Follow Ontarians Unify4Life have officially launched two of their products – one, a software-based home entertainment controller for your BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) that communicates via Bluetooth to a hub called AV|Shadow, had been seen a couple of months ago, but their separate garage door controller dubbed Garage|Shadow is brand-spanking new. I remember when I first saw these guys at WES last spring and knew from the get-go it was going to be huge. Nokia (NYSE: NOK) clearly realizes the need for a digitally-controlled home, and the slew of Wi-Fi enabled TVs announced at CES equally support the trend. From what I was able to gather then, they were going to work on a subscription model, which I wasn’t sure was the best way to go, but if they can continually update at a good clip, it might be worth the charges. From the looks of it, only their TV guide portion will be locked in, and you’ll be able to continue to use your BlackBerry as a universal remote control even without the monthly fees. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, keep an eye out for a review here shortly, but if you want to take the dive right away, devices will be ready on February 1st.
Over CES, online music service provider Slacker announced their application for BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM), first spotted at CTIA and highlighted during the BBDC keynote in the fall. I had tried out nuTsie, and although it was completely wireless, there were some reliability issues. I wonder if sideloading through Slacker would be any better… Time to give it a shot, eh? Head over to www.slacker.com on your BlackBerry browser to get started. iPhone compatability is on the way (as early as tomorrow), so keep an eye on these guys.
Although there wasn’t much in the way of earthshattering BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) news for CES 2009, we did get a chance to see another couple of accessories surface: a handsfree car system and some new earbuds. The new “executive” headphones are pretty ho-hum – extra volume controls and swappable colour plates, but the car visor attachment actually looks pretty cool. By taking in calls and music from the BlackBerry via Bluetooth and shunting them out to the car stereo system through FM radio, you get a solid handsfree experience without having to deal with rewiring your whole dang car. Nevermind the BlackBerry logo on there, this is a neat accessory no matter what Bluetooth-enabled phone you have. RIM’s been gradually worming their way into the accessory market, having started modestly with branded charging docks and holsters, then moving up to the slightly more sophisticated Remote Stereo Gateway. Looking forward to seeing this Bluetooth visor out sometime soon!
The Motorola (NYSE: MOT) bunch were on hand at the Las Vegas Convention Center to showcase their current mobile lineup at CES 2009 Las Vegas, but the real gem of Motorola’s show was their Motorola AURA luxury phone.
The Motorola AURA isn’t for everyone, what with its $2,000 price tag and all. But, you do get what you pay for. We’re usually quick to dismiss pricey handsets, but the Motorola AURA gets a solid thumbs-up from us. Sure, the form-factor has been done before (by Motorola, no less), but the AURA’s high-end materials and watch-like precision build give the handset a modern luxury feel.
At the heart of the AURA’s design is the gear-driven swivel-blade. The gear mechanism boosts the swivel movement, snapping open the AURA’s flip with just the slightest of touches. Nudge of the blade just a bit to the side and the AURA swivels open with a smooth and firm action. And, for the icing on this high-end piece of cellular-cake, the gear drive is visible through a little window on the backside of the AURA – just like high-end watches with transparent casings.
Then there’s the incredibly sharp circular display that seems to pop out of the bezel. A 62-carat convex crystal lens protects the display and really drives home the Motorola AURA’s luxury watch aesthetic. We’re told that the shiny crystal sitting atop the display will fend off keys and coins without a scratch, for folks that like putting $2,000 cellphones in the same pocket as their keys.
But, what about that $2,000 price tag? The Motorola AURA might just be worth it… for some.
Samsung Mobile has been honored with 15 International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards. Among wireless distributors, the Korean company has won the most innovation honoree awards at the 2009 International CES.
In the wireless handset accessories category, the Samsung MBP200 Pico Projector was named the “Best of Innovations.” In addition, six of Samsung’s Bluetooth headsets were awarded as honorees, including the WEP700, SBH650 and SBH900, Capella, WEP850, and the WEP900.
As for the actual handsets, eight Samsung phones received “Design and Engineering” award: Samsung Omnia, Samsung Instinct, Samsung Eternity, Samsung Epix, Samsung Highnote, Samsung Access, z400 and i627.
We’re still coping with the CES news. One that we missed is about the company called iHome, which makes accessories for the iPhone and iPod users. During the event, they showcased the latest additions to their offering:
iP29 Portable Speaker Case for iPhone/iPod – housed in a fabric wrapped protective shell, these speakers both protect and charge an iPhone/iPod.
iP49 Portable Rechargeable Audio System with Alarm Clock & FM Radio for iPhone/iPod – although it’s designed for home use, the iP49 keeps a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Other features include Bongiovi Acoustics’ patented Digital Power Station (DPS) technology and four neodymium compression drivers, along with EQ for deep bass and audio performance, and fully functioning remote control.
iHMP5 2 in 1 Portable Stereo Speaker/Headphone System – all-in-one headphone/speaker set that lets users listen in private or go full speaker mode and share with friends. Not only for iPhone/iPod, but for an array of devices, computers and mobile phone included. The iHMP5 also packs a magnetic proximity switch that activates the power amplifier and kicks the music up to room volume.
In addition, iHome also had some portable audio units on display — including the iH16, iH24 and iHM77. More information on iHome’s product line is available from their website.
The Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre remained the elephant in the room for most of our CES 2009, but we did manage to catch up on everything else happening on our last day. The morning kicked off with an extensive tour of the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) booth (Will had a looksee too). I got some playtime with the very nice N97 announced in December, which had mostly the same UI as the 5800 XpressMusic, but plenty of hardware upgrades, including a beefier camera and slide-out keypad. Nokia was predominately pitching the N97 as a mobile computer, but after seeing the OQO II, I’m going to take some issue with that designation. They said a US launch was to be determined, but at least they’re talking about it.
There’s no doubt, the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre smartphone was the star of this year’s CES. Hence, we are not surprised CNET honored Palm’s latest baby with the “Best in Show” award. At the same time, thousands of CNET’s vistors awarded the Pre with “People’s Voice” award using an online voting system on CNET’s website.
In addition to Palm’s smartphone, CNET also honored non-mobile products across other 9 categories such as Car Tech, Computers and hardware, Digital photo and video, Gaming, Televisions. You can read CNET’s official release on PRNewswire.
Alternatively, if you happen to be in New York during next week, you may want to stop for a moment at Times Square on 42nd Street, where you will be able to watch video recap of the “Best of CES” Awards which will air on the CBS Outdoor digital board. Then, on Friday, January 16, at 12:30 p.m. local in each market a special lunchtime 30-minute webcast will air on all of the websites of the CBS Television and select CBS Radio Stations. The recap from the show will also air on CBS Television Stations the weekend of January 17th and 18th. Finally, CBS Outernet’s out-of-home video networks and partners will run recaps of the award ceremony.
So, you’ve heard all about the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre and the brand-spanking new WebOS. You’ve even seen a few hands-on videos with the Palm Pre… But you haven’t watched the actual keynote yet, right? Well, take a few moments (OK, over an hour actually ) and watch the video above of the keynote from the CES floor. Watch Jon Rubinstein (Executive Chairman of Palm) unveil the Palm Pre, WebOS and much more. Will the Palm Pre and WebOS be the savior of Palm? Things sure are looking good so far…
Aside from announcing three new mobile phones, Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) also announced that it will be rolling out a software update for its flagship 8.1 megapixel camera-equipped C905 Cyber-shot handset. The upgrade will include additional functionalities as well as new mobile apps.
Here’s what the upcoming C905 update features:
Smile Shutter
YouTube
WayFinder 8 – new version of the navigation software.
Snapfish by HP – allows placing of print orders directly from the mobile phone, no memory cards, cables or offload needed.
SMS/MMS conversation style – users can switch between the generic inbox or conservation chat where the entire message chain is presented at a glance.
The upgrade along with new application will be released from mid-February.
) and watch the video above of the keynote from the CES floor. Watch Jon Rubinstein (Executive Chairman of Palm) unveil the Palm Pre, WebOS and much more. Will the Palm Pre and WebOS be the savior of Palm? Things sure are looking good so far…
