CES2013
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Netflix previews family profiles, shows off Super HD and 3D streaming at CES 2013
The current leader in subscription video streaming is Netflix, and today at its Las Vegas hotel suite we saw some of the technology it's planning to stay a step ahead of the competition this year. First up was one of the most widely requested features -- the ability to set up individual profiles for different family members, complete with their own queues and recommendations. The profiles can be set up on device or on the Netflix site, with toggles for a preference to its Just for Kids menu UI, as well as asking a bit about your preferred movies to seed initial recommendations. We also got an eyeful of the new "Super HD" 1080p streaming, and although network issues kept us from getting a true gauge of the quality, we did confirm that the new max bitrates are well above the old "X-High" standards. Another thing we confirmed? That Cablevision and Google Fiber aren't the only US ISPs on its Open Connect list -- check the site to see if yours is.There was also a screen in the Samsung booth showing "early results" of their combined work on 4K video, but since it wasn't actually streaming there's not much to see. Netflix was even showing off 3D streaming, and although we weren't able to confirm the type of compression being used (top/bottom, side by side or something else) we did watch it and it was mostly clear with only a few hints of ghosting. There are apparently several dozen 3D titles available to start, although customer reaction may dictate when/if more are added. The second screen experience we've seen on the PS3 was also shown working with Samsung TVs, in much the same manner. One thing that could make it better however, is the DIAL multiscreen initiative it's pushing with YouTube. If picked up as a standard, it would let you automatically launch these streaming services on a mobile device, and make them start playing on compatible TVs without having to launch the app on the TV first. Not enough good news? Netflix also announced a launch date for another original series, Hemlock Grove, which hits April 19th (trailer after the break), and dropped the news that we'll be getting 14 new eps of Arrested Development in May. We expect to hear a bit more about all of that later in 2013, but if you want a preview of the features we saw then just check out the gallery.
Panasonic announces bone conduction headphones, we go temples-on
This year, Panasonic's pretty much gone all out with a vast range of gadgets. Tablets, TVs, Touch Pens, cameras, and outrageous Hi-Fi. One smaller addition to the company's portfolio was a pair of bone conducting Bluetooth headphones. The technology isn't exactly new, but as more and more companies get onboard, they start edging their way into the mainstream. Panasonic's take on them looks -- at least initially -- like a good start. At first, the design looks almost like any other wrap-around pair of sports headphones. Until, of course, you inspect closer, and realise that there aren't actually any buds to place in your ears. The soft-touch outer material around the ear-hooks makes them feel nice in the hand, and adds to the sporty look. Unusually they are powered by a single AAA battery, that you sneak into the slightly bulbous section in the middle of the band. We were told, however, that this might change to a rechargeable solution when we get closer to the projected fall release window. We were eager to see how the audio performed, but it's fair to say that on a rowdy show floor this was pretty difficult. We were advised to put our fingers in our ears to initially hear the music, and then remove them while focusing on the music. In reality, even with ears fully plugged, hearing the demo song was pretty difficult. With ears fully open to the ambient noise, we couldn't hear anything at all. The representative was sure to advise us that production models would be two to three times louder, and we'd go as far to say that even that might not be enough. One thing is for sure, they did definitely work, and the effect is still impressive. The product is pitched at more active use cases though, so it will be interesting to see how they work while on the move / run. Again, something that was a little difficult for us to explore, despite really wanting to. As stated above, these should see the light of day sometime in fall, and we really do hope they are louder. Price-wise, there's no official word, but if you imagine $200 as a ballpark figure, you might not be too far off the mark. Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Hands-on with Gigabyte's S1082 and S1185 Windows 8 tablets (video)
Gigabyte came to CES with a pair of Windows 8 tablets, the S1082 and S1185, in hopes of making a splash in a US market that still tends to associate the company name with PC motherboards. We had the opportunity to try both, and came away intrigued -- there's a handful of touches on each that separate them from the pack. Read after the break for our impressions and video tours.
Intel demos 'headless' 6-tuner cable gateway for Comcast
Pre-CES rumors suggested Intel would announce a "virtual cable" service (before being stamped out) but the partnership with Comcast it actually revealed turned out to be far more conventional. Very similar to the tru2way multiroom box Intel demonstrated back at IDF in 2009, the Multi-Screen Video Gateway by Arris capitalizes on DLNA standards -- touted by the alliance earlier today -- to bring video to virtually any device in your home. It's "headless", because it's not built to connect directly to any TV, just shoved somewhere out of sight while you tune in on your various screens. Of course, these demos have been here before and the DTCP-IP technology behind it isn't particularly new either, so why could 2013 finally be the year we see these features roll out from major providers? As cited in the earlier press release, DirecTV has released Genie DVRs loaded with RVU that pushes video directly to TVs and even the PS3 in the past year, providing one example of the tech in action. The updated FCC IP interface requirements and continued work on the DLNA Premium Content guidelines are also forcing progress forward, albeit slowly. Finally, there's some hope that the CE and cable industry can actually work together, as seen in Comcast's RDK program that's pushing the development of this box and others (like that Humax box we spotted floating through the FCC) with similar capabilities. The box was running Comcast's new X1 cloud-based guide which has seen a limited rollout so far, but because of how it works is more easily accessed and updated on connected devices. Of course even with all that, we've been down this road before (again and again and again and again) so despite a slick demo we'll withhold excitement until hardware is actually released.
Kogan Agora phablet hands-on (video)
Kogan has released a budget-friendly netbook (back when netbooks existed), laptop and tablet, and now its got a new product to show us here at CES -- the Agora smartphone. It's verging on phablet territory with a 5-inch screen (800 x 480 resolution), and running the whole show is a dual-core 1GHz Cortex-A9 processor and half a gig of RAM. A 5-megapixel shooter with flash is found top-center on the back, and a 0.3-megapixel camera off to the right of the speaker grille on the front. Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich is the OS of choice here, kept alive by a 2,000 mAh battery nestled under the textured back panel. Right next to that power source is space for two SIMs (one 2G / one 3G), and a microSD slot to boost the 4GB of on-board storage (up to 64GB cards supported). Those specs should tell you that the Agora phone isn't aimed at the high end, but despite that, the build quality is solid. The square handset looks alright, too. We liked the dimpled back panel and prominent metal Kogan logo, as well as the shiny dark grey rim holding it all together. It's not exactly a Retina display, but it's not notably terrible, and performance-wise, it ranged from slick to jittery depending on how much we were telling it to do in how short a time. We'll save the Note II comparisons, as there's only stat you really need to know -- the Agora smartphone costs $149 (£119 in the UK). Pre-orders are live on Kogan's website now, and units should be hitting hands mid-February, or earlier. We're assured the launch will go ahead without a hitch (various difficulties prevented a previous attempt from reaching market). Check out the gallery and hands-on video below for more info. Kevin Wong contributed to this report.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Nuance's Vlad Sejnoha (update: video embedded)
We'll be talking about the potential of voice recognition with Nuance, the company behind the popular Dragon NaturallySpeaking and features in hardware like Samsung's Smart TVs. The company's CTO Vlad Sejnoha will be joining us on the stage. January 9, 2013 7:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Catching up on Nintendo TVii: an interview with i.TV co-founder Justin Whittaker
Nintendo TVii's road to reality was relatively pain-free until its platform, Wii U, launched in November ... without the promised TVii functionality ready for primetime. A month and many ambiguous company statements later, Nintendo TVii went live. But even then, the service went without two of its promised features: TiVo and Netflix integration, promised to launch later this month. Nintendo isn't saying much about TVii post-Wii U launch, but we did manage to catch up with the company that co-created (and continues to support) Nintendo TVii, i.TV, during this week's madness. I.TV co-founder Justin Whittaker stopped by the Engadget doublewide at CES 2013 to chat about his company, what happened (or rather, what didn't happen) at launch, and what the future holds for Nintendo TVii. Head past the break and find out!
Samsung Vacuum Tube Soundbar ears-on
One thing Samsung hasn't held back on this year at CES is displays. Big, small, curved and bendy... Samsung's on it. But, it's not totally forgotten the rest of your digital world, the Korean firm also knows that you sometimes need something to go underneath those screens. Enter the Vacuum Tube Soundbar (HW-F750). The company claims this is a world first -- a soundbar-style speaker to feature a built-in vacuum tube, and we hunted it down to soak in its majesty. Okay, so design-wise, it's pretty simple. One long oblong of speaker-grille, punctuated by a central block that houses the all important valves, as well as a control section underneath. You might also notice that there's a distinct lack of wires in the picture above. This isn't clever booth wiring, the HW-F750 has Bluetooth and works with SoundShare, which should keep cable-haters happy. That's not the only party trick. There's also a gyroscope sensor that takes the height, rotation and slope into consideration, and optimizes the audio accordingly. Still not convinced? Well perhaps the AirtrackON feature that powers on the soundbar when you turn on the TV will swing the deal? On closer inspection, the simplistic design might not be a showstopper, but it's certainly neat, and fitting (or at least with the display TV it was set up with it was). We mentioned already that there are sensors that detect its position, as you might have guess, this means you can place the soundbar in a variety of orientations to suit your home's particular set up. There is also a display, just you don't see it until you nudge the volume up, or change the audio source etc, as it's set behind the casing. This creates a nice visual touch, without breaking up the aesthetic line. We already mentioned the Bluetooth connectivity, but if you do prefer to cable up... no problem as there are also a couple of HDMI ports dotted around. The Samsung rep kindly jacked up the sound for us while we were there, and while it's tough to give it a full critique from a busy show floor, it certainly seemed loud enough, and gave the full surround system -- in a glass room just to the side of it -- a run for its money. So, perhaps not the ideal conditions to truly experience the effects of the valves, but a nice looking, loud sounding start for the product. Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Microsoft Surface Pro hands-on
Even though Microsoft doesn't have a booth at CES this year, that doesn't mean it skipped Vegas altogether. Panos Panay, the general manager for Surface products, is in town, holding meetings with a few members of the media, us included. And he brought some toys with him. Specifically, the forthcoming Surface Pro along with the pressure-sensitive pen that goes with it. We only had a few minutes of hands-on time and in any case, we plan on going into much more detail when we eventually write our review. For now, though, we've got a first look waiting for you past the break. Join us.
Clarity's Ensemble: an amplified and captioned phone (hands-on)
Plantronic's Clarity announced a first with the Ensemble at CES 2013, an accessible amplified phone that also telephone-captions your call in near-real time. The set's display is actually a 7-inch Android tablet -- version 2.2 if you must ask -- and the heart of the system. When a call is placed or comes in the caller's speech is passed off to FCC-certified telephone-captioning company ClearCaptions and the results are then written to the phones display -- while the audio is amplified in the Ensemble's earpiece. Font size can be changed on the fly, as can the audio processing which, like a hearing aid makes soft sounds easier to listen to and loud sounds quieter. If a user has trouble Clarity's support folks can actually get in the phone and make changes, Clarity's rationale here is it lower hardware returns and helps out the customer. Clarity and ClearCaptions have an impressive product in the Ensemble, it is both attractive and quite useful for anybody with hearing issues frustrated with conventional telephony. Interestingly, the final link, the actual speech to text is done by people and not some slice of technology on a server somewhere and the service won't cost you one red cent. Unfortunately a data connection wasn't available for us to test the captioning but we're hopeful we can rectify that before the end of the show.
Styku virtual fitting room body scan (video)
Styku has been around for roughly a year now. The company even just wrapped up a pilot program with Nordstrom that could see the legendary retailer using it's Kinect-based measurement taking system. While there hasn't been much change to the Styku Virtual Fitting Room, we figured we'd swing by and actually check out how it works for ourselves. We spoke to Tommy Vo, who walked us through the process, which is pretty simple. He directed us to stand with our heels on a pair of marks on the floor, hold our arms out from our sides and stand still for roughly five seconds while the Kinect cameras mounted all around us snapped away. Then the specialized software spent about 30 seconds turning the raw data in to useable measurements for inseam, waist, chest and just about any other body part that could be of import to a tailor. While the numbers spit out could be used to purchase a custom made suit, the company is focusing more on retail sales, where the information could be used to identify articles of clothing that will fit best. To see a hairy beast of an Engadget editor get turned a collection of dots and paired with some bootcut Diesel jeans, head on after the break. Terrence O'Brien contributed to this report.
Nikon J3 and S1 hands-on (video)
Nikon's 1 series of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras may not be the first choice among professional photographers, but they're apparently selling like hotcakes, and they're a big hit at CES, too. Front and center in Nikon's booth, there's a pair of professional dancers practicing their craft on continuous shifts, surrounded by a ring of J3 and S1 bodies and a variety of colorful lenses. Both cameras look and feel very similar to Nikon's first model in this series, the J1. There's a handful of new colors available, and the internals have gotten a bit of a boost, but all in all, the cameras would feel mighty familiar to any 1 series user. The 14.2-megapixel J3 is Nikon's premium model, if you can call it that, while the 10.1-megapixel S1 is the entry-level variant, with kit prices set at $600 and $500, respectively. Both cameras are set to ship next month -- catch all the specs at our announcement post, and jump past the break for a closer look in our hands-on.
Sennheiser Orpheus HE90 headphones ears-on
This year at CES -- as always -- there's been waves and waves of new technology. Not everything of interest is always white hot, though. We're talking about the above pair of headphones -- the Orpheus HE90 from Sennheiser. Those in the know will be somewhat familiar with these headphones, as they made their initial debut in 1991. Yeah, 1991. The limited run of 300 pairs has secured these exclusive cans a special place in audio folklore. The electrostatic headphones combined with a companion all-valve amp are what many consider to be a reference point in hi-fi. As a small example, most consumer headphones offer a frequency response somewhere in the region of 60 - 20,000 Hz. The Orpheus offer from 7 - 100,000 -- we're guessing even some bats could struggle to hear frequencies that high. Of course, audio can't truly be measured in pure numbers and specifications. There's some clever custom technology, such as the dual-electrodes the HE90 have between the diaphragm that is the cornerstone of the push-pull principle, that go a long way to helping these cans use to produce their sound. And what about that sound? Well, we were lucky enough to get some quality time with them, and what can we say. The first thing that hits you is the clarity. Bright, plucky, light audio dances its way from the large and comfortable ear-cups. In fact, these things are so comfortable that you could wear them for long, long periods of time and we'd wager you remain comfortable, without any ear fatigue. The build is wonderful, and the leather cushions on the cups changes to a cloth material on the part that rests on your skin. The size of the ear-cups is also a major factor in the overall luxury of the Orpheus, and the ovular design means your ears sit snuggly inside, while they dish out the delicious audio. We'd normally tell you about price and availability at this point, but in the case of the HE 90s, it's a bit of a misnomer. These were priced in the double-thousands of dollars at launch, and with only 300 pairs produced, that price will have increased somewhat over time. If you can find some though, even if it's at a trade show, we recommend you take the opportunity to have a listen. Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Lenovo's Jerry Paradise (update: video embedded)
It's only the second week of January and it's already been an eventful year for Lenovo. There's the newly minted ThinkPad X1 Carbon to talk about -- and that whole Lenovo Business Group / ThinkPad Business Group split to talk about. The company's Executive Director of Worldwide Product Marketing, Jerry Paradise will be on-hand to answer our questions and show off some of the company's latest laptops. Update: video embedded
Rapoo H9080 wireless headphones promise mellow bass, 10 hour battery life
Wireless home theater cans? A dime a dozen these days -- luckily, we're still suckers for a handsome charging dock. Debuting in the halls of the Las Vegas convention center are Rapoo's H9080 Home Entertainment Wireless Headphones, a leather-clad pair of audio earmuffs that promise deep, on-demand bass boosting and clean treble tones. Rapoo attributes the sets' audio fidelity to COM-Ti membrane vibration technology, ensuring a pure and mellow sound. A handsome charging cradle keeps your headphones from getting lost, whilst juicing it up for 10 hours of use for every three hours on the cradle. The company isn't ready to trot out a price tag just yet, but says the headphones will be available in the first quarter of 2013.
Muse brain-sensing headband thoughts-on (video)
Plenty of companies are experimenting with thought-reading gadgets, and in the cluttered South Hall here at CES, we came across the folks from InteraXon showing off their Indiegogo-funded "Muse brain-sensing headband." It measures EEG signals from four forehead sensors and two tucked behind the ears, and sends those brain measurements to other gear via Bluetooth. InteraXon has developed an app suite for mobile devices to showcase the headband's capabilities, including thought-controlled games and brain tracking, exercise and fitness software for improving cognitive function, memory, attention and for reducing stress. That'll come bundled with any purchased units, but an SDK is also available for third-party developers to explore other possibilities. They had a demonstration set up on the show floor, so we thought we'd sit down and take it for a spin. The headband was flexible and surprisingly comfortable, and with a bit of fiddling, we were good to go. One monitor showed brain activity on a couple of complicated graphs, while a scene on a second monitor grew busier as our concentration increased. Watching one graph react to blinking was pretty cool, and once concentration levels reached over 85%, it started to snow on the animated scene. While this obviously isn't very relevant to any potential applications, it was fun to watch the hardware clearly working as intended. You can check out our shots of the headband in the gallery, or check out the video of us trying it out below. Unfortunately we were only allowed to use it for a limited time -- the demonstration was in danger of breaking due to this editors' massive brain. Kevin Wong contributed to this report.
Hands-on with Vivitar's kid-friendly Camelio tablet
In addition to announcing availability for the XO tablet, Vivitar is outing the new 7-inch Camelio slate at CES. Like the XO, it has a family-friendly bent, with optional $20-$30 "personality kits" that customize the user experience with themes like Thomas the Tank Engine. Vivitar had the slate on hand -- and even provided approximate pricing and availability info -- but it's mum on specs for the moment, as it still considers this device to be in the prototype phase. About that MSRP: it will be about $129, with a release date in late spring. We spent a few minutes playing with the Camelio, and though there were no pre-loaded kiddie apps or personality kits to play with, it's clear that this device is made for the younger set. The slate isn't incredibly thin, but its rounded edges and textured backing make for a grippable design that looks ready to withstand a few drops. The 7-inch screen doesn't dazzle with bright images; we'd guess the resolution is a standard 1,024 x 600. When the device ships, expect it to run Android 4.2. At least on the version we saw today, there's not as much of a personalized skin as you'd expect with a child-friendly tablet. That's likely because most of the customization comes via the optional theme kits. Each of those kits includes a case for the tablet along with a code that unlocks wallpapers, widgets and other branded content. Along the edges are the standard volume toggle, power button and headphone jack, along with a microSD card slot and a micro-USB port. This is a WiFi-enabled device, and Vivitar said battery life is rated for seven to nine hours. Check out our hands-on gallery, and check back for a video soon.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Toshiba's Scott Ramirez (update: video embedded)
At 6:30, our resident HD expert, Richard Lawler, will be talking TVs with Scott Ramirez, Toshiba's VP, Product Marketing and Development, Visual Products. Join us after the break, won't you? January 9, 2013 6:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with rally car driver Ken Block (update: video embedded)
What's that? Not enough race car drivers on our CES 2013 stage? Great news! Resident automotive obsessive Tim will be talking to professional rally car driver and YouTube star Ken Block about all things fast. January 9, 2013 6:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
More Redbox Instant details revealed at CES; Vizio, LG and Google TV clients coming
The Redbox Instant video streaming service recently let eager users kick down the doors of its beta test, and now the team behind it has stepped out to talk about its unique feature set. While a public launch is still planned for Q1 (just as Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam said last month) we've had a little time to spend with the beta on our own, and saw it running on several devices including iOS / Android and Samsung Blu-ray player in the company's hotel suite. New hardware partners announced during CES are Vizio, Google TV and LG, which should all see apps arrive soon to their assorted platforms. Currently the mobile apps appear to be the most polished, however all ran smoothly and featured a look apart from the other subscription streaming services. Of course, some of that is a result of Redbox offering movies via kiosk rental, VOD rental / purchase or unlimited subscription. While each UI is a bit unique (predictably, the iOS app foregoes any purchase options due to Apple's insistence on a 30 percent cut) one way to keep track of how a particular movie is accessible are via several small icons in the corner of its box art, showing a kiosk for discs, play button for subscriptions, ticket for purchase, and so on. So far Redbox isn't playing in the picture quality wars, at the moment it's video maxes out at 720p and audio is stereo only, although it is looking to upgrade.
