The joys of news radio for the home computer

Article Abstract:

Global Village Communication's Newscatcher is a $150 pyramidal receiver, which requires Windows 95, 16MB of RAM, 30MB of disk space, and a free serial port. Newscatcher is unable to store information, and rarely rebroadcasts items. Additional sports and market summary updates are available from Newscatcher for $6 a month, but the list of high-volume stocks and major indexes remain limited. Newscatcher also offers a clumsy option which alerts the user when an e-mail is received, but standard pagers provide similar features which are more cost-effective, and easier to use. Sony Electronics' new $2,000, 166MHz Vaio contains adequate documentation but leaves out the DOS mouse drivers necessary for some games. Vaio also provides attractive software for Windows, and an excellent version of the MPEG-1 video decompression scheme. The software, however, uses a great deal of memory, and the CD-ROM movies which employ MPEG-1 are costly, difficult to find, and inferior in quality to videotapes.

Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing, Electronic computers, Data Communications Equip, Microcomputers, Data communications equipment, Communications boards/cards, Communications boards (Computers), Sony Electronics Inc., Global Village Communication Inc., Wireless LAN/WAN adapter, LAN adapters, Pentium-based system, Pentium based computers, GVIL, Global Village Communication NewsCatcher (Wireless LAN/WAN adapter), Sony Vaio (Pentium-based system)

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Picture phone finally approaching a clear focus

Article Abstract:

8x8's $400 ViaTV Phone VC105 and 3Com's $400 Bigpicture TV Phone videoconferencing systems allow users to make video calls in color without having to use a computer. Both products feature built-in cameras and video compression hardware that interoperate with TVs and telephones. Adherence to the H.324 standard along with participating computer hardware and software makes the picturephones compatible with one another. Mandatory connections to a TV, phone jack, touch-tone phone and AC outlet can pose wiring challenges. The units present surprisingly decent pictures and sound, especially considering their placement on a wire solely designed for carrying voice. Drawbacks include a lack of coordination between video and audio, plus motion-handling difficulties.

Equipment and supplies, 3Com Corp., COMS, Videoconferencing, Videophones, Videoconferencing equipment, Videoconferencing systems, Video telephone, 8x8 Inc., EGHT, 8x8 ViaTV Phone VC105 (Videoconferencing equipment), 3Com Bigpicture TV Phone (Videoconferencing equipment)

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