CES2013
Latest
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with iRobot's Craig Henricksen (update: video embedded)
iRobot had a few surprises up its mechanical sleeves this week, including the Mirra 530 pool cleaning 'bot. We'll be speaking with the company's outdoor product manager, Jeff Karlson about that device and the rest of the company's diverse roster of products. January 11, 2013 4:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Wysips solar-cell display reaches 90% transparency milestone, we go eyes-on
Wysips popped by our trailer at the show this year to celebrate the 90% transparency of its photovoltaic display overlay achievement with us -- and therefore with you. Last time we had a chance to peek through Wysips' solar cell the transparency was sitting at 70% which was way short of today's level and manufacturer requirements if this thing is ever to see the light of day. The current setup will not generate enough power to negate the need for a charger, not even close but what it could do is power all your music playback, for example while your phone is exposed to the sun. Wysips' goal for 2014 is to reach a power return of 10 mWc per cm² as of today the output is closer to 3, though seeing as most of the effort has been focused on reaching this production-ready transparency, they've hope this will be attainable. Sampling should begin in march this year with potential for a product in the marketplace in September this year. Honestly, the demo sets available were pretty worn out looking, though the overlay spoke for itself in that it was still visible at extreme angles but barely when viewing straight on. Part of our demo was plugging an LED into the array that had been retrofit into an iPhone and seeing the LED light come on when the solar cell is exposed and go out when covered. Here's hoping we get a proper working demo in the coming months though for the here and now, consider us guardedly impressed. A few pics comparing overlay versus no overlay are in the gallery below.
Engadget Mobile Podcast 165 - CES special - show 2
Not done with CES yet? Good, because the mobile crew are back on stage for more news from the show. Joining Brad and Myriam on stage this time are fellow Engadgeteers Joseph Volpe and Mat Smith, along with Sony's Stephen Sneeden. You know the drill by now, head south for the goods. Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen Guests: Joseph Volpe, Mat Smith, Stephen Sneeden Producer: James Trew Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International) Hear the podcast
Engadget Eurocast 011 - 1.11.13 CES special
While we're up and podcasting, the rest of Europe is (or at least in the large part, should be) in bed. That's doesn't deter the crew from convening on stage, and giving its take on CES so far. Everything runs smoothly until our US counterparts -- jealous of course -- want a slice of the action... Hosts: Dan Cooper, Steve Dent, Mat Smith, James Trew, Jamie Rigg Guests: (Official) Joseph Volpe, Ben Gilbert. (Unofficial) Terrence O'Brien, Brian Heater, Michael Gorman Producer: James Trew Hear the Podcast
Distro's CES 2013 Daily Issue 73.4 is out and so are we
We're cracking up over here -- literally. It's our sixth day of coverage live from CES and the long hours and lack of daylight are playing tricks on us. While the working conditions have not been kind, the news is an entirely different story. We've seen more, written more and generally dived deeper into the bowels of CES to bring you this, our final CES 2013 Daily. Now please excuse us while we curl up in a collective ball and rock gently back and forth until the screaming stops. Distro Issue 73.4 PDFDistro in the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Google Play StoreDistro in the Windows StoreDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Romotive's Keller Rinaudo (update: video embedded)
Romotive was on-hand this week showing off the latest version of its Romo iPhone robot. Clearly we haven't spent enough time with the adorable little guy. The company's CEO and co-founder Keller Rinaudo will be joining us on stage to discuss it -- and the company's plans for the future. January 11, 2013 2:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Fibaro home automation system comes to the US, company releases smart power strip (video)
If you've heard of Fibaro already, you'll just have to forgive us this post: although the home automation system is already available in 43 countries, it's just arriving in the US, with the main box about to go on sale for $699. In a nutshell, the system works not over WiFi, but using the Z-wave protocol. The base station itself can connect to as many as 240 lights and switches, with support for all sorts of devices: heat and cooling systems, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, doorbells, dehumidifiers and motion sensors. For each of these, you can program any number of macros -- e.g., "close the shades when the temperature reaches 68 degrees". Like Nest (a North America-only product) it eventually learns your usage habits, and offers up tips on how to conserve energy. In particular, though, the system uses geolocation to track members of the household, so you an also do things like set the heat to come on when you're a mile away from home. Separately, the company is also releasing a smart power strip, which logs your energy use for various gadgets, and then sends that data to an iOS app. (An Android version is in development.) No word on how much it'll cost in the US, though in Europe it'll cost 64 euro, tax included.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Indiegogo's Slava Rubin (update: video embedded)
Crowdfunded projects have been one of the surprise success stories of this year's CES. Thankfully, we've got one of the most knowledgeable people on the topic around, Indiegogo CEO Slava Rubin. January 11, 2013 2:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: President of StickNFind, Jimmy Buchheim, will be joining us as well!
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Formlabs' Maxim Lobovsky (update: video embedded)
We've already had a handful of 3D printing companies swing by our stage this year, but what sets Formlabs apart from the increasing competition is a focus on bringing professional level printing to the consumer. We'll be speaking with one of the company's founders, Maxim Lobovsky about Formlabs' vision. January 11, 2013 1:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
QNX outfits a Bentley Continental GT with Car Platform 2.0, we go hands-on (video)
Just a few short days ago, QNX announced its Car Platform 2.0 and plans for outfitting developers during the course of the year. Of course, the co-star of that announcement was the Bentley Continental GT concept vehicle that would show off the company's wares. And that it most certainly did. We moseyed over to the booth and grabbed a few minutes in the driver's seat to see just what the system could do. First, the visual part of the infotainment arsenal consists of a 17-inch center display and two (7- and 10-inch) MasterImage high pixel density (comparable to Retina) panels in the driver's side dash. The high-res quality of said surface was immediately apparent and is one of the best in-car units we've seen. But, that's not all. Head on past the break for some observations and a video walkthrough.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Oculus's Palmer Luckey and Nate Mitchell (update: speaker change)
Is 2013 the year of the wearable here at CES? It's certainly shaping up to be one of the bigger trends of the show, thanks in no small part to the folks at Oculus. We've already spent some time with the company's Rift prototype this week, and now we'll be joined by Palmer Luckey and Brendan Iribe, the company's co-founder and CEO. Update: In lieu of Brendan Iribe, we'll be speaking to Palmer Luckey and VP Nate Mitchell. January 11, 2013 1:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here!
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with WiTricity's Eric Giler (update: video embedded)
Here's an exciting one for all of you wireless charging nerds. We've got the Eric Giler, the CEO of WiTricity on-stage to discuss the future of over-the-air electricity. January 11, 2013 12:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Razer's Heath Hatcher (update: video embedded)
Sure plenty of companies are waiting for devoted conferences like E3 to launch their peripherals, but this year's CES has afforded an interesting opportunity for smaller organizations to steal the spot light. We'll be meeting with Razer's Heath Hatcher to discuss the Edge, and what it's like launching gaming hardware in a company ruled by a few huge company. January 10, 2013 12:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Come join us tonight in Las Vegas for a special Engadget CES Partycast!
The show is winding down, but we're not done yet. Tonight at 6:00pm PT (9:00pm ET) we'll be having our final live Engadget Podcast from our stage on the International CES 2013 show floor. And, since our stage is in the Grand Lobby (between North and Central halls) you can join us in-person without a CES badge! Be there as we recount some of our favorite gadgets and moments of this year's CES. We'll have our T-shirt vending machine humming and plenty of other give-aways, plus your chance to meet the entire Engadget CES team. Who knows, there might even be a little champagne. If you're in town, come on by the Grand Lobby at LVCC. If you're not, join in the live-stream of the fun right here.
Apple wins Emmy for technology, engineering
Apple was a prominent part of CES even though it didn't have a physical presence at the trade show. Not only were there a large number of iOS and OS X vendors on the show floor, Apple was also awarded a Technology & Engineering Emmy for its iCloud service. As reported by The Loop, the Emmy recognizes "an individual, company or to a scientific or technical organization for developments and/or standardization involved in engineering technologies which either represent an extensive improvement on existing methods or are so innovative in nature that they materially have affected the transmission, recording or reception of television." Apple won the award for its ""Eco-system for Real Time Presentation of TV Content to Mobile Devices without the use of Specialized Television Hardware." It's not entirely clear what ecosystem the award recognizes, but we presume it has to do with iCloud. The Emmy was awarded at an event at the Bellagio Ballroom in Las Vegas. [Via Macgasm]
Reebok and mc10 team up to build CheckLight, a head impact indicator (hands-on)
Concussions have always been a concern for those who play contact sports. However, there's been a renewed focus in recent years by the sports community -- the NFL in particular -- to learn more about concussions in the interests of promoting player safety. Pro leagues aren't the only folks tackling the problem, though. Verizon, Intel and Ridell are all building systems to help identify concussed players. Reebok and mc10 have collaborated to create CheckLight, a head impact indicator meant to make it easy to see when an athlete has taken a dangerous blow to the head. The CheckLight is composed of two parts: a sensor device built by mc10 and skull-cap made by Reebok. The sensor itself is a strip of plastic filled with flexible sensors connected to a small microcontroller module with three indicator LEDs and a micro-USB port. One LED serves as a battery level indicator, one flashes yellow after moderate impacts and a third flashes red for severe blows. mc10 wasn't willing to share the exact hardware inside, but we know that it's got a rechargeable battery and has rotational acceleration, multi-directional acceleration, impact location and impact duration sensors. Data from those sensors is then run through the company's proprietary algorithm to determine when to fire the LEDs. We got to chat with Isaiah Kacyvenski -- mc10's Director of Licensing and Business development and ex-NFL player -- about the CheckLight and the role it has to play in keeping athletes safe, so join us after the break for more.
Plextor trots out M5M series mSATA drives at CES
Plextor just unearthed a new lineup of mSATA drives that will be targeted at enthusiasts looking to give their ultraportables an additional shot of adrenaline. Known as the M5M series, the diminutive chips will come in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB sizes, each which boast a highly respectable sequential read speed of 540 MB/s. Meanwhile, sequential write speed for the three models is rated at 160 MB/s, 320 MB/s and 430 MB/s, respectively. The M5M series carries a mean time before failure (MTBF) of 2.4 million hours, and is said to become available this quarter. No word yet about pricing, however. To learn about the security features of the Plextor M5M series, feel free to hit up the PR after the break. [Image credit: AnandTech]
BenQ unveils two 1080p 3D projectors at CES
BenQ isn't holding any keynotes, but the company does have a presence here at CES. In fact it rolled out a pair of 1080p 3D projectors today for the home theater enthusiast. The W1070 and W1080ST are the latest in the company's consumer line, and they're powered by DLP's Dark Chip 3 which is usually found in high-end models. But at $1,099 and $1,299, respectively, the W1070 and W1080ST certainly aren't priced for the high end. The 1080 can project images up to 100 inches wide from as little as six feet away. It's even ready for proper color calibration right out of the box. Both machines are also compatible with NVIDIA's 3D Play and DLP Link, plus they're sporting dual HDMI ports. Both are available now. For more info check out the PR below.
iFrogz's Caliber Advantage iPhone 5 gaming case hands-on
It's no secret that iOS mobile gaming leaves us wanting when it comes to physical controls. Fortunately, at CES 2013, iFrogz is out to fill that void with the Caliber Advantage iPhone case-gone-console. The Caliber Advantage, an iPhone 5 and fifth-generation iPod touch accessory, uses Bluetooth 4.0 to connect to the corresponding enabled application rather than the phone itself. iFrogz mentions that a deal with Epic Games and Chair Entertainment to build the basis for the Caliber software powered by the Unreal Engine is in the works. In fact, later this April the company will host its own developer conference aimed at seriously expanding the platform and hopefully adding support for previously released titles. Marrying a case with a full-fledged controller certainly adds some bulk, but after handling the prototype, the approximate half inch of added girth honestly didn't incite any ill feelings. The chassis, while clearly heavy on the plastic, felt more sturdy than anticipated, and fairly natural to our hands. As for the buttons? Crisp and responsive, hard though that may be to believe. The unit is set to retail at $70, and curious iOS gamers can feel free to take a closer look in the gallery below. Kevin Wong contributed to this report.
Zoom iQ5 professional stereo microphone hands-on
Earlier at CES, we got our hands on the Rode iXY 30-pin stereo microphone iPhone add-on that left our Lightning users a bit sad. Cheer up! The folks over at Zoom got us over to their booth to take a peek at the company's new iQ5 professional stereo microphone. The iQ5 is a different beast than its aforementioned competition in that it works in conjunction with native iOS applications. What this means is that you can use it while recording video on your iOS device. The microphone itself rotates for this specific purpose, allowing for both horizontal and vertical audio recording in raw, 90- and 120-degree field positions. The recording resolution is capped at a respectable 16-bit/44.1kHz -- though slightly less than we were hoping. We didn't get a chance to actually hear an audio sample from the iQ5, but we're pretty confident it'll sound better than the standard mic equipped on any of the supported devices. The Zoom iQ5 lacks a bit in customization department as well as build quality -- we're generally not fans of the cheap plastic construction, which is unlike most other Zoom products. The spec sheet certainly leaves us wanting, but it's a start in the right direction for current-gen iOS devices. The iQ5 will set you back $100 and will start shipping Q2 of this year -- until then check out the gallery to hold you over.
