Kenwood AS-iP70 iPod speaker dock packs digital photo frame

Kenwood might not be the first name you’d associate with iPod speaker docks, nor with digital photo frames, but their latest product ticks both boxes. The Kenwood AS-iP70 has a 7-inch WVGA LCD display and a pop-out iPod/iPhone dock; as well as listening to music and viewing photos and video from the Apple PMP on the display, owners can also load up photos from an SD card and view them instead.

Other connectivity includes a USB 2.0 port for accessing the SD drive, while there’s also an FM radio is none of your downloaded music appeals. The speakers are tucked away on either side of the display, though at 1.5W each the AS-iP70 isn’t going to knock your house down with its musical power.

Still, it’s a distinctive device and kills two birds with one stone, so all that remains to be seen is exactly how much it will be. Impress reckon around 25,000 yen ($277) which seems on the high side to us; we’ll find out for sure when the Kenwood AS-iP70 hits Japanese stores in April 2010.

Belkin Surf, Share, Play & Play Max

Seemingly based on the premise that computer users aren’t to be trusted with regular routers and are likely to break things, set them up wrong or generally end up weeping on the end of a premium technical support line, Belkin have outed its latest series of so-simple-a-goose-could-do-it wireless routers. The four-strong line-up – spanning $50 to $130 – all support WiFi 802.11n and have Easy Start and Self-Healing for straightforward everyday use, together with various preloaded apps for sharing music, gaming and printing.

The most basic model, the Belkin Surf ($49.99) supports single-band 2.4GHz use and comes preconfigured with wireless security. Once you spend a little more, though, things get more interesting: the Belkin Share ($79.99) has a USB 2.0 port for adding external storage or a printer, and has a Print Genie app for straightforward wireless printing together with an auto-backup app called Memory Safe.

As for the Belkin Play ($99.99) and Belkin Play Max ($129.99), they may sound like something from Durex’s line-up but they add in simultaneous dualband 2.4/5GHz use, one or two USB 2.0 ports respectively, and DLNA streaming via the Music Mover app while Daily DJ can create mood-based playlists automatically. The Play Max also gets gigabit ethernet ports.

All four new routers – plus two new USB WiFi 802.11n adapters – will begin shipping in the US come April, Europe come early May, Canada in July and Asia Pacific in Q3 2010.

Press Release:

Belkin Presents a New Way of Thinking with the Introduction of Apps in New 802.11n Wireless Router Line

Wireless routers feature Easy Start and Self-Healing to get you online and keep you surfing

Innovative apps such as Print Genie, Music Mover™, and Daily DJ™ let you easily do the activities you want to do

Simultaneous Dual-Band N Play and Play Max Routers deliver the best speed and performance for streaming HD videos

(Playa Vista, CA) – March 24, 2010 – You can now do more with your photos, music, and videos with Belkin’s new wireless routers. Featuring fun and powerful applications, the Surf, Share, Play, and Play Max Wireless Routers enable you to play music, games, and HD videos as well as share photos and print wirelessly from anywhere in your home.

With the explosion of multimedia content, people are looking for new and richer experiences with their photos, music, and videos. In a recent IDC survey, 72% of respondents own a digital still camera and use it at least once a month in the home. As such, we can expect that more people will want to share their photos and videos in more places. According to Forrester, “the digital music market has grown substantially in the past few years and stands at $3 billion in the US in 2008.”* Similarly, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, almost 1 million homes in 2008 eliminated their cable TV to rely solely on the Internet for video entertainment. In recognizing these burgeoning needs, Belkin aims to create richer multimedia experiences to empower people to do the activities they want.

With apps designed to enhance your wireless experience, Belkin’s new line of routers are easy to set up and will keep you online. The Self-Healing app automatically detects and resolves network problems and runs routine maintenance scans to give you the clearest wireless channel.

The Share, Play, and Play Max Routers offer the Print Genie app that lets you wirelessly print from any computer on the network in your home while Memory Safe™ automatically backs up your photos and files to an external hard drive (sold separately)—so you can rest assured that your precious memories are protected.

With advanced Dual-Band N technology, Belkin’s Play and Play Max Routers provide the best speed and performance. Simultaneous networks eliminate interference and allow you to optimize performance for media-intensive activities, such as streaming HD movies, gaming online, and downloading large media files.

Apps on Play and Play Max let you do more with your music. Music Mover can play your entire music library on smart devices, like the Xbox® or PS3™, making your music just a touch away. The Daily DJ app serves up daily personalized playlists to match your mood. By analyzing the musical DNA of your music, Daily DJ creates playlists around three mood mixes: High-Energy, Steady Groove, and Kick Back. You can also create your own playlist by choosing a song and letting Daily DJ offer a new take on your favorite music.

AVAILABILITY:
US: April 2010
Europe: Starting in early May 2010
Asia Pacific: Q3 2010
Canada: July 2010

STATISTICS:
40% of people surveyed don’t know the wireless technology behind their networks (IDC, IDC’s 2009 Connected Home Survey: Consumer Confusion Means Vendor Opportunities, Doc # TB20091008, October 2009)

72% of survey respondents owned a digital still camera and used it at least once a month in the home (IDC, IDC’s 2009 Connected Home Survey: Consumer Confusion Means Vendor Opportunities, Doc # TB20091008, October 2009).

“The digital music market has grown substantially in the past few years and stands at $3 billion in the US and €1.3 billion in Western Europe in 2008.” (“The Global Landscape Of Online Music Stores And Services,” Forrester Research, Inc., April, 2009.)

Nearly 1 million U.S. homes in 2008 did not pay for TV, relying solely on Web TV, according to estimates from Parks Associates. (“More Households Cut the Cord on Cable,” The Wall Street Journal, May 28, 2009)

“As of early 2009, 78% of US Internet users watched online video in a typical month, putting online video clearly in the list of top five online activities with online heavyweights like email and search.” (“How Consumers Get Online Video To The TV,” Forrester Research, Inc., June, 2009.)

QUOTES:
Kurt Scherf, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Parks Associates:

“Belkin’s approach to studying user experiences and how people are interacting with their digital content is evident in how they’ve designed their new wireless routers. Features such as Easy Setup and its Music Mover app help people do the activities they want to do, and Belkin is communicating these benefits in a simple way such that people can understand.”
Jim Wagner, General Manager at Belkin:

“The explosion of digital content is heralding new opportunities, and this in itself is exciting. Using our consumer insight research, we learned that people want to do more with their photos, music, and videos throughout their home and across their network. Further, we found that while people had high aspirations for their network and media, unfortunately they were not buying routers capable of giving them the best of those experiences.
“With that in mind, we created a line of wireless routers based around the activities people want to do most. We made our Surf, Share, and Play Routers powerful enough to give great networking experiences, and we added easy-to-use apps to enable these activities. Now, even the most novice of consumer can create great experiences in their home and across their network.”

Play Max Wireless Router (F7D4301) – $129.99
Stream HD videos, play games online, and download large media files
Features high-speed Gigabit ports for media-intensive applications and simultaneous Dual-Band networks for maximum speed and coverage
Simultaneous 802.11n Dual-Band for speeds of up to 300Mbps*
2.4GHz – Perfect for data and web traffic, and file- and picture-sharing
5GHz – Perfect for streaming media and video games
Dual-plane antenna positioning and unique implementation of MIMO technology provides three-dimensional coverage, which means consistent signal, even through walls and floors
2 USB ports to support external USB hard drives and USB printers
UPnP server
Pre-configured wireless security
Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ – 256-bit WPA®/WPA2® and 64/128 WEP encryption
VPN Support: PPTP and IPSec pass-through
Compatible with Mac OS® X v10.6 and v10.5, and Windows® 7, Windows Vista®, and Windows XP

Play Wireless Router (F7D4302) – $99.99
Provides the fastest, most reliable speeds for streaming video, playing music, and online gaming
Simultaneous 802.11n Dual-Band for speeds of up to 300Mbps*
2.4GHz – Perfect for data and web traffic, and file- and picture-sharing
5GHz – Perfect for streaming media and video games
Dual-plane antenna positioning and unique implementation of MIMO technology provides three-dimensional coverage, which means consistent signal, even through walls and floors
1 USB port supports external USB hard drives or USB printers
Pre-configured wireless security
Wi-Fi Protected Setup – 256-bit WPA/WPA2 and 64/128 WEP encryption
VPN Support: PPTP and IPSec pass-through
Compatible with Mac OS X v10.6 and v10.5, and Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP

Share Wireless Router (F7D3302) – $79.99
Easily share and access documents, photos, and files from multiple computers
802.11n
2.4GHz – Perfect for data and web traffic, and file- and picture-sharing
Dual-plane antenna positioning and unique implementation of MIMO technology provides three-dimensional coverage, which means consistent signal, even through walls and floors
1 USB port supports external USB hard drives or USB printers
Pre-configured wireless security
Wi-Fi Protected Setup – 256-bit WPA/WPA2 and 64/128 WEP encryption
VPN Support: PPTP and IPSec pass-through
Compatible with Mac OS X v10.6 and v10.5, and Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP

Surf Wireless Router (F7D2301) – $49.99
Surf the Web, email, and instant message from anywhere in your home
802.11n
2.4GHz – Perfect for data and web traffic, and file- and picture-sharing
Dual-plane antenna positioning and unique implementation of MIMO technology provides three-dimensional coverage, which means consistent signal, even through walls and floors
Pre-configured wireless security
Wi-Fi Protected Setup – 256-bit WPA/WPA2 and 64/128 WEP encryption
VPN Support: PPTP and IPSec pass-through
Compatible with Mac OS X v10.6 and v10.5, and Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP

Play Wireless USB Adapter (F7D4101) – $69.99
Surf & Share Wireless USB Adapter (F7D2101) – $49.99
Connects your desktop or notebook computer to a wireless network
Provides optimal range and distance when paired with an 802.11n router
WPS security with the push of a button

APPLICATIONS:
Self Healing: Automatically detects and resolves network problems and runs routine maintenance scans to give you the clearest wireless channel. Available on Surf, Share, Play, and Play Max.

Memory Safe: Automatically backs up precious photos and important files to your external hard drive. Available on Share, Play, and Play Max.

Print Genie: Print wirelessly from any computer on the network from anywhere in your home. Available on Share, Play, and Play Max.

Music Mover: Play MP3s from your music library on your home stereo wirelessly. Connect your external hard drive on which you store your music to the router—and move music from your computer to your stereo through devices like Xbox 360® and PlayStation® 3. Available on Play and Play Max.

Music Labeler: Automatically identifies and labels your track with the correct title, artist, and genre. Available on Play and Play Max.

Daily DJ: Get daily personalized playlists from your music library based on your mood. Available on Play and Play Max.

Torrent Genie: Downloads large media files like movies, music, and games, even when your computer isn’t on. Available on Play Max.

Bit Boost™: Prioritizes traffic on your network for video, gaming, and VoIP, letting you easily select your most important data streams for seamless network traffic. Available on Play Max.

Magellan RoadMate 3065 Commuter PND pre-downloads traffic data to avoid jams

If you’ve ever used a PND (or a PND app on a smartphone or similar) with automatic traffic updates, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of the device warning you about an upcoming jam while you’re already snarled up in it. Magellan’s latest standalone PND, the RoadMate 3065 Commuter Edition, reckons it can change all that: rather than starting to look for traffic updates when you begin your journey, “Traffic Wakeup” powers up the device at a preset time so as to cache the road conditions in advance.

“In many cases, traffic information on your GPS can be delayed up to 20 minutes. A delay could mean that you have begun your commute and are already in a traffic situation which could have been avoided. The Magellan RoadMate 3065 Commuter includes the premium Traffic Wakeup feature. Traffic Wakeup automatically powers on your GPS at the time you set and provides real-time traffic updates. Easily have traffic updates ready for you before you even leave for your destination.” Magellan description

Fresh through the FCC, the RoadMate 3065 manual describes the Traffic Wakeup feature as a premium app, which implies you may have to pay extra for it. Still, the functionality is pretty straightforward – turn on earlier, grab data earlier, hopefully then power off in the meantime so that the battery doesn’t expire mid-way through your actual journey.

The rest of the PND’s functionality are apparently pretty much par for the course, with control via a large touchscreen and ports including a microSD slot and mini-USB. No word on specific release dates or pricing, at this stage.

Liquavista displays one step closer to market

It make look like a bunch of PC parts bolted to a strip of plexiglass, but you’re actually looking at one of Liquavista’s System Development Kits. Intended to get potential Liquavista customers up to speed on the company’s electrowetting display technology, the kit will be available with either a 6-inch LiquavistaBright monochrome panel or a 6-inch LiquavistaColor color display, ahead of broad commercial availability this year or in 2011.

Video demo after the cut

In addition to the display, the SDKs include all the necessary driving components, the mobile application processor host platform (in this case a Freescale iMX5x) and a special Linux-based OS. Unlike E Ink panels, the Liquavista displays can show full video and smooth, refresh-free browsing.

What the company still aren’t telling us is exactly how much longer our gadgets could last with a Liquavista panel rather than traditional LCD. ”Dramatically less” isn’t quite specific enough for our liking, frankly.

Liquavista launches Display kits to enable customers to develop application & designs

Available in both LiquavistaBright and LiquavistaColor electrowetting displays

24 March 2010 – Eindhoven – Liquavista today announced the launch of System Development Kits aimed at enabling their core customers to work on developing products based on their innovative electrowetting display technology. Available for both LiquavistaBright 6” mono and LiquavistaColor 6” color electrowetting displays, customers will be able to create applications and therefore products that benefit from the features of Liquavista’s unique display technology.

“These new SDK’s are designed to enable customers to take their Liquavista experience directly to their products” stated Guy Demuynck, Liquavista CEO. “This enables them to try out and extend their existing products to take advantage of the our technology’s ability to enable dynamic, interactive products, capable of supporting all types of content, including multimedia applications and video capability, without compromising ultra low power usage and sunlight readability.”

“We’ve developed these SDK’s to include a full driving circuitry, mobile application processor and the display to bring a complete package that reflects a typical mobile based product application” added Eric Derckx, Liquavista’s VP Engineering. “This will enable product designers to evaluate our displays in a real world environment utilising the best of our technology with their own applications.”

“This is the continuation of our strategy to enable a revolution in product features and usability based on our electrowetting displays” stated Guy Demuynck “Consumers will soon be able to experience what we have termed ‘LCD2.0’ for themselves and be able to buy products that have all of the natural interactivity and autonomy that consumers are currently missing.”

The System Development Kits are currently available to customers to help them drive their concept development projects and enable new product innovation. Available in two of Liquavista’s launched product platforms, LiquavistaBright and LiquavistaColor, each SDK includes a 6” electrowetting display, driving circuitry, mobile application processor host platform as well as a Linux based operating system.

Liquavista’s high performance display technology has intrinsic high-speed video capability which will vastly expand the functionality and user experience and enables the next generation of mobile devices. It plays video, allows smooth browsing and provides a true multimedia experience not currently available in low powered outdoor readable displays.

Liquavista’s electrowetting display technology has been developed to be compatible with existing display manufacturing techniques and processes. In fact, more than 90% of the manufacturing cycle uses standard LCD manufacturing equipment and processes. Called LCD 2.0, this enables our partners to quickly re-use their manufacturing assets to our displays and bring exciting, highly differentiated products to life with both enhanced usability and performance.

Liquavista are developing three technology platforms, LiquavistaBright™, LiquavistaColor™ and LiquavistaVivid™) planned for product implementation throughout 2010/2011.

About Liquavista – www.liquavista.com

Liquavista offers a new type of electronic screen technology that will change the way we interact with mobile phones, media players, electronic readers and other mobile devices. Liquavista’s displays create bright and colourful images that ensure excellent indoor and outdoor viewability and use dramatically less battery power. Users can engage with their favourite applications for longer before a recharge is necessary and battery sizes can be reduced allowing devices to be thinner and lighter.

The company’s ultimate vision is to build on the extraordinary optical performance and unique power efficiency of its technology to lead a green revolution in low power displays for notebook PCs, desktop monitors and televisions.

Liquavista was founded in 2006 as a spin-out from the world famous Philips Research Labs in Eindhoven. The company is backed by Amadeus Capital, GIMV, Applied Materials and Prime Technology Ventures. It is headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.