ces 2010

Friday Poll: Most exciting CES happening so far?

This week can more or less be summed up in three words (or should we say three acronyms?)--CES, CES, CES. It's virtually impossible to keep up with the avalanche of announcements rolling out of the gadget blowout in Vegas, and if your head is spinning as much as ours, you'd be hard-pressed to list your standouts just yet.

But what if your pushy Crave editors told you you absolutely had to cite your pick for the most exciting or noteworthy news out of CES 2010 so far (or else Crave would only post Hello Kitty gadget news … Read more

Ford exec talks in-dash car tech (podcast)

Ford Motor made big news at CES this week with its revamped MyFord touch interface to put entertainment and driving controls in reach of the driver with minimum distraction.

The company is putting three LCDs in the instrument panel--two next to the odometer, and another 8-inch screen in the center panel.

A few hours after Ford's CEO Alan Mulally gave his keynote address, Larry Magid sat down with Jim Buczkowski, director of Global Electrical and Electronics Systems Engineering at Ford, to talk about company's recent innovations and plans.

The interview runs 11 minutes 38 seconds.

Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | … Read more

Touching the LG Rumor Touch

LAS VEGAS--After we got a good look at the LG Lotus Elite, we turned our attention to the LG Rumor Touch, the other phone LG announced at CES.

The Rumor Touch has very little in common with the other Rumor handsets--the previous Rumor phones were rather basic and didn't even have 3G. As the name suggests, the Rumor Touch now has a 3-inch WQVGA touch-screen display in addition to a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a design reminiscent of the LG Xenon.

In our few minutes playing with the phone, we have to admit that the touch screen interface didn't … Read more

Control4 readies networked home energy system

LAS VEGAS--Control4's foray into home energy management was prompted by requests from utilities seeking a company with experience in home networking, according to CEO Will West.

The company, which does home automation software, at CES showed its Energy Management System (EMS) 100, a combination of a Zigbee-enabled thermostat and touch-screen energy controller for viewing home energy data and accessing other applications. The package is set for completion April.

Utilities approached the company because it already has a retail channel to help customers install home media networks and because Control4's technology can expanded with new features over several years, … Read more

Freeloader solar charger wears many plugs

LAS VEGAS--A look at Solar Power International's FreeLoader Pro solar charger shows how these can function as multipurpose chargers that happen to have solar panels.

The Freeloader Pro, which will be available in the U.S. starting next week, is a handheld charger made up of two small solar panels and integrated lithium ion battery.

Like the dozens of solar chargers on the market, the Freeloader Pro can charge up cell phones, GPS devices, and other small gadgets. What makes it versatile is the accompanying CamCaddy, an adjustable device for charging different sized block batteries for digital cameras, camcorders, … Read more

Philips' DirectLife makes fun a workout

Philips' DirectLife fitness tracker, which monitors one's daily activity levels by tracking the duration and intensity of movements, has been doing so well since its release in October 2009, according to a company representative, that it is about to be released in Germany and the U.K. Moreover, Philips has just announced a companion gadget that might actually rival the iPod.

The "program" associated with DirectLife, which costs $99, plus a $12.50 monthly membership fee, is three-pronged: wear the small, waterproof monitor with 3D accelerometer technology (think Wii) to track your movements; go online to get … Read more

Picowatt does smart grid without smart meter

LAS VEGAS--Tenrehte Technologies has a grassroots vision for the smart grid.

Instead of relying on a utility-installed smart meter to help consumers ratchet down their electricity bills, the Rochester, N.Y.-based start-up is building Wi-Fi-enabled smart plugs.

A few strategically placed smart plugs, called a Picowatt, will provide many of the benefits promised to consumers by the smart grid, including a real-time read-out of electricity usage and the ability to control appliances from a central point. By having data on electricity usage and the ability to take advantage of off-peak rates, people can make a significant reduction to consumption, … Read more

Razer and Sixense bring precise motion control to PC gaming

LAS VEGAS--With all three home consoles supporting motion control in one way or another it's certainly odd that PC gaming has yet to adopt the technology. Traditionally, PC gaming is the platform others look to emulate but in the current generation of Wii remotes, Sixaxis controllers, and Project Natal, gesture-based gaming on the PC remains untouched.

At CES 2010 we've found that this is about to change. High-end PC gaming accessory manufacturer Razer, in conjunction with Sixense, have teamed up to make precise motion control on the PC a reality. Better yet, the companies are doing it with … Read more

Local TV could spur mobile TV adoption

LAS VEGAS--Mobile TV may finally hit the mainstream when cell phones throughout the U.S. are able to access local TV for free.

The Open Mobile Video Coalition, an organization made up of consumer electronics companies, broadcasters, and mobile TV companies, has finished a standard for new chips that will allow mobile devices, such as cell phones, to receive broadcast TV signals. The new technology is already making its way into prototype devices and is being shown off here at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Starting in March, broadcasters in Washington, D.C., will be the first to test the mobile … Read more