Our own Bob Cole has been chosen to write about all things tech for Philadelphia Magazine. His work and pics will be featured monthly on www.phillymag.com. Check it out…http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_goods/2010/07/21/smart-gadgets-to-keep-you-cool/
Bob Cole added as a contributor to Philadelphia Magazine
July 26th, 2010World Wide Stereo Giveaway on WXPN
September 2nd, 2010
Kenwood DNX6160 2-DIN Multimedia DVD Receiver with Navigation & Bluetooth All-In-One Navigation/DVD Entertainment System with Built-In Bluetooth technology that enables hand-free cell phone operation so that you can keep your hands on the steering wheel and concentrate on the road ahead. A high resolution WVGA 6.1” touchscreen provides crisp, clear images. And the DNX6160 delivers the fastest access to iPod/iPhone Audio/Video with high speed iPod/iPhone control. Includes custom installation. Prize provided by World Wide Stereo. Value: $1,500
WORLD WIDE STEREO WELCOMES NUVISION TO ITS MONTGOMERYVILLE SHOWROOM THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7th 7-9 PM
September 2nd, 2010Launch event will offer an evening of glamour and luxury to benefit Ovarian Cancer.
Join World Wide Stereo on Thursday, October 7, 2010 from 7-9 p.m. as they launch the world-class product - NuVision, the country’s leading luxury television maker. Each NuVision television is designed and engineered in the U.S. by a team of experienced engineers, resulting in a display that is unlike any other on the market. World Wide Stereo is among the few elite electronics retailers that will offer its clientele exclusive access to the NuVision design model and showroom.
In association with Philadelphia Style Magazine, Carlino’s Italian, Absolut Vodka, Plymouth Gin, and Don Rosen Porsche/Audi, this event will offer on-hand demonstrations, giveaways and special product pricing for one night only. NuVision’s award winning and breathtaking 3D technology is the new standard for home theater picture quality and is a must-have for A/V enthusiasts.
A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation, which for the past 10 years has been funding to develop early detection tests and educational programs to educate the public and physicians about ovarian cancer. Light Bites & Cocktails will be served.
Bob Cole’s Philly Mag Pick of the Week…
August 23rd, 2010Bob Cole, owner and founder of World Wide Stereo
Currently loving: The Sonos S5 All-in-One Wireless Music System
“I’m all about my music, and my Sonos S5 brings all of my music almost wherever I am! The high-performance wireless music system has five built-in speakers powered by five dedicated digital amplifiers, all in a compact single cabinet. It provides you instant access to endless music from online or direct from any computer in the house and, as a cool bonus, you can control it from your iPhone or iPad. With the Sonos I can quickly add a room of music anywhere I want.”
Netflix to stream Paramount, Lionsgate, MGM movies
August 11th, 2010LOS ANGELES – Netflix Inc. has reached a five-year deal worth nearly $1 billion to stream movies from Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM online starting Sept. 1 — a major move that boosts its “Watch Instantly” offerings and makes the studios’ joint pay TV venture Epix immediately profitable.
The agreement marks a further push by Netflix to stream movies to homes directly via personal computers, game consoles, Blu-ray players and TVs, and away from its rent-by-mail method. Netflix is trying to get its customers to view movies online so it can save on postage costs. Its shares jumped more than 6 percent.
The deal vastly increases the amount Netflix spends on streaming movies annually. It spent $117 million in the first six months this year on streaming, up from $31 million a year ago. The new deal adds roughly $200 million a year to that tab.
Epix, the pay TV channel launched last October by Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., will make the movies, including new releases, available to Netflix 90 days after they premiere on premium pay TV and subscription on-demand. Epix holds subscription pay TV rights to new releases and movies from its partners’ libraries.
Netflix said that previously these rights to distribute films are pre-sold to pay TV for up to nine years after a movie’s theatrical release. The deal means it can add many more popular movies from major studios.
Outcast Jr. Speaker Reviewed
August 5th, 2010With summer in full swing, what could be more fun that hanging out with a group of friends, eating burgers and enjoying some cold beers?
One thing that can make a scene like this even better is music. Products like SoundCast Systems’ Outcast Jr. ($500) make this happen without putting a hurt on the summer cookout budget.
Features
The Junior is a downsized version of the company’s popular Outcast weather-resistant outdoor wireless audio system. This smaller unit is said to have a wireless transmission range up to 350 feet, and because of its smaller size, it can also be used as a portable audio solution for tailgating, beach outings and other applications.
The 18-pound Outcast Jr. includes:
- 60-watt digital amplifier
- Downward-firing 6.5-inch woofer
- 4 omni-directional drivers that are aligned to create a 360-degree soundfield
- Rechargeable 12-volt NiMh battery
- External charger and 120-volt power cable
The one major component the system is missing is a transmitter, but Soundcast provides two solutions custom electronics pros can offer consumers: the iCast ($100), which supports iPhone/iPod and level-level device connections, and its $100 Universal AudioCast Transmitter (UAT), which has USB, 3.5mm and line-level inputs.
Setup
I set up the system in a matter of minutes in our office. It included assembling the power cable and battery pack so I could charge the battery. After that I plugged the system in and wirelessly connected it to the iPod dock, which I did through selecting an interference-free channel. After a few minutes, the devices synced and I was able to access my iPod’s playlists to select some music.
Performance
My experience with the unit was enjoyable. I was able to fill our office space with lots of music without having to crank up the volume levels. I would describe its sound as full and rich with a variety of file formats on my iPod. Discerning audiophiles may find the top end to be slightly rolled off, but with some lower resolution files that may actually be a good thing because they tend to sound thin and crispy in those octaves.
Looking at the Outcast Jr. from an installer perspective, it’s a fun product that basically sells itself. The only issue I really ran into was the connection of the UAT, which gave me a little trouble. I believe my issue was related to the age of the computer I was using and not the SoundCast gear, but it’s something that pros and consumers may want to think about if the goal is to use an old computer as an audio server.
WWW.WWSTEREO.COM RECEIVES BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU A+ RATING
July 21st, 2010
World Wide Stereo’s unique website (http://www.wwstereo.com), has received an A+ rating from Better Business Bureau (BBB), an agency which has been championing ethics and integrity for businesses and consumers.
A+ is the highest grade that BBB grants to any business. It is given after thorough analysis of a company based on 17 weighted factors and represents BBB’s degree of confidence that World Wide Stereo is running their business in a trustworthy manner. The rating is also based on a business’ degree of advertising honesty, transparency, honoring promises, responsiveness, safeguarding privacy, and integrity.
World Wide Stereo’s website sells state-of-the-art technology ranging from headphones to car audio and video. Most purchases come with free shipping and extended warranties are also offered. Their website also features a Live Chat option, price matching, and 360 degree tours of its showrooms.
“We are extremely proud of this acknowledgement from the Better Business Bureau,” said Bill Hettinger, Director of Ecommerce for wwstereo.com, ” Our A+ Better Business Bureau rating reflects the focused efforts of everyone in our company.”
Do You Have a Killer Backyard Theater?
July 21st, 2010
ProjectorPeople is looking for snapshots of your backyard theater for its contest, and worthy entrants will be showcased on Electronic House as well.
Some people keep cool in the hot summer months by staying inside with their air conditioning. Some people go to the beach. And some wait until it’s dark outside so they can sit under the stars, crack open a cooler or snacks and watch a movie on their outdoor theater screen.
Electronic House has highlighted some great outdoor A/V setups here, and they are looking to illustrate more with the help of our friends at ProjectorPeople.com. They’re holding a contest looking for the “most awesome backyard theater parties” and are giving away a Cisco Flip Ultra HD video camera to two lucky backyard theater owners.
You can check out the rules and regulations here, and email your entry to contest@projectorpeople.com. Submissions will be accepted until July 26, 2010, so fire up that theater sometime over the next week and start taking some pictures.
With your best pic and a description of the setup, ProjectorPeople will let readers vote for their favorite, and the top two vote-getters will win the video cameras.
Plus, for more inspiration to homeowners out there, entries will be showcased on Electronic House for your perusal as well. Of course, if you had a custom electronics pro create your special outdoor theater extravaganza, you can also make sure they submit it into the magazine’s Home of the Year Awards contest as well that will be soliciting submissions later this year.
And, of course, if you need to install your own killer backyard theater, give us a call!
Help your electronics beat the summer heat.
July 19th, 2010No one likes an overheated gadget and because dousing them with water isn’t an option, it’s important to remember that summer heat can cause some serious damage to your favorite electronics. Treat them the same way you would your delicate skin, by avoiding direct contact with anything too hot. Here are more:
Don’t Stack Electronics - Don’t prop your TiVo on top of your TV or your DVD player on top of your VCR. Electronics get hot enough on their own, but when stacked on top of one another, they produce and conduct even higher temperatures. Use shelves.
Keep Vents Clear - Vents were made for a reason. It’s that simple. Keep drapes, tablecloths and decorative pillows off your gadgets and their vents. They need to breathe almost as much as you do.
Position Electronics Away from Heat - Don’t store your electronics in direct sunlight or next to a space heater. In fact, if you can make sure they are near a fan or air conditioner. Remember: Heat rises.
In Case of Emergency, Shut Down
86% of 2013 Plasmas Will Be 3D
July 1st, 2010Come 2013, it seems that 86 percent of plasma TVs will also be 3D TVs. At least that’s what market research firm Displaybank forecasts.
It may sound an awful lot like one of Conan O’Brien’s “Year 3000” skits. Instead, it’s part of Displaybank’s recently published report, “3D TV Industry Trend and Market Forecast.”
Basically the report says that in a few years most plasmas will have that 3D function. Whether users want it as a standard feature is probably for another report.
Panasonic and Samsung currently lead this plasma 3D revolution, releasing multiple 3D TV models in 2010. LG is also planning a few releases as well. This year’s 3D plasmas include sizes ranging from 50 to 65 inches. The company says that 3D could be the boost that puts plasma back on top of LCD and LED sales.
“PDP industry suffers from lesser production capacity as well as marketing capability compared to LCD and from not having new investments that market expansion will become difficulty due to the limit in production even with the recognition coming from consumers,” says Jusy Hong, senior analyst in Display research group at Displaybank. “3D PDP TV will remain at the limit of replacing 2D PDP TV under the limited PDP TV market.”
