Over a six-week period, hundreds of gadget-loving people became fans of IOGEAR on Facebook in hopes to win our cutting edge and ground breaking Wireless A/V Kit. The Wireless A/V Kit utilizes Ultra Wideband technology (UWB) to broadcast HD video signals from your home computer or laptop to your HDTV up to 30’ away, changing forever how you enjoy online, streaming content.

From network television sites to funny YouTube videos, streaming video content right to your television has never been easier, or without as much clutter. The Wireless A/V Kit will finally allow you to bridge the gap between your computer and TV without the fuss of running cables, and enable you to enjoy movies, videos and more from the comfort of your couch, not stuck behind a computer desk.

Of the hundreds of fans, we randomly chose Joey Milici to be our winner! Joey, you are in for a real treat and hope you are ready to change how you look at your computer; its just become a home media and entertainment center. Don’t worry about hooking up cables, cutting holes in your walls or even buying a dedicated computer Joey, your existing computer and our Wireless A/V Kit will bridge the gap to your television and bring the Internet into your living room, where it belongs.

Creating a theater experience at home can be rewarding. Think of it now – reclining in the comfort of your living room, watching your HDTV and enjoying a crystal clear sound system. What could be better than avoiding lines and noisy crowds at the movies than cozying up on the couch?

IOGEAR can help you customize your electronics into a robust home theater, making your entertainment system state-of-the-art.

To get the highest quality video and sound from your electronics, you’ll want to view and listen to content in high-definition. Most HDTVs have at least one HDMI input, but if you have more accessories than your television can handle, you’ll either need to spend time continually plugging and unplugging or get an HDMI switch. IOGEAR offers the 4-Port HDMI Automatic Switch that takes all of the work out of switching between devices such as set-top boxes, DVD players, and game consoles. If you’re curious about how HDMI works, HowStuffWorks has a great overview.

If you’re looking to cut cable clutter, IOGEAR’s Wireless USB to VGA Kit lets you wirelessly extend your computer to your big-screen TV, making it simple and cord-free to view pictures and surf the Web while stretched out on your sofa (instead of hunched over your desk).

Check out the following video for a first-hand look at some of our additional home entertainment products:

What makes your living room the perfect home theater? Let us know in the comments! Or even better, post a picture on our FaceBook page.

Cheers!
The IOGEAR team

As Americans brace themselves for economic uncertainty and equip themselves with the necessities of everyday living, one idea that is floating around and gaining in popularity is that of technology convergence.

People are combining multiple services and technologies in order to meet their digital needs, streamline their lives and save money.

So what do we mean by technology convergence? Basically, as technology advances, services are merging. One recent example of convergence is the idea of streaming traditional TV programming from your computer to your big screen TV, allowing consumers to save money by cutting or reducing their cable bill.

IOGEAR offers a wireless way to easily connect your computer to your TV with its Wireless USB to VGA Kit. This product gives you the ability to stream video content from a computer to a LCD TV display and share it with friends and family.

Not only can you view media content, but users can multi-task and browse the Internet from the comfort of their couch.

For a more detailed explanation of how the IOGEAR Wireless USB to VGA Kit works, please see the story by ComputerTV below.

Convergence will be a key theme for IOGEAR this year, so stay tuned for more exciting products.

What services have you merged lately? Feel free to leave us a comment explaining your technology convergence.

Cheers,
The IOGEAR Team

Do you have a home theater or work area cluttered with wires? IOGEAR wants to help you stop the madness by giving you some prizes to achieve Zen like peace…well maybe not exactly

Show us pictures or video of places where you could use IOGEAR’s assistance along with a description of how the below products would specifically help and you could win one of these fantastic prizes:

First Place – Wireless USB to VGA Kit

IOGEAR’s Wireless USB to VGA Kit lets you connect a VGA display to your computer using Wireless USB technology. What that means is you can browse the web on your television or on a remote monitor without having to use wires.

Second Place – USB Laptop KVM Switch

Need to transfer data from your laptop to your desktop or control one computer with another? The IOGEAR USB Laptop KVM Switch lets you seamlessly control two different computers from one and transfer files back and forth. It is the perfect accessory for netbook owners that want to look at a bigger screen when they’re not away from their desk or office.

Third Place – Wireless Desktop Keyboard and Mouse

IOGEAR’s Wireless Desktop Keyboard and Mouse allows you to reduce the wires and clutter on your desktop. This keyboard makes things even simpler by offering hotkeys to give you quick access to launch things like e-mail and your web browser with the click of one button.

Want to get in on the prize action? Upload a photo or video to your favorite photo/video sharing site, tag it with the term IOGEAR, and then submit a link to the photo and/or video through this form (the data submitted on this form is private) and on our FaceBook Page (become our fan and post your links to our wall with links to your photo(s) and/or video along with the description about how you would use these prizes to solve your clutter challenges).

The contest ends April 30, 2009.

Wireless is everywhere – schools, hospitals, restaurants and even hotels and libraries. So what is the difference between Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Wireless USB?

Wi-Fi, which stands for wireless fidelity, refers to wireless Internet and is the technology behind wireless networks used to access the Internet without using cables. To learn more about how Wi-Fi works click here. IOGEAR has a cool little device  that helps you find Hot Spots without opening up your computer.

Bluetooth is the technology that allows for the exchange of information at a short range between one or more devices, such as a cell phone, computer or PDA. Data can only be exchanged at rates of up to 2 Mbps, so it’s good for low-bandwidth exchanges of information. Here are some cool Bluetooth devices by IOGEAR.

Wireless USB extends the speeds of traditional USB cables to the airwaves, allowing users to connect their computers to various peripherals such as monitors, TVs, printers, digital cameras and external hard drives. Unlike Bluetooth, Wireless USB operates at much faster speeds, allowing large files such as music and videos to be sent from one source to another.

IOGEAR offers a number of wireless products that help you connect wirelessly, such as the IOGEAR Wireless USB to VGA Kit. This product enables users to wirelessly stream PC content to an in-room TV or projector.

What kind of wireless technology do you use on a daily basis?

Cheers,
The IOGEAR Team

Going wireless used to be the luxury of those who were ahead of the technology curve and had access to a healthy budget. Fortunately, wireless technology has matured to a point where pricing is comparable to wired alternatives. Here we examine the evolution of two technologies that highlight some of the many advantages of going wireless.

Presentation Solutions

Traveling professionals often need to give presentations on the road, often dealing with the inconvenience of carrying bulky equipment and all the associated cables. In many cases a projector is provided, and with any luck, you may be able to actually get it to work with your computer (sigh…). Then there is the issue with the cabling. It seems far too often that the cable is just one inch shy of successfully plugging in.

To be even safer, it can be convenient to carry along your own projector. In the days of old, you were stuck with carrying something bulky like this, but fortunately, new technology advances allow for much smaller form factors. Combine a small form factor projector with a Wireless USB to VGA kit , which won the International CES 2009 Honoree Award, and you have one slick presentation. Now if only the devices could actually create the presentation for you…

Here is an example of the gear in action:

Looking towards the future, IOGEAR just won PC World’s Gear of the Year award for a version that also includes audio, the Wireless USB Audio/Video kit. Look for it April 2009.

Connectivity Solutions

As USB devices proliferate, there are more and more gadgets and devices to plug into your computer. It is not always convenient to have all of these devices located in a cluster together, because often times you end up with a scenario like this when you use wired USB hubs. With IOGEAR’s Wireless USB hub and adapter, you can finally achieve that Zen-like workspace you’ve been dreaming about during your yoga lessons.

Take a look for yourself:

How are you going wireless? How would you like to go wireless?

Chocolates, candy, flowers – while all these are fine and dandy, why not give a loved one something more practical, or even better, something that brings you closer together?

IOGEAR has several recommendations to ‘woo’ your significant other this Valentine’s Day:

GearPower: What better way to say I love you than to make sure you can keep in contact with each other, 24/7? GearPower is a lightweight, portable battery that can charge a variety of mobile devices on-the-go, eliminating the need to plug in to a power outlet. Check it out here.

Portable Media Server Player: Watch movies, view pictures and listen to music with your partner anywhere with this versatile and powerful device! The Portable Media Server Player hooks up to any standard definition TV, HDTV or display and has 120GB of internal memory, meaning it can store up to 34,000 digital photos, 30,000 MP3s or nine hours of Digital Video. Load up on your favorite tunes, couple pics and romantic flicks and snuggle up on the couch – the Portable Media Server Player will take care of everything else!

USB Laptop KVM Switch with File Transfer: Since you’re already connected at the hip, you might as well be connected to each other’s USB ports, right? When you’re on your laptops next to each other in bed (don’t deny it!), sync up with IOGEAR’s USB Laptop KVM Switch, which easily facilitates file transfers so you can share music, pictures and documents quickly and efficiently. It also lets you control the secondary computer, so when your significant other needs troubleshooting, you don’t have to move a muscle – just toggle between screens.

Here’s to hoping Cupid’s aim is on target this year!

XOXO,
Your friends at IOGEAR

After providing a solution for your wire clutter problems on a previous post, we found great interest on the topic; judging from the amount of web traffic sent to that blog post. Here, we expand on the idea of de-cluttering with 4 ways to help move towards a de-cluttered digital life.

1. Wireless VGA – Connecting to your display wirelessly

Whether you are giving a presentation or watching a movie on your computer through a projector at home, you can finally put away that extra long VGA cord. This handy device not only reduces clutter, but adds at least ten points to your coolness factor . Learn more from the video.

2. Use Existing Wires

Using the existing electrical power lines in your home or business you can do some amazing things:

-       Stream music to any room, a great way to create a holiday atmosphere

-       Network your computers without a degree in Computer science

-       Extend a Wi-Fi network to the furthest part of your home or business

3. KVM – Easy Switching and File Sharing Between Two Computers

If you have a PC and a laptop on your desk, a KVM switch will reduce the clutter on your desk while allowing you to control both computers with the same keyboard, video display and mouse.

4. Portable Media Server – Free Your Photos, Songs and Movies

Getting photos, songs and movies to play from your PC onto a TV, HDTV or display usually means hauling a computer around and dealing with a mess of cables. With the Portable Media Server, not only do you eliminate the need to lug a PC around to enjoy your content, you can take your entertainment on the road!

What are your favorite tips for de-cluttering your digital life?

Living in an increasingly digital age, it is difficult to decipher how to maximize resources for a fully-integrated digital home. Consumers are looking for the best products to wisely equip their households, simply and cost-effectively. With today’s digital world and ambiguous economy, it is important for individuals to utilize the resources at their fingertips, and one of the best ways to do so is through integration.

Connect to Your PC to a TV or Project Wirelessly

An example of this technology merge occurs when people connect their PCs to their televisions, such as users of our Wireless USB to VGA Kit, who can wirelessly display PC content on their television screen or projector within the same room.

Install Multi-Room Audio Systems with No Wires

We also see a growing number of customers using our Powerline Stereo Audio System, which makes use of a home’s existing power lines and enables individuals to easily install a multi-room audio distribution system.

Looking Towards to the Future

At IOGEAR we are always thinking of ways to make your digital life simpler. Next time you feel confused about different technologies and their price tags, consider how our products can save you the time and money.

What products can we create to make your life even easier?