Filed under: Video Games, Gamer, Jock/Sports FanDon't look now, but it appears that even the AARP digs the Nintendo Wii gaming console. Want proof? TG Daily reports that a Washington, D.C.-area retirement community recently held a Wii bowling tournament that culminated in a matchup between 79-year-old real bowling champion and an 84-year-old Wii-prodigy challenger. Nancy Davies beat Hal Winters 202 to 182 at the Riderwood Retirement Community in one of many Wii tournaments held at the geriatric complex. While Winters is an actual bowling expert, Davies only began bowling only a year ago, exclusively on the Wii, which makes the upset so shocking.Since several Wii units were received last March, the plaid-loving residents have flocked to play and challenge each other in shooting and hockey games in addition to bowling free-for-alls. This item of news marks the unique marketability of the Wii toward demographicsheretofore unresponsive to the gaming world, groups including the elderly, female and middle-aged populations. Now if we can just get Grandma to talk trash we'll be getting somewhere...From Engadget Via TG Daily and Examiner.comRelated Links:Playing Wii is Not Exercise, Say ScientistsToyota and Nintendo Team Up for "Elderly-Friendly" CarNintendo to Offer Wii 'Rainchecks' for Out-of-Stock Consoles Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car Tech, CES 2008The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held every January in Las Vegas, is just around the corner (and Switched.com will be there), which means it is time for companies to assault us with an absurd number of product launches. Garmin took this idea to heart, apparently, and is prepping the launch of no less than 11 new GPS products for the world's biggest geek-fest.At the top of the heap is the new Nuvi 880, a 4.3 inch car navigation unit with more features than you could possibly imagine using. The usual suspects are there: text to speech, Bluetooth, digital audio playback, and picture viewing. But there is also plenty new packed in to the dash mountable device, including -- terrifyingly enough -- games. (If we ever see someone playing Tetris on their GPS while trying to drive we're pulling over to the side of the road.) The 880 also comes with MSN Direct service which provides traffic updates, weather, news, movie times, local events, and even gas prices.The most innovative feature packed into the new 880, and its stripped down sibling the Nuvi 850, is speech recognition technology. If you're driving on a particularly icy, or winding stretch of road and taking a hand off the wheel feels like it's inviting disaster, now you can talk to your GPS device to perform all but the most advanced functions, including searching for points of interest or setting an entirely new route. The 880 will be hitting the market with a suggest retail price in the $1,000 range, while the 850 gets its price down to about $800 by ditching the Bluetooth and MSN.Also of interest is Garmin's new Colorado series of hand-held units that feature three-inch screens and the trademarked Rock 'n Roller[TM] wheel, which is essentially a ruggedized version of a click wheel. The Colorado will come in four different flavors: the base level 300, which retails for $499; the 400t, which is aimed at hikers and comes loaded with 3D topographical maps for getting your bearing; the 400i tackles the fishing market with maps of the shoreline, and locations for boat ramps on inland lakes and rivers; and finally the 400c goes after the boating enthusiast with shorelines, depth contours, harbors, marinas, and coastal roads for the United States and Bahamas. The 400t, i, and c all retail for $599.Every member of the Colorado series comes packed with an electronic compass, temperature sensor, altimeter and the new Wherigo (where i go) platform. Wherigo allows Colorado users to create "location-based multimedia experiences in the real world." Which is of course a fancy way of saying creating guided tours, adventure "games," and scavenger hunts. All of this info can be shared wirelessly with other Colorado users.We'll be sure to check out the new Wherigo features at CES and let you know whether the folks at Garmin have truly stumbled across something innovative.Related links:Thief Steals GPS Unit, Gets Busted When Police Hit 'Home' ButtonNew Jersey School Forces Students to Carry GPS-Enabled Cell PhonesMercedes Ties Google and Yahoo! Maps to In-Car Navigation Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesWhat happens when you combine a strongly religious community in the south and the unfortunate telephone area code of 666? Hilarity ensues, of course! Ok, maybe not too much hilarity, but some.The poor residents of Reeves, Louisiana have been saddled with the telephone prefix of the beast since the early 1960's, and Christians in the town have been complaining since. Finally, the constant bellyaching paid off and for the next three months residents will have the option of changing their prefix to 749. Mayor Scott Walker said it was "divine intervention," though we tend to think the power(s) that be have bigger things to worry about than this town's area code.From Textually.orgRelated links:Teens Still Prefer Landline Phones, Says StudyAT&T to Phase Out Pay Phones By 2009Satan Worshipers Drive Advertisers Out of Facebook Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Cell Phones, Computers, iPod, TV, Green Tech, CES 2008Not like we couldn't see it coming, but news is that a big theme at this year's CES will be "green technology." The environment, being green, and global warming have been on everyone's minds this year. The Prius, 'An Inconvenient Truth,' OLEDs, and tons of research into alternative power sources and fuels were all the rage in 2007, and '08 doesn't look to be any different.A number of new technologies are expected to make their debut, or at least US debut, at CES next week. Among them is a new Silver-Zinc battery technology that will increase battery capacity by up to 30 percent, and will also yield more recoverable metal when recycled than the currently common Lithium-Ion batteries.Fujitsu will show off a laptop with a plastic case made partially from corn byproducts. The case will not be biodegradable, because it still contains petroleum based plastics, but when the case is recycled the petroleum based plastic mixed in with the corn will separate and the corn plastic will be biodegradable.Even cell phone chargers are getting a green makeover. As much as two thirds of the power drawn by a phone charger is wasted because AC adapters continue to draw energy even after the phone is fully charged. A company called GreenPlug will show off a universal hub that it hopes to convince electronics companies to support. The hub works by "talking" to devices to determine how much power they really need. Another perk is that the universal hub could eliminate the need for carrying a separate adapter for every phone, iPod etc. However one very un-green side effect is that the hub, even if supported, just means more non-biodegradable plastic going into circulation. From CNNRelated links:Five Percent of U.S. Electricity Wasted by "Vampire" ElectronicsSamsung to Show 14 Inch OLED Display Prototype at CESSamsung One Ups Sony with 31 Inch OLED TV Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Video GamesOver the last few weeks, Microsoft's Xbox Live service was suffering from a number of problems that prevented gamers from signing on or joining in games with their buddies. Those problems were rectified earlier this week (and then the service went down again). Microsoft is coming out and not only explaining what caused the prolonged outage, but is taking the extra step of offering a free game as an apology.Microsoft's Xbox Live General Manager Marc Whitten indicated that during those weeks, Xbox Live experienced the biggest period of growth in its five year history. The service, flush with new subscribers trying out their new holiday Xbox 360s, got a little bogged down and couldn't quite handle the traffic.Marc didn't specify that only Gold subscribers would be receiving the free Xbox Live Arcade game, so it looks like it'll be made available to even Silver members who don't pay the monthly fee. The only questions now are which game and when, answers we should have in the next few weeks.From EngadgetRelated Links: Microsoft's Xbox Live Holiday Issues Resolved Player-Created Xbox Live Games Look Like Ads Atari Classics Now on Xbox Live Arcade  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Video GamesWe joke about how gaming, especially online first person shooters (in this case 'Halo 3'), are the domain of basement dwelling uber-dorks and sociopaths. Sadly every once in a while someone has to go and do something that gives the entire online gaming community a bad name.The emotionally unbalanced loon in question this time is Joshua Stetar. Stetar, 20, was arrested this week in Spokane, Washington for stalking and harassing a 15 year-old girl and hedr 6 year-old sister he met online playing 'Halo'. Stetar drove 40 hours, non-stop, across country from his home in Granville, New York to sit outside the young girls' house and threatened, via text message, to rape her and her sister.Terrifyingly enough, this was not the first encounter with Stetar that clearly crossed the line. Stetar sent flowers to the jail-bait gamer several times over a one-year period and flooded her cell phone with hundreds of text messages. Stetar even flew to Spokane in October to stake out her house.Apparently Stetar, whose MySpace page is packed to the brim with Bible quotes and homophobic rants, missed the lesson in Sunday school where they explained that stalking, harassing, and raping little girls would not be considered the right thing to do.The other question here, however, is how Stetar acquired the girl's address and cell phone number. We have to guess she gave that info to him before she knew he was a little less-than stable, but this all proves one thing: Watch who your kids are gaming with online.From the Times UnionRelated links:Stalker Alert -- 53 Percent of Adults Google OthersArmani Phone Combats Rape and TheftKuwait Rape Case Becomes Text Messaging Contest Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesThe French may have only just jumped on the no-smoking-in-bars bandwagon, but they are leading the charge against health risks associated with cell phone use. Earlier this week, France's Ministry of Health issued a statement warning the public against excessive cell phone use. French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin (pictured) also went on France 2 TV and rehashed the well-worn theory connecting cell phone use and cancer (cell phones emit small amount of radiation). While she stopped short of actually telling people to stop using their cell phones entirely, Bachelot-Narquin did say that people, especially children, should curtail their long-term proximity to phones by avoiding making calls if there's poor reception or by keeping phones away from their bodies (presumably by using a wireless Bluetooth headset).Bachelot-Narquin acknowledged that the link between cell phone use and cancer remains specious, but cited studies in which it was found that people who used analog cell phones for more than ten years were more likely to develop tumors. What she didn't mention is that most people in countries like France and the U.S. no longer use analog phones and instead now use digital phones, and those haven't been around for much more than ten years. So, the jury is still out on whether newer cell phones pose health risks or not. But a statistic pointed out by BetaNews may shed some light on cell phones and cancer: Finland, the country with the highest per capita cell phone use in the world, listed tumors as the second biggest cause of death (23 percent) among men and women alike. So maybe the French are on to something, or maybe they're just trying to one-up us on the banning of addictive activities that annoy other people. Regardless, cutting back on cell-phone-use certainly seems to be the flavor of the month (or the New Year), as evidenced by this New-York-City-woman's recent New Year's resolution. One thing is certainly true: The questions around cell phone use and cancer are not likely to go away any time soon. And don't get us started on all the other gadgets that might be making you sick.From Reuters and BetaNewsRelated Links:Laser Printers As Bad for You As CigarettesAre Your Gadgets Making You Sick?Woman Gives Up Cell Phone for New Year'sMan Jumps On Subway Tracks for His iPhone Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Home Audio, Home Video, Televisions, CES 2008HTIB's -- "home theaters in a box" -- are all-in-one systems that deliver everything you need to take that big new HDTV you just bought and give yourself the full home theater experience with a surround-sound system. However, these systems generally assume you've already purchased a TV, and most are targeted toward entry-level consumers who just want to be flanked by speakers (and speaker cable) but aren't too picky about sound quality. Epson's Ensemble HD package is a different beast.This is similar in purpose, including a 5.1 speaker system with an integrated A/V receiver and DVD player, along with all the wires and cabling you'll need to hook it all together. However, this bundle also includes a motorized screen and your choice of one of Epson's high-end LCD projectors. Couple the two together and, if you opt for the higher-end bundle, you can project a 100-inch 1080p image onto the screen, which will silently retract into its housing when you're done for the night.So, it's a little more high-end than you're typical HTIB, and is priced accordingly. The top-of-the-line system with the 1080p projector will set you back $6,999 when it's released next month, though you can save yourself two grand and go for the $4,999 720p projector if you like. But, really, what's two grand when you're living the life?Related Links: Onkyo HT-SP908 Home-Theater-in-a-Box (HTIB) Sophisti DD-3 Plays Nice With Your PC Netflix and LG to Bring Digital Movies to your TV  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car Tech, Cell PhonesAccording to a study by the University of Utah's Traffic Lab, even using a hands-free cell phone while driving causes enough distraction to impede the flow of traffic.As reported by Reuters, cell phone use while driving makes drivers less likely to respond to changes in speed by the cars ahead of them in a highway lane. The result is slower speeds overall, not just for the distracted, cell-phone using driver but also for those unlucky enough to be stuck behind him or her.We already know that texting and driving is similar to driving drunk, so it's not a stretch to assume other distractions will impair progress, as well. Even though using a hands-free device (like a headset or ear piece) is supposed to solve most concerns about talking and driving at the same time, it seems any conversation is impairment enough.But not all in-car technology is bad. Toyota and Nintendo are working on a vehicle that helps the elderly move about town. Also, GPS systems have been shown to cut down on driver's fatigue and improve overall driving safety. And other studies have shown mobile phones in cars can actually ease traffic congestion.The lessen here is use your in-car tech wisely. Or, we don't know... maybe just drive.From Reuters.Related items:Teen Imprisoned for TXTing While DrivingText Messaging to Blame in Teen's Car Wreck?Using GPS to Discourage Drunk Driving Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, ComputersGood news for digital packrats who are always on the move: Asus is gearing up to release a notebook computer with a pair of 500 gigabyte hard drives inside. This one terabyte of hard disk space will be a first for a laptop -- and should give you enough memory to carry around at least the vast majority of your media collection. With enough space for 350 feature length movies or 250,000 four-minute songs, you could fly around the world and never run out of things to watch or listen to.The Asus M70 will be available sometime later this year, primarily since the hard drive that will be packed into these glorified media vaults, the Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 (pictured here), won't be available until February.From CnetRelated links:Your Old Hard Drive is a Criminal's Gold MineLaCie's New Gold-Covered External DriveGoogle Offers 250 Gigs of Storage for $500 Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Creative TypeIs it us, or has Apple truly cultivated a cozy, nice-guy image in the consumer's world of technology? That funny commercial with the uptight PC nerd versus the laid-back Apple innovator type aside, it seems as if Apple's trying to live up to the image. Get this: A model actually wrote her memoir in New York's SoHo Apple Store over a period of three months. Isobella Jade, a diminutive catwalker, wrote Almost 5'4" in late-2005, early-2006 using the Apple Store's computers, saving the new material she wrote each day by e-mailing herself. The book details her adventures as a vertically-challenged model trying to break into the business in the big city. Upon completion, Jade presented a reading of her memoirs at the same Apple Store. The rights to the work have been sold to the U.K.'s The Friday Project, which plans a commercial release in 2009.Although we can just look at this story as one of those kooky, warm fuzzies delivered to you by Apple, we think Jade's actions may signal something far more significant. This episode might be a harbinger of a trend to come: an e-publishing phenomenon in which people use public computers in the public sphere to produce something accessible to the general public, from the novel they've always wanted to write to their gentle treatise on the Nice Guy. From Digg Via Mental_FlossRelated Links:Amazon Kindle Hacked, Leading to More E-Books for ReadersDon't Snub the Sony E-Reader -- We Actually Like ItNew Apple Patent Promises Wireless Restaurant Orders Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, Home AudioIf one of your New Year's resolutions is to cut down on the number of wires cluttering your home, then the i2i Stream Digital Music Broadcaster may be for you. The purpose of this product, available in March, is to turn any of your traditional music players at home (such as CD players, DVD players, iPods, and even computers) into wireless music sources. Multiple listeners can enjoy the music on their own sets of earphones or you can have the music stream through regular speakers so everyone can listen together.Hiding or eliminating wires in the home has been the goal of many companies, whether by streaming content through existing powerlines or broadcasting the music using Wi-Fi. Now i2i maker Aerielle Inc. has thrown its hat into the mix -- with CEO Art Cohen touting the "one-to-many" quality of his product."We've created a way for friends to listen to music content without the hassle of sharing ear buds or swapping MP3 devices," Cohen said in today's pre-CES press release announcing the device (hey, we tried to call him, but we never heard back). The device can stream to "hundreds of other i2i Stream users from a single channel."Thei2i comes in a two pack. One of the units works as a broadcast device while the other receives. The system works by plugging one i2i device into the audio source to create the "audio stream," which broadcasts up to 30 feet. You then plug your listening device -- a pair of earbuds, for example -- into the second i2i device. The internal battery charge lasts up to seven hours.Besides using i2i at home you can also take it with you on the road. So, for example, two people can listen to music from one MP3 player. One of the listeners carries the player and one of the i2i devices. The other listener carries just the other i2i device and plugs his or her earphones in to the appropriate jack.The initial price for the two-pack is $129.95 and additional transceivers will cost $69.95 -- perhaps a tad pricey considering the limited range. An extra charger will go for $14.95. Related links:Apple Adds Wi-Fi and Ringtones to iTunesWireless Electricity = WiTricityJust Tell Me What to Get: Home Network Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, iPodDigital music may be getting more "meta" this year, an advance that could make downloaded songs and albums more appealing to consumers who have turned to less-than-legal manners of getting their music. A common complaint concerning MP3s is their lack of interesting extras - the types of things you typically find inside the cases of compact discs, such as lyrics, liner notes, images and even keepsakes. That may change this year, as competition among the digital music purveyors heats up and third-party creators tap into the interest of music fans for more information. Disney has already created something called a "Digital Magazine," although this is intended for use with CDs. Still, this isn't too far from adaptation to an all digital experience. Apple's iTunes and iPod are capable of handling more types of information than just music, as is Microsoft's Zune. In the case of iTunes, some albums come with exclusive tracks, "making of" videos, and videos of the album's singles -- none of which are available on their store-bought CD brethren. Gracenote has been compiling tons of data about artists, albums and songs for years. (Whenever you drop a new CD into your computer to transfer songs to your hard drive, it's likely Gracenote that provides the information that automatically fills in the album name, track numbers, song and artist information, plus album artwork, as well.) It seems that's just scratching the surface. From Reuters/Billboard.Related links:Warner Offers Music on Amazon Without Copy ProtectionHands-On Review: The Return of WinampUpdate Your Old Zune or Engrave Your New One Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, TV, DownloadsAfter leaving Blockbuster in its dust, Netflix is looking to expand its reach beyond the decidedly low-tech DVD rental business. Sure, Netflix.com has its Watch Instantly feature, but that still requires a PC to stream digital content in questionable quality. Cutting out the computer is animportant step in seamlessly integrating your digital content and your home theater. To that end Netflix is teaming up with LG to stream movies and TV shows straight to LG's upcoming line of Internet-connected HDTVs and combination Blu-ray / HD DVD players.The Netflix deal is looking to one-up Amazon's deal with TiVo to stream films from its Unbox service to TiVo set top boxes. Netflix's likely hope is that it can ultimately ditch those costly red envelopes.From the New York TimesRelated links:Netflix Seeing Four Times as Much Traffic as BlockbusterTiVo Adding Rhapsody Music ServiceNetflix "View It Now" Service Hacked - Users Downloading Movies Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments