CES 2008

The HP Pavilion tx2000

(Credit: HP)

HP isn't waiting until the streaming masses descend on Las Vegas for CES to unveil new additions to the company's laptop lineup. Thursday, HP announced the HP Pavilion tx2000 and a slightly revamped version of the HP Pavilion HDX. If those sound familiar, that's because the convertible tablet tx2000 is an update of the tx1000 we first saw last year at CES 2007, and the new HDX has some updated parts, but exactly the same name as the 2007 version of the HDX, itself released just this past July. Overall, there are a handful of minor tweaks, but nothing radically new.

We liked the original tx1000, as it was one of the few consumer-focused tablet PCs we'd ever seen (most tablets are aimed at industrial or medical workers). The new version looks nearly identical from the outside, and inside it offers AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core CPUs, 802.11n Wi-Fi and adds Wacom digitizer support to the finger-sensitive 12.1-inch touch screen, something missing from the previous tx1000 model.

HP's updated 20-inch HDX

(Credit: HP)

We said the massive 20-inch HDX was a laptop in name only when we first saw it, and the same is true of the latest version. Despite some new hardware, HP isn't changing the name, but inside you'll find updated Intel Core 2 Duo processors and Nvidia's GeForce 8800M video card, along with HD DVD or Blu-ray optical drives (no combo drives yet). A previous update added a 1,920x1,200 display, which is an improvement over the original's 1,680x1,050 screen, and the four Altec Lansing speakers plus subwoofer remain the same.

The tx2000 starts at $1,299 and will be available online on January 8 and in retail outlets in March, while the updated HDX starts at $1,999 and should be available later in January.

We'll have more in-depth looks at both of these systems next week during CES.

New MediaSmart TVs will sport full MCE functionality

(Credit: HP)

HP has updated its MediaSmart TVs for the new year. On the surface, the new SL4282N (42-inch) and SL4782N (47-inch) are very similar to their 2007 counterparts: full 1080p resolution LCD flat-panels with 3 HDMI inputs, built-in high-def and analog tuners, and--the big differentiator--the ability to stream digital video, audio, and images via their built-in 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking connections. But the big upgrade for 2008 is the inclusion of Media Center Extender functionality, which offers easy connectivity to PCs running most flavors of Vista. Prefer a non-HP TV, but want those same media features? HP's got you covered there, too: the company's external MediaSmart Receiver x280N attaches to any TV and delivers the same functionality.

HP's MediaSmart Receiver x280N streams media via a home network, or from an optional internal hard drive (shown on the right)

(Credit: HP)

HP likes to hedge its bets. In addition to a couple of big-screen flat-panel TVs with built-in Media Center Extenders, the company is now offering a set-top box as well. Like the MediaSmart TVs, the MediaSmart Receiver x280N has the ability to stream a wide variety of video (including MPEG-2, DivX, WMV, WMV-HD, and H.264/MP4 files), audio (MP3, WMA, WMA-Pro, WAV, AAC/m4a), and images (JPEG, BMP, GIF, and PNG photos) from networked PCs to your living room TV via its wired Ethernet or wireless 802.11a/b/g/n connections. Local media playback is also available via plug-in USB drives or HP's own proprietary Pocket Media Drive (also found on many of the company's desktop PCs). The box boasts HDMI and component video output at HD resolutions up to 720p and 1080i. The MediaSmart Receiver x280N will connect easily to PCs running most flavors of Windows Vista--and will go head-to-head with very similar models from Linksys and D-Link when it becomes available later this year.

Though the International Consumer Electronics Show is not a big one for camera announcements, we usually see a generous handful. Camera manufacturers tend to choose CES to announce the really cheap and the really odd models, especially those with more multitasking, multimedia tendencies. But this CES looks to be a big year for digital-photo frames: bigger and smaller, more connected, more mobile, and more versatile.

Best of CES 2007, Sony Handycam HDR-HC7

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Flash-forward: 2008
This year, we expect more of the same in camcorders--not just from Sony, but from Canon, Panasonic, JVC, and the rest of the crowd. What does that mean? Continued growth in HD models but with standard def remaining strong. We'll probably see less activity on the tape-based front, and much as I wish DVD-based models would disappear already, I don't think that wish is even close to coming true. Following past trends, I think we'll see the usual year-over-year enhancements: increased recording capacity, higher resolutions, modest redesigns. Margins have gotten too tight to expect a lot of price movement, so I don't expect significant price drops--I do expect more crowded product lines with price differentials between models shrinking closer to $20 than the $50-$100 of previous years.

Nor would I be surprised by a deluge of cheap, YouTube "bandwagoncams" along the lines of the Flip Video Ultra and Sony NSC-GC1. It's possible we'll see some still camera manufacturers counter the one-trick-pony trend with improved movie-capture and sharing features, but more likely we'll have to wait until the PMA 2008 show at the end of the month to find out.

Finally, we're also hoping that digital frames will get better, as well, easier to use with higher resolutions and better color, but that's more of a dream than a prediction.

The 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show is the first one to dedicate an entire hall to automotive-related tech. The convergence of in-car entertainment, communications, and information promises to continue in 2008 with the release of whole range of in-dash and portable device capable of providing GPS navigation and playing multiple media formats.

Best of CES 2007: Dash Navigation Dash Express

(Credit: CNET Networks)

What exactly do we see in our crystal ball? Well, we think voice commands will be a hot thing. This technology lets you operate your portable GPS and enter addresses with the sound of your voice, and we're already starting to see it pop up in models like the TomTom GO 920 and the Magellan Maestro 4250. Also, 3D building renderings and photorealistic images of complex intersections should make its way to more portable nav systems, providing helpful visual aids to drivers. GPS and location-based services in cell phones and smartphones is another craze, and we'll see more of this to be sure, but it has a little way to go yet in terms of mass adoption. For now, people are getting onboard with the standalone in-car GPS, and as that continues we hope to see the inclusion of traffic services and text-to-speech functionality in even the most entry-level models.

Aside from navigation, the market for mobile in-car entertainment devices is also heating up. Bluetooth is finally breaking out of its cellphone role as more and more devices offer the A2DP Bluetooth audio-streaming profile, and automakers appear to be rediscovering FM, which is being used to transmit sound from portable devices to the car speakers via the in-dash stereo. On the subject of radio waves, HD Radio has just started to make a splash, and we are expecting a number of new HD-compatible devices at this year's CES.

Also on the horizon are fully fledged in-dash PCs, with Jensen and Azentek showing off their Windows-based car computers complete with Intel processors, hard drives, and Wi-Fi connectivity. One other major trend to look for in automotive tech at CES 2008 is gesture recognition, which promises to challenge the shaky dominance of voice-command application by making use of devices with advanced touch screens and proximity sensors.

We expect that CES will be a lot different from what it was last year, mainly because Macworld isn't happening at the same time. So instead of racing to cover a possible update to the iPhone, we'll be able to spend all of our time covering what's going on in Las Vegas.

Best of CES 2007: Cell phones and smartphones

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Touch this
The iPhone wasn't the first cell phone to offer a touch screen, and it certainly won't be the last. At CES, and in 2008, we're sure well see more touch-screen handsets like the recent LG Voyager and Venus. Also on the design front, it appears the thin phone trend may be waning just a bit, and we're hearing rumors that we'll see new phones with crazy keypads. We'll have to wait and see.

T-Mobile 3G?
As any cell phone geek will tell you, T-Mobile is the only major carrier to lack a 3G network and a music downloading service. But in the past couple of months, T-Mobile put out two cell phone with 3G capability, the Samsung SGH-T369 and the Nokia 6263. Though we expect that a formal announcement of a wireless broadband network can't be too far behind, our gut tells us T-Mobile won't announce it at the show with so much else going on. But it could happen.

Unlocked phones
With the recent announcement from Verizon Wireless, it finally seems that unlocked phones are becoming a major force in the United States market. At CES, we suspect that unlocked phones will be plentiful. On a similar note, there should be more CDMA/GSM handsets like the Motorola Z6c.

Smartphones
Looking back, 2007 was another big year for smartphones. The release of Windows Mobile 6 brought a healthy helping of new devices from HTC, Samsung, and Motorola, among others, while Nokia, RIM, and Palm provided much competition with new models of their own.

The announcement of Google Android and the Open Handset Alliance has blown open the doors and made it a very exciting time for the cell phone industry. We don't anticipate the mass-market release of any Android smartphones just yet, but perhaps we'll get to see some prototypes and check out some applications. We'll also bring you a closer look at some announced-but-not-yet-released devices (at least in the States, anyway), such as the Nokia N82 and the HTC Touch Dual. Last, but not least, we expect to see more entry-level, consumer-friendly models as smartphones gain popularity with a wider audience.

Best of CES 2007: Verizon Wireless V Cast Mobile TV
What we said last year: Verizon Wireless joins with MediaFlo to create a truly innovative and watchable TV-on-phone experience. V Cast Mobile TV offers full-length, live television programming on selected handsets via a dedicated UHF signal. There's little of the pixilated, choppy effects of 3G video streaming, and audio/video syncing and channel switching are zippy.

What we think now: We continue to love V Cast Mobile TV. After three phones, it's still the best cell phone video around. We just wish it was running in more metro areas, the Bay Area in particular.

PC makers rarely flood CES with new product announcements, preferring to hit either the lucrative holiday season just before, or else timing their latest wares to new technologies from component makers such as Intel, AMD, and Nvidia. That's not to say there won't be plenty of new laptops and desktop to see at CES, and we expect a few surprises along the way.

Best of CES 2007: Microsoft Windows Vista

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Home theater PCs are still waiting for their moment in the sun after years of false starts. They're limited by lack of clean cable TV input and copy protection woes, so vendors are forced to leverage other features and unique content delivery systems. Cable card, the buggy, DRM-heavy method for delivering HD-quality cable TV content to your PC, hasn't exactly set the world on fire so far.

Putting the consumer first is a mantra we expect to see more companies follow--handy all-in-one desktop systems are on the rise, with recent well-received entries from Dell and Gateway, while Dell will continue to move beyond the online-only (well, and those mall kiosks) world into more retail stores.

On the laptop side, convertible tablets are still hot, even though nearly all of them are built for, and marketed to, industrial customers. Despite the frenzied press every new tablet receives, we still don't know anyone who actually uses one. In a world of commodity products, having a swiveling touch screen is at least something a bit different, even if you're not one of the handful of medical professionals, note-taking students, or graphic artists who actually needs a tablet.

Gamers have always looked down on laptops--even super high-end Alienware ones--but the latest Nvidia 8800 graphics cards for laptops can actually hold their own against their PC counterparts, and we should see this new technology in some surprisingly affordable systems at CES. Solid state hard drives will also take another step towards becoming standard equipment, although users will have to get accustomed to living with less storage space (although we remember when 64GB was huge for a laptop hard drive).

With Dell and HP (and Acer, if we look globally) duking it out for the No. 1 spot in consumer's hearts, PC makers have finally realized that the user experience is all important, especially since--big shocker here--most laptops have pretty much the same exact components inside. Cool designs, such as the Dell XPS M1530 or the Alienware m17x, become the real selling point--not benchmark scores.

The coolest new laptop of early 2008 may not even be at CES at all. Anything we see in Las Vegas will be outshined by a new ultraportable Apple laptop--should one actually exist. If it does, it'll be at Macworld, not CES, but it'd easily be the biggest laptop story of the year if true.

Finally, what happened to last year's Best of CES winner in the Computers and Hardware category? Despite the advancements offered by Microsoft Windows Vista, its reputation as a not-quite-fully-baked resource hog has hindered its adoption among consumers. The disdain is so great that some major manufacturers have reverted to Windows XP on new systems. We still like the look as well as many of the features of Windows Vista, but in practice it hasn't quite lived up to its promise. Consensus holds that buyers should wait until Redmond releases a Service Pack (or two).

Often, "emerging tech" describes something esoteric, a component or product so far on the cutting edge that its application to everyday life isn't immediately apparent. While we certainly expect to see such technologies on display at this year's CES, the broader emerging category contains developments that are closer to home and easier to grasp--literally.

Best of CES 2007: Powercast

(Credit: CNET Networks)

On a slightly smaller scale, increasing consumer comfort with high-tech products has paved the way for ever-more-connected household tools, from Internet-capable refrigerators to robots that help with cleaning and other chores. We expect to see plenty of both at this year's show.

Hands-on with tech
The hacker's DIY philosophy has lots of room to play at CES, where some of the newest products require assembly--in a good way. Our favorite: Bug Labs' BUG, a modular hardware-and-software platform that starts with a small, programmable Linux computer and lets you add self-contained modules--for example, a Webcam--to create the gadget of your dreams. We're also hoping to see new products from Robotis, maker of the build-it-yourself Bioloid robot kit.

Even nongeeks will appreciate the opportunity to rethink human-computer interaction with the LtWv Wrist Remote, a bracelet that detects finger movements and gestures, effectively replacing a mouse or remote.

Wireless still going strong
This time last year, emerging technology was all about life without wires. That concept continues to gain momentum as we see companies like eCoupled, WildCharge, and Powercast making inroads for power that charges your mobile devices without plugging them in. Plenty of other wireless technologies, from streaming high-definition video to USB monitors and electronic payment systems, will also be on display.

Where are they now?
After three years of keeping its technology under close guard, Powercast came to CES 2007 to get consumer and manufacturer attention. The company succeeded so well that it earned our Best of CES Award with its wireless power solution, which transmits a radio frequency whose energy can be "harvested" by small devices like cell phones. The technology poses near-limitless potential, but because Powercast relies on other companies to build its technology into products, consumer applications have been slow in coming. An early partnership with Philips produced LED light sticks and a wireless Christmas tree; products from other manufacturers should hit the market in 2008.

Excited to see all the latest and greatest video game products at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show? Don't be. New and noteworthy gaming products will be few and far between.

Unfortunately, CES just isn't a big show for gamers. You might think the world's largest consumer electronics expo would have plenty of stuff for remote-waggling, button-mashing misfits like myself, but that simply isn't the case. Virtually every games-only company from Nintendo to Electronic Arts steers clear of Las Vegas in early January, saving their news for GDC, E3, and the various other shows and events that come in the spring and summer.

Best of CES: Alienware Area-51 m9750

(Credit: CNET Networks)

If PC gaming is your thing, the news is a bit better. New graphics cards and faster CPUs are often CES mainstays, and there's always the chance that a fearsome gaming desktop or supercharged laptop may make the rounds.

Even if there won't be much new information about the games themselves, CES should at least show off a ton of the equipment with which you play games. From mainstream accessory makers like Logitech and Nyko, to niche players offering specialty rigs such as full-on flight simulator cockpits and Wii-style motion control cameras for PCs, there will be plenty of accessories and peripherals on display.

Peripherals notwithstanding, gamers will be better served at CES by investigating upgrades to their home theater setups. With a ton of HDTVs, surround-sound systems, and other equipment for hooking up a sweet gamer's pad, it'll be a good show for scoping out into what exactly you'll be connecting your Wii, PS3, or Xbox 360 next year.

Where are they now?
The prototype wowed us at CES, and when the Alienware Area 51 m9750 hit the CNET Labs almost eight months later, it didn't disappoint. With a 17-inch screen, twin Nvidia GeForce Go 7950GTX SLI video cards, and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the m9750 was a gamer's dream--all for a base price that wasn't much more than the competing Dell XPS model.

Pity the audiophile. Home audio was once the centerpiece of the consumer electronics experience, but it's been completely subsumed in recent years, with HDTV squeezing in on one side and the ubiquitous iPod on the other. Even what's left is generally referred to as "home theater," stressing that video is just as important--if not more so--than the audio experience. If they even want surround sound--most seem perfectly happy with their tinny TV speakers--the majority of consumers will opt for a cheap home-theater-in-a-box, grumbling at the $300 price tag even as they gladly shell out five times as much for a flat-screen TV.

Best of CES 2007: Philips HTS8100 SoundBar

(Credit: CNET Networks)

That leaves the mainstream manufacturers on the CES floor to carry the home audio torch for the masses. Look for these companies--the Sonys, Samsungs, and the Panasonics, as well as hundreds of smaller companies--to continue emphasizing the convenience and aesthetic improvements in the audio realm. In practice that will mean cheaper, more widespread, and more convenient iterations of trends from previous years:

• Wireless audio: In 2007, two big trends that began to show fruit were Bluetooth wireless transmission and wireless speakers. Look for Bluetooth streaming to become much more mainstream as more Bluetooth-enabled audio sources (music phones, portable audio players) continue to appear. And with the exception of the power cord, more and more speakers will be marketed as "wireless" (be it semiwireless, or something closer to truly wireless).
• Virtual surround: Even better than losing the speaker wires criss-crossing your living room is getting rid of those extra speakers altogether. Manufacturers are finally figuring out that consumers want fewer speakers, not more. Whether you call it "virtual surround," "2.1 home theater," or "single-speaker surround sound," look for more brands to offer audio systems composed of just two or one front speakers, and--maybe--a subwoofer.
• Streaming network audio: Whether pulling from your PC, networked hard drive, Internet radio, or a premium online service such as Rhapsody, more consumers are discovering that the long-promised "celestial jukebox" is now a reality--at least in the home. Look for more mainstream products such as AV receivers and home-theater-in-a-box systems to incorporate streaming audio functionality (via Ethernet or Wi-Fi connections) that was previously limited to dedicated, higher-end products such as the Sonos Digital Music System.
• High-end features at low-end prices: Once upon a time--as little as eight months ago, in some cases--features like HDMI 1.3, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, HD Radio, iPod compatibility, and Neural Surround were ultrapremium bullet points only found on audio products costing north of $1,000. Look for these features--plus many of the upgrades listed above--to be standard features in all but the low-end entry-level home theater products this year.

Where are they now?
Virtual surround isn't new for 2008. Not only was the Philips HTS8100 SoundBar, the first 1.1 (single speaker plus subwoofer) audio system to include a built-in CD/DVD player, it also boasted a minimalist design that was downright striking. When we got a chance to put the SoundBar through its paces later in the year (away from the noise and crushing crowds of the CES show floor), it performed ably, scoring a 7.8 from CNET editors (and an 8.2 from users). The fact that the list price was dropped from $1,000 to $800 was a nice bonus, too. But similar products are now offering wireless subwoofers--exactly the sort of must-have upgrades we'll be seeing in this category in 2008 and beyond.