When it comes to tech events, there's nothing quite like the International CES. It's a challenge, it's a marathon and it can be a little overwhelming -- but we wouldn't miss it for the world. CES has evolved dramatically since its inception in 1967 as a small, NYC offshoot of the Chicago Music Show and at Engadget we're proud to have been the Official Blog and Online News Source for the past five years running. This year we're taking that relationship a step further. A big step further. We're thrilled to announce that Engadget is the official home of the 2014 Best of CES Awards!
In January, the Engadget editorial team will be scouring the International CES show floor to find the best, most exciting products making their debut there. We do this every year, but in 2014 we'll formalize the procedure. Finalists will be selected for each of 15 categories and, through an entirely editorially controlled process, individual products will be awarded the honor of Best of CES. Those lucky standouts will receive custom, 3D printed trophies courtesy of our friends at 3D Systems. Awards will be printed live at the International CES, so you can see them emerging from nothing as the show goes on.
We'll be detailing our judging process in the coming months and providing more information on how companies can submit their products for our consideration ahead of the show in January. For now, know that we're very excited to be the new home of the 2014 Best of CES Awards. Here's what Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of CEA, had to say:
Engadget and CEA share a passion for technology and for showcasing innovations to a global audience. Their dedicated editorial team canvases the CES show floor to cover the best products across all key categories of CES. Their quality coverage is sought after by CES exhibitors and the independent editorial judgment they will bring to these awards will help highlight the top products at the 2014 CES.
We can't wait to see you in Vegas.
Filed under: Announcements
What better way to bookend another successful CES than an interview with Gary Shapiro? The CES president joins us to talk about the week that was.
Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here!
Continue reading Live from the Engadget CES Stage: show wrapup with the CEA's Gary Shapiro
Of course, we wouldn't dream of concluding the first day of CES without a conversation with Gary Shapiro. The CEA's president will talk about all that goes into such a massive undertaking, discussing changes, show predictions and how the future of the industry will shape the Consumer Electronics Show.
Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here!
Continue reading Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with CEA's Gary Shapiro
Now that HDTV is "the new normal" according to Nielsen (its most recent stats say more than 75 percent of US households have one) then naturally, it's time to upgrade to 4K. This week the Consumer Electronics Association officially dubbed such screens -- with characteristics including at least eight million active pixels, and 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, among other things -- Ultra High-Definition, or Ultra HD in order to help educate consumers about the new tech. The ITU already laid down its spec recommendations for Ultra High Definition TV so the industry should be able to move forward in unison pushing super high-res displays across the land. Of course we did say "should," and Sony is already informing media outlets that it plans to market its 4K products as "4K UHD." Whatever it's called, we saw 84-inch screens from multiple manufacturers announced recently, and with the CEA's announcement we're penciling in a few more pixel-dense models for the big Las Vegas show in January.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
CEA officially brands 4K as Ultra HD, gets ready for a flood of new displays at CES originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 12:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Now that HDTV is "the new normal" according to Nielsen (its most recent stats say more than 75 percent of US households have one) then naturally, it's time to upgrade to 4K. This week the Consumer Electronics Association officially dubbed such screens -- with characteristics including at least eight million active pixels, and 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, among other things -- Ultra High-Definition, or Ultra HD in order to help educate consumers about the new tech. The ITU already laid down its spec recommendations for Ultra High Definition TV so the industry should be able to move forward in unison pushing super high-res displays across the land. Of course we did say "should," and Sony is already informing media outlets that it plans to market its 4K products as "4K UHD." Whatever it's called, we saw 84-inch screens from multiple manufacturers announced recently, and with the CEA's announcement we're penciling in a few more pixel-dense models for the big Las Vegas show in January.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
CEA officially brands 4K as Ultra HD, gets ready for a flood of new displays at CES originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 12:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Replacing a house full of switches and dials with a single remote seems a desirable proposition, but less-than-intuitive setup processes and fees that run far into the thousands make a disconnected home the only option for some. Like other home automation system manufacturers, Control4 has a bounty of offerings that can run up pricing into that out-of-reach range, but if you're looking to adjust audio and video in a single room, the new Starter Kit should get you going for just shy of a grand, including installation. That price includes a HC-250 Controller, which delivers IR control for up to eight components (via splitters connected to the four IR ports on the rear), serial control for up to two receivers or other systems and IP control for an unlimited number of devices. There's also an SR-250 ZigBee remote in the box, which offers full control through a television interface (HDMI and component outputs can be found on the HC-250's rear). You can also have full access through a variety of add-ons, including a $999 7-inch in-wall touchscreen with camera, a portable version for the same price, or any Android, iOS or Mac device -- access licenses for smartphones, tablets and computers run $199 each, or $499 to cover the entire home.
The Starter Kit can enable control of a single room, which may be fine for some users -- to add additional home theater setups you can bring on more HC-250s at $599 a pop. There's also an option to add ZigBee lighting controls ($129 per switch), ZigBee door locks ($150 to $350) or a door intercom unit with camera ($799). All-in, outfitting a large home can be quite pricey, and the Starter Kit is designed to get folks in the door, rather than to deliver a complete solution. We tested the controller with a TV, audio system, a pair of lights on two zones, the door intercom and a deadbolt, and all performed seamlessly without an hiccups. We also took a look at the intuitive drag-and-drop PC-based interface, which owners can use to change macros and add media. Introducing new components to the rig will require a dealer service call (or remote access, if you're just trying to loop in something like a NAS to serve up content). The Control4 Starter Kit is available through third-party dealers beginning today, including Magnolia Home Theater in select Best Buy stores (in that case, Geek Squad will handle the install). That sub-$1,000 figure factors in two hours of labor, and may climb a bit higher depending on dealer rates. Still, if you're just looking to get your feet wet, this seems to be a solid solution. Thumb through the gallery below for a closer look at the components and interface.
Control4 delivers home automation Starter Kit for under $1,000 including installation, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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CE Week isn't typically a venue for major product introductions, then again neither is Sony's blog. Last night, we got a sneak peek at the company's new Action Cam on the aforementioned site, and this morning the Japanese manufacturer dropped the black curtain on what appears to be the very same prototypes used in yesterday's tease. We almost missed it at Sony's pint-sized booth at the annual week-long CEA event in New York City -- the camera, which has yet to get an official name and model number assignment from Tokyo, is massively smaller than yesterday's snaps may have implied. The adventure shooter is hidden behind glass, but we did manage to pull it out for a brief inspection, and boy is it tiny.
A variety of mounts were on hand to demonstrate the shooter's versatility, including a handlebar attachment, helmet holster and some sort of plastic enclosure that could presumably be used to shield the Action Cam from underwater hazards, though Sony declined to confirm. Specification details are also quite spotty at the moment, but we were able to confirm that there will be an Exmor R CMOS image sensor and a wide-angle Carl Zeiss Tessar lens on board. Things seem to be quite limited on the controls front, with simple navigation buttons, a Start/Stop toggle, a tiny LCD and stereo mics up front representing the entire bounty of I/O offerings. There also appears to be SD and Memory Stick storage on board, based on familiar logos printed on the jet-black housing. For now, that's all she wrote -- we expect more details as we approach the Action Cam's official launch in the fall. Flip through the gallery below for a closer look.
Sony's Action Cam prototype is incredibly small, we go fingers-on at CE Week in NYC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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