2010 CES

LAS VEGAS--If you don't want to upgrade to Wireless-N with an access point such as the D-Link Rush , but instead want to replace the router itself, D-Link also has some new options for you.

The company announced at CES 2010 two new Wireless-N routers: the the D-Link Touch DIR-865 and the D-Link Wireless N Pocket Router. The Touch is a flagship high-speed Wireless-N router,whereas the Pocket Router is a minimobile router for people on the go.

According to D-Link, the Touch blends power, speed, range, security, functionality, and energy efficiency into one economical box that has the shape … Read more

LAS VEGAS--In a surprising move, Panasonic announced just one updated HD camcorder product line at CES, its midrange consumer models. All three--the flash-based HDC-TM55 and HDC-SD60 and the hard disk-based HDC-HS60--have wider angle (35.7mm equivalent), longer 25X zoom lenses than their predecessors had, plus touch screens and wind filters. This is surprising not only because of the dearth of announcements, but because most competitors have incorporated backside-illuminated CMOS sensors into their 2010 products for better low light recording.

The TM55 has 8GB of built-in memory, but the SD60 has none; all now support SDXC. The HS60 has a 120GB … Read more

Just when you thought that Sonim cell phones were the pinnacle of mobile durability, the company raised the bar just a bit at CES with the announcement of the Sonim XP3.2 Quest Pro. The handset is similar to the XP3 Quest that we reviewed last year--you can drop if off the roof, dunk it in water, and stick it in the freezer--but it offers a few upgrades over the current model.

New "Gorilla Glass" adds extra protection to the display. We'll be eager to try it to see exactly what that means; when we tried to … Read more

Las Vegas--If you've ever watched the motion user interface scene from "Minority Report" and thought to yourself, "I WANT THAT," then check out Light Touch from Light Blue Optics, an interactive projector with a surprisingly accurate touch response.

At its core, the Light Touch is a simple handheld computer running Windows CE, but it uses holographic laser tracking to project a 10.1-inch virtual touch screen onto any flat surface. From there, you can control everything from scrolling through photos to selecting MP3s and dragging folders around the desktop. The laser also does double-duty by ensuring that the image stays in constant focus even across long distances.

We demoed the unit at the Light Blue Optics booth at CES 2010, and came away surprised at the accuracy of the laser. The projection only lights up to 15 lumens, which seemed dim compared to normal fluorescent viewing, and we're skeptical about its outdoor performance; however, we left with a skip in our step knowing that "Minority Report" might become a reality sooner than later.

Want your own demo? Check out the Light Blue Optics Web site for a video of the Light Touch in action.

More photos after the jump.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--This is the coolest toy I've ever seen: the Parrot AR.Drone, a remote-controlled helicopter with a twist. It's controlled over Wi-Fi from an iPhone or iPod Touch, and it's got a camera in its snout that streams to your iPhone's screen.

The copter itself is computer-stabilized, so controlling it is much easier than the standard $40 toy RC helicopter you may be familiar with. But it should be: it'll cost in the neighborhood of $500, when it ships this year. You'll get about 15 minutes of battery-powered fun on a 1-hour charge. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Yet another car audio manufacturer is testing out the CD-less lifestyle, as Kenwood announces its KIV-BT900 digital car audio receiver. Apparently, people don't just don't use discs anymore.

The KIV-BT900 drops its CD drive like a hot potato, instead focusing its attention on handling digital audio and video from USB-connected portable media players. Named among the supported devices are the iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Zune. USB mass storage devices are also supported for a variety of audio (MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV), picture (JPEG and BMP), and video (MPEG4, WMV and H.264) formats.

When the vehicle … Read more

LAS VEGAS--OEM automotive supplier Visteon, the power behind many carmakers' dashboard infotainment systems, demonstrated the next generation of audio and information services that will become available to drivers. The demonstration head units on display showed off connected applications that will change the way we drive.

Visteon showed off head units using a GENIVI alliance Linux-based operating system, a Flash-based interface, and one based on the Microsoft embedded operating system. Each demonstration showed what automakers could use in future models.

The GENIVI alliance, of which Visteon is a part, aims to provide a standard Linux automotive infotainment platform, so developers can … Read more

If you're going to make fitness-friendly tech, teaming up with an athletic company is a good way to go. At least Sennheiser thinks so. The headphone manufacturer elected to work with Adidas when updating its sport line of earphones.

The line includes four new models--the MX 680, the CX 680, the OMX 680, and the PMX 680--ranging in design and price. For more details on each, check out the slide show, but the most compelling info is the fact that the headphones are super sweat and water resistant. Expect to see them on the virtual marketplace later this month.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--HTC reminded us to expect the unexpected Thursday when it announced a new cell phone, the HTC Smart. Though it looks like your standard HTC smartphone, the handset runs on Qualcomm's BREW platfrom. The result isn't quite a smartphone, but it will use HTC's Sense user interface that's currently found on the company's Windows Mobile and Android devices like the HTC Hero.

Features on the quad-band GSM/EDGE handset include a 300MHz processor, a 2.8 inch touch-screen, 3-megapixel camera with flash, stereo Bluetooth, a 3.5mm headset jack and a microSD card slot. … Read more