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Best of CES 2011
Maybe, just maybe, you've noticed that Engadget relocated this past week to the City of Sin for CES 2011. Oh yes, we set up camp in a double-wide trailer, liveblogged our hearts out, combed the show floor, and worked our rear ends off to bring you more gadget news than you ever thought possible. It's true, we've written over 720 posts (40 or so about tablets alone!), shot more than 180 videos, and brought you over 350 photo galleries in the last seven days. That's a ton of technology news and products, but naturally, only certain ones have been able to rise above the rest and stick out in our scary collective hive-mind. With that said, we've complied our annual best of list for you, so hit the break and feast your eyes on what are bound to be some of the best products of the new year.
Vizio Phone hands-on preview
Along with Vizio's new tablet, we had a chance to look at the HDTV maker's new Android device, unsurprisingly dubbed the Vizio Phone. The phone is still in the early stages (both the hardware and software aren't production ready at all), but there's a lot of promise on both the industrial design and user interface sides. We had a chance to go hands-on with the phone and take a pretty deep look at the UI, so follow along after the break for lots more info and a complete video walkthrough of the Vizio Phone! %Gallery-112619%
Vizio details specs on Vizio Tablet and Vizio Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV
Vizio has unveiled more about its plans for the new year which seem to consist largely of a huge push on Android, from the 4-inch phone and 8-inch tablet running a (still unspecified) flavor on their 1 GHz processors, to new VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV built in. The VIA Tablet and VIA Phone (not necessarily final names, judging from the PR) have a few other details mentioned -- though we don't know if the phone is GSM or CDMA, it does have a 4-inch screen, WiFi N, GPS, MicroSD slot, dual cameras and HDMI output, while the 8-inch tablet brings similar chops minus any sort of 3G connectivity. With the new Vizio Internet Apps Plus, it aims to provide a seamless experience from the handheld to the big screen, including the ability to pause and resume content across devices. Judging by the screenshot, it looks like the company may be wrapping its own Yahoo! Widgets-like skin around the Google TV experience in a way we haven't seen from Sony or Logitech yet. Another pic and the full press releases await after the break, the rest will have to wait until we get our hands on the devices in Las Vegas. Update: Vizio's quietly dropped the VIA naming -- now it's just the Vizio Phone and Vizio Tablet with the VIA Plus ecosystem.
Vizio reveals Via Tablet and Phone with Android, sub-$300 3DTVs ahead of CES (update: pic!)
Vizio made its name by packing high end features into value-priced HDTVs and it's taking that mentality to new areas, revealing the tablet we spotted in last night's Rose Bowl ad as the 8-inch Via Tablet and a 4-inch Via Phone. Both will be running Android and while CTO Matthew McRae didn't spill any OS details to the Wall Street Journal, the combination of confirmed Market access and odd button configuration has us thinking Honeycomb is in the works when they are released this summer. The only Via Phone details mentioned are screen size and its front and 5MP rear cameras, while the tablet promises a "high resolution" screen, WiFi, three speakers, HDMI out and front facing camera -- but no cellular service. Expect TV manufacturers to be on their toes as well, since Vizio says it will bring 3DTVs to market that start at less than $300. The new mobile products will also tie into its TV business through the Via Plus internet service, which sounds a lot like Samsung Apps by allowing access to Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, Android market access (to go along with its new Google TVs) and even a new Vizio On Demand movie services across all of its devices. We'll temper our excitement slightly remembering the new TVs and iPhone app shown off last year that never quite made it to shelves, but this trip to Vegas has already gotten even more interesting. Update: Get a peek at the Via Tablet and Via Phone immediately above, and get a load of those front-facing cameras!
