CES 2008

LAS VEGAS--Every year, I schedule too many meetings at the Consumer Electronics Show and don't get enough time to just roam the show floor in search of gadgets that are either ultra-cool, absurd, or preferably both.

This year, I made a commitment to wander the show floor and absorb as much as possible. It should be said, in three hours on the show floor, I covered a very small portion of the south hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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So the seventh wonder of the tech world could have been in the north hall, central hall, or the far-flung Sands expo hall, but I couldn't tell you.

What did I learn? First of all, there was not one product that everyone was talking about. If there was a universal hit, it was the huge flat-screen displays that many companies were showing off. I spent a few minutes watching video on a 100-inch screen. It's by no means the biggest on display here at CES, but it was three times the diameter of anything in my house.

From there, I decided I needed a rest, stopping at what might be the best massage chair I've sat in--a $4,000 model from Anaheim, Calif.-based Omega Massage. I make it a point to always try these out, whether at trade shows or the airport Sharper Image. It's all part of my sacrifice for you, my loyal blog readers (or you, the random clicker on this post).

From there I made my way to the folks who needed the massage chair far more than I did--the HD DVD booth. There, association members and technology partners put on a brave face, despite the major blow delivered by Warner Bros. last week, announcing that they would exclusively support rival Blu-ray.

I'd heard about some wireless earbuds from Sennheiser, so I went by the booth to check them out. They were behind glass, but I could see enough to know they weren't for me. They look kind of like a pair of those Bluetooth earpieces I already find annoying, plus they require your iPod or other device to wear a somewhat bulky transmitter. I think there's probably a market for these. It's just probably not for the average iPod owner.

Continuing on the headphone theme, I went to the booth of Skullcandy, a company whose hipness factor is hurt only by the fact that I own a pair of its earbuds. There were DJs and hip-hop musicians performing and an artist doing a skull drawing as the company showed off a variety of products, including a set of iPhone earbuds and a DJ-style headset that also includes a built-in SD card slot for playing music without a separate MP3 player. Both products sell will sell for $89, with the wireless SD headphones due out around March. I also stopped by Shure, which was showing off an attachment that turns its line of in-ear headphones into an iPhone headset by adding an in-line microphone.

Having heard enough, I moved on to other areas of the hall. Among the places I stopped was a Dell environmental booth that consisted of some eco-furniture and two glass whiteboards where people could scribble their ideas on how to improve our ecological impact. The booth rep told me the ideas would be taken to an executive meeting back at Dell headquarters. Not sure what they will do with the posts, which included "Take public transit," "No more products, no more people," and "Killjoy."

My favorite moment was when a woman from Baton Rouge asked if she could get a brochure.

The booth rep tried to handle it politely. Well, no, see, the whole point is...

I decided to let Dell save the planet without me and continued on in search of more tech fare. I stopped by several random booths that caught my eye, including a company peddling a mini-photo studio perfect for snapping shots of your eBay trinkets without casting a shadow. I stopped by HP and Kodak to check out the latest in photo-printing kiosks. I'd been pretty impressed with the HP model I tried out at a drugstore this holiday season, and found Kodak's models even more versatile. Both make choosing prints easy, but I liked the quick photo books that it was capable of cranking out, as well as a new Photo DVD maker that lets you set your photos to one of about 20 songs, ranging from a Hootie and the Blowfish track to the theme from St. Elmo's Fire.

I found myself drawn to the Brother booth, where it was showing software, apparently not new, that turns your digital photos into something stitch-able with one of its embroidery machines. The software sells for around $1,000 and the machines range from a $600 model to one that sells for $13,000.

I was also drawn to a small booth in the corner, with a sign "We buy closeouts" and showing a smattering of non-tech and low-tech items such as whiteboards and fax machines. Carolina Wholesale owner Larry Huneycutt said the Charlotte-based company has been coming to CES for 20 years and finding customers and sources for his far-from-state-of-the-art gear.

His catalog includes label makers, digital projectors, and calculators. "We even sell typewriters," Huneycutt said.

But some of the latest gadgets were also low-tech, including the oft-maligned Quik Pod, a camera attachment that holds a camera at a distance allowing for better pictures of oneself. It's a gadget that I reckon plenty of people would like, but few would want to admit to needing, much less buying.

The latest model is an even tougher challenge. It's an SLR model for larger cameras. My colleague points out that this only increases its dorkiness factor.

I don't disagree, but also think that there is a market, even for pros who want to snap their own picture as well as the legions of wannabes. I just think that the pros (and wannabes, myself included) are less likely to want to admit it. That's why it's nice that the SLR model can also be used as a monopod.

LAS VEGAS--Lots of companies here are touting green design and environmental thinking, though in some cases it seemed more sloganeering than anything very deep. Here are just a few samples from the floor at the Consumer Electronics Show:

Among other things, Nokia was showing off their reduced packaging (50 percent smaller; most of their phones now shipping in it; have saved them $150 million to boot)

HP had a large area of their booth dedicated to their environmental efforts, and like Nokia had several people on hand who could talk knowledgeably about it.

There's still a long way to go on this issue, though, as can plainly be seen by looking at the sheer quantity of stuff at the show. And those massive plasma TVs look fantastic, but they sure gobble energy like there's no tomorrow. Not to mention the fact that most of what's being shown here will be obsolete (and non-upgradable) this time next year, if not sooner.

Here are just a fraction of the shipping crates stacked outside one of the convention halls that were used to bring everything to the middle of the desert. Remember that closing scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark? It's like that.

We mentioned this new HP tablet briefly last week when it was first announced, and now we've gotten a chance to get our hands on the HP Pavilion tx2000.

We don't actually know too many people who use a convertible tablet PC, but everyone's always asking us about them, and the tech press likes to cover new tablets extensively. While most of these systems are meant for industrial use, in hospitals, industrial sites, and occasionally by note-taking students, HP hit on a novel idea last year, introducing a tablet aimed strictly at movie-watching consumers, called the tx1000.

Watch the HP TX2000 video on CNET TV.

When we first saw the original tx1000 at 2007's CES, we liked the media-friendly options, such as a credit-card-size remote control, and glossy 12.1-inch screen--plus it turned out to be the very first Windows Vista laptop we had gotten our hands on.

No other strictly consumer-targeted tablets have crossed our path since then, but HP still believes in the concept, revamping the unit as the Pavilion tx2000 for this year's CES. From the outside, it looks almost exactly the same, and it includes the same (fairly useless) HP QuickPlay media playing software, plus a Webcam and touch-sensitive screen. Inside, the main difference is the addition of Wacom digitizer support to the finger-sensitive 12.1-inch touch screen, something missing from the previous tx1000 model.

We got a chance to play around with the new tx2000, and like its predecessor, it's an impressive portable media laptop. It earns points for the media-friendly controls and included remote, but it's still a bit on the heavy and bulky side for a system with a 12-inch screen--the entire system's nearly as large as a 13-inch MacBook. Shaving a couple of inches or ounces from it would make it that much more impressive.

Available later in January online, and at retail outlets in March, the tx2000 will start (just like last year's tx1000) at around $1,299.

HP announced a CES revamp of its ubersize desktop replacement late last week. Now that Intel has unveiled its new line of laptop chips, we bring you more details and hands-on observations of this high-end laptop.

While some PC makers endeavor to make ever smaller and lighter machines, HP gets credit for going the other way, creating one of the largest laptops ever seen--the massive HDX. With a huge 20-inch display and weighing more than 15 pounds, the HDX is a glorious example of conspicuous consumption. Even better, unlike Dell's similar XPS M2010, HP continues to update the system regularly--the latest version (still just called the HDX) is the third model we've seen since last spring.

The new HDX debuting at CES offers 512 MB Nvidia GeForce 8800M GTS graphics and the latest Intel Penryn processors, and offers a choice of either HD DVD or Blu-ray drives--although the recent Warner/Blu-ray deal makes that less exciting than it was a week or so ago.

Getting a chance to run some benchmarks on a Penryn HDX with the Nvidia GeForce 8800 just before CES, we didn't really see more than a modest performance boost from the new parts--but as with any prerelease hardware, new drivers are often required to unlock the real potential, so it may be a few days or weeks before useful updates are available.

The HDX may be so big that it's a laptop in name only, but the original model from last year was a constant conversation piece around the CNET office. Look for the revamped HDX to be available online sometime in January, starting at $1,999.

Sharp's Quick Start feature allows for load times under 10 seconds.

(Credit: Sharp)

Blu-ray has gotten a lot of flak regarding its trio of profile specifications--making it confusing for buyers who just want a fully functional Blu-ray player. Well, CES 2008 should mostly end the confusion, as all the new Blu-ray players are are Profile 1.1 compliant, meaning they'll be able to play "picture-in-picture" commentary tracks available on some new Blu-ray discs in 2008.

Sharp has announced one of these new Profile 1.1 players, the BD-HP50U. This is the follow-up to Sharp's first Blu-ray effort, the BD-HP20U, which broke some ground by offering extremely fast load times. The BD-HP50U also offers the same fast loading times, plus it also has 1080p output at 24 frames per second. The press release is somewhat vague about its audio capabilities and it's not clear whether it has onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio or just the ability to output the soundtracks in bitstream format (we will update this post when we have more information). Rounding out the feature set is an RS-232 port, which will be helpful to those with a home automation system.

The BD-HP50U will be available in May with a list price $700. Even with Blu-ray gaining some momentum in the format war, we're betting $700 is just too much money for buyers to get into the Blu-ray game.

It's always shocking when you realize the full breadth of HP's desktop product launches. Out of HP's four new desktop series, we count 10 new desktops set to hit stores in February. And that doesn't count the customizable counterparts at HP's Web site. All of these systems use chassis and hardware we've seen before, but what's most exciting is what you get for your money. We'll go over the highlights briefly:

(Credit: HP)

HP Pavilion SlimLine s3300 Series (includes the s3300f, the s3320f, the s3330f):

HP's small form factor PC will range from $549 to $949. Not much has changed since we first saw this scaled down computer last year. All come with dual-core CPUs, wireless networking (802.11b/g, no N or Bluetooth, disappointingly), and at least some degree of expandability. The most exciting news in this series is the $949 s3330f, which comes with a hybrid Blu-ray/HD-DVD drive. We gave a strong recommendation to the similar Pavilion SlimLine s3200t, which cost $1,540 this past November. That you'll be able to get a similar system for $500 less in a month makes that particular model especially enticing as a small-scale home theater PC.

Watch the HP Slimline S3330F video on CNET TV.

(Credit: HP)

HP Pavilion Desktop a6300 Series (includes the a6300f, a6330f):

The Pavilion Desktop remains HP's everyday PC that's not quite a budget system but doesn't aspire to any gaming or digital media editing heights. Starting at $549, you'll find dual-core CPUs in the various configs, as well as 500GB hard drives and 3GB of RAM in the higher-end model. Don't expect quad-core CPUs at this price range (at least in this half of 2008), or wireless networking or HD optical drives. Instead these systems offer the basic Windows computing experience, with a few HP-specific extras thrown in, such as its Photosmart Essentials software.

(Credit: HP)

HP Pavilion Media Center PC m8330 Series (includes m8300f, m8330f):

With the m8300 Series, HP starts to add performance and functionality. The entry price for the m8300f is $759, and while we don't have details on that particular system, the $959 m8330f includes AMD's new Phenom 9500 quad-core CPU. Other features include a 15-in-1 media card reader, multiple large hard drives, a TV tuner and a Windows Media Center remote control. With no high-end graphics cards, gaming will be limited, but for burning, encoding, editing, and playing your digital media, these systems should serve well

(Credit: HP)

HP Pavilion Elite PC m9100 Series (includes m9150, m9160, and m9180):

We gave HP flack for its Pavilion Elite m9040n and the amount of internal space that system wasted between two special bays for HP's proprietary removable hard drives, neither of which is included with the system. Sadly, HP hasn't revamped the design in its new Pavilion Elites, so you can expect the same frustration. If you really need to take two different removable hard drives with you, perhaps you'll take an interest, but add $300 to the Elite's $1,159 starting price to populate both spare bays. Fortunately, the base price does include Intel's Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU (which remains superior to AMD's Phenom chips), as well as an HD-DVD drive, 3GB of RAM, a TV tuner, and plenty of hard drive space.

(Credit: CNET)

In addition to HP's herd of new desktops, you can also expect to see two new HP LCDs on store shelves in February. The 22-inch w2207h will go for $349 and the 24-inch w2408h will retail for $499. Like HP's previous displays (the w2207 and the w2408), these new models come with glossy screens, and attractive black bezels. New are the HDMI inputs (complete with an HDMI cable in the box), and a 3000:1 contrast ratio, up from 1000:1 on the original models.

We're all for more contrast, but HDMI on a PC display feels a bit superfluous. Thus, we wouldn't necessarily feel the need to run out and replace your current w2207 or w2208. If you're in the market for an LCD, though, we were fans of the w2207, giving it a solid 7.6 in our review earlier in 2007. If these new models are indeed improved versions of the originals, we think you'll like what you'll see.

(Credit: CNET)

We fell in love with HP's MediaSmart Server this past fall. You can imagine then, that we're glad to learn about HP adding even more features to its poster child for Microsoft's Windows Home Server, the software at the heart of HP's MediaSmart Server hardware. The three updates will bring server-side McAfee antivirus protection, Windows Vista 64-bit support, and improved data handling for things like quicker photo thumbnails and the ability to stream video. Even better, these updates are all free and will come to current MediaSmart Server owners this February via download.

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.