CES 2009

I'm not certain if this has truly never been accomplished before, but BenQ is claiming that its new GP1 is the world's first LED pocket projector with an integrated USB reader. According to BenQ, users will be able to run movies, slides, or whatever they want, simply by plugging a USB thumb drive in, with no need for a separate PC.

In addition, GP1 users will be able to connect digital cameras, PDAs, iPods, iPhones, smartphones, gaming consoles, and laptops for viewing projected from 10 inches up to an 80-inch diagonal size, and it will project sound through … Read more

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-$… Read more

At a separate hotel showing away from the main CES show floor, BenQ showed off its new monitor lineup. The buzzword this year seems to be "Full HD" for many vendors and BenQ is not an exception. Full HD simply refers to monitors that have a native resolution of 1,920x1,080.

BenQ showed off two Full HD 24-inch monitors, the E2400HD and the M2400HD, both of which are engineered with a 16:9 aspect ratio. With Full HD under their feature list, these monitors are being pushed not only as desktop displays, but as HDTVs as well. … Read more

As we mentioned in our CES 2009 home audio preview, the trend in home audio over the last few years has been toward simplicity, and sound bars have promised to deliver the full surround experience from a single speaker. In reality, it never quite sounds that good, but the Polk Audio SurroundBar systems are generally better than most. The newly announced SurroundBar SDA Instant Home Theater aims to improve on previous models by making the speaker even smaller and adding a wireless subwoofer. Here are the details.

Key features of the Polk Audio SurroundBar SDA Instant Home Theater :

On Saturday, CNET, in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association, handed out its Best of CES 2009 Awards, including Best in Show and the People's Voice Award. And this year's big winner? The Palm Pre.

The Palm Pre smartphone took home both honors and became the first cell phone/smartphone to win the Best in Show since CNET started presenting the Best of CES awards in 2006. The Palm Pre went up against some stiff competition, including the Sony DSC-G3 and the Sony P-series Lifestyle PC. So why the Pre?

Well, it was a combination of things. First, … Read more

LAS VEGAS--After writing several how-to books about computers, Web development, and other aspects of technology, Dave Taylor decided to take his show to the Web by creating AskDaveTaylor.com, a Q&A site focused on tech. He says that the site, which carries advertising, is bringing in enough money to support him, making him something of a role model for others who are looking for career options. He's also an avid Twitter user, which he says helps him build traffic for his Web site and enhance his other businesses.

At the Showstoppers event at the Consumer Electronics Show, … Read more

The Consumer Electronics Association has confirmed plans to host a Mac-centric area at CES 2010, but Apple has still not commented on whether it plans to participate.

Jason Oxman of the CEA confirmed Saturday that the group "dedicated a special area at the 2010 CES to Apple-related CE manufacturers." That immediately sets up an alternative for companies thinking about exhibiting at Macworld 2010, which will not have Apple present for the first time in 12 years.

"We decided to create this special area based on discussions we've had with companies regarding 2010 show participation. We are … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Network-attached storage for the home has been around for a while. It typically consists of an external disk drive surrounded by technology to connect it to a router so it can be accessed anywhere on your network or, via the Internet, from anywhere in the world. At the Consumer Electronics Show here, Daniel Putterman of Cloud Engines showed off a new device that allows you to inexpensively turn any external drive into a network-attached drive.

The $79 Pogoplug is a small plastic box with an Ethernet plug for your router and a USB plug for an external drive. With … Read more

Wilson Electronics may not have the flashiest products or the glitziest booth at CES, but it does offer some of the best cell phone signal amplifiers around. At the show the company announced the iBooster, a new amplifier designed specifically for the Apple iPhone. The product promises to boost both reception and call quality, which are two very different things. Though it's designed primarily for use in a car, you also can use it inside a building.

In the box you'll find a cradle that can accommodate both the iPhone classic and the iPhone 3G. And thanks to … Read more