Bleeding Edge TV 422: FitBit Aria Wi-Fi scale and FitBit Ultra fitness tracker

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, CES, CES 2012, Features, Household, Podcasts, Videocasts, Videos,

We give you a look at FitBit in this episode, focusing on two of their fitness gadgets, the FitBit Ultra and the FitBit Aria Wi-Fi scale. The FitBit Ultra is a small device that you wear on your belt or in your pocket that tracks how many steps you've walked, stairs you've climbed, calories you've burned, etc. It syncs with the FitBit Web site, giving you a graph of your activity history.

You FitBit Aria scale is Wi-Fi enabled, and monitors your weight, BMI, and body fat percentage. The scale uses Wi-Fi to sync your data to the FitBit Web site, where you can view your history. This was recorded at CES 2012. You can find FitBit products on Amazon.

Big thank you to GoToMeeting and JackThreads for sponsoring the show - be sure to check them out! GoToMeeting provides rich, super-simple collaborative cirtual meetings. As for JackThreads, we've got exclusive invite codes that give you $5 to use towards anything you'd like on the site.

Upgrade your iMac to 32GB RAM, MacBook Pro to 16GB RAM inexpensively

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Hot Deals, PC / Laptop,

I make the Macs we use at Gear Live work pretty hard, and am always looking to squeeze out any extra performance that I can. I've used SSD drives for about three years now, long before they were as available and affordable as they are today, even in a Mac Pro. I recently downgraded from a 2009 Mac Pro to the 2011 iMac, and had to make a few concessions as it related to a bunch of things. I mean, the Pro was a beast with an SSD, 3 HDD drives, 16 GB RAM, 3 video cards, etc. Going from that to an iMac gave me some concern. Using the iMac, though, had been fine, with the exception of slowdowns once the computer was out of RAM. Even matching it with the 16GB RAM that was in the Mac Pro wasn't enough for what we do. Granted, right now I've got about 15 tabs open in Chrome and over 40 tabs open in Safari, while iMovie is exporting a 1080p video episode of Bleeding Edge TV, with 20 apps running in the dock. I may be an edge case, but I deserve a speedy computing experience just as much as the next guy! I recently maxed out the RAM in the iMac to a ridiculous 32GB, and now things are flying.

I took a chance on an unknown (to me) brand called KomputerBay that I found on Amazon, and they sell 8GB RAM modules in sets of two (so 16GB total) for less than I've seen anywhere else, by a substantial margin. After installing, performane was markedly improved, and I have yet to experience any of those "out of RAM" slowdowns that plagued me before. Not bad for inexpensive RAM. If you've got a 2011 iMac, your system has four RAM slots and can support up to 32GB RAM. Alternatively, if you're running a recent MacBook Pro, you have two slots and can bump it up to 16GB using these modules. Each 16GB set currently costs $139.

Mecedes-Benz Actros used as a taxicab

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Transportation, Videos,

Here in the U.S., we’re familiar with the semi-trucks we share the highways with during our commutes and rely on to deliver our goods...but seeing a semi as a taxicab, that’s something unheard of. Europe’s semi truck manufactures take pride in their products, and one brand in particular is out to prove they’re the best. That brand is Mercedes-Benz. It's have won Truck of the Year for its newly redesigned Actros. However, that wasn’t enough for the Mercedes. So someone got the bright idea of using an Actros as a taxicab. However, the Actros was set to pick up customers from competing manufactures such as Volvo and Man. Watch a video of their reactions after the jump!

Click to continue reading Mecedes-Benz Actros used as a taxicab

Read More | Autoblog

Ask Andru: Should I get Kinect if I use my Xbox 360 primarily for watching Netflix?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Microsoft, Video Games, Videos,

We're back with another edition of Ask Andru - this time we're focusing on the wildly popular Kinect add-on, and how useful it might be for Xbox 360 owners who primarily use their consoles for watching streaming video. On to the question:

My family has an Xbox 360 but we end up using it primarily for Netflix, not games. I've read that the recent Xbox Live update added more ways to navigate menus and content using voice and gestures with Kinect. Is it worth buying a Kinect just for those controls, if we don't use it to play games? Is talking and waving at the TV better than using the controller?

It's true--Microsoft recently released an update for the Xbox 360, known as the Fall 2011 Dashboard Update, that has fully optimized the console's interface for use alongside the Kinect add-on. Many early adopters of Kinect complained about how clunky and tacked on the experience felt when trying to navigate menus while using the Xbox 360 outside of gaming, and the update pretty much solved all of those problems. Now, it's easy to "grab" something on screen, swipe through menus, and make selections using hand gestures. Even cooler, though, is that the dashboard is now pretty much fully navigable using just your voice. Simply say "Xbox" and all your options for where you can go are displayed on the screen. If you can see it, you can pretty much say it. Here's a video I made that looks at the features you'll find in the latest update:

Click to continue reading Ask Andru: Should I get Kinect if I use my Xbox 360 primarily for watching Netflix?

Lexus GS growing into a family of vehicles

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Transportation, Videos,

Along with the likes of Volkswagen, Honda, and Cadillac, Lexus is heading to the Super Bowl. The Lexus ad features the newly redesigned GS series, which is aimed to compete with the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class; to which we say good luck. That said, the new redesign is rather sexy.

The commercial (which can be seen after the jump) is rather sci-fi-ish and features the GS locked in a container. The Lexus eventually breaks free, and at the end of the commercial there are four container boxes lit up while the narrator states, “this is just the beginning.”

This leads us to ask the question ‘what next up from Lexus?’ Toyota recently expanded its Prius family, which led us to believe the GS family will be expecting new additions. Lexus announced on its website that there will be a hybrid option along with an F-tuned option (which is geared to compete with the BMW M5.) This being so only accounts for three containers of mystery, that is if you include the GS 350 apart of the four. So what remains to be answered is what will be the forth family member in the GS line-up?

Click to continue reading Lexus GS growing into a family of vehicles

Bleeding Edge TV 421: Xzibit on Monster Game T1 headphones

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, CES, CES 2012, Features, Music, Podcasts, Video Games, Videocasts, Videos,

We chat with hip-hop superstar Xzibit about Monster's upcoming line of gaming headphones. The Monster Gaming T1 headphones feature 7.1 virtual surround sound, 40mm drivers, Monster's most advanced noise isolation earcups, an LED Light Drive System, and even a built-in ControlTalk for use with the iPhone and other smartphones so you can take phone calls. The T1 gaming headphones will be available in February 2012. This was recorded at CES 2012.

Big thank you to MozyPro and JackThreads for sponsoring the show - be sure to check them out! MozyPro provides simple, automatic, and secure data backup. As for JackThreads, we've got exclusive invite codes that give you $5 to use towards anything you'd like on the site.

Install Siri on any jailbroken iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Spire

Posted by John Ball Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Mods / Hacks, Software,

The first legal Siri port has been developed and released for jailbroken iPhone 4, iPhone 3G and 3GS, iPod touch 3rd and 4th generations, and both iPads, and it's called Spire. The way the tweak works is by using an external proxy server to mimic Apple’s own Siri servers, which are used exclusively for the iPhone 4S. Spire has a quick install and a simple setup that takes no time at all to get up and running. There are some minor issues with the method however, namely that for every iDevice connected to a proxy server, Apple is losing money. The problems don’t stop there though. This also leaves the "official" iPhone 4S Siri possibly open to vulnerability for use with these proxy servers, which can potentially lead to unreliability within the phone itself and possible personal information being leaked from all the connected devices.

Moving away from the negatives to the positive, looking at the Spire, it functions exactly like its older sibling for the iPhone 4S as you are not running it on the iPod Touch 3rd generation (the tweak takes full advantage of the external microphone.) Have you got Siri up and running on your jailbroken iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch?

Click to continue reading Install Siri on any jailbroken iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Spire

Acura, Cadillac, Honda, and Volkswagen Super Bowl commercial sneak peeks

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Transportation, Videos,

It’s that time of the year where we can freely get down on junk food, trash talk, and look forward to the commercials just as much as the big game. We're talking about the Super Bowl (oh, and don't forget to enter our Big Game Giveaway!) Each year millions upon millions are dumped on commercials for mere marketing purposes.

Without a doubt, Volkswagen had one of the most successful commercials last year (see video after the jump to jog your memory) and is aiming to repeat its success again this year staying with the Star Wars theme. However, Volkswagen is not the only one fighting for airtime during the big game. Honda, Acura, and Cadillac have aired their Super Bowl commercials early this year and I want to focus your attention on the creativity of the ads.

Manufacturers know that millions will be watching the game on the 5th, and one would think that they would put effort into creating an entertaining commercial. Well one would think, but that’s not always the case. Let’s take a look at the Cadillac ATS spot, above.

Click to continue reading Acura, Cadillac, Honda, and Volkswagen Super Bowl commercial sneak peeks

Terry Beatty on The Phantom

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials,

Do you know who's now drawing The Phantom on Sundays?

Terry Beatty (you might know him from Ms. Tree, or Batman Adventures or Return To Perdition or any number of cool things).

His first Sunday debuted on January 29th, written by Tony DePaul and colored beautifully by an old pal of mine, Tom Smith.

It's not yet a permanent gig, but Terry posted on his blog that King Features Syndicate "is quite pleased with my first five Sunday strips."

Good for Terry, good for The Phantom, and good for the fans. That first strip of his is killer.

[And, of course, if your newspaper doesn't carry The Phantom, please contact them and request that they sign up.]

[Artwork: The Phantom by Terry Beatty, © King Features Syndicate]

Bleeding Edge TV 420: OnStar API, FMV, RelayRides at CES

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, CES, CES 2012, Features, Podcasts, Software, Transportation, Videocasts, Videos,

We chat with Vijay Iyer of OnStar to talk about how the OnStar FMV mirror add-on is performing at retail, as well as the new announcement of the OnStar API. The OnStar API allows third-party developers to write code and apps that tap into OnStar's cloud of user information. The first announced partner is RelayRides, which allows the average user to lend out his or her vehicle when they aren't using it, all controlled by a RelayRides app that taps into OnStar. We get a rundown of what OnStar users can expect from developers going forward. You can purchase the OnStar FMV from Amazon. This was recorded at CES 2012.

Big thank you to MozyPro and JackThreads for sponsoring the show - be sure to check them out! MozyPro provides simple, automatic, and secure data backup. As for JackThreads, we've got exclusive invite codes that give you $5 to use towards anything you'd like on the site.