CES2012

iBike helps iPad, iPhone Touch users get in better shape (CES podcast)

The North Hall at CES was the home to numerous fitness technology companies including Velocomp, the maker of the iBike line of cycling computers. The newest product, iBike Power House for iPhone and iPod Touch is billed as "the worldl's first intelligent cycling computer that automatically adjusts to your exercise goals."

The product, which consists of a water and shock resistant case for the iPhone/iTouch, has electronics that perform cycling measurements, including power exertion.

Cycling computers, said Velocomp CEO John Harmon "have always been about numbers. "How far, how fast, what's my heart … Read more

High-end audio rocks CES, part 2

You've probably already read about the latest and greatest in smartphones, tablets, and OLED displays, so let's take a look at the coolest high-end audio goodies. We've assembled some of the most promising candidates for your approval.

The Arcam rPAC is a portable USB powered digital-to-analog converter and headphone amplifier, but it can also be played over a hi-fi system. "USB powered" means there are no batteries or "wall warts," it's powered by your computer's USB port. The entire component is enclosed in a small precision-cast aluminum case.

I've loved … Read more

Yurbuds are earbuds for athletes (CES podcast)

Yurbuds was at the Showstoppers media event at CES to show off earbuds designed specifically for athletes. The products, which start at $49.99, have a twisting mechanism that keeps them in place. The company makes six different sizes according ot CEO Seth Burgettt (scroll down to listen to podcast interview) and if you buy a size doesn't fit, you can take a picture of the inside of your ear and the company will send you one that does fit for no extra cost, said Burgett.  Youbuds are available at Apple stores, Best Buy and other retailers. Models … Read more

Hey, over here! The challenge for startups at CES

LAS VEGAS--The startup scene at CES this year was vibrant--although it was sometimes hard to tell.

The Consumer Electronics Association gave startups their own area this time around, called Eureka Park. It spanned two big rooms in The Venetian, far away from the main convention center and from most of the exhibitors. The goal was to let fledgling businesses participate in the massive show without getting lost amid the big boys.

In that sense, Eureka Park was a success. The booths, 10 feet by 10 feet, cost $1,000, a quarter the price for the same space in the main … Read more

The big picture: What truly stood out at CES 2012

LAS VEGAS--Sure, there were a lot of ultrabooks at the Consumer Electronics Show. PC manufacturers are clearly pushing their new slim, lightweight laptops.

But the real story of this year's show turned out to be some incredible advances in television technology, a few truly innovative if quirky ideas, and a lot of products that were expected but did not make much of an appearance.

Note: In this post, I'm rounding up the highlights of the show. Our reviews editors have taken a deeper dive into each product category, so for a more in-depth look at what we saw … Read more

Networking, storage at CES 2012: Thunderbolt and the cloud on the rise, 802.11ac is hot

LAS VEGAS--Despite the scariest cross-wind landing I have ever experienced, when arriving in Las Vegas last Saturday, CES 2012 panned out mostly smoothly, with no unpleasant surprises.

As predicted, 802.11ac was big at CES 2012, while Thunderbolt and cloud-based services proved to be on the rise.

Though there were no working 802.11ac (or 5G Wi-Fi as the technology is called by BroadCom) devices at the show (all products showcased here were just mock-ups or nonfunctioning prototypes), every single networking vendor I talked with--such as TrendNet, BroadCom, Cisco, Netgear, D-Link, Belkin, and Buffalo--committed to offering 802.11ac devices … Read more

High-end audio rocks CES

You've probably already read about the latest and greatest in smartphones, tablets, and OLED displays shown at CES, so let's take a look at the coolest high-end audio goodies. We've assembled some of the most promising candidates for your approval.

For anyone searching for wild looking audiophile speakers that stand out from the crowd of rectangular boxes, the new Vivid Audio G3 would be a good place to start. Vivid is coming on strong in the no-holds-barred audiophile market. The G3 stands a little under four feet tall, a good deal smaller than the company's flagship … Read more

A day in the life of your future, according to CES 2012

LAS VEGAS--What would the world look like a few years from now if all the emerging technologies we saw at CES this year became as ubiquitous as Android phones, iPads, and DVRs?

Well, let's pretend it's a January morning three years from now. You might wake up to a hot breakfast freshly extruded by your new MakerBot 3D food printer--hopefully you remembered to refill the flavor cartridge the previous night or you could get a mouthful of a bland protein construction.

Next you'll probably turn to your Yoga. Not the ancient practice of physical, mental, and spiritual balance, but the tablet/laptop computer hybrid that became more popular than the iPad last year.

If you're into the meta thing, you could use your Yoga to play a yoga video, but you'd probably rather use a larger screen--a much larger screen like the 96-inch OLED taking up most of your wall. … Read more

The future of home video limps forward at CES 2012

LAS VEGAS--The idea of bringing the Web to your TV has been around since the mid-'90s and it seems like every CES in the past few years has been "the" year for Smart TV.

Now with the dust settling on CES 2012, the home video landscape looks surprisingly like it did before CES, albeit with a few bright spots. But any streaming-video lover (i.e. me) who was hoping for some major progress (and maybe even a few surprises) at this year's show was likely more disappointed than otherwise.… Read more