Digital Tech News - Digital Technology & Consumer Electronics

iPad Available at Apple Stores and Most Best Buy Stores this Saturday - iPad Guided Tour Demo Videos Posted

Apple reminds us today that the new iPad tablet device will be available in all 221 US Apple retail stores and most Best Buy stores this Saturday, April 3, beginning at 9 a.m.!  With all the hype surrounding Apple's new "magical" iPad, you were probably already aware of the release date, but this confirms that it's official. Starting at $499, the iPad and its Multi-touch user interface lets you browse the web, read and send email, view and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and more.

Apple just put up a bunch of iPad guided tour videos which looked pretty impressive to me, and there's also that iPad App Store demo video we saw earlier today. At just 0.5 inches thick, weighing 1.5 pounds, and delivering up to 10 hours of battery life, the iPad is looking like the next big success for Apple. 

Skype Mobile for Verizon Wireless Phones Available Thursday, March 25th

At CTIA WIRELESS 2010 in Las Vegas, Verizon Wireless and Skype announced that Skype mobile will be available this Thursday, March 25th for customers with Android 3G and BlackBerry 3G smartphones. Verizon customers with data plans will finally be able to use Skype mobile to make calls to landlines and mobiles at Skype rates. Specifically, Skype mobile will be available initially on the BlackBerry Storm 9530, Storm2 9550, Curve 8330, Curve 8530, 8830 World Edition, and Tour 9630 smartphones, as well as Motorola DROID and DEVOUR, and DROID ERIS by HTC.

You can visit www.verizonwireless.com/skypemobile or www.skype.com/go/mobile from a PC to enter the mobile phone number to receive a text message with a link to the application. Verizon Wireless customers can also text "SKYPE" to 2255 to receive the link. Android customers will be able to download the app from Android Market, while new BlackBerry customers will find the application on their 3G smartphones' home screens in the Downloads folder when activated.  

New Samsung LED 7000 and 8000 Series Televisions Offer Skype Video and Voice Calls

Samsung Electronics and Skype say that those lovely new  Samsung LED 7000 and 8000 series HDTVs which were announced at CES 2010 will feature embedded Skype software, allowing Skype users to make video and voice calls through the TVs. These models are available now in Korea, and are set to ship worldwide sometime during the first half of 2010.

You should know that while Skype video and voice calls are free between Skype users, Skype calls to traditional landline and mobile phones will cost a few cents per minute. Samsung and Skype are pushing the attachable FREETALK® TV Camera, available here, which lets you place and receive voice calls and High Quality Video calls on the LED 7000 and 8000 Series TVs, which also come with a remote control that you can use to create free Skype accounts, log into existing accounts and navigate the Skype interface right on the televisions’ screen.  The Samsung LED 7000 and 8000 series televisions also include Samsung’s free Internet@TV service, which allows access to select online content. 

Skype for iPhone and iPod Touch is Now Available at the Apple App Store - Demo Video

The day has come!  Skype for iPhone and iPod Touch 2g has been released and you can download it from the Apple App Store now. Second generation iPod touch users will need a compatible headset and microphone to take advantage of Skype calling and instant messaging.

As Skype uses Voip for Internet phone calling, a strong Wi-Fi connection is recommended. Skype-to-Skype calls using an iPhone or iPod touch are free, but Skype calls to landlines or mobile phones depend on Skype’s normal low rates. The Skype for iPhone demo video below lays it all out.

Skype for iPhone and iPod Touch capabilities include:

• Free Skype-to-Skype calls from any Wi-Fi zone to other Skype users worldwide
• Call landline or mobile phones at Skype’s great low rates from any Wi-Fi zone
• Send/receive instant messages to/from individuals or groups via 3G, Wi-Fi, GPRS or EDGE (whichever is available)
• Receive calls to a personal online number on Skype
• See when Skype contacts are online/available to IM or talk

TANDBERG E20 Video IP Phone

Shipping now, the TANDBERG E20 Video IP Phone enables face-to-face collaboration with DVD-quality video and CD quality audio. The unit has a 10.6 inch LCD widescreen with a five-megapixel high-resolution camera located at the top for video phone calls, and you can seamlessly switch to audio-only mode with its ultra wideband 20 kHz speaker phone and 10 kHz handset. Along with a very appealing design, the device has telephony features like call transfer, message waiting and call forwarding.

The E20 Video IP Phone is aimed at organizations that want to keep employees visually connected from their desks, but for true telepresence features in meetings, you might want to roll with Cisco's TelePresence Meeting Solution if your company can afford it.

iCall Voip Over Wifi Calling for iPhone

Apparently voice over Internet provider iCall is an approved Apple iPhone developer, and the company has announced a new version of iCall for iPhones. Talk about timing?  As the world waits for official 3g iPhone announcements next week, iCall is ready to jump in and help iPhone owners make free (to US and canada) and low cost Voip phone calls on the iPhone via a Wi-fi connection.  One can also receive incoming phone calls via your regular cellular connection and switch the calls to VoIP when a Wi-fi connection is detected. Watch the demo video below.

iCall for iPhone highlights:

- Make and receive calls over WiFi    

- Transfer inbound calls from a regular cell call to WiFi instantly and seamlessly - save your expensive minutes    

- Access your same address book    

- Customize your voicemail options

Netflix Player by Roku Streams Movies From Netflix to the TV

Netflix has teamed up with Roku to create the Netflix Player, a compact, paperback book sized device that connects to a TV and the Internet to instantly stream about 10,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly to your TV. The Netflix Player by Roku costs a reasonable $99, but you need to be a Netflix member to use it. If you are, after connecting the Netflix player, head over to Netflix' Web site and add movies and TV episodes to your individual instant Queues Your video selections will be displayed on your TV and you can watch them instantly.

The player is also Wi-Fi enabled, and it includes a remote control that allows you to browse and make movie selections on the TV screen, as well as fast-forward and rewind the video stream.

Well done Netflix!

PSP v 3.90 Software Update Features Skype Voip Calling

PSP Slim & Lite owners can now get their hands on the latest PSP version 3.90 system software update which will have you making and receiving free Skype phone calls to other Skype users in no time. Well, maybe the time it takes to connect the PSP to the Internet at a Wi-Fi hotspot, attach a PSP headset and the remote control from the PSP-2000 headphones to the system, and insert a Memory Stick Duo to save the Skype application software. You'll then have to access the Skype sign-in icon within the Network category of the XMB menu. Of course if you don't have a Skype account, you'll need one of those, it's free you know.  And remember, the Skype functionality is available for the PSP Slim & Lite only.

Don't worry, John Koller, senior marketing manager for PlayStation Portable shows you how to get started with the PSP v 3.90 software update and Skype in the video below:

ooma Voip Calling Device Enables Free Phone Calls

Voice over IP (voip) appliance manufacturer ooma has hooked-up with Amazon.com to sell their new device that allows users to make free phone calls. At an introductory price of $399 for the ooma Hub device and $39.95 for the ooma Scout device, the ooma system features unlimited US calling and comes with a suite of premium features. According to ooma, a one-time purchase of the ooma Hub device gives you unlimited calling in the US with no monthly fees or contracts. You also get online access to voicemail and calling preferences, enhanced call-waiting, three-way calling, caller-ID, one touch do not disturb, at no extra charge.

In 2008, the ooma Hub device pricing jumps to $599, so the introductory price is a pretty good deal.

3 Skypephone Launching Overseas

Skype and mobile operator 3 have made the 3 Skypephone official, announcing that the Internet phone will start selling on November 2 in the UK, with Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Macau and Sweden getting a 3 Skypephone release later this year. The Skype-enabled handset has fully integrated Skype functionality with contacts, call logs and presence, and will cost about £49.99, or about $100 with a pay-as-you-go plan or free on a contract.  The 3 Skype phone lets you make free Skype to Skype calls and send free Skype instant messages from your mobile phone to other Skype users around the world, and you can also make conventional calls, as well as access 3’s range internet services.