Life & Technology

Hi Everybody, hope you all had a great weekend. Had a lot of fun on the Today Show this morning, and in case you missed it, or wanted clarification on some of the products, I have summarised what we showcased today. As usual, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sony Bravia WE5
This LCD from Sony is a little different from other, similar brands on the market in that it has a “presence” sensor, which can tell when there is no movement in the room. If it detects no movement over a certain amount of time, it switched the television off. The good thing is, that you get to set the time. If you have teenage kids who always leave the television on, or you are a little forgetful yourself, this provides the best power-saving solution. Its RRP is $3,199, but I have seen it in some shops for $2,800.

Canon Selphy Printer
This is a neat little device that is ideal to take on holiday. Sure, you can download your SD card chock full of pics and email them to friends. But there is nothing like instantaneous, tangible prints to hand out to friends and family while visiting them. These are lab-quality pictures and it has a UV-protective coating. You can store up to 999 images on the unit, and the cartridge comes with ink and paper.
RRP
$299

Kensington Essentials Kit For Netbooks
With a lot of kids now having their own notebook PCs for school, I thought it about time we looked at security issues. Whether parents like it or not, some kids are prone to getting their notebook stolen, or accidentally leave it on the bus. This kit comes with a security lock, a wired optical mouse, and a neoprene sleeve for protection. I realise that the lock will not stop the notebook being stolen if a thief is committed to taking it, it is seen more for its deterrent value than anything.
Kensington Australia

RRP $59.95

Further to my piece on Channel 9 news last night about GPS units and how they are superceding map books. I believe that GPS systems are here to stay and are the next logical steps in mapping technology, which unfortunately means it is only a matter of a few years before map books will no longer exist.

Already there are rumours that UBD might not produce physical road maps this year. Being a stand-alone business owned by Telstra’s directories arm, Sensis, it is possible that UBD might be absorbed by its parent, which is the provider of Whereis digital maps.

I for one don’t like to see Australian businesses struggling, but the writing has been on the wall for a few years now with regard to road maps. Not only are there a plethora of different brands available, but the prices are coming down, and quite a few modern cars come with built-in systems. I know some of the older generation will swear by their map books, and the odd one will point out that some of the mapping software can be unreliable. However, over the past year or so, most of the providers have ironed out the kinks and I find my GPS device an excellent tool for getting out and about.

Now before the GPS manufacturers start nodding their heads in agreement, they too, need to look over their shoulders. These deals they have with car manufacturers aside, they need to be aware (as I’m sure most of them are) that smartphone suppliers are also doing deals with digital mapping providers to put apps in their phones as the recently announced Samsung/Navteq deal illustrates.

I’m thinking that in the near future you might see some exclusive deals done between GPS manufacturers and digital mapping suppliers, or a device provider buying into the information specialist.

I’m appearing on Channel 9’s news tonight at 6pm, answering the question “Are map books still relevant?” In a time where GPS units are becoming more and more prevalent, and smartphone applications are including mapping software, has the humble map book come to the end of its working life? Find out my thoughts at 6pm.