Over the last few years, warnings about the health risks associated with obesity have become increasingly dire. At the same time, computers, games consoles and other electronic devices have become increasingly present in people's homes. So it's not surprising that many new gadgets, from the Nintendo Wii to the Exerstation console controller, combine technology with fitness.
The Nike + iPod Sport Kit is similar. Essentially, it combines a portable music player with a pedometer -- two devices that runners have used for years. But the Sport Kit is considerably more advanced than an ordinary pedometer. It uses circuitry, radio waves and software to track and report on a person's workout.
Read more...
Wednesday 2 May 2007
Tuesday 24 April 2007
camera phones
Built-in camera phones may now be reaching 5 megapixels.
Fujifilm's latest low-end snapper is the Z5, a 6 megapixel model aimed ostensibly at first-time buyers.
Click here to read more...
Fujifilm's latest low-end snapper is the Z5, a 6 megapixel model aimed ostensibly at first-time buyers.
Click here to read more...
Wednesday 18 April 2007
quantum computers
here's an interesting link about how new quantum computers will work....scary stuff
Sunday 15 April 2007
New Nokia Mobile
I was waiting for a bus in leicester the other day and noticed the advertisement on the bus stop for the new nokia phone, Nokia N95. The slogan was something like 'It's a GPS. It's camera. It's an MP3 player. It's a WiFi. Its a mobile." Something along those lines anyway.
But it just struck me how much we can actually fit into a device that is precisely 99mm tall, 53mm wide and 21mm thick.
The features include:
But it just struck me how much we can actually fit into a device that is precisely 99mm tall, 53mm wide and 21mm thick.
The features include:
- 20x zoom
- 5 Megapixel camera
- Autofocus
- Bluetooth technology
- Carl Zeiss lens
- chat menu
- conference calling
- dual band on 3G
- email
- external memory MicroSD
- FM Radio
- infrared connection
- Java™ capable
- MP3 & AAC player
- quad band technology
- speaker phone
- Symbian Series 60 9.2 operating system
- Video Calling
- video capture
- Video download
- Video Messaging
- Video playback
This is obvioulsy a great example of convergence, the combining of technologies. Here, Nokia have encorporated not only a camera into their phone, but an MP3 Player, eMail, video messaging and calling, radio and a speaker phone. Let us not forget that this phone weighs no more than 120g.
Sunday 8 April 2007
Virtual Worlds
Personally, the idea of virtual worlds is quite freaky, but i'm obviously in a minority as millions of people are eager to join them.
Massive Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG's), are rapidly developing and making a significant appearance in the converged world of media.
The market for MMOG's is now worth more than $1bn (£511m). Revenues from subscriptions for these games are said to hit $1.5bn by 2011.
However the increase of MMOG's is small compared to the growth of video on demand, which is said to be worth $11.4bn in four years time.
One of the most succesful MMOG's is World of Warcraft, this game has over 8million subscribers worldwide including 3million in the West, where it has over 50% share of the market.
Massive Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG's), are rapidly developing and making a significant appearance in the converged world of media.
The market for MMOG's is now worth more than $1bn (£511m). Revenues from subscriptions for these games are said to hit $1.5bn by 2011.
However the increase of MMOG's is small compared to the growth of video on demand, which is said to be worth $11.4bn in four years time.
One of the most succesful MMOG's is World of Warcraft, this game has over 8million subscribers worldwide including 3million in the West, where it has over 50% share of the market.
Top 5 MMOG's
- World of Warcraft
- RuneScape
- Final Fantasy Online
- Everquest
- City of Heroes/Villains
- Virtual world building games e.g. second life
- Virtual pet rearing games e.g. Neo pets
- More casual MMO puzzle games
- Sports games where you have to buy items and build up your character
Orange Broadband
Orange is hoping to launch broadband television later on this year, providing us with an example of 'convergence' which is the combining of two tecnologies. Other examples of this are camera phones, Sky+, internet phones etc If the idea of Orange broadband does indeed happen, then it will allow orange users to transfer media content between their mobile, TV and computer
Wednesday 21 March 2007
TV phones
TV mobile phones were released in Japan in 2001 but the reception of the program was awful and it drank up all of the phones battery. But mobile phone networks are currently working on producing a high quality DTV mobile phone.
Like TVs, mobiles recieve radio signals, in the case of mobile TV they have the ability to receive radio signals in the TV-allocated frequency bands aswell as the bands allocated for mobile phone voice data.
However, there are a few issues that are going to have to be considered. Video streaming need fast transmission speeds, previous "2G" GSM networks provided data-delivery speeds of 10 to 14 kilobits per second (Kbps), and "2.5G" networks offered 30 to 100 Kbps. At 10 Kbps, a TV show is really a slide show; and at 100 Kbps, it's pretty choppy.
Another issue to think about is bandwidth. TV data takes up a lot more space than voice data and delivering a TV signal to thousands of phones is going to really slow down the network.
Finally, receiving a TV signal on your mobile is going to use up your battery extremely fast.
Like TVs, mobiles recieve radio signals, in the case of mobile TV they have the ability to receive radio signals in the TV-allocated frequency bands aswell as the bands allocated for mobile phone voice data.
However, there are a few issues that are going to have to be considered. Video streaming need fast transmission speeds, previous "2G" GSM networks provided data-delivery speeds of 10 to 14 kilobits per second (Kbps), and "2.5G" networks offered 30 to 100 Kbps. At 10 Kbps, a TV show is really a slide show; and at 100 Kbps, it's pretty choppy.
Another issue to think about is bandwidth. TV data takes up a lot more space than voice data and delivering a TV signal to thousands of phones is going to really slow down the network.
Finally, receiving a TV signal on your mobile is going to use up your battery extremely fast.
Tuesday 20 March 2007
gamecube vs wii
The gamecube was released in September 2001 and the wii was bought out around 5 years later. The gamecube has a single-threaded PowerPC processor running at 485 MHZ. The wii's processor runs at 729 MHZ so is therefore a lot faster. The gamecube has 24 MB of RAM, the wii has 88 MB of RAM. The memory card in the gamecube has 16 MB of video RAM, while the wii has 88 MB.
I understand absolutely none of those numbers and RAMS and MHZ thingys in that article but I'm gathering that it's pretty obvious that the wii is better. It seems a lot more advanced and a lot more fun than just sitting on the floor clutching a games control...and I'm guessing that you have to concentrate a lot more as you have so much more control over what you're doing on screen.
I understand absolutely none of those numbers and RAMS and MHZ thingys in that article but I'm gathering that it's pretty obvious that the wii is better. It seems a lot more advanced and a lot more fun than just sitting on the floor clutching a games control...and I'm guessing that you have to concentrate a lot more as you have so much more control over what you're doing on screen.
Tuesday 6 March 2007
second life
So Second Life is basically what it says it is, a place where you can escape from reality and create an alternative you, but with a bit of extra magic thrown in.Not only can you create an avatar of yourself, you can create anything you want and even share it with other 'residents'
“Second Life is beyond a game; it’s a tool for artistic freedom that brings people together.”
-Foxy Xevious, Second Life resident
“Second Life is intended to be a canvas, rather than a world that constrains residents to a specific theme or style.”
-Cory Ondrejka, Linden Lab vice-president of product development
Second Life has its own economy and a currency, Linden dollars. Residents receive a small amount of this currency when they start their account, and a weekly stipend thereafter. The size of the stipend depends on the account type. To earn additional money, residents may sell objects or services through shops within the environment to earn Linden dollars. It is possible to convert Linden dollars to US dollars and vice versa through a real-world brokerage run by Linden Lab. The Second Life economy generates about $US 500,000 worth of economic activity per week.
bit weird if you ask me...
“Second Life is beyond a game; it’s a tool for artistic freedom that brings people together.”
-Foxy Xevious, Second Life resident
“Second Life is intended to be a canvas, rather than a world that constrains residents to a specific theme or style.”
-Cory Ondrejka, Linden Lab vice-president of product development
Second Life has its own economy and a currency, Linden dollars. Residents receive a small amount of this currency when they start their account, and a weekly stipend thereafter. The size of the stipend depends on the account type. To earn additional money, residents may sell objects or services through shops within the environment to earn Linden dollars. It is possible to convert Linden dollars to US dollars and vice versa through a real-world brokerage run by Linden Lab. The Second Life economy generates about $US 500,000 worth of economic activity per week.
bit weird if you ask me...
Tuesday 30 January 2007
Sling Media
TV OR NOT TV
The Slingbox TUNER connects directly to the cable outlet in your wall, making it so that you don’t even need a home television to watch TV on your computer or phone. Essentially, it’s like getting a brand new TV – for free! Plus, you don’t have to worry about any complex set-up, expensive rewiring, or monthly fees.
SLINGPLAYER
SlingPlayer is the interface that appears on the screen of your computer or mobile device. This pioneering software allows you to watch and control your basic cable with wide-ranging functionality and ease. Click here to find out more.
SLINGSTREAM
SlingStream is the innovative streaming technology that ensures you receive the clearest picture possible at any given location. Click here to find out mor e.
So let me get this straight...you can watch the TV programmes that are on at home anywhere in the world!? Waaaay better than Apple TV! Plus...me and meredith actually get this one...
games consoles
I know I'm probably gunna get loads of people having a go at me for saying this but what the hell.
I don't quite get why these games consoles like playstation are being upgraded all the time...it's just a games console! There's only so much you can change about them each time...'oo i know lets make it silver and put a few lines here and a big circle here'
I can understand the'Wii' because its actually something completely new and interesting but everything else...don't get it im afraid
I don't quite get why these games consoles like playstation are being upgraded all the time...it's just a games console! There's only so much you can change about them each time...'oo i know lets make it silver and put a few lines here and a big circle here'
I can understand the'Wii' because its actually something completely new and interesting but everything else...don't get it im afraid
internet mobile
Mobile internet use 'increasing'
 More phones than ever have access to simple data services |
The association's report shows an increase of one million unique sessions over November 2006, the prior record.
However, much of the recent increase could be due to seasonal gift-giving said Thomas Husson, a mobile analyst at Jupiter Research.
In the past three months, mobile users accessed the web 45.6 million times.
Unique consumer internet sessions on the O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone networks were included in the report.
Despite the new numbers, Mr Husson said mobile data was "far from being mainstream".
More usage in 2007
He added that an increase in data use should be expected over the next year due to a larger installed base of internet-capable mobile phones, better user experiences, user education, and new consumer-friendly price points.
The question for mobile network owners is: can they convert web browsers into purchasers of other services 
Nick Lane
Principal Analyst, Informa Telecoms and Media
Nick Lane, principal analyst at Informa Telecoms and Media, reiterated the importance of user education.
"The continued advancement of handsets means people are beginning to spend more time familiarising themselves with new services," most common of which are news, sport and weather updates Mr Lane said.
He said that by the end of 2007, 797.6 million mobile phone subscriptions worldwide, or roughly 25%, will include web browsing.
Location based services
Both analysts said that location-based mobile services should be a growth area for mobile data in the coming year.
In a recent survey conducted by Informa, consumers repeatedly ranked location-aware services like maps as a highly desirable handset feature.
"All the major players are starting to build services around navigation and maps, but they're still new," and aren't quite ready yet Mr Husson said.
"It's only a question of time" before location services will be added to the increasing amount of digital information available on handsets, he added.Dont know about you but i hardly ever use the internet on my phone...
Tuesday 23 January 2007
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