Axion Portable LCD TV
This is a 2.5-inch wonder. The US$ 79.99 Axion AXN–5327 would satisfy the cravings of any certified TV addict, whether it be on the road, on the field (camping, anyone?) or the auto. You can even watch DVDs–if you have a portable DVD player, that is (most portable players have their own screens, though).
The features:
- 2.5″ TFT LCD Handheld TV
- Built-in rechargeable circuitry
- Built-in battery compartment
- AC/DC 3-way power
- 6V DC input jack
- Bar tuning system
- Audio/video input jack
- Volume and brightness controls on the side
- Retractable recline stand and carrying strap
- Cabinet color: silver/gray combo parts
- Warranty: 90 days labor, 1 year parts
Turn Your Mac Mini Into a PVR
Two comapnies have come up with products that let you convert your Mac Mini into personal video recorders (PVRs). Okay, not really a cheap option (I’d rather use a Mac Mini as a computer), but it works!
The TVMax connects via USB 2.0 port but uses standard analogue only, though–so no digital input/output on this one.
The TVMax neatly supports both PAL and NTSC video standards - handy for UK and US usage - but the integrated TV tuner is analogue, so Brits will need to hook up a set-top box if they want to watch Freeview content. That said, the TVMax sports an array of analogue ports to grab video content from DVD players, VCRs, set-top boxes and the like.
The I-O Data box seems more attractive in terms of features (but not necssarily style!), as it has digital I/O and interfaces better with the Mac Mini’s own software.
I-O Data’s box offers much the same functionality, providing PVR features, analogue content capture and push-button iPod video conversion. The GV-1394TV/M3’s software hooks directly into Apple’s iLife 06 apps iDVD and iMovie. It offers some clever picture enhancement technology, but it too contains an analogue tuner.
Swarovski Crystal-Encrusted TV from Loewe
First, it was gold. Now it’s crystals. Loewe has recently launched LCD television sets encrusted with Swarovski crstals.
Supposedly perfect for adding that finishing touch to your designer décor customers will be able to choose between a choice of two body colours; High Gloss Cream and sleek High Gloss Black.
Priced around £5,000, the Loewe Individual Collection 1 lets you have a wide choice of colours and interchangeable side panels, including woods, coloured synthetics, and metals, to fit your mood style.
Lots of Popular TV shows online
If you’re fond of watching series like 24, Charmed, Lost, The Simpsons, and even MacGyver, you can check out peekvid.com. The site hosts a handful of episodes from among the most popular of television series. Of course, given the nature of the videos (copyright issues, anyone?) and the popularity of video downloads (the site had just been DUGG), the site is likely to go offline once the owner runs out of bandwidth or the authorities issue some sort of restraining order. It’s just a matter of who causes the site to go offline first!
Note that a whois query would tell you the site is US-based. Steve Rubel of Micropersuasion gave the site until yesterday to stay online. Hey, it’s still up!
In the meantime, I’ll go on watching some episodes of 24, Charmed, and the Simpsons, bandwidth-permitting. Or proably not, lest MPAA reps and FBI agents come knocking on my door with an arrest warrant.
My kid, the TV addict
My eldest daughter, Sofia, is a certified TV addict. At two years and eleven months old, she’s practically memorized and has quite an extensive understanding of almost all there is to know about her favorite shows on the tube. When she wakes up in the morning, she utters one thing, “Disney Channel!”
Sofia’s such a Disney Channel fan that I’ve pretty much also gotten to know the schedules, characters and even the plotlines of the shows she is fond of watching, including Disney’s current primetime (for kids, that’s mid-mornings and late afternoons) offerings, Kim Possible, Martin Mystery, Lilo & Stitch, Ducktales, and countless of other Mickey, Donald and Goofy stuff. Come to think of it, some of these series were popular way back when I was younger and also a cartoon-watching kid!
My daughter’s TV shows have captured my interest so much that I’ve even done my research on the backgrounds of the shows and characters (here’s an area where Wikipedia excels). My mobile phone’s SMS alert tone is Kim Possible’s messenger tone!
Of course, as a parent, I do understand that there’s an upside and a downside to all this. Kids, especially at these early ages (my other daughter, Cate, is one-and-a-half) are quite impressionable, and anything they see and hear they can easily mimic and even integrate into their persona.
So whatever Sofia gets to watch on TV, she does get to learn a lot. And this is not only in terms of broadening her knowledge base, but also in affecting how her personality and psychological make-up is developed.
This means we better make sure what she watches are not of violent or objectionable nature. And it’s always best for her to be exposed to shows that are educational and interactive in nature–shows that make her think and use her imagination, rather than just feed her information. She’s already learned quite a few concepts from watching Hi-5, Blue’s Clues, Lazytown and Dora (this time on Nickelodeon).
And we do realize that kids’ televiewing habits are best supported by parental guidance–kids tend to ask questions about things they’ve just watched on TV. In this regard, being there to answer and give your opinions would surely matter in how your kid analyses things as he/she grows up. Also, not everything on supposedly kids’ channels are for kids my daughter’s age. For instance, Disney only allots certain times of the day for pre-school age kids. Some hours, like TV primetime) are for elementary-age kids or tweens.
Of course, another problem would be her eyesight. As kids, my wife and I grew up watching quite too close to our TV sets (and to the computer screens, too), and now our eyesights are far from perfect. I think it’s time for more eye-friendly television screens (LCDs are great, but still quite expensive for me).
Here’s a useful guide to TV and parenting I found at AAP. Across the Web, however, opinions may vary, and I understand it’s really upon a parent’s discretion, how you’d let television influence your kid’s habits. For one, my wife’s into child development and she should know what’s best for our children. TV’s not necessarily a bad thing for kids, as with any other technological tool that may be used for education. How you use it is what matters!
“Idol” Contests via Google Video
Here’s something celebrity-wannabes might be interested in: Google Idol. This is a set of contests that involve Google Video as its multimedia platform.
Gidol is a new online competition for the many talented (and not so talented) people out there who have been waiting for their moment of fame. The competition places publicly submitted videos from Google Video in a head-to-head knockout tournament of 4 heats and 2 semi finals leading up to the grand final when a winner is announced.
Winners are selected by popularity–the site asks the audience to vote for their favorite music videos or webcam videos (all played via Google Video, of course). To me, this is a precursor of how TV will be in the future, with the onset of IPTV. I envision television to be more interactive, not only by taking in feedback from watchers via external mechanisms such as email, telephone, or letters. I’m hoping that once all TV is coursed through some form of Internet connection, television sets and networks would accept live feedback from the audience itself, right as the show is running!
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