A few weeks ago I received a Kogan Blu Ray Player featuring WiFi 1080P Full HD. Since then I’ve put it to good use watching some of my favourite DVDs and of course some new Blu ray titles. One of my all time favorites “Big Momma’s House” (I love Martin Lawrence!) has especially been getting a good run on the machine.

continue reading "Giveaway : Kogan Blu Ray WiFi 1080p Full HD Player"

Back in February we shared Kogan’s press release on their Kogan Freeview HD Digital Set-Top Box. The sub $100 price, HD Digital Set-Top box functionality and ability to play from USB devices up to 1 Terrabyte particularly got us excited.

Here’s some news to excite you : we have been give ONE Kogan Freeview HD Digital Set-Top Box to GIVEAWAY!

continue reading "Giveaway : Kogan Freeview HD Digital Set-Top Box"

To be quite honest, I don’t watch much TV so I haven’t really got into the whole world of personal video recorders. However, after Melbourne-based Kogan announced their latest gadget which is touted as being Australia’s cheapest PVR (AU $99), I may just have a closer look.

I’ve got respect for Ruslan Kogan (founder of Kogan Technologies) who has been busily listening to the consumers and trying to develop quality electronic devices and sell for more reasonable prices than the big names. We’ve seen this strategy successfully employed with their TV and digital photo frame ranges.

Hoping to get a review unit soon to give you some personal insights

MELBOURNE, Australia, 11^th February 2009 – Kogan Technologies is enabling the digital revolution by providing Australians with the cheapest personal video recorder available in the country.

The Kogan HD Digital Set-Top Box with PVR is available today for only $99 from www.kogan.com.au and will ship to customers on March 10^th.

It features a digital HD tuner, HDMI output, and a USB port supporting flash drives and portable hard disks up to 1TB. The USB connectivity allows you to pause and rewind live TV, as well as record HD content, and playback a variety of media including photos, audio, and video content.

Ruslan Kogan, founder and CEO of Kogan Technologies, said the Kogan PVR will help the digital television transition in Australia, as well as empower users with flexible recording and playback functionality.

“This is yet another example of Kogan Technologies leading the way in driving down prices for technology in Australia.

“There are no other personal video recorders in Australia that come anywhere near this in price. The real beauty of the Kogan PVR is that you can use any existing USB storage you already have to store your favourite TV shows.

“You’ll also be able to record content to USB storage, take it out of the Kogan PVR, and watch it back on any computer, any other Kogan PVR in the house, or even at a mate’s place.

“We’ve been talking with customers about our PVR since last year on our blog, and have used our conversations to tailor the right product at a perfect price point.”

The digital switchover commences on June 30^th this year, and the Kogan PVR facilitates this change by providing a value for money set top box while also giving you the power to pause, rewind, record, and play a variety of media, including free-to-air HD content.

Ruslan Kogan wasn’t the only one to be disappointed that his Agora range of Android phones didn’t get released by its scheduled January date – I was going to get a demo!

Turns out that Google raised the concern that the Agora Android screen (320×240) size wouldn’t cater for Android apps that were developed for higher resolution screens (480×320). This is the is the first that I’ve heard of any display size restrictions on Android apps.

The plot thickens with speculation that a deal may have been cut between HTC and Google which ensured that HTC would deliver Australia’s first Android phone, not Kogan.

A good example of brand protection from possibly crappy wares?

One can only imagine the hoo-ha raised should there have been a massive list of bugs discovered while running the Android OS on a Kogan Agora phone ? (would’ve have been 2nd in the world).

I feel for Kogan but also understand that Google and HTC have an interest in protecting their “high” standards.

The Sydney Morning Herald Blogs

It’s smiles all around at Google Headquarters worldwide with news that they all received a HTC Touch Dream aka T-Mobile G1 phone for Christmas. This is just another reason why I’d love to work for Google

The G1 Android phone, as the name suggests, was the world’s first mobile to run on Google’s Android platform.

According to Cnet.com.au, there is still no news of Australia getting it’s first batch of HTC Dreams / G1s and for those eager to get their hands on a Android phone, they’ll have to settle for the Kogan Agora which is due for release on the 29th of January 2009.

Via CNet.com.au

Kogan has just announced their first branded mobile phones which also happen to be powered by the Google Android platform – the Kogan Agora and Kogan Agora Pro. I must admit that they look quite decent; design is similar to that of Samsung Blackjack range.

Kogan Agora Google Android Phone Features:

• 2.5-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen.
• Integrated QWERTY keyboard.
• High-speed 3G network connection.
• One-Touch Google Search ™.
• Easy Web Browsing.
• Easy-to-use email with attachment support for images, videos, music and documents.
• Customisable Home Screen with instant Email, text message and IM notifications.
• Instant access to mobile Internet services (Gmail ™, YouTube ™, Google Talk ™, Google Calendar ™, Google Maps ™).
• Music Player.
• Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate
• microSD™ expansion slot for all your storage needs.

The Kogan Agora Pro model comes with the welcome additions of GPS, WiFi and a 2MP camera on board.

continue reading "Australia’s first Google Android phones announced : Kogan Agora & Agora Pro"

Local electronics manufacturer Kogan, announced plans to make a Google Android-based phone to be distributed in the country. The small online-based company orders its products straight from manufacturers in China, which are made to its specifications and cater to its needs.

Kogan’s Google Android phone “would look similar to the iPhone” with a touch screen panel, Bluetooth, GPS, trackball, WiFi, and NO built-in keyboard. It will be available in the country on December 15 and will be sold for $199 per. Since none of the major manufacturers have mentioned plans to release Google Android phones in Australia, Kogan’s MIGHT be the first Android-based phone to hit the country.

“We’ve got a few designs that we can easily choose from. We know the components that’s going to go into the phone…It’s a matter of loading the Android system on to the phone, configuring it, making sure it works very well and then the manufacturing of the few thousands phones that we need to launch it is just a matter of a day or two,” says Ruslan Kogan, company owner.

Kogan via SMH via GIZ AU