HP’s MediaSmart Server is getting a software upgrade that will allow it to stream video to your iPhone or iPod touch. The server will be able to take your DVDs and transcode them to a format that will play on portable devices like the iPhone and the PSP. There’s one caveat — DVDs must not have copy protection. If your DVDs are copied to your HP MediaSmart Server and they don’t have copy protection, the server will transcode those files for streaming.

The sever will also handle other videos formats such as Dvix, DVR-MS (Windows Media Center recorded files), WMV, and more. Also, original files will also be preserved. The best thing is HP is not charging for this software update. The iPhone and iPod touch app will also be free.

The app is called the “iStream” and lets you stream your videos from your HP MediaSmart Server without syncing up. You will also have access to your music and pictures.

The HP MediaSmart Server is available now for $599 (with 750GB of hard drive space) and for $749 (with 1.5TB of space).

What technologies are going to go mainstream in 2009? The following four technologies will shape your everyday life starting in 2009. Don’t expect everything to change by tomorrow, but you’ll see.

Wireless USB

While wireless USB hubs are currently available, they are priced too high for widespread adoption. I expect this to become much cheaper in 2009 with more devices sporting wireless USB built in. Keep reading for the complete list.

Sometimes connecting Macs and PCs on the same media network can be a pain. There are plenty of media servers that work well with one but not the other, or require third-party software to work well with one (usually on the Mac side). HP is making connecting the two platforms a bit easier with the newest version of its MediaSmart media server that’s fully compatible with both.

The MediaSmart Server ex485 and ex487 models will both have features that set the MediaSmart above other such servers. As any media server, it can hold and stream music and photos with any computer, using HP photo viewer for photos, and streaming music directly to iTunes for any computers connected to the same network.

HP is rolling out their newest TouchSmart and it’s a Tablet PC. What’s the big deal? Well, Gadgetell got a chance to actually play with the HP TouchSmart TX2 and it is really something.

At first blush, the TX2 looks like a standard Tablet PC with a hinge that allows the entire 12.1-inch screen to be turned around and folded down for a slate style experience. The real fun is in the touch screen which is capacitive and not resistive; that means you don’t have to press the screen very hard for the computer to register inputs. A simple tap to the screen is enough for the TX2.

Multi-touch

The laptop supports multi-touch input as well. While Windows Vista doesn’t do multi-touch yet, HP has built this technology into the drivers. The multi-touch inputs are translated into keystroke commands so you can have multi-touch beyond HP’s MediaSmart software.

Plenty more including more pics and lots of specs after the break.

Although we have already seen the migration of YouTube video content into our living room TV. HP wants to up the notch a step higher by bringing you a better video watching experience with its HP MediaSmart Products that include the MediaSmart Connect digital media receiver and the high-definition MediaSmart TV.

Yes dear readers, with this tie-up between HP and YouTube, you will be able to watch and share full-screen videos on your HDTVs. You can also create multiple playlists from anywhere you watch TV. Even sweeter is the fact that just like the old habit of slacking on your couches and watching your favorite TV shows from morning till dawn, you can do all these things using your HDTVs remote control,. Only this time, you have a full YouTube video database to watch, which if you would calculate, could probably last you a lifetime to finish watching.

HP has announced the new MediaSmart Receiver which will turn any HDTV “into a next-generation connected TV, allowing consumers to enjoy photos, music, movies and videos – wired or wirelessly – from multiple PCs around the home to the “big screen” in the heart of the home.” Well it will if you use Windows XP more »