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Features
Back from the 2007 CES show in Las Vegas
If any single company dominated the show, it had to be Microsoft with a major presence inside and out touting its products, especially the imminent release of the new Vista operating system and Office companion suite. They even had tents outside the convention center for the overflow.
The North Hall is more or less devoted to automotive technology featuring highly customized vehicles completely filled with speaker systems, GPS, and video screens. I swear, some of those cars could propel themselves with the sound blasting out of them--a possible solution to the energy crisis, but I don't know how we would contend with the noise pollution. I still have a headache from the penetrating sounds pervading that venue.
I must say that, as a handheld enthusiast, I was disappointed in the paucity of new offerings at CES. Of course, Palm announced the release of the Treo 750. Samsung dominated the show with giant posters everywhere, on buildings, on buses, on taxis, and throughout the exhibit halls. Both are great units, and I am testing them now for review.
Then too, i-mate announced that it would now market its unlocked PDAL and JAQ3 Windows 5.0 devices in the US. Both are small and handy GSM quad-band Pocket PC phone editions. I expect to have these units for a full review soon too.
My spirits lifted, however, on my last day when I attended a private meeting with HTC to review their current models of Pocket PCs and Smartphones. At this meeting the publicist unveiled four new units that took my breath away. With these exciting, new units on the horizon, things do not look quite so bleak for the introduction of new product.
Actually, the adult entertainment industry has always been on the cutting edge of digital technology to drive the delivery of its products. As I understand it, they were among the first to figure out how to do online bankcard transactions and how to deliver video content online. Now it seems they are promoting downloads paid for by the minute from which you can select your favorite parts, without having to bother with any foreplay, or whatever pushes your buttons. Of course this content will stream to PDAs and cell phones as well as part of a greater distribution system.
As an archaeologist, I appreciated Qualcomm's creative contribution with the construction of an archeological site complete with partially exposed artifacts in the deposit. Staff decked out as archaeologists discussed the evolution of digital technology with visitors. A treasure map directed visitors from the outmoded technology in the midden to the contemporary iterations in other parts of the massive exhibit. They could have used some pointers from a real archaeologist, however, but it was fun and creative.
If there were any unifying theme to the show, it was the concept that you could have all of your media wherever and whenever you want on integrated devices and wireless distribution systems. I have selected six of my favorite items from CES to share with you, which will follow in subsequent posts. I hope you will not be disappointed at the lack of porn content, however.
However, occasionally something new jumps out and grabs you. For instance, WaaWoo offered one of my favorites last year, the WOW MousePen (www.wow-mousepen.com) has an exciting, new item that blew me away. It's my first CES Favorite.
At the Sands Hotel Convention Center a mile or so south of the main venue, there is another huge space for the overflow. Many of the exhibitors were similar to those at the Hilton--small Asian electronics companies. However, I found several innovative offerings here and a greater variety of products including games, furniture, household appliances such as robotic vacuum cleaners, and a variety of other robots.
Sling Media also announced SlingCatcher and SlingProjector. These applications will enable users to project Web content or any content from a computer onto a TV screen, which is the reverse of Slingbox. You don't even need a computer to stream Internet content to a TV screen with SlingProjector. Think of the possibilities. HP is going to pre-install SlingPlayer on its consumer notebooks.
Kirkorian also announced at CES that SlingPlayer and Slingbox have been enhanced and optimized to work seamlessly with the new Microsoft Vista operating system and will take advantage of the new system's powerful video features.
Perhaps the most momentous announcement from Sling Media was that Slingbox is now available for Palm OS Treos. Previously, Slingbox only worked on Windows Mobile devices. So, that should make you Palmsters out there happy campers, and I recommend that you take advantage of the opportunity.
Sling Media even managed to score an Emmy award during CES for outstanding achievement in advanced media technology for the creation of non-traditional programs or platforms. Clearly, this innovative company has lots to offer and is really going places.
For more information on Slingbox, please read my recent review: http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=9&p=1491&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#more1491
It still has that silly connector at the bottom of the unit that requires a separate cable for USB sync and another cable for charging. Why not combine the two functions with the use of a standard mini-USB connector as most other machines have these days? This is really a non-issue when virtually all of the machines made by HTC already have such a setup in place. HTC makes the Palm 750 and could have easily added a mini USB connector. Obviously, for some inexplicable reason, Palm didn't want to change its outmoded system.
Perhaps my biggest disappointments are that the screen is still just 240 x 240 pixels, and there is no built-in Wi-Fi. It's almost incomprehensible to me that any Pocket PC would enter the market place without Wi-Fi. It seems obvious that this was probably beyond Palm's control and a dictate of a greedy telco that wants you to use their pokey network and charge you for it instead of fast, free Wi-Fi. Bah!
Not only does it not have built-in Wi-Fi, it has switched from an SD card slot to a mini-SD card slot, which makes it impossible at this time to use a Wi-Fi card. You will be stuck with Cingular's EDGE network for surfing the Web, which is slower than EVDO used by the 700w ad700wx. At least, you can insert an SD Wi-Fi in the 700s.
The new 750 still uses the 1.3 MPX camera when most of the new Pocket PCs are going to 2.0 and 3.0 MPX.
Here's some good news: the Bluetooth codecs have been upgraded so that you can listen to stereo sound and use wireless Bluetooth headphones. The Samsung 300 MHz processor is a bit slower though.
Anyway, it's a nice unit, and I will give it a complete review when I get my hands on one next week. I am amused that Palm and Cingular are not touting the 750 as a Smartphone because it's not a Smartphone, it's a Pocket PC. Now they are calling it a Smart Device, which makes a lot more sense and avoids confusion as users will no longer try in vain to use Smartphone software on a Pocket PC.
Incidentally, you may be interested to know that I noticed more Palm packers than any other type of phone at CES. I couldn't tell you if they were Palm OS or WM5 because they were usually glued to the owner's ear or ensconced in a case. But, I suspect that the majority were WM5 because of the dominant Microsoft presence at CES.
Look for my full review of the Treo 750 in the April issue of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine.
What makes the Connect so special is its fast 802.11g wireless technology that enables it to connect to the Internet at any hotspot to receive data. Now you can download new tunes and listen to Internet radio live, which is a huge step forward in the MP3 world.
In some ways, the unit is a step backwards, however. First, it has a goofy antenna sticking up on the top left that makes it look like a Treo 700 series cousin. It does not have video playback capability, which most other Sansa models feature--what a waste of that nice color screen. It does not have an FM radio tuner either. I suppose that is because you can listen to Internet radio. But, you have to be connected to do that, and you can listen to FM radio anywhere, anytime. I wonder why it only comes with 4 GB. Of yeah, SanDisk is in the business of selling memory cards. Do you suppose that has something to do with it?
One of my chief complaints for all MP3 players including iPods is that they do not have Bluetooth capability, and you have to go around with dangling wires hanging out of your ears. What a nuisance. However, I did discover one MP3 player that will be available in a couple of months. Why haven't other developers figured out this no-brainer feature? I'll let you know about this one in a month or so.
If you just want to talk on your Treo handsfree, you may wish to consider the super small and light Jabra JX10 Bluetooth headset.
Check out these products and more at www.jabra.com.
It comes with a stand, a stylus, a rollup USB keyboard, and a stereo earplug/microphone set. It has two USB ports but no SD slot, which is unfortunate in my opinion.
I do not think this device will necessarily replace the Pocket PC, but it certainly is a viable alternative to lugging a clunky laptop, especially at this highly competitive price.
Check it out at "www.agopc.com." Keep tuned for a full review.
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In case you've never attended, this amazing extravaganza, it just about takes over the entire town occupying every square inch of the giant Las Vegas Convention Center and all of its North, Central, and South halls with major players such as Microsoft, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, and more, all strutting their stuff, some with monster exhibits and stage shows, viewing booths, and private meeting rooms.
Moving farther north, next door, the entire Hilton Convention Center is consumed by small booths in blocks organized by countries, mostly Asian. Frankly, I found this area a little tedious. All the exhibitors are hopeful that a WalMart or some other big box buyer will stop by and place an order for a million or so units. The endless offerings of MP3 players, headsets and headphones, cables, HDTV screens, and GPS units begin to blur into a numbing sameness.
A mile south of the Las Vegas Convention Center the Sands Convention is also almost entirely consumed by CES with one exception: The Adult Entertainment Industry Convention. That show certainly attracted a different audience with its huge posters and blatant adult content.
What if I told you that this digital pen would allow you to write or draw on any surface and that all your strokes were recorded digitally? The recorder is a USB memory stick that does not have to be connected to a computer to record. When you slip it into a USB port, your scribblings will appear on the monitor. You can even convert your writing to text. You can also use the flash memory stick to store any kind of data. This device is slick, compact, and mind bogglingly adaptable to an endless variety of applications. The suggested retail price will be about $100. Be on the lookout for this beauty when it hits the retail market. Meanwhile, just imagine how you might use such an ingenious device.
I had a nice meeting with Blake Krikorian the CEO and founder of SlingMedia. Krikorian had some real whammies to release at CES. For instance, one new product expected to be ready in the second quarter of 2007 is Clip + Sling, which will enable users to take snippets from a TV show to share with friends. CBS is joining forces with Sling Media to form a YouTube type community using this product.
The new Palm 750 is almost identical to the 700w and wx in appearance, except that it has lost that ugly antenna and it has some minor keypad changes. The big difference is that it is Palm'\'s first GSM quad band device, which makes it usable pretty much anywhere in the world.
The Connect comes with 4 GB of built-in storage, enough for about 1000 tunes. It also has a micro-SD slot for infinite expansion. Its sleek, shiny black case measures 2.05x3.58x0.63 inches, sports a 2.2-inch screen, and will cost $249.
Jabra makes a nice set of wireless Bluetooth headphones (BT620s) that fit comfortably over your ear. The problem is for some Smartphone and PDA phone toters that while the headphones hook up via Bluetooth, they only work for phone calls, not music. Clever Jabra has come up with a solution, however. The A120s is a nifty, little Bluetooth stereo music adapter. Of course it comes with the standard 3.5 jack, and you will need a 2.5 adapter to use it with a Treo. Why Palm uses the non-standard, smaller jack is a mystery to me. Anyway, with that accommodation, you can now listen to your tunes via Bluetooth on your Treo in stereo. When there is an incoming call, the music automatically stops so that you can talk on the phone through the built-in microphone--if you have paired the phone with the headphones. Tap the headphones, and the music starts again. You can also navigate through your music and adjust the volume with buttons on the headphones.
You can wear it on either ear with or without the ear clip. You can just plug this featherweight (less than 1/3 ounce) right into your ear if you wish. It comes with a charging cradle and costs about $85. That's a bit pricey, but it has no peer for stylish design, sound quality, and ear comfort. If you want something a little more economical, Jabra offers other Bluetooth headsets (BT125 and BT160) for as little as $39.95.
What you get is a seven-inch touch sensitive screen and a Windows Tablet PC operating system that weighs under two pounds. It's a perfect solution for people who need a small computer but don't want to lug a laptop and need more computing power than a Pocket PC affords. This is a fully functional Windows computer, and you can do anything on it that you can do on your desktop or laptop. It sports 512 MB of RAM and a 40 GB hard drive with 1 GHz processor. It's available in white and black.