Google Can Connect No Matter the Device

Many of us think of Google as a quick and easy way to find information about anything.  Since it was first launched in spring of 1996, since that time the iconic on line search company has expanded into most every facet of our daily lives.  There are now Google controlled cars, Google Glass, Google foreign language translation, Google email, even a Google image library.  Seems like every day Google is announcing some new service or product.  One of the most recent is called Google Hangouts.

Hangouts is a free service that joins the ranks of other video calling applications like Skype, FaceTime and ooVoo.  While it offers more that just video calling and can allow you to create a virtual TV station, I will concentrate on the former in this column.

To get started you must have a Google account.  This is free and many already may have a gMail account or use Google Calendar or another Google app.  If you don’t have an account, just point your browser to www.google.com and click on “Sign In” in the top right of the screen; it will guide you through the process.  You will also want to download the Google Chrome browser if you don’t already have it on your computer. 

Of course, you need a device connected to the internet either using home wifi or mobile 4G.  As discussed above, most any computer, tablet or phone with a camera will work. There is no cost for the service other than the cost of your internet connection. 

Once you load Hangouts you can communicate via audio and video with anyone else using the Hangouts app.  It is great for families since it allows up to ten devices to simultaneously join in the call.  Once connected, the person speaking is seen by all.  Embedded in the software is the ability to share pictures, documents, even YouTube videos in real time with everyone on the call.

One of the great features of Hangouts is that it is “device neutral.”  This means that, unlike many similar services that run only on one specific device or operating system, Hangouts is at home on a PC or Mac, on an iPhone or Android, on an iPad or Windows tablet. This makes it ideal for families and companies that want/need to communicate with people who do not all have the same device or operating platform.

There are several other features that space does not allow me to cover here.  It is a powerful easy-to-use service that is worth a look.  While ease of use and the quality of the video is not as good as Apple’s FaceTime, the fact that you can communicate with most anyone without requiring them to have an iPhone, Mac or iPad more than compensates.

 

Still Another Way To Watch TV

This week marks the debut of Aereo in Cincinnati.  Aereo is a new service that delivers local over-the-air TV channels via your Internet connection to a variety of digital devices and enables you to record, pause and fast forward the programs.  In essence, it is a personal antenna and DVR in the cloud.  Over the past week I have been testing Aereo and I have to say that I find it a simple and elegant service that should attract a significant subscription base.

When you sign up for Aereo you have access to all the local TV channels in Cincinnati.  By my count there are 24 TV channels now available to Cincinnatiarea viewers.  They include the main channels like WCET, WCPO, WLW as well as all the multicast channels now available with digital broadcasting.

To watch any program you go to the Aereo.com web site and, using the program guide, chose the program you want to watch or record.  You can watch live or choose to record a program selected from the on-screen guide up to two weeks in advance.

You can watch on your computer, tablet, smart phone and several other devices. Aereo allows up to five different devices to be used with a single account. The picture and sound quality are very good and there is a closed captioning setting.  By using Rokuor Apple TV, watching these channels on your large HDTVis easy.

Aereo has been rolled out in several other markets and has met with a flurry of legal battles from the networks and cable services.  The issue will be heard by the Supreme Court soon.  In the meantime Aereo has been able to win all of the lower court challenges.

Basic Aereo service costs $8.00 per month.  There is a $12.00 per month package that allows for recording more than one show at a time.  There is no long term commitment so you can cancel at any time.

Aereo is not for everybody since all of the TV stations offered can be received by most people using a TV and antenna.  For those who don’t want to pay high cable rates and have over-the-air reception problems, Aereo is perfect.  Also the service does provide an easy-to-use app on smart phones and tablets so you can really watch anywhere and anytime.  The cloud-based point and click DVR function is easy to use and ideal for people who may be somewhat digitally challenged operating a standard DVR

One of the ways Aereo gets around some of the regulations regarding program and network exclusivity is to restrict the use of Aereo to the specific local market area.  So if you take your Aereo enabled tablet or Smartphone with you when you go on vacation, you will not be able to watch the Cincinnati stations once you leave the five county Cincinnati Market.

Aereo is not for everyone but does provide an affordable and innovative option for watching TV.

Local TV Stations’ Spot Confusing

A number of weeks ago I wrote about mobile TV services being offered by a few local TV stations.  To reiterate the basics for those who may have missed the article, the stations broadcast a parallel signal that can be received by special receivers allowing you to watch TV programming using a smart phone or tablet in your car or in other mobile environments.  The standard digital TV signals used by your standard HDTVcan’t be received well in a moving vehicle.  Some of the local commercial stations have been running spots promoting the service and a device called DYLE.  These spots have resulted in some confusion and questions.  After watching the spots I can see why.

The spots show people going about their daily commute on a bus or train holding a tablet or smart phone and enjoying the morning TV news.  What the spots do not show or mention is that the phone or tablet is not receiving these signal directly.  Rather, there is a second device about the size of a pack of cigarettes that is required.  That device, a mini DTV receiver, has a small whip antenna.  It is this device, the DYLE mobile DTV receiver, which actually captures the broadcasts and via Bluetooth or other wireless connection sends the TV programs to your smart phone or tablet for viewing.  So in order for this all to work you have to have both devices.

The special mobile DTV signals, while more robust than the standard DTV broadcasts, are prone to interference so the DYLE receiver, be it in a car, bus or train, must have the antenna near a window or better yet outside of the window to adequately capture the signals.  The TV spot never shows this; rather it conveys the idea that you can watch the TV channels just like you might a YouTube video or other TV program from the internet.   The DYLE website notes, “…you can even carry it in your pocket or your bag.”  You sure can carry it there but it is very unlikely that it will actually work there.

Mobile TV has been around for a while.  In fact, I served on the technical committee a number of years ago charged with establishing the national Mobile DTV Technical Standards so I know a bit more about this technology than the “average bear.”  My opinion is that this technology at best will be slow to take off because it is complicated and clunky to use and soon will be replaced by services using expanded 4G networks.  These 4G, and soon 5G networks, will allow for a much simpler user interface similar to the one described in the above mentioned TV spots.

I am bothered when I see technical products or services described so poorly or inaccurately.  It raises the consumer’s expectations, creates frustration and results in the purchase of stuff that just doesn’t work well.  Many new products do work as promised and give the consumer exceptional results.  I fear DYLE is not one of them.  

Looking Ahead

It is the time of the year again to look into my sometimes cloudy crystal ball and predict what devices, services and technologies will be popular in 2014.  We’ll look at what is a “must have” and what you might want to avoid.

For sure we will see more and more internet related services and devices in the new cars.  Already we have internet radio, navigation systems that watch out for traffic jams and smart phone apps that will remotely start your car on that cold winter morning.  Real time diagnostics now available on some high end models will find their way into the mid- priced models.  Dashboard idiot lights will begin to give way to technologies that constantly monitor all the car’s critical systems sending reports in real time to the manufacture that can send back tweaks to fix the issue while you are driving or contact you to arrange a visit to the closest dealer’s service department.

Once only available to the super rich and super tech smart, home automation systems will get more affordable and simple to program and use.  Using the smart phone or tablet as the controller, inexpensive interface devices can be installed in home heating, lighting and security systems.  On your way home from the weekend at grandma’s house, you can turn up the heat so it is warm and cozy when you arrive.  Many home products stores carry plug and play devices that a non-technical person can install.

The TV in the family room will continue to serve as a display screen for multiple video sources.  Seamless integration of video from broadcast, cable, satellite, DVDand the Internet will be done for you.  It will be difficult to tell if your favorite program is coming from the TV network or from the cloud.  This will increase the amount of programming available on demand and will enable “binge watching.”   Binge watching allows you to watch an entire series, like Downton Abby, in one sitting.

Added pressure for a la cart pricing will be put on some of the large cable TV providers as subscribers bridle at paying monthly fees for services they never watch.  Program services like ESPN receive an average of $5 per month from each cable subscriber even if not a single program is watched.  With internet delivered competition offering a pay as you go option, look for some changes in how your cable bill is structured.

The continued slide in the sale of traditional desktop and laptop computers will continue as more and more of us use tablets and smartphones for many of the tasks once only possible on a computer.  The prices and features will get more attractive on traditional computers so if you do find you need to replace that old clunker, you will not break the budget.

Some of the “also rans” in 2013 like 3DTV will see sales continue to languish and the adoption of the ultra HD screens will also be sluggish until more programming is available and the TV set prices fall.  Both will happen but most likely not in 2014.

Happy New Year!

Perhaps the Coolest Gadget of 2013

The digital revolution has spawned change in most every facet of our lives.  Among the most revolutionary have been changes in photography.  Taking, printing, sharing and displaying our favorite pictures is nothing like it was in the days of developing film and waiting to see if we really did catch that one-in-a-million shot. 

Sharing photos with friends and family no longer requires making and mailing actual prints.  Digital copies emailed or shared on one of several free online photo sharing websites allows for instantaneous and virtually free distribution.  Keeping track of the individual digital photos and displaying them is still somewhat of a hassle especially if you are not computer savvy.

 

I recently had the chance to use an electronic picture frame that takes the hassle out of sharing photos.  The frame and technology was developed by a French company and is marketed in the USA under the name PixStar. www.pix-star.com While electronic picture frames have been around for several years most require the user to transfer the photos from a computer, tablet or phone to the frame.  This task was at best tedious for the computer aficionado and downright mystifying for less technology prone.  The Pixstar frame makes it a breeze.  Each frame is provided a unique email address.  When you have a picture that you want to be displayed on your frame you just email it to that address. 

Once you set it up you can provide your frame’s address to anyone you want to be able to share pictures with you.  When they have a picture for you they just email it to your frame and the picture gets displayed in the rotating queue along with all your other pictures. This is all done automatically.

There are settings that allow you to preview incoming photos before they get added to your library.  You can set up a list of people you wish to share photos with.  So if you get a great vacation shot from one of your children you can send it from your frame to others in your family.

 

The Pixstar frame requires wifi and an internet connection.  Once purchased for about $150.00 there are no other charges for the service.   Set up was easy and once completed, the frame worked with no user intervention.  It even resets itself after a power or internet outage.

 

The Pixstar uses very powerful technology but requires the user to have little or no technical or computer knowledge. I noticed that it was out of stock at many retailers due to holiday demand but a search on line in early January at Amazone.com or Pic-star.com should provide a way to get one soon.

 

Is Traditional Radio On The Way Out or In?

When TV was just getting established in the early fifties, many predicted that radio would rapidly loose audiences and become a footnote in mass media history. While radio stations did begin to loose some listeners, the industry changed focus from offering long-form dramas and variety shows to music and news. The stations also emphasized the portability of radio.

One of the most significant driving forces in preserving radio’s viability was the auto industry. Radio was a perfect companion for the increasing number of commuters opting away from public transit to the personal automobile. In fact, many analysts point to Detroit as the savior of FM radio in the US. When FM and FM stereo radios became standard equipment in Detroit’s new lines, FM radio stations went from second class operations to cash cows.

Jumping ahead 50 years, we may be seeing that the savior of broadcast radio, i.e. the auto industry, may be its worst enemy. Major changes in wireless internet technologies are making our cars as connected as our homes and offices have already become.

If you listen carefully to the most recent ads for new models from most all manufactures you will hear words like “Pandora enabled” or “Spotify-ready” touted as features as important as antilock brakes or leather heated seats. The internet connectivity in cars provides a way to listen to most any music or program on demand regardless of geography. Where traditional radio stations have an average coverage area of about a 60 mile radius, there are no restrictions if the programming is distributed via the internet. So if a station in Cincinnati chooses to stream live on the internet, a driver on I-75 at the “cut-in-the-hill” can be listening along with someone stuck in traffic on the Santa Monica Expressway.

How this will change radio is still a question. For sure it may change the advertising since the person stuck in LA will not be stopping by Skyline Chili at the next exit. There will still be a need for local only information. Reporting on weather, traffic, local politics and sports will still be needed.

One other important aspect of over-the-air broadcast technology is the relatively simple technical infrastructure that enables stations to continue to operate in times of serious disaster. A radio broadcaster needs only a single generator and transmitter to stay on the air. The consumer needs only to turn a few knobs on the dashboard or use an inexpensive battery powered receiver to get programming. Internet delivered radio programming, be it wired or wireless, relies on thousands of individual routers, fibers, wires, towers and computers to remain operational. Often after storms or other calamity one or more of these critical systems fail bringing online to off line.

So is Radio on the way in or on the way out? My advice is to stay tuned.

Google’s Chromecast Worth a Look

 Many of us still look at Google as the de facto search engine allowing us to find information about just about any topic at any time.  The word “Google” has joined the likes of “Kleenex”, “Frigidaire” and “Jell-O.”   All of these brands have become collective words for an entire genre of products.    Of course Google is more than a search engine; their maps, translation services, email and now even self-driving cars make up only a few of their myriad products and services.  One product, Chromecast, is a relatively new offering that is worth your attention if you want an inexpensive way to expand the viewing options on your HDTVset.

I have written extensively about the various TV services available both free or with subscription on the internet.  Hulu, Hulu Plus, Netflix, AmazonTV all provide movies, network TV series, documentaries and special programming on demand and with a video quality that rivals cable, satellite and broadcast transmission.  In order to access this programming you must have an internet enabled TV or some add-on device.  Most of the devices to date have had a price of between $75 and $100.  Roku and Apple TV are among the most popular.  Some Blu Ray players and some game consoles can provide this access as well.

The Google Chromecast has a $35 price tag and can be a great inexpensive way to begin watching some internet delivered TV content on your regular TV.  A little larger than a standard thumb drive, Chromecast plugs into an open HDMI port on your TV.  Most new TVs have two or more HDMI ports but look and make sure you have one available since your cable box or satellite receiver also needs one.

Unlike the Roku or Apple TV devices, Chromecast does NOT come with a remote control.  You must have an iPhone or Android smartphone, a tablet such as the iPad, or use a laptop computer to control the Chromecast. Set up is easy.  Once connected to the TV a small power supply is plugged in the wall and the device will search for your home wifi.  There is no hard wire option for connecting to the internet so wifi is required.

Besides having access to one or more subscription TV services, you can display on your large screen TV YouTube videos and other content that you access through your smartphone, tablet or lap top.

For the price the Chromecast is worth a look.  I personally like the AppleTV as it is easier to set up and use but it does cost more than twice that of Chromecast.  You can get Chromecast at most big box stores and, of course, on line at Amazon and many other electronics websites.  It would make a great stocking stuffer.