New Product Reviews

 

 

Sony’s Cyber-Shot® DSC-H9 Will Capture Your Photo Heart
Sony’s newest model in the Cyber-shot® full-featured point and shoot digital camera, was worth the wait. 
 
The DSC-H9 and DSC-H7 replace the previous models, the DSC-H5 and DSC-H2.  Familiar options with a Carl Zeiss® lens and new enhancements of a full HD 1080 still image at 8.1 megapixels, a 15x zoom, and automatic face technology so good that camera manufacturers have given new life to a mature market.
 
The DSC-H9, whether black or silver, is one camera you will fall in love with.  Having the capability to shoot HD 1080 images with high definition output, take movies in 3 types of movie modes, advanced sports shooting mode up to 1/4000 of a second and sensitivity up to 3200 ISO, NightShot® so you can shoot in near absolute darkness, a 3.0” tilt-up lcd for viewing far above or below eye level, and a remote control so you can be included in a shot without racing against a timer.  Add to that, you’re still able to shoot in manual and automatic modes and have the expected Super SteadyShot® Optical Image Stabilization. 
 
The only disadvantage I can find is the necessity of a non-standard 74 mm filter and a battery which takes 4-6 hours to charge. 
 
The biggest differences between the DSC-H9 and DSC-H7 is a 2.5 inch non-tilting LCD viewing screen and NightShot®.  Suggested retail prices are $480 and $400. 
 
www.sonystyle.com

 

Pimples Vanish with Mario Badescu
 
Written by Joyce Chow
 
Pimples, what a pain, and how you want to pop and make them go away.  Like most, I have had my share of periodic breakouts that arrive at the most inconvenient times.  So I've searched for options to prevent them, make them go away and cover them up.
 
Enter Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion.  Never before have I tired anything this effective at drying out pimples and whiteheads.  It is as advertised "our world-famous pimple treatment effectively dries up whiteheads overnight." 
 
When you first apply the drying lotion, it stinks horribly but then the smell goes away within several minutes.  In the morning, the pimples and whitehead had disappeared.  I almost had to pinch myself.  The price, an extremely reasonable $17. 
 
Mario Badescu Skin Care products, I happily discovered while covering gifting suites the week of the ©Academy Awards®.  I was fortunate to be given a goodie bag that had this in it when visiting with a friend.
 
Mario Badescu, thanks for sharing.  You've just gained a lifelong customer.

 

Craving McDonald’s Angus Burgers
 
McDonald’s Angus burger, being tested only in California , is a burger you’ll crave once you’ve tasted it.  Crave a burger?  At $3.99, and McDonald’s most expensive one, you bet!
 
Too bad for the rest of you, but Californians take note, it is that good.  The rest of you will just have to hope that it arrives to your area soon.
 
When I first saw the signs for McDonald’s Angus burger, I thought why not.  Kobe beef, a favorite, is still far from the fast food radar.  Carl’s Jr. Six Dollar Burgers are quite good, however some of the locations are phasing them out.  In and Out makes a great burger, but as many know it’s not quite an in and out trip nor are the locations as abundant as other fast food locales. 
 
McDonald’s Angus Third Pounder burger comes in 3 versions:  Deluxe with American cheese, tomato slices, lettuce, red onion and pickles;  Mushroom and Swiss cheese; and Bacon and American cheese.  The calorie count ranges from 720 to 860 calories.
 
We’ve tried the McDonald’s Angus burger in 3 different locations in the Southern California area – on LaBrea and LaTijera in Los Angeles , and Artesia in Torrance .  We’ve tried the Deluxe and Mushroom and Swiss varieties.  Both are excellent, but the Deluxe was more moist and the crunch of the red onions added more zest than the richer Mushroom and Swiss version. 
 
An Angus burger is essentially the same meat that you typically find in a burger, however it’s leaner and healthier.  Von’s Pavilions supermarket, uses angus as their premium beef in what they promote as their Rancher’s Reserve.
 
The biggest sign that the McDonald’s Angus burgers are this good, is that I pass on the French fries if I’m not hungry enough for both, which is typically what I eat first, their legendary can’t have enough French Fries.  How good is the Angus Third Pounder?  I’ve had 3 in the past 4 days. The proof is in my craving. 
 
McDonald's introduction of the Angus Third Pounder has had some concerned that McDonald's may be abandoning their base.  While I happen to crave it, the 1/4 page ad in Sunday March 11th's Los Angeles Times main section and then the 1-1\2 page wrap around Sunday's sports section with coupons, make this quite an introduction.

 

Joyce Chow

Follow-up on WII

Nintendo's Wii game console debuts in Japan

On a quest to regain its former industry dominance, the video game pioneer stocked retailers with about 400,000 units of the new console, which flew off the shelves as people rushed to buy after queuing overnight.

The Wii, priced at 25,000 yen (217 dollars), comes with an innovative remote control, whose motion sensors enable it to be used like a sword, tennis racket or car steering-wheel.

Kyoto-based Nintendo leads the global market in portable machines and has been taking aim at beleaguered Sony's lead in stand-alone consoles, as has US software giant Microsoft.

Sony last month rolled out its long-awaited PlayStation 3, a super-fast machine with a high-definition DVD player, which had been beset by delays due to production problems.

The two Japanese companies went head to head last month in the United States, their key market for holiday-season sales, releasing the Wii and PlayStation 3 within days of each other.

Sony also enjoyed an enthusiastic response for its world debut of the PlayStation 3 in Japan on November 11, when all 100,000 machines sold out on the first day despite the 49,980-yen price tag.

 

 

 

Wii is a Massive Hit


 
 
   Built on a foundation of pure fun, Nintendo's new Wii (TM) video game system sold through to more than 600,000 consumers in the Americas in just its first eight days of availability. (PRNewsFoto/Nintendo)

 11/28/2006
 
 
   Wii logo. (Nintendo)

REDMOND, WA UNITED STATES 10/11/2006
 
  
       600,000 First-Week Purchases Attracting Veteran and New Gamers

     Nov. 28 -- Built on a foundation of pure
fun, Nintendo's new Wii(TM) video game system sold through to more than
600,000 consumers in the Americas in just its first eight days of
availability. That's a rate of nearly one per second continuously since the
Nov. 19 launch. Including just first-party software and accessory sales,
Wii instantly has become a $190 million business in the Americas.  
    During the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend, there was plenty of
conversation across the nation about the high demand for the Wii system,
with the acknowledgment that if you see one, you'd better buy it.
    "Even with sales already in excess of 600,000 units, demand continues
to exceed supply, as it's clear this is one of the 'gotta-have' products
for the holiday season," says Nintendo of America President Reggie
Fils-Aime. "We've shipped retailers several times the amount of hardware
the other company was able to deliver for its launch around the same time
-- and we still sold out. Given the inclusive nature of Wii game play,
we're seeing this new form of video gaming is already a huge hit with
gamers and newcomers alike. It continues to be a phenomenal launch."
    The system also is succeeding in its stated mission of reinvigorating
current players, while attracting new ones. Every Wii system includes the
five-game Wii Sports(TM) software, which is the talk of the Internet,
featuring countless reports on how previously devout non-gamers have
suddenly been converted via the amazing new way games are experienced using
the system's remarkable controller. At the same time, the masterful The
Legend of Zelda(R): Twilight Princess, a favorite of avid gamers, already
has achieved sales of more than 454,000 units in the Americas, representing
more than 75 percent of all hardware purchasers.
    Licensees, pleased not only with the sales performance of the Wii, but
also its creative development capabilities, are publicly sharing their
comments:
    "Madden NFL 07 is a great example of how the Wii gives players a whole
new experience on their favorite games," says EA Studio President Paul Lee.
"EA's creative teams are working to build more Wii features into some of
our most popular franchises."
    "The creativity we've been able to unleash on the Wii system with our
game Red Steel has been eye-opening for our development teams," explains
Ubisoft President Laurent Detoc. "Having the opportunity to design and
develop entirely new game-play experiences using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk
is both exciting and rewarding."
    Classic games also are proving to be a hit on Wii, which offers
downloadable access to 20 years of the best of Nintendo(R), Sega Genesis(R)
and TurboGrafx16(TM) hits via the system's Virtual Console(TM) feature.
    The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment,
Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and
software for its Wii(TM), Nintendo DS(TM), Game Boy(R) Advance and Nintendo
GameCube(TM) systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.2 billion
video games and more than 387 million hardware units globally, and has
created industry icons like Mario(TM), Donkey Kong(R), Metroid(R),
Zelda(TM) and Pokemon(R). A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America
Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's
operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo,
visit the company's Web site at http://www.nintendo.com.

SOURCE Nintendo
 

 

 

PS3

As of last week, the highest-priced PS3 auctions on eBay were around $1,500, but all of a sudden, some are now double that

 

Sony’s PS3 Review from the Gran Turismo Awards

Sony’s Playstation3 goes on sale tonight at midnight and for days we have been seeing the lines for this much anticipated introduction.

We were one of the fortunate few to test the PS3 at the Gran Turismo Awards at the SEMA Show earlier this month on November 1st. Sony’s PS3, as one of the sponsors had PS3s GT HD available for driving on 10 stations in the general area and another handful upstairs in the VIP area.

Joseph Van Dyke from Utah compared the PS3 to the prior PS2 as “mind boggling” and “icing on the cake”. The PS3 tops it all with more graphics. 

Gamer Roger Jones from Ohio thought having a Blu-Ray DVD player included was a bonus, but admitted he would buy the PS3 anyway. Was it better? He would have to test more. Jones enjoys motorcycle racing and considers gaming a method for him to ride all year round. He averages around 40 hours of playtime during winter months and 8 hours during the summer on more than 8 different consoles including earlier versions of the Playstation, Xbox and other game consoles. 

The PS3 graphics were amazing! High def with hyper realism.

The difference between the $499 and $599 versions is the larger hard disk drive of 60 GB (vs. 20 GB), Memory Stick/SD/CompactFlash slots, and wi-fi. As for the controllers, I wish I’d known there were motions sensors, although I could never quite get the handle of those and always preferred the driving wheels with feedback for truer driving simulations.

Gradually during the night, some of PS3 stations needed to be rebooted but without direct access to the consoles or the know how, they were becoming abandoned. Perhaps not due to the music by Pharrell Williams’ DJ, Jus Ske, but by a stage performance by iconic rock band Foreigner after the Gran Turismo Awards.

Allocations for the PS3 are 400,000 units in the United States. Planned allocations for Japan/Asia were 100,000, however we’ve heard stories that the actual availability was around 80,000. Sony hopes to have shipped a total of 2 million PS3 consoles before the end of the year and 6 million by April 1, 2007, according to Absolute-Playstation. They have warned not to expect this many actually available for sale, as they take time to get from the factory to the retailers. In other words, totals are subject to change.

Games available for the PS3 are in short supply with a total of 7 titles according to Sony with release dates coinciding with the PS3, NBA ’07, Resistance: Fall of Man, Genji: Days of the Blade, Ridge Racer 7, Untold Legends Dark Kingdom, NBA 2K7, and NHL 2K7.

Earlier Playstation games as well as your DVD and CD collection on the PS3, however they may perform differently or may not perform properly.

In speaking with gamers, the blu-ray is a great addition, but they’d buy the PS3 anyway. For those of us that enjoy gaming, but aren’t hard-core, it’s a reasonable way to buy a blu-ray player with gaming included vs. spending nearly $1000 just for the blu-ray high definition dvd player. 

For more info, visit www.us.playstation.com or www.playstation.com

Joyce Chow Editor

 

          

It is estimated that Sony is taking a big loss on each PS3 console it sells but end users are benefitting from it at the price of a cheap PC.

Console makers often sell their hardware at a loss with the hope of profiting from the games that run on them.

It is estimated the combined materials and manufacturing costs for each device come to about $806 for the model with a 20GB hard drive, excluding the cost of the controller, cables, and packaging.

With a suggested retail price of $499, that would mean Sony is taking a loss of about $307 on each console it sells. The differential for the 60GB model is less, with the cost exceeding the price tag by $241.

By comparison, the materials and manufacturing costs for the hard-drive version of Microsoft's rival device, the

XBOX 360 are $323, less than the suggested retail price of $399.

Die-hard gamers and entrepreneurs prepared to shell out $500 or more for the new PlayStation 3 console that goes on sale Friday, many of them after waiting in line for days despite the likelihood they'd go home empty-handed.

Retailers across the country arranged midnight sales at some of their stores. Lines sometimes stretched around the block, even where the first consoles wouldn't be sold until Friday morning. Deliveries went down to the wire with FedEx vans sending boxes of the sleek black or silver consoles to individual stores Thursday.

Short supplies and strong demand could be the formula for trouble as Sony Corps  PlayStation 3 makes its U.S. debut, a half-year late because of problems completing work on a built-in, next-generation DVD player.

The struggling electronics company, which has contended with laptop battery recalls and trails rivals in key products such as music players and liquid crystal displays, is counting on the PS3 to maintain and build its dominant position in video game consoles.

In Palmdale, Calif., authorities shut down a Super Wal-Mart after some shoppers got rowdy late Wednesday and started running around inside the store.

At a Circuit City Stores Inc. location in New York, potential buyers traded accusations of line-cutting and tried to avoid fights amid heightened emotions.

Machines sold out quickly in Japan when they went on sale last Saturday. Plagued with production problems, Sony only had 100,000 available for the Japanese launch of which it has been said only 80,000 were delivered at time of sales opening.

Sony promised 400,000 PS3 machines for the United States on Friday and about 1 million by year's end. Worldwide, it was expecting 2 million this year, half its original projections. Sony has already delayed the European launch until March.

 

 

 

Official PS3 Specs

Here are the official technical specifications for the PS3, taken directly from Sony:

CPU
Cell Processor
PowerPC-base Core @3.2GHz
1 VMX vector unit per core
512KB L2 cache
7 x SPE @3.2GHz
7 x 128b 128 SIMD GPRs
7 x 256KB SRAM for SPE
* 1 of 8 SPEs reserved for redundancy
total floating point performance: 218 GFLOPS

GPU
RSX @550MHz
1.8 TFLOPS floating point performance
Full HD (up to 1080p) x 2 channels
Multi-way programmable parallel floating point shader pipelines

Sound
Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell- base processing)
Memory
256MB XDR Main RAM @3.2GHz 256MB GDDR3 VRAM @700MHz

System Bandwidth
Main RAM 25.6GB/s
VRAM 22.4GB/s
RSX 20GB/s (write) + 15GB/s (read)
SB< 2.5GB/s (write) + 2.5GB/s (read)

System Floating Point Performance
2 TFLOPS

Storage
Detachable 2.5" HDD slot x 1

I/O
USB Front x 4, Rear x 2 (USB2.0)
Memory Stick standard/Duo, PRO x 1
SD standard/mini x 1
CompactFlash (Type I, II) x 1

Communication
Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) x 3 (input x 1 + output x 2)
Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)

Controller
Bluetooth (up to 7)
USB 2.0 (wired)
Wi-Fi (PSP)
Network (over IP)

AV Output
Screen size: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
HDMI: HDMI out x 2
Analog: AV MULTI OUT x 1
Digital audio: DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) x 1

Disc Media
CD PlayStation CD-ROM, PlayStation 2 CD-ROM, CD-DA, CD-DA (ROM), CD-R, CD-RW, SACD, SACD Hybrid (CD layer), SACD HD, DualDisc, DualDisc (audio side), DualDisc (DVD side)
DVD: PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM, PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW
Blu-ray Disc: PlayStation 3 BD-ROM, BD-Video, BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RE

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zune Preview at The Element

The Zune multimedia players is being released in just under 12 hours. iPod beware and Sony PSP?

As one of the fortunate few to preview The Zune at The Element in Hollywood this past Thursday, I can say – Wow! It works. The sound quality is great and it’s easy to navigate. Feels a bit weightier than the iPod but the large 3” LCD screen is very welcome.

Taking advantage of the trend towards social networking by myspace and youtube, Zune takes it one step further.

“Welcome to the social.

Beam your beats.

My playlist is your playlist.

Music is in the air.

Find your audience.

Duets are better than solo acts.”

Signage of these individual phrases were projected onto the walls of the warehouse turned club in Hollywood. Zune signage was everywhere, even on the bathroom doors and walls. Djs and local bands played in the background. Open ceilings, brick walls and cement floors in a minimalist hip cool setting made it easy for people to share their perspectives on the star of the night – the Zune.

Zune testing stations with Zune players and headphones were available for everyone to test. A display of accessories recognized that the player is just one small part of the equation. The Zune players were in the spotlight.

In a casual discussion with John Bonds and Manu Narayan of Los Angeles about the Zune, we noticed that some of the largest advantages of the Zune is the size of the screen and then the community aspect of it. It truly is portable media, not just for music, but also videos and photos, and there’s even a radio. Music is preloaded promoting various indie artists. Sampling allows one to send someone tunes and play 3 times. Built in wireless opens the possibilities.

Bonds of Los Angeles considers Zune a big thing, being able to share songs and music. He has bought 5 various mp3 players over the past 6-7 years but never looked as the iPod as the next step, so he never bought one as he didn’t see a new function, which was his reason for buying.

Narayan only bought an iPod as his Creative Labs mp3 player wouldn’t work with his Apple computer. He admits that the Creative Labs version wasn’t easy to use. Narayan owns 2 iPods and 2 Creative Labs mp3 players.

If you’re wondering what qualifies Bonds and Narayan besides owning various players, these two may be considered techno-geeks. They’re responsible for the wireless at Hollywood and Highland, the entertainment and shopping destination that’s home to the Kodak Theatre.

The biggest minus is the limited color selection of 3 being black, white or brown and the limited amount of accessories. The accessory aftermarket well tuned to iPod will be able to quickly adapt with the Zunes popularity so it shouldn’t be long.

With Zune, Microsoft moves one step closer to their concept of “From HD to Mobile. Enjoy your content, anytime, anywhere.” Shhh, may be the audience isn’t supposed to realize it’s from Microsoft, and what’s with the soft intro? Perhaps that’s part of the underground feel after being promoted in the blogosphere and myspace.

 

There was no mention of Microsoft on any of the Zune signage that could be seen.

www.zune.net 

 

Joyce Chow Editor

 

 

For $249.99, consumers will get an incredible entertainment experience right out of the box:

• 30GB digital media player will come equipped with wireless functionality for Zune-to-Zune sharing of music, pictures and home recordings; a bright, three-inch LCD video screen that works in portrait or landscape mode to view pictures and videos; and a built-in FM tuner. The device will be available in three colors: black, brown and white.
• A selection of preloaded content including songs, music videos and film shorts are installed on the device’s hard drive to help consumers discover new artists and entertainment.

Zune makes it easy to find music you love — whether it’s songs in your existing library or new music from the Zune Marketplace:

• Its dynamic music service will be continually updated with new content and experiences so there is always something to discover. The Zune Marketplace lets users browse and purchase songs individually.
• A Zune Pass subscription gives consumers access to millions of songs for $14.99 per month.
• Users can purchase songs individually using Microsoft® Points for 79 points per track. Similar to a pre-paid phone card, Microsoft Points is a stored value system that can be redeemed at a growing number of online stores, including the Xbox Live® Marketplace.

In addition, consumers can choose from a full line of accessories to enhance the Zune experience and help Zune users enjoy their entertainment where they want to, at home or on the road. Accessories range in price from $19.99 to $99.99.

“On Nov. 14 we’re delivering not only a device, but a shared, social experience that will be shaped by the collective imagination of consumers,” said Chris Stephenson, general manager of global marketing for Zune. “We’re infusing the spirit of discovery and sharing into everything we do — from the experience we crafted around the device and service to pre-loading music and videos on every device to expose people to something new.”

Pre-Loaded Content

Zune is a vehicle to explore new sounds and experiences. With that in mind, Microsoft pre-loaded each Zune device with a variety of songs and music videos from hot, new artists as well as some fun films and images. With something for everyone, the pre-loaded Zune content may just help you discover your new favorite band. Zune preloaded content includes the following:

Audio Tracks

• Band of Horses, “Wicked Gil” (Sub Pop Records)
• Bitter:Sweet, “The Mating Game” (Quango Music Group)
• CSS, “Alala (Microsoft edit)” (Sub Pop Records)
• Darkel, “At The End of The Sky (edit)” (Astralwerks)
• Every Move a Picture, “Signs of Life” (V2)
• Small Sins, “Stay” (Astralwerks)
• The Adored, “Tell Me Tell Me” (V2)
• The Rakes, “Open Book” (V2)
• The Thermals, “A Pillar of Salt” (Sub Pop Records)

Music Video

• 30 Seconds to Mars, “The Kill” (Virgin Records)
• BT, “1.618” (DTS Entertainment)
• Chad VanGaalen, “Red Hot Drops” (Sub Pop Records)
• Coldcut featuring Roots Manuva, “True Skool” (Ninja Tune)
• CSS, “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above” (Sub Pop Records)
• Fruit Bats, “Live: The Wind That Blew My Heart Away” (Sub Pop Records)
• Grandaddy, “Elevate Myself” (V2)
• Hot Chip, “Over and Over” (Astralwerks Records)
• Kraak & Smaak featuring Dez., “Keep Me Home” (Quango Music Group)
• Kinski, “Live: The Snowy Parts of Scandinavia” (Sub Pop Records)
• Paul Oakenfold, “Faster Kill Pussycat (Featuring Brittany Murphy)” (Maverick Records)
• Serena-Maneesh, “Drain Cosmetics” (Playlouderecordings)

Film Shorts

• 5 Boro: “A New York Skateboarding Minute” (Skateboarding)
• Radical Films: “Kranked — Progression” (Mountain Biking)
• TGRTV The North Face (Skiing/Snowboarding)

Images

• A variety of images to personalize a Zune device, including 12 classic rock posters from “Art of Modern Rock”

Zune Accessories

For entertainment fans who want to experience their media from anywhere, Microsoft will offer the following accessories:

• Zune Home A/V Pack. The Home A/V Pack includes everything you need to amplify your Zune experience. This set of five products integrates Zune with your big-screen TV and the best speakers in your house. The wireless remote puts you in control from virtually anywhere in the room. When you buy the Zune Home AV Pack, you’ll get the AV Output Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Wireless Remote with Lithium Battery, Zune Sync Cable and Zune AC Adapter for $99.99.
• Zune Travel Pack. The Travel Pack includes everything you need to travel with your Zune device in style. This set of five products is designed to keep you and your friends and family entertained while you travel. When you buy the Zune Travel Pack, you’ll get the Zune Dual Connect Remote, Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and Zune AC Adapter for $99.99.
• Zune Car Pack. The Car Pack includes everything you need to hit the road with your Zune device. With AutoSeek, setup is easy, and you can enjoy your music on the go and charge at the same time. When you buy the Zune Car Pack, you’ll get the FM transmitter with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger for $79.99.

Sold Individually

• Zune AV Output Cable. The A/V Output Cable lets you connect your Zune device to a TV and home stereo. Ideal for listening to music and showing pictures and video, the A/V Output Cable is simple to set up and use, and will retail for $19.99.
• Zune AC Adapter. The AC Adapter lets you charge your Zune device without a PC. For convenience, the AC Adapter will charge your Zune device in about three hours and will retail for $29.99.
• Zune Sync Cable. The Sync Cable lets you connect your Zune device to your PC or the Zune AC Adapter (sold separately). It works as a replacement for your original sync cable or as a spare for travel and charging, and will retail for $19.99.
• Zune Car Charger. The Car Charger lets you charge your device in the car while listening to your favorite music and even while using the FM transmitter with AutoSeek (sold separately). The Car Charger will retail for $24.99.
• Zune Dock. The Dock elegantly displays your Zune device anywhere in your home or office. Featuring a connector port and an audio/video output, the Dock is ideal for syncing, charging and connecting with home A/V equipment. (A/V connectivity requires the Zune A/V Output Cable, sold separately.) The Dock will retail for $39.99.
• Zune Wireless Remote for Zune Dock. Designed for use with Zune Dock (sold separately), the Wireless Remote lets you control your device from across the room. The Wireless Remote gives you quick access to your current playlist as well as full control over menu navigation and volume. The Wireless Remote will retail for $29.99.
• Zune Dual Connect Remote. The Dual Connect Remote offers convenient playlist control and two headphone jacks with independent amplifiers and volume controls so you can listen with a friend or family member. The Dual Connect Remote will retail for $29.99.
• Zune FM transmitter With AutoSeek. The FM transmitter with AutoSeek lets you wirelessly listen to music through your car’s stereo through the FM radio. AutoSeek automatically finds the optimal station so it’s easy to set up, and will retail for $69.99.
• Zune Gear Bag. The Gear Bag lets you bring Zune and related accessories with you wherever you go. The Gear Bag comes with a rugged exterior and fitted compartments to protect your device while you travel. The Gear Bag will retail for $29.99.
• Zune Premium Earphones. Designed exclusively for use with Zune, the Premium Earphones produce superior sound and feature a noise-isolating, in-ear design. With a convenient storage case and three earpiece sizes to choose from, you can listen to your music with added comfort and quality. The Premium earphones will retail for $39.99.

The Next Step in Connected Entertainment

In addition to the rich service and Zune-to-Zune sharing capabilities available at launch, the built-in wireless technology and powerful software provide a strong foundation for Zune to continue to build new shared experiences around music and video. “We’re offering a compelling experience right out of the box and providing customers with a solid base to customize and personalize their entertainment,” Stephenson said. “This is just the beginning.”

 

Microsoft's New Zune Digital Media Player on Store Shelves Tomorrow

Wireless sharing poised to change the way people experience digital music.

 Nov. 13  Celebrating the U.S. launch of the new Zune(TM) digital media player and music service, Microsoft Corp. has worked with a number of cutting-edge artists to stage free concerts in public parks and plazas in urban centers across the country. Today at Westlake Park in downtown Seattle at the first of these Zune concerts, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates took the stage to share his excitement for this next step Microsoft is taking in music and entertainment.
 

Gates outlined the Zune vision to create new ways for people to connect, discover and share music and entertainment experiences. He was joined onstage by John Richards, morning show host of popular community radio station KEXP, to showcase the new Zune-to-Zune wireless sharing feature. Richards wirelessly sent the inaugural song to Gates, who then surprised the crowd by giving away his Zune device to a member of the audience. Building on the "Hello from Seattle" greeting printed on the back of every Zune device, Richards created a playlist to celebrate Seattle music in honor of the Zune launch. The complete KEXP "Hello from Seattle" playlist will be available on Zune Marketplace for consumers to download.
 

"We wanted to bring Zune to life with a celebration of live music, shared between artists and fans across the country, and really make today all about embracing the social aspect of music," said Bryan Lee, corporate vice president of the Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "Zune is all about changing the game to make music more social, and at launch we are just scratching the surface of how wireless technology is going to enable social interaction in the future."
 

The Shows
 

The Seattle launch concert, which featured New York-based, three-piece rock band The Secret Machines, drew crowds to the heart of downtown Seattle and kicked off the first of six shows to take place across the country. Celebrating the style and energy of local music scenes in Atlanta, Chicago and Miami, T.I., Lupe Fiasco and Richie Spice with Morgan Heritage will also play free public concerts throughout the afternoon and evening. Today's celebration culminates with performances in New York and Los Angeles where hundreds of lucky fans will get to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Queens of the Stone Age at intimate venues. Post-show musings, images and video will be available at http://www.zune.net/ beginning this evening.
 

Industry Support
 

Working closely with industry partners, Zune is exploring new models for distributing and promoting music that benefit the artists as well as consumers. Through managed wireless sharing, Zune empowers consumers to promote and sample select tracks, in turn increasing exposure for artists. Zune logs the music that people have shared, making it easy to purchase their favorite songs the next time they connect their device to their computer.
 

"Music has always been experienced in a community, and through Zune, Microsoft is building a robust and unique digital music community platform that enables consumers to share, sample and download their favorite music," said Alex Zubillaga, executive vice president of Digital Strategy and Business Development at Warner Music Group. "Warner Music commends Microsoft on the launch of the Zune digital media player and Zune music store, and is proud to be a content partner of this important addition to the dynamic and growing digital music space."
 

Staffed by a team of music writers and editorial music programmers, Zune Marketplace helps customers discover and purchase new music and uncover old favorites. Zune Marketplace will feature music from major and independent labels and music publishers, including Artemis/V2 Records, BMG Music Publishing, Digital Music Group Inc., EMI Music, EMI Music Publishing, Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA), peermusic.com Inc., Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Sub Pop Records, SuperEgo Records, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Warner/Chappell Music and many more. In addition, Zune Marketplace is working with leading editorial providers XLR8R, The FADER, and NME.
 

On the Shelves
 

Retailing for $249.99, the Zune device will be available at nearly 30,000 U.S. retailers tomorrow -- more outlets than any other Microsoft product. Available in black, brown and white, the 30GB Zune digital media player will come equipped with wireless functionality for Zune-to-Zune sharing of select music, pictures and home recordings; a bright, 3-inch LCD video screen that works in portrait or landscape mode to display pictures and videos; and a built-in FM tuner. The Zune player was designed to work seamlessly with the Zune software and Zune Marketplace music service, giving consumers an easy way to find, manage and enjoy their music, pictures and video. As new features become available, Zune owners will be able to update the software on their existing device.
 

About Zune
 

Zune is Microsoft's music and entertainment platform that provides an end- to-end solution for connected entertainment. The Zune experience includes a 30GB digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service, and a foundation for an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music. Inspired by the vast and varied community of music fans, Zune focuses on helping emerging artists shape the digital canvas. Zune is part of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division and supports the company's software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press .
 

About Microsoft
 

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
 

The Zune-to-Zune sharing feature may not be available for all songs on your device, and works only between Zune devices within wireless range of each other. This feature allows recipients to play full-length sample tracks up to three times in three days. Recipients cannot re-send music that they have received via the sharing feature.
 

Prices herein are estimated retail prices. Actual retail prices may vary.
 

NOTE: Microsoft and Zune are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
 

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
 

 

 

 

 

The Otter Box at SEMA

Product Review:  Otter Box, The Case For and Against

 Otter Box.  Hmm, interesting name for a box.  Have you ever looked at those ruggedized protection cases and wonder if they worked?

 While the Otter Box website shows it used in applications for climbing, snorkeling, or for construction sites, personally I fit in none of those categories.   As a journalist, attending a trade show is the best test, especially one like the SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Market Association) where you’re always running trying to cover over 2 million square feet of exhibition space.

Let’s start with the basics.  The Otter box as a protection device, translated, to protect whatever device you’re carrying it will have a larger footprint.  While I’m not especially fond of this idea, the bright yellow color did help me find the bright pink Motorola Razr which seemed to find the darkest corners of my black interior bag. 

 The one I chose, the Otterbox 1000 fits a cell phone.  The Motorola Razr, while a slim favorite does not have a space to fit to attach a wrist or neck strap.  Unlike men, women do not always have a pocket in which to fit their cell phone.  Some outfits have a pocket, however I’ve been guilty numerous times of it sliding out of the pocket, and I wonder just how many times it can drop and still work. 

 Day one of the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) Show in Las Vegas . 

With the strap of the Otterbox all wound like new, it was enough for me to squeeze my hand through and carry it as an extended bracelet.  The Bluetooth earpiece while in my ear, did not always catch my attention when a call came in.  The ringer remained on, but I couldn’t hear it quite as loudly. 

 Day two of the SEMA Show plus AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo)

Instead of carrying the Otterbox around my wrist, I thought I’d forego it…that was until I couldn’t find my cell phone (again).    The Otterbox came out again and I carried it over my shoulder.

Day three of the SEMA Show.

The Otterbox continued as a standard gear, just as important as a pen and paper. 

 Ruggedized and waterproof were two of the factors.  Placing the Otterbox on the floor, I stood on top of it with all my weight balanced on one foot atop the Otterbox.  It was numerous times more stable than me trying to balance.  The water test came next.  Submerged in water, first with money then a paper towel, it passed the test.  I placed things on top of it to hold it in place, however the Otterbox kept getting loose and floating towards the top of the water.  Holding my hand on top of it was the only thing that kept it submerged.  Memories of numerous lost cell phones in the water at the marina passed through my head.  If only I’d had an Otterbox then.

 Would I use the Otter Box on a daily basis for my cell phone?  Doubtful, although I may change my mind.  I will consider it a standard when covering events. 

 Admittedly, I do use one for my PDA.  I consider it a necessity, and have demonstrated its effectiveness by tossing it on the sidewalk with the PDA inside. 

Most of all, I consider the Otter Box as necessary as the extra pair of walking shoes or sweater that I keep in the trunk of my car, just in case. 

 

 The OtterBox 1000 has exterior dimensions of 4.837” x 3.682” x 1.652” and retails for $11.49.

 

Return