CES 2008

(Credit: Nyko)

CES 2008 wasn't a very big show for gamers. Sure, there were plenty of controllers and accessories on display, but actual game developers were conspicuously absent. It's not surprising; CES is always oriented more towards general consumer electronics, and game-heavy companies usually wait until spring or summer shows like E3 to make their big announcements.

We were surprised by a major announcement from Namco at CES, though. According to the game company, its upcoming Soul Calibur 4 will feature Darth Vader and Yoda as playable bonus characters. Soul Calibur 2 saw Zelda's Link, Tekken's Heihachi, and Todd MacFarlane's Spawn as playable characters, but they aren't as big as Vader. Let's see the lightsabers fly.

Nyko unveiled its Wireless Nunchuck for the Wii, one of the first actual third-party controllers (and not simply a clip-on accessory) for the Nintendo Wii. When it

JVC's new GR-D870 mini-DV camcorder includes a dual record mode for simulataneous capture of standard-def video and 640x480-pixel still images.

(Credit: JVC)

With all the tapeless camcorder options coming out this year, we're not surprised that JVC has limited its Mini-DV selection to two models, with very little difference between the two. Both the GR-D870 and GR-D850 include 1/6-inch 680,000-pixel CCD sensors, 35X optical KonicaMinola zoom lenses, and 2.7-inch widescreen LCDs with auto backlight control to help keep your LCD visible when moving from moderate to bright lighting conditions. JVC says that the batteries included in the cameras give you two hours of operation and remaining power, expressed in minutes, can be seen at the press of a button even when the camcorders are turned off. That makes it even easier to check the battery the night before you go out to shoot an ... Read more

First, special thanks to CNET Networks for the opportunity the company granted me to sound off from CES. I thought I'd end this series with what I'll be thinking about on the flight from Las Vegas to Austin, Texas:

• Even as we rapidly introduce new technologies, existing innovations are maturing and increasing in quality and affordability.

• Wireless connectivity is de facto for electronics, and connectivity devices are driving personalized and affordable new options.

• We live in an increasingly visual world and HD is renewing the potential and interest in technology.

• Appealing holistic technology solutions are merging information and entertainment content and devices.

• Green technology is a requirement not a trend.

• Average consumers are seeking simple, integrated technology solutions that don't require an engineering degree to set up.

The chaos and craziness is drawing to an ... Read more

The options continue to grow for distributing digital content, including HD, over networks within and beyond the home. A major help in this area will be the trend toward "wireless everything" that stands out at this 2008 show.

Most of the major TV manufacturers have announced HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) wireless capabilities and plans to stream Internet content to the TV, via wired or wireless connectivity. Additionally, LG (with Netflix) and Microsoft (with ABC, Disney and MGM) announced plans for downloading movie and television content to the TV from the Internet via set-top boxes and media extenders.

I was particularly excited to see Sling Media's Slingbox PRO HD, which was announced here at CES, has HD inputs and outputs that allow users to stream content to PCs, mobile phones and BlackBerrys worldwide. Priced around $400, that one goes on my wish list immediately.

As I moved from home/... Read more

What happens in Vegas...

Many of us have been decrying the overall lack of gaming gear here at CES, but while there might not be much video game hardware on display at the Las Vegas Convention Center, several video game publishers are in town showing off their latest wares, including LucasArts, Eidos, Microsoft, and Namco.

The latter is perhaps the most interesting, since the title being shown off is the latest iteration of the fighting game Soul Calibur, which first hit living rooms via Sega's Dreamcast console back in 1999. The series features an eclectic cast of medieval Japanese characters battling over a magical sword, and the new entry, Soul Calibur IV, will be available later in 2008 on the Xbox 360 and PS3.

We got a chance to spend a little hands-on time with the game, which will look and feel familiar to fans of the series. The ... Read more

This is only a quick post because I just walked past the Aiptek booth and saw their tiny but feature-packed 1080p video camera that will be available in the U.S. later this year--at a very attractive price point. Its memory allows for approximately two hours of 1080p HD video using a 4GB memory card. This one promises to be a "must have" gadget for next year.

Phil Hester is senior vice president and chief technology officer (CTO) at AMD, responsible for setting the architectural and product strategies and plans for AMD's microprocessor business.

Green is big here at CES 2008, and I'm not just talking about the kiwi-colored gadgets and lime-green LED gizmos. For years, the tech industry pushed performance with little consideration for environmental and economic consequences. No more; the awakening on this issue as expressed in power-efficient device designs and the accompanying product messages at the show are unavoidable.

This decade the industry accelerated its focus on decreasing the energy consumption even of high-performance consumer devices and PCs. As more and more always-on technology integrates into our homes and offices, we've made a targeted effort to make superior efficiency as much a priority as a superior consumer experience. Many companies are aggressively citing the energy consumption of devices, and there's considerable dialog about meeting new generations of Energy Star-type standards.

* Energy saving HD LED and OLED TVs from Samsung and Sony promise reduced energy use and heat emission. ... Read more

Motorola's Rokr E8

(Credit: Bonnie Cha/CNET Networks)

Since the Motorola Rokr E8 nabbed CNET's Best of CES award in the cell phones and smartphones category, it's appopriate to give you an idea of how the phone feels beyond just a list of specs. At 4.52 inches by 2.09 inches by 0.42 inch, it has an average size for a cell phone, and it's actually a bit heavier than I expected at 3.5 ounces. I didn't mind the weight, however, as it gave the E8 a solid and sturdy feel in the hand.

Motorola Rokr E8

(Credit: Bonnie Cha/CNET Networks)

The Rokr's showpiece is, of course, its new keypad. I admit I didn't know quite what to expect, as new cell phone interfaces can be hard to do right. But it was quite easy to use from what ... Read more

Correction 5:35 p.m. PST: This blog gave an incorrect last name for the head of EMI Music's digital business. He is Barney Wragg.

Because I had to leave Las Vegas on Wednesday, I was only able to catch the first two sessions of the one-day Digital Music Live conference, a conference about technology and the music industry co-sponsored by Billboard and the Consumer Electronics Association (who's behind CES). Nonetheless, the morning speakers had some interesting thoughts.

(Credit: CEA/Billboard)

First up was Gregg Latterman, president of Aware Records, whose company manages multimillion-selling artists The Fray (which had already been signed to Epic by the time Latterman began managing them) and John Mayer.

Despite the rejection of traditional promotion and distribution by everybody from the youngest MySpace bands to the most-established rockers, Latterman argued that the old ways--terrestrial radio and major label marketing and distribution--are still necessary ... Read more

As I get ready to leave CES and Las Vegas, I wanted to give a shout-out to the device that truly powers the convention: the smartphone. Doesn't really matter whether it's Treo or Blackberry, everyone was calling, texting and emailing all day long. At such a techie summit you could talk in any public space with impunity. I would have been lost from my CNET compatriots without it. [Side note, my iPhone had "no service" within the convention center but my Blackberry was fine, both on AT&T.]

So at the end of they day, as they take down the huge plasma TVs, and turn off the flashing lights, I keep thinking that sometimes its the basics that get you through the day:

(photo credit: Amy Tiemann)

The Case Logic Pocket with an attached carabiner. It's like a little sleeping bag that fits most phones or small ... Read more