technology

If you are already eyeing the Smart TV for your TV Lift Cabinet, you may also be interested in Google’s smart glasses.  It is rumored Google’s X office, a secretive lab working on futuristic Google projects, is building glasses that will stream real-time information right to its lenses.

The smart glasses will be Android-based and feature a built in camera.  The camera will be able to overlay information about surrounding locations. The smart glasses are estimated to cost anywhere between $250 and $600.  The launch date of these smart glasses to the general public is still to be determined.

We knew it was only a matter of time before cable companies offered video streaming services.  As cable prices skyrocket, Americans have been turning to online video streaming companies to meet their television needs.  Online video streaming companies such as Netflix have been stealing thousands of customers from cable companies forcing the cable giants to reconsider their service packages.

To meet this new challenge, Comcast has launched its own online video streaming service called Xfinity Streampix.  This new subscription video service will offer customers the opportunity to view television shows and movies on demand.  Right now, Comcast is working with Warner Bros., Sony and Universal for content deals.  Comcast customers can add Xfinity Streampix service for an additional $4.99 each month.  Customers can stream Streampix videos to their TV lift cabinets, computers or mobile devices.

Unfortunately, this service is currently only being offered to existing Comcast customers.  It is questionable whether the added-value service will be of much benefit to existing cable customers.  If you already pay a premium for cable television service, why would you need Xfinity Streampix?  Perhaps for the customers who are traveling and wish to stream content to their phones this will be of use, but for the typical Comcast customer will this service be necessary?

Comcast would be better positioned to compete with Netflix and Amazon by offering this service to new customers.  After all, the reason most defected to Netflix and Amazon in the first place was because they could not afford cable packages.

Do you use your TV lift cabinet to Skype with loved ones in Europe?  Many Europeans and U.S. citizens are taking advantage of the free Skype service which allows Skype members to video online chat for free. In the last few months Microsoft acquired Skpe in an $8.5 billion acquisition.

Cisco, another networking technology giant is not happy with the terms of this merger.  In fact, Cisco has filed an appeal with the European Union today.  Cisco is worried about the interoperability of video communication.  As the deal is currently set forth, Microsoft will be able to exclusively integrate its Lync video and voice communication software with Skype video communication.  Cisco and other competing software similar to Microsoft will no not be compatible with Skype communication causing Microsoft to have a monopoly on the EU market.

“Imagine how difficult it would be if you were limited to calling people who only use the same carrier or if your phone could only call certain brands and not others. Cisco wants to avoid this future for video communications,” wrote Cisco SVP of Video and Collaboration Marthin De Beer in a letter posted on thecompany blog.

The Skype service so beloved by many Europeans may no longer be offered for free.  Skype may also be restrictive for those who use Cisco or other non-Microsoft software.  EU would be wise to consider Cisco’s appeal.

The strongest radiation storm since 2005 is currently underway on the sun. The storm is being carefully monitored by NASA and several other observatories.  A solar flare from the storm reached Earth this morning at 9am with more radiation expected to bombard Earth’s magnetic field over the course of January 24-25.

What can you expect from the storm? If you live in the far north or south, expect to see more vibrant displays of the northern and southern lights. Intense light shows have already been observed over Northern England and Scotland. Radiation from the solar storm is expected to interfere with satellites. Whether or not it will affect TV broadcasts to your TV lift cabinet remains to be seen. However, communications and power grid interruptions are a common result of these storms. Solar flares can also be harmful to astronauts. NASA announced today that the astronauts currently in the International Space Station are not in danger. On Earth, polar flights have been grounded as a precaution.

A large flare erupted from the sun on Sunday. This flare was rated an M-9, which is just shy of the most powerful type of solar storm. The flare was the beginning of the solar storm, which in its entirety, has been rated only a 3 out of 5. According to Space.com, the sun’s activity works on an 11 year cycle with a “solar maximum” expected in 2013.

Have you seen LG’s Magic Remote?  It is awesome!   The magic remote has voice recognition.  There is a microphone built into the remote that allows you to send your voice to your Smart TV.  How does it work?

Well, picture sitting in front of your LG Smart TV.  You are watching a show, when you decide to switch over to the internet.  Up comes the Google search bar.  Now instead of pulling up the keyboard setting on your TV, you can talk directly into the microphone and say “TV Lift Cabinets search”.  Your voice command is relayed and then begins to automatically search for TV Lift Cabinets.  Pretty cool, huh?

The voice recognition can also be used for sending tweets and Facebook posts.  This new magic remote that is scheduled to be released with LG’s Smart TV has yet to be priced but is sure to be in demand.

While Apple is busy keeping their planning under wraps, the rest of us are busy trying to discover what they are up to, especially when it comes to their iTV.

What has been leaked through the grapevine is that Samsung Electronics in Korea has started producing chips for the iTVs since November 2011.  Sharp also is rumored to be producing the displays for the new TVs.  The screens will be relatively small for the initial introductory phase at between 32 and 37 inches and will be better suited for the small foot of the bed TV lift cabinets.

Sterne Agee Analyst Shaw Wu wrote, ““We continue to hear what AAPL would love to do is offer users the ability to choose their own customized programming, i.e., whichever channels/shows they want for a monthly subscription fee. This is obviously much more complicated from a licensing standpoint. And in our view, would change the game for television and give AAPL a big leg-up against the competition.”

Wu goes on to write about how the biggest obstacle right now for Apple to iron out its content partnerships and licensing terms.  Apple has content and licensing agreements in place for iTunes but only for movie rentals, not TV shows or live broadcast television.  Apple would like live television offered via the internet or IPTV instead of through cable providers.  That is the direction Apple would like to go in and is currently in discussions to make this happen.

LG has announced its newest and largest OLED TV – a 55” panel with some pretty amazing specs. OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) technology has, in the past, been limited by smaller screen sizes and expensive price tags. However, according to LG’s press release, their 55” panel has overcome these obstacles.

The diodes in OLED TVs self-generate light and send electric signals at a rate far faster than LCD. In turn, the TV has a clearer picture and a wider range of colors. LG uses white OLEDs overlaid with color diodes to produce an “ultra definition” picture. Concerned that all this great technology may lead to a bulkier end product? Think again. The TV is a remarkable 5mm thick – thinner than a pen! Not only will the TV impress techies, but environmentalists will also approve – the diodes in the screen can be turned on or off to account for lower power consumption than most mainstream TVs.  LG’s 55” OLED TV will be unveiled in January at CES 2012 in Las Vegas. There is no word yet on when the product will available for your TV lift cabinet.

Apple has made it no secret that they plan to enter into the television market.  In Steve Jobs’ biography titled “Steve Jobs”, Jobs mentions how he felt he had finally come up with the solution to enhance the standard HDTV.  It makes sense for Apple to use their existing technology for ipads and iphones and apply it towards the television.

The ultimate Smart TV would have features such as wireless streaming capabilities, voice and motion controls and the ability to share content across multiple devices.  Consumers would be able to stream content from their ipads directly onto their Smart TV inside their TV lift cabinet.  According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is currently in discussions with media executives to discuss their progress on developing a Smart TV.  It will be interesting to see what features Apple creates for their new Smart TV and when this TV will be released to general public.

It seems lately many consumers are opting to stream videos to their TV lift cabinets instead of paying for the high priced cable plans.  It may be a sign of the times, with the economy in a current decline, but many see it as the way of the future.  Streaming videos allows consumers to watch what they are interested in watching on their own time schedule for a very affordable price.

This shift in consumer behavior has many communication giants wanting a piece of the pie.  One such communication company is Verizon.  Verizon Communications, the second-largest U.S. phone company, has recently announced in an investor conference, their plan to expand into the video market.  Verizon just this past week has been rumored to be discussing a bid to purchase Netflix Inc.

Netflix, a subscription-based company for video streaming and DVDs by mail, saw its shares rise 1.2 percent to $76.13 two days ago in New York trading. This was a direct result of the rumored talks that Verizon might buy them out.  In the last year Netflix shares took a nose dive after raising their customers streaming video price plans.  However, both companies deny these discussions for a bid have occurred.

What we do know is Verizon has had meetings with Redbox, the movie-rental kiosk operator, along with other potential video partners this past month.  It looks like Verizon, while trying to be discreet, is seriously considering their video options closely.

Add Xbox 360 to the wave of set top boxes and streaming apps for your TV lift cabinet. Microsoft has announced a long list of apps which are now available for download on the Xbox 360 console. Youtube, Verizon FiOS TV and MSNBC.com are a few of the U.S. available apps.  Beginning in early 2012, more apps are set to be rolled out, including Comcast Xfinity and MLB.tv.

The app selection is not the only exciting thing about Microsoft’s announcement. The technology itself sounds pretty impressive. With the help of Microsoft’s Bing search engine, users can simply say what they are searching for and Bing will pull up the results. Bing on Xbox voice search is already available in the US, Canada and UK.  Now whatever movie, TV show or game you are looking for is simply a voice command away – no need for a remote control!

Some of the other apps listed on the Microsoft press release include:

-          ESPN on Xbox Live

-          Vudu

-          HBO Go

-          Hulu Plus

-          Netflix

-          Crackle (Sony Pictures)