CES

CES 2010: Best of the Show

2010-01-10T16:56:00Z

So, now that CES is over for another year, we can look back and take stock.

The buzz of the show was always going to be around 3D, same as last year. This time, though, it was all about 3D actually arriving with the consumer.

The odd thing was that, because everyone was displaying 3D, you almost instantly became blase about it - once you've seen one 3D demo, you've seen them all. Here's the Monsters Vs Aliens 3D Blu-ray being shown on Samsung's 3D home cinema package...

Slightly worrying, although it is early days, is that no one has designed a single pair of 3D glasses yet that don't make you look like the cast of Revenge of the Nerds.

So, while 3D was the overriding message, almost of more interest were things like the latest skinny TVs from LG and Samsung. LG's Ultra Slim LED is just 6.9mm thick and utterly beautiful.

Best TV picture quality of the show, for me, was the 55" Toshiba CELL REGZA, which claims to have over 100 times more processing power than other tellies. That means it will be able to convert 2D to 3D, although how well we don't yet know, and may come with a hard disk for recording TV shows. Expect it to have a price tag in excess of £3k.

Also interesting are the ways TVs are finally taking advantage of Wi-Fi. Samsung announced its app store that will sell apps for tellies as well as phones, while every broadband-ready LG set (over half their range) can make Skype video calls simply using a webcam attachment.

The other main theme, alongside 3D, was ebooks. The sheer number of people who have started to make ebook readers after all this time is like the MP3 boom of 5 years ago. The ones that stood out were, understandably, the ones doing something different.

Plastic Logic's Que (below) used a totally different screen technology - check out our Plastic Logic Que hands-on for more details - while the Spring Design Alex had a separate colour touchscreen displaying an Android interface for browsing the reader's content. Worked quite well, but wouldn't really be necessary if someone would make a slicker touch-sensitive e-ink interface with faster processing.

Personally I'd hold off buying an ebook reader right now until I've seen what the Apple iSlate turns out to be and do.

Talking of Apple, it seems everyone's still surrendering the MP3 market to them. The only noteworthy MP3 player was Samsung's IceTouch, which has a transparent touchscreen you can control from the back. Interesting but unlikely to make a dent in iPod sales. More at our Samsung IceTouch hands-on.

As for the forthcoming iSlate, Microsoft's expected (hoped-for?) rival turned out to be the terribly disappointing "slate PC" form factor. The announcement was so sheepish that we even asked the question is Microsoft afraid to take on the iSlate?

At least in Microsoft's bum-numbing 2-hour keynote Project Natal was confirmed for a Christmas 2010 on-sale date, and it'll be plug-in hardware for Xbox 360 rather than a new console. Not sure what it is? Read our 5 things you need to know about Project Natal.

Although the Windows 7-based slate PCs seemed dull, of more interest was the Android tablet concept from Dell (below), with a 5" screen and 3G. T-Mobile announced something similar but with a 15.6" screen - see our T-Mobile Vega hands-on for the lowdown.

Even cooler was the Lenovo Ideapad U1 hybrid, which uses a full-colour LCD screen to display Windows 7 - but when the screen is detached it becomes a multi-touch tablet running Linux. Crazytown. Read our Lenovo Ideapad U1 hands on for more info.

CES isn't renowned for being a mobile phone show, but LG again came through with the goods - the LG exPo (below) has a pico projector attachment for the back. Read our LG exPo hands-on for more deets. Palm also showed off new handsets - see our Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus hands-on.

Camera-wise, the best offering by far was the Samsung NX10, which applies similar principles to the Micro Four-Thirds cameras by using an electronic eye viewfinder to reduce size - but unlike those, it uses a bigger APS-C sensor. See our Samsung NX10 hands-on.

Rather duller, but more significant, was Panasonic's announcement of SDXC cards that would hold up to 2TB. Panny also had wow factor, though, with a show-stopping 152" 3DTV.

The coolest concepts on show came from Asus, who are never shy about showing their view of the future.

The Asus Waveface line-up included the Case, the Ultra and the Light. The Waveface Ultra (below) is a touch-sensitive AMOLED strip that wraps round your wrist and accesses web-based info like weather and RSS feeds.

The Waveface Light is a touch-sensitive internet tablet with virtual keyboard, designed for cloud computing.

Waveface Casa is essentially just a web-connected TV, but with an odd flexible cover that obscures part of the screen when it's not in use - the areas of the screen left uncovered display customisable information.

Not to be outdone, Intel showed off the power of its chips by building a giant multi-touch wall. Take a peek at our Intel Infoscape video.

So, show's over, folks - but that doesn't mean we've covered everything yet, so keep an eye out for more stories over the coming days. Now, what else did I see...?

CES 2010: Asus T10MT touchscreen netbook hands-on photos

2010-01-10T16:30:00Z

A year ago, Asus announced the T91 at CES 2009. Fast forward 365 days (give or take) and Asus have lifted the curtain on another swiveling, twisty tablet PC/netbook and the successor to the T91 - the T10MT.

Unlike the T91 which has a pretty measly 9-inch screen, the T10 boasts more eye-friendly 10-inch screen area. And unlike the T91 the T10 supports multi-touch on both the screen and trackpad - although we were experiencing a bit of a problem on the stand and didn't really get to test this out at all. The screen itself is resistive so it's going to take a little bit more effort in the pressure department to get it to follow your commands. There is of course a stylus on hand to assist. It helps that Asus are still bundling its netbook hybrid with handwriting recognition software too.

Bigger screen area also means the chiclet keyboard is a lot more spaced out and therefore a lot easier to use, without making your hands feel like they're morphing into claws. It still sports the same UI and features Asus' custom interface, Touchgate, so usability is pretty similar to its predecessor and hasn't seen much of an upgrade from what we could tell.

There will be two versions to get your grubby mitts on (yes, they love fingerprints) - an entry level model with an Intel Atom N450 CPU, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive and Windows 7 starter edition. If that doesn't take your fancy you could always go for the slightly more advanced model, complete with the same processor, 2GM RAM, a 320GB hard drive and Windows 7 Home Premium.

Both machines pack the usual netbook suspects, such as Wifi and Bluetooth and promise a battery life of around 6.5 hours (depending on usage).

Prices and release dates are unknown but as soon as Asus brings us in on the info, we'll do the same for you.

[by Lucy Hedges]

CES 2010: Asus Eee Keyboard hands-on photos

2010-01-10T15:36:00Z

Devices with integrated touchscreens have been a pretty big deal at CES this year - just ask Samsung.

The Eee Keyboard was unveiled as a concept at CES last year and it was all very exciting - a home entertainment PC within a keyboard you say? This year it's been unveiled as a veritable product that we will hopefully be seeing on the shelves as soon as February.

The Eee keyboard is essentially a good looking keyboard on the outside, complete with a 5-inch touchscreen and a PC on the inside. It can be used as a stand alone unit for browsing the web and for undertaking other simple tasks - you can even enjoy watching video on it thanks to its built in speakers. We had a quick visit to YouTube and are happy to report the screen responded well and was easy to use, although you will need to make of the stylus for more intricate touchscreen activity (especially if you have chunky digits). Alternatively, the Eee keyboard can be used in conjunction with another device. For example, you can hook it up to your TV to stream movies and enjoy 720p content on your HDTV.

It's specs haven't changed much and still sound rather netbook-esque - running Windows XP on a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU (upgraded from Atom 450 in concept model), 1GB RAM and a choice of either a 16 or 32GB SSD. There's also WiFi with Ultrawideband HDMI connectivity (for both audio and HD video) as well as Bluetooth 2.0. You'll find a familiar set of video, audio and USB ports around the back too. And at 1kg, it's nice and portable.

So, it's had a few cosmetic and specification changes but overall the concept has remained the same. And with a battery life of up to 4 hours, there's plenty to get out of this interactive little keyboard.

It's fair to say the Eee Keyboard is a very niche product. Something tells us it'll be the early adopters and gadget enthusiasts who'll be first to snap this clever keyboard up in Feb. However, considering how long Asus' wonder-keyboard has been 'in production', we're taking the February release date with a pinch of salt.

[by Lucy Hedges]

CES 2010: Samsung Touch Remote hands-on photos

2010-01-10T14:32:00Z

The Samsung C9000 is a stunning piece of television equipment. It may be ultra thin and aim to bring high quality 3D into our homes, but what distinguishes it from all the other TV sets unveiled at CES this year is by having one of the most coolest and innovative remote controls we've ever seen. In fact, its remote is so impressive it may have actually upstaged the TV itself.

Introducing the Samsung Touch Remote, complete with WiFi and a video previewing LCD touchscreen that'll allow you to view content from other sources such as live TV while watching The Dark Knight on Blu-ray on the big box. That's not all folks - it also full supports 1080p resolution.

Using the Touch Remote's Twin View capabilities you needn't miss anything again. Let's say you have to run to the kitchen to fix yourself a cuppa or you need the toilet, you'll be able to watch your programme every step of the the way on the remote. And thanks to its built in speaker, it'll be just like having a well-designed portable TV.

But it's not just been designed for those kinds of scenarios - the remote can play content independently of the TV too, using Channel View. So you can browse channels without disrupting what's on the big screen, simply giving the screen a tap if you do decide to play it on the TV. And using its All Share feature, you can connect it to your computer to stream content such as videos directly to the remote's display, or you can opt view your latest snaps while Eastenders plays on in the background.

The remote itself looks and feels like a mobile phone, complete with haptic feedback and sound effects found on existing Samsung handsets. The screen is pretty vibrant too. One thing we must say is that it was incredibly responsive to our commands and very easy to use. Taking on a mobile phone exterior also gives the impression it will smash into a thousand pieces if dropped on the floor, so the utmost care will be needed - you won't be able to treat this one like your bog standard Freeview remote.

Samsung's Touch Remote is one of those gadgets that you don't really need but it wold be incredibly awesome if you had one.

The Touch Remote is not exclusive to the C9000 and will be available as an accessory for a selection of LED LCD TVs.

CES 2010: Samsung C9000 hands-on photos

2010-01-10T13:50:00Z

If there's one thing we've learnt from CES this year, it's thin is in. And LG weren't the only ones attempting to wow us with an ultra slim goggle box. Samsung thought it'd give it a pop too. And the result, the flagship C9000 series with a gorgeous brushed aluminum frame that's able to maintain its thin profile because all inputs and its tuner are built right into the disp ay.

Although we don't have exact measurements (0.3 of an inch has been thrown around), the C9000 is impressively thin. Samsung were quick to tell u the C9000 is thinner then LG's uber slim 6.9mm thick TV offering, however, with its thickness simply being referred to as being "skinny as a pencil" and having seen both LG's and Samsung's size zero attempts in the flesh (or metal), we think LG - nly very slightly - trumps Samsung in the skinny stakes.

Given that you couldn't walk around CES without bumping into something 3D, means it's no surprise Samsung's new range of "ultra thin" LED backli LCD TV's have 3D ready support. Like we've seen on a range of TVs unveiled at CES, the new sets feature proprietary 3D technology that can convert 2D video to 3D. However this was presented as a temporary solution until 3D becomes a little more popular nd more 3D video is available. Samsung Apps will be fully supported too, giving a firm salute to its WiFi capabilities, so you can get as much use out of your good looking TV as possible.

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What gives Samsung's range of TVs a bit more edge is its superiorly cool touch remote that comes with it, that'll be able to show you content from other video sources while keeping what you want on the big screen. There's no word on a release date or how much it'll set you back but it will be available in 55 and 46-inch flavours.

[by Lucy Hedges]

CES 2010: Asus NX90 18.4-inch laptop

2010-01-08T20:18:21Z

This is certainly no Eee PC. In fact, we like to think of it as an "anti-netbook". Yep, the 18.4-inch, 18:9 NX90 certainly throws traditional laptop design right out of the window - it doesn't even look like a laptop when it's closed.

Taking some design advice from the brains at Bang & Olufsen, the NX90 features unique dual multitouch trackpads on either side of the keyboard for two-handed control, or "intuitive DJ like control" according to Asus.

That's not the only thing you'll notice on its sides though - that's where the speakers are too, sloping outwards from top to bottom so the sound is directed to the user's ears.

Asus said its main goal for this laptop is to deliver a hi-def audio experience in a portable computer, and although the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Centre were filled to the brim with the babble of excitable tech journalists, its high-end sound quality was noticeable and we could tell the speakers delivered powerful sound.

It's no surprise then that not only were B&O on hand to help with the prettifying of the NX90, but of course also provided its audio.

However, sound quality isn't the only high end feature on this laptop, which packs a 1080p display and a Blu-ray drive for watching all your HD movies.

The rest of its specs are also further testament to its quality - fitted with an Intel Core i7 processor (of which can be "Turbo Boosted" to 3.06Ghz) and dual HDD support for up to 1280GB. There's also up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM and graphics are covered with the Nvidia GeForce GT335M.

Looking to the OS and it runs Windows 7, and comes in two models - matte finish or brushed aluminum, so it's all down to whether you want your laptop to come with a side of fingerprints or not.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed but we're being told to expect it to fall into the £2,000 price category when it lands in May this year. Pricey, but ne thing's for sure – this is one beast of a multimedia laptop.

Do you like it? Drop us a comment below, and be sure to check out our other CES coverage on some of the links below.

More CES stuff:
Check out the details of the new Palm Pre & Pixie phones and Motorola Backflip
Watch our CES 2010 preview, CES 2010 press day round up, and CES day 2 round up videos
Read about some CES trends we've spotted: 3DTVs, Android, cameras, sporty gadgets and ereaders
Hands on with Google Nexus One, Intel InfoScape, Samsung ereaders and the Panasonic 152-inch TV
Paddy's CES predictions: 3DTV, eBooks and tablets

Follow the Stuff CES team on Twitter:
Stuff editor Fraser Macdonald
Stuff.tv editor Simon Osborne-Walker
Consulting editor Tom Dunmore
Reviews editor Mark Wilson

CES 2010: Panasonic 3D camcorder hands on photos

2010-01-08T19:47:56Z

We were all rather wowed by the Fujifilm Real3D W1 when we got our mitts on it last year, but Panasonic has taken it up a notch and unveiled the world's first integrated twin lens, full HD, 3D camcorder.

Looking a little bit like the world's most lovable robot Wall-E, the camcorder has to be one of the coolest – if not most costly with its £13,500 price tag – gadget unveiled by Panasonic at CES this year. Yes, we reckon it even pips the 152-inch mega TV.

The camcorder is different to current professional 3D cams in that it uses separate recorders to capture its 1080p HD footage, and has its lenses, camera head and dual memory card reader built into one body. And if you were expecting it to be a rather hefty device - it weighs in at under 3kg.

Its size and weight is helped by its solid state drive, and will record footage to SDHC/SD cards.

Pre-orders are being taken from April in the States, with an expected release date of sometime this Autumn.

Being able to shoot your own 3D movies easily is a nice idea - here's hoping the idea makes it into more reasonable figures sometime soon. What do you think? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check out the rest of our CES coverage – there's some handy links for you below.

More CES stuff:
Check out the details of the new Palm Pre & Pixie phones
Watch our CES 2010 preview video and CES 2010 press day round up video
Read about our other CES themes: 3DTVs, pico projector phones, cameras and ereaders
Hands on with Google Nexus One, Intel InfoScape, Skype on TV and the Alex eReader
Paddy's CES predictions: 3DTV, eBooks and tablets

Follow the Stuff CES team on Twitter:
Stuff editor Fraser Macdonald
Stuff.tv editor Simon Osborne-Walker
Consulting editor Tom Dunmore
Reviews editor Mark Wilson

CES 2010: Panasonic 152-inch 3DTV

2010-01-08T19:23:31Z

Panasonic have unleashed what it is calling the world's largest 152-inch full HD 3D Plasma display.

Although it may be almost too big to be any use to the every day consumer, it certainly has that "I want one of those" appeals about it, with some rather impressive specs to make even the most discerning gadget fondler turn their head.

Panasonic's super sized TV has a screen resolution of 4K X 2K (4096x2160) – more easily realised when told its basically like having four full HD plasma TVs with a 21:9 aspect ratio crammed together into one gigantic cinematic wonder. Wowsers.

Not only that though, this massive TV also packs one of the big trends we've seen at CES this year – 3D. You'll need active shutter glasses to view it though, and of course you'll be able to view non-3D content on it too.

It also packs self-illuminating panels, meaning the TV provides a great response to moving images and the result is rather impressive.

If you can afford it, it's yours for around $8,000, but don't worry if you can't. You probably won't be able to fit it into your living room anyway.

CES 2010: Samsung IceTouch transparent MP3 player

2010-01-08T19:14:56Z

Samsung have come up with a new way to differentiate themselves from its competitors - by creating an MP3 player with a 2-inch transparent display. At this stage however, it is just a concept - but what a great concept. According to Samsung, the IceTouch is the world's first transparent MP3 player with an AMOLED display.

Design wise, Samsung have opted to forgo the traditional central trackpad as seen on a majority of MP3 players, instead choosing to control all its features via the touchscreen. In fact, as far as we know, the rubber panel at the bottom is there for aesthetic purposes only, giving it a bit of a kiddy-esque feel in the process.

These rubber panels are actually interchangeable, so you can give your MP3 player a bit of a makeover if blue is getting boring.

We had a bit of a play around with it and while the touchscreen proved to be a little temperamental at times, generally it worked pretty smoothly. However, being a concept, the touchscreen is most certainly still under construction. But according to one of the Samsung reps we could be seeing it as early as the second quarter of this year worldwide. And when it does eventually arrive, hopefully we'll be able to tell you just how good its touchscreen really is.

Like we've seen on the LG Crystal, its transparent display is a bit of a gimmick, but it looks good and brings something new to the world of MP3 players. The graphics were also nice and sharp, so we're going to have to patiently wait for its arrival so we can judge this little see-through MP3 player properly.

[by Lucy Hedges]

CES 2010: Samsung ereaders hands on

2010-01-08T18:50:38Z

As we've heard, Samsung have joined the ereader game and officially pulled the covers off of the E6 and E101 readers.

E6:

What they didn't tell us in the press releases that they also have another two models up their sleeve – the as yet nameless 5-inch model, and 6-inch model with a QWERTY keyboard.

5-inch model:

To rundown the specs of all four, first up you can expect monochrome touchscreens with built-in stylus pens. According to Samsung, this will save you time when using your eReader as it "prevents mistypes caused by hands and other objects". The un-named QWERTY 6-incher will pack a keyboard for easier emailing, giving it a stand out feature from the rest of the bunch.

6 inch model with QWERTY:

All four will also offer 2GB memory, a built-in MP3 player for listening to music and audio books, handwriting capabilities with the stylus, built-in dictionaries and up to 24 hours battery life.

There'll be Bluetooth 2.0 for sharing content and they'll be DLNA-enabled to share content with other DLNA devices in the home.

Separately though, the E6 has a slide up part to reveal a trackpad for easy navigation and the E101 boasts calligraphy and edit functions (cut, copy & paste). Between them, the E6 and E101 feature Samsung's Text-to-Speech engine, which means they will be able to read books aloud – it's not known if this will make its way in to the two as yet nameless models.

E101:

We know we can expect the E6 and E101 in the UK in March but UK pricing is currently up in the air. We do know they'll retail in the US for $399 for the E6 andn $699 for the E101 though, which is really rather pricey.

What do you think? Let us know below.

CES 2010: Some observations from the front line

2010-01-08T15:54:00Z

Firstly, the major manufacturers seem to be having a competition to see who can have deeper pile carpet on their stands. I’ve seen three power-business women nearly topple as their heels dive into the fibrous depths.

Secondly, and not surprisingly, 3D is all over the place. The big board advertising on the front of the Las Vegas Convention Center, which must surely be hotly contested, is Sharp TV, Sony TV and Samsung TV. Even the guys selling Eiffel Tower-shaped USB memory sticks and fish tank PC cases have placards claiming their tat is ‘3D compatible’. The major claim is that what we currently watch, or play, is not ‘real’ enough. As much as I want to be cynical about what is essentially a driver for manufacturers to sell new products, and networks to sell more content, it’s compelling. Once you’ve seen something done in 3D, its 2D version is never going to appeal. It’s going to become snobbish, much like Blu-ray over DVD is at the moment.

But, thirdly, in the last year, the world has changed. It may not have become warmer, but the implication that it will has become a hot topic. Or has it? All the big manufacturers have an eco corner on their stands. But all are unmanned: neither staff nor punters hang in the eco corner, and so three or four TVs – ostensibly designed not to waste energy - shine forth their message unto passing deaf eyes. Presumably having had their ability to recognise that no-one is watching them and so set themselves to standby turned off. Which brings us back to 3D again: Toshiba made a big point yesterday or saying that its 3D-compatible TVs needed to have twice the brightness of standard dimension TVs, because of the shutter tech. Looks like the insatiable desire for 3D and the need to be eco-friendly are set to have a face off in 2010…

[by Fraser Macdonald]

CES 2010: Intel Infoscape is a geek magnet

2010-01-08T12:16:37Z

Processors aren't a great source of scintillating dinner party chat. Intel knows this, so instead of just boasting about the graphical prowess of its dozen or so new chips, it did the only sensible thing – build a giant, mesmerising multitouch wall.

Of course, the 'Infoscape' is completely pointless, but it is very pretty and attracted geeks at CES 2010 like a giant electric fly trap (as you can see in our video).

Powered by Core i7, it shows a seemingly infinite wave of blocks, all of which feature a live story from Google News. Touch one of the blocks, and the story opens up for you to read.

Clutching at straws for possible uses, the presenter suggested libraries might benefit from installing an Infoscape. Of course, it's really just a clever way to show off Core i7. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a wall to prod...

[by Mark Wilson]

More CES news:
Hands-on with Lenovo Ideapad U1
Microsoft demoes HP 'slate'
Hands-on with the LG exPo projector phone
eReaders aplenty at CES
Hands-on with the Plastic Logic Que proReader
Video: CES goes 3D crazy

CES 2010: transparent is the new piano black

2010-01-08T12:16:14Z

There have been movements through black, white, silver, gold, primary colours, hot pinks and electric blues. But the new colour trend in gadgetland is no colour at all.

We’ve seen (or not) the odd clear plastic surround. Heck, even the transistor’s precursor was a glowing glass valve.

Now transparent tech is back on the rise. And it’s not just the housing that’s getting a glassy makeover. Witness the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness, a phone whose screen is a window to the world beyond.

Okay, so it’s a bit of a gimmick, and potentially a bit of an annoyance once the novelty wears off, but there is method to some of this madness.

Take the AMOLED screen of Samsung’s new IceTouch PMP (pictured), which acts as one-way glass. Why? Because the controls are fondled by a finger behind the screen.

And it doesn’t look like Sammy’s stopping there. Following in the invisible footsteps of the IceTouch, the company is showing a 14-inch concept laptop at CES with a transparent screen (AMOLED, again) and bezel.

We’re not entirely sure what useful function that will serve other than to turn heads, but consider our curiosity spiked. At the dawn of the transparent era, our eyes are open, but we can’t see much.

Whether that’s a good thing remains to be seen.

Follow the Stuff CES team on Twitter:
Stuff editor Fraser Macdonald
Stuff.tv editor Simon Osborne-Walker
Consulting editor Tom Dunmore
Reviews editor Mark Wilson

More CES stuff:

3DTV shows up big (and small)

Hands on with the Lenovo U10 Hybrid

Asus unveils foldable tablet concept

Video: CES 2010 preview

Hands on with Skype on TV and the Alex eReader

Paddy's CES predictions: 3DTV, eBooks and tablets

CES 2010: Hands-on with Samsung NX10

2010-01-08T11:58:49Z

Wily Samsung announced its NX10 camera – a new rival to the micro four thirds brigade – just before CES. This attracted hordes of geeks to its CES 2010 stand – including us, as you can see from this hands-on.

The NX10 adopts the same principle of cameras like the Olympus PEN – removing the reflex mirror and optical viewfinder in favour of smaller dimensions. But the key difference from micro four thirds cams is that the NX10 uses the same APS-C sized sensor as standard DSLRs.

This theoretically means better low light performance, with the downside that its lenses are much larger.

This becomes obvious when you see it in the flesh. With the 30mm pancake lens fitted, it looks like a slightly more compact DSLR (but definitely not pocketable).

Fit the 50-200mm lens, though, and all the effort and expense of removing the mirror and viewfinder seems a little wasted.

Still, there's no doubt Samsung knows how to design a camera, and the NX10 felt good in the hand with a sensible button layout in our brief play.

There's no pricing or release date available for the NX10 yet, but we'll bring it to you as soon as Samsung gives us the word.

[by Mark Wilson]

More CES news:
Microsoft demoes HP 'slate'
Hands-on with the LG exPo projector phone
Hands-on with the Plastic Logic Que proReader
Video: CES goes 3D crazy

CES 2010: Hands-on with the LG exPo projector phone

2010-01-08T10:49:22Z

As is befitting of a show held in a city that's in a permanent state of inebriation, CES always delivers its share of bonkers gadgetry. And, sure enough, this year we got our hands on the LG exPo – a phone with a built-in pico projector.

Yes, this freakish hybrid has arrived to solve mobile phone users' biggest frustration – not being able to project a movie onto a wall or their fellow commuters' faces.

Though the exPo's form factor reminds us of the lab mouse that had an ear grown onto its back, it's still a real feat of convergence. It just about squeezed into our pocket, and the extra bulge makes it more comfortable in the hand than some overly svelte fashion phones. You can also remove the projector module if you're tired of being stared at on the bus.

The projector seems to suffer from some of the usual issues of pico projectors such as a lack of brightness, but that's not really the point – it's a phone with a projector. No more questions required.

Except there is one other slight issue that may break the deal – the exPo runs Windows Mobile 6.5, with LG's S-class on top of it. That's not a great combination in our book, though a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, 800x480 screen and full QWERTY keyboard mean it's certainly no smartphone mug.

There's no UK pricing or launch details available for the exPo, but we'll let you know as soon as it's announced – in the meantime check out our hands-on video.

[by Mark Wilson]