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Charged up over
wireless
Innovations hasten the trend of on-the-go music, video, technology 01/16/2003
LAS VEGAS – Constant access to networked information is
sometimes called "ubicomp," short for ubiquitous computing.
But the products debuting at the 2003 Consumer Electronics
Show might herald something a little different. Call it "ubi-tainment." Wireless access to entertainment is the central goal of
many products introduced at this massive electronics showcase.
Music and video – whether originating on home PCs connected to
the Internet or television set-top boxes – are being shifted
to all sorts of new devices for consumption. As the head of Texas Instruments Inc., Tom Engibous, said
in his keynote speech: "It's doing for portable devices what
the hardwired Internet did for the PC. Namely, it's
dramatically increasing the penetration of information
technology into society, and it's creating a flurry of
innovation." Portable video players Think iPod for video. This brand new product category is
emerging on the electronics scene with the introduction of
products such as the ViewSonic PVP, RCA Lyra RD2780
Audio/Video Jukebox and the Archos Jukebox Multimedia 20. These palm-size devices use hard drives of up to 20
gigabytes to store movies or television programming sucked
down from a variety of sources. Users can watch the content on the built-in color displays
any time they like. Or they can plug them into television
inputs for viewing on the home entertainment center. Most of the products in this genre double as digital music
players and can display digital pictures. Pricing for the 10GB ViewSonic PVP, which will be available
this fall, is not yet available. The RCA version, with its
20GB hard drive, will sell for $399 when it hits shelves this
summer. And the 20GB Archos, winner of the TechTV Best of CES
award, is priced at $380. Music and video networking Costs of Wi-Fi chips are dropping rapidly, giving rise to
affordable wireless PC connections with the home entertainment
center. MP3 music and video are being streamed around the home
in a range of innovative ways. For music hook-ups, companies such as the fledgling cd3o
are producing devices that can connect stereos to wired or
wireless home networks for less than $250. The cd3o Wi-Fi base station features a remote control and
electronic voice that guide users through PC-stored music
libraries organized with special software. Hewlett-Packard Co. rolled out its Digital Media Receiver
5000, a remote-controlled box with hook-ups for both stereo
and television. The first Wi-Fi version ($299) allows users to
share a PC's music and still images with any stereo or
television within a 150-foot range. Future products will allow
video streaming, the company said. RCA has opted for 900 MHz transmissions with its $99 Lyra
Wireless System. A radio unit attaches to the PC with a USB
audio jack, and a receiver plugs into the home stereo system
with a standard audio input. Users can select and play music
from their PCs on stereos situated up to 100 feet away. FM information devices Not to be left out of the party, Microsoft Corp. used CES
to hype the first products that use its Smart Personal Object
Technology, or SPOT, which disperses information via an FM
radio data network. Chairman Bill Gates demonstrated how a subscriber to its
service, which costs about $10 a month, can receive
continuously updated sports, news, stock market and other
information on wristwatches made by Fossil and two other
companies. The technology, also included in a refrigerator magnet, is
built on Microsoft's ongoing efforts to lease spare FM radio
spectrum from broadcasters such as Clear Channel. Mobile battery chargers Hauling around AC battery chargers for mobile devices is a
hassle. Two companies have developed technologies that would allow
users to simply plop their cellphones, PDAs, portable music
players and other gizmos onto flat pads that recharge their
internal batteries simultaneously. Prototypes developed by SplashPower of Cambridge, England,
and MobileWise of Palo Alto, Calif., both require special
chips to be installed by manufacturers. But the prospect of a
universal charging pad is clearly within the realm of
possibility. SplashPower's SplashPad plugs into a wall socket and
transfers electricity using electromagnetic waves. The
technology is similar to the power transfers currently used in
cordless, rechargeable toothbrushes, the company says. PC-less MP3 encoders Several companies rolled out personal MP3 music players
equipped with special recorders. Products such as the RipFlash
from Pogo automatically convert music from radios or CD
players to the MP3 format without the need for a computer.
Bypassing the home computer may become more common, but
Intel Corp. CEO Craig Barrett said home computers will
continue to be essential, especially with the expansion of
Wi-Fi. "I'm here to really remind you all that the PC is alive and
healthy, and unwiring the PC and allowing it to have access to
the Internet, and allow ... it to converge with consumer
electronic devices, is, I think, going to be the main theme
that comes out of CES," Mr. Barrett said. New gizmos galore Other products that received Innovations awards or
nominations during CES 2003 include: KidSmart Vocal Smoke Detector: This smoke detector
from Safety Systems Inc. permits parents of young children to
record customized messages in their own voices. Fire
departments report that smoke detector sirens often scare
children, prompting them to hide under their beds or in
closets, believing that will keep them safe. Emergency
instructions in a parent's voice replace the siren's squeal.
Philips iPronto Remote Control: This $1,700 unit
controls home theater and other devices using Wi-Fi radio
waves. Its touch screen is configured using PC editing
software, and it can access the Internet via the home wireless
network to check news and e-mail. Beamer video phone: Vialta Inc.'s Beamer is adding
color motion video to calls on any home phone. Billed as the
first phone video station, the product does not require any
extraequipment or wiring, nor does it require a subscription
to any additional service. E-mail dbedell@dallasnews.com
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The Philips iPronto remote control is
designed to use with home theaters.
The SplashPad recharges the batteries of
devices placed on it.
The electronic voice of the cd3o Wi-Fi base
station guides users through PC-stored music
libraries.
The ViewSonic PVP stores video that viewers
can watch later on the palm-size
device.
The KidSmart smoke detector uses recordings
of parents'
voices.