This time of the year is always interesting for gadget watchers. First there is the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and then the MacWorld San Francisco (MWSF) event where Apple typically announces new products. I feature items from both events in this column.
At CES, Panasonic demonstrated a record-breaking 150 inch plasma HD TV and General Motors showed off the Cadillac Provoq, which combines its latest fuel cell technology with a lithium-ion battery in an electric vehicle which uses no petrol and emits only water.
One of my favourites from this year’s show is the Eye-Fi SD card for digital cameras. This is a 2Gb storage card for practically any camera which accepts SD format, but also includes a full wireless interface that automatically transfers the pictures you take to your computer when you get home.
The software included can also then interface with online photo-sharing and social networking sites such as Flickr and Facebook, taking the chore out of finding the cable, connecting it up, transferring the photos and sharing them online. When you get back within range of your home wi-fi network, you simply turn the camera on to start the process.
A couple of the robots on show at CES included the Looj from iRobot which can apparently clean your guttering for you and the WowWee Rovio which is a webcam and GPS-enabled robot which can autonomously roam your house as part of a security system, wirelessly communicating to your PC. It even wanders back to its own charging station every so often to recharge its battery.
Lastly from CES, Casio featured its EXILIM Pro EX-FI digital camera. This offers a new world record beating burst shooting performance for this type of camera, of 60 frames per second.
Meanwhile Apple was busy preparing to launch the world’s thinnest notebook computer at MWSF. It measures just 0.76 inches at its thickest point and tapers down to 0.16 inch at its thinnest, fitting inside a paper envelope. It includes a built-in webcam and lasts for five hours per single charge of the battery and boasts a full size keyboard and 13inch widescreen LED-backlit display.
There are two other firsts with this product. The trackpad has been given gesture recognition similar to that of the iPhone touch-screen, with the range of gestures having been extended.
And this is the first Apple machine to include environmental credentials such as mercury-free display, arsenic-free glass, and pvc-free internal cabling.
Note: While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, BT accepts no responsibility for any information contained in Jonathan’s article, nor does the company endorse any product or service mentioned.