Apr 06

Elgato updates EyeTV iOS app, does the AirPlay dance

Posted in: airplay, app, Apple, apps, ios, ipad, iPhone, ipod touch, IpodTouch, media streamer, MediaStreamer, stream, streamer, streaming, Today's Chili, update

If you’ve been longing to use your EyeTV HD to sling content from your AirPlay-enabled iOS device to your designated Apple TV 2 setup, listen up. Elgato has pushed an updated version of the EyeTV iOS app (version 1.2.3) that enables Apple’s wireless streaming technology to play nicely with your ATV2 or third-party AirPlay device. Remember, the app costs $4.99, but wouldn’t you rather watch Seinfeld reruns on the living room 74-incher? Yeah, us too.

Elgato updates EyeTV iOS app, does the AirPlay dance originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 09:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 30

iPad 2 gets wireless 1080p mirroring, fattens up in the process (video)

Posted in: airplay, Apple, ipad, ipad 2, Ipad2, jailbreak, Today's Chili, video

One might say that AirPlay is pretty nifty for shooting content from your iOS device to your TV, but it only works with a handful of apps, and worse still, maxes out at a paltry 720p. Apple offers an HDMI cable for the iPad that allows full 1080p mirroring, but let’s face it: being wired is so 2009. One adventurous MacRumors Forums member was able to MacGyver a completely wire-free, completely HD solution using a wireless HDMI transmitter, USB battery pack, and a home-made enclosure that “only adds about two pounds of weight” to the otherwise portable device. Seems easy enough to put together on your own, but here’s to hoping there’s a Jailbreak solution soon enough that makes the same magic happen without the extra heft (and coin) in the first place.

iPad 2 gets wireless 1080p mirroring, fattens up in the process (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 28

Hands-On: Banana TV Streams iOS Video, Pictures to Mac

Posted in: airplay, Apple, Hacks, Hacks, Mods and DIY, Mac, Today's Chili

Banana TV enables an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad to stream photos and video to a Mac.

One of the coolest gimmicks of iOS is AirPlay, a button you press on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to stream photos, videos and audio to a huge display connected to an Apple TV. Problem is, you can’t normally use this nifty feature without your Apple TV (or an AirPort Express, if all you want is audio).

Enter Banana TV, a Mac app that allows you to use AirPlay to beam your videos and photos from an iOS device to a Mac. This way, you can enjoy streaming your media onto a bigger screen even if you don’t own an Apple TV.

The best part about Banana TV is it’s seamless. Launch the app and it’s ready to go, so long as your iOS device and Mac are on the same Wi-Fi network. On your iOS device, open any AirPlay-compatible video or photo, and an icon will appear to stream it via AirPlay. Hit the AirPlay icon and boom, the picture is displayed on your Mac.

This will come useful in many scenarios. Say you’re visiting relatives who have a 27-inch iMac, and you want to share photos of your family vacation, stored on your iPhone. Just load Banana TV on their iMac and stream it from your iPhone with AirPlay.

Or let’s say  you give presentations at work, and the PDFs are stored on your iPhone. Just connect your Mac to the projector, run Banana TV, open the PDFs on your iPhone and hit the AirPlay button. Voila — the image will be showing on the projector, and you can swipe the screen to move between PDFs while you’re giving the presentation.

Created by prolific programmer Erica Sadun, Banana TV cost $8 over at BananaTV.net. It’s not available in the Mac App Store, probably because Apple wasn’t cool with people reverse-engineering the AirPlay code, according to Sadun.

“There’s never been anything Apple’s built that I haven’t wanted to reverse engineer somehow,” Sadun said. “I’m sure there’s probably medication for that, maybe therapy.”

Wired.com previously covered Banana TV, which was formerly called AirPlayer, when it was still a work in progress. The near-final version of Banana TV released last week is snappy and fast, as if it came straight from Apple headquarters. It’s a must-have app for any Mac customer with an iOS device.


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Mar 23

Apple could be licensing AirPlay for video streaming, HDTV integration seems imminent

Posted in: airplay, Apple, content, hdtv, rumor, stream, streaming, streaming video, StreamingVideo, Television, Today's Chili, TV

There’s nothing concrete to sink your teeth into just yet, but a couple of people “familiar with the matter” have informed Bloomberg that Apple could be taking AirPlay to the next level. Up until now, companies have been shelling out $4 per device to add AirPlay audio streaming into their products, but there’s a very real demand for video to be included in that as well. According to sources, the video streaming protocol is already baked in, but not enabled / allowed under the current licensing agreement. It’s bruited that the folks in Cupertino could soon expand the AirPlay license program to include video streaming from iPhones and iPads, with integration into HDTVs being the most obvious application. Specifically, the new plan would enable electronics makers to “use [AirPlay] in devices for streaming movies, TV shows and other video content,” but there’s no clear time table as to when any of this would go down. Will CEDIA 2011 be the launchpad for AirPlay-enabled televisions? If so, don’t ever say we didn’t see it coming.

[Thanks, Nilay]

Apple could be licensing AirPlay for video streaming, HDTV integration seems imminent originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 11

Gadget Lab Podcast: Motorola Atrix, AirPlay and WebOS

Posted in: airplay, Apple, ipad, ipad 2, motorola, Today's Chili

In this week’s podcast, we can’t avoid it: We start off by talking about the iPad 2, which some people have hyperbolically called the “best gadget they’ve ever reviewed.” It goes on sale Friday, and we’ll have more to say about it once we’ve had a chance to test it fully.

For those of you who have iPad 2 envy but are stuck with an iPad 1, we have a nice $25 cover from MyCase that says “Don’t Panic” on the front, like some other electronic books we could mention.

There’s a new version of Flipboard out, which adds social search and some other new features. But the thing we’re excited about is a Flipboard version of Wired.com, which lets you read all the awesome content on this website, except in a more beautiful format that’s designed just for the iPad screen. It looks nice, and it’s free in the Apple App Store.

Speaking of tablets, there’s news about HP’s tablet operating system, webOS. In addition to the upcoming HP TouchPad, it will also be included on all of HP’s PCs starting in 2012, which should increase the potential audience for webOS developers.

Wired.com reviews editor Michael Calore comes onscreen to talk about the Motorola Atrix, a high-end 4G Android phone that we recently reviewed. It’s a great phone — but he’s less excited about the optional laptop-like dock that you can get for it.

Finally, we talk about AirPlay, Apple’s standard for streaming audio and video wirelessly. It’s a feature in the badass Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air.

Like the show? You can also get the Gadget Lab video podcast on iTunes, or if you don’t want to be distracted by our unholy on-camera talent, check out the Gadget Lab audio podcast. Prefer RSS? You can subscribe to the Gadget Lab video or audio podcast feeds.

Or listen to the audio here:

Gadget Lab audio podcast No. 107

http://downloads.wired.com/podcasts/assets/gadgetlabaudio/GadgetLabAudio0107.mp3


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Mar 09

iPad 2 review

Posted in: airplay, Apple, ios, ipad, ipad 2, Ipad2, review, Today's Chili, video

To say Apple’s iPad 2 is an easy tablet to review is somewhat of an understatement. The device, a follow up to last year’s wildly successful (and currently market-defining) iPad, is nearly identical when it comes to software, and though improved, closely related on the hardware side as well. With a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display, the general size and shape of the device has remained the same, and though inside there’s a new dual core A5 CPU, more memory, and a pair of new cameras, most of the iPad 2’s changes are cosmetic. Still, the previous tablet soared far above most of its competitors when it came to the quality of both the hardware (if not its raw specs) and its software selection — something Apple still stands head and shoulders over its adversaries on. So this new model, a thinner, sleeker, faster variant of the original may not be breaking lots of new ground, but it’s already at the front of the pack. But is the iPad 2 worth an upgrade for those that took the plunge on the first generation? More importantly, does the device have what it takes to bring new owners into the fold? Those questions — and more — are all about to be answered in the full Engadget review, so read on!

Gallery: iPad 2 review hands-on

Continue reading iPad 2 review

iPad 2 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 09

Apple posts iPad 2 guided tour videos

Posted in: airplay, app, Apple, demo, ios, ipad, ipad 2, Ipad2, Today's Chili, video

Although the iPad 2 is launching in two days, Apple wants to make sure that you’re filled with knowledge for March 11th. Sure, we showed you pretty much everything you wanted to know about the company’s second slate, but if you want more, they’ve got you covered. You can feast your eyes on demos of Garageband, FaceTime, iMovie, as well as other first party apps for the new iPad — these 14 videos should keep you occupied for a while. If you want to properly prepare yourself for Friday, hit the source link to watch them all.

Apple posts iPad 2 guided tour videos originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 08

Gadget Lab Notes: Nokia’s X1-00 Is Designed for Developing Communities

Posted in: airplay, audio, keyboard, Miscellaneous, mobile phone, nokia, privacy, Today's Chili

The Nokia X1-00 has a large back speaker for sharing audio with friends and family

Gadget Lab Notes is an eclectic roundup of gadget news briefs and intriguing products that catch our eye.

Nokia’s Bright Orange X1-00 Is Designed For Developing Markets
Retailing for a mere $48, the Nokia X1-00 is built for music fans and communities in entry level growth markets. It’s got a large, powerful speaker on the back that can play audio over the noisy sounds of traffic and other loud ambient noise, and a 3.5mm jack allows it to be plugged in to headphones or speakers. It features five phone books, so the phone could be shared among folks with differing contacts, and also has a built-in flashlight and an impressive 61-day battery life.

Nokia X1-00 Is Here [Nokia Conversations via Slashgear]

Private Conversation in a Public Place? Use the Yamaha VSP-1
For the James Bonds and Jason Bournes of the world, privacy is key when engaging in phone conversations (or just about any conversation). Yamaha has developed the VSP-1, a speaker-like Sound Wall device that can make your dialogue up to 89% less audible to passersby. The VSP-1 works by playing different sounds to cover your voice, such as beach, forest or river.

Yamaha Releases VSP-1 System [Akihabara News]

Pioneer Adds A/V Receivers to VSX Line, Including an AirPlay Compatible Model
Pioneer added four new A/V receivers to their VSX line today. With an optional Bluetooth adapter, they become smartphone compatible and can stream audio. The highest end model, the VSX-1021, also features AirPlay compatibility. The receivers range in price from $249 to $549 and include internet radio and DLNA. For controlling the system and your music playlists, custom Pioneer iOS apps such as Air Jam can be downloaded.

Pioneer Announces New Receivers [Crunchgear]



Wheel Around On The Barebones EX Trike
If you’re looking for a little more adventure than your traditional two or three-wheeled vehicle provides, perhaps The EX is right for you. The EX is nothing but a metal frame, modified bike parts, 3 wheels, and some custom CNC milled joints. Oh, and dual 18-volt screwdrivers as an engine (bringing along some spare batteries on your ride would probably be prudent). Speeds top out at about 18mph.

The EX [Nils Ferber via Oh Gizmo]

Easy, Endless Poking With the SNAK Social Keyboard’s Facebook Hotkeys
If you need this keyboard, you really, really have a Facebook problem. It’s got 19 Facebook-specific hotkeys that let you quickly jump to your photos, events, inbox, and more. What if someone else uses your computer and keyboard? No worries: When you sign out, they keys become disabled. The Windows-compatible Social Network Access Keyboard (SNAK) can be yours for $30.
SNAK [Social Keyboards via Engadget]


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Mar 08

Apple’s iOS Update Speeds Web Browsing, Expands AirPlay

Posted in: airplay, Apple, ios, ipad, iPhone, ipod touch, operating system, Phones, Today's Chili

The iPhone's multitasking drawer contains a playback widget for controlling audio apps. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

The next operating system upgrade for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad is landing sometime this week, and customers can look forward to major improvements in Safari performance and AirPlay media streaming.

Wired.com reported on most of the changes in iOS 4.3 when the beta released January. The newest additions that Apple announced last week included a significant speed boost to the Safari web browser, using the new Nitro JavaScript engine, which should make JavaScript run twice as fast.

Additionally, the AirPlay streaming feature has been expanded so that you can stream video played inside Safari or a third-party app to an Apple TV. Previously, AirPlay video streaming was limited to the Videos app on the iPad.

Wired.com got an early look at the iOS 4.3 gold master (usually the official version that ships), and it’s pretty slick.

Benchmark tests Wired.com ran using SunSpider showed a significant speed boost in Safari’s JavaScript performance between iOS 4.2 and iOS 4.3.

An iPhone 4 running iOS 4.3 completed the test in 4,340 milliseconds, and an iPhone 4 running iOS 4.2 completed the same test in 10,626.4 milliseconds (fewer milliseconds is better). That makes iOS 4.3 about 59 percent faster than iOS 4.2 with JavaScript rendering. (See below the jump for the full benchmark results.)

So when iOS 4.3 ships this week, iPad 2 owners won’t be the only people getting a big speed boost. A significant increase in JavaScript performance means web browsing on JavaScript-heavy sites such as Google’s mobile apps (Voice, Docs and Reader), Facebook and others should be zippier.

As for AirPlay, I used an iPhone 4 to play a YouTube video and was able to hit the AirPlay button to send it to straight to the Apple TV 2. Being able to AirPlay YouTube is pretty nifty, because using the Apple TV’s remote control to browse YouTube is a huge pain in the rear; it’s much easier to search for YouTube clips using the iPhone. iOS 4.3’s expanded AirPlay support will be a nice addition for anyone with the new Apple TV.

The iOS 4.3 is due out sometime this week, possibly as soon as Wednesday, according to well-sourced Apple blogger Jim Dalrymple.

SunSpider results on iOS 4.2
============================================
RESULTS (means and 95% confidence intervals)
——————————————–
Total: 10626.4ms +/- 6.8%
——————————————–

3d: 1437.6ms +/- 6.8%
cube: 443.0ms +/- 14.8%
morph: 534.6ms +/- 5.3%
raytrace: 460.0ms +/- 2.0%

access: 1635.8ms +/- 33.6%
binary-trees: 146.2ms +/- 5.8%
fannkuch: 671.2ms +/- 0.6%
nbody: 429.6ms +/- 32.4%
nsieve: 388.8ms +/- 106.4%

bitops: 877.0ms +/- 0.5%
3bit-bits-in-byte: 180.8ms +/- 0.8%
bits-in-byte: 185.2ms +/- 2.7%
bitwise-and: 163.2ms +/- 0.6%
nsieve-bits: 347.8ms +/- 0.5%

controlflow: 143.0ms +/- 1.1%
recursive: 143.0ms +/- 1.1%

crypto: 643.6ms +/- 2.9%
aes: 295.0ms +/- 2.8%
md5: 163.6ms +/- 1.2%
sha1: 185.0ms +/- 11.1%

date: 744.8ms +/- 3.3%
format-tofte: 377.2ms +/- 3.5%
format-xparb: 367.6ms +/- 3.1%

math: 1134.6ms +/- 0.9%
cordic: 425.6ms +/- 1.7%
partial-sums: 372.0ms +/- 0.6%
spectral-norm: 337.0ms +/- 2.6%

regexp: 1444.8ms +/- 1.1%
dna: 1444.8ms +/- 1.1%

string: 2565.2ms +/- 21.6%
base64: 355.8ms +/- 4.3%
fasta: 422.0ms +/- 15.0%
tagcloud: 458.6ms +/- 18.8%
unpack-code: 744.8ms +/- 5.6%
validate-input: 584.0ms +/- 70.2%

====

SunSpider results on iOS 4.3

============================================
RESULTS (means and 95% confidence intervals)
——————————————–
Total: 4340.1ms +/- 0.7%
——————————————–

3d: 557.6ms +/- 1.6%
cube: 213.5ms +/- 3.4%
morph: 136.0ms +/- 0.9%
raytrace: 208.1ms +/- 0.7%

access: 497.2ms +/- 2.4%
binary-trees: 122.2ms +/- 3.3%
fannkuch: 138.7ms +/- 3.0%
nbody: 164.2ms +/- 4.7%
nsieve: 72.1ms +/- 2.1%

bitops: 219.2ms +/- 2.2%
3bit-bits-in-byte: 28.9ms +/- 10.4%
bits-in-byte: 53.6ms +/- 2.3%
bitwise-and: 64.5ms +/- 3.3%
nsieve-bits: 72.2ms +/- 2.3%

controlflow: 25.7ms +/- 4.4%
recursive: 25.7ms +/- 4.4%

crypto: 246.7ms +/- 0.5%
aes: 147.1ms +/- 0.4%
md5: 58.5ms +/- 1.7%
sha1: 41.1ms +/- 2.2%

date: 588.8ms +/- 4.2%
format-tofte: 277.3ms +/- 0.9%
format-xparb: 311.5ms +/- 7.2%

math: 462.2ms +/- 1.1%
cordic: 167.2ms +/- 0.8%
partial-sums: 206.6ms +/- 2.8%
spectral-norm: 88.4ms +/- 1.2%

regexp: 115.4ms +/- 3.5%
dna: 115.4ms +/- 3.5%

string: 1627.3ms +/- 0.9%
base64: 226.3ms +/- 3.2%
fasta: 227.8ms +/- 0.8%
tagcloud: 310.8ms +/- 0.8%
unpack-code: 554.2ms +/- 0.3%
validate-input: 308.2ms +/- 1.9%


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Mar 08

Apple finds another AirPlay partner in Pioneer’s VSX-1021 AV receiver

Posted in: airplay, Apple, Today's Chili, video

You may have laughed off the assertion made by BridgeCo‘s VP of Sales and Marketing back at CES, but the man’s looking downright prophetic now. Apple has just nailed down yet another major player in its efforts to take over the streaming media world with AirPlay, as Pioneer’s VSX-1021 launched today as the first of eight AirPlay receivers the company has planned for 2011. It’s a 7.1 channel affair that supports wireless playback of iTunes libraries so long as you fork over a few extra dollars for the AS-WL300 wireless LAN adapter. You’ll also need an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or a Mac / PC with iTunes 10.1+, and the new AVR should show up immediately as an available AirPlay device. This particular one will sell for $549, and if you’re looking to spring, you should also know about Air Jam and iControlAV2 — two new (free) apps that turn iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4.2 into sources for the aforesaid AVR. The latter actually enables full-on control of the receiver from an iOS device, while the former should do a fine job of handling the song selection during your next part. Hit up the source links for the nitty-gritty, and if you venture down beyond the break, you’ll find overview videos for the device shown above as well as the Air Jam app.

Continue reading Apple finds another AirPlay partner in Pioneer’s VSX-1021 AV receiver

Apple finds another AirPlay partner in Pioneer’s VSX-1021 AV receiver originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceBusiness Wire (1), (2), (3)  | Email this | Comments

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