BBC, ITV & BT Announce Open Broadband STB Project

BBC, ITV & BT Announce Open Broadband STB ProjectThe BBC, ITV and BT have announced a proposal to create an “open environment for broadband connected digital television receivers.”

It’s an initiative open for all UK public service broadcasters, device developers and other ISPs, which they hope will lead to a new generation of subscription free devices, carrying free to air channels and a huge selection of on demand TV services like iPlayer and ITV Player, as well as the potential for films, shows and interactive content from a range of other providers in standard and high definition.

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HomeCamp Event: Andy Stanford-Clark’s View

We really, really wanted to get along to the first HomeCamp event – which covered the now-realistic world of automating your home.

Due to a change of circumstances on our side, we couldn’t make it. Much to our relief IBM Master Inventor and Distinguished Engineer Dr Andy Stanford-Clark (who you may know from his house that Twitters) said he’d cover it for Digital-Lifestyles’ readers. Thanks Andy!

HomeCamp Event: Andy Stanford-Clark's ViewA couple of Saturdays ago I went to the first “HomeCamp,” at Imperial College in London.

HomeCamp was an “unconference” (a conference where the participants decide what form and content it should have, on the day) to look at areas of home energy monitoring and home automation.

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The Rise Of The PVR: Painfully Slow. New Technology Adoption Is Slow

The Rise Of The PVR: Painfully Slow, But UK Highest In EuropeNever be fooled. Things always take a lot longer to change than you think they will – particularly where the mass adoption of a new technology is concerned.

The PVR lesson
When I started writing about TiVo back in 2001, I saw “PVR’s are a vital piece in the jigsaw.”

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See The Power Behind The Browser (Video)

See The Power Behind The Browser (Video)When you’re sitting at home or at work, tapping away in your Web browser, you hardly ever consider where your request queries are being dealth with.

Sure they’re runing on a computer _somewhere_ on the Internet, perhaps in a data centre, but do you really know what goes on behind making that machine run?

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Oregon Scientific Release Thin Projecting Clock And Weather Station

Oregon Scientific Release Thin Projecting Clock And Weather StationWe’ve been using a projection clock for over a year now and find it great to use.

Somehow you feel like you’re waking up less if you just have to open your eyes and look up at the time projected onto the ceiling, rather than actually lift your head to look at the clock beside you bed, to find out what unearthly hour you’ve woken up at.

Anything that wakes you up less in the middle of the night has got to be a good thing, that is unless you want to wake up of course!

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Blackberry Storm: Vodafone Details Call Plans Disclosed

Blackberry Storm: Vodafone Details Call PlansThis Xmas, despite dire warnings of how everywhere is entering recession, there’s going to be a battle royal between the mobile companies in their attempt to get you to buy a new mobile phone.

O2 has the 3G iPhone, T-Mobile has the G1 Google Android handset and as we let you know back at the begging of October, Vodafone will be bring the Blackberry Storm to the UK.

Today Vodafone have revealed how much you’ll have to pay to have the Storm in your hands.

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Tascam DP-004 4-Track Portable Recorder

Tascam DP-004 4-Track Portable RecorderWay back in the day, things were tricky for cash strapped musicians looking to lay down some basic tracks.

With the industry standard Revox A77 open reel tape recorder being the exclusive plaything of the well heeled, even the cheaper Akai GX-77 reel to reel was out of reach for musicians accustomed to their weekly Giros.

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Dell Announces Inspiron Mini 12 Netbook

Dell Announces Inspiron Mini 12 NetbookDell has introduced the latest addition to the Inspiron Mini family of wee laptops, the Inspiron Mini 12.

Although the company have given this device ‘netbook’ status, with its 12.1-inch WXGA (1280×800) display it looks more like a regular ultraportable laptop to us,

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