TV & Audio

Is there anything a tablet can’t do? Tablets today are extremely versatile. You can use them for video games, taking photos, listening to music, surfing the web—even controlling your home automation. But one of the coolest things you can do with a tablet is turn it into a handheld HDTV. There is a lot of high quality streaming video content available, thought thanks to cross-border media licensing complications finding content is a little more difficult in Canada than it is in the US. To help you out, I’ve put together a list of some great streaming video sources.

TVs keep getting bigger with a clearer, richer picture and Christmas or Boxing Day is a very popular time for people to upgrade their technology. If you are getting a new TV, and even if you aren’t, it is also a great time to get those accessories that will make any TV experience a lot better. These must-have accessories make great Christmas presents and if Santa was not so nice, Boxing Day sales are sure to give you a second chance.

Christmas is just over a week away! A Bluetooth speaker is a great last minute gift option for anyone on your list!

The Pioneer X-CM32BT Micro System is a relatively compact little unit that can be deceiving. If asked to describe where it lands in the crowded arena of audio playback systems, I’d have to say it lies somewhere between massive amplifier/receiver systems and compact all-in-one mobile device docking stations. It reminded me of hi-fi systems of a couple of decades ago, but in a much smaller package. The system will play many audio formats and media. Radio, CD’s and digital audio files (MP3/WMA) are all supported.

I like gifts that I typically wouldn’t buy for myself even though they are so cool or useful that I would love to have them. Gifts that I want but just can’t seem to justify buying for myself. Well, here are some unique home theatre gadgets that easily fall into that category. They are cool because they are very useful, but might not be something you would think to give even though your gadget guru will likely really like them.  

        If you have an aspiring home theatre buff on your Christmas list, or just someone with some great home theatre gear, here are some ideas on how to fill their stocking with smaller stuff that can come in real handy. They qualify as stocking stuffers because they are small enough to fit, OK a couple of them you might have to have stretch socks, and they are very inexpensive.

  The LG BP145 Blu-Ray Player can make a great gift this Holiday Season, especially if you were to combine it with a couple of great movies. This player makes it easy because it is small enough to fit in anyone’s system, and very inexpensive so it leaves budget room to add a movie or two. It is a brand-name LG product and comes with some pretty decent features.

When it comes to projectors, I’m what you would call a rookie. I like to think of myself as tech-savvy, but anytime I’m in a meeting where a projector needs to be set up for a presentation, I defer to my colleagues. When I’m at my parent’s house and my nieces and nephews ask me to put a movie on in Grandpa’s theatre room, I defer to Grandpa. So when I was asked to review the BenQ 1080p DLP Home Theatre Projector (HT1075), I was a little nervous. However, as it turns out, BenQ’s claim that with this projector, “home entertainment is only a push of a button away!” is pretty spot-on.

I’ve got some scary news folks. As of today, Christmas is officially less than a month away. That’s four weeks. Or 26 days if you prefer to think of it that way. No matter how you slice it, the holidays will be here before you know it, and if you’re anything like me and struggle every year to find the perfect gift for everyone on my list, I’m here to help. For the men in your life, here are six ideas that are sure to please.