Entertainment

Toshiba projector tells you what to do

Personally, I like strong and silent types when it comes to gadgets, but if you're attracted to chatty electronics, you might want to listen up. Toshiba has introduced what is says is the first projector with voice guidance.

The TLP-X200U wireless projector delivers audible messages about the system, including the on/off status, lamp life, air filter checks, and cooling fan status. This is aimed at making the product easy to use and helping users take good care of their machines so they can (hopefully) avoid maintenance updates.

The projector features wireless network capabilities, closed captioning, 3LCD technology, and … Read more

Inside CNET Labs 20: Your queen is just a pawn with some fancy moves

We announce our first contest. This is not a joke. This is a real contest here. Listen to the podcast to find out details...If we pick you as a winner, you win a 1TB NAS server from Seagate/Maxtor. Check it out.

We also give you a behind-the-scenes look at the review and testing process here at CNET--from working with vendors to being harassed by them.

Also, Dong loves the Western Digital WDTV, and we get to hear all about it. Finally, we talk games and movies about games, and the dirty "P" word comes up. again. … Read more

WiiWare and Virtual Console releases for this week

This week brings us a bizarre sci-fi pinball game, a home-remodeling simulator, and an original space-themed shoot-em-up.

WiiWare Alien Crush Returns (Hudson Entertainment, 800 Wii points): Alien Crush Returns is an updated version of the classic Turbografx 16 game. It's a pinball simulator unlike anything you've played because it looks like you're playing inside someones digestive system. Your Nintendo Wi-Fi connection extends the fun, bringing your gameplay online with up to four friends. Home Sweet Home (Big Blue Bubble Inc., 1,000 Wii points): Calling all aspiring interior decorators: Home Sweet Home lets you design your dream … Read more

Netflix welcomes Mac users to 'Watch Instantly'

Netflix has expanded its "Watch Instantly" movie-streaming player to include Macintosh-owning subscribers.

The company announced on its blog Friday that it is past its first phase of beta testing and invited subscribers who wanted to opt in to do so. But the company had a few warnings for prospective users:

• There may be bugs. We are logging all errors, but if you run into problems, you can help out by posting details here in the blog comments.

• Not all movies are available to watch with Silverlight. You may notice errors or lower than normal quality when … Read more

Somebody Else's Phone: Would you look through it?

(Credit: Somebody Else's Phone)

If you found somebody else's phone, would you look through it? That's a rhetorical question. Of course! Your phone is your life, at least if you're under 25, and there's nothing more interesting than the "lives of others."

The advertising firm Wieden + Kennedy London translated the idea of "cellular oversharing" into a much gushed-about ad campaign for Nokia. "Somebody Else's Phone" depicts the lives of three twentysomethings through their text messages, multimedia messaging service, and pictures, and it essentially creates a new story format: … Read more

"Design Thinking" and marketing

I was interviewed by BrandWeek the other day for a story on the recent hype around “Design Thinking” in marketing. They were looking for a skeptic and found me. First of all, it is worth noting that the term “design thinking” is of course a clever marketing buzzword. It’s ironic that marketers themselves embrace it as the next big thing as it doesn’t create a new marketing paradigm so much as it proves that marketers are prone to being persuaded by their very own tricks. “Design Thinking” has become a brand, and brands are all the more powerful … Read more

Innovation and the media

In the past two weeks, there’s been at least a dozen stories in the mainstream and not-so-mainstream media about the importance of innovation in a recession. For businesses, refocusing on R&D and innovation really is a good strategy in down times. There’s plenty of historic evidence to back the claim up (the invention of farming technologies and civil engineering breakthroughs in the Great Depression, alternative energy investments in the early 1970s, and a sharpening of Internet business models after the dot com bust in the late 90s). What’s also true is that writing about innovating … Read more

No more pirated DVDs from China...maybe

If you've been copying DVDs using some made-in-China DVD player, think about taking good care of the device, as you might not be able to buy a replacement.

The Motion Picture Association of America on Friday announced that its member companies have won a breach of contract lawsuit against China-based DVD player manufacturer Gowell Electronics Limited. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued a permanent injunction that prohibits the manufacturer from violating any term of the Content Scramble System license agreement.

The lawsuit started in June of 2008 after an MPAA investigation revealed that … Read more

Frightening fun with sensors, projectors, and Max/MSP

It all started when a free, unsolicited copy of Cycling '74's Max/MSP 5 hit my desk. How, or why, the holy grail of interactive audio/video authoring software found its way to me is still a mystery, but I'm glad it did. In fact, I felt so grateful I knew I had to return the kindness by creating something ambitious with it. That's when I e-mailed Matt.

My friend Matt Ganucheau is a guru when it comes to Max/MSP. Because this particular piece of software is so adaptable, he's used it to program robots, create video DJ software, author plug-in effects for music applications, and give life to busty mannequins (he hates when I bring that up). With my motivation and Matt's know-how, I was sure we could come up with something interesting.

Editor's note: The following video gets nerdy and very loud. If DIY and electronic arts projects don't interest you, you probably won't be interested in this video or the remainder of this article.

Getting creative wasn't easy, however. I felt like a colorblind kid who'd been thrown a deluxe box of Crayolas. Most people who come to Max/MSP already have a problem in mind that they wanted to solve, like "How do I get my Guitar Hero controller to play real music?" or "How can I create propane-powered flame organ?" Instead, I had a solution in search of a problem. … Read more