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These Smart Beer Labels Interact With You and Not Just When You’re Drunk

Multi-Color Corporation and Talkin’ Things have teamed up to be the first companies to combine Augmented Reality and NFC technology in a smart beer label. Maybe you already interact with your beer label after you’ve had one too many, but this will still be an all-new experience for you. The smart labels for Black Beer have AR facial recognition and can even respond appropriately to your emotions. The label features a skull, which becomes animated and starts a conversation through the screen of your smartphone. This is a great trick to sell more beer, that’s for sure. This project is all about user experience. The NFC label on the bottle’s neck is a proof-of-purchase as well as a customized tool for communicating with beer drinkers. The technology knows when the beer has been opened and delivers a different message to users who are ready to enjoy said beer....

Podcast / Video Tech

Epiphan Webcaster x2 Unbox and Configure – How I’m Going to Use it

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSStreaming to Facebook and YouTube is getting easier. I feel even more proud when I can make it look better with production behind it. But I know that sometimes you just need to hook the camera up and stream or record. With the Epiphan Webcaster x2, I can stream to either YouTube, Facebook, or the Cloud through AVStudio. All within a few minutes. How Webcaster x2 Works This is a stand-alone unit that – with a push of a button – will stream to either YouTube, Facebook, or AVStudio in resolutions up to 1080p. The device can be wired, or run wireless with 2.4 Ghz wireless. Connect a video camera (Web camera connection is available, but in BETA at this time), and configure your settings to stream out. Connect Webcaster x2 for a Better Wirecast, OBS, or vMix Solution If you...

infocomm / Music Tech / Podcast

ViCoustic Designer FlatPanel VMT for Acoustic Sound Control

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSWhat if your sound panels held a design? What if your video background didn’t look like wood, or brick anymore. Designer sound panels and sound rooms are what ViCoustic does. ViCoustic Flat Panel VMT This is a 2×2′ panel that can be customized to any pattern you would like. The Flat Panel VMT is made from VicPET, which is recycled plastic. These panels are thin, and can reduce the sound of a room. The best part is you can customize them with your own patterns. Create a Vector image with your brand or logo, then put them up into your studio for 2 solutions in one. If you’re looking to spruce up your living room, bedroom, or other, you can choose from multiple patterns, and turn your room into whatever design you desire. Other ViCoustic Panels ViCoustic makes other types of...

infocomm / Podcast / Video Tech

Epiphan Video Pearl Mini

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSOur friends at Epiphan joined us at Geekazine LIVE Infocomm 2018 to talk about all the cool products They released. This includes the new Pearl Mini recorder. About Epiphan Pearl Mini This is an all-in-one system for your livestream needs. We saw the mini at NAB during Geekazine LIVE. This week, the device is shipping to pre-orders. The Mini gives you 2 HDMI inputs, 1 SDI input, 2 USB ports, audio inputs, Ethernet, and an HDMI out port. This can allow you to switch between multiple video sources, or do a side-by-side layer for when you need it. The Mini starts at $3495. Check out more capture products from Epipan.

infocomm / Podcast / Video Tech

Learning Glass Light Board Keeps Your Eyes Forward

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSIn a class room, when the teacher turns to the chalk board (or white board), they cannot see if a student is getting confused with what they are writing. In a video, who wants to continually see the presenter’s back? Learning Glass creates a great solution with the Learning Glass Light Board – where they can teach in a forward manner. What is Learning Glass? This uses the same technology Lighted erase marker boards use. Instead of a coated back glass, the presenter can see right through it. They simply write like they normally do. The camera flips the image to look like they have the ability to write backwards. The students would watch the presentation on a screen with the image flipped. The presenter can control the light, so they can see more of the text, or presenter when needed....

infocomm / Podcast / Video Tech

PTZOptics Producer Kit

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSIf you want to start your own video show, or your job asks you to put a video rig together for recording or live streaming content, then PTZOptics has a system for you. Paul came back on Geekazine LIVE at Infocomm to talk about their Producer Kit – This is a solution that gives you everything you need to start a live stream, or recording session. What is in the Producer Kit PTZOptics camera, PTZOptics joystick, capture device, cables, and Skull Canyon NUC computer. You will need a computer monitor, keyboard/mouse (or laptop with Remote control options), and your favorite streaming software (like OBS, Wirecast, or vMix) to finish up the kit. With a PTZOptics camera, you can set scenes so if your presenter moves, you can move with them. The joystick helps in getting a more precise move. You can...

infocomm / Podcast

Catch Box Throwable Microphone Creates Engagement

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSGetting an audience engaged sometimes is not easy to do. Putting a microphone in the middle of the room for people to walk up to sometimes gets annoying, mostly because others will chime in who don’t want to walk all the way to the mic. Enter in Catch Box Catch Box is a throwable wireless microphone. The idea is simple – throw the foam box to the next person, they comment or ask a question, then throw it again. The microphone itself is an ice breaker, as well as adds a level of fun to the event. People can hold onto the box, or set it on the table and talk hands free. Inside Catch Box Your wireless microphone pack fits easily into the styrofoam mic area. That is then placed into the foam box, held down by a magnet. The...

infocomm / Podcast / Video Tech

XKeys Programmable Keys

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSXKeys joined Geekazine LIVE at Infocomm 2018 to show off their offerings for programmable keypads. The XKeys system allows you to create shortcuts and macros onto one button so you can make your workflow easier. The XKeys system is modular – use and arrange the included plunger buttons to a configuration that works for you. Add-ons such as joysticks, spin wheels, faders, and more give you other functionality to what you need. XKeys can work with PC, Mac, Linux, Android, and Microsoft Surface. Input devices range from the keypads Miranda talked about, to foot pedals, switch interfaces, and more. Perfect for making a multi-button tablet Kiosk, or a switching device for your live stream machine. Miranda showed off the XK-24 USB Keypad, the new Wirecast Control Surface, and an even newer rack-mountable two-row 40 key switch (coming soon). The XK-24 is...

Geekazine LIVE / infocomm / Podcast

PTZOptics 30x SDI Camera

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSPaul Richards came on Geekazine Live to talk about PTZOptics newest camera, the 30x. Meant for churches, or larger halls, this camera can optically zoom in closer to capture the action. The SDI 30x is the same technology as the 20x gen2, just the optics have changed. Therefore, you can get the same resolutions, color, and brightness as the 20x, without much color correction. You can also attach SDI, HDMI, or Ethernet – with option to install an NDI license. PoE is also available in this camera. The 30x is priced at $1,799, and can be found here. Also, check out the website.

Geekazine LIVE / infocomm / Podcast

Sunbrite TV Takes the TV Outside at Infocomm 18

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSTaking a television outside is easy, but mounting, and keeping that TV in working conditions 365 days a year becomes the challenge. The store bought TV is not intended to be used like that. Enter in Sunbrite TV – a division of Snap AV. A company that installs A/V solutions outside. How Sunbrite TV Works Whether residential, or commercial, Sunbrite TV comes in to create a solution for your outdoor entertainment needs. Monitors that can counter the elements – no matter where you live. The custom monitors include casing that keeps it dry, and environmental controls to allow it to continue working when the temperature exceeds specifications. Even housing for your cable boxes, OTT units, and more. The Veranda 4K series comes in a variety of sizes, and starts at $1,500. Worth the price to watch the game in 120 degree...

infocomm / Podcast / Video Tech

Magewell Ultra Stream HDMI, Line of Capture Cards at Infocomm 2018 Live

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSAmy Zhou joined me on Geekazine Live to talk about the current line of Magewell capture cards. From USB capture devices, to pro 2k and 4k capture cards. Magewell Ultra Stream HDMI The highlight of the show was Magewell’s new Ultra Stream HDMI – a standalone recording and streaming encoder. Bring HDMI video in, and attach a USB drive for recording. Attach a network cable to stream to your favorite RTMP service. You can make changes through the iOS or Android app on your mobile device. This box will be available by end of year, and no price point has been set. You can check out the line of cards here.    

Music Tech / Podcast / review

Band in a Box 2018 Review for Musicians, Podcasters, and more

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSAs a musician, I can appreciate a good music backing track system. As a podcaster, I am always looking for new ways to enhance my audio and video podcasts. Band in a Box has been around for 28 years, making MIDI arranged music. With today’s technology, Band in a Box has become a great tool for musicians to get their ideas out. Making My First Song in Band in a Box 2018 Coming to the interface, the song making process was not that difficult. I was able to make some 12 bar songs with a wide array of musical styles. Since Biab started in MIDI, there was a great selection of styles to choose from. But the software also has live backing tracks – real musicians playing standard patterns that I could use to make the song sound better. The base...

Podcast / review

Juiced 2.0 Wireless Group Charging Station

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSI always take a battery when I’m on the road. When I’m at home, I usually don’t plan for that, since I have cables nearby. Then I go to the store, and forget my battery is at 10%. Juiced has a solution for families that need to charge their devices on the go. What is Juiced 2.0 Wireless Group Charging Station The name is a little misleading. The station is not wireless, the batteries (when charged) provide the wireless ability. You can plug up to 3 batteries in to charge for your device. When you need one, simply remove it from the dock, add an adapter (if needed), and be on the go. When you need the juice, it’s no different than any other battery pack. Just plug it in, and charge. A small blue indicator on the side will tell...

Podcast / review

Riva Wand Multi Room Speaker with Battery Attachment

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSSummer is approaching fast, and with it, you’re gonna want to be outside more than in. You also want to have your music with you, inside and out. There are many options to choose from, but one speaker is standing out for it’s versatility. The Riva Wand – Part of the Riva Audio system – can add that functionality for you. But does it sound good, is it priced right, and will I love it? The Riva Wand This is not a smart-speaker, so you cannot ask it to turn off the lights or change the thermostat. You can connect it to your phone for an IP based (or other) connection for music, and more. This 3 lb speaker is able to connect to your iOS or Android device. With the Wand software, you can connect to Google Home, or your...

News

Bang & Olufsen BeoVision Eclipse and BeoLab 50 in Brass and Smoked Oak

Bang & Olufsen has announced the BeoVision Eclipse and BeoLab 50 in a Brass and Smoked Oak finish. These latest colorways add some extra luxury to two of the best products in the Bang & Olufsen portfolio and fans are going to love looking at them in their home. The BeoVision Eclipse has brass-tone aluminum on the motorized floor stand, and the side and back of the sound center, so now your TV will not only sound beautiful but look beautiful as well. You have to love audio equipment that actually looks lovely in your home because as you know, not all of it does look good. The BeoLab 50 has been anodized in a brass-tone including the motorized acoustic lens, which appears when the loudspeaker is turned on, as well as the unique beam width control, controlling sound dispersion. The BeoLab 50 Brass Tone and Smoked Oak...

News

PicoBrew Introduces PicoU For Craft Beverages

Updating their craft beer brewing appliance line, PicoBrew has announced PicoU, a universal craft beverage brewing appliance. The PicoU brews a wide range of beverages like coffee, tea, kombucha, milk-based drinks, yerba mate, and more. It will also brew craft beer. It uses PicoBrew’s time, temperature and fluid-flow control to brew a variety of high-quality beverages with a single appliance. Now you have one appliance for almost all of your drinks. This is going to be good. This WiFi-enabled appliance has a sleek design and is the company’s smallest appliance yet. The Kickstarter for the PicoU started earlier today. You can choose between two versions: A basic and a deluxe version. The basic version supports a single-serve coffee configuration, so you can brew pour-over coffee with your own coffee beans and you can also dispense hot water for tea and other beverages. It also brews compostable ?PicoPak Minis?...

COOL! / event / Podcast

Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. in Las Vegas

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSRarely do I get time to go see an attraction in Las Vegas. This trip, I stayed at Treasure Island Hotel, and since it was right down the hall (really, it was less than 1,000 steps), I checked out Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. About Treasure Island Hotel This hotel/casino is placed toward the north end of the strip. Check out the Treasure Island Room Walkthrough. The casino is plentiful, and with Gilley’s, Seafood Shack, and Senor Frog’s you have a lot of great dining opportunities. A CVS is also adjoined so you can get snacks and needs for your stay. Most people know that a walk between two hotel/casinos can mean 30 minute miles. This is not the case with Treasure Island. Easily accessible to Mirage, Venetian, Wynn, and Harrah’s, most under 10 minutes (and a skybridge) Prices on a non-conference day can...

News

Kegtron Keg Monitor

The Kegtron is here to keep an eye on your keg and make sure that the beer keeps flowing, whether it’s a party or just a quiet night of drinking. It works with any smartphone and with any keg. It will sit between the keg and the tap, using an internal flowmeter to measure how much liquid comes out of the keg. The wireless processor sends that information to the companion app. Installation requires only some tubing to feed the keg into the monitor. If you’ve ever run out of beer, you know the disappointment, but that will be a thing of the past. The companion app for the Kegtron can wirelessly track the number of pours left in a keg so that you know ahead of time when you will need to replace it. That’s pretty cool all by itself, but it goes a step further. The...

News

NBA Star Steph Curry lands on the Blockchain with CryptoKitties

It’s the NBA playoffs and Golden State Warrior’s Steph Curry isn’t disappointing fans on the court or off. Live right now, the two time MVP is auctioning off the first of 3 exclusive CurryKitties at https://www.cryptokitties.co/kitty/230 and at 5pm PDT today there will be a Twitch livestream with giveaways of 10 rare CryptoKitties. More details here: cryptokitties.co/stephen-curry. In their Medium post, the company explained how joining paws with the basketball legend is furthering their mission to help the public understand the value of blockchain technology and why owning digital memorabilia on the blockchain makes sense: “When we launched CryptoKitties, we wanted to showcase an application for blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency. To accomplish this, we pioneered the concept of cryptocollectibles. Sports collectibles, like baseball cards, have gone through booms and busts, with overproduction and forgeries always catalyzing the busts. Blockchain technology solves issues like these with digital scarcity and provable authentication.” “Steph is the perfect partner...

News

Cutbox 3-Camera Video Production Studio

If you are a creator, this is going to make your day. Cutbox Studio is an all-in-one, standalone three-camera production studio geared toward social video creators and live streamers. Normally it’s pretty expensive to shoot with multiple cameras, and you probably think that it’s also too technical and a time-sink. Those things used to be true, but not anymore. It doesn’t have to be that way. Cutbox is perfect for creators who work alone or with just one production person. As you already know, shooting with multiple cameras eliminates reshooting the same actions from different angles, and live switching reduces editing time. Like I said, you are going to love Cutbox. It puts everything that you need together in one handy box: cameras, mic, hardware switcher, cables, even a remote control. Just set it up and get going. The three cameras are connected to a base station running...

Enterprise-Tech / event / Podcast

InteropITX Show Floor

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSThis week I’m in Vegas for InteropITX. This Enterprise tech conference is focused for those looking to deep dive in multiple areas. Sessions that deal in IoT, Future of Wireless (802.11ax), Server technologies, and more. The show floor contained multiple vendors with IT hardware and software to help you build and maintain your Data center. I talked to people at Oracle Dyn, Logicube, VMWare, Monoprice, DisplayLink, and more.

News

Live Build Day Live AMA at Datrium

Will be live streaming with vBrownBag at Datrium on the Build Day Live we created 6 months ago. The live stream will begin at 12:00 PM PST with Brian Biles – CEO and co-founder of Datrium, Dhanabal Ekambaram, and Devin Hamilton.

NAB / Podcast / Video Tech

NewTek TC1, NDI for Live Video Streaming

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSI stop by the NewTek Booth and talk with Will Waters about not only NDI, but also the new TC1 Tricaster, and NewTek’s initiative to telling stories. NewTek Wants to Tell Stories Their newest initiative is to give creators the proper tools to tell their stories, whether they have a Tricaster, or not. For those who do have Tricasters, they changed the price models so people can get the tools to tell their stories. They also plan to update all units as best as possible so you can get behind any machine and have the same experience. Tricaster TC1 The newest box is a rack-mount style box that will give you complete production, and streams up to UHD 4k60fps. 16 external inputs, 16 external audio inputs, 30 clip pool, 10 animations, 2 graphic channels, and 2 video servers to send the...

NAB / Podcast / Video Tech

Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1, 7530 Mobile Workstation First Look

Podcast: EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSThis year at NAB Dell has unveiled a precision line of workstations and laptops. If you’re a video creator who needs a high-end workstation, Dell has some new desktops and laptops that will let you create video like never before. These are real workhorses and they will get the job done. Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1 Laptop The 5530 2 in 1 is a mobile workstation is a convertible with Wacom technology built-in. Its portable, but has the power that you need for big jobs. Some features include quad-core processors, AMD Radiant Pro graphics, Vega graphics card with HDR memory, up to 32 GB of memory, a few TB of storage, built-in IR camera, fingerprint reader and more. It will cost you $1400-$1599 when it becomes available. Dell 7530 Mobile Workstation The 7530 model has even more power. This one will replace...

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