Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell

Ring makes, among other products, a wireless, video doorbell that connects to your smartphone so that you can remotely see and speak real-time to the person at the door through your mobile device - even if you are not actually home.

The idea was largely based on the idea that a burglar tends to ring the bell before breaking in. With Ring, you could see who is at the door and even pretend you're at home when you're not, making it a convenient home-security device

This guy turned his failure on 'Shark Tank' into a $28 million investment from Richard Branson

• See, hear and speak to anyone at your door from your smartphone, tablet or PC.
• Get instant alerts when visitors press your Doorbell or trigger the built-in motion sensors.
• Watch over your home in crystal-clear HD video.
• Protect your home – day or night – with infrared night vision.
• Communicate with visitors via two-way audio with noise cancellation.
• Check-in on your property at any time, and get streaming video and audio with Live View.

Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell in Satin Nickel on Amazon

This New App Lets You Chat With No Cellular Service or Wi-Fi Networks

A new app called FireChat available free on iOS and Android is set to make a blazing statement. It is called an off-the-grid messaging app which let's you communicate via this app even without Internet connection or cellular phone coverage. 

Here is a description from Google Play about Open Garden's FireChat app:
"FireChat introduces a new way to chat: "off-the-grid". Now you can chat with people around you – even if there is no Internet connection or mobile phone coverage.
Please note that FireChat is designed for public communications. It is not meant for private communications. Real names are not required. You may choose pseudonyms. Please exercise discernment when sharing information in chatrooms. Other people will be able to read your messages, your username and full name (just like with tweets).
FireChat enables a new type of communication: 'firechats'. These live and anonymous public chatrooms can gather as many as 10,000 people simultaneously.
You can create your own public 'firechats' for anyone to join about anything that interests you - whether it's the NY Yankees, Game of Thrones, League of Legends or Italian food.



Whether you’re on the beach or in the subway, at a big game or a trade show, camping in the wild or at a concert, or even travelling abroad, simply fire up the app with a friend or two and find out who else is there.
"

Sample FireChat screenshot from iTunes webpage

Read More:
Big at SXSW: FireChat Bypass Cellular and WiFi Networks - Becky Worley Special Contributor, Yahoo! Tech

FireChat Takes Home SXSW Innovation Award - PR Newswire

FireChat Network-Free Chat Could Be Big. And Now It’s on Android - Rafe Needleman
Editorial Director, Yahoo


Also watch the YouTube video:

No Wi-Fi? Firechat App Helps Hong Kong Protesters (Video) - Wall Street Journal

GOOD NEWS! WINDOWS 10 OFFERED AS FREE UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 7 AND WINDOWS 8 USERS EVEN IF YOUR SOFTWARE IS A PIRATED COPY

That's right a legitimate Windows 10 upgrade, even if your existing Windows 7 and Windows 8 OS isn't.


The biggest news is that the new OS will be completely free for current Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 users for its first year of availability—after that time period has expired, OS upgrades will presumably need to be paid for as they are currently (though Microsoft was less than clear on this point, it made no mention of a paid, Office 365-style subscription for Windows upgrades). The Windows 10 upgrade for Windows Phone 8.1 users will also be free. - Andrew Cunningham of arstechnica

Here's the fine print from the Windows 10 page on Microsoft's site: 

“It is our intent that most of these devices will qualify, but some hardware/software requirements apply and feature availability may vary by device. Devices must be connected to the internet and have Windows Update enabled. ISP fees may apply. Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 Update required. Some editions are excluded: Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise, and Windows RT/RT 8.1. Active Software Assurance customers in volume licensing have the benefit to upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise outside of this offer. We will be sharing more information and additional offer terms in coming months.”

Read more.

WINDOWS 10 UPGRADES WILL BE FREE, EVEN FOR PIRATES. NO JOKE - WIRED

WINDOWS 10 WILL BE A FREE UPGRADE FOR WINDOWS 7 AND WINDOWS 8 USERS - PCWORLD

Windows 10 free for all Windows 8.1 and 7 users for first year after release - arstechnica

The JVC Boombox. Kaboom!

Totally express yourself―via iPhone or guitar

The JVC Kaboom! has taken a mighty step forward. The new RV-NB70 has a 

Dock for iPhone® /iPod® 

additionally to the CD, USB Host and FM Tuner.  

The composite out allows you to check your dance or enjoy

movies on iPod® or iPhone® with TV Screen.  

Plug a guitar or mic into the RV-NB70 and you've got a 

massively powerful amp on your hands with this boombox. 

You can play guitar or sing along with a backing track. It's great for street performance. 

Whatever music or instrument you want, you'll love the deep bass generated by the twin Super Woofers. Express yourself everywhere you want.

LG SL8000 and SL9000 Live Borderless TV and a Quadruple Monitor Setup

On IFA 2009, LG unveiled the new TV SL8000 and SL9000 Live Borderless which is perfect blend model with modern style and tech innovation.

The Live Borderless TV theme from LG to eliminate the seam between the screen and surrounding bezel. The Borderless SL9000 come with flawless quality pictures and smooth surface. The LED backlight bring dynamic contrast ratio 3,000,000:1 and the television include bluetooth and HD DivX compatibility.

The SL8000 Borderless TV has beautiful exterior with top-end full HDTV 1080p with superIPS panel which can be tuned using LG expert mode. The TruMotion 200Hz make sure fast onscreen act while the super sharp with dynamic contrast ratio deliver 150,000:1 clarity. Both of them has capability to reduce energy consumption for eco-friendly environment.

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A remarkable borderless LCD TV and tips to setup 4 monitors simultaneously is what I'll be blogging about. This latest addition of LG to its LCD product line caught my fancy because of its innovation in creating a borderless screen eliminating the visible frame around the screen.

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LG’s latest HDTV, the SL9000, uses film lamination to eliminate the gap between the screen and the bezel.

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The bezel is the border around the edge of the screen, covering the extremities of a monitor. The result is a uniform, seamless surface from edge-to-edge, with no visible frame.

The borderless LCD TV is a pretty nifty idea plus, if you were able to make a quad monitor setup, I'm sure the results would be astounding. Below is a tip on setting up quad monitor on a single CPU. You can use other brands of LCD monitor, I just mentioned the latest borderless TV of LG because I believe that a borderless screen is the perfect product for this type of project.

Raul B. Romilla

Pinoy Technut

Quadruple Your Fun (and Productivity) With a Four-Monitor System

Think dual-display systems are the bee's knees? This quad-head setup will blow your mind.

Alfred Poor, PC World

Admit it: You've lusted after the giant 30-inch desktop monitors you've seen in stores. Imagine what you could do with all that screen real estate, and all those pixels! But hold on a minute--those giant displays aren't necessarily all they're cracked up to be.


First, they're expensive. You'll spend about $1300 to $2500 for a single 30-inch monitor. (For instance, the NEC MultiSync LCD3090WQXi pictured here sells for more than $2000.)
Sure, they're high resolution (typically 2560 by 1600 pixels), which gives you plenty of detail. But they're also so wide that the distance from your eyes to the screen varies. If you're sitting 24 inches from the center of the screen, then you're 28 inches or more from the corners. That may not seem like much; but after working in front of the monitor all day, you may develop eye fatigue from constantly having to adjust your focus closer or farther as you look around the screen. The ideal shape for a large screen would be a curve, keeping your eyes at a consistent distance from the display as you work.
The other problem with a gigantic screen is that it's a single, vast, unstructured area. That may be okay if you're editing huge, high-resolution images, but most folks who depend on PCs work with lots of information. That means that you probably use a Web browser, a word processor, a spreadsheet, and e-mail, all at the same time. Use all of those applications at once on a giant monitor, and you run the risk of having a cluttered desktop where you have to drag and adjust windows constantly.

Now here's an alternative to consider: Instead of one big screen, use four smaller ones. You can get four 19-inch wide-screen monitors for significantly less than $800 total. Add $300 for an extra graphics board and a desktop monitor stand, and the cost is still lower than that of one 30-inch display. In this case, however, you end up with the equivalent of a 38-inch-diagonal monitor, an area of 2880 by 1800 pixels--over 25 percent more pixels than a 30-inch monitor offers.
This setup may not be as slick as a curved display, but you can angle the panels to make them more ergonomic to view. And by dividing the display into four sections, you can park different applications on different panels. Just as you might keep your phone on the left side of your desk and your pencil cup on the right, you can organize your work in multiple applications if you position your e-mail on the upper-left screen, your word processor on the lower right, and so forth. And you can easily drag and drop information from one program to another, while keeping all of your windows in view.

What You Need

Assuming you already have a monitor for your system, you need three more. In general, I recommend buying four monitors of the same make and model, which helps eliminate annoying differences in color balance or brightness. At the very least, they should all be of the same size and resolution. To give yourself the most flexibility in making connections, choose displays that accept both DVI and VGA (though you likely can get cables or adapters that will allow you to work out any combination of interfaces).

You'll also need a stand for the monitors. You can find models that string out four panels in a single line (which fans of flight-simulator games tend to love because of the wide, panoramic view). I prefer a two-by-two matrix; with such an arrangement, I don't have to turn my head as much to see any part of the combined display. For my setup, I chose the Ergotron DS100, which lets you easily angle the monitors for better ergonomics.
One key point: Ensure that your monitors match the mounting holes for the stand. Most stands use the VESA standard mount patterns, but you can't just assume that a given mount-and-monitor combination will pair correctly, so be sure to read the specs of displays and stands carefully before you buy anything.

Most graphics boards these days come with two DVI display connectors. If that's what you have in your system, you'll need to buy just one more dual-headed card to support four monitors in all. If your system has only one display connector, you'll have to pull out that board and install two dual-head boards. Make sure that you have sufficient expansion slots available in your PC, and that you buy a board or boards that match that type of slot.

Set It Up

Once you have all of your hardware in hand, start by mounting the monitors to your stand. Generally you must remove the stock desktop stand from the back of the LCD panel; check the monitor's documentation for details on how to do that. Afterward, attach the new stand's mount. Some mounts are angled, so be careful to orient your display panels in the correct direction.

Attach the power cable and signal cable to each monitor before you mount them. I recommend that you use the retaining screws on the cable connectors to make sure that the cable remains firmly attached to the panel. Reaching the panels once the monitors are all mounted on the stand will be difficult at best, so you should take care of the cable connections once and for all at this point.
After you have connected the monitors, install the second graphics board in your computer, if necessary. Follow the instructions that come with the board and your PC, but first be sure to turn off your computer and unplug the power cord--even if the PC is turned off, the motherboard can still have power, which can permanently damage the graphics card when you try to install it. Also, confirm that your new board will not impede the flow of cooling air to the existing graphics card or any other expansion cards. Many have small fans on one side; don't block the fan's air.
Once you've installed your extra graphics hardware, connect the monitors. Attach the lower-left monitor to the primary connector on your first graphics board, and the lower-right one to the secondary connector on that card. Link the upper-left monitor to the primary connector on your second graphics board, and the upper-right screen to the remaining connector. This setup will make configuring the screens correctly in Windows' display manager easier.
Now turn on your computer. After it completes the boot process, you should have the Windows desktop on the lower-left monitor. In Windows Vista, right-click the Desktop and choose Personalization, then select Display Settings to open the Display Settings window.

Click the Identify Monitors button in the upper-right corner. Large numbers will appear on each of the monitors. In the window, click on the numbered icon that appears at the lower left; in most cases, this will be Monitor 1. (Some graphics boards will have their own utilities to manage multiple monitors. Check your card's documentation for this feature; alternatively, you can just use the Windows utility.)
Two items--'This is my main monitor' and 'Extend the desktop onto this monitor--should have check marks and be grayed out for this monitor. If that isn't the case, put check marks in both boxes. Make sure that the Resolution slider is at the panel's native resolution; consult the specifications in the monitor documentation to verify the native resolution. Click the Apply button.
Next, select each of the remaining monitors in turn. Set them to their native resolution using the Resolution slider, and then check Extend the desktop to this monitor. Click Apply after adjusting the settings for each monitor.
Finally, drag the icons of the monitors around so that they correspond with their physical location on the monitor stand. Once all the settings are as you want them, click the OK button to close the window.
You should now be able to open applications and put their windows on the different monitors. If the window is maximized, it will fill one monitor and you won't be able to move it. If you adjust the window to a size smaller than full screen, you can then drag the window to another monitor. Maximize the window there, and it will snap to fill the screen.

If You Don't Have Four Ports

If your system lacks enough expansion slots to hold two graphics boards (for instance, because it's a laptop) or you simply would rather not open your PC's case, you can still enjoy the benefits of a quad-head display.
Display Link makes adapters that allow you to connect a monitor to a computer through a USB port. It works by emulating a graphics adapter in the computer's CPU and then sending out a compressed data stream to an attached adapter that decodes the data and transforms it back into an image signal. Some companies have built the decoding circuitry right into a monitor, such as the 22-inch LG Electronics L226WU-PX, so all you have to do is plug your secondary monitor directly into a USB port.

You can also get adapters that use DisplayLink technology to turn your USB port into a DVI port for use with any DVI-equipped display. Following the instructions, install the DisplayLink software before connecting the adapters. After the drivers are installed, you can plug the monitor into the adapter and insert the adapter into a USB port, and you'll then see the Windows desktop on the screen. Follow the same steps to extend the Windows desktop across the extra screens and to set the resolution to match each panel's native resolution. No expansion cards, no muss, no fuss.
Whether you use adapters with a laptop or work with installed graphics boards in your PC, you can quickly and easily set up a quad-monitor system for your computer. Assuming that you already have one 19-inch monitor and a dual-head graphics card installed, you can build up to a 38-inch diagonal display for under $1000 total, and get the big picture for all your Windows work (and play).
Alfred Poor is a freelance writer who is fascinated by all things digital. He is the author of the daily HDTV Almanac.

Nifty Gadgets : ATiny USB Drive, a Mobile Signal Booster and the newest iPod Nano

TUFF-'N'-TINY™ USB Drive

 

TUFF-'N'-TINY™ 8GB USB Drive - Purple

Penny-thin and travel-tough, the Verbatim TUFF-‘N’-TINY™ USB Drive offers secure storage in one of the most compact, durable USB flash drives available.  Designed for everyday handling and resistant to dust, water and static discharges, this drive measures up to its name and is compatible with all USB ports.  It offers password security for Windows users and is enhanced for Windows® ReadyBoost™ for Windows 7 and Vista users.  Perfect for carrying the files you use every day, the TUFF-‘N’-TINY™ drive comes with key ring lanyard to attach to mobile phones or key rings.  Choose from capacities of 2GB, 4GB and 8GB. See for yourself how the Verbatim TUFF-‘N’-TINY™ sizes up!

Features & Benefits

• Tiny, rugged USB drive measures 1.19 x 0.5 x 0.06 inch
• Resistant to dust, water and static discharges
• Compatible with ALL USB ports
• Password security for Windows users
• Enhanced for Windows® ReadyBoost™
• Compatible with Windows 7, Vista, XP or 2000, Mac OS 9.x or higher, Linux kernel 2.6x or higher
• Bonus key ring lanyard for mobile phones or key rings
• Available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities

5BARz™ Mobile / Cellphone Booster

Poor mobile phone reception and dropped calls are problems for many mobile phone users -- and the problem is magnified with video downloads, cellular internet and 3G service offerings. CelLynx designs, manufactures and markets affordable, indoor cellular coverage enhancement solutions for significantly improving mobile phone coverage. CelLynxTM offers the industry’s first reliable one-piece, plug ‘n play mobile signal booster, 5BARz™. The CelLynx family of boosters significantly enhances your mobile phone reception, reduces or eliminates dropped calls and improves 3G and 4G services such as music and video downloads and cellular internet.

5BARz™ is the most affordable and reliable mobile phone booster and unlike all other solutions it requires no installation. 5BARz delivers:

• Easiest set-up -- just plug the unit in
• Stronger signals, better reception and faster internet (including 3G) in your car, home, office or your travel destination
• Works for all nationally advertised cell phone coverage plans

The CelLynx family of products also includes 5BARz™ @Home (available soon) our next plug ‘n play booster that enhances cell coverage to a larger area. While 5BARz is portable to your car, office and home office, it only covers one room. With 5BARz @Home you can increase cell phone coverage to potentially cover your entire home or office suite (up to 2,500 feet per unit, multiple units can work together for larger areas).
We are confident you’ll agree that no matter what weak coverage issues you face, CelLynx delivers the best product for you.

iPod Nano features camera

David Stephenson

Media Credit: Apple Inc.

It's safe to say that almost every college student has used, owned, or at least heard of the iPod. Even after almost ten years and the constant assaults of competitor's next "iPod killers," the simple click wheel design and easy to use iTunes software, still make the iPod the best selling digital music player year in and year out. If Apple continues to release devices like the newest generation of iPod Nanos, it's easy to see them repeating their dominance this year.

The most recognizable feature of the new Nano is a tiny video camera included on the back of the player. It allows you to record short standard definition videos that are transferred to iTunes where they can then be uploaded on Facebook or YouTube. This addition sets the Nano apart from other devices, but it does have its limitations.

Because of its miniature size and relatively small weight, holding the Nano while recording video can be awkward and can sometimes result in extremely shaky footage or getting a figure in the frame. The placement of the video camera also presents a problem because it is exactly where the Nano is supposed to be held and therefore extremely prone to finger prints or scratching.

Additionally, Apple's included iTunes software is great for organizing music and watching the videos you create on your computer, but when you want to share your videos on the Web, you'll have to upload to each Web site through an Internet browser since iTunes doesn't have an option to share videos online.

Besides the added video camera, the new Nano packs an impressive number of features for a device its size. Although the Nano is only available with storage of up to 16GB, small compared to the iPod classic or other larger music players, the inclusion of an FM tuner allows you to listen to new songs on the radio and even pause live radio, or purchase the track from iTunes. The new iTunes genius mixes are also available on the Nano, allowing the computer to quickly pick a playlist of similar songs to expose you to other songs might be interested in.

The light weight and size of the original Nano was extremely popular for exercising purposes, and this new generation Nano doesn't disappoint. Apple's voice over feature, when enabled, has the iPod read aloud the name of song and artist you're listening to so that you don't have to take your hands off the weights. For joggers, the Nano comes preloaded with fitness software from Nike that tracks your lap times and distance and syncs it with nikeplus.com so you can keep up with your routine.

Windows 7 Sales Up, But is it Really a Hit?

Ian Paul

The numbers are in and Windows 7 sales are strong, but with lagging PC sales and increased competition from other operating systems, is Windows in trouble? Apple recently reported one of its best quarters ever, and interest is high in current and future products coming out of Cupertino. Then there's the recent release of the latest Linux distribution, Ubuntu 9.10, and let's not forget pressure from Google Chrome OS, scheduled for release in the second half of next year. Put it all together, and we may be slowly approaching the end of Windows' dominance.

Windows 7 by the Numbers

Windows 7's U.S. sales were 234 percent higher over the first few days of its availabilty compared to Vista sales over a similar time period. But to get there, Microsoft had to go the extra mile and offer what were, by Microsoft standards, some deep discounts. The average selling price of Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade was $76, according to market research firm NPD group, which is significantly less than the advertised presale price of $120. By comparison, the original preorder price tag to upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium was $160 in 2007.

Despite these discounts, PC sales are lagging, down 6 percent compared to Vista's launch period. This may include a number of factors including the availability of other versions of Windows (XP and Vista), which NPD says made up 20 percent of computer sales during the Windows 7 sales, as well as the reluctance among Vista owners to buy another new computer after upgrading just a few years ago. But if Windows 7 is set to boost a lagging computer market, as some researchers believe, current PC sales may be some cause for concern.

Apple Growing

Earlier this year, Apple released its own updated operating system, Snow Leopard, which also saw a respectable increase in sales. NPD Group measured the new Mac OS' performance over a two-week period, and said Snow Leopard sales were more than double its predecessor, Leopard, over the time frame. Recently, Apple reported that sales for its Mac computers grew by 17 percent during the third quarter of 2009 compared to the same quarter in 2008.

The Linux Gang

But Apple isn't the only competition Microsoft has to worry about. Ubuntu, one of the world's more popular Linux distributions, recently launched its latest version, Ubuntu 9.10, and impressions about the new OS are largely positive. Of course, this is not the first time that a Linux OS has been praised, and seen as the Linux version that is finally ready for widespread adoption. But Ubuntu 9.10 does offer improved compatibility with peripheral hardware such as printers and scanners, there are a wide variety of available applications for the OS, and Ubuntu is absolutely free making it a significantly cheaper alternative to Windows.

Then there's Google's coming Linux-based OS alternative, called Google Chrome OS, that many tech pundits are excited about, but nobody's really sure what the new system will be able to do. But given current interest, Chrome OS could be a big hit when it debuts next year.
With so much variety in the world of the operating system, is Microsoft's dominance threatened? For the moment, no. Windows is still the dominant operating system in the U.S., but it is slowly losing market share to Apple, Linux and others. Microsoft is still the top for now, but for you there's never been a better time to try out an alternative to Windows.