Hot High-Tech Gadgets

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 7, 1999 / 10:01 AM EST / CBS

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is featuring some brand-new electronic products and gadgets that will soon be available to the public. CBS This Morning Consumer Correspondent Herb Weisbaum has details on some of the hottest items there.

Panasonic digital TV. A 50-inch wide-screen flat plasma TV. It has a 42-inch diagonal viewing area. It is just 3/5 inches thick, so you can hang it on a wall. It will be available before the end of the year at about $16,000.
Panasonic car DVD. It plugs into the dash like a CD player. You can play CDs and digital movies on a 7" LCD monitor. The driver won't be able to watch unless the vehicle is in park. Passengers in the back can watch.
Animated Winnie the Pooh telephone. This is from Kash 'N Gold. When the phone rings, Pooh comes to life and Piglet pops out of the honey pot. All the while, both talk until you pick up the phone. Available in the fall for $100.
Michal Jordan limited edition signature phone. Shaped like a basketball, it opens when the phone rings to reveal an arena. The announcer introduces famous number 23, lights flash, music plays, and the crowd does "the wave." Available before the end of 1999 for $100.
Sharp VL-PD3U, billed as the world's lightest and slimmest digital viewcam. It weighs just 17.7 ounces and has a 2.5 inch color view-screen. It can create all sorts of special effects and has a feature that helps correct shots you take in poor lighting. Available in May for $1,600.
Panasonic Microwave. It has what's called inverter technology for more precise cooking. It allows you to control the range of cooking temperatures, more like an oven. With this microwave, you can actually simmer. The turbo defrost feature thaws food up to 40 percent faster. It's lighter weight and more energy efficient than traditional models.