CES: Consumer Electronics Show

[Chippiewill]

What are YOUR thoughts on all the new technology, so far I have seen 4k HD (4x the Res of 1080p), 3d laptops, the Lenovo U1 or whatever it was and the HP Slate (I think the idea is to get the name out before Apple announces iSlate and end up sounding cheap) and the boxee box which is cool.

If you aren't keeping track then you can see CES and discussion about it at:

http://live.twit.tv

[The Professor]

4K resolution has been around for a while its just never used because it's expensive, they use it on displays at sports arenas in america afaik. Didn't know it was 4x1080p thought it was just 4k pixels accross by however many down. I've learnt something :D

You're excited by the HP slate? Its only a tablet idk why microsoft is pushing it tbh. CES is a bit crap this year its all 3D TVs and tablets. Best thing I've seen is probably powermat's batteries that are just normal batteries instead of the special backs you had to buy for devices. If they get the price down to something reasonable I'm getting one :)

[Chippiewill]

AMGZ, just saw an upscaling TV with a CELL processor, it blew an image up 18x and it reduces so much of the blur, it's incredible.

@PA I believe this year 4k may be becoming more mainstream
And now there is a minority report style TV where you can do hands in the air stuff to control stuff.

http://live.twit.tv/
They're just about to go to the Samsung booth.

Edit: Apparently Sharp have added an additional colour channel to a TV, so instead of RGB they have RGBY

Edit2: They're at the Sharp booth atm

[N!ck]

4K resolution has been around for a while its just never used because it's expensive, they use it on displays at sports arenas in america afaik. Didn't know it was 4x1080p thought it was just 4k pixels accross by however many down. I've learnt something :D

You're excited by the HP slate? Its only a tablet idk why microsoft is pushing it tbh. CES is a bit crap this year its all 3D TVs and tablets. Best thing I've seen is probably powermat's batteries that are just normal batteries instead of the special backs you had to buy for devices. If they get the price down to something reasonable I'm getting one :)

It's not, it's 2160p as far as I know - so 3840x2160.

[Tomm]

4k won't become anywhere near mainsteam for a long time in the consumer market. Mainly because we lack a storage medium for it (Holographic Discs are work in progress, still a long way off though) and clearly have no where near the bandwidth required to broadcast it.

[Chippiewill]

4k won't become anywhere near mainsteam for a long time in the consumer market. Mainly because we lack a storage medium for it (Holographic Discs are work in progress, still a long way off though) and clearly have no where near the bandwidth required to broadcast it.

More mainstream.
Also 4k is 4x the resolution of 1080p and Blu-Ray so far CAN handle an hour's worth so it's not that bad.

[The Professor]

There ain't much on DVD that's shorter than an hour so having something in 4K resolution is useless in terms of selling it on discs. As tom said we don't have the bandwidth to broadcast it either so I fail to see how it can become even slightly more mainstream.

[Chippiewill]

SSDs have quite a bit of space and fast access, bit pricey for just storing a movie but still effective.:)

[kk.]

There ain't much on DVD that's shorter than an hour so having something in 4K resolution is useless in terms of selling it on discs. As tom said we don't have the bandwidth to broadcast it either so I fail to see how it can become even slightly more mainstream.

You're talking about the present day. Take a look over the past 40 years and see how much progress has been made in the last 4 years.. I bet people had the same ideas as what you had about HD tv an not being able to broadcast in it. They'll find a way.

As for apace on blu rays, there's not been a need so far to create anything larger than a 50gb disk. When there is, they'll produce in that.

[Orangeesh]

4K resolution has been around for a while its just never used because it's expensive, they use it on displays at sports arenas in america afaik. Didn't know it was 4x1080p thought it was just 4k pixels accross by however many down. I've learnt something :D

You're excited by the HP slate? Its only a tablet idk why microsoft is pushing it tbh. CES is a bit crap this year its all 3D TVs and tablets. Best thing I've seen is probably powermat's batteries that are just normal batteries instead of the special backs you had to buy for devices. If they get the price down to something reasonable I'm getting one :)

3d tablets sound good.

[Chippiewill]

And just remember Moore's Law.

[The Professor]

I'm not saying it won't ever happen because it undoubtably will (if we don't get full 3D holograms instead of flat pictures by then!) I'm just disputing chips's claim that it's becoming more mainstream this year. Its a loooong way off yet!

[Chippiewill]

I'm not saying it won't ever happen because it undoubtably will (if we don't get full 3D holograms instead of flat pictures by then!) I'm just disputing chips's claim that it's becoming more mainstream this year. Its a loooong way off yet!

The key word is MORE mainstream. I didn't say it would be an entire 1 mainstream, it would be more than 0.01 mainstream.

[Markeh]

I've been following the Engadget coverage through my iPod, and there's nothing worth getting excited over.

[The Professor]

The key word is MORE mainstream. I didn't say it would be an entire 1 mainstream, it would be more than 0.01 mainstream.

And I'm disputing that :)

[Tomm]

Some fail at CES:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/8450385.stm

:P

[The Professor]

Pmsl that's great :D

[Chippiewill]

Some fail at CES:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/8450385.stm

:P

Well there's your problem

[GommeInc]

Some fail at CES:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/8450385.stm

:P
To be fair, smacking anything with a screen on the corner of what appears to be a pretty solid fish tank is bound to break, unless they make the screen out of some sort of gel like substance :P

CES is quite interesting this year. Where did this idea that Slate PCs are a must come from? I've only discovered Dell, HP (with Microsoft) and Apple are creating slate PCs last night. It seems like a completely random thing to create, when smartphones were becoming clever, like small handheld computers in your pocket.

[The Professor]

Aparently there was a tablet craze in the early 2000s as well so I think its just another thing that will pass away quietly :)

[MrPinkPanther]

CES is quite interesting this year. Where did this idea that Slate PCs are a must come from? I've only discovered Dell, HP (with Microsoft) and Apple are creating slate PCs last night. It seems like a completely random thing to create, when smartphones were becoming clever, like small handheld computers in your pocket.
To put it simply it's because of Apple. For many years they've been rumoured to be creating a tablet but in the second half of last year several "sources" at Apple and related businesses confirmed it was in development for an early 2010 release. Companies like HP then saw that if Apple did it in 2010 then they'd better do it too because Apple are very good at creating new crazes. So essentially these new tablets are designed to pre-empt apples which is expected to be announced at the end of this month.

[GommeInc]

To put it simply it's because of Apple. For many years they've been rumoured to be creating a tablet but in the second half of last year several "sources" at Apple and related businesses confirmed it was in development for an early 2010 release. Companies like HP then saw that if Apple did it in 2010 then they'd better do it too because Apple are very good at creating new crazes. So essentially these new tablets are designed to pre-empt apples which is expected to be announced at the end of this month.
Indeed, it seems the in thing lately is to do what Apple do, even though Apple don't necessarily do it that well (seeing as they release one item missing bog-standard features, then release another one 6 months later with the features that should of come with the original). All they need to do is update the Touch or iPhone, they're pretty much slate computers :P Then again, people love novelty items so it won't be that surprising if people buy them and find a use for them, no matter how inconvienient they seem to be on paper. Like walking around with a WACOM tablet, but with a screen :P

[The Professor]

Tbh I don't mind at all if Apple make a tablet. With the iphone they did so many things right with the touchscreen (capacative, responsive, finger friendly interface) which made everyone else who was still relying on stylus based touch screens to up their game. Now we have android, webos and iphone OS which were built with finger freindlyness in mind and microsoft say they're going to do the same to windows mobile. If they can do the same with the tablet and make everyone else get a move on with various technologies the world will be better for it.

And if they fail we all get to laugh :D

[GommeInc]

And if they fail we all get to laugh :D
Yep :D There was only one tablet that fascinated me, and that was the one that can be used as a monitor with a keyboard and mouse, and when you remove it from it's holder it becomes a slate like device. Looks really snazzy.

[Tomm]

I assume you will be able to use them with a standard pen as well rather than just your fingers?

[Recursion]

The day I buy a slate PC will be when it interfaces with programs on my computer as a second display, and it comes with a high quality pressure sensitive touchscreen with pen (using a Wacom panel maybe?)

[MrPinkPanther]

I assume you will be able to use them with a standard pen as well rather than just your fingers?
Probably not. When the iPhone was launched Steve Jobs was talking about "Plastic styluses" in a negative way. I think it will be all finger and gesture based.


Indeed, it seems the in thing lately is to do what Apple do, even though Apple don't necessarily do it that well (seeing as they release one item missing bog-standard features, then release another one 6 months later with the features that should of come with the original). All they need to do is update the Touch or iPhone, they're pretty much slate computers :P Then again, people love novelty items so it won't be that surprising if people buy them and find a use for them, no matter how inconvienient they seem to be on paper. Like walking around with a WACOM tablet, but with a screen :P
It's supposedly aiming at the netbook market which boomed last year but not only having the internet but apps too. I'd like to think that I won't be buying one because I already have an iTouch and a Macbook (Although I run Windows 7 on it :P) but realistically I know as soon as the advert for it comes on, I'll be rushing out to buy one. I'm not an Apple Fanboy in that I can see faults in their products and I don't think they are amazing but they do manufacture them to top quality which makes me excited about the iSlate.

[Tomm]

Well to me one of the advantages of a tablet PC would be that you could write on it with a pen like a normal document. I don't see myself trying to write/draw something with my fingers.


Probably not. When the iPhone was launched Steve Jobs was talking about "Plastic styluses" in a negative way. I think it will be all finger and gesture based.


It's supposedly aiming at the netbook market which boomed last year but not only having the internet but apps too. I'd like to think that I won't be buying one because I already have an iTouch and a Macbook (Although I run Windows 7 on it :P) but realistically I know as soon as the advert for it comes on, I'll be rushing out to buy one. I'm not an Apple Fanboy in that I can see faults in their products and I don't think they are amazing but they do manufacture them to top quality which makes me excited about the iSlate.

[MrPinkPanther]

Well to me one of the advantages of a tablet PC would be that you could write on it with a pen like a normal document. I don't see myself trying to write/draw something with my fingers.

I agree, using it as a very basic Graphics tablet would be good. I suspect that a Stylus won't come with it but there will be 3rd party accessories that will let you use one.

[GommeInc]

It's supposedly aiming at the netbook market which boomed last year but not only having the internet but apps too. I'd like to think that I won't be buying one because I already have an iTouch and a Macbook (Although I run Windows 7 on it :P) but realistically I know as soon as the advert for it comes on, I'll be rushing out to buy one. I'm not an Apple Fanboy in that I can see faults in their products and I don't think they are amazing but they do manufacture them to top quality which makes me excited about the iSlate.
They sound rather distant from the uses of the NetBook market if everything is done with Apps. And the iSlate sounds like it won't be that interesting if it's just finger based (WACOM tablet functionalities would be awesome), or lacks the cool function another company was thinking of doing which was having it like a removeable touchscreen monitor that can be used as a lightweight PC at home when you want to sit down and get tasks done quickly.

But I guess time will prove that :P

[Recursion]

If it has a port replicator (or a dock that isn't the crap Apple brings out for iPods) and as stated in my last post, the wacom tablet kind of functionality, it'd be good.

[GommeInc]

Or that mini-dvi port that some annoying twit within Apple thought would be a good idea. If they did that with the iSlate, it's an instant fail seeing as you would have to pointlessly buy a pointless adapter and pray to Jesus, Buddha and/or Allah that it works. Speaking of which, if it has capabilities to somehow plug into a projector (any of them, the HP, Dell ones included), it would be kinda useful. Not entirely necessary though, and they could always make it AV compatible like alot of iPods and Zens are.