ces

LAS VEGAS--Livio, a company that has made a name making it easier and safer to interface with the apps on your phone, is now working to make it easier and safer for drivers to interact with your favorite terrestrial radio stations, and has announced that it is developing a new technology called FM Connect.

While listening to a Livio Connect-enabled FM radio that is paired via Bluetooth to a smartphone running the Livio app, users gain the ability to communicate with the broadcaster or access rich data at the touch of a connect button.

For example, if an advertisement for … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Nivpat (which stands for noninvasive pattern) is an app that interacts with T-shirts you can buy from the Nivpat Web site that let you scan a shirt with your phone to learn more about the wearer via popular social networks. At the time of this writing, this app is one of the finalists for the Mobile App Showdown at CES 2013.

The way it works is the shirt comes in six basic designs, but each shirt has one design element (like an extra line) that makes each shirt unique. When you see someone wearing one of the colorful … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Yesterday CNET reported on Audi's announcement of its concept Q7 featuring 3D Audio at CES 2013. Today I got to listen to it.

How do you describe an audio experience? Inside the Q7, the first word that came to my mind was "bigger." In standard, 2D mode, the audio sounded excellent, mostly due to the Bang & Olufsen hardware making up this system. Having driven to many Bang & Olufsen-equipped cars, I did not detect any degradation in the standard audio.

However, when I switched the stereo to 3D mode, the audio seemed to rise up … Read more

LAS VEGAS--When you're dodging thousands of CES visitors trying to get somewhere quick in the mile-long South Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, charging your mobile gear is probably one of the last things on your mind.

But Tylt is all over that problem. With its green-clad booth ladies in their own spot in the hall, Tylt has been showing off its Energi recharging backpack.

While it's definitely on the bulky side, Energi holds a 10,400 mAh lithium-ion battery that charges in seven to eight hours. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--HD Voice has suddenly become a hot topic at this year's Consumer Electronic Show.

The feature, which significantly enhances call quality by improving voice clarity while blocking out background noise, has been long touted by the wireless carriers. Widely available in Europe for years, the U.S. carriers have lagged behind.

T-Mobile said yesterday that HD Voice was now available on select phones in its lineup. PC Mag reported that AT&T was shooting for a launch some time this year. Now Verizon has stepped in, and told CNET that it would offer the feature in 2014. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--I spent quite some time staring at TVs today.

Whether it's Samsung, Sharp, or Panasonic, all these things look large, tasteful, dazzling and, most of all, simple.

I can't pretend to want to surf the Web on them. I just want to stare at them. And so many of the TVs at CES are eminently oglable.

As I walked out of the exhibition hall, I bumped into an Apple spy. Well, it was 2:30 p.m. He probably had work to do.

He was standing in the line for a bus. Yes, quite openly. Not like … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Home automation is all over CES 2013. Tucked away in a small booth is Ivee, a company known for its voice-controlled alarm clocks. The newest Ivee creation is the Sleek, a voice-controlled home automation gateway.

You can tell Sleek to turn down the temperature, report stock prices, and share the weather. A pleasant woman's voice communicates with you in turn. This really is like having a HAL for your home, only this particular device hasn't reached sentience yet. She doesn't seem to have Siri's snarky streak, but if you ask her, "Who is Siri?" Sleek will reply, "She is not important."

Sleek is already compatible with Belkin's smart plugs. Ivee also mentioned working with the Nest thermostat, but Nest says it hasn't opened up compatibilty with anyone. Sleek could potentially hook up with all sorts of home automation devices. Ivee is looking at a summer release at a price of $199. … Read more

The Federal Communications Commission announced Wednesday plans to free up 195 megahertz of wireless spectrum in the 5 gigahertz band to help increase Wi-Fi speeds and alleviate congestion in high-traffic areas.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski discussed the new plan at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The new spectrum allocation is the largest block of unlicensed spectrum that has been made available for expansion of Wi-Fi since 2003.

The effort is expected to increase Wi-Fi speeds by at least 35 percent, Genachowski said. And it will also help alleviate Wi-Fi congestion at major hubs, such as airports, convention centers, … Read more

January is a time of renewal. It also happens to be when appliance makers show off their visions of what is to come. The event is CES 2013 and this year, according to those that make kitchen gadgets and appliances, everything is going to be very, very smart. While we have been promised automated kitchens in one form or another since the time of the Jetsons, there is one important factor in the modern world that may see the smart kitchen finally grow up: mobility.

The year 2013 is going to be one marked by plenty of smartphone and tablet sales. … Read more