CES: When Big Brother Carries a Purse

While most of the video exhibits at CES focused on big-screen TVs, DVD format wars and place-shifting, there was another video trend on the floor: video surveillance. Check out this demonstration from Forensic Visions. It shows a wireless set-up for monitoring several different mobile cameras at once. The camera in this video is hidden in … Read more

Retrevo at CES

By now it’s clear that I have something of an obsession with Retrevo as a buying guide for consumer electronics, so it was good luck when I ran into CEO Vipin Jain just inside the door at the CES ShowStoppers event. He had Retrevo up for display and was quick to show me some of … Read more

Broadband in the 2008 Election

Broadband = Good. Broadband means better communication, education, information, business, entertainment, social networking, etc. etc. (It also means jobs for me and Dave :)) So it only makes sense that broadband should at least get a mention or two in the presidential election campaigning. The Speed Matters organization (affiliated with the AFL-CIO) has collected information … Read more

Covering CES from the Airport

I’m here at the airport waiting to board the plane for my flight home, and this is the first chance I’ve had to post for ZNF. On the amount of sleep I’ve had, I’m not sure how coherently I can string together sentences, but I’ll give it a shot with a couple of belated updates … Read more

CES: Where are Dave and Mari?

We’re here. Honest. It’s just that our day jobs are keeping us hopping at CES. But look at the different badges. Same pub – one press badge, one blogger badge. What’s up with that?

The New Motorola Phones at CES

Although cell phones – excuse me mobile devices – are not my beat, by virtue of the fact that I work with the company, I did get a heads-up on Motorola’s new handsets before the press conference tonight. Two important introductions are the new ROKR E8 and the new Motorola Z10. The ROKR adds an … Read more

Best CES Marketing Gimmick So Far

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The flood of CES email has been overwhelming the last couple of days with product announcements, media pitches, and pleas for booth visits and interviews. However, my favorite pitch of the lot didn’t come to my inbox, but my mailbox. A long, flat envelope arrived with the words, “Photos – Do Not Bend” on the front. When I opened it up, a family photo stared back at me on top of half a dozen other prints. Not my family, mind you- though I did spend a moment trying to place the models as long-lost cousins on my mother’s side. No, this was a photo of a pretend family with a note slipped underneath. The note said, “OOPS! Not Your Photos?” Then it advised me to stop by the Noritsu booth at CES to pick up a free print of any digital photo of my own – 8×10 or 10×36 panorama – and learn more about the company’s retail inkjet photo printer. Cute.

I’m unfortunately still skeptical of photo printers – more because of the cost of photo paper than the quality of the printing. However, if I can get myself over to the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, I’ll definitely stop by Noritsu. And pick up my free print.

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It’s Not Just Pre-CES, It’s the Iowa Caucuses

I didn’t realize quite how buried I’ve been in work until I looked up this afternoon and realized the Iowa caucuses are tonight. Fortunately, it’s extremely easy to get caught up on the Iowa happenings, not just by turning on the news networks, but by turning on the live online coverage. Check out the Brave … Read more