2013

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Consumer Electronics Show (CES)

CES is the world's gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years - the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), it attracts the world's business leaders and pioneering thinkers.

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F5 Live: Refreshing Technology

Episode 289 - CES 2013 Pre-Show

2013-01-06

This week, the PLuGHiTz Live Special Events team discusses what we hope to see at this year's Consumer Electronics Show.

show notes & media

PLUGHITZ Live Presents

AblePlanet Lets Users Hear Things Like Never Before

2013-01-16

AblePlanet, the winner of over 30 CES Innovations Awards, has created a technology called Linx Audio, which is a technology that passively filters out undesirable noise and reduces distortion. This allows users to hear more of the sounds they want but at a much lower decibel range.

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From personal amplification systems and noise cancellation headphones to gaming headsets and even extremely affordable solutions, all members of the family can benefit from AblePlanet's patented technologies. The company even offers a new gadget not seen before in portable headphones, an in-line balance adjuster. For those who are hard of hearing in one ear more than the other, this discrete cord simply shifts the sound to center it across your ears comfortably, without amplifying one side and damaging your good ear. AblePlanet seems to have the consumer's health in mind as their first priority.

Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

show notes & media

PLUGHITZ Live Presents

Chrysler Introduces Via Mobile Package, Brings Integrated Life Into Your Vehicle

2013-01-16

Talking with Chrysler at CES this year inside of a 2013 Dodge Ram took us on a very cool journey. Chrysler Group introduced the Via Mobile package, which allows full Internet radio into your vehicle from your phone. AM/FM, HD Radio and SiriusXM are all included, as expected, except Chrysler will be the first to offer the fully merged and integrated SiriusXM lineup into their vehicles with exclusivity for a limited time. There is also a media hub available in the center console. A USB port, SD port, aux port, USB charge-only port and Bluetooth streaming all compliment the 8.5" resistive touch screen that resides in the dashboard.

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Interview by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

show notes & media

PLUGHITZ Live Presents

Jhoombox Combines Karaoke and Internet-Streaming and Makes Singing Fun for All

2013-03-24

Jhoombox is the first streaming box that makes you sing. Running off of Android, think of it like a mix between a Roku and a karaoke machine, where you're connected to the Internet and you don't need any special cables to get the party started. Plus, just like any other TV enhancer, it's got movies, TV shows, music, games, social apps and a web browser. We personally like the fact that you can live search thousands of available songs, record your song, publish it and then share it across almost any social network, including quick YouTube uploading. The console itself looks like a little keyboard and you get a really nice air mouse controller with it as well. Jhoombox still has some time before it hits shelves, but at that point the company looks to have millions of songs in its library to sing to.

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Interview by Nakia Mann of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

show notes & media

PLUGHITZ Live Presents

Displair Lets You Play with Air and a Screen at the Same Time

2013-03-24

One of the most interesting and unique technologies we saw at Eureka Park at CES came from Displair. This company is the inventor of the first interactive airborne display, by the same name, complete with multi-touch support. This is perfect for anybody doing advertising, promotional campaigns or anything else that needs the "cool" factor. The best thing about Displair is that the image stays totally penetrable for physical objects. For example, we got to see a demo of Fruit Ninja and were able to slash those fruits into oblivion by slicing through the screen. This is a really great product that you've just got to see to get it.

posted Sunday Jul 7, 2013 by Nicholas DiMeo

A lot of people have defended that fact that I have continuously called out E3 on their lack of organization and relevancy in the gaming space with each growing year. Say what you will, but the facts do not lie. The convention grows more frustrating each year to attend and big names are stepping out and delivering press events on their own, to bigger media attention and coverage. Last year on our show, I even said that eventually we'd see gaming become part of the Consumer Electronics Association's (CEA) annual event, the International Consumer Electronic Show (CES). Well, either Shapiro heard me talking about it or I am less "out there" than everyone is saying, because the framework for a gaming showcase at CES is taking place starting next year.

The CEA announced that over 40 different companies will show off the latest in gaming technology and hardware at CES 2014 in Vegas this year. Dubbed the CES Gaming Showcase TechZone, this will add to the two handfuls of TechZones already existed in the 1.9 million square feet of showfloor, and will be the prime destination where gaming meets business. Like I've said in the past, business is where gaming matters and it is less important for these companies to cater to the "hardcore gamers" who fill forums across the Internet when literally billions of dollars exchange hands at CES. The CEA will also be giving the Gaming TechZone over 10,000 square feet of space in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center to show off their goods, "from mobile, online and HD gaming, plasma HDTV to surround sound and power conditioning hardware."

Karen Chupka, Senior VP of CES, said in their press statement about this addition,

The Gaming Showcase at the 2014 International CES is a must-stop destination for the latest gaming trends from around the globe. The 2013 International CES saw unmatched innovation in gaming technology with the launch of NVIDIA's Project Shield, the Oculus Rift, the Sifteo and the Razer Edge. We look forward to witnessing the bleeding-edge gaming technologies that will be unveiled at the 2014 CES.

As Chupka has mentioned, we saw the big names at E3 show up six months before the big gaming event, at CES 2013. Now with CES actually incorporating gaming as a highlighted showcase, I'll expect to see more big things come out of the event for gaming. A list of exhibitors include heavy-hitters like AMD, Innex, Intel, Logitech, Nokia, Nvidia, Orbotix, and Sony. We'll also see a huge focus in mobile gaming, naturally, as the CEA said revenues increased in that space by triple-digits in both 2011 and 2012. Plus, with the launch of next-gen happening over the holiday season, there is sure to be a load of new products to go along with the new hardware come January.

When you think about it, this all makes sense. CES is the largest technology event in the world, with media attending from 150 countries across the globe. Having that same group of 35,000+ attend a second event, six months later, that's only about gaming is just not in the cards anymore. Now it's time for a professional organization to take over gaming and make the convention the best it can possibly be. I can't wait for Vegas this year.

FOX Sues Dish Network Again Over Hopper

posted Saturday Feb 23, 2013 by Scott Ertz

It has not been easy for Dish Network and their Hopper DVR. When the original device was launched, everyone sued them over copyright infringement. Now, while it is surely a unique device in modern times, it is not the first DVR to skip commercials. Does anyone remember the original TiVo DVRs? Why else would people have paid that much per month for a DVR when the cable companies were giving them away free?

Their new model has had no less controversy. Announced at CES this year, it was initially awarded Best in Show for the Best of CES Awards, presented by Cnet. Because of the before mentioned lawsuit and Cnet's parent company, CBS, and their rule about being objective about companies they are actively in legal action with, Cnet was forced to drop the award. When CEA, who runs the International CES, found out about this, they removed Cnet as the official partner for the awards going forward and reinstated Dish as a co-winner of the award.

Now, FOX has decided to one-up their media conspirators and has filed a new suit against Dish and the Hopper with Sling. The newest complaint is about the Sling feature, which allows users to transfer content from the DVR to other devices, like tablets, for watching both online and offline. While it seems no different from recording a show on a videocassette and playing it at someone else's house, FOX claims that it is piracy. They have asked a federal judge to prevent Dish from allowing customers to transfer FOX content to their smartphones and tablets.

My guess is this will go about as well as the last time FOX asked for an injunction against the Hopper: not well. Last November they lost their attempt to prevent AutoHop, the commercial skipping feature, on FOX programs, and is currently sitting in appeals. This will probably go the same way, with a loss and an unending appeal. This request is a little closer to realistic, it still seems like it stands no chance in the courts. Thankfully.

LG to Debut Open webOS TV at CES 2013

posted Thursday Oct 25, 2012 by Scott Ertz

When HP open sourced webOS, we all knew it had more to do with the charitable donation benefit of giving a $1.2 billion project to the web. That didn't stop us from wondering what might happen with the project after launching. The addition of Gram, a webOS professional team dedicated to bringing a more robust webOS to OEMs, it was clear HP didn't want it to just die.

This week the first hardware partner of Open webOS was revealed, and it is not what anyone would expect. In fact, it is a partner that is surprising and a form-factor that is even more unexpected. LG has teamed up with HP and Gram to produce the first ever webOS-powered smart television. Open webOS is replacing LG's own NetCast operating system, as well as the previously announced Google TV partnership. NetCast was unveiled at CES 2009, along with the original Palm Pre and webOS as a whole. While webOS has had various forms, as well as 3 master versions, NetCast hasn't really changed since launch.

Bringing webOS to a television is a bit of a challenge. Despite demand from the community, there has never been a Netflix app, official Pandora app, Yahoo!, CinemaNow or even a proper YouTube app since the original Pre. Though there is a Pandora app, even that isn't official, meaning there's a lot of work to be done. These apps are said to be in development in preparation for their debut on the LG television, and one can only hope we can see them in action on the existing webOS devices now that they exist.

The one remaining massive obstacle to overcome is the boot time. If you have ever interacted with a webOS phone, or any smartphone for that matter, you know it takes a while to boot up. It is one of the reasons the phones stay in hibernation most of the time instead of powering off all together. LG and Gram is going to have to work together to figure out how to fix this problem or the television is going to be a massive failure. They could always take the phone route and leave the processor running all the time so that the TV powers up quickly, but that would take a little more power.

We expect to see LG and HP figure out this hitch and we look forward to seeing Open webOS premiering on the big screen this January at CES 2013.