CNET Live-ish: December 20, 2007

[ music ] ^M00:00:04 >> Coming up on CNET Live'ish. We're not live, but we do have bloopers. >> Yeah, you know that if you watch this show. And we have mystery guests bearing gifts. >> And we trust them. And predictions of things to come. >> Ahh. >> So pull up a chair, stick around. It's CNET Live'ish holiday special. ^M00:00:23 [ music ] ^M00:00:31 >> Well folks this is our year-end show, our holiday show, and most importantly, our we're not here show. >> Yeah. >> [inaudible] like you're on vacation. >> It's live right now while we're recording it. >> Yeah. >> But it's not going to be live when it's played. >> As a result, no - >> So it's sort of a time travel paradox. >> Yeah. No calls today. It's an unusual CNET Live because the phones are not open, do not call the phone number I'm not even gonna mention what phone number not to call. >> Unless you can call the past. >> That's different. Speaking of the past, let's have a little remembrance [inaudible] shall we? >> Oh yes, a little holiday cheer. >> With '07 behind us, and '08 lying ahead with all the difficulties, frustrations - >> Pour some out for the homies. >> - and certainly, certainly victories that awaits - >> He doesn't pour out that. >> - here's a cheer to the years. >> Here here, happy holidays. >> Now, other things we crave, aside from bourbon, let's take a look. ^M00:01:23 [ music ] ^M00:01:26 [ background music ] >> These are some of our favorite things from the Crave Blog all year long. And you know mine? >> Pray tell. >> Robots. >> Of course, what else? >> Toyota - >> Either that or it was gonna be a bunto [assumed spelling] on an iPod, I was right on the bubble there. But you know. >> Honda, Honda went with the, the robots that serve drinks, which that was tough. >> I like Honda. >> But Toyota's got a trio of robots. >> Oh yeah, look at them. >> The Robina. >> Yep. >> The Mobina. >> Yep. >> And that violin playing robot back there, that's the most impressive one. >> I remember reading about him, that's impressive. >> Yeah, he's got a, they've got a, like a string quartet of robots that play classical music, and then the Robina has actually been working at Toyota for the past couple of months. >> This is why they're who they are. >> Um hm. >> This is an amazing company. >> Toyota's getting to, like forget Asimo [assumed spelling]. >> Yeah. >> We're going, we're going in with three robots strong. >> This is an amazing company. Now I'm gonna go a completely different direction. From the most advanced technology, arguably, those robots, to vintage stuff folks. >> Ahh, yes. >> My old Commodore 64, which turned twenty five years old at the very tail end of 2007. You may have seen all the various florid praises to it, but it was a hell of a machine. There's one now, that whole thing with the keyboard there, that was the CPU built in there kids. All the interface, the video card such as it was in those days. You had one, you have one. >> Oh I still have that, yeah. >> That's amazing. >> I actually have my original which doesn't work any more, and then I bought one for five bucks at a Goodwill, and I hooked it in with all my accessories, and that one does run. >> Love it. >> And the disc drive still runs and everything. Some of the discs are getting corrupted. >> Yeah. >> So you have to, you can get this little dongle, hook up the disc drive to your PC and actually back up your data off of your old Commodore floppies, run it in an emulator. >> Oh on your PC, yeah. >> But it also saves that, and you can run the Commodore off the hard drive. You can do it the other way too. >> What's great about the Commodore 64 is it was, it was very DIY kind of nuts and bolts, but it was also a real productive machine, and a lot of fun too. I used to run an office suite from Sierra Online, which now is what, a gaming company right? >> Yeah, right. >> And they, but they used to make an office suite that was the very best of its kind early on. [ doorbell ] >> Oh hey, there's somebody at the door. >> That's the door. More about the Commodore - >> Art Valid [assumed spelling] will get that. >> James, who is it? >> Let them on in. Hey Donald Bell. >> How are you Donald Bell? Nice to see you. >> Got some room on the couch for you here. >> Let's get you a snort, shall we? >> Of course. >> Donald Bell's our senior editor of MP3 here at CNET. >> Don't get it on the Zune. >> Oh did you order, what did you, you got some, hey Cordials. >> Brought you some Cordials, yes. >> You know I love these things. >> Yeah. >> How cordial. >> Chocolate covered cherries. You know what the second ingredient is? >> No. >> Disgustingness? >> No, liquor. >> Liquor? >> Chocolate liquor. >> Give me that. Chocolate liquor. >> Anyway, we're, we're just sitting around kind of reviewing the past year, talking about the coming year. >> The Commodore 64. >> Yep, peek and poke. >> No. >> Did you imbibe? >> No. >> No. Did you inhale? >> You can do great music stuff though on this 64. >> You could, actually I remember, I remember there being some pretty cool - >> Yeah. >> - interesting music sequence - >> Peek and poke and - [ laughter ] >> Peek and poke. We'll talk this offline, this is a great, great thing. >> But what have we got coming up in the next year music player, video player wise? >> Well I think, I mean if 2007's been any indication, flash memory has been the dominating memory type for MP3 players, whereas hard drive players have been moving out. There's really only about three or four hard drive MP3 players out there on the market still. >> So it's really, if you want high capacity stuff you get a hard drive player, you think that's gonna end this year? >> I think this year we're gonna see a lot of sixteen gigabyte, and even up to thirty two gigabyte flash MP3 players. So it's gonna start equaling out a little bit. >> And when you get that much storage, you can also start to do more as a converged device, right? >> Um hm. >> You can get a lot of functions going on, not just the music. Do you really see, and we're talking a lot about convergence coming up at the consumer electronics show. >> The battery power's better on a flash, right? >> Much better. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Is this also the era of a more converged media player? Or are media players still about fun? >> For better or for worse, I think we are gonna see a lot more convergence coming up. The iPhone, the iPod Touch leading the way, we're seeing devices, I've got like the Cohen - >> You've got the ultimate there. >> The Cohen Q5W which has - >> What is this? >> - just come out recently. This is a portable video player, but it's more than that. It's a, it's a Windows CE5 machine so you can - >> CE? >> Yeah. >> CE5? >> That's what they - >> That's weird. >> So you can load up a Microsoft Office suite on this, and use it like a PDA. >> Why wouldn't they put Windows Mobile six on it? >> Yeah. >> That's more of a phone operating system. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Isn't it? >> CE I think is, this is a portable, this is a UMPC, it's a portable computer. >> Yeah, essentially. But I - >> I didn't know CE was still in production either. >> That's why I'm boggled, but all right, I'll roll with it. >> I think on the other side of the spectrum you've got devices like the, the Zune 80 - >> Yeah. >> - which really, compared to something like an iPod, it has like a calendar function and, and date and time. >> iPod has a calendar function. >> Yeah, that's what I'm saying, it does. >> Oh yeah this one does. >> This is like a kind of step backward - >> Oh I see, yeah, yeah, yeah. >> - as far as features and convergence is concerned. >> Yeah. >> But it's a great MP3 player. This is like the, the media friendly, the music friendly, the more kind of fun - >> What makes it such a great MP3 player? >> I mean you've got full screen album artwork, you've got integration with the, the Zune marketplace and Zune pass subscription music content. >> You have custom laser stuff on the back. >> I got, this is my own, this is my custom laser etched one. I got my Kraftwerk - >> Wow. >> - on the back. [ laughter ] >> Keeping it nerdy. >> Yeah. Donald Bell, ladies and gentlemen, the one and only. >> Well you're still, I mean you're still tied, Zune marketplace you're tied to the DRM and everything. >> Well. >> But you can play other stuff on the Zune, right? MP3s anyway. >> Absolutely. And AAC. Actually I mean you're no more or less tied down with the Zune - >> Than you are with the iPod. >> - with the iPod, so. >> Let me ask you this about the media player space. We still carry separate media players. >> Um hm. >> We talked a little bit about convergence and all this. Do you see the media player staying as primarily a standalone market through the next year? Or does the cell phone swallow it up like it swallowed up the camera? For most folks the camera's the phone now. >> Yeah. >> Every phone plays music. >> I have a very philosophical approach to this - >> All right. >> Yeah. >> Lay it on us. >> - this dilemma, which is I, I don't, I don't like my, my productivity machines, and my like you know - >> Okay. >> - music machines - >> Draw the line - >> Yeah. >> - on [inaudible] two big loads. >> Peanut button and chocolate. >> Yeah, and that's the reason why I didn't pick up the iPhone this year too is like, as beautiful as it is, I just kind of don't like the idea of my music being interrupted by a phone call or being something like that. I like kind of being an island onto itself. >> And the other issue - >> I might be alone in that, but I - >> No, I don't think you are. The other issue also is that if you're listening to your music, you're using the same battery you're gonna rely on for phone calls, you feel like you're squandering useful battery life - >> Yeah. >> - on an entertainment function. >> Yeah, but see I love not having to grab a second device - >> Oh I know. >> - and packing it. >> Yeah. >> I would too. >> I mean the idea now that I, I only have to pick up one thing - >> Yeah. >> - as forgetful as I am, that's excellent. >> I know, I love it. But you are, don't you feel like if I listen to too much music I can't get a call? >> No, you know what? I, I could, I never run out of battery with my, my phone. >> That's the key. >> I keep it plugged into the laptop all day long and it charges up. >> Oh right, yeah. >> It's just not even an issue. >> Yeah. >> It's a lifestyle thing though, cause if you don't use it like that, then yeah - >> Yes. >> - you are gonna run into that. >> So you're particularly good about keeping the thing topped up. >> Yeah, but see I also like the idea that I could go out on a camping trip, leave my cell phone behind, and have my portable like music player. >> That's why you need the Solio [assumed spelling]. [ laughter ] The solar charger. >> All right. Thanks so much for dropping by Donald. >> Good stuff. >> Happy holidays. >> Happy holidays, thanks for the Cordials. >> Thanks for coming over. >> We will now reveal what I am expecting for 2008 myself. I went into you know, a trance - [ laughter ] >> - got my crystal ball, drank through some Lipford [assumed spelling]. >> Yeah. >> And here are my top five predictions for 2008. Cheers. ^M00:08:52 [ music ] ^M00:08:57 [ background music ] >> Hey, welcome to CNET Top Five, where each time we meet we count down another hot CNET list. I'm Tom Merritt. You know, 2007 is over friends, get past it, year's over. And you know what must be done at the end of every year. Besides that. It's time to make my top five tech predictions for 2008. Let's count them down. At number five the internet will suck. And I don't mean what's on the net, I mean the connectivity. Bandwidth, throttling, crappy Wi-Fi, slow cellular wireless. It's just gonna get worse folks. Coming in at number four, the PC will become passe. Sucky connectivity be damned, we're going mobile anyway baby. Laptops, smart phones, even UM PCs, E PCs, weird internet tablet thingies. A desktop? What's that? Up to number three, Google becomes overlord. The crystal ball's a bit hazy here, but we know Google will somehow dominate. Could be android, could be the seven hundred megahertz spectrum, could be a thousand dollar stock price, could be all of that plus a Google OS, Google airline, and a Google cure for cancer in convenient lozenge form. Sliding in at number two, Apple will do nothing. That's right, it'll be the year of the update. New iPhone, revamped Apple TV, new laptops, crazy media players, but no crazy new businesses. This year. Before we get to number one, let's check in on the top five 2008 predictions not being made by me. Others are predicting these. Suckers. All right, I'm bad. But let's get to the top. My number one prediction for 2008 is a Clinton Juliani ticket. No, no, no, I'm just kidding. It's the death of broadcast TV, or at least it will become extremely ill. More and more people will take to the convenience of watching shows online or on demand, and at least one network will stream shows online simultaneously with on air. You heard it here first. And internet connected to the TV will begin to be the norm. Whew. Okay, well that's it for this edition of CNET Top Five. If you have your own predictions for 2008, let us know. Come on over to our blog, blog.cnettv.com. We'll keep them all and compare notes next year. I'm Tom Merritt. See you next time. ^M00:11:21 [ music ] ^M00:11:25 >> That is exactly the right list. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> You like it. >> I'm with you on every single one of them. >> Really? >> There's not one that I look at there and say you're out of your mind. >> That first, that number one pick I did go out on a limb there. Obviously it's not gonna, broadcast television's not gonna die next year. >> Yeah, yeah you couched it accurately, which is it's gonna start - >> It's gonna [inaudible] through the cracks. >> - to get real ill. >> Yeah, especially with the writers' strike. I mean I - >> Yeah. >> That was, I didn't even really count that in when I made this list up, but that's just kind of helped speed it along. >> Yeah, kind of pushing it along. It's like you know what? You don't need that to help usher in the next generation of [inaudible]. [ doorbell ] My biggest, I'll get to that in a minute. >> All right, hold on. >> James is at the door. Hey it's Kent German. >> Hey, come on in Kent. >> Come on in Kent. >> Hi Tom and - >> How are you? >> Happy holidays. >> Happy holidays. >> Grab a seat. >> That was so sweet of you. >> Well thank you, it's the Charlie Brown tree. >> I noticed you didn't have one. >> Yeah, that's perfect. We'll put it right here. >> And I got you some delicious - >> Maybe hang some Cordials on it. >> Mixed nuts, well this reflects who we are. >> It's so appropriate. >> 50% peanuts. >> 50% peanuts. >> Which one's peanut, which one's cashew? >> Oh yeah. How would you describe us? Which one of us is which? >> And you know, the Brazil nuts are not from Brazil. Interesting. >> Kent German ladies and gentlemen. He may be the [inaudible] of nuts, but you know what? He knows a lot more than just phones, he knows where his nuts come from. Anyway, so let's talk about technology, shall we? What do you see coming up in the cell phone world in the coming year? We kind of touched on cell phones with Donald Bell a little bit. >> We did. Well I'm sure you talked about the iPhone, you remember that? Remember that? >> Yeah. >> That's Apples thing. >> That black and chrome thing? >> Yeah. It was a big one dressed, somebody dressed like an iPhone we saw earlier this year too. Yeah. >> Just sneaked into the set, yeah. >> Yeah. >> I wonder if that might make a - >> So still recovering from that, but you know, we'll probably see a 3GI phone, we keep hearing about that all the time. >> I mean Steve Jobs said it. >> Yes. >> The president of AT and T said it. >> Yes. >> How can we not see it? >> And Goldman Sachs says it. So - >> Well there you go. >> - how can you not go wrong? >> They're never wrong. >> No, we definitely should see that some time in the year. Of course we don't know when. You know, Macworld of course is in January, might see it then, might not. But should see that coming out. >> You know, we had an interesting question on last week's show about whether you could software upgrade the iPhone to 3G, or whether you have to buy a new one. From everything I read, you got to buy a new one. >> Yeah, you would. You need a 3G chipset, and then actually - >> I don't have a 3G - >> No, and actually Steve Jobs said that they left it out cause it takes up too much room. >> Okay, so you were right about that one, that's exactly what Ryan - >> As soon as they get that figured out we'll probably see that. >> Give the man some credit once in a while. >> There ya go. >> Yeah, just saying. >> But of course you know iPhone, you know, certainly wasn't the first - >> Because Kent agrees with me he gets a bourbon. >> Wow. >> Really? Well thank you. >> That's what [inaudible] around here. >> Certainly wasn't the first touch screen. >> You're exactly right Brian. [ laughter ] You're already, you're already correct. >> I know, but who's, who's winning here? I don't know. [ laughter ] >> Anyway, so 3GI phone obviously. >> Sure. >> What else? >> Well you know, even the iPhone was not the first touch screen phone. Certainly has, we'll see a lot more of those. You know, we saw the Voyager a little while ago. >> You've got a Voyager with you. >> I don't have it with me actually, I have the Venus, which is - >> The Venus? >> - which is the LG Venus, which is the sort of the counterpart to it. >> This one I've not seen, but I've seen the - >> Now how's the Venus relate to the Voyager? >> It is, it's a 3G phone so it has a lot of those high end multimedia stuff. It just doesn't have the full QWERTY keyboard, so you - >> Okay, yeah, yeah. >> - open like that like the Voyager did. >> Just a little slimmer then - >> Yeah. >> - smaller form factor. >> But it's, but this is a touch screen. It has a keypad, it has a regular keypad. But actually all the navigation is all touch screen. >> Is it multi-touch? >> Yeah, you can sit right in here. >> Or is it just - >> PDA - >> It does not have multi-touch like the iPhone has. >> Uh huh. >> So you can't you know, put your finger on and draw it out or bring it back in. >> You can't squeeze. >> But what you can do is you can put it in, it has vibrating feedback. >> Yeah, I feel the feedback. >> [inaudible] feedback. >> Which is something the iPhone didn't have, you know? >> Yeah. >> So this is kind of a cool thing because you can use it by feel - >> Um hm. >> - and when you know you're pressing something when you - >> That's a big deal, yeah. >> - lean into it, yeah. So definitely see a few more of those I think. We hear some rumors there will be some kind of interesting keypads, like you know, certain buttons will be lit up for certain things, and then other buttons will be lit up for other things. >> Huh. >> So [inaudible] about that, so that'll be probably a big trend. >> So iPhone has really caused a stir. I mean everybody complains about all the hype, but to a certain extent it's a chicken and an egg thing. >> Sure. >> Whether the hype was manufactured or not, I mean it's caused people to understand about locked phones - >> Uh huh. >> - they never understood before. It's causing all these other innovation and competitive phones with adding touch screens and things like that. What else do you think we'll see as a reaction? >> Well I think the unlocked phone is a huge thing, as everyone talks about how the iPhone you know, has kind of changed the cell phone industry. But I don't think it's really gonna do that in terms of features, cause you know, so many, so many phones out there already have things the iPhone does, like music and photos. >> Yeah. >> But the unlocked phone, the fact that it was locked to AT and T got so much attention, even from Congress that, you know, and that's been going on for years and years, locked phones. So suddenly now we're seeing Verizon say you know, you can hook up unlocked phones with our network. Sprint's doing that as well, and AT and T sort of reaffirmed - >> We always did that. [ laughter ] >> AT and T's saying us too, pick me, pick me. >> I'm surprised T Mobile wasn't back there saying - >> And actually T Mobile also does it. So I think we'll see a lot more of that, more unlocked phones. And just, cause customers are really demanding it, when the iPhone came out suddenly got a lot more attention around that issue. >> That's gonna make '08 a really watershade year in the history of cell phones, we've finally entered the freedom era. >> Sure. And I think carriers are finally gonna realize they can't control everything. >> Yeah, not forever. >> They're gonna, maybe 85%, but not, not 100%. >> Add in the seven hundred megahertz spectrum - >> Right. >> - which you know, won't go online necessarily this year, but somebody'll get in control of it, they'll have to - >> The auction will keep it open. >> That's the terms of the auction. >> Yeah. >> And then you've got a whole different network that people can put phones on that is wide open. >> And they created a whole section that is bicodicil, an open functional network. >> Do you think Google's gonna win the seven hundred megahertz spectrum auction? Or are they just in it to kind of influence? >> You know, I don't know. It's hard to say. I think that they are in there to influence. I mean I wonder what they're doing in the sense that you know, Google says they're not gonna make an actual phone - >> Yeah. >> - at least a handset. >> Right, with android [assumed spelling]. >> And you know, you could say that they're lying, but I just don't see that as happening, because Google doesn't make product - >> Who wants to be in the hardware business if you don't have to be? >> Yeah. >> Verizon's gonna win that auction? >> Could be, I've heard - >> That's a best bet. >> - and then you know, I've heard, and you know, T Mobile I've heard, isn't T Mobile - >> Yeah, T Mobile's in it. >> Yeah, and that brings up a good point is T Mobile probably, we're finally gonna see T Mobile's 3G network this year, for 2008. >> Finally. >> Yeah, of course not in the seven hundred megahertz, but you know, they're the only major carrier not to have it, and - >> A lot of folks don't remember, that's amazing in this day and age. >> Yeah, they are. But actually they put out two 3G phones already. One of them is the Nokia 6263. >> They just don't - >> It's a 3G phone, you can use it on 3G - [ laughter ] >> It's just a little tiny 3G phone. >> Yeah. So, and it's kind of weird cause you know, they have music buttons on [inaudible] - >> Yeah. >> - and they don't have a music downloading service. So they're crafty, I know. >> They are, they are very crafty. [ laughter ] >> But we'll probably, we'll probably see that 3G network. >> Thanks so much for stopping by Kent. >> Sure. >> We really appreciate the mixed nuts and the tree, and all the cell phone info. When we come back we will have more guests, we're assuming. People are just stopping by, right? So stay with us. ^M00:17:53 [ music ] ^M00:18:00 >> Klaus Umlat [assumed spelling], umpire at the '85 US Open? >> Macenroe. >> Wait. There's a chance that ball did hit the line, you're not evil. >> Are you handling disputes with a simple phone call? Are you a card member? ^M00:18:14 [ music ] ^M00:18:18 >> Coming up on this week's CNET Live. >> Sorry gang, it's time to go back to school. >> Already? [ beep ] >> - yeah. >> Two, what's mine? Three - >> Waa. >> - two. Three, two for real. >> Join us CNET Live this Thursday at - >> Four pm eastern. >> - it was your line, okay. >> We've got the CEO of a new company called Billio [assumed spelling], Murali Suberatata [assumed spelling]. What's his name? Murali Suberal [assumed spelling]? Anyway, your calls as always on CNET Live this Thursday. >> Four o'clock pacific, no eastern actually, one o'clock pacific. Ten a.m. Hawaiian. >> Hawaiian. >> Yeah, I screwed it up, sorry. >> - calls as always on CNET Live this Thursday. >> Ga ga ga. >> Ten a.m. Hawaiian. >> You answering unseen statements again? [ laughter ] Why yes. No, no. No, no, no, no. I'm not doing that. >> Not a problem. >> I'm not doing that again. I still hurt. Lawrence, come on. We've talked about this. >> Chafing. >> All right? All right. ^M00:19:15 [ music ] ^M00:19:20 >> Yep, a career ends, and you are there. >> Ah yes. >> Welcome back to CNET Live, my last episode. What was that guy's name? Right, Billio guy will get you fired now. >> Oh yeah. So I'm just gonna cruise at this point. Anyway, here we are folks on a CNET Live'ish, because we're not really live today. Don't call because there's no one here to answer the phone. But we'll be back with you, our next live show is from the Consumer Electronics Show, CES. That's the Tuesday special show day, that's the eighth of January, at a special time also, three o'clock pacific. So we're gonna zig and zag there at the top of the year, and then get back into our regular slot after that. >> And we're just chatting about the coming year. [ doorbell ] Looks like somebody else is - >> Now who's here? >> Can you get that Jeeves? >> Jeeves, who do we have? >> Come on in. >> It's [inaudible]. >> Hey Bonnie. >> Well hi guys. >> Hello Bonnie, how are you? >> Hi, this is way too awkward. >> Have a seat kiddo, how are you? >> Good I think. >> Good to see you. >> Happy holidays. >> Bonnie is our smart phone and GPS editor. >> Other than that she's our cookie - >> Everybody's bringing us - >> Danish butter cookies. >> That'll go well with the mixed nuts. >> Give me those, I love these, I love these. >> Put them under the tree here. >> Oh put them under the tree, that's right, okay. We're making our little tree of gifts. >> Little tree - >> Yeah. >> Lovely. >> We got, we got mixed nuts, Cordial cherries, and butter cookies. Boy. >> Now what do you want to talk about first, GPS or smart phones? Cause - >> Talk about GPS? >> - you're like, you're bilingual. >> I am. >> What, what direction will GPS be going in? >> I like that, I like that. >> Clever. Well the thing about GPS is a lot of them offer the same thing, like the core functions like text and voice direction. So I think we'll see more advanced features like 3D building renderings - >> Really? >> - which is here on the HP iPack 310. >> iPac, okay. >> Yeah. >> This is a, cause I bought an iPack from you earlier this year. >> Yes. >> And it's kind of a simple device. >> Right. >> And this is a new kind of a version. >> Yeah, they've kind of built it from ground up, and it's just GPS only and not PDA, like they've - >> Right, the other one was PDA. >> Right, right. >> That's right. >> So, and this one has 3D building renderings which is pretty interesting. >> That's hot. >> That's kind of the new hot thing, isn't it? Everybody's trying to put that in. >> Yeah, and it's kind of cool, cause I was driving around, and it's good, it serves as good reference point to where you are you know - >> That's very cool. Here [inaudible]. >> Yeah, definitely. >> Pretty soon you won't even have to look around, you'll just look at your GPS device. >> Look at your GPS. >> You'll see your cell phone there. [ laughter ] >> All right, that's nice. >> And another thing is voice commands, like operating your GPS device - >> Yeah. >> - with your voice. >> Well that's the dream, right? >> Yeah. >> Is that you just say hey how do I get to Market Street and Fifth - >> Right. >> - and the GPS starts talking back to you. >> You just hey, go this way. So this is the Magellan Maestro 4250, and it doesn't, you can't enter your addresses by voice, but you can kind of operate something. Like you can ask where you are, or reroute, or things like that. >> Okay, so basic commands, just - >> Yeah, just basic, right. >> - the unique stuff. >> So. >> That's a step. >> Yeah, it is a step. The go, the Tom-Tom go nice - >> Okay, [inaudible] bourbon, all right. >> Well I don't know if that's - >> Well it's a little holiday tradition here. >> Oh okay. >> All right. >> Everybody's doing it. >> Bonnie gets a snort cause she brings voice recognition to the table, and we have to recognize that. >> And these are car tech guys, so - >> Right, so be borrowing that soon. >> I'll have to take the bourbon. >> The other thing that we hear a big transition Bonnie - >> Um hm. >> - there's a huge volume of calls on GPS stuff - >> Yeah. >> - during the holiday help desk, prices came down a lot this year, right? >> They came down yeah, a ton. >> Yeah. >> So that's the, you know, you can get a device, if you look, you shop around, you can get one for under two hundred dollars. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> These used to be fives and six - >> Oh yeah. >> - really unattainable. >> Yeah. But even just over the past year they've dropped so much. >> So the question everyone's gonna ask you, in '08 how cheap are they gonna go? Is there gonna be, is it gonna be a fifty dollar blister pack thing you buy as you check out? >> You know, it could be possible, I think it'll hover around the hundred dollar range. >> Wow. >> But you know, maybe some of the older ones will go for cheaper. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Yeah, we'll see. >> I like that, so it's - >> Yeah, and it's good. >> - an impulse buy - >> Yeah. >> - in the late part of '08. >> Yeah. >> At this point everybody's gonna have one too. >> Well that, yeah. >> And I think by the end of next year it's gonna be like a cell phone, or at least the way a cell phone was maybe five years ago. >> Right, yeah. I mean just even over the holidays, all the emails I've been getting, it's like - >> Yeah. >> It's a lot of GPS questions, like what should I get. >> People are way into it. >> Yeah. >> What should you get? If you, you know, what's at the top of the list these days? >> For basic entry level I would go with something like the MIO C520. >> I love the interface on those. >> Yeah, it's really good. They offer a really great value, and they just do you know, the basics. >> Yeah. >> You know, nothing like, it's not rocket science, you know. >> Right, right. >> It's just good price, basic features. Tom-Tom Go, the one line you know, is good for - >> Yeah. >> - beginners and things like that. >> Um hm. >> And Garman always. >> Well the entry Nuvi [assumed spelling] is like a two fifty or something? >> It's the two hundred yeah. >> The two hundred. >> Two hundred, two hundred W - >> Okay. >> - with the white screen, so. >> Okay. So there's a good choice - >> Yeah. >> - of basic GPS, you don't feel like you're buying whatever's available. >> Right. >> There's a lot of good ones. >> No, there's a good, there's a great bunch of solid devices out there. >> Do you like this trend of GPS moving into the phone? >> I think it still has a little way to go. >> Yeah. >> I think people are still just wrapping their head around the standalone ones. >> Um hm. >> So, you know, but I think that's gonna become - >> Of course a lot of times they're calling it GPS and it's not GPS. >> Yeah. >> It's that triangulation thing. >> Right, exactly. >> Yeah, so - >> Yeah, and it's just hard, like if you're driving and looking at a little cell phone screen, it's kind of hard. >> You need that voice stuff in the phone. >> Exactly. >> That's where you need it. >> Yeah, yeah. >> So it's just - >> Yeah, it's inverse with the screen, the less screen you have the more voice you need. >> Yeah. >> I mean they got to go in an inverse relationship. >> Yeah. >> All right, well Bonnie thank you so much. >> Sure. >> Appreciate you stopping by. >> Happy holidays, definitely. >> Thanks. >> All right, Molly Wood has also been doing some thinking about what to expect in the future at CES, coming up in January, 2008. In fact she even came up with a wish list. Let's take a look. ^M00:24:29 [ music ] ^M00:24:37 [ background music ] >> Hey, I'm Molly Wood from CNET.com getting ready mentally and physically for the Consumer Electronics Show 2008. I've got my comfy shoes packed, the cameras are at the ready, and I am ready for some extremely awesome developments in consumer electronics. Maybe. CES tends to be a little more evolutionary than revolutionary if you know what I mean. But I'm still hoping. And here's what's on my CES 2008 wish list. First up, entertainment. Won't someone please solve our streaming media, streaming TV remotely wireless media extender issues with just one box? Please? One box that streams media from your computer to your TV, from your TV to your computer, all around your house wirelessly. It's no big deal, right? We are begging you. No more Windows Media Center and Apple TV, and Slingbox plus Slingcatcher. Just one box, please. Another hot category at CES in recent years, robotics. You get your new iRobot doo-dads, and your little walking wowee toys, and your robotic vaccums, and your R2D2 projectors. But you know what I'm looking for? Rosie from the Jetsons. Or at least her great-great-great-great grandmother, at least. Like you take your Ossimo and you take your little oobot dealie, and you give me a robot I can use. And finally, let's talk convergence. Every year we see another gadget that can sorta kinda do it all. Last year there was the Nokia N95 uber phone, and this year I'm sure we'll see things like the Kowen [assumed spelling] Q5 and other sort of tablet laptops, smart phone portable media player things that are supposed to replace all your gadgets. And they all seem really cool, but for some reason none of them are quite right. But I really want to want one. So take like an iPhone, that's also a smart phone, plus an internet tablet, or an internet tablet that can do some bluetooth dialing, or I don't know, like a kindle that isn't just a bundle of locked up potential, and just make we want one, make me one I want. There you go. And also on my wish list this year, a peaceful and sustainable human society, just to keep things in perspective. [ background music ] For CNET.com I'm Molly Wood. See you in Vegas. ^M00:26:37 [ music ] ^M00:26:42 >> I was really into it till the peaceful and sustainable society. >> I was gonna say, the motherhood made - >> And then I was really into it. [ laughter ] >> So peace loving and magnanimous and - >> I don't know about peaceful, but sustainable? >> We're all together and, we'll see in Vegas how we really behave. Okay. >> Speaking of sustainable. >> Yeah, sustainable. >> Las Vegas is sort of the anti-sustainable. >> Is that point oh six sustainable? [ doorbell ] We'll get to that in a minute. >> All right. >> Someone's here again. >> Enough world peace. Get the door will you? >> James open the door, who we got? >> Oh hey Kevin. >> Kevin Massey. >> Hey, happy holidays, come on in. >> How are you Kevin? >> Pretty good, thanks. >> Mister, oh thank you. Whenever I get chocolates from an Englishman I know I'm in for a treat. >> What have you got there? >> Chateau Chocolate gourmet fudge. >> Oh very nice. >> That's the good stuff. >> From the world famous Chocolate Walgreens. [ laughter ] >> I think it's pronounced Vulgreen. >> Vulgreens, sorry yeah. >> That's right, from north of the, of the Danube. >> Ahh yes, very nice, thank you sir. >> Car check editor. You do, well you do mostly aftermarket stuff, right? >> Yeah, we, I'm focused mainly on cabin electronics. >> Uh huh. >> The kind of stuff that you play around with when you're supposed to be looking at the road. >> The things that cause wrecks. >> Yeah, okay. >> - phone integration, right? >> Why don't we name him wrecks master? >> But yeah, there's, we're seeing a great deal of activity in that, in that space. >> Now we just had Bonnie here - >> Um hm. >> - talking about navigation. Your products, the head units also are getting way more focused on providing NAV. >> Absolutely, yeah, yeah. We're seeing far more cars with navigation. I was talking to somebody the other day who told me that like half the cars in Japan now come with navigation. >> Really. >> I think that trend is, is coming over here. We're gonna see more and more cars with, with screens as standard. >> Well what about adding in my own head unit and having navigation function there either with a flip up screen or even a small display. Do you see that as being big or niche? >> I see that as probably stabilizing over the next couple of years. As I, as I said, the car makers are putting these navigation systems in. >> Yeah. >> So there's less incentive for people to start ripping apart their car's dashboard. >> Yeah, true. >> Having said that, there are increasing options out there for, for people who do want to upgrade their car tech and what's going on. >> Well if you're going to, to use it as an option, should you get a portable one that you can move between multiple cars? Or do you think that the in dashes, you know, it's worth it to put it in each one? >> Yeah, that's a good, great question. Obviously you sacrifice some functionality with a portable. You don't get [inaudible] through your car's speakers for example, you don't get the full integration, the GPS signal is often not as, not as robust as it is in a - >> Well can you plug them into the speakers the way you plug in an MP3 player though? >> Well some of them have an FM transmitter. >> But not always. >> No, not always. And the ones in the car often you know, fit better, there are robust touch screens - >> Yeah. >> - and makes a lot more - >> They're not gonna fall out of the vent - >> Yeah. >> - you know, when you hit a hard stop or something. >> Right. But a lot of these navigation systems we're seeing now that you can buy in the aftermarket are, are amazingly advanced. We're looking forward to CES, and there's gonna be fully fledged PCs that can go in your dashboard. >> Yeah, that's finally gonna really break out isn't it? >> Right, yeah. >> Because they've been out there, but they've been very hobbyist. >> So out of the trunk and into the dashboard, huh? >> Well these are gonna be Windows Vista based - >> Yeah. >> - you know, PCs. You can edit Excel spreadsheets. >> Yeah, in the double DIMM form factor. >> Cause who hasn't been driving down the road saying God, you know, if only I could edit an Excel spreadsheet. >> If I could just retweak C7 I think I'd have the answer. >> I'm so bored with the music the driver's playing, I just need to edit an Excel spreadsheet. >> Another big trend that you've seen this year, you've been documenting this idea of bluetooth in the car audio system, but not for hands-free calling. >> Um hm. >> What's gonna happen with this stereo bluetooth thing? Is it gonna be big next year? >> I hope so. You know, the, the infrastructure is there to allow people to stream music from their phones or their MP3 players directly to the car's speakers via, via the head unit. >> But do you know anyone who does it? >> Well that's a great question. >> Aside from you. >> The, I think the holdup today or the bottleneck has been in the stereo manufacturer's capability to support that. Cause a lot of devices that come out now have this A2DP protocol. >> Yeah. >> It's the bluetooth, bluetooth audio streaming profile. >> Yeah, it's the stereo audio. >> Yeah. But there, I think all the supply is on the side of the devices, and we need some more - >> Yeah. >> - aftermarket stereo manufacturers to - >> Cause even if you get a device that doesn't have A2DP, it's not that hard to buy an adapter. I mean Logitech sells a pair of headphones. >> Right. >> You could actually you know, use that to send an A2DP signal. >> I didn't think there was anywhere to get it. I don't think folks understand it at this point. >> Yeah. >> They think oh bluetooth is that hands-free earbud thing. They don't realize bluetooth does another kind of audio. >> That's right, and a lot of people, I think what, what really would have taken this forward is if they had built A2DP into the iPhone. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, right. >> Cause that's a device that has all your music on it, and people want to connect it with, with their, with their in-car - >> Yeah. >> - audio. >> Apple could have made A2DP. Real quick before we let you go, you have a stage at CES this year, for the first time. >> That's right. The entire north hall at CES this year is being dedicated to car technology. >> Wow. Cars have been increasingly taking over that hall. >> Yeah, right. >> Just dominating. >> So this year we actually have our own car tech, CNET car tech demonstration car, so we're gonna be whipping in and out, products in and out of the dash in that, in that car - >> Okay. >> - and shooting video and interviewing. >> Okay, so that'll be at the north hall, that's where we're going to have the CNET car tech stage. You'll see a lot of the head units that Kevin is reviewing, and will be reviewing at the show going in the cars. And you'll be talking there, having our cameras document what's good about them or not. >> Right. >> Love it. Okay, Kevin. >> See you there. Thanks very much, good to see you. >> See you at car tech. >> Merry Christmas. >> Happy holidays. >> Thank you. >> He's got places to go. >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. >> He's, he's a car tech guy. >> There's an Alfred Dunhill story - >> He's gonna jump in the Aston Martin and take off. >> Stuff. >> Well that's it. >> Well anyway, the car tech thing is gonna be, as he mentioned, really big at CES this coming year. And speaking of CES, we're going to be there with a special edition of CNET Live, a different day, a different time. Tuesday, January eighth, that's the second day of CES, things are in full tilt, at three p.m. pacific, so everything has changed up. That's six o'clock eastern of course, and what time Hawaiian? [ background music ] >> That would be, let me think, gimme a second. It'd be one p.m. Hawaiian. >> You're good. >> I actually get it at one - >> You're good. >> - in January. >> All right, so you, the Hawaiian - >> In the south hall. If you're actually gonna be at CES, you can - >> Yeah. >> - come by and say hi. >> CNET in the south hall, CNET car tech in the north hall. That'll be at CES, the next time we see you here live on CNET Live. Until then, happy holidays everybody. >> Happy holidays, cheers. ^M00:33:03 [ music ] ^M00:33:13 >> Klaus Umlat [assumed spelling], umpire at the '85 US Open? >> Macenroe. >> Wait. There's a chance that ball did hit the line, you're not evil. >> Are you handling disputes with a simple phone call? Are you a card member? ^M00:33:26 [ music ] ^M00:33:32 >> Coming up this week on - >> That's my line. See, that's what, that's what Mitch was saying. >> Oh. >> I have, because we're switched. >> Already? >> Yep. And we're gonna see at the ga ga ga guy, what is it we're gonna, well yep, oh yep, afraid so. Okay, didn't appear to be an English word, and it wasn't. All right. >> We'll size up the entire blogasphere. >> Blogging's having a huge, having - >> [inaudible] >> Having - >> Hello Dean. >> Blogging is a merovingean innovation. >> Oh vingey. >> We'll connect you with the infinite pool of wisdom that is CNET's megabrain. >> And via that, what does it say? Via? Oh via that - >> CNET's mega Brian. >> Numbskull. And you want this fast? It's all about online banking. >> Do you still pay your bills the old fashioned way? >> Or have you turned up that checkbook? Torn up, torn up that checkbook. I just love turn up so much. Okay. >> That's freedom checkbook. All righty. >> Still pay your bills the old fashioned way? >> Or do you ba ba ba ba. You got to be kidding, my mother never said that. Not to you anyway, not in public. >> Plus your calls as always on this week's CNET Live. >> Four o'clock eastern, one o'clock pacific. >> Ten a.m. Hawaiian. >> Ten a.m. Hawaiian. >> My line. >> Oh boy, okay.