Video Devices Stealing Tech Show In Vegas
For 40 years, the Consumer Electronics Show has given the public its first peek at the latest in whiz-bang technology.
This year, reports CBS News science and technology Correspondent Daniel Sieberg, big-screen TVs and other video products are catching lots of eyes.
According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the digital transition is almost complete. This is the year when all TV's must have a digital tuner built in, leaving only the 2009 end-of-analog-broadcasts to make the transition complete. It's all about greater clarity, connectivity and portability, Sieberg says.
Another trend he spotted at this year's show: portable content.
On The Early Show Monday, Sieberg spotlighted several of the products that caught his attention.
SONY BRAVIA 70-INCH LCD HDTV
Price: $33,000
LCD TVs are finally catching up to plasmas when it comes to screen size. Case in point, the new SONY Bravia 70-inch LCD HDTV (KDL-70XBR3) with full HD 1080p resolution, x.v. Color and motion flow — all lending to an optimal viewing experience. Available February 2007.
PHILIPS DIAMOND-ENCRUSTED TV
Price: To be determined by bidders
To commemorate its millionth flat panel Ambilight TV, Philips is offering a diamond-covered 42-inch LCD TV to be auctioned for charity. Sort of TV bling that fits in line with the higher-end cell phones with the same traits. Why? Who knows! But it looks impressive. The LCD has 225 carats of diamonds — close to 2,250 individual diamonds applied along the sides and edges of the set's Ambilight frame.
SONY BLU-RAY DISC PLAYER
Price: $1,000
The Sony Blu-Ray (BDP-S1) Disc Player with its 1080p full HD performance and its eight channels of uncompressed audio provides a movie theater experience while also bringing new life to existing DVD collections. Available now.
Toshiba HD-A2 DVD PLAYER
Price: $499
Toshiba's new HD-A2 High Definition DVD player offers 1080i HD video and high resolution audio for the high definition home theater. With this high definition player, you don't have to worry about what you're going to do with your old DVDs, because this model plays essentially all of your current DVDs. It also offers upconversion, so regular DVDs are upconverted to near high definition quality. toshiba.com
LG SUPER MULTI BLUE PLAYER
Price: $1,199
A leader in a new generation of high-definition video players, LG's Super Multi Blue Player (BH100) is the first and only player on the market with the capability to play both of the next-generation disc formats — Blu-ray and HD DVD. LG expects this technological breakthrough to end the confusion and inconvenience of competing high-definition disc formats. The Super Multi Blue Player is ideally suited to the growing trend of Full High-Definition 1080p plasma and LCD HDTVs, delivering the best video possible. LG's Super Multi Blue Player will be available to U.S. consumers in the first quarter.
PANASONIC HIGH-DEFINITION CAMCORDER
Price: $1499
As TV screens keep getting bigger, companies are making high-def camcorders better. This is one of the first to provide "true" high-def recording, to max out the larger size of TVs. Previously, they weren't truly the highest resolution. Records onto Memory cards and has 12X power zoom. Also has plenty of other standard camcorder features, including the ability to use it as a digital still camera.
KODAK EASYSHARE V1003 Zoom Digital Camera
Price: $249
Kodak is showing new, customizable digital cameras that come in a variety of colors and offer higher quality images for a smaller price. The 10-megapixel resolution of the V1003 comes with just a $249 price tag. It also has a 3X optical zoom (pretty standard) and a way to save your settings for things like flash, white balance, etc. Real sign of just how far we've come with digital cameras.
RCA JET STREAM
Price: $149
Wireless headphones have long been the dream of on-the-go MP3 player users. Until now, the choice has really been either plug a Bluetooth wireless adapter into an existing MP3 player, or buy standalone headphones that play MP3s. Now, RCA is partnering with a smaller company to offer wireless headphones without Bluetooth. It's a lower-power technology, and RCA promises longer battery life as a result. Perhaps, one day it will be offered with iPods one day.
VERIZON WIRELESS MOBILE TV
Prices: TBD
Verizon will be offering certain live programming and on-demand of various TV shows — complete with ads. The service is part of the VCast system and will cost extra. New phones from LG and Samsung with lead the way, with screens that turn sideways to max out the experience. Content providers include CBS, Comedy Central, Fox, MYV, NBC News and Nickelodeon.
DUO SOUNDOLIER
Prices: $279 for lamps; $79 for transmitters
For those looking to minimize their cord clutter and combine technologies, along comes the Duo Soundolier. It looks like a standalone lamp, but a speaker hidden in the top can be fed wirelessly from a computer, laptop, iPod, stereo TV, or other source. Two or more can be connected together to create surround sound for a fuller experience.
iROBOT CREATE, DIRT DOG
Prices: Both $129
iRobot, the folks behind the Scooba and the Roomba, have a couple of additions. The Dirt Dog, which was announced a few months ago, offers heavy-duty pick up of larger items, maybe for a mess in the garage. It's also built with a little more ruggedness in mind. At the show, they're releasing an iRobot "kit" that enables budding robotics enthusiasts to build their own bot called, iRobot Create. With some programming skill, it can be limitless. Tech analysts are increasingly turning to robotics to see where technology will lead us.