consumer electronics show

Fujifilm goes mirrorless with new X-Pro1 camera

Who needs mirrors?

Not Fujifilm. As expected, at CES today, the digital camera maker unveiled its X-Pro1 mirrorless camera. The X-Pro1, which Fujifilm is aiming at pros like wedding and portrait photographers, features the X-Mount, a Fujinon-XF Lens, an X-Trans CMOS, and a new hybrid viewfinder, explained Kayce Baker, Fujifilm North America's director of marketing. The camera will be shipped in late February.

Fujifilm wouldn't say precisely at CES what the price will be, but Manny Almeida, vice president and general manager for Fujifilm North America, estimated that the body will run around $1,700 and lenses about $650 each.

The camera uses all glass, aspherical, and extra-low dispersion components, as well as a new aperture blade shape. It also has three new lenses: an 18mm f2, a 35mm f1.4, and a 60mm f2.4 macro.… Read more

At CES, Sharp goes big. Really, really big

At CES today, Sharp went big. Really big.

The company said during its press conference this morning that it plans on putting out 17 new TVs this year that are 60-inches or bigger. Leading the pack is its new 80-inch 3D TV, which it will release in April. The TV features a new technology called "3D X-Gen."

All its other new TVs will begin shipping this month.

During the press conference, the company covered a wide variety of technologies, including its new Aquos Board screens, which provide users with collaboration tools that it says are essentially a next-generation, … Read more

With 80-inch Aquos, Sharp bids adieu to old whiteboards

Those who have long depended on dusty old whiteboards can get rid of them, Sharp says. At CES here today, the company unveiled its Aquos Board--80-, 70-, or 60-inch screens that offer an all-new "touch solution" and give users new ways to share content.

The Aquos Board gives workers similar high-quality display technology to what they already have at home, and allows for sharing all kinds of content between co-workers. The device can capture notes, and has a connected PC and touch technology.

Users can employ a pen or even use their fingers for marking up displays and sending information to remote workers. The device, which is essentially a huge smart board--not a television--works with Microsoft Windows 7 and Office, and Touchpad applications. … Read more

Sharp unveils 80-inch touch screen (live blog)

LAS VEGAS--Sharp unveiled an 80-inch touch screen for digital meetings at its CES 2012 press conference here Monday.

The smart Aquos Board lets professionals draw on the screen, take notes, and save information to PCs. It will come in 60-, 70-, and 80-inch high-resolution screens. It uses Microsoft software.

Sharp also plans to introduce in the next 90 days, 17 new 60-inch-plus TVs and will introduce 4K technology to deliver "natural 3D-like images." A new 80-inch TV model will be available in April. The rest of line starts shipping this month. TVs will also include new 3D technology … Read more

CES 2012: What we know so far

LAS VEGAS--The 2012 Consumer Electronics Show doesn't officially open until Tuesday--after a marathon of press conferences on Monday--but that hasn't stopped a flood of product announcements and leaks in the days leading up to the show.

While many of these products don't have full details--such as the ever-elusive pricing and availability--the 2012 preshow news slate is longer and more impressive than any year I can remember. The two main reasons for that are the late start of the show (sometimes it begins right after New Year's Day; this year it's a week later), and the … Read more

Acer touts new wave of ultrabooks, plus AcerCloud (live blog)

At its CES press conference today, Acer unveiled its new line of ultrabooks, Aspire Timeline Ultra, news of which leaked out earlier today. It also talked up its AcerCloud service, which the company hopes will give it an edge in pushing its line of ultrabooks.

Acer expects to start shipping the Aspire Timelne Ultra--which has instant-on capabilities, an Intel Core i processor, a slim DVD drive, and eight hours of battery life--sometime in the first quarter.

Company Chairman J.T. Wang touted AcerCloud, which enables users to sync files between a Windows-based device and an Android device.

The electronics maker … Read more

CES timeline--from Pong to Palm

The world's biggest technology event is just days away in Las Vegas. This year more than 2,700 exhibitors will debut some 20,000 products in less than a week at the International Consumer Electronics Show.

Of those 20,000 gadgets, at least a few are likely to become cultural touchstones that change our daily routines, like TiVo did beginning with its CES debut in 1999. Others, like Microsoft Bob from the 1995 show, quickly fade from being the next big thing to punchlines for geeky hipsters.

For a quick tour of CES history, scroll through this nice graphical timeline from Sortable.com, where its also got a full infographic with more facts about the Consumer Electronics Show.… Read more

Warner gears up to release high-resolution music

This past Thursday I attended an informal "summit" hosted by Craig Kallman, Atlantic Records' CEO and Chairman, to learn more about the label's plans to start releasing high-resolution music. Kallman is passionate about improving the sound of music, and I was impressed by his candor about the industry's appalling track record and declining sound quality standards.

I think the widespread overuse of dynamic range compression is far more musically destructive than the low sampling rates used in formats like MP3. I fear that if the new formats are just higher-resolution versions of the dynamically compressed MP3 … Read more

CES: Aluratek mobile speaker streams music wirelessly

LAS VEGAS--Your vast collection of iTunes music is safely stored on your computer. But how can you listen to it when you're away from your PC? The folks at Aluratek have one solution.

Aluratek is demoing its new Bump portable speaker at the CES this week. This round, portable speaker wirelessly streams music from your PC so you can listen to it anywhere inside your house. Just plug the 2.4GHz USB transmitter into the speaker, power up your PC, and the music can reach you at full quality from as much as 60 feet away.

Though the Bump … Read more