CES 2013: `Ford looks to go the Android route with its Sync AppLink system, offers it to other automakers

Ford used CES to announce its new AppLink developer program to foster more in-car app development, but it looks like it has even grander plans than that. The company tells Wired that it's willing to give the system that Sync AppLink is based on to any other automaker that wants it -- and at no cost and with no restrictions, no less. Or as Wired puts it, it's looking to be the "Android of automotive app architectures." To that end, Ford says that it's not even looking for other automakers to incorporate Ford branding if they use the system, and that it sees AppLink as being platform agnostic. It's not offering a ton of specifics beyond that just yet, but one clear advantage of the move (if it winds up being widely accepted) is that it would likely increase app development, which would certainly benefit Ford even if it doesn't directly benefit from others using the system.

[Source: Engadget]

CES 2013: Samsung to Reinvent Refrigerators with T9000 Smart Fridge

Samsung announced Monday that it plans to reinvent the age-old kitchen appliance, that boring refrigerator, with smart capabilities in 2013. It’s not only smart in the way that you’re connecting it to other gadgets around the house, but in a bit of a different way. First, the smartphone connectivity:: Evernote, for example, allows you to sync notes with family members. It also shows recipes, calendars and more. A smartphone can be used as a baby monitor, too.

A new T9000 LCD refrigerator, with 32 cubic feet of storage, also features the ability to change different compartments depending on what you need them for. If you need more space in the fridge for freezing stuff, simply change the temperature. Likewise, if you need to use the freezer compartment as additional storage for items that need to be kept cold, but not frozen, you can control that too. Sounds pretty amazing!

[Source: TechnoBuffaol]

CES 2013: Samsung UN85S9 Ultra HD looks stunning

LAS VEGAS--It's been a few CESes since we've seen a "world's biggest" something, and while the UN85S9 misses out on world's biggest 4K (UHD) screen this year, it does practice a bit ofone-upmanship on the LG competition by being a whole inch bigger.

The most striking thing about the S9 is the design: this is a floor-standing television mounted on what looks like an artist's easel and the TV is designed to tilt up and down.

The S9 TV features upgraded smarts with improved voice interaction and a quad-core processor to speed things along. If you wanted gesture control on this 4K TV -- or, even more usefully, Skype integration -- then unfortunately the F8500 misses out.

Meanwhile, the Smart Hub application has been enhanced with more content -- movies, videos, and music -- and a new TV program guide. This augments Samsung’s new S-Recommendation engine, which lists suggested content in thumbnails at the bottom of the screen.

The flagship TV incorporates a quad-core processor that should assist with the speed of the Smart TV interface as well as provide grunt for picture-processing tasks such as the Frame Rate Conversion engine and the Motion Judder Canceller.

[Source: CNET - Click here to read the full story]

CES 2013: Kensington offers a tracking solution with the Proximo Tag Kit

Kensington is in attendance at the International CES here in Las Vegas this week, and the company kindly sat down with TUAW this afternoon to show off some of its latest products. The most interesting of their recent offerings is something called the "Proximo Fob and Tag Kit," which is a relatively cheap tracking solution designed to work over Bluetooth 4 with your iPhone 4S or iPhone 5.

We've seen tagging kits like this before, but Kensington's, now available, offered a nice set of features at a very reasonable price. The idea is that you can use an included key fob or a tag (just the tag is available for $24.99, while a full fob and tag kit is $59.99) by attaching it to whatever object you'd like to keep safe, whether that's your keys, a purse, or even a kid or a dog. Then, you can use Kensington's free app to get alerts whenever that item moves out of range of your phone, so if you ever walk away and leave your keys at your desk, or if the dog wanders out of the yard, you'll know right away.

[Source: TUAW - Click here to read the full story]

Sharp’s New TVs Let You Surf the Web and Watch TV at the Same Time

Sharp announced during its CES 2013 keynote that it’s introducing dual-core processors into all of its connected TVs released this year. It will also launch iOS and Android remote control applications, include built-in Wi-Fi and offer the “best apps” on the televisions. A new “split screen TV and web” feature allows you to watch TV and surf the web at the same time. In other words, you can watch the Lakers game and surf TechnoBuffalo at the same time.

The remote control feature for iOS and Android allows you to flick photos, videos, music and other features right to your TV for showing off the media to friends and family. A Netflix “second screen” feature allows you to find a phone to watch on your smartphone and then play it on your Sharp AQUOS TV immediately.

A wallpaper mode turns the television into “your home’s largest digital photo frame.” Sharp is also integrating a built-in subwoofer with Yamaha signal processing for bass and new thin designs with brushed aluminum materials for the frame around the screen.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Panasonic to Introduce 32 New TV Models in 2013

Panasonic just announced that it will introduce a total of 32 new HDTVs this year, including 16 plasma TVs and 16 LED TVs. The plasma TVs will range from 42-inches to 65-inches in size, and the LED TVs will be available in 32-inches to 65-inches in size. The flagship of the LED line is the Smart Viera WT Series television, which features LG’s brand new personalization options. The Plasma flagship is a new Viera VT series device, with similar features.

All of the TVs reduce power consumption by 15% from earlier models and will meet new Energy Star 6.0 certification.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

ASUS gets into the Google TV game with the Qube

ASUS today at CES in Las Vegas officially announced the ASUS Qube -- a Google TV device that's been strongly suggested for the past few weeks, both from the FCC as well as Google. ASUS is promising more info today, but so far all we've got is this single picture, the fact that it's a Google TV device and it has access to Android apps and movies and TV and whatnot, can be controlled via a smartphone or tablet app -- and has some sort of "rotating on-screen cube shape," which immediately makes us think of failed Windows Mobile UIs. (Chances are ASUS has done better here, but seeing is believing.)

And that's it for now. More on the Qube as we get it. We've got the whole of the announcement after the break.

Qube with Google TV - Bring the world of entertainment to your TV

Instantly add Google TV to your HDTV with the ASUS Qube.  Qube with Google TV offers both motion control and voice search that integrates Google Play, Chrome™, YouTube™in one compact device. With access to over 100,000 movies and TV shows* from Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, plus numerous apps, videos and games from Google Play, ASUS Qube with Google TV is the perfect media content device.

[Source: Android Central - Click here to read the full story]

HP's Envy 27-inch IPS monitor with Beats Audio features high-quality sound, extremely long name

LAS VEGAS--A monitor's picture quality is its most important attribute, and sound quality (if it actually does sport speakers) rarely factors into the overall rating. That however may change once I get my hands on the HP Envy 27-inch IPS monitor with Beats Audio.

With the Envy 27-inch IPS monitor with Beats Audio, HP not only breaks the record for longest monitor name ever (to be honest, I didn't confirm that), but according to HP, it also marks the first time a standalone monitor has used Beats Audio.

The monitor's built-in speakers are angled upward and according to HP, deliver high-quality midrange and high frequencies as well as rich bass. Monitors with built-in sound don't usually deliver the highest quality sound, so I'm curious as to how this monitor's sound will be any different.

[Source: CNET - Click here to read the full story]

CES 2013 : New Harman Products

Alongside recently launched products from Harman International’s three brands AKG, Harman Kardon and JBL, visitors to the world’s largest consumer electronics show will get an exclusive preview of the latest Lightning Connector dock, wireless loudspeaker, on-the-go portable speaker and AVR range at the Harman booth; all of which will launch in the coming months.

JBL Charge

Music fans seeking great sound and a long battery life from a portable music player will love the JBL^® Charge, a loud and powerful go-anywhere wireless speaker that fits easily into a backpack, beach bag or briefcase. The JBL Charge connects to smartphones, portable music players and tablets via Bluetooth wireless streaming. It also includes a USB port to charge a smartphone or tablet.

JBL OnBeat Mini

JBL was first to market with its Lightning Connector speaker docks, introducing the JBL OnBeat Micro and JBL OnBeat Venue LT in November 2012. CES 2013 sees JBL introduce the third addition to its innovative Lightning Connector range, the OnBeat Mini.

The acoustically sophisticated JBL OnBeat™ Mini fits into a backpack or travel bag, providing a portable charging dock for the office, business trip or bedroom. The JBL OnBeat Mini includes two full-range transducers and built-in digital signal processing to deliver crisp, room-filling sound. It is compatible with the iPad mini, iPad 4th generation, iPhone 5 and the new iPod models.

JBL OnBeat Rumble

The JBL OnBeat Rumble wireless loudspeaker, for the iPhone 5, iPad mini, fourth-generation iPad and other Lightning-equipped Apple Inc. mobile devices, will thrill music fans who love to live loud. It includes HARMAN’s exclusive TrueStream^™ technology to guarantee the highest-quality sound when streaming audio from an Apple product or another smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth^® connection. The forceful speaker dock combines a 4-1/2-inch (114-milllimeter) subwoofer with proprietary Slipstream port technology to deliver pounding bass with low distortion, so there is no unwanted boominess to the sound whether the music source is docked or streamed. The loudspeaker also charges Apple Lightning products when they are docked.

Harman Kardon AVR 270 and AVR 370

Designed to delight music and film lovers with breathtaking sound and video reproduction, the Harman Kardon AVR 270 and AVR 370 (right), have multizone features so users can simultaneously play two different audio sources in two different zones.

The two Harman Kardon AVRs include multiple wireless features, including AirPlay playback from any Apple iOS® device and vTuner™ Internet radio to connect with thousands of terrestrial and Web-based stations and podcasts from around the globe as well as DLNA 1.5

Certified® connectivity to stream from compatible devices on a home network. The Harman Kardon AVR 370 also includes Wi-Fi® connectivity. There is also a free, downloadable HK remote control app that controls the AVRs from Apple and Android™ smartphones or tablets.

All of the above products are on display, alongside key products from the AKG, Harman Kardon and JBL brands, during CES^® at the HARMAN booth – Central Hall, booth number 10431 - from January 8^th through to January 11^th.

CORNING TO SHOWCASE LATEST GLASS TECHNOLOGIES FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS AT CES 201

Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) today announced its plans for the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week. The Corning booth, #14813 Central Hall, will highlight the company’s newest specialty glass solutions and their benefits for today’s consumer electronics device trends. 

Corning plans to introduce two new products at CES 2013: Corning^® Gorilla^® Glass 3, a new glass composition with durability enhancements; and Optical Cables by Corning, fiber-based, device-to-device connectivity solutions that significantly extend the data transmission range past the limits of copper-based cables. Full product details will be included in announcements planned for Monday, Jan. 7.

“This year at CES, Corning will demonstrate its industry leadership in specialty glass and fiber optic technologies with the introduction of two products designed to enhance and extend the capabilities of consumers’ favorite devices,” said Wendell P. Weeks, chairman, chief executive officer, and president. “These new innovations build on the increasingly important and continually evolving role of highly engineered glass technologies in delivering improved product performance and functionality through touch capabilities, protective cover glass, and device connectivity.” 

In the Corning booth, experts will be on hand to discuss and present hourly demonstrations of the toughness of Gorilla Glass 3 as well as the connectivity and flexibility of Optical Cables by Corning. The booth will also showcase the benefits of Corning Gorilla Glass in larger format, multi-touch displays for education, entertainment and other applications.

[Source: Corning Gorilla Glass - Click here to read the full story]

Wind tunnel PC case pushes the air cooling envelope, does its thing for cancer research

Pushing air cooling to its limits might mean buying a bigger fan to the mortal PC builder, but for Mike at Total Geekdom, it meant constructing a wind tunnel case. Built from a box fan, medium-density fiberboard, lexan and aluminum, the tunnel increases airspeed by about 240 percent and cools its contents with a brisk 9 mph breeze. At full bore, however, the fan churns out air speeds between 26 and 30 mph inside the case's sweet spot. As for computer hardware, the rig packs an Ivy Bridge 3770K processor, a pair of Radeon 7970 (Sapphire Dual-X) GPUs, 8GB of RAM and a 40GB SSD. There's still room to overclock the beast, but it currently keeps its CPU humming at 4.5GHz with temperatures between 64 and 65 degrees Celsius, and can run its GPUs at 1225MHz with core temperatures at 46 and 56 degrees Celsius. So, what does one do with a wind tunnel-cooled PC? Why donate time and computing processes for cancer research through the World Community Grid project, of course. For photos, performance specs and a full break down of the construction process, hit the bordering source link.

[Source: Engadget]

Google and Kia partnership will bring Google Maps and Places to new cars this year

Korean car-maker Kia is set to give its UVO eServices telematics a huge shot in the arm, teaming up with Google to offer its next-generation navigation system. The new setup will debut in this year's Sorento CUV, which is scheduled to arrive in Q1. Kia's updated (once Microsoft-assisted) UVO system will allow users to send directions and locales from their smartphone (or the web) to your new ride. Baked-in Google Places will also inform you of your nearest dealership (even when you're already in that new Kia) while existing music management, hands-free features and improved voice recognition will all be wrapped into the same interface. Kia explains it all in the full press release after the break.

[Source: Engadget]