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MMObility: CES highlights for mobile gaming enthusiasts
Most years, I am unimpressed by CES, the Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas. Sure, I watch the feeds and keep an eye on the latest bits of technical glitter that pop out of the event, but generally I find 4K televisions that cost thousands of dollars to be about as exciting as a bag of dead hamsters. I don't care about the next wave of supercomputers, and I certainly have no interest in technically advanced cars that mostly innovate on ways to make people spend money. What excites me about almost any trade show is the stuff you find in the corners of the show room: the smaller booths, the indie developers or the hints of up-and-coming tech that will eventually make our lives easier and more fun. And of course, I'm always excited to see tech that might bring mobile MMOs to the place they deserve to be, a place in our everyday lives. CES is exciting to me because it shows the potential and possibly inexpensive future of tech. Thanks to Engadget, one of our sister sites, I was able to get more than an eyeful of neat mobile tech!
Engadget's CES 2014 preview
CES isn't what it used to be. That's a mantra we've heard year after year. With major players like Google, Apple and Microsoft choosing to throw their own lavish product launches and specialized events like Mobile World Congress vying for our attention, it's hard to argue that things haven't changed. However, come Monday, that mantra will fade to a quiet whisper as the onslaught of new releases and product demos flood the pages of Engadget. The formula may have shifted, but there is still plenty to see. In an attempt to prepare you for the next seven days, here's a primer on what we're likely to see at CES 2014.
Samsung's Stephen Woo to kick off day two of CES with keynote
You might be thinking, "it's too early to be talking about CES," and we wish you were right, but you're not. January's consumer electronics extravaganza is inching closer, plans are already being laid and Samsung President Stephen Woo is filling in appointments in his calendar. The most important of those will be his keynote that's set to kick off day two of the festivities in Vegas. The talk will largely focus on the little things, and we don't mean unimportant things, we mean components. All those tiny slivers of silicon that make your gadgets go are really what is pushing the industry forward and Samsung is a major player -- pumping out processors, memory, SIMs and camera sensors. The former Bell Labs and Texas Instruments employee will bring his 20-plus years of experience to bear on a vision of the future, presumably powered by Sammy's chips. Will he also unveils something new... perhaps a next gen smartphone CPU? We'll just have to wait and see. Guess it's time to start booking those flights.
Engadget Distro Issue 24: CES Roundup, OK Go's Andy Ross and SOPA comic relief
We've spent the past week recuperating and reflecting, and while we're ready to put CES 2012 behind us, we're bring you this special roundup edition to cover all of our consumer electronics bases. In this issue, we'll dive deep into product categories that were overlooked in our previous CES editions, like audio, and flesh out those categories that dominated this year's coverage. Also in this issue, OK Go's Andy Ross takes on the Distro Q&A, we bring you a visual breakdown of Engadget's CES Vital Stats and Box Brown takes a comic look at the SOPA / PIPA debate. So join us in grabbing a cold one and get to downloading.Update: And we're back! Let the downloads begin!Distro Issue 24 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter
Engadget's gear of CES 2012
We see an enormous number of gadgets each year at CES, and while the veil comes off a handful of notebooks, cameras and smartphones during the show, the gear that really makes the week for Engadget is our own. In each editor's gear bag, you'd likely be able to find a notebook, camera with external microphone, an Android / iOS / Windows Phone device, an AT&T LTE USB modem and enough bottled beverages to make trips to the "posh restroom" as routine as checking email. Pizza, pasta, chips and beef jerky keep us going during 20-hour days in the trailer, where a stable (and pricey) Ethernet connection let us bring you dozens of posts each hour without interruption. Jump past the break for a look at our gear in a bit more detail.
Wrap-up: Engadget editors sound off on CES 2012
If you've spent any time on this site since Monday, then you know that we've just reached the end of another very successful Consumer Electronics Show, and are packing up to head home (and rest up) until we get ready to return in 2013. As always, there were plenty on gadgets on hand -- far more than even our enormous Engadget team could capture during four long days on the show floor -- so we've opened up the floor to the entire CES crew. Tim Stevens and Darren Murph chime in just below, but jump past the break to hear from the rest of us. Tim Stevens, Editor-in-chief If this paragraph makes any sense it will be a remarkable thing. It was another insane week in Vegas yet this one felt a little smoother than years previous. I hope you enjoyed our coverage as much as I'll enjoy my next nap. Oh, and I'll never forget those 55-inch OLEDs. Never. Darren Murph, Managing Editor My fifth CES. That's kind of nutty. I'll just say that this CES has proven that the industry is surging, and the hidden gamechangers will surface again in the coming months. Compared to CeBIT 2009 -- which felt hopelessly throttled by the economy -- CES 2012 just felt alive.
Distro's CES Special Edition Part II is ready for download
The tips of our fingers are numb from typing, we're seeing 55-inch OLEDs in our sleep (when we can get it) and we haven't eaten a green vegetable in over a week, all in the interest of bringing you the biggest news from the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. If you haven't been glued here since Sunday afternoon, we've put a Distro-flavored bow on our coverage for you. Following up on our first CES special edition, issue 23 collects the biggest breakouts from days four and five, and pulls together a collection of our favorite photos of the robots, autos and crapgadgets we peeped on the floor. Also in this issue, Box Brown brings you a cautionary comic, Ross Rubin talks app stores and Don Melanson recaps the week's best writing from around the web. We're going to submerge ourselves in an isolation tank now, but we'd recommend you download this very special edition, published live from a parking lot at the LVCC.Distro Issue 23 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on TwitterUpdate: And... we're back up and running after some technical difficulties. Enjoy!
Is Project Fiona a miss for WoW?
At this week's Consumer Electronics Show, Razer unveiled its sexy new tablet/PC hybrid called Project Fiona. The title alone is newsworthy, since Project Fiona's name doesn't really fit in with Razer's usual names like Switchblade, Anansi, Naga, and so on. Much like everything else about Project Fiona, its name is a departure from the norm. While the Razer website still cautions that Project Fiona is a conceptual device and thus the final product specs may vary, the hybrid will run Windows 8, boast Intel Core i7, and communicate with Bluetooth 3.0. That means the tablet could, theoretically, run WoW just fine, maybe pairing with a wireless keyboard to enable typing and social interaction. Right now, Project Fiona is expected to work with game delivery systems like Steam and GameFly, but the tablet seems like a natural fit to take WoW with you on the road. The hybrid uses side-mounted controllers for many game actions, and if the tablet is configurable, you should be able to fit most in-game actions on the buttons fairly easily. Of course, the question is whether Project Fiona makes sense as a WoW gaming system. If the hybrid does come in under $1,000, then it would be a very attractive alternative, mobile platform. The form factor feels a little weird for an MMO, but the 10" screen definitely lends itself to a casual, on-the-go experience. It probably wouldn't replace a full-featured PC as a raiding computer, but Project Fiona is definitely tempting as a second, mobile gaming computer.
Live from Las Vegas, it's Engadget Distro's CES Special Edition
If you're reading this, you likely know that CES 2012 is in full swing. Since things kicked off this past Sunday, we've posted some 575 different previews, posts and hands-on and sucked down countless gallons of coffee to avoid the slumber we so fondly remember. Of course, it's all in the name of keeping you informed, and to that point this very special edition of Distro is all about the Consumer Electronics Show. Doing what we do best, we've filtered out all of the noise to bring you the biggest breakouts of this year's show in an easily digestible timeline. In addition, we've compiled CES-flavored versions of all the content you've come to expect week after week. But this isn't the last you'll see of Distro this week, as we have yet another special edition coming your way from our doublewide, right here in the Nevada desert. We'll sleep when we're dead, but in the meantime, hit the download link and enjoy.Distro Issue 22 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter
Victorinox SSD official: up to 1TB of high-speed storage crammed in a Swiss Army Knife (Update)
Shocker! Victorinox has officially pulled the wraps off of its latest pocket-knife and thumb drive combo here at CES -- you know, the one we spied just yesterday during the show-floor setup. Simply titled, SSD, the "pocket-sized drive" is apparently the only one in the world that connects to eSATA II / III and USB 2.0 / 3.0 with a single connector, and it's also being touted as the smallest one around. Furthermore, SSD features a 96 x 48 Bi-Stable monochrome graphic display for keeping track of what's stored inside of it, and Victorinox states that you won't find this on any other drive currently available. Impressively, you can expect up to 220 MB/s read and 150 MB/s write speeds, and you'll be able to encrypt all of your info with hardware- and software-based 256-bit AES -- not bad for something that fits on a key-loop, and packs a blade, scissors and a nail file! The SSD comes with a secondary flight-case sans utensils so you can get past security, and it'll be available in 64, 128 and 256GB flavors, not to mention a massive 1TB version. The company's also taken the wraps off its Slim 3.0 USB drive, which is said to be up to ten-times faster than the previous model. There's no official word on pricing yet for either of the drives, but you can expect to be faced with a thin wallet when they hit shelves at some point this year. Hit up the press release after the break for more details. Update: We've just heard Victorinox that SSD will sell for "about 400 to 3,000 dollars" depending on the model -- time to start saving.
Delta offers up 30 minutes of free Gogo on all CES flights
Heading to join us at CES in Las Vegas? Delta is prepared to hook you up with 30 minutes of free in-flight WiFi on all of its flights to and from LAS beginning today. If you're flying in from the West Coast, that should have you covered for most of the trip. Otherwise, it's at least long enough to download your email or check to see if that farmland below is in Kansas or Nebraska. And if you opt to use social media during your flight, go ahead and throw in the #EngadgetCES as you rave about being able to tweet from the sky.
Victorinox to launch 1TB USB / eSATA II flash drive with built-in LCD at CES
Well it looks like everyone's favorite pocketknife company is readying a 1TB combo USB 2.0/eSATA II flash drive for a CES launch next week -- yes, one TERABYTE. From the looks of it, the Victorinox drive will come in black and red finishes with two bodies -- one with a scissor and knife, and a TSA-friendly version without. Besides the optional implements, both drives appear to be virtually identical, with a key ring and plastic clasp to keep the drive safely covered when not in use. Once you've wrapped your head around that gigantic one-terabyte capacity, take a gander at the built-in monochrome LCD, which will be used to display drive contents and possibly a custom message. All we appear to be missing at this point are pricing and availability, and with an entire terabyte of storage, we can't imagine this thing will be cheap.
Visualized: How Verizon preps LTE and 3G services for CES
With the population of Las Vegas growing by a few hundred thousand each year during CES, cell phone carriers begin planning boosted coverage weeks before the crowds arrive. We noticed a temporary cell site parked near the Las Vegas Convention Center, and asked if we could pop in to get an idea of how AT&T, Sprint and Verizon plan to accommodate all those extra devices. The trailer we saw (often called a "bull" or "cow") was connected to a standard fiber line and serves as a Verizon LTE and 3G cell site -- one of eight added for the show -- and will be tasked with keeping thousands of devices online. We'll be using Verizon LTE along with AT&T's recently launched LTE network to bring you all of this coming week's gadget news, making these temporary sites absolutely critical to our operations as well.
We're live from CES 2012!
We've landed in Vegas, just in time to enjoy the proverbial calm before the storm that will be the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. Motorized carts zoom around the parking lot as the Las Vegas Convention Center begins to take shape -- as always, getting the million-dollar-booths fully dressed before the curtain comes up next week seems an impossible task, but the crews will come through, making the finished product a far-cry from what we see today. And as exciting as it can be to roam the halls of the LVCC and surrounding venues during the show, the pageantry of CES is really about the products, including many of which we haven't heard so much as a peep about in the weeks leading up to the show. But as the booths inside will remain veiled until company heads have a chance to brief attendees, a few hints have begun popping up outside the convention center, as workers hang sponsored banners above and along the massive entranceways. Some of these product hints serve to confirm previous rumors, so join us past the break for an early look at what's to come.
Engadget's CES 2012 Preview
Though the holidays are once again coming to a close, we now find ourselves just a week away from every geek's ultimate holiday -- the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, arguably the biggest event of the year for the tech world. Thousands of companies gather in the Nevada desert to show off their latest innovations, setting the stage for what will no doubt be another stellar year in electronics. In anticipation of the onslaught we're about to experience, we want to offer up our predictions of what you can expect at the show. There's always a few wondrous surprises that nobody could ever see coming -- part of what makes CES fun -- but aside from those jaw-dropping moments, we have a pretty solid idea of what will take place next week. So join us as we break down CES 2012, one category at a time.
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!
Trickster Online and Pangya United want to send you to Las Vegas
SG Interactive wants to send you to Las Vegas, and all you have to do to qualify is play one of the company's MMORPGs. A new press release spills the beans, and entering the contest is as easy as completing a couple of in-game events. Said events are happening in Trickster Online and Pangya United, and one winner from each title will take home a prize pack that includes airfare, hotel accommodations, and tickets to attend the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. What's the skinny on the events themselves? First up is The Pirates of Pangya Island contest. The pirate queen Kooh is challenging players to collect gold coins hidden at the 18th hole of each Pangya Island course. All you have to do is collect one coin and you'll automatically be entered into the Las Vegas trip contest. The Pangya event ends on September 21st, and the winner will be announced on the 22nd. Entering the Trickster Online contest is even easier. Rack up 100 hours of game time by September 28th and you'll be eligible to win. The victor will be announced on October 5th. [Source: SG Interactive press release]
Steve Ballmer to deliver CES keynote, Windows 8 will be the real star
It's hard to believe, but with the show still six months away, we're already getting bombarded with CES-related e-mail. We do have one piece of intriguing news to report at this early stage of the game: Steve Ballmer is set to kick off the festivities with the preshow keynote on January 9th and it's a safe bet the presentation will be loaded with Windows 8 goodness. Now, what exactly we'll see when the reliably excitable Microsoft CEO takes the stage is still a mystery, but WinRumors' little birdies have been whispering about a public beta of the upcoming OS and demos of both Intel- and ARM-based tablets -- predictable, but still exciting prospects. Check out the PR after the break.
Control a car's interior via a dashboard-mounted iPad from Visteon
Visteon doesn't have the first idea for integrating an iPad into an automobile in some way, but it has arguably the most ambitious one so far. At this year's CES, Visteon brought forth their iPad dash product which not only integrates into an auto's audio controls, but it has the ability to handle all interior electronic controls. The iPad communicates via Bluetooth with the box pictured to the right of the iPad, above. That device is installed in the car, in place of controls for climate, seat positioning, and engine information, among other things. There's also weather information displayed within the interface, access to a GPS, and more. There is a dock connector for the iPad, at the bottom of the iPad holder, but it's to provide power only. Obviously you're going to need a 3G-enabled device and a data plan to go along with it, in order to take advantage of the weather and GPS. It's not clear what cars this device is planned to be compatible with, but from the placement and size of the iPad holder, I have a feeling compatibility will be limited. Engadget also has a nifty hands-on video of some of the iPad app's functionality.
