This
year's International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) was held
from January 8 through January 11, 2009 in
Las Vegas, Nevada. The crowds were significantly
less than earlier shows due the slow down in the economy. However, there
were some 20,000 new products and 300 new exhibitors at the show this
year. Below are some of the products we saw first hand.
DISH
Network® Introduces World's First SlingLoaded HD DVR at the
2009 CES
The
ViP(R) 922 was built by EchoStar Technologies L.L.C., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS), and developed for
DISH Network as an entertainment centerpiece that - combined with the
only 1080p Video on Demand and 100 percent, all-HD suite of programming
packages available today - will revolutionize the way consumers watch
and enjoy their favorite programming. DISH Network will offer the ViP(R)
922 to customers in Spring 2009.
"DISH
Network is pleased to add another award-winning product to our suite
of MPEG-4 HD DVR ViP receivers: a groundbreaking set top box that offers
consumers the true experience of TV everywhere," said DISH Network
Chairman, CEO and President Charlie Ergen. "By integrating Sling
Media's Slingbox technology into our industry-leading HD DVR, DISH Network
is providing even more ways for our subscribers to view their TV programming
- through their television sets, their desktops at home, their laptops
on the road, and their smartphones including Blackberrys, iPhones and
more."
The
ViP(R) 922 allows TV enthusiasts to watch and control their favorite
TV shows and sporting events from anywhere in the world via a broadband
Internet connection on their laptop or mobile phone. With five video
sources, including satellite, broadband and optional over-the-air tuners,
viewers will never run out of shows to watch. The ViP(R) 922 also features
a multi-tuner DVR with up to 1,000 hours of recording time and supports
connecting external hard drives for even more storage capacity.
An
innovative touchpad remote control accompanies the ViP(R) 922, which
eliminates half the buttons of a standard remote control and provides
cursor- like navigation on a TV screen. With a slide of the thumb, viewers
experience scroll-over activation of the new user interface: on-screen
widget-like tiles and pop-up menus. All features are selectable by an
underside index finger trigger selection on the radio frequency-controlled
remote, which offers two- way learning of codes from other AV equipment
remote controls.
The
ViP(R) 922 can also be controlled using SlingGuide(TM), a new way for
consumers to control their TV viewing experience over the Internet.
SlingGuide features a powerful search engine for the TV along with the
ability to schedule the ViP(R) 922 DVR timers remotely.
Other
ViP(R) 922 features include:
-
News
feeds located on the home screen, giving viewers instant access
to national news, weather, sports, and stock quotes.
-
Ability
to organize channels by channel name or number.
-
1080p,
1080i, 720p, 480i and 480p support.
-
Internet-delivered
DISH On Demand including 1080p content.
-
Ability
to move one day in the guide while browsing full screen EPG or partial
EPG.
-
Connections
to home networks via Ethernet, HomePlug Turbo (the next generation
of HomePlug that allows for faster in-home transfer of content using
home power lines), or WiFi (with optional WiFi adapter).
-
Powerful
search capability across all available video sources, including
IP, VOD, satellite or DVR.
-
Intuitive
timer creation and DVR management, allowing users to categorize
programming by groups (video source, title, genres) or by content
description (date, length, ratings and more).
-
Ability
to load photos, MP3s and selected Internet content.
-
Future
upgrades such as photo sharing, movie ticket purchases, family calendars,
instant messaging, streaming audio, and the ability to transfer
content within a home network.
EchoStar's new user interface and remote control for the ViP(R) 922
were selected as CES Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Award honorees.
Shure
Announces the new SE115
Earphones
Shure
Incorporated today unveiled the SE115, the newest, most affordable,
and most colorful member of the Company’s acclaimed family of Sound
Isolating™ Earphones. The SE115 arrives in four vivid hues –
Blue, Pink, Black, and Red – and at a $99 price point. Already
a likely icon for its aesthetics and affordability, this newest earphone,
like the Company’s other SE models (SE210, SE310, SE420, and SE530),
is most remarkable for how it reproduces sound.
Shure
Announces the new Microphone Producs
Shure
Incorporated extended the Company’s legacy of world class microphones
to the digital recording market, unveiling three new products –
the PG27USB and PG42USB Side Address Condenser Microphones and the X2u
XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter (XLR is the standard electrical connector
for microphones). In recent years, consumers have taken recording into
their own hands, creating an explosion of user-generated content. Now,
the overwhelming number of low cost options for digital media production
means that anyone with a computer and a microphone is a potential recording
star, and the demand for tools that enable and encourage personal creativity
is surging.
Powermat
Launches Line of
Wireless Charging Products
Capable
of delivering real time, wireless charging for portable electronic
devices including iPods, iPhones, Blackberry and mobile phones, GPS,
handheld games and even laptop computers, the new product line will
be available for purchase in retail stores in 2009.
With
the introduction of over 15 groundbreaking wireless charging products,
Powermat showcases an impressive array of simple to use charging solutions
that enhance consumers’ lives by providing an unsurpassed level
of freedom, convenience and simplicity.
While
numerous attempts have been made over the years to bring a viable
consumer-friendly product to the market, only Powermat has succeeded
in o ering a full range of products that will radically change the
way consumers view and utilize the charging of their devices.
Based
on principles of magnetic induction, Powermat technology renders traditional
conductive charging technology obsolete, in favor of an entirely new
energy distribution process. Designed for use at home, at the o ce
and on the road, Powermat technology facilitates fast and energy-e cient
power delivery.
Consumers simply plug in their Powermat and place up to (depending
on model) six di erent Powermat-enabled devices on the mat to charge.
Incredibly, charging occurs at the same rate as if each device were
charging with its own charger.
Anthem
Debuts the LTX500 D-ILA Projector
The
new Anthem LTX500 is a 3-chip LCOS (D-ILA) design featuring an impressive
50,000:1 native contrast ratio, motorized zoom lens, HQV Reon-VX video
processing and backlit remote. MSRP for the Anthem LTX500 is $7,500.
Concert
Breeze™ Fan & Sound System
The
new Signature Series models revealed to CES attendees today were the
8300-SE and the reference version, the 8300-SE/R. Employing RBH's proprietary
aluminum cone technology, each model features three 8-inch aluminum
cone subwoofers, two 6.5-inch aluminum cone woofers and a 1-inch soft
dome tweeter. The reference version, the 8300-SE/R, features upgraded
6.5-inch fixed phase plug aluminum cone woofers, a liquid-cooled Scanspeak
silk dome tweeter, and a modified crossover network to manage the upgraded
drivers. The reference-level upgrades provide increased power handling
and improved resolution, resulting in increased sonic clarity.
The
8300-SE and 8300-SE/R is 55-3/8" high, 10-7/8" wide (13-1/2"
with feet), and 17" deep. The cabinet is constructed of.75-inch
MDF and is internally-braced to eliminate standing waves and cabinet
resonance. An acoustic suspension design, the 8300-SE and SE/R features
a highly efficient, dimpled front-firing flared port which works in
conjunction with the three 8-inch woofers to allow the frequency response
to extend down to a bone-rattling 22Hz! True to the RBH Sound Signature
Series tradition, the cabinets are custom-finished in one of RBH Sound's
30 uniquely different custom woodgrain veneers. To appease audio purists,
the 8300-SE and SE/R features two pair of high quality five-way binding
posts, allowing for bi-wiring and/or bi-amplification.
The
8300-SE and SE/R can handle up to 400 Watts, have a frequency response
of 22Hz-20kHz, and weigh 115 pounds each. The 8300-SE has an initial
suggested retail price of $7,999 per pair, and the 8300-SE/R has an
initial suggested retail price of $8,449 per pair. Both are expected
to begin shipping in April.
