Quanta Research Institute, the advanced technology research center of Quanta Computer Inc. (www.Quantatw.com), and ooVoo (www.ooVoo.com), the leader in providing high-quality, real-time video communication over the Internet, today announced a technology partnership that will for the first time turn any high-definition television (HDTV) or laptop computer into a simple high definition, multi person video instant messenger and chat screen.

The agreement between Quanta, the world’s largest laptop manufacturer, and ooVoo, one of the leading innovators of video conversation on the internet, calls for the creation of an advanced video-based chat system that brings real-time, face-to-face high definition communications to living rooms, laptops and offices. The technology promises to deliver true HDTV quality through a dedicated box or laptop that can be set up anywhere there is a common broadband internet connection and an HDTV display with the same ease as plugging in a webcam and launching a chat with a group of friends. MORE »

This version adds lots of tweaks and bug fixes that makes Miro smoother and slicker. It also lays the groundwork for some big improvements that are coming soon. Version 1.2 is the best Miro yet. MORE »

It looks like the folks at SnapStream have been following the advancements by the Media Center developer community and added in some of the functionality into their latest Beyond TV 4.8 release (Rakesh, I mean it in a good way). New features include: Save Guide Searches (find programming via keywords), Warning Notifications via Email (get instant notifications of missed recordings and errors), Frame-By-Frame Playback, Access Control (aka user privileges), Recording Stats (tracks hard drive space and recording trends), Sort Recorded Library (on-the-fly program sorting by name, air date, or record date), and improved scheduling capabilities boasting 10-20% speed improvements. More details and screenshots available at SnapStream Blog. MORE »

I was a pleasantly surprised this morning when I was tipped off by Jason Unger, Lead Editor and Publisher for CEPro.com, that eHomeUpgrade was mentioned, and that I was personally complimented for my writing style and news coverage, in episode #331 on GeekBrief.TV. That’s soooo cool. I’m very flattered.

I previously met Cali and Neal at Monster Cable’s “Get Connected Beyond High Definition” party in San Francisco. All I can say is that I was a little star struck when I met Cali in person for the first time (her personality is just as bubbly and magnetizing off camera as it is on) and Neal was very humble regarding the success of the show and offered plenty of great video production tips without hesitation. I wish them both the best and highly recommend everyone jump over to GeekBrief.TV and catch up on their latest tech focused vodcasts.

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that the next system software update for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system, slated for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) Profile 2.0 or BD-LIVE, enabling PS3 owners to experience interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more. In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update (v. 2.20) will enable photo and music playlists on PS3 to be copied to PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, among other new features. These updates demonstrate how PS3 continues to evolve as a home entertainment hub with the flexibility to deliver the newest technology innovations that benefit PS3 owners. MORE »

Looks like Apple has boosted the backup mojo of its AirPort Extreme product (video demo). Previously, one was able to connect an external USB hard drive to the Airport Extreme for shared network storage and file sharing (aka AirPort Disk). But now, Apple has rolled out an update to both Time Machine and AirPort Extreme that gets the duo working together hand-in-hand. Sweet. [via]

I’ve always been a big fan of sleek, low-profile set-top style HTPCs. So, when I first laid eyes on the dual-tuner BoxOne Multimedia Center PC, I was immediately drawn to its good looks. But then it got better… HIGH-DEF has also engineered a Windows Vista Multimedia Server draped in the same design cloth. Unfortunately, the full specs of either product were not provided on the company’s website – other than listing the features you’d expect. What’s more, it appears that the only way you can get you hands on one at the moment is through a custom installer or partner OEM. [via]

Imagine if you could sync files between your Windows and Mac PCs, backup all those files to an online storage service, get instant updates to modified files, be able to access content from any web browser, and have the ability to “roll back” files to previous versions. Well, soon you will from an early stage startup called DropBox. So, if you thought FolderShare was where it’s at, have a look at the following demo produced by DropBox’s own, Drew Houston.

GigaOm reports the service ties into Amazon S3 for its online storage faculties and Wired notes that the trick Windows and Mac desktop clients are written in cross-platform Python, so a Linux port may still be in the stars when the service goes public. Price: free to private Beta users, but word is DropBox plans on charging a nominal subscription fee of some sort in the future (makes sense since storage on Amazon S3 isn’t free).

I just got finished watching Chris Pirillo’s take on Animoto and was totally blown away. Animoto is newly launched web service that turns a user’s collection of photos into a high-impact multimedia performance with audio and dynamic effects on par with what Muvee has done with video clips. The service allows users to edit and customize their projects until their hearts are content (“no two videos are ever the same”), and even enables them to export their finished product to YouTube for mass distribution. The service also provides embed features for your website, as well as, widgets on social networking sites like Facebook. Very Cool. Price: free for 30 sec. clips, $3 for longer iterations (unlimited annual subscription for $30). MORE »

For a sneak peek at what mobile handhelds and portable media player devices will begin offering in the near future, have a look at AMD/ATI’s demo presentation that showcases its platform’s new 30% battery saving “dynamic blacklight control” technology for displaying images, HD-res. photo TV display high-speed decode, handheld to PC to TV streaming (aka AMD Live! Explorer), and mobile TV. Further details here and here. MORE »