Tunebug Gives Your Extreme Sports A Soundtrack With Vibrations [Tunebug]

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Though nothing I do these days involves a helmet of any kind, if I was an extreme sports maven, I'd rock a Tunebug at all times. While my skull didn't make a great speaker, Tunebug kept it a safe one.

Would you ever wear headphones while driving a car? Of course not, it's dangerous—having your ears open seems like an essential part of staying safe while operating a vehicle. Now why would it be any safer to plug your ears with earbuds while riding a bike or a skateboard?

The Tunebug, by SVC, uses SurfaceSound vibrations to turn your helmet into a surround sound speaker, letting you keep your ears open to potential hazards around you. The unit straps to any helmet with three strong velcro buttons and can play music via Bluetooth or an aux-in plug. In the chaotic Pepcom convention hall the sound didn't exact rock my world, but it seemed like the Tunebug's vibrations would be powerful enough to give you a nice, audible soundtrack in calmer environs.

The Tunebug module detaches from its helmet cradle to turn any surface into a speaker. Look for the Tunebug in Q2 2010.



Samsung 3D OLED Display is Practically Paper Thin [Oled]

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Looking at the pictures this OLED concept produces is the strangest thing: a 3D image on a nearly 2D panel.

The 14-inch panel is just 1.6mm think, and if you look at it from the side you might miss it completely. It's at least three years away from being ready—much less affordable—at sizes that would make it worth owning, but even in the concept it's a pretty incredible feat of engineering.




The Laptop to End All Laptops [Laptops]

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It's only a proof of concept, but this is laptop with a clear OLED screen—but a stone's throw from those floating 3D displays of Avatar. Practical? Not necessarily. The future? OBVIOUSLY.

The resolution, I don't know. It's pixely, but let's not quibble.

You see right through the thing, then something appears on the screen (like a white background), and you can't see through it anymore.

Are you processing this? No, you can't be. It's only 2010. Man wasn't prepared for this kind of technology yet. The brain hasn't evolved enough. We're primates. Squirrels. Slugs.

Maybe in 100 or 200 years, the great artists of the world will reflect on what's happened today and make some sort of sense of it all. Until then, we'll just keep on breathing, in, out. Until then, we'll weep.



Police Tend To Notice Something Like a Guy Dragging a Coke Machine Down The Road [Crime]

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Oh Tennessee, you have been in rare form recently. The latest tale comes to us courtesy of Nicholas Nunley, who hooked a Coke machine to his pickup outside a Dollar General then began dragging it down the road.

Amazingly, an eyewitness noticed the one truck on the road with a vending machine engulfed in sparks dragging behind, and called the police. Apparently unfamiliar with the effect of drag, Nunley tried unsuccessfully to evade capture. After a Taser relaxation session, Nunley was hauled off to prison, where he is undoubtedly comparing notes with the Hill family from Walmart. [NBC-2 via Arbroth via Neatorama]



Sprint Overdrive Mobile WiMax Hub Lets Five People Share One Fat Connection [WiMax]

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Sprint's Overdrive hub is a lot more than a cellular modem: It's got dual 4G/3G connectivity, shared connections with up to five devices over Wi-Fi, and can serve as a sort of mini NAS, with shared microSD storage.

Early leaks of the device were mostly right, but given that the Wi-Fi range is even further than expected—150ft, Sprint and Sierra claim—actually undersold it a bit. (WiMax is fast enough, and that Wi-Fi range is long enough, that you could conceivably use one of these as your primary source of internet at home. Nuts, basically.) A 1.4-inch LCD screen lets you know who's connected to what and how, and gives you a precise battery reading—fixing one of the dumbest problems with Verizon's Mifi. Actually, all around this device feels like the MiFi on steroids—it's even a bit bigger, at about 3 x 3 x .6 inches, though that's still pretty compact for what you're getting here.

The Overdrive goes on sale January 10th for $100.

With a two-year service agreement, ha! Thought you were getting out of that one, didn't you! Never. [Sprint]

UPDATE: For scale:



Sanyo’s New Xacti Cams Ditch the AVCHD, Keep Getting Slimmer and Slimmer [Camcorders]

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Take your pick as to what's better about these new Sanyo Xacti cams: On the one hand, they're thinner and lighter than ever. On the other hand, they got rid of that pain-in-the-ass AVCHD video format.

Slashgear says the bigger Xacti, the VPC- SH1 has 1080p recording, a 35mm wide-angle lens, 30x optical zoom and takes 4 megapixel photos. The taller Xacti model, the VPC-CS1 also records 1080p, but only has 10x zoom and takes 3 megapixel stills. It is, however, only an inch thick.

Both models have a zoom mic that hones in on the area you're zooming into, image stabilization, face tracking and SDXC compatibility. Both cameras will be available in February with the SH1 selling for $400 and the CS1 selling for $300. [Slashgear]



Hands On: Fujitsu FLEPia Color eBook Reader Should Stay In Japan Until It’s Done [Color Ebook]

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I just tried out the Fujitsu FLEPia, which has been shown in 2007, talked about in 2008 and finally released in Japan in 2009. It's slow and janky.

The FLEPia is still the production color ebook reader available, says Fujitsu. The problem is that it's really slow. Page turns take 1.8 seconds, and slowly loads from the bottom up. And because it runs Windows CE, the FLEPia can handle PDFs and Word documents, but they're slow as well.

The obvious benefit is that the FLEPia is its 4096 color display, and, well, the color isn't so hot. It's washed out and not worth paying such a premium for. It does have a pen-based toushcreen, but it's unresponsive as well.

So, Fujitsu should probably keep this version in Japan until they can figure out how to speed up the load times and make the screen more presentable.



HP’s Windows 7 Slate Device Revealed by Steve Ballmer [Slate]

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It's not Courier, but HP's rumored slate PC is here, now. Steve Ballmer and his hardware specialist Ryan Asdourian just showed it off, and man is it cute. Updated with VIDEO

Update:Adrian just spotted this official video:

"They're more powerful than a phone and almost as powerful as a PC. Perfect for reading, surfing the web and taking entertainment on the go," said Ballmer at his CES 2010 opening keynote. He says that it will be available this year.

HP says they'll provide information on the slate after the keynote, but wouldn't say anything in the meantime. We're calling it a "slate"—well, Microsoft is calling it a slate, to differentiate from the pen-and-screen dealy that Bill Gates intro'd in 2001—but that's not its name.

It's a Windows 7 touch device, so it's nice in an accessible, netbooky (yeah, I'm guessing relatively cheap) context. But it's not exactly the Courier we have lusted after from Microsoft in our dreams (and waking hours).

Here you can see it in its various modes, movie mode, ebook mode and PC mode:

Fun fact: Adsdorian, shown above with Ballmer, moonlights as a (or the) Seahawks mascot.



Kodak Playsport: It Might Be the New Pocket Cam to Buy [Camcorders]

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From my admittedly quick hands-on, I've pretty much decided that the Kodak Playsport is the most practical pocket camcorder to date.

Why?

It's rugged and waterproof up to a modest (though useful) 10 feet. That's nice. But what you can't tell from a spec sheet is that it's wonderfully shaped and very solid in your hand—probably more solid than any other pocket cam I've held. The rubber grip is perfectly positioned to add...grip, and the HDMI/USB ports are plugged with a latch-protected stopper.

Basically, I trust that it's actually waterproof, especially as the demo unit was still working after being submerged for 8 hours.

And as for the internals, the sensor is identical to that in the larger but respected Zi8. So the Playsport's 1080P video should compete with other camcorders in the sector.

Bottom line, if you're taking a $150 camera on vacation, it makes sense for it to be more rugged and expendable than your cellphone. Good for Kodak for knocking out what looks to be a very decent cam. My only complaint would be that I certainly wouldn't mind a larger screen—oh, and what's with the purple back?

Available this April for $150, more details here.



Hands On With Nvidia’s 7-inch Tegra Android Tablet [Tegra]

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This won't be officially "announced" until tomorrow, so there's no name or anything to it, but we just played around with Nvidia's 7-inch Tegra tablet design that runs Android.

Nvidia says they'll talk about the details tomorrow, but they have several OEM partners working with the Tegra, and one ready to bring it to market.

What we saw was 1080p video being played smoothly on a 1024x600 screen—lower resolution, of course, but Tegra can supposedly support TV out to a standard 1080p set. There's also web browsing, which we didn't see because of the lousy Wi-Fi, and the eBook reader application, which is very usable with its swipe-to-turn gestures and quick page flips.

Because it's not a phone, it's not clear whether or not this will get the official Google Android certification, so you might not be able to run those Android apps from the Marketplace on it. But there should be more details about this tomorrow during the Nvidia press conference. Basically, this is a promising tablet design that should be able to merge quality graphics performance with Android apps, provided it can run those apps.



Sony’s 13 New Handycam Camcorders Are All Basically the Same [Video Cameras]

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Save for slight variations in storage mediums and capacities, resolution, and lenses, Sony's 13 new Handycam Camcorders aren't radically different from each other.

The ones that matter the most are Sony's XR550 and CX550, which (yes), has everything mentioned below, but either adds to or improves on its underlings' offerings with a either 240 gigs of HDD action or 64 gigs of flash storage, 3.5-inch screen, 12 megapixel stills and full manual controls. It also has a color viewfinder and mic/headphone inputs for those budding auteurs out there. Expect the XR550 to cost $1400 and the CX550 to cost $1300 when they come out in late February.

There's the 150 series, where you can get the 120 gig HDD of the XR150, or the 16 gigs of flash storage on the CX150, but they both shoot in 1080p, with a 25x zoom lens, have a steadyshot mode, take 3.1 megapixel stills and come with a 2.7 inch LCD. Oh yeah, there's also the CX110 that lets you customize the capacity with a memory card (presumably a MemoryStick). The XR150, CX150 and CX110 will hit stores in late January for about $700, $550, and $500, respectively.

Then there's the 350 series, which has everything mentioned above, plus it lets you choose between 160 gigabytes of HDD storage (XR350), or a 32 gigabyte flash capacity (CX350). From there, these cams come equipped with a 30mm wide angle lens with 12x zoom, steadyshot, 7.1 megapixel stills and GPS for geotagging. And for the middle aged male in us all, there's a golf mode, that lets you record your swing to either analyze it frame-by-frame, or create a composite image for that cool, strobe-y effect. Oh, and there's also the CX300, which only has 16 gigs of flash storage (oy oy oy). The XR 350, CX350 and CX300 will cost $1000, $900, and $800, respectively, when the come out in late February.

But Sony didn't forget about those of you still desperately grasping onto the 90s—there's an SD line as well! Sony has 5 of these that have varying capacities maxing out at 120 gigabyes of HDD storage and 16 gigabytes of flash storage, and lenses with 60x zoom, face detection, 2.7-inch touchscreen, and all that other crap old people like. The DCR-SX and SR lines will be available in late January, ranging in price between $270 and $400, and a couple of them will come in colors such as—aw, hell, who cares.



A Plan to Store CO2 in Basalt

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The latest Big Idea for storing CO2 from carbon capture and sequestration or CCS (still a technology in development) is to force it into basalt, which is volcanic rock. This rock is plentiful off the U.S. east coast, where 1/4 of Americans live. But obviously not the whole country lives on the east coast, so this basalt won’t help anyone else in the country, unless they can move the basalt.  Also, many people who live on the coasts might be moving inland as climate change escalates in future decades.

Reportedly, basalt can absorb a huge amount of CO2 (though not all that we emit for the next 100 years)  and after it’s absorbed, it turns into a limestone-like rock.  That means there is no danger of the CO2 escaping. The problem with this seemingly good idea is that they aren’t even started on this yet, it’s merely an idea, and we don’t have time to depend on unproven technologies to mitigate climate change at this late date. We are in a climate crisis situation, trying to avoid tipping points, and this process and technology development is yet to be made and implemented. The Waxman-Markey bill devotes more money to CCS, inexplicably, than renewable energy, but that doesn’t mean we have to throw money away on this now. We can throw money away on it later. It would make more sense now to put money into things we know will work to try to get the carbon dioxide levels down as quickly as possible. CCS could take 20-30 years to develop and then there is no guarantee it can be done on a large enough scale to have the necessary impact.

This is discussed in the latest Climate Files podcast and the article below from SolveClimate.   The article’s author claims:

A July 2008 study by the same researchers found that 208 billion metric tons could be stored in the offshore basalt formations of the U.S. Northwest’s Juan de Fuca tectonic plate — that is as much as 150 years’ worth of U.S. emissions. . . . . In a study released Monday, ABI Research predicted that new CCS projects will keep 146 million tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Their estimates are based on markets for carbon emissions allowances encouraging firms to seek out technologies like CCS to limit their emissions.

The problem with that claim is that the U.S. emits about  7.1 billion metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) of greenhouse gases per year,  (my estimate of 5.7 billion metric tons in the podcast was low) and that means only about 34 years of U.S. emissions could be forced into basalt, if the procedure even works.  Considering that our emissions have to peak and then taper off starting in about 10 years or less, and the technology might not be developed for 20 or more years, it’s hard to see where planning to store CO2 in basalt gets us.  Look at all the money they want to [...]

Steve Ballmer’s Microsoft CES Keynote: Everything He’s Going to Say (LIVE) [Microsoft]

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Microsoft big boss Steve Ballmer is just now taking the stage here in Las Vegas to kick off CES 2010. What's he gonna do and say? Here, I'll tell you. UPDATING THROUGH THE KEYNOTE

Update: The keynote began with a testimony on the benefits of technology from SNL's Seth Myers. He thanks technology for all of the wondrous humiliations he can now participate in, such as worldwide publication of Halloween images, buying tobacco-store Indians on eBay, and having his grandma tell him he looks too fat or too thin from 1200 miles away.

Seth Myers as drunken smurf:

Says Ballmer: "We Bing and we Bing and we Bing. Bing! Bing! Bing!"

Steve doesn't have a whole lot of breaking news today. The company has already confirmed that the Xbox 360 motion-sensing technology codenamed Natal would be available in time for the holidays. Also, that that sexy Windows Phone the HTC HD2 will be coming to the US, via T-Mobile, sometime this spring.

He does have one trick up his sleeve, one that people have been buzzing about. But mostly, Steve and Robbie Bach, the head of the Entertainment & Devices division, will be talking about 2009.

And why not? 2009 was the year of Microsoft, and Ballmer & Bach are going to confirm it with facts from NPD and others, citing for instance that Windows 7 boosted PC sales in a huge way, with 50% growth over the previous holiday sales season. (Ballmer won't get too detailed though, as the real numbers are set to come out during their quarterly earnings report on January 28.)

They will brag about how awesome Xbox is, how in its 10 year existence, it has accounted for $20 billion in retail sales (games and hardware) and accrued 39 million Xbox Live members worldwide.

Ballmer will say that Bing, with 11 million users, is already a success (though there's no market share data to speak of yet), and that HP will use it as the default search engine and homepage on browsers in systems shipping in 42 countries.

They will talk about Ford Sync, and a new in-car experience they've developed with Kia. The 2011 Kia Sorrento will feature a service like Sync, called UVO. It may not look like Sync, but it will be similarly functional.

Finally, Steve will show off a bunch of sweet Windows 7 machines, many we've already seen, such as the Sony Vaio L touchscreen all-in-one, the Lenovo A300 and the Asus NX90.

Update: They were going to show off a TV with a PC built in, but the technical difficulties that delayed the show apparently screwed up the computer. To quote Steve: "It blew the tube." Didn't know they had tubes, but I get the picture. There it is, lurking in the back:

At some point during the hardware fondling, he's going to hold aloft a pretty sweet "slate" device from HP. This is not speculation, it is confirmed. It's not the Courier of bloggy lore. But it is a product with great battery life and a Windows 7 touch experience, not a prototype but a product that Microsoft says HP will be releasing. [Microsoft]



ViewSonic’s VOT125 PC Mini Likes To Be Little Spoon [Viewsonic]

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ViewSonic has released a bevy of new gear including monitors, media players, HDTVs and, of course, computers, including this adorable VOT125 Mini PC.


On the TV front, ViewSonic is debuting four ViewLED HDTVs from 42" to 18.5" with prices ranging from $1,199 to $299. The big boy will be launching in Q2 but the rest will be available in the coming weeks.

In computer monitors, an entire new line of EcoView screens will be available with energy efficient options at all the expected sizes. PMP offerings include the ViewSonic MovieBook line, the best of which offers touch-screen, 1080p HD with HDMI out, and 8GB of memory expandable via SD slot. That model, the VPD550T, has a 5", though smaller, less beefy models are available with 4.3" screens.

But the bulk of the action comes in the form of nine new laptops and desktops. There are laptops, like the 13.3" VNB131—and all-in-one desktops, like the 18.5" VPC190. The little guy hanging on for dear life above is the VOT125 Mini PC which packs a big punch for a small package: 160 GB HD, Windows 7, 4 USB 2.0 ports, and a 3-1 card reader. For the full specs on all the machines, check out the press release below.

ViewLED HDTVs:

ViewSonic® Leaps Into CES with New ViewLED™ TV Lineup

ViewSonic announces four new LED eco-friendly panel TVs for consumers to enjoy a brilliant full HD experience in any room in the home

LAS VEGAS – 2010 International CES, MGM Signature Suites, January 7, 2010 – ViewSonic® Corp., a leading global provider of visual display, computing and digital content solutions, today introduced its new ViewLED™ eco-friendly LED TV offerings. From 19" to 42", these latest solutions are ideal for connecting consumers to the Full HD, dynamic entertainment experience in any room of the home.

Industry leading LED panel technology
The market for packaged LEDs in LCD TV backlights will snowball at a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 148% to reach $7.5B through 2013, according to a recent Strategy Analytics report. With energy savings of 30-50% over traditional LCD backlit panels, these mercury-free LED TVs feature industry leading picture quality for more natural skin tones, vibrant colors, more pure whites and excellent detail. The result is a high definition visual experience that is as true to life as it is eco-friendly.

"LED technology takes the television viewing experience to the next level," said Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager of ViewSonic Americas. "Our new ViewLED™ TVs offer optimal picture and video quality, while saving customers money on their electricity bills. It's a winning combination."

Available in multiple sizes to provide consumers with a dynamic HD entertainment experience anywhere in the home, ViewSonic today launched four sleek and lightweight ViewLED TVs. For those in need of a large format Full HD home theater viewing solution, ViewSonic launched the 42" VT4200LED TV. Featuring 120Hz, Full HD 1080p resolution, a fast 4ms response time and 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, this big screen provides the ultimate visual experience for Internet streamed entertainment, movies, TV shows, gaming or computer applications. Teamed with five HDMI inputs, a USB connection and RS232 for home automation, the VT4200LED offers versatile connectivity options for nearly any entertainment solution.

The 32" VT3200LED is Energy Star® 5.0 compliant and offers up to 720p resolution, a 5ms response time and multiple HDMI connections for an interactive HDTV viewing experience. For the kitchen, desktop or anywhere that space is limited, ViewSonic offers the 23" VT2300LED and 18.5" VT1900LED. The VT2300LED features Full HD 1080p resolution and a fast 5ms response time, while the VT1900LED comes with 720p and multiple HDMI and RCA® audio in connections, both ideal for enjoying rich colors and the ultimate HD entertainment experience.

The VT4200LED will begin shipping in early Q2 2010 for an MSRP of $1,199. The VT3200LED, VT2300LED and VT1900LED will all begin shipping in Q1 2010 at respective MSRPs of $599, $399 and $299.

HD quality content from any source
For those that demand HD quality content from any viewing experience, ViewSonic has developed the VMA50 HDMax™ HDMI Video Converter. This device improves the vibrancy and video quality of any input video stream – making SD video cable and Internet content look like HD, and HD video look even better still – for the optimal entertainment experience. Simply connect the input to any cable-box, IP-set-top box, or DVD player and the output goes to the TV for automatic adjustments to color, brightness and noise for sharpened picture quality. The ViewSonic VMA50 HDMax™ HDMI Video Converter will ship in late Q1 2010 for an MSRP of $149.

To learn more about these products, and how ViewSonic is changing the way consumers think about the connected TV experience and its strategic partnerships with Yahoo!® Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) DivX®, Inc. (NASDAQ: DIVX), visit http://www.ViewSonic.com/CES, or follow ViewSonic on Facebook®, YouTube® and Twitter®.

EcoView Monitors:

ViewSonic's® New Smarter, Greener Displays to Drive LED Monitor Discussion at CES

ViewSonic announces 10 Eco- ViewLED™ panel technology, Full HD and 3D-ready LCD monitor solutions

LAS VEGAS – 2010 International CES, MGM Signature Suites, January 7, 2010 – ViewSonic® Corp., a leading global provider of visual display, computing and digital content solutions, today introduced 10 new consumer monitors. With brand new product categories, a broader range of monitors sizes and industry-leading technologies such as ViewLED™ backlighting and Full HD realism, ViewSonic's monitors are the ones to watch at this year's show.

VX50 Series – Eco-friendly Full HD, ViewLED technology
The 24" (23.6" Vis) VX2450wm-LED and 22" (21.5" Vis) VX2250wm-LED are ideal monitors for the green conscious consumer not wanting to skimp on the bells and whistles. Both monitors feature a slim, sleek design and 1920x1080 Full HD 1080p resolution for crystal clear picture quality. They also have a mercury free WLED backlight that automatically detects image signal and intelligently controls backlight brightness for blacker blacks, pure whites and more clearly defined grays. Teamed with integrated stereo speakers, SRS Premium Sound™ technology and DVI and VGA inputs, these Energy Star® compliant monitors provide the ultimate eco-friendly multimedia experience. The VX2450wm-LED and VX2250wm-LED will be available in April for MSRPs of $299 and $219, respectively.

VX39 Series – Style and performance
For those consumers looking for the ideal combination of style and performance, ViewSonic today announced the VX39 Series. Available in 22" (21.5" Vis), 24" (23.6" Vis) and 27" viewable screen sizes, the VX39 Series packs 1920x1080 Full HD 1080p resolution, a 2ms response time and HDMI, DVI and VGA inputs into a slim, sleek frame. Teamed with integrated speakers and SRS Premium Sound technology, this Series is the perfect solution for state of the art speed and connectivity. All VX39 Series monitors will be available in for purchase in April for MSRPs of $219-$399. For further information on the VX39 Series, click here.

VA31 and VA32 Series – Cost-conscious connectivity
Also announced today are the VA31 and VA32 Series. These affordable monitors are ideal for the cost-conscious consumer or commercial owner that still wants a sleek looking monitor. With up to 1920x1080 Full HD 1080p resolution, DVI and VGA inputs and integrated speakers, these monitors offer all the connectivity consumers need. The VA31 Series comes in a 16:9 aspect ratio in 19" (18.5" Vis), 22" (21.5" Vis) and 24" (23.6" Vis) viewable screen sizes. The VA32 Series comes in a 16:10 aspect ratio in 19" or 22" viewable screen options. All VA31 and VA32 Series monitors will be available for purchase in April for MSRPs of $149-$219.

"Continuing our commitment to the future of digital entertainment, we believe bringing the latest in ViewLED™ technology to our monitors is key for our continued industry leadership," said Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager of ViewSonic Americas. "Our more than 20 year standard of innovation, quality and expertise can clearly be seen in our new visual display products. We are proud to continue to push the industry standard on new technologies that are as innovative as they are affordable for the everyday consumer."

ViewSonic's eco-friendly monitors can be easily partnered with the company's PC mini devices to create custom, all-in-one computing solutions. To learn more about these products and ViewSonic's news at the show, visit http://www.ViewSonic.com/CES, or follow ViewSonic on Facebook®, YouTube® and Twitter®.

MovieBook PMPs:

ViewSonic® Puts Consumers in Touch with New 1080p
Portable Media Players at CES

New MovieBooks™ offer touch-enabled enjoyment of Full HD 1080p digital content

LAS VEGAS – 2010 International CES, MGM Signature Suites, January 7, 2010 – ViewSonic® Corp., a leading global provider of visual display, computing and digital content solutions, today enhanced its MovieBook™ lineup with six new portable media players. ViewSonic has mobilized the connected entertainment experience by partnering touch capabilities and versatile video output performance of up to Full HD 1080p with extensive storage and complete digital content support.

"Consumers want limitless access to all their preferred media," said Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager of ViewSonic Americas. "Our MovieBook products are the ideal portable entertainment solution. From Full HD 1080p performance to HDMI connectivity and touch technology in a variety of sizes, ViewSonic is offering our customers a fun, easy to use way to mobilize their digital content experience."

Touch-enabled Full HD in the palm of your hand
The VPD550T features a 5" 800x480 high-resolution LCD touchscreen with HDMI output, making for super easy content interaction. Full HD 1080p viewing enables consumers to enjoy a full range of video and audio formats, including HD movies, photo albums, digital books, music – even view a calendar / clock, use the handy stopwatch feature or record a voice memo while on the go.

With 8GB of internal memory, a Micro SD card slot and OTG support, this device provides a convenient way to consume programming while traveling or relaxing at home. For sharing a full-sized entertainment experience with friends and family at home, the VPD550T easily plugs into any PC or TV via its HDMI output.

Both the VPD550T and the touch-enabled 720p VPD513T will be shipping in Q1 2010 in silver and black color options for respective MSRPs of $199.99 and $189.99.

The 4.3" VPD422T is ideal for consumers who want to enjoy touch-enabled content on a super high-resolution screen. Features a 15:9 format, 800x480 resolution screen and Full HD 1080p video output performance, audio and video media is crystal clear. With an extensive 8GB of internal memory, OTG USB support, Micro SD card slot for expanded storage and a palm-sized form factor, the VPD422T is the ideal portable entertainment device – just slip in a pocket or purse and go. With a screen resolution of 480x272, the touch-enabled 4.3" VPD421T also extends the 1080p Full HD video output performance to consumers that prefer 4GB of internal memory.

The VPD422T and VPD421T will be available in Q2 2010 in black, pink and white for respective MSRPs of $189.99 and $179.99.

Making multimedia mobile
For a more compact screen, ViewSonic also launched the 3" touch-enabled VPD313T. This player offers a 480x272 resolution, 480p screen, 4GB of internal memory and supports a full range of video and audio formats, with useful features including audio recording and a stopwatch function. The VPD313T will be available in Q1 2010 for an MSRP of $149.99.

ViewSonic also launched the VPD403 MovieBook today. With a 4.3", 480x272 high-resolution screen, video output support of up to 720p, 4GB of internal memory and user intuitive buttons, this device is great for enjoying favorite videos, music, photos or eBooks. The VPD403 will be available in Q1 2010 for an estimated MSRP of $139.99.

For further information on ViewSonic news and product announcements from the show, visit http://www.ViewSonic.com/CES, or follow ViewSonic on Facebook®, YouTube® and Twitter®.

Computers:

ViewSonic® Promotes Eco-friendly, Smarter, Greener Computing Initiative at CES with the Launch of Nine New PCs

Announces range of new mobile and desktop PC solutions to meet every computing need

LAS VEGAS – 2010 International CES, MGM Signature Suites, January 7, 2010 – ViewSonic® Corp., a leading global provider of visual display, computing and digital content solutions, today enhanced its PC offerings with the announcement of nine new mobile and desktop PC products in a range of sizes and functionalities to meet every individual's computing needs.

"We are taking our smarter, greener computing initiative to a new level with today's announcement," said Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager of ViewSonic Americas. "With our three-pronged approach, we enable our customers to truly pick the products appropriate to their lifestyle – from all-in-one PCs for keeping a clean desktop workspace, to PC minis for compact home computing and entertainment, to ultra-portable ViewBook™ netbooks and full-featured ViewBook™ Pro ULV notebooks for mobile computing needs."

ViewSonic ViewBook and ViewBook Pro family – All the power you need, to go
The 13.3" VNB131 ViewBook Pro notebook offers fast and powerful computing with the latest ULV SU7300 Intel® Core 2 Duo processor and Windows® 7 Home Premium operating system. At only an inch thick, this thin, lightweight ViewBook Pro packs a 320GB hard drive, 2GB internal memory and a removable DVD RW Super Multi ODD into a sleek, aluminum alloy casing. Perfect for professional mobile warriors needing performance in a light format, this notebook features integrated 802.11b/g/n wireless, two USB 2.0 ports, a 7-in-1 card reader, HDMI and VGA connections and a 6 cell battery for up to eight hours of computing at a time. It even comes with an extra 3 cell battery for an additional four hours of battery life.

Additional ULV notebooks announced today include the 13.3" VNB132 and 14" VNB141 ViewBooks. Both feature the latest Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, 2GB RAM and integrated 802.11b/g/n wireless connectivity and VGA and HDMI outputs. The VNB132 features the latest Intel ULV SU2300 Celeron processor and a 320GB hard drive, while the VNB141 features the latest ULV SU7300 Core 2 Duo processor and 320GB hard drive. For enhanced multimedia capabilities, the VNB141 also includes a 1.3MB built-in webcam, integrated DVD RW Super Multi ODD and a long-lasting 6 cell battery.

The VNB105 ViewBook netbook is the latest generation portable computing solution for the mobile warrior or student. This 10" netbook comes standard with the latest N450 Intel Atom® processor, Windows 7 Starter operating system, 1GB of internal memory and a 160GB hard drive. A floating keyboard provides for a smooth ergonomic feel, while preventing dust and dirt from falling into the keyboard base. Perfect for those always on the move, this device features integrated 802.11b/g/n wireless, three USB 2.0 ports and a 6 cell battery that goes up to eight hours off a single charge.

The ViewSonic VNB131 ViewBook Pro will be available in February for an MSRP of $949. The VNB132 and VNB141 notebooks and VNB105 netbook will be available in March for respective MSRPs of $649, $829 and $399. For more information about ViewSonic's ViewBook and ViewBook Pro mobile computing solutions, click here.

ViewSonic VPC190 All-in-One – The smarter desktop PC
With a clean, space-saving design that compliments any work environment, the eco-friendly 18.5" VPC190 All-in-One PC is the perfect second home computer and is also ideal for corporate knowledge workers or students. The VPC190 features the latest Intel Atom D510 Dual Core processor with Windows 7 Home Premium operating system and 2GB of internal memory provide a complete desktop computing solution, while the bright, 1366x768 screen and built-in 1.3MB webcam provide an enjoyable viewing experience. The VPC190 also features integrated 10/100 Ethernet and 802.11b/g wireless, six USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 card reader and built-in DVD RW Super Multi drive for full multimedia capability.

The ViewSonic VPC190 All-in-One PC will be available in March for an MSRP of $599. For more information about ViewSonic's All-in-One PC solutions, click here.

ViewSonic VOT125 PC Mini – So mini, so powerful
The ViewSonic VOT125 PC mini ULV Series are a powerful yet extremely compact and energy efficient set of devices with four different levels of processor options so users can pick the processing power they need. Depending on the processor combination, the VOT125 is ideal for SMBs, corporate, education and government environments or consumers wanting to build their own custom AIO PC using the included VESA® mount. Standard features on the VOT125 include the latest Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, up to 2GB internal memory and a 160GB hard drive, four USB 2.0 ports, DVI-I and HDMI outputs and a 3-in-1 card reader for multiple connectivity options.

Users can choose from a Single Core SU743 Celeron ($499 MSRP), Dual Core SU2300 Celeron ($529 MSRP), Pentium SU4100 Dual Core ($629 MSRP) or Core 2 Duo SU7300 Dual Core ($679 MSRP) processor. The ViewSonic VOT125 PC mini will be available in March. For more information about ViewSonic's PC mini offerings, click here.

For further information on ViewSonic news and product announcements from the show, visit http://www.ViewSonic.com/CES, or follow ViewSonic on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

About ViewSonic
ViewSonic® Corporation is a leading global provider of visual display and computing products. ViewSonic develops, markets and supports a broad range of innovative products, including computers, LCD monitors, projectors, LCD TVs, digital signage solutions, digital photo frames and other consumer electronics products. For further information, please contact ViewSonic Corporation at 800.888.8583 or 909.444.8888; or visit http://www.ViewSonic.com/.



Eyes On With Ray Kurzweil’s Blio Ereader App [EReaders]

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If you've caught a good whiff of CES, you know it smells like tablets. And if you're up on tablets, you know they're supposed to save print, or something. And this, the Blio ereader software, is part of the plan.

Designed and conceptualized in part by futurist/engineer/inventor Ray Kurzweil, Blio diverges from traditional ereaders in a couple of ways: first, it's software, intended to be loaded on a variety of devices, from tablets to iPhones to laptops; and second, it's full-color, animated and interactive. It contains web content, video and audio embeds. It can render in a variety of ways, all of which are smoothly animated.

On both PC and iPhone, the rendering is smooth—with colorful books, like reference texts, the effect is impressive, with interactive diagrams, video and clickable text. (Though you'd be right to point out that this kind of tech already exists, and it's called the internet.) Outside of highly visual books, magazine and newspaper are an obvious use for this thing, and though those partnerships haven't been solidified yet, they're coming. The iPhone app was good by iPhone ebook reader standard, but the full-page image-and-text rendering felt like a gimmick on a small screen—most of the time you'll end up reflowing the raw text on your phone, a la the Kindle app.

But Blio the app is only part of the story—the store that its tied to is what really matters. Backed by Baker and Taylor, the world's largest book distributor, Blio plans to launch with over a million titles; a couple hundred thousand will be newer/paid titles, while the rest will be public domain material. It's DRMed like any other ebook store at the moment, and like the Kindle Store, can sync your purchased content—including your position in a given book—from device to device. There's plenty of oomph behind the project, and with a few good devices—tablets, basically—I could see it working out.

That said, I'm worried about how complicated platform is, especially since there's DRM involved. Publishers set the price, and they can sell multiple editions of the same book with different "features": one might have an audio track or special text-to-speech voices, while another could be plain text. I can't imagine modular ebooks taking off. And, weirdly, publishers will be embed to include content from outside the text, meaning that for some books, an active internet connection might be required to get the full experience. Score one for the awkward HTML comparison, score 0 for being sure that you can read the content you thought you purchased. But these are minor concerns.

Point is, you're going to have to read books on your tablet in something, and it wouldn't be a terrible thing if that something was Blio. The app will be available for PC and iPhone come late January/early February, and it will be free.

On another note, if you're wondering why Ray Kurzweil's involvement is a big deal, well, ask Joel Johnson, who filmed the above video:



HTC HD2 Coming Exclusively to T-Mobile This Spring [Smartphones]

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The Word is that Ballmer just announced an exclusive deal bringing the awesomely-designed HTC HD2 to T-Mobile this spring.

The flagship WinMo phone has a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen, Qualcomm's awesome Snapdragon processor, and runs on HTC Sense.

And also of note, Ballmer has been having technical difficulties and hasn't actually announced this yet. T-Mobile email win!

T-MOBILE USA TO EXCLUSIVELY OFFER HTC HD2
Arriving in the U.S. this spring, the HTC HD2 features a big, brilliant screen, blazing fast processor, and the celebrated HTC Sense™ experience

LAS VEGAS – Jan. 6, 2010 – T-Mobile USA, Inc. and HTC today announced that HTC HD2ä is expected to be available for the first time in the U.S. exclusively from T-Mobile USA this spring. With its industry-leading, high-resolution, 4.3-inch capacitive touch display and high-powered features, the ultrathin HTC HD2 phone delivers content in a sharper, brighter and richer way.

The HTC HD2 comes equipped with the 1GHz Snapdragon™ by Qualcomm mobile processor and utilizes T-Mobile's high-speed 3G network for a fast mobile data experience.

"T-Mobile and HTC have a long history of partnering to deliver innovative, cutting-edge products to T-Mobile customers," said George Harrison, vice president, marketing product innovation, T-Mobile USA. "The HTC HD2 delivers a thin, sophisticated design and powerful features that we are excited to add to our dynamic smartphone lineup this spring."

The HTC HD2 is the first Windows® phone with HTC Sense, a software experience focused on putting people at the center by making their phones work in a more simple, natural and personal way. With the HTC Sense experience, the HTC HD2 includes a variety of enhancements that expand and improve the overall phone experience. For example, the HTC HD2 includes a proximity sensor that is used to prevent false screen touches when the phone is picked up to answer or make a call, and a light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the display.

"Combining the intuitive user interface based on HTC Sense with an outstanding set of specifications and the powerful T-Mobile network, the HTC HD2 adds up to be not only an amazing device, but an amazing experience as well," said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of HTC America. "The HTC HD2 is a Windows phone that has already been enthusiastically received in Europe and Asia, and we are excited to bring this highly anticipated device to the U.S., exclusively through T-Mobile USA."

The HTC HD2 uses the first capacitive touch display on a Windows phone for the smoothest possible performance and to make viewing, zooming and resizing Web sites, Microsoft Office files, PDF documents and pictures easier with just a simple pinching motion. The large capacitive display makes it easy to read and reply to Outlook e-mails, edit a Word document or modify an Excel spreadsheet right from the HTC HD2. In addition, the HTC HD2 delivers advanced phone features including GPS functionality, a Web browser, and an advanced 5 megapixel auto-focus camera with dual LED flash for capturing images, even in dim conditions.

Availability
The HTC HD2 is expected to be available in the U.S. exclusively to T-Mobile customers this spring. More details will be available at http://www.sticktogether.com/htchd2.



Saygus Vphone Runs On Android, Claims it Can Make Video Calls Over EDGE [Smartphones]

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Wired got a hands on with the mysterious Saygus Vphone, that popped up over at the FCC back in November. They say the Android phone is capable of making video calls—even over EDGE.

Saygus CEO Chad Sayers told Wired that the company developed a proprietary video algorithm for the CDMA handset that allows them to transfer video data at 18-22 frames per second over EDGE and up to 30 fps over 3G. Sayers also said that 10,000 minutes of video conferencing would only take up 5 gigabytes of bandwidth.

As for specs, the Vphone has a 3.5-inch screen, a 624 MHz Marvell processor, and a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash. Wired says the phone looks and feels like the droid, but with a better keyboard. And apparently the Vphone is in carrier testing (possibly Verizon?). [Wired]



Sony’s W370 and W350 Cameras Are First CCD Cameras With Sweep Panorama [Cameras]

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Sony's announced a glut of new cameras today at CES, but instead of going through all 20-odd of them, I'm only going to show you the best. You deserve the best. Here's two of them, the DSC-W370 and DSC-W350.

The 14-megapixel Cybershot DSC-W370 and DSC-W350 have CCD image sensors with Sweep Panorama for capturing places like the Grand Canyon in one big movement. The W370 takes 243 degree shots and the W350 takes 268-degree shots, with the images coming in 7152 x 1080 size. Both models have 7x zoom lenses, Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, and can record video in 720p (with a HDMI output for connecting to a TV.)

The W350, which takes slighter better Panorama pics, is also Sony's smallest camera for the year. It has a 2.7-inch LCD screen, 26mm lens and 4x optical zoom. The W350 is on sale this month for $200, and the W370 will be on sale a few months later, in March, for $230. [Sony]