ces 2011

Velocity Micro's $150 Android 4.0 tablet

Velocity Micro might just be the biggest tablet manufacturer you've never heard of. Its products have been found in Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, Costco, and Best Buy, and have always positioned them as a low-cost tablet option.

Today, it has announced two new tablet models, the Cruz T507 and T510. As you might guess from the product names, the T507 is an 7-inch tablet, while the T510 offers a 10-inch screen. Both are said to run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).

But the marquee feature of the Cruz T507 is the price tag, which Velocity Micro says will … Read more

Networking and storage: What to expect at CES 2012

CES has always been the biggest show for consumer electronics. It's unlikely that anyone can actually visit all of the exhibition booths and demos, and see every single new product. I know I can't.

So it's helpful to have some ideas of what you can expect at the show. If networking and storage are among your interests, here are a few of my educated guesses on what will be showcased at the show.… Read more

Razer's Blade game laptop not the mini Switchblade we've been waiting for

Following its "PC gaming is not dead" ad campaign, Razer has officially unveiled its first foray into system-building. The new product, teased in a full-page ad Razer ran in the Wall Street Journal on August 22, is the Razer Blade, which the company describes as a "full aluminum chassis gaming laptop featuring true portability, incredible performance, and an all-new revolutionary user interface."

This is surprising in a way, not because a mouse-and-keyboard maker is getting into the business of making and selling laptops, but because we were hoping the mystery product was the pocket-size Switchblade, a curious handheld prototype we saw and played with at CES 2011.

Instead, this is a 17-inch gaming laptop, although Razer claims it will be only 0.88 inch thick and weigh under 7 pounds, which is impressive if you've seen any of our recent monster gaming laptop reviews. The unique part is the right side of the keyboard, where you would normally expect to find a number pad.… Read more

Top 5 most anticipated technologies of 2011

2011 promises to be a breakout year for really different new technologies. Brian Cooley runs down the Top 5 to keep an eye on.

Another great way to scan the forecast for 2011 is to look over CNET's "Best of CES" award winners and categories.

Panasonic's entry and mainstream HD camcorders

Originally published January 5, 2011; updated February 1, 2011: Pricing added to chart. Scroll to the bottom for additional comment.

LAS VEGAS--In 2011, Panasonic is expanding the number of models in its entry-level and mainstream HD camcorder lines; sadly, most of them follow the regrettable trend of using sub-HD resolution sensors, leaving only the top-end of the midrange HDC-TM90 and SD90 as the models likely to produce decent video.

Here's a summary of the lineup, with last year's SD60/TM55 for comparison:

HDC-SD60/TM55 HDC-TM40/SD40 HDC-TM80/SD80 HDC-HS80 HDC-TM90/SD90 Sensor (effective resolution) 3-megapixel CMOS 1.… Read more

Will Sandy Bridge issues delay new Apple MacBooks?

With Intel's surprising Sandy Bridge news suggesting new computers featuring the processors might see delays, we couldn't help but ask ourselves whether the Sandy Bridge issues mean new MacBook Pros will come later rather than sooner.

First of all, we have no idea when new MacBook Pros are hitting next. However, assuming they're due for a refresh within the next few months, a few things seem likely: They're going to receive new Sandy Bridge processors, including the older Core 2 Duo-toting 13-inch MacBook Pro. And, they'll likely arrive after the competition. At least, that's … Read more

Acer not abandoning Netbooks in favor of tablets...yet

Acer wants you to know that it hasn't given up on Netbooks. At least, not yet.

Despite recent rumors to the contrary, and a CES 2011 chock-full of tablets, Acer sent out a press release today specifically confirming that the company won't be leaving the Netbook business.

According to the press release:

Mobility, which has always been part of Acer's DNA, finds a new form of expression in the range of tablets on offer, which feature various display sizes and models designed to fit different kinds of usage scenarios. Acer recognizes that the computer market is changing. … Read more

Which carrier had the best data network at CES?

Anyone who's attended CES knows that getting a cell phone signal during the show's peak hours is never a sure bet. With 140,000 phone-wielding people crammed into a square half mile, you can go several hours without making a call, accessing your e-mail, or even sending a tweet.

Since it's rather ironic that you can't use your cell phone at a gadget show, we made a point this year of seeing just how bad the conditions were. So we brought along RootMetrics, a company that powers our cell phone coverage maps, to test the average … Read more

Digital City: CES 2011 special edition

In case you missed our special live Digital City show from the CNET stage at CES 2011, now you can catch it here. Dan is joined by G4TV's "Attack of the Show" co-host Kevin Pereira , plus CNET's Jeff Bakalar and Rich Brown, for a discussion ranging from post-apocalyptic cell phone reception to high-tech digital name tags.

Bonus: You can download the show's theme song as a free MP3 here for a limited time!

CES 2011: The title match of tech

We're back from Vegas and it's time to process the dizzying amount of intelligence we gathered at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show. The biggest takeaway: TV is bigger and better than ever! Whether it's 3D, 2D, flat, or razor-thin, no matter how you measure it, the TV set is still the top dog at CES.

That's great news for those of us in the TV biz and the TV marketing world. Because what do all those TVs need? Great content and people who know how to market it.

Among the standout themes this year was "… Read more