CES 2008

The Gizmodo kids pulled a good stunt at CES: they fired TV-B-Gone remotes at walls of shiny new monitors on display and during press conferences, much to the displeasure of booth staffers.

No colors anymore.

(Credit: Gizmodo)

The video is funny. The ramifications of prank will not be. The CES organizers only grudgingly gave bloggers press credentials to the conference, and even then kept them segregated into a working lounge that was a step down in amenity and luxury from the "press" lounge and work area. This prank will not endear the blogging class to either the CEA, which produces CES, or the companies that paid dearly for the right to occupy CES floorspace and show off their products.

I would not be surprised to see Gizmodo banned from the show and possibly sued by either the CEA or the companies its bloggers harassed. For journalists (in my mind, all bloggers are journalists), legal and constitutional protection does not extend to mischief or sabotage. Publishing news reports, opinion, and satire are protected acts. Physical interference is not.

I asked Gizmodo publisher Nick Denton if he was going to fire the Gizmodo crew for their prank. "No," is all he said in an instant message. He did not reply to followup questions.

Gizmodo added this apology after the post first ran, but I don't think it will mollify the victims.

It was too much fun, but watching this video, we realize it probably made some people's jobs harder, and I don't agree with that (Especially Motorola). We're sorry.

There are other likely outcomes of the prank. From now on, no one with an infrared-controlled device at a tradeshow is going to leave it exposed. A few tabs of black electrical tape will thwart TV-B-Gones. Beyond that, as our security expert Robert Vamosi said about this incident, expect TV manufacturers to think seriously about building encryption into their remote controls.

LAS VEGAS--Asked about the state of the U.S. economy, Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson said on Tuesday that it is clearly a concern.

"People that are getting their first (home heating) oil bills at $3 a gallon," he said, even as the U.S. mortgage crisis continues to hang over the economy. "The share of mind that the 'r word' is getting in the media has us concerned," he said, alluding to but not uttering, the word recession.

But Anderson said it was the transition to digital television that posed the biggest threat to his industry, warning of the dangers if consumers find themselves having TVs that don't work once the broadcasters end their analog signals in February of 2009.

"We're very nervous about the potential risk," Anderson said. "I think the industry will be damaged if we as an industry don't handle this well."

At the Consumer Electroncis Show on Tuesday, CEA Chief Gary Shapiro asks retail executives, including the heads of Best Buy and Circuit City, for their views on the U.S. economy, the digital TV transition, and other issues.

(Credit: Ina Fried/CNET News.com)

His comments came as part of a panel discussion of several retail executives at the Consumer Electronics Show here.

Circuit City CEO Philip J. Schoonover, meanwhile, was most concerned with his own company's performance, which has lagged the industry.

"I'm not smiling," Schoonover said, after Anderson and other retail executives beamed at their own growth last year.

"We're trying to fix the plan while flying the plane," he said. "It proved to be more challenging than I think any of us estimated."

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/office solutions to automotive technologies, I was surprised to see that beyond Microsoft Sync there are not many in-car wireless networking solutions available for mainstream users. This seems like a market that is poised to grow as consumers look to integrate functions like Internet, navigation, music, movies, TV and e-mail--everything we're used to in the home--into simple to use, affordable options for the car.

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

Chances are that anyone who has visited Best Buy, Circuit City or Media Markt in the past few months saw a variety of flat screen technology options, including 720p, 1080i, and 1080p. Here at CES, it's clear that 1080p is here to stay and growing in dominance as THE screen resolution.

My guess is that 720p and 1080i days are numbered and that retailers will be purging their inventories of the technology (this could mean some great deals in the months to come, but keep in mind that you'll be buying antiquated technology). The one exception may be the entry level HD displays where 720p may continue for a while.

(Credit: Phil Hester)

Back to 1080p, the sheer variety of devices that support this standard is stunning (cameras, DVD players, TVs, etc.). I also saw a wide array of "plumbing" options that support high-quality resolution, including HDMI and wireless. HDMI cables are cleaning up the jumble of component video and audio cables. At the same time, device manufactures are starting to introduce HD wireless interconnect technologies that promise to eliminate all the cables other than power.

While high definition devices are the buzz of the show, the format debates continue. Major technology and entertainment companies disclosed HD content plans and partnerships at the show. It seems to me that most consumers will wait to make the jump to high definition players and DVDs until the dispute is settled and a clear winner emerges at an affordable price. Meanwhile, prices on high definition DVDs are coming down and price points are similar to when DVDs first came to the mainstream market. High definition players are still a bit high for most consumers. However, game consoles and other media extenders that support on-demand HD media streams in the home are overcoming some consumer issues with how to distribute and view their HD content throughout the home.

(Credit: Phil Hester)

Putting the standards debate aside, high definition technology is renewing interest and excitement for gadgets and devices. HD is delivering on our expectations for realistic images and blurring the line between digital content and what our eyes perceive as the resolution of nature. And connection options for those HDTVs are empowering end-users to easily create sophisticated networks that center around the TV.

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.

(Credit: Phil Hester)

CES is an overwhelming collection of screens, beckoning to thousands of attendees as the bright portals to our entertainment, information, and one another anywhere in the world. Whether designed for the home, office, car, or on the go, those screens range in size, quality, resolution, and function.

In previous CES years, the focus of most display makers was size. It seemed that each year we saw progressively larger screens, far beyond a size reasonable for the average consumer. Display makers jockeyed for size-based bragging rights. This year, the focus evolved to screen quality, whether it's 1080p, reduced motion blur, improved contrast range (some up to 1,000,000:1), or a broader color palette. As HD technology becomes more pervasive and personal, image quality is vividly increasing as prices come down.

Don't get me wrong, there's still plenty to see if you're looking for a huge TV. Case in point, Sharp showcased a 108 inch TV "wall" with incredibly crisp resolution and vivid color, while Panasonic unveiled a 150 inch TV with outrageously high resolution. While most consumers won't buy a TV that large, the technology will help to evolve the existing products so that resolution and display quality continue to increase, while weight, screen thickness, and price decrease.

(Credit: Phil Hester)

At the opposite end of the spectrum are the small screens of personal technology devices like the iPod or Zune. These devices are creating a huge market for accessories and components that work in tandem with those devices. For example, wearable technologies are available that allow users to view the small screen content on a "larger" display (check out the photo of the "sunglasses" that mimic a 52-inch viewing experience). The essential point here is that these technologies are also dropping in price (the pictured glasses cost around $200), which will make the technology attainable for mainstream audiences.

And screens are no longer just for viewing. More and more, we're using touch-screen technology to make devices more functional and intuitive. Touch-screen remotes, navigation systems, and cell phones are making technology easier to use for average consumers.

The focus on image quality and energy efficiency (more on that later), and new innovations such as Sony OLED should drive down average price points and make rich, crisp displays available to more and more people.

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.

LAS VEGAS--How do you bring a 150-inch plasma TV from Japan to the U.S.? One plane at a time.

The 150-inch plasma TVs that Panasonic is showing off this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas can only be carried in the storage container in the nose of a 747, said Toshihiro Sakamoto, president of Panasonic AVC Networks company.

Watch the Panasonic TH46PXZ850 video on CNET TV.

And only one TV fits at a time. The TV has to go in the middle of the storage unit. There isn't enough clearance on the edges. Panasonic has three of the sets at the show, so three planes were used.

Panasonic expects to sell these commercially in the future. Most of the time, these big TVs get bought by hotels or stadiums. Some people, however, buy big TVs for their home. Mark Cuban owns a 100-inch plus Panasonic plasma.

The Vizio SV47LF features a 120Hz refresh rate.

(Credit: Vizio)

Anyone who's purchased an HDTV is aware that manufacturers are always trying to persuade buyers to purchase the higher-end models. The most popular step-up feature over the past few years has been 1080p resolution--despite the fact that it's not much better than 720p--but now that 1080p has become passe, 120Hz refresh rate is one of the newest buzz terms. Not to be left out of the feature wars, Vizio has announced a new line of 1080p LCDs featuring 120Hz technology, called the "Black Tie" series, which includes the 42-inch SV42LF and the 47-inch SV47LF.

On top of just having a faster refresh rate, these new sets also include de-judder processing, which Vizio refers to as MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation). De-judder processing has the effect of smoothing out some of the jerkiness that often occurs on slow panning shots, although not everyone likes the effect--some complain that it makes film have a "video" look. The connectivity of these sets is highlighted by four HDMI inputs, two of which are located on the side. These side HDMI inputs are considered "Game Ports," for easily connecting hi-def game consoles like the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. Vizio did not mention if these series will include a "game mode" that bypasses video processing, which some gamers desire because it reduces lag time.

The new SV42LF and SV47LF are scheduled to be released in July 2008 with list prices of $1,500 and $1,900, respectively.

Mitsubishi's trio of laser TVs hang on the wall.

(Credit: Mitsubishi)

While rear-projection seems to be losing steam, Mitsubishi is doing its best to breathe new life into non-flat HDTVs with its introduction of the world's first model with a picture powered by a laser-based light engine. Unfortunately, the product's smoke-and-hyperbole-filled introduction at the Palms hotel's Rain nightclub, while long on lighting effects, was short on details. Pricing and available screen sizes were not announced -- only that the product will hit the market this year.

Watch the Mitsubishi Laser TV video on CNET TV.

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At the Consumer Electronics Show, Hitachi is demo'ing a product called Starboard that is a multi-touch interface at a very large scale. You can use it to control a regular PC, and they've also got some custom apps for it. One of those is shown in the video.

What's interesting is that this is a projected interface, so it's untethered from the need to have a touch-sensitive LCD. This allows it to scale very large relatively inexpensively. They were also showing a wall-size version.

The projector in both cases was a very short throw Hitachi model that could produce an amazingly good image from an extreme angle. For the one in the video, the projector lens was maybe a foot above the surface, perched top-center of the image. Yet the image was completely distortion free and perfectly rectangular and about 4 feet across. Same thing with the one on the wall, which was an even more extreme example.