Musicpal streams internet and digital audio with or without a computer

Freecom. is launching a new Wireless digital internet radio and MP3 player in August. The Musicpal plays internet without the use of a PC and/or stream MP3 music from your computer or network via WLAN.

Features :
• Wireless digital internet radio and MP3 player
• Plays internet radio without the use of a computer
• Streams MP3 music from your computer or network
• Installs in seconds, easy to set up
• Supports over 5.000 radio stations
• Supports MP3 and WAV
• Alarm clock functionality
• Live RSS feeds / Blog feeds in display
• Built-in speaker and WLAN antenna
• Stereo audio out (2 x cinch) to connect to HiFi/Amplifier set
• Line out (minijack ) to connect to headphones or active
speakers

As the internet continues to have a bigger and bigger impact on our lives we now find all the popular radio stations broadcasting on the web! And they are joined by an enormous group of regional and specialist stations, which therefore can be heard across the world. Another trend is that we are collecting our own audio songs in our own libraries. We want to play these songs anywhere in the house: in the bedroom, the kitchen, the home office or the garage.

Also more and more people start using RSS which is a popular way to pull in news and information from across the internet and allow web sites to easily push content to subscribers directly. Subscribers are instantly updated with the latest information and news from web servers. Freecom internet radio enables new ways of music listening and RSS/Blog information in one new device: MusicPal. Just put the Freecom internet radio MP3 streamer anywhere in your house and, with the push of a button, play thousands of radio stations or enjoy your own digital music library. Like the original radio we know, the internet radio is a device that will find it‘s way to millions of households in the next years.

Well done, Freecom.

Sony makes the world go blue

Say goodbye to DVD-R and say hello to Sony´s proprietary Blue-Ray technology introducing High-Def on DVD media.

Sony launched its first Blu-ray disc recorders, early December 2006 in Japan. Both models will record two TV programs at once via their two digital and one analog tuners. Backing up video to Blu-ray discs is limited to 25GB -- no 50GB BD-R/BD-RE writing or reading here -- but it will play cartridges from the old Blu-ray recorders, as well as the new AVCHD discs. With the right NTT cellphone you can schedule recordings from anywhere, but at home owners will enjoy the slick PSP-style XMB crossbar menu like other Sony products.

The high-end BDZ-V9 is the only choice if you must have 1080p output, DLNA streaming to connected PCs or compatible displays and video conversion to MPEG-4 to transfer directly to a PSP. All the connections you'd expect are a go, including HDMI out, plus i.Link and USB inputs to hook up digicams and make as many sentimental James Blunt-soundtracked slideshows as you can with the included x-Pict Story HD software.

They may not have the 4x Blu-ray recording of Panasonic's lineup or the soul-crushing bulk of Toshiba's 1TB RD-A1, but with a simple menu system and joystick based remote control Japanese gamers who didn't get one of the 100,000 launch PS3s will still bring Blu-ray to their living room this year.

Buy your blue ray recorder here

Wii - the ultimate gaming machine

It was actually my youngest daughter who discovered this as she saw a young boy trade in his mobile phone as deposit for the Nintendo Wii controller in a Computer Game Store. My children ended up teaching me how to use the Wii in a round of tennis, golf and bowling...

It was easy to get hooked using the revolutionary controller design offering unique motion-sensitive gameplay options.

The Wii comes with built-in Wi-Fi that delivers free online services and (eventually) gameplay. The Virtual Console has major nostalgia appeal, compatible with all GameCube games and controllers, built-in SD slot for storage and photo viewing, includes Wii Sports game. Probably the most affordable of all next-gen systems.

Nintendo Wii's combination of unique motion-sensitive controllers and emphasis on fun gameplay make the ultra-affordable console hard to resist.

You can buy the Nintendo Wii here website