Most of us know what someone means when they’re looking for the clicker. That right it’s the TV remote. The contemporary terminology for the remote control became popular because the first remotes from the 1960’s actually clicked when pressed. With the clicker came the popular sport of channel surfing. For all you channel surfers out there, hang onto your hats, because Clicker.com has just taken surfing to a whole new level!
Clicker.com has just gone live after two months of invitation only beta testing. I just finished watching one of my favorite shows online. It was fantastic! No remembering to set the VCR or DVR, not programming conflict, plus the shows have a limited amount of commercial interruptions letting you enjoy more of the programs you love.
Your favorite TV shows aren’t the only thing you can find easily on Clicker.com. The website catalogs broadcast programming online along with TV shows, web originals, movies, and music. You can search for content or keep up with trends.
Clicker.com is definitely the ultimate programming guide. You can browse over a 1,000 categories. Clicker is part directory, search engine, wiki, and entertainment guide. If you can’t find something on Clicker, you can suggest it. You may also want to register at the site as some content requires unique identification. What these days doesn’t? A good portion of the content is free, however Netflix requires a subscription and Amazon.com sells or rents video downloads.
If watching your favorite content or listening to selections of music isn’t enough, then visit their blog or keep up with them on Facebook and Twitter. Want to know more about an episode or show? That’s what the Wiki is for. It includes pictures, descriptions, cast members; you name it. So why am I still writing? I’ve got some stuff to watch. Check it out for yourself. If you’ve got a husband like mine from whom you can’t pry the remote, the answer to your viewing troubles is only a click away.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Electrostatic Speakers
A friend of mine calls to tell me about his recent purchase of Martin Logan’s. At first, I can’t understand what the big deal is about a pair of boots. Oh wait, that’s Doc Martens. Phew, I really don’t see him as the skinhead type. I am given a clue as he continues on.
“You have to come and listen” he says.
Ah ha! Let’s see; a radio, stereo, headphones? Not quite. He is talking about a pair of speakers. The next thing I know he’s tossing about words like electrostatic and high-performance. All I can summon to mind with electrostatic are those plasma lightning lamps. Just when I realize my friends aren’t talking about their pets when they mention woofers and tweeters, here comes something else I have to learn about, or get left behind in the technology age.
We make our way to his home and he seats us in the center of the room so we can enjoy the full effect. My husband and I smile politely and nod our heads as he spouts technical terminology. The speakers themselves look odd. The top portion resembles something my husband might rig together with leftover chicken wire, but the sound coming from them is incredible, and we are enveloped in pure harmonic heaven. At the end of our concert we go home and I boot up the PC for some schooling.
I learn that electrostatic speakers use a light weight diaphragm, usually made from polyester film, sandwiched between two electrically conductive grids. This is the part that reminds me of mesh wire. The polyester film has been impregnated with a conductive material like graphite. The diaphragm operates with a constant charge (rather than voltage) on its surface. Both grids, one on either side of the diaphragm, are necessary because the force exerted on one grid would cause harmonic distortion. The diaphragms must be driven by an external source of high voltage. This explains what my friend was going on about when he pointed to the new amplifier to go with his speakers.
The advantages of electrostatic speakers are that they are extremely light weight and produce exceptional sound, because the generating force and pressure is not prone to resonance. The down side is the lack of bass response. This is why Martin Logan’s are considered hybrid. They incorporate a subwoofer to handle the lower frequencies.
Electrostatic speakers have been around since the 1920’s, so why is it news to me? It seems the earlier versions were fragile, and with advancement in traditional speaker design, and inexpensive materials, enjoying music in the home became more affordable. However, if you enjoy purity of sound without the crackle and pop that traditional speakers sometimes deliver, check a pair of these babies out for yourself. While a bit on the pricey side, the concert quality is pure enjoyment and well worth the investment.
“You have to come and listen” he says.
Ah ha! Let’s see; a radio, stereo, headphones? Not quite. He is talking about a pair of speakers. The next thing I know he’s tossing about words like electrostatic and high-performance. All I can summon to mind with electrostatic are those plasma lightning lamps. Just when I realize my friends aren’t talking about their pets when they mention woofers and tweeters, here comes something else I have to learn about, or get left behind in the technology age.
We make our way to his home and he seats us in the center of the room so we can enjoy the full effect. My husband and I smile politely and nod our heads as he spouts technical terminology. The speakers themselves look odd. The top portion resembles something my husband might rig together with leftover chicken wire, but the sound coming from them is incredible, and we are enveloped in pure harmonic heaven. At the end of our concert we go home and I boot up the PC for some schooling.
I learn that electrostatic speakers use a light weight diaphragm, usually made from polyester film, sandwiched between two electrically conductive grids. This is the part that reminds me of mesh wire. The polyester film has been impregnated with a conductive material like graphite. The diaphragm operates with a constant charge (rather than voltage) on its surface. Both grids, one on either side of the diaphragm, are necessary because the force exerted on one grid would cause harmonic distortion. The diaphragms must be driven by an external source of high voltage. This explains what my friend was going on about when he pointed to the new amplifier to go with his speakers.
Electrostatic speakers have been around since the 1920’s, so why is it news to me? It seems the earlier versions were fragile, and with advancement in traditional speaker design, and inexpensive materials, enjoying music in the home became more affordable. However, if you enjoy purity of sound without the crackle and pop that traditional speakers sometimes deliver, check a pair of these babies out for yourself. While a bit on the pricey side, the concert quality is pure enjoyment and well worth the investment.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Tech Talk in Plain English
I am tired of giving blank stares and appearing slack jawed when folks start talking about their new toys. They are so full of enthusiasm that I hate to burst their bubble by telling them I’m clueless.
If you were born with a joystick in your hand, move over. This is Baby Boomer territory. If you or someone you love hesitates, refuses, or downright rejects the idea of keeping up with the times, then follow me as I explore ways to understand what all the fuss is about. No generation X or Y need follow.
Let the journey begin.
Glossary:
Joystick: An input device generally used to play video games.
Baby Boomers: Post WWII offspring.
Generation X: Post Baby Boom generation born between 1960 to mid 1970’s.
Generation Y: No specific dates for when Generation Y starts and ends. Dates range somewhere from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. Generally offspring of Baby Boomers
If you were born with a joystick in your hand, move over. This is Baby Boomer territory. If you or someone you love hesitates, refuses, or downright rejects the idea of keeping up with the times, then follow me as I explore ways to understand what all the fuss is about. No generation X or Y need follow.
Let the journey begin.
Glossary:
Joystick: An input device generally used to play video games.
Baby Boomers: Post WWII offspring.
Generation X: Post Baby Boom generation born between 1960 to mid 1970’s.
Generation Y: No specific dates for when Generation Y starts and ends. Dates range somewhere from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. Generally offspring of Baby Boomers
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