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CES

The Lost Tape: Behind The Scenes at CES 2008

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Apr 3rd @ 7:20 PM
Whilst moving from Singapore to the USA last month I stumbled upon a lost MiniDV tape that we shot at CES 2008 back in January,.. lo and behold,.. the tape contained some never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes footage of the Microsoft CES 2008 booth! Score!

So what does (did?) it take to put together and run the Microsoft CES 2008 booth? 378 two way radios*, 4,201 Xbox 360's*, 57,000 LCD displays*, 3.6 million miles of cable*, two giant robots** and one guy playing Halo 3***.

* numbers may not be accurate, ** may not exist, *** actually there were two guys
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Universal Laser: Mark your territory!

Posted By: Laura Foy | Feb 26th @ 1:20 PM
I have a fascination with putting my name on things. It all started back in Camp Days when Mom would write my name on my underwear, and from there it's progressed to labeling everything from my stapler to my office chair. That being said- you can be assured I was captiveted when I came across Universal Laser Systems. Not only can these machines engrave beautiful imagery and a huge variety of materials- but they look pretty cool doing it. You know... because lasers are cool :)
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PMPs, GPS and the "Unit 2" from iriver

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Feb 23rd @ 12:57 AM
We made it to the CES 2008 iriver booth on the last day of the show with just minutes to spare before they started pulling everything down.

This worked out great for us though as we were able to get our hands on two really cool products. The (as yet unreleased outside of South Korea) iriver W7 PMP with GPS cradle and the very sexy prototype "Unit 2".

More info: http://www.iriver.com/event/ces2008/
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Cooler Master- Integrating Innovation into life

Posted By: Laura Foy | Feb 20th @ 1:31 PM
You can't just have a blazing fast PC anymore- it has to look COOL from the outside nowadays. We've shown you some of the  sexiest laptops on display at CES this year, and now it's time to hear from Cooler Master about ramping up your case's "coolness". The company was originally established to provide the industry's best thermal solutions, but just recently they've branched out into custom PC case designs. And darn "cool" ones :)
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SanDisk sets us straight on SDHC, SSD and Vaulter

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Feb 18th @ 6:20 PM
We dropped by the SanDisk booth at CES this year for an update on all things storage including SSDs (Solid State Drives) and the newly announced Vaulter.

Lance from SanDisk gave as a quick overview of all the different types of storage formats currently in use today and helped clarify the difference between SD and SDHC.

We also had a look at SanDisk's new technology Vaulter and how it will be implemented into laptops and other  devices in the very near future.
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S1Digital HTPC Solutions

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Feb 18th @ 5:20 AM
S1Digital are a company based out of New York offering custom built, high end HTPC solutions for both the end user and professional installer.

One area that differentiates S1Digital in the premium HTPC space is that they have a consumer-direct channel via their web site where you can customise and order HTPC's like the Media Center Mini Edition.

We sat down with Paul from S1Digital back at CES 2008 to learn some more about the company and the types of rigs they build and sell.

Company Web Site: http://www.s1digital.com/
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Hands on with the Neonode N2

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Feb 11th @ 6:41 PM
Three words: I WANT ONE!

Whilst wandering the CES show floor JD pointed me in the direction of the Neonode booth to check out the super cool N2. The N2 is a mobile phone with a very unique form factor, touch screen interface, PMP features and force feedback (sort of).

Enough reading,.. check out the video.

More: http://www.neonode.com/
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HD and Short Throw Projectors from Sanyo

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Feb 9th @ 5:41 AM
At CES 2008 Panasonic unveiled the world's largest plasma screen at 150 inches (or ~ 381cm). Sure it does four times the resolution of 1080P but it's also a) not (yet?) available for sale and b) probably won't hit shelves for less than six figures.
So for those of you out there looking for big HD displays, without the need for a second morgage, LCD projectors are a great option.
Sanyo had some very cool devices on display at CES this year. The PLV-Z5 for entry level consumers, the PLV-Z2000 for full 1080P resolution with lens-shift and the amazing PLC-XL50 Short Throw Projector which creates an 80" picture from a distance of only 3 inches.
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Premium HTPC solutions from Niveus Media

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Feb 9th @ 5:40 AM
Niveus Media had their impressive Media Extender - EDGE device on display at CES 2008. A high end, full 1080P, multi zone media center extender targeted at the premium audio/videophile market.
One feature that sets Niveus Media devices - including the EDGE - apart is the passive cooling system that is incorporated into the devices housing which enables virtually silent operation.
We spoke with Tim Cutting, CEO and co-founder of Niveus Media, at CES 2008 to learn some more about the company and the range of products and services they offer.
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ButtKicker low frequency audio transducer

Posted By: Laura Foy | Feb 5th @ 2:44 PM
Don't let the name fool you, ButtKicker brand low frequency audio transducers are serious, award winning and patented. You haven't enjoyed your gaming or movie viewing experience until you've felt the powerful THUD of bass pounding beneath your tushy. The best part about the ButtKicker is that you can install it in your own chouch or chair- so you aren't required to re-style your living room.
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Talking High End HTPCs with Inteset

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Feb 4th @ 12:34 AM
From 4TB, rack mounted, RAID 5 content servers (for the home) to gold tipped, passively cooled, multi-room Media Center extenders, the world of high end, home theatre PCs (HTPCs) will have most of us drooling and seriously consider smashing open the piggy bank.

One of the companies at CES this year in the high end HTPC space was Inteset. We sat down with David Hirsh from Inteset to talk about the types of products and services his company offers and what sets high end HTPC's apart. 

Company Web Site: http://www.inteset.com/
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Really small TV screens that pack a really big punch.

Posted By: Laura Foy | Jan 30th @ 10:08 AM
Once again, in the search for all things small at CES this year, I hunted down the MyVu booth. Personal media viewers are something I've been excited about for awhile, but was skeptical about their image quality and hedn't yet gotten to try out a pair. I sampled a few at CES this year and foud these to be the best. Not only are they super futuristic stylish from the outside, but the screen actually tricked my brain into thinking I was looking at a big screen TV. So instead of staring at the tiny screen on your Zune or laptop, take these for a ride- oh, and they're hands-free!
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R2D2 - Your personal entertainment droid

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Jan 29th @ 9:20 PM
Love Star Wars? Yep! Interested in a scale replica R2-D2 to follow you around the house playing your favourite music/movies/Xbox 360 games? Hells yeah!!! Got a spare 3000 Euros? ....err.... what was the first question?

Along with the R2-D2 entertainment droid (who you control with a model Millennium Falcon remote no less) Nikko are also about to release a motorised R2-D2 web cam and light sabre VOIP phone... but you'll need a few Imperial Credits.

More info: http://www.nikkoamerica.com/nhe/index.html 

Edit: So Laura tells me she covered this story at last years CES... hmm... "that was not the Nikko R2-D2 story you were looking for...?"
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Automate your home, AV with life|ware

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Jan 29th @ 4:48 AM
One of the most impressive displays at CES 2008 wasn't on the show floor. Instead of a traditional plasma-screens-and-pamphlets CES booth life|ware chose to build three fully functional homes out front of the Las Vegas Convention Center to show off the various home automation products and solutions they offer.

Jason from life|ware gave us a tour of the living room in one of the e-homes and showed us some very cool home automation solutions integrated with Windows Vista Media Center.

For more info on life|ware visit http://www.life-ware.com
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TRULY small MP3 players at CES 2008

Posted By: Laura Foy | Jan 25th @ 10:42 AM
We took a poll and you voted- what you wanted to see from the 2008 CES show was small, tiny gadgets. So I found what I think is TRULY the smallest MP3 player at the event. The added bonus is, not only is it small enough to wear as a necklace charm but its easy to use, affordable, stylish and has great audio quality.
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Now you see it, now you don't.

Posted By: Laura Foy | Jan 24th @ 1:51 PM
As expected, this years CES was filled with every type pf television imaginable. Big ones, little ones, plasmas, HD...you name it. With all of those options at your fingertips it's hard to imagine one screen actually sticking out. But I found one! In the way back of the South Hall I found Mirror Image by Ad Notam. They make custom glass or mirror contained High Definition televisions. Now we can all watch Oprah while staring at ourselves! My favorite is the disappearing screen- check it out.
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HD Touchscreens & RFID at the Silverstone CES 2008 Booth

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Jan 22nd @ 10:20 PM
If you like to build your own Home Theatre PC (HTPC) or gaming rigs and have done some research into cases or cooling solutions you've probably heard of Silverstone.

We caught up with Tony Ou from Silverstone at CES 2008 for a look at some of the new products on show including an HTPC case with embedded 1080P touchscreen and a 2.5" hard drive enclosure with RFID encryption.

More info: http://www.silverstonetek.com/
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Solar powered charging bags, what will they think of next?

Posted By: Laura Foy | Jan 22nd @ 10:33 AM
Have you ever been sitting the park on a beautiful afternoon and thought to yourself, "Gosh, this is perfect but what would really make today complete is if I could spend all afternoon here in the sun AND be on my laptop the entire time." Of COURSE you have! And now you can. Not only do these bags come with solar LED panels that fuel up the batteries inside- to charge your every accessory, but they're stylish accessories as well.
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Ultimate Guitar Hero Controller from Peavey

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Jan 20th @ 7:34 PM
I'm often torn between turning on my Xbox 360 and rocking out to some Guitar Hero or plugging in my *real* guitar and annoying the neighbours with some RAtM drop D thrashing.

Well the decision is about to become harder again. Instead of the flimsy half-scale plastic Explorer or Les Paul controller models that come with the game you'll soon be able to order an actual custom Peavey guitar modified with decals and guitar hero controller guts for the ultimate Rock n' Roll experience. 

Watch the video for more info and if you're a drummer (or wannabe drummer) make sure you check out the custom Rockband drum kit controller from Ion Audio.
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MSN Direct on your Sat Nav

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Jan 19th @ 4:59 PM
If you live in North America you can now get access to MSN Direct services on a selection of Garmin Satellite Navigation devices with more coming soon.

MSN Direct is a service that delivers traffic conditions, fuel prices, weather data, and more over parts of the unused FM spectrum via Microsoft Directband technology.

Want to see the service in action? Check out the demo of MSN Direct we were given at the Microsoft CES 2008 booth.

Alpine and Pioneer will also be bringing out MSN Direct compatible devices in 2008. For more info check out http://www.msndirect.com
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An introduction to Office Live Workspace

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Jan 18th @ 11:28 PM
A message from the Office Live Workspace team: Stop emailing yourself files! :) 

Office Live Workspace is a free service - currently in private beta - for document access, storage and sharing "in the cloud". The service will be open to anyone with a Windows Live ID and (currently) gives you 500MB of space for Office documents, images, PDF files, custom lists and more.

I was interested to see how Office Live Workspace differed to Windows Live SkyDrive so we sat down with Eric from the Office Live team at CES 2008 for a demo.

Make sure you check out the OLW website for more information or to register for the private beta: http://workspace.officelive.com/
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What is Microsoft Media Room?

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Jan 18th @ 3:00 PM
When we spoke to Robbie Bach at CES he referred to a piece of Microsoft technology called Microsoft Media Room as a key component of the "connected entertainment" experience.

I didn't know a lot about Media Room so we met with Peter Barrett, CTO of the MSTV group (and fellow Aussie), at CES 2008 for a hands on introduction to Microsoft Media Room; What is it, how does it work and how can we all get our hands on it?

More information: http://www.microsoftmediaroom.com/
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Custom Rockband Drum Kit from Ion Audio

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Jan 18th @ 8:22 AM
Want a more realistic feeling (and looking) drum kit controller for your garage Rockband,.. err band? Check out Ion Audio's custom Rockband drum kit controller featuring four toms, three symbols and a kick drum pedal.
The symbols are colour coded in parallel with the toms so you can mix and match the way you play through the games drum lines however you want.
The kit isn't available for sale just yet so check back at Ion Audio's web site for more info: http://www.ion-audio.com/
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Windows Home Server CES 2008 Update

Posted By: Nic Fillingham | Jan 17th @ 2:39 PM
Windows Home Server has come a long way in a very short time. We caught up with Joel Sider at CES 2008 to check out some of the new OEM systems available on the market as well as some cool home automation add-ins that allow you to remotely control electrical devices (for example your house lights) via WHS.

WHS now boasts over 30 available add-ins enabling everything from DHCP to the automatic syncing of your photo collection to flickr. For more info visit the Windows Home Server web site.
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Fashion meets Technology at CES 2008

Posted By: Laura Foy | Jan 16th @ 1:36 PM
The PC industry is paying more and more attention to the look of their products since we (the people) are more and more asking for stylish, unique PC's to accent our personal styles. Microsoft even had a full runway show to show off their new high fashion coutour PC's. Then- Microsoft asked three fashion industry leaders to pick their favorite PC designs. The three judges were Nigel Barker, top fashion photographer and a judge on the hit TV show, “America’s Next Top Model,” hip-hop trend setter and fashion innovator Tony Shellman and A-list fashion stylist and entrepreneur Misa Hylton. After considering 12 of the most stylish Windows-based PCs to hit the market in the last year, they each chose a favorite.
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Microsoft Auto at CES 2008

Posted By: Laura Foy | Jan 15th @ 8:11 AM
This was by far the best part of the Bill Gates keynote for me and probably the highlight of the show overall. Microsoft Auto showed of 2 new great technologies to make all of our driving experiences more pleasant with a focus on the Sync My Ride technology. I can't wait to get this in my car. Not only does it offer voice activated features with your wireless MP3 player and your bluetooth mobile phone- but you will be blown away at the excellent text messaging options. Well, at least I was. Take a look and you be the judge.
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Vídeo: LEGENDADO - O último dia do Bill Gates na Microsoft

Posted By: Galileu Vieira | Jan 14th @ 12:32 PM
Para quem não viu o keynote do Bill Gates e Robbie Bach na CES, foi mostrado um vídeo fenomenal falando do último dia do Bill na empresa. Nomes como Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Bono, Jay-Z e Al Gore, entre outros, ajudam ao Bill encontrar uma nova carreira na vida.

Valeu Rene pelas legendas!
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