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Archive for the 'CES' Tag

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Vizio goes beyond TV with 6 new gadgets

January 12th, 2010, 4:31 pm by

Vizio Universal RemoteVizio conquered the LCD HDTV market last year. Now it wants a piece of the TV accessory market.

While the Irvine TV company unveiled its first Blu-ray Disc player, sound bar and cables last year, this year’s show had many nice surprises as well. It not only showed its latest TVs, including a 3D model and a super skinny HDTV, but it offered up a bunch of interesting TV accessories. I’ve highlighted the following, with pictures of course:

Number 1 stock artUniversal remote control with built-in LCD – Two of them are coming but the more interesting one is the XRT100 touchscreen remote control has a 3.5-inch LCD display to control the home’s entertainment system. It will work with Vizio’s upcoming (and delayed) Internet TV, as well as older audio and video devices. Unlike the Samsung Wi-Fi remote with the built-in TV display, this one works over Bluetooth. Click photos to enlarge.

Vizio universal remote control with touchscreen Vizio universal remote control with touchscreen

Number 2 stock artHeadphones with built-in LCD — Why does one need an LCD screen on a set of headphones, I’m not quite sure. But it was cool to see. Vizio added a round LCD display to the outer part of each earpiece. Users will be able to see the album cover or personal images on the screens. These are future products with no price or availability date available. Watch the video I took inside Vizio’s dark CES suite: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Gadgets • iPods • Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 9 Comments »

A voice-activated remote that listens to you

January 12th, 2010, 1:27 pm by

RCA voice-controled remote, RCRV06G.Spotted at CES: I never paid too much attention to remote controls, but at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show several caught my attention. Audiovox Corp., for one, introduced a new voice-activated TV remote, the RCA Voice Control Universal Remote or RCRV06G.

All you have to do is talk to it. Besides telling it to turn on the TV, it’ll obey your command to increase the volume, start a movie, switch channels and turn everything off — 25 activities in all. You don’t even have to touch a button.

Audiovox's voice-activated remote controlI’m unsure how the remote is able to distinguish between voice commands and regular chitty-chatting since I didn’t test this out myself. But just pointing it out…

And it’s surely not the most advanced remote but for $39.99, it seems to be one that could appeal to the masses who aren’t interested in spending $100+ for the Harmony remote or the new LCD-display ones from Samsung and Vizio.

The universal remote will control up to six devices, which, apparently, requires manual set up. I guess voice-activated set up will come in version two.

More on remote control technology:

Consumer Electronics Show 2010 with The GadgetressFor more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010.
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One-third inch? Ha! Vizio TV is even skinnier

January 11th, 2010, 1:29 pm by

Vizio Blade, a quarter-inch thick HDTV prototypeConsumer Electronics Show 2010 with The GadgetressBiggest, loudest, shiniest, skinniest! That’s what makes a fun Consumer Electronics Show. And in the skinniest TV category, looks like Irvine’s Vizio may be the winner.

While Samsung unveiled the LED 9000, a one-third-inch thick TV, Vizio was showing a sample of the Blade, so named for its quarter-inch thinness.

Apologies for the mediocre images. I saw this in Vizio’s dark exhibit suite and they wouldn’t allow flash.

vizblade14 vizbladeimg_7829 vizbladeimg_7827 Vizio Blade, a quarter-inch thick HDTV

The TV is a prototype, but it works. The Samsung model hides all the electronics inside the base of the TV. Vizio’s skinny prototype cheats a bit with a fatter back. The edge of the TV is pretty skinny though.

And of course, the Samsung model is supposed to be out this year.

Vizio was a nice surprise at Las Vegas. The company came out with a bunch of crazy new stuff that I wasn’t expecting since it’s better known as a firm that sells low-priced HDTVs. More to come.

For more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010.
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Posted in: Gadgets • Video & TV • • • • • • • | 11 Comments »

Coming soon: Dish to let users watch TV online

January 11th, 2010, 12:20 pm by

Dish Network at CES 2010: TV EverywhereUPDATED, 4:09 p.m.: The new box is available to all customers, not just new ones, as I was originally told. However, there will likely be a fee. No announcement yet on how much.
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While a big part of the Consumer Electronics Show focused on 3D television, Dish Network focused on a better way to watch the TV you pay for with the new TV Everywhere service.

No, this isn’t the same TV Everywhere that the cable TV companies are pushing (Dish says it’s pursuing a trademark).

However, the two TV Everywhere’s are similar. The idea behind the separate services is that if you’re a paying TV customer, you should get access to those shows online and on TV.

The big difference? Cable TV’s version may not include every TV channel you pay for in your cable plan. Dish’s does, said Vivek Khemkeh Khemka (corrected 2:56 p.m.), Dish’s vice president of customer technology.

“The key message of TV Everywhere is that you pay once for your TV and you can get it everywhere you want,” Khemka  said.

By everywhere, Khemka  means online, from any computer, from compatible mobile phones and on a second TV in the house that may not have a receiver.

Dish Networks' TV Everywhere ViP722k HD DVR with built-in Slingbox.How does it work? Slingbox. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: iPhone • Video & TV • • • • • • • • • | 9 Comments »

Who’s bringing 3D content to 3D HDTVs

January 9th, 2010, 10:23 am by

Mitsubishi Digital 3D HDTVsProbably the biggest 3D news at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show is the 3D content that is coming to TVs very soon.

ESPN, Discovery and others announced moves into the 3D market. Three more channels will be available only to DirecTV subscribers in June 2010.

► DirecTV said it is also working with CBS, Fox Sports/FSN, Golden Boy Promotions, HDNet, MTV, NBC Universal and Turner Broadcasting System Inc. to develop 3D programming that will debut this year or next year. Panasonic, which is pushing its 3D Viera HDTVs, will sponsor the effort in the first year.

DirecTV subscribers who have HD service will get a free software upgrade to access 3D content. The 3 channels will be:

  1. Pay-per-view movies and documentaries channel
  2. On-demand channel
  3. 3D sampler demo channel, featuring sports and music events

► ESPN committed to 3D TV and plans to broadcast 85 live sporting events in 3D this year, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Sony Corp. will help sponsor the channel. Other 3D events include up to 25 2010 FIFA World Cup matches, Summer X Games, college basketball, NBA basketball, college football and basketball which will include the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, AZ on January 7, 2011

► Discovery Networks announced plans to create a 3D TV network in partnership with IMAX and Sony.

► DreamWorks Animation, Technicolor and Samsung partnered to bring more 3D movies to homes.

Consumer Electronics Show 2010 with The GadgetressFor more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010.
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Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 2 Comments »

Vizio takes battery-operated TVs to new level

January 8th, 2010, 2:51 pm by

VizioOrange County’s little ol’ Vizio isn’t so little anymore. Besides taking the national lead in LCD HDTVs this year and picking up Beyoncé (yes, the superstar!) today as its celebrity endorser, the Irvine TV company is also keeping up with its much larger TV rivals when it comes to interesting new products.

Vizio is expanding beyond the TV set — pretty innovative stuff too that one wouldn’t expect from a company that gained popularity by appealing to consumers on a budget. So here begins a series of posts about Vizio’s new products, starting with …

Vizio's new 10-inch portable TV Portable digital TVs: Three slim TVs — with screens of 7, 9 or 10 inches — could replace the battery-powered analog TV that became obsolete when the nation’s TV channels switched to digital. These battery-powered LED TVs, which can also be plugged into a power outlet, receive over-the-air broadcasts.  The rechargeable batteries last three hours.

Two of the models, the 9-inch and 10-inch have the new ATSC-M TV standard, which is a new broadcast signal that local stations can use to target mobile devices like phones, media players and laptops. These models also receive regular ATSC and NTSC signals. Controls are on the touch-sensitive screen. Both have a USB 2.0 port for photo viewing or listing to music.  All three are expected to be available later this year.

The TV models:

  • VMB070 –  7-inch display, 800 by 480 resolution, 250 nits brightness, priced at $149.99. Dimensions are 8.2″ x 5.75″ x .75″
  • VMB090 — 9-inch display, 800 by 480 resolution, includes HDMI 1.4, $199.99. Dimensions are 10″ x 7″ x just under 1″  thick.
  • VMB100 — 10-inch display, includes HDMI 1.4, $229.99. Dimensions are 11″ x 7.5″ x just under 1″ thick.

Consumer Electronics Show 2010 with The GadgetressFor more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010.
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Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • | 6 Comments »

Turn a cardboard box into a speaker

January 8th, 2010, 1:38 pm by

rockitimg_7615Spotted on the CES show floor: The ROCK-IT from OrigAudio. It looks like a small square case to stash headphones. But really, it’s a way to turn any empty cardboard box, hollow Tupperware or other object into a speaker for your iPod or MP3 player.

A small round ‘speaker’ pops out of the case and attaches to a cardboard box. Sound vibrations running through the device are amplified through the hollow box, just like a larger speaker. Alone, the device sounds like music from headphones you’re not wearing.

But attached to the box and it sounds like a portable speaker. The sound quality is what you’d expect from a portable speaker, but it’s a handy device if you’re traveling and don’t want to lug a sound system around.

Pre-orders are being taken at origaudio.com for $49.99. The gadget starts shipping on Jan. 18. More pics (click to enlarge):

Rock-IT portable speaker just needs an empty box. rockitimg_7616

Consumer Electronics Show 2010 with The GadgetressFor more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010.
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Posted in: Audio • Gadgets • iPods • • • • • • • | Comments Off

A Samsung TV remote for the, er, bathroom

January 8th, 2010, 12:15 pm by

Samsung TV remoteIf you rely heavily on your DVR because you don’t want to miss a second of your favorite show, you’ll want to check out the new remote control that Samsung plans to add with its latest HDTV.

The remote has a touch-screen display to control channels, photos and other content as one would expect from any remote control.

However, it also includes a small LCD screen to see what you’re actually trying to control. And when you’re done, it’ll even show what’s being played on the big screen. It uses Wi-Fi to stream video from TV to remote.

Samsung remote with built-in display.The remote is not quite a stand-alone TV because it doesn’t have a TV tuner. But if someone is watching a Blu-ray movie on the big screen TV, the remote can switch back to TV mode and access the live broadcast.

Why would you need this? In case you have to go to the bathroom and don’t want to stop watching a favorite show — this was the response I got from Samsung.

UPDATE, 1/13/10: Reader Dan Thomas suggests that another good use for the remote is to program a DVR without turning the TV on — a suggestion he wrote from his iPod while in the bathroom (!)

There is definitely an impress-your-friends factor, but I’m sure there are other reasons why this could be useful. Can anyone name one?

The remote will only be available with the skinny new Samsung LED 9000 HDTV. But Samsung says it could become an accessory for other TVs in the future. Seems like the software also has the potential to become a iPhone or other mobile app.

Lots of pics below from the show floor. Click to enlarge: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • | 1 Comment »

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