, you can watch the trailer, access pictures and read critics reviews of your selected movie before you choose to rent it. The DVD is then ejected from a dispensing podium into your fingertips!

The best is yet to come, there are no 'due' dates - which means no late fees! And you can rent a movie for as little as 6 hours. Your Red Room membership card (which can be charged with credit at the store) is swiped through the dispensing podium and registers the rental fee when you return the DVD. The dispensing podium doubles as the cashier!

With interactive stations that let you browse, rent and return DVDs located outside of the store, you will never miss closing time again. These 24/7 stations allow you to rent that insomnia curing movie at 3am, or return a movie at a time that’s convenient to you. Red Room DVD has totally reinvented the way Australians hire movies by entertaining them throughout the movie picking process. The first 3 Red Rooms have just opened in Sydney (Waterloo, Bondi Junction & World Square) and expanding Australia wide. visit REDROOM

Dual Music Player

I don’t listen to CDs anymore (just rip them), but I must say that this portable dual music player — it plays MP3s and CD — from Yanko Design looks pretty cool.
Source: JS

While most of us can only be satisfied with the latest advancements in digital photography, there seems to be those who like to keep one foot tucked safely in the past. A few companies have recognized a need to meld the familiarity of the old with modern technology. Zink’s integrated digital camera and printer should immediately conjure up images of a Polaroid camera — you can take a picture, and have a hard copy almost instantly — however, that’s where the similarities end. The camera is 7 megapixels, with a respectable 3x optical zoom; a 2” color display helps you frame and review shots and a SD card means portability and easy expandability. The downsides are the proprietary paper and non-removable battery. Zink is a contraction for Zero Ink, if you were curious; instead of ink, the printer uses temperature and pressure on polymer paper. It’s slated for shipping in late 2007, but we’ll be on the lookout for a preview and get back to you with the verdict.

While most of us can only be satisfied with the latest advancements in digital photography, there seems to be those who like to keep one foot tucked safely in the past. A few companies have recognized a need to meld the familiarity of the old with modern technology. Zink’s integrated digital camera and printer should immediately conjure up images of a Polaroid camera — you can take a picture, and have a hard copy almost instantly — however, that’s where the similarities end. The camera is 7 megapixels, with a respectable 3x optical zoom; a 2” color display helps you frame and review shots and a SD card means portability and easy expandability. The downsides are the proprietary paper and non-removable battery. Zink is a contraction for Zero Ink, if you were curious; instead of ink, the printer uses temperature and pressure on polymer paper. It’s slated for shipping in late 2007, but we’ll be on the lookout for a preview and get back to you with the verdict.
Source: notcot

Zink

While most of us can only be satisfied with the latest advancements in digital photography, there seems to be those who like to keep one foot tucked safely in the past. A few companies have recognized a need to meld the familiarity of the old with modern technology. Zink’s integrated digital camera and printer should immediately conjure up images of a Polaroid camera — you can take a picture, and have a hard copy almost instantly — however, that’s where the similarities end. The camera is 7 megapixels, with a respectable 3x optical zoom; a 2” color display helps you frame and review shots and a SD card means portability and easy expandability. The downsides are the proprietary paper and non-removable battery. Zink is a contraction for Zero Ink, if you were curious; instead of ink, the printer uses temperature and pressure on polymer paper. It’s slated for shipping in late 2007, but we’ll be on the lookout for a preview and get back to you with the verdict.

Cloud computing

Wired magazine has been forecasting the rise of cloud computing wherein our growing need for increasingly larger data storage (as multimedia options and virtual social networks become more sophisticated) will lead to “the petabyte age.” Information will be so dense and ubiquitous that it will drift away from our individual computers and towards massive data servers (the so-called cloud).If the computer is going to a cloud then it follows that desktop printing should follow it up there. Technology giant Hewlett Packard certainly thinks so. The company is taking advantage of the spread of cell phones and the internet to liberate printing from the single home or office. Now, users will be able to upload or “print” a document file through the internet. A code will then be sent to a user’s cell phone. The user can then go to any location with access to an HP printer (a directory on Google Maps will help anyone find the nearest location) and get the hard copies there.

Contributed by Jason Tan

Teeth tuner?

Researchers in Japan have developed a new way to operate iPods, cellphones, and potentially even wheelchairs hands free. How you ask? By Clenching your teeth. Using head gear with infrared sensors and a microcomputer, users can send a signal by simply clenching their teeth together for a second or two - just enough time to differentiate the movement from chewing gum or talking. While this early version is specifically designed to turn on music players, the research team at Osaka University believe the technology can be adapted for a variety of other applications. It’s still unclear how the device will work for those pre-disposed to stress.

yahoo news: Clench your teeth for tunes, Japan researchers say

Kameraflage

Because digital cameras can distinguish colors the human eye can’t even see, the company Kameraflage has developed technology which allows them to insert these invisible shades into anything from fabrics to billboards to movies. This will allow anyone to catch a glimpse of hidden shapes like the lightning-strike in the adjacent photo with their digital cameras or cell-phones. The business opportunities are potentially limitless.

Kamerflage

Source: Coolhunting via PSFK