CES - Must-see products

LAS VEGAS--Automotive equipment manufacturer Visteon showed up at CES 2011 with two concept cars, each showing off different aspects of the company's new technology. One car, the C-Beyond, shows what can be done with LED headlights, a digital instrument cluster, and a whole new design for climate control. The Growth Market Vehicle shows how even very inexpensive cars can incorporate modern technology.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the C-Beyond is how Visteon configured the climate control system. Instead of putting traditional vents in the dashboard, circular vents are mounted in the roof, above each seating position. These … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Ford chose CES 2011 as the venue to introduce its all-electric Focus. The car, based on the 2012 Focus model being introduced this year, is actually Ford's second electric vehicle, as it has already begun delivering electric versions of its Transit Connect utility vehicle.

Ford has been reluctant to state a range figure for the electric Focus, as it is still undergoing EPA testing, but a spokesman told us it would go up to 100 miles. The car uses a 23 kilowatt-hour liquid cooled lithium-ion battery pack and has a top speed of 84 mph.

What differentiates it … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Samsung has definitely led CES 2011 in unusual home theater designs, but LG's HX996TS home theater system is no slouch with its futuristic look.

LG announced the 5.2 home theater system at its press conference yesterday, touting its "3D" sound. The 3D moniker may be gimmicky, but the HX996TS speakers have some interesting design choices, with the tower speakers having top-mounted drivers for what LG calls Vertical 3D Effect Channel.

The system also includes two subwoofers (not pictured), a feature rarely seen on all-in-one package systems. LG also touts its "Cinema Dome Effect," … Read more

If there's one word to describe the LG Optimus 2X, it would be "fast." Even though I knew it has a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, I wasn't expecting the hands-on experience to be that speedy. Indeed, I was able to simply fly through the different screens and applications, launching apps and switching tasks in the blink of an eye. While I didn't have time to sit through a video game, LG claims the device makes for a very responsive gaming experience as well.

The display is also really easy on the eyes. Measuring 4 inches … Read more

Despite the buzz around the LG Revolution, I have to say that the LG Optimus Black has a bit more star power, and it's all because of its display. While I can't attest to its actual clarity under bright daylight due to the dim lighting on the show floor, what I saw of it was impressive.

As we reported, the Optimus Black's 4-inch "NOVA" display boasts 700 nits of brightness, which LG claims makes it the brightest and clearest display on the market. The company even placed it next to an iPhone 4 to compare … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Since the review of the Seagate Momentus XT, the first and only mass-produced solid-state hybrid hard drive on the market, I've received many e-mails asking when computer makers will start building it into machines. I have the answer now.

At CES 2011, Seagate demoed the performance of the 7200rpm Momentum XT drive against a regular 5400rpm hard drive. The demonstration was done with two Asus laptops with exactly the same specs, other than the main hard drives.

The demo consists of a script that automatically executed a series of tasks as soon as the computers booted up and … Read more

LAS VEGAS--In announcing its new Sound Blaster Tactic3D Omega headset, Creative is touting the wireless gaming headset's versatility, calling it "the first wireless, cross-platform gaming headset to work with the PS3, Xbox 360, Mac, and PC, which is fully integrated."

What does fully integrated mean? Well, the wireless technology is built into the headset itself, so the Tactic3D Omega doesn't require any extra attachments to function with gaming consoles--and PCs--wirelessly (the headphones are powered by a rechargeable battery). However, as you can see from the picture, a powered dongle does have to be plugged into your … Read more

DisplayLink announced an $1.99 application today that turns an iPad into a second monitor wirelessly connected to a Windows computer.

The application works with Windows XP, Vista, and 7 and requires an iPad with iOS 3.2 or later, the company said. It's configured with the DisplayLink software that the company offers for its primary line of business, USB-connected display technology.

"The productivity benefits of multiple displays has been proven, so leveraging the idle screen of the iPad while computing is ideal for parking and for running applications like instant messaging, e-mail, social networking, Web browsing, and … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Gear for smart, connected homes may give you consumers fine-grained control over home energy, but ThinkEco has got a light-weight approach to saving electricity.

At the Consumer Electronics Shows here, ThinkEco said that a consumer version of its connected plug and software will be available this spring for $50. Additional plugs cost $44.95.

The company's modlet--short for modern outlet--is a two-outlet plug that fits over ordinary plugs and is equipped with a Zigbee radio. Using a USB stick in a PC, the owner can then see the energy usage and control whatever's plugged into the … Read more