Native Orb App Brings Live TV to Your iPhone - gizmondo.com

May 9, 2008
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Native Orb App Brings Live TV to Your iPhone

The OrbLive streaming media app is for everyone who is sick of waiting for a Sling Mobile client on their iPhone. As you may (or may not) know, Orb pulls files off your PC and streams them to any device with an app or web browser capable of accessing the Orb interface. From there you can stream music, video files, and if you have a TV tuner card, live TV. While Orb was previously accessible via Safari, this new, official app is supposed to be an easier, more intuitive way to get your media on the go. It does require a jailbroken iPhone, however. Check out the video of the client in action. [Orb via Register Hardware]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW7Q51Ma22o

Monster Responds To "Monster Cables, Monster Ripoff" Story - consumerist.com/

Feb 19, 2008
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Monster Responds To "Monster Cables, Monster Ripoff" Story

The Monster Cables Public Relations department sent in a two-page response to our post, "Monster Cables, Monster Ripoff. Read it, inside...

Response from Monster Cable on Article in the Consumerist
Monster would like to acknowledge and respond to the publishing of the Monster pricing from an employee at RadioShack in the article titled "Monster Cables, Monster Ripoff: 80% markups."

The article can be misread that consumers are paying inappropriate prices charged by our retailers for Monster Cable products. The article misleads the reader in citing retailer markups of 80% as if the retailer makes 80% profit margin on products that they sell. Anyone in retail knows that one does not calculate profit by markups, but by profit margins made on the sale as a ratio of what they paid for it. So in the example of the 19ft. HDMI-DVI cable that was highlighted as Retail $179.95, wholesale of $99.40, that's a profit margin of 44%, which is totally in line with what retailers choose to sell accessory items like Monster Cable. Also the DVI and the S-Video cable cited are both discontinued products using old cable technology. Most of the products listed in the article are 37% to 39% profit margins. This is much less than profit margins on other consumer products like clothing, jewelry, furniture, and accessories to other consumer products.

It's also misleading when the tone of the article alludes to Monster Cable ripping off consumers, when Monster cannot legally set retail pricing. This is clearly up to the retailer. However in defense of retailers of consumer electronics, it is typical that small items warrant higher profit margins, while large items like TV's have small profit margins. The consumer clearly wins in the electronics category.

We would also like to point out that Monster makes the highest quality cables in the world, but always with a variety of price points for the consumer to choose from. For example, with today's most popular digital connection, HDMI, the consumer has a wide range of performance choices with four models of Monster Advanced Speed Rated HDMI Cables, ranging from $49.95 to $99.95. The performance of each of these Speed Rated cables is independently verified by Simplay Labs www.simplayhd.com, so our customers know exactly the performance they are paying for. In addition, these prices are in line or lower than other high performance cables offered by Monster's competitors at retail locations throughout the country.

There is also a comment about digital cables not making a difference and that the only difference in digital cables is the price. This is simply not the case. HDMI Licensing, LLC, the group that develops the HDMI specification, has published two different cable speeds for the current 1.3 specification: Standard Speed at 2.23 Gbps, and High Speed at 4.95 Gbps, which is known as HDMI 1.3 Category 2. For more information, go to www.hdmi.org.

In fact, Steve Venuti, Vice President of Marketing for HDMI Licensing, LLC, stated in a recent Widescreen Review article:
http://www2.widescreenreview.com/127venuti.pdf

"...HDMI evolves as it continues to react to the demands of the marketplace. With the introduction of HDMI 1.3 in 2006, HDMI doubled the bandwidth of the specification, and with that, gave manufacturers the ability to design products that can output and receive signals at unprecedented levels...And where there is increased bandwidth, there is increased demand on the cable to deliver the HDMI signal."

This clearly states that not all HDMI digital cables are the same. Buying the best cables possible will insure that one always gets the best possible digital picture for the components they own.

For those who want to get the real facts on HDMI, please visit www.monstercable.com/HDMI/advancedhdmi.asp for the following videos:

1. The Constant Evolution of HDMI with Steve Venuti, Vice President of Marketing, HDMI Licensing, LLC
2. Certified HDMI Cable Performance with Joseph Lias, President of Simplay Labs, LLC

For those who want technical information on why there are different levels of HDMI Cables, one can reference the white paper on HDMI at http://www.monstercable.com/HDMI/whitepaper.asp, where you will learn about why different HDMI cables are needed.

For those who want to get an inside look on the testing of Monster's HDMI cables, visit www.monstercable.com/HDMI/advancedhdmi.asp for an eye opening video of Monster's quality R&D and testing.

The digital TV revolution is moving fast, as one sees from the introduction of 240Hz displays from TI and Ultra High Definition Displays from Samsung at CES this year. These advanced displays paves the way for vastly improved high definition components that will need even higher speed HDMI cables, all of which are available today from Monster's Advanced Speed Rated cables.

For those who want to know more about higher definition, Monster and Disney have partnered together on a DVD that educates customers on the various levels of higher definition and how to buy and set up for higher definition TV. The DVD is called The Higher Definition Home Theater Experience, and we would like to offer it at no charge to everyone who is visiting this site by sending your shipping address to the following email: pr@monstercable.com.

Monster has always made the highest quality products at reasonable prices. We stand behind the retailers that offer great service and advice to our customers at a fair profit and we hope that this additional information clarifies some of the confusion that the article might have generated.

Response from Consumerist on Monster Cable Response on Article in the Consumerist

1. As decided in Leegin v. PSKS, this statement, "Monster cannot legally set retail pricing. This is clearly up to the retailer..." is patently false. See "Supreme Court Allows Manufacturers To Dictate Minimum Prices, Screws Consumers"

2. Their response neatly sidesteps a giant section of the original post, so I'll reproduce it here:

The worst part isn't really the markup. Stereo equipment routinely has markups of 80 to 100 to 200% by the time it hits the shelves. It's the initial inflated price, and how gadget stores try to push the cables so hard, telling people that Monster cables offer superior picture and sound then what you would get with another cable. But that simply isn't the case. Our sister site Gizmodo ran a battery of tests and found Monster cables are for the most part, completely unnecessary. (see The Truth About Monster Cable - Grand Finale (Part III), HDMI Cable Battlemodo Resumes, The Truth About Monster Cable, Part 2 (Verdict: Cheap Cables Keep Up...Usually), and The Truth About Monster Cable).

3. So the paragons of the truth about HDMI cables are a Vice President of Marketing, and the Disney corporation?

4. Monoprice.com.

PREVIOUSLY: Monster Cables, Monster Ripoff: 80% Markups

Apple posts Facebook, KBB iPhone ads - macnn.com

Feb 7, 2008
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Apple posts Facebook, KBB iPhone ads

In the wake of yesterday's 16GB upgrade announcement, Apple has released two new TV commercials for the iPhone. Both concentrate not on the device itself, but rather on popular websites that have been given customized iPhone interfaces. The first is dedicated to Facebook, and shows a person browsing news, profiles and pictures; it claims that the iPhone is perfect for people who cannot stop checking Facebook at their computer, since they can now check it anywhere.

The second ad visits Kelley Blue Book, the famous guide to car prices. Here Apple suggests that the iPhone is a useful tool in talking to dealers, as it is possible to check on the going prices for vehicles where a salesman might otherwise have the upper hand.

Filed under: iPhone, Apple
Other story tags: TV, Facebook, Kelley Blue Book

Automatically Remove Ads from Recorded TV with Lifextender

Jan 10, 2008
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Automatically Remove Ads from Recorded TV with Lifextender

Windows Vista only: Free, open source Vista application and Media Center plugin Lifextender removes commercials from Windows Media Center-recorded TV shows, cutting the average 30 minute show down to around 22 minutes. Lifextender scans the directory your Media Center records to, analyzes, and re-cuts the videos one at a time, then replaces the original file with the new, commercial-free one. Not only will it save you time, it'll also save you hard drive space. If you're using Vista's Media Center to record TV, this is a must-have (it even works with extenders like your Xbox 360). If you aren't using your Vista PC as a media center, maybe it's time you turn it into the media center powerhouse it's meant to be.

7:00 PM ON WED JAN 9 2008
BY ADAM PASH
2,520 views

DOWNLOADS, FEATURED WINDOWS DOWNLOAD, TELEVISION, TOP, TV, WINDOWS, WINDOWS MEDIA CENTER, WINDOWS VISTA

Comcast Charges You For Service You Never Ordered, Threatens To Ruin Your Credit

Nov 30, 2007
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Comcast Charges You For Service You Never Ordered, Threatens To Ruin Your Credit

Reader Allison wrote her Congressional rep in regards to Comcast defrauding her:

Dear Representative Snyder,
My husband and I moved home to Arkansas three months ago. I am a nurse and mother of an infant; he teaches Spanish at a Catholic high school. I'm writing because Comcast Corporation is attempting to defraud us, threatening to put our credit rating at risk if we don't pay them for service that we did not order.

We initially contacted Comcast via the internet to establish the most basic service plan that they offer: $9-$10 per month for network channels only. Comcast received the work order and came to our house to set up service. The technician that came tried to sell me on the upgrade package and did everything he could to get us to agree to the next level up, including trying to get me to agree to have a converter box installed "in case I changed my mind." We were firm that we wanted the least expensive option available, and were confused when he left us with access to channels 2-40. When we asked the technician about this, he assured us it would be fine, and that we would be billed correctly.
On our bills we have been charged for a package that includes channels 2-98 and costs $49.95 a month--a significant financial burden on us that we had not asked for. We contacted Comcast multiple times to correct the problem, waited more than half an hour on hold each time, and were told that it would be taken care of. We took days off to be available for technicians to come check our traps that block channels, each time with no technician showing up. We were promised calls back after "research" was done on the issue, with no follow up.
Comcast is now demanding that we pay the bill in its entirety for the months of the expanded service despite the fact that they understand that is not what we ordered. They are threatening to terminate our cable service and report us to creditors if the bill goes unpaid. They are further saying that they cannot resolve the issue until the bill is paid in full.

We would very much appreciate your help in resolving this matter. Further, we are worried that other young families in a similar situation may be falling victim to these dishonest tactics. Please let us know if there is any more information we can provide to assist your efforts to protect Arkansas consumers from Comcast Corporation.

Respectfully,
Allison M.

cc: Jennifer Khoury
Senior Director of Corporate & Consumer Communications
Comcast Corporation
1500 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Reg Griffin
Vice President of Communications
600 Galleria Parkway Suite 1100
Atlanta, GA 30339
Gloria Rush
Public Relations/ Marketing
600 Galleria Parkway Suite 1100
Atlanta, GA 30339

Mr. Roberts, if you really hope your company's bad reputation isn't "universal," maybe you could start by not scamming Allison and her husband. Allison could also try sending her complaint letter to this list of Comcast Executives, including brian_roberts@comcast.com.

(Photo: Steve Rhodes)

1:52 PM ON THU NOV 29 2007
BY BEN POPKEN
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Tow Hitch TV Adds Class To Your Pickup

Nov 29, 2007
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Tow Hitch TV Adds Class To Your Pickup

It's a familiar scenario: you've got a spare plasma that your girlfriend won't let you put next to your new, bigger flat panel. Whatareyagonnado? Easy: a $200 tow-hitch TV mount. Sure, it means you'll have to pass up on the tow-hitch tailgate hammock seats and Hitch Critter motorized redneck bait, both available at SkyMall for the price of your dignity, but man, won't your friends be impressed? Until your first fender bender, that is. [BBGadgets via Gadget Lab]