Roku Hardware & Channel Update CES 2012

CES 2012, TVs

Roku I am a big fan of Roku. I currently have version one of the Roku 2 XS which I love and version 2 is even smaller. However both have the problem of being separate boxes which means more wires to run to the TV and another power cord to plug-in. Roku has an answer to this problem the Roku Streaming Stick. Ed from Roku showed off the product at CES 2012

The stick is a little larger then a regular USB stick and plugs directly into a HDMI port. It is Roku’s answer to smart TV. It has the same chip and ram as the Roku 2 XS with the same great performance. It is based on the MHL standard. The one problem I see is that for this to work the TV has to be MHL capable, which I suspect many TVs especially with the lower price models are not.

This may confuse consumers, Roku needs to make it clear which TVs this will work with or what to look for It will come with a motion control remote that has WiFi built-in. The remote control will have power and control out. The Roku Streaming Stick can also be controlled by the TV remote.

Roku Streaming Stick

The Roku currently has 400 plus channels. The channels are organized in the store by categories, including favorites, religion, sports, movies and more. Among the channels available in the Roku store are TPN.TV and the Blubrry Network. Roku is continuing to update the channel store, to improve its interface and usability. The Roku is currently in over 2 1/2 million households and is still growing. The Roku Streaming Stick should be available in fall of 2012 and run between $50 and $100 depending on model.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast network

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PowerBag the New Way to Charge Devices on the Go

CES 2012, Mobile, ,

Powerbag logoDan from Powerbag shows off the latest in geek fashion, a messenger bag that has a built-in battery and charging system. Up to four different devices can be charged in the bag at the same time. Included are a selection of charging tips, including the Apple connector and USB variants. The battery capacity should charge a smartphone several times, or a tablet once.

Available now for $139 to $249 for a rolling bag with a bigger battery.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast network.

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GreenWave Reality Smart Home Services

CES 2012, Special Events

GreenWave Reality LogoTodd interviews Greg Memo from GreenWave Reality, a global innovator in the emerging smart home services market including home monitoring and elderly care. On show is their home energy management solution that uses wireless (ZigBee) plug-in devices to monitor and control power consumption.

The system is not just limited to power management as other remote monitoring and control technologies such as lighting and video can be included. The complementary iPad app allows the homeowner to select individual rooms within the property and make adjustments if necessary – for example, a thermostat could be turned down or the timings changed to alter when the heat comes on.

The overall solution won a CES 2012 Innovations Award so congratulations to GreenWave. Available now, starting from $200.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast network.

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CastIV iPhone, iPad, Tuner Mounts for Musicians – CastIV Sidekick – CES 2012

Accessories, CES 2012, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Castiv
Castiv

There are many smartphone-tablet holders out there. CastIV is one of them, but they look to add a little more than just a stand.

Geared toward the musician, the CastIV sidekick allows you to put your iPhone or iPod in eyeshot so you can practice your tunes. Even a Korg guitar tuner fits well in the sidekick. Just place the belt on the strings, push together and clip with the mount.

If you would rather have the iPod, Android device or iPhone on your microphone stand, well, they make an interchangable clip so you can cuff it on the stand, put the device in place and start playing.

For those iPad or other tablet owners out there, you can also get the Tab station – a mount for your iPad that connects to a tripod or microphone stand.

The Guitar Sidekick and smart station are $24.99, with the Tab station for $34.99

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Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine and TechPodcasts

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LaCie Thunderbolt at CES Unveiled

CES 2012, Gadgets, ,

LaCie LogoMike Mihalik from LaCie shows off their new Thunderbolt-connected hard drives for the Apple Macs, including the previously announced Little Big Disk and the new 2big, which has two internal 3.5″ drives. Also announced was the eSata Dock, a docking station that connects legacy SATA devices via Thunderbolt.

Thunderbolt offers seriously quick data transfer speeds with write speeds of 252 Mb/s and read speeds of 459 Mb/s shown in the video.

The Little Big Disk is available now, but the 2big and eSata Dock units won’t be available until later in the quarter, with pricing to be announced.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast network.

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Alcatel-Lucent Emergency Response Vehicle Geeks Out

CES 2012, Mobile, , ,

In this episode, Wayne from Alcatel-Lucent walks Jeffrey Powers through their geeked-out SUV loaded with every item found in the public safety realm, along with E-node B. They downsized it and connected to the emergency band in order to access the internet.

We walk through this SUV and geek out with all the cool items Alcatel-Lucent added. We also look at a special app that can be used for communication and information.

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Jeff Gets Head Shaved at CES 2012 – Schick Hydro 5

CES 2012, Gadgets, , , , ,

During the fun at CES 2012, Jeffrey Powers stopped by the Schick booth, where barbers were on hand to take care of that stubble – on his head. The barbers were using the Schick Hydro 5 razor, with 3 vibration settings, for a smoother shave.

Elliot from Elliot & Co was the barber who tended to Jeffrey’s hair. During the event, he talked with Jeff about the Schick Hydro 5 razor.

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