Ces2007
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IBM booth tour
After 10 years of absence IBM returns to CES and even after we visited their booth we weren't exactly sure why they were there. Sure they developed the chips in the latest game consoles, which they had on display. They also had a few other items like their Micro Drive and Virtual World software. IBM booth tour
Microsoft's CableCARD DRM
Our most anticipated feature of Windows Vista is CableCARD support. As much as we like Windows XP Media Center Edition, it's inability to record HD cable channels is really lame. We knew there would be a catch in the form of DRM; like the OEM requiredment and some of our favorite Media Center features won't be available. The good news is that CableCARD support will be available when Vista ships later this month, the content will be decrypted from cable and then re-encrypted in the tuner with Microsoft DRM before traveling via USB to the media center, even internal PCI cards will use USB. The files will be stored on the hard drive encrypted and no copies will be permitted, there will be recover methods to deal with hardware failure. Streaming to Vista Media Center extenders will be supported, and shows recorded with a CableCARD tuner will not be transferable to a Zune or other device, OTA content can be copied to a Zune so Microsoft recommends you record what you can OTA. All copy protection required by the provider like 5C will be honored by Microsoft, but no details were known how they would deal with things like "Copy Never". On a side note un-encrypted QAM will be supported, but mapping the QAM channels is not automatic.
iPhone might have 3G switched on via upgrade? Probably not....
Believe us, by this point we're all feeling a little weary of all the mega-intense iPhone news/drama/speculation that's been going around these past few days, but we couldn't help but remark on John Markoff's comment in the New York Times yesterday that Apple could possibly add 3G to the iPhone via a software update. It's not unheard of for a firmware upgrade to unlock new features or functionality in a device, but the sources we've spoken to have made it pretty clear that Apple hasn't wedged a UMTS or HSDPA radio into this thing. Not that we wouldn't mind this being true. We're pretty bummed that the iPhone doesn't have HSDPA -- once you taste 3G, it's hard to go back to anything slower -- but it's semi-understandable that they'd want to use an EDGE radio that'd cost less and be less power hungry. Or at least that seems to be the prevailing theory, Jobsy hasn't exactly come out and said why a high-end handset that's due out in mid-2007 will be a generation behind in its wireless connectivity. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Video: Sansa Connect hands-on
We, like everyone, had pretty high hopes for the Zune's "social" capabilities, but three plays in three days isn't really doing it for us. SanDisk's Sansa Connect isn't a Zune replacement, but more akin to the MusicGremlin, albeit with four gigs of flash memory instead of an eight gigabyte microdrive. At $250 plus PlaysForSure comaptible music service, you can get social a bit easier.[MP4] Download the video
Hands-on with New Media Life's TAVI 030
It's not the totally new hotness or anything, but what the TAVI 030 lacks in looks -- which aren't all that bad to begin with -- it sure makes up in feature set. The player features WiFi-based IPTV playback (in the black version, the white edition keeps it a bit more traditional), codec support aplenty, and a pretty slick interface for a fairly no-name player. Check out the gallery for a few more shots. Hands-on with New Media Life's TAVI 030
Audiovox shows off DV7600XM XM Mini-Tuner home theater system
Audiovox is broadening its XM love from the portable / in-car units to a home theater in-a-box with its DV7600XM XM Mini-Tuner home theater system. This all-in-one solution features 600-watts of earth-movin' power, five satellite cubes, a passive subwoofer, and a slim, retro-styled DVD player / XM tuner. While we assume you'll find the usual assortment of AV ins and outs, there's not too many details floating around on this one just yet, but if you're scouting a 5.1 system with a dash of XM already throw in, the DV7600XM should go for $159.95 when it skedaddles on out of CES.
XM kicks out CommanderMT for your ride, supports Mini-Tuner
If you're going to have a little Mini-Tuner love going on in your crib, you can't just leave your vehicle hung out to dry, and now XM's dishing out the CommanderMT to bring the tunes with you while you travel. The sleek, black unit is purportedly designed to be integrated into your dash, and the Mini-Tuner design removes the need to actually carry your Commander with you when you exit the vehicle. It's also universal in nature, so it delivers the XM channels to your car stereo via FM, for better or (likely) worse. Possibly designed for folks looking to keep their existing head unit but add XM capabilities, the unit can be flush-mounted permanently if you're down with keeping the same tuner for the life of your vehicle. Regardless, the new CommanderMT should be hitting stores not too long after CES concludes, so be sure to click on through for a few more pics.[Via Orbitcast]
Verizon FiOS hitting 50Mbps in more states
Sure, it's not quite 100Mpbs, but hey, the folks in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will probably take what they can get. Verizon has just announced that Massachusetts and Rhode Island have now joined New York, Connecticut and New Jersey as states where Verizon "has increased the maximum connection speed of both its mid-tier and top-tier FiOS Internet services." Previously, their mid-range connection topped out at 15Mbps downstream and a paltry 2Mbps upstream, while the high-end package offered just 30Mbps up and 5Mbps down. Basically no other details were given, but Verizon did state that it planned on bringing similar speed boosts to "11 other states where the service is available" during the course of this year, but didn't mention any type of price decreases from the admittedly lofty monthly charges top-tier customers currently pay. Now, how about we get FiOS to more homes before giving all the lucky ones even more bandwidth to play with next time you get the itch to upgrade, okay Verizon?[Via GigaOM]
Tons of CES videos: XBLA, GHII, IPTV, more
Xbox.com has published several videos shot by Major Nelson at CES. Major takes time to check out Guitar Hero II, IPTV, XBLA, the HD-DVD player, and even takes a moment to chat with Peter Moore. We recommend the Guitar Hero II, IPTV, XBLA, and Peter Moore vids especially. The Guitar Hero II video will get you a glimpse at another 360 exclusive song from Pearl Jam (as well as a chance to watch Major Nelson try to play GHII and hold a mic at the same time). The XBLA video gives a quick look at Worms, Castlevania: SOTN, and Heavy Weapon. Players should be happy to know that Castlevania features an enhanced graphics mode (we're not sure which mode is used in the video though). Pause the XBLA video during the Worms interview to see the (rather anemic) selection of weapons. There are lots of videos. Hit the "read" link to check 'em out.Oh, and our condolences to the employees working at the Zune lounge.[Via Major Nelson]
Panasonic develops more capacious Li-ion laptop battery
While the IEEE is "hard at work" revising the laptop battery standard so these explosive cells permanently become a thing of the past, Panasonic has developed a new rechargeable battery pack with increased capacity and energy density, hopefully working on previous heat issues as well. The prototype, which is being shown here at CES, reportedly boasts a "20- to 40-percent" increase in capacity by using "an alloy material for the negative electrode instead of a commonly used carbon material" such as graphite carbon. Additionally, energy density per volume is increased to 740 Wh/L, which is 40-percent higher than that of the company's existing product. Notably, Panasonic claims that this newfangled Li-ion pack will tout a "heat-resistant layer made of insulating metal oxide," which purportedly "ensures improved safety while maintaining a current capacity as high as 3.6 Ah." As expected, there was no word on if (or when) this prototype would actually hit production, but the firm did state that it would like to commercialize it "within a few years" if everything progressed nicely.
Belkin showcases prototype PVP that engulfs your iPod video
We know, we're slightly bummed too that yesterday's brief "iPod" announcement wound up not being a beautiful hard drive-based widescreen video iPod, but nevertheless, a prototype shown at CES gives iPod video owners a glimpse at what big screen playback would actually look like. This Belkin creation was spotted by TechDigest, and aside from sleek, black enclosure, widescreen display, and gaping hole just begging for an iPod video to come on home, we don't much about it. Mimicking the design of so many portable DVD players already out, this PVP takes its cues not from an optical disc, but from a movie-playing Apple. The spies thought they overheard that the unit featured a rechargeable battery, which would make sense considering its portable nature, but couldn't confirm it. Of course, until Belkin actually decides to produce these things, it's likely a moot point anyway, but it sure looks sellable.
Belkin intros USB-powered laptop Cooling Stand
While it's easy to assume that most laptop stands will inevitably increase the airflow surrounding the case, therefore cooling your machine off somewhat, that's apparently just not enough for some of the lap burners on the market today. For those who just can't part with their searing machines, Belkin has unveiled a new Cooling Stand that purportedly prevents your laptop from overheating. Of course, if it literally takes a fan to curb an overheating problem, you might have something a bit more serious on your hands, but alas, this trendy white / silver riser sports a modern, slightly curved design with a fan located in the center of the unit. Its self-proclaimed "high-capacity blower" moves air out from under your lappie and is powered entirely by your USB port (the one not powering that USB seat cooler), so you can drain your already weak battery even more when trying to keep cool on the go. You can snag one of these wind machines late next month for $29.99.[Via TechDigest]
TI pushing to get DLP in your cellphone, local cinema
It's not terribly uncommon to see a manufacturer try to push a product (or platform) into every crevice of your life, and it seems that Texas Instruments is diverting quite sharply from its calculatorish ways of old and making an aggressive push to get that DLP logo slapped on everything you own. While we've seen (literally) the diminutive Microvision display do its thang here at CES, TI is hoping to steal that thunder away by talking up its forthcoming palm-sized DLP projectors. The "fully featured" Pocket Projectors, which are co-developed by OMAP, would weigh "less than one pound," use the .55 DLP chip, and could purportedly connect to handsets or PDAs to beam up that big(ger) screen imagery for a crowd to see. Unfortunately for TI, these devices are not (at least initially) supposed to be integrated units, which could easily get overlooked if those built-in alternatives can muster acceptable quality. Additionally, TI is hoping to get that DLP logo stamped on your brain even when you visit the cinema, as the company now has its technology in 3,000 theaters worldwide and is frequently throwing logo-clad splash screens onto the canvas during pre-show advertisements. So if you wonder why you're strangely drawn to the DLP sets during your next HDTV shopping trip, trust us, it's not the mirrors, it's the marketing.[Via AboutProjectors]
JVC kicks out KD-NX5000 in-dash HDD navigation / DVD head unit
As we overheard yesterday during JVC's live press conference, the company has unveiled a single-DIN in-dash solution for navigation and DVD / CD playback. The multifaceted KD-NX5000 sports a sleek, black motif with quite a busy faceplate, which is packed with a 3.5-inch LCD screen, volume / track controls, blue backlights, and nearly half a dozen logos. Crammed within the narrow enclosure is a 40GB hard drive with 15GB reserved for maps / navigation functions and 25GB for music / media. On the navigation side, it sports built-in real-time traffic, maps of North America and Virgin Islands, 13 million POIs, and a remote control to (partially) keep your eyes on the road. On the stereo side, it plays back DVDs, CDs, DivX, MPEG 1/2, and even displays JPEG photos, but it can also rip CDs straight the HDD and can receive tunes from Bluetooth-enabled DAPs / iPods with appropriate adapters. So if you're satisfied with keeping your current ride, and don't want to cramp its style by installing one of those unsightly in-car mounting kits, you can shove a navigation system in your dash next month for $1,199.95.[Via NaviGadget]
PDC's Guide Dog gets real, loses parking and Bluetooth
Sure, we don't mind the impossible happening every once in awhile, but as with our favorite flavor of vaporware, if it sounds too sensational to be realistic, it (almost) always is. PDC hasn't quite pulled a no-show like the lapboard, but the firm's handheld conglomerate most certainly isn't everything it claimed it would be. NaviGadget caught up to PDC while at CES and got some first looks at the Guide Dog, which is now referred to as the PDC-668C, and while it does pack a SiRF Star III receiver, 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD, directional pad, two pre-loaded games, adjustable backlight / volume controls, PAPAGO R12 navigation software, and SD / MMC / PSd memory slots, this Windows CE 5.0-powered navigator (unsurprisingly) lacks the far-fetched parking sensor and Bluetooth capabilities it previously boasted about. Moreover, it's grown quite a bit since its puppy days, garnered a coat of glossy white, and picked up a "suggested price of around $450 to $500," but the firm is still looking for a North American distributor to get these things moving.
Gefen shows off HD PVRs that export to USB drives
While Gefen has helped many a folk use two computers on one monitor and extend their cabling for miles on end, the company is now giving us PVR freaks something else to spaz about. The two (plainly-named) Personal Video Recorders sport sleek, brushed aluminum enclosures that resemble a Mac mini in form, and both units are all but identical save for the high-end edition's ability to handle 1080p. These PVRs differ from most, however, as they can record content from television or any other attached source (i.e. a camcorder), and transfer the video in MPEG4 format directly to an attached USB flash drive. According to Gefen, users "simply save their programming on the USB device, remove it when needed, and plug it into any USB-equipped computer for instant access." Furthermore, the boxes tout a switching functionality that allows users to connect multiple sources and flip a toggle to determine which one gets captured. From what we can tell, there's no reason an external USB hard drive couldn't be used as well for mass capturing / transporting, and while we (unfortunately) don't know when these suckas are shipping nor how much coinage they'll demand, consider our interest piqued nonetheless.[Via EverythingUSB]
MTV partners with Amp'd to create exclusive made-for-mobile content
While consumers' love affair with mobile TV has been debatable, that hasn't stopped a number of firms from teaming up to deliver all sorts of multimedia to our diminutive LCDs, and now MTV Networks and Amp'd are partnering to bring exclusive, original made-for-mobile content to Amp'd users. Hoping to give customers (pre-teens, at least) something to actually get amped up about, the two firms announced at CES that they would be developing unique content, such as an elusive "episodic series," that would end up appearing on both MTV and Amp'd Live. It was also stated that MTV would "retain the rights to develop and cross-program the projects for television and other platforms," possibly suggesting that the content could leak over to other networks if the price was right. Although a "comedy" series -- Lil' Bush: Resident of the United States -- was recent ported from mobile to TV, this marks the first time that an Amp'd production will have the hefty wallet of MTV Networks / Viacom backing it, which essentially means that future content rolling out of Amp'd Live will hardly be suitable for marginally mature adults. Laguna Beach fuheva![Via mocoNews]
Edgetech unveils unsightly mini internet machine, dubbed The Edge
We fully understand how hard it's going to be for anything to top this in terms of handheld sexiness, but Edgetech International must be using a design team stuck in the early '90s, and a marketing squad not too far removed from the Phantom confines. The firm's latest handheld, simply dubbed The Edge, is a smallish portable internet machine that bears striking resemblance to a old fashioned pocket organizer, and reportedly provides true wireless internet all the time. Claimed to be "non-carrier specific," Edgetech doesn't exactly expound upon how its fliptop machine can consistently pull in internet access from anywhere, and doesn't even feel the need to describe the specs for us. Nevertheless, we do know that it can purportedly enable subscribers to "conduct a wide variety of e-mail and voice mail options, all by voice command." The strangely mysterious device reportedly comes with a $200 pricetag, while the wireless connectivity runs you around $50 per month, but until our current selection of smartphones forget how to access those 2.5G, 3G, and 4G networks, we're good.[Via TGDaily]
AKAI / Memorex to ship 1080p rear-projection LCoS HDTVs this summer
Considering how well RPTVs (well, HDTVs in general, actually) have been selling lately, it's no surprise to see two more low-end manufacturers looking to grab their own piece of the pie. MicroDisplay Corporation announced at CES that bottom-end stalwarts AKAI and Memorex will both start shipping 1080p-capable rear-projection sets this summer. The TVs will be based on MicroDisplay's "proprietary single-chip 1080p LCoS digital projection imaging technology," dubbed Liquid Fidelity, which supposedly maintains a crisp, "home theater-like" picture while eliminating two of the three chips "required by other LCoS technologies." No hard details were shared about any of the units, but it was noted that we'll see sizes ranging from 52- to 62-inches, and each set will be "customized with a variety of options." So if you'll still be hunting for a 1080p set this summer, and don't mind the low-end quality for the rock bottom price, these AKAI / Memorex units should fit the bill quite nicely.
Miglia TVMini HD+ delivers HDTV DVR functionality to Macs
Sure, there's more than a few ways to get HDTV and PVR technology over on the Mac side of life, but Miglia is giving us one more alternative by updating its MiniHD to deliver tuning / PVR functions to your Mac over USB 2.0. Apparently the company isn't worried about the ole Apple TV stealing all the thunder, and most notably due to its missing tuner, we don't think it will either. The MiniHD+ doesn't seem to outdo its predecessor in most areas, as it still tunes into ATSC, ClearQAM, and OTA broadcasts, and pumps the data to your Mac via USB 2.0. This portable gizmo provides the usual pause, rewind, and scheduling functions you'd expect on a PVR, but it also reportedly allows you to "consult an integrated electronic programming guide to locate shows and edit recorded clips to remove advertisements." Aside from supporting DVD burning, it also features "exclusive 10-bit video and stereo sound," a wireless remote, composite / S-Video outputs, stereo inputs, EyeTV 2 software. So if you're more interested in watching television than downloaded content and movie trailers, you can pick this up for your Mac next month for a currently undisclosed price.
