Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Ride - Universal Studios - Or...

Xbox One Voice and Motion Recognition

     Redmond, Washington - Microsoft announced that streaming content apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, VUDU, Crackle, ESPN, Univision, Fox, CW, HBO, and the NFL will all be on Xbox One, some as soon as Spring 2014.  Graphically, the Xbox One interface is able to switch between video games, watching live episodes of television, and viewing the channel guide.  Xbox One can also, record and upload footage captured from video games and the Kinect motion sensor.  Microsoft introduced the machine as an all-in-one entertainment solution for living rooms, that allows users to switch between activities on a TV screen, by just telling the machine what to do without needing to press buttons.  Rather than the previous super-powered gaming console that the Xbox 360 is, Microsoft has included other audiences than just gamers.  See also, www.xboxone.com.

Smart Watches Get Smarter For The Holidays

      Smart phones do the heavy work such as downloading apps and loading full web pages.  But smart watches may can now act like assistants to the smart phones.  Smart watches can now stay in contact with your smart phone and serve as a representative of the telephone to the outside world,  monitoring traffic between your smart telephone and other wireless devices.  Sony's SmartWatch2 uses a bigger screen and is water resistant.  For 2013 a smart watches main function is to act as a handy second screen for your smart phone.  The premise is to allow users to dismiss useless phone notifications and allow you to only grab the handset when absolutely necessary.  Smart watches linked to operating systems, like Android for example, will receive alerts for texts, calls, and social media updates while on the wearers wrist.  Smart watches will also be able to control your phones music player, so you won't have to reach into your purse or pocket to change volume or skip to the next track.  And, ultimately at the cash register, near field communication (NFC) is a natural component that allows a relatively secure way to pay bills, by simply waving your smart watch wearing wrist at   NFC enabled cash registers, while leaving your smart phone in your purse or pocket.  See also, www.sony.com.          

Companies Provide Online Automobile Insuurance Quotes

     New Haven - Those surveyed were asked to perform various tasks online and rate them.  After interpreting the numbers J.D. Power says it came up with several findings, including:  all shoppers are most likely to buy from an insurer with the lowest quote (39%), or had a better looking website that wasn't a hassle to move through (38%), and the overall appearance of the website.  J.D. Power also evaluated the buying and service experiences provided by 20 insurance companies.  Cost is a huge factor when buying car insurance.  However,  this J.D. Powers study suggests younger drivers are more swayed to websites they can "cruise" through, finding useful information along the way.  J.D. Powers says in its "2014" Insurance Website Evaluation Study" that 35% of both Generation X and Generation Y consumers are likely to buy a policy based on price when they compare insurance companies.  47% of Boomers want the lowest monthly premiums they can get.  29% of Generation Y drivers rely on thorough coverage information in their decision-making, with 36% saying it needs to be "conveyed in a clear and intelligible way," on a companies website and when communicating with a companies agents.  A large number (40%) of shoppers from both Generation X (those generally  born in the early 1960s to the early 1980s) and Generation Y (born during the 1980s and early 1990s) said they would likely purchase a policy from companies with easier website navigation.  The younger generations preferences to use websites can improve insurance companies sales, if they have an "Understanding of the preferences of different generations, particularly Generation Y consumers, is of utmost importance to ensure that shoppers are having the best experience possible," Jeremy Bowler, J.D. Powers' senior director of its global insurance practice says in a written statement.  AMC Mutual, Esurance, Farmers, GEICO, Liberty Mutual, Progressive, and Travelers all performed well, according to the J.D. Powers research.  See also, www.cnn.com. 

The Jacksons - Destiny

Upscale Drones Will Give Hollywood's Television and Film Studios a Lift in Their Profits

     Raglan - Six figure price tag drones will help meet demand for motion picture and television studio's need for aerial camera platforms.  However, if drones can be used satisfactorily in television and film production, they can drastically reduce costs. 
     According to Los Angeles -based drone production firm Aerial MOB, helicopter rentals can go as high as $30,000 a day, while daily drone rental rates for motion picture making are as low as $10,000 to $15,000 per day to the production studio.  Until now, cinematographers have bolted specialized add-ons, like cinema-quality cameras, to off-the-shelf drones that cost a few thousand dollars each.  Two New Zealand drone manufacturers, Aeronavics and Shotover Camera Systems, want to change that.  Until recently, drone use in feature films and television was limited to productions shot outside the United States, but late last year Washington began granting exemptions to commercial drone users on a case-by-case basis.  Of nearly 700 exemptions issued by the Federal Aviation Administration at the start of July 2015, approximately half of them were for aerial photography (including transmitting live television).  Unmanned aerial vehicles have been used in films that include:  "Dr. Who", "Twilight", "007 Skyfall", "Furious 7", "Jurassic World", and other hits.  "A lot of people have been shooting with drones in the past few years but not really in the very high-end space, so that's where our business will operate, "says Shotover Camera Systems'  general manager Brad Hurndell.  See also, www.popularmechanics.com.                  

New Drone Legislation Would Give Six Months and/or Thousands of Dollars in Fines

     Sacramento - Senate Bill 168 looks likely to become law.  SB 168 will protect emergency responders from any liability for the destruction an an unauthorized drone during firefighting or medical support operations.  Private UAVs have disrupted firefighting operations several times this year, including during a wildfire last month on Interstate 15 in San Bernardino, California.  See full story...http://www.kfi640.com.