Explore the cold, dusty surface of these recent news items: Verizon Quietly Launches the Moto KRZR Cambridge Geniuses Invent Practical Digital Scroll Rover Opportunity Nearing Victoria Crater Universal Sonic Toothbrush CrunchGear New York/Digital Life Reader Meet-up → Read More
Earlier this week Apple announced that a new version of webmail for Mac users is “coming soon.” There was a bit of chatter about this around the blogosphere, with most people concluding that this fresh coat of paint on the inferior .mac product is a bit of a yawn. Even Om Malik, who’s been complaining about .mac for a long time and has reason to cheer, isn’t particularly positive about the announced upgrade and says that he hopes that “this is the first of many changes.” I agree that .mac is Apple’s most difficult to use product and needs a lot of work. However, I think that the changes are important for one reason: There are very few Ajax webmail services today that allow users to access multiple email accounts. .Mac will be one of them. I believe webmail is the single most important application to show off the power of Ajax. The reason is that we spend an incredible amount of time on email every day – at least 3-4 hours per day for me. When we spend that much time doing something, even small increases in productivity make a large aggregate positive difference. Ajax makes a big difference in webmail, as we saw with Oddpost years ago. Oddpost pioneered the use of javascript to help it copy the desktop mail experience, and was one of the early Ajax applications. Users could drag and drop emails into folders, open emails without page refreshes, etc. All of these features were tremendous time savers. It had limitations (it only worked on Windows machines and Internet Explorer), but it was acquired by Yahoo in 2004 and forms the backbone of the new Yahoo mail beta (try it out here). While other Ajax email applications are around (Gmail has some Ajax features but lacks drag and drop functionality, and Live.com Mail is very nice if often slow), none of them except Yahoo allow users to access other email accounts (it’s worth noting that Goowy has an excellent Flash email service that allows users to access multiple email accounts). If you use Gmail.com, you can only read Gmail emails. Same with Live.com. While you can forward other emails to your gmail or live.com email address, you cannot manage separate email accounts and aliases. That’s a big drawback for people who want an Outlook or Mac Mail experience on the web. What users want is → Read More
that’s been popping up on the back of several new T-Mobile phones? It’s the first salvo in the coming all-you-can-eat talk time wars between cellular carriers. Ok, that’s maybe a little bit of hyperbole, but they’re giving users one of the best new plans we’ve seen so far, and it’s coming October 2. That’s Monday, if you don’t have a calendar handy. MyFave 5 is a new add-on feature that allows you to pick up to five of your favorite contacts’ numbers from your phone book. When myFaves is accessed, it pops them up in a rotating menu much like Apple’s Front Row. When you find the contact you want, you select and call them, for free. Talk as much as you’d like to any contact in your myFave, it won’t come out of your monthly allotment of minutes. If you’re like a lot of people and only have a handful of friends, (Ozerman, looking at you) then you can basically find the cheapest compatible plan and chat your life away. → Read More
Besides the next big thing in media players featuring WiFi, your Zune, if you decide to purchase one at the slightly-higher-than-rumored $249.99 on November 14th, will also, naturally, come with a handfull of accessories. It’s all standard fare, but we thought you’d want to know. Personally, we feel that if it’s inlcuded, it’s not really an accessory, but we’ll default to Ceasar on this one. You’ll get your Zune player, your magnetically held-together earbuds, a USB Sync cable, and a micro-suede draw-string pouch. Nothing to really get the fan boyz in a tizzy here, though it seems that your pouch will match your Zune, which is something. Accessories in the box [Zune Insider] → Read More
The Google Reader team unveiled a revamped version of their online feed reader today and no one can say it’s not a real RSS reader anymore. They even took Robert Scoble’s advice and made a demonstration video! Changes include a whole new look and feel, folder navigation, unread item counts and the ability to mark items as read or unread. There’s a “river of news” view (click all feeds, view settings, sort by auto) and one click item sharing with friends. The new expanded view lets you scan down lots of items all at once. I really like it, but the Google team went to great pains to explain the use of RSS in the simplest terms (“your inbox for the web”) and made it easy to switch back to the old interface for users who prefer it. Robert Scoble had pointed out recently that unlike with Microsoft, who produce videos about loads of products, he couldn’t find videos about Google products anywhere. (Make sure to check out Robert’s new video show too.) It looks like the team took his suggestion, here’s their video. I think it’s does a great job of making the product and the medium easy to understand in just 49 seconds. Now where’s the video for people already familiar with RSS that will convince us to switch readers? Richard MacManus and Niall Kennedy are of the belief that the improved interface could lead to GMail/Google Reader integration. In related Google news, note that as of today anyone (with Windows) can use Google Talk, no GMail account required. http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=5980861656829941065&hl=en → Read More
This is sort of out of nowhere for HP, but it just picked up Canadian boutique computer vendor Voodoo PC. HP made an attempt at building gaming desktops a couple years ago, but didn’t seem to put too much time or effort into that market segment and shortly dropped the venture altogether. I’ve always liked Voodoo’s systems, despite their being pretty freakin’ costly and I’m a fan of HP’s desktops and notebooks as well. Voodoo is certainly a strong competitor to Alienware, which was purchased by Dell earlier this year. Now, does this mean Gateway is going to be shopping around for its own gaming system builder? Full press release after the jump. → Read More
I’ve been wanting to see the Xbox 360 Live Vision out in the open, but until now I haven’t gotten a chance to check it out. From all the product pages the Live Vision looks a lot bigger than in the pictures above. If you don’t see it, it’s sitting on top of the LCD (which is a 36-inch). The resolution isn’t too bad either. You aren’t going to be blowing up the pictures too big anyway. It kind of reminds of the little spaceship in “Batteries Not Included”. One immediate change I think Microsoft should consider is the color of the Live Vision. It matches the Xbox 360, but not many people sit facing their consoles. Not too big of a deal, but it doesn’t match TVs well either. Xbox Live Vision [product page] → Read More
If you want a Zune bad, and don’t want the pressure of walking over to Best Buy in November, Wal-Mart has got the answer. As of today, you can pre-order a Zune for $249.94 on the Wal-Mart website. If you read the tiny little letters you will see “Should ship on 11/14/06.” If you really want a Zune on the 14th, it might be better to just sit tight so you don’t have to wait for shipping or pay shipping charges. The good news is: Zune is coming. Zune Pre-Order At Wal-Mart [gadgetell] → Read More
Philips is doing something it’s not normally known for – being innovative in the digital media space. Their new PMP, the PMC7230, plays back MPEGs, MP3s, and PlaysForSure Windows Media files on its 3.5-inch screen. While there’s nothing special there, it’s got a couple other unique things going for it that separates it from the crowded pack. Take, for example, its picture-frame-esque form factor. Not meant to be held in the hand, the PMC7230 features a swiveling arm on the back so you can prop it up picture-frame-like on your table or seat back on the airplane. In addition, its built in A/V inputs allow you to record off any standard NTSC or PAL source, so you can load up your favorite shows to watch later without the need for a PC. Neat. The PMC7230 also has a 30GB hard drive and a battery capable of playing back 18 hours of audio or 5 hours of video. It’s meant to retail at about $350, and should be on the shelves shortly. With its thoughtful additions, look for this to be a popular iPod alternative this year. Philips Portable Media Center PMC7230 [C|Net] → Read More
From the Why Didn’t Someone Think Of This Sooner Department comes Solutions’ Universal Sonic Toothbrush. Now you don’t have to give up your favorite Colgate or Reach or whatever conventional brush to get the cleansing and gum-stimulating benefits of sonic brushing. Just slip your current toothbrush into the AA battery-powered base, hit the button, and you’re off, vibrating at 40,000 rounds a minute. For less than half of what other high-end sonic toothbrushes cost, the Universal Sonic Toothbrush is an affordable and welcome gift that we’d personally like to see under our Xmas tree this year. Yes, that was a hint. Universal Sonic Toothbrush [Solutions] → Read More
MediaWeek is reporting (but see updates below) that Facebook will soon add “sponsored stories” or banner ads to the news feed on users’ front pages. The addition of those feeds in the first place caused a big uproar around privacy concerns. The mere addition of advertisements doesn’t seem like a big deal to me – everyone knows it’s a moneymaking operation – but one reported feature could kick off another storm of anger if it’s not implemented carefully. When one user clicks on an advertisement in their feeds, all of that user’s friends will be notified that the ad was clicked on and will be given an opportunity to join a group led by the advertiser, apparently. Mike Murphy, Facebook’s chief revenue officer, told MediaWeek the following: “Up until now, most advertising on social network sites hasn’t leveraged social networking behavior…This offers a viral opportunity that is unique for advertisers that is not disruptive.” The write up says “The new Sponsor Stories ad unit will initially be placed in the third position within each user’s News Feed – as either a small banner-like placements or video clip.” If this is the Microsoft/Facebook advertising deal coming to life, this looks like a big gamble for both companies. Best case scenario: your preexisting ad space will simply contain an additional note that says “your friend clicked on THIS ad, would you like to as well?” Any extra notification for every friend’s click would be terrible – it’s easy to assume that a friend’s ad click would be considered an “event” that you’d be notified of just like so many other actions, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If done well this could be a great move by Facebook – it’s just hard to see the words viral and advertisement in the same sentence and not cringe. It’s largely a knee-jerk reaction, but it’s real. We reported on the launch of the news feeds as an issue largely of poor communication around a potentially beneficial feature addition. Though advertising in feeds is a logical and fair thing to do, making each ad a spammy social cluster bomb is sure to backfire. LinkedIn has told me they are likely to do something much more tasteful around ad placement in social networking; focusing on friend recommendations, context and making receipt of ad pitches completely optional. There are certainly good ways to monetize social → Read More
KOYONO makes some nice, tech-friendly coats that lean more towards high fashion than most others. So it’s not really surprising they hooked up with the high-end leather goods craftspeople at Orbino to make the Cambino iPod video case available to its customers. Available in black and three different shades of brown, the case is made entirely by hand from quality Italian calfskin with wax-thread stitching and lacquered edging. The spring-loaded palladium belt-clip also pops forward to do double duty as a desk stand. The opening for the scroll wheel is framed in metal and it and the screen have clear, protective coverings. However, all this luxury does set you back $90. A version for the Nano is available too, for $60. KOYONO Orbino → Read More
Ever have experience that problem of having six iPods at your house and you want to be able to control them all at the same time? I know, me too, it’s a bloody menace, really. Luckily, there is now a solution. In-wall speaker specialists SpeakerCraft have introduced the MODE Keypad. Essentially, it’s a wall-mounted LCD screen with a scroll-wheel, a volume knob and a few buttons. The LCD screen displays song titles, album names, artists, play lists and genres from your iPod. You can also use it to control MODEs own Jukebox music server, AM/FM preset stations and XM radio. It also has a remote for controlling it “from a position on the bed or while reclining on the couch.” No price yet. MODE Networks Up To 6 iPods Around Your Home [Automated Home via Slashgear] → Read More
Product review search engine Retrevo was selected to launch at DEMO yesterday and it’s pretty cool. We’ve written about competitor ViewScore here before and also launched this month is yet another similar service that just launched called Wize. All of these sites will help you find reviews of electronics and other products and each of them has a unique feature set that adds value to the basic search and aggregation. What could be better than services that aggregate reviews? Perhaps an aggregate review of these type of services. If that’s what you’re thinking, you’ve come to the right place. If neither gadgets nor reviews are your thing, I think the following are still interesting case studies in how to add value on top of product search and affiliate revenue generation. Affiliate and contextual advertising have created a seductive opportunity for monetization that many site designers are seeking to cash in on. There are so many sites that try to monetize affiliate links that I’ve grown bored with most of them, but the following ones are more fresh and interesting than most. Between these three sites I think that Wize has the best chance for commercial success, but I really like some of the features of the other two sites, Retrevo and Viewscore. Retrevo Retrevo just launched yesterday. It discovers product manuals and previews them if in PDF format, displays information from manufacturer websites, searches blogs and forums, professional reviews and articles and offers a preview pane to easily switch between sources. It does not offer numerical ratings, saved searches or much else. The variety of sources searched are very good, but not much value added on top of that. For a simple, powerful, thorough search – Retrevo is a good option. The company is backed by just under one million dollars from Alloy Ventures and is seeking further funding. They plan to roll out many new features in the future to support the full life-cycle of product ownership all the way to recycling things. Matt Marshall wrote about Retrevo earlier this week. ViewScore Israel based ViewScore uses numeric score averaging and a semantic algorithm to give products an average score out of 100 over thousands of professional reviews online. The review sources are ranked by another algorithm and user feedback. The site grabs product specs, compares similar products and offers comparative pricing from multiple online shopping sites. Users can also → Read More
Marshall Kirkpatrick, our weird cousin from TechCrunch who beats us up when we see him at Easter has written up a nice article detailing the selection different group SMS services that have been popping up lately. Sure, there was Dodgeball, but now you’ve got more than one choice. While he doesn’t cover all the companies offering similar services (that might well be impossible), he does feature a top eight, and not only delivers the details, but also helps you to find which one will work best for your needs with handy features matrix that compares the services side-by-side, so you can . Personally, we’d love to see an “overlord” service that allows you to communicate with all the services from whichever you use, but as this is a limited market at the time, that might be asking much. A look at eight multi-person SMS services [TechCrunch] → Read More
Remember when NASA landed those two rovers on Mars a few years ago? The plan was to have them look around for a month or so to find signs of water and even life. Well, they’re still alive and kicking rolling. The rover Opportunity is nearing the Victoria Crater. This is a big deal because Victoria Crater is one of the biggest craters on Mars. It’s estimated at half a mile wide and 230 feet deep. This will give Opportunity an, uh, opportunity to dig deeper into the Martian crust. The NASA scientists are hoping to be able to reach further back into the history of the Red Planet and to try to determine if life was supported there at one point. What an Opportunity! Mars rover reaches new milestone [CNN] → Read More
Clearly, this is a slow news day. Top 10 Weird All Videos [Srobbin] → Read More
It doesn’t even exist and I’m already tired of it. Due to some creative code reading of the Apple iTunes 7.0.1 update release it has been concluded that there may or may not be an Apple-brand phone on the way. Also, there’s word of a Cingular and Apple agreement for a new phone, making Cingular the sole carrier through mid-2007. Here’s a quick recap from some of the random speculation out there: I personally find the notion of Apple doing a mobile phone utterly ridiculous, since there is no clear intersection between the two target markets and there is already far too much bloat on phones. Furthermore, Apple would have to deal with a lot of regulatory (and technology) issues that are not part of their core business. iPhone [Tao of Mac] “4301.022″ = ” ^0 was not copied because the video format is not supported by the mobile phone ^1 .”; “4301.043″ = “Are you sure you want to manually manage music and videos on your mobile phone? You will need to manually eject your mobile phone before it can be disconnected safely.”; “4301.045″ = “Are you sure you do not want to manually manage music and videos on your mobile phone? All existing content on the mobile phone ^1 will be replaced with content from your iTunes library.”; Significance of this? Either an iPhone is coming soon, or new phones that support iTunes video, music and pictures is on the horizon. iTunes 7.0.1 Has Buttloads of Mobile Phone Mentions [Gizmodo] Look, I’d love an Apple phone. On this point, I’ll be delighted to turn out to be wrong. I think cellphones are as ripe for a radical rethink as the online music store was when Apple set up iTunes. But let’s not go all wiggy every time someone passes around an iPhone rumor on the Web. Odds are, it’s just there to get you riled up. iPhone Rumors [Pogue's Posts] Meanwhile, insiders say Apple is internally estimating that shipments of the iPhone will top a staggering 25 million in 2007 alone. Motorola’s RAZR, by contrast, has sold more than 50 million units since its launch in late 2004. Apple is betting a phone with Apple’s iconic design, elegant interface, and iPod-matching functionality will be a strong draw for users who currently carry both devices on them. Apple iPhone to be Cingular-exclusive at launch [Think Secret] → Read More
Bethesda Sotworks announced today that it will be releasing Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivions for the Playstation 3. They didn’t specify on any dates or how far along in development they are, so my guess is, it’s not going to be a launch game. It’s not so much of an issue though, since not many of us are going to have a chance to grab a console on launch day. Honestly, as powerful as the Playstation 3 is, there aren’t many amazing titles for the PS3 announced yet, so Oblivion is a great addition to the lineup. Bethesda Softworks also announced that it will be releasing Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion for the PSP at some point next spring—hopefully we’ll still be using our PSPs then. Oblivion For PS3 And PSP [elder scrolls] → Read More
Bloops. I guess we missed this news earlier. Looks like ESPN Mobile is officially closed and if you’re a subscriber you can use your ESPN phone until the end of the year but you won’t have ESPN mobile to push around anymore. The company has signed up only tens of thousands of subscribers since it launched the service in late 2005 and began advertising early this year, with commercial spots appearing regularly on ESPN’s cable TV broadcasts. Too bad for them. AP ESPN pulls plug on cell phone operation [AP] Earlier ESPN Mobile: First Half, Score 0-0 → Read More
