GeekSugar

Daily Tech: Watch PC Vids on Your TV With FlipShare TV

GeekSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:11:03 -0700

Cisco's new FlipShare TV provides a simple way to grab content from your PC and watch it on your TV - CrunchGear
One of my favorite websites, Someecards, isn't very happy with Apple right now - TechCrunch
The family of the Sacramento mother who died after a Wii radio contest has been awarded $16 million - Los Angeles Times
Here are 12 things you should know about Apple TV 3.0 - Gizmodo
Check out Green Pixel's top picks for this month's downloadable games - Green Pixels
It's giveaway time on GeekSugar! Log in for your chances to win one of these AT&T Smartphones - GeekSugar

Geek Tip: 3 Ways to Make Your Friends the Party DJ

GeekSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:40:16 -0700

Every good host knows you can't throw a party without good music, starting with crafting a great playlist. Once you have that, though, people still might have song requests, so let them be the DJ without having to keep getting on your playlist to change the song. Here are some fun ways to create a jukebox using the gadgets you may already have:

Download the free Fluid Tunes (pictured above) for the easiest and most fun iTunes DJ - it uses your computer's camera so that all your guests need to do is gesture - literally, wave their hands - to change the song.

For two more fun jukebox options, just read more.

If your friends have iPhones, have them download the Remote App, which lets them connect to your iTunes via your network.
Got an Apple TV? It's a great party tool; play music from it and leave the remote on the table so everyone can pick their favorite songs.

Bringing the Party With the Apple TV

GeekSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:05:41 -0800

When I first told you how much I was enjoying the Apple TV, I mentioned that I thought the device was best suited for party people. And I am party people. No, not in a frat-boy Brody Jenner way, but in that I love hosting people at my house.

The most basic hostessing rule is making sure people are entertained, and the Apple TV brings that in a couple key ways. My absolute favorite thing about the Apple TV - and I am aware of its many talents - is its slideshow feature. That's because my boyfriend and I take a ton of photos, and the people in the photos are usually the attendees of our parties, so they get to reminisce about other events while enjoying a new one.

To see why the Apple TV's slideshow is different than others, read more.

Though it's true that other devices can display photo slideshows on your TV - I have used most, but they all have limitations: The PS3 requires you plugging in a thumb drive, an iPod has to be plugged in as well, a burned DVD demands much prep, and you usually end up with the same kind of visual effect; that is, one photo cycling at a time. The Apple TV's visual is much more dynamic, showcasing several photos at a time, so your guests don't experience awkward lulls of you and your lover gazing into each other eyes on last year's vacation. And you get to see all the photos on your hard drive, because Apple TV connects to your home network.

Likewise, because of that connection, you have access to your entire iTunes library with the Apple TV, thereby giving you the other thing every party needs: music. Don't hook up a stereo, don't futz with trying to figure out how to play music and the slideshow from the TV - the Apple TV manages it with ease, and your guests will love using the remote to treat it like a jukebox.

Plus, these days it seems that people spend more money on speakers for their TV rather than a traditional stereo system, so it makes sense to use your TV as your home music player.

Plus, the Apple TV can save a party - when things get dull, suggest movie night and start downloading a film right away.

Music, photos, entertainment - the Apple TV won't pop your popcorn or mix cocktails, but it will free you to do those very important things!

Source

The Practical Girl's Guide to Apple TV

GeekSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Call waiting, cell phones, TiVo . . . all technological conveniences that you told yourself (I definitely did) at first you didn't need; until of course, you had them, and they became indispensable.

This is now how I feel about Apple TV. Our friends at Apple sent me the mighty little movie streamer, and I've been learning to live with this new gadget.

For the uninitiated, Apple TV ($229) is a box-top digital media receiver - basically, a home theater enhancer that functions as a movie or music player. To hear my first impressions, and to whom I would recommend an Apple TV, just read more.

First impressions:

First of all, set up of the Apple TV could not be easier. You plug in the HDMI cable (or component, if that's how you roll), and it's just a few minutes to be all set up. It was truly one of the most painless gadget setups I've ever been through.
The most impressive thing about the Apple TV? Its abilities as a media hoster. That's right, hoster, not player, because player is so limiting. The first thing I did was connect my computer and iTunes account to the Apple TV, and bam, all my photos and music were available. The screensaver slideshow of photos (with several photos onscreen at a time) mesmerized my friends and me.
The movie watching experience is great, but I didn't expect it to be difficult. With no skips for obvious reasons, it's as smooth and easy as using a PS3 for viewing Blu-ray movies.
The 160GB of space is awesome; we watched a DVD the other night, and it skipped, so we ripped it to the Apple TV and watched it from there (effectively saving movie night and my nerves). Not only is it a better way to watch, you can rip your DVDs to the Apple TV's hard drive, and then never have to deal with those discs again.
Watching a movie directly from Apple TV is ideal, and way better than renting or buying from your computer (whether you'd watch it straight from your PC or transfer it from there to the Apple TV). Where downloading a two-hour movie onto my computer from iTunes takes me about an hour, it takes about 20 minutes from Apple TV and we were able to watch it before it had fully downloaded.

Who is the Apple TV ideal for?

Movie Junkies. This is the obvious one, but very true. Having the Apple TV means you can rent or buy movies and TV shows from iTunes (stay tuned for my impressions of that) anytime - no having to get out of your PJs or into the rain to get a new movie.
People who want to digitize their movie collection. You have 160GB of space to fill up, so you can divide that among quite a few movies and then sell those discs or just consider the file on the hard drive a back up.
People who entertain a lot. My favorite part about Apple TV is not movie watching, but photo viewing and music playing. Normally we play slideshows on our TV, but we either have to burn a limited number of images to a disc, or run it from the PS3, whose slideshow isn't as cool looking. Apple TV runs my whole photo library and looks amazing doing it.
People who are resisting Netflix, but sick of actual movie stores.
People who want a movie streamer. There are other streaming devices, but Netflix's Roku doesn't do anything besides movie streaming, costs $99 plus a Netflix account, and you could do it with an Xbox, but you'd have to have an Xbox and an Xbox Live Pass. No subscription is necessary with Apple TV.
People who are not ready for Blu-ray (or think it won't stick around). If you rent or buy directly from the Apple TV, movies are available in HD, and they look pretty clear.
Gadget junkies. Enough said.

This is just the beginning of my experiences with the Apple TV, so if you have any questions or curiosities about it, let me know in the comments below and I'll try to cover it all in the followup!

geeksugar's Gift Guide: Great Gifts For Gadget Guys

GeekSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:00:08 -0800

Thankfully, I have a gadget guy of my own at home, so this gift guide should be a breeze to present.

It seems there can never be enough trinkets and goodies of the electronic persuasion under the tree, no matter how useless some of them may seem. Does your guy really need a dark room projector? Probably not, but this is Christmas - the perfect time to give the ultimate geeky gift someone would never buy for himself.

Check out my picks for the gadget guy in the widget below, then swing by HolidaySugar for even more gift giving inspiration.

Source

Daily Tech: New Nintendo DSi Won't be Making US Debut Til 2009

GeekSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:42 -0700

Nintendo's new portable gaming console, the DSi, which comes with a built-in camera, won't be coming to the US until well into the 2009 calendar year since the current DS Lite is still selling like hot cakes. - Joystiq
Coldwell Banker has just launched a new website for potential home buyers that works for both the iPhone and iPod Touch, so that they can easily view property details, value, and location. - Unplggd
In just two days, the Blu-ray version of Iron Man has already sold out, making it the fastest selling Blu-ray DVD to this day! - Gizmodo
Apple's latest update to Apple TV not only fixes bugs and security issues, but it now offers a Genius playlist feature. To access, just hold down the play button while a song is playing! - CrunchGear
CBS has just launched a new HD streaming service called the Social Viewing Room where you can pick shows that are currently on and watch with your friends, etc. - TechCrunch

What to Expect From Apple in the Upcoming Months

GeekSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:00:49 -0700

The rumors have been flying about what Apple has in store for us in the next few months. What will it be? A mini iPhone Nano? An inexpensive mini laptop? Refreshed MacBooks? Oh please Apple insiders, shed some light on this highly debated topic! Well the Silicon Alley Insider got hold of Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope's Apple predictions and according to him, some new products are certainly on the horizon while other rumored ones, not so much. The yeses include new cheaper iPods, refreshed MacBooks, possibly an Apple Tablet and the nos include an iPhone nano, cheap laptop, cheap desktop and Mac TV.

Daily Tech: Forget Renting, Now You Can Buy Movies Via Apple TV

GeekSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:00:15 -0700

In response to major movie studios making new movies available for download on the same day as the DVD release, Apple TV is now offering movies available for purchase, whereas before, users could only rent them for short periods of time. - iLounge
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) aren't very happy with the GTA game series and are even trying to ban them. - Switched
Google has just rolled out mobile search for 33 countries and in 16 different languages. They've also launched Google News for the iPhone! - Crave
Goodbye boring Linksys router, hello gorgeous sleek, black router! Linksys has spiced up their line of routers and included this sexy one in the mix. - Popgadget
Every few weeks, Nintendo will be offering a series of worldwide Mario Kart Wii tournaments that will allow users from all across the world to compete! - Kotaku

Take a Guided Tour of Apple TV 2.0

GeekSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:50:36 -0800

Now that Apple TV has its fancy new software upgrades, what better way to welcome it into our lives then with a guided video tour? Yes, as you'll see, for $229 you can now directly rent movies for your computer, iPod, iPhone, or TV; listen to podcasts; watch YouTube videos; or display your personal photos from your Flickr account or .Mac galleries. Just as with every other Apple guided tour, I can't help but get mesmerized by the features - they make it look so seamless! Check it out below!

Will Apple's $229 TV Change the Way You Rent Movies?

GeekSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:06:34 -0800

Let's face it, Apple could be selling an actual apple and the keynote would still be exciting. So I'm cautiously optimistic about Apple TV and its new enhancements; Steve Jobs certainly made it sound cool and revolutionary, but how welcome is it in the world of movie rental?

I'm all for renting movies in the most convenient way possible (hence my love for Netflix), but I'm not sure I want to put down $229 for the box and then $3 to $5 each time I rent. Rental prices are equivalent to those you would find at brick-and-mortar stores, but I feel like a monthly flat fee (in Netflix's case, under 20 bucks for unlimited three-at-a-time rentals) is more reasonable, even with snail mail factored in. I have to admire Jobs's tenacity, though - the man has been riding high on knowing what people want.

It seems as though Apple didn't announce the release of an e-book reader because, in his words from yesterday's New York Times interview, Amazon's Kindle won't go anywhere because "people don't read anymore." I have to assume that based on that, he thinks people are not only renting movies more than ever, but they want a better way to do it.