atmaspheric | endeavors

DVD Recorders Reviewed

Sony has the potential to make this device the be-all for creating DVDs from existing video content, but the standards mess gets in the way.

For example, you may have to “finalize” the disc before playing it on normal DVD players – a one- to 60-minute process in which the deck seals the disc. Then again, you may not. Here’s what the manual says for each format:

“DVD-RW VR: Finalizing is unnecessary when playing a disc on VR format compatible equipment. You may need to finalize the disc depending on the DVD equipment. You can edit or record on the disc even after finalizing. DVD+RW: Finalizing is unnecessary. However, you may need to finalize the disc for certain DVD equipment. You can edit or record on the disc even after finalizing. DVD-RW Video: Finalizing is necessary when playing on equipment other than this recorder. After finalizing, you cannot edit or record on the disc.” And then there’s a note: “Discs may not play even when the discs are finalized.”

If you can make heads or tails of that, there’s a job waiting for you on the United Nations translation team.

Handspring’s latest Treo device has analysts excited and talking. In fact, industry observers say the new Treo 600 was the driving force behind the Palm-Handspring merger two weeks ago. By Elisa Batista. [Wired News]

The Digital Home Working Group, whose members include Microsoft, Sony and Intel, will harmonize efforts on wireless networking of consumer electronics devices, PCs and mobile gadgets in the home. [CNET News.com Personal Technology]

“There is a dearth of connectivity capabilities between consumer electronics and PC products,” said Stephen Baker, an analyst with NPD Techworld. “Getting these companies together to talk to one another and hash out which standards they want to support will certainly help get things moving towards networked products.”

Handspring just sent out an email directing people to the early site for the Treo 600. It is much smaller than I thought it would be and looks absolutely killer!! The small video is not as revealing as you might like but still good stuff to watch.

Ericsson and Verizon are both separately working on cordless phones that work like a regular telephone inside the home, but when taken outside work like a cellphone:

Verizon Communications, the largest U.S. telephone company, this week is expected to announce a new cordless-cellular phone that operates on regular telephone lines in the home and on the mobile networks when outside. Ericsson, the world’s largest maker of wireless equipment, has developed technology called Mobile(at)Home that lets consumers use their cell phone to make calls from home via the Internet instead of using up valuable wireless minutes.

Sounds like the Ericsson phone will use some sort of Voice over WiFi over Internet Protocol system, while it’s a little less clear how the Verizon combination-phone will work. Sprint PCS is also working on something similiar which would let subscribers hook up their regular phone to make calls over the cellular network.
Read [Via TechDirt]

[Gizmodo]

I thought that BT actually rolled a phone like this a few years ago in the UK. It was smart enough to know when you were in your home’s cell to switch over to be a home phone which changed the billing as well. Good stuff.

Motorola partners with TI for 802.11a/b/g in their Wi-Fi/cell phone: Motorola’s phone will handle a/b/g, Voice over IP, 2.5G and 3G data, and GSM or CDMA…. [802.11b Networking News]