When I think GE, I think washer/dryer, I think fridge. Turns out this enormous company makes about everything under the sun that’s even remotely electronic. I’m a DSLR guy, but stuff like touchscreen LCDs and built-in GPS receptors could tempt even the most skeptical old-schooler. Here are the facts for the $250 E1050, for example:
10 megapixels, 28mm equivalent lens, 5x optical zoom, 3″ touchscreen LCD, up to 3200 ISO, records and plays back hi-def movies (details lacking here)

It’s got face, smile, and blink detection, GPS tagging, in-camera panorama stitching, and electronic image stabilization (optical is usually better but they’ve worked out some of the bugs in EIS). Sounds cool.
The “article” is basically a press release, but whatever.

GE Cameras Score Big Features: Smile and Blink Detection, Better Optics, HDTV, GPS, and More [Business Wire]

ShareThis

Mark Effron used to program daytime TV for the network MSNBC, but now functions as the COO for TitanTV. That’s a company that is trying to do for online network TV station presences, as they say, what King World Syndication did for the local affiliate when they burst on the scene.  TitanTV has a powerful combination of solid distribution and content management software as well as original programming to offer the local affiliate’s web presence to provide a reason beyond weather-related school closing to come to the site.

I, myself, have been involved in similar ventures for other media consulting firms in the past, so I really was interested in seeing how TitanTV approached this interesting market. Our conversation went far longer than the usual conversation went, as a result, even though he was literally on his way to take his daughter to her homecoming dance this evening.  Despite this, we covered a wide variety of topics, including opportunities within his organization for independent program directors, content producers, and from Effron’s unique vantage point what he sees the future for the Old Media’s role is in the New Media.

The embed is available below, or you can download the MP3 file directly here.

Subscribe to the podcast here.

You can check out TitanTV here.

ShareThis

Cooking and recipe sites are a dime a dozen online, but usually they offer generic recipe sites tailored for people who cook regularly….and despite women’s liberation and equality of the sexes that’s still statistically women.

Culinary Seductions is billed as “the guys guide to cooking for girls” and does just that, offering recipes for men wishing to look smart by cooking for women.

The recipes are split into Dishes/ Course (including “food for the morning after”), difficulty and moods. Moods include decadent, snugly, saucy, sassy, nutty and luscious, but seems to miss out some obvious mood choices for a partner like cranky, irrational and argumentative.

The recipes on offer seem to be reasonable enough; there’s nothing ground breaking in the food but the way its split up is helpful and the instructions are fairly straight forward.

Might be worth a look if you’re a bloke looking for something to cook for your better half.

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

You can argue all you want about who won the Democratic debate tonight, but all that matters is who wins on Super Tuesday. If viral video is any indicator (and I don’t think it is), Barack Obama is already ahead. From the folks at Barely Political, now part of Next New Networks, here is latest Obama Girl video: Super Obama Girl. It just came out:

Personally, in my book, you can never top the original Obama Girl video. Let’s review (for comparison purposes only):

There’s also the whole YouBama phenomenon,which we broke, and now the Washington Post, Yahoo News, and CNN has picked up. I got an e-mail earlier tonight from YouBama co-founder Christopher Pedregal informing me that “Our servers are melting.” They seem to be back up now. I wonder how long before someone puts the Obama Girl videos on YouBama. Check out Craigslist founder Craig Newmark’s Obama video testimonial. He ain’t no Obama Girl, but he is sincere. Where are all the viral videos for Hillary or McCain?

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

In a sea of video how-to sites, WonderHowTo has recently launched one of its own, and has just closed a Series A round of investment funding led by General Catalyst Partners. WonderHowTo has also signed an ad sales deal with Scripps Network, a company looking to expand the reach of its online properties, including the recently launched FrontDoor.

With WonderHowTo’s CEO, Stephen Chao, being a Hollywood vet, the touch of commercialism is quite evident when you visit WonderHowTo’s site. So the question is, can Chao make WonderHowTo work, when it’s later in the game and faces serious competition from sites like VideoJug?

While most of the earlier entrants into this space were more inclusive to the type of content on the sites, the more recent video how-to sites have typically been for various niche markets. Yet, the recent funding of how-to site 5min means there’s a growing interest in the market, WonderHowTo has few differentiating factors. The one I did pick up on was the emphasis on community, and the blatant site navigation that lends WonderHowTo to be utilized as a search engine as well.

That means there’s a good amount of potential for WonderHowTo to make some headway in the market. As I mentioned in the article about 5min’s funding, it’s the larger networks like Scripps that will be looking to increase advertising supplements, and it looks like it’s found an opportunity to do so with WonderHowTo.

ShareThis

And you thought NTP getting RIM to shell out $612.5 million was excessive? It seems that other patent holding companies are shooting much higher. About a year ago, we noted that some private equity firms were so thrilled with the outcome of various patent hoarding lawsuits that they were raising funds solely to buy up patents, stick them in shell companies, and sue businesses that actually made products. We're seeing more and more of those types of lawsuits, with the latest one being pretty impressive. Private equity firm Fortress Investment Group has backed a patent holding firm IP-Com, who is now suing Nokia for patent infringement to the tune of $17.77 billion (yes, billion with a b). At that rate, a mere $600 million seems like pocket change. Expect to see a few more of these types of lawsuits, as well. With so much money going into these patent hoarding firms, combined with fears that we may finally seem some legitimate patent reform (either via Congress or the Supreme Court), many patent holders may be scrambling to squeeze whatever they can as fast as they can -- and starting off with ridiculous numbers is one way to push for a faster settlement.

Permalink | Comments | Email This Story

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Another colorful point-and-shoot, you say? Yes, but with a difference: General Imaging's E-1050 uses Geotate's clever approach to geotagging your photos. Add that to a 10-megapixel sensor, 5x zoom, electronic image stabilization and face detection and red eye removal that's in vogue this year, and you've got an interesting little package. Unfortunately, the unit was tethered by its HDMI port to a TV, so we couldn't play around with the unit and give away our location, so we'll have to wait and see if geotagging is enough of a checkmark to differentiate this little digicam.

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

A

I know I’d never buy this doodad, but maybe some crazed DS fanboy might. I think the speakers are adequate enough and it’s the perfect size. For some reason Gametech thinks differently and wants you to fatten up that DS Lite with the Sound Shell. It also acts as a case and has a built-in stand, so that’s worth something. Not sure how much louder the sound will be, though. It retails for about $30, but it’s only in Japan.

Impress [via DS Fanboy]

ShareThis

After months of speculation EA’s CEO John Riccitiello confirmed today at the end of the Q3 conf call that Rock Band will be coming to the Wii. No word on when and for how much, but rest assured that it’s coming.

Rock Band Confirmed for Wii [IGN]

ShareThis