Darrell's Blog - CES 2012

We hit the ground running and didn't stop for a moment!

The Consumer Electronics Show (2012) was not --- and never is --- a disappointment. The allure of "Vegas" and hosting Casinos begins to pale in the Convention Center as the technology takes center stage. The fog from our jet lag is clearing, and I am trying to compartmentalize the crazy array of technology and new product releases we were able to experience. Thank the Lord for smart phones, or most of my memories would be forever erased.

This year, CES hit an all time high of 153,000 attendees and exhibition space totaling 1.861 million square feet... and I have the blisters to prove I saw most of it. Business leaders from around the world rushed to Las Vegas to explore and get the scoop from the industry's biggest companies and their CEOs. Having attended CES before, I have to say that, this year, there were no unconditional stand-out products or kits, but there were launches... many launches. With the industry pushing forward, investing heavily in R&D while we are in a down economy, I can't help but be encouraged.

There was some fun tech, and since I didn't write about last year's event, a lot to catch you up on. Let's take a look at some of the launches this year and then check out some very cool items you may or may not have heard about.

Ultrabooks Good, Cost Bad

Ultrabooks Good: Ultrabooks were everywhere and obviously the technology of 2012. Starting with Intel announcing the new 16 nanometer transistor (a nanometer is a billionth of a meter, and this transistor would be about the size of a cellular ribosome... CRAZY!), everything will change. High tech and low weight Ultrabook designs will lead in 2012, but understand this tech will change ever so quickly; the future is tablets and smart phones. We are in the transition, but why not enjoy this day while we have it... right? The more impressive Ultrabooks incorporate gesture and voice-activated technology, which will be a standard with tablets to come. And, let's not forget Windows 8 (yet to be released), which will trumpet the hardware of these systems. Mooly Eden of Intel showed off coming "ultrabooks" by Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Samsung, Toshiba, LG and Hewlett Packard as well as a curiously innovative prototype Nikiski laptop. The Nikiski had a transparent touch pad panel below a standard keyboard. When closed, the panel provided a window to the laptop screen and allowed it to be controlled with touches or swipes in a tablet style. Yeah, I want one too.

Cost Bad: Ultrabooks are desirable, but they are expensive. Intel has limited the specs and will not give manufacturers much "wriggle-room." So we can expect copycats. We will see cheaper Ultrabooks with lower specs. Remember, you get what you pay for.

OLED

I loved the Samsung and LG 55-inch OLED. You techies have been waiting with bated breath to hear about this, and it is not a disappointment. This LG masterpiece is ridiculously thin at only 4mm. Yes, they are due to release this year, but with $5,000 as the estimate for Samsung's Super OLED, I am not sure how fast they will fly off the shelf. Sony's transition unit, the Crystal LED, was interesting and, according to the "boys in the booth," part of their development to OLED tech.

Funny and embarrassing story... while standing at the entrance to the 3D area of CES, I was waiting for my friend. Of course, I had donned my very cool 3D glasses and was watching the show. The loop was a sports combination featuring athletes from many different genres. While enjoying the show, I realized I should be looking for my friend, so I turned away from the giant screens for a moment, only to miss the soccer player kicking the ball toward my head. The amazing sound, integrated with the 3D effect, made it seem, to my distracted brain, that I was about to be smacked in the head with a soccer ball. And yes, I did... I jerked and ducked in front of over 200 people who laughed at my expense way longer that I felt was necessary. I caused several Asian men to point at me and express their opinions which, because they spoke in their native language and were laughing the whole time, only made my frustration greater. ROOKIE MISTAKE!

The Cloud is Hovering Over Your Future and It's Bringing a SWEET Rain!

OnLive Desktop for the iPad: Yeah, this was cool. OnLive surprised everyone last week by announcing that it was getting into cloud computing in a big way, with the launch of OnLive Desktop for the iPad. The service allows iPad users to use the Microsoft Office Suite on their tablets with full touch capabilities and the added bonus of being able to show off processor-intensive presentations without worrying that the iPad can't handle the pressure. This is because the whole thing is streamed in real-time from OnLive's bounty of servers so the tablet you are using is a conduit to the service. It is on my iPad and it is incredible. In fact, this document is on the cloud and I can access it from my computer, phone, iPad, or any remote device I choose.

There is SOOOO Much More!

OK, my mind has shifted into overload. Imagine standing 20 feet in front of a TV and using your hand to accurately control the device, or if you are too tired or lazy to lift your hand, try ocular control. Hey, I played "Asteroids" with my eye! So instead of making this entry a book, let's stop and all I can say is, don't miss my next entry. I have actual video and pictures from CES 2012 that will get your heart pumping --- and now, we can monitor that with a chip in your watch... another CES presentation. Check later this week for my next entry on CES 2012!