Posts in PC & Peripherals
CES and the recession: What was the impact?
Daniel Terdiman | Jan 13, 2009
At CES 2009, the length of the cab lines--often a barometer of the show's population--were shorter than usual. Here, dozens of cabs pull into the Las Vegas Convention Center, despite a lack of the crowds that have meant hour-long waits in the past.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News)
LAS VEGAS--There are probably a lot of different ways to measure how the deepening recession has impacted the Consumer Electronics Show, but in Sin City, it stands to reason that one of the best is how much business the local strip clubs are getting.
In an entirely unscientific survey, then, my conclusion is that CES was hit hard by the downturn, at least if the experience of one local taxi driver is any indication.
"We taxi drivers, we've got a thing with the strip clubs, where we get a kickback... so it's big money if we can get the guys to go to the strip clubs," said Darryl, a 54-year-old cab driver who asked that his last name not be used. "I went to the clubs (during CES), thinking maybe I could get some guys to take them back to their hotels, but I didn't have any luck. And a friend, he was hoping to get some strip club rides, since they pay us US$50 a head, and he didn't have any luck...They weren't going out of their way to spend money like they normally would, for that extra type of entertainment."
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Apple signs deal with LG for display supply
Tom Krazit | Jan 13, 2009
LG has cut a deal with Apple to supply displays for products like the MacBook Air.
(Credit: Apple)
Apple has signed a five-year deal with LG Electronics to secure a supply of LCD displays.
Reuters reports that LG has received US$500 million as a down payment on the deal, which LG disclosed in a filing to the Korea Exchange. The two companies are not exactly strangers; one analyst in South Korea estimated that LG already provides around 70 percent of Apple's flat-panel displays.
The deal appears to be somewhat similar to long-term supply deals that Apple has cut with flash-memory companies like Samsung, Micron, and Toshiba. Apple agreed to pay US$1.25 billion in 2005 to five flash-memory companies in order to make sure it had enough chips at the right prices as its iPod division grew.
Via CNET News
CES 2009 wrap-up: What killed in the monitor category
Eric Franklin | Jan 13, 2009
Samsung's LED-based 2370L is more than a little easy on the eyes.
(Credit: Eric Franklin/CBS Interactive)
Yes, Full HD was the buzzword for monitors this year. Full HD basically means a monitor has a 16:9 aspect ratio screen--as opposed to a 16:10--and either supports 1,920 x 1,080 (1080p) resolution natively or is at least compatible. All of the monitor vendors I covered this year had either their full lineup moving to 16:9 or at least the majority of it.
The reason for moving to Full HD is that monitors can then display 1080p content, like movies and broadcast sports, without requiring the be stretched or shrunken to fit the screen.
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CES 2009 wrap-up: What to expect from networking
Dong Ngo | Jan 13, 2009
Netgear shows off its Internet TV Player at CES 2009.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CBS Interactive)
The nicest surprise, however, was not a product but the return of Buffalo. After two years of court sanctions, Buffalo now has regained the right to sell networking products in US. It's interesting that in the Chinese calendar, 2009 is also the year of the Ox.
The company offers a few sleek-looking routers, both Wireless-N and Wireless-G. In my experience, Buffalo offers great budget routers, which are affordable and yet reliable at the same time. This is good news for consumers.
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Smartfish moving keyboard leads the fight against carpal tunnel
Justin Yu | Jan 13, 2009
Keyboards typically don't get the attention they deserve, but perhaps they should. According to Smartfish Technologies and a recent study by the U.S. Department of Labor, more than 28 million Americans suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome or some other repetitive stress injury due to repeated use of computer keyboards.
Smartfish Technologies recognizes the need for a more ergonomic solution and developed the Pro:Motion family of products, starting with the Automatic Moving Keyboard. The researchers at Smartfish found that the static nature of the most commonly used keyboards are the main cause of carpal tunnel, so they partnered up with a design firm to develop an innovative design. The Automatic Moving Keyboard keeps track of your typing activities and trends and periodically repositions the keys as you're typing to allow for a full range of variable motion. These "7 Stages of Comfort" cut down on the discomfort caused by repetition, and Smartfish claims that the user will experience increased productivity as a result.
A robotic keyboard that moves around on you sounds goofy, but the Pro:Motion is so discreet that after awhile, the user won't even notice its motorized movements. The keyboard also features an integrated wrist rest for increased ergonomic comfort. The Smartfish Pro:Motion keyboard is available now for around US$130.
Via CNET.com
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