Digital Living Room
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Once again Optima has raised the bar while lowing the price tag. Similar to the release of the HD 20 which brought the price of 1080 HD Projectors down to a reasonable point for the masses, the HD33 brings 1080p 3d projectors down to a realistic level for the average consumer. Priced at $1,500 as compared to most 1080p 3d projectors above $3,000. Also similar to the HD20 is the lack of compromise that you have to make for the reduced price.
At CES 2010 in Las Vegas, Sony demonstrated that OLED is definately the wave of the future offering thinner displays, blacker blacks, snappy gaming and 3D images, and lower energy costs. However, with even smaller displays not expected for a few years, the wait is killing me.
Rather than re-invent yet another home theater experience, Seagate has built on the Free Agent GO portable hard drive product to develop a simple home media solution that almost anyone can understand and implement. To create a slide show, simply copy the images and audio into a directory on the drive.
When one product totally dominates a niche market, and an upstart comes out with a competiting product, even if you can save a few dollars, the first question that always comes to mind is, "What can they really do that I can't do now?" Simply put, while both products can transmit video to internet-connected devices with some limitations, HAVA appears to be best for distributing and recording HD quality video inside of a home network and to Media Center PCs.
While sitting in your living room, you can now easily play songs stored on any computer in the house, or tune in to one of thousands of internet radio stations. Just connect the Logitech Duet base station to your stereo, and install some software on your PC and within minutes, you'll be expanding your audio horizons.
So you think everybody you know has either cable or satellite? Ask your mother, or ask a college student -- they'll tell you that a surprising number of people aren't plugged into the cable channels, and with the 20-something crowd downloading their entertainment over the internet, cable TV just isn't a priority.
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TECH2 LAKE HOUSE
UPDATE - The exterior of the Technology Lake House is complete and we are now working on interior finishing and electronics. Last year, San Francisco's Channel 7 ABC News ran a special video report on the construction progress of the Technology Lake House, and we expect them back for a follow-up soon. Click HERE for a DLINK Live Video Feed with pan and zoom features (userid=user, no password, daylight hours only).
Ron Rosberg's current project home, the Technology Lake House, is currently under construction on the shores of Clearlake in Northern California. Even though the house is a wireless demo house, we have installed more than seven miles of wires in the walls for dozens of flat panel TVs, speakers, control panels, and sophisticated lighting. So far, more than a dozen technology and fixture manufacturers have agreed to sponsor this project, which has been simmering in Ron's head since he attended the first CES show in New York in 1967. The 7,500 square foot project (plus three existing rustic cabin guest houses) is being built on a five-acre Honeymoon Cove resort with 500 feet of beach directly across from Konocti Harbor Resort. This summer retreat will host technology gatherings annually, inviting Western states home builders, contractors, and technology consultants for a live open house showcasing the latest in home technologies. There is room to park plenty of boats, so plan on coming up for some lake fun after the project is complete. For more info, send email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call 707-995-2683. To see the latest photos, visit Ron's Flickr gallery.
We are currently looking for products to evaluate in these areas:
- Home automation: lighting, security, and entertainment
- A/V technology for the 500 SF home theater media demo room
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Gadget Gurus technology reviews are heard and read by millions of people across the United States, including more than a dozen print publications, dozens of tier-one radio stations, on third-party websites, and more than ever, online at our own website.
NEWS: This year, you will see a number of exciting announcements from Gadget Gurus, including podcasts, our syndicated "Gadgets-in-a-Minute" broadcasts, and our ever-expanding "Best Of" lists. Also, you will be seeing our portfolio of magazine "gadget pages" growing into a number of vertical markets.
