CES 2009

Jasmine and Donald talk about their favorite portable audio discoveries from the 2009 Macworld Expo and the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This episode is recorded live from the CNET stage at CES 2009.

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Oooh, the things he would do to your laptop.

(Credit: Eric Franklin/CBS Interactive)

It's difficult to make the monitor category exciting, but Samsung continues to try.

The company showed off two new monitors specifically designed as companion monitors for a laptop. The first is the 22-inch LD220, which has a native resolution of 1,920x1,080, a 5ms response time, and a contrast ratio of 1000:1. This display connects to the laptop via USB . The second is the 19-inch LD190X, with a 1366x768 resolution, a 5ms response time, and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. The latter monitor differs in that it connects to the laptop via a wireless antenna.

Each of the monitors was designed to sit very low and close to the actual desktop--similar to how a laptop's display sits.

Samsung's UbiSync technology is very similar to Displaylink and may even be the same tech with a different name. Displaylik and Ubisync allow you to connect up to six monitors to one system via USB-- and now with the LD190X, via a wireless antenna, too.

The LD220 will be available in the first quarter 2009 for $499; the smaller LD190X will be available in the same time frame for $599. Samsung is charging a premium for the wireless technology. Check out our slide show for more shots of the two in action.

Samsung is clearly intending to make a big push with its LED-backlit LCDs, but the company did announce one new line of LCDs without LED. The Samsung LNB750 series uses standard CFL backlighting, but includes other cutting-edge features such as 240Hz refresh rate, a slim inch-thick design, and access to Samsung's new Internet@TV content. Here are the details.

Key features of the Samsung LNB750 series:

• 240Hz refresh rate
• Slim design, around an inch thick
• Ultra Clear antireflective screen
• Wide Color Enhancer Pro
• Internet@TV capable (Yahoo widgets)
• Built-in Ethernet
• Wi-Fi-ready, with purchase of additional adapter
• Energy Star 3.0 compatible

Pricing and availability of the Samsung LNB750 series (estimated street prices):

• 40-inch 40LNB750 ($1999, May)
• 46-inch 46LNB750 ($2399, May)
• 52-inch 52LNB750 ($2899, May)

We've covered 120Hz technology extensively before, and we expect 240Hz to offer similar advantages. The major area for improvement is the associated dejudder processing, particularly eliminating annoying artifacts and making the processing look more natural. Wide Color Enhancer Pro is a feature that supposedly matches a source's color space to the HD color space--we haven't seen a feature like this yet, so it will be interesting to test in the labs.

A built-in Ethernet connection enables access to Samsung's new Internet@TV platform, which lets users access Yahoo widgets capable of delivering content from services such as Flickr, Yahoo News, Yahoo Weather, USA Today, YouTube, Showtime, and others. The LNB750 series is also Wi-Fi-ready, but you'll need to purchase an additional adapter. Finally, the sets are compliant with the new Energy Star 3.0 specification, although it seems like almost all 2009 HDTVs are.

(Credit: Samsung)

After finally seeing 3D stereoscopic games in action, I now know what all the excitement is about. Playing a game with the "3D" feature turned on delivers on the promise set up by movies like The Creature From the Black Lagoon 3D. Movies that still to this day disappoint me when I think back to how they were not 3D at all.

Enough about childhood disappointments. This week Samsung announced the SyncMaster 2233RZ, the company's first stereoscopic 3D-compatible monitor. Basically, with the right 3D graphics hardware (Nvidia 8, 9, or 10 series); glasses (the display will be bundled with them for the first few months); and games; you'll be able to play games with added depth perception. The effect as I've witnessed it is very convincing.

Samsung claims that the 2233RZ can display 5:4 and 4:3 images at accurate aspect ratios without enlargement or distortion. It's also included an off timer feature that enables the monitor to shut down at set times and a shortcut button that allows you to switch from 3D to 2D mode quickly.

Where a typical monitor's refresh rate tops out at 60Hz, the 2233RZ goes to 120. This means the monitor should be capable of smoother motion not only while gaming but while watching movies as well.

According to Samsung, more than 350 games are "3D compatible" and ready to be experienced, but that number is actually higher as most PC games are compatible. You'll need a Nvidia stereoscopic-compatible graphics card, the Samsung 2233RZ (editor's "not enough time note": there is another display from Viewsonic that is also compatible, but I haven't had a chance to see it yet; keep watching this space), and finally the 3D shutter glasses to make it all work.

Samsung says the 3D glasses are designed so you can wear them and prescription glasses at the same time and that was the case when I used them. Adjustable nose pieces are also included for different nose sizes. The glasses are powered via USB, and according to Samsung can last an entire week without a recharge.

The Samsung 2233RZ will be available in April for a suggested retail price of $399.

As much as we love plasmas' image quality here at CNET, there's no denying that they're power hogs . However, at CES 2009 we've seen several plasma manufacturers showing off new energy-efficient panels. Like Panasonic's NeoPDP plasmas, the Samsung PNB550 series of plasmas claim to consume nearly 50 percent less energy compared to past models. Here are the full details.

Key features of the Samsung PNB550 series:

• Nearly 50 percent less energy consumption compared to past models
• Ultra FilterBright antiglare screen
• Real Movie (24fps mode)
• Real 600Hz processing
• Energy Star 3.0 compatible
• 50-, 58-, and 63-inch models
• Available in first half of 2009

Like Panasonic, Samsung is touting "600Hz processing." Here's our effort to staunch consumer confusion: ignore this feature. It basically means plasmas have very good motion resolution, but as usual, it's very difficult to discern the difference for most people. Samsung also announced a higher-end series of plasmas, the PNB850 series. It includes several step-ups, including a better antiglare screen and Internet@TV functionality over Ethernet or Wi-Fi (with an adapter).

Update 03-25-09: Originally this article indicated that these plasmas had a slim, one-inch-thick cabinet design, but that is incorrect. The panels are the standard depth of around 3 inches.

Home theater is Samsung's game at this year's CES. Though the company did announce the new P3 touch-screen MP3 player, an inch-thick plasma TV, feature-packed Blu-ray home theater systems, and backlit LCD TVs dominated the show.

Samsung unveils P3 touch-screen MP3 player
Photos: Hands-on with the Samsung P3 player
Samsung's slick HT-BD7200 Blu-ray home theater system
Samsung's funky Blu-ray and DVD players
Samsung's PN-B850 series of plasmas get down to an inch thick
Samsung HT-BD1250: 5.1-channel home theater offers Blu-ray, Netflix, Pandora
Samsung HT-BD8200 home theater sound bar includes Blu-ray, Netflix, Pandora
Samsung DVD-H1080: Portable-sized DVD player for the home
HT-BD7200: 2.1 Blu-ray home theater from Samsung
Samsung goes green with the LN-B6000 series of LED-backlight LCDs
Samsung BD-P4600: Wall-mountable Blu-ray player with Wi-Fi add-on
Samsung LN-B8000 LCDs put LED-backlighting and 240Hz in a 1-inch frame
Samsung's step-down LED-backlit LCDs feature Yahoo widgets, 120Hz
Samsung unveils the MBP200 Pico Projector

(Credit: Samsung )

Even at a show like CES there's always room for basic phones. Just take the Samsung SGH-T119, which T-Mobile debuted in Las Vegas. The candy-bar design is about as simple as you can get, as is the pale gray color scheme. It will be available in February.

Features are equally minimal. You'll find a speakerphone, a voice recorder, a calendar, a calculator, an alarm clock, a currency converter, messaging, speed dialing, support for T-Mobile's myFaves, and a Web browser. You also get photo caller ID, though the T119 doesn't have a camera. It's only dual-band (GSM 850/1900), so don't count on using it outside of the United States or Canada.

(Credit: Eric Franklin/CBS Interactive)

A few months ago I reviewed the Lenovo ThinkVision L2440p and L2440x.

Each has the same form factor; however the "x" has LED backlighting, while the "p" is backlit by CCFL. The problem I had with the x is that I felt it was not taking full advantage of the LED technology. One of the purported advantages of LED displays is that the panels can be much thinner than CCFL panels, since there are no big tubes in the back, however the Lenovos had the same exact form factor. This is probably why upon first impression I was so taken with the 23-inch Samsung SyncMaster P2370L.

This is Samsung's first LED backlit monitor and the company has clearly taken advantage of the technology, at least as far as the design is concerned. The panel is extremely thin. There is maybe about 1.5 inches (give or take as I didn't have a tape measure with me) from the front of the display to where the DVI plugs in.

The neck of the display is transparent and there are what seem to be these purplish sparking crystals at the very bottom. That's right, I said it. Purplish, sparkling crystals. This thing is just the epitome of sleek.

Now, the display is impressive looking on its own but you don't really appreciate it until you see the P2370, which is the CCFL version of the display. It looks great in its own right but it is noticeably thicker.

As for performance, there was nothing that stood out as bad, but without being able to view them both in a controlled environment, it's hard to say. The viewing angle was wider than most displays, and the image on both screens was sharp.

The LED-based P2370L will soon be available for $399, and the CCFL-based P2370 will be out at the same time for $299. Check out the slide show for more pics.

CES has officially begun and we discuss a slew of offerings from the show floor, as well as the Steve Ballmer keynote. Also, Tom is offered the chance to record his voice for TomTom GPS devices. That's a lot of Tom!

EPISODE 887

Ballmer Keynote
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10131585-100.html
http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/ces2009-microsoft-keynote.ars

Windows 7 goes Beta this Friday
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10135791-56.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10136418-75.html

Windows 7 might not come in '09
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10135943-56.html

CES Press conference roundup:
Samsung: super thin OLED
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10135532-100.html

Vizio takes the cover off Connected HDTV: Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon, Yahoo! and more
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/vizio-takes-the-cover-off-connected-hdtv-netflix-blockbuster/

Yahoo! recaps a day of setting the Internet-on-TV movement on fire with Widgets
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/08/yahoo-recaps-a-day-of-setting-the-internet-on-tv-movement-on-fi/

Wall-mountable Blu-Ray player
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10134004-100.html

Audiovox, PlayStation 2 roll out
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10135464-100.html

Acoustic Research Harmony killers
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10133953-100.html

LG’s 240Hz LCDs flash backlights really fast
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10135326-100.html
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10135175-100.html

LG to implement noise-canceling in many of its phones
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10134765-100.html

The Sony P-series Lifestyle PC: Just don’t call it a Netbook
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10131906-100.html

OQO launches world’s smallest Vista PC with OLED screen
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090107-oqo-launches-worlds-smallest-vista-pc-with-oled-screen-see-notes.html

Pols hit panic button as DTV coupon program goes broke
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090107-pols-hit-panic-button-as-dtv-coupon-program-goes-broke.html

New energy efficiency rules for TVs sold in California
http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09%2F01%2F07%2F1946223

E-MAIL
Hey Tom, Molly, and Justin,

I was listening to show 886, and something caught my attention when
Natali was talking about the Giffen good. She said that when demand
increases, price increases when talking about high-priced technology
products. What she was actually referring to is called a Veblen good;
a Giffen good is when the price of an inferior good, a good that low-
income people generally prefer (ramen, bread, etc), rises and those
low-income people end up buying more of that good. A Veblen good is
like a Giffen good, but Veblen goods are generally luxury goods, such
as that new 17-inch MacBook Pro or a Lamborghini, etc. People buy
these Veblen goods at higher prices because it is considered to be a
mark of your financial status.

Sorry for such a long email, feel free to truncate it however you
wish, just wanted to clear that up.

Love the show, keep it up!
Daniel Byon

***********

Hey jamoto,

In Replyness to Daniels Email from Wednesday, I am also a UK listener and would like to say that the BBC does indeed broadcast their tv shows live on the internet. To clarify, the BBC iplayer is where viewers can watch shows from up to 7 days in the past and they also have a bbc watch live service which at this very moment I am watching live tv on the internet and on my terrestrial tv. This was also in place last year so Tom, you do get another correct prediction from 2008.

Chris Hisgrove

***********

Hi Buzz crew,

Tom, did I heard correctly in episode 884 that you'd love to get your voice on a TomTom? That's great news!
An even better news is that you don't even have to license your voice to us. You just have to record a few voice commands, convert them in a TomTom format and publish yourself on our TomTom HOME platform where Buzz-fans from all over the world can download it for free and put it on their TomTom. I'd sure be one of them!

It's a rather easy process for geeks like us and I'd be very happy to assist.

All the best,
Jeff from TomTom and long time listener

PS: Love the show

***********

Hey Buzz Crew,

Hope your enjoying CES. I’m stuck in snow snow and more snow…

I was listening to yesterday’s show (1/7) where you talked about a 10
meg max download over 3G for iTunes on the iPhone. While this is
true, I just go to your www and download the mp3. This works fine, so
I’m not sure why AT&T doesn’t block this then?!?

- Bob, the Nuclear Engineer