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Check out the new Switched!
Do you like technology? Do you like the internet? Have you ever prepared a sandwich consisting of only technology, the internet, and two slices of wholesome pumpernickel bread? If you answered yes to any of the above, you might just want to take a peek at the brand new Switched. Our main homeboys over at the site have gone and totally revamped their look, coming up with something more suited to the areas of coverage you'll find when you make it part of your daily read. But don't take our word for it, after all, we're being treated for early dementia! Just truck on over to switched.com and see what's what. If you're not 100 percent satisfied, we'll refund your money -- no questions asked.
Switched gets a redesign!
We know that a lot of you hardcore gadget nerds can't get enough of what Engadget is laying down (and we love that) -- but we've got other sites in the tech network here that contribute their own special blend of insight when it comes to gadgets and geek culture. One of the finest examples would be our main bros over at Switched. We just wanted to turn your attention to their web locale for a moment to make you aware of the totally rad redesign they've just undergone. Not unlike our compatriots over at Joystiq, the Switched folks have just gotten a much-needed fresh coat of paint (and some undercarriage work). Be sure and take some time to check out their new duds -- you won't be sorry.
Poll: Have you switched carriers due to lack of HD?
We've asked you before whether it was "worth it" to switch from cable to satellite in search of a wider selection of high-def material, but now we're looking to see if any of you walked the talk. Have any of you readers actually ditched your programming provider in order to find another with more HD content? And if so, where did you leave and where did you go? Any regrets? Is life really that much better with more HD than one could ever watch in a single day? Brag / sulk away in comments below. %Poll-21447%
Cox hoping to add capacity for 50 HD channels by year-end
Finally, a figure we can (halfway) believe. While competing carriers blurt out obscene numbers in the race to magically crank out HD channels that don't even exist yet, Cox Communications president Pat Esser came back from Cloud 9 by suggesting that his company is "aiming to have the capacity to offer 50 HD channels by the end of 2007." Unfortunately, he did make certain that we took note of the word "capacity," but explained that the firm would be eying a number of bandwidth-optimization tools and techniques including "system upgrades, retirement of analog channels, statistical multiplexing of HD signals, and switched digital video." Of course, it was reported that Cox would try to expand capacity to hold 100 HD channels by the end of 2009, but considering that it can hopefully rid itself of analog support, even that seems somewhat reasonable.
Switched On: Dash puts wireless in the driver's seat
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment: No one would ever accuse the Dash team of low self-esteem. "What the TV did for entertainment and the cell phone did for communication, Dash will do for driving." the company's Web site crows, A more accurate analogy for Dash, though, would be what TiVo did for television, that is, give consumers a greater degree of control over the media or information they're trying to manage in a contextually relevant way. Dash plans to achieve its five-star impact rating via a portable GPS device. The portable GPS market shifted into high gear a few years ago when Magellan offered a hard disk inside of its Roadmate 700 units. Consumers no longer had to deal with cumbersome PC downloads; street-level maps of the whole country could be pre-loaded. A year later, a gigabyte or two of flash memory is enough to include street-level maps for the United States. Magellan representatives recently noted that it plans to switch completely from hard drives to flash in the next generation. The TomTom Go 910 can even hold maps of the U.S. and Europe for those leisurely drives across the Atlantic Ocean.
Switched On: Why XM should nab Napster
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:
