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No, I wasn’t in Spain at the Running of the Bulls…I was in Las Vegas to attend the annual Consumer Electronics Show and yes, I was one of the thundering herd going from press event to press event, starting on Tuesday, Jan 4. Those of you who remember my last years reviews will recall that there are a number of events designed to get the media (and now, also, bloggers) together with selected vendors as well as individual press conferences by vendors, some of which began on Tuesday.
The big day for press conferences is Wednesday, beginning at 7AM and continuing all day for 45 minutes each, allowing the running to commence before each new conference. The somewhat smaller, but not much, are the Tuesday afternoon, CES Unveiled, Wednesday evening Digital Experience, Thursday and Friday Lunch at Pieros and Thursday evening Showstoppers.
The lunches at Pieros are probably the most productive as the number of invitees and vendors is more practical allowing time to find out more from the vendors. This years CES reportedly attracted 140,000 people to browse 2700 or so booths. BTW, if you are a tablet fan or an iPad owner you had 85 clones to view and evaluate. And if you wanted anything to use with your iPad, there were iPad cases, iPad holders, iPad keyboards, iPad chargers, iPad alarm clocks, and who knows, what all, but of course, no iPad!
Two things that were widely hyped were 3D TV and linking everything! I’m honestly not much of a fan of 3D TV…who wants to buy a box full of glasses so u can invite your 20 buddies to watch the Super Bowl? And, no glasses 3D is a loser…you have to sit perfectly in the middle of the screen for it to work. I also don’t care for using a 75” screen to do computer stuff…but maybe that’s just me{:-) Just to put some of this in perspective, there was a press conference by a company that makes high-end 3D glasses that do all sorts of things (and cost $1K or more!)
I attended all of the above, so I’ll give you a quick list of some interesting things I saw and continue with more, the next couple times. First is in the health category, a big one this year concentrating on linking to many different media and allowing a lot of freedom for those who are getting on and live alone.
Withings is back with another health tracking product. This time, instead of tracking your weight and body fat, it tracks your blood pressure. They call it the Smart Blood Pressure Monitor.
 Instant measurement. Simply connect the Withings monitor to your iOS Device. The application runs automatically and makes the measurement available with a single action. |  Clear results. Detailed results are displayed, and the application will indicate the recommended values, using all the display qualities of the iOS Device. |
 Automatic saving. All results are saved for a precise monitoring of your health. There’s no need to note down results, calculate averages and transmit them. The Withings monitor does all this for you. |  Health monitored from your pocket. Automatically traced curves facilitate the detection of trends in the blink of an eye. Morning/ evening values and subsequent average values are clearly displayed for effective monitoring. |
Lenovo was showing off a full range of notebooks but the most impressive was the Lenovo U1 notebook/tablet hybrid. Presented was an i5 laptop running Windows 7 with a screen/tablet running Android. The tablet could be removed and replaced in under 5 seconds and without powering off. Currently available overseas, the U1 should be coming to the USA in the coming months.
Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the
independent world leader in memory products, announced the SDHC UHS-I UltimateXX memory cards. The highest speed class available today, the UltimateXX meets standards set by the Secure Digital Association for next-level performance in SD card technology.
Shipping later this month, Kingston’s UltimateXX memory cards are ideal for the serious photographer or videographer. Photographers will appreciate the ability to easily capture sequential shots that were once a challenge due to the speed limitations of memory. The UltimateXX also makes it easy to capture HD video. The performance of SDHC UHS-I memory card is optimized when paired with a UHS-I device, although the card is backwards compatible with Class 4, 6 and 10 equipment.
“Kingston is pleased to be one of the first manufacturers to offer SDHC UHS-I memory cards to our customers,” said Mike Kuppinger, Flash card product manager, Kingston®. “Being a member of the SD Association enhances our ability to bring new technology to market. As the devices that support SDHC UHS-I become prevalent, our UltimateXX cards are at the ready.”
Kingston’s UltimateXX line meets the SD Association standards for the UHS-I speed class with speeds up to 60MB/sec. read and 35MB/sec. write. At this performance level, the write speed of SDHC UHS-I memory cards is more than three times as fast as SDHC Class 10 cards. The UltimateXX product line will offer capacities of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB.
Now here is one you weren’t expecting, were u?? Laundry pre-treaters will collect dust thanks to the new Maytag® Maxima™ washer. Its PowerWash™ System takes out tough stains and provides better overall cleaning performance while using less detergent. The system’s features include Optimal Dispense which injects detergent intermittently throughout the washer’s fill time and industry-first, PowerSpray, to provide enhanced cleaning by spraying the detergent solution evenly on the washer’s contents.
Doing Laundry, Smarter. The Optimal Dispense compartment holds enough detergent to power through 36 loads based on 6x concentrated HE detergent. Once the compartment is inserted into the washer, the user-friendly full-color widescreen LCD display will prompt the user to choose the detergent concentration level. After choosing the right detergent, the Maxima™ washer will go to work with its series of algorithms to determine how much and when to inject detergent into the washer to provide the best cleaning for the type of load. The LCD display’s intuitive technology allows consumers to get the most from their washer and dryer by offering stain removal tips and laundry hints at their fingertips. “Sometimes you spill coffee on your pants on the commute to work and sometimes you drop oatmeal on your shirt checking your morning e-mail,” said Brett Oleson, Maytag senior manager, laundry. “If you remember to pre-treat those stains, they should definitely come out. But often times we forget all about the stain and it gets tossed in the hamper. With the PowerWash cycle, the Maxima™ washer will go to work with extra cleaning and rinsing to find those stains and remove them.”
Best Cleaning in the Industry*. The Maxima™ washer’s PowerWash™ System consists of PowerSpray, Optimal Dispense and the PowerWash cycle. The PowerWash cycle provides extra cleaning action and a thorough rinse to power out tough stains like wine, chocolate and ground-in dirt. The extra cleaning action loosens stains and ground-in dirt while an internal water heater boosts water temperatures to fight difficult stains. A thorough rinse flushes out any remaining detergent or lingering soils.To help keep clothes fresh and wrinkle free, select the Fresh Hold™ option with Dynamic Venting Technology™ (DVT). The laundry can wait for up to 16 hours after the wash cycle is finished to be loaded into the dryer.An increased 5.0 cu. ft. I.E.C. equivalent capacity can handle up to 29 towels allowing consumers to wash larger loads that can translate into fewer loads per week. The Maxima™ washer (MHW9000X) uses about 11.5 gallons of water, an amazing feat when just 10 years ago the traditional top load in many U.S. homes used more than 40 gallons of water per load. This model uses up to 82 percent less water and 86 percent less energy . The IntelliFill™ water level sensor uses a built-in sensor to match water usage to load size. The Maxima™ washer meets the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) Tier III energy specifications.
Beyond the ability to hold more clothes, save water and energy, the Maxima™ washer will result in 10 percent detergent cost savings for those who use detergent accurately every time they wash.
“Most consumers fill their detergent measuring cap to the top rather than the fill line. This system helps control detergent overdosing, in turn, saving money,” said Brett Oleson, Maytag senior manager, laundry.
The 7.4 cu. ft capacity Maxima™ EcoConserve™ dryer (ME/GD9000X) enabled by Advanced Moisture Sensing uses 48 percent less energy when paired with the Maxima™ washer. Advanced Moisture Sensing uses three separate sensors to evenly dry the load without overdrying, which reduces the risk of shrinkage. To relax wrinkles and refresh loads of lightly-worn items that may not need a full wash, use one of the steam-enhanced dryer cycles. The SoundGuard™ stainless steel drum is layered with sound dampening material to offer quiet tumbling, keeping buckle and button noise to a minimum.
The Maxima™ series will be available April 2011 at select Sears. Additionally, the washer has a 10-year limited parts warranty on the motor and stainless steel wash basket. Models from the Maxima™ line of laundry products will start with an MSRP starting at $1,599 each.
I have LoJack on my laptop, but since I use the netbook on all my trips, it seemed the smart thing to do to add it to the netbook as well, after my talk with the Absolute Software folks at Lunch at Pieros.
What’s Your Digital Net Worth? Think about it. How many songs have you downloaded onto your laptop? How many movies? Combined with the initial cost of your computer, most people have a digital net worth that could easily run into thousands of dollars. Not to mention the priceless value of photos, personal information, correspondence, coursework and other irreplaceable items. So what are you doing to protect your investment?
Product Features. When your laptop is stolen, you can feel powerless. But you don’t have to. LoJack® for Laptops by Absolute Software is a computer theft recovery service with remote device and data security features. If your laptop is stolen or missing, you’ve got the power to remotely block access to it and the personal data it contains, while our dedicated Theft Recovery Team works to recover it for you.
Theft Recovery - Get Your Laptop (and Your Life) Back. For most people, the odds of recovering a stolen laptop aren’t encouraging. But with our patented technology and veteran Theft Recovery Team on your side, you can flip the odds in your favor. If your protected computer is stolen, the Team uses our technology to track it, then works in parallel with local law enforcement to get it back in your hands. Odds are that will be one happy day.
Data & Device Security – Stay in Control of Your Data and Identity. When your computer is missing, you have two ways to protect yourself. Use Data Delete to erase personal information and sensitive files remotely, blocking would-be thieves with a click. You can also prevent access to your computer by freezing it remotely. Any attempt to use it displays a message from you onscreen.
Geolocation – Pinpoint Your Laptop’s Location. Is your laptop really stolen? Or did you leave it on a business trip? Geolocation can track your computer on an online map. It uses GPS or Wi-Fi to map your laptop’s current and past locations. Even when your laptop is safe and sound, you can see that LoJack for Laptops is on the job. Note: Standard edition is limited to IP address geolocation only.
$1000 Service Guarantee – Get the Reassurance of Our Premium Protection. With our leading technology and an experienced Theft Recovery Team, we’re confident LoJack for Laptops is the best theft recovery and data protection service you can get. Choose our Premium edition and get our Service Guarantee. If we don’t recover your stolen computer or enable the Data Delete service, you could be eligible for a Service Guarantee payment of up to $1000. Conditions apply so please read our Service Agreement.
.Now for you 4G fans…Motorola has a really neat combo; The Atrix…a phone and a laptop, except it’s not really a laptop.You have to snap the phone into this really good looking, sleek, thin and light (2.4lbs) laptop/dock. The phone provides the processor, memory, Internet connection and, all your photos, videos, music and files. Whatever was on the phone’s screen is now on the laptop’s screen, plus you gain a trackpad and full keyboard. No synch necessary, it’s all on the phone.
As a user of an ASUS Netbook, I was pleased to receive an invitation to the ASUS press conference on Jan 4. The following are my best picks:
ASUS Eee Pad Slider
Mobile users who want the best of both tablet and traditional notebook worlds will be well served by the Eee Pad Slider. This pad computer not only features a 10.1” IPS touch-screen for finger-friendly use, but also a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for comfortable, use-anywhere typing. It is powered by the NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2, the world’s most advanced mobile processor with a dual-core CPU and NVIDIA® GeForce® GPU for never-before-seen experiences on a mobile device. Built-in digital cameras on the front (1.2MP) and rear (5MP) of the Slider allow for easy video chat and digital photography while the Android® 3.0 operating system makes sharing photos by internet, email and social media sites a breeze. The intuitive interface provides user-friendly control via the capacitive touch-screen and optional onboard 3G allows for go-anywhere internet access, making the Slider the ideal device for mobile professionals with work-oriented needs.
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer
With a slim lightweight design and 10.1” capacitive touch-screen, the versatile Eee Pad Transformer is the perfect pad computer for people who want to enjoy multimedia on the move, but still wish to have easy access to the web, email and other productivity applications. A custom user interface provides easy access to the many features of the Android® 3.0 operating system, while the NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 chipset provides full support for Adobe Flash, smooth HD video conferencing and playback, a lightning fast web experience and incredible mobile gaming performance. An optional docking station turns the Transformer into a full-fledged notebook with a QWERTY keyboard for desktop use, while extending battery life up to 16 hours. As with the Slider, front (1.2MP) and rear (5MP) digital cameras make for easy video chat and digital photography, while a built-in mini-HDMI port makes for easy connections to external displays showing off full 1080p HD video playback.
ASUS Eee Pad MeMO
The Eee Pad MeMO provides the ultimate in mobile flexibility. Its 7.1” capacitive touch-screen makes it small enough to slip into a jacket pocket, yet still perfect for taking handwritten notes using the supplied stylus pen. The Android® 3.0 operating system offers a wide range of productivity and entertainment software, while a Micro HDMI port means the MeMO can even connect to an external display for full 1080p HD video playback.
ASUS Eee Slate EP121
The Eee Slate EP121 is designed for users who require a highly portable handheld device that can also run standard office software while multitasking with other applications. Powered with an Intel® Core™ i5 dual-core processor, the Eee Slate features a 12.1” LED-backlit display with a 1280 x 800 resolution and a wide 178° viewing angle, making it perfectly suited for both productivity applications and multimedia entertainment. Windows® 7 Home Premium ensures full compatibility with a wide range of popular applications controlled by flexible input options thanks to the Eee Slate.
The capacitive touch-screen responds instantly to fingertip control for day-to-day use, while the capacitive stylus offers fine precision input and control. An on-screen keyboard is also complimented by support for an external Bluetooth keyboard for traditional desktop use. The Eee Slate is available with 32GB or 64GB of SSD storage (expandable via SDXC), and up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM. All models have 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, a 2-megapixel camera, plus two USB 2.0 ports that provide full support for a wide range of standard PC peripherals, along with a mini-HDMI port that is ideal for connecting to external displays.
Once the update is done, you can hit the voice button, say "Mobile applications", and then tell sync what app to launch. The AppLink update will work with the iPhone, Android devices, and Blackberry smartphones. No apps for the iPhone are offered right now, but there will be support in early 2011 according to Ford. The first apps for the iPhone and the other two devices are Pandora, Stitcher, and OpenBeak for Blackberry devices only.
With Pandora, the driver will be able to launch the app with their voice, tune to specific stations using their voice and rate songs using their voice and more. This is a really cool new feature and Ford will be rolling the app out to other Sync cars in 2011.
So there u have a few things to ponder…stay tuned for more in my next columns. Be safe out there in the www and remember to be careful.
Aloha, Lou
