CES2013
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Silicon Image UltraGig 6400 WirelessHD, hands-on (video)
Silicon Image is hoping that you'll want to play HD from your handheld device on a big screen without taking the more convoluted WiFi route using DLNA, Airplay and the like. As such, the company took its WirelessHD 1080p60 tech currently seen in bulkier gadgets like laptops and shrunk it to mobile size as the UltraGig 6400 wireless transmitter. It's now created a reference design for the tech in the form of the tiny chip shown highlighted in the image above, which it would like manufacturers to integrate in their handsets or tablets. To show how it works, they jury-rigged the chip into a smartphone and set up a receiver on an HD panel, so naturally we wanted to take an Android game for a spin on the big screen. The signal stayed solid thanks to the chip's focused antenna array and 30-foot claimed range, while distracting latency seemed to be minimal -- in line with the company's 5ms assertion. Silicon Image is still talking to manufacturer's to see who might like to integrate the tech into their devices, but until then, you can experience it vicariously in the video after the break.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Wacom's Scott Rawlings (update: video embedded)
A different sort of tablet than we're used to seeing at show like CES, we're going to be chatting up Wacom's VP of marketing, Scott Rawlings about the company's place in the market. January 10, 2013 6:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
AMD shows off a reference device with a quad-core, x86-based Temash chip
Earlier today AMD's director of global business units marketing, John Taylor, joined us on our CES stage to talk chips. Specifically, tablet chips, and laptop chips, and chips for products that have elements of both. While he was up there, Mr. Taylor flashed a reference device -- a laptop hybrid with the keyboard and touchpad built into the carrying case. Obviously, we weren't satisfied with just a quick tease, so we caught up with him afterward to learn a bit more. As it turns out, it runs a quad-core version of AMD's new Temash chip, which is being billed as the first quad-core, x86-based SoC. (There's also a dual-core version.) Built into the chip is an HD Radeon 8000 series GPU with AMD's Graphics Core Next architecture, so in theory you should be able to pull off PC-caliber gaming even on a tablet. All told, it promises 50 percent more performance than AMD's Hondo processor, which you can find in Vizio's new Windows 8 tablet. Of course, those are just marketing claims, and besides we haven't had a chance to benchmark either a Hondo or a Temash system yet. So, to put that in better context, it might be helpful to hear AMD talk about its competitors. Obviously, Intel is a biggie, but in particular AMD says Temash should be able to compete with Clover Trail tablet chips, going all the way up to Core i3 on laptops. We're told Temash will ship sometime in the first half of this year, and that AMD will be revealing more details about the platform at Mobile World Congress, which kicks off in late February. Until then, we've got hands-on photos of the unit below, along with some performance impressions after the break.
Pioneer shows off 2013 head unit line, rocks our minds with bass (video)
Pioneer launched a stack of new sets this year for CES as well as an iPhone 5 connectivity solution for those left hanging since upgrading to Apple's latest phone. We've seen the head unit specs so we thought we'd give you a pic tour of the newest devices as well as a short clip of us sitting in the custom Lexus CT 200h playing with its ridiculous stereo. The centerpiece of the system is the AVH-X8500BHS receiver (above) and a custom Steampunk-inspired sub enclosure loaded with six PRS D800 amps. End result? hair-moving, skin-creeping bass and volume. We're digging seeing all the AppRadio expansion to Pioneers's line and can only hope we see prices drop -- and even become pack-ins -- for the now rather expensive connectivity cables.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Huawei's Richard Yu (updated x2)
This may not have been a huge mobile show for most companies (what with MWC just over the horizon), but Huawei certainly has lots to talk about. The CEO of the company's consumer business group Richard Yu will be hitting the stage today and bringing along some goods to show off, too. Update: Unfortunately Yu had to pull out at the last minute, so instead we will be meeting Huawei Device CMO Shao Yang at the same time slot. Stay tuned! Update 2: False alarm! Richard Yu will be joining us, after all! January 10, 2013 5:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here!
Skullcandy's Crusher ears-on at CES: rumbling headphones that you'll actually want
Over the years, our ears have been treated (or tormented, depending on perspective) to a variety of rumbles from a multitude of wub-wub headphones. Typically, it's the gaming headphone sector that gets first dibs, but Skullcandy's Crusher is aiming to hit a few more targets. We had a chance to listen to a production version of the impending cans -- slated to ship in March for $99 in black, white and red hues -- and we were pleasantly surprised with what we heard. Er, felt. Actually, both. It's battery powered, but it'll continue to deliver tunes even if the cell powering the thumps goes dead. Moreover, it automatically disables when the music stops, preventing you from blowing through too many extra batteries. There's a slider on the rear that raises and lowers the sensitivity of the rumble, and we preferred it at about half-cranked. Amazingly, the sensation was actually enjoyable -- and moreover, accurate. We probably wouldn't listen to an entire album with the vibration on, but for movies and games? Yeah, that's clearly the sweet spot. Better still, the conventional 3.5mm headphone jack means that it's as universal as these things get, and the overall audio quality was very much on par with what we'd expect for a Benjamin. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look.
Hauppauge introduces the HD PVR 2 video recorder
Almost five years after the introduction of the very first consumer-priced HD capture device, the HD PVR, Hauppauge has introduced the HD PVR 2 model 1512. Joining the new HD PVR 2 GE Plus, released late last year and geared towards gamers, the HD PVR 2 is focused on home media users who want to record broadcast TV. It includes an IR blaster to control the set-top box it is connected to and bundled with WinTV v7.2 software. It is also compatible with Windows 7 and Windows 8 Media Center. You can record component or HDMI (unprotected) sources, up to 1080p30, and the video and audio are stored as h.264 and 5.1 surround sound. The new unit will be available on February 1st, but the press release after the break doesn't include the price. The HD PVR 2 GE Plus is available via online retailers now for $150, so it's probably safe to assume the HD PVR 2 model 1512 will be around the same.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Verizon's Praveen Atreya (update: video embedded)
At 5PM, we'll be talking to Verizon director of network and technology, Praveen Atreya about, you know, networking and technology and the like. January 10, 2013 5:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Epic Citadel and other 'development showcases' for Oculus Rift available with dev kits in March
The impressive Epic Citadel demo we got to explore using Oculus Rift's incredible virtual reality development kit will ship alongside the headset this March, the company tells Engadget. "Any content you can load into UDK [Unreal Development Kit] and Unity, you can load and explore with the Oculus dev kit," we were told, in addition to the Citadel confirmation. And beyond that, Oculus is providing, "development showcases" alongside the dev kits, though it's unclear exactly what that means. We'll no doubt hear more about said showcases as we draw closer to the headset's March dev kit launch.
Audi shows off 'Piloted Driving' (video)
Audi's booth was visually the most arresting we've seen this year because it was both packed to overflowing with people and beautiful shiny things and because the floor, ceiling and walls were really brightly lit. In one wing Audi had set up a car cockpit in front of a few massive displays to simulate toodling down Las Vegas Boulevard in a self-driving car equipped with its Piloted Driving system. In bumper-to-bumper conditions at speeds up to 60 km/h (37.28 MPH), flicking a switch on the steering wheel disconnects you from the steering and pedals and frees up the in-car entertainment and telephone for your amusement. The car will maintain distance to the vehicles ahead and nearby using its own proprietary LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) laser that it will eventually mount in the car's grille -- rather than the traditional roof mount -- and a monocular camera to keep it within the safety of the white lines. Nevada being, well, home to Las Vegas has given thumbs up to this type of research so long as you follow the Nevada DMV guidelines and have the red plate that marks your car as an autonomous vehicle. Check out the following -- very safe and stationary -- walkthrough video after the fold.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Sony's TV division (update: video embedded)
It's time for Sony interview number two. As mentioned early, the company goes all out each CES, and this year is no different. This time out, we'll be chatting up a rep from the company's TV wing. January 10, 2013 4:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Hands-on with the MID7065, Coby's first tablet with Google Play on board
We've seen a few budget tablets debut at CES this year -- the Vivitar Camelio and Polaroid's M7 among them -- and the latest 7-incher to cross our path is Coby's MID7065. This $150 (not $130, as we incorrectly say in the video) slate runs Android 4.0 and is the first in Coby's lineup to feature access to Google Play. This device is fully Google-certified in the sense that all of Mountain View's standard programs, such as Gmail and Maps, are on board. There aren't any surprises when it comes to other specs: the MID7065 runs a dual-core Cortex A9 processor clocked at 1.GHz with 1GB RAM, and there's 8GB of internal storage (expandable up to 32GB via the microSD card slot). Other connections include mini-HDMI and a micro-USB port. There's a front-facing 0.3-megapixel camera to the left of the display, and the capacitive panel itself sports a standard resolution of 1,024 x 600. We spent a few minutes poking around the Play store and flipping through home screens, and we didn't notice any lag. The accelerometer was speedy at recognizing changes in display orientation as well. The MID7065's design isn't the thinnest we've seen, but the plastic body feels sturdy, and the rounded edges are comfortable in the hand. Look for the tablet to drop in the next month or two -- and check out our hands-on gallery in the meantime.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with GM's Phil Abram (update: video embedded)
At 4:00, we'll be chatting up General Motors' chief infotainment officer Phil Abram about the ways in which smartphones, touchscreens and in-car apps are transforming the automotive industry. January 10, 2013 4:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Ice Computer demos modular xPC with working 9.7-inch xPad tablet, we go hands-on at CES (video)
We've seen plenty of Ice Computer at various trade shows in recent years, most recently at Computex in Taipei, but the company has yet to ship a product. Under most circumstances, we'd label its flagship xPC as vaporware, but there does seem to be progress, which gives us some hope that the modular computer solution will finally be available sometime this year. The company is targeting a ship date in late summer, with a production version expected at Computex in June. In the meantime, Ice Computer reps have made the trip out to CES to demo the first functional xPad tablet, which is one of several platforms for the xPC, a smartphone-sized device that contains a complete computer and slides into desktop or home theater components (xDock), laptops (xTop) and the xPad we saw today. The 9.7-inch tablet is a less polished version of the ASUS PadFone Station, but it's expected to be very affordable, at just $200 (plus another $200 for the xPC). There's a 1,366 x 768-pixel capacitive touchscreen, a front-facing camera and a battery that Ice expects will keep the duo running for six to eight hours. All of the other components fit within the xPC, which slides into the xPad's rear. The version we saw today was running Windows 8, and the experience seemed solid enough, though it's clear that the company's prototypes still have a long way to go before they're ready for a final nod of approval. We're excited to see a working prototype, though, and we've been promised a more complete version this summer in Taipei. In the meantime, though, you can check out the current xPC and xPad prototypes in our hands-on after the break.
Engadget Podcast 324: CES 2013 Day 2 - 01.10.2013
Geeks? We got them. Five of the word's finest on the Engadget stage no less. Day two of CES and Tim and Brian are joined by Nicole Scott and Sascha Pallenberg from Mobile Geeks plus Techfoolery's Ashley Esqueda. Imagine what happens when you get this crowd together at the world's biggest electronics show. Or, you could just listen in below to find out. Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater Producer: James Trew Hear the podcast
Sony hopes to turn on PlayStation web shop in US this month
Sony is way beyond fashionably late to the console web store party in the US next to the likes of Microsoft, but it told CNET here at CES 2013 that it hopes to officially bring its Sony Entertainment Network (SEN) store stateside this month. Though we already spotted the service recently (which allows you to order movie, TV and video content and set it to download automatically to your PS3), it was still in beta at that point and only in Europe. Residents there can place orders, with items appearing on Vita or PS3 download lists, but until the official launch happens, nothing will download for now -- at least not without some hacking, from what we saw before. It's not clear whether it'll launch stateside in the same fashion or go live, fully functional, on both sides of the pond at the same time. If Sony's words ring true, though, we shouldn't have to wait long to find out.
Engadget HD Podcast 332 - CES special show 2 01.10.13
Richard and Ben take to the stage once again to discuss the second wave of new releases. Joining them on stage is Ted Head from Silicon Dust who gives us a tour of its latest product. The rest of the deal we're pretty much sure you know. HD news, and lots of it. Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh (@bjdraw), Richard Lawler (@rjcc) Producer: James Trew (@itstrew) Hear the podcast
Distro's CES 2013 Daily Issue 73.3 has arrived!
Three, two, one... Contact! We've reached a heightened level of delirium here at Engadget HQ -- this being our eighth day since touch down -- but we've saved just enough of our sanity to bring you the third issue of Distro's CES 2013 Daily. In it you'll find a DJing baby, Motorhead's Lemmy and even a few must-see gadgets from the show floor and beyond. Distro Issue 73.3 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro in the Windows Store Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Hands-on with Archos' Titanium tablet line (video)
Archos' Platinum line of tablets already got the hands-on treatment from us earlier this week, but today we stopped by Archos' CES 2013 booth one more time to take a look at the similarly named Titanium line. Sadly, the smallest of the quartet wasn't available on the show floor, but we did get a look at the other three tablets on hand, ranging from 8 inches to 10.1. All three feature the same set of internal hardware: a dual-core 1.6GHz Rockchip CPU and an unnamed quad-core GPU. The pre-production units we handled were running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and all feature high-res IPS screens. The 9.7-incher has the highest-res of all, at 2,048 x 1,536 resolution -- and it really shows. Images on that "super high-res" screen looked dramatically nicer than the other two, though the build quality on the 8-inch and 10.1-inch models is noticeably more solid. To be extra clear, the rear on the latter two is a solid metal, while the 9.7-inch is a cheap-feeling plastic. The ports on all three devices looked a bit on the rough side as well -- the mini-HDMI out looked cocked in its port, even. This could of course just be a measure of its display use at CES, but the fact that the port traveled in its slot worried us for sure. In terms of software, the tablets were able to quickly transition from app to app, and games loaded quickly -- we couldn't check its internet capabilities, as WiFi in the Las Vegas Convention Center is less than ideal at the moment. While the hardware wasn't what we'd call top quality, the low price point and performance of the Titanium line more than makes up for it. Take a tour of all three with us in video form, just below the break.
The Engadget Interview: CEO Frederic Rose explains Technicolor's Qeo connection
When even your fellow tech editors ask "Why are you interviewing Technicolor?", you know there's a wide disconnect between the perception of a company and what it actually does. But the firm best known for saturating hues into early films like the Wizard of Oz has branched into a wide range of technical niches that only loosely connect with its original pursuit, thanks to the company's acquisition by Thomson. Products now include set-top boxes, home networking, mobile TV and a huge portfolio of technical patents -- the company controls licensing of the MP3 codec, for instance. It's now trying to address a problem that's plagued the gadget industry for quite awhile now: how to get devices from disparate ecosystems working together to make gadget-using connected and seamless. To that end, Technicolor has developed Qeo, a software system designed to allow TVs, handheld devices, intercom systems and appliances to all have one big confab. The company's CEO, Frederic Rose, took the time to explain how it works, and we went eyes-on in another video to show how a connected home using the technology might work. Considering that it shows devices using a variety of standards and operating systems all working to serve you, it's pretty impressive -- go after the break to check them both out.
