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Newstips Electronic Editorial Bulletin Issue # 2008-01a
Last news before CES
CHERRY PICKS
Sunday, 9AM to noon (come at 8:30 & take your time eating),
Cherry Picks is at The Wynn (Lafite ballroom 5; use the tour bus
entrance between the main entrance & The Venetian & skip the long
snaking walk through the lobby). Come hungry. Since the program
portion will be shorter, you can have a little more mingle-time
with the winners before lunch arrives. Also, to save everybody
the haul, Marty decided to ship you the press gift bags the week
after CES; make sure he has your shipping address. Bring business
cards; we'll scan one.
CES SURPRISE: NEW STUDIODOCK USB MONITORS
Analog audio gets noisy, but you never have to hear it with the
new Samson StudioDock USB Monitors. Your PC streams digital audio
directly into these via USB; they do the digital to analog
decoding, then (this is a big deal) lets you hear it through
monitor-caliber speakers, far better than anything you'll hear in
computer store speakers. Do come by to hear them but prepare
yourself to never again being satisfied with the speakers on your
PC now. By the way, we should mention there's an iPod dock up top
for charging, syncing & streaming. Ask Mark about pricing &
availability, or just send him a message & asked to be put on the
reviewers list. Contact: Mark Wilder, SAMSON TECHNOLOGIES
(Hauppauge, NY) 631-784-2200x142 mailto:mwilder@samsontech.com
http://SamsonTech.com
WI-EX CES SURPRISE: CELLULAR SIGNAL STRENGTH READER
Pilot production units came in, tweaks made & by the end of
January, everybody will be able to buy a really cool, handheld
cellular signal strength reader from Wi-Ex; yes, you can see it &
try it at their CES booth. Switch it to the band you want to
measure & it will tell you where you'll find your strongest
signal; that's extremely cool for installers, but be honest,
you've been wanting something that could do that just to keep
your own calls from dropping. This & the zBoost cell bar boosters
aren't the only goodies Sharon will be sharing at the booth;
hint: do you have a sweet tooth? Contact: Sharon Cuppett, WI-EX
INC. (Norcross, GA) 770-239-5475x6380 mailto:scuppett@wi-ex.com
http://wi-ex.com AGENCY CONTACT: Deanna Anderson 404-759-1890
mailto:danderson705@comcast.net
JVC AT CES: EVERIO EVOLVES
Year after year, the JVC Everio series of hard disk camcorders
keeps kicking the category up a notch. At CES this year, JVC
previews the newest Everio models with a slimmer, smaller form
factor (paperback book size). There will be models with 30 & 60GB
drives. The lowest-price model will be available in silver,
black, blue or red. And all of these new SD models feature high
quality Konica Minolta lenses. See them in the JVC new product
showroom at Caesar's by appointment or after the JVC press
breakfast briefing on Tuesday, January 8 (8-9AM). Contact:
Chelsea Vander Groef, JVC COMPANY OF AMERICA (Wayne, NJ)
973-317-5000x5312 mailto:cvandergroef@jvc.com http://jvc.com
CES SURPRISES FROM APRICORN
Find Apricorn at CES & among the surprises you'll find there is
an X54 notebook slot port expander that adds a lot of video
horsepower & other conveniences, new higher capacities in the
Aegis Mini pocket drives & more. Of course, there's nothing
boring in their standard products, like the Aegis BIO portable
that uses your fingerprint to make sure that you & only you can
read what's on the drive, the Aegis Vault that provides portable
encryption protection via login & password instead of biometrics,
one-pass notebook upgrade kits, big-capacity external desktop
drives & a lot more. These aren't your papa's hard drive
products. Come see & ask Michelle. Contact: Michelle Fischer,
APRICORN INC. (Poway, CA) 858-513-4480
mailto:mfischer@apricorn.com http://apricorn.com AGENCY CONTACT:
Jennifer Olson 415-402-0230 mailto:jennifer@atomicpr.com
MORE ABOUT THE ITORNADO
The new iTornado ($80, March) you'll see at CES is the first
product that can in one pass, with no software to install or
network to configure, transport files between any pair of Windows
PC or Mac systems. Like the original (Windows PC only) Tornado,
the new iTornado connects the two computers through their USB
ports using twin USB cables on a spring-wound retractable reel
within its body. Like the original, directories of both computers
appear on both computers, making copying or moving files in
either direction a cinch; green LEDs light to confirm each
computer's connection. See it in action at CES & tell Clint if
you want to be on the list for one when it ships later in 1Q08.
Contact: Clint Hughes, DATA DRIVE THRU (Dallas, TX) 972-897-7057
mailto:chughes@datadrivethru.com http://TheTornado.com
VOX POPULI SANS 2-YEAR VASSALAGE: SURPRISES AT CES
While a lot of binding cell phone contracts leave you feeling
like you've sold yourself into servitude, Virgin Mobile does
business with no long-term commitments & that's one reason to get
to know them better at CES. But admit it, a lot of it is about
the tech for you, so swing by the booth & get surprised by the
variety of gear they offer & their feature sets. If you want to
editorially field test one of their phones during CES, this is
the last call to call Corinne & set that up. Contact: Corinne
Nosal, VIRGIN MOBILE USA (Warren, NJ) 908-607-4235
mailto:corinne.nosal@virginmobileusa.com
http://virginmobileusa.com
AT THE TIFFEN BOOTH: DIGITAL HT FILTERS
In the world of camera filters, HT stands for high
transmissivity, meaning just about all the light gets through; in
other words, the glass is clearer than ever. An HT filter is
especially important outside the studio & in natural light, since
the more light that makes it to the image sensor, the more the
camera picks up nuances & the less it's subject to noise. Stop &
see Hilary for a look at these & the other really cool new stuff
there, like the Steadicam Pilot & the Steadicam Merlin arm & vest
& more. Contact: Hilary Araujo, TIFFEN COMPANY (Hauppauge, NY)
631-273-2500x1216 mailto:haraujo@tiffen.com http:/.tiffen.com
NOW 30-30 HEAT VISION TAKES REMOTE TEMPERATURES FOR $30
New from MaxMax, the 30-30 Heat Vision non-contact temperature
measuring gun ($30) takes about half a second to digitally
display the temperature of a target up to 100' away. There's a
built-in laser pointer for aiming & a target cone that's tighter
than 30 degrees; the readout is on a backlit LCD & the whole
thing is powered by a 9V battery; it reads temperatures from
0-400F (-20 to 200C). Yes, you can use it to spot heat leaks at
home. It's shipping & reviewable now; ask Dan. Contact: Dan
Llewellyn, LDP LLC (Carlstadt NJ) 201-882-0344
mailto:dan@maxmax.com Http://MaxMax.com
BT2 DAPTER DEBUTS THIS MONTH
It's barely a bulge beyond the USB socket, but it's a big boost
in a PC's Bluetooth skills: the new Dapter Bluetooth 2 plug-in
for USB2 ports will be available for first looks just past
mid-month & will ship to resellers in late January. Drop Jack a
note now with your shipping address & mention whether you want a
first-looks pre-production sample or a full-production sample a
few weeks later. You can also take a peek at it or the MoGo Go-Go
Girls at Showstoppers. Contact: Jack Corrao, NEWTON PERIPHERALS
(West Newton, MA) 858-792-0944
mailto:jack.corrao@newtonperipherals.com
http://NewtonPeripherals.com
ATLONA GEAR MAKES HDMI OUT OF OTHER CONNECTIONS
Newer high def gear, from HDTV displays to HD recorders, tend to
want to be fed HDMI digital video-plus-audio signals, but what if
your older gear doesn't offer that connection? Atlona has you
covered. One Atlona converter ($280) takes composite video or
S-video plus analog audio in, digitizes it, scales it for high
def & makes it all available at a single HDMI output. A second
product ($180) can convert audio plus component or VGA video to
HDMI with zero latency; this one does not have a scaler. A third
($270) brings computer A/V to home theater by converting graphic
card digital DVI video plus SPDIF audio to HDMI. Atlona engineers
these solutions; these aren't just a logo on some off-the-shelf
Pacific Rim box. Ask Chris. Contact: Chris Bundy, ATLONA
ELECTRONICS (San Jose, CA) 408-954-8782x113
mailto:chris@lenexpo-electronics.com http://atlona.com
THANKS TO YOUR PHOTOS, YOU CAN MEASURE OUTDOORS FROM INSIDE
For those of you who live in bitterly cold, slippery,
snow-covered climes, taking a measuring tape around to the
windows, doors, gutters, roof, eaves, etc. is not an activity to
anticipate with any level of glee; thanks to iPhotoMeasure, you
can do it much more cozily. If you have any old digital photos of
the thing you want to measure & already know the size of anything
within that photo, you're just seconds away of getting a
print-out with the measurements you need atop the image. Ask Paul
for a copy & see how it measures up to your expectations of easy.
Contact: Paul Minor, DIGICONTRACTOR INC. (Tarzana, CA)
818-888-3687 mailto:paul@iphotomeasure.com
http://iPhotoMeasure.com
RESOLVE TO KEEP YOUR KITTY COMFY, EVEN AN OUTDOOR CAT
If you own an indoor cat, the world outdoors is a foreign clime;
if your cat likes to venture into the yard & beyond, you may
worry about those times you have to leave the house with the cat
still at large. A thermostatically temperature controlled Komfort
Pets carrier can plug into an outlet at your porch, deck or patio
(especially under the eaves) to give your kitty a comfy place to
await your return. It can also plug into the car lighter for cats
(or small dogs) who like to travel for those times you have to
leave the car. A small-size carrier for cats or small dogs is
available now, with a medium size emerging this winter & a large
carrier this spring; ring Robert for a run-down. Contact: Bob
Inello, KOMFORT PETS (Revere, MA) 781-485-0077
mailto:rinello@komfortpets.com http://KomfortPets.com
SPECIAL REPORT: WIND POWERLESS
We like the idea of wind power, but it isn't quite what people
imagine it to be. Think about a wind-powered TV set; what will
you see when the wind dies down? Early uses of wind power didn't
need constancy; windmills would drive grindstones or water pumps
or (later) sawmills & these are all applications that can
tolerate pauses. Modern wind turbines are tasked with generating
electricity, but we still need to resolve the ability to provide
occasional unpredictable amounts of power to electrical
distribution grids against the need to consume power in ways that
do not easily tolerate variations or pauses. Today, with wind
power making only minimal contributions to the grid,
incorporating that as it's available does reduce the demand on
traditional generators; if wind power usage grows to be a more
significant portion of all power generation, supply variability
is harder to tolerate. One current (no pun intended) techniques
for buffering power generation (most commonly found in very large
scale backup systems) is kinetic, using generated power to drive
a motor with an enormously massive flywheel that in turn drives a
generator. It seems likely that this approach is better to
implement at a wind farm than at a power station, using grid
power as an adjunct to wind turbine power (when & as necessary)
to keep the motor/flywheel/generator turning. Any such buffering
approach would allow a constant power output from the farm while
using less grid power when the wind is blowing. The same
technique can apply to solar or ad hoc hydroelectric sources as
well. As attractive as this may sound from an environmental
viewpoint, it's important to know that wind turbines are
significantly more expensive to build & operate than standard
fossil fuel generators or even nuclear power plants. Wind turbine
blade designs have difficult requirements to meet, given the need
for both rigidity & flexibility & a priority on light weight;
this extends with a vengeance to their gearing, which needs both
exceptional hardness & extreme light weight. Some of the
necessary materials are in aerospace use or development, but wind
turbine components tend to involve an enormously larger scale
than jet engine components & must operate for longer periods with
less maintenance. Like all tech, we expect this to get better &
we hope it does, since there's more than enough wind to fully
power the planet & plenty of kinetic motion of the planet to
fully power the wind.
SPECIAL REPORT BONUS REVIEW: COM ONE BLUETOOTH STEREO CLIP
What if you want to work without wires but the only headsets you
like are wired, not Bluetooth? There's a brilliant answer from
Com One: the Mic "Clip" Bluetooth Adapter. This gizmo is about
the size of a small thumb drive with an integrated clip that lets
you stick it on your lapel, your seat belt, you collar or
anywhere handy. You don't stick it in your ear because it isn't a
headset; instead, you plug in your favorite (wired) stereo
headphones (it does pack a pair of earbuds if you don't have your
own) & use its mike & talk button to complete your mostly
wireless solution. It's an A2DP device, so you can link to more
than one source. Its battery is good for about 5 hours of active
use (about 4 days of standby) per charge (via min-USB connector).
Bottom line: This is one of our favorite Bluetooth audio gizmos
so far.
SPECIAL REPORT BONUS REVIEW 2: DIRT DEVIL KONE & KURV
We love the little Dirt Devil Detailer for our keyboards & gear
needs, but there are often bigger little messes to clean in our
workspace; why can't they make cookies & crackers that don't
leave crumbs? Our on-air show & tell segments put a couple of
very cool & slightly larger Dirt Devil products in our hands. The
Kone (inverted cone shape) & Kurv (sort of lava-lamp shape)
cordless vacs are sculpted so that when in their charging stands,
the last thing they look like is a vacuum cleaner. When you pull
them out & push the button on the end, they produce an impressive
amount of suction & are done with a job long before recharging is
a worry. Bottom line: we (Judie, too) like them.
SPECIAL REPORT BONUS REVIEW 3: SOAPOPULAR
Whenever we head off to be among a few hundred thousand strangers
at a trade show, we wonder a bit about what new & belligerent
germs they'll bring along for us to encounter. With all the stuff
we lug, it's tough to Monk out & reach for a wipe to keep those
hand transfers from happening & some of the other alternatives,
like Purell, leave a sort of tacky feeling behind, not to mention
a scent. Recently, such hand cleaners triggered concerns on
another front when it was found that kids were drinking them for
their alcohol content. We heard about Soapopular, an alcohol-free
unscented antimicrobial cleaner based on benzalkonium chloride &
asked for a sample. The sculpted bottle looked like something
from a cosmetics counter, but we were more interested in the
clear liquid inside. It pumps onto the hand as foam, much closer
to the consistency of dishwashing froth than to shaving foam.
There's absolutely no scent, no residual tacky feeling & none of
that dry feeling that comes from alcohol. Bottom line: as hand
cleaners go, we cleanly like this one.
10-MINUTE INTERVIEW PR REQUEST FOLLY
You, as we, recently endured volleys of PR mass mailings begging
us to schedule a 10-minute booth tour or a 10-minute CEO
interview. Let's do the math on that. The last time we checked,
CES 2008 has 2,700 exhibitors. Assuming zero travel time from
booth to booth & zero wait for a turn (yeah, right), that's
27,000 in-booth minutes: 450 hours. If you could go sleepless for
19 days & take only 6 minutes per meal, all this might be
reasonable. So how much time do we have per booth? Allowing that
we start each day at The Sands (which opens an hour earlier) &
end it at the LVCC (which closes an hour later), CES offers us 38
hours of exhibit time. Factor in no meals, no booth-to-booth
transit time & one shuttle bus ride each day & we can afford to
spend almost exactly 45 seconds per exhibitor. So for all of
those screwy PR people who think we owe each of their clients 10
whole minutes, we strongly recommend a graduate course in time
management mathematics at Screw U. Contact: Martin Winston,
NEWSTIPS (Novelty, OH) 440-338-8400; mailto:marty@newstips.com
http://Newstips.com
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Newstips Bulletin [Novelty, OH] +1.440.338.8400 http://Newstips.com
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