CES 2011: Vizio TVs get a streaming game service

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Chris Morris

OnLive, one of the most promising streaming game services, has just become a legitimate threat to consoles.

The cloud-based gaming company today announced it has signed an alliance with Vizio to bring OnLive to that company’s TVs and mobile devices.

OnLive, one of the most promising streaming game services, has just become a legitimate threat to consoles.

The cloud-based gaming company today announced it has signed an alliance with Vizio to bring OnLive to that company’s TVs and mobile devices.

CES 2011: Coming soon, a portable second monitor

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Chris Morris

If you’re a power PC user, life without two screens can be a pretty miserable thing. It sounds ridiculous, I know, but once you’ve had a day or two with multiple screens, it’s hard to imagine ever working any other way.

Then you go on the road – and you’re stuck with not only a single screen, but one that’s considerable smaller, to boot. Starting later this year, the life of dual monitor road warriors might get a little easier.

Presenting the technology of 2016

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Chris Morris

We’re gearing up for the Consumer Electronics Show here – including the barrage of press conferences, keynotes and quirky show floor finds that make the gadget business a fascinating one to cover.

Rather than the typical “What to expect at the show” piece, we thought it might be more interesting to look a little farther into the future, courtesy of the futurists on staff over at IBM.

Viacom sells Rock Band maker Harmonix

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Chris Morris

Harmonix, the company behind the successful “Rock Band” and “Dance Central” franchises, is no longer a part of the Viacom empire.

Viacom, which announced plans to shed itself of the division last month, has sold the division to an investment management firm which will return Harmonix to its independent roots.

Last minute tech gifts 2010: GoFlex TV

Posted on December 23, 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.

GoFlex TV – Seagate has updated its FreeAgent Theater+ devices to accommodate its newest portable hard drives – but the guts of this HD video decoder (and streaming media player) remain basically the same.

It’s still a solid device to watch video files stored on your PC or Mac on your living room television. GoFlex TV offers seemless HD output, whether 720p or 1080p, and the system even remembers where you left off watching, eliminating the need to fast forward to that spot.

Last minute tech gifts 2010: Jambox by Jawbone

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Chris Morris

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).

Chris Morris: Journalist

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