http://www.philly.com/r?19=960&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F Jonathan Takiff covers all manner of high tech gadgets – and the entertaining stuff you play on ‘em – for the Philadelphia Daily News, philly.com and the McClatchy Tribune News Service. If it’s “fit to print” – maybe it will here! en-us 2011 Fri, 25 May 2012 15:49:46 GMT Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-25T15:49:46Z en-us 2011 http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=154100476&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F154100476.html Is there really no such thing as a free entertainment lunch? Depends on who you're asking. Sony and Tivoli Audio have just introduced free (at least for a while) music streaming apps for the iPhone/iPod. But three broadcast networks yesterday filed suits against Dish Network, to try and squash the "Auto Hop" feature on its new boxes that makes prime time viewing ad-free. Fri, 25 May 2012 15:49:46 GMT 4e1f6db0734e5bd2c8a94e1d856f20c8 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-25T15:49:46Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=153742996&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F153742996.html Did Facebook buy Instagram to prevent some serious patent infringement suits? Just a month after buying the social photo site for a cool billion, Facebook today launched a new application for the iPhone and iPod Touch called Facebook Camera that performs some of the functions. Thu, 24 May 2012 20:35:57 GMT 0803d6cd4db2598173e1623120c8f896 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-24T20:35:57Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=153637156&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F153637156.html While the news media focused on the new Wi-Fi hotspot roaming agreements announced this week at The Cable Show, there was lots more innovation popping at the Boston trade event - with new platforms, apps and services. Thu, 24 May 2012 15:06:34 GMT 61ac035215ef30d6ba79708fc05a5dfd Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-24T15:06:34Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=152565786&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F152565786.html We should all hit the pause button for a second for Eugene Polley, a tech innovator often called the czar of zapping, father of the couch potato and first beach boy of channel surfing. Tue, 22 May 2012 15:31:15 GMT e0a1c21d2660ae54697c80550696ca18 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-22T15:31:15Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=152036035&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F152036035.html Today's free at noon concert with Norah Jones, Willie Nelson and Brandi Carlisle (broadcasting on 88.5 FM) is the most visible event of this week's non-commercial radio conference Non-Comm meeting here. But for Gizmo Guy, there was lots more to take away from media guru Paul Marszalek's "Digital State of the Union" address yesterday. Mon, 21 May 2012 16:20:22 GMT 83cb21ab3c5bff89553161eb4dbd80ca Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-21T16:20:22Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=152277056&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F152277056.html If you travel, your high speed Internet access account may have just gotten more useful. This morning five major cable companies - Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable - announced a joint partnership to enable free access at local Wi-Fi hotspots for customers of any participating provider. Mon, 21 May 2012 15:38:02 GMT 045ecb13130bf54f91a3556cd9b531c5 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-21T15:38:02Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=151854476&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F151854476.html An effective technology for viewing TV in 3D without wearing special glasses will come to market this year, said Philadelphia-based Stream TV, through its manufacturing partnership with Unihan (Pegatron) Corporation. Fri, 18 May 2012 14:36:26 GMT 28437fc42438e4bf5187180c3091e50e Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-18T14:36:26Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=151938585&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F151938585.html Comcast announced today it's eliminating the 250GB data "cap" on internet access, established four years ago. Service will now start with minimum of 300GB data use per month. What exactly does that buy you? Thu, 17 May 2012 20:39:13 GMT db21e926768bd8aad61014d90abb73bb Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-17T20:39:13Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=151698386&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F151698386.html Been thinking about buying an iPhone? If screen size counts, you might want to hold off a bit. A 6th generation iPhone growing the panel to "at least 4 inches diagonally" is set to begin production in June. Wed, 16 May 2012 13:44:56 GMT 9d3afdee87216cf945f9c784c1ee6e4a Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-16T13:44:56Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=151603166&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F151603166.html Tue, 15 May 2012 21:11:19 GMT 5b7a0f4bff2b9352fa568a35fa03774e Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-15T21:11:19Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=151605645&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F151605645.html You played it in the movie theaters, Warner Bros. You've played it on a new three-disc Blu-ray and DVD set. Now you're playing "Casablanca" agaub (and its hit song "As Time Goes By") for free on Facebook, Wednesday night. Tue, 15 May 2012 21:07:03 GMT 58fc69795344b8b4728d4b5a91403b9c Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-15T21:07:03Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=151556986&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F151556986.html The Holy Grail of jazz albums has finally arrived on CD today. It's still driving me crazy. Tue, 15 May 2012 17:55:05 GMT d2c6845b564311f407aa23ef2ad7ed88 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-15T17:55:05Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=151390996&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F151390996.html We don't mean to be pushing wickedness. But we've been inundated today with tidbits about cheating on your hubby, illegally texting in the car and how to check out, for free, the just announced Jay-Z/Budweiser Music Festival hitting Philly this Labor Day weekend. Mon, 14 May 2012 16:37:58 GMT 995b917793944b532da9a72d6f6c8890 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-14T16:37:58Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=151132593&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F151132593.html If you can believe China Daily (and who doesn't ?) the much rumored Apple television called iTV is gonna happen. Soon. Maybe not this year. Most likely next. Fri, 11 May 2012 19:02:47 GMT 9b9e71ebe7abd161994b672c4637698b Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-11T19:02:47Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=150972895&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F150972895.html We can hear the mashing of teeth beginning at TV networks, local stations and advertising agencies already. Today, DISH satellite TV activated a new feature for its latest Hopper whole home HD DVR system, that allows users to automaticall skip all commercials on recorded primtime network programs. Thu, 10 May 2012 18:31:50 GMT abc65505d568a32389733af32f261ab4 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-10T18:31:50Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=150497826&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F150497826.html Twenty American Bandstand regulars will be in the house for "Dancing with the Stars" tribute to Dick Clark on Tuesday. Mon, 07 May 2012 21:31:32 GMT 1859b5208672139499fcb0ef61fb4270 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-07T21:31:32Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=150439836&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F150439836.html Did you give a try to the Inquirer AR (artificial reality) app introduced in Sunday's special Barnes Museum section? It's getting an undeservedly bad rap. Mon, 07 May 2012 16:21:21 GMT f60ec63e5741a9825a596d8015dab80c Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-07T16:21:21Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=150166153&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F150166153.html Time is running out, bargain hunters, to buy (or trade down) to stand alone DSL service from Verizon. Fri, 04 May 2012 15:52:24 GMT 14e5974f09524b824f962fced55f9593 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-04T15:52:24Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=150017465&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F150017465.html Comedy skits and movie bits often make object lessons of blabbermouths who spill their guts. Yet Facebook users still need a clue that they're endangering themselves by sharing too much information, says Consumer Reports. Thu, 03 May 2012 15:53:17 GMT 2a027b5a65fb492df485f4137f49ec45 Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-03T15:53:17Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=991498&44=149846215&32=3796&7=999033&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fgizmo%2F149846215.html Subscription streaming music services have been around for more than a decade - old timer Rhapsody launched in 2001. But nobody's jump started the concept of an "all you can eat" internet music buffet quite like the Swedish import Spotify, which joined the US fray last year and upped the game again today with the launch of its custom iPad app. Wed, 02 May 2012 18:36:45 GMT 2979c39a9e030a454cc2c5d0472ebc9d Jonathan Takiff 2012-05-02T18:36:45Z