Motorcycles equal money for some local businesses

Motorcycles equal money for some local businesses

By Cristina Kumka
STAFF WRITER - Published: September 18, 2010

Formal results aren’t in, but according to some Rutland and Killington business owners, the Killington Classic motorcycle rally was profitable during a time otherwise dominated by the Vermont State Fair.

Both the Killington and Rutland Region chambers of commerce reported good results from the ninth-annual touring rally — a stark difference from last year when the rally bypassed downtown Rutland because of miscommunication.

Seth Webb, Killington’s new tourism director, said an estimated 1,000 motorcycles started in Killington Friday and made their way down to Rutland at 6:30 p.m. for a welcoming block party with beer gardens, live music and outdoor dining.

Thomas Donahue, executive director of the Rutland chamber, called it a “wonderful success.”

“Seth Webb certainly had a lot to do with that,” Donahue said. “Everybody pulled their weight and it came together tremendously.”

But for area hotels and restaurants, the four-day event’s success wasn’t speculation — for them, it was in the numbers.

Betty Larson, director of sales at the Comfort Inn off North Main Street in Rutland, said a group of riders called the Retreads packed 70 rooms for four to five nights each. The hotel made $25,000 from the group’s stays, she said.

Bill Gillam, owner of Rutland’s South Station Restaurant, said the group made things “extremely nice this weekend.

“It’s nice to see some business going on,” he said. “I don’t usually do much during fair week.”

Donahue reported seeing Rutland’s Three Tomatoes Trattoria being filled and Webb said the Killington Motel was fully booked for three nights.

Louis Illiano of Peppino’s Ristorante Italiano said without the Killington Classic the weekend would have been extremely quiet.

“Anybody with any historical perspective will say 10 to 15 years ago, fair week can could have been the slowest week of the year,” he said. “It’s turned what would be a negative week into a positive.”

Webb said the key to keeping bikers on the mountain was promoting Killington inns and hotels and more, planning about a dozen more activities on the mountain than last year during Classic weekend — from a pig roast and classic bike show to a Sept. 11, 70-mile ride up Route 100, and a fireworks display. 

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Harley-Davidson 2011 Road Glide Ultra FLRTU: Motorcycle Review

H-D Touring Bike at an Economical Price

Harley-Davidson reports it is introducing three new-for-2011 bikes. The one that caught my attention is the Road Glide Ultra FLRTU. A higher-end Harley, it remains affordable by leaving consumer teasers,obs and CVO options, for other models. Starting at $22,499, the buyer can have an incredible touring bike with the Harley-Davidson growl and name. Four colors cover this bike: Vivid Black, Brilliant Silver Pearl, Cool Blue Pearl, and Merlot Sunglo.

The fairing, described in greater detail bySmartcycleshopper, has dual headlights and cockpit-style instrumentation. It offers good wind deferral to speeds of about 60 mph, when the rider will start feeling some buffeting. The Road Glide Ultra FLRTU's fairing assembly is mounted to the frame, not the forks, putting minimal weight on the front wheel, allowing easier turning. The one-piece Electra Glide saddle, with its deeper bucket and narrower width, assures greater ground reach. Estimated mileage is 35 mpg city driving, and 54 mpg highway driving.Designed for an experienced rider, the Road Glide Ultra is 98.7 inches in length, and weighs in at 850 pounds dry weight. It requires a lot of heft to get it off the side stand. Two additional down sides to most riders are the strong kick needed to get into first gear, and the maximum lean angles of 33 degrees to the right and 31 degrees to the left, due to the 5.1 inch ground clearance. I am not sure why they limited the fuel tank to 6-gallons on a tour bike; perhaps it is because 91 octane or higher is recommended.

The larger 1690cc PowerPak engine, bundled with ABS, and security system, is part of the Road Glide Ultra. The hands-free fob is like getting candles on a birthday cake: it lends a special touch to a fantastic item. Ordering the PowerPak bundle for other touring bikes adds $1995 to their selling price, so it is a nice feature in the Road Glide Ultra. The 6-speed transmission makes for a more controlled ride. 

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION:
The Contributor has no connection to nor was paid by the brand or product described in this content.

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Triumph Lives Up to Its Name with Award-Winning Motorcycles

Britain's Triumph motorcycles have been on the road for more than 100 years, and have maintained a reputation  or quality since gaining serious ground in the 1920's all the way through
its latest incarnation under John Bloor, who's held Triumph's reins since the 1980's. After his acquisition of the company, Bloor reportedly kept the designs for Triumph's re-launch under wraps for eight years until he felt they were fully developed enough to re-establish Triumph Motorcycles as a go-to motorcycle brand.

When that moment arrived in the 1990's, the new Triumphline that appeared was built around six roadsters that used similar components and styling features to cut down on the production costs that had bankrupted the company in the first place. That re-launch was a great success, and has allowed Triumph in recent years to expand their motorcycle designs exponentially to appeal to bike enthusiasts, increasing their sales even while other companies see the fallout from the economic downturn on their own balance sheets.

Triumph today features motorcycles across every weight class and price range, from the retro-classic Bonneville and Thruxton lines to the newer and equally well-received Thunderbird and Sprint models. There are a few of the Triumph motorcycles that are really making those that should know (motorcycle reviewers, that is) stand up and take notice however:

Cruiser Class 2010 Thunderbird

Favored by Motorcycle-USA.com's Bryan Harley, the Cruiser performs well with extra power compensating for its weight (745 lbs). The weight is noticeable on turns, but not during acceleration. Able to brag up a rider friendly transmission, clean, classic lines, and serious power, the Thunderbird is a real spit-and-polish bike.

2009 Street Triple R

Kevin Ash from Britain's Telegraph newspaper liked this middleweight contender for its huge motor and "exceptionally fine ride quality"; the motor sets engine standards for its class. It's hugely responsive but can vibrate a bit which may be annoying for longer rides.

2010 Rocket III Roadster

With more torque than some economy cars, this is a stylish, massive and rigidly mounted bike with great stopping power. The rider triangle is spacious, as can be expected, with slightly less ride comfort than what 

might  hope for. Still, the improved handling and wide handlebars offset any negatives.

2009 Triumph Sprint ST

This sport bike hasn't been hugely updated in five years, but doesn't really need it.. With mirror-integrated turn signals, a tall screen and higher handlebars than before and a steel fuel tank rather than plastic, the revisions since the major 2005 revamp are appropriate without being overstimulating. It's still easy handling, has a stable suspension, and the fueling is bright.
2009 Thruxton

Triumph is comfortable returning to its roots, and its revisit of the Thruxton paid out dividends. Best in cityscapes and canyons, it features nimble handling and remarkable power. An obvious throwback to the 60's cafe racers, the throttle is described by Motrocycle.com as "crisp, smooth, and responsive".

2009 50^th Bonneville

Motorcycle.com's Pete Brissette loved the Bonnevile, praising it for maneuverability, power, and braking capability. The 50^th anniversary edition of the iconic Bonneville is largely unchanged from the 2008 for the EFI, has spoke wheels and a 19-inch front wheel.

2009 Daytona 675

Considered light and fast, narrow and nimble, it shed weight to pick up speed, and has also gained in horsepower. The redesigned cockpit, screen, and headlights improve the overall look.

2008 Speed Triple 1050

Fast, safe and angry, it's also a civilized and refined bike. It's a smooth ride that isn't harmed too much by a new rear subframe which allowed for a new seat. Radial Brembo callipers have updated their noisier replacements and the new wheels for this year were a welcome update.

2010 Tiger SE

Triumph Motorcycles themselves have gotten behind this, touting it as one of the "best all-around bikes on the market". It's considered agile, and a great long-haul bike, with a tall riding position and standard ABS.

2008 Street Triple 675

Motorcycle-USA.com's Adam Waheed enjoyed it for its compactness and speed. The cockpit is roomy despite compactness, the suspension does the trick for carving or cruising.

Triumph recently announced that they would be introducing a slew of new models for 2012, so motorcycle enthusiasts have much to look forward to. Given the success of Triumph's last 15 years since their re-launch, the

oldest motorcycle manufacturers.

Bryan Harley, "2010 Triumph Thunderbird Comparison Review"

MotorcycleUSA.com

Kevin Ash, "Triumph Street Triple R review: British is best in the battle of the middleweight all-rounders" Telegraph

Pete Brissette, "2010 Triumph Rocket III Roadster Review" Motorcycle.com

Pete Brissette, "2009 Triumph Sprint ST Review" Motorcycle.com

Pete Brissette, "2009 Triumph Bonneville Review: Fun at 50!" Motorcycle.com

Pete Brissette, "2009 Triumph Thruxton Review: To the cafe with confidence" Motorcycle.com

Adam Waheed, "2008 Triumph Street Triple 675 First Ride" MotorcycleUSA.com

Tor Sagen, "2008 Triumph Speed Triple 1050 Review: A Sharper Speed Triple" Motorcycle.com

Tor Sagen, "2009 Triumph Daytona 675 First Ride: Lighter, Faster, Better." Motorcycle.com

www.co.triumph.uk/usa

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How Bridgestone Makes Motorcycle Tires Bart Madson

motorcycles tires are critical to rider safety and bike performance. The casual rider probably cares little and thinks even less about how tire companies turn raw materials into high-performance tires. During a recent press introduction at Bridgestone’s Japanese home base, Motorcycle-USA got an eyewitness account of the tire-making process during a tour of the company’s Nasu Plant. 

The real beginning of the tire-making process is in the company’s engineering labs where designers use the latest technology to develop new compounds and tread patterns. After rigorous testing at the company’s nearby Bridgestone Proving Grounds, prototypes go into production at the Nasu facility. The 49-year-old plant, located in the Tochigi prefecture, is the sole motorcycle tire production plant for Bridgestone (with the company retaining 190 plants worldwide, 49 of them producing tires).

Nasu gets raw materials in the front door and delivers finished tires out the back, with Bridgestone reps claiming 6300 motorcycle tires produced daily. Bridgestone keeps a tight rein on its process, with photo and video forbidden during our guided tour. The photos for this article come from Bridgestone itself. But, we asked a lot of questions and took some notes. Here’s how the rubber meets the road.
RAW MATERIALS

The first step of tire production is mixing the raw materials into usable compounds. Bridgestone sources both natural and synthetic rubber in its compounds, with the natural rubber the milky white latex of the rubber tree grown on plantations in Thailand. The natural stuff produces an acrid smell at the production plant, as rubber’s natural fat renders during the initial mixing process. Petroleum-based synthetic rubber is clear in appearance. Each rubber type has advantageous qualities for the various parts of a tire with our guide claiming the typical Bridgestone motorcycle tire

After rubber compounds and specialized component layers completed, the assembly process begins (top) with the "green tire" completed and ready for curing (bottom).

is comprised of about 40% natural rubber.

Large chunks of natural and synthetic rubber head up a conveyer belt with workers spearing smaller chunks onto the belt to fine tune the ratios. Specialized additives are then added to enhance tire performance. Carbon black increases durability and gives the tire its coloring (early tires were all white, the same color as the natural rubber used). Sulfur acts as a vulcanizing agent, hardening the tire. Silica is important for wet grip. A host of other chemicals fine-tune the properties of the rubber compound, depending on its function. All the raw materials mix in a large vat under heat and pressure, with atmospheric variables closely monitored. The resulting rubber compound exits in long flat sheets.
EXTRUSION 

The extrusion process sees the warm, malleable rubber compounds pushed through slender dies, forming long strips. The extrusions specialize depending on the particular tire components being made, including carcass and sidewall layers. Fabric and steel-belt plies are also created, with the tire component layers prepared for the final assembly. During our tour we saw the production of carcass layers as well as the insertion of steel cords that make up the tire bead.
ASSEMBLY

The assembly process takes place on a large drum. The carcass layer is rolled out, measured and cut. An internal air bladder shapes the tire as various layers are added. Tires source different layers of body plies and belts depending on its spec design. The Bridgestone tires we sampled, the BT-023, utilize a monospiral belt, with a single strand of steel wound over the diameter of the tire. 

Sealed chambers control pressure and temperature as the green tire cures (top). Close up of tire after curing. Note the small nubs (AKA spew) throughout the tire's surface (bottom).

Once the internal layers are formed, the critical exterior tread layer is added. While the entire process is largely automated, the level of human interaction during the assembly stage was surprising. In particular, the application of the exterior tread layer was cut and molded together by the hands of the machine operator. The exterior layer added, the tire is removed from the drum. The result is a warm, pliable form dubbed a “green tire.”
CURING

Green tires are moved over to curing chambers. The curing phase sources three elements: heat, pressure and time. Green tires enter the mold chambers, with the tire tread pattern raised on the inside. Once sealed, an internal air bladder applies pressure from the center, forcing the green tire into the mold and imprinting the tread patters. Temperatures raise to 170 degrees Centigrade, with chemical reactions in the rubber compound vulcanizing the tire. The length of time required for the curing process depends on the tire. Most motorcycle tires at the Bridgestone facility take about 15 minutes, but tires for large trucks or buses take upwards of 40 minutes. Heavy duty earth mover tires, like the world’s largest tire that graces the Nasu Plant’s entrance (see side bar) take about one full day of cooking time.

After exiting the molds, the warm tires cool down. Small knobs, called spew, prickle the exterior of the tire. They are formed by purpose-built pinholes evenly spaced throughout the mold to allow the escape of steam and air. Many of the spew are shaved off prior to the final inspection (we saw a gigantic tub of them). But not all of them get removed, with a small amount remaining on the lips of some tires – there for future owner’s riding buddies to gauge his or her wuss factor. 

The tire doesn't leave the factory before one more human step is completed, the final quality control inspection.

INSPECTION 
The final check of each tire is a pair of human hands and eyes. Quality control workers check for shape and any defects, measuring and examining the finished product. Less than 0.11% don’t pass muster. As for the remaining 99.89%, they are stored on large racks and then shipped out the back door for worldwide distribution.

In the door as raw materials. Out the door as a fully functional motorcycle tire. 

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Woman’s cellphone troubles resolved

EAST London resident Ilza Pannewitz waited almost two years before her problems with a cellular network were resolved – but thanks to the Crusaders she was removed from a blacklist and even refunded R3500.

Pannewitz told the Crusaders that she had joined the MTN network and, during a phone call with the service provider, requested to be placed on a Top Up 100 contract – a prepaid type contract – in October 2008.

After two months on the new contract she discovered that she had in fact been placed on an Anytime 100 contract – a credit type contract.

She said that as soon as she realised the mistake, in January 2009, she sent the phone back and requested that the company cancel the contract. Pannewitz said she last spoke to them in February last year.

“But then in June or July this year I got a letter saying I had been blacklisted and must pay outstanding funds of R4319.42 and must pay it before the 31 July 2010. It was a final notice,” she said.

The Crusaders referred Pannewitz’s complaint to MTN’s public relations and communications guru Bridget Bhengu two weeks ago.

“MTN has investigated the matter and has subsequently refunded Ms Pannewitz. MTN apologises for the frustration that Ms Pannewitz has experienced, and we can assure our subscribers that we always strive to deliver excellent customer service,” Bhengu said.

Yesterday, Pannewitz was happy to report that the problem was solved.

“MTN sent me a letter of apology, and a woman called me to apologise, too. I also got a letter from the credit bureau to say I am not blacklisted any more.

“They even refunded me R3500 I had paid for the contract before I realised it was the wrong one,” Pannewitz said.

“I’m so happy, I’m telling everyone I know about the great work the Crusaders do – about how great you are. Thank you so much,” she said. — By MICHELLE SOLOMON

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Is your mobile phone loaded with money? Mitu Jayashankar , Forbes India

Name: Carol Realini

Profile: Founder Obopay, a Silicon Valley mobile payments company.

History: She was voted one of the top 25 women to watch for in technology in 2010 by AlwaysOn, Stanford University technology summit.

Her Mission: Deliver financial services to a large number of people through mobile phones.

I was bored; so I decided to take a re-look at my life. I had retired in 2000 after spending about 25 years in technology companies — a few of which I had started. Two of the companies that I started were involved in providing technology and services to banks. I started to work with non-profits that were fostering entrepreneurship in developing countries.

While travelling there, I was taken aback by the number of mobile phones people had, even when they didn't have basic services like electricity, water and roads. I started thinking about what might happen to banking as mobile phones reached people who are beyond traditional services.

I was in a prepaid cellphone store in Congo and it looked exactly like a bank; people were topping up and recharging their balance. And I thought why couldn't we just take that model and allow people to load money and not just minutes on mobile phones?

Traditional banking has only reached 1.5 billion people in the world at best. It inspires a natural feeling of trust because it is a building of brick and mortar, but the cost models are very high so we felt that mobile was going to be a major breakthrough. In 2005, we founded Obopay.

We wanted to have the US in our global roadmap because it is the place from where lots of remittances are sent. The original plan was to set up in India or Mexico first. But we had critical mass in the US and because it was such a crucial part of our plan, we decided to do US first.

From the beginning, we were doing product and technology development in India, (but) it was Vani Kola, a venture capitalist from India, who accelerated our plans for going to India. In November 2007 I took my first trip to India to determine the readiness of the market. I spent two weeks on this trip and by the time I was leaving I was convinced that this would be our next market.

India represents such a big opportunity to deliver mobile banking to large numbers of people. At the time we started, there were 100 million phones in India, now there are 600 million phones. Forty-one percent Indians do not have access to bank accounts.

The footprint of traditional banking is small when compared to the number of cities in India — 600,000 towns and villages, but less than 100,000 bank branches. Clearly, traditional banking wasn't going to meet the needs of the growing market of India.

We have started the pilot in two cities in India; we are now in the next phase. Our goal is to go from these two cities to a national roll-out within 12 months. We have a tie up with (Yes Bank); we are working on signing up the next bank.

Our view is to get every type of mobile phone — not any one carrier or one type of handset — to offer our service. We have a partnership with Nokia, which has a footprint three times larger than all the bank branches put together.

We work in very different regulatory environments around the world. In India regulations stipulate that there should be a bank in the foreground if you want to transfer money, collect savings, or offer credit. This is not true in other parts of the world. Most banks that we deal with are very actively pursuing this because they understand that the mobile phone is a game changer for the banks.

That's exactly what happened in Kenya. Kenya has perhaps the most advanced financial regulatory environment in the world. In Kenya we have a tie-up with Essar Telecom Kenya, which is the issuer of the financial product.

Let's compare India's situation to Kenya where mobile payments have grown really fast. In two years, the number of bank accounts has grown from 3 million to 10 million. Two years ago, 22 percent of households had access to banking services; that number is now 38 percent. Some people feel that acceptance of this service is so high in Kenya because of easy regulation. But I am agnostic about regulation; I don't think it is the biggest hurdle.

The one thing that Kenya has, which India doesn't have today, is a national ID — a government issued picture ID card. That made it easier to get people onboard, because the intense documentation to open a bank account gets taken care of automatically by the card. This is why India's Unique Identification number project will be so important. The biggest obstacle for us — the biggest cost to get people onboard for the service we have developed — is the documentation process.

In India, we take Nokia retailers and we license them and enable them to be banking correspondents. They take the deposits; soon they will be able to load the money on mobile phones.

The other key takeaway is that you have to find the right anchor partner. We are present in USA, India and Kenya and now we are looking at Senegal in Africa. In USA we partner with MasterCard which has a relationship with every bank. In Kenya we partnered with Essar, which is the fastest growing mobile service provider. In India we have a motivated partner like Nokia which has a great footprint and good retail access.

(As told to Mitu Jayashankar)

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The 10 signs of cellphone addiction

Forget fast food, video games and reality TV. The worst plague sweeping the world these days is smartphone addiction. You've seen the worst affected skittering in alleyways, awake in bed at night, and in movie theaters, with the glow of backlit LCDs lighting up their maniacal faces. They're addicts. Any you may be one of them.

Think you it may be more than a slight affinity for texting? Here are the top ten signs you're addicted to your smartphone.

(And we're all a little guilty.)

 10. You've spent more on accessories than on your phone.

It started out with something harmless like a car charger, but then you stepped up to the car FM transmitter, armband, a different case for each day of the week, spare batteries, screen protectors, a stereo Bluetooth adapter, wireless speakerphone, and even a dock powered by tube amps. You realize that it's just a phone, not a kid, right? And that none of it will work when you inevitably upgrade to the next version six months from now?

 9. You have 30 different apps installed. And use them all.

We've all gone through app-installing binges where we've installed some questionable stuff on our cell phones. Two weeks later, we either figure out it's garbage and delete it, or leave it to stagnate. But those of you still checking on your digital iPhorest trees, using car locater to find your Camry down the block every morning, and thumbing through digital copies of the U.S. Constitution during heated political debates are the real nuts.

 8. You have alarms telling you when to do everything in your life.

Business meetings, doctor's appointments, and group meetups. All valid events to put in your phone. Have an alarm for putting out the trash on Wednesday night? You're in way too deep, buddy. When you need your phone to prod you through every step of the day, it might as well be your respirator or dialysis machine.

 7. You read about your phone on your phone.

Not content to dream about your phone, fondle it in your pocket all day long, and relish every chance to use it, you actually invest time in finding out more about it, while using it. You read through the latest TUAW posts on your iPhone, or threads on the Crackberry forums from your Bold. Your phone is no longer a means to an end, it is the end.

 6. You've cut back on necessities to afford your $100 a month cell phone bill.

OK, lunch is pretty important. But $5 a day adds up to like $150 a month, and that can totally pay your phone bill if you just switch to Jell-O and ramen noodles for a while. Or maybe you could just start hopping the turnstile instead of paying for a subway pass. Or move to a cheaper apartment. Or carry a balance on that credit card…

Does this logic sound familiar?

5. A full battery charge barely lasts the day.

After brushing your teeth and washing your face, your last ritual before bed is plugging in that smartphone. Because if you don't, there's no way that sucker's lasting another full day after the workout you gave it today. We'll admit that the battery life on some modern smartphones is pretty dismal, but if you're downing a full charge day after day, you might need to lay off the juice.

 4. You broke it, and it feels like you lost a friend.

In a moment of clumsiness, you went to remove it from your pocket for the 37th time in the last hour, slipped, and sent it pinwheeling toward pavement, where it landed with a sickening crack. Or, in a moment of carelessness, you let it slip out of your pocket on the train, waiting to be snatched up by some hawkeyed bum. Even worse, in a less-than-sober moment, you dropped it into a fountain (which is not a urinal, by the way). Whatever the circumstances, you can't stop replaying the event in your mind, running over its irreplaceable digital contents in your mind, and kicking yourself for letting it happen. Maybe you even have dreams about a reunion with your long-lost friend. Er, phone. When the symptoms start to border post-traumatic stress disorder, it's time to move on.

 3. When you meet people with the same phone, you can only talk about the phone.

"You have an iPhone too? Oh awesome, have you tried the PDXBus app yet? Yea, this case is pretty cool, but I'm getting this metallic one soon that's even slimmer."

If this sounds at all like a conversation you might have upon meeting someone with the same smartphone, you should reconsider your smartphone addiction and your social life.

 2. You feel a brief moment of panic when you touch your pocket (or grope to the bottom of your purse) and it's gone.

We're not talking about a lost phone here, just realizing you left it at home. And feeling the skipped heartbeat of sheer terror.
"What if people try to call me?"

"What if I can't find the nearest Starbucks without asking someone?"

"What will my Twitter followers think?"

Take a deep breath before you need an iDefibrillator app and forge on without your faithful digital assistant. Life will be OK.

 1. You use it in the bathroom.

This is just wrong. But not for hygienic reasons as you all suspect. If you're using your smartphone on the can, you've just robbed yourself of your last refuge from interruption. You've tainted mankind's last fortress of solitude by draggeing the entire equivalent of a computer into the equation. Can't you live five minutes without e-mail? Really?

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Mobile Phone: A Must To All

an our day to day living we all find the use of mobiles important and essential. They first and foremost help us keep in touch with people across the globe; they also keep us entertained with cameras and music players. They help us organize our work and take down notes. A mobile phone is a must in everyones life. It is next to impossible to carry out daily routines without them.

The current market is in no shortage of mobile phones and their varieties. There are a number of phone providing companies like Sony Ericsson, Blackberry, Motorola, Nokia and HTC. The people of U.K. are in that way much gifted with a large range to choose from. These brands ensure the production of phones suitable to every kind of person. They have basic models with ground level communication features as well as top class phone with superb entertainment and business functions. So this way no one is deprived of its benefits. Slider and Flip phones have also been introduced so that the appearance factor is enhanced. Touchscreen display phones are also a popular seller in the market.

A Mobile Phone helps people in many ways. However, their use is void without a network connection. The network is essential for calling and texting functions. The connections come from companies like Vodafone, Virgin, Orange, T mobile, O2 and 3. Apart from uninterrupted and top quality service, the companies even keep aside deals and contracts for the people. This is offered so that the public can avail more and more benefits of the phone at lesser rates.

All the advantages are crystal clear to every person. However, one should remember the side effects of the handsets. Excessive use may cause lack of sleep, fits, infertility in men and even brain problems. Hence these phones should be used within proper limits.

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What sort of things the future TVs holds for consumers

sept. 16,, 2010 ·  

The television that we are so much in tune to watch either alone or together as a family has so much potential and can be more interactive and enjoyable that what it is today, more and more the developer and engineers at TV manufacturing companies expressing similar views. Most of the new development has been focused on its thinness and picture and sound quality or their pure energy efficient functionalities which is mostly self-imposed by manufacturers themselves. TV manufacturers up today have been very attentive to the demands of TV broadcasters in positioning their product in such a way to fulfill their requirements making TVs to be receivers for broadcasters’ contents. As a result of this the TVs have not really changed very much over the last decade or so giving priority to public services and continuity. Recent advancement in mobile phones and personal computers due to their unrestricted platforms which offers a diversity of services to the users putting a pressure to TV manufacturers to leverage the internet technologies to increase the number of ways in TV viewing enjoyment. From the technological point of view the shape of the ideal TV in future is becoming more and clearer with its support for internet connectivity and improved rate of connectivity and implementation of higher performance hardware such as System-on- Chips (SoC) as well as other modules and devices. But the current implementation of web browsing is slow compared to PCs and mobile phones as a result most attention of young people goes to PC and mobile phone instead of TV and there is a little awareness to television programming. The quality of internet connection for future TV is a must considering video streaming services for high definition TV (HDTV) content but current specification for HTML displaying which was drawn up by digital TV working group which was established in 2003 does not considers all the future possibilities and scenarios one being the use of HTML screens in order to scroll through various programming instead of use of remote control. Japanese manufacturers are still at the early stages of realization of TV of tomorrow. One effort in achieving this is in creating an environment capable of handling streaming video, one good example is Sony’s “AppliCast” a TV widget execution environment that is written in JavaScript and XML capable of calling video players via a widget or Panasonic’s “VIERA CAST” which is a GUI execution environment also written in JavaScript where the menu screens as well as other GUI elements are generated at Panasonic’s own servers capable of playing MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video as well as H.264 YouTube video streams. Unlike the outside of Japan broadcasting companies the Japanese broadcasting companies putting restriction in placing program content on the same screen as widget as well as other information but Sony took the initiatives in separating the program content from the widgets horizontally and releasing the AppliCast as a SDK making it possible for other individuals to develop their own widgets. This initial effort is toward fulfilling broadcaster demands while at the same time providing the type of services the users are seeking. But the future of TV images is what the viewers want not the broadcaster or even the set manufacturers. One good example of this is introducing community function that will intrigue viewers such as “Nico Nico Video” a shared Internet-based video clip service that is extremely popular in Japan. Through this service viewers are able to provide their comments on video clips which are superimposed on the video images so the users of this service can view the clips while sharing opinions. But this sort of application and services will not be sufficient where the insufficient hardware performance is yet another major issue in achieving an acceptable TV user Interface. Due to intense competition TV manufacturers are pushed to cut hardware cost to stay competitive and as a result of this little interest have been given in improving hardware specification to achieve a more improved UI or web contents for example the typical HTML based TV browser has only between 10 to 20 MB of memory. One sign of improvement from the hardware spec. side is through the media processor which is based on cell technology providing an ultra-high resolution function making it possible to play and record multiple programs at the same time expected to be introduced in Toshiba’s TVs by fall of 2009. Another sign is by Intel Media Processor CE 3100 also known as “Canmore”. Intel has already ported the “Widget Channel” a widget execution environment through its partnership with Yahoo. But consider this notion of having your TV upgraded on a regular basis and making it secure through security software and at some point in time buying a new set of TV just like a new PC to support the new services. As the thought of new TV bring excitement to the future customers the hurdle of dealing with multiple platforms in hardware and software and OS is a scary thought which TV manufacturers and service providers alike must consider to prevent the same disaster and confusion that we are facing in PC market

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