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Chumby widgets coming to connected HDTVs, Blu-ray players and STBs
If you thought Chumby would stop at digital photo frames, you were wrong. Dead wrong. Today, the widget-loving company has announced a tie-up with Broadcom that will integrate its rich media internet platform onto system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions that will eventually find their way into HDTVs, set-top-boxes and Blu-ray players. Essentially, Chumby is making sure it doesn't miss out on the quickly filling insert-your-connected-device-here bandwagon, and quite frankly, we'll be shocked if any of those other guys can rival what Chumby's bringing. After all, widgets are this company's forte, and we're downright giddy at the thought of having over 1,000 internet-connected snippets of information at our fingertips while intently watching future episodes of Lie To Me. Hey, TV / STB makers -- jump on this. Now. Video demonstration is after the break.%Gallery-45649%
Widget watch: Add iCal events using natural language with QuickCal
A new widget has found its way onto my Dashboard: QuickCal. It makes adding iCal events as easy as typing a natural-language string such as "lunch with Aditi at noon tomorrow." The widget parses the text as you type and shows what it finds below the entry area, letting you know if it understands your syntax. It also adds reminders automatically, based on your preferences for all events, events more than a week away, and events more than a month away. QuickCal seems to need the subject (title) of the event to be at the beginning of the string. Anything following the "at" or "on" clause is usually discarded. Since we're talking about "natural" language, this usually works out fine. It's not QuickCal's fault, but the only drawback for me is that my Dashboard takes far too long to start up, so any Widget I use has to carry that extra baggage on first load. I stopped running Dashboard Kickstart recently in an effort to speed up my wake time, but I may go back to it. I've also really enjoyed FlexCal, an app which provides a hotkey-triggered HUD for entering iCal events and todos. In my opinion, anything which keeps me from having to load iCal and deal with the multi-step process of entering a new event is worth the money. Of course, both QuickCal and FlexCal are free, so there's no room for complaint. Be sure to make a generous donation if you dig one, the other, or both.
Poll: Will you buy an internet-connected HDTV?
Outside of 3D, the hottest thing going at CES in terms of high-def was internet connectivity. When we outlined the HDTVs that are destined to ship this year, a huge chunk of 'em were spotted with Ethernet jacks and promises of widgets galore built-in. So, here's the question: are you planning to replace your perfectly good set this year with a connected HDTV? Does the concept of widgets and web content on your screen make you giddy inside? Feel free to discuss below after casting your vote. %Poll-25553%
Designer Chumby up for sale: $600 never seemed so functional
Apparently Sara Antoinette Martin is quite the artist, and either her or Chumby (or both) are mighty, mighty proud of her handiwork. Available now for those unaffected by things like global recession and public opinion, the Designer Chumby pictured in the gallery below can be had for $599.95. Functionally, it's exactly the same as the vanilla Chumby -- which, by the way, sells for "just" $199.95 -- but we dare you to convince us the bragging rights attached aren't worth the extra four bills. Okay, we're convinced.%Gallery-42843%
Disney / ABC totally, maybe, kind of, considering supporting Intel Widget platform
In a move that in some circles counts as "throwing its weight behind" Intel's CE3100 Widget platform, the president of Disney-ABC Television Group mentioned that shows like Good Morning America and Lost could benefit from interactive TV apps. Without commiting to any action, citing unspecified legal issues that could throw a wrench in any such move, they envision real time voting or commenting onscreen or additional clues for the more-than-convoluted-enough-already-thank you Lost mysteries. From here at least it's hard to see Intel's chips making enough headway to justify such support this season, but based on recent Grey's Anatomy plot twists or the Geico Cavemen TV show we can easily see a desperate ABC desperately seeking some kind of partnership in lieu of improving the quality of its content.
Yahoo! recaps a day of setting the Internet-on-TV movement on fire with Widgets
Okay Yahoo!, we're sorry we teased, we give up, you win. After what certainly seemed on this end to be an endless run of HDTV manufacturers announcing support for the Widget Engine today -- and serving up a hefty slap in the face to Microsoft and others who've been moving the Internet to TV movement for some time now -- all we can do is look over the carnage. Signed up on the app side of platform formerly known as Konfabulator are content providers like eBay, MySpace, CBS, Blockbuster OnDemand (in its first off-2Wire MediaPoint appearance), Netflix, Showtime, USA Today and Twitter, while the Widget Development Kit has opened up to developers interested in putting their apps on the screens of millions. Hardware should street starting this spring from the likes of Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio leaving the biggest question mark as how the competition and their clumsy external boxes can possibly respond.
Samsung's Series 6 / 8 plasma HDTVs are well connected
We knew CES would deliver internet-lovin' HDTVs, but we had no idea Samsung would be bringing along so many. In case LCDs aren't really your bag, the company has also managed to bring along the Series 6 and Series 8 plasma sets. Both lines are hailed as the "greenest plasmas yet" thanks to their Energy Star 3.0 ratings, and they're also among the first TVs to be wireless DLNA-compliant. Both lines are obviously compatible with the Yahoo!-powered Internet@TV functionality, and the Series 8 checks in at just over an inch thick with an inbuilt ATSC tuner. Comically enough, Sammy doesn't even bother mentioning what sizes these things will arrive in (and definitely no price / release date), but it sure does stop to gloat about all this newfangled technology.%Gallery-40659%
Toshiba rolls out new REGZA HDTV line, internet connected crew coming later
CES is in full swing here in Vegas, and Toshiba's taking the liberty of busting out a litany of new REGZA HDTVs. New features include a fresh Deep Lagoon Design, which supposedly provides a "three dimensional feeling to a clear flat design." Furthermore, you'll find invisible speakers and an Infinity Flash Front, and functionally, the InstaPort feature enables HDMI switching to occur in just a fraction of a second. As expected, these sets also offer the Resolution+ Super Resolution Technology and the PixelPure 5G engine, but it's not the new line that's truly intriguing. Instead, we're already anxious to feast our eyes upon the Widget Channel-capable family that'll be introduced later this year; furthermore, these HDTVs will be DLNA certified and have Extender for Windows Media Center capabilities baked right in. So, who here's buying one of the "new" XV645, ZV650 or SV670s when you know what's on the way? Is that a sea of crickets we hear? Full release is after the break.%Gallery-40869%
D-Link's Xtreme N DIR-685 router is also a digiframe / NAS device
Go 'head, D-Link, get down with your bad self. Seriously, we can't remember the last time a router got us all hot and bothered, but this one's just too wild to not get stoked about. The Xtreme N DIR-685 is hailed as an "all-in-one home network router," and we'd say it puts a new meaning to "all-in-one." Aside from handling the normal duties of an 802.11n wireless access point, the device also includes a 3.2-inch LCD for displaying photos and / or widgets. As if that wasn't zany enough, it also supports both UPnP server functions and BitTorrent downloads. How so, you ask? The twin USB ports on the rear enable users to plug in vanilla external hard drives and essentially convert them into NAS drives, making the data on each accessible over the web. Sadly, no price is mentioned for this conglomerate, but we don't expect it to come cheap.
Image Upload widget updated to 1.1.1
Up until recently, the Image Upload widget from Model Concept wasn't exactly working as designed. We described in detail a process for fixing the widget, however it was not particularly easy. The developer responsible for the widget, Tom Stoelwinder, contacted me to say that he had fixed the widget and officially released version 1.1.1.If you were interested in the functionality of the Image Upload widget and considered the process to modify it too daunting, you can now grab the updated version here which features the fix we covered. Thanks, Tom!
Samsung / Yahoo Internet@TV widgets revealed
Samsung and Yahoo! promise the Best of the Web on select 2009 HDTV models, thanks to the Internet@TV widgets we snuck a look at a few weeks ago. Developers build Javascript and XML apps that then run directly on your Samsung HDTV, starting with USA Today, YouTube, eBay, Showtime and Yahoo properties like Flickr and Yahoo! News. Next up their sleeves? Video streaming and "other popular Internet services" running through the built-in Ethernet or optional Wi-Fi USB dongle. Also, unlike some others, the Internet@TV Content service isn't just a U.S. thing, headed to 12 other countries this year: Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Having the Internet no further away than the nearest remote was your biggest request for '09, right?
Nokia's N97 Widget Competition kicks off, plethora of Twitter clients inevitable
You've seen the announcement and read our hands-on, and now the only thing on your mind is "how can I get a free pre-release N97 and give it to my friends at Engadget?" Well, apparently if you've got the coding skills, it could be as easy as writing a widget for this slick device. That's right, just have your submission completed by February 27, 2009 and you could walk away with a production version of this feature-rich handset, complete with your creation pre-loaded ahead of the public release. Hit the read link for all the details and to download a copy of the design package.[Via The Nokia Blog]
US TiVo users pick up Domino's Pizza ordering / tracking abilities
Clearly catering towards the wants, nay, needs of the average American couch potato is TiVo and Domino's Pizza, which have collaborated in order to bring on-sofa pizza ordering to broadband-connected TiVo subscribers. If you'll recall, this service was actually announced for Australia earlier this month, but users in the US of A get the first chance to indulge. 'Course, this is far from the first unorthodox method of ordering pizza, and the lack of a scheduled delivery option is certainly a weak point, but this widget does reveal that all sorts of differentiating applications could eventually find their way to a TiVo box near you. Feel free to give it a spin tonight, but don't blame us if that backlit remote gets dimmed from grease seeping into the crevices.[Via ZatzNotFunny]
ASUS has SideShow flashback with OC Palm mobo companion
We know this here device is real, but excuse us while we share our skepticism of ASUS' ability to deliver -- after all, we're still waiting patiently for that ROG XG Station to actually find a price and release date. That aside, this here motherboard companion was recently demonstrated by ASUS, and apparently, it gives users the ability to monitor their PC internals, overclock devices in real time and check out widgets on the side. The OC Palm is one of the very few devices we've seen of late to actually take advantage of SideShow-like functionality, though it's only compatible with the high(er)-end P6T DELUXE mobo right now. ASUS has yet to disclose a sticker / launch date, but it's not like you didn't see that coming, right? Check the read link for lots more hands-on shots.
Widget shows character name statistics
If you've ever been fascinated by the MMORPG statistics provided at sites like the Daedalus Project, here's something right up your alley; the WoW Armory Character Distribution widget, programmed to comb both the U.S. and E.U. Armories and capture data on the popularity of character names across race, class, faction, and sex. The project is still in the testing stage, and it's a bit finicky about how you enter character names. Make sure you're always hitting the submit button and not using your enter key, as otherwise the widget will keep searching for the last name you looked for instead of your new query. Its creator, Emilis, also wrote to warn that it uses live information from both armories and will occasionally be slow as a result. I imagine it might also be inaccurate if either Armory is having problems.The widget is tremendously fun to play with and has yielded some rather interesting results even with the completely random names I keep trying. "John" and "Mary," as you might expect, are overwhelmingly Human toons, whereas the greater share of people playing a "Sergei" and "Yekaterina" are Draenei. 3 people with a "Brutus" are actually playing female characters, and 1 person with a "Laura" is playing a male character (Emilis notes that gender-bending names are surprisingly common, although from what I can tell so far this seems to be a lot more true of male names for female toons than the other way around). Most people with a "Killer" are playing a Hunter, Rogue, or Warrior. Characters named "Bank" are mostly Human Warriors, but "Banktoon(s)" are mostly Orcs. And, yes, most of the people playing a toon named Legolas are Night Elf Hunters. Are you really that surprised?Thanks to Emilis for writing in!
Experimental BBC Radio widget released, works with Radio Pop
You may already use one of several different Dashboard widgets for listening to BBC radio programmes over the net; but the team at BBC Labs has just released a new one that offers something a bit different. It's part of a wider project called Radio Pop that turns radio listening into a social activity. As long as you're listening to your BBC programmes via the Radio Pop player (available in-browser or, as I said at the start, as a widget), you can "Pop" your favourites - in other words, flag them. Your Radio Pop profile page shows what you've been listening to. Your Pops show the things you liked most, and give you quick access to programme information pages. Right now it's limited to live radio streams, but plans are underway to add the BBC's Listen Again output as well, which will make it much more interesting. (Developers: there's an API for you to play with, too.) Since I'm in the UK, I haven't been able to confirm that this works elsewhere; YMMV. One additional requirement for making it work is a copy of Real Player, which the BBC uses for all its radio streams. Download it via the links on this BBC help page and you'll get a version that doesn't come laden with ads.
LEGO Batman website gets some updates, Facebook group
We just got a press release sent in about some cool features at the LEGO Batman website. The only problem is, these features have not gone live yet. That isn't stopping us from telling you what to expect, though.First of all, there's a downloadable widget for your desktop, in the form of Batman himself or The Joker. Also, there's a tool for creating your own custom wallpapers, if you're into that sort of thing. Then, there's the usual: screens, video (the E3 trailer you saw already) and other miscellaneous goodies. Keep an eye on the site for the new content, which is supposed to be live right now, but wasn't when we checked.On top of that, there's also a new Facebook group for the game. That is, if you're into the whole social networking site thing.%Gallery-13236%Source - LEGO Batman websiteSource - LEGO Batman Facebook group
Mac 101: Managing Dashboard widgets
Is your Dashboard cluttered with tons of widgets that you don't want to see any longer? You can easily hide widgets from your Dashboard by holding down the option key while mousing over top of your widget and clicking the "x" button that shows up. Clicking the "x" button does not, however, delete the widget -- it will only hide it. To delete a widget, click the "+" button in the bottom left corner (or hit the command and + key combo) then select the "Manage Widgets..." button. From this widget manager, you will be able to click the red minus button beside the widget to completely remove it from your Mac. The deleted widget will show up in the OS X trash can.
Widget Watch: Get Organized for free
Those wizards of widgets at iSlayer have come up with yet another really useful tool for the Dashboard. Organized is a free widget with an event calendar, world clock, notes, and to-dos, all of which are synced to iCal and Mail. As with other iSlayer widgets like iStat menus/nano/pro, it is obvious that a lot of thought went into the design of the user interface for Organized. It packs a lot of data into a very small widget and even has a feature I immediately turned on -- the ability to shut off Marker Felt as the default font for Notes. If you download, install, and use Organized, consider sending these guys a donation so they'll continue to develop great stuff for us.
Widget of the Bands
We might not be getting Wii game demos any time soon, but if you want to sample the rhythm game Battle of the Bands, you can try out a widget that simulates THQ's recently released Wii software. Of course, we'd have to hope that the Wii game controls much, much better than this keyboard-utilizing demo, but it still gives you a general idea of Battle's basics.Essentially, you have to hit the notes in rhythm with the 1, 2, and 3 buttons (or use the mouse), depending on where the note lies on the strip. Each time you hit a certain amount of notes correctly, you'll launch a weapon at the opposing player. You can change weapons as well, but the more powerful the attack, the more notes you'll have to hit to activate it. All in all, it's nothing more than a way to kill a few minutes on the internet, but it's still the closest you can come to experiencing Battle of the Bands without trying the real thing. This widget is also a good way to give you an idea of the changing styles of music in the game, so it's really worth a look if you're interested in the title -- just don't expect to have an easy time with the keyboard controls. Gallery: Battle of the Bands [Via GamerTell]
