Video to Go

Watch what you want, when you want, on one of the new portable video players.

James A. Martin

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Feature: Video to Go

Did you happen to see Batman Begins on an IMAX screen this summer? If so, you can stop reading now.

That's because after seeing the stunning, special-effects-laden spectacular on an enormous screen, you've probably been spoiled. It's hard enough to go back to the multiplex after an IMAX experience like that. Imagine how hard it would be to then watch a big-event movie on, say, a PDA screen.

But for the rest of the world, watching what you want, when you want, on a portable device is cool in its own way. Here's a look at some of the slickest new options for video on the go.

Watch Your Home TV--When You're Not at Home

Time-shifting--the practice of recording a TV program to watch at another time--is so 1980s. Today, the buzzword is place-shifting, and the device generating the buzz is the Slingbox Personal Broadcaster.

Sling Media's $250 device lets you watch what's on your home TV anywhere your notebook can make a high-speed Internet connection. Imagine you live in Boston but you're visiting Australia. You're dying to catch the evening TV news from Boston, so you turn on your notebook in Sydney, connect it to your hotel room's broadband Internet connection, and there's the Bean Town broadcast--almost as if you were sitting on your living room couch.

The Slingbox is a box that connects to and controls your TV, DVD, or other video source. It feeds the signals from the video source over your high-speed home network and the Internet to your notebook. To get the full scoop on how Slingbox works, read Richard Baguley's review. Richard says the Slingbox is fairly easy to set up, though the SlingPlayer software (for viewing TV on your notebook) is a bit challenging to use. Video and audio playback quality is fine; the faster the bandwidth, the better the results. And you don't have to pay any monthly fees.

Taking TiVo on the Road

I don't watch lots of TV. But when I do, I don't want to channel surf in hopes of finding something interesting. That's why I'm a devoted member of the TiVo cult. TiVo is a digital video recorder/subscription service that lets you easily record favorite shows and store them on the device's hard drive for viewing whenever.

For travelers, there's TiVoToGo. The service lets you transfer TV show recordings from your TiVo Series2 box to a notebook. Recently, TiVoToGo has also become available for Windows Mobile-based Portable Media Centers, smart phones, and Pocket PCs. For more about TiVoToGo, read "TiVo Goes Portable."

Frankly, I'm not all that interested in TiVoToGo because I have the Humax DRT800 ($499), a TiVo Series2 machine/DVD burner. Rather than transferring programs directly to my notebook or handheld device using TiVoToGo, I simply burn them onto DVD-Rs (or DVD-RWs, but this format sometimes doesn't work in older DVD players). That way, I can watch TiVo recordings on cross-country flights on my notebook, at a friend's home via their DVD player, and so on. It's simple to do and convenient. Read "First Look: Affordable TiVo With DVD Burning" for PC World's review of the Humax DRT800. (PC World's Product Finder has the latest prices.)

A Big-Screen Portable Video Player

Most PVP screens are 3.5 inches, measured diagonally. In my opinion, that's just too small for sustained viewing. For example, watching an hour-long episode of Six Feet Under on an Archos AV420 caused my temples to throb.

But there's good news: the new Archos AV 700 has a 7-inch color display, the largest of any PVP currently available in North America (to my knowledge). I haven't had a chance to test it yet. But given that the Archos PVPs can record directly from video sources--unlike Windows Portable Media Center-based gadgets, which get their content from your PC--I'd guess that this is the PVP to have. A 40GB version of the AV 700 is about $600; a 100GB model is $800. Read my earlier column on PVPs for more info on these gadgets.

Video on a Cell Phone

Verizon Wireless's recently unveiled mobile video service, V Cast, streams short video clips to subscribers with compatible cell phones who are willing to pay $15 a month (in addition to regular voice plan rates). Some of the content is exclusive to V Cast, such as 24 Conspiracy, a spin-off of the hit Fox show 24. Other programs include clips from CNN news, ESPN sports, and, yes, Sesame Street. Think about it: Big Bird on a really small screen. Sprint is also offering a video-on-demand subscription service. For more about V Cast and compatible phones, read "Handsets: Let These Entertain You."

I haven't tested any of these cell-phone video services. But while waiting for Batman Begins to start, I used my Nokia 3260 cell phone to record a video clip of the IMAX screen. It just seemed like the thing to do.

Mobile Computing News, Reviews, & Tips

Notebook Review: Upgradeable Medion Akoya EX

Many notebooks aren't easily upgraded, but that's not the case with the Medion Akoya EX ($1200). The notebook's memory and hard drive are designed to be user-accessible, reports PC World reviewer Carla Thornton. The portable packs in lots of features, too, including a 14.1-inch wide-screen display, 802.11g Wi-Fi, and a fixed double-layer DVD-RW/CD-RW burner. Also, Carla reports that it's the least expensive laptop she's seen that includes a DVI connection for connecting to high-end monitors.

Notebook Review: You Can Upgrade Toshiba's Portege S100, Too

Aside from the Medion Akoya EX, the Toshiba Portege S100 is also designed with user upgrading in mind. The thin and light notebook's hard drive and memory can be accessed. But for PC World's Carla Thornton, reaching the notebook's second memory slot was a worrisome ordeal.

Readers Respond: Knee Defender Inconsiderate, Unnecessary

In a recent column, I reported on the Knee Defender, a wedge-like thingamajig that prevents the airplane seat in front of you from being fully reclined, thus giving you more space to work and protecting your portable's screen

For some readers, using the Knee Defender is the height of rudeness. "I would never use something that would prohibit a fellow passenger the full use of his personal space," writes Roy Chong, Newark, New Jersey. "If [Knee Defender] were used on my seat, I'd be livid!" Roy calls such tactics "unbelievably inconsiderate."

For others, the Knee Defender is unnecessary. "I don't need them," writes R.B. McDole of Dallas. At 6 feet 6 inches tall, R.B.'s knees already bump up against the seatback in coach, so a Knee Defender is, well, superfluous. "Naturally when the person in that seat tries to recline, they're unable to do so. I usually gently inform that person of the situation, and they take one look and that's the end of it."

On occasion, the person seated in front will recline when Roy gets up to stretch, and then refuses to return the seat to its upright position when Roy returns. In those cases, Roy explains the situation to a flight attendant. If the flight's not full, the attendant usually offers either Roy or the reclining passenger a different seat. When the flight is full, the recliner has so far always raised the seat back at the attendant's request.

Bottom line: If you use Knee Defender, be aware that others may think it's extremely rude. My advice is to politely ask the person in front of you not to fully recline as soon as possible. If a disagreement ensues, ask a flight attendant to intervene.

Wireless Reviews: Is MIMO the Way to Go?

New antenna technologies known as MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) are said to dramatically increase wireless network throughput and range. Do they? To find out, PC World tested five MIMO router/PC card combos and compared them to a non-MIMO router/PC card setup. No single product consistently outperformed the competition, but we chose Belkin's Wireless Pre-N combo as our Best Buy. The router is $160; the card is $110.

Gadget First Look: Cowon Media Player--Small But Feature-Packed

The Cowon IAudio X5 ($300 for the 20GB version) is a stylish, small digital audio/video player, says PC World reviewer Richard Baguley. The device weighs less than 6 ounces and measures only about a half-inch thick. You can record audio from the built-in FM radio or a line input, and you can use the device as a USB host to copy files from USB devices without a PC.

Tech Travel Tip: Map It With Google

You knew Google was great for searches. But now it's the go-to site for maps and driving directions, too. Google Maps (currently in beta) has a cool, scrollable world map on its landing page. You can view detailed satellite maps of many locations, get driving directions, view nearby businesses, and more. The mapping service doesn't offer the best printouts of driving directions, but Google Maps is worth visiting, if only for its novelty.

Suggestion Box

Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it. However, I regret that I'm unable to respond to tech-support questions, due to the volume of e-mail I receive.