About 4 years ago Tivo announced they were working with Netflix to bring streaming movies to your TV. That was the last we heard anything about it. Now, Netflix streams to the PC, the MAC, and the XBOX 360. With all the advancements on the other systems, many thought that Tivo might have silently divorced Netflix. Well, it was just announced that Netflix and Tivo have started to role out a private beta of the new streaming functionality to a couple thousand subscribers of both services.

The Official Press Release:

TIVO AND NETFLIX ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO INSTANTLY STREAM MOVIES AND TV EPISODES FROM NETFLIX DIRECTLY TO THE TV THROUGH TIVO DVRs

Deal Provides Netflix with New Content Distribution Channel, Solidifies TiVo’s Leading Position as One-Box Solution for Simple Navigation and Delivery Of the Best Entertainment Content to the TV

ALVISO, Calif. and LOS GATOS, Calif.,  October 30, 2008 — TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs) and Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), the world’s largest online movie rental service, today announced that they are teaming up to provide Netflix and TiVo® Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL subscribers with the ability to have thousands of movies and TV episodes instantly streamed from Netflix directly to their TVs.

The two companies said they are initiating a test of the new capability today in several thousand U.S. households and expect it to be broadly available in early December, in time for the holidays.  The ability to instantly watch content from Netflix on the TV via TiVo DVRs will be offered at no additional charge to customers who subscribe to both services.

The agreement provides Netflix with an important new technology partner to instantly stream a growing library of more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes directly from Netflix to the TV.  It also solidifies TiVo’s leading position for simple navigation and delivery of the best entertainment content to the TV.

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Geek Brief TV is a very quick and to the point technology/gadget video podcast. I love to watch video podcast, but I find it hard to keep up with a lot of my favorites due to my busy schedule. Geek Brief is one of the two video podcast I make time to watch every week. At an average run time of 3 to 5 minutes, anyone can find time to watch this video podcast.

Geek Brief TV serves up technology news and a couple of new gadgets of the week. Some of the technology goodness includes a flashlight that is actually a drink warmer, an unboxing and slight review of the Aluminum Macbook, and a geek road trip. Yes, I said a road trip. Cali and her crew are currently traveling across the country in a bus, filming at exciting locations and meeting up with some of the big names in the technology world. Currently, Cali is in the middle of a 2 part series “Behind the Scene of the TWiT Cottage with Leo Laporte.”

Besides all the great technology goodness, Geek Brief TV is hosted by the very talented Cali Lewis. On top of being super cute, she is very entergetic, a bit on the goofy side, and very knowledgable. A lot of video podcast these days higher professional actors/models to be the beauty that attacts a geek boys to the show. Well, Cali Lewis has the looks, but what makes her great, is that she is a super geek. She knows technology and can appreciate gadets that are purly awesome on a want only basis.

If you have never seen it, check it out. Youc an find it on iTunes, RSS, and on GeekBrief.TV.

To me, 1Password is the single greatest application on OS X. 1Password is an application that allows you to securely use one master password to access all your web accounts, credit card data, and online identities from your Mac and iPhone. It is as easy as command + |.

What It Does

1Password has 3 main things I consider to be its core functions. The first one is a secure password manager. 1Pasword creates a secure database of all your web passwords and organizes them in a very clear and easy to manage interface. It also helps you to generate very secure passwords all from inside your browser.

The second core functionality associated with 1Password is a great form filler. You can create identities in the application where you fill out names, addresses, phone numbers, emails… Then when you go to sign up for a new web application, all you have to do is click the 1P button and import all your identity info into the form.

The third core functionality is one I don’t really use, but I know people that do, and that is the wallet! This allows you to securely store credit card information in a nice and organized database. It works with credit cards, membership id cards, web services, and bank account numbers.

In this guide, I am going to show you step by step, how to upgrade to a 4GB RAM kit on a late 2008 model (Uni body Aluminum) Macbook Pro. I am upgrading my 2.4GHz/250GB Macbook Pro from 2GB of RAM up to 4GB. Th process is very easy, but you still need to take it slow so you don’t damage your beautiful Macbook Pro. I believe this same method will work on the new uni body Macbook too, but I have not confirmed this.

BEFORE YOU START:

I would recommend you do this on a table, in a uncarpeted room, doing this on carpet can create static electricity which can fry your whole machines. Also, make sure you shutdown, NOT SLEEP, your Macbook Pro. Finally, disconnect all wires (USB, Firewire, Power,…)

Start by flipping you Macbook Pro over. Be sure to put something under it so you don’t scratch it. I would use some sort of anti static cloth. I am using my neoprene case.

Being the new owner of a solid aluminum body Macbook Pro, I wanted to give a first hand opinion of what to love about the new Apple laptops, and what to hate about them. I will start with the bad news first.

What to Hate About the New Apple Laptops

1. Leading off my list is how the glossy only option is available on both the Macbook and the Macbook Pro. Many people prefer a matte screen option, especially on the Pro models. Matte screens offer truer colors. This is very important to designers and photographers as they need to see true shades of colors for their work. I came from a matte screen model to a glossy screen model expecting to have issues, but I am really surprised at how much it is not a factor for me.
2. Number 2 on my list is one that has not been talked about much. I have noticed that the new Macbook Pro sound quality on the built-in speakers is not near the quality it was on the previous model. What I believe is the problem is that the holes in the speaker greats on the new model are much smaller then the last model. This is causing flat sounding audio.
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It appears that Apple is having some issues with compatibility when you restore your new Macbook Pro from a Time Machine backup. The wired Apple keyboard does not work with the new Macbook Pro. It appears the issue only occurs when you boot up your new fall 2008 Macbook Pro from a Time Machine Backup.

My wireless logitech mouse which is plugged into the keyboard works, but the keyboard itself doesn’t work. I have confirmed this is happening with multiple people. Are you effected by it?

Well, as you all know, I recently purchased a brand new Macbook Pro, The new fall 2008 model. Well, as I was installing Leapord, I registered the new Macbook Pro with Apple. To my supprise once I got it up and running I opended up Mail to find a “Thanks for registering your iPod touch” email.

Strange, I guess Apple is not all that prepared for these new Macbooks and Macbook Pros. Anyone else encounter this?

I just purchased a brand new Fall 2008 Macbook Pro. This is the newly redesigned model released yesterday at October 14th, 2008. I have attached high res images of the unboxing and the computer itself.

The Unboxing

Well, it was a big day for Apple fan’s such as myself. Apple made 3 major announcements today at the Apple Cupertino campus event. The event was titled “And now the spotlight turns to Laptops” so it is no surprise that there were minor and significant refreshes across the line for Apples many laptops.

I have received a couple of emails from my readers asking my thoughts on what to expect this Tuesday at the confirmed Apple Macbook event. Many rumors have been talked about in the months leading up to now, so I want to lay everything out as to what is fact, and what is rumored. I will also chime in with my 2 cents on everything.

The Facts

• There is an Apple event on Tuesday, October 14 and there are going multiple sites live blogging from the event. (MacRumors, AppleInsider, Gizmodo, and Engadget)
• With the Macbook 36 days over its average product life cycle, the Macbook Pro 34 days over its average product life cycle, and the invitation issued hinting at an aluminum Macbook, you can expect to see complete and major redesigns to the current models.
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