The problem with all the electronics and gadgets we have in and around our homes these days is that we’re often driven crazy by all the wires that come along with them and all the hassle we put into trying to hide as many of them as possible. In fact, we seem to be so focused on hiding or organizing wires that some creative solutions can be so obvious that you simply think past them. XMBC user Palle Olsen didn’t and instead of hiding them, used the wires of his Playstation 3 media center to create a (...) read more
The Danish company Bang & Olufsen has always been known for creating beautiful looking products. And the new BeoSound 5 Encore is no exception. That the company was founded in 1925 doesn’t mean they’re old fashion. The BeoSound 5 has a beautiful 10.4 inch display and loads of ways to connect your music to the device, whether it’s via an external harddrive, usb stick, bluetooth or streaming over the internet. The BeoSound wil play your tunes and make them look pretty. $3500,- is a steep price but.. (...) read more
A media center connected to the television in the living room or bedrooms can quickly give a home a very luxurious and high tech character. It’s surprising how the potential of these media centers somehow hasn’t yet found its way into the mainstream of homes. Even though Google TV is making its first attempt onto this market, the number of media centers found in homes is still pretty marginal which only adds to the exclusive feeling of it. Exclusive as it might feel, setting one up and using a media (...) read more
From Google
We've covered invisible speakers before with special speakers you can mount in a wall. Those speakers are pretty pricey, but this DIY hack only requires a € 23,- Ikea lamp ($ 30,-) and some stripped down PC speakers you might have lying around. There is no detailed guide available but the image speaks for itself. The only downside might be that there's no more room for a light bulb so the original functionality of the lamp is lost. Nothing that can't be fixed! It certainly gives enough (...) read more
Like the Boxee Box remote control showed us, a remote for a media center (or HTPC) only needs a few basic buttons. Unfortunately the Boxee remote is not sold separately but the GlideTV Navigator might be a good alternative. It's a small remote control that fits in your hand, connects through a wireless USB dongle and let's you control all the basis functions of a media center. GlideTV themselves call it a 'couch mouse' and that could actually be a pretty accurate description. It has (...) read more
