Hands on with the Droid X, plus an important lesson learned at CES 2011

Today I am doing something for the very first time as I am doing my first post on the road here at CES. Right now, I am in a slow moving line, waiting for a bus to bring me to the Las Vegas Convention Center. My brand new Droid X is giving me access to this blog, but I cannot see what I am typing as I go.

After I typed the first paragraph, I lost track of the words as the keyboard took up most of the screen, and never could successfully get back to them. This is sadly a failed experiment. Right now, I am continuing this blog at a party at the Venetian sponsored by Lenovo on one of their desktops.

Granted, I will have to say that the Droid X is a terrific smartphone. I don’t know if there is any saying about “once you go Droid”, but there really should be. I enjoy the all the features including the Android Market, and, as you may have guessed, I am addicted to Angry Birds. I also find the 8.0 Megapixel camera to be quite good, and it is easy to transfer the files from the included 16GB SD to my computer as the Droid X charges via USB.

I wanted this report to be written on my smartphone to celebrate my Droid X, but I am a little disappointed that I can’t do the work that I normally do on a laptop from my smartphone. However, smartphones just aren’t made for surfing the web like we do on our desktops or laptops. Someone I was riding the bus with told me that our mobile devices are made for consumption, and not creation.

This would be the best lesson I learned at CES 2011. With this being the first year of the iPad, mobile companies need to find out better ways for people to be productive on the road. Perhaps this will be what we will have by CES 2012 with all the tablets that were unveiled over this year’s convention.

Parrot Digital Photoframe – NOW you actually want one

Okay so let’s face it, a digital frame, is a digital frame, is a digital frame, and as you get your 3rd one, as a gift from your soon to be ex-boyfriend, you wonder why the screensaver slideshow on your computer wasn’t already good enough to put some of these guys out of business, but you smile, and put on your “oh I love it” face anyway…

Well, fresh from CES, Parrot just unveiled the DIA, the first digital photo frame that you really will be happy to receive. The DIA is less like an old digital frame and more like a movie screen that has a picture projected upon it.

The DIA’s LCD display is separate from it’s backlight, which gives your favorite photos a beautiful, designer friendly, transparent effect, very different from the digital frames of, well, just yesterday.

The frame itself is fairly plain, with its controls on the top and the SD card slot and USB ports on the side. Photos are added by USB, SD or alternatively, you can send photos to the frame wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

DIA playfully provides some additional functionality by adding a few bells and whistles not seen before, with an unusual selection of preinstalled apps. Or you can consult the Frame Channel, and select your own apps. So, see your favorite pictures, check the news and weather, check the financial channel, Facebook, or just send pics directly to the frame with your iPhone. Yup, theres an app for that too.

The Parrot DIA probably wont be available until February, and we don’t know for how much, but something tells me I won’t be stacking 5 of them in my closet for next Christmas.

Philips BDP7580 offers wireless HDMI

Philips intends to light up CES 2011 with their latest Wireless HDMI Blu-ray player known as the BDP7580, which is actually the first of its kind in the world. Just what does this wireless HDMI player offer? Well, it should be able to appease even the most curious of home theater fans, as who doesn’t want to move on to the world of wireless connectivity? At least the Philips BDP7580 would mean losing the risk of tripping over a wire – not that you need another one in your living room, right? Besides, having another wire behind the TV cabinet would mean an extra place for dust bunnies to settle down, which is something nobody wants considering the amount of work required to clean it up. Let’s take a look at the Philips BDP7580 in a closer manner right after the jump.

Expect the Philips BDP7580 to come with features including 3D playback, Philips MediaConnect, NetTV, Netflix and Blockbuster streaming – this will clearly expand the boundaries on just how much entertainment you will be able to receive in the comfort of your living rooms. It does sound as though you no longer need the computer to keep yourself entertained, and it might also push you to make that new TV upgrade sooner rather than later. If the missus objects, just let her know that she can watch her favorite drama series over Netflix streaming and perhaps she’ll be hooked and give her permission to the family coffers.

Back to the Philips BDP7580 – since it offers wireless HDMI, this interface eliminates the clutter with only one power cord. MediaConnect also lets consumers connect wirelessly to the PC and to the TV for unlimited access to online movies, photos, videos, and social networking among others. The desktop itself is mirrored on the TV screen and the entire Internet is but a single click away. Expect Philips to roll out the BDP7580 this coming April for $499.99 a pop.

OCOSMOS Gamer’s Dream tablet PC rolls out

OCOSMOS from South Korea has just introduced what they dub to be the “world’s most user-friendly personal computer and gaming device” – although we aren’t too sure on whether that claim warrants such a title or not. Of course, you can always settle for the official name of the OCS9 Tablet PC, where it is touted to revolutionize both professional and gaming PC markets. This tiny tablet will run off Intel’s next generation Atom platform known as “Oak Trail”, where Windows 7 Home Premium is the operating system of choice. The spokesperson claims that it can run the most demanding online PC games, MMORPG, 3D, productivity and social networking applications, although we’re not too sure whether you will get Crysis on full-blown graphics settings without it dropping to 1fps or something. Bear in mind that being able to run a game and running it smoothly are totally different things, so we wouldn’t get our hopes up on something like this just yet.

Using the rather unique and yet usable OMOS Key interface, it is touted to enhance the ease and speed of tasks and games commonly performed on a laptop or desktop where its intuitive control mechanism is superior to multi-touch interfaces for playing games and browsing the Web. Of course, there are some of us who would prefer to settle for the usual keyboard and mouse set up, but that remains to be seen, of course, until we actually have a device like this to try out.

The OCS9 was specially designed for hardcore and casual gaming, interactive entertainment, social networking and productivity applications, coming with a 9-inch multi-touch display and accompanied by a detachable QWERTY controller with virtual keyboard, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, GPS navigation support, and USB 2.0 High Speed. It says “powerful stereo sound” but we aren’t too sure on that considering the relatively tiny size of this device. There is no word on pricing or availability of this puppy, but we do expect it to have marginally average sales if and when released as we don’t think the market has evolved to such a stage yet.

Cordless Electrotherapy Pain Reliever

Are you sick and tired of taking in so much drugs into your body to soothe that pain, that you are looking for an alternative method in which it will not kill your kidneys or liver in the process? This is where the Cordless Electrotherapy Pain Relievercomes in, as this device will soothe sore muscles without having it tethered to a power outlet. Utilizing a similar technology that is employed by physical therapists, the battery powered device’s electrodes will emit low-voltage electrical pulses which stimulate muscles, help facilitate blood flow and oxygen to injuries, and reduce lactic acid, relieving muscle aches and pain. It isn’t too large to tote around either, being roughly the size of a wristwatch, allowing it to be attached anywhere on the body thanks to a reusable self-adhesive pad which can be worn under clothing while you work, or perhaps even during some light exercise sessions without hindering your movement. Boasting up to eight levels of intensity which can be easily adjusted thanks to the three-button control panel and LCD, this $69.95 purchase is powered by a CR2032 battery that offers up to 20 hours of juice.

ViewSonic ViewPad 4 Android-powered handset

ViewSonic will be rolling out the ViewPad 4 Android-powered handset in due time, although they decided to use the CES platform to announce its presence. Running inside would be Qualcomm’s 1GHz MSM8255 processor that ties everything together, including a 4.1-inch WVGA display, a 5 megapixel auto-focus camera with 720p video recording capability, GPS support, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity and HDMI out, just in case you want to show off the latest high definition videos on the big screen. There is also a 3-megapixel front-facing camera that paves the way for video calls if you want to, now all you need is a decent data plan that won’t break the bank. As for pricing, expect to fork out anywhere up to $549 for an unlocked model, but the amount of subsidies are largely carrier-dependent as it ships sometime in the middle of this year onwards.

Garmin GHS 20/20i Wireless Remote Handset

Garmin is more often than not known for their range of GPS navigation devices, and this time around in conjunction with the London International Boat Show, the company decided to roll out something slightly different from the usual – the Garmin GHS 20/20i Wireless Remote Handset. To put it in layman’s terms, these are a couple of full-function wireless remotes which will play nice with Garmin’s range of compatible VHF (Very Hugh Frequency) radios (case in point – Garmin’s VHF 200 and VHF 300 series radios, alongside the VHF 200i and VHF 300i international radios).

The use of the GHS 20 or GHS 20i means your boat’s communication station does not have to be stationary any more, making it an invaluable accessory to mariners since it provides freedom to move around the boat without losing an iota of control of their VHF radio. Sporting a rugged, waterproof form factor that is easy and simple to use, the GHS 20/20i will come with a backlit LCD display, soft keys, a rotary knob to adjust the volume, squelch and channel selection, and a built-in speaker mic for use in loud environments. With the intercom function, mariners are able to communicate with the base station, where the GHS 20/20i wireless handset will also sport a DSC distress function and 16/9 or 16+ channel selection right on the handset. Featuring a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, both remote headsets are able to deliver up to 18 hours of juice, and if you need to provide a quick boost, there is always the option to purchase a charging cradle to go along with the works. There is a bundled version available which will see the GHS 20/20i come with a GWH 20 wireless hub, where the latter delivers Bluetooth connectivity to your VHF radio.

The wireless hub is able to support up to a trio of GHS 20/20i handsets onboard, providing you with the flexibility to expand your onboard communication system, while giving you the ability to use walky-talky capabilities between handsets. They aren’t available now but will hit the retail market sometime in Q2 this year, where the GHS 20 is tipped to go for $299.99, while the GHS 20 with GWH 10 bundle will cost another Benjamin more. For international use, the GHS 20i sports a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $349.99, while those who are looking forward to the GHS 20i with the GWH 20 bundled will have to fork out $449.99.

Samsung and DIRECTV announces partnership

CES 2011 is the platform where Samsung announced their partnership with DIRECTV, and the result of this alliance is the birth of the first RVU-compatible production televisions, providing over 19.1 million DIRECTV subscribers with the ability to watch live broadcast and stored content from their DVR on Samsung smart TVs – and all this without requiring any more set-top boxes. Sounds like good news, don’t you think so, as there is one less thing to buy and have around your home. This is because of Samsung and DIRECTV’s position as founding members of the RVU Alliance, hence their commitment to deliver a more seamless entertainment experience for consumers across multiple rooms and a variety of screens, thanks to the availability of standardized Remote User Interface (RUI) technology.

The RVU protocol will see action on Samsung’s LED D6000, LED D6400 and LED 6420 TV range which will in turn reflect the company’s commitment to delivering consumers high-quality, visually enhanced and connected entertainment experiences in their home. A RUI technology that is based on industry standards such as DLNA and UPnP, RVU enables a set-top box server to provide a multi-room, complete viewing experience which will comprise of DVR services, all without having to have additional set-top boxes in homes that already contain more than a single connected TV.

DIRECTV’s RVU server itself is capable of supporting multiple connected televisions, where it will allow the user interface and features to be displayed straight on those connected TVs. This partnership will see Samsung embed support for RVU in their smart TVs and providing its customers with the full DIRECTV experience, including DVR services, live pause abilities on all screens in the home, 200 hours worth of shared storage, picture-in-picture capabilities and the power to record up to five shows at once. Patience is a virtue though, as Samsung’s RVU-compatible TVs will be available only in a couple of months’ time this year for a yet undisclosed price point. At least that gives you time to start saving up for a new TV, right?

Pyramat Tablet Chair and Tablet Chair DLX

Pyramat – surely you have heard of that name before, where they are fine purveyors of sound furniture. Well, the company is back in the thick of action this CES with their Tablet Chair and Tablet Chair DLX, where both chairs were specially designed to provide tablet users with a hi-tech haven of comfort and function. The Tablet Chair will boast a fully integrated tablet support system that boasts of an adjustable swivel arm, built-in speakers, and USB power among others. This is in line with the wide range of tablets that are already in the market today (as well as in the months ahead after seeing a plethora of them hitting the CES showfloor). Among the features of the new Pyramat Tablet Chairs are a swivel arm that sports adjustable height and angle, 2.0/2.1 speakers, a POWERSUB subwoofer in the DLX model, an MP3 cable jack, USB power and audio as well as being virtually compatible with all tablets – including the super popular iPad. Out this fall, the Pyramat Tablet Chair and Tablet Chair DLX will retail for $139.99 and $179.99, respectively.

Apple breaks 1 million app download mark on Mac App Store

Mac App Store in just its first day. This is pretty amazing, considering there are just slightly more than a thousand free and paid apps to choose from, so it goes to show just what kind of strength of depth that Apple has with their customers and loyalists. According to Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, “We’re amazed at the incredible response the Mac App Store is getting. Developers have done a great job bringing apps to the store and users are loving how easy and fun the Mac App Store is.” Apps in various categories such as Education, Games, Graphics & Design, Lifestyle, Productivity, and Utilities are available, alongside a user ratings and review system to help you make a more informed and educated decision before purchase. Have you tried out the Mac App Store yet, and do you have any comments on it?