CES- Dell slate PC with Android

Sat, 9 Jan 2010 11:16:36 -0500

Dell have taken the opportunity at CES to launch their new Android powered Dell Slate a 5 inch tablet PC.
Dell has confirmed the slate device will have a built-in SIM card option which hints at a 3G device given AT&T and Dell have just formed an alliance.
It also has a built in 5 mega pixel camera but details are still a little scarce at the moment but Dell are promising more information very soon.
Unfortunately there no details either at the moment on its release date or expected retail price. But as always we will keep you posted over the coming week.

CES- Turn any flat surface into a touchscreen

Sat, 9 Jan 2010 11:12:26 -0500

I’m sure you’ve heard about those retro-futuristic looking laser keyboards. Here’s the next logical step: Light Blue Optic’s Light Touch – one of the honorees at the ongoing CES – is a projector that not only displays video but also turns any flat surface into a touchscreen. As one YouTube commenter said, it’s like having portable version of Microsoft’s Surface computer.

Well the Light Touch is probably 5 times weaker than Microsoft’s computer – it’s running Adobe’s Flash Lite app on top of Windows CE – but still! Touchscreen anywhere! Light Blue Optics calls the technomagic behind the Light Touch “Holographic Laser Projection”: “Using holographic algorithms, we transform the image we want to project into sets of diffraction patterns, which are shown on a tiny microdisplay. When laser light illuminates the microdisplay, the projected image is formed by diffraction.”

The Light Touch can project a 10.1″ display at 35 lumens for “typical symbology content” (static images?) and outputs 15 lumens of brightness for video content. It has an IR optical sensor that supports multitouch, a standard 3.5 mm audio out (and you’ll want to use this because the built-in speaker is mono), composite video in, WiFi (802.11 b/g only), micro USB out, 2 GB of internal memory with support for up to 32 GB micro SD, and a rechargeable battery.

CES- Computer that gives live read of power usage

Sat, 9 Jan 2010 11:03:47 -0500

I really love the clean aluminum case design of the G001, and they’ve done a great job hiding all the cables behind the removable side panels. The G001 even has 4 hidden power outlets under the cover on the left side of the machine, which let you monitor not just the power usage of your computer, but of your monitor and other peripherals. And that big wheel on the right side of the machine lets you control all of the connected devices with a simple push of the button in the middle.
The system is powered by a Core2 Duo E7500 CPU, and comes with 4GB of DDR2 RAM and a 320GB hard drive in its default configuration. At this point, Moneaul says the system will ship in about 3 months, and will retail for somewhere between $700 and $900 (USD), depending on configuration.

CES- Samsung C9000 ultra thin tv

Sat, 9 Jan 2010 10:56:34 -0500

Undoubtedly, this was one of the most beautiful HDTV sets at CES. It's ultra-thin, but it distinguishes itself from all of the other sets by having one of the most innovative remotes ever.

The Samsung C9000 is LED-lit and pretty swanky-looking. The WiFi powered remote is what sets it apart. We have to say that it reminds us of an iPhone, but hey, isn't everyone trying to make their devices look like an iPhone? Then again, this is Samsung, and they could have just used one of their own phone designs for this remote.The remote lets you navigate the web in a compact fashion while still being in front of your set. It kind of acts like a small, auxiliary monitor.

It works kind of like the Remote app for the iPhone. The display of the remote is LCD, not OLED. You can also browse TV channels. If something tickles your fancy, tap it and voila! It's up on the big screen. Naturally, this HDTV can be used to playback files over your network, though it hasn't been confirmed yet what kind of files it supports. However, it does support full 1080p resolution.

CES- Sprint Skiff magazine reader

Sat, 9 Jan 2010 10:49:36 -0500

A few hours after Plastic Logic launched the Que, a large format touchscreen ereader designed to display documents and periodicals in their original formatting, I got a no-touchee look at the Sprint Skiff Reader, a large format touchscreen ereader designed to display periodicals and documents in their original formatting.
The difference between the two? You can order the Que now. The Skiff won't be available until later this year.
Maybe that's a little flippant, but it's weird how similar the two devices are. Skiff has a slightly larger epaper screen - 11.5 inches vs. Que's 10.7-inch display. They both have a flexible screen - Skiff's is stainless steel, Que's is plastic - squashed inside a rigid bezel. Both are super thin, the Skiff around a quarter inch, Que less than a third of an inch. Skiff's emphasis is on magazines and newspapers rather than documents, Que's emphasis is vice versa. Both offer 3G cell network connection to an online store.
But Skiff isn't just hardware. In fact, the hardware Skiff Reader may be the least important thing about Skiff because Skiff is also a software format. Developed by magazine publishers, a Skiff app will be available for laptops, tablets and smartphones, which all have color screens, far more preferable for magazine reading. Sprint showed photos of a potential color epaper screen Skiff Reader, which may make more sense for magazines. The long lag time between now and when the Skiff Reader goes on sale may be a stall so Sprint can launch the device with a color screen.
No pricing was mentioned, but since Skiff will be sold by Sprint, it may carry a subsidy price. And both Skiff and Que could be obviated by whatever Apple announces in three weeks

CES- A true videophone through your tv?

Sat, 9 Jan 2010 10:35:38 -0500

As we've reported, both LG and Panasonic have both partnered up with Skype to bring video telephone -- that's videophone in non-jargon -- to HDTVs. For this first generation, you'll have to clap an LG webcam with built-in microphones on top of your pretty panel, but everyone knows next year's models -- or maybe even the HDMI 1.4 3D models due later this year -- will have the webcam/mic built-in, just like on a laptop PC.
It's this built-in webcam that may make this videophone a mainstream cultural phenomena. If everyone has a TV with a webcam (eventually), everyone will be able to videophone without any extra equipment.
We got a closer look at the LG Skype system. You'll need this year's NetCast-equipped LG HDTVs, due this spring (40 percent of the company's lineup), to make it work -- the Skype video app will be included. You can either sign in to your existing Skype account or create on in the app -- how you do this isn't clear yet. The LG webcams (you can't use an off-the-shelf model) will run around $100 when they're available in the spring.
When a video call (or, presumably, any Skype call) comes in, you'll be asked if you want to accept or decline. Upon acceptance, the phone call will replace whatever you're watching (hopefully you'll be DVR'ing whatever you were watching). As you can see in the photos, you can blow up your caller full screen and keep yourself in a PIP, or dual a side-by-side view (yeah, that's me with a camera up to my face shooting the photo you're looking at).
In the demo, the resolution wasn't great, but in the real world with a coax cable connection we're told you'll get 720p at a full 30 fps. We were also told with echo cancellation you'll have full duplex audio -- you'll be able to talk over your caller and still hear each other -- but the hall was too noisy to test this.
You can call anyone with Skype video, even on or from a PC, although right now Mac and Linux-based PCs only do VGA. Skype is working on boosting both to HD.
The sixty-four dollar question is -- do you want to be seen? Obviously if you have an aversion to video phoning you won't get this, but what if a call comes in right after you've gotten out of the shower or you're half-dressed or you don't have your make-up on or you're...um, busy, and it's mom on the line? It's unclear if you'll have a third "audio-only" choice in the initial "Accept" or "Decline" phase. If not, you'll just have to stay out of the wide angle camera range if you can until you're presentable or have a chance to quickly hit the "Stop My Video" option before too much is revealed.