tikitag Your World

The day is coming when it’ll be common to swipe our cell phones (or other electronic devices) at objects and see detailed information appear instantly on the screen.

Taking that step forward, earlier this month Alcatel-Lucent announced the debut of tikitag, a service that allows consumers and third-party application developers to connect everyday items to online content. tikitag uses the Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, an evolution of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) that connects electronic devices over short distances (four inches). It was primarily designed for cell phones and combines the interface of a smartcard and a reader into a single device that communicates with these device as well as other NFC-enabled gadgets. This makes it a perfect match in places with existing contactless infrastructures already in use for public transportation and payment.

According to Strategy Analytics, the market for NFC is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, and that by 2012 around 250 million NFC-enabled phones will be sold worldwide. Over the last few years there has been explosive growth in the range and types of online content - much of it related to real-world objects, events or activities,” says Anthony Belpaire, general manager of Alcatel-Lucent’s tikitag venture. “But how do you connect this online content with a person’s business card, for example, or a concert poster, or a work of art, etc.? tikitag provides this missing link.”


This tikitag service enables you to launch an online application by simply touching an NFC device, such as a cell phone, to an item that’s tagged with an NFC chip. It can be used in a variety of environments. At home it can be used to link your keiki’s toy to the toy’s online world. In an outdoor setting, tikitag makes it possible for you, as a museum visitor, to wave your NFC-enabled cell phone at an exhibit and see a Wikipedia profile or other webpage about it appear on your phone’s screen.

In a business setting, a cleaning company can use it to record that a room has been cleaned by a simple touch of an NFC-enabled cell phone to a tikitag-linked NFC tag placed in the room.As of Oct. 1, you can begin using tikitag by purchasing the starter kit for $49.95. It includes one USB-enabled NFC reader, 10 NFC tags and access to the tikitag community website. Here you can create and share new and off-the-shelf tikitag applications. The initial applications available for download include the ability to link tags to URLs (i.e. Amazon, Google, PayPal, Wikipedia, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn).

The core of the tikitag service is the tikitag Application Correlation Server (ACS), which manages the link between an NFC tag and a corresponding action to be initiated. When an NFC-enabled device (PC, Mac, cell phone) touches the tag, it auto-matically connects with the tikitag ACS. The ACS then directs the Internet-enabled device to access the corresponding online content and applications.

So far $3.6 billion has been spent in research and development in 14 countries, and 25,000 patents have been secured, probably with more to come. The initial tikitag offering is targeted toward you web-literate and technology creative folks. If you are willing and able to take advantage of this opportunity, check out www.tikitag.com to purchase the starter kit in a few days.

Microsoft’s New Windows Campaign

Have you seen that TV commercial with Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates in the shoe store? When I first saw it, I just thought to myself, “Why?” The answer: “Nothing,” according to Microsoft, in the classic Seinfeld sense of the word.

It turns out this is the first sign of an ambitious effort launched earlier this month by Microsoft’s Windows business to reconnect with consumers around the globe. At the moment, there are three of these TV spots on the air with more to come.
As part of a $300 million marketing campaign, these initial ads are the first in a creative effort designed to spark conversations about the Windows brand - conversations that will evolve as the campaign progresses.

If anything, I think people are confused by these ads, and my guess is Microsoft is doing these to combat Apple’s Mac/PC campaign. With Apple’s ads, you clearly see the Apple branding, yet these Microsoft ads seem to be pointless and random with Seinfeld humor thrown in.

“Windows is entering a new chapter in our history,” says Bill Veghte, senior vice president, Online Services & Windows Business Group. “We’re renewing our commitment to consumers and working with our partners to deliver quality and value on the PC, across devices and across the Web.”


This new campaign highlights how Windows has become a part of life for 1 billion people around the world. It illustrates how Windows integrates consumer experiences across PCs, online and on cell phones through Windows Vista, Windows Live and Windows Mobile. Microsoft is working with retail partners and PC manufacturers to roll out Windows-branded sales environments and store-within-astore concepts. The major retailers are Circuit City and Best Buy, and PC manufacturers include HP, Dell, Sony and Lenovo.

“When you think of more than 1 billion people using Windows across the globe, each person with a unique set of circumstances, and then factor in three Windows platforms and what they can do, it’s hard to even comprehend the number of unique scenarios Windows can potentially address,” says Brad Brooks, corporate vice president for Windows consumer product marketing. “So how can Microsoft support this ecosystem? How can we help people understand the potential they have to be creative and productive with the platform?”

According to Brooks, Microsoft’s historic relationship with consumers has become insufficient in this new world, a situation that has led the company to fundamentally rebuild the customer experience. In response to this need, Microsoft has undergone extensive efforts to understand consumer behavior and thinking around PCs and Windows. The research ranges from day-to-day use and how the company supports customers over the Web and phone, to the PC-buying experience.

As a result of all this, we’ll start seeing a wave of PCs that benefit from these changes later this fall. These PCs will be featured at Windows.com, which also is undergoing a transformation. We’ll see more consumer-oriented help and how-to videos designed to help build affinity for Windows and awareness of underutilized features and capabilities.

So next time you see one of those Seinfeld/Gates commercials come on, you’ll sort of know why they’re there.

LiquidAUX Deluxe for iPhone and iPod

A useful product line I saw earlier this year that finally released is Kensington’s LiquidAUX, a collection of car audio kits that use the auxiliary or AUX port (standard on most new cars) to give you pure sound from your iPhone or iPod through your car stereo.I had the pleasure of toying with the Kensington LiquidAUX Deluxe for iPhone and iPod, which was a finalist for iProng Magazine‘s Best of Show Award 2008.

“We design all of our products to deliver a Smart Made Simple user experience,” says Kensington Global Product manager Kevin Ngo. “In the car environment, this means keeping your eyes on the road. Not only do our products deliver pure audio from an iPhone or iPod through the car stereo, but we also give consumers the ability to have full playback control of their tunes, all at their fingertips.

“And music phone owners gain this same experience with the addition of hands-free talking at the touch of a button. Imagine never having to take your phone out of your pocket or purse!” Unfortunately, right out of the package, my LiquidAUX Deluxe broke. It’s apparently not that common, and at least it cracked in a place that didn’t matter too much. I can still functionally use it, so I just ignore the crack. The best feature of the LiquidAUX Deluxe is it charges your iPhone or iPod while you’re in the car, and keeps your device at nearly eye-level. That’s very important, especially if you’re using your Google Maps feature trying to navigate your way around, or selecting your music to play in iTunes. It completely eliminates the distraction of having to look down at your iPhone/iPod.

The flexible arm allows you to bend it to your heart’s desire, and the adjustable gooseneck/rotating cradle grasps your iPhone or iPod firmly so it won’t fall out with the bumps along the road. It comes with a 2.4GHz wireless remote with an optional steering wheel mount. The 4-foot-long extension cable helps you reach your auxiliary port if it’s far away from your power port, and it has a smart audio sensor for auto on/off power to conserve your car’s battery.

Note this is compatible with all iPhones and iPods with the dock connector (excluding the third generation iPod), and also the audio portion will not work if your car does not have an auxiliary port.

Find the LiquidAUX Deluxe for iPhone and iPod for $99.99 at your nearest Apple Store (http://www.apple.com), http://www.amazon.com or at us.kensington.com. Other LiquidAUX products available include the LiquidAUX for iPhone and iPod ($79.99), Bluetooth Car Kit ($99.99), Car Charger Deluxe for iPhone and iPod ($49.99) and Bluetooth Stereo Headphones with Microphone ($79.99).

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iPhone 2.1 Software Update

You may have heard about the various issues going on with the iPhone 3G since its launch. Personally, my biggest one is the lack of battery life (as mentioned above in LiquidAUX story), especially when the 3G capability is active. I usually see about four hours off one charge. This iPhone 2.1 Software Update is supposed to fix that and a whole list of other problems.

If you have an iPhone and did not update yet, I encourage you to do so - I’ve seen a significant difference in performance since I’ve updated. The first step is to make sure you have iTunes 8 installed on your computer, then make sure you have a minimum of an hour to download it all. You download the update through iTunes 8, and here’s what’s included:

* Decrease in call setup failures and dropped calls

* Significantly better battery life for most users

* Dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes

* Improved e-mail reliability, notably fetching e-mail from POP and Exchange accounts

* Faster installation of third-party applications

* Fixed bugs causing hangs and crashes for users with lots of third-party applications

* Improved performance in text messaging

* Faster loading and searching of contacts

* Improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display

* Repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages

* Option to wipe data after 10 failed passcode attempts

* Genius playlist creation

Hopefully this free update helps your iPhone 3G run more smoothly, as it did for me.

Apple's Latest iPods

Last week Apple introduced its second-generation iPod touch, fourth-generation iPod nano and iTunes 8. That was too funny, because just a few hours before the announcement came out, a couple of co-workers were asking me questions about what I thought of the iPod touch and if they should buy one or not. Of course, I highly recommended it, but with this new announcement I’ll have to tell them about the upgrade.

“iPod touch is the funnest iPod we’ve ever created,” says Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Users can listen to millions of songs, watch thousands of Hollywood movies and now, thanks to the Apple Store, download and play hundreds of great games on their iPod touch.”

The new iPod touch is smaller and lighter than the original, and features integrated volume control buttons with a brilliant 3.5-inch widescreen glass display. As with the original, it can do 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi wireless networking, has a built-in speaker for casual listening, built-in accelerometer and of course Apple’s signature Multi-TouchTM user interface. My favorite part about this upgrade is that it has built-in Nike + iPod support so you don’t have to attach that iPod sensor to your iPod when you work out.

In addition, the iPod touch works seamlessly with the new iTunes 8 Genius feature that lets you automatically create playlists while you’re on the go. A single battery charge gives you 36 hours of music playback or six hours of video playback. The 32GB model holds up to 7,000 songs, 25,000 photos or 40 hours of video, while the 16GB holds 3,500 songs, 20,000 photos or 20 hours of video, or the 8GB can carry 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos and 10 hours of video. You can purchase the iPod touch for $229 (8GB), $299 (16GB) or $399 (32GB) from your nearest Apple Store or online at www.apple.com.

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iPod nano
The next in Apple’s big announcement last week is the fourth-generation iPod nano. It’s now the thinnest iPod ever that features a new sleek design with a curved aluminum and glass enclosure in nine vibrant colors. The nano adds on the built-in accelerometer, automatically switching to Cover Flow when rotated goes into ShuffleTM mode when lightly shaken, and as with the touch, it works with the Genius feature in iTunes 8.

“The iPod nano is the world’s most popular music player and we’ve made it even better for this holiday season,” says Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We think users are going to love the amazing new design, the automatic Genius playlist creation, as well as automatically going into Cover Flow with just a turn of the wrist.”

The nano comes in silver, purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, pink, red and black. Its battery gives you 24 hours of music playback or four hours of video. The 8GB is $149 (2,000 songs, 7,000 photos, eight hours of video), and the 16GB is $199 (4,000 songs, 14,000 photos, 16 hours of video). Along with the nano, you can find it at your nearest Apple Store or online at http://www.apple.com.

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iTunes 8
As mentioned above, iTunes 8 is the latest release of the popular software music and video player for Macs and PCs that features Genius. It allows you to create playlists with songs in your music library, and suggests related music on the iTunes Store you may want to add to your collection.

Additionally, the new visual browsing interface in iTunes 8 displays your music and video libraries using your album and video covers, and also provides a great way to navigate your movies, TV shows, iPhone apps, podcasts and audiobooks. Download it today at www.itunes.com.

Free Wi-Fi Around Town

Adding onto the free Wi-Fi we have around town thus far, we can thank CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) for adding more choices that stretch from the airport to Waikiki. As of last week, CBRE became the first commercial real estate company to provide free Wi-Fi in public areas of its managed buildings by partnering with the City & County of Honolulu’s Kokua Wireless network.

Last week CBRE announced that 10 managed properties on Oahu are already connected or will be very shortly. “CB Richard Ellis is the largest commercial property management company in Hawaii, so this partnership with the city can really help the network to grow quickly, and that makes our managed building amenities better,” says Laurie Akau, CBRE general manager of Harbor Court. “We are always innovating for our property owners and tenants.”

Last year Kokua Wireless provided more than 100 Meraki wireless receiver/transmitters to the city at no charge to launch the Chinatown coverage we have today. For this new launch, CBRE also acquired these devices for its buildings, and each building provides its own receiver/transmitter installation, power and Internet service. Since each building has to pay for Internet anyway, they’re just sharing their connection with people looking for an Internet connection.


“Partnerships with private-sector companies like CB Richard Ellis are an important part of our efforts to continue providing the people of Honolulu with a better quality of life without any cost to the city,” says Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. “We envision the system growing as users continue to create new features and uses.”

For starters, take advantage of the new free wireless in these areas:

* Airport Center Office Building, 3049 Ualena St.

* Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (HARC), Robert L. Cushing Building, 99-193 Aiea Heights Dr.

* Waikiki Galleria Tower, 2222 Kalakaua Ave.

* Waikiki Trade Center, 2250 Kuhio Ave.

* King Kalakaua Plaza, 2080 Kalakaua Ave.

* Harbor Court, 55 Merchant St.

* Model Progress Building, 1188 Fort Street Mall

* Ocean View Center, 707 Richards St.

* Haseko Center, 820 Mililani St.

* Kapiolani Business Plaza, 1580 Makaloa St.

Additionally, the City & County of Honolulu currently provides free wireless Internet access Hotzones at: Chinatown, Ewa Beach Community Park, Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building, Kalakaua District Park, Maili Beach Park, Nanakuli Beach Park, Neal Blaisdell Center, Pililaau Park and satellite city halls at Ala Moana Center, Pearlridge, Windward Mall, Fort Street, Hawaii Kai Corporate Plaza, Keolu Shopping Center, Kapolei Hale, Kapalama City Square in Wahiawa and Waianae Neighborhood Community Center. Hopefully we’ll see more locations pop up in the near future.

You can connect to any of these free spots with your laptop, phone or other Wi-Fi-enabled devices within the common areas of the buildings. It will display as Kokua Wireless, but note that you will not be able to download music, movies or X-rated material since they’re all blocked by the network. You’ll also need to refresh your login after one hour.

Happy surfing!

Hele Wireless Broadband Bargain

I spent last week testing out Mobi PCS’ Hele Wireless Broadband service that came out a couple months ago. It’s Oahu’s first unlimited, mobile high-speed wireless broadband, and happens to have the lowest price in town. With a $34 per month plan, Mobi is entering this market with a unique no-contract-required service.

“Hele utilizes the latest 3G technology in the form of EVDO-Rev A to provide end users completely mobile high-speed Internet access on the island of Oahu,” says Ed Kurzenski, Mobi PCS vice president and chief technical officer. “Low price and no-contract unlimited usage that is easy are some of the things that makes Hele simple, different and better.”

Hele Wireless Broadband connects you to the Internet from anywhere within the Mobi PCS coverage area on Oahu. It plugs into your computer via USB and is embedded with a dual internal antenna to pick up a wireless signal the same way your cell phone would. The Franklin Wireless CDU-680 is Mobi’s device of choice for Hele, and it’s a dual-band USB modem compatible with EV-DO Rev. A and 1 data networks. LEDs on the device indicate the status and its data activity.


The software drivers (Windows 2000/XP, Vista or Mac OS X 10.3.2 and higher) pop up as soon as you plug it in, since the device is part thumb drive. Once the drivers are installed and the device is plugged in, you’ll see the signal bars on your computer’s display. My setup took less than a minute as I sat at the table chatting with Kurzenski and Deborah Sharkey, Mobi’s public relations representative.

As soon as I arrived home after that meeting, I plopped down on the couch and used speedtest.net to check the speed of the Hele card in comparison to my Sprint Sierra Wireless Compass 597 modem. I was a little surprised by the results, since I thought the two would be about the same. Hele gave me 810 kilobits per second (kbps) download, 69 kbps upload. The Sprint card gave me well more than that at 1,420 kbps download and 136 kbps upload. Just to give you a high-speed comparison, both were significantly slower than my in-home Internet at 4,899 kbps down and 868 kbps up.


Keep in mind I pay $59.99 per month for my Sprint service, limited to 5 GB of data per month, and I’m bound to a contract. At $34 per month for unlimited usage and no contract, Hele is a bargain! If you don’t travel off this island much, I would take advantage of this great service. In addition, there are plans to expand this to the Neighbor Islands in the near future.

Hele Wireless Broadband is available at Mobi PCS retail stores and various dealers across Oahu. Check out http://www.mobipcs.com for the complete list of locations and dealers, or for more information on the service. Note the Hele CDU-680 will cost you $129 (after $60 mail-in rebate after activation) and comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. For a limited time you can receive Hele for $20 per month for your first three months of service.

Kicking Off Football Season With Madden 09

As a new football season kicks off, so does a new season of John Madden football. Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL 09 marks the 20th anniversary of the most popular video game franchise on the planet. Who knew back then that Madden was the beginning of a global video game phenomenon? You start off your Madden 09 gameplay with the Madden IQ Test.

It’s a holographic training center that performs offensive and defensive drills consisting of running, passing, tackling and pass-coverage. The results are translated into your IQ score, which adjusts the game’s difficulty level to your ability. If you don’t feel up to it, you can opt to skip this test and receive the default score of 500 points to begin.

The big change in the game is hearing the voice of Cris Collinsworth as the commentator. Collinsworth’s commentaries sound natural and are pretty accurate. You’ll also hear Tom Hammond’s voice give you various announcements throughout your games.Collinsworth takes you through the new EA BackTrack feature and gives you customized feedback to learn from your mistakes. He’ll break down certain plays and tell you what went right or wrong, and how to improve.

You can then take this knowledge and apply it to EA Rewind. This allows you to erase a play with your failed interception or fumble, and go back to replay it. What a cheater’s delight! I’m sure you hard-core Madden fans will ignore it and keep moving on but, hey, it’s nice to know it’s doable.

A huge request from Madden fans has been online leagues, which are now possible with Madden 09. With this full league experience, for the first time you can make a run for the postseason online. It features trades, statistical tracking for online leagues, and up to 32 teams can battle it out using the new flex scheduling. This online mode doesn’t seem to be that great, but perhaps using your fantasy football team sort of will be of consolation.

If you’ve been a longtime fan of the Madden series, you’ll recognize the Madden Challenge feature is back and updated. Re-live some of the more dramatic moments of the 2007 NFL season. It’s helpful to place yourself in these situations to test your ability to react in the high-pressure situations. Of all the Maddens so far, this one is the best-looking. The camera angles, clarity of the shots and player emotions really add to the feel of the game. The stadiums don’t look blurry anymore, you can see the rain and snow as if you’re really in it, and the dirt on the players’ uniforms is clearly visible.You can also play the fantasy football team you created with EA Sports Fantasy Football - that makes it interesting and keeps it different.

Madden 09 is available for the PS3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS (prices range from $29.99 to $89.99). Find it at your nearest Best Buy (www.bestbuy.com), GameStop (www.gamestop.com), Toys N Joys (www.toysnjoys.com) or www.amazon.com.

Nikon D90 Takes HD Video

So Nikon finally did it. There’s been a rumor floating around that it was making a camera that could take high definition (HD) movies. It is officially true as of last week when Nikon announced the release of the D90. This newest digital single lens reflex (D-SLR) camera can take your high-quality HD movies with sound along with still images.

“The D90 delivers incredible imaging performance and control, setting a new standard for its class,” says Edward Fasano, general manager for marketing, SLR System Products at Nikon Inc. “This marriage of outstanding still-image performance and HD movie clip capacity represents the dawn of a new age for D-SLR cameras. The D90’s handling characteristics and long list of features are sure to deliver the photographic experience that Nikon photographers have come to expect from Nikon engineering. Everyone at Nikon is especially eager to see the myriad of ways that imaginative D90 photographers will explore the world of cinematic 24fps HD video through the eyes of NIKKOR optics.”


The biggest buzz about the D90 is the ability to take HD movies in the D-Movie mode. For the first time with a D-LSR, the D90 enables you to create your own HD movie clips (1280 x 720 pixels) with complete sound. If you’re a photographer, you’ll appreciate the theatrical 24 frames per second rate, which matches theatrical film quality. The large size of the D90’s DX-format sensor, combined with a broad selection of NIKKOR lens, allows you to capture images that are not possible with a typical camcorder. D-Movie clips also benefit from Nikon’s VR image stabilization, which is automatically activated during recording to aid low-light capability. All your pictures or movie clips are recorded on an inserted SD/SDHC card. The movies are created as JPEG AVI files.

This camera is inspired by Nikon’s acclaimed flagship DX-format digital SLR and emphasizes image quality with its 12.3 megapixel capability and the advanced Scene Recognition System. The EXPEED image processing system enables you to take pictures with fine details, smooth tones, brilliant colors and low noise with a broad ISO range up to 6400.


Other highlights of the D90 include:

Extended battery life: up to 850 shots with a single charge.

Viewfinder: The bright viewfinder offers a luminous 0.94x magnification.

LCD Screen: The 920,000 dot, three-inch LCD screen gives you a 170-degree angle of view.


Playback: View your images in four, nine or 72 thumbnails or find it in the calendar format. You can also view it in Nikon’s Pictmotion slideshow feaDistortion Control: Adjusts lens aberration.

Fisheye Effect: In-camera filter produces optical effects similar to a fisheye lens.

Additionally, if you’re an adventurous traveler, Nikon’s GP-1 GPS unit is for you and will be sold separately. It provides geotagging on your images with latitude, longitude and altitude data that is imprinted on your images’ metadata.

Nikon’s D90 will be available soon this month for $999.95 (body only) or $1,299.95 (body and lens outfit with the new AFS DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens). The GP-1 GPS unit will be available in November 2008, and pricing will be announced at the time of its release. Visit www.nikonusa.com for more information.