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The net neutrality war of words wages on
While you may have been doing a victory lap around your cubicle in the last few hours, not everyone is so enthused about the FCC's decision today. The commission voted to officially classify broadband internet as a Title II public utility, and it's already prepared for lawsuits from service providers. While court proceedings will take time to hash out, a war of words wages on in the immediate aftermath, so we've compiled comments from both sides on the matter.
What 'Ultra High-Definition' really means
In yet another successful attempt at making the Quad HD / 4K / Ultra HD situation as clear as mud, this week the CEA updated its official... definition of the term "Ultra High-Definition." The original spec was established in late 2012 just as the first high-res TVs debuted, and now the expanded "updated core characteristics" will let customers know the TV or player they're buying is actually capable of playing high-res video content. What's new is that Ultra HD TVs, monitors and projectors have to be able to upscale HD (1080p) video to Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160), decode HEVC, have at least one HDMI input that supports Ultra HD video input at 24, 30 and 60fps and that can decode the HDCP 2.2 DRM that super-sharp video will require. Not up on all of the acronyms and buzzwords? Whether it's a stream from Netflix or Amazon, a broadcast over cable or satellite or some new version of Blu-ray, if your new TV has the logo this fall, you'll be ready for it -- simple, right?
Unleashing the tech show hype beast
There's a technological revolution going on; innovation is at an all-time high; and we've seen it all before. While many of the devices we've seen this week are new and even exciting, the unending hymn of hyperbole that echoes through the halls of the LVCC is an old standard. For months leading up to the big show, small startups and tech giants flood the inboxes of tech journalists, attempting to catch their attention with bold and often ridiculous claims. And on the show floor, sprawling booths from the likes of Samsung and LG boast laundry lists of "world's firsts." Each year, we put all of that aside to bring you only the freshest goods CES has to offer -- until now. It's time to unleash the hype beast!
Making Engadget's Best of CES trophies (video)
As we began putting together our awards proposal for the CEA, we knew we had to blow things out. It was important to make every aspect of the awards uniquely Engadget, with processes that embodied the forward-thinking technology that has come to define our coverage and the annual International CES event. The awards ceremony itself is naturally a big part of that process -- as are the trophies we'll bestow on each of the winners. But how does one make a trophy with a technological bent? Flashing lights? WiFi? Animatronics? The answer was simple: 3D printing. The space virtually exploded at last year's CES, with big reveals from a number of the technology's top players, and it would no doubt only continue to be a major presence for many CESes to come (little did we know then that 2014 would see its own devoted 3D-printing area, due to the influx of companies presenting at the show).
Up to 150 Ultra HDTV announcements possible at CES
During a pre-CES briefing today, Shawn DuBravac, chief economist for the Consumer Electronics Association, said he "wouldn't be surprised to see 75 UHDTV announcements" this week. That number could be as high as 150, including hardware rollouts, distribution deals and more, as manufacturers and programmers begin "coming together to figure out what that's about," he said. While DuBravac said it will be a while before most people upgrade to UHD, he pointed out that, according to CEA research, close to 500,000 UHDTVs will be sold this year, up from just 60,000 in 2013. By 2017, that number could leap to almost 3 million, as consumers upgrade HDTVs purchased in the last decade. DuBravac is also bullish on 3D printers, and said that about 7,000 square feet of exhibit space will be devoted to the devices at CES this year, and that 99,000 units will be sold worldwide in 2014. Wearable technology is also expected to grow dramatically (as you may have heard), with worldwide smartwatch sales hitting about 1.5 million this year, and ratcheting up to about 4 million by 2017. Perhaps unsurprisingly, growth in UHDTV is expected to follow a pattern similar to other new technologies, according to DuBravac, with slow early adoption followed by more rapid growth. He compared it to the 3D TV market, which he said experienced 100 percent growth last year. "3D TV has done really well," he said. "We've just stopped talking about it." He did point out, however, that most people aren't necessarily buying 3D sets for their 3D functionality. As a feature on higher-end and mid-range TVs, "consumers are adopting it by default."
Tune into our Google Hangout with the CEA's Gary Shapiro, happening at 11:30 AM EST! (update: Now with transcript!)
Now that we've set foot into 2014, the final countdown to CES in on. There's plenty to look forward to, from anticipated announcements from LG and Samsung to the official Best of CES Awards, which we'll be running in partnership with the CEA. Who better, then, to chat with about what to expect at the show than the Consumer Electronics Association's Gary Shapiro? He'll be joining Engadget's Marc Perton in 30 minutes for a Google Hangout about all things CES. Catch it here, or below the break.
We'll be talking CES 2014 with Gary Shapiro tomorrow, catch our Google Hangout here!
With a new year comes a giant trade show just around the corner; CES 2014 is less than a week away! In anticipation of the excitement to come, our very own Marc Perton will be hopping on a Google Hangout with the CEA's Gary Shapiro to talk about tech trends and what announcements to expect. Head here for the live Hangout -- it's happening tomorrow, January 2nd, at 11:30 AM EST.
US Energy Department outlines efficiency standards for set-top boxes, Verizon already on board
The US government, the CEA (you know, the group that runs CES) and pay-TV providers want to save consumers $1 billion annually with a new voluntary standard for set-top box (STB) energy-efficiency. By curtailing phantom power usage and implementing a pair of sleep modes for periods of device inactivity, these non-regulatory guidelines could save enough energy each year to power some 700,000 homes. According to the industry announcement, many cable and satellite providers are already on-board, with Verizon implementing a light-sleep option in certain FiOS boxes sold starting January 1st, 2014. Still, the group expressed some concern that scaling back an STB's power might negatively impact the user experience. What good is a lower electric bill when your DVR takes forever to resume from standby? [Image credit: quinn.anya/Flickr]
Engadget is proud to be the home of the 2014 Best of CES Awards
When it comes to tech events, there's nothing quite like the International CES. It's a challenge, it's a marathon and it can be a little overwhelming -- but we wouldn't miss it for the world. CES has evolved dramatically since its inception in 1967 as a small, NYC offshoot of the Chicago Music Show and at Engadget we're proud to have been the Official Blog and Online News Source for the past five years running. This year we're taking that relationship a step further. A big step further. We're thrilled to announce that Engadget is the official home of the 2014 Best of CES Awards! In January, the Engadget editorial team will be scouring the International CES show floor to find the best, most exciting products making their debut there. We do this every year, but in 2014 we'll formalize the procedure. Finalists will be selected for each of 15 categories and, through an entirely editorially controlled process, individual products will be awarded the honor of Best of CES. Those lucky standouts will receive custom, 3D printed trophies courtesy of our friends at 3D Systems. Awards will be printed live at the International CES, so you can see them emerging from nothing as the show goes on. We'll be detailing our judging process in the coming months and providing more information on how companies can submit their products for our consideration ahead of the show in January. For now, know that we're very excited to be the new home of the 2014 Best of CES Awards. Here's what Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of CEA, had to say: Engadget and CEA share a passion for technology and for showcasing innovations to a global audience. Their dedicated editorial team canvases the CES show floor to cover the best products across all key categories of CES. Their quality coverage is sought after by CES exhibitors and the independent editorial judgment they will bring to these awards will help highlight the top products at the 2014 CES. We can't wait to see you in Vegas.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: show wrapup with the CEA's Gary Shapiro (update: video embedded)
What better way to bookend another successful CES than an interview with Gary Shapiro? The CES president joins us to talk about the week that was. January 11, 2013 6:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with CEA's Gary Shapiro (update: video embedded)
Of course, we wouldn't dream of concluding the first day of CES without a conversation with Gary Shapiro. The CEA's president will talk about all that goes into such a massive undertaking, discussing changes, show predictions and how the future of the industry will shape the Consumer Electronics Show. January 8, 2013 2:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
CEA officially brands 4K as Ultra HD, gets ready for a flood of new displays at CES
Now that HDTV is "the new normal" according to Nielsen (its most recent stats say more than 75 percent of US households have one) then naturally, it's time to upgrade to 4K. This week the Consumer Electronics Association officially dubbed such screens -- with characteristics including at least eight million active pixels, and 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, among other things -- Ultra High-Definition, or Ultra HD in order to help educate consumers about the new tech. The ITU already laid down its spec recommendations for Ultra High Definition TV so the industry should be able to move forward in unison pushing super high-res displays across the land. Of course we did say "should," and Sony is already informing media outlets that it plans to market its 4K products as "4K UHD." Whatever it's called, we saw 84-inch screens from multiple manufacturers announced recently, and with the CEA's announcement we're penciling in a few more pixel-dense models for the big Las Vegas show in January.
Control4 delivers home automation Starter Kit for under $1,000 including installation, we go hands-on
Replacing a house full of switches and dials with a single remote seems a desirable proposition, but less-than-intuitive setup processes and fees that run far into the thousands make a disconnected home the only option for some. Like other home automation system manufacturers, Control4 has a bounty of offerings that can run up pricing into that out-of-reach range, but if you're looking to adjust audio and video in a single room, the new Starter Kit should get you going for just shy of a grand, including installation. That price includes a HC-250 Controller, which delivers IR control for up to eight components (via splitters connected to the four IR ports on the rear), serial control for up to two receivers or other systems and IP control for an unlimited number of devices. There's also an SR-250 ZigBee remote in the box, which offers full control through a television interface (HDMI and component outputs can be found on the HC-250's rear). You can also have full access through a variety of add-ons, including a $999 7-inch in-wall touchscreen with camera, a portable version for the same price, or any Android, iOS or Mac device -- access licenses for smartphones, tablets and computers run $199 each, or $499 to cover the entire home. The Starter Kit can enable control of a single room, which may be fine for some users -- to add additional home theater setups you can bring on more HC-250s at $599 a pop. There's also an option to add ZigBee lighting controls ($129 per switch), ZigBee door locks ($150 to $350) or a door intercom unit with camera ($799). All-in, outfitting a large home can be quite pricey, and the Starter Kit is designed to get folks in the door, rather than to deliver a complete solution. We tested the controller with a TV, audio system, a pair of lights on two zones, the door intercom and a deadbolt, and all performed seamlessly without an hiccups. We also took a look at the intuitive drag-and-drop PC-based interface, which owners can use to change macros and add media. Introducing new components to the rig will require a dealer service call (or remote access, if you're just trying to loop in something like a NAS to serve up content). The Control4 Starter Kit is available through third-party dealers beginning today, including Magnolia Home Theater in select Best Buy stores (in that case, Geek Squad will handle the install). That sub-$1,000 figure factors in two hours of labor, and may climb a bit higher depending on dealer rates. Still, if you're just looking to get your feet wet, this seems to be a solid solution. Thumb through the gallery below for a closer look at the components and interface.
Sony's Action Cam prototype is incredibly small, we go fingers-on at CE Week in NYC
CE Week isn't typically a venue for major product introductions, then again neither is Sony's blog. Last night, we got a sneak peek at the company's new Action Cam on the aforementioned site, and this morning the Japanese manufacturer dropped the black curtain on what appears to be the very same prototypes used in yesterday's tease. We almost missed it at Sony's pint-sized booth at the annual week-long CEA event in New York City -- the camera, which has yet to get an official name and model number assignment from Tokyo, is massively smaller than yesterday's snaps may have implied. The adventure shooter is hidden behind glass, but we did manage to pull it out for a brief inspection, and boy is it tiny. A variety of mounts were on hand to demonstrate the shooter's versatility, including a handlebar attachment, helmet holster and some sort of plastic enclosure that could presumably be used to shield the Action Cam from underwater hazards, though Sony declined to confirm. Specification details are also quite spotty at the moment, but we were able to confirm that there will be an Exmor R CMOS image sensor and a wide-angle Carl Zeiss Tessar lens on board. Things seem to be quite limited on the controls front, with simple navigation buttons, a Start/Stop toggle, a tiny LCD and stereo mics up front representing the entire bounty of I/O offerings. There also appears to be SD and Memory Stick storage on board, based on familiar logos printed on the jet-black housing. For now, that's all she wrote -- we expect more details as we approach the Action Cam's official launch in the fall. Flip through the gallery below for a closer look.%Gallery-159248%
Matrix One is a $99 ICS tablet that could ship to retailers next month... but probably won't (hands-on)
From Barcelona to Hanover to Vegas and Taipei, we've seen our fair share of low-end Android tablets, some of which actually offer a bit of promise, and get it done for under 200 bucks. And while even a few sub-$100 models have littered the exhibition hall floors, they're most often mere vaporware, never actually making their way to US and European retailers and online shops. The Matrix One, for its part, could actually get the nod of approval from big box execs, however -- according to company reps, at least. And it wouldn't be a half-bad option at $99, shipping with Android 4.0.3, a 2-megapixel webcam, 1.5GHz Cortex A8 processor and an 800 x 480-pixel 7-inch capacitive display. Those specs also make their way to a nearly identical $149 flavor, which ups its budget counterpart's 512MB RAM and 4 gigs of storage to 1GB and 16GB, respectively, while keeping the other components intact. While that display won't best any brand-name slab on the market, it's certainly usable, even in bright sunlight, as we experienced today at CE Week in New York City. The tablet performed just fine during our quick demo, which included navigating through some menus and watching a few HD video clips. The built-in speaker on the rear won't come close to filling a room (or even a noisy car, perhaps), but a headphone jack will let movie fans and youngsters alike appreciate content a bit more, especially if traditional tablets are priced out of reach. There's also an HDMI port for outputting 1080p video to a TV, along with one full-size USB port, a mini-USB connector for syncing and updates, a power port and a micro-SD card slot, for adding up to 32 gigs of extra storage. You'll also find a built-in mic and a two-megapixel webcam (no rear-facing shooter, however). All in all, the 11.1-ounce package is quite polished, especially given the price. We won't likely be adding the Matrix One to our personal collection, but if a $99 tablet is on your must-have list, this wouldn't be a bad choice -- let's just hope it does indeed pop up in stores, perhaps as soon as the tablet's ready to ship at the end of next month. There's a gallery below if you'd care to take a closer look, and do jump past the break as well -- that's where you'll find our hands-on video, with a lively Manhattan soundscape to boot.%Gallery-159196%
Leaving Las Vegas: Team Engadget departs CES 2012
CES 2012. It's over, but it'll leave a lasting impression on us all. And by "lasting," we mean "eternal." It'll also go down as the most attended CES ever, with more exhibitors and more product launches than ever before. Engadget as a team hit more news than ever before, covered more hands-ons than ever before and just generally sat in awe at the sheer quantity of news that flowed from the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The trends this year? A fair question, indeed. Truthfully, we didn't spot a single category overshadowing the rest, but it's safe to say that LTE, slimmer-than-slim HDTVs and the promise of Windows 8 tablets kept themselves fresh in our mind. We've assembled an array of wrap-up posts to clue those in who couldn't (or would rather not) keep pace with the absolute torrent of announcements from the event, a boatload of statistics to pore over and a final video from the show.On a personal note, I had an absolute blast with the team. From our trailer to our stage within the LVCC, from the raucous Unveiled show floor to the background dings and bloops in McCarran International Airport, the past week (and change) has been truly amazing, and getting this many people who are passionate about technology into a single place is a downright magical experience. We're fortunate and humbled to be able to do this, and despite a near-total lack of sleep and some questionable food choices, we're still as jazzed as ever to fight through crowds in order to get the first shots of [insert gizmo here]. From us to you, thanks for sticking through the madness once more, and here's to another amazing year in consumer technology. We couldn't do it without you, and frankly, we wouldn't want to.So, what's next for us? Well, planning for CES 2013 has already begun, and we'll probably find ourselves at a few Apple events in the near future. Oh, and we'll be bringing you the blow-by-blow from Mobile World Congress in a matter of weeks. We'll sleep, as they say, when we're dead.
CES 2012: interview roundup (video)
The Engadget stage was home to many an interview at this year's CES. Many, many interviews. Given the deluge of guests we hosted in Las Vegas this year, you could be forgiven for not keeping up -- for throwing up your hands in exasperation and making a sandwich to heal the hurt. You could, but you won't. That's because this year, we thought it'd be a good idea to corral all of our CES 2012 interviews into one big metallic box, and hand-pick only the plumpest, juiciest and most eyebrow-arching ones for your enjoyment. We then took those select few and put them in a smaller, spotlit box, which was affixed atop the aforementioned metallic box with a butterfly shaped bow and maybe some duck fat. Add some mood lighting, a splash of bourbon, and voilà. It's the CES 2012 interview roundup, and it's after the break.
CES 2012 sets all-time records for attendance, exhibitors and claimed floor space
CES 2013 has already been scheduled (it's January 8 - 11, for those curious), and it'll have new records to break once things get going again. A source close to the CEA informed us today that CES 2012 has broken a trifecta of records already, and the final tallies aren't even in yet. For starters, more people attended CES this year than ever before. That's people who actually showed up and claimed a badge -- not just those who registered and flaked -- with the final figure already confirmed to be upward of 153,000. That trumps the 152,203 that arrived in Las Vegas back in 2006, as well as the 149,529 that hit the ground here last year.Furthermore, a record amount of exhibition space was claimed, with 1.86 million net square feet used this year; the prior record was set in 2008 when 1.857 million net square feet were claimed. Finally, a new record was set when looking at the total number of exhibitors, with over 3,100 outfits checking in this go 'round. The prior record? 3,072, which was set in 2008. There's no question that CES felt busier than ever for us this year, and now we've got the numbers to prove our suspicions -- naturally, we're already mentally gearing up for CES 2013. We'll be here, and hopefully so will you.Update: The official PR is out! It's embedded after the break.P.S. - You can relive our CES 2012 coverage right here in our hub!
Microsoft's CES 2012 keynote won't deliver 'significant news,' more of 'a wrap-up'
After learning of Microsoft's plans to stop holding CES keynotes following the 2012 edition, the immediate attention turned to this: would it use its last opportunity on the main stage to make a lasting impact? Evidently, that answer is "no." We've confirmed with the company that Steve Ballmer will be "focusing quite a bit on Windows Phone and the its Xbox / entertainment story," while also sharing "momentum from across the company for Windows, Office, Bing, etc." Ultimately, we're told that there "won't be significant news, but more of a wrap up of the strong year the company has had in consumer." We've got a call out for further clarifications (as well as questions on whether or not another BUILD, MIX or some other spinoff event will take the theoretical place of CES), and we'll be sure to update as we learn more. Update: While Microsoft can't confirm specifics, we're getting the impression that the company's partners will be the ones leading and driving announcements in the CES events to come. And while it wouldn't comment specifically on the future of MIX or BUILD, we're told that "it will continue to invest in those kinds of owned venues going forward." Update 2: The CEA, also known as the entity that puts CES together, has officially responded to the news. It also affirmed that Microsoft will not reserve the massive Central Hall exhibit space that it has used in past years, but it seems pretty unconcerned about the whole ordeal. The full statement is after the break.
Microsoft's final CES keynote will be in 2012, bad timing to blame
Woo, boy. The CEA's none too happy about this, we're sure. Microsoft has just announced that its final CES keynote will happen in 2012. After that? "We'll continue to participate in CES as a great place to connect with partners and customers across the PC, phone and entertainment industries, but we won't have a keynote or booth after this year because our product news milestones generally don't align with the show's January timing." That's according to Frank X. Shaw, VP of Corporate Communications at Microsoft, who goes on to say that this industry is moving fast and changing even faster, and in an effort to attack the needs and demands of consumers in a hastier fashion, it simply cannot be held to a yearly schedule where one major show dictates the timing of a given release. It's important to note that Microsoft isn't pulling out of CES entirely -- you'll still find plenty of staffers roaming the show floor and cutting deals in the backrooms of Vegas-area hotels, but it won't be investing in a huge booth presence after January. It doesn't take a historian to see the trend here. If you'll recall, Apple decided to pretty much do the exact same thing when it pulled out of its yearly MacWorld keynote schedule back in 2008. The company simply felt that it would have more control over its own releases if a certain day on a certain entity's calendar wasn't pulling the strings, and we honestly believe that Microsoft is just the next of many to feel similarly. While CES is a fantastic event for launching products and drawing eyes, the timing has always struck us as horrific. We were pleased as punch when the CEA pushed the entire thing up a week starting in 2012, but it's still a bizarre window. For one, it immediately follows two major holidays, and furthermore, it's just two weeks after the year's busiest shopping season -- you know, a season where launching new products a few months before would make a lot more sense. We've definitely noticed some level of splintering over the years when it comes to trade shows, and as consumer demands become more and more unshakable, we get the feeling that being nailed to a January launch schedule will grow ever more uncomfortable. Time will tell, eh? Update: We've just learned of Microsoft's plans for its 2012 keynote; seemingly, it'll be going out sans bang. Ballmer will be focusing on Windows Phone and the Xbox / entertainment story, while also sharing "momentum" for the company as a whole. Nothing major, though. Drat!
