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Best Buy to Offer 4G Mobile Broadband via Clearwire in 2011

jessica — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Best Buy announced that beginning in 2011 they will begin using Clearwire's 4G mobile network under the Best Buy Connect service. This will be the first 4G option offered by Best Buy Connect.

"Our strategic wholesale agreement with Clearwire will enable Best Buy Connect to leverage the Clearwire 4G network’s speed and bandwidth to deliver compelling new mobile broadband experiences for our customers," said Jed Stillman, vice president of Best Buy Connect. "This agreement paves the way to providing one-stop shopping and support for mobile broadband as more people become more connected across all kinds of devices. We believe consumers will appreciate the added advantage of relying on Best Buy Connect for both 3G and 4G mobile broadband services beginning next year."

Additional details can be found at www.bestbuy.com/bestbuyconnect.

Wet Circuits Waterproof, Shockproof Power Strip

jessica — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:35:37 +0000

Power strips. Everyone has at least one power strip/surge protector either at work or at home protecting their electronics. Have you ever wondered what would happen if it got wet? Scary thought, isn't it? Well, a company called Wet Circuits thought they would come out with a power strip that is both water-resistant and shockproof. Built to withstand accidental spills (even rain and snow!), with a Wet Circuits power strip you can feel safe knowing your electronics are still powered up and good to go! Heck - you can even stick a tweezer in the outlet and you won't be electrocuted.

Check out these demonstration videos:

Experiment 1

Experiment 2

Experiment 3

How it works

More info:

Patented water-resistant design and protective materials allow for continued indoor/outdoor use of plugged-in machines when faced with rain, snow, or an accidental coffee spill
"Touch Protection" feature makes Wet Circuits completely children and animal safe – sticking tweezers or other foreign objects in the outlet won't cause electric shock
Smart fuse and circuit breaker can sense excess overheating (231-249º F) and discontinue any electric charge to prevent residential fires
Promises four times the lifespan of normal power strips

The Wet Circuits Power Strip is available now at www.wetcircuits.com for $70.

Verizon Wireless Launches Samsung Intensity II

jessica — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:54:39 +0000

The new Samsung Intensity II is available online at www.verizonwireless.com now and in Verizon Wireless stores within the next few weeks.

The Intensity II features a 2.2-inch QVGA screen, Bluetooth, a horizontal slide-out QWERTY keyboard, microSD card slot (supports up to 32 GB), a music player, one-touch access to social networking sites, and a 1.3-megapixel infrared camera with night vision.

Being eco-conscious, Samsung made the device partly from recycled plastic. The exterior battery cover is made from 35 percent post-consumer materials, and for those interested in calculating their own carbon footprints, the Intensity II has an eco-calculator to track car fuel mileage, efficiency and estimated amount of carbon dioxide emitted.

Available in Deep Gray and Metallic Blue, the Samsung Intensity II is available online today at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the coming weeks for $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

Best Buy Gives iPhone 4 Shoppers Free Side Shield

jessica — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Best Buy announced a special for those who have purchased an iPhone 4 at Best Buy (or plan on buying one): a free Side Shield from invisibleSHIELD. The Side Shield is a clear shield that is applied to the outer edges of the device which is said to address the iPhone 4's antenna issues. ZAGG, the makers of invisibleSHIELD products, have tested the Side Shield and say that it prevents antenna issues that occur when skin contacts the antenna of the iPhone 4.

The Side Shield is available free of charge, with installation included, to anyone who purchased or will purchase an iPhone 4 from Best Buy and is extended to all existing Reward Zone customers. The Side Shield is also available to the general public for $9.99, including installation.

The company is also offering 20% off of any iPhone 4 case through August 7, 2010.

"Consumers are looking for immediate solutions and the Side Shield is a great option," said Scott Moore, vice president of marketing for Best Buy Mobile. "At the same time, we know that customers are always looking for ways to personalize and protect their smart phones. That's why we are so focused on having multiple options—people want to choose what's right for them."

Panasonic's SDX1 and TA1 HD Camcorders are Web Cams too

jessica — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:39:37 +0000

The folks over at Panasonic have been busy bees lately. Yesterday we told you about the new 3D camcorder and today we have two new Panasonic camcorders that double as web cams, the HDC-SDX1 and HM-TA1.

The HM-TA1 is a pocket camcorder that shoots 1080p HD video as well as 8 megapixel stills. It also doubles as a web cam and microphone by just connecting it to a computer via (included) USB port. Software is integrated as well, so using video chatting services such as Skype easy.

The TA1 features a 2.0" LCD monitor, 4x digital zoom, and records to an SDXC/SDHC/SD memory card. A built-in LED light is included for shooting in dimly-lit locations. This pocket cam measures just 2.09 inch (w) x 0.70 inch (d) x 4.09 inch (h), and weighs just 0.25lb (and that's with the battery and SD card!).

The Panasonic HM-TA1 comes with a wrist strap for carrying and will be available in purple, dark grey and red in August 2010 for $169.95.

The new HDC-SDX1 is Panasonic's lightest full-HD camcorder, weighing in at just under 0.41 lbs. The SDX1 features a 2.7" touch screen, has full-HD AVCHD recording capabilities with 1920 x 1080 image quality, and records in MP4 format. It has a 35.8mm wide-angle lens, 23x Intelligent Zoom and can also double as a web camera and microphone.

The Panasonic SDX1 also utilizes a newly-developed HYBRID Optical Image Stabilization system (O.I.S.), as well as O.I.S. lock for better hand-shake correction. The camcorder also has Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto (iA) mode which selects the best of six shooting modes including Face Recognition, the new HYBRID O.I.S., AF/AE Tracking, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Detection and Intelligent Contrast Control.

The Panasonic HDC-SDX1 will be available in black in September 2010 for $499.95. For more information on Panasonic camcorders, visit www.panasonic.com/dvc.

Amazon Debuts New Kindle 3G, Kindle Wi-Fi

jessica — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:08:45 +0000

Amazon this week announced a smaller, lighter and faster Kindle. The latest Kindle also has a new electronic-ink screen with 50 percent better contrast, a new design with a 21 percent smaller body while still keeping the same 6-inch-size reading area, and a 15 percent lighter weight at just 8.7 ounces.

The new Kindle also offers 20 percent faster page turns, up to one month of battery life, double the storage to 3,500 books, and built-in Wi-Fi -- for only $189, and it still comes with free 3G wireless.

The device also uses a new (experimental) web browser based on the open source browser engine, WebKit. The updated browser is said to be faster, easier to navigate, and has a new "article mode" feature that lets you view just the text-based content of web pages. The new Kindle also can read to you with its Text-to Speech feature, and the device has a new lighted leather cover with a built-in, retractable reading light.

Amazon also introduced the Kindle Wi-Fi, a cheaper option for readers who don't need free 3G wireless. Kindle Wi-Fi has all the same features of the 3G version (minus free 3G wireless), same bookstore, same high-contrast electronic paper display, and it's even a bit lighter, weighing in at 8.5 ounces. The Kindle Wi-Fi is priced at $139.

The new Kindle and Kindle Wi-Fi are now available for pre-order at www.amazon.com/kindle3G and www.amazon.com/kindleWi-Fi, and will ship to customers beginning August 27.

SanDisk's Cruzer Blade USB is Smallest to Date

jessica — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:35:20 +0000

SanDisk has a new USB flash drive that is super-tiny. In fact, it is the company's smallest to date. About the size of a standard size paper clip, the Cruzer Blade fits easily on your keychain or mobile phone dongle. It won't weigh it down either. The Cruzer Blade weighs about the same as a penny.

The SanDisk Cruzer Blade is available in capacities ranging from 2GB to 16GB, with a 4GB drive storing approximately 1,000 songs, 1,200 high-resolution photos, or 8 hours of 768kb/s video.

"At half the size of some other USB drives, our compact Cruzer Blade provides consumers with highly portable storage at a great value," said Kent Perry, director, retail product marketing, SanDisk. "The drive lets users transfer their digital data quickly between computers, and delivers a storage boost to devices such as netbooks that often need additional memory but are difficult to upgrade easily."

The SanDisk Cruzer Blade USB flash drive is available now at sandisk.com, with prices ranging from $14.99 to $77.99.

Gen X, Gen Y: Creating Havoc for Marketers

jessica — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0000

"Whatever you've got to tell me, I'll find out through the natural course of time." – Dr. Emmett Brown, Back to the Future (1985)

We hate kids…O.K., the word "hate" may be a little too strong. We're jealous of them! There, we said it…we're glad…we've got two of our own!

We're part of the Baby Boomer Generation--(there are two parts -- 1946 – 1964). Then, there are the Gen Xers ('65 – '78). Then Gen Y ('79 – '89). Now, it's the iGen (1990 – 2009).

No, that isn't the "i" Jobs would like. It's the "i" as in instant, immediate, individual. They're creating havoc with business because we simply cannot figure out how to monetize tomorrow's hardware, software, service solutions.

We loved the old CEA (Consumer Electronics Association) chart of technology adoption:

PCs took 21 years for 50% household penetration
Color TV took 13 years
Cellphones took 12 years
Cordless phones took 15 years

Notice anything? Yeah! Mainstream adoption is taking less and less time. The younger groups start out with a clean slate. They've never known a world without their toys and they're a natural part of their lives. Or, as Marty McFly said, "Which... is what makes time travel possible."

Just look at what it took for our newer technologies to gain critical mass.

Faster Learning – The day of the slow, steady introduction, acceptance, mainstream usage of technology is speeding by us. The younger generations seem to have no difficulty in absorbing multiple technologies, applications in almost no time at all. They individualize the offerings to their specific wants/needs. Source – Rewired, Dr. Larry Rosen

And the little dwerbs? They are light years ahead of us because so many of the really neat things were "just" introduced when they were learning to crawl and talk.

Today's iTools

Just since 2000, look at what we introduced for them:

iPod
iPhone
Wii
MySpace
Facebook
YouTube
Twitter
Flash Drives
XBox
Satellite Radio
Napster
Firefox

No wonder our daughter is comfortable going back and forth with three screens texting, tweeting, IMing, skyping, blogging.

More Tools, More Access – iGen and GenY kids not only get the technology tools sooner, they also put them into use more quickly to stay in touch with everyone. Privacy and security are of little concern to them, since they believe "everything" is out there and available to them. Source – Pew Internet's American Life Project

She can't believe the little girl down the street has her own mobile phone and she's only seven or eight. Doesn't bother us. What bothers us is that the little urchin can text like crazy, and we have a tough time even using the pre-programmed quick notes on the phone.

Text or Talk – While kids seem to be getting mobile phones earlier and earlier, many will use the units to text more than make phone calls. Of course, spelling is still a challenge but…

They just seem to be getting the communications and creative tools earlier and earlier.

Staying in Touch – Kids are getting mobile phones at an earlier and earlier age. Whether it is the challenges of the world we live in or the parent's need to give youngsters more than they had, whatever it is …it's working. Then too, there's the fact that families are increasingly freeing their homes of old-fashioned landlines. Source – MRI

iGeners really do believe Dr. Brown's words, "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads."

According to a Pew Internet study:

one-third of kids under 5 have a television in their bedrooms
two-thirds of children, pre-teens and teenagers have bedroom TVs
half the school-aged children – up to the early teens – have a video game console and a handheld video game player
half the pre-teen students have their own cell phone and iPod
only one in four 9- to 12-year-olds have a computer in their bedrooms
nearly half of all high school students have computers in their rooms

The little girl down the street had her first computer when she was three (our daughter had to settle for an Atari game system).

A number of anthropologists and child psychologists say that all the great technology is wiring their minds differently from ours.

Multitasking Pros

Gotta' be some truth to it because the little girl can multitask like a champ! She can e-mail, instant message, chat, handle calls, text message like crazy. It amazes our daughter. In fact, she thinks the whole idea of "little kids" with all these tools is just ridiculous! But, as Marty said, "Believe me, it makes perfect sense."

No wonder these kids are better than us Boomers.

They're rewired and able to multitask better according to a Cal State study:

16- to 18-year-olds perform seven tasks in their free time – texting, IMing, checking Facebook, "watching" TV
folks in their early 20s can only handle six
people in their 30s can fumble through five and a half
Boomers? Huh ????

And the volume of calls and text messages that kids handle just keeps growing and growing.

Phone Bills Grow – While teens and tweens steadily increase their voice/text calls, they also tap into all of the social media opportunities that are now available to them, including downloading music, videos and social site updates. Source – Nielsen

According to Nielsen's research:

5- to 8-year-olds communicate "electronically" a half-hour a day
9- to 10-year olds communicate nearly two-and-a-half hours
13- to 15-year-olds more than six hours
16- to 18-year-olds eight-and-a-half-hours a day

Our son is so good with his wired/wireless tools he can create text messages with his eyes closed. Man, we have to cheat periodically just to touch-type! Texting? Our brain was wired and our hands were trained for a big keyboard. We're not quite as retarded as Lorraine Baines when she said, "I've never seen purple underwear before!"

But sometimes we feel close.

There are more differences we have to come to grips with. We talked to a friend in Florida who said he and his wife use Skype video with their son in San Francisco every weekend to talk with their grandkids. When they visit, the youngsters know them instantly. The iGeners (and their older peers) just seem to move more smoothly between the virtual and real world.

Between Two Worlds – Today's teens and tweens move almost seamlessly between the virtual and real worlds. Transporting themselves back and forth, they enrich their education and experiences.

Us?

The "Printed" Word

We've been struggling to read books on a Kindle. We still like the "feel" of a book. The little kid down the street? She just refers to the Kindle as "our books." If we step outside of our comfort zone, she's right. It's the content, not the form. But it's so hard to give up the printed word! We agree with Marty though, "If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything."

The increasingly rewired generations do stuff, handle stuff, process stuff in ways those in the business of developing, pitching, selling hardware/software/service are having a helluva' time figuring out.

Instant Individuality

These generations of influencers (we didn't say earners) are:

Media Gobblers
E-Communicators
Virtual Lifestylers
Game Players
Content Creators
Tactile Learners
Open to Change
Motivated

They want it:

Available Anywhere
Available Anytime 24/7
Flexible, Easy-to- Use
Interactive –Under Their Controlled
Collaborative

Oh yeah…they want answers and "it" NOW!

Generation Gaps – While they may be only a few years apart physically, Gen Yers and iGeners have completely different expectations of the products and services available to them today. While multitasking increases in the early years, psychologists and socialists have mixed views on whether or not the younger generations will be more selective or have a shorter attention span as they get older.

They don't want to wait because they're never off the grid! That's gonna' play havoc for the folks who want to inform, educate folks to sell and support stuff. It means we can't afford to be off the grid either! Ever! But that sorta, kinda changes everything doesn't it?

Privacy, Security

We recently attended the RSA conference and the Boomers, Gen Xers were sweating through all the security challenges they were facing. The Gen Yers and iGeners aren't that worried about privacy. Cripes, they tweet, text, IM everything! They accept the fact that anyone can geoposition their phones. Being out there is just part of being!

Our challenge is how in the heck we rewire our brain to keep up with them. The industry has to figure out what they want/need, how to develop/deliver products and solutions. As far as they're concerned, it will just be there…we just don't know what it is! Unlike Dr. Brown, we can't afford to wait 30 years to talk about all the things that are happening right now or in the days ahead.

We need his Flux Capacitor…Then, we can zip forward and catch up with the iGeners to get a peek at what they need then…now.

Cuz' right now, we're real hasbeens!

Panasonic Launches First Consumer 3D Camcorder

jessica — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:47:33 +0000

Panasonic this week unveiled the HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder, which the company calls "the world's first consumer 3D camcorder." 3D video content can be recorded thanks to the included 3D conversion lens that you attach to the device. The 3D conversion lens records right-eye and left-eye images simultaneously through its two lenses, with both sides recording at 960 x 1080 pixels.

But 3D video is not all the SDT750 can do. It records full 1080p HD in AVCHD video when the 3D conversion lens is not attached, and also features a 3MOS system, a Leica Dicomar lens and a 12x optical zoom. It also has a Time Lapse recording feature, allowing you to record at intervals of one second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, one minute, or two minutes.

A built-in 5.1-channel audio recording sound system uses five microphones which record from the front, right, left and back for playback on a 5.1-channel home theater system; and a Focus microphone function picks up the sounds in front of the camcorder, whether near or far away.

3D videos recorded on the SDT750 can be played back on 3D-capable televisions, including Panasonic's VIERA Full HD 3DTVs - the TC-P50VT25, TC-P54VT25, TC-P58VT25, TC-P65VT25 and the TC-P50VT20 models. Simply connect the 3D camcorder to the television via an HDMI cable. 3D stills can also be loaded onto an SD card and then played off of AVCHD-compatible Blu-ray players.

The Panasonic HDC-SDT750 will be available in October 2010 for $1,399.95. Get more info at www.panasonic.com/dvc.

Press release:

Panasonic Unveils the World's First 3D Consumer Camcorder, Complete With a 3D Conversion Lens*1

New Panasonic HDC-SDT750 Shoots 3D Video Ready to Play Back on 3D-Capable Televisions, Perfect for Creating a 3D Entertainment Ecosystem at Home

July 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Panasonic today announced the launch of the Panasonic HDC-SDT750, the world's first consumer 3D camcorder, which includes a 3D conversion lens*1 that enables the camcorder to shoot powerful and true-to-life 3D video content. The Panasonic SDT750 is a user-friendly consumer 3D camcorder that makes experiencing 3D at home easy and affordable*2. In addition to shooting 3D, the SDT750 can record full 1080p High Definition (HD) in AVCHD, when the 3D conversion lens is unattached, and includes powerful features such as a 3MOS system, a Leica Dicomar lens and a 12x optical zoom.

"As a result of research conducted through Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory, Panasonic developed a professional 3D system camera and successfully brought high-quality Full HD 3D images to the home for viewing on Panasonic VIERA Full HD 3D televisions. But now, Panasonic has taken it one step further and developed the world's first consumer 3D camcorder, the HDC-SDT750 – creating a 3D ecosystem available for consumers in the home," said Chris Rice, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "Incorporating Panasonic's professional broadcast technology and bringing it to an easy-to-use consumer model, the SDT750 makes high-quality 3D video content a reality in the home."

To shoot 3D video with the Panasonic HDC-SDT750 camcorder, the user needs to attach the 3D conversion lens that comes included, to record dynamic images. The specially-designed 3D conversion lens records right-eye and left-eye images simultaneously through its two lenses, thus resulting in video that can be viewed in 3D. The right and left images (each with 960 x 1080 pixels) that enter through the lenses are recorded using the side-by-side method.

The Panasonic SDT750 features a Time Lapse Recording feature, which plays a scene such as a sunset or a blooming flower at an accelerated speed, similar to a fast-forward. By setting the recording interval to 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute or 2 minutes, the user can view an otherwise long recording in a reduced time period. For example, when a scene is recorded at the 1-second interval setting, a 10-minute sunset scene can be played back in approximately 10 seconds, making the slow change in the subject appear as if it were taking place in a very short time. This interval recording feature is also available when the 3D conversion lens is attached to the SDT750.

Panasonic offers a 5.1-channel audio recording sound system that uses five microphones, so when voices are recorded from the front, right, left and back are played on a 5.1-channel home cinema system, users are surrounded by clear, detailed sound that makes them feel as if they are right in the middle of the action. The Focus Microphone function, which has been made possible by five highly-directional microphones, picks up the sounds from sources in the area in front of the camcorder, regardless of whether the lens is focusing on a near or distant object. It also allows footage recorded in 3D to be enjoyed with lifelike and dynamic sounds.

The high-sensitivity 3MOS System has 7.59 million effective motion image pixels (2.53 megapixels x 3), so this advanced image sensor separates the light received through the lens into the three primary colors – red, green and blue – and processes each color independently. As a result, the Panasonic SDT750 produces beautiful images with rich color quality, detail and gradation. Adding to the quality, the SDT750 also features a large-diameter (46mm) F1.5*3 Leica Dicomar lens and Crystal Engine PRO, a high-speed processing unit – both components which contribute to the effectiveness of the camcorder's light gathering, increased sensitivity, and reduced noise when shooting, even in dim lighting.

Users can play back 3D videos recorded on the Panasonic HDC-SDT750 on 3D-capable televisions, such as Panasonic VIERA® Full HD 3D televisions, including the TC-P50VT25, TC-P54VT25, TC-P58VT25, TC-P65VT25 and the TC-P50VT20 models. Playback using a VIERA TV is done by connecting the 3D camcorder to the television using an HDMI cable. In addition, it is also possible to play 3D images recorded on SD Memory Cards by using an AVCHD compatible player,*4 such as a Panasonic 3D Blu-ray Disc player – the DMP-BDT350 or DMP-BDT300 models are currently available. When watching 3D content recorded by the SDT750 on any of the Panasonic Full HD 3D VIERA televisions, users can view the true-to-life content and the VIERA television will automatically engage the side-by-side method for smooth viewing of 3D content – no change of settings necessary.

The SDT750 comes with HD Writer AE 2.6T PC editing software, which allows users to easily edit recorded 3D images, and save them onto PCs or Blu-ray/DVD discs. HD Writer AE 2.6T features a "Smart Wizard" that starts as soon as the SDT750 is connected to the USB port of the computer, which gives simple on-screen guidance. HD Writer AE 2.6T also enables easy uploading and sharing online without the need for any cumbersome processes, so that even an inexperienced user can post video clips on the web. When uploading 3D images from a PC onto the web, they must first be converted into 2D images.

Even without the 3D conversion lens attached, the Panasonic SDT750 is an innovative and high-performance Full HD camcorder that is equipped with a wide range of sophisticated functions, including the 3MOS System, which features improved noise reduction (NR) technologies, and a wide-variety of manual adjustments controlled by a manual ring for easy, creative shooting. The manual ring provides convenient, fingertip control of the focus, zoom, exposure (iris), shutter speed and white balance settings. Using the ring is extremely intuitive, comfortable, and user-friendly. Only the white balance setting is available when the 3D conversion lens is attached. The SDT750 can shoot 1,080/60p recording (Full-HD 1,920 x 1,080, 60 progressive recording) and produces rich expressive images, with no detail loss and flickering.

Panasonic's Intelligent Auto (iA) function makes the SDT750 extremely easy to use. When the 3D lens is not attached and iA is engaged, the SDT750 automatically selects the most suitable shooting mode with the press of a button. While shooting HD video, the Panasonic SDT750's iA function offers the following six functions: Face Recognition, the new HYBRID O.I.S., AF/AE Tracking, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Detection and Intelligent Contrast Control. HYBRID O.I.S., a new feature, provides extremely accurate hand-shake correction with its four-axis blur detection, resulting in steady images while zooming or shooting on the move.

Other features of the Panasonic HDC-SDT750 include:

Auto Power LCD automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen according to the shooting environment for comfortable use in a variety of different lighting situations.
Large 3.0" touch-screen LCD allows icons to be easily operated by touching them with a fingertip. On the LCD, recorded 3D images are displayed only as the 2D images that were recorded with the left lens.
Eco Mode automatically turns off the power when the camcorder is not operated for five minutes, reducing wasteful energy use and saving battery power.
Pre-Rec allows for the camcorder to continuously record three seconds of content into internal memory. Then, when the record button is pressed, the three seconds immediately prior will have been recorded.

The Panasonic HDC-SDT750 will be available in October 2010 with a suggested retail price of $1,399.95. For more information on Panasonic camcorders, please visit: www.panasonic.com/dvc.

*1 As a consumer camcorder with 3D conversion lens for the AVCHD standard (as of July 27, 2010).
*2 A TV that is capable of side-by-side method 3D playback, 3D Eyewear, and HDMI cable connection are required to play the recorded 3D images.
*3 F3.2 when the 3D conversion lens is attached.
*4 If the player/recorder is incompatible with 3D, the 3D mode must be set on the TV manually
*Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

SOURCE Panasonic

Meridian Intros Sooloos Control 15, Media Source 600

jessica — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:20:05 +0000

Meridian has two new products in the Sooloos Series - Control 15 and Meridian Media Source 600.

Control 15 combines all the functions of a Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System - storage, playback and control - into one device. Just add Meridian's DSP Loudspeakers, and you have a complete digital system.

Features of Control 15 include a 17-inch touchscreen, 500GB hard drive, CD drive and it can also stream Internet radio from a networked broadband modem. Control 15 stores around 1000 CD albums in lossless format – along with MP3 versions that can be exported to a personal music player.

Control 15 is available now for $7,500.

The Meridian Media Source 600 is a single-zone source that makes it easy to add Meridian Sooloos to any existing hi-fi system, bringing with it all of your digital music, Internet radio and Rhapsody (where available). It can be managed from any control on the Sooloos network including wirelessly from the free Sooloos iPhone/iPad app.

Media Source 600 is assembled by hand in Meridian's Cambridgeshire factory and finished using glass and bead-blasted, naturally anodized silver aluminum. Beautiful to look it, you don't see a single fixing or screw on its smooth finish.

The Media Source 600 is available now for $3,500.