TouchSmarter: Touch Screen Gadgets

The built-in Windows Media Player has always suffered from a major flaw: it didn’t support resuming the song from the last position after restarting the player. XDA-Devs forum member Wolfman-XP (the same guy that has also developed AVRCP support for GSPlayer) has fixed this: he has released a plug-in that remembers the last position where you press(ed) the Pause button.

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iLounge is today reporting that the next-generation iPod nano will feature a taller design. According to the iPod news and rumour site the screen will match the aspect ration of the iPhone and iPod touch which is 1.5:1 up from the current 1.33:1 found on the current nano.

To fit the screen and Click Wheel neatly together, the new nano will adopt a form factor that shifts away from the almost square dimensions of the 2007 third-generation nano back towards the general shape of the first- and second-generation models. As one of our sources noted, it’s a surprise that the new nano will be bigger than the prior model, but the goal appears to be preservation of all of the prior model’s usability while adding a bigger screen, and there aren’t many other ways to accomplish that goal.

The article also notes that a recent rumour by 9to5Mac that the iPod nanos will be multi-coloured is “most likely inaccurate”.

Following is an update to my previous article on the CPU usage of the audio player applications. Please consult the old article on how the data should be interpreted.

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"It's been awhile since we released our last new title, but for a very good reason. Our latest title, Jaybot's Catchy Cadence is an amazing game, and it's now ready to play!"

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It is being rumoured that the next generation of MacBook will be thinner than the current MacBook and MacBook Pro designs and will also include a glass trackpad and support multi-touch and the use of gestures.

The MacBook is also said to be made of one single piece of aluminium and will bear some resemblance to the MacBook Air.

Finally Seth Weintraub of ComputerWorld writes that he expects the new MacBook to be released in September.

The iPhone/iPod touch OS 2.1 software which revealed some upcoming features may also have uncovered the existence of a new iPod touch.

According to iPhoneAtlas the firmware contains a reference to an iPod labelled “iPod2,1″ the current iPod touch is known as “iPod1,1″.

In contrast the first generation iPhone is labelled as “iPhone1,1″ and the iPhone 3G “iPhone1,2″, these denominations do not change for storage differences.

In the past couple of years Apple has refreshed the iPod product line in September, it is likely that Apple plains to do this again this year.

Reviews of the Treo 800w, iPAQ 910, and Samsung Omnia are popping up, so I want to note these and give a bit more info about these and other new devices. Also, this week we’ll touch on the new mobile version of Live Mesh, Microsoft’s new approach to cloud computing.

Treo 800w and iPAQ 910

I’ve been giving so much coverage to the exciting new touch devices that I sort of forget that there are other form factors that continue to be popular, including those like the BlackBerry with a front-facing keyboard.

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GSPlayer is a well-known, excellent, free (!!!!), constantly updated audio player application I’ve very frequently elaborated on (search my blog for my related articles).

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One of the most important and convenient features on Windows Mobile touch screen devices is the clock in the upper right corner of the screen. If you notice that the clock disappears from the top taskbar whenever you go from the Today screen to another application, this means that the "Display. in all programs" setting in the Clock and Alarms menu is not selected.

As this is my fourth review of video eyewear, I believe it is safe to crown me the Video Glasses Queen of World of Apple. However, I am certainly not complaining as my inner geek loves these gadgets. The product for this review is iMovee’s iTheatre personal video viewer selling at a $399.95 price point. Right off the bat there is one feature which many users may consider a distinct advantage over the MyVu video eyewear: this unit may be worn while wearing prescription eyeglasses. As I wear glasses and have difficulty with contact lenses, this was a huge plus in my book. The unit is advertised to be compatible with all video iPod models; however, the i-Movee site is silent on whether or not the device would work with the iPhone though the included manual does claim compatibility with “any other devices with video out.” I had tested the eyewear with an iPod touch. Unforuntately, the unit provided was on a loan-basis only and was returned to the vendor prior to my recent iPhone 3G purchase, so I was not able to see if it would work properly on that device.

The product comes very nicely packaged with a box design reminiscent of the iPod touch writ large. The contents include the glasses as well as numerous connectors, an AC adaptor, a controller dongle, and eleven-page user guide. The AC adaptor was a very nice touch as it provided for a way to charge the unit away from a computer without having to purchase an additional accessory. Of course, it can also be charged via a USB port. The glasses themselves are bulky, measuring two inches wide and 1 1/4 inches tall at the center but are foldable for travel. (I’m an American, I don’t do centimeters!!) However, no storage pouch is included. Sound is provided through earbuds that are cleverly kept out of the way by running through a clip along the arms of the glasses. Velcro straps are also provided for even greater fastening. The design of the eyewear is more utilitarian than slick, and the red horizontal line across the silver front gives the glasses a complete “cylon” look - all it needs is the roving light. The video data cable to the dongle attaches to the glasses in an awkward location straight out of the bottom left front causing the user to feel like it is weighing down the glasses on that side even though it really isn’t doing so appreciably. I used the velcro strips intended for the earbud cords to secure the cable to the left arm of the glasses to alleviate the downward pull, but I found that to be a rather inelegant solution, especially as compared to the unobtrusive way the earbuds were attached.

The video cord out of the glasses connects into the dongle which houses an on/off switch and volume controls. This dongle completely takes over the volume control with any changes on the actual iPod having no effect. The volume control is easy to use, but I found it did not have as wide a range of volume as the iPod itself and wished it could be louder. The on/off switch was a bit small and difficult for me with longish acrylic nails. While this hopefully would not be an issue with my male readers, I think it might still be a bit difficult sans fingernails. I was surprised to find that there were no colour/contrast or brightness controls. The situation gets really bulky in the way the dongle connects to the video device. The connections required to use my iPod included composite video connectors with all their attendant bulk and colours. It would be difficult to gracefully hide these connectors and practically impossible in most gym clothing (dizzle doesn’t do fannypacks). Although this entire set-up is all around bulkier than the other video glasses I have used, the glasses themselves felt lighter and more balanced on my nose and head and thus more comfortable with no pinching. The claimed weight by the vendor is seventy grams without cables. Of course, being a Yankee, I have no idea what seventy grams should feel like. The battery life lived up to the vendor’s claimed six to eight hours of viewing time.

The video output is full VGA with 640×480 resolution, and the virtual image is surprisingly large which was a very pleasant surprise. I found the video quality viewing experience to be very good. At least for me (and possibly because I was able to wear my glasses which provide better vision correction in my case than contact lenses), the merge of the image from the left and right outputs was much smoother than other video eyewear I have reviewed to the point of giving a truly seamless experience. The image is slightly less clear due to the larger virtual screen. While the MyVu glasses gave a virtual experience of a 27-inch screen viewed at about eight feet distance, the iTheatre is advertised as providing a virtual experience of an “80-inch screen viewed at a distance of 2.5 metres” - the vendor used the mixed measurements, not me! I found this to be pretty accurate though I would put the screen size experience a bit smaller. With each media file I tested, the image always presented in full-screen and could not be placed into letterbox mode. Like the other viewers I have used, they do not perform well with dark scenes or in full sunlight, though these did perform better than others in the sunlit situations. I had watched several episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess which is a darkly themed show, and there were scenes where the video could barely be seen. However, with videos that use a more conventional lighting mode, the viewing quality was very good to great.

Unlike the other viewers I have used, the iTheatre does not allow as much peripheral and vertical outside view. This has its good and bad points. It is good in that it blocks out distraction and gives it better performance in brighter viewing situations. It is bad for the same reason it is good: it blocks out distractions. However, sometimes distractions are not mere nuisances but situations in which the user should be very aware of their surroundings. Thus, these might not be as suitable for the gym as it would be easy to mistep on a stair climber or similar cardio machine. It would be suitable for long bus rides, plane trips, or other mass transit unless in an enviroment where the user is vulnerable to theft or other criminal activity.

The vendor notes that this product is not suitable for children younger than seven as eyesight at that age is still maturing.

Pros: Impressively large virtual screen with full VGA resolution and very enjoyable high-quality viewing experience. Also, this viewer can be used while wearing eyeglasses which gives it a big thumbs up from me.

Cons: Bulky and inelegant cords as well as a visual design that would take a bit of courage to wear in public for most people. I have virtual no self-conscious inhibitions when it comes to odd clothing and accessories and would wear them in public in a heartbeat, but most people are more reserved. The price will be beyond the budget of an occasional user.

Verdict: Out of all the viewers I have tried thus far, if money were not an obstacle, I would purchase these and come up with some way to hide the bulky cables. I am a sewer and could probably create some kind of pouch as could any other “crafty” person. The large screen wowed me, and I love being able to wear my glasses. However, the price is a high for an occasional user and is not for the easily embarrassed if the intended use is outside the privacy of one’s home. Also, wearing these while using gym equipment would seem to be somewhat dangerous. I would love to have a pair for the plane trip to MacWorld in January.