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DirecTV DVRs available in over 100 hotels, never miss the restaurant opening times again
On-demand TV viewing continues to secrete itself into the fabric of your lives and now its squeezing more viewing hours out of you from hotel rooms across the US. DirecTV's HD DVRs pack the typical programming guide and recording options, plus the ability for hotels to add up to 50 channels of their own content to the recorders -- meaning plenty of hotel infomercials dying to be paused, live. DirecTV has now officially launched its Residential Experience, bringing its DVR technology to 110 hotels across the country. Fortunately, the systems also include the hygienic touch of an anti-microbial remote. Classy.
DirecTV takes the germs out of your hotel remote, bed still questionable
Hotel rooms are gross. Well, some of 'em are. It doesn't take a germaphobe to know that your room's previous occupant may have had less-than-ideal hygienic priorities, so it'll probably come as a great relief to you frequent flier types that DirecTV has decided to do something about it. Bundled into its new Residential Experience for Hotels program is a proprietary germ-free remote control for every room. That's all well, clean and good, but what makes this experience even homier are the 100+ HD channels DirecTV added so you can make heavy use of that enhanced interactive program guide. Yessir, now you can watch HBO and, erm, 'adult offerings' without ever having to wash your hands; the new service is currently in testing with an intended launch for later this summer. It remains to be seen whether the EPA will swoop down to backhand DirecTV for dubious anti-microbial claims like it did IO Gear some years back. In the meantime, it's a solid sanitary high-five for the hospitality industry.
EPA fines IOGEAR $208,000 for making unverified claims about germ-resistant mice
Okay, raise your hands if the first thing you thought when you heard about IOGEAR's Germ Free Wireless Laser Mouse was "That probably uses an unregistered pesticide that warrants government involvement." Yeah, that's what we thought -- but it appears some freak concerned citizen had your best interests in mind, because the EPA just fined IOGEAR $208,000 based on a tip that the company's Germ Free keyboard and mice peripherals were violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Apparently no one ever verified that the titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticle compound on the mice is actually effective at killing nasties, and even if it is, it's illegal to sell pesticides without Uncle Sam's blessing. IOGEAR's stopped claiming that the products kill germs and forked over the cash, but it's not clear if the products still have the coating on them. Either way, you should probably start washing your hands more, Mr. Filthy.[Via Nanotech Project]
Domtar launches antimicrobial office paper, Scranton moans
Narrowly edging out Dunder Mifflin as the "world's first" paper company to deliver antimicrobial office paper to North America, Domtar is ready to crank up the winders in order to deliver its specialized paper to healthcare agencies, educational facilities, and dysfunctional offices everywhere. The paper, which can purportedly be written and printed on without any special accommodations, is coated in a silver compound that protects it from "he growth of bacteria, odors, fungus, mold and mildew." Furthermore, laboratory studies reportedly show a 99-percent reduction of MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and K. pneumoniae compared to unshielded sheets, adding to its shelf life and keeping those secretaries free from lingering germs. While we're not exactly certain when reams of this germ-free paper will hit your local Office Depot, we're well on our way to a perfectly sterile office environment -- well, aside from that chewed up pen cap you handle each day.[Via Wired]
Logitech goes anti-bacterial with AgION
Not only are specialized products with anti-microbial stuff on 'em coming out left and right, but some gadgets will protect you even when you didn't know about it. For example, you know that Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser keyboard and mouse combo that you just dropped $100 on? Well, we just found out today that it packs AgION's silver-based anti-microbial protection as a hidden feature -- so if you already have one you just scored yourself some awesome protection against germs, microorganisms and also discoloration to boot. Now of course, you could just wash your hands every time you start or stop using your keyboard and mouse, but we all know that geeks are pretty lazy -- so the obvious solution is to just buy one of these keyboards and mice. So, we're totally ditching our bacteria-infested keyboards for this one right this very second, because that whole hand-washing thing is so 20th century.
Germ Free Wireless Laser Mouse will kill micro-organisms
If you're the type of person who keeps a bottle of hand sanitizer within reach at all times, then this is surely the perfect product for you. IOGEAR has just released the Germ Free Wireless Laser Mouse, a cordless USB device coated with a "titanium dioxide and silver nano-particle compound" to take down nearly all bacteria, viruses, fungi or even algae (huh?) from surviving on your mouse. If killing microscopic bugs wasn't enough, this mouse uses a "Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser" (um, ok) that purports to provide "30x more tracking power" (however that's measured), which can be used on glass -- like many other laser mice -- for all you folks who enjoy a transparent workspace. Oh, and in case you thought you'd simply lick the mouse every so often to stave off corporal infection, IOGEAR's disclaimer says otherwise: "Do not ingest the surface material of the device under any circumstances." No matter why that sounds familiar, we think we're capable of following at least that manufacturer instruction.[Via The Raw Feed]
