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- Sun Innovations show off Transplay Animated Laser Display, projects blueish vision of the future (video)
- Mercedes-Benz gesture control concept is DICEy
- NuForce CEO teases Air DAC for high quality wireless audio streaming at CES (video)
- Samsung gets tired of neighbors watching its Transparent Smart Window, installs blinds
- Motorola Droid Razr Maxx hands-on (video)
- Retrobit RetroDuo portable and RetroPort hands-on
- Samsung Galaxy Note Notepad hands-on at CES: it's like a Note, but analog
- Kia UVO2 is your Korean big brother, we go hands-on
- NASA switching its Public Channel and Media Channel to HD
- ROCCAT Isku keyboard and Kone mouse hands-on (video)
- White Galaxy Nexus shows itself, plans an arctic vacation
- Ask Engadget: Is there a Roku DVR?
- DeLorean DMC-12 EV eyes-on at CES
- Oregon Scientific's App In Sports watches sync with your phone, grab apps from it
- Engadget Podcast 275: CES 2012 Day 5 - 01.13.2012
- TiVo users watch less Live TV than everyone else
- MakerBot Replicator hands-on (video)
- Engadget's gear of CES 2012
- CES 2012: tablet roundup
- QNX finds a home inside a Porsche 911 (video)
| Posted: 15 Jan 2012 09:05 AM PST
As we continued to explore deeper and deeper into the underbelly of CES, something sparkled in the corner of our jaded eyes as we flitted between rows and rows of anonymous stalls. Already festooned with engineering awards, this animated laser display works by beaming a laser generated image onto glass planes containing a film of nanoparticles. Although a blue projector was on show here, it's also being developed in red, white and even dual blue and red. The projector itself requires only a short distance to project across the full width of the screen -- the demo kit you see here was under three feet from the image, which was pin sharp. They're not really about the implementation here, more the hardware, which accepts VGA input through either the USB connection or the built-in XD card reader. Regardless, the current demo reel includes some retail display animations and rotating logos -- including a glimpse of the Zune logo -- but the system can also be turned into an augmented reality driving aid. Marvel at it yourself by checking out our eyes-on right after the break. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Mercedes-Benz gesture control concept is DICEy Posted: 15 Jan 2012 07:41 AM PST  Mercedes' Dynamic & Intuitive Control Experience (DICE) utilizes a series of proximity sensors to detect arm and hand movements, which control everything from music, navigation and social functionality to a heads-up display that comprises the entire windshield. You can get a feel for the system in action in the video after the break, but as you'll see, it's very beta, mistaking hand movements for selections and generally being a pain to use – let alone control while you're driving a car. Thankfully, Mercedes has plenty of time to work out the kinks as it won't be coming to production for at least a couple decades. |
| NuForce CEO teases Air DAC for high quality wireless audio streaming at CES (video) Posted: 15 Jan 2012 06:59 AM PST  The DAC unit itself is rather spartan, which features only a power connector and two RCA analog outs. Yeah, digital ports would've been more alluring, but the Air DAC seems to be targeted at the average consumer and we're told it'll have a price to match. The sound quality was absolutely fantastic when played through the Icon system, which includes a separate amplifier and the Icon S-X speakers. Then again, we wouldn't have expected anything less, given the quality of the Icon setup to begin with. For an introductory look at the system in action, be sure to check the video after the break. |
| Samsung gets tired of neighbors watching its Transparent Smart Window, installs blinds Posted: 15 Jan 2012 05:44 AM PST  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Motorola Droid Razr Maxx hands-on (video) Posted: 15 Jan 2012 04:21 AM PST  Its showing wasn't as noteworthy as it was last year, but Motorola still at least brought a few new goodies to put on display. The latest major addition to Verizon's Droid Razr family, the Razr Maxx, was on hand, as were the white and purple variants of the original version. So what makes the $300 subsidized Maxx so different from its predecessor? Simply enough, the name is a direct reflection of the phone's battery life, as it sports a thicker (translating to a thickness of 8.99mm, a couple millimeters thicker than the original) 3,300 mAh juicepack that promises an out-of-this-world 21 hour talk time. Sadly, we didn't have 21 full hours to dedicate to testing this claim, but we did have enough time to get a few pictures and a video of the entire Droid Razr family together at last below the break. |
| Retrobit RetroDuo portable and RetroPort hands-on Posted: 15 Jan 2012 03:00 AM PST  The RetroDuo Portable definitely delvers on its cross generational compatibility, but not as natively as you'd expect. Whereas the original RetroDuo home console features a separate cartridge slot for your 8 and 16-bit classics, the portable version only features an SNES compatible pin-connector. NES games are shoehorned in by using an included RetoPort adapter, which lets any compatible console boot its predecessor's cartridges. Although this adapter sets the RetroDuo apart from the competition, there's no reason you couldn't use the very same RetroPort adapter on your SupraBoy, or any other portable SNES.  The little handheld may have put us on the fast track down memory lane, but even our nostalgia powered glee couldn't help us overlook its shortcomings. The RetroDuo plays SNES games well enough, but the adapter-powered NES compatibility was haunted by intermittent scan-lines. The combined length of the adapter and an NES cartridge make the device slightly unwieldy. The RetroGen, a seperately sold Sega Genesis adapter for the SNES, didn't have these problems. The build quality isn't fantastic either -- we love lightweight devices, but something this light just feels cheap. The device's face buttons feel a bit loose as well, though we'll admit the attachable controllers feel pretty solid. Finally, the 3.5-inch screen can appear washed out and overblown when viewed head-on -- peering at it from a slight angle looks far sharper, and you can always output the handheld to a proper TV, but this still doesn't excuse the handhelds's weak LCD.  Faults aside, picking up RetroDuo portable is still a heck of a lot easier than building your own hybrid Nintendo funbox, and at $90, it packs enough accessories to make it a reasonable SupraBoy competitor. If you don't like it, break out your soldering iron and whip up something better. Then send it our way. Retro-Bit® Launches a Portable Version of the 8-Bit and 16-Bit Retro Duo® Video Game Console! The Retro Duo® Console now in the palm of your hands! You can catch a sneak preview of exclusive retro gadgets in the Innex, Inc. Booth at CES 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas between January 10th to 13th at South Hall 2, Booth #25905. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRLog (Press Release) - Jan 04, 2012 - Retro-Bit® Launches a Portable Version of the 8-Bit and 16-Bit Retro Duo® Video Game Console! The Retro Duo® Console Now in the Palm of Your Hands! City of Industry, Calif., (January, 2012) – Dust off your NES® and SNES® games and put them to use again with Retro-bit®'s latest retro creation, RDP™, Retro Duo® Portable! In 2008, Retro-Bit® released its first video game console, the Retro Duo®, an 8-bit and 16-bit video game console. It was designed to fit the needs of 8-bit and 16-bit console gamers and plays game cartridges for the NES® and SNES®/Super Famicom®. By popular demand, Retro-bit® has now developed a portable version of the Retro Duo®. Relive the retro days in single player mode or game on the go through the duo controller adapter that allows for multi-player capabilities with original or third party controllers. Sit back, relax and compete in single or two player games with the RDP™propped up using the acrylic dock-up stand. The Retro Duo® Portable, sold at an MSRP $89.99, releases in two colors, a matte black or matte red flavor featuring a bright 3.5 inch LCD screen and ergonomic curves for extended and comfortable gameplay. The unit weighs about 11.6 oz. packed with a generous battery life of 6-8 hours or an extended battery option (sold separately), which can last up to 10.5 hours of playtime! "We are beyond excited to be selected as the main distributor to introduce this brilliant product to our clients and the public. Fanatics of retro gaming are going to love this console and its capabilities. Retro gaming on the go is in full swing", stated Titi Ngoy, President of Innex, Inc., which holds the exclusive distribution rights to the RDP™. In addition to the Retro Duo® Portable, you can now play your original NES® or Genesis® cartridges on ANY original or third party SNES® console with the new release of the RetroPort™ and the RetroGen® Adapter by Retro-Bit®, each with a suggested retail price of $19.99. The RDP™, RetroGen® Adapter, and RetroPort™Adapter will be launching across retail stores in February 2012. You can catch a sneak preview of these exclusive retro gadgets in the Innex, Inc. Booth at CES 2012 – Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas between January 10th to 13th at South Hall 2, Booth #25905. About Retro-Bit® Retro-Bit® is the leading developer of third party accessories and hardware. Retro-Bit® is recognized as the creators of the very famous Retro Duo® Console and now the Retro Duo® Portable. Retro-Bit® is distributed exclusively by Innex, Inc. and can be found at various retailers throughout the world. |
| Samsung Galaxy Note Notepad hands-on at CES: it's like a Note, but analog Posted: 15 Jan 2012 01:19 AM PST  |
| Kia UVO2 is your Korean big brother, we go hands-on Posted: 15 Jan 2012 12:10 AM PST  Kia's first entry into the infotainment realm had a slightly rocky start, but the Korean automaker is back at CES this year with UVO2, its second-generation in-dash telematics and connectivity platform. The big features in UVO2 include automatic crash notification, incorporated road-side assistance, service reminders and a brace of new vehicle tracking and geo-fencing features to make sure your teens don't stray too far, go too fast or stay out too late. Partner all that with an updated iPhone app that keeps track of maintenance and includes a vehicle finder that uses AR to find your ride, and it's a comprehensive update. But for now, Kia isn't saying exactly when UVO2 is hitting the market and how much the system will cost when it arrives. Get a taste of the new system in the hands-on after the break. |
| NASA switching its Public Channel and Media Channel to HD Posted: 14 Jan 2012 09:53 PM PST  The current NASA HD channel, that your provider may or may not carry, is going away. In its place, both the NASA TV Public Channel and Media Channel will be making the switch to HD on February 17th, while the Education Channel will remain in SD. What isn't so clear is what your premium TV provider will do once NASA flips the switch. We'd imagine they'll pass on the HD signal, but if they're short on bandwidth, there's the chance they could down convert it to SD in order to continue to provide the channels on their strained infrastructure. |
| ROCCAT Isku keyboard and Kone mouse hands-on (video) Posted: 14 Jan 2012 08:21 PM PST  Our time with the paired peripherals was short, but sweet. ROCCAT's devices use a bit of proprietary magic to pull a few crossover tricks. More specifically, buttons and toggles pressed on the keyboard can activate macros and setting changes on the mouse. Big fan of wireless rodents with dedicated sniper buttons? You have one of those on ROCCAT's Kone, sure, but you can also drop that DPI to headshot mode by toggling a key under the keyboard's spacebar. The entire left side of the typewriter can be used for macros as well -- just toggle the keyboard's macro mode using the caps-lock, and you're good to go. The devices played well together, and sniping with the keyboard toggle allowed us to squeeze off headshots without squeezing the mouse. The mouse itself was fairly comfortable, but not amazing, though its 6000 DPI sensor was plenty sensitive. The pair will be sold separately when they hit stores next month, but they're obviously made for each other. The cost of keeping the band together? About $170. Joe Pollicino contributed to this post This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| White Galaxy Nexus shows itself, plans an arctic vacation Posted: 14 Jan 2012 07:39 PM PST  |
| Ask Engadget: Is there a Roku DVR? Posted: 14 Jan 2012 06:28 PM PST  We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Jaime, trying to escape the tyranny of Windows Media Center with a DVR-enabled Roku. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. Our first thought was to hook up a Roku with Nowhere DVR and Elgato's EyeTV, but perhaps there's a device that's even simpler to set up that wedges both functions into a single unit without any sort of tweaking required. If you know the inside-skinny, rock on over to the comments and holler. |
| DeLorean DMC-12 EV eyes-on at CES Posted: 14 Jan 2012 06:06 PM PST  This isn't the first time that the DMC-12 DeLorean EV has graced Engadget's pages, and we feel certain it won't be the last. However, we know how much you love Doc Brown's ride, and when we saw it on the show floor we had to snap some pics for your viewing pleasure. So head on down to the gallery below to see the electrified version of Hill Valley's most famous whip inside and out. Dante Cesa contributed to this report. |
| Oregon Scientific's App In Sports watches sync with your phone, grab apps from it Posted: 14 Jan 2012 04:43 PM PST  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Engadget Podcast 275: CES 2012 Day 5 - 01.13.2012 Posted: 14 Jan 2012 04:10 PM PST
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| TiVo users watch less Live TV than everyone else Posted: 14 Jan 2012 03:41 PM PST 
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| MakerBot Replicator hands-on (video) Posted: 14 Jan 2012 02:41 PM PST  MakerBot is one of the driving forces in bringing 3D printing to a mainstream audience, and the Replicator takes yet another big step in that direction. For starters, there's the fact that, unlike past products from the company, the units ship assembled, taking the difficult and time consuming construction process out of the equation -- at less than $2,000, it's also a good deal cheaper than a fair amount of the competition. Pettis also insists that the printing process itself is rather simple. There's an SD slot on the front -- pop in a card and choose a project from the simple LCD. There are pegs for the spools of plastic on the rear of the device. Opting for the $1,999 version lets you do dual extrusion -- using two different spools for two-color objects. When the printing starts, the plastic spools (made of ABS, the same stuff that Lego is made from) feed through tubes, getting melted down, hot glue gun-style. The layering of the plastic creates a ribbed effect on the objects, though Pettis points out that some people sand down their projects after they're finished. The process is a bit time consuming -- Pettis was printing out a small plastic cupcake that didn't finish during our 20-minute-long interview. Apparently it takes closer to 45 minutes to finish something like that. But this model has a key competent its predecessors lacked: the ability to print large objects. You can print things up to the size of a loaf of bread using the Replicator. We're working with MakerBot to get a unit that we can spend a bit more time with -- and believe us, we can't wait. In the meantime, watch Pettis give a guided tour of the device after the break. |
| Posted: 14 Jan 2012 02:27 PM PST  Laptops Without our computers, we might as well have spent our days dropping chips at the roulette tables. There's too much at stake this week to take a gamble, however, so we insisted that the entire team use an Apple notebook -- a required component for our Elgato turbo.264 HD hardware-accelerated encoders, which we use to process each and every video that ends up on this site. And while many members of our team use Windows-based systems at home or in the office, everyone used either a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air during CES. Members of our Distro design team paired their machines with 27-inch displays. Miraculously, we made it through the entire week without so much as a hiccup on the hardware front. Smartphones and Internet A wired Ethernet connection and Netgear N900 router WiFi router kept us up and running from the Engadget trailer, but with several dozen editors roaming the Las Vegas Convention Center halls at once, staying connected on the move was equally important. We equipped each editor with a Momentum LTE USB modem, which let us hop on AT&T's brand-new (and therefore little-used) 4G network from the floor, at liveblogs and while in-transit between The Strip and the LVCC. An enormous variety of smartphones kept us in the loop as well, including such devices as an imported Samsung Galaxy Note running on AT&T's HSPA+ network (though most often EDGE), the Verizon LTE Galaxy Nexus and a small handful of iPhones. We also brought along a Netgear N600 wireless router for a shared connection when traveling in large groups. Cameras We tried something different on the camera front this year, equipping our entire hands-on team with Sony NEX-C3 mirrorless ILCs and external shotgun mics. We also relied almost entirely on SanDisk's line of Extreme Pro memory cards, which managed countless transfers with nary a hitch. Nearly all of the hands-on photos and videos you saw on this site were shot with that setup, with the exception of all of our liveblogs, which require a tethered solution with a much more powerful kit. In addition to the Canon and Nikon cameras and lenses that we keep in rotation throughout the year, lens rental needs were handled by BorrowLenses.com, which yet again came through with a healthy spread:
 We also used a variety of other photo gear, including a Think Tank Photo Airport International V 2.0 rolling bag for transporting cameras from New York, the Pico Dolly compact DSLR dolly unit for rolling shots and several Joby GorillaPod SLR-Zoom tripods for support. And, as an extra special treat for the week, Red Digital Cinema sent us a Red Scarlet-X on loan, which we paired with our Canon lenses. We spent the majority of our time at the Engadget trailer, parked just outside the LVCC, but a good chunk of the staff also dropped by the indoor stage (seen just above), which was centrally-located just outside the LG booth in the public area of the Convention Center. As always, the Engadget Classic team was joined this year by our Chinese, Japanese and Spanish counterparts, who also chimed in yesterday to help sum-up the show. This was a record year for both Engadget and CES as a whole, and we're already counting down the days until we get to do it all again.  |
| Posted: 14 Jan 2012 01:01 PM PST  Couldn't keep up with the 600+ posts we wrote covering CES 2012 in Las Vegas? We're here to help sift the wheat from the chaff, and if you're hoping to see the best of what CES had to offer in the world of tablets, you've come to the right place. As you can imagine, finding the best slate is much easier said than done, since it seemed as though nearly every major company brought a tablet in some shape, form or color. Head past the break to see our personal favorites from the show. Acer Iconia Tab A510 Acer, without a doubt, made a huge showing at this year's show by introducing not one, not two but three new models to its Iconia Tab lineup: the A200, A510 and one of our top choices, the A700. Why were we smitten? It has a 1.3GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 with 1GB of RAM, its own customized -- yet non-intrusive -- skin laid over Ice Cream Sandwich. Oh, and let's not forget the gorgeous 1080p "IPS quality" display. Here's the catch: since the A700 is being called a "technology demo," Acer's not exactly certain that the high-end tablet will actually ever see the consumer market. Regardless, we like the direction the company's going -- and even if doesn't see the light of day, we hope Acer has something else up its sleeve to take its place. Transformer Prime TF700T Just getting used to the Transformer Prime TF201? Well, it wouldn't be a true CES without at least one company one-upping itself within a month of the launch of its signature product, would it? ASUS definitely fits the bill, as frustrated TF201 users worldwide groaned when it introduced the TF700T, a new Prime that offers slightly better specs. It's a 10.1-inch device with a top-notch 1,920 x 1,200 resolution that takes advantage of a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3, an 8MP rear camera with 2MP front-facing cam, your choice of 32GB or 64GB internal storage and Ice Cream Sandwich already loaded. The new Prime will be compatible with the same keyboard dock, so fortunately no new accessories are needed. Be on the lookout for the TF700T next quarter for a retail cost of $599 to $699. Lenovo Ideapad Yoga Is it a tablet or a Ultrabook? Well, both, we suppose. Lenovo took to CES to introduce the Ideapad Yoga, a convertible Windows 8 device that will let you switch back and forth between the two form factors depending on your situation. The 3.3-pound laptop / tablet is a bit on the heavy side, but the Yoga, with its 1600 x 900 IPS display, holds a lot of promise for $1,000 once the OS -- and device -- are both ready to go later this year. Pantech Element Not only did the Pantech Element become a decent and cost-effective LTE competitor to the ridiculously-priced HTC Jetstream on AT&T, it also added some benefits not found on any other tablet in the lineup. The first that comes to mind is the Element's ability to shun water better than a bad pick-up line. Dunk the tab in one meter of water, walk away for thirty minutes and it still works without issue. Add this to a medium-sized 8-inch display, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 6,400mAh battery and a pair of rear and front cameras at five and two megapixels, respectively, sell it for a $300 price tag, and this tablet may have a pretty decent chance in stores when it comes out on January 22nd. OLPC XO 3.0 |
| QNX finds a home inside a Porsche 911 (video) Posted: 14 Jan 2012 11:47 AM PST  Blackberry's QNX division wants to expand its footprint and the next major push is inside your car. To that end, a handful of QNX engineers ripped out the stock (and pretty damned good) Porsche head unit on a 911 convertible and stuffed it with a new capacitive screen running the latest build of the OS. As you can see in the video after the jump, it's an attractive and quick setup, that does everything from VOIP calls to navigation, and since it's running the same software as the Playbook, it can theoretically run Android apps to boot – even if the reps on hand wouldn't admit it. |
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