Hasta La Gadget!

The official Google TV Remote app for Android has been around since late 2010, but it only just received its first update since launch. So what’s changed? Support for voice commands has been extended for compatibility with Voice Search on Google TV 3.0, the old swiping directional circle has been replaced with an easier to use tappable d-pad, the look has changed slightly (check after the break for a screen of the old UI) there’s accessibility support, and now the icon is sporting a small microphone. They’re all minor tweaks, but after a couple of years, it’s nice to see any attention being paid. We’ll see if bigger changes for the platform are in store at Google I/O in May.

Update: Now that the official app has been updated, third party apps may add similar features, including the popular Able Remote which also added Voice Search.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile, Google

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Source: Google Play

For some reason, Best Buy believes that it’s a good idea to follow Yahoo’s example and forbid its workers from working from home. Considering all of the angry feedback Yahoo received from its employees as well as all of the negative press written about its structure change, you would think Best Buy would stay away from the idea. But no, it’s decided to cancel its flexible work plan, entitled ROWE (Results-Only Work Environment).

Best Buy is requiring all of its corporate employees to work from its headquarters in Richfield, Minnesota. That means that many workers will have to relocate, and many others will have to start commuting. But not too many people will be affected seeing as Best Buy has laid off 400 of its corporate employees in its restructuring process. ROWE was designed so that employees could do their work wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted. Employees weren’t evaluated on the number of hours they put in, but rather the quality of work they put in.

The company has no plans of ever bringing the ROWE program back, but Matt Furman, Best Buy’s Chief Communications Officer/Senior VP of Public Affairs, stated, “On an individual basis, an employee and a manager will have the opportunity to work out an arrangement that’s in everyone’s interests. But for the most part, the goal is to have the employees in the office whenever possible.”

Best Buy, like Yahoo, wants to bring its business back up and it feels that it needs everyone to be face to face with each other in order to fix the company’s issues. However, this new structure change will (and most likely has) outrage many of its corporate employees who like being able to decide their own schedule. Creativity doesn’t always strike at 9-5 in the office and being forced to stay in one place can actually be inhibiting.

ROWE released a statement saying, “In a Results-Only company or department, employees can do whatever they want whenever they want, as long as the work gets done. No more pointless meetings, racing to get in at 9:00 a.m., or begging for permission to watch your kid play soccer. You make the decisions about what you do and where you do it, every minute of every day.”

[via Network World]

Best Buy follows Yahoo and cancels work-from-home program is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Since just about everyone and their dog knows that it is in to be green, there has been no shortage of effort from many quarters to deliver a decent device or product that somewhat shakes hands with nature. Well, how about old, discarded electronics that nobody wants? Artist Chris Shen wants to make a statement by collecting hundreds of second-hand TV remotes, and using them to be part of an infrared television installation, where he has dubbed as INFRA.

INFRA will comprise of 625 old remotes which have been wired up with up to 500 meters of speaker wire, and all of these are connected to a modified Peggy 2 controller board. Having said that, doing so would create an infrared LED matrix that is invisible to the naked eye, but when you put on a pair of infrared goggles, you will be able to make out the light “picture”. Do take into consideration that the resolution would still be rather low, and you might feel as though you have taken a step into a time machine, as everything would be in black and white. http://www.ubergizmo.com/wp-admin/post-new.php#category-add

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: MeCam Drone Records Memories For You, Google Glass Shows Up At The FCC,

In a bid to spruce up its hardware, European mobile operator Orange has drafted in Movea to bring gesture controls to its new set-top box. Running the SmartMotion server, movements will be picked up by Movea’s MEMS motion-sensing remote, with gestures for volume control, web browsing and even gamepad and joystick commands. The new Livebox Play will pick up ten “contextually aware” movements, with a ‘check’ gesture aimed to avoid the frustration at selecting items on a distant screen, while there’s also a close function embedded into the TV remote. Alongside gestures, the LiveBox Play service will offer the obligatory internet, social network and VOD bells and whistles, as well as access to games and apps on your big screen. Sick of buttons? The device is available on pre-order (for now, in France) and launches next month — we’ve embedded a quick demo of the remote’s precision after the break as a quick refresher.

Continue reading Movea gesture control coming to Orange’s Livebox Play TV system, launches next month

Filed under: HD

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Source: Livebox Play (Orange France)

So you have watched Skyfall, and came away even more impressed with Danie Craig’s performance as the grittiest Bond to date. Of course, the thrills and spills were there, and there was also a Judge Dredd moment in the movie, not to mention the demise of a major character, but what you really loved Bond for was his suaveness that snagged him many a lady, in addition to the hot rides that he has over the years which enabled him to make an impossible escape once too many times. Enter the $69.95 James Bond Remote Controlled Stunt Car that helps you script your own Bond adventure and living it out – in your imagination.

This radio controlled car will be able to reproduce similar evasive banking maneuvers that were executed by the iconic British Secret Service agent 007. It is a faithful replica of an Aston Martin DBS V12, which ended up as Mr. Bond’s preferred vehicle in the later installments of the famous espionage movie series (after BMW’s time was up, thankfully). This unique ride comes with a tiny wheel which extends from the right undercarriage at your command, allowing it to lift the right front and rear wheels off the ground so that you can evade obstacles according to your whim and fancy. There is another button on the remote that makes the entire car pop wheelies or shoot up a ramp when the need arises.

[ James Bond Remote Controlled Stunt Car copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]