With broadband connections rising in the United States and YouTube kicking off the share your video genre of Web sites that now has dozens of copycats, consumers have become more accustomed to watching TV, movies and videos on their computers. Additionally, with the dropping price of digital cameras and video cameras, and the video and photo features in cell phones, we now witness a whole new generation of consumers that are creating, editing, sharing and consuming media content online.

Pay-per-view options via Amazon and iTunes deliver video instantly to your computer as opposed to the now dated act of getting in the car and heading to the local video rental store, or waiting for your Netflix movie to physically show up in the mail. Netflix offers a wide collection of streaming video content but rarely provides newly released items for instant streaming.

Realizing consumers’ needs, Hollywood is now listening. They’ve Studio executive have slowly warmed to the idea of putting full shows online within 24 hours of the original air-date on traditional TV. This recent UK article shows the dramatic spike in online views of video based content, further reinforcing how much consumers want this option. With more than 80 sites available to legally stream movies, TV shows and short video clips now, clearly the shift to online content viewing is happening now and fast.

All of this is great news for consumers as it makes entertainment easier and cheaper, however, being stuck to your desk, office or kitchen table with a laptop is not the most enjoyable way to watch his newly available content. Having a dedicated computer to soley serve as a multimedia station for most, is a burden they’d rather not deal with. The set up, the proximity to the TV and figuring out how to use it and where to put it, can cause a huge headache. Anyone who’s taken the time to hang their flat panel TV on the wall and fish the cables down through it to have a clean look knows parking a computer tower under it is not the most aesthetically pleasing option.

There is now a better option available.

IOGEAR has introduced the Wireless Audio / Video Kit, which is changing how everyone views multimedia content from the Internet. A simple, clean and no-hassle hookup with no cables will have the video transmitting from your computer to your HD TV up to 30 feet away.

Now you can easily enjoy your HD TV from the comfort of your couch with the near limitless content available online. Unlike digital video recorders which cost several hundred dollars and require a monthly service fee, once you purchase the Wireless Audio / Video Kit it’s yours. The only other requirements are a TV and a broadband Internet connection.

Use the Wireless Audio / Video Kit for more than just streaming video. Easily show videos you’ve made on your camera after you’ve transferred them to a computer, or setup a slideshow of still photographs on your computer to be displayed when you aren’t watching videos. This technology easily converts your TV into a digital photo frame!

Showing you just how easy it is to connect your PC to TV can be opens a whole new world of exciting possibilities, entertainment and cost savings for you and your family. The added benefit of embracing one of the newest and fastest growing digital trends also means quicker delivery of media and instant gratification.

Internet on TV is a trend that still at the beginning stages of explosive growth and IOGEAR is at the forefront, bringing you cutting edge technology to allow full enjoyment of everything the Internet has to offer and will offer for years to come.

You can pick up or order a Wireless Audio / Video Kit today at Best Buy, Micro Center, Fry’s, Amazon or at our own IOGEAR store.

The Wall Street Journal recently published a story predicting that the larger big-ticket technologies will remain on the shelves and consumers will instead go home with the latest gadgets this holiday season. As this article and other industry experts predict, the average consumer will purchase more affordable gadgets and less ‘blockbuster’ devices this season.


So what does this mean? Well, consumers, like you, are prepared and willing to spend $300 or less on tech gadgets this year. With most of today’s most popular consumer electronics (CE) products falling into this price category, it looks like everything from netbooks, to the latest e-book reader and high fidelity speakers might top 2009 Christmas shopping lists.

As we reflect on these predictions and the recent CE trends, we believe that IOGEAR’s Wireless Audio / Video Kit (MSRP @ $299.95) is a perfect fit for this year’s gift exchange.

We offer the Wireless Audio / Video Kit which allows users to stream both audio and video content (up to 720p) wirelessly from their PC to their TV up to 30 feet away. Users can eliminate unnecessary cable clutter and enjoy the best of the Web on their larger TVs from the comforts of their couch. This solution truly gives you or the person receiving this gift the ability to stream wirelessly from PC to TV a reality.

What other gadgets are you looking to put under your tree this holiday season?

Cheers,
The IOGEAR Team

Technology has effected a drastic change on how we live, mostly for the better. The only downside to moving into a digital world can be the somewhat overwhelming feeling of dealing with, maintaining and utilizing all of the technologies available and keeping the rest of your home and life clutter free and peaceful. Phew… it’s stressful just to write that …

Ironically, new technology has been created to simplify older digital technology to better integrate into our homes, as discussed in our MORE Tech, with WireLESS article. Small, simple solutions to make items wireless, small and with better functionality, not only eliminate wires but often times improve efficiency. One example is freeing your USB peripherals, which often means no more tripping over USB printer cables and moving large devices off your desk to another part of the office. Clean, organized workspaces and home layouts are not only more efficient to work in, they tend to be more enjoyable by everyone.

Further pushing the envelope of digital movement and helping to achieve a simpler tech life is the IOGEAR USB Net ShareStation.

This small device connects anywhere in your home network and lets you plug a USB device in to share that USB device (e.g. printer) among your PCs. Perfect for new parents who want to put a small web camera in the nursery to monitor their child without putting a whole computer in the room just to attach a web cam. This can also be used to easily add a USB external hard drive, card reader or just about any other USB device to your network without needing a computer right next to it.

The IOGEAR Wireless Audio / Video Kit is the perfect tie in for any multimedia room or to add the experience of streaming content and movies right to your TV.

The trouble up until now was a dedicated computer needed to be right next to the television and a spaghetti mess of cables was used to connect the two. Utilizing the Wireless Audio / Video kit means any computer or laptop within a 30 foot range can now stream HD content without the bulk of cables or the need for a dedicated computer attached to your TV.

The State of Internet TV is changing, evolving and revolutionizing how we access, view and enjoy content and media. Best of all, must of us already have a computer and broadband internet, so only a small investment is needed to enjoy the content on a larger TV with the ease and simplicity of being wireless.

Digital Zen isn’t hard to achieve utilizing some easily applicable new technology; the reward of having a clean and simple home in return is nearly priceless. Enjoying life doesn’t need to include cluttered, confusing technology; embracing evolving technology often leads to cleaner, simpler and more robust implementations.

Here are some further resources to help you propel your digital life:

• ZenHabits.net – This site is dedicated to simple productive tips and advice across many areas including technology.
• MakeUseOf.com – Dedicated to website and software applications that not only help improve productivity, but are just plain cool.
• LifeHacker.com – Many, many, MANY articles about how to simplify life using technology, covering a wide variety of platforms.
• WebWorkerDaily.com – If you spend much of your time working online, then this site will deserve a place in your bookmarks.
• LifeHacks.AllTop.com – If those resources are not enough, enjoy this mega-list of productivity enhancing web sites from Guy Kawasaki’s AllTop.com network.

Entertainment in the home has been going on for as long as man could make sounds by beating sticks onto walls. We generally associate home entertainment, as we know it today by starting in the last 19th century with the phonograph. Commonly called a gramophone or record player, these devices started to appear around the 1870’s and played recorded sounds, something almost mind-blowing for the time. Users were limited in the selection of sounds and spoken word titles available though and for the most part, this cutting edge technology was only enjoyed by the wealthy.

The radio came about just before the turn of the 20th century and then subsequently allowed families to enjoy music and spoken word in the comfort of their own home; the need to go to an auditorium was no longer needed. Best yet, no records or cylinders needed to be purchased, the sound was transmitted live, a totally new concept for the time. This led to a whole new way for families and friends to bond, crowded around radio sets and often involved several families since the new technology was expensive. Above and beyond that, the availability for live news and weather events to be broadcast, as they were about to happen, would end up forever changing our lives. We could now get news and information the day of, not the day after from a traditional newspaper.

By the 1940’s the television had made it’s mark, once again revolutionizing how families enjoyed entertainment. With live and recorded broadcasts, families could now see what they had been listening to on the radio. The television changed our lives so much, the invention of the TV dinner was introduced soon thereafter to encourage people to eat a meal easily in front of the television as not to miss out on anything.

Audio quality continued to get better throughout the century, and more portable. By the 1940’s reel-to-reel tape had been introduced and was implemented in every big record company to make masters. Record players were in nearly every home by the 1960 and by the mid 60’s the 8-track tape was introduced. This new pocket sized audio format was slightly larger than a pack of cards and greatly more portable than a record. It also didn’t suffer from the same common problem of records, scratches and dust. The 8-track was such a hit that it had started to become a standard option for the automotive industry, as a way to listen to recorded audio on the roads.

The 70’s brought us the cassette tape, a smaller and more portable audio format that allowed for easy home duplication and recording. The cassette tape player became the standard for automobiles and home stereo systems through the 1990’s and led to such amazing products as the mid-80’s Walkman, forever changing how we enjoy music on the go.

1975 was also an evolution in home entertainment when the Betamax was introduced, an economical way for home users to watch, record and watch video again on their own television. 1976 brought the Betamax rival, VHS. This spawned a rather large format war that VHS ultimately won, and started new businesses that allowed the rental of videotapes, rather than purchasing them outright.

The early 80’s saw a huge change in how music was delivered, this time by the Compact Disc, or CD for short. This more refined technology delivered cleaner sound, more space and no need to flip a tape. The sound also didn’t distort after repeated plays, a common problem with cassette tapes when the ribbon would stretch. This new format was expensive and didn’t catch onto the mainstream consumers until the late 80’s, by the mid 90’s though it had become the defacto standard for how to listen to high quality music.

While the VHS tape forever changed how we enjoyed video at home and the Compact Disc gave us the best sound quality, 1995 introduced the new standard in video, with CD quality sound, the DVD. Bringing a new quality of video with unsurpassed sound, the DVD is still a major player in today’s home video market. Like the video cassette rental stores of the last decade, the DVD has led to the introduction of online rental sites, like Netflix, which allow users to have movies delivered right to their home for enjoyment.

Throughout the 1990’s and into the 21st century home televisions continued to evolve, getting thinner, bigger and with better displays. The two most common models are now LCD and Plasma, both feature high-definition displays, often referred to as HD displays and are considerably thinner than the predecessors. These new displays often include hookups for more than just a DVD player though, the ability to use the television as a monitor for a home computer system is also built into most set designs. Now home entertainment isn’t restricted to broadcast television or recorded media on DVDs or CDs, families can stream internet only radio and television stations right to their HD television and surround sound systems.

Moving forward, Summer 2009 will see the introduction of a new technology from IOGEAR, the Wireless Audio / Video Kit will wirelessly connect a home computer or laptop to a television set. This cutting edge technology will mean no wires are needed and the computer, coupled with a broadband Internet connection, can now bring countless new ways to be entertained at home. With two simple parts to the kit, one to be plugged into the computer, the other into the television, setup couldn’t be any easier, and the lack of cables means a clean, simple design.

The second decade of the 21st century is almost among us, the future is still untold, but if things continue to evolve and revolutionize how they have for the last 100 years, and at the pace they have for the last 20 years, we are clearly in for some mind-blowing, cutting edge home entertainment.

IOGEAR has recently released two new USB products that can improve your computing experience. If you share a USB-based printer, webcam, hard drive, flash drive or IOGEAR’s 12-in1 Pocket Card Reader, these will be useful to you.

The 2-Port USB Printer Auto-Sharing Switch allows you to share a USB printer with any two computers without having to switch the cable. You can connect it to either a Mac and/or PC  and print on either. The switch will automatically detect which computer is printing and do the rest of the work for you. Check out the review at SlashGear.

The 4-Port USB Net ShareStation lets you turn most USB-based devices into networked ones. You can share files on a USB drive, connect a webcam across the house, use USB printers from any computer on your network, or use USB speakers in another room. This ShareStation has virtually limitless possibilities! Here’s what Engadget had to say.

What will you do with your new USB freedom? Leave us a note in the comments!

Cheers,
The IOGEAR Team

Wireless technology is becoming more practical for everyday use, and we have some great products that can help you get MORE out of your technology, with LESS wires!

Many people have laptops or netbooks to use wirelessly around the home or on-the-go, but still have to walk back to the printer and connect with a USB cable to print. We think that’s crazy! The 4-Port USB Net ShareStation can make any USB peripheral into a networked device. Hook it up to your wireless router to share a printer or external hard drive and access documents and files. It’s a simple way to turn wired into wireless and save yourself the headache of being tangled in cables.

The Wireless USB Hub and Adapter Kit is another way to go wireless. It works just like your regular USB hub only without the cables since it comes with a Wireless USB adapter for your PC.

Not everyone has the newest wireless technology built in to their computers. If you’ve been waiting to get on the Bluetooth bandwagon, the Bluetooth 2.0 USB Micro Adapter makes it as simple as plugging a finger-nail size device into your USB port. The product allows you to connect to Bluetooth devices like cell phones, PDAs, mice and keyboards, and its small size prevents blockage to any surrounding USB ports. To get on the Internet wirelessly with faster speeds, you can upgrade your computer with our Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter.

If you’re not sure what kind of adapter you need, check out this article from our friends at Wisegeek for a good overview.

What kind of technology do you use to go from mo’ wires to no wires? Leave us a comment and let us know!

If you are currently suffering from an “over-wired” experience, check out our contest where we are helping three lucky winners to de-clutter with free IOGEAR products.

Cheers,
The IOGEAR Team

Right now the hottest term in computers is Netbook, it’s a combination of Internet and Notebook, and generally refers to laptop computers that have smaller than a 10” screen. For the most part, Netbooks are primarily used for browsing the Internet, email and intended to be small enough to take anywhere.

There is a sacrifice to be made with them, and that is generally in terms of a much slower processor compared to a full sized laptop, smaller hard drives, less RAM and usually a condensed keyboard. Most Netbooks come in well under $500 though, so they are attractive to someone who needs to accomplish a little more than their Blackberry or iPhone can do, but doesn’t’ want to haul their full sized laptop around.

Some interesting features on Netbooks coming out also include facial recognition software for security, built in card readers and built in 3G Internet connections though various mobile cellular phone services.

Following is a roundup of some of the most popular Netbooks on the market today.

MSI Wind

Among the leaders of the pack is the MSI Wind U123H. With a 10” screen, it boasts one of the largest native resolutions of 1024×600. Compared with a 13.3” MacBook that runs at 1280×800, you realize you’re getting a lot of screen real estate for 10”. Other key features are an Intel Atom 1.66GHz processor, 1GB of onboard DDR2 RAM, a built in web cam for video chat, 4 in 1 card reader, 3G communication and Bluetooth. One of the most appealing aspects of the Wind is that it utilizes a standard sized 2.5” SATA internal hard drive, available in 80, 120 or 160GB configurations. This dwarfs some of the other Netbooks. All of this does come at a slight tradeoff though, weighing 2.2 pounds fully loaded, it’s slightly heavier than the competition.

Dell Inspiron Mini 9

The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 is one of the better known Netbooks with prices ranging from $249 for the entry level unit running Ubuntu Linux to well over $500 for a fully loaded unit with Windows XP. You’ll find a smaller screen than the MSI at only 8.9”, but the same 1024×600 screen resolution. Additionally, you will find the same DDR2 memory in the Mini 9, but only 512mb, no card reader, no 3G mobile broadband and a meek 8GB hard drive. In fairness, it is a solid-state hard drive, so battery life should be long (over 6 hours), but 8GB is barely enough to do, well anything with. Dell’s buying power and selling volume helps keep their prices lower than most others, but the lack of extra features is enough to make the lesser-known competition look really interesting.

Acer Aspire One

One of the most customizable and feature rich laptops is the Acer Aspire One, available in 8.9” or 10.1” configurations with enough options to make your head spin. Acer offers dozens of pre-configured models so it should be possible to fill your needs with just about anything they offer. The 8.9” version sports the same 1024×600 screen resolution as the Mini 9, comes pre-loaded with XP Home or the lesser known Linux distro Linpus, options for 120GB / 160GB SATA hard drive or 8GB / 16GB solid state drive, a slightly slower 1.60GHz Intel processor, 512MB of RAM, built in webcam, 3G connectivity and multi card reader. Depending on the configuration you get, battery charge times should last between 2.5 and 4 hours, and prices can range from $299 – $600+.

HP Mini 1000

The heaviest Netbooks of the bunch are the HP Mini 1000 collection, available in several different configurations, they start tipping the scales at 2.3lbs and go up from there. HP has done something unique in that they’ve rolled out their own operating system of sorts, called Mi, short for Mobile Internet, built on top of Linux. The goal is obviously to reduce the overall cost of the Netbook, but the buyer might not be ready to try a whole new interface, and just spend the extra money to get it loaded with Windows XP. Powered by Intel Atom processors, only having 60GB SATA hard drives as an option and lack of some of the other featured packed Netbooks out there, Mini 1000’s are the most lackluster of the bunch. It has a reader for SD cards, no 3g, no webcam and a weight that is 20% greater than most other Netbooks.

Asus Eee PC

If there was a grandfather to the Netbook revolution it would be the Asus Eee PC, offering cheap, small, feature rich Netbooks to the masses. Since their initial launch they’ve continued to lead the way in Netbooks, offering them in countless variations from 7, 9 and 10” versions, SATA and solid state hard drives, card readers, mobile broadband and battery life in some models that will exceed 8 hours. The Eee PC comes with Linux or XP operating systems and most feature the standard 1024×600 screen resolution. Prices also vary from sub $300 to well over $600 depending on configuration.

Accessories

The one thing that all of these Netbooks have in common is that they were not designed to be a primary computer. For the most part, they are intended to be a secondary, on-the-go computer to help you be more productive than a smart phone without the bulk of a full sized laptop. Since most Netbook users will have a need to offload data onto their primary computers on a regular basis, IOGEAR makes a USB Laptop KVM Switch with File Transfer. It allows the user to seamlessly control a secondary computer with a laptop as the console. An onscreen menu system allows you to easily transfer and backup data from one computer to the other and an extra USB port allows for another peripheral to be connected, such as an external hard drive.

Add an IOGEAR Wireless USB Hub and Adapter and you can put up to 30 feet between your Netbook and other devices, such as printers, scanners or external hard drives, to help eliminate cables and clutter. The Wireless USB Hub and Adapter will give you the freedom to move around your home office with your Netbook and still use all the devices you normally would.

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?