ces-2013
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Panasonic launches two new Toughpads, offers a choice of Windows or Android
Panasonic's launching a pair of Toughpads that'll take none of your nonsense -- no matter what you throw at it. The FZ-G1 is a 10-inch version that runs Windows 8 Pro, while the seven-inch JT-B1 runs Ice Cream Sandwich. Both are following in the footsteps of the Honeycomb-running A1 and B1 that arrived back in 2011. Both are ruggedized to MilSpec standard 810G and should withstand immersion in water, have daylight viewable screens and the larger of the pair can even use a stylus with third-party apps. The FZ-G1 10-inch Windows Machine has a 1,920 x 1,200 display and is packing a 1.9GHz Ivy Bridge Intel Core i5-3437U vPro CPU, a 128GB SSD (upgradeable to 256GB), up to 8GB of RAM an eight-hour battery and an optional microSD slot. Connectivity-wise, there's USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi and optional Verizon LTE or 3G. The JT-B1, on the other hand, has a 1,024 x 600 display and runs a 1.5GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4660, 16GB storage and 1GB RAM, built-in microSD slot, 13-megapixel rear and 1.3-megapixel forward facing cameras and an eight hour, 5,720mAh battery. The larger of the pair will be available in March and will set you back $2,900, while the smaller one will arrive in February and will cost $1,300. Interested in knowing more, or just curious if you can use the hardware to knock down a few walls? Head on past the break for some PR.
Plex shows off cloudSync, its new online digital movie locker, we go hands-on
Plex is developing an online content locker system that would enable users to watch videos on the road without the need to have a server left on at home. Plex cloudSync will work by hooking up to a storage service like Dropbox, letting you stream video anywhere you go without having to pull it from your domestic setup. Naturally, the digital locker would retain all of the Plex features you know and love, including using PlexSync to flag content that you want automatically formatted and saved on your mobile device. The company isn't in a position to launch the service just yet, but we got to see an early build in action here at CES.
Lenovo K900 is the first Intel Clover Trail+ phone, boasts 5.5-inch 1080p screen and 13MP cam (hands-on)
Much like how Lenovo's K800 was unveiled as the first Intel Medfield phone last CES, this year the manufacturer pulled another first with the K900, powered by Intel's recently-announced Clover Trail+ platform (likely an Atom Z2580 clocked at 2GHz). For those who missed the Intel keynote, Clover Trail+ is the much improved yet still secretive successor to the relatively quiet Medfield, though it is odd that Lenovo only says "the forthcoming Intel Atom processor platform for smartphones" instead of just "Clover Trail+" in the press release. Anyhow, said Android device comes with many mouth-watering features: 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display, Gorilla Glass 2, 13-megapixel F1.8 camera with dual flash, and a front-facing imager with an 88-degree super wide viewing angle. 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage add to the package. As with many Lenovo phones, there will also be three capacitive touch buttons below the screen. All of this goodness comes in a handsome 6.9mm-thick body that consists of stainless steel alloy plus polycarbonate, and together they weigh just 162g. Little else has been unveiled about the K900 so far, but it'll be available in China from April. Update: We've just gotten up close and personal with the Lenovo K900 and it's certainly an impressive piece of kit. This 5.5-inch 1080p device touts a low magnetic property steel in combination with polycarbonate to offer users lavish style without compromising on antenna reception. Depending on the model -- four colors in all -- users will be treated to a striped brushing or, in the case of the Diamond Plate model, a very reflective gem-like design on back. For more of these first impressions of Lenovo's K900, follow on after the break. Joseph Volpe, Ben Gilbert and Zach Honig contributed to this report.
JVC expands app and smartphone compatibility for 2013 head units, gives Android users remote control
New receivers aren't the only announcement JVC brought to CES -- it's also promising to expand App compatibility for its 2013 line of infotainment head units. Moving forward, the company will be injecting new receivers with App Link Mode with Extended Control, a technology that allows the head unit to take direct control of specific apps and pipe audio through the vehicle's speakers. JVC will be announcing compatible applications as the year moves forward, but is kicking off 2013 with MotionX GPS-Drive -- promising to deliver iPhone augmented lane assistance, live speed limit updates, navigation tools, maps and turn by turn commands. The company is releasing more Android compatible apps too, offering JVC Smart Music Control to drivers on Google's platform. Android users will be able to utilize 12 gestures and voice commands to tweak EQ settings, read text messages, tweet, post to Facebook or change music tracks. Users won't have to look at their phones to control the head unit, but they will have to blindly fumble with them a little, by the sound of it. It's not exactly texting while driving, but we wouldn't let Johnny Law see you changing playlists, all the same.
Fitbit introduces Flex wristband at CES 2013
Fitbit is one of the oldest names in fitness tracking these days, though given how new the industry actually is, the company's not really that old at all. But they have been around for a few years now, and this year at CES, the company introduced one more addition to its line of motion-based trackers. The Fitbit Flex is a wristband-style tracker (similar to the popular Nike FuelBand) that's designed to sit up near the higher end of the Fitbit line. At US$99.95, it's not very cheap, but Fitbit obviously wants this to be one of their most popular of trackers, making it easy to strap to your wrist, and from there track all sorts of stats, including steps taken, calories burned, time active, and even sleep time and quality. The Flex comes in five different colors, and each one has five different LED lights that are designed to let you know how close you are to your goal for the day, whatever that is. The device looks very smooth, and while the $99.95 price might be a tougher sell for those not yet on board the fitness tracker train, it definitely gives Fitbit one more excellent option in a market that's quickly filling up. Our good friends over at Engadget have more on the device, including a full gallery and a video with hands-on footage. The Flex is coming later on this spring, though you can pre-order it from Fitbit starting right now.
SuperTooth Disco Twin hands-on
SuperTooth's Disco Twin is a pint-shaped pair of Bluetooth boomboxes that promise up to 10 hours of battery life if you aren't turning up the sound up to 11. While the company had originally promised that its Disco 2 speaker would have A2DP technology that would allow two speakers to co-ordinate instant stereo -- it couldn't make good on its claims. That's why it's outed the Disco Twin, which offers a pair of speakers with the necessary hardware (the left-sided speaker is the master) with 16 watts of RMS power coming from each unit. The Disco Twin's hardware feels as if it could take a pounding, at the cost of the pair being heavier than you may expect. You could also rip the cloth covering that surrounds the unit if you're not careful, but beyond that, even at maximum volume, sound is clear and is big enough to fill the colossal Lafite Ballroom at the Wynn Hotel here in Las Vegas. The company has sent off samples to distributors, and so expects the product to go on general sale by February. Dana Murph contributed to this report.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Stern Pinball's Gary Stern (update: video embedded)
Yep, pinball at CES. We'll be chatting up Gary Stern, the CEO of Stern Pinball, one of the remaining few companies out there keeping the silver ball dream alive. We'll be discussing the state of the game in an era dominated by console and mobile gaming and what the future holds for pinball. January 8, 2013 7:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Audi to take NVIDIA powered MIB systems global, drive Tegra through Asian, North American markets
NVIDIA and Audi have been building high-end infotainment systems for some time, but until now, the best of the team's efforts have only been available to European drivers. Not anymore -- NVIDIA announced today that Audi's latest Tegra-based MIB high-end is ready to hit the road, and is due to arrive in major markets in Asia, the US and Canada by 2014. The system uses a variety of technologies to offer drivers live updates from Google Earth real-time updates on gas prices and even weather forecasts. Audi says it's planning to bring the MIB systems to all of it's new vehicles, and is also pimping the tech out to other brands, such as Volkswagen and Skoda. The company didn't specify which Tegra chip would be making the international tour, but NVIDIA general manager Taner Ozcelik suggests that upgrading the system to the company's latest is a relatively smooth process. "NVIDIA's modular VCM approach lets companies like Audi quickly move from a Tegra 2 processor, to a Tegra 3 and beyond." Read on for the company's official press release.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with 3D Systems' Avi Reichental (update: video embedded)
CES 2013 is shaping up to be the biggest year yet for 3D printing. As more and more companies enter the market, the race to make the technology a consumer friendly proposition is heating up in a big way. 3D Systems, which has been offering up the technology to industrial consumers has been making a play in the home market with lower-priced offerings like the Cube 3D printer. We'll be discussing the promise of at-home 3D printing with the company's CEO Avi Reichental. January 4, 2013 7:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
CES 2013: Cobra adds to iRadar lineup and more
Radar detector manufacturer Cobra is back at CES again this year, and the company is showing off two new additions to its smartphone-powered lineup. The iRadar S-Series is the new high-end model -- it's available right now in Europe, but won't be here in the States until around August. Unlike most of Cobra's other models, the S-Series is designed to be installed in your car under the hood, with the only interface on it being through the iPhone app via Bluetooth. That explains the higher price of US$299 as well: since it needs to be installed under the hood, this is a more premium model than your standard "stick-it-on-the-dash" radar detector. The iRadar Atom is the other new model -- it'll be out in May at a lower price of $199. This is a more traditional radar detector, but with some nicely updated stats: the device itself is about 30 percent smaller than the previous iRadar models, and the performance has been doubled. Both of these iRadar units work together with the company's app, which has reached 1 million downloads so far. The app itself has gotten some updates over the past year, and now has some mapping features included, though the maps used are just whatever's native on the platform (so Apple's Maps for iOS and Google Maps for Android) rather than any other third-party system. Cobra is also working with JVC to provide another head unit option for the iRadar line, and the company also told us that it was "talking to a bunch of companies" about possibly making the iRadar's output available to other app developers via licensing or an API. Outside of the iRadar line, Cobra was also showing off two brand-new devices that connect up to smartphones like the iPhone. The Cobra Airwave is a Bluetooth music bridge unit that will be available in February for $39.95, and will work (in a car or at home) to connect up streaming music from your iPhone to any speakers you want to connect it to. The unit is relatively simple, but Cobra sees it as a test balloon in the home audio market, and hopes to have other similar kinds of devices along this line available soon. Finally, the Cobra Gatekeeper is another test balloon of sorts -- it's a Bluetooth-enabled garage door opener that's designed to plug into your current garage door opening system. All you'll need to do is snap the Gatekeeper into the wires coming out of your garage door opening switch, and then you can activate the door opener directly from your iPhone whenever it comes into Bluetooth range. The included app can also be set to send out notifications whenever the door is opened -- if, for example, you want to be notified when another family member arrives home. The Gatekeeper will be available later this year for $59, and Cobra is hoping it's the beginning of a brand-new line for them. "We want to get into home automation," the company's rep told us, so the Gatekeeper may be only the beginning of a much bigger push for Cobra in 2013.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: demoing TransferJet technology with Toshiba (update: video embedded)
Toshiba's pushing the TransferJet technology in a big way at this year's CES, so we've asked the company back to demo just what it can do. Deepak Mithani and Tsukasa Matoba will join us on the stage with a promised bevy of devices to show off the promise of TransferJet. January 4, 2013 6:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
SwingTIP lets your golf club and iPhone join forces to improve your swing
Proving yet again that there's pretty much nothing that can't be made to work with an iOS device, a product called SwingTIP, on display at CES 2013, creates a link between your golf club and your iPhone or iPad. The lightweight sensor (US$129.99) connects to your device via Bluetooth and sends detailed data on every swing to a companion app, with the goal of showing you what you're doing wrong and offering suggestions on how to improve your game. Hopefully they're more helpful than some we've received over the years. In addition to working with its companion app, the data produced by the SwingTIP can be uploaded to a website and used to create scorecards. These can be shared with your golfing coach so they can provide further feedback. The sensor itself slides onto a mounting bracket on your club's shaft, and additional brackets can be had for $19.99 apiece in case you don't want to move the one that's included to different clubs.
Gigabyte announces support for Intel Collage in Z77 motherboards, invites you to make a DIY 4K display
Running a PC with a Gigabyte motherboard, dual Thunderbolt ports and four monitors? You might want to consider revising that NVIDIA Surround setup into makeshift 4k display. Gigabyte has announced that it will soon be issuing updates for its Z77 motherboards to include support for Intel Collage technology, allowing users to split a 4k video signal between four HD monitors. Not a bad trick, considering the cost of native 4K displays. Intel's Collage feature is available to any manufacturer interested in implementing it, but Gigabyte is proud to be the first out of the door. All you have to worry about is training yourself to ignore that unsightly monitor bezel.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Sony VAIO's David Ng (update: video embedded)
It wouldn't be a CES without a big showing from Sony. We'll be speaking with the company a few times this week, starting with a conversation about its laptop offerings with VAIO product specialist, David Ng, including Sony's jump into the convertible world of Windows 8. Jump on after the break to check out the conversation. January 8, 2013 6:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Mozilla's Jay Sullivan (update: video embedded)
Sure CES is primarily a hardware show, but that doesn't mean that some of the top software companies aren't getting in on the action. Mozilla will be on-hand to discuss the desktop and mobile browsing wars, and the company's VP of products, Jay Sullivan, will be paying a visit to our stage to discuss the latest Firefox goings-on. January 8, 2013 5:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Intel's Mooly Eden: 'Voice will do to touch what touch did to keyboards'
We've spent a big chunk of this morning talking to Intel's Mooly Eden, who showed us through the company's new perceptual computing platform. He's an effusive and passionate speaker who describes himself as one of the company's dreamers and thinks that a user interface revolution is shortly upon us. We've already spent some time interacting with the company's new depth-camera and eye-tracking technology, but now we wanted to dig deep to understand the thinking behind the system and what technical and practical limitations that need to be addressed before we can get to the computing future of Star Trek.
Hulu showcases three new original shows for summer, renews exclusives
Ever wonder what's going on behind the soulless eyes of your favorite sport franchise's mascot? Hulu can clue you in this this summer -- its new original series Behind the Mask promises to chronicle the life of basketball's most cartoonish cheerleaders, from high school newbies to the NBA's seasoned pros. It's one of three original shows the streaming network is debuting this year, including The Awesomes, an animated comedy following the misadventures of a fledgling superhero team, and The Wrong Mans, a comedy that thrusts a pair of office drones into a high stakes thriller. Hulu's wealth of exclusive content is getting some additions too, including Braquo, a crime drama set in Paris and a new animated comedy starring Eva Longoria, dubbed Mother Up! Service favorites like Prisoners of War and Pramface are seeing renewals too. Read on for a peek at Hulu's full summer line up, or skip on over to the streaming service's homepage to check out the previews for yourself.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Ford's Julius Marchwicki (update: video embedded)
Don't forget the cars. Automotive's a big part of CES and Ford's long been a big player at the event, showcasing the company's latest advancements in spaces like infotainment and device connectivity. Product manager Julius Marchwicki will join us on-stage to discuss what Ford is bringing to the table this year. January 8, 2013 5:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
OLPC announces XO Tablet coming to select Walmart stores later in 2013
One Laptop Per Child still hasn't revealed any pricing details about that US-bound XO Tablet, but today the company's announcing some of the retail shelves we can expect its new child-friendly device to hit. For starters, the XO Tablet will be available at 'select' Walmart brick-and-mortar stores and website in the US this year, however OLPC wasn't quite clear about when exactly that's going to be -- we tried asking the company ourselves, but we were told no information could be given at the time. Furthermore, OLPC said it has struck a deal with Sakar International, which gives the latter exclusives rights "to sell the XO Tablet to leading US retailers for both in-store and online sales." Only time will tell how many retailers will join Wally on offering the learning device, but one of the world's largest retailers certainly isn't a bad place to start.
CES 2013: FileMaker celebrates half a million iOS downloads
FileMaker was here in attendance at the Digital Experience event last night at CES in Las Vegas, and they had some big news to announce: The company has reached a full half million iOS downloads for its database-driven software solutions. That's a big milestone for the company, and while iOS installs still pale in comparison to the huge amount of desktop users, a rep from the company told us that this many downloads signifies a big shift that FileMaker is going through. Initially, we were told, when devices like the iPad first arrived, they were seen only as content reading devices -- even Steve Jobs sat down on stage with the iPad and showed off how it worked as a content reading device. But what FileMaker's seen since then is that users have started bringing their iPads to work, and using them to actually browse through and compile business information. The third phase, said the FileMaker rep, is actual creation on the device itself, which is what they say is driving adoption of their apps. FileMaker's apps can not only create databases and information files, but the apps can also deliver some custom interactivity as well: The staff showed off a point-of-sale solution, as well as even a very simple math game, all put together with FileMaker's software. The company said that the biggest challenge in acquiring new users is just teaching them how versatile the software can be, and just what it's capable of. Finally, we asked about the emerging trend of "bring your own device" among iOS devices, where users are bringing their own personal iPhones and iPads to the work environment. FileMaker said that it has benefited from that trend for sure, and that it's just one of many drivers for their iOS popularity. FileMaker is one of the oldest brands around in Apple software, and it's interesting to see that it's finding such success on Apple's newest platform.
