jeff's blog

Managing business cash flow is crucial for any business, and investing in your business will ensure its success. I say this because Samsung has obviously been busy with new product development and new product launches. Their new line of phones is impressive, and now these point and shoot cameras prove they are making a move for market share. These new cameras, TL320 and HZ15W are feature rich.

The Samsung TL320 has a three-inch AMOLED display with HVGA resolution. This means this screen will make your pictures look amazing. It has a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, which makes colors look more vibrant, and the color black more defined. You might not want to look at the pictures on any other screen this is such a great screen. You can also shoot HD video at a 720p resolution. The TL320 is packed with more features like Face Detection, Smile Shot, Blink Detection, Self Portrait, Smart Auto, Smart Album, 12.2 megapixels, a Schneider lens, 24mm Ultra Wide-Angle, 5x Optical Zoom, and more. The MSRP for this amazing camera is $379. Read more

My Production Manager was in my office this week, and we were discussing the missed nuances of technology from yesteryear. What he missed most was his music from the turntable. Not just the music quality was missed but the sound produced between songs on his vinyl records. Sure, he has an MP3 player and several classic albums. What he wants to hear is the “intermission noise” between songs. I searched for a sound bite with no success. If you have some old vinyl and you want to convert to digital then the ION LP 2 CD has an MSRP of $399 and can deliver rendered files for your MP3 player. This is a great in depth review from Everything USB.

For more info and products check out ION Audio: www.ionaudio.com/lp2cd

What one item would you grab from your house if it were on fire? My answer is my Western Digital My Book World Edition.

Have you ever lost any data that was on your computer? Do you remember to backup your files regularly? Western Digital knows that you have lost your data before, and that you do not regularly back up that data. WD also knows that you have more than one computer in your family. Their latest solution for the entire family is the My Book World Edition in 1 TB (MSRP $229) and 2 TB (MSRP $449) capacities. The best part is the plug-and-play installation to ensure ease of use. This solution is both MAC and PC compatible. The device also has an integrated media server and iTunes Music server software to easily stream music. You can also share photos and videos easily with this amazing home storage device for your home network.

You can also record 720p HD movies from the OMNIA HD handheld device. Samsung is raising the bar with cell phones, and to ensure you like your photos and videos they have built this cell phone with a 3.7” QHD super vivid Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diaode (AMOLED) touch screen. The internal and expansion memory will max out at 48GB on this cell phone.

JK Shin, EVP and head of the Mobile Communication division in Samsung Electronics recently said, the “OMNIA HD demonstrates our vision for the Samsung mobile business, which is to provide premium phones for users who desire functionality, style, usability and entertainment in one innovative device.” This is certainly one amazing device!

Samsung is setting the bar, and I believe they have responded to the iPhone’s dominance with this device. I do not have any information for price or release dates in the States. It looks like we might have to wait until the end of the year to get our hands on this one.

Or, are your phone’s graphics really that fast all on their own? That is really an AMD processor in the LG ARENA S-Class. The new ARENA from LG will change the way you access your information, media files, photos, etc. The intent is to eliminate steps in the way you access the information you need by leveraging the advantages of a touchscreen.

To explain briefly, there is a cube at the core of the user interface (UI). The cube is customizable with four home screens that provide fast access to all features with the flip of a finger or thumb. Add this new UI to the colorful graphics that provide a dynamic look and feel to the ARENA and you will be amazed. Read more

While attending CES this year I was able to see the LG Watch Phone. The person wearing the Watch Phone could not wait to get off his wrist. He said, “everyone is pulling my arm in ways I did not know I could bend it.” I laughed as I released his arm. This could be the next phone to outsell the iPhone. It is small and functional.

The Watch Phone from LG that I saw was a working prototype of the GD910. The device is a 3G Touch Screen with video phone capabilities, a Flash interface, MP3 Player, Voice Recognition for calling, text-to-speech and text messaging. It is Bluetooth compatible as well as featuring 7.2 Mbps 3G HSDPA for fast speeds to carry that video call … from your wrist.

There is not a price set just yet, but you can expect that it will be expensive for a watch. The memory can accommodate a large phonebook of contacts and a calendar to keep you organized. The device will be launched in Europe at the end of 2009, and Orange will be the first to carry the cell phone – I mean Watch Phone.

With spring approaching there must be time to golf. Garmin has done a great job of bringing their devices to the outdoor recreation and fitness world. This Approach G5 device will make you want to golf if you don’t, and for the golfers out there this device is a must own. The Approach G5 from Garmin is a waterproof handheld 3” touch screen GPS device with preloaded information. The best part about this device is there are NO annual fees for service. The device is ready to go out of the box.

The preloaded U.S. course maps includes thousands of courses outlining fairways, hazards and greens and allows you to easily measure shot distance. There is a digital scorecard for up to four players and the 15-hour battery life will ensure that you can play 36 holes with this wonderful piece of technology.

The Approach G5 conforms to all USGA/R&A rules and has an MSRP of $499. Your golfing buddies may accuse you of playing with your cell phone until you turn in your scorecard.

The wireless subscription service is what makes the Kindle stand out from the crowd. It allows you to receive news articles directly on the device without having to open a Web browser — the coolest feature. The Kindle 2 is redesigned with sleek buttons, and screen. The Kindle 2 is slimmer than the first generation, and is more like a device for readers.

The first Kindle was more like a computer/cell phone/PDA looking device. The Kindle 2 is exactly what people want in a digital reader — simple, sleek design.

The “rumor mill” is anticipating an Apple product to compete in this space. I am sure Apple is waiting patiently to drop it’s digital reader onto the market. Plastic Logic will enter the space in 2010. Plastic Logic will have a larger screen than the Kindle or Sony Reader. The Sony Reader was the first to revolutionize this technology, and in Sony fashion they dominate this space because they got there first.

The Kindle 2 will be available on February 24, 2009 for $359 and we recommend that you pre-order to reserve your new reader.

This is one of those ideas that we have all had, and just wondered when someone was going to build the application. Latitude from Google is one of those applications that might scare some. It is a unique application because it provides Twitter-esque real-time GPS tracking of friends and family. All from the comfort of your computer or cell phone.

Google has done well with the resources available to them. I hope that the founders remain friendly, and stay away from the dark side. What’s next? If the founder of PayPal can build an electric car, maybe the Google founders will build the flying car we all thought would be available today.

This is a great application in moderation, and I look forward to using this service. Don’t leave your cell phone lying around – or password protect the device. Here are some privacy setting tips if you decide to use the service. If my kids had cell phones, I would request they use this service. This would be a great service for groups of vacationers in strange cities or towns.

Google certainly seized the day when the cell phone manufacturers started building GPS into the devices. There is no cost for this service, just like most Google products and services. My favorite is Goog-411.

Google's announcement

Having the latest in technology in a cool package redefines the name, “COOLPIX.” Where Nikon is all about delivering Smart Portrait, Blink Proof, Motion Detection, Quick Retouch, 4-Way VR Image Stabilization technologies and much more into smaller packages. Nikon delivers features while also simultaneously delivering high resolution LCD’s and megapixels, megapixels, and more megapixels. Now Nikon has delivered eight new COOLPIX cameras that marry design with function in point and shoot cameras. Nikon groups the eight new cameras with four Style Series cameras, three Life Series cameras and one Performance Series camera. Each new camera incorporates Nikon’s awesome NIKKOR lenses for crystal clear images.

The new COOLPIX “S” series compact digital cameras from Nikon are the Style Series or “S” series: S230, S220, S630 and S620. Read more