The Hopper was unveiled by DISH CEO Joe Clayton at the 2012 International CES in Las Vegas, and it is already winning honors as a CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Award honoree. Pricing and packaging will be announced later this quarter.

The main Hopper unit features:

• Three satellite TV tuners
• A two-terabyte hard drive for up to 2,000 hours of video entertainment
• Up to 250 hours of HD or up to 1,000 hours of SD user recordings
• Bluetooth for linking to devices such as wireless headphones
• Picture-in-picture for watching any two channels simultaneously

Combined with a Joey, the Hopper whole-home HD DVR system offers more advanced features:

• 750 MHz Broadcom processer — the fastest satellite receiver processor available today for a quick, responsive on-screen guide
• Approximately 50 percent more energy efficient for a four-room installation than previous models
• ZigBee RF4CE using a proprietary protocol remote with “remote control finder” alert
• High definition user interface
• Easy-to-use, fast, graphical, tile-based user interface with predictive search
• Small, sleek chassis for convenient placement

“Building on a heritage of award-winning DVRs, DISH is proud to be the first to introduce a groundbreaking product that delivers the most choices for TV entertainment by integrating multiple sources of video into one set-top box,” said DISH Network CEO Joe Clayton. “The Hopper gives our customers network TV shows on demand and thousands of family movie choices streaming or delivered to the hard drive. With its massive storage, the Hopper leads the industry in delivering the most entertainment options, bar none, for every member of the household.”

The Hopper’s new, unparalleled feature, PrimeTime Anytime allows customers, with one click, to record using a single tuner all of the primetime TV programming from ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC — the networks that deliver the most popular shows during primetime. Once activated by a customer, PrimeTime Anytime records network programming in high definition, where available, every night and stores them for eight days after they have aired. This creates an on-demand library of approximately 100 hours of primetime TV shows, and makes it easy to catch up on episodes from last night and last week’s airing.

The Hopper can record up to six TV shows at once (two live programs and four PrimeTime Anytime shows) while allowing viewers to watch up to four different recorded or on-demand shows in four rooms of the house, simultaneously. This gives a family a variety of options to control or view their recordings and to watch shows in any room from a single Hopper.
The Hopper’s on-demand capabilities give access to DISH’s Blockbuster @Home™ for $10 per month which is now enhanced with more than 10,000 total titles streaming to the TV.

The Hopper also offers on-demand content for customers with limited or no Internet access with a feature called DISH Unplugged. This feature delivers via satellite hundreds of the most popular movies and TV shows to the hard drive, including transactional and authenticated videos on demand. DISH Unplugged provides a high quality picture without buffering and makes available many of the same streaming movie choices offered by Blockbuster @Home, including premium movie access.

And for subscribers of DISH’s America’s Top 120 programming package or greater, the Hopper provides whole-home music distribution from 73 SiriusXM channels, including album art and a unique collapsible list of music channels located at the top of the channel guide at Channel 99, making it faster and easier for SiriusXM music fans to find their favorite music.
Additionally, the Hopper will features TV apps that give viewers real time access to Facebook, Twitter, Pandora and photo sharing, as well as games, news, weather, sports, and stock quotes.

TV Everywhere

You can manage the Hopper via the Internet at www.DishOnline.com or the DISH Remote Access app, providing the ability to control DVR recordings on their tablets, smartphones and computers. Connecting the Hopper with DISH’s Sling Adapter provides customers the ability to watch and control all live TV channels, PrimeTime Anytime programs and the DVR on their computer, tablet or smartphone wherever they go.

The Hopper and Joey are designed and engineered by EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS). The Hopper works by distributing HD signals through existing co-axial cable in the home using the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) specification. The Hopper is powered by a Broadcom 750 MHz processor, the most powerful satellite TV processor available today delivering a fast and responsive on-screen guide and a graphical user interface that features channel logos to help search channels, movies or TV shows quickly. The advanced search platform also allows for navigation of programs across satellite TV, broadband and an optional external hard drive.

At the recently-concluded Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Samsung unveiled new innovations in its latest LED and Plasma TV series that will redefine the way consumers manage their home entertainment experience, interact with their smart TVs and other devices and access the industry’s broadest range of content. They encompass three ‘smart’ innovation areas:

• Smart Interaction – Launch and use apps more easily through Motion Control, Voice Control and Face Recognition.
• Smart Content – Share photos, memories and memos with family from the TV to the cloud to smart devices, manage your own health directly from the TV, and access educational content for kids. The industry’s broadest offering of movies, TV shows and streaming videos can be enjoyed via Samsung Apps, the industry’s preferred TV apps platform, and Samsung Media Hub. Samsung Smart Hub offers true multi-tasking – surf the web while using or downloading multiple apps simultaneously.
• Smart Evolution – Select Samsung TVs in 2012 will allow consumers to enjoy new experiences as their TV is ‘reborn’ each year with the latest smart technology, simply by installing kits.

“But the cool part is the controls. First, the TV’s built-in cameras use face recognition to automatically sign users into their personal profiles. Then, users can issue voice commands like ‘channel 34’ or ‘guide’ to control the TV. They can also use gesture controls for Web browsing, adjusting the volume and more,” suggests Julianne Pepitone @CNNMoneyTech. “Overall, the experience looks like what would happen if Apple’s Siri voice assistant and Microsoft’s Kinect motion-sensor system had a baby TV.”

Family members will have personalized, separate SmartHub accounts, which you login to by simply smiling at the camera. The Skype app wil utilize the built-in camera and microphone, eliminating the need to buy an external Skype camera/speakerphone to use for TV video calls.

Samsung’s flagship LED ES8000 and Plasma E8000 series TVs, along with the ES7500 and ES6800 series of LED TVs, received CES 2012 Innovations Design and Engineering Awards. Samsung will showcase its new TVs at the 2012 International CES, booth #12004, which will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), from January 10-13, 2012.

“In this era of smart entertainment, consumers are changing the way they want to be entertained and how they choose to access this content,” said Hyun-suk Kim, executive vice president, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is redefining what a TV can do so people can use more intuitive ways to control their entertainment experiences, maintain closer contact to people that are important to them, and easily manage and share content across multiple screens.”

Intuitive Controls for the Most Easy-to-Enjoy Content Experience

Samsung’s premium 2012 Smart TVs will feature Samsung’s Smart Interaction technology – an intuitive platform that uses Motion Control, Voice Control and Face Recognition commands for the TV. Smart Interaction complements the remote and seeks to offer users greater choice and convenience in how they control their home entertainment experience.
For example, users can turn the TV on or off, activate selected apps or search for content in the web browser simply by speaking in any of the 20 to 30 languages that are supported by the technology. With a wave of their hand, they can browse and choose a link or content via the web browser. The built-in camera recognizes movement in the foreground and two unidirectional array microphones recognize voice at an incredibly accurate rate. Noise cancellation technology helps separate any background noise from the users’ commands.

Samsung’s 2012 line of Smart LED and Plasma TVs also support connectivity with select wireless keyboards and mice, making it more convenient than ever for users to access and navigate content.

Smart TVs Get Even Smarter and Closer to the Family

Samsung Smart TVs now bring the family back to the living room. The new TVs embrace the promise of a multi-screen world by allowing users to do more with their TV through Samsung’s new suite of exclusive services, the first of its kind in the industry:

• Family Story’s album lets users organize photos and enjoy slide shows on the big screen. Family members can also share memos and reminders anywhere they are via the phone, tablet, PC or TV.
• Fitness allows users to connect their Samsung TV to a Samsung smartphone via a mobile Fitness app. They can also connect to a WiFi-enabled scale to manage their weight goals and use the TV’s built-in camera to create a virtual mirror to monitor their exercise routines.
• Kids offers a wealth of infotainment and games in a kid-friendly interface that parents and control and monitor.

Samsung’s premium Smart TVs – including the UNES8000 LED TV and PNE8000 Plasma TV – are powered by a new dual-core processor to enable multi-tasking, so apps no longer need to be exited and relaunched. Searching for movies, browsing the Internet, downloading apps via Samsung Apps, accessing Video on Demand content or chatting with friends has never been more convenient.

Samsung’s Smart Hub user interface has also been redesigned for faster performance and improved convenience with a cleaner, more intuitive interface in Full HD. With a tabbed web browser, users can open multiple pages at a time, while the new Content Bar remembers recent activities for easy access to content.

Video fans will have even more reason to celebrate in 2012. With over 1,400 apps globally, Samsung Apps has established itself as the industry’s leading TV apps platform, with the broadest range of video content from leading brands. In addition to popular favorites such as CNBC Real Time, ESPN ScoreCenter, Hulu Plus, MTV Music Meter, Netflix and TIME TV, new apps in 2012 include Angry Birds, Bravo, M-GO from Technicolor, The Daily and VH1’s ‘I Love the 80’s Trivia.

Also new in 2012, Samsung will extend the availability of its successful Media Hub app, currently pre-loaded on Galaxy S smartphones and Galaxy Tabs, to the TV. The app offers consumers all-star entertainment and a diverse selection of movies and TV shows the day after they air, as well as past seasons of the shows. In addition, select movies will be available the day they are released on DVD.

Samsung’s new AllShare Play marks an evolution of its AllShare feature. AllShare Play allows users to upload and share multimedia content with AllShare Play compatible devices such as smartphones, tablets, cameras and computers.

Future Proofing Your TV with Smart Evolution

Select 2012 Samsung Smart TV will be “future proof” for years to come. Thanks to its proprietary system-on-chip technology, Samsung is the only company that can deliver an evolving TV, which allows you to easily enjoy the benefits of the latest TV technology year after year without purchasing a brand new set. With a simple slot-in to the back of TV, Samsung’s Evolution Kit will bring the latest and greatest TV technology to life.

Crystal Clear Picture Quality with Innovative Design

Samsung’s 2012 line of Full HD LED TVs continue to raise the bar in picture quality. Whether users are viewing a detailed shot from a camera or seeing incredible 3D depth, images are breathtakingly real with detailed contrast.

Both the Samsung UNES8000 Smart LED TV and UNES7500 Smart LED TV series offer cutting-edge technologies that deliver clear images in both 2D and 3D.The UNES8000’s Micro Dimming Ultimate analyzes the picture in hundreds of pieces to optimize the LED backlight and video signal for each piece in real time, by increasing peak whites in areas of lower gradation. This leads to an overall 20 percent increase in brightness and allow home entertainment enthusiasts to enjoy richer colors, brighter pictures and higher contrast ratios. The technology also eliminates the “halo” effect and image distortion associated with diffused light.

Samsung is taking its minimalist and luxurious design identity further with this year’s LED line. The 0.2 inch ultra-slim bezel design, first introduced in 2011, returns for premium models while the rest of Samsung’s entire LED line will feature a slim 0.5 inch slim bezel. In all cases, consumers enjoy a larger screen size without increasing the overall size of the TV when compared to conventional models.

The UNES8000 also sports a new metallic U-shape stand that adds to the sophistication this TV brings to any room. The stand’s unique, minimalistic design belies its sturdiness and stability. Together, the TV and stand form a harmonious composition of straight lines and curves, appearing as a timeless objet d’art.

Samsung also offers an optional ultra slim wall-mount so that users can show off the TV’s slim form factor by hanging it like a picture frame on the wall.

Acer has announced the availability of their new Iconia Tab A200, the latest addition to Acer’s line of full-featured Android tablets. The new 10.1-inch Iconia Tab A200 is a portable activity hub for gaming, e-books, movies, music, photography, social networking and more. Offered at the attractive price of $329.99, the Iconia Tab A200 will be available to U.S. customers on January 15.
The new Acer Iconia Tab A200 tablet enables customers to interact with and enjoy technology in ways that are both truly natural and exciting. Loaded with the latest edition of Android Honeycomb 3.2 operating system, the Iconia Tab A200 is user-friendly and extremely interactive with resizable app widgets and fun features the whole family can enjoy. The Iconia Tab A200 also comes with a free upgrade to Android 4.0 (known as Ice Cream Sandwich), which will be available in mid-February.
“The Acer Iconia Tab family of tablets is an excellent example of Acer’s ability to deliver high-performance, full-function mobile devices at unbeatable values,” said Eric Ackerson, senior product marketing manager for Acer America. “Acer brings the Iconia Tab A200 to consumers at an affordable price, without making sacrifices on key tablet features such as expansion, connectivity to other devices, HD displays and cameras.”
Sleek and easy to hold, the Iconia Tab A200 weighs 1.5 pounds. The tablet is wrapped in a slim, titanium gray-colored casing, with an eye-catching patterned back side, which is soft to the touch. On the front, the A200 showcases a beautiful HD multi-touch display featuring crystal-clear 1280 x 800 resolution for an outstanding viewing experience.
Made especially for multimedia enjoyment, the Iconia Tab A200 packs hardware and apps for loads of fun. The tablet provides an enhanced level of performance with its NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core mobile processor and integrated GeForce GPU that allows users to enjoy HD gaming, Flash-based applications, faster browsing and multitasking.
Gamers of all ages will enjoy the preloaded Tegra Zone Android app, which allows users to search and download the best Android games that are optimized for NVIDIA Tegra powered tablets. The Iconia Tab A200’s fast gaming experience is also supported by a six-axis motion sensing gyroscope, essential for high-precision gaming so actions and animations are more correctly performed.
Users can enjoy up to eight hours of cable-free battery life, providing endless hours to surf the web, watch movies, play games and read e-books, far from the nearest electrical outlet. The Iconia Tab A200 comes pre-loaded with apps like Kindle for countless reading selections and Netflix for instant delivery of movie and entertainment titles. One tap on the Android Market allows users access to thousands of downloadable apps.
Offering superior expansion and connectivity, the Iconia Tab A200 has a full-size USB 2.0 port for hooking up other devices and a MicroSD slot and micro-USB port for passing data. A two megapixel front-facing web camera enables face-to-face chats or quick snaps for still photos. For an enhanced social networking experience, the Iconia Tab A200 includes Acer SocialJogger, which consolidates Facebook, Twitter and more into one spot.
The Iconia Tab A200 improves multitasking with the unique interactive Acer Ring interface, allowing users to customize their tablet experience by putting their most commonly used applications into one easy spot. Users can launch the ring by tapping the double circle located in the system bar, opening a series of key apps, settings, bookmarks or contextual menu options. The tablet also features Screenshot, which quickly captures web images, articles, Google Maps and even smiling faces from video calls. Screenshot can be used in any app for maximum convenience.
Acer clear.fi is installed on the Acer Iconia Tab A200 to connect with any other DLNA-compliant device to quickly and easily share digital media. Clear.fi automatically connects all Acer devices on a network (smartphones, notebooks, desktops, HD media plays and storage devices) and gathers and organizes media files by type (video, music, photos, pre-recorded TV).
The Acer Iconia Tab A200 will be available in the U.S. on January 15 at retail stores who carry Acer tablets. The Acer Iconia Tab A200-10g16u with 16GB of memory has a manufactuerer’s suggested retail price of $349.99, while the Acer Iconia Tab A200-10g08u with 8GB of memory has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $329.99.

I’ll just say this right off the bat and get it out of the way: Super Mario 3D Land is a ridiculous amount of fun, but there is also a ridiculous amount of frustration. Are you ready for levels that are so innovative and adorable they make you gasp in delight? Are you also ready for levels that make you want to hurl your (in my case, ludicrously expensive) 3DS against a wall? Chances are, if you’re even reading this review, Super Mario 3D Land is a game you want to play – and should. Just be sure you have a stress ball – and the charger for your 3DS – handy.

Super Mario 3D Land works like any typical game in the series: Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach yet again (Mario seriously needs to lock that down) and he has to fight through several worlds’ worth of enemies in order to rescue her. It’s that same tried-and-true formula that has worked in all the Mario games, and this game is no exception. You’ve got enemies, like Goombas (some with raccoon tails) and Boos, as well as your typical Koopa Troopas. You’ve got power-ups, including a boomerang suit and a neat box with a propeller on top of it that is possibly one of the most fun things ever added to a Mario game. And, of course, you’ve got another castle.

So, what is there to like about this game? That’s an easy question. First off, it’s adorable. It’s got all the fun and cute of a Mario game, bundled up in a tiny, portable, 3D package. Then there’s the nostalgia factor, all tied into the adorableness. From following music notes that play familiar Mario tunes, to going up to Coin Heaven, to remade versions of old songs, there’s a lot here that will help make a long-time Mario fan feel at home. Fans of Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and Super Mario Galaxy will be especially in their element here.

Then there’s the 3D itself. Not only is the 3D innovative here – there are some levels that are trick puzzles that, in 3D or not, need to be deciphered. But with the enhancement of the 3D, you’re already using your brain to think in a different way, and they’re easier to solve. And, as with most Mario games, the levels are different enough that they don’t feel tedious or repetitious – there’s enough variation here to keep things fresh from world to world.

That doesn’t mean the game is without its flaws, though. As with many previous games in the series, you can collect Star Coins to unlock certain levels. Well, I say “can collect,” but you discover very quickly that you must collect a certain number of them in order to unlock the final boss levels. This can become annoying if you aren’t finding them quickly enough – or, as in my case, you simply aren’t looking for them. I became much more careful and collected them more often as I went along, but every once in a while I’d get stuck and have to go back and dig through the older levels to find some more to proceed.

The game was also simultaneously teeth-grindingly difficult and insultingly easy. If you got stuck at a part and played it over and over (and over) again, the game would often give you a combination leaf-star item, which would give you a tail and make you invincible – for the rest of the level. This could be either obnoxiously easy or not matter at all, depending on what was killing you – if you were getting killed by annoyed creatures, sure, it was helpful. But if it was timing and/or the environment that was killing you – well, not even invincibility can make up for reflexes.

But the most annoying part for me – without giving away spoilers – was the fact that the ending (the “official” ending, that is) – dragged on and on and on. It was one of those games that just refuses to end, and then, just as it does end, it throws another curve ball at you, just as you were starting to relax. Surprise! Start over again, sucker.

On top of that, there’s another huge part to the game after the credits roll. You get a chance to replay the levels in a whole new way once you’ve defeated your nemesis. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying it’s a bad thing that Nintendo has given us twice the game for our buck. This is a classic Mario move, introducing an additional quest to the game, and I think it’s great that they have put this much effort into the game. My only complaint was that I felt so burnt out after that frustrating ending. I put the 3DS down, and when I picked it up back up again, it was to spend more time with Mario and friends in Mario Kart 7.

Regardless of its flaws, Super Mario 3D Land is a great game, and is worth buying and playing – and playing, and playing more. It’s very robust, with plenty to keep you busy and happy for hours on end (and a cute pixelated princess to remind you to take a break if you’ve been playing for too long). It’s cute, it’s nostalgic, and the 3D really works in its favor. All in all, the 3DS library is really starting to shape up, and even when it expands, Super Mario 3D Land will easily remain one of its strongest titles.

Samsung Galaxxy Nexus w/Android 4 “Ice Cream Sandwich”

Last year (2011) was another banner year for smartphones. Apple’s rolled out three sizes of its flagship iPhone 4s,
selling over 152,000 collectively. Google’s Android also enjoyed another banner year with several new models appearing every month in the United States and weekly world-wide.

Sprint made a big stand, hosting the HTC EVO 3D, a 4G phone with all the bells and whistles and a built-in 3D camera to
boot. It sold 36,000 units, almost as many as the 16GB version of the iPhone 4s. Other standouts included the HTC Sensation and LG Optimus 3D. The latecomer to the market market in 2011, the Motorola DROID Razr, sold 34,00 in less than a month. Sprint made a statement, releasing the Galaxy S2 series of phones. The successor to the very popular Galaxy S series, sold for nearly every carrier and running Android, Samsung made converts of of many people.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the 4G latest “Google Phone” dropped two weeks before Christmas and was met with mixed reviews. As the first smartphone to ship the latest version of Google’s Android operating system (named “Ice Cream Sandwich”), the Nexus certainly turned a few heads.

THE RACE FOR 4G DOMINANCE

Verizon seems to be winning the 4G war. By mid-December 2011, Verizon had expanded their 4G LTE coverage to 190 markets in the U. S. At the Consumer Electronics show, Verizon confirmed that you’ll be hard-pressed to find a new smartphone, wireless hot spot, tablet or netbook from Verizon this year that won’t include 4G LTE connectivity. Confirming questions, a Verizon spokesperson confirmed 4G LTE for Windows Phone and BlackBerry devices were also a part of that promise.

The next largest 4G coverage would be from Sprint, with less than 50 U. S. markets. However, their 4G is still the Wi-Max variety, considerably slower than LTE. AT&T has yet to leave the gate, with only 26 cities covered. Outside of New York City, you won’t find any coverage in the Empire State.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2012!

Where are we headed in 2012? With the release of Android Ice Cream Sandwich, manufacturers will likely create new phones, rather than port the new version to their early-2011 releases.

In terms of hardware, look for device makers to try to continue to exploit 3D technology and not just in the cameras. Nintendo had a field day with their 3DS mobile game systems with 3D screens. Look for a 3D smartphone sometime this year.

In 2011, dual-core processors found their way into smartphones and tablets and stayed cool without major incident. Mobile quadcore processors are already being developed, so look for them to sneak into smartphones by summer.

Look for Samsung to continue growing its Galaxy brand. The Galaxy S II line beat Apple and many other manufacturers on screen resolution and the Galaxy S3 has already been confirmed to be coming sometime this year.

Of course June will mean Apple speculation. Much of the tech world was up in arms that the iPhone 4S was not more different than what it was, especially in the model number. The world should see an iPhone 5 this year and it will be innovative. With the passing of Steve Jobs, however, how much of a technological leap it will be – if and when it is released – is a mystery.

Belkin has recently launched WeMo (www.belkin.com/wemo), a line of simple, modular home automation products that allows household electronics to be controlled from anywhere using a mobile app on a smartphone or tablet. Consisting of two initial products, the WeMo Home Control Switch and the WeMo Motion Sensor, WeMo is a customizable, accessible home automation solution designed to simplify home maintenance and bring peace of mind to busy families and individuals on the go.

WeMo works with a home’s existing electrical system and requires only a Wi-Fi® network and free smartphone app to set up and control. Simply plug the WeMo Home Control Switch into any electrical outlet and then plug in any device, such as a lamp, into the WeMo Home Control Switch. Through the free smartphone app, the item then can be turned on or off remotely or scheduled to turn on and off at set times. The second product in the line is the WeMo Motion Sensor, which works with the WeMo Home Control Switch to make your device react to motion. Used together, WeMo can create a home environment that can turn a light on when someone walks in a room, or off when no one is present.

“Traditional home automation often involves expensive custom installation, but WeMo uses familiar technology to create a plug-and-play solution for controlling gadgets and appliances remotely and is simple enough for the entire family,” said Kevin Ashton, general manager for Belkin. “WeMo is designed to make the technical part of life easier, so you have more time to enjoy the spontaneous and organic moments in life that we all cherish. It’s home automation for the rest of us.”

The WeMo Home Control Switch and WeMo Motion Sensor are the first two products in the WeMo line and will be available in summer 2012 at major retailers in the United States and online at Amazon.com and Belkin.com. The free WeMo app also will be available for download in summer 2012.

WeMo Home Control Switch (F7C027fc) – $49.99

• A plug that becomes a programmable on and off switch for any household device, from fans to lights
• Turns devices on or off from anywhere by using a smartphone
• Creates schedules for devices to turn on or off, and rules based on other sensors connected to Wi-Fi network
• Can work in tandem with the WeMo Motion Sensor, or as a stand-alone product
• Requires free WeMo app

WeMo Motion Sensor + Home Control Switch (F5Z034fc) – $99.99

• Detects movement, and devices plugged into the WeMo Home Control Switch can be programmed to react to motion
• Requires free WeMo app
• Motion sensor sold with WeMo Home Control Switch

The Home Control Switch and Motion Sensor are just the beginning of a full line of WeMo products designed to create a scalable, customizable system for simple, whole-home management. Future WeMo products still in development will include a remote garage door opener, door lock, lighting controls, and a baby monitor that lets you monitor sounds from your baby’s room from anywhere through your Wi-Fi network.

The Home Control Switch and Motion Sensor will debut at Pepcom’s Digital Experience! on January 9, 2012, in Las Vegas. These and prototypes of future WeMo products will also be on display in Belkin’s booth, South Hall #30651, at the 2012 International CES, January 10–13, 2012.

Hard drive prices were at an astounding level, with weekly deals for 2TB SATA drives being sold for sub-$100 prices. Then prices shot up – in some cases..doubled – after Thailand got hit with major flooding. While the situation in Thailand is still having major affects on the world hard drive supply, a new development has happened over the last month: warranty cuts.

The top two hard drive manufacturers, Seagate and Western Digital, have separately announced that they will be cutting their warranties on their mechanical hard drives. Most desktop and laptop drives will include a 1-year warranty, which used to be a pretty standard 3-year warranty period. The higher-end drives which used to have 5-year warranties, went to 3-year warranties.

Both companies deny that these cutbacks don’t have anything to do with the Thailand floods we covered in last month’s issue of Computer Link Magazine. Seagate’s official statement to distributors was: “At Seagate, we are standardizing warranty terms to be more consistent with those commonly applied throughout the consumer electronics and technology industries. By aligning to current industry standards, Seagate can continue to focus its investments on technology innovation and unique product features that drive value for our customers rather than holding long-term reserves for warranty returns.”

Western Digital sent out a similar letter, stating: “Standard PC warranties are one year. Even so, WD will continue to maintain five-year warranties on its premium desktop/notebook products, including the WD Caviar Black, WD Scorpio Black and WD VelociRaptor products.” The spokesman also denied that the warranty cuts were related to the Thailand floods, which has severely affected the company’s ability to manufacture hard drives.

Keep in mind that no matter what the warranty period is for your hard drive, you absolutely, positively should back up your important files to secondary media, such as CD, DVD, flash drive, and now… into the cloud using a number of cloud services available for storing your files. It’s the worst thing to have your hard drive crash and to lose all your family digital photos, documents, and music collection. Be safe and backup regularly.

Siri for the iPhone 4S is a pretty nifty feature, and a pretty big deal, but it’s not the only product out there. There are several available for Android that do more or less what Siri does. The voice control app I’ve been playing with lately is called Vlingo. Vlingo Virtual Assistant (http://ow.ly/8raYj) bills itself as the original Virtual Assistant for Siri-like functionality on your Android phone. I don’t know if it’s the original, but it’s darn nifty! Here’s a list of the things you can do with it:

•  Send texts and emails
• Voice dial
• Search the web
• Find local restaurants, shops and other businesses
• Get directions
• Update status on Facebook or Twitter and check in with Foursquare
• Get answers to just about any question
• Buy movie tickets and book hotel rooms
• Open other apps

As an example, I got in to my car tonight to come home, started Vlingo in “car mode,” and I was on my way. I said “Hey, Vlingo!” and Vlingo asked me what I wanted. “Open Pandora,” I said, and I was listening to music all the way home. In Car Mode, I have gotten texts that I have answered without once touching the phone – all by voice. Very nice, and very simple. But, of course, any program that’s constantly listening for input is going to draw lots of power, so when you can (like in the car), keep it plugged in.

Everybody talks about Siri, and how fun it is to ask it crazy stuff.

Vlingo doesn’t do that very well, but it really does work nicely for actually useful stuff. If you’re an Android user, take a look at Vlingo. It’s free, it’s fun, and (at least until Majel comes out) it’s one of the best voice control apps you’ll find for Android smartphones.

ANDROID 4.0: ICE CREAM SANDWICH

My Samsung Galaxy Nexus came with Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” (which is now updated to 4.0.2 at this point), and I’m finding that it’s got some pretty nifty features. One of my favorites is a small thing, but fun. There’s a notification bar across the top of the screen that you can pull down and see the various notifications in your system. In versions of the Android operating system before Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, you could clear out the notifications, but it was all or nothing. With Ice Cream Sandwich, you can slide any of the notices off the screen, leaving the rest.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is significantly better. It’s faster, it’s easier to use, and it’s got some pretty slick, new features. If you’re looking to buy an Android device, check to see if it’s got – or will get – Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

I currently have most of the electronic toys I want already, but the big void was a tablet device, so after being asked over and over by Jaime and my mother what tech gifts I wanted, I mentioned the only thing I want right now is an iPad 2 tablet. But that’s a pretty steep cost for a Christmas gift, so I really didn’t expect to actually get it.

Then, before the holidays while shopping for gifts, we stopped into Best Buy and I headed over to the tablets on display. I tried some of the Android tablets, but in my opinion, the iPad touch interface was so much more fluid and besides, it was a larger version of the iPhone 4S I can’t live without.

I really like the size and screen size of a tablet. It’s the perfect middle ground between a large PC display and a smartphone display. I am glad that websites load in their full version, rather than a scaled-down mobile version.

I have actually been doing some reading (which I don’t normally have time for usually), web surfing, keeping more caught up on reading news, and I even maintain some customers’ websites using the iPad. All my iPhone apps are loaded onto the iPad, and I ended up getting the HD version of Angry Birds, because the original version had to be expanded to fit the screen, which made the image a little pixelated appearing.

What? An Android “Ice Cream Sandwich” tablet for $169 in March?

Right as this issue was going to press, Viewsonic shocked the gadget world with the announcement of a new model they’ll be making, called the ViewPad E70. This is an Android tablet sporting the latest Android 4 “Ice Cream Sandwich” operatng system, and a 7” touchscreen display, selling for a mere $169.

Other details about the ViewPad E70 is it comes with a 1GHz CPU, 4GB of internal storage, Wi-Fi, microSD slot for additional storage, micro-HDMI port and front-facing camera (specs of which are currently unknown). Some models will also be coming out with 3G connectivity for broadband internet on the go. Instead of connecting to the Android Market apps marketplace, the ViewPad E70 will ship with the Amazon Appstore.

This is really great news for the tablet industry, now having a full-fledged mainstream tablet less than 1/2 the cost of those on the market today, coming out in a few months! I have used the Nook Color and Kindle Fire e-readers, and they just don’t have that tablet feel you get with the real tablets on the market.

I will be reporting on new tricks and apps I end up with for the iPad 2, as well as express the ways I am using it for personal life and work. Tablets are here to stay and I’ll do my part on informing the Rochester public on the benefits of making the jump and purchasing a tablet.

New, Ultra-Thin 4G LTE Smartphone By Motorola is Encased in Kevlar, Aluminum and Gorilla Glass

Say hello to the jaw-dropping new Motorola RAZR. UNBELIEVABLY thin at 7.1 millimeters with sexy curves to boot, this beauty boasts a gorgeous sculpted glass face, diamond-cut aluminum accents and a hyper-vibrant 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display for incredibly vivid images. Motorola RAZR also sports KEVLAR fiber and Corning Gorilla Glass to help the screen stand up to scratches and scrapes.

In fact, every part of Motorola RAZR is protected by a splash-guard coating – even the electrical boards inside. This work of art is a force to be reckoned with.

If that’s not enough, pop the hood and find a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor with an impressive 1GB of RAM, all powered by Android 2.3.5. You’ll fly through tasks up to two times faster than single-core processor phones. Stream or download music and photos from your home or work computer with the easy-to-use MOTOCAST. Watch movies on a screen that sports a wider range of colors than most LCD HDTVs. And for that inspiring filmmaker in you, use the 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video capture for crisp, clear, cinematic-quality images.

“Motorola RAZR is an iconic brand, and one that originally revolutionized the mobile device industry by turning a functional necessity into an object of desire,” said Sanjay Jha, chairman and CEO, Motorola Mobility. “Now we’ve done it again with a head-turning, ultra-thin smartphone that offers users breathtaking speed, innovative apps and revolutionary accessories.”

Close to Home, Wherever You Go

Your favorite music playlists, from classic rock to heavy metal, pics of every vacation, from road trip to romantic getaway. With Motorola RAZR it’s all at your fingertips, all the time. With the free preloaded MotoCast app, you can stream content from your computer straight to your pocket (or purse) so your personal content is always within reach. Whether you’re across the street or across the country, you can rock your playlists or breeze through photos instantly – without hogging your device’s memory. And, because you don’t have to upload to a third-party site, you’re saving time while gaining peace of mind. That’s right – your files stay safe because they stay with you.

 Life Has Never Looked Better

“Super AMOLED Advanced display technology.” It sounds futuristic because it is. Whether you stream or download your movies, hyper-vibrant colors make watching flicks on-the-go just as thrilling as watching at home on your HDTV. And zero motion-blur keeps the action smooth, so you can focus on the story, not the screen. Capture the excitement of your own life with the 8-megapixel rear camera and 1080p HD video recording, or chat with a friend using the front-facing HD video camera. No need for clunky, expensive camera equipment.

Work Smart. Not Hard

Featuring government-grade encryption for protecting your email, contacts and calendar, this device has been deemed “Business Ready” by Motorola’s enterprise experts. Even your strict IT manager will be impressed. Hassle factor? Zero. Plus, Motorola RAZR is equipped with the Motorola Smart Actions app that lets you automate everyday tasks and enable better battery life. Smart Actions can turn down the ringer when you step into work, change the Bluetooth and GPS settings when you get home to save battery, or send a text to someone if you miss their call. It’s the simple things in life that make all the difference.

 Accessories Unlock a World of Experiences

Motorola RAZR is powerful on its own, but when combined with Motorola’s accessories (sold separately), you unleash a world of possibilities. Use the new Motorola Lapdock™ 500 Pro or Lapdock™ 100 to let loose Motorola’s revolutionary webtop application, giving you the power to edit documents and browse the Web with a desktop-class Firefox® browser – all while powering the device. Or, plug your Motorola RAZR into the HD Dock or HD Station to connect to your HDTV, speakers and other productivity peripherals for large-screen entertainment. And now, you can control your content, browse the web, and use your Android apps from the comfort of your couch with the Smart Controller. The built in touch-pad lets you zoom, pinch and rotate content just like a touchscreen. Best of all, no more running for your phone when a call comes in, you can make and take calls while your phone is docked. You can also connect a navigation dock for GPS and directions, battery pack for extra life, Bluetooth-enabled keyboard for efficient typing, and the elegantly designed, almost-invisible Motorola ELITE SLIVER headset for discrete, hands-free talking. You’ll have the brains, brawn and beauty to make the impossible possible.