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Verizon to enable global roaming for LG Spectrum and Droid 4
VZW's latest LTE handsets don't make the best travel companions right now. Aside from getting stressed in airports and talking too much on coach trips, they also lack support for global GSM roaming. However, Big Red says it's "working on a few network enhancements" that will let the LG Spectrum and Droid 4 (shown above) work outside CDMA areas -- probably by the first half of this year. It's a nice gesture, but it also reminds us that what we're going to need in future -- full-on data roaming at LTE speeds -- will be a lot trickier to achieve.
Tobii Gaze UI eyes-on (video)
We know what you're thinking: another CES post about Tobii's eye-tracking Gaze UI? Why yes, yes it is, because this time we were actually the ones behind the driver's seat. We tracked down the company's booth and got some personal one-on-one time with the laptop. As the first matter of business, we first needed to calibrate our eye movements with the sensor, a process that took a couple minutes to push through before we were ready to have at it. The prototype laptop is running an early build of Windows 8, so we navigated around the Metro interface, played a couple games, switched back and forth between tabs, zoomed in and out of screens and plenty more. Eye-tracking technology hasn't been around for incredibly long, and it still has a ways to go. There were a few occasions -- seen in the video below the break -- in which we tried to hit a smaller button several times before finally finding success. Bugs aside, we got the hang of the interface pretty fast after a few minutes of getting accustomed to the concept of using our eyes as the cursor. That doesn't mean we were completely used to it by the time we left the booth, but we could see how eye-tracking can come in handy at times. But it wasn't all Mission: Impossible as we'd secretly hoped. Contrary to our original expectations, we discovered that using the trackpad was still an integral and necessary part of the full experience; it wasn't a "blink twice to click" type of interface. Tobii tells us that by still using the trackpad to click on the screen (minus dragging your finger around as the cursor), you still have a natural user experience, since you're quickly able to use your fingers to scroll or click and override the movement of your eyes if absolutely necessary. We found it easy to switch back and forth between tabs and zoom in and out of pictures -- heck, we even were able to play games on the laptop by using our eyes, though admittedly we performed rather lousy and lost every time since many games require a certain amount of precision. That's obviously a situation that would call for the ability to override the eye-tracker and switch to manual mode, of course. All in all, we were very impressed to see how far the technology has come so far, and as Tobii is still in the early stages of implementing eye-tracking into the latest laptops -- CES is the company's first time showing it off in public, after all -- we're incredibly excited to see how it looks once it's all polished up. We've got plenty of pictures and a video to show off, so continue below to take a look. See what we did there?
Tamaggo 360-imager concept hands-on
Why settle for a boring 62-degree view (the field of view of a 35mm lens) when you could be taking in the full 360? Well, we suppose iPhone attachments are needlessly bulky, and throwable camera orbs can easily concuss bad catchers -- but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have options. The Tamaggo 360-imager, for instance, might be a pretty good option. This egg shaped (Tamaggo / Tamago, get it Japanese students?) camera natively snaps 360-degree images -- at least we trust it does, the non-functional unit we saw on the CES show floor mostly just fit our hand well. Snapping 360-degree images seemed like an easy enough task -- a large silver button sits comfortably on the device's top, representing the shutter. On the eggs bottom we found a spot reserved for a 2-inch touchscreen, specifically designed to be viewed while holding the device aloft. The images can be viewed on the PC using an included application, offering you a Google street-view like look at your latest vacation pics. All in all, the Tamaggo seems like a very comfortable camera to use, and promises a fun gimmick -- we're just sad we didn't get to actually use it. Either way, we'll take a crack at the panoramic egg once its ready for prime time. Daniel Cooper contributed to this post.
Crapgadget CES, round three: EZ Gas Check draws you into danger
Remember kids: when you're hovering over copious amounts of leaking gas, that yellow icon means you're basically safe. Maybe.
Samsung NaviBot-S hands-on (video)
If you're looking to control more than your washer and dryer with your mobile device, Samsung can oblige with an update to its NaviBot line. The latest smart vacuum model, NaviBot-S, can be summoned via the same app that is used with some of the company's other WiFi-enabled appliances, or the more traditional stock remote control. Featuring Visionary Mapping Plus, it uses a ceiling cam to seek out and remember the best route to and from its charging station. The robovac also uses a dust sensor to determine just how dirty your floors are and the exact location of those dropped Cheerios. Should the tech develop a mind of its own, there are some controls on the top panel that will allow you to get things under control right on the device. Now you can prep for those annoying 'drop by' guests while your on the drive home from the market -- with 90% efficiency. As far as cleaning time goes, you can expect around 100 minutes of work per three hour charge. For a demo of the NaviBot gathering up spillage, hop on past the break and peep the video.
Panasonic Viera touchpad controller prototype hands-on (video)
Looking for a more comfortable web browsing and app using experience on your Panasonic Viera Smart TV? The company is looking to lend a hand with upcoming peripherals like the Viera touchpad prototype that we took for a spin here in Vegas. Compatible with the 2012 line of televisions that share the same moniker, the controller enables you to peruse the web on your wall-mounted display via Panasonic's Webkit browser. We spent a few minutes browsing the Engadget site, so read on for our impressions. Using HTML5, the browser scrolled pages at a decent clip. Don't get your hopes up about Flash though, as in its absence you'll certainly be disappointed. Text wasn't as crisp as we'd like and a lack of font support made rendered pages look off. In terms of the prototype, we were able to navigate the web with ease despite the occasional hiccup with the touchpad's responsiveness -- a quirk you'd expect with a device still in beta. Some basic TV remote functions like volume and channel controls were also on the mouse-sized peripheral which can be paired with wired or wireless keyboards for some text-heavy couch surfing. We're hearing that it'll be included with a few models this spring and also offered as a solo option for those who may have already purchased a compatible HDTV. If you're itching for a look at the action, a short preview video awaits after the break.
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
Nikon D4 Ethernet tethered shooting hands-on (video)
After getting our eager mitts on Nikon's long overdue D3 successor, aptly named the D4, we got a second chance to revisit our fat-bodied, photo-taking friend at the company's CES booth. The 16.2MP DSLR features a 3.2-inch LCD screen and is capable of 1080p video capture at 30fps. But that's not why we went back for more and it's not why you're reading this right now. We were keen to put the D4's big, bad networking capabilities to the test -- one of which links an array of up to ten of the cameras together for simultaneous, remote shooting over WiFi. Unfortunately, this feature requires use of the WT-5A wireless dongle, which is still awaiting FCC certification and could not be demonstrated. Neither could the imaging company show off the one-to-one connection that allows an auxiliary camera to be controlled from a primary unit. We did get to briefly interact with the camera's native web server running on a laptop, from which you can snap shots, toggle settings (like ISO and shutter speed), playback and download your recordings. You can catch a peek of the interface and an extra look at this sought after shooter after the break.
LG Google TV and Magic Remote Qwerty hands-on
While Samsung waits to debut its take on the Google TV platform, LG is already showing off its hardware, including a new remote control. For LG's part, it has decided to blend the QWERTY needs of a Google TV controller with its existing Magic Motion remote gesture control and scroll wheel technology. The result is a decently well balanced dual-sided remote with relatively simple controls. Because of the shape and added weight, we actually preferred this remote to the lighter original Magic Motion remote for pointing in our brief hands-on time. The scroll wheel was also a great help, and made it an improvement over the v1 Google TV remotes in pretty much every way possible. We'll need more time with the clicker to know for sure, but the Magic Remote Qwerty is probably our favorite out of the three options presented at CES (Sony, Vizio). We won't lean either way on LG's skinning of the Google TV experience just yet, although if you're a fan of the company's existing connected TV menus (we weren't so much in our review) then you'll be glad to know these are very similar. Check the gallery below for a couple more pics of the remote and the TV itself.
Warpia ConnectHD hands-on
Warpia is showing off its latest wireless streamer on the CES showfloor with the ConnectHD, mating your HDTV with your computer for all of your wireless video needs. We had a chance to see for ourselves how Skyping from your couch feels. The ConnectHD features a 720p wide-angle wireless HD camera for video calls made directly with your HDTV, via apps like the aforementioned Skype. However, the main sell from Warpia is the wireless streaming of content from your computer to your HDTV through mirroring your computer desktop or by extending your desktop onto your HDTV. The Warpia ConnectHD through the use of the camera allows you to play PC Webcam games, because those are incredibly popular. Though not a new concept, the ConnectHD allows this to happen in 1080p full HD without the need for annoying cables and wires. The included wireless USB PC and TV adapters make things pretty easy -- sort of a plug and play on both ends (though computer drivers are needed). The streaming itself is pretty clear cut HD quality, and the noticeable lag has been kept to a minimum. We're not sure you'd want to play intense PC games with this setup; however, for the average internet-surfer, Flickr-sharer, YouTuber and / or Facebook-stalker -- all of whom love to project their content onto their HDTVs -- this will do just fine. Check out the gallery below for a quick look.
Nokia confirms Lumia 900 doesn't have Pentile display
While we knew the Lumia 900 would have "Clear Black" AMOLED display, what we didn't know was whether it would sport a Pentile Matrix layout (like the Lumia 800). Well, fret no more friends, it's official -- the Lumia 900 has a full battery of subpixels in an RGB array. Nokia confirmed as such earlier via it's US Twitter account in reply to a user's inquiry. Between LTE and the RGB panel it looks like Nokia has its first genuinely lust-worthy Mango device on its hands.
Crapgadget CES 2012, round two: Mugtuk's child-scaring hugging iPhone case
Kids love iPhones, which is always a panic when you hand a volatile infant a $650 smartphone. That's why Mugtuk have produced this pleasant way to terrify your children into never wanting to touch your phone ever again.
MSI GT783 hands-on
A sub-three-pound laptop? Been there, done that -- at least if you're MSI. Three years after bringing netbooks and other cute things to CES, the company is focusing on more robust machines -- so much so that while other OEMs are launching me-too Ultrabooks, it's trotting out a gaming box instead. The latest addition to the family is the GT783, a 17-inch beast of a portable rig we saw while making the rounds at CES. Chief among the specs is NVIDIA's top-shelf GTX 580M GPU with 2GB of video memory, though your $2,300 will also buy you a quad-core Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM (upgradeable to 32GB) and a matte, 1080p display. Rounding out the list are dual drives: a 128GB SSD and 750GB 7,200RPM HDD. During our demo, we took a brief detour into Battlefield 3, and though we didn't have Fraps at the ready to monitor frame rates, we can tell you it ran smoothly, even at max settings. The programmable backlighting is alright too, though we're not convinced 35 colors will do it for you like a yellow chassis.
ViewSonic ViewPad 10e hands-on (video)
You've already seen the ViewPad 10pi and the prototype E70, but we have one more tablet from ViewSonic for your thirsty peepers. Known as the ViewPad 10e, it'll go on sale at the end of the month for $299 and is squarely aimed at the budget crowd. Build-wise, you'd never know it, as the slab contains a downright sexy 10-inch IPS display with excellent viewing angles and a svelte 9.1mm profile. Unfortunately, this is where the good news ends. Rather than shipping with Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich, the ViewPad 10e runs Gingerbread with some fanciful software enhancements. Further, because it lacks certification from Google, the Android Market is nowhere in sight, leaving users to fend for scraps in the Amazon Appstore. Using the tablet was generally a choppy endeavor -- visible even from the application menu -- and the experience became decidedly worse when we took the slate online. Perhaps most unfortunate, this effort suggests that ViewSonic could make an excellent tablet if it wished to do so. Instead, the ViewPad 10e feels like a half-hearted attempt.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Myriad's Olivier Bartholot (update: video embedded)
Find out everything you've ever wanted to know about Myriad -- and more -- courtesy of the company's product VP, Olivier Bartholot, who will be joining us on stage at 6PM ET. Update: Interview video is now embedded.
Sony demos 24- and 46-inch glasses-free 3DTVs, we go eyes-on (video)
Take a quick tour of the showroom floor here at CES and you'll certainly see, 3D days are here again -- at least, where flat panel manufacturers are concerned. And while the industry continues to pump out mass market iterations of the living room tech that hinge upon hideous eyewear, companies like Sony are hard at work behind-the-scenes refining displays that won't make you look a fool. The autostereoscopic panels, shown off at the company's booth in 24- and 46-inch models, employ a subtle 3D effect that isn't immediately noticeable. In fact, we found the visual pizzazz was best enjoyed when experienced from the side -- a feat possible due to the incorporation of multi-point viewing angles -- lending much needed depth to the onscreen image. Of the two, only the larger set can deliver full HD, owing to its beastly 4K resolution, whereas the 1080p panel on its lil' bro suffers when halved. Distance also plays a major role in the intensity of the 3D visuals, with effects holding up at a range of up to 2ft for the smaller screen and 10ft for the 46-incher. Normally, we'd recommend you skip on past the break to sample the in-development eye candy, but be warned -- you won't see much. These are truly TVs that need to be seen to be believed.
Verizon says (almost) 'all' future phones and tablets will be LTE
In case you hadn't noticed, Verizon is going all in on LTE. And that doesn't just mean investing heavily in its network and snatching up spectrum left and right -- it also means making the 4G tech a "hard requirement" for all future devices. Outside of a few exceptions, primarily limited to its push-to-talk offerings, all upcoming phones, tablets and mobile hotspots will boast an LTE radio. Verizon's associate director of device marketing, Keith Lampron, assured CNET that the company isn't going to turn into an iPhone and Android only outlet -- Windows Phone and BlackBerry offerings are welcome to join Big Red, so long as they hop on the 700MHz train.
Verizon FiOS TV app to deliver VOD and live HD to LG TVs
Everybody has to have an app these days and telecom companies like Verizon are no different. Apps on smartphones and tablets, apps on game consoles and even apps on HDTVs or Blu-ray players. The latest app from Verizon is the FiOS TV App, which will be coming to LG's Smart TV Platform in the first half of 2012. In addition to 26 live channels, like Verizon's Xbox 360 app, LG HDTVs and Blu-ray players will also have access to video on-demand, including the 10,000 Flex View titles. As excited about this as we are, our enthusiasm is quickly tempered when we realize all the live channels that're missing, this makes it very far from being the set-top boxless solution we dream of.
Samsung Smart Interaction gesture controlled HDTV demo (video)
Samsung revealed some of its 2012 HDTVs would include a built in camera and mic to enable a feature it calls Smart Interaction, which is just a brand name for voice and gesture control. We stopped by the company's massive CES booth today and squeezed between all of those 55-inch OLEDs to get a quick demo, and found it mirrored the suddenly common Kinect functionality we've become accustomed to closely. Like Microsoft's add-on, Samsung's setup has a keyword that activates it (Hi TV) and like the recently upgraded Xbox 360 dashboard, there has been a lot of work done to make sure it recognizes many real words. A key difference from the Kinect however, is that Samsung has also developed a Bluetooth-connected IR blaster that can sit in front of your cable box and extend the control to other devices that way. As you can see in our video of the presentation the control was generally tight and responsive, however it still lacks truly natural communication and the test volunteer had some trouble turning the TV off. Check out the video after the break and see if a future of talking to the TV is for you -- we'll be on the couch with our remotes.
Toshiba FlashAir wireless LAN SD card hands-on (video)
The first card using the SD association's Wireless LAN standard is Toshiba's FlashAir and we've just spent some time with it here at CES. It's much like Eye-Fi's Direct Mode insofar that it also can sling pics to devices over WiFi from a diminutive SD card, but instead of requiring pairing and an app download the FlashAir requires just a browser. The 8GB class six card broadcasts an 802.11b/g/n hotspot, replete with its own web server onboard, which means its contents -- like say pictures you've previously snapped in your camera -- can be accessed in a browser by any connected device.Despite some false starts (CES is where WiFi networks go to die...) pictures from a point and shoot appeared as quickly as we could refresh http://flashair/ -- the address from where one accesses its contents. Once there, you can browse individual folders, splaying pics (and we'll assume other contents) for your perusal. As previously planned, it'll start shipping in February at around $70 and we were told more capacious units will follow at a later date. Video demo of the tech awaits in the video after the break.
