It’s a snowy Sunday in New England and I just finished watching The Godfather to while away some winter hours. So I sit down with the Hitachi LifeStudio Mobile Plus portable drive for a test run. I hook it up to my laptop, install the software and give it a try. As I get close to the end of my trial, I realize that Clemenza’s famous line in The Godfather (you know, the one about taking the cannoli) fits this product perfectly. Let me explain:
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Question #1: How many different “picture modes” does your HDTV have? Ours has 4 pre-set modes and an unlimited number of custom settings.
Question #2: How many different audio style settings does your AV receiver have? I just counted 14 here.
Question #3: When was the last time you changed your system’s picture mode or audio style setting to match what you are watching? Uhhh … probably never. Though I once fiddled with my set-up enough to put it in “Stadium Mode” and it was stuck there for over a month. Nothing sounds quite like viewing a romantic comedy with audio effects from Monday Night Football.
As TechDadCentral, I hate to admit that I rarely change my set-up to match what I’m watching and listening to. I know that the sights and sounds of a Super Bowl broadcast share nothing in common with a foreign film, yet it’s way too much work to customize the video and audio settings to match the show. This should be automatic, right?
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You just picked up an iPad and now you’re ready to rush head first into the tablet revolution. You cannot wait to hit the App Store and download those great productivity applications (aka Angry Birds). But first, consider protecting your investment. Plenty of choices to keep that iPad looking brand new.
Case
Get a case. Think of a case as floor mats for your iPad. Without one, your iPad’s good looks and charm will be short-lived. Chose a case based on two criteria; a) How often will you use your iPad for presentations? b) What positions will you be viewing the device from?
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One of the best things about CES is wandering the massive show floor and finding a completely unique product that just makes you smile. I was rushing through one of the main halls and noticed that I was in front of the Samsonite booth. What the heck does a luggage company have to do with consumer electronics? I saw a small crowd gathered for a demo so I stepped inside.
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Spoiler Alert: I’m a total sucker for grilling accessories as there is nothing better than combining two of TechDadCentral’s passions – technology and barbecue. So when I received an invite from iGrill to check out their “wireless grill monitor” while at CES, I was drawn to their booth like a moth to flame – err - grill.
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Secretly, every TechDad envisions himself as a super-hero. We’re able to make technology bend to our will, unlike those mere mortals who cannot even program a universal remote. But TechDads also need a role model and who better than the Caped Crusader … Batman! With no super powers other than his razor-sharp mind and armed with only the command of technology via his utility belt, Batman is the hero of all TechDads.
Prior to CES, Mimoco emailed me about their new partnership with DC Comics. Mimoco makes Mimobots; designer USB flash drives that blend art and technology and they will be introducing a complete line of devices modeled after DC Comics’ characters. When I saw that the first release of the series is the vintage 1939 Batman – the Bob Kane original - I hustled over to the Mimoco booth for a sample.
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 The Young Clooney
Saturday at CES, the good folks at D-Link invited me to their booth for a quick tour of their new stuff. I own lots of D-Link gear (switches and routers) so I was curious to see what they have planned in 2011 for TV and media.
The Boxee Box:
D-Link’s entry into the set-top box battle is the Boxee Box – a geometrically intriguing device running the very powerful Boxee media center software. The Box does both wireless and wired on your home network while the Boxee software connects and plays your in-house media as well as out-of-home TV shows, movies and 3rd party content.
What’s cool? – the remote has a full keyboard on the back. Great for typing in “Schwarzenegger” when searching for a Dad-friendly film. Also, the Box supports passive 3D content with appropriate 3D glasses – more on those glasses later this week.
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One of my first posts as TechDadCentral was about the battle for control of your living room/media center between your TV and A/V Receiver. While these two tussled, a stealth entrant – the set-top box (disguised as a gaming console) – snuck through and is now the leader … and the story of how it got the lead took even TechDadCentral by surprise.
Xbox consoles have been around since 2001 and the current version, the Xbox 360, has been available since 2005. Many of you have one (or more) at home and it’s probably dominated by your game-obsessed offspring. As a game-playing console, it’s top of the food chain – but how is this going to rule your living room?
First some numbers - here is what's already installed:
- 50 Million Xbox consoles
- 30 Million are connected to the Xbox Live service
- 8 Million already have a Kinect attached to them
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TechDadCentral just returned from the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show. Over the next two weeks, I'll be posting an item of interest each day based on what caught my eye (and ears) at this year's show. So look for the following:
- Who will rule your living room? The answer may surprise you.
- Child safety 2011: Cyber bullying prevention and kid tracking
- How to look cool while wearing 3-D glasses
- Taking Batman with you
- What to look for if you're buying a new media system in the next 2 years
and another review by TechDadCentral of the latest grilling (that's right --- grilling) technology. Tune in tomorrow; same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!
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