Switched On: Sony’s forward Dash
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
In its introductory press release, here’s what Sony has to say about the Dash, a “personal Internet viewer” that it announced at CES: “Featuring a vivid 7-inch color touch screen… Dash utilizes an existing home wireless connection to continuously deliver Internet content to its viewers.” And according to its SonyStyle.com site, here’s what that Dash has to say about itself: “I use over 1,500 free apps and your Wi-Fi connection to deliver the information and entertainment you crave… right to your bedroom, kitchen or office.” But Dash also has something to say about Sony, and for the most part, it’s an encouraging message.
Dash was one of the more distinct category-blurring products to emerge from Las Vegas in January. Its hardware is a hybrid between an alarm clock and digital picture frame and its content is a content mashup between Chumby widgets and Sony’s Bravia Internet Video Link offering. Dash was introduced just a few months after HP introduced its DreamScreen, another product that provides “glanceable” information from the cloud.
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Switched On: Sony’s forward Dash originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Unannounced BlackBerry Curve 8910 took CES refuge at Case-Mate’s booth?
RIM has an interesting reputation in the trade show world: it rarely makes any announcements of interest or consequence during events, but if you look hard enough, you still might just find something juicy. Last year’s CES, for example, briefly saw a Curve 8900 mysteriously running AT&T-branded firmware, which we now know foretold a release several months later. This year’s shindig in Vegas proved to be a little less bombastic — or so we thought, anyway, until a dude cleaning out his camera’s memory card noticed that Case-Mate (of all companies) allegedly had an unannounced Curve 8910 chilling in its booth. It’s pretty common for manufacturers to give valued accessory partners some prototypes ahead of time to make sure there are plenty of add-ons available by the time a device is released, they just don’t usually… you know, put those prototypes out at a booth for everyone to enjoy. We actually stopped by Case-Mate this year and didn’t catch the 8910, but we don’t know how long it was actually out — and besides, telling the difference between this and a Bold 9700 takes a Mike Lazaridis-like understanding for the subtle differences in RIM’s industrial design. Next year, though, be on notice, guys: we’ll be scanning your kiosks with a fine-tooth comb.
Unannounced BlackBerry Curve 8910 took CES refuge at Case-Mate’s booth? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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3D stole the show at CES 2010
Not sure why we’ve been putting this off, but we’ll just come right out and say it: there’s no doubt that this was the year for 3D at CES. We walked the show floor for countless hours and can tell you that just about everyone was showing something related to 3D at their booths. Most of these demos required a bit of a wait to experience them (thanks, hype), and everywhere you went people were talking about 3D. Granted, not all of that talk was positive, but it was talk nonetheless. Whether or not the technology will be seen in history as a success in the market place is obviously still up in the air, and much like a finely crafted episode of Lost, 3D at CES this year was littered with more questions than answers.
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3D stole the show at CES 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Pico projectors caught in the wild, one on a camcorder, one in Samsung’s W9600 cellphone (video)
Yeah, we know: you haven’t bought a pico projector and you really have no plan to do so. Still, it’s kind of fun to see them doing their thing, beaming little, dim images onto walls from improbably small boxes. The folks at PicoProjector-info are happy to oblige, posting two videos of DLP picos in action at CES. The first is a Texas Instruments model that’s been stuck atop a camcorder (presumably with bubblegum), pointing backward to splay the image of whatever it’s filming into the wall — and to temporarily blind whoever dares pick up said camcorder. Next up is a demonstration of the Samsung W9600, which we spent a bit of time with ourselves at CES. Now you can see how it looks in motion, as both videos are embedded after the break.
Pico projectors caught in the wild, one on a camcorder, one in Samsung’s W9600 cellphone (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 07:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Sony WHG-SLK1 iPod shelf system surfaces at CES
Sony WHG-SLK1 iPod shelf system surfaces at CES originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Dell’s Mini 5 / Streak tablet UI exposed on video
If you liked what you saw of Dell’s Mini 5 / Streak Android tablet-MID-phone-thing at CES but didn’t feel like you had enough of a chance to really see it in action, the gray market has come through for you again. We’ve just gotten pinged with this video of our friend Six-fingers handling what looks to be a fully functioning device, replete with Dell’s custom Android skin. You can see the company’s customized keyboard, navigation, and apps in the clip, and also raise your eyebrows at the fully functioning multitouch in the browser. Andy Rubin is going to hate this. Take a look at the full clip after the break, but prepare to be taken to a land of enchantment and mystery by the soundtrack.
[Thanks, Alexis S]
Continue reading Dell’s Mini 5 / Streak tablet UI exposed on video
Dell’s Mini 5 / Streak tablet UI exposed on video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Next-gen dashboards get Tegra 2, Moblin, Atom, we go hands-on
Intel Atom processors, capacitive touchscreens, NVIDIA Tegra 2 graphics, Moblin installs… sounds like a suite of hot next-gen ultra-portables, right? Think again. Those are just some of the technologies used in the dashboards of cars that will be appearing on showrooms in the coming months and years, dashes that were largely on display at CES — minus the cars themselves, usually. There we were treated to mobile glimpses of Google Earth, Pandora, and Slacker Radio on the go, plus the ability to lock and unlock your car via Ye Olde Internets. It’s the future, and it’s coming soon, so click on through already and get a sneak peek.
Continue reading Next-gen dashboards get Tegra 2, Moblin, Atom, we go hands-on
Next-gen dashboards get Tegra 2, Moblin, Atom, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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