I Just Want to Be an Obscure and Eccentric Writer...: March 2013

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

A Futuristic Home is a Connected Home

Every year we see more and more tech that makes us more connected and mobile. We remember the days before smartphones, but could we live without them now? Could we live without our mobile tablets, our cloud connected devices, and all of our tech integration? What’s next? Well, the next big thing is the smart home.

Major brands are pushing major appliances with major advances. It’s already been over a year since Corning’s “Day made of glass” video promised an integrated smart home with interactive touch screen glass, and Google teased us with Google glass, the eyeglasses of the future everyone will want to wear. Apparently there are already fridges that tell you what groceries you need, and chat with the oven about what’s on the menu.

What Google glass feels like

Building a Home Office with Geeks.com

Despite what Melissa Mayer, Yahoo CEO, seems to think of late, many modern companies allow employees to work from home at least part of the time. Some companies are even flexible enough to allow employees to work full time from home.

Working from home is not for everyone. It takes discipline and organization. You need to be able to stay focused with more distractions and temptations than you’ll find in a traditional workplace. But for the right job, and the right person, working from home can be the right choice. It can be a winning situation for the company as well. Teleworkers are often more productive, happier with their jobs, and have a better work life balance than full time in office workers.

I’ve had the dreaded long commute, sitting in traffic for more than an hour each way, wasting time, going into the office every day. There are constant office distractions too—meetings, interruptions by annoying co-workers, idle water cooler chit chat. But all in all, I’ve been very lucky to work mostly from home about the past 7 years, full-time and part-time.

Nothing says your office has to be tidy...or well lit!

Build a Gaming Rig with Geeks.com

Whether you’re a seasoned gamer looking to upgrade your rig, or a newbie look to build something from scratch, Geeks.com has what you’ll need to build a nice gaming rig.

Why go with a PC rig over a console? Well, that depends on what you’re looking to do and how you game. Sure, consoles and games are more affordable than PC gaming rigs and many PC games, and it’s quicker and easier to get playing.

As with most conveniences, there are sacrifices…

Games look better on PCs and graphics can be stunning. You can upgrade a PC as you need to. There’s a wide range of PC games on the market, without console title limitations. PC games can be modded (modified to add cool features). PC games can now be downloaded and stored via the Cloud with service like Steam, saving space and money.

Plus there are plenty of free PC games out there for the playing.

If you don’t want to build your own gaming rig from components, but still want a great PC gaming experience, take a look at Cyberpower and get some all-in-one bang for your buck. Check out this Cyberpower Cadillac: the FTW 3011LQ - Core i5 3570K Quad-Core 3.4GHz Gaming PC. “FTW” means “for the win,” BTW, and this one is certainly a winner. On the lower end of the Cyberpower spectrum is the Gamer Ultra 3301 FX-8120 Octo-Core 3.1GHz Windows 8 Gaming PC, still an epic rig.

The FTW 3011LQ

How Tech will Drive the Auto Industry

A little over a year ago, I bought a new car. It was the first new car I’d bought in about 11 years. I was thrilled to get a connector for my iPod, satellite radio, and the option to upgrade to a built-in Bluetooth speaker. Other cars I looked at had built in GPS, back up cameras and other goodies. I knew of these advances in auto tech, some of which are now standard, but they’re nothing compared to what’s coming down the road in auto technology.

Autos will have infotainment at their forefront. As with everything, our autos are going to become more connected with devices like our smart phones, and more app based. You’ll see improvements in touch screens, and cloud connected and Bluetooth enabled interfaces that will integrate with tools like Google Maps, Android apps, and stream music from subscription sites like Deezer,Tunein, and Spotify.

Companies like Mirrorlink and JVC have previewed headsets that work with certain smart phones like the iPhone, and Samsung Galaxy S III. You’ll be able to access music, navigation and phone functionality seamlessly.

Mirrorlink and JVC have previewed headsets that work with certain smart phones

Do You Need a Pricey Tablet in an Affordable Tablet World?

Everyone's got tablets nowadays. I use social media, read books, and watch Netflix on my tablet. My kids play games and watch videos. Tablets changed our lives. Tablets made fun more portable, work more portable, connectivity more portable and life more portable. Smart phones got so pervasive in our lives, we decided we needed something just as portable and powerful, but a little bigger. Thanks to the iPad, the tablet was born! Then came the copycats!

Apple iPad 1st Generation from Geeks.com

Samsung vs. Apple… Who is Winning the Mobile Wars?

Ahh...the classic battles...King Kong and Godzilla, Ali and Frazier, Samsung and Apple...what's it all mean? Who is winning?

Few would dispute that Apple changed the way we think of mobile with innovations like the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad. Sleek cool design, a fantastic mobile operating system. Even a cult of personality in Steve Jobs.

Image courtesy of Apple.com

Job Hunting with Social Media - The New Way to Find a Job

About a year ago I was out of work, and looking for a job. Times were tough, and still are. Jobs were scarce. My Mom’s advice was to get the newspaper and start sending resumes out, and when I got an interview, make eye contact and give a firm handshake. Well, the eye contact and firm handshake may have helped, but in the end it wasn’t the newspaper that helped me get a job. I had a solid plan using social media that paid off, including a LinkedIn strategy, job search engines, an online portfolio and blog, and Facebook and Twitter.

LinkedIn is the hub of your job hunting social media presence.

Office 2013, 365 or Open Source?

So the bad news is, you’ve gotta update that Office 2000. You’ve slid by for 13 years now. The good news is, you’ve got options! For the first time, Microsoft is allowing you to rent Office with its Office 365 option. You basically pay a monthly subscription fee to use something nice you might not be able to afford. Kind of like I do with my house.

Image courtesy of PC World.

Crysis 3 on PC Shouldn't be a Crisis… But it Might Melt Some Wimpy PCs

Crysis 3 passed the 5 year old test. I showed my son the game trailers for Crysis 3, and soon after, took him to the park. When we got there he was blowing things up, shooting down helicopters, throwing bombs, and shooting explosive arrows. He wants the game. Mom will probably nix that though, as Moms have been cramping violent gaming for YEARS now. At least we’ve got the playground. For now. Apparently he needs to be 17 to play, as it’s rated “Mature.” They don’t know my kid. Crysis 3 was released on Feb 19th, on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC.

Crysis 3 from http://www.crysis.com/us/crysis-3/.

Blackberry 10 - The Return of Blackberry?

Read article on Geeks.com

Remember back in the days before we all had smart phones? We used to hear about BlackBerries (or CrackBerries) when Paris Hilton’s would get hacked, or Lindsey Lohan would leave hers in some hotel bar while on a bender.

BlackBerry was hot and cool for a time…but did it really go away?

The new BlackBerry homepage.

If you walk around any large office, you’ll see iPhones and Android phones sitting on desks. I’d be willing to bet the majority of those are the personal phones of your co-workers. Surprisingly, you’ll still see a lot of Blackberries sitting around on office desks, for business use. I know some businessmen who have had the same Blackberry for years. Creatures of habit.

Rim, the creators of Blackberry, have been going through a bit of a transformation after losing market share for years to iPhone and Android. Oddly enough, after all these years, RIM has finally decided to call itself…Blackberry. A big part of Marketing 101 is brand recognition, right?

On top of the name change RIM, I mean Blackberry, is pushing a new operating system--Blackberry 10, and two new smartphones to compete with the iPhone and Android markets: the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10. The Z10 features a 4.2 inch touch screen Lindsey would love, and the Q10 features a traditional BlackBerry physical QWERTY keyboard even Paris could use. Each phone should be on the market by mid-March, on most major carriers, for around $200 with 2 year contracts.

The BlackBerry 10 OS is designed for the multi-taskers. The BlackBerry Hub is an interesting single screen feature that shows all of your notifications including email, all in one place. From the Hub you can use BlackBerry Messenger, tweet, and use Facebook and LinkedIn, without going to the respective apps. Other features include Flow, or swiping between multiple apps, and Peek, which lets you peek at your hub without leaving the current screen.

Blackberry OS 10 highlights.

BlackBerry Messenger can now do video calls, and if another user is on BlackBerry Messenger, you can share screens so you can view the other user’s screen. Another interesting feature surely to appeal to business users is BlackBerry Balance which allows you to create personal and business profiles, with different modes, and different sets of apps.

The BlackBerry World app store promises the availability of more than 70,000 apps. Facebook, Twitter and Angry Birds are included, so we should all be pretty well covered. But seriously, most major apps are available.

So, RIM, I mean BlackBerry…why did it take so long? Did you not see your market share slipping to Iphone and Android, like the rest of us did? Tech pundits like PC World are saying that the lag in actual availability of the new BlackBerry phones could end up killing BlackBerry 10, before it even gets out of the gate.

PC World also points out that the Mobile World Congress is in late February—the most important tradeshow for mobile announcements. These new BlackBerrys won’t be on the market before big guns like Samsung drop their own mobile announcement bombs. RIM, I mean Blackberry, may have opened the kimono a bit early to competitors who might try to steal BlackBerry’s thunder before it even strikes.

So, what do you think? Still a BlackBerry user, and stuck with ‘em? Will they be able to win you back, or is it just too little too late? I would imagine Lindsey and Paris are creatures of…habit…so maybe they’ll be back on the BlackBerry bus!

Is 2013 the Year for Samsung?

Read on Geeks.com

Bill Clinton! TVs! Flexible phones! Bright lights! Touch screens! Pretty pictures!

There were a lot of standout booths and announcements at CES 2013, but Samsung truly stood out, not only with the booths that ruled them all, but with an array of interesting products and announcements that ran the tech gamut as well. Samsung promised a “goal of creating new experiences for all, through its deep understanding of consumers’ lives and its relentless pursuit of discovery,” and to basically create new “more human” ways for people and devices to interact.

Samsung’s new products have a focus in the television, smart appliance, connected cameras, and mobile arenas.

Samsung Electronics booth.

Samsung Electronics booth

Samsung previewed a prototype phone with a flexible display. The flexible phone is made with super-thin plastic, and now glass, making it bendable. Samsung also previewed a curved phone. The only possible drawback was that, at least in the prototype, the processor was contained in a separate unit…still working out the details perhaps. The prototypes also ran on Windows 8, and not Android.

In the TV realm, Samsung offers a full line up of larger screen Ultra High Definition TV (UHD TV) TVs. Samsung introduced the F8000 LED TV, featuring a quad-core processor. With an ultra-thin profile, a quarter inch thick bezel and a half moon shaped Arc stand, the F8000 comes in sizes up to 75 inches. Samsung is the first TV brand to offer support for the new high compression video codec, HEVC. HEVC delivers double the video quality over the same bandwidth.

UHD TV

Samsung is making smarter TVs as well. Using their S-Recommendation with Voice Interaction technology, you can get more control over your TV viewing, and discover the content you’re interested in watching, or new content you might like. S-Recommendation can analyze a viewing history and the program schedule and create a personalized menu of content, for each viewer in your home. Coupled with the Voice Interaction features, you’ll be able to speak to your TV and ask for program suggestions or intelligently search for dialed in content.

Of course all this TV interactivity can sync to your Samsung phones and tablets! You’ll be able to organize is all with Samsung’s Smart Hub.

Smart Hub

Smart Hub

Samsung wants to not only connect your TV, but make your home more convenient and efficient as well. Samsung previewed Android connected and customizable refrigerators, larger capacity washing machines, and ranges and ovens with more features than ever, with other common household appliances integrated.

The Samsung T9000 refrigerator

Samsung allshare

Samsung has the photo buffs covered as well, improving their Smart Camera offerings. The NX300 offers exceptional image quality, speed, and control, and works with Samsung’s 2D/3D lens, the first such offering for a consumer camera. A Hybrid Auto Focus (AF) system offers improved image focus, even with continued shooting. The NX300 also features a tilt display, allowing images to be easily taken from any angle.

Samsung previewed new PCs at CES as well. The Series 7 Chronos promises a thinner and lighter form factor, accelerated performance, and a Full HD touch-point display, all in a sleek cool design. The Samsung Series 7 Ultra Notebook is ultra slim and light, with a full aluminum body, eight hour battery life, Full HD and touch screen, and runs on Windows 8.

Samsung also wants to help improve your personal and work device integration. Samsung launched its Samsung For Enterprise (SaFE) program, which will establish standards to help IT departments decide which mobile devices are safe to integrate at work. Of course, Samsung devices will weigh heavily on the list, starting with the SAFE branded Galaxy S III.

Samsung showcased its AllShare technology as well, allowing you to share across all of your devices, offering seamless connectivity amongst your Samsung devices.

Allshare

Samsung’s been working on a lot of this technology for years. In size, scope, and offerings, Samsung truly stood out at CES 2013? The future looks interesting at least for Samsung, even if they are still working the bugs out on some of the upcoming products!

What do you think? Ready for smarter appliances? MORE integration? What’s next?

Images courtesy of Samsung.com.

TVs in 2013: Bigger, Pricier, Better?

Read on Geeks.com

How’s your TV working out for you? Not big enough? Not high def enough? Well, just you wait. At CES 2013, there were more awesome TVs than you could point your remote at. Bigger, huger, more HD than HD. TVs will be smarter, thinner, and have more amazing pictures and color than ever before. Just you wait and…see.

Let’s complicate things. All kinds of TV buzzwords are zipping around in the TV world. “Ultra HD,” “4K,” and “8K” TVs will be all the rage. So, TV resolution had traditionally been measured by vertical pixel counts. A 1920x1080 TV would be “1080p.” Things are a little different with the new crop of TVs though. 4K resolution is 3840x2160. Technically NEARLY 4K, or Quad Full HD (QFHD). 8K resolution is 7680x4320, and referred to as Ultra HD or UHD. You’ll sometimes see UHD used in reference for both 4K and 8K TVs.

Don’t forget the organic light emitting diode (OLED) TVs! LG previewed some amazing OLED TVs that should be on the market as soon as March 2013. OLED TVs can be super thin, and feature unparalleled black levels, contrast, brightness and color. OLED TV colors will blow you away.

The Hisense 84" ultra HD LED TV debuted at CES 2013.

Yes, TVs can be UHD and OLED as well. Sony and Panasonic both had 56” 4K OLED TVs on display.

Panasonic had 56" 4K OLED TVs on display at CES.

What are some of the other features you can look for in your TV of the future?

How about a gigantor TV? CES had TVs as big as 80 and over 100 inches on display! Where are you going to hang THAT!?

Bugged by fading edges in your TV viewing? Samsung and LG unveiled curved TVs to cut down on the fade.

Samsung had an amazing array of giant “floating” TVs that could be tilted and rotated. Their booth featured rotating TVs, touch screen displays, and incredible images. One of the standout, if not the coolest TV booths at the show.

Featured rotating TVs, touch screen displays and incredible images!

LG debuted smart TVs with 3D options, over 1,000 apps, and Wi-Fi connectivity. That’s a nice tablet!

How about a paper thin 3D TV you can see through? LG even featured curved 3D TVs.

What about Sharp’s 85” 8K TV?

From what I saw with my own eyes, these TVs are amazing, there’s no doubt. Jaw dropping pictures. The pictures and colors are unbelievable. The best way to describe them could be “better than reality.” But is this worth the price tag? Sure the prices will come down, but for now the biggest stumbling block will be price. LGs first commercially available OLED TV will be about $12,000. It will have a lot of awesome features, but it will still be $12,000.

Amazing TVs with jaw dropping images... and prices.

There are 4K sets on the market. Sony and LG offer 84” 4K TVs in the $20,000-25,000 range. The rumor is that Vizio will have a 4K TV that won’t hurt your wallet as much. Got $300,000? How about Westinghouse’s 110” 4K TV? That’s more money than my HOUSE cost, dude.

In addition to price, there are other challenges. These TVs are difficult to mass produce. There’s currently not a lot of content that optimizes the experience. So, it might be a bit before you’re hanging one of these babies in your garage. These TVs look cool and the pictures are amazing, but will they catch on? Is there a demand for more than HD content? What do you think?

In the meantime, be sure to check out Geeks.com's HDTV selections!