Sony unveiled a huge variety of new products at CES yesterday ranging from ereaders through to large screen 3D TV sets. Here's a few highlights
Click on the image below to start the gallery
I'd like to say that I got hands on with Sony's new internet personal viewer the Dash at the show tonight, but the models on the stand didn't appear to be live but just featured clips of what the device could do. Anyhow it is certainly an intriguing little box. I guess Sony envisage that you'll put it in your kitchen and use it to hit Jamieoliver.com when you need some recipes, It is also good for other basic like the weather, news and of course social networking. In some ways it reminds me a little of this, but without the DAB radio.
It woks via touch screen and updates via a Wi-Fi connection to your home network. It can also playback video, audio and i9ntenet radio (Spotify would have been an amazing addition are you listening Sony?) and has built in speakers and headphones jack. Sony also has over 1000 apps ready to go for the device too.
What makes me think that this might be winner though is its price. It goes on sale in April for around $200 which sounds perfectly reasonable and a great deal cheaper than a few tablet PCs I could mention.
So come on Sony get this to the UK ASAP. I really want one. Btw apologies for the whispering on the video, but the press conf was still going on when I shot it.
In some ways CES 2010 is shaping up to be the year of the ereader. Today the big boys (Samsung and Sony) weighed in with their new models, however for my money their newbies don't make the top five.
You can read my five favourite ereaders at the show on the Best Buy blog here.
Samsung today took the wraps off what might just be the most desirable TV set on the planet, well until Sony and Panasonic have their press conferences anyhow. The LED 9000 is a top-end LED set that was greeted by gasps of admiration from normally fairly cynical hacks when it was unveiled this afternoon.
So why is it so special?
1 It is 3D - well so is a lot of what Samsung is going to deliver this year. Many of its sets will be compatible with Blu-ray 3D (it has a blu-ray 3D player coming in the spring too) and 3D broadcasts (like our own Sky). To watch the transmissions you have to don 3D glasses, but even they look cool.
2 It converts 2D content to 3D - Apparently the Samsung processor will take 2D content and turn it into 3D on the fly. This includes both content on disc and broadcast content. This sounds great in theory, but I'll revere judgement until I see it live
3 It is .3inches thick! - There was an audible gasp when the set was turned on its side to reveal a depth that Samsung claims is the same as a pencil. It really is astonishingly thin.
4 It has a very smart remote control - Apparently it has a screen integrated into to it so you can watch live TV on the remote control while you have a Blu-ray on the main set.
It looks like a pretty amazing set - will find out prices, availability and dimensions asap.
5 You can get apps for it - Samsung is working with developers to create apps for its series of TVs. There will be a Twitter app plus Netflix, YouTube and USA Today.
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The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that TechDigest's coverage of CES 2010 is actually being sponsored by the retailer Best Buy. So as well as blogging here I have also taken over their site too.
I have just added five things to watch for CES 2010 post and you can read it here.
I'll be adding more stories and videos there throughout the coming days
With CES 2010 now well under way, it can be pretty tough keeping track of all the latest announcements. Here's Tech Digest's round-up of the of best Day 1 at CES 2010 so far, including all the news from the LG and Toshiba press conferences.
Toshiba Press Conference
Amazing new Cell Tvs promise to deliver real-time 2D to 3D conversion
Samsung ready N-range netbooks
Massive battery life makes this Samsung range stand out from the pack
LG Press Conference
3D tech is as big on LG's agenda as expected
Immerz KOR-FX acousto-haptic gear lets you "feel" your gaming experience
Slightly creepy, sort of cool new tech promises to fully immerse you in games and movies
Sony NW-A845 Walkman finally gets European release
Super-slim MP3 player hitting stores in February
Microsoft to unveil new HP built tablet?
Rumour has it Microsoft may be preparing to square up against the Apple iSlate
Brits get the Amazon Kindle DX from January 19th
Too little too late from Amazon?
PassivSystems heating control
Economise with this hot Brit-built energy management system
ZOMM Bluetooth leash for your mobile
Never lose your mobile again thanks to this Bluetooth alert system
Saygus VPHONE
New Android handset enters the smartphone fray
Parrot's AR Drone Quadricpoter
Augmented reality app controls this fun gadget copter
Iriver Story e-reader goes wireless and gets a proper launch
A long time coming, but finally the Story gets a happy ending
Six of this year's hottest products
Featuring such gadgetry delights as the Skiff e-reader
Why Apple is the real star of the show
Have Apple stolen the lime-light yet again, without even appearing in Vegas?
Will it be any good this year?
In a recessionary year, Ashley Norris gives his views on what to expect from this year's show.
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Toshiba have been giving all the details for their 2010 plans today at their CES 2010 press conference. President and CEO Atsushi Murasawa admitted 2009 was a tough year for his company and the industry alike, but that didn't stop Toshiba showing off some impressive new home cinema kit.
The most glitzy gear on show was Toshiba's new line of Cell Tvs. Not only will the sets be 3D-ready, but Toshiba representatives also discussed real-time 2D to 3D conversion of video signals using the new Cell TV technology, though there was no demonstration on show.
Though it sounds incredibly exciting, if the Cowboy's Stadium demo was anything to go by Toshiba have their work cut out delivering on that promise.
Toshiba hope that the cell processor powered Tvs will become the ultimate solution for a unified home cinema kit, incorporating 3D tech with internet connectivity and upscaled web TV at 480Hz using the screen's 8 core processors.
A built in Blu-ray player, 1 TB HDD and colour and light sensitive local dimming round out what Toshiba are cringingly dubbing as "Cell-F realisation".
Toshiba also announced a new 3D Blu-ray player, winging its way to shops later in the year. BDX3000 Blu-ray player will be Toshiba's first player to dabble in the third dimension.
To round things up, Toshiba promised to deliver a screen with a 4k x 2x resolution by 2012. Tech Digest waits with baited breath!
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Samsung have bolstered their already-robust range of netbooks by announcing today at CES 2010 the launch of a brand new N-range of portable Pcs.
Of the four new netbooks on show, most impressive were the N210 and N220, with batteries managing a whopping 12 hours of web browsing from a single charge. Samsung's other two offerings, the NB30 and N150 manage a respectable 11 and 8 and a half hours of battery life respectively.
The snazzy netbooks keep their glossy sheen thanks to scratch-resistant cover surfaces and feature an alert signal to deter any thieves planning on nabbing your hard earned gear. Remote access to an office PC is also possible thanks to an intuitive One-Click syncing system.
The high battery life comes at a price though; the N-range packs in eco-conscious Atom chips, great for power saving, but not as fast as dual core chips found in pricier models.
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Via: Shiny Shiny
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LG's CES 2010 press conference has revealed a whole host of new gear coming soon from the Korean electronic giants.
As expected, 3D tech is big on the LG agenda. The new Infinia TV range has been announced, including the LE7500, LE8500 and the "3D ready" LE9500 model, happy to play nice with Sky 3D as the broadcasting firm suggested earlier. The flagship Infinia LE9500 features an 8.5 millimeter-wide frame and a "TruMotion" refresh rate of 480Hz. The set also features broadband TV functionality, giving users access to Skype, VUDU, YouTube, Netflix and Google's Picasa service.
LG are also planning to release a 3D Blu-ray player too later on in the year, but you'd better start saving as it's likely to have a massive price tag. A more affordable Blu-ray player, the BD 590 was also announced, rocking a 250GB hard drive to store flicks on.
LG also showed off a stunning, as-yet-unnamed 3D projector, pushing out a blinding 2500 lumens of brightness.
The LG Magic Motion remote was also back on show, much the same as its first appearance in Berlin last year. Looking a lot like a Wii remote, it's a slick new home cinema controller.
Though only touched upon whilst showing a new Snapdragon powered projector phone, LG will be displaying a whole load of new smartphones tomorrow morning. Keep checking back to Tech Digest for more LG news from CES 2010.
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Ever felt bad watching all those little digital comrades taking hits in Gears of War or Modern Warfare? Ever wanted to know what it feels like to take one for the team? Me neither, it sounds painful. But peripheral makers Immerz are putting together a bit of kit set to immerse you completely in the worlds of your games and movies.
Dubbed "full sensory immersion gear", the Immerz KOR-FX uses "acousto-haptic" technology to relay physical vibrations to select areas of your chest, activating "neural pathways that subconsciously monitor the vibrations of the chest cavity that naturally occur when speaking, laughing or crying."
It all sounds a bit creepy, but when synced up with a frenetic gaming session it could prove a really immersive addition to your gaming gear. Or really annoying.
Click above for a (frankly hilarious) demonstration video.
You can pre-order the kit here, priced at $189.99 (roughly £120).
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Sony's super-slim, super sexy NW-A845 Walkman has been wowing music lovers in Japan for some time now, and now Sony are finally unleashing the flagship PMP upon European audiences.
Measuring just 7.2mm thick, the music player features a 2.8 inch OLED screen and is bundled with a premium set of EX earphones.
Perhaps best of all, the NW-A845 has a mammoth 29 hour battery life, more than enough to work through an entire one of those Time Life "Sounds of the Sixties" box sets always advertised on the telly.
The NW-A845 will be hitting stores in February. No word on pricing yet, but we'll let you know as soon as we do.
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An unnamed source has revealed that Microsoft may well be planning to unveil a brand new HP-built tablet PC during their keynote conference at CES 2010.
Ashlee Vance of the New York Times states that:"My sources say that Mr. Ballmer will show the as yet unnamed HP device. The product will be touted as a multi-media whiz with e-reader and multi-touch functions."
Gizmodo produced a mock-up last September (pictured), giving a rough idea of what the tablet may look like.
However, is this a case of bandwagon jumping by Ballmer, Gates and co? Microsoft have already had their fingers burned with their relatively unsuccessful Tablet PC way back in 2001. Is the world better prepared for such technology now?
As the New York Times warns: " It could be one of Steve Ballmer's riskiest trade show moves in years...the last thing Mr Ballmer wants to hold up is a me-too device. All eyes will be on Mr Ballmer this week to see if Microsoft and HP can out-Apple Apple before Apple Apples."
Keep your eyes peeled later tonight (2.30am GMT) for Tech Digest's report on Microsoft's keynote speech.
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Via: New York Times
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It's been on the cards since the device first launched early on in 2009, and the news was all but confirmed when a link for a global device popped up and then quickly disappeared on their website yesterday. But now Amazon have finally officially announced that the Kindle DX will be available in over 100 countries worldwide, hitting UK shores on January 19th.
But is it too little too late? While the Kindle DX is a sturdy e-reader, with 3G web browsing and downloads, a PDF viewer and a 9.7 inch screen, it's beginning to show its age, especially when compared to the feature-rich enTourage eDGe e-reader and the many colour screen e-readers set to be displayed this week.
Either way, you'll be able to pick it up for about £305 when it launches later this month.
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It might be sunny here in Las Vegas, but back in the UK most Britons are currently shivering under a deluge of snow. I suspect heating systems will be going into overdrive. Which makes the arrival of PassivSystems new heating control all the more timely.
The system, called PassivEnergy, connects via sensors to your heating, hot water and electrical appliances, and monitors activity via an individual online account.
Here's a quick interview with CEO Colin Calder who explains how it all works.
More info here
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You know what it is like. You leave the house in a hurry, jump aboard the bus and it isn't until you are half way to work that you realise that you have left your mobile phone at home. If this happens to you on a regular basis then you might be interested in a new Bluetooth device called the ZOMM.
ZOMM is being billed by the company as a wireless leash for your mobile. Basically it is designed to let you know if you ever leave it behind. The device is a small circular fob with one central button that you attach your key ring. You then use Bluetooth to pair the device to your handset (it apparently works with all Bluetooth enabled mobiles) and when you move out of range i.e. the device is more than 50 or so metres from the mobile, an alarm goes off. It also vibrates and flashes to make sure you get the message.
You can also use the phone as a mini wireless speakerphone, so by pressing a button you can talk and listen through the device's speaker. Finally it also moonlights as a panic alarm and if you activate this function it notifies the emergency services.
You charge the device through an onboard USB connector with one single charge apparently lasting up to three days.
It will be on sale in the US in the late spring for around $70 and should cross the Atlantic soon after.
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The arrival of the Google Android operating system has enabled a whole host of new manufacturers to leap into the mobile phone market. The latest to dive on board is Saygus which was parading its VPHONE at CES Unveiled. Its headline feature is that it claims to be the world's first 'Low Cost, Low Bandwidth, Low Power, High Resolution Full Colour OS Two-Way Video Calling Cell Phone. Basically that means it can deliver person to person video calling something that us Europeans have had, but not really bothered with for years, but is new to the US.
The device itself will run Android 2.0 when it launches in the spring. It has a 3.5inch colour screen, a very good QWERTY keypad (seriously I was very impressed by this - much better than other Android handsets) a 624 Mhz Marvell PXA312 processor, and it has 16 Gigabytes of storage. The phone has a five megapixel camera on the back and a VGA camera on the front and both of the cameras record video at 640x480 and 30 frames per second.
If I am being picky I'd say that the handset was a bit on the chunky side, but apart from that it has plenty going for it. No news on a UK operator, but the Saygus representative did tell me that a European launch would follow after the phone had hit US stores.
More here
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Talk about hitting the sweet spot! Parrot, who we mainly know for wireless accessories, has just been demoing a gadget that is 1, controlled by an iPhone, 2, uses Augmented Reality and 3 is loads of fun.
The AR Drone Quadricopter (that's a four propeller helicopter to you and me) is a very cool device that is sure to be one of the year's hottest gadgets. It is controlled by either an iPhone or an iPod touch and boasts two cameras - one for controlling the device and another which streams images back to the iPhone/touch. Basically if you tilt the phone then the Quadricopter tilts, raise the iPhone and the copter rises etc.
It is going to be available in the second half of 2010 in both the US and the UK and works as either standalone remote control toy or as part of game. If users choose the latter option then they can compete against other copters in virtual airspace over the web using a specially created Parrot site.
Parrot is also issuing an SDK in the hope that developers will create even more fun uses for the device. There's no firm price yet but I heard a figure of around $500 being mentioned.
It'll be interesting to see how many other AR devices controlled by an iPhone follow. I suspect we are witnessing the birth of a new product category here.
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Who is likely to be the biggest name at this year's CES? Microsoft? Sony? Google?
Well the irony is that the biggest star of this year's CES is not actually going to be in Vegas. The agenda for CES 2010 has been completely set by Apple.
Instead of concentrating on their own innovations many companies will be trying to second guess what Apple is likely to do and deliver product that it hopes will capture a bit of the Cupertino company's glitz.
Ok so the show hasn't officially kicked off, but many of the hottest products that have been discussed so far are rivals, or in fact complimentary to Apple's series of gadgets.
For starters even though it hasn't officially announced its iTablet or iSlate CES is likely to be awash with lookalike devices.
Of course CES has seen hundreds of tablets before. Microsoft launched one as far back as 2001. But the big difference is that the new generation of tablets are designed to work around a web browser rather than deliver applications found on existing computers. Sure they will play music and video, but their core function will revolve around the web and the apps that will inevitably be created for them.
Makers will be looking to attack the iTablet on its weak spot - and that is likely to be price. With a rumoured cost for the Apple device of around $800, expect to see tablets coming in at half that figure and maybe lower. There is sure to be hundreds of knock offs from China/Taiwan based companies.
Apple's tablet is also likely to cast a shadow over the launch of the many ereaders that will be unveiled at the show. The new generation of ereaders will have wireless facilities, a web browser and colour screens, which means that they will indirectly compete with the Apple tablet.
All this tablet hype does make me wonder what would happen if Apple suddenly said that it was not going to deliver a tablet. Would so many companies still be working to deliver their own? Would the tablet still be the hottest product area of 2010? I think you know the answer to that question.
The iPhone will also be a huge influence on any new smartphones that debut at CES. The idea of launching a high end mobile now without a touch screen and an app store seems madness.
Finally CES is going to be awash with iPhone hi-fi systems and gadgets as well as a million new apps. iPhone apps are now so mainstream in the United States that individual ones even get their own TV commercials. The Augmented Reality apps, which let you overlay a layer of digital content over external reality as seen through your phone's camera, will be huge.
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Last year was not a good one for the world's biggest gadgets show CES. Attendances were down because of the recession and the number of memorable launches was at an all time low? This one was one of a few to stand out.
So what about this year? There does seem seems to be more optimism about the US economy and CE in general, but the goss is that the hotels are struggling to fill their rooms and the economy and the terrorist threat are keeping people away again.
CES is likely to be a huge industry jamboree with lots of deals done and products unveiled, but there is a sense that it may be past its late noughties peak and that the big stories are somewhere else. Everyone is talking about the Google Nexus One phone and the Apple iTablet/iSlate and not about what Sony has planned, whether Panasonic has cracked 3DTV and who will be first with a colour ereader.
The great thing about CES though is that is always delivers surprises. If you look through its recent history, the MP3 player, digital camera and many other major devices all debuted here and maybe we will see something of that magnitude this year.
For me much of the excitement will be away from the main halls where smaller Far East based companies will be parading their often extremely innovative wares. There's also a prominent British presence courtesy of the UKTI, so I'll be checking on that as soon as I can.
The whole shows kicks off tonight with the CES Unveiled showcase, where a host of companies parade their hottest products. It will really provide a gauge of whether the mother if all gadget shows is still the only place to be for companies to be in early January or if the show might be heading for a Comdex type fall.
Brilliant image courtesy of this cool person on Flickr
From: Apple tease Galaxy Note owners with iPhone stylus patent application