Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Tech News: Chrome Beta for Mac, Boxee in a D-Link Box & Verizon Droid OTA Update

by Michael Sheehan on December 8, 2009

in Cellular, Consumer Electronics, Google, Hardware, iPhone, Opinion, Tech News

I just bought a burrito just so that I could hold it to warm my hands. Yes, it’s still cold here in the Bay Area. But the Tech News is “hot” as always:

  • Hands-on Chrome beta for Mac
    “Google released the first beta build of its Chrome browser for Mac and Linux earlier today, and it’s hard not to be impressed when putting the Mac version through its paces. Chrome for Mac still lacks some of the key features that are currently available in the Windows beta, but this is a browser that most people should feel comfortable using.” (source: cnet/Webware)

    • HTD: It’s about time that Chrome came out for us Mac users. I have been using developer release version of it and Chromium for a while and have always turned to them when I want my browsing to be super fast. My Firefox is bogged down with plug-ins and seems to have a memory leak that renders it inoperable after a few hours (same is true on Windows). I gave the beta of Chrome quick spin and it is, indeed, very fast. Currently, Mac Chrome beta users cannot install some of the Chrome extensions available currently but this should change soon. As soon as this is available (which will be very soon), I will be hard pressed to stick with Firefox, provided that loading up on extensions doesn’t reduce performance.
  • Boxee, a Start-Up, to Offer a Device to Put Web Video on TV
    “Boxee, a start-up that is trying to bring the boundless selection of Web video to the living-room television, said on Monday that it would put its software into a set-top box that will go on sale next year. At an event in New York City, the company announced a partnership with D-Link, a Taiwanese manufacturer of networking equipment, which will make a device that will allow people to browse Internet videos on their TVs. The companies hope to keep the price of the device under $200.” (source: The New York Times)

    • HTD: I already am on the press list to review this new gadget! And I must say, I think, just from reading about it, that it will be a HOT gadget in 2010! I have long played with Boxee on and off on the Mac over the past year or so and was definitely impressed. While this may be following the Roku’s footsteps, competition in the space is really, really good, especially if it makes the Cable and Satellite providers nervous. We want our a la carte channel access and this type of device (subscription free) will hopefully make the “suits” in those media conglomerates sweat a bit. I have been a long-time Roku user as well and their recent software update that enables various “channels” of content is really making it a must-have device. I look forward to playing with the Boxee/D-Link device! Is the Hulu box next? Or a Plexibox?

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HighTechDad Wants to GIVE You an HP TouchSmart 600 for FREE! Here’s how…

by Michael Sheehan on December 8, 2009

in Consumer Electronics, Gadgets, General, Giveaway, Hardware

First of all, I’m jealous. I really like being able to actually play with the technology that I write about. It’s important for me to understand what make things tick and if I like them or not and then write about it. So when I was approached to give away an HP TouchSmart 600 to one of my readers, I started trying to come up with some sort of a crafty way to make myself the winner. But that would be unethical now, wouldn’t it! So, one of you reading this is going to be the lucky recipient of, from what I can tell, is a pretty stellar piece of computer hardware.

ENTRIES ARE CLOSED! Voting is taking place HERE between December 14-17, 2009.

Note: I have received some feedback that people just don’t have the “creative powers” to write a Holiday Song or Poem. (Also, my wife simply told me that it was too hard & too much work!) So, bowing to the pressures that are upon me and to hopefully make this a bit easier, I have slightly loosened up the “creative writing” part of the entry! Read down for more details. You can thank my wife for this (grin)!

HPTouchSmart_HTD_sm
So before I get into the giveaway, I should probably tell you about this slick looking machine. Treat this as a quick “virtual review” since I have not physically laid my hands on it (although I was tempted to head over to my local Best Buy to get some quick hands on so that I could be a bit more educated in my assessment of this device). So anyway, after reading through the literature and watching some of the product demo videos, here is what really grabbed my attention:

  • Touch Screen – this computer is actually really fun. You can be like Tom Cruise in the Minority Report as you move images and items around your screen just using your fingers. Of course, you can also use a mouse and keypad, but there are custom applications provided by HP that are designed to work with the touch screen.
  • Elegant Design – I like Apple’s iMac because it is easy to make it presentable without wires. Well, HP not only does that with the TouchSmart 600, it does it with elegance. The mouse and keyboard are wireless, freeing your workspace from clutter. There is even a built-in ambient light that illuminates your workspace at night.
  • Windows 7 – must say, I really like Windows 7 a lot more than Vista. With this computer, HP and Microsoft worked together to really showcase the power of the touchscreen. For more information, I would take a look at these 5 Microsoft apps which are supposedly quite good on the TouchSmart:

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