CES 2007

LG has giant TVs too

Plenty of attention has been paid to Sharp's 108-inch LCD, but once you get to 100-inches, is anyone still counting? LG can play the size game too and we saw some whoppers at CES. Coming just in at just 8-inches too short for the LCD crown was LG's 100-inch LCD. We knocked Sharp's behemoth for its picture quality, but to be fair, the LG actually looked a little worse. Luckily for LG, it seems like its set was only a demo unit, unlike Sharp who will actually be selling its TV to consumers eventually.

We also saw more

Harman finds its way into navigation

Harman Kardon is best known in the automotive world for its audio equipment, but here at CES 2007, the company has taken a leap into the crowded world of portable GPS devices with the unveiling of its Guide + Play GPS-500. Like most portable navigation devices on the market nowadays, the GPS-500 is more than a digital wayfinder: it can play a range of audio (MP3/AAC/WMA) and video (MPEG-4/WMV9) media formats and will even display album artwork in glorious Technicolor. Media is played from a 4GB SD card that slots into the top of the bezel. Maps and more

wiDock: Why not?

Silex Technology America's new wiDock is a pretty hip iPod dock that lets you sync your iPod wirelessly (if you just can't wait for that feature to show up in the iPod itself) via a built-in 802.11b/g module. Its 3.5mm stereo audio and S-Video outputs let you use the wiDock with your home stereo and television set, as well. The dock also has an IR sensor on it that lets you control playback with a standard Apple Remote. Not a bad product at around $120, though maybe not as cool as one with wireless USB, more

Candy for your skull

Skullcandy, maker of some pretty rad accessories, showed off its new headphone lines including the Lowrider ($29.95) and the G.I. Stereo ($59.95). The Lowrider comes in nine color schemes (several designed to match the iPod Nano) and has DJ-style swiveling ear cups. Its 40mm drivers should give you enough bass to make you forget slamming into that tree on your snowboard.

Those needing a beefier set of cans can check out the G.I. Stereo line, which uses 41mm drivers and comes in black camouflage, khaki camouflage, or Rasta color schemes. The headband is thicker, and you more

Polk speaks iPod

I'm a big fan of Polk Audio's bookshelf and floor-standing speakers, so when it released two iPod speakers, I just had to check them out. Both are available in black or white.

The miDock Portfolio ($119) is a portable model and is compatible with any iPod via the supplied plastic adapters. It also has an auxiliary input for non-Apple players, though it'll only charge dock connector-equipped iPods. The speaker is pretty small and folds up flat for traveling. It has four 1-inch drivers and runs on four AA batteries or the included AC adapter. I took a more

Belkin's 'Portable Video Player for iPod'

Belkin may have to work on that name a little, but I'm happy to see some more competition entering the portable video iPod accessory space. Like the

Two more from MobiBlu

In addition to its recent release of the Cube2, MobiBlu launched a pair of flash-based MP3 players at CES 2007.

The Boxon is a bit reminiscent of the iRiver Clix in that it's all screen on front, but it measures just 2x1.7x0.5 inches and weighs about 1 ounce. It has VoIP phone capabilities, too, so you can use it to make Internet phone calls--hot! Available in 1GB ($109) and 2GB ($129) capacities, it'll do video, photos, FM radio, voice/FM recording, direct line-in encoding, and audio playback, but it can't handle PlaysForSure subscription content.

The more

Laptops you'll never see

Some of the coolest products at CES are destined never to make it onto store shelves or into homes. They're prototypes and mock-ups, designed to test new features or solicit industry feedback.

Fujitsu had a series of mobile PC prototypes on the show floor, each highlighting some interesting technology that may eventually trickle into mainstream consumer products.

One prototype was called the Ultra Mobile 2007. It's about the size of Mac Mini and is a handheld touch screen UMPC. Fujitsu describes it as, "A futuristic interpretation of an ultraportable tablet PC, fully operable via touch screen, a stylus more

Nokia N93i and Vox play nice together

Asus gives laptops a graphics jolt

Looking to upgrade the weak graphics of your otherwise rockin' laptop? Before you rip apart the machine to get to its innards in what will most likely result in a failed attempt for more frames per second, take a peek at the Asus XG Station. That's X for external, and G for graphics--the world's first external graphics-card solution for laptops. The XG Station connects via an ExpressCard slot and houses a x16 PCI Express graphics card and a sound card that supplies 5.1 Dolby audio. Asus will ship the XG Station with a GeForce 7900GS card, and more