ces 2014
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Griffin updates its PowerMate and StudioConnect hardware for 2014
If you think that the best part about making music is twiddling the knobs, then Griffin's CES announcements will be right up your alley. You see, the company is updating both its StudioConnect portable iPad studio and the PowerMate jog dial for movie and music editors. The StudioConnect HD now features a pair of XLR inputs, USB and five-pin MIDI support, dedicated monitor controls and can handle both 30-pin and Lightning-based iPads. The PowerMate Bluetooth, unsurprisingly, breaks free from the tyranny of cables, offering iMovie and GarageBand users the chance to cycle through files without the need of a mouse. Naturally, the clickable wheel is also highly customizable, enabling you to craft a wide variety of utilities that can use the hardware. The StudioConnect HD will, a little annoyingly, not arrive until the fall, where it'll set you back $200, while the PowerMate will be here in the summer, priced up at $60.
Amped Wireless outdoes itself with a new router and extender pairing
It's 2014, which means that it's high time that Amped Wireless showed off the WiFi hardware that'll be arriving through the rest of the year. This time out, the company is announcing a router and range extender, both of which are branded as AC1900 devices. The pair comes with eight 802.11ac WiFi radios, a USB 3.0 port for file sharing and five wired Gigabit Ethernet connectors for your devices. There's no word on pricing or availability, but considering that last year's flagship was announced at CES and arrived the following July, it's fair to expect that we'll see these crop up just in time for summer. Dana Wollman contributed to this report.
Tune into our Google Hangout with the CEA's Gary Shapiro, happening at 11:30 AM EST! (update: Now with transcript!)
Now that we've set foot into 2014, the final countdown to CES in on. There's plenty to look forward to, from anticipated announcements from LG and Samsung to the official Best of CES Awards, which we'll be running in partnership with the CEA. Who better, then, to chat with about what to expect at the show than the Consumer Electronics Association's Gary Shapiro? He'll be joining Engadget's Marc Perton in 30 minutes for a Google Hangout about all things CES. Catch it here, or below the break.
Soundfreaq unveils its range of Bluetooth speakers for 2014
Soundfreaq may not have bothered with a spell-check, but the company clearly made some effort creating its latest gear with a pair of Bluetooth speakers and a refreshed version of its alarm clock. The Jambox-class Pocket Kick retails for $100, packing a 10-hour battery and speakerphone, while the $120 Double Spot looks to be squaring off against the Big Jambox. One neat innovation concerning the Double Spot, however, is that the device retails without a built-in battery, but if you want one, you can either buy one for $40, or special order a unit for $150. Rounding out the set is the revamped $70 Sound Rise, which sees the digital display moved to the top of the hardware and loses the lower docking plinth. Naturally, all three come with Bluetooth 4.0, USB and 3.5mm line-in ports as standard, and will arrive in June, June and April, respectively.
We'll be talking CES 2014 with Gary Shapiro tomorrow, catch our Google Hangout here!
With a new year comes a giant trade show just around the corner; CES 2014 is less than a week away! In anticipation of the excitement to come, our very own Marc Perton will be hopping on a Google Hangout with the CEA's Gary Shapiro to talk about tech trends and what announcements to expect. Head here for the live Hangout -- it's happening tomorrow, January 2nd, at 11:30 AM EST.
Is Sony working on a new wearable companion for 2014?
Sony's second-generation SmartWatch may not have impressed the critics, but those lukewarm feelings haven't deterred the company from making another wearable. The FCC has revealed that Sony is testing a "BT Wrist Notifier" with the model number SWR10, which sounds like a step beyond the SW2 code used for the current model. Beyond that, however, the documents just show that the device packs NFC and Bluetooth -- but if it's passed through the commission, it can't be too far away from a real announcement. You never know, maybe we'll see it at that big trade show in less than a fortnight.
ASUS teases new dual-boot hybrid with its CES promo clip
Just before a big tech show, ASUS likes to wheel out a baffling teaser to get us all in the mood. Normally, the clips involve panning over some brushed metal, promising that the new gear will transform your life. But every now and again, ASUS decides it's time to travel to a world heritage site for a spot of vandalism. The latest victim is the Statue of Liberty, which throws a peace "V" to the crowd before pulling apart the tabula ansata in the hope of getting a Transformer Book Trio of its very own. What's new this time round is that this system somehow supports dual OS in both laptop mode and tablet mode, as indicated by the blue (Windows) and green (Android) flash; whereas the current Trio only does dual boot in laptop mode. On the other hand, the keyboard base appears to remain fully functional as a Windows machine (and may still require a separate monitor). Come CES, we shall take a closer look at this second-gen Trio.
LG's webOS Smart TV tipped to arrive at CES
Remember when LG bought the festering remains of the once proud webOS project from HP with the plan to add it to Smart TVs? Nearly a year later and it looks as if the company is ready to show off the results. According to ZDNet Korea, company officials told investors that next fortnight's CES is where the platform will launch. At the same event, LG chiefs also said that it would throw its weight behind Palm's Enyo open-source JavaScript development framework in the hope of encouraging third parties to craft software for the new system. You never know, maybe Jon Rubinstein's big project could get a happy ending after all.
