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Nikon D5100 impressions, head-to-head with D7000
Nikon has stirred up the camera crowds once again with its newly released D5100, filling the industry with the buzz of a new high-resolution articulating screen. In terms of consumer DSLR options, the D5100 has taken on the role of the mid-range model in Nikon's product line between the D3100 and the D7000 and we think it assumes the part rather nicely. In terms of price, the D5100 fits right in as well, fetching an MSRP of $900 (vs. $700 and $1600, respectively for the two aforementioned camera kits). Of course, the D7000 lands you the better 18-105 f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR lens, a larger and brighter viewfinder, built-in focus motor, weather-proof sealing, and a few other internal upgrades. But don't judge too quickly, because we've had some time to play with Nikon's latest creation and the D5100 can certainly shoot along with the big boys of consumer cameras -- read on past the break for our impressions and comparisons with the D7000. %Gallery-121549%
BlackBerry Touch / Monaco gets manhandled, said to get official in May
Our interest in the BlackBerry Touch (codename Monaco) was piqued when we first caught wind of the device, and we had a feeling it'd be making its way into the wild ever since one showed up in Verizon red around mid-Feburary. Now, BGR has managed to procure an unreleased prototype, and we've gotta say that we like what we're seeing. According to the pub, it should get official at BlackBerry World in May, and it'll run OS 6.1 underneath that 800 x 480-pixel screen. The new BB6 is said to use a BlackBerry ID in place of a PIN for certain key functions -- a necessary move for non-BB platforms rumored to be getting BBM (a historically PIN-based service). BGR also claims it won't be getting the Storm nomenclature, so we apologize in advance to the SurePress fanboys. Either way, we've got an inkling that we'll be hearing more as we get closer to May, but unfortunately our dreams of a super AMOLED-equipped Torch running stock Android with a BBM app will just remain figments of our imagination.
Mac OS X Lion hands-on preview
Apple announced Mac OS X Lion with considerable fanfare at its Back to the Mac event last October, and now it's dropped the first developer preview on the world -- giving us a chance to sample some of the big cat's new features and UI concepts. We installed the dev build on one of our MacBook Pros and used it over the weekend, and while we won't be able to see any huge changes in day-to-day workflow until our favorite apps are updated to take advantage of Lion, we did see plenty of interesting system-level features and additions -- and yes, iOS's influence is all over the place. Read on for a full breakdown of what's new! %Gallery-117806%
Sprint HTC Arrive with Windows Phone 7 copy and paste first hands-on! (video)
HTC also brought along a Sprint-branded Arrive to our San Francisco reader meetup, and while we're already familiar with this Windows Phone 7 slider from our time with the HTC 7 Pro it's still nice to see a CDMA WP7 device in the flesh. Oh, and the keyboard is pretty fantastic -- not only does it feel great, but the dedicated number row alone is reason for keyboard fans to give this thing a look. The best part? The demo unit was loaded up with the Windows Phone 7 copy and paste update, which is the first time we've seen it in the wild. The system worked well, but we noticed that you once you paste out of the clipboard your text is gone, so you can't multiple paste. It's a little odd -- we'll have a video up shortly. Update: The video is up -- check it below! Update 2: Okay, so you can multiple paste! The paste icon just disappears after the first paste, which is super confusing. You can just swipe to the right to bring it back, though. We'd suggest Microsoft re-think this implementation a little for an update, since it wasn't clear to anyone here at first glance. %Gallery-117640%
HP's webOS keyboard hands-on
HP confirmed that slick webOS keyboard we saw leaked a while back during its event today, and we got a quick chance to check it out. It's really, really thin -- and the battery compartment is tucked under the curve, so from most angles it looks like it's not even there. Apart from that, it's just a really nice keyboard, albeit one with a webOS function key next to the space bar. No price or availability yet, unfortunately, but we'll keep digging. %Gallery-116163%
Nintendo 3DS in-depth preview, slight return (update: more videos!)
Immediately following its big 3DS price and release date unveiling, Nintendo had on hand dozens of new titles playing on what we'd surmise is final hardware (or at least near-final, given its February 27th Japanese launch). Our first hands-on experience was just over six months ago during E3, at which point we were very impressed with what we saw. Did this playthrough garner the same excitement? Have our decidedly older but not much wiser selves become jaded by the novelty of it all? Venture on after the break to find out. %Gallery-114669% %Gallery-114714%
Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video)
We just got a look at the Verizon version of the iPhone 4. Guess what? It's just like an iPhone 4! There's no custom pre-loaded Verizon software (like VCAST or some such bloatware), just that mobile hotspot tweak in the settings menu. There's also no Verizon branding on the phone, though that's hardly a surprise given Apple's hatred of all logos that aren't its own. The only real physical difference we can find are those tweaked CDMA-compatible antennas running around the edge -- four in all, placed symmetrically and bumping down the volume / mute buttons. Interestingly, the phone is running iOS version 4.2.5, so perhaps that mobile hotspot functionality will make its way over to other iPhones when they sync up on iOS updates. We did try a speed test, clearing the cache and loading various sites simultaneously on the Verizon phone and our AT&T device, and while there were variations in the load times, there were too many external factors to really make a judgment call just yet. %Gallery-113856% %Gallery-113857%
ViewSonic ViewFun 3D Show photo frame hands-on
Do you love 3D? Do you love pictures? Do you love 3D pictures? The ViewFun 3D Show picture frame from ViewSonic may just be your fix you've been dreaming of. The $179 photo viewer jankily converts 2D stills to 3D (and videos, too, apparently, although we didn't get to see a demo) and eliminates the use for those funky glasses. The images remind us of holograms we used to find in cereal boxes, except bigger. The 8-inch frame sports capacitive buttons on the bezel that light up on contact. Along the left side of device, you'll find a USB 2.0 port, SD slot and power button. In order to stand this thing up, the company packed a pull-out plastic kickstand that felt pretty flimsy. Oh, and the remote control we demoed had improper button mapping, which made it virtually useless. Peek the gallery below the fold for a bunch of shots of this thing on the CES show floor. %Gallery-113455%
Breffo Spiderpodium Tablet stand hands-on
Just when we thought were safe from the grasps the Breffo Spiderpodium Tablet stand, we found Breffo on the CES show floor and were forced to took a closer look at the scary yet flexible solution for all of our tablet holding needs. Priced at $35, the arachnoph-olding stand is aimed at tablets, but is certainly not limited to them. The Spiderpodium Tablet stand is built with a steel exoskeleton allowing for bendability and covered with silicon for maximum grippage of all tech toys, household objects and human faces alike. If the Spiderpodium Tablet stand isn't your cup of tea for elevating your gadgets, you can still create some terrifying monsters. %Gallery-113307%
iHome iA63 motorized spinning iPhone alarm clock hands-on
In addition to its slick new AirPlay speaker systems, iHome's here at CES with its usual array of iPhone alarm clocks -- and the craziest by far is the new iA63, which offers a crazy motorized dock that pivots your phone from portrait to landscape at the touch of a button. Why you'd be watching anything from an iPhone from so far away that you couldn't spin things yourself is an open question, but hey -- for a list price of $99 we'll take all the extra motors we can get. Video after the break. %Gallery-113297%
iHome iW1 AirPlay wireless speaker hands-on
We've been dying to play with a third-party AirPlay speaker system ever since Apple opened the tech up, and iHome was happy to oblige here at CES with the new iW1. The wireless speaker system features two three-inch woofers and two one-inch tweeters with Bongiovi audio processing, a built-in lithium-ion battery with a grab-and-go charging base, and capacitive touch controls -- and, just as we suspected, AirPlay compatibility courtesy of BridgeCo. iHome's also developed a new iOS configuration app called iHome Connect that'll help you get the iW1 on your WiFi network quickly, although regular WPS setup is also supported. You can also charge your iPhone or iPod by plugging into the USB port in the back -- iHome is packing a cable in the box. Streaming from iOS was just as simple as with the Apple TV or Airport Express, and we only saw minimal lag between control inputs like volume and track changes, just as with an all-Apple setup. Interestingly, iOS only supports point-to-point AirPlay streaming right now, so you can only use a single speaker at a time, but if you're streaming from iTunes you can hit multiple speakers at once, regardless of vendor. iHome is still tuning the audio performance, so we'll reserve judgment on that until we get a review unit -- which should happen when this guy ships for $300 in Summer 2011. Video after the break. %Gallery-113098%
Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Reality Display vs. Retina Display... fight!
Sony Ericsson isn't being shy about hyping the Xperia Arc's new Reality Display, so we naturally had to take a head-to-head shot with the iPhone 4's Retina Display. They actually compare quite well in person, even though the Arc actually has the same 854 x 480 resolution as the Droid X -- you can definitely see some pixels up close, but since the panel is a hair smaller than the X at 4.2 inches, the pixel density is a little tighter. The real noise behind the Reality Display is Arc's Bravia Engine, which Sony claims will enhance colors and detail just like on Bravia TVs, but we didn't get to play with it too much beyond finding the option in settings to turn it off. We'll obviously be diving deep on that once we score a review unit, but for now check a macro shot and a Droid X comparison after the break.
Motorola Droid 2 Global hands-on
At this point we're completely amused that the Droid 2 Global has managed to leak out, get advertised, go on sale, and even arrive in customers' hands without so much as a PR peep from Verizon, so we leapt at the chance to get a quick hands-on with it last night here in NYC. Nothing here you wouldn't really expect, and we weren't able to run any performance tests on the speedbumped 1.2GHz processor, but we were able to solve the mystery of that camera bulge: turns out the Droid 2 Global is a hair thinner than the standard Droid 2, and the bulge pops out just enough to make up the difference. It's not dramatic, by any means -- if we hadn't been looking, we probably wouldn't have noticed. Oh, and it's definitely running Blur on top of Android 2.2, so you know, that's "awesome." Anyway, at the rate we're going we'll have a full review up and this thing will be discontinued before Verizon ever formally acknowledges it, so hit the gallery for a quick hands-on with The Droid That Doesn't... Exist.%Gallery-107845%
Logitech Revue with Google TV review
The Logitech Revue is in many ways the flagship Google TV launch device. While Sony integrated Google's new media platform into its line of Internet TVs and the Internet TV Blu-ray player, the Revue is a dedicated Google TV device, albeit with a few additional features like optional an optional video calling camera. It's also the cheapest, at $299, and possibly the easiest to add into an existing A/V system, since it has Logitech's Harmony universal remote technology built-in. We've already covered Google TV as a platform, so let's take a closer look at the Revue to see if Logitech's riff on the connected TV is worthy of its lead-dog status. Read on for the full... Revue review! %Gallery-107004% This review is primarily of the Logitech Revue hardware -- make sure you read our full Google TV review to get a feel for the platform itself!
Skyfire for iPhone hands-on (video)
Although Skyfire for iPhone is almost exactly like its Android counterpart, it's still not available for download in the App Store due to server issues, so we thought you might want to see how it works. We've seen improvements on the Flash-to-HTML5 conversion servers in the past day or so, which makes watching videos a breeze. The app itself serves as a fully functional browser with the usual features you'd hope to find: bookmarking, a dedicated search bar, custom homepage, and even private browsing. Pages render rather quickly, although scrolling and pinching to zoom is a little rough around the edges. As for actually watching Flash videos, it couldn't be easier -- once you've navigated to a page embedded with a video, a popup window will appear and you're good to go. Sadly, though, the browser lacks the ability to scrub videos. But hey, if you've been waiting three-plus years to play flash videos on your 3.5-inch display, Skyfire might (or might not) be the solution to your burning desire. Be sure to check out the browser in action after the break!
MacBook Air (13-inch) first hands-on! (update: video!)
We just spent some quality time with the new 13-inch MacBook Air, and it certainly seems like a worthy upgrade. It definitely feels significantly bigger than the 11-incher, and we noticed the function keys are standard MacBook size, as opposed to the shrunken ones on the 11. We also noticed that it was seriously instant-on -- we popped the lid open and closed several times while taking photos, and it was ready to go the second we opened it. We'll have more impressions and pics in a few, stay tuned! Update: Video after the break! %Gallery-105554% %Gallery-105559%
MacBook Air (11.6-inch) first hands-on! (update: video!)
Look, all we can tell you is that this is one of the tiniest, thinnest, most lust-worthy laptops we've ever seen. We're taking a deeper look at the device right now, but for the time being, enjoy the gallery below! Update: Video after the break! %Gallery-105548% %Gallery-105559%
HTC 7 Trophy first hands-on (update: video!)
Here's yet another HTC handset from the WP7 launch today: the 7 Trophy. Features like the 3.8-inch WVGA LCD, 1GHz Snapdragon and the 5MP camera certainly sound familiar; even the phone's battery cover has taken a design cue from the Desire -- same peel-off method, and same matte texture. Not all that exciting, really, but the OS was running pretty smoothly except for the buggy HTC Hub and browser. For now, help yourselves with our hands-on shots below. Update: Video added after the break.%Gallery-104779%
HTC 7 Surround first hands-on! (update: video)
We just got a quick look at the HTC 7 Surround for AT&T, running that brand-spanking-new Windows Phone 7 OS you've been hearing so much about. The phone has a kickstand to help it show off its standout feature: a slide-out "Dolby Surround Sound" speaker. Stand by for more impressions and video, but for now check out the gallery below. Update: Video is live! Here are some thoughts: We were impeded by the security device holding the phone down, but from what we could tell the Surround is a quality device -- we'd expect no less from HTC. It is built of plastic, but it pulls off that certain premium look and feel. Like we noted in the family post, however, the slide-out speaker seems like an expensive addition when you consider the thickness it's adding. Once we get a chance to play back some media and be "blown away" by the Dolby Surround we'll be able to tell if you if it's truly worth the tradeoff. Somehow we're in doubt. Overall the phone comes off as a slightly inspired design in a sea of fairly uninspired designs (at least in the US). HTC HD7 this is not.%Gallery-104771%
Hitachi's MEMS display: big aspirations in a little prototype
We know the following to be true: microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology can foster some very inventive gadgetry, and it's a wonderful four-turn, 45-point Scrabble word (barring special tiles and presuming an abnormally-large board). That said, the MEMS display sector is still quite small and still a ways from reaching the market (hello, Mirasol), which makes every appearance a bit more interesting than the last. Hitachi's little showing caused quite the crowds at its CEATEC booth, with a pair of 2.5-inch QVGA prototypes built using Pixtronix's PerfectLight MEMS display tech within a LCD infrastructure. The color came through on the first screen, and animations was fairly fluid (with the exception of one or two brief moments of lag). The other display on hand was monochrome with a backlight that flickered on and off as a generic desk lamp shone directly onto it. It was still legible enough without the backlight, but it definitely took some straining. Pixtronix is promising 24-bit color depth, 170-degree viewing angles, and a 75 percent power reduction over equivalent LCD displays. As for Hitachi, the company reportedly plans to release displays in the 10-inch and under market by early 2012 -- so yes, in case you were wondering, these'll be back for next CEATEC, too. Enjoy the pictures below, so you have something to look back on. %Gallery-104599%
