NorthGeek

Some cool announcements at Google IO – Android 2.2 and Google TV

Here are two videos that Google put together to officially introduce a couple of their announcements to the world. The first is for Google TV, and the second is for their mobile operating systems’s latest iteration, Android 2.2 (Froyo). My thoughts follow the videos. Enjoy!

This, while very cool and exciting at first glance, isn’t exactly anything BRAND NEW. Maybe this will be the first web-connected TV initiative to be adopted buy the masses, as it’s being backed by some little company called Google -- but it certainly isn’t the first and only device (or service) of its kind. Have a quick Google search session (ironic? What other search engine do you use) for Popcorn Hour, Western Digital HDTV, MythTV, TViX, Apple TV, and… dare I say, Playstation 3. Oh, and there’s Windows Media Center PC’s -- I know, you’re all yelling at me. But, if you want a TRUE home theater experience, then you’re going to need to support the real players in the game -- and they all support Microsoft’s MCPC OS.

This is very exciting -- although I’d be much happier if 2.2 was released yesterday, as opposed to just announced. We all sort of knew all the specs Froyo was going to be boasting. 2-5 times faster overall performance, WiFi hotspot-in-a-box, etc -- and some things we assume but they didn’t mention, like Flash support. What about my battery? Will it make my Nexus One battery last longer than 4 hours? Pretty please?

Create your own view – anywhere!

Now, this is pretty cool stuff. According to uncrate.com, the Winscape is “based on two 46-inch Panasonic TC-P46G10 plasma screens, a Mac running specialized software, a Wii remote, a custom-built IR-emitting necklace, and an iPhone app, Winscape creates two virtual windows, which can display static images up to 4096x4096 resolution, or 1080p video — with sound — and tracks the necklace wearer’s movements around the room, realistically changing the view out of the ‘windows’ accordingly.”

A first look at Panasonic’s new Full HD 3D experience!

NorthGeek was lucky enough to have been invited to the media-only opening of the Panasonic Pavilion at LiveCity Yaletown in Vancouver today for a sneak peak at Panasonic’s new Full HD 3D technology. The awesome new technology is both for large-format theater and home theaters.

The best part of all was that we got to be among an elite group of reporters who enjoyed, first-hand, this new 3D entertainment experience. We started in a theater, similar to a movie theater, only a bit smaller -- then we got to see it in “real-life” in a typical home theater set-up. Both were equally as impressive.

We had a chance to interview Panasonic North America Chief Technology Officer Eisuke Tsuyuzaki -- here’s what he had to say about their exciting new 3D technology (the video will soon become available in HD if it hasn’t yet -- YouTube needs to finish processing):

The first demo (which happened before the above interview) was on an extremely impressive, 103″ Plasma 3D television. I tried to take it home, they didn’t let. It was, as Borat would say, VERY NIIICE!!

Next up, we witnessed what our homes could look like as soon as April 2010 and for (apparently, still not clear) as little as $3,000 -- equipped with a 3D-ready Panasonic TV, Blu-Ray player, 3D Blu-Ray media, and spiffy (battery-powered) 3D glasses.

The demos of 3D content included a bunch of winter Olympic sports, summer Olympic sports, clips from the movie Avatar, and a recently released music video featuring Soprano sensation Sarah Brightman. The sports (especially basketball, track, gymnastics, skiing, and cycling) were, in my opinion, the most impressive in 3D. The music video and movie just don’t look “real” enough for me to truly appreciate, whereas seeing a basketball net in the foreground and fans in the background looked really, really cool.

I should note, that what impressed me as much as anything else, was the lineup of (what I assume were) Viera Neo Plasma TVs, all color and temperature synched with each other, it was true perfection. I’d love to have that guy come to my home and calibrate my TV!

Leaving the venue, we had a chance to appreciate what LiveCity Yaletown actually looks like, without the zillions of international Olympic fans that are soon to cover each and every recently installed fake brick:

NorthGeek to attend the Panasonic Pavilion Opening in Vancouver!

We’re very excited to have been included on a list of invitees to experience first-hand, a day before the public, the future of home entertainment. Panasonic is putting together a full-3D home theatre experience for select media and industry experts to taste a day before the public, this February 11th (public opening February 12th) at LiveCity Yaletown in David Lam Park (Vancouver).

We’re super stoked to be there, and look forward to giving you all a sneak peak of the event, although we strongly encourage you to check out the pavilion – it is sure to blow your minds – from February 12th – 28th. This is going to be the FIRST time this technology will be on display to the public!

I’m too excited – message us if you have any special requests for us on the 11th…

NorthGeek Product Review: 6' HDMI 1.3b cable from Optimized Cable Co.

Sorry for the delay, folks – but here it is!! Our first review of a product from http://www.optimization-world.com – here is the product page for the HDMI cable they sent me – a 6′ gold-plated HDMI cable, for just $12.99! And they ship to Canada!

Please don’t mind the lack of editing – I had to use iMovie and I haven’t used it in a while… Am waiting for the new FCP to come out!

Move over, overpriced cables! Optimized Cable has a solution for you!

We at NorthGeek pride ourselves on finding excellent product, always for the best price around. Dan R is shopping for a new car, and boy, he’s shopping! Noah spent months looking around for frame, groupo, wheels, etc for his latest road bike. I am still looking for the right cable set up for my latest additions to my home theater. And no, I’m not talking about this home theater…

Well, today, we were contacted by Optimized Cable Company (http://www.optimization-world.com/), who wants to work with us to help promote low-cost and high-quality cables, from video (HDMI/DVI) to audio (optical/digital), to networking (ethernet/USB) and more. They also have accessories that will help you complete that pet project of yours, be it a home office or home theater!

NorthGeek has some product on the way, so stay tuned for some video reviews! Thanks, Optimized!!

Home Theater: What can $6 million buy you?

To take an opening line from the original author of this post, when it comes to home theaters, I thought I had seen it all. Well, all that was worthy of my critical (yet practical – see: ‘egzak’) eyes… But this, well, THIS, I had never seen until early 2008. Yeah yeah, I know the date because the article is from February 2008 – whatever!

The giant Stewart Snowmatte screen isn’t all that’s impressive! There’s also the Sony ultra-high-resolution (4,096-by-2,160) SRX-S110 digital projector – this bad boy is on my “Need/Want” list, too! Just not sure if it’s a “need” or a “want” yet… Outfitted primarily with Snell speakers, Jeremy Kipnis’ $6 million home theater setup is an 8.8 system – that’s right, 8 speakers and 8 subwoofers. Although there are really more than 8 speakers. He has THREE center speakers, as he felt that just the one center was being too overpowered by the eight Snell THX Cinema & Music Reference towers he has surrounding the room.

This beast of a “home” theater is powered by two humongous General Electric 13,800-volt/800-amp step-down transformers next to Kipnis’ garage.

Amplified by two Mark Levinson N° 33h Amplifiers, thirty (yes, that is 30) McIntosh MC-2102 Amplifiers, and three Crown Macro Reference Gold Amplifiers, 13 Theta Digital Generation VIII 32-bit 8x Oversampling Dual Processors run the show.