Tuesday CES and Macworld roundup: Beyond the iPhone
News roundup.
The mobile trend of this year's CES continued today as Steve Jobs' keynote at Macworld captured the spotlight with the announcement of yet another new mobile device--the iPhone. But there was other stuff going on, from new Google announcements to more news from the TV realm.
-- Motorola Q's new Pro incarnation. The hardware's the same, but the Motorola Q Pro has some software differences: virtual private network (VPN) support, a firewall, and data encryption, to name a few. As the name would imply, it's making the Q more friendly to the business crowd. (Crave)
-- Google releases SketchUp 6 at Macworld. With SketchUp, a 3D software modeling tool, users can create 3D models and then integrate them into Google Earth. The latest release includes some new tweaks, including new display settings and the ability to trace based on a photo. (CNET News.com)
-- DirecTV's ambitious HD promise. The satellite TV provider is claiming that it will be offering 100 high-definition channels, from MTV to the Food Network. That's way more than the competition's providing. (Crave)
-- On a related note, Dish Network beefs up. Not only is it giving away a high-definition digital video recorder with the purchase of a new subscription plan, but it's also introducing a new in-car satellite service called MobileDISH. (Crave)
-- Hands on with the SlingCatcher. Crave's John Falcone deconstructs Sling's new device, which lets you bring Internet video content to your TV. (Crave)
-- Samsung bundles Google apps on its newest phone. Google Maps, Search, and Gmail are pre-loaded on several new Samsung phones. This isn't totally new, since Samsung made the Helio Drift, which uses Google Maps for its GPS functions. (Crave)