Press Release

The WAVE-HOME is a home-networking device that provides advanced multimedia, web and phone capabilities. As you can see from the photo, the WAVE-HOME has a base station and a handset with a minimalist design for a very interesting aesthetic.

The base station has a seven inch color LCD touch screen, and is designed to stay connected to Broadband Internet. From here, the user can access all kinds of digital content including music, photos, movies, hand drawing, plus all sorts of Internet services.

The handset is designed for communication through VoIP calls, so the WAVE-HOME can be used like an old-fashioned land-line phone. The base station even has a 1.3 Megapixel CMOS camera for video conferencing, and is capable of taking still photos.

The WAVE-HOME also features an intelligent Widget, a feature that is becoming more common on most television sets. These widgets provide instant access to weather, stock, and traffic updates.

The iRiver WAVE-HOME should be available sometime in mid-2009 for a price of around $400.

Krown is a company that has a good reputation for making products for the deaf, and the Sign Language Translator is a definite jewel in their Krown. The Sign Language Translator looks a lot like a Portable Media Player with the large screen, but this screen is designed so the user can enter in a word with the included stylus pen on the keyboard. After the user hits enter, the Sign Language Translator will then show a video of a person signing that word.

As soon as I saw this device, I couldn’t help but wonder why I have never seen a similar device by any other company. However, it really has only been in the past few years that we could even have a device with advanced video capability in the palm of our hand. The Sign Language Translator can be used for up to six hours on a single charge, and weighs in at only 5.9 ounces.

You got to admire how Krown is using modern-day advanced technology to bridge the gap between the hearing and non-hearing. Unfortunately, I don’t have a release date for this fine product, and even Krown’s website does not show it being available. Well, if it is on display at CES 2009, it had better be available some time before CES 2010.

I got a chance to see their latest model of their print photo-to-digital file converter at CES. The PC-C520-VP is a definite step up from the PS-C500-VP, as the C520 has a 2.4 inch TFT LCD color display so you can see what the photos look like before they are scanned.

The PC-C520-VP scans at a high resolution of 2592 x 1800, and uses a 5 Megapixel CMOS sensor. It uses a fixed focus and automatic color balance for 3 x 5, 4 x 6, and 5 x 7 photos. The PC-C520-VP also has an SD card reader, and a video out to connect to a big screen TV.

I definitely need the PC-520-VP, because I have boxes of old prints stored away that desperately need to be updated for the digital age. I suppose that it would take many hours, but it would be worth it to finally have all those old photos on JPEG files to manipulate or send to others.

I was told that it would take a few months for the PC-C520-VP to be available, but it should be found at many online stores and retailers like Bed, Bath, & Beyond quite soon.

At the ends of the Tri-Specs are two retractable earbuds that the user can put in his or her ears, which automatically turn the Tri-Specs on when extended. The best part is that no one would ever know that you are wearing earbuds while you wear the Tri-Specs glasses. You could be listening to MP3s while you’re supposed to be listening to the human resources director talk about some needless thing. Unless they look closely, your supervisors would never know.

The phone and volume controls are located conveniently on one side of the frame, and the MP3 controls are on the other side. In addition to the manual controls, the Tri-Specs can also accept voice commands with the STEPvoice software that can recognize the user’s voice from others, as well as outside noises.

I was amazed at the design of the shades, because fashion was not sacrificed for functionality. In other words, the sunglasses look like actual sunglasses and not an MP3 Player pretending to be sunglasses.

The Tri-Specs should be available now for a price of $199.99, in colors of black, white, silver, blue, black metallic, as well as black and white combo.

I know that I have said this before, but I always get suspicious when I hear the words “world’s first” applied to any technological product. Usually, those words mean that “someone else actually did it first, but we are the first to really market it”. However, most of the other Internet radio makers at CES seemed genuinely surprised at the release of miRoamer and Blaupunket’s product, and they all asked the same question: How is an automotive web-connection achieved?

Yes, the Internet Car Radio cannot work on its own, but requires a 3G or GSM phone to be connected via Bluetooth in order to access the Internet. From there, the user is able to access radio stations from miRoamer, which allows the user tens of thousands of music, entertainment, news, and talk stations.

The large screen display allows for easy interface with the many station options, and it includes other features including access to the phone, address book, Bluetooth, not to mention navigation.

So, is the beginning of a new age of Internet radio? I don’t see why not. I think we’ve done all we can with Sirius and XM, so the Internet is really the only other way to go with automotive radio.

The ZAGG Audio USB Speakers are designed to plug into the USB port of both Mac and PC products, so the user can enjoy quality sound from their portable computer. The USB port is the complete power source of the speakers, which make the ZAGG USB Speakers good for travelers, college students, and others with limited space.

The ZAGGphones are headphones designed to “deliver the complete music experience, with true, clear sound for a completely immersive feel”. This sound is better than most headphones can deliver, at half the price.

For users who don’t want sound that completely closes off the world, they might opt for the Zbuds. The Zbuds have passive noise cancellation and can act as a hands-free handset. They are available in black and red, and have a variety of interchangeable foam, silicone, and triple flange tips to comfort the ears of the listener.

All three of these products can be purchased at the ZAGG website. The ZAGG USB Speakers are available for about $69.99, and the ZAGGphones and the Zbuds for about $79.99.

Hillcrest is responsible for Freespace technology, which requires no line of sight in order to work. That means that if you go into the other room to get a snack, you can still use the remote. As long as you can see the cursor on the television, it will work. Hillcrest also uses orientation compensation which can filter out any tremors for shaky-hand remote-control users.

Of course, what really got my attention is when the Hillcrest representative pulled out the Loop. More like kidnapped my attention, and then held it for ransom. As soon as I saw the Loop, I couldn’t stop taking pictures of it. Right now, the Loop is only a concept remote control for now, but it feels like it was plucked from the future. However, I can just see it sitting on my coffee table in a charger now.

What you see is a photo I took at CES, with my hand and the Hillcrest representative’s hand grabbing onto the Loop. They can use that picture on their ads if they want to, because I think that picture says a thousand words about how Hillcrest will take remote controls into the future.

The AV|Shadow allows for switching channels, selecting chapters for a DVD, and even allows for adjusting the volume on the user’s audio receiver. It uses Bluetooth Technology, so the user doesn’t have to point at the screen or any other video device.

The user can customize their own settings, and the interface is set up in a circular pattern, perfect for the BlackBerry Trackball. The AV|Shadow is set up for TV, Satellite, Cable, Apple TV, TiVo, DVD, DVR/PVR, VCR, Blu-Ray, iPod, Mircosoft Media Center, even gaming consoles like the PS3.

The AV|Shadow is enough inspiration for any company, but Unify4Life also has another useful application called the Garage|Shadow. This device turns a BlackBerry into a garage door opener. It is easy to install and use, and now the user doesn’t have to worry about losing their RF remotes any more.

Both of these products are available on the Unify4Life website. They are expected to ship in the next few days for a price of $99.99 each.

The TX Series are a series of 1080p LCD HDTVs with a 120Hz refresh rate. For those who don’t know what a 120Hz refresh rate is, it is a way of showing fluid motion not seen on 60Hz. Westinghouse Digital had a side-by-side demonstration, and now that I’ve seen motion of the 120Hz, I don’t want to go back. The TX Series include the 37 inch TX-37F510Z, the 42 inch TX-42F970Z, and the 55 inch TX-55F350Z.

As for the SK-Series, it appears the Westinghouse Digital intends these 720p models to create a “comfort zone” with many HDMI inputs and DayBright panel technology for daytime or nighttime viewing. These models include the 26 inch SK-26H630S and SK-26H735S, the 32 inch SK-32H635S and 32-32H820S, and the 37 inch SK-37H730S.

These televisions will be available at TBA (To Be Announced) prices at varying times. The TX Series will be available sometime during May/June/July 2009, and the SK Series will be available during March 2009.

Angelis Labor is an Italian company, and its name is translated to “Labor of Angels”. Each product is named after an angel, and is made entirely by hand with aluminum, bronze, and stainless steel. Believe it or not, it is from the same factory where they construct precision parts for Ferraris.

Of course, what makes the Gabriel Turntable unique is the obvious four arms. The reason why has to do with audiophiles changing the pick-up cartridges on the arm. Since the Gabriel Turntable has more than one, its setup allows for quick changes. I wish I had more turntable experience to know if this is helpful.

Several of the parts on the Gabriel Turntable are floating millimeters in the air. For example, the turntable spindle unit is lifted magnetically.

I have learned that this is a limited edition product. Each one of these Gabriel Turntables has an engraved name on it. If the user doesn’t want it, Angelis Labor will buy back the product. However, the one thing that Angelis Labor does not want to see is their product up for bid at an online auction. If that happens, they will scratch that particular Gabriel Turntable from their records.

The Gabriel Turntable is available through select distributors from the Angelis Labor website for a price of $27,00-64,000, depending on the number of arms.

The VIEVU PVR-PRO 2 is a camera that is small enough to be clipped on to a user’s shirt for home and law-enforcement purposes. There is a small lens there, and the cover can be flipped open to start recording, and shut for stopping it. With every flip, the video footage is saved as a separate file.

The video footage is SVGA and shoots at 30 frames per second with resolution of 640 x 480. The PVR-PRO 2 has an internal 4 GB memory card for over four hours of recording time. After filming, a user can then connect the VIEVU via USB to a PC or MAC for downloading the videos.

The VIEVU is quite light at 3.5 ounces, and is waterproof with a rubberized case for durability. It is also waterproof, not so much that you can take it scuba-diving, but enough to still work after you spilled a drink on it, for example.

You should be able to get the VIEVU PVR-PRO 2 at the company website for approximately $399.95. That might be a bit too much, but I like where VIEVU is going as far as portable video cameras are concerned.

The Pistol Whip is a neoprene case made for PCs and Macs that comes with a set of matching, limited-edition, Skullcandy Smokin’ Buds. The Love/Sacrifice is also a neoprene laptop sleeve, but it is wrapped with a silky lycra blending fashion with designs by Alent Priyandi, famous Indonesian graphic designer. The Riveria is another fashionable laptop sleeve by Malaysian designer Jimmy Tan. The Golden Jimmy is a 24 carat gold toned silicon hardware protection which fits very nicely over the keyboard.

If you have never seen Mr. Fantastic from television, most notably his recent appearance on Superstars of Dance, Mr. Muraine is a man whose dance styles are quite unique. His whole body is quite flexible, hence the name Mr. Fantastic, like the leader of the Fantastic Four.

Unfortunately, Reed Richards (superhero Mr. Fantastic’s not-so-secret identity), his wife Susan, his brother-in-law Johnny, and best friend Ben Grimm do not approve of Mr. Muraine’s choice of stage name. They have chosen to retaliate, as you can see from Richards’ wanton attack on the Isis Dei logo.

Taylor Shupe, President and Creative Director of Isis Dei, does not appreciate the response of the world’s greatest super team: “Of course we appreciate the Fantastic Four’s heroic intervention of such villains as Doctor Doom and Galactus, but we think their response to our CES Booth is completely uncalled for. We assumed that Mr. Muraine was given permission to use Reed Richards’ moniker, and don’t think we should be held accountable.”

Okay, those last two paragraphs were a complete joke, but Taylor Shupe is head of Isis Dei, Isis Dei has some great products, and Mr. Fantastic (Robert Muraine) is a great dancer. If that whole Fantastic Four thing was real, I would definitely tell Reed Richards that he shouldn’t complain about getting his name stolen when he is clearly stealing The Thing’s tagline.

The Mikey is an audio recording microphone that is designed to fit into the end of an iPod 4G, 5G, 6G, iPod Nano 2G, 3G, and iPod classic. It has three selectable microphone positions, as well as a built-in speaker for playback. The Mikey is capable of recording from up to 40 feet, which is perfect for college lectures.

The Eyeball is an excellent webcam that has a silver ball-shaped speaker with a pop-out webcam capable of recording HD quality video. The pop-out feature insures privacy as when the lens is out of sight, and is out of your mind. No more accidentally getting yourself caught on online film because you left your camera on.

The Eyeball and Mikey are just two of Blue Microphones’ fantastic products, as they are the designers of the Snowball, an award-winning product and number one selling condenser microphone.

All of the Blue microphone products are available now at such places like the Apple Retail Store, Amazon.com, and other major consumer electronic retailers. The Mikey is available for $79.99, and the Eyeball for $99.99.

The first is a set of wireless speakers designed by Philippe Starck, or “S+ARCK”. These horn-shaped guys are designed for the iPod and iPhone, and can connect to a PC via Wi-Fi or by Bluetooth to the Mac or cellular phone. Sync connectors allow connectivity to any audio device for full immersive 360 degree sound and 100W RMS power output.

The second is one that we have reported on before, the Speechio. This is a reflective photo frame designed by Martin Szekely. This mirror really caught me by surprise as the screen just appeared in the middle of it. Parrot had me on the product right there.

All a user has to do is insert their SD card into the Speechio, and it will automatically create automatic scrolling every five seconds. The user also has the option of using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to upload photos and the Speechio even has its own email address for sending photos over a distance. The Speechio is capable of storing 1500 photos, and is even programmed to switch off automatically when the user turns off the lights in the room.

The Starck wireless speakers are expected to be released in the Spring of 2009 for a price of $1,500, while the Speechio is available at Fred Segal at a price of $500.

This is why Digital Foci invented the Picture Porter 35, a one stop place to store all a user’s digital photos. The Picture Porter 35 has a 3.5 inch color screen, and a built-in card reader for CF, SD/HC, MMC, miniSD, MS/Duo, and xD cards.

The Picture Porter 35 has 160GB of storage space capacity, and the user has the option of viewing photos and other advanced file management features including copying files, renaming files, deleting files, even creating new folders and sorting by name and date.

The user also has an option of creating a photo slideshow, and it the Picture Porter has the option of playing MP3 and video files. The USB host function allows copying to and from an external hard drive with only a USB cable, with a fast copy speed of 1GB in less than 2.5 minutes.

It has an output display to a TV or a projector, and the audio and video player has a built-in speaker as well as earphone support. As for power, it has uses a Li-Ion battery that is rechargeable with AC or USB. The Picture Porter 35 should be available in Summer 2009, but I don’t yet have word on the price.

One of the better products is the Smart-Leaf by Originatic. The Smart-Leaf is a Wi-Fi enabled computer that mounts on the wall. It is made for both business and the home, and has a fold-down keyboard.

The Smart-Leaf comes in two forms: the Oasis and the Mountain. The Oasis has a Standard keyboard with a touchpad control, and the Mountain has a stainless steel keyboard with a trackball controller.

Other features include an integrated 3 Megapixel webcam, a 4 in 1 card reader, an Audio out, plus six USB ports! As for the other specs, it has an Intel Celeron M processor, and type DDR2 Dual Channel of memory. It contains 1GB of memory with a maximum of 4GB. As for the hard drive, the user has the option of 80GB, 250GB, 500GB, or 1TB.

Even though the Smart-Leaf looks perfect for a business kiosk, I believe that the Smart-Leaf is ahead of the game when it comes to household computing. I think that every house needs some sort of central station by the door or kitchen where family members can log in and check email and other web activities.

The Smart-Leaf is ready to purchase on the Originatic website, and you can check there for the prices.

I got a chance to try it, and I tell you, it felt like I was really auto racing. The frame was made of the same materials found in actual race cars, and it moved when I turned the wheel. I quickly learned that first lesson of racing: an inch is a mile.

In other words, you barely need to turn the wheel when you are going at 150 miles an hour on the track. You also have to stay on the outside of ring of the track, because once you go inside, your suspension gets all messed up and you go into the wall. Could a console game have taught me that? Not even with a steering wheel control.

Also, when you crash, you can feel it. Not as bad as a real race car, and that is the point. One of the SimCraft representatives has genuine experience race car driving, and he says the experience is pretty close, with some exceptions. For example, the user of the SimCraft cannot feel the same tremors on the steering wheel that a real race car driver will feel, and even though the triple-screen view on the SimCraft is good, it doesn’t compare to the view a real race car driver would have.

I can’t seem to find a price on the SimCraft site, but it can’t be cheap. I have learned that the company is planning a version that can fold down and fit under the bed. I have another suggestion for a future product: make it like the Speed Racer movie. Of course, you will have to put some sort of hydraulic lifting mechanism for the impossible jumps done in that film.

The new Presentation Pro from Victorinox adds tech to the traditional blades and scissors of the Swiss Army knife. The range includes a de-clawed “flight” model that has no pointy bits making it suitable for hand luggage.

Price and availability from www.swissarmy.com

Many of us have heard about the dangers of wandering around with our headphones on. With them on it drowns out surrounding noises and that is of course not always such a good thing. Which, for adults is a bit on the dangerous side, but for the most part the concern is for the youth. Well this iCap makes an attempt to solve that problem and frankly, they fail miserably at it. Sure I can see the occasional middle aged male wandering around doing yard work with this attached to his cap and his kids hiding inside with their heads hung in shame. However, for most people, it just looks ridiculous.

This managed to find its way to CES, which means the company actually paid for a booth to display this within. Apparently they didn’t get the memo that ideas like this should be hidden in the back room in shame. The device has an FM tuner, a voice recorder, a display, as well as two speakers. It also features 1GB of built-in memory and a Micro SD slot. The entire device clips onto the baseball cap of your choice. The ridiculous part is (yes there is a worse part), they’re actually wanting to get $119.95 for one of these.

Source: Gearlog