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Internet Connected Devices Everywhere
By Christina Mulberry
Every year or two a new trend comes along related to gadgets or electronic devices. Everything starts adding wireless connectivity or perhaps every type of device suddenly features a touch screen. Recently the trend seems to be adding internet connections. Certainly internet connected devices are very functional and many of them have been around for a number of years. Cell phones are clearly one of the devices that led the charge to make internet content available away from the computer. Web browsers on smart phones have been hugely successful. In some countries, most internet use is via cell phones. Even in the US, we see usage climbing dramatically. Having internet access via cell phones makes it highly portable and nearly always accessible. However, in a somewhat more limited fashion, other gadgets are now picking up internet connectivity as one of the most desired features. In such a social world, and one that also demands immediacy and convenience, it shouldn't come as a surprise that we want the vast world of internet information, entertainment, and connectedness anywhere, all the time. Internet connected TVs really hit the market in 2009 and appear poised to be an even bigger force in 2010. With built-in widgets and streaming abilities, these TVs allow users to gain access to information such as weather and stock quotes as well as entertianment via photo sharing sites, social networking sites, and video/movie streaming services; both free and for a fee. All of this from the comfort of their sofa, in front of their big screen HDTV, using only a remote control to find the content they want. These internet connected TVs don't yet offer web browsers or e-mail, but can it be far off? LG, Samsung, and Sony all have internet connected TVs on showroom floors. For those who want to browse the internet on the TV, it's not impossible of course. There are devices like the ZvBox which will connect your TV to your computer via your home's cable wiring. And, if you don't want a computer, but want to stream movies/videos online to your TV, there are at least a dozen affordable set top boxes like Vudu, Roku, and others that can do the job. But TV's aren't the only devices with their eyes on the internet. Radio's are taking advantage of the vast music resource that is the web. Internet radio players have multiplied in the past couple of years. With Wi-Fi connectivity, these devices are portable and give you access to every imagineable genre of music and thousands of internet radio stations. Popular services like Napster, Slacker, Rhapsody, Sirius, and Pandora are common. Pandora for instance, allows you to personalize your listening as you rate the music you hear, allowing the station to learn what you like and don't like. What traditional radio station can do that? Even printers are adding some internet connectivity features that could prove very convenient. Certainly they don't give users the ability to browser the web, but they do have widgets to provide you with access to sites where you might want to print information that is provided. For instance, coupons from coupon.com, puzzles from WebSudoku, or maps from Google. Certainly recipes, movie tickets, and calendars could be appreciated as well. With these WiFi enabled devices, printing even without direct access to your computer could certainly save time and frustration. The HP Photosmart Premium Internet Printer and Lexmark's Interact S605 are at the head of the pack for now. Most digital photo frames aren't yet providing any true internet access, but just wait. Kodak has the Pulse, Pix-Star has the FotoConnect, and like a handful of others, they can allow you to receive photos from others through an e-mail address assigned to your photo frame or set them up to automatically receive them when designated family and friends post them to photo sharing sites online. The FotoConnect lets you send your images to compatible frames as well. Some allow you to connect to photo sharing sites to search and display photos from their vast photo archive. Intouch has the IT7150 that is a photo frame with internet player capabilities. It can play web TV stations, internet radio, podcasts, and display RSS feeds. In a few months, the Sony Dash should be on the market. It will be another photo frame/internet player. Yes, you can share those photos as well as play a variety of other internet content. No, none of these devices give users full access to the internet, but they're beginning to bring some of the convenience and immediacy into your hands. In the future, the possibilities should continue to expand. |
Internet Radio Players
| Internet Printers
| Wireless Digital Photo Frames
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Christina, nice Intel. I have to say though that anything too technical loses me I`m afraid.
 | | odls Jan 22, 2010 09:50 | |
I am waiting for a TV that delivers hot pizza and cold beer.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
They'll definitely have to come up with something like that for me to be interested. I don't watch TV.
Thanks Christina for this. In the 20th century we went from horse and buggy to the car to the air plane to space travel. I've heard that the 21st century increase in technology will be a 1,000 fold from what we experienced in the 20th century.
Regards,Jim
It's truly a brave new world we live in. I think its a good thing, for the most part. I wouldn't want to return to the pre-Internet days, personally. Thanks for a great intel.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
I's hard for me to imagine many things pre-internet. How did I get directions, arrange a hotel for trip, stay informed about a variety of topics that aren't covered in newspapers, etc.
Thank you for this well written intel, Christina.
I believe the internet is a great source, for many things that are useful. I just wish that people wouldn't be so stupid as to use their hand held electronics while they're in motion.Walking or driving!
Keep up the good work.
Frederick
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Amen to that!
I have noticed several photo frames that update remotely without requiring the Internet and some that access an album on Picasso or other photo sharing websites. Both these new technologies are very interesting as our family spreads out over the country.
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This content may not be copied, distributed or adapted by anyone under any circumstances.
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This intel was contributed by mulberry
mulberry
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