On TV Envy: Infomercial Pitchman Billy Mays Found Dead

Bleeding Edge TV 292: Wii Sports Resort preview

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: High Score, Short Bytes, Accessories, Features, Home Entertainment, Podcasts, Video Games, Videocasts, Videos


Sports is one of the most popular and accessible console pack-in games of all time, so it’s only natural that would want to follow up with a paid offering. That’s where Wii Sports Resort comes in. The sequel to Wii Sports will be the first game to be compatible with the add-on, which feature 1:1 mapping of your Wiimote. The game will come bundled with the MotionPlus device and an extended Wii Remote Jacket, both of which will also be sold separately. Games announced to be included (so far) are: Frisbee (Disc Dog), Jet Skiing, and Kendo, with more to come. Wii Sports Resort will launch in Spring 2009.


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E3 2008: Flock demoed by CAPCOM

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, High Score, Features, Podcasts, Software, Video Games, Videocasts, Videos


We were able to spend some time with CAPCOM during E3 2008, and they gave us a look at their very fun herding simulator, Flock. Yes, a herding simulator, but they are referring to it as more of a sandbox puzzle game. What they mean by that is that there are many ways to solve any given level, and the user can get creative and choose a method that is most fun for them.

The point of the game is to move farm animals around a quilt-like environment using a UFO of sorts. The quilt is where the world lies, and everything in the game looks to be stitched together, which gives it quite a bit of charm. Depending on how you herd the animals, and change the level, you affect that different ways that you can solve each puzzle. The game is similar to Lemmings, will support co-op online gaming, and will have over 50 levels. If that isn’t enough, there will also be a level editor for you to play with, and you can share any custom level you build online as well. The game will be released on Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network, and PC.

Check out the full demo in this episode, and watch out for the awesome Rube Goldberg level near the end.


Bleeding Edge TV 251: Jensen Ported iPod Speakers and Docking Digital HD Radio

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Accessories, Apple, CES, CES 2008, Features, Home Entertainment, Music, Podcasts, Portable Audio / Video, Videocasts


Everyone loves speakers.  At least that’s what I’m thinking, after taking a look at the market.  Jensen’s newest offerings, the JiSS 550 and JiSS 330, retailing for $129 and $99 respectively.  Both docks include side flow bass ports for crisper sound and remote controls, and both are available now.

Another, newer offering from Jensen is an HD radio enabled iPod speaker.  Along with all of the rest of the cool tricks that HD radio receivers have (FM multicasting, digital sound and station information services, among others), Jensen’s newest HD offering features an tagging function - when you hear a song on the radio that you know you’re going to want to hear again, repeatedly and whenever you want, with the touch of a button you can send the song information to your iPod.  On your next sync, you’ll get a prompt from iTunes reminding you that you wanted to buy the song.

Available in April, MSRP on the HD radio iPod speaker will be coming in at an estimated $179, but rumor has it that if you head over to Target when the speaker is released, you could save yourself enough to buy a couple of albums worth of songs you tagged on the unit.


Bleeding Edge TV 244: A look at Drobo Storage Robot

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Accessories, Apple, CES, CES 2008, Design, Features, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Storage, Videocasts


One of this year’s hottest topics is storage.  It seems like we’re about two steps away from getting flash drives as prizes in cereal boxes.  With the release of OSX and its Time Machine app, backing up computers has become easier than ever.  Enter Data Robotics’ Drobo storage robot.

As easy to use as a flash drive, the Drobo has four slots to accommodate 3.5” SATA I or II hard drives, and automatically makes redundant copies of data in order to protect from single drive failure.  Drobo uses 2.0 to make backing up quickly, and is fully operable with OSX and Windows 2000 and up.

Retailing at $499, Drobo comes with everything you need to get started except the hard drives.  It’s available now from online retailers.


CES 2008 Video: ZPower silver-zinc battery power outshines the rest?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2008, Design, Features, Misc. Tech, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Science, Videocasts


While power technologies tend to be less glamourous than gadgets consumers shouldn’t forget the impact and importance of having solid battery technologies in the slim and trim electronic toys and tools they buy. ZPower was pleased to show off their new Silver-Zinc batteries at – potentially a revolutionary new product. These new batteries can be interchanged with Lithium Ion batteries but offer more power for longer periods all while reducing the environmental impact. Available soon from a yet-to-be-named laptop manufacturer.


CES 2008 Video: Bug Labs on the Bug Base and Bug Platform

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Hack Attack, Cameras, CES, CES 2008, Design, Features, GPS, Handhelds, Internet, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Videocasts


Think Lego Mindstorms meets Radio Shack. has been working on their Bug Base—a fully modifiable, open-source gadget building block system. The base itself includes specs similar to “a three-year-old laptop” but includes and Ethernet, USB and more. Once you have the base, you can add additional “modules,” including LCD displays, , cameras, motion sensors and tons more. Each of the modules will require you to program them using a software package similar to VisualStudio in appearance, but everything is open source. Bug Labs has about 80 different sensors on the roadmap right now and they’re constantly interfacing with the community to come up with new ideas.

The concept has a lot of promise and some great tinkering cred. For the first 60 days, they’re offering an early-adopter special with the base costing just $299 (down from $349) and modules ranging from $49-$119. Pre-orders began on January 21st and will ship by March.

Take a look at our video to see us get our hands on the base and its modules and to talk to Jeremy from Bug Labs about what’s coming down the road and what’s in store for Bug Labs.


CES 2008 Video: eJamming online live jam sessions software

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Broadband, CES, CES 2008, Features, Home Entertainment, Internet, Music, Podcasts, Videocasts


eJamming.com was at Showstoppers during 2008 and saw fit to show off their new, cool offering. eJamming is an online live jam session tool, comprised of software that allows geographically disparate artists to get together, play together and record together live on the net. The software accounts for latency by forcing a small delay back through each of the players monitors of between 10-30 milliseconds, which they say takes a musician about 30 minutes to get used to. (And is similarly experienced in some live systems.) By matching the latency based on distance and adjusting for it appropriately, the musicians can play together and record together fully in synch. What’s more, they’re moving towards a model that will allow them to sell access to guest users, to hear the live music.

It’s an interesting concept, though I think they may run into some attach rate trouble with regards to getting fans to pay to listen to the live performances, no matter the price. Still, the service definitely has its merits with regards to musicians being able to get together with no geographical barriers.

Check the video to see us chat with co-founder Alan Jay Glueckman about his service.

Speaking of price, the software is free with a subscription fee of $10 a month.


CES 2008 Video: SlingCatcher demo and a look at SlingBox PRO HD

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Accessories, CES, CES 2008, Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Internet, Podcasts, Videocasts


We chat with the Sling Media crew and take a special look at the newly announced PRO HD. The PRO HD allows you to beam HD to any device, and if you have the upload capacity, to do so with no down-conversion. The PRO HD will be available in Q3 and will retail for $399.99. Coupled with the , you’ll be able to beam HD-anything to another TV in your house straight up.

Further, the SlingCatcher will function as a standalone device that will allow you to pull a screen or web video stream from a host computer to your TV. For now, you have to coordinate and control it from the host PC, and it still needs to play on the host PC, but the ability to push the video up to your TV without plugging anything additional in is pretty tempting. The Sling Catcher also features 2 USB ports, to allow it to play from external storage. The SlingCatcher will be available around the same time for $249.99 and can push out over HDMI or component. Check the video out for all the grisly details and some great close ups of the Slingers in action.


CES 2008 Video: Garmin Nuvi 880 GPS

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2008, Features, GPS, Handhelds, Microsoft, Podcasts, Portable Audio / Video, Videocasts


continues to impress with their latest devices. Our favorite is the Nuvi 880, with speech recognition. Speak your orders into the 880—say Grandma’s address—and you’re off. The 880 can also help you find what you’re looking for, whether your hungry, need to find a movie theater, or any other myriad of things. For example, just tell the 880 you need a Chinese restaurant and the device will offer a huge list of eateries within the area. Choose the one you want and the 880 guides you there.

Our favorite feature is that the 880 also offers real-time traffic info, news, stocks, current events and more via MSN Direct, making it the perfect traveling companion. The service is free the first 3 months, and will then cost $50/year.


CES 2008 Video: Case Logic customizable laptop bags

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, CES, CES 2008, Clothing, Design, Features, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Videocasts


Case Logic showed off a series of bags at this year. Their cases range from protecting the smallest of iPod Nano’s to the largest of Laptops. In this video, we give you a look at bags designed for customization by the user, which included pens and Sharpie markers, as well as stencils to help you…well…make it you. Could you technically write on any bag that you purchase? Sure, but would it be as fun? We’d like to think so, but we are some stencil-needing fools. In any event, check the video out to learn more about these stylish totes.


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