CES 2010 latest news
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Giant fonts are the way of the future.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)Hard to believe there are still enough novice computer users still out there that a company would develop a whole line of computers specifically geared to them. Hard for me to believe, I should say, because BenQ sees things differently.
At CES, BenQ unveiled its first ever PC, the nScreen. The nScreen is being tailored for novice computer users, specifically senior citizens and children. The company is offering three nScreen models in its first Blue Ocean series: 18.5-inch wide screen i91, 21.5-inch wide screen i221, and the 18.5-inch wide-format i92. All three will be in the sub-$600 range when they debut in either the second or third quarter of 2009, according to BenQ.
BenQ has included a custom user interface that it thinks will appeal to seniors, children, and novice users. The UI is available for Linux and Windows XP Home and offers ease of use features like larger than normal font sizes, and the elimination of a tiered folder system. Instead it offers large point and click icons for Internet, e-mail, games, movies, photo/video sharing, Skype, and office documents, to name a few.
If the fonts are too big for your eyes or you want to make them smaller you may be able to, as some models include a font adjustment prompt that appears upon startup. For those who may be hard of hearing, an integrated equalizer automatically optimizes sound, specifically hard-to-hear high frequencies, according to BenQ.
Some models of the Blue Ocean series models will feature a customized keyboard, which will include a bigger keys and separate number and symbol keys so there is no need to press "shift" for symbols like "#." The unit we saw did not have such a keyboard.
Other features include an integrated 1.3-megapixel Webcam and VoIP phone (Skype handset comes standard on 21.5-inch models, optional on the 18.5-inch model), a 16:9 aspect ratio for HD and full HD (depending on the model) movie watching.
Other specs: SRS TruSurround HD sound, AMD Yukon platform with AMD RS690E+SB600 chipset, 720p native resolution (on the i91) to 1080p (on the i221), with all models featuring 1GB of system memory, 802.11b/g, 100BaseT, six USB connectors, and 4-in-1 card reader.
Smartparts has added two new pocket-size touch-screen digital photo viewers to its current lineup, the 2.4-inch SP24PC and the 3.5-inch SP35PC.
These compact digital photo viewers give people the capability to enjoy their favorite photos on the go. Users upload photos by connecting the viewer to their computer via USB cable. Both viewers are compatible with Mac and Windows.
The SP24PC can hold up to 50 images in its internal memory, and the SP35PC can hold up to 100 images. They both have a built-in rechargeable battery that automatically charges when the viewer is attached to a computer via USB cable.
Both come with a USB cable and a microfiber carrying pouch. They also display the date and time and have an alarm. The credit card-size viewers will be available in March 2009 with a MSRP of $29.99 for the 2.4 inch-SP24PC and a MSRP of $39.99 for the 3.5-inch SP35PC.
(Credit:
Trendnet)
Recording and viewing images from a security camera is nothing new, but being able to do that conveniently from any location within a wireless network is. And this is exactly what Trendnet offers at CES 2009 with its first-to-market 7" Wireless Internet Camera Monitor Kit, the TV-M7110WK.
The security surveillance kit includes one 7" Wireless Internet Camera and Photo Monitor, the TV-M7, and a Wireless Internet Camera, the TV-IP110W. The TV-M7 displays streaming IP Camera video in real time via the wireless network.
The TV-IP110W is capable of providing real-time, high-quality wireless video in the M-JPEG format. The camera can perform motion-detection recording, e-mail alerts, and scheduled recordings. It comes with an easy-to-use mounting kit and can be used on most surfaces.
The 7" TV-M7, on the other hand, can automatically connect to your wireless network, detect the included camera, and stream real-time video wirelessly. Interestingly, it can also act like a photo frame that displays slide shows and plays personal videos and music. It even comes with a little remote control for you to easily change what it displays.
The TV-M7 is the first device of its kind in the market for now and allows for monitoring up to four Trendnet Internet cameras on one screen or scan between cameras one at a time. While you can do the same thing with a computer, the TV-M7 makes it much more convenient and easy to use. And, of course, it works without any computer at all.
The Wireless Internet Camera Monitor Kit TV-M7110WK seems a good investment for a large home or a warehouse. It comes with a two-year limited warranty and an estimated price of $450. It will be available shortly in the U.S.
(Credit:
Sony)
Looks like my fellow MP3 editor Donald Bell is gonna have to eat some words, although he was right about one thing: we won't be seeing a touch-screen MP3 player from Sony all that soon in the States. You're going to have to wait until May to get your hands on the X-Series Walkman, which was officially announced at CES 2009. I can wait longer than that, personally, because while this player has some sweet features, there's something about the look of it that comes off as just a touch generic to me. Still, Sony tends to do a good job of giving its portables a nice, solid feel, so I suppose I'll wait to cast my final judgment until tomorrow when I get to lay hands on the player for a photo shoot. (Stay tuned for a slide show a bit later this week.)
In the meantime, about those features: there are a lot of them. The X-Series Walkman offers a three inch OLED display with wide-screen-format compatibility. While the majority of control is taken care of on the touch screen, the player also offers an array of tactile keys, including a dedicated volume toggle and a prominent home button; Sony calls this a "hybrid operation system." Extras include an FM tuner and integrated Wi-Fi, which will allow for automatic podcast updating and streaming from content providers such as YouTube, which you may recall is not presently available on the iPod Touch. The X-Series will offer a fairly wide array of content support--MP3, WMA, AAC, and L-PCM (WAV) on the audio side and AVC(H.264/AVC), MPEG-4, and WMV for video (and that WMV includes the protected variety offered by sites such as Amazon Video On Demand).
Considering the already-impressive audio quality offered by the Sony Walkman line, we weren't expecting much of an improvement in this area on the X-Series. However, Sony asserts that this player will sound even better than any predecessors, thanks to its new Digital Clear Audio Technologies and "S-Master" Digital Amplifier. Also, as with the S-Series, the X-Series will offer integrated noise-canceling functionality and complementing headphones.
The X-Series will be available in 16GB and 32GB capacities, and while Sony wouldn't release an estimated MSRP due to fluctuating flash pricing, I was able to confirm that it will be priced competitively when compared to the iPod Touch. Natch.
Samsung spilled the beans on the new P3 MP3 player at the company's CES 2009 press conference. As an update to Samsung's popular P2, the P3 shares many of its predecessor's features, including a 3-inch WQVGA touch screen, DNSe sound enhancement, audio and video playback, photo viewer, FM radio, voice recording, and Bluetooth capabilities such as phone pairing and stereo audio streaming.
Unlike the P2, the Samsung P3 uses a colorful new user interface dubbed "EmoTure" that emphasizes personalization. The body of the P3 is made from die-cast metal, available in black or silver, measuring just 0.39 inch thick. P3 users also get treated to Haptic feedback on the touch screen, offering a little reassuring vibration whenever a menu item is selected.
The P3 will be available in the first half of 2009 in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32 GB storage capacities. No final word on pricing, but current P2 pricing should give an idea of what to expect.
On Sale Now:
$199.99
View the latest prices for Samsung P3 (8GB, black)
On Sale Now:
$198.99
- $199.99
View the latest prices for Samsung P3 (16GB, black)
The Memorex TouchMP is a sub-$100 touch-screen MP3 player.
(Credit: Memorex)If you're jonesing for a touch-screen MP3 player, but the usual suspects are beyond your budget, the new $99 TouchMP player from Memorex may be just the thing. The 8GB MP3 player also supports WMA and WAV audio playback and boasts a 2.8-inch QVGA display, FM radio, voice recorder, video player (WMV, MPEG-4, AVI in MP4 format), Audible audiobook and podcast support, and a microSD expansion slot.
Best of all, the TouchMP is pretty good looking, which isn't something we've caught ourselves saying about previous Memorex players. The TouchMP is expected to hit shelves around spring 2009.
On Sale Now:
$79.99
- $120.04
View the latest prices for Memorex TouchMP (8GB)
(Credit:
Toshiba)
Toshiba just announced two new portable DVD players hitting this March. While we weren't thrilled with the SD-P71S, it seems the high-end SD-P93S has gotten quite a makeover.
The P93S will feature a 9-inch 180-degree swivel screen along with a pearl-white finish. In addition to MP3, JPEG, and DivX playback, the unit boasts a five hour battery life. We're also glad to see that Toshiba has added an SD card slot for even more playback options.
The P93S will retail for $180, while the smaller, step-down, seven-inch-screen model will go for $130. Both portables will be available in March.
On Sale Now:
$163.99
- $179.99
View the latest prices for Toshiba SDP93S
Updated at 11:30 a.m. PT with pricing info.
(Credit:
LaptopMag.com)
Intel has a convertible Netbook on tap for the CES 2009 crowd assembling once again in Las Vegas next month.
Laptop magazine got a sneak peek at the newest version of the low-cost Classmate PC. It has an 8.9-inch swivel screen with touch and stylus input, a Web cam, and 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor, 60GB hard drive, and Windows XP, with a few Intel touches to make XP work for the convertible form factor. So far, that includes Vision Objects Pen Input, which makes anything input via the stylus editable as text, as well as a virtual keyboard.
It's manufactured by CTL, like the original Classmate PC (which Intel will continue to sell). Laptop reports that it will begin shipping in mid-January.
Intel says that the price for the convertible Classmate will be slightly more than the original Classmate. The range will likely be somewhere around $250 and $400, though the company said it can't be more specific right now.
Brooke Crothers contributed to this report.
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