tv

Apple TV: Handicapping the competition

The release of Apple TV is imminent--the first hands-on review has appeared, pre-orders have already begun shipping, and it should be popping up in Apple Stores by the end of the week. It's fair to say that Apple's first living room entertainment device is going to cause some major waves in the industry. At the same time, though, it's neither the first nor only product of its kind. Plenty of others--known as digital media adapters or network media devices--are capable of streaming digital media from networked PCs. And iTunes isn't the only show in town when it comes to digitally delivering premium movies and TV shows. So, as the Apple TV rocket leaves the launchpad, we thought it only fair to present a look at the alternatives.… Read more

Walt loves Apple TV

Gadget godfather Walt Mossberg is first out of the gate with a review of the Apple TV, and he likes what he sees. It seems that Apple's first A/V product designed for the living room worked exactly as advertised. Over 10 days of testing, Mossberg (and colleague Katie Boehret) was able to stream the iTunes-based music, video, and photos from six computers--three Windows PCs and three Macs--without a hitch. Even more impressive was the fact that the video streaming was stutter-free, even though he was testing with an older 802.11g wireless router rather than the state-of-the-art 802.… Read more

Apple TV now shipping

At long last, it looks like Apple TV is available for purchase. The Apple Web site on Tuesday morning listed the set-top box as available for shipment in three to five business days.

Calls to New York- and San Francisco-area Apple stores confirmed that the box, which is meant to deliver content between a TV and a PC, is so far only available online. A San Francisco Apple store employee said they expect to have Apple TV "any day now."

First announced at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in September under the name iTV, CEO Steve Jobs formally unveiled the device … Read more

Media system lets you eat what you want

With so many iPod accessories geared toward fitness activities, we appreciate that someone is catering to our lifestyle as well--in the kitchen. The DCD 778 "Docking Entertainment System" from Philips is a compact multimedia system designed to mount under a cabinet alongside the microwave and other appliances.

Kitchen systems are nothing new, but this one packs in a lot more than the usual combo. iLounge says this all-in-one package has a TV with an 8.5-inch wide LCD and can play DVDs, CDs and AM/FM radio and, of course, iPod tunes with two 2-inch speakers. And even … Read more

Justin.tv goes live

Justin.tv-- the live helmet-video blogging site we wrote about last month--went live this morning. The site combines a live video feed, public chat room, and head blogger Justin Kan's daily schedule--which loosely resembles a content programming guide. Entertaining bits of content are archived for later viewing, complete with a blog post with context for what's going on. The entire production is run through Kan's backpack, which holds a laptop hooked up to an EV-DO card.

Chatters can discuss what's happening on the show with other viewers (using Lingr, the live updating chat service … Read more

A PC-TV for the wall

We weren't particularly fond of the keyboard computer, but we don't want to hold that against all combo devices. The "Meivo TV," for instance, is something we wouldn't kick out of the living room if someone gave it to us as a gift. The 22-inch LCD has 720p resolution, an Intel Core 2 Duo chip, wireless keyboard and mouse, and is ready for both HD and Vista, according to Tech Digest

Made by U.K. gaming notebook maker Rock, the Meivo is priced at 1,000 pounds (around $1,940)--which may be its biggest … Read more

Fit 'The Office' in your pocket

You can soon view Pam and Jim's "will they, won't they" dance on your cell phone as NBC announced Wednesday it will offer full-length mobile versions of its prime-time TV shows on demand. Shows like The Office and Heroes will be streamed to your phone by MobiTV. Prices start at $1.99 each for a 24-hour viewing period.

You won't be able to store the shows on your phone, which is disappointing. Even worse, it's unclear what types of phones can pause shows and resume watching later. I'm guessing you'll need a … Read more

'The world's largest TV': 205 inches

How quickly things change. Just a couple of months ago, the likes of Sharp and LG were vying for bragging rights over the largest TVs at the CES show in Las Vegas, with sets around 108 and 102 inches. Now, Italy's Tecnovision has dwarfed those models with what it's understandably billing as "the world's largest television" on display at CeBIT in Germany, a 205-inch HDTV--practically big enough, Tech Digest says, to fill an entire wall. There's no information on specs or pricing, but we suspect that its name alone, "Luxio," is … Read more

A big-screen TV that comes in a hat

Companies have tinkered with the concept of wearable monitors for years. This summer, Santa Monica-based Headplay is going to see if the public wants to buy them.

In June, the company will begin to sell its Personal Cinema System (PCS), a portable movie viewer/PC monitor whose principal component is a sun visor that sports a TV monitor under the brim for close, personal viewing. The PCS also comes with a control unit with a memory card slot for playing recorded movies or videos; headphones' and a device for selecting and navigating through the possible content selections with your thumb. … Read more

Velocity Micro CineMagix Grand Theater

Perhaps one of the most notable sign of the convergence of entertainment devices is the media PC. It started with TV tuner cards, but quickly escalated to PC's which touted their multimedia capabilities. Velocity Micro has taken the next step with their CineMagix Grand Theater. A full-fledged media PC, The CineMagix aims to provide users with a total digital experience.