I purchased a Logitech Harmony One remote about 5 months ago, and I am finally ready to give my review of it. The retail on this bad boy is $249.00. Amazon currently has the Harmony One for $179.99. I really wanted to give myself plenty of time with the remote before I reviewed it so I can give a thorough and accurate review.

Design

The design of the Harmony One is amazing. It is designed to fit very comfortably in the palm of you hand. Along with great ergonomics, but also has a rubber back for easy gripping. Another great design aspect of the Harmony One is a motion sensor inside so when you pick it up it lights up, but if you have it sitting on a table, the lights shutoff to conserve battery. I find this very useful when channel surfing late at night with the lights off. The button design is good. After just a few short days I found myself very easily finding the buttons with out having to look at the remote. One issue I have with the design, is the hard plastic buttons that make a very minor click noise when pushed. I have always been a fan of the Tivo controller with rubber buttons, but this is more a personal preference then a design flaw.

Set Up

Logitech is known for excelling in the area of setup, and it is no different with the Harmony One. Setup is done completely on your Mac or PC via USB. The setup software is nothing more then a browser for a web app. You have to login to a website via the software to setup the remote. From there it is pretty easy to understand. You just choose your devices, and then the software takes you through a very easy to follow line of steps to setup the different activities. Overall I found the process very easy to follow. I had my whole entertainment system setup with in a few minutes. The remote also allows you to setup some favorite buttons for your favorite channels. Also, with the online based setup, you never lose your settings if you have to reinstall the software, or switch from PC to Mac like I did.

The setup was very easy, but I did find myself having a few minor issues with it. Over the few months I have had the controller, I had to go back and do some customization of the buttons which turned out not to be as easy as the initial setup. Some of the custom setup options are hard to figure out.

Final Word

The Harmony One works with almost any device that has a IR receiver. There has been a lot of talk about how it doesn’t work with the PS3 due to the lack of Bluetooth support. I solved this problem by purchasing the Nyko Playstation 3 Remote which comes with a IR receiver that plugs into the USB port on the PS3. Other than that, I have been very impressed at the wide range of devices this remote supports, I have everything from my TV, Tivo, Surround Sound, PS3 to my Macbook Pro and Nikon D40 associated with this remote.

Yes, the remote is on the expensive side, but I have to say it is well worth it. I have gone from 9 remotes on my end table to just 1. I was very skeptical I might have buyer remorse because I paid so much for this remote, but I am very happy with it. If you have the money I say go for it.

Price: $249.99
Amazon Special: Harmony One $179.99
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Official Site: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/3898&cl=us,en

Would you be willing to pay a one time charge of $99.99 to view over 10,000 movies and TV Shows at anytime instantly? Well thanks to a partnership between Roku and Netflix, the entire Netflix “instant view” collection is now available to stream directly to your TV.

The Roku box is just a little bigger than 5 cd cases staked on top of each other. While netflix only offers stereo audio and SD support, the box is equipped with HDMI, Optical Audio, and component video. Netflix has confirmed that it will upgrade the unit via a software upgrade in the near future to support HD and multi channel surround audio. They have not specified the exact specs of the upgrade, but they confirmed it is on the way, and current units will be fully upgradable!

There once was a time when you had to wait a good 20 minutes to watch a good video on the net. Well times have changed and online viral videos have become huge! I have been collecting great viral videos from all over the net for a few weeks now. Here are some of my favorites. I know some of these are trying to be real but they are actually fake, please don’t whine about it in the comments section.

Some of these videos are for mature audiences. While they are all clean visually, some of them are based on sexual explicit topics and use foul language. I have identified which ones are mature with the letters NSFW (Not Suitable For Work)

The Babysitter: (NSFW)

Flagpole Sitta Lip Sink:

Facebook Reality:

There are more after the jump. I hope you are enjoying them so far!

Many are calling 2008 the year of the PS3. Well, they are not doing this just because they can, they are saying this because PS3, PSN, and the Blu-Ray camp all have a lot coming their way this year. Sales on Sony’s PS3 is already up over 114% for 2008 (1). Most people accredit this increase to the HD-DVD & Blu-Ray war coming to an end with Blu-Ray coming out on top. While I think this is a huge factor in the sales growth, I also think it has to do with some of the big name exclusive PS3 titles that are coming out for the PS3 the first half of 2008. Below I am going to give a review of the PS3 as both a game system and a Blu-Ray player.

I will first start off by saying that I was a early adopter of Blu-Ray. I purchased my first BR player back in November. It was a standalone Sony BDP. I traded in my Sony BDP for a PS3 in January. My main reason for switching was the soon-to-be released GTA: IV. While waiting for GTA: IV, I also purchased Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Burnout: Paridise.

In the age of live broadcasting, websites hoping to attract new “streamers” are emerging at an alarming rate. Lifecasters wanting to find the best site to publish their daily activities look for a few main components: accessibility to viewers, an easy-to-use interface, and design capabilities. Once you filter through these options, three main websites prove to set the example.

Some prefer Justin.tv (aka JTV), founded in late 2006 and includes such features as automatic archiving of all your shows, an optional standalone broadcast agent for Macs, and a convenient bandwidth check so that you’re able to stream at the best quality possible.

Another choice is Ustream.tv that came out in early 2007. With Ustream you have features like Cohost, that allow you to do PIP with another live streamer so others can see you two (or three!) communicate, “create a poll” and also, if you decided to record a show, you have the ability to save it to your computer as a flv, wmv, mp4, or mov file.

The last popular website is called Stickam, which was created in 2004. A favorite tool of those on Stickam is the multiple video chat option that allows you to see and hear up to 6 other users in the chat. Another nice feature is the Audio and Video Mixer that allows you to broadcast any uploaded media while you’re streaming without having to download any other software (such as CamTwist or WebcamMax)

Each of these platforms have their positive and negative aspects, yet all of them include such options as manual recording of shows and sending notifications out to friends through other programs such as Twitter, AIM, and Myspace. Although Stickam remains popular in the broadcasting community, Justin and Ustream remain the most comparable. While Justin is said to have more of the look and feel of a community, it is also known to be quite “laggy”. Then again you have Ustream that has much less lag, yet supposedly uses more CPU when viewing streams.

Possibilities are endless if you choose to use all three sites, though many broadcasters like to incorporate their shows with one main page. When deciding upon your final choice, it all comes down to what kind of audience you are hoping to reach, what the topic of your shows are, and are you planning on displaying yourself as a professional… or are you just somebody wanting to make new friends? Your best bet is to try each of these sites out and make the decision for yourself

What podcast do you listen to? Our crew of geeks has put together a nice list of podcast for the average geek. We have divided them up into audio and video sections. Please let us know which podcast you listen to in the comments.

VIDEO PODCAST:

• Diggnation - Join hosts Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht as drink beer and shoot the shit about the current top digg.com social bookmarking news stories.
• DL.TV - The DL.TV crew blends your tech questions with product reviews and hands on help that tames technology. Thursdays with Robert Heron, the DL.TV crew and the analysts from the PCMag.com Network.
• TikiBar TV - Join Dr. Tiki, Johnny Johnny, and LaLa as they solve wacky life issues with a wide arrange of cocktails.
• Mahalo Daily - Join host Veronica Belmont as she does all kinds of stuff, this one is hard to describe briefly.
• Cranky Geeks - Tune in weekly on Wednesday with John C. Dvorak and crew as they discuss current tech news.
• The Totally Rad Show - The Totally Rad Show is the summer blockbuster of geek news shows. Every week, hosts Alex Albrecht, Dan Trachtenberg, and Jeff Cannata rip into the world of movies, video games, Tv, and comics.
• Geek Brief TV - Brainy beauty Cali Lewis just can’t get enough of the latest gadgets, toys, tech news, and Internet culture — and it’s all for you, served up in both Audio and Video. Nerds unite!
• G4 X-Play Daily - Enter the world of video games with host Morgan and Adam.
• Webb Alert - Host Morgan Webb quickly discusses tech news in this daily video and audio podcast.
• Tekzilla - Every Friday, Patrick Norton delivers product reviews, computer help, tech tips on everything from iPods to camcorders, HD to the Internet, plus do it yourself projects.
• Unweird - Host Will Harris discusses tech products, offers tips on technology as well as discussion of news.

AUDIO PODCAST:

• TWiT - Join host Leo Laporte and his wide range of guest as they discuss current news stories, talk about new products, and give reviews and suggestions on products.
• The Tech Guy - This is a actual live radio show syndicated all over the United States, but is available as a downloadable podcast also. Host Leo Laporte does a Q&A session in this call in tech show.
• MacBreak Weekly - This is probably the most popular Mac specific podcast out there. Host Leo Laporte and his wide array of guest talk mac new and products. This is a must for any true Mac fanboy.
• net@night - Host Amber MacArthur talks about cool sites, viral videos, and everything that is happening on the net.
• NPR: Technology - A great short tech new podcast.
• Seen Unseen Movie Reviews - Chris and Jimmy give movie reviews when one person has seen the movie, and one person has not seen the movie.
  

I hope you enjoy this list of course this is just a brief list. Be sure to check out iTunes for more great podcast. Check the comments for other suggestions from your fellow geeks.

Well I just received the brand new iH9 from iHome Electronics. This is the newest model of the popular line of iPod® speaker systems. The new iH9 has a slightly changed forum factor, new high contrast screen, a new adjustable snooze on the dual alarm clocks, as well as a slightly redesigned remote control.

The iHome iH9 is the first of the product line that I have owned. I am very pleased with the quality of the product. The setup of the alarms and the time is very easy. Docking the iPod® automaticaly puts the radio in iPod® mode. The remote while small works well. I use this product in my offiice, and the remote works great from my desk with is about 10 or 15 feet from the radio itself. One of the main things I like is how the remote can control the iPod®. I know this is not new, but other more expensive iPod® speaker systems only control the volume and power of the unit. This is a great function.

Site Description:

Meet the new iH9, an updated and improved successor to our award-winning iH8 clock radio for iPod®. The iH9 contains several new features that our customers have requested, including a remote that controls both the unit and iPod® menu functions, AM/FM presets, EQ controls for bass, treble, balance, even 3D sound for an enhanced audio experience. We have also updated the design to make the cabinet even sleeker and more user-friendly. We have also enhanced the alarm settings to complement your lifestyle so you can wake to your own custom iPod® playlist at different times on different days with our new 7-5-2 feature and programmable snooze settings. Of course, you’ll still enjoy phenomenal sound around the clock with our Reson8 stereo speaker chambers. The new iH9… treat yourself and your music right.

• Wake or sleep to iPod®, AM/FM Radio or buzzer
• Universal dock with inserts to fit docking iPod® models
• Charges iPod® while docked
• High-fidelity stereo drivers in specially designed Reson8® speaker chambers deliver astounding clarity, depth, and power
• Gradual Wake and Gradual Sleep increase/decrease Alarm/Sleep volume so as not to startle the user
• Full function remote control controls unit and iPod® menu functions
• Dual alarm with AM/FM presets
• Bass, Treble, 3D and balance controls for best sound
• Speaker jack lets you add separate speaker(s)
• Extra-large, backlit custom LCD Display with dimmer
• 7-5-2 Alarm settings (everyday, weekdays, weekends)
• Programmable snooze feature with intervals from 1 to 29 minutes
• DST switch for quick daylight-savings time adjustment
• Backlit buttons

Link: iHome iH9 Clock Radio & Audio System for iPod®

The Sony BDP-S300 is the first standalone Blur-Ray player to reach the sub $300 level. I myself picked this up at a local Best Buy for $288.00. The first thing you really notice about the player is how the Power and Eject buttons are located on the top edge of the player which might be a negative for some when it comes to stacking components. I personally stacked it with a HD Tivo on top of it seems to work fine, I don’t experience any added difficulty because of this.

The player it self look great on a component shelf. It is made up of a black plastic front with a nice blue transparent plastic covering on the bottom half of the face.

Picture Quality: This player offers full 1080p output via HDMI. The picture quality is amazing. Most of the issues I found in the player were a result of the Disc not the Player. Disney’s Cars is the most beautiful film I have watched on this player so far, the colors jump out at you so clearly and the image is crystal clear. Blu-Ray technology when used correctly, allows the viewer to be sucked into the film with realistic 3 dimensional imaging. Below are some images of I took for a couple different movies. I was using a older digital camera so the pictures don’t do the player justice.

Audio Quality: The BDP-S300 offers audio via HDMI, 5.1 Surround Stereo, Standard 2 Channel Stereo, and optical audio out. The audio is great if you have a surround sound system of decent quality. One thing this play does lack is Dolby TrueHD encoding but this really is not a necessity for most.

The Bad: The main concern I had was how terribly slow the player loads. After you hit the eject button, it can take upwards of 30 seconds before the player actually ejects the tray. Once the disc is in, it can take another min to load. While I can understand that it takes a lot to load 50gb of data, some other players I have seen can load much faster.

The Verdict: While this is not the best Blu-Ray player on the market, I would say it is pretty satisfying for the money. The load times can be annoying, it is easy to look past them, and it is the price you pay to be a early adaptor. To conclude, this player is great for the price, if you want to experience what your nice new HD TV can do, this is a great product to do it with. If you want less load times and TrueHD audio then check out the Sony PS3. I rate it a 8 out of 10!

Buy One Get One Free Blu-Ray Movies Deal:

Check out this link for a great buy one get one free Blu-Ray disc deal from Amazon.com. There are over 96 titles to choose. Below are some of the titles.

• The Departed [Blu-ray]
• 28 Days Later [Blu-ray]
• 28 Weeks Later [Blu-ray]
• Blood Diamond [Blu-ray]
• The Usual Suspects [Blu-ray]

Related Links:

Official Website
CNET Video Review
How Stuff Works Review

Product Features (Specifications)

• Blu-ray Disc format compatible for high-definition movie playback with resolution up to 5 times greater than DVD
• Delivers greatly enhanced video performance with standard DVDs by up converting their video resolution to HDTV-compliant 720p, 1080i or 1080p via the HDMI interface
• Built-in decoders for next-generation Dolby Digital Plus and DTS
  • Plays BD-ROM, DVD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD, MP3, JPEG, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4
  • Plays Blu-ray media that can store up to 50GB of high-definition video and audio
  • AVC-HD media playback with x.v. color output
  • Enjoy full HD 1080p video output on your 1080p display
  • Cinema tuned picture presets
  • Multichannel linear PCM output through HDMI
  • BD-Java interactive capability (when using compatible media)
  • Built-in Dolby Digital Plus and DTS decoders plus 5.1-channel analog audio outputs
  • 192kHz/24-bit audio digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion
  • Outputs: 1 HDMI, 1 component video, 1 S-video, 1 composite video, 1 optical digital audio, 1 coaxial digital audio, 1 analog 5.1-channel audio, 1 analog 2-channel audio
  • Parental control
  • BRAVIA Theater Sync lets you control compatible TV and A/V systems with 1 remote
  • Includes remote commander, 2 AA batteries, video cord, stereo audio cord and power cord