Some hot products from the Consumer electronics show:
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The ten hottest products at CES
Our editors scoured the show floor at the Consumer Electronics Show this weekend for the ten coolest products. Here's our top ten list.
Special to ZDNet
The Consumer Electronics Show is all about the latest and greatest gadgets. As we've roamed the show floors this weekend, we've kept our eyes out for the cream of the crop: here are the most promising, innovative, or unique products we could find. Manufacturers may be showing off their coolest gizmos, but that doesn't always mean that they'll be available soon. Rather than limiting the list to available products, we've included both soon-to-ship products and those that are still prototypes (such as the Xbox). Whether your interest is music, home theater, gaming, or video, we've found a product that you'll no doubt want to watch (and, possibly, add to your own collection).
1. Microsoft Xbox
The moment over which gamers have been salivating -- and that Nintendo, Sega, and Sony have been fearing -- finally arrived, when Bill Gates at last gave us the first public demo of Microsoft's state-of-the-art game console. Sporting graphics with the texturing, shadowing, and character detailing that approaches the computer animation of movies like Toy Story, Xbox also features an Ethernet port for broadband gaming capability and four game ports for multiplayer action. Microsoft claims the demo presented only one-fifth the power with which the final version will ship, so PlayStation 2 should expect some serious competition when Xbox debuts later this year.
Video: See a demo of the Microsoft Xbox
on Microsoft Xbox
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2. Motorola Accompli
Motorola's upcoming Accompli 009 is a super-slick, two-way messaging device/cellular phone that's geared towared business users and works on next-generation GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) networks around the world. The 5.7-ounce Accompli 009 is essentially -- for lack of a better description -- a Timeport P935 with a color screen (256 colors) and an integrated GSM world phone. The device features Motorola's Wisdom OS, full PDA functionality, SMS (short text messaging), wireless e-mail, and wireless Web access; voice-activated dialing, games, an application for displaying images, and an optional attachment that turns it into a speakerphone. The release date is at least six to eight months away (depending on availability of GPRS networks in the U.S.). The Accompli will list for under $650.
Video: See a demo of the Motorola Accompli
on the Motorola Accompli
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3. NadaPC 27" HDTV
NadaPC announced plans to sell a 27-inch, HDTV-ready TV for $199. There's a catch, of course. You must agree to sign up for 36 months of NadaPC's ISP service for $22 per month. That totals out to $991, but that still doesn't sound like a really bad price. NadaPC didn't have a sample TV to show so we can't vouch for the set's quality. However, they are promising it will be capable of displaying 480p and 1080i video as well as SVGA computer graphics. The set has a built-in Web browser so owners can access the Web without a PC. When NadaPC begins taking orders in April, it may be reminiscent of the Free PC frenzy not too long ago.
Video: See a demo of the Nada PC HDTV
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4. Intel Pocket Concert
On the face of it, Intel's Pocket Concert digital audio player ($299) has little to set it apart from the competition. Its design is thoroughly ordinary -- if anything, it looks like something Fisher Price would have introduced as baby's first MP3 player, and it doesn't sport any particularly innovative bells and whistles (though it does have an FM tuner). But in the one place that it really matters -- memory -- the Pocket Concert excels. At $299 (the going cost for high-end digital music players), the device ships with 128MB of built-in memory -- at least double that of the competition. And while the Pocket Concert isn't expandable, we tend to agree with Intel's assertion that most people don't buy memory upgrades for their music players, as it's just too darn expensive.
Video: See a demo of the Intel Pocket Concert
on the Intel Pocket Concert
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5. Microsoft UltimateTV
Microsoft's UltimateTV is a Ginsu knife of personalized television. It's a digital video recorder (think TiVo) and WebTV all in one, building upon DirectTV's satellite service. Since the box includes two tuners, you can actually record two programs at once, and you can pause live TV on either channel. UltimateTV records up to 35 hours of DVD-quality programming. The devices require subscribers to use the DirectTV service and are expected to be widely available by February. The hardware will cost approximately $399 (including a DirectTV receiver), with the service costing $9.95/month for DVR services and $5 for WebTV with your own dial-up ISP (otherwise you'll pay the full rate).
Video: See a demo of UltimateTV
on Microsoft Ultimate TV
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6. Motorola iRadio
Motorola's iRadio system will provide much-needed direction and support for frustrated drivers. iRadio is an in-vehicle, Java-based platform that provides navigation (GPS), audio entertainment, location-based information, emergency services, and hands-free communication. It appears just like a standard in-dash radio with a LCD display, and gives you the option of controlling the system manually or controlling it via voice commands. One of the most appealing features of the iRadio is it allows you to place cellular calls by simply speaking the phone number or verbally selecting the phone number from the database. Since it is a Java-based platform, you are able to personalize and configure your iRadio settings on a personal Web page, and the system is upgradeable. Although you won't see iRadio in this year's cars, Motorola plans to have these systems available in basic or premium packages within the next year and a half.
Video: See a demo of Motorola iRadio
on the Motorola iRadio
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7. Pioneer CL Organica color display
Automotive audio/video products are becoming more and more complex, and consequently, the displays should be easier to use. As much a technology as a product, Pioneer's new color display, the Organic EL, is the result of 10 years of research and development. What's completely different about this type of display is that it produces its own electroluminescent light, which means it's brighter, requires less voltage than a typical LCD display, and produces thinner displays. For consumers, it means your display in your car is less likely to get washed out by sunlight, is easier to read, and is more dynamic.
Video: See a demo of the Pioneer CL Organica color display
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8. DataPlay Digital Media discs
Dataplay's little discs could change the way you listen to music, take pictures, read books, and even surf the Net. Each optical disc is about the size of a quarter and holds 500MB. The read/write engine is small enough to fit into a variety of handheld devices without adding too much bulk. DataPlay-enabled products won't hit U.S. shelves until October, but there are already some incredible devices in Asia, including a wireless Internet PDA/MP3 player/cell phone/digital camera from eAnywhere. Toshiba has plans for a variety of devices like audio players and digital cameras, while Samsung displayed a futuristic line of products with DataPlay drives including Web pads and multimedia players that they expect to start shipping around 2003. Our only complaint? The discs aren't rewriteable. But at only $5 to $12 per blank disc, they're still more economical than flash memory.
Video: See a demo of the DataPlay Digital Media discs
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9. Panasonic VDR-M10 DVD camcorder
Frustrated by having to change the tape in your miniDV camcorder? Panasonic's newest camcorder may alleviate some of that pain. Its latest camcorder includes a DVD-RAM drive that allows video hobbyists to save their home movies directly onto a small DVD disc. The 2.8GB disc can hold up to two hours of video saved on Standard mode. Panasonic says the camcorder will be available this spring, although pricing hasn't been announced. One of its cool features is that the camcorder will search for a blank spot on the disc to avoid mistakenly taping over previously recorded material.
Video: See a demo of the Panasonic VDR-M10 DVD camcorder
on the Panasonic VDR-M10 DVD camcorder
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10. FutureCom PC-EPhone
What began in Korea as the Multipalm looks to finally be on its way to the United States. Now dubbed the PC-EPhone, this large uber-gadget is powered by Windows CE and includes all the PDA functions you're familiar with. Its full 640-by-480 LCD screen allows access to the Internet without Web clipping or reformatting. The EPhone has a built-in CDMA wireless phone for voice communication and for connecting wirelessly to the Internet, as well as a Bluetooth module for connecting with other electronic gadgets. With all those features, the EPhone is a little too bulky to be held up to your ear to make a call. Instead, the company is showing a Bluetooth stylus with a telephone number pad, speaker and microphone that can double as your cell-phone handset. All these features come at a steep price, however; FutureCom estimates the EPhone will sell for around $1,700 starting on March 1st.
Video: See a demo of the FutureCom PC-EPhone
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