Fantasies To Reality
Newcastle Herald
Thursday March 3, 2005
Electronics companies are now hawking
realistic products for the home, not fantasies, as the world's premier consumer electronics show made clear.the world's premier consumer electronics show wouldn't be complete without the fanciful and outlandish: A smart oven that preserves and cooks meals based on remote commands, and a 2.6-metre plasma TV - taller than the 2.4-metre walls in many homes - that inspires ooohs and aaahs from visitors.But manufacturers at this year's gadgetfest generally took a more modest approach: They eschewed the flamboyant and futuristic in favour of relatively affordable devices that will debut within weeks or months, not years.Many of the 2400 exhibitors at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year hawked simple, elegant, sub-$US1,000 ($A1,300) items meant to enhance consumers' "digital lifestyles".Universal remote controls, hand-held computers, digital camcorders, MP3 players and TVs that can be programmed from mobile phones help users stay plugged into a world of digital music, video, games, television and internet."We're encouraged by the real-world products at affordable price points this year," said Mike George, chief marketing officer at Dell. "We're finally moving from hype to reality." Among the interesting gizmos on display at the show:n The NevoSL universal remote control from Universal Electronics. Even Microsoft chairman Bill Gates complains that consumers are bogged down with too many remotes for TVs, DVDs, VCRs and stereos.UE's device, expected to debut in the second quarter for about $US800 ($A1100), can control all home theatre and stereo equipment. It features a nine-centimetre diagonal LCD colour display, 17 programmable keys and a scroll wheel. It has infrared and wireless interfaces to talk to other devices and computers.n A gaming-video-music console called Gizmondo by Tiger Telematics. It fits in your pocket and can play games, send text messages, snap photos and perform other digital feats, but it doesn't act as a mobile phone. Launched in the United Kingdom in October for $US420 ($A550), Gizmondo will be available in the United States within three months and in Australia sometime this year. It comes with built-in Global Positioning System technology.n The Ojo personal video phone from Motorola. It will begin shipping in early (northern) spring for about $US700 ($A915) and features video at 30 frames per second and virtually no latency. The phone can make calls over the internet and will require a broadband connection.Unlimited domestic and international video calls will cost about $US14.95 ($A19.95) per month, making it ideal for far-flung grandparents and small business owners who can't afford to travel. The Ojo acts as a traditional cordless phone - without video or unlimited long-distance - if the person called doesn't have an Ojo.n Everio camcorder and digital still camera from JVC. Although it debuted in November starting at $US1,100 ($A1,450), the Everio still created a buzz at the show because it's the first to use a removable, four-gigabyte Hitachi microdrive - similar to the iPod's, though it pops out.The fits-in-your-palm Everio can capture an hour of video at mini-DV quality, similar to a pre-recorded DVD. Users can edit video on the fly.n A surround-sound gaming chair and audio system from HotSeat. Inventor Jay LeBoff, an amateur race-car driver, got the idea for his HotSeat Solo when he first played his children's Xbox games but yearned for the feel of a real car seat.The grippy leather chair fits all body sizes and is similar to those in professional race cars, complete with cup holder and subwoofer. LeBoff will begin shipping online orders for the $US399 ($A522) contraption in April.n The Z800 3D Visor by eMagin. The 10-year-old company built the organic light-emitting diode microdisplay for military and medical use, and soon will begin selling the goggles and headset to consumers - particularly gamers - for about $US900 ($A1,200).Pop a game or movie into your PC, strap on the glasses and get flooded with 2.8 million pixels, the equivalent of a 2.6-metre television screen viewed from 3.6 metres. High-speed head tracking enables a 360-degree view.Travelling executives can use the goggles to look at sensitive business plans without worrying that an aeroplane seatmate is spying. The only drawback: The goggles are heavy and may pinch your nose.Although realism was the theme of the 2005 show, it wouldn't be complete without fanciful gizmos, such as the "intelligent oven" that can defrost, dehydrate, refrigerate, bake, broil or warm food based on prompts from any internet-enabled computer or mobile phone. TMIO is taking pre-orders online, but hasn't set prices.The manufacturer with the largest display at the show was South Korea's Samsung Electronics, whose executives sought feedback on its crowd-pleasing 2.6-metre plasma TV. Retailers' enthusiasm will determine whether Samsung will mass-produce its single prototype on display.Samsung displayed a 2.03-metre plasma TV at last year's show, and the company will begin shipping the monsters in May.
© 2005 Newcastle Herald