MONTCLAIR, N.J. — It was after 1 a.m. on a Sunday when college freshman Amanda Phillips arrived at the train station. She was nervous about walking alone in the dark to her dorm at Montclair State University.
So Phillips activated a GPS tracking device on her school-issued cellphone that would instantly alert campus police to her whereabouts if she didn't turn it off in 20 minutes. After a five-minute walk, she safely reached her dorm room, locked the door behind her and turned off the timer.
"I think this is a great idea. It makes me feel a lot safer. And it's not even that expensive," said Phillips, an 18-year-old from Delaware.
Had she not turned the device off, an alarm would have sounded at the campus police station, and a computer screen would have displayed a dot with her location, along with her photo and other personal details.
Montclair is one of the first schools in the U.S. to use GPS tracking devices, which along with other security technology are increasingly being adopted on campuses in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre last spring.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Virginia Tech Sprint GPS GPS tracking Montclair State University Rishi Montclair State
Students can use the timer, or, in an emergency, activate the GPS technology to instantly alert police.
"Maybe they're hiding and are hurt. Maybe they wouldn't want to talk because they're hiding behind a desk and the gunman's in the room. They'd have a better chance of being located," said campus police Sgt. Paul Giardino.
So far, not many students are using the feature. The university, which has 13,000 undergraduates, said the timers get turned on only about five to 10 times a week.
In the little more than a year that the system has been fully operational, the alarms have gone off only about once per month, and it was a false alarm every time, usually because someone forgot to turn off a timer.
Giardino said the false alarms aren't nuisances — they are training opportunities for the 32-member police force. "I can get my guys to get out and learn how to handle these," he said.
Two years ago, well before Virginia Tech, Montclair State made the cellphones mandatory for all first-year students living in dorms at the largely commuter school in suburban New York City. Now, all new full-time undergraduates — whether they live on campus or off — are required to buy them. About 6,000 students have them now.
Karen Pennington, vice president for campus life, said she and others on campus wanted to use the phones for instruction — letting professors take instant polls in class, for instance — and for safety as well.
While students praise the safety features, some grumble that the phones are mandatory and that they must be bought through the school for $210 per semester, on top of tuition and fees totaling more than $7,600 a year.
The phones come with free, unlimited text messaging, the capability to read campus e-mail, free calls after 7 p.m. and free calls to other Sprint phones, but only 50 minutes per month of anytime talking. Students must pay extra to add minutes. And though students pay by the semester, the phones work year-round.
The university contracted with the New York-based upstart Rave Wireless for the safety technology and Sprint for the cellphone service. Montclair State said it is not making money on the deal. It said the total cost is around $2 million per year — almost exactly what the school collects from students to fund it.
Sprint added cell towers so that virtually every inch of the campus gets service.
Raju Rishi, co-founder of Rave, said Montclair State was the first to use the safety feature, called Rave Guardian. A half-dozen other schools, including nearby Fairleigh Dickinson University and the University of North Carolina, now use similar systems, Rishi said.
Rishi said campus police are not monitoring the movements of students who don't turn on the GPS feature. "There's no Big Brother," Rishi said. "You need a subpoena to locate somebody against their will."
Security on Campus, a King of Prussia, Pa.-based advocacy group, gave Montclair State an award for the innovation. The group's vice president, Catherine Bath, said the technology will probably become more widespread.
"When I'm out walking my dog at night, I would love to have one of these," she said.
Associated Press Writer Geoff Mulvihill in Mount Laurel contributed to this article.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Yahoo, eBay team up in online auctions
TOKYO — Yahoo Japan and eBay agreed Tuesday to team up in online auctions, planning services for next year that will make it easier for consumers to buy things over the Internet from the U.S. and Japan.
The move marks a return to Japan of eBay, which pulled out of the market in 2002, never able to compete against the domination of Yahoo here.
Yahoo said by March, Japanese will be able to bid for items up for sale on eBay through the Yahoo auction site in Japan. By the middle of next year, similarly, a site will be set up that will allow Americans to buy Yahoo Japan auction items through the eBay site.
The deal will facilitate "cross-border trading" and invigorate the online auction market, Yahoo said in a statement. In online auctions, consumers put up items they want to sell and get offers through the Internet from prospective buyers.
"We are excited to partner with Yahoo Japan in providing Japanese users with localized site designed to enable them to shop on the eBay marketplace with ease and convenience," eBay Chief Executive Meg Whitman said in a statement.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Japan Japanese Yahoo Ebay.com Meg Whitman Japanese business
EBay and Yahoo Japan — collaborating for the first time — also launched a separate website called Sekaimon, which means "global shopping" in Japanese.
The online Sekaimon site will translate items on listed on eBay into Japanese and help with payments, shipping and customs clearance for Japanese shoppers, both sides said. Revenue from Sekaimon will be shared, they said, while not disclosing the terms.
Under the collaboration, Americans using eBay will be able to more easily buy Japanese goods popular abroad, such as "manga" comic books, CDs, and products that feature Japanese animation characters and other mascots, it said.
Also, some products are cheaper online abroad than in Japan, and consumers will be able to compare prices for the best deals.
Last year, Internet powerhouses Yahoo and eBay announced a wide-ranging alliance in the U.S., helping defining the battle lines against rivals Google, Microsoft and AOL. Yahoo and eBay said will draw upon each other's strengths in online advertising, payments and communications. Since then, they have collaborated in advertising, online payments and other areas outside of Japan.
The news, initially reported in the business daily The Nikkei, sent shares of Yahoo Japan climbing Tuesday morning. The stock closed unchanged at 54,300 yen ($493), as it remains unclear how much Japanese business the effort will be able to attract.
Yahoo Japan has more than 15 million auction items listed on any given day, while eBay, the world's biggest online auction site, boasts 248 million registered users. Yahoo Japan is 41% owned by Japanese mobile carrier and broadband services company Softbank Corp. and 33% owned by Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Yahoo Inc.
The online auction markets in both countries are growing, Yahoo said. In Japan, it's up about 27% from a year ago to an estimated 4 trillion yen ($36.4 billion) and in the U.S., it's up 21% to more than $172 billion.
Although Japanese already can shop online on overseas sites, and vice versa, the agreement will make it easier by bridging language and other barriers.
The tie-up may be expanded, both sides said.
Lorrie Norrington, head of eBay's international operations, said the deal may be expanded in the future to other businesses. Besides the online auction, eBay owns the PayPal online settlement service and Skype, an online telephony service.
Yahoo Japan President Masahiro Inoue said the companies may pursue a capital tie-up, although Tuesday's deal doesn't involve such mutual investments.
"We will diligently work together to create a new auction experience for Japanese consumers while ensuring that we provide a healthy and secure online experience," Inoue said.
The 2002 withdrawal from Japan was a rare defeat for San Jose, Calif.-based eBay, which entered the Japanese market in 2000. But it had just 25,000 items listed for sale. At that time, eBay said it hoped to return to the world's second-largest retail market when the timing was right.
That's a reversal from eBay's domination elsewhere. Yahoo closed its online auction service for North America earlier this year, after nearly nine years.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The move marks a return to Japan of eBay, which pulled out of the market in 2002, never able to compete against the domination of Yahoo here.
Yahoo said by March, Japanese will be able to bid for items up for sale on eBay through the Yahoo auction site in Japan. By the middle of next year, similarly, a site will be set up that will allow Americans to buy Yahoo Japan auction items through the eBay site.
The deal will facilitate "cross-border trading" and invigorate the online auction market, Yahoo said in a statement. In online auctions, consumers put up items they want to sell and get offers through the Internet from prospective buyers.
"We are excited to partner with Yahoo Japan in providing Japanese users with localized site designed to enable them to shop on the eBay marketplace with ease and convenience," eBay Chief Executive Meg Whitman said in a statement.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Japan Japanese Yahoo Ebay.com Meg Whitman Japanese business
EBay and Yahoo Japan — collaborating for the first time — also launched a separate website called Sekaimon, which means "global shopping" in Japanese.
The online Sekaimon site will translate items on listed on eBay into Japanese and help with payments, shipping and customs clearance for Japanese shoppers, both sides said. Revenue from Sekaimon will be shared, they said, while not disclosing the terms.
Under the collaboration, Americans using eBay will be able to more easily buy Japanese goods popular abroad, such as "manga" comic books, CDs, and products that feature Japanese animation characters and other mascots, it said.
Also, some products are cheaper online abroad than in Japan, and consumers will be able to compare prices for the best deals.
Last year, Internet powerhouses Yahoo and eBay announced a wide-ranging alliance in the U.S., helping defining the battle lines against rivals Google, Microsoft and AOL. Yahoo and eBay said will draw upon each other's strengths in online advertising, payments and communications. Since then, they have collaborated in advertising, online payments and other areas outside of Japan.
The news, initially reported in the business daily The Nikkei, sent shares of Yahoo Japan climbing Tuesday morning. The stock closed unchanged at 54,300 yen ($493), as it remains unclear how much Japanese business the effort will be able to attract.
Yahoo Japan has more than 15 million auction items listed on any given day, while eBay, the world's biggest online auction site, boasts 248 million registered users. Yahoo Japan is 41% owned by Japanese mobile carrier and broadband services company Softbank Corp. and 33% owned by Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Yahoo Inc.
The online auction markets in both countries are growing, Yahoo said. In Japan, it's up about 27% from a year ago to an estimated 4 trillion yen ($36.4 billion) and in the U.S., it's up 21% to more than $172 billion.
Although Japanese already can shop online on overseas sites, and vice versa, the agreement will make it easier by bridging language and other barriers.
The tie-up may be expanded, both sides said.
Lorrie Norrington, head of eBay's international operations, said the deal may be expanded in the future to other businesses. Besides the online auction, eBay owns the PayPal online settlement service and Skype, an online telephony service.
Yahoo Japan President Masahiro Inoue said the companies may pursue a capital tie-up, although Tuesday's deal doesn't involve such mutual investments.
"We will diligently work together to create a new auction experience for Japanese consumers while ensuring that we provide a healthy and secure online experience," Inoue said.
The 2002 withdrawal from Japan was a rare defeat for San Jose, Calif.-based eBay, which entered the Japanese market in 2000. But it had just 25,000 items listed for sale. At that time, eBay said it hoped to return to the world's second-largest retail market when the timing was right.
That's a reversal from eBay's domination elsewhere. Yahoo closed its online auction service for North America earlier this year, after nearly nine years.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Gibson displays guitar that tunes itself
TOKYO — A new electric guitar from Gibson comes with robotics technology that allows the instrument to tune itself in a matter of seconds.
The technology, developed in partnership with German company Tronical, allows the guitar to recognize pitch and use its processor and six motors on its tuning pegs to tighten the strings accordingly.
Gibson Guitar Corp. claims it's the world's first guitar with such self-tuning robotics technology, and that it's particularly useful for beginners, who tend to find tuning the instrument properly a headache.
The Gibson Les Paul guitar model with Blue Silverburst finish goes on sale globally Dec. 7 for 308,700 yen (US$2,780; euro1,880) in Japan, and US$2,499 in the U.S. The self-tuning feature added an extra 100,000 yen (US$900; euro600) to the price tag.
The guitar comes preset with six types of tuning for the guitar's strings, which are used to play different kinds of music. But it can also remember a totally original tuning by recognizing the sound of the strings it picks up on its microphone.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Japan Tokyo Gibson Les Paul
The way it works is simple.
You pull a knob on the guitar, turn it to the kind of tuning you want, which shows up as a blue light on the knob, such as "E" or "D." You then push the button back in.
The electric signals travel up the strings to the tuning pegs, which begin turning by themselves with a whirl of a motor. It's powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
U.S. guitar-maker Gibson plans to sell 4,000 of the first batch of limited edition "robot guitars" worldwide. Ten% of the sales are expected to be in Japan, said Yasuhiko Iwanade, president of Gibson Guitar Corp. Japan.
"Robots are very popular in Japan. So this is something that matches the developments here these days. It's a technology that Japanese can understand," he said.
It may offer the robotics feature in other models in the future, officials said.
Gibson, based in Nashville, Tennessee, boats a history of innovating the guitar, and robotics fit right in with that legacy, Iwanade said.
Japanese musician Ichiro Tanaka tuned and played the guitar in a demonstration at Gibson's Tokyo office Monday. He said it's handy for professional musicians who may use special tuning for one song in a concert because he won't have to lug around an extra guitar.
"It's more than just convenience. It's a feature I really appreciate," said Tanaka.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The technology, developed in partnership with German company Tronical, allows the guitar to recognize pitch and use its processor and six motors on its tuning pegs to tighten the strings accordingly.
Gibson Guitar Corp. claims it's the world's first guitar with such self-tuning robotics technology, and that it's particularly useful for beginners, who tend to find tuning the instrument properly a headache.
The Gibson Les Paul guitar model with Blue Silverburst finish goes on sale globally Dec. 7 for 308,700 yen (US$2,780; euro1,880) in Japan, and US$2,499 in the U.S. The self-tuning feature added an extra 100,000 yen (US$900; euro600) to the price tag.
The guitar comes preset with six types of tuning for the guitar's strings, which are used to play different kinds of music. But it can also remember a totally original tuning by recognizing the sound of the strings it picks up on its microphone.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Japan Tokyo Gibson Les Paul
The way it works is simple.
You pull a knob on the guitar, turn it to the kind of tuning you want, which shows up as a blue light on the knob, such as "E" or "D." You then push the button back in.
The electric signals travel up the strings to the tuning pegs, which begin turning by themselves with a whirl of a motor. It's powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
U.S. guitar-maker Gibson plans to sell 4,000 of the first batch of limited edition "robot guitars" worldwide. Ten% of the sales are expected to be in Japan, said Yasuhiko Iwanade, president of Gibson Guitar Corp. Japan.
"Robots are very popular in Japan. So this is something that matches the developments here these days. It's a technology that Japanese can understand," he said.
It may offer the robotics feature in other models in the future, officials said.
Gibson, based in Nashville, Tennessee, boats a history of innovating the guitar, and robotics fit right in with that legacy, Iwanade said.
Japanese musician Ichiro Tanaka tuned and played the guitar in a demonstration at Gibson's Tokyo office Monday. He said it's handy for professional musicians who may use special tuning for one song in a concert because he won't have to lug around an extra guitar.
"It's more than just convenience. It's a feature I really appreciate," said Tanaka.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Friday, November 30, 2007
AT&T CEO: Faster iPhone in 2008
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — AT&T says it plans to offer a version of an iPhone next year that runs on a faster wireless network so users can get speedier results when surfing the Web.
The move would address one of the main drawbacks about the smart phone made by Apple and distributed exclusively by wireless carrier AT&T in the United States.
AT&T Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson spilled the news during his appearance at an event late Wednesday at the Churchill Club in Santa Clara.
A spokeswoman for Apple declined to comment Thursday.
Stephenson said he didn't know how much more the new version will cost than the existing model, which sells for $399.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: CEO AT AT Apple San Jose Randall Stephenson
Many industry observers had expected Apple to make the iPhone work on faster 3G networks at some point but couldn't pinpoint when. The current model — Apple's first foray in the cellphone market — runs on 2.5G networks, or in AT&T's case, its relatively slow EDGE network.
The difference in performance is similar to a dial-up Internet connection versus a high-speed broadband connection.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The move would address one of the main drawbacks about the smart phone made by Apple and distributed exclusively by wireless carrier AT&T in the United States.
AT&T Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson spilled the news during his appearance at an event late Wednesday at the Churchill Club in Santa Clara.
A spokeswoman for Apple declined to comment Thursday.
Stephenson said he didn't know how much more the new version will cost than the existing model, which sells for $399.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: CEO AT AT Apple San Jose Randall Stephenson
Many industry observers had expected Apple to make the iPhone work on faster 3G networks at some point but couldn't pinpoint when. The current model — Apple's first foray in the cellphone market — runs on 2.5G networks, or in AT&T's case, its relatively slow EDGE network.
The difference in performance is similar to a dial-up Internet connection versus a high-speed broadband connection.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Google map service finds your location via cellphone
SAN FRANCISCO — Internet search leader Google is testing technology that will find the location of people using its mobile mapping service, even if the phone making the connection isn't equipped with a GPS receiver.
The new tracking feature introduced Wednesday is being touted as an added convenience because it will enable people on the go to skip the task of typing a starting address on a mobile handset's small keys when they turn to Google's maps for guidance.
Using the technology, dubbed "My Location," simply requires pressing zero on a mobile handset equipped with the new software. The sender's location shows up as a blue dot on Google's mobile maps.
The tracking system isn't set up to collect a user's phone number or any other personal information that would reveal a person's identity, said Steve Lee, product manager for Google's mobile maps. As a safeguard, the feature can be turned off at any time by simply clicking on a link in the help menu.
Those assurances probably will alleviate privacy concerns raised about the new service, said analyst Greg Sterling of Sterling Market Intelligence.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Google GPS Greg Sterling GPS receiver
After trying out "My Location" on a Blackberry device, Sterling predicted people will embrace it. He called it "an incremental improvement but still meaningful."
Unlike GPS, Google's tracking feature works while handsets are indoors. "My Location" also drains less power from a phone's battery than a GPS receiver does.
On the downside, Google's service isn't as precise as GPS. In most instances, Google hopes to get within one-quarter to three miles of a user's location — close enough to provide helpful "neighborhood-level" information, Lee said.
The database that identifies the location of a mobile phone is still under construction, so the service still sometimes draw a blank. The company expects to fill in the holes as more people use the service, Lee said.
The tracking system's database currently spans more than 20 countries, including United States, much of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Russian Federation and Taiwan. It doesn't yet work in China or Japan.
By knowing more about a mobile phone's location, Google conceivably could make more money displaying ads from nearby businesses hoping to lure in more customers. The Mountain View-based company currently doesn't plan to show ads on mobile maps but may in the future, Lee said.
Already the owner of the most lucrative advertising network on the Internet, Google eventually hopes to do a better job of mining profits from the mobile Web.
To help realize that goal, Google plans to introduce a new mobile software package called Android next year in an attempt to make its online services more accessible to people while they're away from computers at home or the office.
Although a growing number of so-called smart phones come with GPS receivers, Google estimates that about 85% of mobile handsets now in use don't have the satellite-powered technology.
Google's alternative will work on most smart phones, including the Blackberry and the latest generation of Nokia handsets. But it's still not compatible with the iPhone, Motorola Q, Samsung Blackjack and Palm Treo 700w and other models.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The new tracking feature introduced Wednesday is being touted as an added convenience because it will enable people on the go to skip the task of typing a starting address on a mobile handset's small keys when they turn to Google's maps for guidance.
Using the technology, dubbed "My Location," simply requires pressing zero on a mobile handset equipped with the new software. The sender's location shows up as a blue dot on Google's mobile maps.
The tracking system isn't set up to collect a user's phone number or any other personal information that would reveal a person's identity, said Steve Lee, product manager for Google's mobile maps. As a safeguard, the feature can be turned off at any time by simply clicking on a link in the help menu.
Those assurances probably will alleviate privacy concerns raised about the new service, said analyst Greg Sterling of Sterling Market Intelligence.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Google GPS Greg Sterling GPS receiver
After trying out "My Location" on a Blackberry device, Sterling predicted people will embrace it. He called it "an incremental improvement but still meaningful."
Unlike GPS, Google's tracking feature works while handsets are indoors. "My Location" also drains less power from a phone's battery than a GPS receiver does.
On the downside, Google's service isn't as precise as GPS. In most instances, Google hopes to get within one-quarter to three miles of a user's location — close enough to provide helpful "neighborhood-level" information, Lee said.
The database that identifies the location of a mobile phone is still under construction, so the service still sometimes draw a blank. The company expects to fill in the holes as more people use the service, Lee said.
The tracking system's database currently spans more than 20 countries, including United States, much of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Russian Federation and Taiwan. It doesn't yet work in China or Japan.
By knowing more about a mobile phone's location, Google conceivably could make more money displaying ads from nearby businesses hoping to lure in more customers. The Mountain View-based company currently doesn't plan to show ads on mobile maps but may in the future, Lee said.
Already the owner of the most lucrative advertising network on the Internet, Google eventually hopes to do a better job of mining profits from the mobile Web.
To help realize that goal, Google plans to introduce a new mobile software package called Android next year in an attempt to make its online services more accessible to people while they're away from computers at home or the office.
Although a growing number of so-called smart phones come with GPS receivers, Google estimates that about 85% of mobile handsets now in use don't have the satellite-powered technology.
Google's alternative will work on most smart phones, including the Blackberry and the latest generation of Nokia handsets. But it's still not compatible with the iPhone, Motorola Q, Samsung Blackjack and Palm Treo 700w and other models.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Gifts for gamers: Hot hardware to enhance the experience
You haven't played Halo 3 unless your tush has rumbled while firing at aliens.
Whether it's over-the-top vibrating chairs or more practical gaming accessories, such as the Wii remote charging station, hundreds of optional peripherals can enhance your interactive entertainment experience — regardless of your preferred gaming platform.
Here, a look at some of the year's best, and quirkiest.
Taking charge
While the Nintendo Wii's motion-sensing controller is one of the most exciting things to happen to the gaming industry in a long while, it's no secret the AA batteries in the Wii remote can drain faster than the pipes in a Mario Bros. game. Good news: the Nyko Wii Charge Station includes rechargeable batteries for two Wii remotes, a docking station to recharge them and rubber-lined controller backs for greater grip. It's $39.99 at www.nyko.com, but it, and all the other products mentioned, can often be found for less by shopping around at other websites.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Game Windows Xbox Nintendo PCS Wii Playstation 2 Microsoft X Box USB Logitech Techdigest
BlackBerry for gamers?
The Xbox 360 Messenger Kit ($29.99 at www.xbox.com) includes two separate products. One is a small backlit keyboard, called a Chatpad, that snaps into the bottom of the game controller; use it to chat with friends over the Xbox Live service (during games or beforehand). The other is an Xbox 360 wired headset to talk via voice instead of text, if you prefer. We also like the comfortable Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel ($129.99) and Xbox 360 Wireless Controller for Windows ($59.95) which works with both the Xbox 360 and Windows PCs.
Band in a box
We love the wireless Gibson Les Paul you get with RedOctane's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, but you can't beat the entire band setup included with MTV Games' Rock Band bundle ($169.99 at www.rockband.com). The game lets you jam with the finest rock songs from yesterday and today. You get a guitar (which doubles as a bass), collapsible drum kit and microphone — so the whole family can rock out. It's available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2/3; the stand-alone game sells for $49.99 to $59.99.
Sit on this
The Renegade Game Chair ($299.99; www.ultimategamechair.com) features 12 vibrating motors, so you can feel every bump or zap in your favorite games. The headrest-mounted 3D-stereo speakers and coordinated lighting effects add to the fun. This comfortable recliner is compatible with Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Windows PCs, Macs and portable music players.
Big screen, small size
Enjoy your favorite games in the privacy of your own virtual movie theater with the Vuzix iWear AV920 ($349.95; www.vuzix.com), audio/video glasses that simulate a 62-inch big-screen television when plugged into a gaming console, portable DVD player or video iPod. The iWear creates this effect with its twin LCD displays. With supported games, players have the added benefit of 3-D "tilt" control by using simple head movements instead of button presses. Other features include a five-hour rechargeable Lithium Ion battery, removable and upgradeable speakers and a USB charging cord.
A breeze to use
Available for the PlayStation 3 or Windows PCs, the Logitech ChillStream ($29.99; www.logitech.com) is a clever gamepad that's perfect for heated game-play matches as it blows cool air through tiny pores on the handgrips to keep your hands from sweating. This USB-based controller, which features dual analog sticks and trigger buttons, lets you choose from one of three levels of air flow intensity (or none at all). Hardcore PC players should also check out the award-winning Microsoft SideWinder Mouse ($79.95; www.microsoft.com).
Whether it's over-the-top vibrating chairs or more practical gaming accessories, such as the Wii remote charging station, hundreds of optional peripherals can enhance your interactive entertainment experience — regardless of your preferred gaming platform.
Here, a look at some of the year's best, and quirkiest.
Taking charge
While the Nintendo Wii's motion-sensing controller is one of the most exciting things to happen to the gaming industry in a long while, it's no secret the AA batteries in the Wii remote can drain faster than the pipes in a Mario Bros. game. Good news: the Nyko Wii Charge Station includes rechargeable batteries for two Wii remotes, a docking station to recharge them and rubber-lined controller backs for greater grip. It's $39.99 at www.nyko.com, but it, and all the other products mentioned, can often be found for less by shopping around at other websites.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Game Windows Xbox Nintendo PCS Wii Playstation 2 Microsoft X Box USB Logitech Techdigest
BlackBerry for gamers?
The Xbox 360 Messenger Kit ($29.99 at www.xbox.com) includes two separate products. One is a small backlit keyboard, called a Chatpad, that snaps into the bottom of the game controller; use it to chat with friends over the Xbox Live service (during games or beforehand). The other is an Xbox 360 wired headset to talk via voice instead of text, if you prefer. We also like the comfortable Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel ($129.99) and Xbox 360 Wireless Controller for Windows ($59.95) which works with both the Xbox 360 and Windows PCs.
Band in a box
We love the wireless Gibson Les Paul you get with RedOctane's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, but you can't beat the entire band setup included with MTV Games' Rock Band bundle ($169.99 at www.rockband.com). The game lets you jam with the finest rock songs from yesterday and today. You get a guitar (which doubles as a bass), collapsible drum kit and microphone — so the whole family can rock out. It's available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2/3; the stand-alone game sells for $49.99 to $59.99.
Sit on this
The Renegade Game Chair ($299.99; www.ultimategamechair.com) features 12 vibrating motors, so you can feel every bump or zap in your favorite games. The headrest-mounted 3D-stereo speakers and coordinated lighting effects add to the fun. This comfortable recliner is compatible with Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Windows PCs, Macs and portable music players.
Big screen, small size
Enjoy your favorite games in the privacy of your own virtual movie theater with the Vuzix iWear AV920 ($349.95; www.vuzix.com), audio/video glasses that simulate a 62-inch big-screen television when plugged into a gaming console, portable DVD player or video iPod. The iWear creates this effect with its twin LCD displays. With supported games, players have the added benefit of 3-D "tilt" control by using simple head movements instead of button presses. Other features include a five-hour rechargeable Lithium Ion battery, removable and upgradeable speakers and a USB charging cord.
A breeze to use
Available for the PlayStation 3 or Windows PCs, the Logitech ChillStream ($29.99; www.logitech.com) is a clever gamepad that's perfect for heated game-play matches as it blows cool air through tiny pores on the handgrips to keep your hands from sweating. This USB-based controller, which features dual analog sticks and trigger buttons, lets you choose from one of three levels of air flow intensity (or none at all). Hardcore PC players should also check out the award-winning Microsoft SideWinder Mouse ($79.95; www.microsoft.com).
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Web auctions' popularity helps live counterparts
WAYNESBURG, Pa. — His chanting is rhythmic and rapid, a staccato string of numbers that quickly grows hypnotic as auctioneer Kevin Teets scans the audience, eyes darting between buyers on opposite sides of the room.
Perched in the front row is Dave Kauffman, who has come 220 miles from Marysville, Ohio, in search of vintage, remote-control model airplanes and accessories.
Within hours, Kauffman has so many planes and parts, to be resold at flea markets and online, that it takes five trips to load his hatchback at the Greene County Fairgrounds.
"I can tell from the first sale if it's going to be a good night," he said. "Tonight was a very good night."
Although auctioneers initially considered the Internet a threat, its growth and development of searchable websites like AuctionZip have contributed to a boom in the live-auction industry, with one-time rivals forming partnerships that produce bigger audiences for sellers, often by simulcasting live auctions on the Web.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: NAA
Buyers emboldened by success on eBay and other sites are seeking live sales in search of lower prices — and the thrill of competing in person.
Sales of goods and services at live auctions totaled $257 billion in 2006, a surge of 7% over 2005.
A study for the Kansas-based National Auctioneers Association found residential real estate auctions have grown 39% since 2003, agricultural real estate grew 33%, and sales of commercial and industrial property surged 27%. Car auctions increased by 10.5% and charity auctions rose 16.5%.
"I don't know where the auction industry would be without the Internet," said Teets, of Fairmont, W.Va. He turned professional three years ago and made the top 12 at the 2007 bid-calling world championships in San Diego.
"The Internet has educated the buyers. It's educated the sellers. It's opened a lot of these small sales up," said Teets, 31, who works for Joe R. Pyle Auctions of Mount Morris, Pa.
Earlier this year, the 6,000-member National Auctioneers Association teamed up with Gemstar-TV Guide International to launch Auction Network, which produces webcasts of auctions.
"The Internet has been the greatest thing that ever happened to the auction industry," said NAA president Tommy Williams, an Oklahoma real estate auctioneer. "It made us reinvent ourselves."
Auctioneers were slow to embrace the Internet because it was considered competition, said Ina Steiner of Natick, Mass., editor of AuctionBytes, a trade publication for online merchants.
But now, even rural residents often have sufficient Web service to compete and sellers realize that customers have choices far beyond eBay. There are specialty sites like Bid4Assets for real estate and IronPlanet for construction equipment.
"General consumers, they go to sites like eBay," Steiner said. "But they might go to Google. Google's the great equalizer. If an auction site is savvy and has a listing optimized for Google, people can find them."
The intersection of live and virtual auctions promises nearly limitless opportunity, and a few companies have already found niches by pairing traditional auction houses with the online world.
Julian Ellison moved from London to New York in 1999 to launch LiveAuctioneers, a webcasting project. In 2002, he persuaded San Francisco-based eBay to partner on live Web auctions.
At the time, eBay had 25 million users; today it boasts 275 million. Ellison has ventures with 638 auction houses worldwide and annual sales approaching $100 million.
"A lot of our auction houses that we started doing business with were on their knees," he said. "Some have said to me: 'You guys have absolutely saved our bacon.'
The changing world also creates opportunity for individuals, and the NAA is beginning to see more women and minorities entering the profession. The world champion bid-caller, former real estate investor Denise Shearin of Brandywine, Md., is the first black auctioneer to hold the title.
Shearin, who went pro in March 2006, was initially captivated by the chanting but quickly learned there's more to the business, requiring constant re-education about values, intensive marketing efforts and sophisticated people skills.
"Like so many other businesses, you get out of it what you put into it," she said. "If you really enjoy it, 50, 60 and 70 hours a week really do go by very quickly and fairly easily."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Perched in the front row is Dave Kauffman, who has come 220 miles from Marysville, Ohio, in search of vintage, remote-control model airplanes and accessories.
Within hours, Kauffman has so many planes and parts, to be resold at flea markets and online, that it takes five trips to load his hatchback at the Greene County Fairgrounds.
"I can tell from the first sale if it's going to be a good night," he said. "Tonight was a very good night."
Although auctioneers initially considered the Internet a threat, its growth and development of searchable websites like AuctionZip have contributed to a boom in the live-auction industry, with one-time rivals forming partnerships that produce bigger audiences for sellers, often by simulcasting live auctions on the Web.
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Buyers emboldened by success on eBay and other sites are seeking live sales in search of lower prices — and the thrill of competing in person.
Sales of goods and services at live auctions totaled $257 billion in 2006, a surge of 7% over 2005.
A study for the Kansas-based National Auctioneers Association found residential real estate auctions have grown 39% since 2003, agricultural real estate grew 33%, and sales of commercial and industrial property surged 27%. Car auctions increased by 10.5% and charity auctions rose 16.5%.
"I don't know where the auction industry would be without the Internet," said Teets, of Fairmont, W.Va. He turned professional three years ago and made the top 12 at the 2007 bid-calling world championships in San Diego.
"The Internet has educated the buyers. It's educated the sellers. It's opened a lot of these small sales up," said Teets, 31, who works for Joe R. Pyle Auctions of Mount Morris, Pa.
Earlier this year, the 6,000-member National Auctioneers Association teamed up with Gemstar-TV Guide International to launch Auction Network, which produces webcasts of auctions.
"The Internet has been the greatest thing that ever happened to the auction industry," said NAA president Tommy Williams, an Oklahoma real estate auctioneer. "It made us reinvent ourselves."
Auctioneers were slow to embrace the Internet because it was considered competition, said Ina Steiner of Natick, Mass., editor of AuctionBytes, a trade publication for online merchants.
But now, even rural residents often have sufficient Web service to compete and sellers realize that customers have choices far beyond eBay. There are specialty sites like Bid4Assets for real estate and IronPlanet for construction equipment.
"General consumers, they go to sites like eBay," Steiner said. "But they might go to Google. Google's the great equalizer. If an auction site is savvy and has a listing optimized for Google, people can find them."
The intersection of live and virtual auctions promises nearly limitless opportunity, and a few companies have already found niches by pairing traditional auction houses with the online world.
Julian Ellison moved from London to New York in 1999 to launch LiveAuctioneers, a webcasting project. In 2002, he persuaded San Francisco-based eBay to partner on live Web auctions.
At the time, eBay had 25 million users; today it boasts 275 million. Ellison has ventures with 638 auction houses worldwide and annual sales approaching $100 million.
"A lot of our auction houses that we started doing business with were on their knees," he said. "Some have said to me: 'You guys have absolutely saved our bacon.'
The changing world also creates opportunity for individuals, and the NAA is beginning to see more women and minorities entering the profession. The world champion bid-caller, former real estate investor Denise Shearin of Brandywine, Md., is the first black auctioneer to hold the title.
Shearin, who went pro in March 2006, was initially captivated by the chanting but quickly learned there's more to the business, requiring constant re-education about values, intensive marketing efforts and sophisticated people skills.
"Like so many other businesses, you get out of it what you put into it," she said. "If you really enjoy it, 50, 60 and 70 hours a week really do go by very quickly and fairly easily."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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