Hasta La Gadget!

Streaming music from a computer to all manner of home audio devices is an area Sonos, Logitech, and Apple have been competing in for years. The recently-released MP-1 music player from Orb, though, is a surprise contender that can perform a host of streaming duties for less than $70. Like the competition, it works by connecting to a powered audio device via an in-line jack, and can play music stored locally, on a network, or from services like Pandora when streamed over 802.11b/g/n WiFi through its companion Orb Caster media server software. To sweeten the package, the company is also throwing in their Orb Controller app for iOS devices — which normally costs $10 — for a low price of free, and apparently has plans to release an Android version of the remote sometime in the near future. Sure, it’s a little strange for us to see a company known for their free media streaming software jump in the hardware game so abruptly, but the MP-1’s mixture of functionality for the price is a pretty enticing first step. Plus, if the move ignites a price war to the bottom with the aforementioned competition, who are we to complain?

[Thanks, Tom]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless, Networking

Orb MP-1 music player pulls Sonos-like tricks for way less than a Benjamin originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s not quite the law of the land just yet, but the European Commission has just laid out some far-reaching new broadband rules that, if implemented, could have some wide ranging implications. Some of the basic rules were first announced earlier this year in the so-called Digital Agenda, including a mandate for basic broadband access across the EU by 2013, and a 30Mbps minimum by 2020. Perhaps most notably, however, is that the Commission has recommended that spectrum in the 800MHz band between 790-862MHz (being vacated as TV broadcasters make the switch to digital) be set aside for mobile broadband use by 2013. Just how much will it cost to implement the recommendations? Between 180 and 270 billion euros, or between 240 and 360 billion US dollars. That’s obviously not going to come easily, but the Commision apparently thinks its doable, and notes that a number of measures have already been put in place to increase funding.

European Commission lays out new broadband plan, reserves spectrum for mobile broadband originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 07:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel has joined the parade of companies trying to beam video to your TV. The chipmaker is betting on “WiDi,” its technology for streaming media wirelessly from the PC to the TV.

Intel’s WiDi, which is short for “wireless display,” will remove the pain of stringing HDMI cables between the TV and the laptop.

“This display technology extends the laptop screen to the TV,” says Randy Stude, who handles gaming strategy for Intel. “You don’t need cables or to buy a single-purpose gadget to make the connection.”

Intel showed the WiDi technology at the company’s developer conference in San Francisco earlier this week.

The technology will come pre-loaded in new laptops. Already 44 models sold at Best Buy have the WiDi technology. But consumers will need to buy an additional $100 adapter from Netgear to complete the connection to the TV. Add a wireless remote such as Loop or Glide TV, and consumers can watch web content on a big screen 25 feet to 30 feet away.

Intel is just the latest in a long list of companies that are trying to make it easier for consumers to watch web video in their living room. Companies such as Apple, Boxee and Roku have offered streaming media players for web video enthusiasts.

In May, Google launched Google TV, a new set-top-box platform based on Google’s Android operating system that will combine cable programming with access to online photo sites, gaming and music.

Earlier this week, start-up Veebeam introduced a streaming media box that uses wireless USB to connect the laptop to the TV. Veebeam estimates 420 Mbps speeds for wireless USB and offers both 720p and 1080p high-definition video options.

Intel has chosen Wi-Fi to stream content wirelessly. Wi-Fi doesn’t require line of sight and it can reach about 9 Mbps speeds, says Stude. It is much slower than wireless HDMI that can offer speeds of upto 500 Mbps.

Intel’s software will work on all laptops using Arrendale based core i3, i5 and core i7 technologies.  But they will have to have Intel’s 802.11-n chips.

“It’s more flexible than a Boxee box or Apple TV,” says Stude. “You are not limited to just a few types of content and put in a walled garden.”

The wireless streaming is currently to limited to 720p resolution and it can’t handle Blu-ray content. Stude says Intel plans to support higher resolution video in the future.

But first, Intel will have to survive the extremely competitive and crowded market. It will have to steal consumers’ attention away from the soon to launch Google TV and the newly introduced $100 Apple TV.

Intel hopes its clout in the PC market will put it ahead of competitors. In bundling the software and chips into the laptop, Intel may have a distribution channel that few of its competitors can match.

But to get there, it will have to find a way to cut price and integrate the $100 Netgear adapter into the laptop.

See Also:

• Veebeam Uses Wireless USB to Stream Media From PC to TV
• Streaming Wars Heat Up: Now Amazon Reportedly Is in the Hunt
• Cable Company Makes a Move on Internet Video
• 7 Ways to Watch Web Video Without Google TV
• Hands-On With New $100 Apple TV

Photos: Priya Ganapati/Wired.com

In our excitement over HTC’s announcements this morning (that’d be Desire Z, Desire HD, and Sense enhancements, in case you missed it), we missed one other nugget of good news. The HTC Media Link wireless DLNA streaming adapter does exactly what you’d expect from a name like that — namely, it’s a box that allows you to stream media (photos, audio, video up to 720p) to TVs that don’t natively have DLNA support. The pic above shows off what appears to be micro-USB and mini-HDMI ports. According to SlashGear, it’s due out in Q4 this year, but price is still TBA.

HTC’s Media Link provides the wireless DLNA support your phone and TV crave, coming Q4 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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America is divided! One faction is powerful and entrenched. The other is respected by the rest of the world, but can’t seem to seize power here. I’m talking, obviously, about our cellphones. More »