After a week engagement with an HTC  myTouch (Android OS 1.6), I would have been a little hesitant to even try another Android phone.  BUT, this video really makes me want to try 2.1 on the latest HTC platform.  Call me a sucker for a good engineering pep-talk, but this was a great move on Google’s part.

I’ll speak more about my overall impressions of Android in my upcoming post this week, but suffice it to say, this makes me think twice about the project path that Google has for the future of their mobile OS.  Hopefully my earlier negative assumptions were incorrect, and were simply growing pains for this maturing platform.  There is one really easy way to make this whole Mobile OS manageable.  Check back this week to see our recommendation for Google.

Some helpful info on the Google Nexus One: Spec Sheet | 3D Tour | Try some Apps | Support

Take a look at the videos and let me know what you think:

Nexus One: The Story – Episode 1: Concept & Design

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nexus One: The Story – Episode 2: Display & 3D Framework

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nexus One: The Story – Episode 3: Testing

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nexus One: The Story – Episode 4: Manufacturing

Click here to view the embedded video.

Related posts

• Blackberry Storm 2 trying to get noticed (1)
• The future for Blu-Ray, Apple, and Media Devices? [DadsonTech post] (7)
• Mobile messaging has to grow beyond single sync (0)
• Google’s fading home page (0)
• Google Chrome for Mac (Beta) (0)

The new film, created by the American Museum of Natural History, is part of an exhibition, Visions of the Cosmos: From the Milky Ocean to an Evolving Universe, at the Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan through May 2010.

Check out Journey to the Stars also!

Related posts

• YouTube using new control buttons? (0)
• Sony HDR-FX1000 / HVR-Z5 Low Light Test (0)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fire up the Flux Capacitor

The next time you have a parent-teacher conference, take a quick glance around the classroom, and see it through the eyes of your child.  If you have more technology sitting in your pocket, than in that room, your education system is stuck in the Dewey Decimal age.

An innovative company has made it their mission to revolutionize the classroom. In 2004, an accomplished Israeli business person, who is also an education advocate, founded a company called, Time To Know.  Their Digital Teaching Platform was developed as a philanthropic endeavor, in response to the many challenges facing schools worldwide and the lack of meaningful change in education practices.

Read the whole post at Dads on Tech…

Related posts

• iRewardChart reinforces children’s good behavior- [iPhone App Review] (1)

Panasonic released information about their new Lumix DMC-ZS7, a 12MP digital camera with automatic GPS geotagging (marks the picture with the location they were taken).

Some features are:

• 25mm Leica DC Vario-Elmar lens
• 12x optical zoom
• 3.0 inch LCD (460,000 dot resolution)
• 720p video (AVCHD Lite or QuickTime): AVCHD Lite almost doubles the recording time in HD quality compared with the Motion JPEG format
• SDHC and SDXC compatible
• 80-6400 ISO
• Battery Life: up to 340 images on a single charge
• Face Recognition: With new enhancements when compared to previous editions, Face Recognition allows users to register up to three different images for a person, helping to improve detection accuracy. Face detection is also included for up to 15 faces.
• Intelligent Scene Selector – Automatically selects whichever of 6 Scene Modes – Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and newly added Sunset – best suits the shooting situation.
• Other iA Technologies: Intelligent Resolution and Intelligent Zoom, AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control and Intelligent Exposure.
• GPS Geotagging: can record the latitude and longitude in the EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) data, while also displaying the location information real-time while shooting and during playback.  Has internal memory that stores information for more than 500,000 popular landmarks, covering 73 countries, and also automatically adjusts the time.

This looks like a solid contender.  I have tried their Ai technology on other models, and it is actually very good.  This year’s big feature for digital cameras is Geotagging.  As a person who has a photo library of over 30,000 pictures, there are many times I have wondered where and when a particular picture was taken.  Geotagging is an essential feature for any family vacation.  I look forward to testing out the accuracy on this one.

Pricing hasn’t been officially released, but the $399 figure is floating around the internets.

Related posts

• No related posts.

Checking out some Melvin Machismo videos on YouTube, and it looks like they are playing around with some new control icons.  Take a look…

These are very minor changes, but I like it.

Related posts

• YouTube learning from Hulu? (1)
• Sony HDR-FX1000 / HVR-Z5 Low Light Test (0)
• NEW 14MP Kodak SLICE Touchscreen Compact Digital Camera (1)
• A trip through time- The Known Universe [by AMNH] (0)

Pricing for the iPad starts at $499 for the 16GB (Wi-Fi only) version– far lower than the early $999 projections of many of the ‘pundits’, Steve joked. 32GB and 64GB versions are $599 and $699 respectfully – add an additional $130 for AT&T 3G capability.

Apple made the most of their PA Semi acquisition in April of 2008. The chip is their own 1-GHz Apple A4. It features built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, an accelerometer, company, speaker, and microphone.

There is also a new application (service) called iBooks, which will directly compete with Amazon’s Kindle.  This is very exciting.

Apple says the device gets 10 hours of battery life. “I can take a flight from San Francisco to Tokyo and watch video the whole time.” It also features a month of standby time on a single charge, Jobs said.

Two 3G data plans for the device: $14.99 a month for 250-MB or $29.99 for unlimited data.

The iPad will begin shipping in 60 days (March).

Check out the Apple site for more info.

What wasn’t mentioned:

• The new iPhone 4.0 OS which the iPad is probably using.
• No Camera?
• Media Server / Cloud for content (16/32/64GB isn’t a lot of space)

Related posts

• Inappropriate iPhone Use Flow Chart (1)
• Blackberry Storm 2 trying to get noticed (1)
• Blackberry Storm 2 9550… disappointing (1)
• Apple, you need to hire an in-house crank (0)
• 10.6 Snow Leopard post 2, electric boogaloo (0)

The Plus models offer more internal storage (8GB Pixi Plus, 16GB Pre Plus), wireless charging cases come standard, and Wi-Fi (Pixi Plus).

Check the Verizon site for availability (in-store and on-line) starting on January 25th, 2010.

Related posts

• Disney’s Mobile Magic application- the future for WDW guests? (0)
• Blackberry Storm 2 trying to get noticed (1)
• Mobile messaging has to grow beyond single sync (0)
• Blackberry Storm 2 9550… disappointing (1)
• Apple, you need to hire an in-house crank (0)

As every parent knows, finding ways to motivate kids to brush their teeth, go to bed on time, or make their beds in the morning can be a seemingly impossible task.  But if you have an iPhone, your job just got a little easier.  There is an iPhone application called, iRewardChart, from Got Clues Inc., and it is a really easy way to positively reinforce good behavior and complete their chores.

iRewardChart Menu

My 4 and 8 year old boys can be a handful before bedtime.  Finding ways to motivate them to turn off the TV, put down the DSi, shower, brush their teeth, get into pajamas, and lay down for reading time, often times proves difficult to do with regularity.

Enter iRewardChart.

In the Setup tab, you can modify the "Rewards" your children earn with their stars

I downloaded the app, tapped on it to launch, and it opened to an “add a child” page.  Setup is simple.  Just enter the name, add a photo for each child, and modify the list of “Rewards” that your child will earn.  It comes preset with a handful examples, like “ice cream”, or “extra bedtime story”, to get you started.  I found it helpful to sit with each child, and come up with a list of what they viewed as rewards.  This allows them to get excited about the stars they earn, and it reinforces the importance of good behavior.

Hit ‘Done’ and you are off and running.

One thing to keep in mind, each child has their own list of suggested “Rewards”, which can be edited, deleted, or added to.  The reason this is done becomes more clear as you use the app.  My 8 year old (Ari) has rewards that my 4 year old (Eitan) cannot get, therefore his list and reward amounts (even for the same reward) can be different.  For example, Ari will do more tasks overall (more responsibilities), so he will earn more stars.  If “Ice Cream” is only 10 points, he will be eating nothing but Ice Cream every day.  So, as a result, his points and rewards are adjusted just for him.

Here you can turn on/off tasks, and even add new ones.

Similarly, if you scroll to the bottom of the chart, you will see an “Edit Tasks” selection.  Here you can turn on/off which Behaviors, Chores, Responsibilities, or other custom tasks you decide to add for your child.  Again, this list is customized per child, so there is a little bit of setup involved for multiple kids, even if you are creating the same custom task.

Now comes the fun part.

Click the particular child’s chart.  You will see a list of tasks on a daily calendar.  There are 5 ways to give stars for each task, for that day: half/full gold star (tapping the star on that day), blank (empty by default), and half/full red star (press and hold the star for that day).  A running total for that week will show up on the upper right.  My advice, either mark up the chart in front of your child (with the volume on) or allow them to do it themselves, with you watching, of course.  When your child has accrued enough stars to get a “Reward”, they can go to the “Balance” button within their chart, and select which reward they would like to claim.  It will deduct the points from the total… and then it is up to you to run out and get that reward ASAP.

A positive reinforcement chart (weekly list)

Free or Premium?

There are two different versions: free and premium.  The free (“lite”) version supports only 3 tasks per week, and monitors only one child. The premium version gives you unlimited access for $4.99.  There will be an update coming out that offers some enhanced features, like parental lock in the premium version, and a few more options in the free (“lite”) version.

Conclusion:

I really like this app. In fact, I hate to say it, but my kids react to the mere threat of giving red stars.  I find that quite helpful, to say the least.  Overall, the app is well done, well thought out, and the features are solid.  It is totally worth the $4.99.

If I could have one feature wish, it would be to have an ability to set up/register with a web site (username) to allow parents (who both have iPhones) to each have access to the same list, while giving a passive login to the website, so the kids could go online and check their balance.  Adding a website would expand the capabilities, you could integrate Amazon wish lists, and make it a lot more complex.  It really isn’t needed.  For me, as a simple, clean, and easy standalone app, this is perfect!

You can download the iRewardChart app by clicking the icon below.

ZM

Related posts

• The online storage fun continues (0)
• The future for Blu-Ray, Apple, and Media Devices? [DadsonTech post] (7)
• Snow Leopard upgrade- a perfect opportunity for a media server (0)
• InvisibleSHIELD on my Unibody MacBook Pro (0)
• Inappropriate iPhone Use Flow Chart (1)

Your living room TV is under assault!

I am not talking about your kids throwing Wii remotes at it, or spouses sabotaging your inputs just in time for Sunday football, or not having any juice left in your rechargeable Logitech Harmony Remote, or even those tiny little fingerprints on the screen that make you go coo coo for cocoa puffs.  I am talking about the endless barrage of hardware media devices.

Devices like the D-Link Boxee Box, the  Syabas Technology Popcorn Hour, the Roku Player, AppleTV, Blu-ray players, Microsoft XBox 360, Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, audio systems, Sonos ZonePlayer, Tivo, and other Cable/Verizon Fios/Satellite appliances.  Whew!  I need an entire circuit breaker just for my TV, and I still have a problem getting all of my content the way I want.

What’s quizzical is many of these devices are providing overlapping services, each doing it slightly differently.  For some reason these hardware manufacturers haven’t figured this one out quite yet, or are just now starting to come around (for example, TV widgets which allow me to update Facebook or Twitter).  Welcome to the party, pal!

Blu-ray?

Much can be said about one group that has failed to grasp this concept- the DVD player segment of products.  They are just beginning to develop Netflix / Blockbuster Streaming, but are falling short of becoming a simple media hub.  I think by their sales numbers, these manufacturers are starting to realize that the DVD player is going the way of the dodo bird.  The only reason I would even consider buying one for is the Netflix streaming., not even to play blu-ray disks, funny enough.  Otherwise I can buy HD movies and stream them via AppleTV, or view my DVD ‘backups’ from one of the boxee services, like XBMC.

So, what can they do?  Well, the blu-ray players are about $130-225 now.  Some offer wireless or ethernet capabilities as well.  The base hardware can be expanded, and they simply need to add a software component to stream itunes libraries (the most popular, at this point), or insert Windows Media server extender technologies.  This is the tech-world’s favorite word- convergence.

Right now, you have four paths for convergence:

1. The TV
2. The Cable/Fios/Satellite box
3. Some third-party internet device (Boxee, Roku, AppleTV, etc.)
4. A Game console.

Unless every TV becomes internet-ready, or Scientific Atlanta gets it’s hardware and software out of the 90’s, or the XBox/PS3 game consoles really focus on a more open approach to software applications, third-way devices will be the object of choice for some time.

DVD-player manufacturers could move forward creating a new product: as a pass-through device for media.  In essence, they become a wrapper for content, at least until the other devices get on board with the cloud.

Some features to consider:

• Provide your basic blu-ray DVD services, as usual
• Create a pass-through of the Cable/Fios/Sat box, PS3/Wii/XBox, inputs (requires a built-in HDMI hub)
• An overlay framework for widgets (facebook, twitter, weather, etc.) available on all inputs
• Netflix streaming, MS Media extender plug-in, iTunes meda streaming
• Windows Remote Desktop or VNC.  Gasp!! YES- RDP or VNC for crying out loud!
• Wi-Fi remote (iphone, android, palm) App compatibility (like Air Mouse)
• Software upgradable (I would probably go with a version of Android for the coreOS)
• USB port for ipod-type device playing
• Another higher model- audio system with speakers

This would require a little processing power, memory, and some creativity.  I assume that the hardware would cost about $250-350 MSRP for the basic model- based on the current manufacturers parts use and volume levels.  This isn’t very much more than what is currently being offered for just a blu-ray player, or even the AppleTV, Boxee, Roku, or Popcorn boxes.

Cloud Media?

At some point, Apple, or whomever, will need to create a media server technology for all content (Music, Pictures, Movies, Podcast, Shows) so that everyone ion the family can access that library.  As your local content provider becomes just a data pipe (Internet) where you can opt in/out of content on demand, the need for 15 boxes by your TV will begin to subside.  Perhaps it will all be living in the Cloud (living comfortably in North Carolina)?  Who knows, it is anyone’s guess.

This will be the next software component piece that allows you to not only access your chosen content, but to purchase and find new content.  If Apple was smart, and they are, they would be developing the software licensing (so unlike Apple) for the technology so that they are the content provider and storage service for all of your data in the cloud, and manufacturers could simply create applications to plug-in to that data.  Therefore, all you really need is a monitor and a game console, both with a licensed Apple iLife storage software plug-in.

For all of us living in TV (version 2.0 alpha), home media means you have to flow through a middle-ware device, for the time being.  Eventually, either the network-connected TV (Monitor), the set-top-box (a future internet-connection device to access cloud-based content), or Game Console (providing the same access to cloud-ware) will simplify it down to a manageable level of plugged-in gear.

One can only hope.

Related posts

• Snow Leopard upgrade- a perfect opportunity for a media server (0)
• Mobile messaging has to grow beyond single sync (0)
• I’m a Mac… and why MS is unbalanced (0)
• Great site for looking at tech product reviews (1)
• Connecting a Mac to your HDTV with a simple HDMI adapter (0)

Solar-powered car bluetooth speakerphones were introduced last year.  Now IOGEAR gets into the class with the GBHFK231.  They are known for making some very good equipment, and this one looks fantastic.  You can pair two devices, has 11-13 hours of talk time, and it comes with the mounting bracket- all for under $70!

Similar devices have had problems with the speaker/mic never being powerful enough for the whole car to participate in the phone call (handy for those calls to the Grandparents).  We’ll try and get a test unit and let you know.

Related posts

• Disney’s Mobile Magic application- the future for WDW guests? (0)
• Prius Enjoyment (0)