Last minute tech gifts 2010: Jambox by Jawbone

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Chris Morris

Note: As the holidays reach fever pitch, Technotainment will be offering some last minute gadget gift suggestions this week. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our more complete gift guide that ran in the paper right around Thanksgiving for several other ideas for the tech hound on your list. Happy holidays to all.

Jambox by Jawbone – As mentioned yesterday, speakers for iDevices are a dime a dozen. But Jambox by Jawbone is one that truly stands above the crowd. In terms of boosting the sound (and volume) of your iPod, iPhone or iPad wirelessly, this is one of the best options on the market.

It’s not one of the cheapest, though. At $200, this miniature speaker costs as much as several high end options – but it’s portable, which is something its competitors can’t match. It’s a wonderfully designed device, available in black, red, blue or gray – and it’s tiny size (2.25 inches high, 6 inches wide, 1.5 inches deep) doesn’t hint at the power inside.

‘Black Ops’ hits $1 billion in sales

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Chris Morris

Activision’s “Call of Duty” machine is showing no signs of weakness.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops” has hit $1 billion in sales in just six weeks, the company announced today. And the user engagement numbers are somehow even more impressive.

Last minute tech gifts 2010: SoundFreaq SFQ-01

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Chris Morris

SoundFreaq SFQ-01 – iPod speaker docks are pretty commonplace these days, so unless a device really stands above the crowd, it’s hard to recommend it. The SoundFreaq SFQ manages to do so.

Know going in that this hefty speaker system isn’t the best on the market – and, at $200, isn’t the cheapest – but it does have a number of features that make it stand out. The integrated FM radio and ability to stream music via Bluetooth or aux-in is nice. And the sound quality is infinitely better than the iPhone or iPad’s internal speaker.

Last minute tech gifts 2010: Astro A*Star Ear Buds

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Chris Morris

Astro A*Star Ear Buds – Astro has already made one great product for audiophiles this year – the A30 headset. But as portability becomes the watchword in so many forms of entertainment, the company has pivoted and added Ear Buds to its product line.

At $80, the A*Star buds aren’t cheap – but they’re less than several competing brands. And, like the A30s, they provide a high quality sound experience with a heavy bass and nuanced range. No matter how loud I cranked up the volume there was no distortion.

CES 2011: Panasonic will let you record TV to SD cards

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Chris Morris

The trickle of pre-CES news has been fairly dull stuff so far, but Panasonic has taken things up a level with an announcement out of Japan this morning.

The company plans to introduce a new line of Viera TV sets that will allow users to record HD television programming directly onto an SD, SDHD or SDXC memory card (the same kinds found in most digital cameras).

Watching music videos on your iPad just got easier

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Chris Morris

Watching music videos on your iPad so far has been a hit and miss affair. The best course of action has been shuffling through YouTube and crossing your fingers.

Now, Vevo – which is one of the clearinghouse sites for music videos – has launched a dedicated iPad app, letting those folks who miss their MTV to get their fill with more than 25,000 to choose from.

Game consoles increasingly serving non-gaming purposes

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Chris Morris

While the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii are still game machines first and foremost, they’re increasingly being used for other forms of entertainment.

A new survey by Nielsen finds that non-gaming functionality is on the rise among console owners – and among PS3 owners, it even surpasses the time spent playing games.

How did Spike’s VGAs do ratings-wise?

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Chris Morris

The annual Video Game Awards show in Spike TV is always a divisive event in the gaming community. While publishers enjoy the publicity of a glitzy television extravaganza, gamers tend to grind their teeth in rage, upset with how the show presents the industry.

This year’s show – broadcast Saturday the 11^th – boasted Neil Patrick Harris as host and some solid choices for winners. (“Red Dead Redemption” took Game of the Year honors.) But was it able to attract an audience?

EA to release another “Dead Space” animated movie

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Chris Morris

“Dead Space 2” is going transmedia.

The upcoming game from EA – set for release Jan. 25 – will be accompanied by an animated film made in conjunction with Anchor Bay Entertainment. Dubbed “Dead Space Aftermath,” the direct-to-video release will feature work by several animation directors and features a voice cast that includes Christopher Judge (from “Stargate: SG-1” and Graham McTavish (who will be in the upcoming film “The Hobbit”).

World of Warcraft shows no signs of slowing down

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Chris Morris

The latest expansion to the “World of Warcraft” franchise sold more copies in 24 hours than most PC games sell throughout the course of their life.

More than 3.3 million people bought “World of Warcraft: Cataclysm” in its first day of availability – making it the fastest selling PC game of all time, according to publisher Activison-Blizzard. (The previous recordholder, not surprisingly, was the last “WoW” expansion – which sold 2.8 million copies in the 24 hours.)

Chris Morris: Journalist

Category Archives: Variety – Technotainment