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Hands-on with Razer's Edge, a $999 gaming tablet / home console
The PC ecosystem is no longer as simple as it once was -- first there were desktops, then laptops, then tablets, then all-in-ones. Buying a PC now is more nebulous than it ever was. You could build your very own rig, piece-by-piece, or you could buy one of the many, many pre-fab options out there (or some mixture of the two, of course). And then there's even more outside-of-the-box options, like Razer's recently re-introduced Edge (aka "Project Fiona"), which occupies a space all its own. Part laptop, part tablet, part home console, and part portable console, the Razer Edge is the fruition of Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan's dream to create a "true" portable PC gaming machine. And weighing in at just two pounds, the Edge is dramatically lighter than Razer's other portable gaming machine, the Blade (which clocks in at a whopping 6.6 lbs.), making it the company's first actually portable game console. Keeping those Blade comparisons rolling, the base level Edge at $999 features a slight step down from the Blade's Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor to a 1.7GHz Intel's Core i5 (the Edge Pro at $1299 boosts that CPU to a 1.9GHz Ivy Bridge i7, more closely matching the far costlier Blade). Thankfully, the Edge's GPU is not only discreet, but also powerful and (thankfully) not fragmented between the two models: an NVIDIA GT640M LE powers the graphics on both, while 4GB or 8GB (respectively) of DDR3 RAM keeps it all running smoothly. The base model Edge holds 64GB of content in a speedy solid state drive (128GB in the Pro model, upgradeable to 256GB). But let's be honest -- you already know most of these specs, right? What matters is how all this stuff pans out, and we've just gotten our first chance to find out. Head past the break to see how Razer's Edge fared.
Garmin's K2 'glass cockpit' will change the way you interact with your car, we go hands-on at CES (video)
Infotainment platforms are a dime a dozen these days, but Garmin's K2 "glass cockpit" is definitely one system that you're going to want to take seriously. You'll be interacting with a 10.4-inch capacitive touch screen, which is positioned front and center, while a squat 12-inch digital gauge and information readout console is fixed just behind the steering wheel. The system pulls its realtime data from Garmin's servers through your connected smartphone, or, if vehicle manufacturers opt to include it, you may be able to maintain a constant connection by adding a dedicated modem. Then, you'll have access to realtime traffic information, fuel rates at local gas stations, along with email, text messages and other data feeds, including news and sports scores. As expected, Garmin has taken safety into account -- depending on OEM configurations, you'll likely only be able to operate the center panel while stopped, at which point you can also read and respond to email, send texts, flip through your directory, search for weather, etc. While you're driving, all of those functions shift to a text-to-speech system, which also recognizes commands presented in full sentences. Emails pop up as they're received, with the platform reading messages aloud, if you so choose. You can speak your responses, and a reply will be fired off without any need to direct your attention away from the road. The system worked very well during our hands-on demo today at CES. Unlike the version that Garmin presented in 2012, this iteration is completely operational, rending detailed 3D graphics and popping up with real POIs in response to actual queries. In other words, the K2 we saw would work perfectly well on the road, though Garmin opted to fix the GPS location in Chicago for the purposes of today's demonstration. There's no set date on when we can expect the platform to make its way to vehicles, and pricing will be set by OEMs, but the version we saw today was installed in a Dodge Durango, and it looked mighty fine there. But don't take our word for it -- you can catch the full hands-on demo just past the break.
Braven's latest portable Bluetooth speakers: 850 charges your iPad, BRV-1 laughs at H2O (eyes-on)
It's no secret that we generally enjoy Braven's pushes into the portable Bluetooth speaker arena. The company is again aiming to take your dollars away from the likes of the Jawbone Jamboxes, offering up two new units for CES. The 850 is its largest speaker yet, being roughly the same size as Big Jambox -- and priced much the same at $300. As you'd expect, the 850 is clad in aluminum, and has a USB port for charging external devices. That's not all, however, as Braven claims this is the world's first battery-powered speaker that'll charge 2.1A gizmos (like the iPad) on its own accord (no word on expected battery life). Even more impressive -- and expensive -- we're told that two units can be run in true stereo with either serving as the left and right channels. No pictures for now, but we'll update this post as soon as we get them. Aside from the 850, the $170 BRV-1 (dummy units pictured) ditches the company's smooth rectangular speaker angles, in favor of ruggedness and IPX5 water-resistance. The not-so pocketable speaker is clad in rubber, featuring two large buttons on both edges for playback controls. The speaker grill on the front get's Braven's usual treatment with aluminium, while the back houses twist-cap protected microUSB port, USB port, battery indicator and a 3.5mm input jack. Both speakers are set to sit along its Six Series units sometime this month, and you'll find more pictures of two BRV-1 mockups in the gallery below.
Firefox OS shows up on a mystery phone, we go hands-on (update: now with video!)
Firefox's mobile operating system showed up on a mystery phone tonight at a pre-CES event ahead of its unveiling later this year, carrying no branding and looking light on features. Sadly, the WiFi in the event space didn't give us much of a chance to explore the OS' inner workings, and the phone was dubbed a "mystery" device by Mozilla reps, but we did snap some pictures of it. We also know that it's got at least an ARMv6 CPU and 256MB of RAM, and likely more power than that. Mozilla's planning a 2013 launch of the Firefox OS -- an OS powered entirely by HTML5 -- in partnership with Telefonica, Qualcomm, and "a long list of industry supporters. The phone we handled felt like a pretty standard low-end Android device, albeit running an HTML5 open source OS. Swapping between apps was quick and responsive, but the phone really wasn't doing too much. Mozilla's aiming the OS at low-end phones in emerging markets, and told us that South America would be its first focus. While what we saw was still pretty bare bones, the OS has certainly seen some heavy updates since its big debut at last year's Mobile World Congress. Update: To be extra clear, Mozilla isn't launching hardware, but a mobile OS that works across various devices. Sorry about any confusion! Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Sony announces the world's first 4K OLED TV at CES: 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, no price or release in sight
4K TVs look amazing. OLED TVs look amazing. You can imagine, therefore, how good a 4K OLED TV will look. Sony has just wowed the audience here at CES 2013 with the news that it's produced the world's first Ultra High Definition television that uses Organic LEDs. Given how many companies have launched 4K sets here -- Westinghouse, Hisense, Toshiba and LG, just to name a few -- it's not unusual to hear that Sony has one-upped the crowd by adding a pinch of OLED to the mix. The 56-inch set boasts a native 3,840 x 2,160 OLED panel, and a prototype will be on display here at CES 2013 in Las Vegas. Sony's pimping its own "oxide semiconductor TFTs" and "Super Top Emission" technologies, but isn't saying much else. There's zero mention of contrast ratio, refresh ratio, thickness, power draw, or any other specifications. Not exactly a shocker, but disheartening nonetheless. We'll be prying for more -- including any plans for a commercial release -- as the show rolls on. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Daniel Cooper contributed to this article.
Sony Xperia Z: hands-on with the new flagship at CES 2013 (video)
Sony has had over a year now to dust away any residual Ericsson branding and with a reinvigorated direction towards mobile, it's welcoming the CES crowds of Las Vegas with two new smartphones -- the Xperia Z and the Xperia ZL. Both are running Android Jelly Bean, have 5-inch 1080p screens laced with Sony's new Bravia Mobile 2 technology, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro and new 13-megapixel Exmor RS camera sensors, capable of recording HDR video. Has Sony finally crafted a flagship able to go toe-to-toe with the competition? Well, the Xperia Z exudes class -- and it's light. With about the same thickness as the iPhone, the phone is similar with all straight surfaces, barring some slightly rounded corners. Sony's calling the design language "omnibalance" and you can expect to see similar design licks in its other products in the near future. Picking it up, it feels better and more premium than any phone we've seen from Sony before and, oddly, it's even waterproof. Comparing the Xperia Z against the Xperia ZL, the oblong, broad Xperia Z felt almost too big in our hands; the ZL felt much more at home. Sony's barely unveiled them on stage at its press event, but we got the chance to play with both devices earlier today, (just about) wrapping our fingers around both the Xperia Z and the slightly smaller Xperia ZL. So what did we think? Hop on after the break for our hands-on video and full impressions. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Engadget's CES 2013 stage schedule
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eatART's Mondo Spider cruises around CES 2013 (video)
It's sort of like Burning Man meets CES, meets a giant rideable robotic spider. eatART's eight-legged, 1,600 metal arachnid made the trip from Vancouver in order to cruise around the grounds of the Las Vegas Convention Center -- and thankfully we had a great view from our CES trailer. The big bug has been kicking around since 2006, but this is its first trip to the Consumer Electronic Show. We'd tell you more, but it's probably best to just watch the thing in action after the break. Kevin Wong contributed to this report. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Vizio Tablet PC hands-on (update: now with video)
Vizio's not exactly a stranger to tablets -- it came out with an Android product back in 2011 -- but it's only just debuting its first Windows 8 slate, the Tablet PC. (How's that for an appropriate name?) Like so many other Win 8 tablets it has an 11.6-inch screen, but the similarities mostly end there. On the inside, it packs a dual-core, 1GHz AMD Z60 chip, making it one of the few tablets in this class that doesn't run an Atom processor. At the same time, the screen squeezes in 1,920 x 1,080 pixels -- an unusual resolution for a lower-powered product like this. Other known specs: 2GB of RAM, 64GB of flash storage, a 2-megapixel front camera and micro-HDMI / micro-USB ports. So far, we don't know how much this will cost, or even when it will be available, so it's going to be a little tough to compare this to other offerings in the marketplace. For now, though, we've managed to steal a few minutes of hands-on time here at CES. Meet us past the break for some first thoughts on the design, the performance and that crisp 1080p screen. And stay tuned for video -- we've got that coming too. Update: As promised, our video tour of the tablet can be found after the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Hands-on with NVIDIA's first game console, Project Shield (update: now with video!)
NVIDIA surprised the world last night by transitioning from hardware component manufacturer to game console maker in one fell swoop, introducing the world to its portable game console, Project Shield. A 5-inch "retinal" HD multitouch display sitting atop a full-on game controller that resembles a blend of the Xbox 360 gamepad's curves and the PlayStation 3 DualShock 3's unfortunate analog stick placement, all powered by the newly revealed Tegra 4 quad-core cortex A15 processor. The console's set to ship in Q2 2013, and it promises stunning graphics for the Android games it's made to run, as well as a direct streaming option employing NVIDIA's GeForce Experience application. That means not just Android games, but also full-on PC games, with built-in Steam Big Picture Mode integration. It is, frankly, an impressive package. But the proof's in the pudding, right? We got our first chance to go hands-on with the device this morning -- our first hands-on with any Tegra 4 device, mind you -- and came away impressed. Beyond being a speedy handheld, the 5-inch LED makes high-def PC games look even more visually stunning. Sheer pixel density alone meant that our test run of Need for Speed: Most Wanted looked even better on Project Shield than it did on the PC running it. More importantly, there was zero perceptible lag. As for controls, Shield is a bit on the unwieldy side of things. In an effort to make the screen foldable, clamshell-style, with the full gamepad underneath, the analog sticks are sunk into the body. While it didn't make any of the games we tried unplayable, it did feel a bit less comfy than, say, an Xbox 360 controller. The DualShock 3-esque placement of those analog sticks isn't helping either, but sadly that doesn't look like it's changing -- the sticks are where they are for function's sake. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Intel, Plastic Logic and Queen's U build the PaperTab: a flexible e-paper tablet (video)
Plastic Logic may have bowed out of building its own e-readers, but that's not stopping the company from making its presence felt at CES. It's teaming up with Intel and Queen's University on the PaperTab, a 10.7-inch tablet concept built around a flexible, e-paper touchscreen. The prototype runs a Sandy Bridge-era Core i5 processor that lets it stand on its own, but it's ultimately designed to work as part of a team: position awareness lets multiple PaperTabs join together to share a work area, and tapping one tablet with content can send it to a waiting document in another. The bendy nature isn't just for durability and a paper-like feel, either, as readers can flip through pages just by bending the relevant side. A fuller reveal is planned for January 8th, but you can get an initial sense of how the plastic slate works through the video after the break. %Gallery-174952% Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
NVIDIA officially unveils Tegra 4: offers quad-core Cortex A15, 72 GPU cores, LTE support
One new SoC per year? That's what NVIDIA pledged back in the fall of 2010 and today at its CES 2013 presser, it delivered with the Tegra 4's official unveiling. The chip, which retains the same 4-plus-1 arrangement of its predecessor, arrives with a whopping 72 GeForce GPU cores -- effectively offering six times the Tegra 3's visual output and is based on the 28nm process. It also is the first quad-core processor with Cortex A15 cores on-board, and offers compatibility with LTE networks through an optional chip. NVIDIA claims this piece of silicon is the world's fastest mobile processor, and showed a demonstration in which a Tegra 4 went head-to-head against a Nexus 10 in loading websites (you can guess which one won). The Tegra 4 also introduces new computational photography architecture, which adds a new engine to drive the image processing and significantly improve the amount of time it takes to calculate the necessary mathematics 10 times faster than current platforms. To show off its power, NVIDIA demonstrated HDR rendering on live video. The chip is also capable of implementing HDR in burst shots and with LED flash. The idea, NVIDIA says, is to eventually make our mobile cameras more powerful than DSLRs, and this is certainly a step in the right direction.
OLPC XO-4 debuts at CES, launch details coming this week (hands-on)
Details of OLPC XO-4's release and price won't be revealed until later this week, according to Marvell, but the company was happy to let this editor smudge the laptop with his fingerprints. It's not the fastest machine imaginable, but it switched between screens and loaded content snappily with its Marvell-made 1.2Ghz dual-core ARM processor. A slight hint of choppiness appears when scrolling through lists, but the hardware is definitely useable and doesn't aggravate. The unit on display didn't have an internet connection, but Marvell was happy to point out that their hardware provides the laptop support for 802.11n, as opposed to only 802.11b/g. The pint-sized laptop isn't the sleekest or most compact device we've laid hands on, but it feels sturdy enough to survive abuse thrown its way from drops and temper tantrums. Its infrared touchscreen -- which is optimized for small fingers -- can be used in conjunction with the small keyboard, or swiveled around and laid on its back to transform the device into a chunky tablet. Odds are that fully grown hands won't be comfortable with the kid-friendly keyboard. The OLPC 4.0 performed admirably during our brief stint with it, but you can look forward to more impressions when we eventually put it through our review gauntlet. In the meantime, hit the neighboring gallery for hands-on shots of the machine. Update: There's now a video after the break for your viewing pleasure, so go on past the jump to see more of what the kid-friendly laptop is all about. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Hands-on with Toshiba 84-inch L9300 Series Ultra HD 4K LED TV
The latest to announce its entrance into the Ultra HD market with its 84-inch 4K LED TV is Toshiba. The L9300 series is also available in 65-inch or 58-inch models and will be available this summer with no word on price. According to a representative of the company, the key to Ultra HD is the processing as there won't be much native content at launch, and it has the best with its CEVO 4K Quad+Dual Core Processor and CQ Engine. The demo model on display sure impressed, but we'll hold our final judgement when the product finally ships. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Lenovo ThinkPad Helix official: 11.6-inch reversible screen, arrives next month for $1,499+
The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix has been a known entity for some time, first showing up on the company's Israeli website and more recently stopping by the FCC with AT&T LTE in tow. The device is no longer an enigma, as Lenovo is pulling back the curtain on the 11.6-inch convertible Ultrabook, which will go on sale in late February for $1,499 and up. Like the famously flippable ThinkPad Yoga, the Helix can be used in several different positions. Tablet and Ultrabook modes are a given, but users can also flip the tablet 180 degrees and snap it back in to the base, essentially providing a stand for using the device as a slate. In addition to supporting touch input, the Helix offers a bundled pen (complete with a slot for storing) for tapping away at the 1080p Gorilla Glass display. Speaking of the panel, it boasts IPS technology -- and Lenovo says it's "the brightest screen in the ThinkPad brand portfolio." Along with the just-introduced ThinkPad Edge E431 and E531, the Helix sports a new trackpad that forgoes the secondary buttons meant to be used with the TrackPoint. Instead, these buttons are built into the clickpad, though the pointing stick is still on board. We imagine this change will upset many ThinkPad devotees, but given that we haven't seen a final production unit, we're not ready to pass judgement on the update. The highest-end configuration will run a Core i7 processor, and Lenovo says you can expect up to 10 hours of battery life. Other specs include a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-MP front-facing shooter, NFC for tapping to share and -- as expected -- LTE connectivity. The tablet weighs 1.8 pounds on its own, and the whole Ultrabook comes in at under four. Take a closer look at this convertible in our hands-on video past the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Vuzix Smart Glasses M100 hands-on at CES 2013 (update: now with video!)
The wearables market is becoming a growing obsession here at CES 2013 -- and it's been the first chance we've got to handle the Vuzix M100 -- its new lightweight set of smartglasses. It'll have some stiff competition from Google's incoming effort, although the premise is a little different -- less augmented reality, more a wearable smart screen that pairs to your tablet or smartphone. We've got a brief video and our first impressions after the break.
3M Touch Systems 84-inch Projected Capacitive Display hands-on
We knew we'd be seeing 3M Touch Systems' monster capacitive display once again, but we had no idea just how massive this year's iteration would be. Taking up residence in a corner of CES Unveiled 2013, the company's latest multi-touch prototype now measures in at 84 inches, far surpassing its 46-inch predecessor, with 100-inch versions waiting in the wings. This particular touch table now supports Ultra HD resolution (4K) and was shown running a software demo currently in use at Chicago's Museum of Science. As you may be able to tell from the accompanying gallery, those floating images aren't of the crispest quality, but that's because the files aren't fully high-res. Of course, tech of this kind isn't necessarily intended for households -- not yet, anyway -- it makes for a more natural fit in commercial environments (think: airports, car dealerships or wireless retailers). At present, the table here on the showfloor is calibrated to support 40 individual touch points, but a company rep assured us it could be configured for up to 60, allowing for large groups of people to interact simultaneously. While touch tabletops of this kind are still quite rare in the wild, expect to see them crop up more commonly in the near future. Check out a video demo past the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Sarah Silbert contributed to this report.
Chevy's Siri and TuneIn in-car apps hit 2013 Sonics and Sparks, we go hands-on (video)
Not enough Siri in your life? Hop into a 2013 Chevy Spark. Those vehicles rocking a MyLink radio are eligible to upgrade to Apple's friendly iPhone 4S / 5 helper. Using the Bluetooth button on the steering wheel, you can access the assistant. We got a demo from a GM rep, who showed us how to access messages, read back to you through the car stereo. If you're feeling vocal, you can also dictate responses and Siri'll shoot them back off, all without ever having to take your hands off the wheel. You can also ask for things like recommendations for local businesses, but those won't play through the display. Siri also won't answer your philosophic questions, as GM doesn't want to display Wikipedia pages on the screen while you're driving. From the demo, the whole thing seemed pretty straightforward for anyone who's ever used an in-car Bluetooth system, checking things like stock prices and sports scores, if you're so inclined. We also received a quick demo of TuneIn, an iPhone app that pulls in radio stations around the world, featuring recommendation features like a Favorites button, local trending and a Jump button, which uses an algorithm to pull songs and the like based on your listening habits. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Jon Fingas contributed to this report.
