Consumer Electronics Daily News

Bluetooth Multimedia Keyboard with Silicone Cover

Brando introduces to its collection the new Bluetooth multimedia keyboard with silicone cover. This Slim Keyboard is 80 keys enhanced layout with tiny and slim design. It's slim and portable design can be used for travel, school, or any other working environment with a Bluetooth enabled laptop, PC, Mac OS, iPhone 3G S / iPhone 4 and iPad / iPad 2. In addition, it comes with a silicone cover for preventing water and dust ingress.

Pricing is set at $36 (US).

Samsung Electronics Becomes the World's First in Mass Production of Transparent LCD Panel

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced today that it began mass production of a 22-inch transparent LCD panel in March this year.

The panels come in two types, the black-and-white type and the color type, and they have a contrast ratio of 500:1 with WSXGA+ (1680*1050) resolution.

Compared with the conventional LCD panels that use back light unit (BLU) and have 5% transparency, Samsung's transparent LCD panel boasts the world's best transparency rate of over 20% for the black-and-white type and over 15% for the color type.

The transparent LCD panel has a high transparency rate, which enables a person to look right through the panel like glass, and it consumes 90% less electricity compared with a conventional LCD panel using back light unit. It's because a transparent LCD panel utilizes ambient light such as sun light, which consequently reduces the dependency on electricity for generating power.

Transparent display panels have endless possibilities as an advertising tool, which can be applied to show windows and outdoor billboards or used in showcase events. Corporations and schools can also adopt the panel as an interactive communication device, which enables information to be displayed more effectively.

Songbird Hearing Launches the World's First High-Quality, Low-Cost Sound Enhancement Product Available at Retail

Songbird Hearing Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of high-quality, low-cost hearing devices, today announced the launch of its Songbird Clear sound enhancement device to consumers online and through leading retailers nationwide. Songbird Clear is the world's first high-quality, low-cost sound enhancement device available at retail for consumers who want to sharpen their hearing in hard-to-hear situations.

Songbird Clear's compact behind-the-ear design makes it virtually invisible when worn, and an adjustable cord and soft tip ensure a comfortable and personal fit.  The product's built-in sound processor adjusts to make soft sounds louder and clearer while keeping loud sounds from getting too loud and distorted. Songbird Clear has a patented compression circuit that automatically limits sounds that exceed safe levels.

Invented by Sarnoff Corporation (formerly RCA Labs), Songbird Clear was developed in the same research lab where some of the world's leading consumer technology innovations, such as HDTV and Digital Satellite TV, have been created. Songbird Clear is ready to use right out of the box – simply insert a battery, turn it on and hear hard-to-hear sounds more clearly.

Songbird Clear is now available in CVS stores in Los Angles, San Diego, Phoenix, and Las Vegas, and will expand to over 1,000 stores nationwide this summer.  The product is also available at www.cvs.com.  For more information consumers can visit www.songbirdclear.com or call 1-800-898-3885.

GeekBeat.TV Host Cali Lewis to Give General Public Online Access to Trade-Only June NYC Event

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) today announced a partnership with the popular technology show GeekBeat.TV to bring live coverage to CEA Line Shows in New York City on June 22-23, 2011. The CEA Line Shows are part of CE Week, an inaugural weeklong series of technology events across New York City.

The CEA Line Shows attracts 1400 media, NY-area retailers and thought leaders from across the country. Through this partnership with GeekBeat.TV, the CEA Line Shows, an industry-only event, will be accessible online to the general public.  

GeekBeat.TV will broadcast live from the show floor at CEA Line Shows and provide coverage of the latest news and announcements, as well as conduct interviews and demonstrations with exhibitors, speakers and attendees.  Geek Beat LIVE host Cali Lewis and co-host John Pozadzides will attend and report on other CE Week events, including the all-new CEA Demo Suites.

GeekBeat LIVE coverage of CEA Line Shows can be seen at: live.geekbeat.tv, and additional videos, interviews and news will be available to GeekBeat podcast subscribers, and on the GeekBeat YouTube channel at: youtube.com/geekbeattv.

For CE Week updates and announcements, follow us on Twitter via @CEAfeed, using hashtag #ceweek.

For more information about CE Week, CEA Line Shows and CEA Demo Suites, please visit www.CEWeekNY.com.

Marvel and Activision Announce Spider-Man: Edge of Time

Activision Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Entertainment, LLC today announced Spider-Man: Edge of Time, where Spider-Man faces one of his greatest challenges ever – saving Spider-Man. Developed by Activision-owned studio Beenox, Spider-Man: Edge of Time challenges the player to take on the roles of both classic Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099 to correct a timestream gone awry and prevent a catastrophic future brought on by the early and untimely death of Peter Parker.

Spider-Man: Edge of Time is a focused, action-packed adventure set in two connected and evolving timelines, from the contemporary times of the Amazing Spider-Man to the corrupted future world of Spider-Man 2099, against the backdrop of a rich, tightly crafted narrative by acclaimed Marvel veteran Peter David (co-creator of the comic book series Spider-Man 2099).  The game features all-new "cause-and-effect" gameplay, where players will see how the immediate and sometimes unexpected effects of their actions as one Spider-Man changes the timeline of the other Spider-Man.  Spider-Man: Edge of Time is slated for release this fall.

Attendees at WonderCon 2011 in San Francisco, CA, can get a sneak peek and learn more about the game on the Activision/Spider-Man panel on Saturday, April 2, at 4:30 p.m. in Room 103.  

For more information on Spider-Man: Edge of Time tune in to the HeroHQ community on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/heroHQ.

Wahoo Fitness Announces New ANT+ API for Android

Wahoo Fitness, a leading maker of hardware and software that delivers real-time fitness and health data to smartphones, announced today the release of the first ANT+ application program interface (API) that connects Google Android smartphones to Wahoo Fitness products and any ANT+ compatible equipment.  The Android API joins Wahoo Fitness' line of products tailored for the iPhone, broadening the pool of users able to use their smartphones as a fitness training and tracking tool.

The Wahoo ANT+ API lets Android app developers tap into the native functionality of leading Android smartphones, allowing fitness-focused developers to rapidly integrate heart rate, speed/cadence and bicycle power into their Android and iPhone apps. Wahoo Fitness's ANT+ API is already used by over 50 of the top fitness apps, with additional apps incorporating Wahoo Fitness's API continually.  Fitted with a sensor based on the fitness activity of choice, data is transmitted to the smartphone and read via the ANT+ wireless sensor embedded within certain Android-based phones, providing up-to-the-minute workout and activity data.  

The ANT+ API allows select Google Android phones to communicate with any of Wahoo's fitness monitoring products including its heart rate monitor, stride sensor, and bicycle speed and cadence sensor. The ANT+- equipped devices communicate wirelessly with the nearby smartphone and desired application, delivering real-time data. If the wireless connection is interrupted, the Wahoo sensor will continue to record data, ensuring that all workout information is accurate once wireless communication resumes.

For more information about Wahoo Fitness and its Android and iPhone technologies, please visit www.wahoofitness.com or visit them on Twitter @wahoofitness or Facebook at www.facebook.com/wahoofitness.

miniCASTER(R): Livestreaming as Easy as a Phone Call

The next milestone on the "Live Revolution Roadmap" is just around the corner and marks the date, when miniCASTER(R), the world's first hardware-based H.264 live streaming encoder in pocket-size can be ordered.

The revolutionary miniCASTER(R) will be shown at NABShow 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada taking place from April 11-14. The first units can be ordered right at the stand SU9502G3 in the "Destination Broadband Pavillion" or on the website http://www.minicaster.com.

The ultra-mobile miniCASTER(R) is the perfect companion for state of the art mobile broadcasting scenarios like newsgathering, emergency response, behind-the-scenes reports from major Sports events, conferences, exhibitions or simply any event you can imagine. While encoding and delivering several streams, miniCASTER(R) is able to record at the same time.

Streaming settings can easily be changed via remote access and are also editable directly on the device itself. miniCASTER(R) works very efficiently and is highly recommended for use with Wowza Media Server(R), the unified any-screen delivery platform from Wowza Media Systems(R).

Michael Westphal, CEO miniCASTER(R): "Our Team has put some extra effort in new features and product versions which will perfectly fit in different broadcast scenarios and help producers/broadcasters to save money and stream live in extraordinary quality within seconds."

Are Your Servers Stretched to Their Limit?

Because the demand for data storage, bandwidth and faster disk I/O is growing exponentially, servers are being stretched to their performance limits - and beyond. Many servers are being run at higher risk levels despite the fact that crashes cost significant man hours and money to correct. At the same time, IT managers are tasked to "make do" with existing hardware and maintenance budgets.

Diskeeper 2011 Enterprise Server pulls together all the innovative breakthroughs Diskeeper Corporation has developed for uncompromising maximum server performance regardless of size, traffic or mission. Server administrators get full speed and efficiency from their servers with zero management required.

Diskeeper 2011 Enterprise Server includes new IntelliWrite(R) fragmentation prevention technology that eliminates up to 85% of all the fragmentation before it is written to disk. It works closely with new Instant Defrag technology to ensure peak system performance at all times. The energy and cooling savings alone return the investment quickly, but the effects of preventing fragmentation on a server go much further than that. Fast file access, mission-critical reliability and extended longevity reach levels previously unavailable with defrag-only technology. For mega-terabyte volumes in mission critical high-throughput enterprise servers, Titan Defrag Engine(TM) technology handles pre-existing fragmentation fast, regardless of traffic load.

The Verizon USB551L 4G LTE Modem Lands on the Verizon Wireless Network March 31

Verizon Wireless and Novatel Wireless today announced that the Verizon USB551L made by Novatel Wireless will be available to order on March 31 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at http://www.verizonwireless.com. The USB551L gives businesses and consumers expected download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE Mobile Broadband coverage areas in a portable device, small enough to fit in the palm of the hand.

The Verizon USB551L 4G LTE modem is a high-performing USB modem with a compact design and industry-leading flexibility, convenience and reliability. The USB551L modem is designed to provide connectivity to check email, download rich multimedia content and stay connected to family, friends and coworkers. Customers who travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, will stay connected on the Verizon Wireless 3G network.

More Music Is Heard with Pioneer’s New Noise Cancelling Headphones

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today released the SE-NC31C-K noise cancelling earbud stereo headphones, designed for noise cancellation of up to 90% (measured at 300hz) so consumers can hear more of what they’re listening to. The new SE-NC31C-K actively monitors the nearby sound environment and electronically cancels low frequency ambient noise that can interfere with normal audio listening. The earbuds also feature large 14.2 mm drivers and various connection adapters to make it the ideal accessory for music listening.

The SE-NC31C-K makes music listening more enjoyable without having to raise the volume level from the audio source. The earbuds utilize microphones located in each ear piece to measure unwanted low-frequency noise. These components then insert an equal amplitude, opposite phase signal of the unwanted noise, to cancel it before it reaches the listener’s ears. And, with one AAA battery, users can enjoy up to 120 hours of their music with less noise.

The noise cancelling feature of the SE-NC31C-K can also be turned off or bypassed if battery power runs out, allowing them to function as conventional headphones.