Full FeedCES Highlight: ‘Big Bill’ Gates makes appearance at CES
While Microsoft’s Robbie Bach was showing off the addition of game shows like 1 vs. 100 to Xbox Live Primetime, Microsoft founder Bill Gates made an appearance as a character in the game with the name “Big Bill”. As you can imagine, the audience let off a big chuckle when he was first shown on the keynote stage screens.
And you thought Bill Gates wasn’t coming to CES this year…silly you.
Via [Steve Ballmer Keynote]
RelatedVideo: Intel shows off Minority Report-like glass touch screen at CES
Ever since the movie Minority Report came out in 2002, large touch screens have been compared to the infamous one in the movie. This year at CES, Intel showed off a rough prototype touch screen that involved projecting an image from the rear onto a piece of glass. We don’t have many details other than what we saw with our own eyes, but it seemed that the piece of glass was rigged with some capacitive sensors between two pieces of glass, and it was powered by Intel’s new Core i7 chip.
Circuit City Update: Company up for sale, possible liquidation after Jan. 16
The bricks and mortar retail giant that once was - Circuit City - announced Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection back in November. Now, the company has issued an update stating that they are putting themselves up for sale as a “going concern” - meaning the company will continue to operate as a business entity but is faced with the threat of possible liquidation in the near future. The update also states that the company is in talks with two parties that may be interested in participating in an auction for the company come January 13. If no sale is made by January 16 however, the company may be forced to liquidate its assets and drop dead.
We’ve always known Circuit City was in trouble with their lack of good marketing, “me too” attitude, and inability to generate buzz, but it’s still tough to see an old friend in trouble. Circuit City - if it means anything - if I had a few billion laying around, I just might swoop you up.
Company Update [Circuit City]
RelatedUnlocked Nokia E63 hits the US for $279
If you’ve been waiting for the E63 to hit the US, you’re in luck. The US optimized Nokia E63 runs on Symbian S60 and is a QWERTY smartphone with 3G connectivity. The device comes with a free subscription to FIles on Ovi, which lets you store up to 1GB of content online. Similar to its stylish brother, the E71, the unlocked E63 allows you to customize your homescreen and gives you the opportunity to create mutiple different homescreens optimized for home and work. We all know how hard it is to leave work at work, so Nokia’s aiming to help you maintain that healthy separation. Have your gmail account linked from your personal homescreen, and your work’s Exchange account linked from your work homescreen.
Pick up yourself a Nokia E63 shortly for $279.
RelatedPalm webOS app store dubbed App Catalog, SDK out to select partners
By now you’ve likely heard that Palm has announced the phone that may just bring their company back to life, the Palm Pre. The company finally released their next-gen operating system as well, named webOS. Palm’s developer site has just revealed the site’s app store will be called App Catalog. The idea of having an mobile marketplace took off when Apple announced their App Store for the iPhone / iPod touch, and was followed by RIM’s Blackberry and Google’s Android this past year.
Scandyna shows off speaker amplifier and iPod dock in one, the Amp 2
If you’re not familiar with Scandyna, the company started with a group of Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) developers being assigned to create great sounding speakers at an affordable price. Scandyna has just introduced the Amp 2, a speaker amplifier with an iPod dock, RDS FM radio, alarm clock and USB PnP in one. The unit has a look that fits in with their other colorful products (namely Podspeakers), and will come in black, white, and red. The Amp 2 has a phono jack, minijacks, and USB hookups, and comes with a remote control.
The Amp 2 from Scandyna will debut in March or April this year.
KORG nanoSERIES drum machine: No drum sticks required
Music electronics company KORG has extended their lineup with the introduction of the USB-powered nanoSERIES, which includes the nanoPAD, nanoKONTROL, and nanoKEY. Like many other products out there, the KORG doesn’t short-change you just because it’s USB-powered. Check out the demo we recorded, and you’ll see what I mean. Product details can be found below.
Take a ride on the new pedal-assist Schwinn Tailwind
Schwinn’s Tailwind Electric Bicycle was released back in September, but we had a chance to take a ride on the eco-friendly beauty. The ride was in a ballroom in the Wynn, so it didn’t exactly emulate a real-world joy ride, but it gave me a taste for what the cycle is capable of. The electric bike rides exactly like a regular bike, but about 5 or 6 seconds into the ride, it starts assisting you. Once you stop pedaling, the electric motor stops - so this is no moped. Additionally, when you use the hand breaks, the motor stops as well.
A full charge of the exclusive Toshiba batter will get you around 20 miles, and it takes a mere 30 minutes to charge up. If you get a commercial charger however, you can charge up in just 5 minutes - which is very impressive. The Schwinn Tailwind will hit stores early this year for $3,199.
Video: Casio’s Dynamic Photo green-screen-like technology
At Casio’s press conference, founder Kazuo Kashio wowed us with the company’s latest development in portable video—Dynamic Photo. Dynamic Photo is similar to a feature in Apple’s Photo Booth you may be familiar with. First, you capture a video of someone using one of their new point and shoot cameras, then you take a picture of the background without them in the frame, let the camera do some processing, and whala—you can make the background disappear. The technology finds the difference between the frames in the video and the picture you took, and creates a “cut-out” of the person, so you can place them on top of any other picture. This is similar to the technology Hollywood uses with green screens, however sans the green screen. Check out the video demonstrations and let us know what you think.
Dynamic Photo will be available in many of the company’s new products, including the new EX-FC100.
Bowers & Wilkins new Panorama soundbar
The company behind the high-end iPod dock - the Zepplin - has introduced their latest contribution to home audio. Like many other soundbars out there, the the Panorama soundbar offers a simple and elegant all-in-one home theater solution. If you’ve check out the Zepplin since it’s launch a year ago, the sound quality is amazing—so I’m sure the Panorama follows it up quite well.
The Panorama has 9 drive units enclosed in an aluminum casing: two bass woofers, two midrange drivers, an aluminum dome tweeter, along with four others that complete the package. Mount the unit below your flat-panel LCD or Plasma, and you’ve got yourself a complete package. Pick one up for $2,200 this spring. More shots of the Panorma below.
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Palm Pre Information & Updates
Palm just introduced their next-gen smartphone, the Palm Pre, and next-gen operating system, Palm webOS. Gadgetell's got the latest Pre and webOS information and news for you right here.
