Nokia aiming to banish paper maps

Nokia says its aim is to sell 35m GPS-equipped phones in 2008

Nokia has launched navigation tools designed to make the paper street map obsolete for pedestrians.

The firm's next generation of digital maps gives real-time walking directions on the mobile phone screen, just like sat-nav systems which guide drivers.

"Nokia is taking navigation services out of the car so it can always be with you," said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, president and CEO of the firm.

"Struggling with oversized paper maps will become a thing of the past."

Navigation by phone

Nokia's Maps 2.0, for its Series 60 and 40 phones, is part of the firm's push into location and context-aware technologies.

Mr Kallasvuo said: "Navigation is one of the foundations of the context-aware mobile phone. We believe it will be as important as voice capability was 20 years ago.

He added: "Your mobile device will soon be in tune with your surroundings and adjust accordingly."

Nokia expects to sell 35 million mobile phones equipped with GPS (Global Positioning System) in 2008.

Nokia said it was the world's first pedestrian navigation on a mobile phone.

The question people want answered is: when will Nokia react to the Apple iPhone and bring out devices that have touch screen capabilities?

Niklas Savander, executive vice president of services and software, said: "The future is about bringing context - time, place and people - to the web; that is the foundation of the next generation of the worldwide web."

Nokia made its announcement as the Mobile World Congress opened in Barcelona, with methods of driving mobile uptake worldwide firmly on the agenda.

A raft of new handsets and services are expected to be unveiled.

"We have 2.5 billion connected but how do we connect the next three or four billion and deliver services to the lowest income groups," said a spokesman for the GSM Association.

Analysts predict more tie-ups between mobile firms and companies like YouTube and MySpace.

Mobile entertainment - the combination of mobile phone, social networking and location-based services - is being touted as the killer application for the future.

Nokia's announcement underlines its belief that GPS chips will become as ubiquitous in mobile phones as cameras. It has already made a $6bn (3bn) investment in mapping company NavTeq to show that it is putting its money where its mouth is.

Final preparations at the Mobile World Congress

The company also announced a successor to its flagship N95 phone.

The N96 comes with 16 Gigabytes of onboard flash memory, and the ability to access live mobile TV through DVB-H.

The phone is also able to play flash videos online, such as clips on YouTube, through its web browser.

The company sold six million N95s last year.

Location, location

The move to web applications is likely to continue although the tricky part will be finding a way of translating the economics of the mobile world - where data comes with a charge - to the free net-based applications it wants to mimic, thinks analyst Margaret Rice-Jones, chief executive of mobile consultancy AIRCOM,

Location-based social networking, allowing you to find out the exact location of your buddies, could be one way that mobile can offers something over and above web-based applications.

"I don't think the average Facebook user will pay to spend two hours looking at the site on their phone or uploading the photos of their mate drunk in the bar at 2am but they might be interested in knowing that one of their friends is in the bar that they are walking past," she said.

At the start of the conference LG announced a new smartphone with built-in GPS, the LG-KT610, to take advantage of location-based services.

Do users want Facebook on mobiles?

Sony Ericsson has unveiled its first handset powered by Windows Mobile, the Xperia, and it too comes with GPS.

Gypsii, a social networking service offering location-based search for people, places, content and events will be launched on the first day of the conference.

"The real time location-based element of GyPSii adds a new dimension to the social networking phenomenon," said Dan Harple, founder and CEO.

"Rather than sitting indoors chatting to friends on an pc-based service - you can be out and about seeing who is nearby, what they are doing and where you could go - all in real time," he added.

Mobile payments

In some rural parts of Pakistan, people have to spend half a day walking to a village where they can top up the credit on their mobile phone

For years the mobile world has talked about the possibility of the phone as a replacement for all the plastic we carry around in our purses and wallets.

The tail-end of last year saw a tie-up between Transport for London's Oyster card, O2, Nokia and Visa in a trial allowing commuters to pay for their tube tickets via mobile and make small purchases in a range of shops.

But increasingly eyes are turning to the developing world where the mobile wallet is not just a convenience but a necessity.

According to Norman Frankel, managing director of Mi-Pay, a mobile banking firm which has systems up and running in the developing world, payment via mobile is helping to "bank the unbanked".

"In some rural parts of Pakistan, people have to spend half a day walking to a village where they can top up the credit on their mobile phone," he said.

With the Mi-Pay system the mobile acts as a kind of debit card, allowing users to top up without having to leave their homes.

Another system SafariCom, in Kenya is up for the Digital Divide Award, a the Global Mobile Awards, organised by the GSM Association.

Its M-Pesa accounts are proving popular with Kenyan and allows tapping into the $93bn African remittance market - where migrant workers send cash home to their families.

Cheaper than traditional money transfer services, the idea is simple - users deposit cash in affiliated shops and get an e-voucher on their phones. Survival questions Key question Blu-ray victory

Source from: news.bbc.co.uk

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Nokia aiming to banish paper maps

Nokia says its aim is to sell 35m GPS-equipped phones in 2008

Nokia has launched navigation tools designed to make the paper street map obsolete for pedestrians.

The firm's next generation of digital maps gives real-time walking directions on the mobile phone screen, just like sat-nav systems which guide drivers.

"Nokia is taking navigation services out of the car so it can always be with you," said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, president and CEO of the firm.

"Struggling with oversized paper maps will become a thing of the past."

Navigation by phone

Nokia's Maps 2.0, for its Series 60 and 40 phones, is part of the firm's push into location and context-aware technologies.

Mr Kallasvuo said: "Navigation is one of the foundations of the context-aware mobile phone. We believe it will be as important as voice capability was 20 years ago.

He added: "Your mobile device will soon be in tune with your surroundings and adjust accordingly."

Nokia expects to sell 35 million mobile phones equipped with GPS (Global Positioning System) in 2008.

Nokia said it was the world's first pedestrian navigation on a mobile phone.

The question people want answered is: when will Nokia react to the Apple iPhone and bring out devices that have touch screen capabilities?

Niklas Savander, executive vice president of services and software, said: "The future is about bringing context - time, place and people - to the web; that is the foundation of the next generation of the worldwide web."

Nokia made its announcement as the Mobile World Congress opened in Barcelona, with methods of driving mobile uptake worldwide firmly on the agenda.

A raft of new handsets and services are expected to be unveiled.

"We have 2.5 billion connected but how do we connect the next three or four billion and deliver services to the lowest income groups," said a spokesman for the GSM Association.

Analysts predict more tie-ups between mobile firms and companies like YouTube and MySpace.

Mobile entertainment - the combination of mobile phone, social networking and location-based services - is being touted as the killer application for the future.

Nokia's announcement underlines its belief that GPS chips will become as ubiquitous in mobile phones as cameras. It has already made a $6bn (3bn) investment in mapping company NavTeq to show that it is putting its money where its mouth is.

Final preparations at the Mobile World Congress

The company also announced a successor to its flagship N95 phone.

The N96 comes with 16 Gigabytes of onboard flash memory, and the ability to access live mobile TV through DVB-H.

The phone is also able to play flash videos online, such as clips on YouTube, through its web browser.

The company sold six million N95s last year.

Location, location

The move to web applications is likely to continue although the tricky part will be finding a way of translating the economics of the mobile world - where data comes with a charge - to the free net-based applications it wants to mimic, thinks analyst Margaret Rice-Jones, chief executive of mobile consultancy AIRCOM,

Location-based social networking, allowing you to find out the exact location of your buddies, could be one way that mobile can offers something over and above web-based applications.

"I don't think the average Facebook user will pay to spend two hours looking at the site on their phone or uploading the photos of their mate drunk in the bar at 2am but they might be interested in knowing that one of their friends is in the bar that they are walking past," she said.

At the start of the conference LG announced a new smartphone with built-in GPS, the LG-KT610, to take advantage of location-based services.

Do users want Facebook on mobiles?

Sony Ericsson has unveiled its first handset powered by Windows Mobile, the Xperia, and it too comes with GPS.

Gypsii, a social networking service offering location-based search for people, places, content and events will be launched on the first day of the conference.

"The real time location-based element of GyPSii adds a new dimension to the social networking phenomenon," said Dan Harple, founder and CEO.

"Rather than sitting indoors chatting to friends on an pc-based service - you can be out and about seeing who is nearby, what they are doing and where you could go - all in real time," he added.

Mobile payments

In some rural parts of Pakistan, people have to spend half a day walking to a village where they can top up the credit on their mobile phone

For years the mobile world has talked about the possibility of the phone as a replacement for all the plastic we carry around in our purses and wallets.

The tail-end of last year saw a tie-up between Transport for London's Oyster card, O2, Nokia and Visa in a trial allowing commuters to pay for their tube tickets via mobile and make small purchases in a range of shops.

But increasingly eyes are turning to the developing world where the mobile wallet is not just a convenience but a necessity.

According to Norman Frankel, managing director of Mi-Pay, a mobile banking firm which has systems up and running in the developing world, payment via mobile is helping to "bank the unbanked".

"In some rural parts of Pakistan, people have to spend half a day walking to a village where they can top up the credit on their mobile phone," he said.

With the Mi-Pay system the mobile acts as a kind of debit card, allowing users to top up without having to leave their homes.

Another system SafariCom, in Kenya is up for the Digital Divide Award, a the Global Mobile Awards, organised by the GSM Association.

Its M-Pesa accounts are proving popular with Kenyan and allows tapping into the $93bn African remittance market - where migrant workers send cash home to their families.

Cheaper than traditional money transfer services, the idea is simple - users deposit cash in affiliated shops and get an e-voucher on their phones. Time to choose Frostbite agony Stolen Generations

Source from: news.bbc.co.uk

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LinkedIn founder turns contacts into cash

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (AP) -- Few Internet entrepreneurs practice what they preach as devoutly as LinkedIn Corp. co-founder Reid Hoffman, whose business revolves around his belief that good fortune flows from good relationships.

LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman says he's considering an IPO for the networking company.

Hoffman, 40, has put that principle to work by mining his own vast network of Silicon Valley connections to rake in one Internet jackpot after another.

A college friendship led Hoffman to PayPal and his first windfall when eBay Inc. bought the online payment service for $1.5 billion in 2002. Since then, he has become even wealthier by investing in other Internet startups he discovered through friends and former colleagues.

Along the way, Hoffman also used some of his PayPal proceeds to help start LinkedIn, an online business-networking service that helps professionals like him realize the value of their contacts from the past and present.

With more than 1 million people joining each month and projected 2008 revenue of $75 million to $100 million, LinkedIn Corp. seems likely to deliver another big payoff for Hoffman.

"LinkedIn is a great expression of who Reid is," said John Lilly, chief executive of the Firefox Web browser maker, Mozilla Corp., where Hoffman sits on the board of directors. "It's really his brain on the Web."

LinkedIn tries to help people who know each other elsewhere more easily meet others who might help their careers. For example, if Mary and Bob are both part of Fred's online network, Mary could ask Fred for a referral to Bob, who could then decide whether he wanted to embrace a new relationship with Mary.

LinkedIn's focus on professional networking distinguishes it from social playgrounds like Facebook and News Corp.'s MySpace, where users are encouraged to share their personal lives by posting party photos and adding favorite bands.

Although it may not sound as much fun, LinkedIn appears to be thriving. About 18 million people now have profiles on the site, roughly twice as many as a year ago.

Hoffman, who remains LinkedIn's chairman and largest shareholder five years after starting the company, said the Mountain View-based company will probably file for an initial public offering of stock before 2010 if he isn't first tempted to sell to one of the suitors that have inquired about buying LinkedIn. Hoffman wouldn't identify the suitors.

"I know we are going to be much more valuable in a year or two," Hoffman said. "We have had (buyout) conversations with all the usual suspects, but I think an IPO is by far and away the most likely outcome."

Nonetheless, LinkedIn has its share of detractors, who see it as little more than a tool for job hunters and employment recruiters, a slightly different twist on online help-wanted services like Monster.com or Yahoo Inc.'s HotJobs. Besides selling ads, the site lets employment recruiters and others pay for expanded access to LinkedIn members.

Although former LinkedIn executive Keith Rabois isn't as harsh, he believes Hoffman needs to pursue an IPO as soon as possible to create a bigger buzz about the service.

"Right now, LinkedIn just doesn't seem to be at the center of the Internet universe and an IPO would be an amazing marketing opportunity," said Rabois, who left LinkedIn last year to join another rapidly growing startup, Slide Inc.

LinkedIn so far hasn't generated the same kind buzz as Facebook Inc., which has been attracting many of the same users as LinkedIn. With 60 million users, privately held Facebook already boasts a $15 billion market value and has indicated it will pursue its own IPO in 2009 or 2010.

Hoffman happens to have a stake in Facebook, underscoring his knack for identifying promising Internet opportunities in their early stages.

"It's like he is able to look at the Internet and figure out where all the pieces fit together," said Mark Kvamme, a partner at Sequoia Capital and a member of LinkedIn's board of directors.

While Facebook could produce Hoffman's biggest investment return, it threatens to become a thorn in his side if it diminishes the amount of time people spend at LinkedIn.

As a countermeasure, LinkedIn in recent months has been adopting more Facebook-like features. The changes have allowed LinkedIn users to display pictures next to their personal profiles and opened up the site for outsiders to post mini-applications, known as widgets, designed to help people with common connections to share information.

Despite those copycat moves, Hoffman insists he isn't worried about Facebook, which he views as being far too casual and goofy for the ambitious professionals drawn to LinkedIn.

Hoffman credits his own connections for his successful investment streak.

"Any time there were some really good people involved with a potentially good product, I thought I should probably throw in at least a little bit of money if I had the option," he said.

That doesn't mean he invests in every venture started by people he knows, sometimes to his regret.

For instance, Hoffman hadn't felt compelled to invest in YouTube when he had the chance, depriving him of a huge payday when Google Inc. bought the popular video-sharing site for $1.76 billion in 2006. Instead, LinkedIn provided some initial office space to YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, who worked with Hoffman at PayPal.

Hoffman hasn't been wrong too often.

Three of his startup investments have been sold since 2005 for more than $1.1 billion combined, although Hoffman got only a sliver of that. They are the photo-sharing site Flickr, bought by Yahoo Inc.; music network Last.fm, bought by CBS Corp.; and computer security specialist IronPort Systems Inc., bought by Cisco Systems Inc.

Besides Facebook, the list of other promising prospects in Hoffman's portfolio include blogging software maker Six Apart Ltd., blogging search engine Technorati Inc., online content-ranking site Digg Inc. and another online social networking service, Ning Inc. He also holds stakes in a variety of lesser-known startups, too.

Hoffman's connections and investments frequently have ties to PayPal, where he accumulated stock as a director and then as a top executive. He first met PayPal's co-founder and chief executive, Peter Thiel, while both were attending Stanford University in the 1980s.

Thiel, an early LinkedIn investor who is now a venture capitalist and Facebook director, is one of the more than 1,500 connections that Hoffman lists on LinkedIn's Web site.

"I pay a lot of attention to building relationships," he said. "Part of how to create a lot of value and goodwill in the system is by doing something that is a little bit of work for me and massively valuable for you."

Thiel marvels at how well the philosophy seems to work for Hoffman. "Everybody in Silicon Valley is no more than two degrees away from being connected to Reid."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source from: edition.cnn.com

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Review: Sony LocationFree TV no match for Slingbox

(CNET.com) -- In some ways, you've got to feel a little sympathetic for Sony. The company effectively invented the placeshifting concept -- the ability to stream TV programming from your living room to another device via the Internet -- in 2004, only to see it co-opted by smaller upstart Sling Media a year later. The latter company's Slingbox series of products have become the industry leader, popular enough for the start-up to be purchased by Dish Network parent EchoStar for a cool $380 million.

But Sony has stayed in the game, releasing follow-up products that have attempted to challenge Sling's dominance. The latest such device is the LF-V30, the first LocationFree TV product to be released since the products were transferred under the rubric of Sony's PC-centric VAIO division. The LF-V30 ($250 list) adds compatibility for HD component video and has full pass-through inputs and outputs for two separate video sources. But otherwise, there's no big improvement over last year's LF-B20.

As a result, the LF-V30's flaws are even more glaring in comparison to the comparable Slingbox models, the Slingbox Pro and the Slingbox Solo. Sony's setup process still ranges from mildly to excessively frustrating -- especially if you go wireless -- and the viewing software and control options get the job done, but just don't offer the same degree of ease and intuitive design found on the Sling counterpart. As such, the LocationFree LF-V30 is really only commendable over a Slingbox to those who will use its two distinguishing features: the ability to stream video to a PSP, and the ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network.

About the size of a hardcover book, the all-black LocationFree TV LF-V30 could be mistaken for a somewhat fat wireless router -- understandable, because that's pretty much what it is. Like Sony's PlayStation game consoles, it can be mounted horizontally or vertically (a snap-on plastic base is included). The front face of the minimalist black box has a smattering of green status LEDs, along with a power switch, a setup mode button (for use during the initial configuration), and a reset switch.

As always, though, the back panel is where the action is. There are two A/V inputs. The first includes S-Video (in addition to composite) and stereo audio inputs, along with a duplicate set of pass-through outputs. The second is composite and component, the latter of which can handle high-def signals. There's also an Ethernet port for a wired network connection; the wireless antenna is internal. Last but not least, there are two infrared (IR) blaster ports -- although the Base Station ships with only one single-headed blaster.

Setting up the LF-V30 is a two-step process: you need to get it connected to your network (which involves installing the included software on a PC), and you need to connect the AV cables to the video source (or sources). For the networking setup, you're offered two wireless options: using the LF-V30 as a wireless client or using it as a wireless access point.

Client mode means the LF-V30 can wirelessly connect only to your wireless router -- which is great if you don't have an Ethernet connection near your TV. Access point mode, on the other hand, lets you use the LF-V30 as a point of entry to your network for any other Wi-Fi device (laptop, handheld, PSP, DS, what have you) -- but to do so, it requires a wired connection to the router. In other words, the wireless functionality is an either/or proposition -- connect wirelessly to your router, or to your PC/PSP, but not both simultaneously. That doesn't make the LF-V30 different from any other access point or router you'd buy -- just don't buy it expecting it to work as a wireless bridge.

Because of those advanced wireless capabilities, the LF-V30's networking hookup is more challenging than that of the Slingbox. Sony says the LF-V30 quick start guide is improved over last year's LF-B20 model, but the average user will still find it to be something of a challenge. (Another caveat: if you intend to use the LF-V30 in client mode, you'll need to run a wired networking connection during setup -- unless you're using the Vista-optimized setup software instead.)

During the process, you'll need to install the included LocationFree Player software, which includes a setup wizard. The software wizard is a bit easier to follow than the quick-start guide, but it requires you to enter a Web browser at one point to adjust some settings on the LF-V30 -- similar to the browser-based interfaces found on most wireless routers. If you slow down and follow the printed and software instructions step by step, you just might make it through. By comparison, if you have a UPnP router, the setup options on the Slingbox are a lot smoother and user-friendly.

During the setup process, you'll also need to connect the LF-V30 to a video source or two. Doing so is no more difficult than hooking up a VCR or a DVD recorder. We appreciated the pass-through outputs, which let the LF-V30 sit innocuously in the chain between our cable box and the AV receiver, without the need for splitters or monopolizing precious S-Video and component outputs.

The most likely video source for the LF-V30 is a cable or satellite set-top box, which will let you watch the full range of your live TV options. You choose the make and model of your set-top box or other video source from an onscreen list so the V30 can send the right codes via the IR blaster, which you need to string to the front of said box.

Here, Sony has included two very cool options. The system can autodetect the brand of your set-top box if you point and "shoot" your remote into a small IR receiver on the LF-V30's front panel when instructed to do so (it correctly determined that we had a Scientific Atlanta box). And, if you have a brand that's not in the database, you can have the LF-V30 "learn" the main commands from any remote and map them to corresponding keys on the onscreen remote on your PC.

Once you've got the software installed and everything connected, you should be able to view your cable/satellite box from your PC. You'll get a video window with basic controls, with the standalone onscreen remote on the side. If everything's gone according to plan, you'll have the same control over your set-top box whether you're in the next room or logging on from any broadband access point in the world.

On a home network, you'll get higher speeds (in excess of 3Mbps) and a resulting better picture quality; the result can look quite good even when the window is maximized for full-screen viewing. When viewing over the Internet -- which is to say, when you log in from any place outside of your home network -- you'll be restricted by the upstream bandwidth of your broadband connection, so the visual fidelity takes a hit. But we still got a reasonably watchable picture, especially if we didn't blow it up to full screen. (Note that the LF-V30 can accept high-def (720p/1080i) video, but it downconverts it for streaming.)

On the Windows viewing software, Sony has made a few notable improvements. The onscreen software "remote" had all of the important keys for our DVR (including the all-important "list" function), and the template can now be updated, so you can add more customized keys for anything that's missing. Sony also says that remote "skins" are available -- so the onscreen remote mirrors the familiar look and feel of your device's remote -- but we couldn't seem to get that function to work.

Prefer to watch your TV shows on a device other than your PC? LocationFree products are theoretically supported on Macs and Windows Mobile devices, but there are a variety of caveats. For the Mac, you'll need to invest in viewing software from Taxan (aka IO-Data) to do so; we didn't have a copy on hand, so we didn't test it. But according to the company's Web site, the client isn't even verified to work with the LF-V30.

Likewise, Access (the company that owns the rights to the Palm OS) offers the NetFront LocationFree Player for Pocket PC ($20) -- but compatibility is limited to Windows Mobile 5.0 and 2003 Second Edition devices, and the company has "no plan to support Windows Mobile 6." On the brighter side, any PSP with the latest firmware is ready to go: you'll just need to pair the PSP with the LF-V30 first (follow the onscreen instructions on the PSP to do so). Once it's paired up, you should be able to access and control the LF-V30 from the PSP just as easily as you would on a PC or a Mac. Both the PC and PSP viewing clients have multiple aspect-ratio options, so you can stretch, squash, and zoom the picture to fit the squarish confines of a standard 4:3 monitor or a wider 16:9 viewing space, as found on a PSP.

Even if you stick with Windows, installing a player is something of an annoyance. The included software has a license, of course, but you can use that only on one machine. Each additional Windows PC will require another license (software key) at a cost of $30. So, if you want to view your home TV programming on more than one computer -- say, your personal laptop and your work PC -- you're going to have to shell out more money. (Sony VAIO owners, at least, get a freebie; the LocationFree software comes preinstalled on those PCs as of summer 2007.)

Compare that software rigmarole to the Slingbox experience. Sling offers freely downloadable Windows and Mac versions, so you can install the viewing client on as many computers as you want for no additional charge. (Only one can log on at any given time, but it's still a huge advantage.)

As long as you have the Slingbox serial number and password, you can effectively download and install the software and watch your home TV from any computer in the world, without being bogged down paying additional fees. And while Sling also charges for its mobile software clients, each of them -- for Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and Symbian smartphones -- are updated much more frequently, and the downloads and customer support documents are all in one convenient place: Sling's Web site. Likewise, if you have a problem with any of them, you deal with Sling's customer service -- not a third party.

It's also worth mentioning some of the caveats that apply to all of these so-called placeshifting devices, including the Slingbox. Most importantly, the LF-V30 will monopolize whatever device -- or devices -- to which it's attached. That's no problem if the cable box in question is sitting in an empty house, and you're out on the road; it's a big problem if a family member is at home watching TV, and you decide to remotely change the channel.

Secondly, the LocationFree TV products are only as good as the products they're connected to. Linking it to a TiVo/DVR gives you a lot more freedom to play back any programs you've already recorded, while a standard cable or satellite box provides access only to live TV -- not very useful if nothing's on. Finally, the video quality is largely determined by the upstream broadband connection at the source; if your bandwidth isn't in the sweet spot (say, 350Kbps to 500Kbps), you'll get a lot of herky-jerky video.

In the final analysis, the LocationFree LF-V30 is an incremental improvement over the preceding LF-B20 model. If wireless connectivity is a must, or you're a heavy PSP user, the LF-V30 is the box for you. But everyone else will be better served by a Slingbox, which offers easier setup and installation, a better software client, and solid support for far more devices, including Macs and Palm, Windows Mobile, and Symbian smartphones.

Source from: edition.cnn.com

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Review: New Sony LocationFree TV only a slight improvement

(CNET.com) -- In some ways, you've got to feel a little sympathetic for Sony. The company effectively invented the placeshifting concept -- the ability to stream TV programming from your living room to another device via the Internet -- in 2004, only to see it co-opted by smaller upstart Sling Media a year later. The latter company's Slingbox series of products have become the industry leader, popular enough for the start-up to be purchased by Dish Network parent EchoStar for a cool $380 million.

But Sony has stayed in the game, releasing follow-up products that have attempted to challenge Sling's dominance. The latest such device is the LF-V30, the first LocationFree TV product to be released since the products were transferred under the rubric of Sony's PC-centric VAIO division. The LF-V30 ($250 list) adds compatibility for HD component video and has full pass-through inputs and outputs for two separate video sources. But otherwise, there's no big improvement over last year's LF-B20.

As a result, the LF-V30's flaws are even more glaring in comparison to the comparable Slingbox models, the Slingbox Pro and the Slingbox Solo. Sony's setup process still ranges from mildly to excessively frustrating -- especially if you go wireless -- and the viewing software and control options get the job done, but just don't offer the same degree of ease and intuitive design found on the Sling counterpart. As such, the LocationFree LF-V30 is really only commendable over a Slingbox to those who will use its two distinguishing features: the ability to stream video to a PSP, and the ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network.

About the size of a hardcover book, the all-black LocationFree TV LF-V30 could be mistaken for a somewhat fat wireless router -- understandable, because that's pretty much what it is. Like Sony's PlayStation game consoles, it can be mounted horizontally or vertically (a snap-on plastic base is included). The front face of the minimalist black box has a smattering of green status LEDs, along with a power switch, a setup mode button (for use during the initial configuration), and a reset switch.

As always, though, the back panel is where the action is. There are two A/V inputs. The first includes S-Video (in addition to composite) and stereo audio inputs, along with a duplicate set of pass-through outputs. The second is composite and component, the latter of which can handle high-def signals. There's also an Ethernet port for a wired network connection; the wireless antenna is internal. Last but not least, there are two infrared (IR) blaster ports -- although the Base Station ships with only one single-headed blaster.

Setting up the LF-V30 is a two-step process: you need to get it connected to your network (which involves installing the included software on a PC), and you need to connect the AV cables to the video source (or sources). For the networking setup, you're offered two wireless options: using the LF-V30 as a wireless client or using it as a wireless access point.

Client mode means the LF-V30 can wirelessly connect only to your wireless router -- which is great if you don't have an Ethernet connection near your TV. Access point mode, on the other hand, lets you use the LF-V30 as a point of entry to your network for any other Wi-Fi device (laptop, handheld, PSP, DS, what have you) -- but to do so, it requires a wired connection to the router. In other words, the wireless functionality is an either/or proposition -- connect wirelessly to your router, or to your PC/PSP, but not both simultaneously. That doesn't make the LF-V30 different from any other access point or router you'd buy -- just don't buy it expecting it to work as a wireless bridge.

Because of those advanced wireless capabilities, the LF-V30's networking hookup is more challenging than that of the Slingbox. Sony says the LF-V30 quick start guide is improved over last year's LF-B20 model, but the average user will still find it to be something of a challenge. (Another caveat: if you intend to use the LF-V30 in client mode, you'll need to run a wired networking connection during setup -- unless you're using the Vista-optimized setup software instead.)

During the process, you'll need to install the included LocationFree Player software, which includes a setup wizard. The software wizard is a bit easier to follow than the quick-start guide, but it requires you to enter a Web browser at one point to adjust some settings on the LF-V30 -- similar to the browser-based interfaces found on most wireless routers. If you slow down and follow the printed and software instructions step by step, you just might make it through. By comparison, if you have a UPnP router, the setup options on the Slingbox are a lot smoother and user-friendly.

During the setup process, you'll also need to connect the LF-V30 to a video source or two. Doing so is no more difficult than hooking up a VCR or a DVD recorder. We appreciated the pass-through outputs, which let the LF-V30 sit innocuously in the chain between our cable box and the AV receiver, without the need for splitters or monopolizing precious S-Video and component outputs.

The most likely video source for the LF-V30 is a cable or satellite set-top box, which will let you watch the full range of your live TV options. You choose the make and model of your set-top box or other video source from an onscreen list so the V30 can send the right codes via the IR blaster, which you need to string to the front of said box.

Here, Sony has included two very cool options. The system can autodetect the brand of your set-top box if you point and "shoot" your remote into a small IR receiver on the LF-V30's front panel when instructed to do so (it correctly determined that we had a Scientific Atlanta box). And, if you have a brand that's not in the database, you can have the LF-V30 "learn" the main commands from any remote and map them to corresponding keys on the onscreen remote on your PC.

Once you've got the software installed and everything connected, you should be able to view your cable/satellite box from your PC. You'll get a video window with basic controls, with the standalone onscreen remote on the side. If everything's gone according to plan, you'll have the same control over your set-top box whether you're in the next room or logging on from any broadband access point in the world.

On a home network, you'll get higher speeds (in excess of 3Mbps) and a resulting better picture quality; the result can look quite good even when the window is maximized for full-screen viewing. When viewing over the Internet -- which is to say, when you log in from any place outside of your home network -- you'll be restricted by the upstream bandwidth of your broadband connection, so the visual fidelity takes a hit. But we still got a reasonably watchable picture, especially if we didn't blow it up to full screen. (Note that the LF-V30 can accept high-def (720p/1080i) video, but it downconverts it for streaming.)

On the Windows viewing software, Sony has made a few notable improvements. The onscreen software "remote" had all of the important keys for our DVR (including the all-important "list" function), and the template can now be updated, so you can add more customized keys for anything that's missing. Sony also says that remote "skins" are available -- so the onscreen remote mirrors the familiar look and feel of your device's remote -- but we couldn't seem to get that function to work.

Prefer to watch your TV shows on a device other than your PC? LocationFree products are theoretically supported on Macs and Windows Mobile devices, but there are a variety of caveats. For the Mac, you'll need to invest in viewing software from Taxan (aka IO-Data) to do so; we didn't have a copy on hand, so we didn't test it. But according to the company's Web site, the client isn't even verified to work with the LF-V30.

Likewise, Access (the company that owns the rights to the Palm OS) offers the NetFront LocationFree Player for Pocket PC ($20) -- but compatibility is limited to Windows Mobile 5.0 and 2003 Second Edition devices, and the company has "no plan to support Windows Mobile 6." On the brighter side, any PSP with the latest firmware is ready to go: you'll just need to pair the PSP with the LF-V30 first (follow the onscreen instructions on the PSP to do so). Once it's paired up, you should be able to access and control the LF-V30 from the PSP just as easily as you would on a PC or a Mac. Both the PC and PSP viewing clients have multiple aspect-ratio options, so you can stretch, squash, and zoom the picture to fit the squarish confines of a standard 4:3 monitor or a wider 16:9 viewing space, as found on a PSP.

Even if you stick with Windows, installing a player is something of an annoyance. The included software has a license, of course, but you can use that only on one machine. Each additional Windows PC will require another license (software key) at a cost of $30. So, if you want to view your home TV programming on more than one computer -- say, your personal laptop and your work PC -- you're going to have to shell out more money. (Sony VAIO owners, at least, get a freebie; the LocationFree software comes preinstalled on those PCs as of summer 2007.)

Compare that software rigmarole to the Slingbox experience. Sling offers freely downloadable Windows and Mac versions, so you can install the viewing client on as many computers as you want for no additional charge. (Only one can log on at any given time, but it's still a huge advantage.)

As long as you have the Slingbox serial number and password, you can effectively download and install the software and watch your home TV from any computer in the world, without being bogged down paying additional fees. And while Sling also charges for its mobile software clients, each of them -- for Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and Symbian smartphones -- are updated much more frequently, and the downloads and customer support documents are all in one convenient place: Sling's Web site. Likewise, if you have a problem with any of them, you deal with Sling's customer service -- not a third party.

It's also worth mentioning some of the caveats that apply to all of these so-called placeshifting devices, including the Slingbox. Most importantly, the LF-V30 will monopolize whatever device -- or devices -- to which it's attached. That's no problem if the cable box in question is sitting in an empty house, and you're out on the road; it's a big problem if a family member is at home watching TV, and you decide to remotely change the channel.

Secondly, the LocationFree TV products are only as good as the products they're connected to. Linking it to a TiVo/DVR gives you a lot more freedom to play back any programs you've already recorded, while a standard cable or satellite box provides access only to live TV -- not very useful if nothing's on. Finally, the video quality is largely determined by the upstream broadband connection at the source; if your bandwidth isn't in the sweet spot (say, 350Kbps to 500Kbps), you'll get a lot of herky-jerky video.

In the final analysis, the LocationFree LF-V30 is an incremental improvement over the preceding LF-B20 model. If wireless connectivity is a must, or you're a heavy PSP user, the LF-V30 is the box for you. But everyone else will be better served by a Slingbox, which offers easier setup and installation, a better software client, and solid support for far more devices, including Macs and Palm, Windows Mobile, and Symbian smartphones.

Source from: edition.cnn.com

Read More..

Facebook opens profiles to public

Facebook now accounts for 1% of all net traffic

Popular social networking site Facebook has added a public-facing search function in a move which is likely to anger privacy advocates.

The function will initially allow anyone who is not registered with the site to search for a specific person.

More controversially, in a month's time, the feature will also allow people to track down Facebook members via search engines such as Google.

The firm said that the information being revealed is minimal.

Privacy erosion

The public search listing will show the thumbnail picture of a Facebook member from their profile page as well as links allowing people to interact with them.

But, in order to add someone as a friend or send them a message, the person will have to be registered with Facebook.

Users who want to restrict what information is available to the public or opt out of the feature altogether can change their privacy settings. They have a month to do so.

Despite assurances from Facebook, critics have expressed disappointment at the move.

"This move transforms Facebook from being a social network to being a quasi-White Pages of the web," commented technology writer Om Malik in his blog GigaOm.

Mr Malik, and others, are concerned about the data trail that people are routinely leaving behind them on social networking and other sites.

There are concerns that personal content will become aggregated for marketing or other purposes.

Security experts have pointed out the dangers of publicising your date of birth - one of the options in a Facebook profile - because of the way it has been traditionally used as a way of identifying bank customers.

Facebook began life as a way of keeping US college students in touch with each other. Devised by Harvard drop-out Mark Zuckerberg, the site now accounts for 1% of all net traffic and is the sixth most visited site in the US

The social networking site is thought to have about 39 million members. Numbers have jumped since the firm removed the need to have an academic e-mail address in September 2006.One year on Your pictures Voters' views

Source from: news.bbc.co.uk

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Social networkers warned of risk

Users are being warned not to post personal details on their profiles

A quarter of the 11 million Britons who use social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook may be leaving themselves open to identity fraud.

Get Safe Online, a government-backed campaign group, is warning against posting personal details online.

Its research also showed eight million people leave home wireless networks unprotected against intruders.

And more than half of the over-65s polled use a single password for every website they visit, the group said.

The group is advising older internet users to change their passwords more often.

'Rich pickings'

Tony Neate, managing director of GetSafeOnline.org, said a date of birth and address details were enough for someone to set up a credit card in another name.

"Although some of these details may seem harmless, they actually provide rich pickings for criminals," he said.

People need to take care when using public wi-fi

Cabinet Office minister Gillian Merron said the risks can be easily fixed and did not mean people should stop using social networking sites, and wireless networks.

The poll of 2,000 adults also showed that nearly 30% admitted searching for former girlfriends and boyfriends on the sites, and almost one in three used them to find out about their boss, colleagues or a job candidate.

The survey also found 13% of social networkers had posted information about or photos of other people without their consent.

While 80% of people now have firewalls, anti-virus and anti-spyware products installed on their PCs, the usage of wireless networks is far more lax.

At part of the campaign, Get Safe Online and the Serious Organised Crime Agency demonstrated how easy it was to break into an unsecured wireless network.

High profile cases

It showed that not only was it easy to freeload on an unsecured network but also to hack into it and 'steal' potentially valuable information.

A SOCA officer, taking part in the mocked-up demonstration for the BBC, took just a quarter of an hour to access and "steal" passwords and other personal information from a nearby laptop.

According to a survey conducted by the government and SOCA-backed Get Safe Online campaign, over 7.8 million people in the UK have left their internet access open for anyone to use.

"It took just 15 minutes to break into the network but it would take less than that to make the machine safe," said Tony Neate, managing director of the Get Safe Online campaign.

There have been several high profile cases this year of individuals piggybacking on other people's unsecured wireless connections.

Such freeloading is generally harmless and invisible to the user, unless the person stealing it is using large amounts of bandwidth which will noticeably slow the network down.

Stealing passwords

The mocked up SOCA demonstration showed that anyone with a wireless-enabled laptop could scan for unsecured networks and, if one was found, use it to surf the internet and send emails at someone else's expense.

The demonstration also showed that it only takes a limited amount of technical know-how to take the free usage of someone else's network to a different level.

"I am running a tool which is freely available from the internet which will scan the computer to see if it is vulnerable to any exploitation," explained the SOCA officer, who was only known as Stuart.

"A red X on the screen shows that a Microsoft patch for a known vulnerability [in this case, the Sasser worm] hasn't been applied so now I just need to use this information with another program - also freely available - which will allow me to input commands and gain control of the machine," he said.

In this particular demonstration, Stuart was able to access the victim's My Documents' folder which contained a document listing passwords for banking, e-mail accounts and social networking sites.

A Get Safe Online campaign earlier in the year found that 12% of the UK's net users had experienced online fraud during 2006 with an average loss of 875.

As part of this week's campaign the Get Safe Online team will be travelling around the country offering advice on how to stay safe and secure when using the internet.Deadly gems Climate dilemma All eyes on Koroma

Source from: news.bbc.co.uk

Read More..

Review: Sony's LocationFree TV no match for Slingbox

(CNET.com) -- In some ways, you've got to feel a little sympathetic for Sony. The company effectively invented the placeshifting concept -- the ability to stream TV programming from your living room to another device via the Internet -- in 2004, only to see it co-opted by smaller upstart Sling Media a year later.

The latter company's Slingbox series of products have become the industry leader, popular enough for the start-up to be purchased by Dish Network parent EchoStar for a cool $380 million.

But Sony has stayed in the game, releasing follow-up products that that have attempted to challenge Sling's dominance.

The latest such device is the LF-V30, the first LocationFree TV product to be released since the products were transferred under the rubric of Sony's PC-centric VAIO division.

The LF-V30 ($250 list) adds compatibility for HD component video and has full pass-through inputs and outputs for two separate video sources. But otherwise, there's no big improvement over last year's LF-B20.

As a result, the LF-V30's flaws are even more glaring in comparison to the comparable Slingbox models, the Slingbox Pro and the Slingbox Solo.

Sony's setup process still ranges from mildly to excessively frustrating --especially if you go wireless -- and the viewing software and control options get the job done, but just don't offer the same degree of ease and intuitive design found on the Sling counterpart.

As such, the LocationFree LF-V30 is really only commendable over a Slingbox to those who will use its two distinguishing features: the ability to stream video to a PSP, and the ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network.

About the size of a hardcover book, the all-black LocationFree TV LF-V30 could be mistaken for a somewhat fat wireless router -- understandable, because that's pretty much what it is.

Like Sony's PlayStation game consoles, it can be mounted horizontally or vertically (a snap-on plastic base is included). The front face of the minimalist black box has a smattering of green status LEDs, along with a power switch, a setup mode button (for use during the initial configuration), and a reset switch.

As always, though, the back panel is where the action is. There are two A/V inputs. The first includes S-Video (in addition to composite) and stereo audio inputs, along with a duplicate set of pass-through outputs. The second is composite and component, the latter of which can handle high-def signals. There's also an Ethernet port for a wired network connection; the wireless antenna is internal. Last but not least, there are two infrared (IR) blaster ports--although the Base Station ships with only one single-headed blaster.

Setting up the LF-V30 is a two-step process: you need to get it connected to your network (which involves installing the included software on a PC), and you need to connect the AV cables to the video source (or sources).

For the networking setup, you're offered two wireless options: using the LF-V30 as a wireless client or using it as a wireless access point. Client mode means the LF-V30 can wirelessly connect only to your wireless router--which is great if you don't have an Ethernet connection near your TV.

Access point mode, on the other hand, lets you use the LF-V30 as a point of entry to your network for any other Wi-Fi device (laptop, handheld, PSP, DS, what have you)--but to do so, it requires a wired connection to the router. In other words, the wireless functionality is an either/or proposition--connect wirelessly to your router, or to your PC/PSP, but not both simultaneously. That doesn't make the LF-V30 different from any other access point or router you'd buy--just don't buy it expecting it to work as a wireless bridge.

Because of those advanced wireless capabilities, the LF-V30's networking hookup is more challenging than that of the Slingbox. Sony says the LF-V30 quick start guide is improved over last year's LF-B20 model, but the average user will still find it to be something of a challenge. (Another caveat: if you intend to use the LF-V30 in client mode, you'll need to run a wired networking connection during setup--unless you're using the Vista-optimized setup software instead.)

During the process, you'll need to install the included LocationFree Player software, which includes a setup wizard. The software wizard is a bit easier to follow than the quick-start guide, but it requires you to enter a Web browser at one point to adjust some settings on the LF-V30--similar to the browser-based interfaces found on most wireless routers.

If you slow down and follow the printed and software instructions step by step, you just might make it through. By comparison, if you have a UPnP router, the setup options on the Slingbox are a lot smoother and user-friendly.

During the setup process, you'll also need to connect the LF-V30 to a video source or two. Doing so is no more difficult than hooking up a VCR or a DVD recorder. We appreciated the pass-through outputs, which let the LF-V30 sit innocuously in the chain between our cable box and the AV receiver, without the need for splitters or monopolizing precious S-Video and component outputs.

The most likely video source for the LF-V30 is a cable or satellite set-top box, which will let you watch the full range of your live TV options. You choose the make and model of your set-top box or other video source from an onscreen list so the V30 can send the right codes via the IR blaster, which you need to string to the front of said box. Here, Sony has included two very cool options.

The system can autodetect the brand of your set-top box if you point and "shoot" your remote into a small IR receiver on the LF-V30's front panel when instructed to do so (it correctly determined that we had a Scientific Atlanta box). And, if you have a brand that's not in the database, you can have the LF-V30 "learn" the main commands from any remote and map them to corresponding keys on the onscreen remote on your PC.

Once you've got the software installed and everything connected, you should be able to view your cable/satellite box from your PC. You'll get a video window with basic controls, with the standalone onscreen remote on the side.

If everything's gone according to plan, you'll have the same control over your set-top box whether you're in the next room or logging on from any broadband access point in the world.

On a home network, you'll get higher speeds (in excess of 3Mbps) and a resulting better picture quality; the result can look quite good even when the window is maximized for full-screen viewing. When viewing over the Internet--which is to say, when you log in from any place outside of your home network--you'll be restricted by the upstream bandwidth of your broadband connection, so the visual fidelity takes a hit. But we still got a reasonably watchable picture, especially if we didn't blow it up to full screen. (Note that the LF-V30 can accept high-def (720p/1080i) video, but it downconverts it for streaming.)

On the Windows viewing software, Sony has made a few notable improvements. The onscreen software "remote" had all of the important keys for our DVR (including the all-important "list" function), and the template can now be updated, so you can add more customized keys for anything that's missing.

Sony also says that remote "skins" are available--so the onscreen remote mirrors the familiar look and feel of your device's remote--but we couldn't seem to get that function to work.

Prefer to watch your TV shows on a device other than your PC? LocationFree products are theoretically supported on Macs and Windows Mobile devices, but there are a variety of caveats.

For the Mac, you'll need to invest in viewing software from Taxan (aka IO-Data) to do so; we didn't have a copy on hand, so we didn't test it. But according to the company's Web site, the client isn't even verified to work with the LF-V30.

Likewise, Access (the company that owns the rights to the Palm OS) offers the NetFront LocationFree Player for Pocket PC ($20)--but compatibility is limited to Windows Mobile 5.0 and 2003 Second Edition devices, and the company has "no plan to support Windows Mobile 6."

On the brighter side, any PSP with the latest firmware is ready to go: you'll just need to pair the PSP with the LF-V30 first (follow the onscreen instructions on the PSP to do so). Once it's paired up, you should be able to access and control the LF-V30 from the PSP just as easily as you would on a PC or a Mac.

Both the PC and PSP viewing clients have multiple aspect-ratio options, so you can stretch, squash, and zoom the picture to fit the squarish confines of a standard 4:3 monitor or a wider 16:9 viewing space, as found on a PSP.

Even if you stick with Windows, installing a player is something of an annoyance. The included software has a license, of course, but you can use that only on one machine. Each additional Windows PC will require another license (software key) at a cost of $30.

So, if you want to view your home TV programming on more than one computer--say, your personal laptop and your work PC--you're going to have to shell out more money. (Sony VAIO owners, at least, get a freebie; the LocationFree software comes preinstalled on those PCs as of summer 2007.)

Compare that software rigmarole to the Slingbox experience. Sling offers freely downloadable Windows and Mac versions, so you can install the viewing client on as many computers as you want for no additional charge. (Only one can log on at any given time, but it's still a huge advantage.)

As long as you have the Slingbox serial number and password, you can effectively download and install the software and watch your home TV from any computer in the world, without being bogged down paying additional fees. And while Sling also charges for its mobile software clients, each of them--for Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and Symbian smartphones--are updated much more frequently, and the downloads and customer support documents are all in one convenient place: Sling's Web site. Likewise, if you have a problem with any of them, you deal with Sling's customer service--not a third party.

It's also worth mentioning some of the caveats that apply to all of these so-called placeshifting devices, including the Slingbox. Most importantly, the LF-V30 will monopolize whatever device--or devices--to which it's attached. That's no problem if the cable box in question is sitting in an empty house, and you're out on the road; it's a big problem if a family member is at home watching TV, and you decide to remotely change the channel.

Secondly, the LocationFree TV products are only as good as the products they're connected to. Linking it to a TiVo/DVR gives you a lot more freedom to play back any programs you've already recorded, while a standard cable or satellite box provides access only to live TV--not very useful if nothing's on. Finally, the video quality is largely determined by the upstream broadband connection at the source; if your bandwidth isn't in the sweet spot (say, 350Kbps to 500Kbps), you'll get a lot of herky-jerky video.

In the final analysis, the LocationFree LF-V30 is an incremental improvement over the preceding LF-B20 model. If wireless connectivity is a must, or you're a heavy PSP user, the LF-V30 is the box for you.

But everyone else will be better served by a Slingbox, which offers easier setup and installation, a better software client, and solid support for far more devices, including Macs and Palm, Windows Mobile, and Symbian smartphones.

Source from: edition.cnn.com

Read More..

Too old for networking?

Am I too old for this?

But is this just a flash-in-the-pan, an internet fad that will soon go the way of CB radio in the 70s? And is it just for the under-25s?

As a 40-something Technology Correspondent, determined to keep up with my younger colleagues, I felt duty bound to find out. So I got myself a profile on MySpace, bebo and Facebook.

I also signed up to the hottest new social networking service, Twitter. This has an added twist - you can send short updates to everyone in your network via text message, providing a running commentary of your life.

After a few days I can't help noticing one thing about my virtual social life - I don't seem to have many friends.

I have tried to find anyone I know on these sites - but nobody seems to be there.

My school and university both have active networks on Facebook and bebo - but none of my contemporaries are there.

I get to grips with the language of Facebook and, with some trepidation, "poke" a few of the young people in my office.

'Pity' friends?

Then, a moment of excitement - I've suddenly got a friend on MySpace.

My Twitter updates proved less than riveting reading...

He's called Tom. My 16-year-old son - a veteran of social networking - puts me right. "Dad, Tom is the guy who runs MySpace - he's everybody's friend".

Time to seek help. I've found a group on Facebook called: "I cant get out of bed without the Today Programme".

I now have a tiny Bebo network consisting of me and the founders.

I contact its founder Benna Schellhorn, and she comes over to look at my Facebook profile and give me some advice.

"Oh dear Rory, you really don't have many friends," she says, in a reproving tone.

Social events

"You can use it to organise nights out clubbing," she suggests, brightly.

Hmmm - I'm not sure she understands the nature of my middle-aged social life. But I follow her advice to put a little more work into my profile - and try again to persuade old friends to join me.

My social network - the founders of Bebo become my friends

By now I am having a bit of luck with Twitter - but I'm beginning to wonder why I signed up.

My circle of Twitterers - all of them in my age bracket - include my oldest friend, a Cardiff doctor using the soubriquet TopDoc, and two friends from the murky world of public relations, Suburbman and TheClackster.

Soon my phone is twittering with every detail of their mundane lives.

"Not much happening right now. About to take a shower," says Suburbman

"Up at dawn, back hurting. read the Guardian online," is the thrilling news from TopDoc.

Slightly pretentious

In a final attempt to prove that I can network, I head for a meeting of some of the dotcom world's biggest movers and shakers.

Sitting at the back of another seminar on the future of technology I am awed and humbled to spot a top French blogger, Loic Lemeur, sending live twitters from his laptop.

But I'm a little reluctant to ask him or anyone else to network with me.

Then I spot the two founders of Bebo, Michael and Xochi Birch.

They try to convince me that the social networking phenomenon is now attracting more mature adherents - some even older than me.

So I feel emboldened to ask the couple "Will you be my friends?" Well, what could they do? I now have a tiny Bebo network consisting of me and the founders.

But despite my hard-won social success - and the constant twittering of my phone - I think I've had enough.

I have decided I am too old to Twitter and too mature for Myspace. Some things are best left to the young.

Pakistan stand-off Working overtime The week ahead

Source from: news.bbc.co.uk

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Review: Sony's LocationFree TV no match for Slingbox

(CNET.com) -- In some ways, you've got to feel a little sympathetic for Sony. The company effectively invented the placeshifting concept -- the ability to stream TV programming from your living room to another device via the Internet -- in 2004, only to see it co-opted by smaller upstart Sling Media a year later.

The latter company's Slingbox series of products have become the industry leader, popular enough for the start-up to be purchased by Dish Network parent EchoStar for a cool $380 million.

But Sony has stayed in the game, releasing follow-up products that that have attempted to challenge Sling's dominance.

The latest such device is the LF-V30, the first LocationFree TV product to be released since the products were transferred under the rubric of Sony's PC-centric VAIO division.

The LF-V30 ($250 list) adds compatibility for HD component video and has full pass-through inputs and outputs for two separate video sources. But otherwise, there's no big improvement over last year's LF-B20.

As a result, the LF-V30's flaws are even more glaring in comparison to the comparable Slingbox models, the Slingbox Pro and the Slingbox Solo.

Sony's setup process still ranges from mildly to excessively frustrating --especially if you go wireless -- and the viewing software and control options get the job done, but just don't offer the same degree of ease and intuitive design found on the Sling counterpart.

As such, the LocationFree LF-V30 is really only commendable over a Slingbox to those who will use its two distinguishing features: the ability to stream video to a PSP, and the ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network.

About the size of a hardcover book, the all-black LocationFree TV LF-V30 could be mistaken for a somewhat fat wireless router -- understandable, because that's pretty much what it is.

Like Sony's PlayStation game consoles, it can be mounted horizontally or vertically (a snap-on plastic base is included). The front face of the minimalist black box has a smattering of green status LEDs, along with a power switch, a setup mode button (for use during the initial configuration), and a reset switch.

As always, though, the back panel is where the action is. There are two A/V inputs. The first includes S-Video (in addition to composite) and stereo audio inputs, along with a duplicate set of pass-through outputs. The second is composite and component, the latter of which can handle high-def signals. There's also an Ethernet port for a wired network connection; the wireless antenna is internal. Last but not least, there are two infrared (IR) blaster ports--although the Base Station ships with only one single-headed blaster.

Setting up the LF-V30 is a two-step process: you need to get it connected to your network (which involves installing the included software on a PC), and you need to connect the AV cables to the video source (or sources).

For the networking setup, you're offered two wireless options: using the LF-V30 as a wireless client or using it as a wireless access point. Client mode means the LF-V30 can wirelessly connect only to your wireless router--which is great if you don't have an Ethernet connection near your TV.

Access point mode, on the other hand, lets you use the LF-V30 as a point of entry to your network for any other Wi-Fi device (laptop, handheld, PSP, DS, what have you)--but to do so, it requires a wired connection to the router. In other words, the wireless functionality is an either/or proposition--connect wirelessly to your router, or to your PC/PSP, but not both simultaneously. That doesn't make the LF-V30 different from any other access point or router you'd buy--just don't buy it expecting it to work as a wireless bridge.

Because of those advanced wireless capabilities, the LF-V30's networking hookup is more challenging than that of the Slingbox. Sony says the LF-V30 quick start guide is improved over last year's LF-B20 model, but the average user will still find it to be something of a challenge. (Another caveat: if you intend to use the LF-V30 in client mode, you'll need to run a wired networking connection during setup--unless you're using the Vista-optimized setup software instead.)

During the process, you'll need to install the included LocationFree Player software, which includes a setup wizard. The software wizard is a bit easier to follow than the quick-start guide, but it requires you to enter a Web browser at one point to adjust some settings on the LF-V30--similar to the browser-based interfaces found on most wireless routers.

If you slow down and follow the printed and software instructions step by step, you just might make it through. By comparison, if you have a UPnP router, the setup options on the Slingbox are a lot smoother and user-friendly.

During the setup process, you'll also need to connect the LF-V30 to a video source or two. Doing so is no more difficult than hooking up a VCR or a DVD recorder. We appreciated the pass-through outputs, which let the LF-V30 sit innocuously in the chain between our cable box and the AV receiver, without the need for splitters or monopolizing precious S-Video and component outputs.

The most likely video source for the LF-V30 is a cable or satellite set-top box, which will let you watch the full range of your live TV options. You choose the make and model of your set-top box or other video source from an onscreen list so the V30 can send the right codes via the IR blaster, which you need to string to the front of said box. Here, Sony has included two very cool options.

The system can autodetect the brand of your set-top box if you point and "shoot" your remote into a small IR receiver on the LF-V30's front panel when instructed to do so (it correctly determined that we had a Scientific Atlanta box). And, if you have a brand that's not in the database, you can have the LF-V30 "learn" the main commands from any remote and map them to corresponding keys on the onscreen remote on your PC.

Once you've got the software installed and everything connected, you should be able to view your cable/satellite box from your PC. You'll get a video window with basic controls, with the standalone onscreen remote on the side.

If everything's gone according to plan, you'll have the same control over your set-top box whether you're in the next room or logging on from any broadband access point in the world.

On a home network, you'll get higher speeds (in excess of 3Mbps) and a resulting better picture quality; the result can look quite good even when the window is maximized for full-screen viewing. When viewing over the Internet--which is to say, when you log in from any place outside of your home network--you'll be restricted by the upstream bandwidth of your broadband connection, so the visual fidelity takes a hit. But we still got a reasonably watchable picture, especially if we didn't blow it up to full screen. (Note that the LF-V30 can accept high-def (720p/1080i) video, but it downconverts it for streaming.)

On the Windows viewing software, Sony has made a few notable improvements. The onscreen software "remote" had all of the important keys for our DVR (including the all-important "list" function), and the template can now be updated, so you can add more customized keys for anything that's missing.

Sony also says that remote "skins" are available--so the onscreen remote mirrors the familiar look and feel of your device's remote--but we couldn't seem to get that function to work.

Prefer to watch your TV shows on a device other than your PC? LocationFree products are theoretically supported on Macs and Windows Mobile devices, but there are a variety of caveats.

For the Mac, you'll need to invest in viewing software from Taxan (aka IO-Data) to do so; we didn't have a copy on hand, so we didn't test it. But according to the company's Web site, the client isn't even verified to work with the LF-V30.

Likewise, Access (the company that owns the rights to the Palm OS) offers the NetFront LocationFree Player for Pocket PC ($20)--but compatibility is limited to Windows Mobile 5.0 and 2003 Second Edition devices, and the company has "no plan to support Windows Mobile 6."

On the brighter side, any PSP with the latest firmware is ready to go: you'll just need to pair the PSP with the LF-V30 first (follow the onscreen instructions on the PSP to do so). Once it's paired up, you should be able to access and control the LF-V30 from the PSP just as easily as you would on a PC or a Mac.

Both the PC and PSP viewing clients have multiple aspect-ratio options, so you can stretch, squash, and zoom the picture to fit the squarish confines of a standard 4:3 monitor or a wider 16:9 viewing space, as found on a PSP.

Even if you stick with Windows, installing a player is something of an annoyance. The included software has a license, of course, but you can use that only on one machine. Each additional Windows PC will require another license (software key) at a cost of $30.

So, if you want to view your home TV programming on more than one computer--say, your personal laptop and your work PC--you're going to have to shell out more money. (Sony VAIO owners, at least, get a freebie; the LocationFree software comes preinstalled on those PCs as of summer 2007.)

Compare that software rigmarole to the Slingbox experience. Sling offers freely downloadable Windows and Mac versions, so you can install the viewing client on as many computers as you want for no additional charge. (Only one can log on at any given time, but it's still a huge advantage.)

As long as you have the Slingbox serial number and password, you can effectively download and install the software and watch your home TV from any computer in the world, without being bogged down paying additional fees. And while Sling also charges for its mobile software clients, each of them--for Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and Symbian smartphones--are updated much more frequently, and the downloads and customer support documents are all in one convenient place: Sling's Web site. Likewise, if you have a problem with any of them, you deal with Sling's customer service--not a third party.

It's also worth mentioning some of the caveats that apply to all of these so-called placeshifting devices, including the Slingbox. Most importantly, the LF-V30 will monopolize whatever device--or devices--to which it's attached. That's no problem if the cable box in question is sitting in an empty house, and you're out on the road; it's a big problem if a family member is at home watching TV, and you decide to remotely change the channel.

Secondly, the LocationFree TV products are only as good as the products they're connected to. Linking it to a TiVo/DVR gives you a lot more freedom to play back any programs you've already recorded, while a standard cable or satellite box provides access only to live TV--not very useful if nothing's on. Finally, the video quality is largely determined by the upstream broadband connection at the source; if your bandwidth isn't in the sweet spot (say, 350Kbps to 500Kbps), you'll get a lot of herky-jerky video.

In the final analysis, the LocationFree LF-V30 is an incremental improvement over the preceding LF-B20 model. If wireless connectivity is a must, or you're a heavy PSP user, the LF-V30 is the box for you.

But everyone else will be better served by a Slingbox, which offers easier setup and installation, a better software client, and solid support for far more devices, including Macs and Palm, Windows Mobile, and Symbian smartphones.

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