All posts by PLUGHITZ Live

E3 2012 – Game Capture HD with Elgato Systems

E3, Special Events

MWE LabFor those of you who feel saddened because your glorious video game achievements and heroic epic fails seem doomed to live forever in the obscurity of your memory then you’ll want to pay attention to Elgato’s Game Capture HD. I had the pleasure of speaking with Tim Böth, Elgato Systems brand manager, at ShowStoppers! during E3 this year and we got live demo of the hardware and software in action.

The way that the Game Capture HD works is pretty simple. You have an Xbox 360 and/or a PS3,TV and a Mac or PC. The Game Capture HD hardware had an HDMI pass-through that catches the feed from your console and sends it to your computer via USB 2.0 in 480i/p, 756p, 720p and 1080i outputs without losing a single frame. So you’ve got a couple options even if somehow you don’t have an HDTV to go with your HD game console. Elgato Systems also has their own software that makes it easy to work with your footage. Check out more after the break and get a first hand look.

Their software makes it easy to record with features like Flashback Recording which lets you rewind your footage and go back in time to start recording from that point. Their visual editor makes it easy to remove, move and trim your footage so that you can focus on the best of it and easily post to YouTube all from the same place. In case your familiar with other video editing programs like Sony Vegas or Premiere, no worries, you can output your video as an MP4 to use with them as well. That not bad at all for under $200.00, if you’re interested, go pick one up from Elgato here.

Interview by Jon Wurm of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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MWE Lab – The Emperor Strikes Back

CES 2012, Computers

MWE LabGeeks the world over would have left CES this year with tiny holes in their artificial hearts if we here at F5 Live had not stumbled across something like the Emperor 1510 to plug the hole and thankfully MWE Lab delivered. With the growing dominance of mobile technology that suggests you have places to go and things to do it’s always nice to find gadgets that make you not want to leave your home or office. Here’s why the Emperor 1510 does exactly that.

Gianni Martinez was nice enough to talk to us and give us a hands on demonstration despite the fact that he was about to keel over from exhaustion (just like me). Designed to be an ergonomic work station, it’s purpose it straightforward. Create an environment where the user has easy access to the technology they require and allow them to leverage its use in a way that maximizes the user’s performance.

I had a chance to try it out myself and even though I was only able to experience it for a short time, it does seem that 10-12 hour shifts would pass by rather quickly and comfortably. Take into consideration the amount of time and energy we invest into using our computers and a $6,200 investment in yourself is a small price to pay over the long run. Check out our video below and as always leave your questions and comments so we can sure you stay as plugged in as possible to this years CES 2012 news!

Interview by Jon Wurm of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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Corsair – Classic Gaming Peripherals Done Right

CES 2012, Computers

CorsairVisiting the Corsair booth gave us a look some powerful gaming peripherals that will certainly have your opponents rage quitting in no time. Corsair had two new keyboards, two new mice and three new headsets for us to play with this year at CES.

The key thing to note at Corsair is that the devices are designed by gamers for gamers. Everyone at Corsair has the passion and drive to make gaming a better and more enjoyable experience for the consumer and everything that the designers do and put together at Corsair is done with honest care. It’s something you rarely see in manufacturing anymore and was certainly refreshing to see when we got to talk to some of the designers.

Starting with the 90 Series, they are optimized for MMO and RTS games that require a lot of actions per minute or macros recorded to specific keys. The 60 Series are designed for first-person shooters. Both sets of keyboards have the Cherry MX Red keys, which allow very light, precise touches and triple taps for the hardcore gamers. Each of the mice also come with 5700 DPI, however feature adjustable, on-the-fly DPI options for your needs per game. The cool thing about the M60 is that the mouse has a “sniper” button, which drops your DPI immediately to 800 (default) in order to scan, acquire and then take out your enemies. It gives you the option to keep your movements natural and not have to be twitchy when you play your FPS. On the M90, it has 9 macro programmable buttons, however the buttons are placed in a way so that your thumb does not hit them or accidentally trigger a macro. This allows you to not have to disengage some of them because they are simply in the way.

Now, while you can have the best keyboard and mouse on the market, you still need to hear what’s happening around you and Corsair has crafted some gaming headsets that do not overwhelm you with over-enhanced bass. The Vengeance 1100, 1300 and 1500 are here to offer several options for gamers that have different budgets.

With Corsair, all you need is motherboard, CPU and video card and you can get everything else you need for your computer from them. For all our gamers out there, Corsair is definitely worth checking out for your gaming needs.

Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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Zimri Speakers – Small and Mighty

Accessories, CES 2012

Zimri SpeakersEver wanted a small and compact Bluetooth portable speaker for your smartphone or MP3 player but always found that they came up a little short when it came down to how loud or powerful they were? Zimri Speakers has solved that problem.

The smallest speaker rocks not only the Bluetooth option but also an 1/8″ input and can pump the tunes for 6-8 hours on only a 2 hour charge. The sound volume is very amazing for its size, too, and it’s something you have to hear to believe. We also got to see a prototype of a larger Zimri speaker with a microSD slot and a much larger and louder bass response that is meant to act as a standalone MP3 player if wanted, but can also still connect via Bluetooth. Finally, a cube speaker we saw rattling across the table was explained and we learned that it has a super-enlarged bass driver yet still does not have the distortion you’d expect in a device of its nature. This one, too, has a microSD slot and volume controls on the bottom of the device and they are recessed.

We also got to see a charging solution battery pack, in both 3,000 and 6,000 mAH capacities. These chargers have two USB slots, with one being a rapid charger and go hand-in-hand with the speakers that they have.

Take a look at the video for a Bluetooth test on the little speaker that goes over 40 yards across the convention hall without losing signal!

Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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Shogun Bros – A Twist on PC Gaming

CES 2012, Computers

Shogun BrosShogun Bros. was nominated for a CES Design & Engineering Award this year for their X-1 combination mouse, gamepad and demonstration device. Only using 1 AAA battery to power it, you can switch between the optical mouse pointer, gamepad and thumb control-based laser pointer with ease.

Other than the fact that this thing will control three important parts of your life all in one tool, the other cool thing here is that they have partnered up with Assassin’s Creed to deliver customized versions of their X-1. These premium mice are available in Altair White & Ezio Grey and sport a genuine leather look. In other nifty gaming products, a keyboard and mouse set is sure to tickle your taster as the keyboard is compact, yet still comes with everything you’d expect on a full-size keyboard and the mouse supports an option for quick trigger as well as 5700 DPI.

Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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Sennheiser – High Quality Headphones

CES 2012, Gadgets

SennheiserWe couldn’t go to CES this year and not catch up with our pals from Sennheiser and talk to our good friend Eric Palonen for another session of what’s happening in the audio world. Eric, although not decked out in the Adidas gear this year, talked with us about three products that were unveiled this year.

Starting with the product that was being slowly uncovered on Facebook in the month leading to CES, the audiophile in all of us let out a cheer when Sennheiser announced their HD 700. They are bringing a brand new sound to you by having the sound hit your ears at an angle, which provides a wider sound stage. By adding a noise-dampening frame across the entire headphone, they are able to bring pure, natural noise to your ears like never before. The HD 700 is perfect for the mastering engineer or the person who wants audio playback that is actually a representation of what was recorded without bass or mid-range enhancements.

We then got to see the HD 800, which looks like something out of Tron but with every design element being functional and purposeful. The 56mm transducer is the largest in a production headphone, is placed inside a larger, yet thinner earcup. The thinness does not mean the set is uncomfortable, though, as the headphones come with two sets of swivel points and microfiber cushions. These are perfect for the audiophile who has $1,500 to spend on a set.

On the more affordable side, for $350 Sennheiser has the Imperior series, based off the HD 25. The Imperior is made for the portable audio market, in that it enhances the music the best way with the loudest output without the need for a battery. It comes with an Apple in-line remote and mic adapter but is still made to work on any smartphone and MP3 player with a standard 1/8″ terminal.

All in all, good stuff out of Sennheiser this year and we’re excited to see them making headphones for all types of people and price ranges.

Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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Prize Monkey – Rewards for Fun

CES 2012, Mobile

Prize MonkeySeeing a big, yellow vending machine in the middle of the convention floor is sure to make anyone stop and wonder what it is. Upon closer review, a large LCD screen with a monkey on it further peaked my curiosity. Naturally, we had to talk with Brad Thorne, co-founder of Prize Monkey to give us some insight on what the project was about.

Prize Monkey is based off the idea that people love free stuff and the instant gratification that goes along with it, specifically when you use your mobile device. Using their “un-kiosk” and the cloud, users can interact with the monkey on the screen and impact his actions based off of input from their phones or tablets. Prize Monkey looks to partner up with different companies who create different promotional products to appeal specific demographics.

For CES 2012, Prize Monkey created a small demonstration of their product and by using an iPad, you go to the site, enter your email address and you will earn some “bananas” that you can then tap on to redeem a prize from the vending machine, in this case it was a small table hockey toy. Of course, the natural extension is making loyalty points important again and Prize Monkey looks to venture into supermarkets and even sports stadiums. There is some definite potential here if the right companies want to get on board and turn common social interactions into exposure for their brands.

Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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Fulton Innovation – Wireless Power Consortium

CES 2012, Wireless

Turtle BeachThis was by far Nick’s favorite thing at CES 2012. Fulton Innovation has decided to get ahead of the companies wanting wireless inductive charging and has joined the Wireless Power Consortium and has teamed up to create the Qi (pronounced “chee”) Standard using their E-Couple technology to unite the world and cut that final cord that ties us all down.

Motorola, Sharp, Energizer, LG and Samsung join the list of over 80 companies that will allow interoperability across their devices and chargers, which will allow consumers to charge essentially any compatible device (with the option to retrofit) on their desk, in their office or even in their car, because at the end of the day, it’s all about convenience.

The idea for wireless charging doesn’t only extend to the phone sector. All mobility is looking to get some love as tablets and laptops can also be made to do the same thing. You can purchase an adapter module, bolt it under a table and you have wireless charging whereever you want it. Imagine setting a blender on a spot in your kitchen and it charges with no wires. Then, using the same spot on your induction range compatible top, cooking with a pan that can go from boiling to simmering using autonomous functions. For the ladies, you could have a designer bag with charging capabilities so your phone doesn’t have to be taken out to plug it in.

The possibilities are endless and we’ve mentioned it throughout our CES coverage on our shows which you can find here.

Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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Canon – HD For All

Cameras, CES 2012

CanonBeing avid Canon fans and users ourselves at F5 Live, you could imagine our excitement to see what cool camcorders were in store for us this year at CES. In speaking with Ben Thomas at Canon, we learned that six new Vixia video cameras have made their way to market, in both the M series and R series.

The M series, the higher end of the two model lines, features built-in WiFi, severl new menu enhancements, a new image stabilizer called Intelligent IS and a 20% increased low-light performance than that of its predecessor. New this year to Canon is their driven focus on the ability to share the content you create. Before, it was extremely easy to produce content but getting it to your friends and family could sometimes be a chore. With Canon now moving to native mp4 support on top of its AVCHD file format, users can now get those files onto the web fast. Helping that cause is their new app called Movie Uploader, which is currently available on the computer and Apple devices. By using the app (or plugging it straight into the computer and hopping onto Canon’s site), you can share and upload any video you’d like to Facebook, YouTube or as an attachment in no time.

For the R series, these entry level models now pack a punch as they too include built-in WiFi. However, here’s where consumers looking for a new camera need to pull the trigger. These little guys have a 32x optical zoom and still have the Intelligent IS so you can zoom to your heart’s content. Oh, and it also has a mic jack, headphone jack and is DLNA capable. Add that to a pricepoint of $349-$549 and you have a Canon camera that become your best friend forever.

Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

Also check out – Canon VIXIA: Six New Models With WiFi, iPhone Tethering

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California Audio Technology – Top-of-the-Line Speakers

CES 2012, Home

California Audio TechnologyHigh above the Vegas Strip in the Venetian Hotel during CES 2012, we found audio company CAT, or California Audio Technology. They are a high-end consumer audio company that has been in business for 22 years and recognizes that while there may be a decline in the economy, people aren’t skimping out on good, professional quality audio components for their homes or recreational vehicles.

What makes these audio products different from the rest in their market is the top of the line materials used in the components. President and Co-founder Brian Barr jumped into details and said that their loudspeaker enclosures are made of Corian, Avanite, stainless steel, concrete, marble and/or granite. These are the same materials you’d find in the aerospace industry or even in a race car. For the actual speaker components, these 120 pound beasts boast an high-grade aluminum cone, the largest neodymium magnet on the back of the driver and a solid copper faceplug, perfect for dissipating heat.

Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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