Dave's Download
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Notebook or Netbook, They're Getting Cheaper
Continue reading… 2 CommentsOne of the hottest tech products could get even hotter next year with reports that Asus is predicting a netbook that will sell for only $200 next year. That would get the company, which started the fad last year with its Eee PC, back to its original promise of a $200 notebook PC.
The first Eee PC hit the market at $300. The higher price disappointed many techies, but didn't stymie sales. The ultra-light and small notebooks helped propel laptops ahead of desktops for the first time in U.S. sales.
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Netflix Streaming Coming to TiVo
Continue reading… 1 CommentNetflix streaming will get cheaper, and I hope even easier, for those of us who own a TiVo. Netflix has agreed to send its free streaming service to TVs through the TiVo box.
That adds more than 12,000 Netflix titles—including first-run movies from Starz—that can be watched on-demand through TiVo. Besides shows recorded from broadcast or cable, the box already can tap movies from Amazon Video on Demand. But those movies cost money. The Netflix movies stream for free, at least for Netflix subscribers.
The viewing charge has discouraged me from using the Amazon service. Generally, pay-per-view TV hasn't lived up to expectations, either across the Internet or even on cable systems. We just aren't willing to pay to stream a movie or TV show.
But the Amazon flicks on TiVo also have been too awkward to use. When I've tried it, it's difficult to find a movie using just the TiVo remote, and the menus were s-l-o-w. I had to burrow through several to even get to the service.
Netflix, with partners like Roku, which makes a box to bring the service to TVs, has done a great job of simplifying the streaming process. Netflix keeps it simple by offloading much of the work to its website. It's there that users search for movies and set up their "instant-watching" queue.
I expect the Netflix service will prove popular once it gets integrated into TVs themselves, or other boxes such as DVD players and DVRs like TiVo. I just hope TiVo doesn't slow the "instant viewing" process. Put Netflix high on its menus and make it easy to reach.
Most of us won't know until next month, when TiVo hopes to make the service widely available. The company promises "quick and easy" access to Netflix. I hope it delivers.
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Google Book Deal May Encourage On-Demand Printing
Continue reading… 2 CommentsIt's exciting to think we'll have online access to millions of books after Google settled a lawsuit with authors and publishers. But for now, we'll be stuck reading them on a PC or other Web-connected device. Maybe one day we'll also see copies of out-of-print books on a reading device like Amazon's Kindle or even physical versions from print-on-demand services like Lulu.
At the heart of the agreement is a new Book Rights Registry that Google will help fund. The registry looks like it will be some sort of clearinghouse for establishing rights to old books, whose ownership is often muddled amid publisher mergers and failures. The registry also enables publishers and authors to participate in fees and ad revenue from books getting read online.
Much of that revenue apparently would come from Google, whose Google Book Search now serves up snippets of texts covered by the lawsuit. Full reads would presumably come with fees. Or they'd at least generate more ad clicks, with more income for publishers and authors—and for Google, of course.
Google would presumably receive nothing from physical and Kindle copies. But if the registry is to be run by authors and publishers, then presumably nothing stands in the way of Kindle downloads—and even good old analog reprints.
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Apple Macs Get Netflix Streaming
Continue reading… 1 CommentNetflix promised to move fast once it found a way around Apple's "iTunes only" mentality. And the movie rental company has delivered, announcing new software—from Microsoft—that will enable Mac users to finally stream Netflix movies.
Netflix moved just weeks after Microsoft launched a new version of its Silverlight software. Among other things, Silverlight enables studios to protect the Netflix streams from being captured and copied. The new version is the first to support Macs, at least those with Intel chips.
Netflix had complained earlier that Apple wouldn't license its own copy protection software (called DRM, or digital rights management). This from the Netflix site:
Apple does not license their DRM solution to third parties, which has made this more difficult, but we are working with the studios and content owners to gain approval for other solutions. As soon as a studio-approved DRM for the Mac is available to us, whether from Apple or another source, we will move quickly to provide a movie viewer that enables you to watch movies from Netflix instantly on your Mac."
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Audio: Getting slotMusic on a Memory Chip
Continue reading… 0 CommentsOn WTOP this weekend, I described why I think there is a market for Sandisk's slotMusic, the new memory cards that come preloaded with music. You can listen here, or subscribe to the weekly podcast through
iTunes and 
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Big-Ticket Tech Propping Up Sales
Continue reading… 0 CommentsThe slowing economy is hitting electronics, but not as badly as some had feared, say market analysts at NPD Group. Sales in September were down 2 percent over a year ago, but big-ticket items kept them from dropping even further.
Large, flat-panel TVs and high-end digital SLR cameras saw dollar sales jump about 10 percent.
Decent news in a bleak economy. But I have to wonder how long it can last. Don't the most expensive buys get delayed when budgets get tight? How about yours?
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Quicken Online Service Goes Gratis
Continue reading… 1 CommentEarly this year, I wrote about Quicken launching an online site for personal finance. But unlike competitors, Quicken charged a $3 monthly fee. Not anymore, as the site is now free—like its many competitors, including Mint.com, Wesabe.com, and Geezeo.com.
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Netflix Streaming Now Available in Samsung Blu-ray Players
Continue reading… 0 CommentsNetflix will be streaming movies onto more TVs with the help of Samsung, whose Blu-ray players can now channel the service's instant-viewing offerings. Two drives already sold by Samsung can add the feature through their Internet connection.
Like a Blu-ray player announced earlier by LG, the Samsung drives are fairly pricey at $400. But a standalone Neflix player from Roku costs $100, so the feature essentially cuts the price of the Blu-ray players to $300.
That's still too expensive for the mainstream. It will be more exciting when the Netflix capability gets added to lower-end Blu-ray, or even standard DVD players. It seems just a matter of time.
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Aetna Joins With Microsoft HealthVault
Continue reading… 2 CommentsHere I come, Microsoft HealthVault!
My health insurer, Aetna, has agreed to work with the health-records site assembled by Microsoft. The wealth of data generated by insurers suggests that, if I want to use an online personal health record, it'll be Microsoft's for me.
Aetna is the first health-benefits company to join HealthVault.
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Google Phone Gets Plug on Search Home Page
Continue reading… 7 CommentsYou might wonder if the Google phone has enough to succeed. But consider the marketing power of the world's most popular search engine.
Google users today are greeted with a plug for the T-Mobile G1 placed strategically below the search box:
New! The G1 is on sale now. Learn about the phone.
Could any other phone maker afford that prime spot? We'll never know, 'cause Google ain't sellin'.
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Paying the Record Labels Over and Over Again
Continue reading… 3 CommentsRecord labels shouldn't be able to control what we do with our legally owned MP3 files, argues Michael Robertson within a post by Greg Sandoval in the Digital Media blog.
Robertson is the Web pioneer who's in a court battle with record companies over his MP3tunes.com, which lets users store their music on the Web.
The post was prompted by the launch of a new website, Lala.com. Lala struck deals with the labels and will charge us 10 cents each to stream songs we ostensibly already own. Robertson:
"This is about what users are allowed to do with their music. Are they allowed to put it on their phone and their game devices or on multiple PCs without paying the labels each time?"
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BlackBerry Bold Finally to Surface Next Month
Continue reading… 0 CommentsThe long-awaited BlackBerry Bold will finally appear November 4 in AT&T stores. Fears of iPhone-like mishaps apparently delayed the release of the handset, which was unveiled way back in May.
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Study: Tech Helps Bring Families Closer
Continue reading… 0 CommentsI have a neighbor who fretted about losing touch with her oldest daughter when she went off to college. Until Mom discovered texting. All's well—I think Mom sometimes feels more connected than when the teen was still at home.
That would be no surprise to analysts at the Pew Internet and American Family Life. They released a study that shows tech-savvy American households feel more connected than they did before the Internet.
As Elinor Mills says in her Digital Media blog: "The Internet is no 21st Century boob tube."
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Old Brands Shrink Price Gap With New TV Makers
Continue reading… 0 CommentsFlat-panel TVs gave rise to a slew of new competitors, second-tier producers like Westinghouse and Olevia that once offered a significant discount to the big brands like Sony and Samsung. No more.
At least not in low-price, mainstream LCDs, report market analysts at WitsView. The typical price difference has shrunk to less than $50 between the two tiers, from what once was hundreds of dollars on HD sets of 42 inches or smaller.
As the overall market expanded, the older brands have diversified their offerings to go after the low end, as well. In more expensive 1080p "full HD" models, the Vizios and Sanyos might still have a $150 price advantage.
But that's maybe half the 30 percent gap they once enjoyed. I'm not sure that's enough for me to risk a lesser brand.
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Windows 7: The Anti-Vista
Continue reading… 0 CommentsMicrosoft seems to be looking past troubled Windows Vista, with even CEO Steve Ballmer suggesting "Windows 7 will be Windows Vista, but much better."
That could lead to marketing that would be better than the mishmash that's trying to steel Vista's image, writes Mary Jo Foley in the All About Microsoft blog:
... "Windows 7: Vista done right" is kind of catchy.... Or there's always "Windows 7: The Anti-Vista."
Looking ahead, I'd suggested the 10th version of Windows could be "Windows X."
Just call it "Windex," says a reader.
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System Promises Home Picture Better Than Blu-ray
Continue reading… 4 CommentsAnother reason to skip Blu-ray. The upcoming Digital Entertainment System promises a picture better than HD, better than even the 1080p that keeps Blu-ray fans raving.
The system will supposedly supply movies in the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiative) color standards recently adopted by most Hollywood studios and distributors. The movies would be delivered on hard drives to homes with special gear for playing them, including high-end projectors from Italian maker Sim2.
No price announced yet. But if you have to ask...
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Google Phone Leaps Past Expectations, but Not Past the IPhone
Continue reading… 6 CommentsLife with the first Google phone is exciting. Not that the T-Mobile G1 version itself is thrilling—it isn't. This phone is about the new software inside, which is so much better than I expected.
I already like it better than Windows Mobile and the BlackBerry, though I haven't tried the new BlackBerry Storm. Granted, the Google Android software isn't as sleek, pretty, or intuitive as that in the Apple iPhone. But it is attractive and functional. Android has come far since Google unveiled it some months ago. It's exciting to imagine how it will be used in other hardware and with other carriers and how far they might take its potential.
For now, we have the phone made for T-Mobile by a company called HTC. The hardware isn't unattractive, but it isn't particularly appealing, either. It feels twice as heavy as an iPhone, though it's only an ounce more. Maybe because it's simply more stout—shorter, narrower, and thicker than the iPhone.
The hardware keyboard will appeal to heavy messagers who don't like sliding around on the iPhone's touch screen. I like the G1 keyboard better than the keyboard on my BlackBerry; G1 has wider spacing that makes it easier to find keys. But I don't like it as well as the keyboards on Palm devices.
The camera is OK for a 3-megapixel phone model. The phone has lots of other hardware goodies, including GPS, WiFi and 3G capability. I couldn't test the latter, though. I'm not in one of the 20 or so metro areas where T-Mobile has launched its fast data service.
It is annoying that there is no jack for a headset or headphones (which are included). They instead get plugged in through a single USB port. You'd think the Google guys, with all their religious zeal for open standards, would have demanded a standard headphone jack.
That zeal is what opens the future for the Google software. The included Google apps, such as calendar and GMail, already work well on the phone and take good advantage of its touch-screen capability. The store for added applications from other developers is promising with the apps now available. A barcode-scanner program called ShopSavvy quickly finds competitive pricing and reviews. ISkoot connects to the Skype network for cheap overseas calls and is something you won't find on the iPhone's app store.
Other carriers and handset makers can improve and customize the Android software itself. In short, the Google phone exceeded my expectations for a version 1.0. It will be fun to see what comes with Android inside other phones.
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SanDisk SlotMusic Bows at a Disappointing $15
Continue reading… 4 CommentsSanDisk has launched its slotMusic tunes on a chip. The 1GB cards come preloaded with an album and extras in what I think is an intriguing offer to fill underused music players on phones.
But the suggested price of $15 could strangle the new medium.
SanDisk points out that the memory card can be reused once the music is copied over. Each card comes with a small USB adapter that alone is worth $10.
Still, it's about the music, and that's too much for MP3 tunes.
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Motorola ZN4 Adds Outside Touch-Screen to Stop 'Butt' Calls
Continue reading… 2 CommentsMotorola put an interesting cover on a new touch-screen phone, a cover that itself acts like a second touch-screen. The outside cover of the Krave ZN4 is designed to protect the dial pad from accidental calls, an awkward moment that most of us have experienced with today's modern phones.
A friend of mind says it's his "butt calling" when a handset in his rear pocket randomly dials my number.
So Moto has something with the outside screen that flips to cover a similarly sized inside screen. It also makes the phone look all the more like a Star Trek communicator.
The outer cover relays certain touches on through to the main screen, which can still be seen below. That preserves instant access to many functions we might want on an outside screen. They include GPS navigation, video, photos, and music.
Sascha Segan at PCMag likes the innovation but says the software appears uninspired among today's touch-screen phones:
Here's the problem: The bar for touch-screen phones has been raised considerably recently. With the iPhone, the LG Dare, the Samsung Instinct, the T-Mobile G1, and the BlackBerry Storm out there, just having a touch screen isn't enough anymore.
But seems to me Motorola has a potential winner. It doesn't need to have the best software at the front end if it stops calls from originating at the rear end.
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Apple Laptops Get Multitouch Pad, Drop Only to $1,000
Continue reading… 0 CommentsApple borrowed a term from the car industry in announcing new laptops, saying they carved a new, more stable "unibody" frame from a single piece of aluminum. Mercifully, nothing about hot rods in the company's promotional materials.
But the company clearly intends to stay at the fast end of the market, recession-scared consumers be damned. Apple surprised many followers by not dropping its laptop prices to $900 or less. The company hit $1,000 with its low-end MacBook, but analysts had been anxious to see the company go for more market share. AppleInsider among others reported how all kinds of revenue gains would come from lower-priced Mac notebooks.
Apple models are getting cool features, including a glass touchpad that can manage multitouch commands, much like the iPhone. Multiple fingers, for example, can resize, spin, and magnify images. Powerful graphics chips, lighter weight, and LED-backlit displays round out other major changes.
