Vizio, known for its low-cost but good-quality HDTVs, will introduce five new desktop PCs and laptops at CES 2012.
Although the official announcement hasn’t been made yet, we obtained pictures of some of the surprisingly complete group of products Vizio will introduce, starting with a 27″ all-in-one PC and ranging down to a 14″ thin-and-light notebook. In between will be a 24″ all-in-one PC, a 15.6″ notebook and a 15.6 ” thin-and-light notebook
According to Bloomberg, Vizio’s Chief Technology Officer Matt McRae said the new line of Vizio PCs will be available in June, and all will have the new Intel Ivy Bridge processors on board. He wouldn’t share any other specifics about the products, but mentioned that prices will be “substantially less” than similar hardware from Apple.
It looks to us like Visio is aiming straight for the heart of Apple’s iMac and MacBook business, undercutting it with lower prices and taking advantage of the “Apple tax” that many think makes people pay extra for that Apple logo.
Take a look at the gallery of teaser pics below, and let us know what you think of Vizio’s new line of PCs. We’ll have more details as Vizio announces the products on Monday.
Vizio AIO Back
 Click here to view this gallery.
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from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/07/vizio-pc-ces-2012/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_m...
Google TV's looking for a second wind here at CES, but for those of you uninterested in buying a new TV (or a new set-top box, for that matter), here's a little diddy that just might tickle your fancy. Always Innovating is making a triumphant return to Las Vegas with what might be the raddest little gizmo of the show. The simply-titled HDMI Dongle is effectively an entire system on a chip dongle (and yeah, it looks a lot like Roku's Streaming Stick), boasting a Cortex-A9, between 256MB and 1GB of RAM, inbuilt WiFi / Bluetooth, an NFC module and even an accelerometer. The goal here is to convert your completely vanilla HDTV into an internet-connected device; just plug it into your HDMI port, grab the bundled RF remote and start enjoying Android on the big screen. It's capable of streaming content at 1080p, and accessing Hulu, Netflix or Amazon's video store shouldn't cause a fuss. We're told it'll start at $79, but an actual release date seems to be eluding us. Head on past the break for a couple of in-action videos. Continue reading Always Innovating HDMI dongle brings Android to your 'dumb TV' (video) Always Innovating HDMI dongle brings Android to your 'dumb TV' (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Always Innovating | Email this | Comments
from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/07/always-innovating-hdmi-dongle-android-tv-v...
As we get closer to CES 2012, I’ve struggled with how to pack all of the requisite gadgets and electronics I’ll need on my trip without breaking the carry-on restrictions that the airlines insist I follow. This year, I’ve found my solution: A trench coat with a secret identity.
Late last year I stumbled upon a SCOTTEVEST women’s trench that looked enticing — and almost too good to be true. As with other SCOTTEVEST products, the idea is to hide as many devices as possible, its pockets designed to accommodate electronics and gadgets with aplomb.
SCOTTEVEST promises that a normal looking women’s trench coat can store an iPad, two smartphones, camera, glasses, keys, travel documents, change and lipstick. The map indicates you can store a good sized water bottle inside the jacket.
I was skeptical, but too intrigued not to order the coat. The results? Check it out for yourself.
ScottEVest Women's Trench
 This trench coat looks normal from the outside, but on the inside I'm carrying an iPad, two phones and a bottle of soda. Click here to view this gallery.
I was able to comfortably store the following in the coat:
- iPad 2
- iPhone 4S
- Galaxy S II Skyrocket
- 20oz bottle of soda
- keys
- ID card
- lipstick
- Klipsch X10i headphones
I also had plenty of room for a small camera, complete with separate MicroSD pocket.
So will this serve as my purse at CES 2012? I think so. Shockingly, the coat wasn’t very heavy, even with the iPad, phones, camera and other gadgets. This will allow me to keep my laptop bag lighter on the days I need to carry it on the show floor.
The coat doesn’t look bulky from the outside either, though I’d certainly be careful stowing it with the gadgets still inside. It’s lightweight and definitely not warm enough for New York City in January — but it should be just fine for the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Do you have any packing tips for stowing your gadgets at conventions or any other place where bags are cumbersome? Let us know in the comments.
More About: CES, CES 2012, fashion, features, Scottevest 
from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/06/ces-trench-coat-geek-chic/?utm_source=feedburn...
If all those TV shows haven't completely eroded your short term memory, you may recall the time we spent with Dijit's remote control app, way back in early December. The company tells us that it's finally ready for prime time, taking advantage of the extra screen real estate the Apple tablet has to offer. The app lets you use the iPad to control your Roku and Griffin Beacon. It also features a TV guide, where you can search by genre, category, keyword or check out what your friends are watching -- and if you hate watching alone, you can always use it to send your viewing habits to Twitter or Facebook. And for the easily distracted, the app also offers up "complimentary content" for your shows via Wikipedia and YouTube. Dijit launches remote control app for iPad, gives you something to do during all that boring TV watching originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments
from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/06/dijit-launches-remote-control-app-for-ipad...
No matter how big you think the mobile world or the Internet have gotten, neither has quite beaten the television set’s popularity, at least not in the U.S.
Some 290 million Americans, in 114.7 million households, own at least one TV. Compare that with 234 million cellphone owners, 211 million Americans who are online, and the 116 million (ages 13 and up) who surf the mobile web.
A recent Nielsen report examines media consumption in the U.S., through TVs, the Internet and mobile phones.
Internet users have nearly caught up with mobile users, with 234 million consumers and 211 million consumers respectively.
SEE ALSO: 80% of Smartphone Users Multitask While Watching TV [STATS]
Nearly one-third (35.9 million) of TV-owning households have four or more televisions. Just 17.5 million households have exactly one television, the least popular number of sets among all TV-owning households.
Are you surprised by how much TV ownership continues to outpace Internet use? Let us know in the comments.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Bim
More About: cellphones, internet, Nielsen, study, TV For more Entertainment coverage: 
from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/06/cellphones-tv-ownership/?utm_source=feedburner...
HP and Intel will be hosting the first-ever live stream of a concert on Twitter next week at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. The headliner: electronic music master DJ Tiësto.
The concert will kick off the launch of a new 10-episode series on YouTube called “In the Booth” — a behind-the-scenes look at how Tiësto uses technology to make music and connect with fans. The private event at the nightclub XS at Encore in Las Vegas will stream live from HP and Intel’s newly enhanced Twitter brand pages.
Tiësto will play a 90-minute set starting at 10:00 p.m. PT. It will then play on a loop on HP and Intel’s Twitter page for the following 48 hours.
“We have offered streaming on the site before, but this is the first-time ever that the site will feature a live concert,” Rob Pietsch, Twitter’s director of West Coast sales, told Mashable. “HP came to us with the idea and we couldn’t be more excited to hear how the company and Intel will be using their Twitter brand pages to reach out to the public and become destination sites.
“It’s a first for us, and we expect in the future that more companies will integrate streaming video into their pages.”
In December, Twitter announced that it would be introducing Facebook-style brand pages for companies to customize and highlight content. HP and Intel are among the first 21 brands invited to test out the new platform – other companies include Dell, Disney, JetBlue, Nike and Paramount Pictures.
The company said it expects to make the new brand pages for companies more widely available by the end of the first quarter of 2012.
SEE ALSO: Twitter Launches Brand Pages
Twitter users will also be able to interact with others on the site while watching the live stream next week. HP and Intel execs will also be live tweeting from the show via the hash tag #TiestoLive.
“This will change the way fans interact with brands on the site. Companies can tell fans to check out their pages and features by saying @HP or @Intel, instead of giving a long URL that doesn’t roll off the tongue,” Pietsch said.
“In addition, this is a concept that isn’t even available on Facebook, since it’s a closed community. Here, anyone can watch the live stream and chat with anyone else with the same interests. We expect to see some powerful things come out of brand pages in the future.”
The Web series – produced by Believe Entertainment Group – will launch Tuesday, Jan. 17 on YouTube and each video will be between five and seven minutes long.
“I’m always connecting with my fans directly through Twitter and other social media, so this was an exciting way to help launch the show and do something special for my fans,” DJ Tiësto told Mashable. “One of the key reasons to collaborate with technology giants such as HP and Intel on my new show is the chance to try new things and go after big ideas.”
HP and Intel said they both plan to expand their brand presence on Twitter this year by offering new ways for fans to engage with their companies.
“Twitter was the perfect platform for us to try out an innovative new concept with DJ Tiësto and allow people to interact with our brand at the same time,” said Natalie Malaszenko, director of worldwide digital marketing & social Media for HP Personal Systems Group. “We have had great success with Twitter before and very high engagement rates, so we hope to do a lot more through our branded profile page in the future.”
More About: CES, CES 2012, Facebook, HP, intel, Twitter, twitter brands



from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/06/twitter-dj-tiesto-concert/?utm_source=feedburn...
Have you been seeing more ads for Mitt Romney or Barack Obama on Facebook and Google these days? That’s because politicians are dramatically increasing their spending on digital advertisements, according to a new survey conducted by STRATA.
The survey found that U.S. political campaigns in 2011-2012 have spent 100% more to buy online advertisements than they did during the 2010 midterm elections. The information was collected in a flash survey of executives from top political media advertising agencies.
Online advertisements have several advantages over ads in more traditional forms of media. They can be targeted by location and demographic, as Mitt Romney’s campaign did with YouTube ads in Iowa leading up to the caucus. They also provide more accurate data about engagement. It’s easy to tell how many Internet users clicked on or watched an online ad, it’s harder to tell how many radio listeners or TV watchers turned down the volume during commercial breaks.
SEE ALSO: Republican Candidates Take to the Web In the Battle for Iowa | How the Internet Saved Buddy Roemer’s Presidential Campaign
Which platform is getting the lion’s share of those ad dollars?
Facebook, by a wide margin. 92% of respondents said they considered Mark Zuckerburg’s social network to be the “top social medium of choice” for political advertisements. Twitter was ranked second by 46% of those polled, while YouTube and LinkedIn tied for third at 31%. Google+, which is still relatively new but gaining users at an astonishing rate, ranked last at 23%.
Mobile advertising, however, isn’t yet a major part of the ad game for electoral contenders in 2012. 85% of respondents noted that less than a quarter of political clients have spent money on mobile ads.
Do you think digital ads are the future of political campaigns? Let us know in the comments below.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Tommydickson
More About: 2012 presidential campaign, barack obama, digital advertising, Mitt Romney



from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/06/politicians-digital-advertisements/?utm_source...
Amazon’s LoveFilm has signed a deal with BBC Worldwide, giving its members access to BBC’s archive of shows as well as those commissioned by other British broadcasters, the company has announced.
The deal covers shows such as Doctor Who, Life On Mars, Spooks and Whitechapel, as well as documentaries such as Planet Earth.
LoveFilm has also signed a deal with ITV, giving members access to shows such as Marchlands and Inspector Morse.
LoveFilm Instant, which is the name for LoveFilm’s streaming service, already offers members TV and movie content from broadcasters such as Disney, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros.
With more than 1,500,000 members, LoveFilm is currently the biggest UK-based provider of on-demand, streaming video, but it will get a very serious competitor in Netflix in early 2012. In preparation for the UK launch, Netflix recently signed content partnerships with Lionsgate, MGM, Miramax and, most recently, the BBC.
More About: bbc, BBC Worldwide, lovefilm, streaming, TV For more Entertainment coverage: 
from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/01/06/lovefilm-streaming-bbc/?utm_source=feedburner&...
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