FocuSoft Tech Blog |
- Plastic Logic deflates dreams, denies Spring 2010 release for color e-reader
- National Geographic: 50 Years of Space Exploration
- GlideTV Navigator puts Media Center controls in the palm of your hand
- Real-Time Social Identity Platform Cliqset Launches Desktop And Boxee Apps
- Nokia offers more Booklet 3G details and pricing info
- VUDU throwing Rotten Tomatoes reviews on every movie it sells
- Dell Tries for a Rebirth of Cool
- Acer AOD250-1613 Android-powered netbook up for pre-order
- GPS device alerts you to red light cameras, doesn’t do turn-by-turn directions
- BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real-Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept]
| Plastic Logic deflates dreams, denies Spring 2010 release for color e-reader Posted: 13 Oct 2009 10:21 AM PDT
We had a sneaking suspicion that it was too good to be true, and now Plastic Logic has stepped forward to officially kill our pipe dreams. Just days ago, the web was set ablaze when a Barnes & Noble representative mistakenly (or deliberately, for all we know) stated that a Plastic Logic-sourced color e-reader was on track for a Spring 2010 release. Today, the aforesaid outfit has stated that the video report was “inaccurate and the individual (who was apparently filmed while attending a trade show was not an authorized Barnes & Noble spokesperson) was misinformed.” Continuing on, we’re told that while “color is on Plastic Logic’s roadmap, it is not on the map for the Spring of 2010.” Welp, that settles that… unfortunately. [Thanks, Charlie] Filed under: Displays, Handhelds Plastic Logic deflates dreams, denies Spring 2010 release for color e-reader originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| National Geographic: 50 Years of Space Exploration Posted: 13 Oct 2009 10:00 AM PDT
Ready to lose 20 minutes of your day? Check out this huge infograph that displays the last 50 years of space exploration. It's awesome although it does kind of indicate that Venus is closer to earth than the Moon. The "50 Years of Space Exploration" graphic was created by Sean McNaughton and Samuel Velasco for National Geographic. I must say though, skip the interactive edition on NationalGeographic.com and check out the full size version on Flickr. [via OhGizmo] Read the rest here:
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| GlideTV Navigator puts Media Center controls in the palm of your hand Posted: 13 Oct 2009 09:58 AM PDT
Otherwise content users of Boxee or Hulu on the big screen in the living room, the tyranny of the keyboard and mouse may finally be over! GlideTV Navigator is a palm-sized remote control that features a trackpad and backlit AV buttons, just the thing to further enable your YouTube addiction beyond the confines of your computer nook. Works with Windows XP or Vista (we’re assuming there’s a Windows 7 version on tap as well), Mac OS X, and the Sony PS3, and the package includes a charging cradle and USB receiver. Sadly, the on-screen keyboard and integrated search apps are Windows only for the time being. Look to spend about $149 — but not before peeping the gallery below. Gallery: GlideTV Navigator puts Media Center controls in the palm of your hand
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Media PCs GlideTV Navigator puts Media Center controls in the palm of your hand originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Real-Time Social Identity Platform Cliqset Launches Desktop And Boxee Apps Posted: 13 Oct 2009 09:52 AM PDT
We recently wrote about the real-time update and redesign of Cliqset, a Friend-Feed-like online identity platform that lets users merge and share a vast variety of social information, including status updates, location, photos, and more, onto one platform. Cliqset aims to be a one-stop-shop for social communications, pulling in content from close to 70 social networks and services, including MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, FriendFeed and more. Users can also update their status, and share photos, bookmarks, reviews on Cliqset and push them out to wherever they choose. Today, Cliqset, which is exiting private beta, is launching two external applications of its platform—a Boxee app and an Adobe Air-powered desktop app. Cliqset's Boxee app lets you comment on any videos you are watching within Boxee. The app lets users chat with their friends or any other user in real-time while watching TV episodes, movies or other video content on Boxee. While the stream that will appear while watching a video only includes Cliqset users who are watching and commenting on the same content, you can also access your comprehensive Cliqset stream from within Boxee as well. Boxee has partnered with other social media platforms such as Digg and Tumblr, to incorporate each site's functionality within the streaming software. The Adobe Air-powered app lets you have much of the same functionality as the website, but users can organize and filter streams in stacks, similar to Seesmic or Tweetdeck. Users can share content, such as text, links, photos and bookmarks, and can also create various activity streams broken down by type of service. So you could break out your Twitter and Facebook streams into separate stacks. This is actually helpful, because aggregating real-time content from a variety of services can get confusing. The app also has a notification system that alerts you to comments made in a stream you are attached to. My only complaint about Cliqset's desktop app is that it is powered by Adobe Air, which tends to be buggy and slow my computer down. But for those of you who dislike Adobe Air as much as I do, there's always the web-based platform. In September, Darren Bounds, president of Cliqset, told us that the platform aims to be a less clunky version of FriendFeed, with a target audience of users who aren't as technologically savvy. And Cliqset plans on launching and iPhone app and an Andoird app in the near future. Similar to the web app, Cliqset's Boxee app and desktop app are both The platform fairly intuitive, which could boost its popularity amongst users. But as we've said in the past, the real-time social media stream is fast becoming a crowded space with Threadsy, Streamy and others launching compelling platforms. And who knows what Facebook will do with FriendFeed. Cliqset closed a second seed round, $1.5 million coming from angel investor Derek Mercer, founder and former chairman and CEO of Vurv Technology, a provider of talent management software that was acquired in 2008 by Taleo for about $128.8 million. This comes in addition to an earlier early-stage capital injection of $500,000 by the man, bringing the total invested in the startup to $2 million.
Information provided by CrunchBase Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware. Read more:
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| Nokia offers more Booklet 3G details and pricing info Posted: 13 Oct 2009 09:49 AM PDT I mentioned back at the beginning of the month that the Nokia Booklet 3G had turned up in the Best Buy inventory with a price tag of $599.99 attached. Nokia has now officially confirmed that price tag for machines that are purchased without an accompanying data plan. It also appears that the netbook will be operate on the AT&T network and is a Best Buy exclusive as previously reported.
MobileBurn reports that when purchased with a 2-year $60 monthly data plan contract the Nokia Booklet 3G will go for a more reasonable $299. There has also been indication from Nokia that there will be other pricing plans offered for the device in time for the holidays. However, the other options will make for a more expensive price for the Booklet 3G than the $299. Other specs of the machine are that it will run Windows 7 and offer 12 hours of real world run time per battery charge. The netbook has a 10.1-inch screen and weighs 2.76 pounds. The device will hit Best Buy on October 22 with deliveries said to begin in mid-November. Relevant Entries on SlashGear
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| VUDU throwing Rotten Tomatoes reviews on every movie it sells Posted: 13 Oct 2009 09:35 AM PDT
Next step for VUDU after adding LG’s BD390 to its list of compatible players? The streaming service is now trying to help you figure out which movie to watch with help from the website Rotten Tomatoes, integrating its ratings directly into the movie listings as seen above. Viewers can sort by Tomatometer score and see quotes from top reviews directly on their HDTV screen. Sure it’s not auto Twitter updates and IMDB clippings on what scene, movie and actor you’re watching, but if they’re not going to reduce the cost per rented (or purchased) streaming flick, at least VUDU can help you pick one that’s actually good. Check out another screen capture from the new addition after the break.
VUDU throwing Rotten Tomatoes reviews on every movie it sells originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Dell Tries for a Rebirth of Cool Posted: 13 Oct 2009 09:34 AM PDT
After those strange, heady days of the Dell Dude, the company has fallen off the coolness radar. In an effort to right this wrong, Dell hired Vice to create a website and news source – sort of a pop-up web presence – to talk about tech to a more plugged-in audience. Read the original post:
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| Acer AOD250-1613 Android-powered netbook up for pre-order Posted: 13 Oct 2009 09:34 AM PDT I have to say that Android is making big moves right now. It has fast become one of the most talked about mobile phone OS' and is finding its way into other products. One of the products that many people have been waiting for Android to turn up in are netbooks. If you have your heart set on the spiffy Acer AOD250-1613 10.1-inch netbook with the dual boot Andorid/Windows XP OS you can pre-order yours now.
Amazon.com has the netbook up for pre-order right now for $349.99, which actually isn't a bad price considering you get Android and Windows XP. The device isn't officially released yet and has no estimated ship date. The good news is if you buy now when it does ship, you don't pay for the shipping charges. Other features of the device include a 1.66GHz Intel N280 processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, and a 6-cell battery. Acer says that the machine is good for up to 9 hours of runtime per charge. The screen is a 10.1-inch WSVGA unit and graphics are via Intel GMA950. I want one. Relevant Entries on SlashGear
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| GPS device alerts you to red light cameras, doesn’t do turn-by-turn directions Posted: 13 Oct 2009 09:30 AM PDT
The system has a built-in GPS chip that "compares your automobile's bearings with an internal database of 6,000 red light and speed camera locations in the U.S. and Canada." What's more, the display shows your current position on a street map and "alerts you to the presence of red light cameras with visual and audible cues." Though this device walks like a GPS system and talks like a GPS system, it does not function as a GPS system. That is, there's no turn-by-turn directions or points of interest or anything like that. On behalf of everyone reading this, why not just add in those features and call it a day? It might help justify the $200 price tag. Up-to-date data can be transferred to the device via USB. The first year of updates is free, while subsequent years will set you back $20 apiece. The Red Light Camera Detector [Hammacher Schlemmer] Read the rest here:
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| BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real-Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept] Posted: 13 Oct 2009 09:24 AM PDT
The BMW Simple is similar to the Nissan Land Glider, except that the BMW has a tricycle configuration, and its angled surfaces make it look like an stealth fighter. The coolest thing about it, however, is how it rolls. BMW Simple Gallery
The back wheels have an hydraulic system that makes the car/bike/mobilethingie carve the road as if you were surfing or snowboarding down a slope. According to BMW, the driving experience is quite unique and exhilarating. The BMW Simple weighs about 990 pounds, does 118 miles per gallon, going up to 62mph in under 10 seconds, and reaching a top speed of 124mph. Sadly, don’t expect to see this vehicle yet. BMW says they have no plans to start manufacturing it yet. Too bad. [Autoblog] More here:
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Raise your hand if you've been caught on camera running a red light (I am raising my hand). Depending upon how often you get caught by red light cameras and how much you have to pay per ticket, this $200 "Red Light Camera Detector" may end up saving you some money and insurance headaches in the long run.![gallery BMW SIMPLE Concept 1 1 BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept]](http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/images/4/2009/10/gallery_BMW-SIMPLE-Concept-1-1.jpg "BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept]")
![gallery BMW SIMPLE Concept 2 BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept]](http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/images/4/2009/10/gallery_BMW-SIMPLE-Concept-2.jpg "BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept]")
![gallery bmwsimpleconcept004 BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept]](http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/images/4/2009/10/gallery_bmwsimpleconcept004.jpg "BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept]")
![gallery bmwsimpleconcept003 BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept]](http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/images/4/2009/10/gallery_bmwsimpleconcept003.jpg "BMW Simple Handles Itself Like a Real Life Tron Lightcycle [Concept]")
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