Hammacher Schlemmer Spotlight: Golf Cart Hovercraft Hits the Fairway

Photo Credit: Hammacher Schlemmer

Earlier this year, an unusual sight on golf course attracted viral video recognition online. Presenting an unconventional method of transport on a golf course, a golf cart hovercraft was introduced to the world. Developed for 2012 Masters winner Bubba Watson and for his sponsor Oakley, a Neoteric Hovercraft was modified as the ultimate replacement to the traditional wheeled golf cart. On a cushion of air, the craft glided over water and sand traps with Watson riding on board.

Based on the opaque nature of the Internet, many people initially believed the golf cart hovercraft was some hoax. While online portals are full of videos exhibiting trickery, the air-lifted vehicle on the golf course was in fact a real. A real video and vehicle, the creation of the golf cart hovercraft was admittedly a publicity ploy by Oakley. Beyond the viral marketing campaign, the unique hovercraft actually began to attract real interest from customers. Providing an easy avenue for those wanting the experience what could be the new era in golf carts, Hammacher Schlemmer has recently added to unique hovercraft to their catalogue.

Built with a fiberglass and urethane foam composite hull, the 13-foot long Golf Cart Hovercraft accommodates four occupants as well as two golf bags. The Golf Cart Hovercraft is propelled by a nine-blade fan driven off a 65-horsepower Hirth engine. A roof and lighting is equipped on the vehicle placing it's basic features on equal footing to conventional carts. Designed for the golf course, the Golf Cart Hovercraft meets the water standards set by the United States Coast Guard. A trailer is also included with the hovercraft.

Hammacher Schlemmer has placed a $58,000 on the Golf Cart Hovercraft.

Microsoft Pumps Xbox Music Beats Broadly Across Mobile, Web Platforms

Photo Credit: Microsoft

Introducing their next-generation technology, it's safe to say that Microsoft has been pursuing some unpopular innovations.

First, Microsoft introduced Windows 8 with the ambitious intent to be an operating system bridging traditional computers and mobile devices. Windows 8 has failed to provide the ground-shaking thud many expected from the leading software company. Capable yet leaning towards being overpriced, the Microsoft Surface tablet family is distantly behind Apple and the many Android OS tablets in popularity. Most recently, Microsoft's new gaming and entertainment system, the Xbox One, proposed a series of changes to that alienated the marketplace. Microsoft has since backtracked from many of their new 'innovative' plans with the Xbox One following a laundry list of complaints before the console was even released. Wanting to turn their fortunes around and be an important figure for our consumption of multimedia, Microsoft is expanding their Xbox Music live streaming audio service. To elevate Xbox Music, Microsoft will be expanding the availability of their service to almost any modern device.

A service containing 30 million songs as well as a catalog of music videos, Xbox Music was launched last year for the Xbox 360 console. Today, Microsoft has opened up an all-new set of pipelines for music fans to engage with their live streaming content. Starting today (September 9th) Xbox Music will be offered on Apple iOS devices as well as products performing on the Android operating system. In addition to the portable devices, Xbox Music will also provide an on-line web player for computers through the website http://music.xbox.com. The Windows 8.1 upgrade will add Web Playlist tool granting quick access to the Xbox Music service.

An Xbox Music app has now launched on Google Play as well as the Apple App Store. The app and on-line player is a free download but access to the streaming service requires a subscription plan. The Xbox Music Pass costs $9.99 US for a month or $99.99 US for a full year plan. Xbox Music entitles users to unlimited access to music on any device. Xbox Music compares to $36 annual cost for an ad-free version of Pandora or $4.99 for an unlimited service using Spotify in the United States. A 30-day trial is provided with the Xbox Music Pass allowing users to sample the service at no cost (excluding data transfer use expenses).

How Blackberry is Giving Itself a Black Eye

Photo Credit: Blackberry

When 2013 began, Blackberry (entering the year with the long-standing Research in Motion business name) prepped what was supposed to be an ambitious and important corporate revival. Blackberry's CEO Thorsten Heins proudly held the full touchscreen Z10 and the QWERTY keyboard/touchscreen hybrid Q10 smartphones as if they were the Ten Commandments that would lead a connected humanity. Their Blackberry 10 operating system was highly developed to the point it delayed its release date to a point some were concerned if the devices would ever arrive. While the devices featured nifty technology, the smartphones have not left the big splash in the water it hoped. Having not learned from the Playbook tablet, Blackberry is still fighting to realize it is not Apple (specifically when it comes to demanding money from consumers). While their technology is formidable, Blackberry has been fighting to reclaim a its position as a major smartphone player when selling near $700 devices such as the Z10 or Q10.

In addition to the Blackberry Z10 and Q10, a third smartphone using the new operating system and technology was created. Slightly less capable than the Q10, the Blackberry Q5 carried the perk of a lower price tag. Unfortunately, Blackberry made choice to sell the Q5 only in emerging markets not realizing a market for a lower-cost smartphone option in North America. Even Apple has been rumoured to be readying a more price competitive iPhone. In late July, Blackberry finally conceded in what was their initial intentions to sell its Q5 handheld device. A less expensive Blackberry 10 family device priced roughly comparable with the latest Android devices from Samsung. In time for the Back-to-School buying phase, the QWERTY-keyboard equipped Blackberry Q5 device could potentially show up on the wish list of high school and college students. With its forecasted release this week, there is just one question; where has been the promotion for the Blackberry Q5?

Mention of the Blackberry Q5 is only trickling out from Canadian wireless carriers. Of as Monday, the Telus website is the only major wireless phone provider to advertise the Q5 being available. Through Telus, the Blackberry Q5 costs $49 with a 24-month plan or $425 without a contract. Only this week has the Blackberry Canadian site updated to include the profile of the Q5. When Apple announces the technical details of their newest iPhone, that technology company insures that customers are well-informed on where and how to buy the device before it drops into kiosks. Is it possible that cell phone providers in Canada want to suppress knowledge of the less expensive phone to maintain better sales of the Q10? Is just apathy wireless providers feel for Blackberry products?

Instead of hype surrounding the roll-out of what could become the bread and butter tool to Blackberry's efforts to stay relevant, news has surrounded the structure of the Canadian-based technology provider. Shareholder swoop like vultures for the shares as it the company considers buying them back in order to go private. On Monday, news surrounded the fact Blackberry is exploring options such as a sale or partnership with another technology company. Some investors or analysts would also like to see the company separate its more promising units away from less profitable efforts. This should be a time for the phone maker to promote their Q5 device's release in Canada. Once again, Blackberry is having difficulty trying to steer the message to the media. It's bad enough the company has abandoned plans for a next-generation Playbook tablet, the Blackberry 10 operating system could be an compelling piece of software few will see. It is disappointing to see the company behind the BBM technology is lacking the ability to effectively communicate what could be a move that will place more Blackberry 10 operating systems in the hands of customers.

Ultimately, what Blackberry needs is to place their devices into as many hands as possible. By stoking a consumer marketplace, app developers and investors will be more eager to place their support behind the company's work. The Blackberry Q5's release in Canada should be observed as the key to igniting a spark in an engine that is losing power. We simply need to wait and see if there is a fire left in Blackberry.

SEIKI Reveals New 39-Inch Ultra Affordable 4K Ultra HDTV

Photo Credit: SEIKI Digital, Inc.

It took roughly a decade for North America to fully embrace high definition picture from television and other displays. Thanks to the fact that costs became approachable for the general electronics consumer, HD video is now the accepted standard. However, technology has never an entity providing people with comfort in the sense of sameness for an extended period of time. The recent breakthrough in home entertainment has been 4k Ultra HD resolution.

Delivering a picture several times greater than regular HD, 4k resolution comprises of 3840 pixels × 2160 lines. 4k resolution video is receiving an increasing amount of focus by entertainment media. The Will Smith movie "After Earth" has been an early exhibitor of 4k technology. Also, the 2013 NCCA Final Four basketball championship featured a demonstration of 4k video provided by CBS and LG Electronics. Still a new way of capturing all kinds of video, adaptation to the enhanced resolution standard has been hindered by the consumer cost of Ultra HD television sets.

The first set was introduced into the United States by LE Electronics in November of 2012. Their 84-inch Ultra HD television screen sold for an astronomical $19,999. Since an HD television of a similar size could be purchased for a fraction of that amount, early adoption of Ultra HD has been a niche market.

As many companies are trying to optimize the size of the 4k televisions to showcase the brilliance of this enhanced picture, one company could be quickly exploring products to introduce the general consumer to the concept of 4K viewing. SEIKI Digital Inc. brought a 50-inch 4K Ultra HD television screen to the United States market in April at a retail price of around $1,500. Next for the electronics supplier is a 39-inch model that could become a major game-changer for the evolution of 4K Ultra HD picture.

Premiering at the 2013 CE Week Line Shows and Exhibits in New York City, new 39-inch SEIKI 4K Ultra HD television will be first shown on June 26th. An unveiling taking place at the Metropolitan Pavilion, SEIKI's latest 4K Ultra HD television will feature all the appropriate technology for viewing videos and photos in Full HD or resolution greater than 1080p HD. A USB port allows users to plug in through flash drives to view images in up to 4K quality. An HDMI 1.4 cable will be included with the SEIKI 39-inch 4K Ultra HD television set to unleash the full potential of the display.

Besides the high performance picture created with 4K technology, the SEIKI 39-inch 4K Ultra HD television's most exceptional attribute is a low price. Priced at $699, the SEIKI 39-inch set may be more expensive than HD televisions but comes packed with the 3,840 pixels x 2,160 lines picture.

With pre-orders for the 39-inch SEIKI 4K Ultra HD television starting on June 27th, the new display will be available in online retailers as well as Sears. Sears will be SEIKI only national retailer for the 4K product.

Amazon Igniting Kindle Fire Tablet Sales in Canada

Photo Credit: Amazon.ca

Launching into the computer tablet market in 2011, Amazon announced the Kindle Fire as a top-end offering to their e-book reading device family.

Previous Amazon Kindle products prior to the Kindle Fire were focused generally on the distribution of electronic books (with some additional features supplied on newer ereaders). Utilizing an Android operating system to perform tasks, the Kindle Fire same relative capacity as a Samsung Galaxy tablet or Blackberry Playbook. Originally priced at a starting price of $199, Amazon Kindle Fire was also a competitive fighter against the popular but more expensive Apple iPad. Selling over a million devices in just its first week of release in the United States, the Kindle Fire distribution was initially limited to that one country. Attracting discontent from potential buyers in other parts of the world for lack of availability, the Kindle Fire was made available in parts of Europe by Amazon before the end of 2012. On June 13^th, Canada will finally be able to buy a Kindle Fire tablet directly from Amazon.

Pre-orders for the Kindle Fire HD 7-inch and Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch computer tablets are now being taken on the Amazon.ca website ahead of its release date. The price for the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD starts at $214 while the version with an 8.9-inch screen will feature a starting price of $284. The two models of the tablet can be equipped with a 16-gigabyte or a slightly more pricy 32-gigabyte.

While the Kindle Fire devices could operate in other countries, Amazon chose up until not to ship the computer tablet to non-American customers. However, it was possible for people in Canada to acquire the affordable Kindle Fire through third-party means. For Canadian buyers pre-ordering, the price for Kindle Fire devices will be a little higher than those sold in the United States. Both Kindle Fire HD 7-inch and the 8.9-inch tablet will cost $15 more through Amazon.ca compared to the Amazon.com price given for American customers.

Google Not the Only Eyes on High-Tech Glasses: Meet the Vuzix M100 Smart Glasses

Photo Credit: Vuzix

In the last several years, users of technology no longer accept mobility limitations to high-power computerized devices. With multi-function smartphones and tablets allowing us to engage in full-scale electronic interaction far away from home, we are continuing to embrace the miniaturization of technology. Proceeding into the next generation of portable electronic devices, forecasts for the upcoming decade show an advent for full-scale wearable computers.

Wristwatch-like and headset computing devices are being courted as the next state of evolution in personal electronics. Smartwatch devices have already been created by several companies. A rumoured watch through Apple has been a lingering source of techno-gossip. For immediate engagement with software and communications, headset smart devices is another popular area of consumer electronic research. Google Glass is undergoing trials by numerous members of media and technology developers. As Google has confirmed plans for market the technology, another company in Rochester, New York could beat the best-known technological innovator to market with a high-tech smart headset. Since 2012, Vuzix Corporation has been proceeding with the development of their M100 Smart Glasses.

Having produced wearable glasses or visors as a private, interactive alternative to high-tech televisions and computer displays, the next step for Vuzix Corporation is a unique hands-free connection with smartphones. Supporting an Android operating system itself, the Vuzix M100 is being developed as a smart device peripheral with an array of far-reaching features. A device powered by four gigabytes of memory and permitting up to eight hours of battery life, the Vuzix M100 smart glasses provide a discrete, portable profile. Three mounting options are available for comfortably wearing the M100 smart glasses for either left or right eye viewing.

User interfacing with the Vuzix M100 smart glasses is accomplished visibly through a 16:9 aspect ratio screen and a noise cancelling microphone. Communications through voice and text, Internet browsing as well as image capturing capabilities are all possible with the Vuzix M100 smart glasses. It's believed even mobile gaming could be performed with the M100 smart glasses. Operating with augmented reality thanks to a GPS and head tracking abilities, the Vuzix M100 hands-free positioning delivers an immersive portable computing experience. Configured for the usage with Android or Apple iOS devices, the Vuzix M100 incorporates Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity options. Said to be linked to cloud virtual storage, the M100 also includes a Micro SD card slot allowing up to 16 gigabytes of data storage.





Photo Credit: Vuzix

In addition to accessing the smartphone or other smart device through the headset, the Vuzix M100 is opening the door to an all-new app development realm. The M100 devices have already been distributed to innovative app developers. Applications and programs exploiting the hardware of the Vuzix M100 has the potential of yielding some ground-breaking ways of experiencing technology in everyday settings.

Even without public sales, the Vuzix M100 smart glasses have already been gathering acclaim. At the 2013 CES Show, the M100 was recognized as a Best of Innovations recipient in the Wireless Handset Accessories category. With consumer availability of the Vuzix M100 announced for mid-summer of this year, pricing for the device is yet to be announced.


60 Years Ago: Casino Royale Introduced Bond, James Bond to the World

A man defined by ‘007’ has been the recipients of some milestone numbers as of late. In 2012, the release of the movie Skyfall was the centerpiece of a 50^th year anniversary for the first James Bond movie. Starring Daniel Craig as at the famous British secret agent, Skyfall was the 23^rd movie in the series started with the big screen release of Dr. No. The latest movie would be the highest-grossing 007 film in the franchise as it crossed the one-billion dollar mark becoming the first James Bond movie to accomplish the feat.

With all the excitement and notoriety created through the 23 films, James Bond started his adventures on paper. Operating from his Jamaica retreat identified as “Goldeneye”, writer Ian Fleming brought James Bond to life using his skilled pen and expertise derived from action in World War Two. Fleming worked closely with many covert operations of the allied forces through the course of the Second World War providing him a substantial wealth of inspiration for theme, character and setting. Casino Royale served as the first novel that formally introduced the world to the spy codenamed “007”.

James Bond was created as a composite of several real-life figures as well as Ian Fleming’s image of the super-spy. Drawing on several secret agents he personally met during his war service, Ian Fleming’s brother Peter and Canadian/British spy Sir William Stephenson were among those used as building blocks for Bond. Fleming also transferred many of his own traits to the character’s personality through his novels. As for the name, an American ornithologist provided the writer with the identity to the fictional British spy. An avid bird watcher, Fleming was presented the name from the book authored by Bond called Birds of the West Indies. Fleming admired the name James Bond as dull-sounding yet masculine. Interesting note in the film “Die another Day”, Bond grabbed a bird guide from an associate in Cuba as part of a surveillance cover.

Ian Fleming’s first use of his fiction spy in Casino Royale was officially released on April 13^th of 1953. "The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. Then the soul erosion produced by high gambling — a compost of greed and fear and nervous tension — becomes unbearable and the senses awake and revolt from it." Were the opening lines to the Fleming spy novel. In the Casino Royale, British Secret Service agent James Bond infatuates a baccarat game acting as a financial front for Soviet spy organization SMERSH. That novel established not only James Bond’s character but also supporting roles such as M and American CIA agent Felix Leiter. Becoming an acclaimed debut in the literary world, sales of the book Casino Royale were hot in the United Kingdom. The United States, on the other hand, initially were reluctant to accept the British spy with sales of Casino Royale totalling just 4,000 in the first run.

Despite slow sales in bookstores on the left side of the Atlantic Ocean, James Bond and Casino Royale were quickly selected for screen adaptation in the United States. The Ian Fleming novel was selected as one of the first stories to be acted out on a CBS program called Climax! in October 1954. Almost eight years to the date before Dr. No was released by Eon Productions, the performance of Casino Royale was the first time an actor played the role of James Bond. The 1954 television performance would be one of two instances where a screen adaptation of Casino Royale would dramatically differ from the novel. In the CBS Climax! series version, James Bond was American and Felix Leiter was British.

The first novel to incorporate the super-spy, first serious Casino Royale would not transfer to the big screen until 2006. Shortly after Casino Royale was adapted for television, Fleming sold the film rights to a producer named Gregory Ratoff. In 1967, the name did crossover to theatres though it was largely obscured by the fact it was an all-out comedy. Starring David Niven as James Bond and featuring the likes of Orson Welles as well as Woody Allen, the 1967 Casino Royale was a satire used to cash-in on the spy culture of the mid-1960s. Distributed by Columbia Pictures, the Casino Royale comedy was largely panned by critics including Roger Ebert.

The debut film featuring Daniel Craig as James Bond, the 2006 version of Casino Royale served as a reboot of the movie franchise some believed was going stale. Whereas some follow-up books and short stories of Fleming would have titles and some characters lifted, the 007 movie franchise frequently took creative liberties on his novels. Readers of the Ian Fleming novel would note 2006 Casino Royale film was perhaps the most faithful screen adaptation of the original source material from the author.

Though gadgets, fancy Bond vehicles and other visuals have translated best to movie screens, the vision of the man behind 007 created the arguments among millions of James Bond fans. Who is the best James Bond actor? Would you want an Aston Martin DB5 or a Lotus Esprit? Which Bond Girl is the most memorable? With the exploits of James Bond available to readers for 60 years, only Ian Fleming’s mind could truly answer those provocative questions on the imagination that created Casino Royale.