The pricing models that were put in place by video stores have died. Gone are the likes of Blockbuster and Hollywood video. Services such as Netflix, Hulu and others provide access to thousands of movies and television shows for the price of a couple new rentals from video stores of the past. Redbox has taken up the task of providing customers with DVDs and Blu-rays in popular locations such as McDonalds and Walmart. Spot is the new kid on the block, and it’s undercutting Redbox’s prices.

You are missing life. That’s the gist of what appears to be the marketing direction from Microsoft for their new Windows Phone. We are a world consumed with small screens, tiny gestures and are forever looking down at a gadget instead of life around you. “Be here now” is their new battle-cry. Microsoft hits an more »

If living off of coconuts and fish for a year or two doesn’t sound like your idea of an extreme vacation, check out this new personal locator beacon called Fast Find. Today, adventurers have many options in locator beacons and they seem to keep getting smaller and smaller. This time, they get smarter and smarter.

This little gizmo, the size of a cell phone, upon activation, simultaneously sends two signals out alerting search and rescue to your location. The top of the line model (still under the $200 mark) sends the alert via the standard subscription-free 406 MHz gets beamed by satellites to ground stations and 121.5MHz to be used by fly-over planes and vessels to home-in on your location. The high end unit also features a 50-channel GPS receiver and transmits your GPS coordinates as part of the emergency message as well as your personal contact data that gets registered with the company.

At the CES Unveiled press display, this gadget caught my eye. SPOT is the world’s first satellite messenger, allowing you to send your GPS location and/or selected messages (like I’m OK) to let everyone know where you are. Pretty handy for those that travel into the wilderness, traverse the sea (sorry, South Atlantic service varies), more »