From...

January 7, 2000
Web posted at: 3:32 p.m. EST (2032 GMT)

by Cameron Crouch

LAS VEGAS (IDG) -- Throw out that cassette player and analog TV. Digital music and video along with Internet appliances beckon at the Consumer Electronics Show, opening here this week.

More than 1500 technology companies will exhibit products and services at CES. Internet appliances from Acer and Intel as well as set-top boxes from Replay and Philips will be hot tickets. So will home theater systems, high-fidelity speakers, and new MP3 players from I-Jam, Philips, and Audible. Compaq and Sony will show off new PCs configured for easy Web access or multimedia use.

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Microsoft Chair Bill Gates will launch CES with a keynote speech that's expected to address Microsoft's plans for Windows CE and the Web TV set-top environment.

The Internet-enabled kitchen

The Internet is quickly moving beyond our home PCs. Several vendors will demonstrate Net appliances that bring the Internet and local area networks to devices and appliances in our homes. Sixteen pavilions will highlight technology ranging from computers, digital imaging, audio, and mobile electronics to wireless communications and various network protocols.

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Making its debut is CMi Worldwide's iCEBOX. The Information Communication Entertainment Box is an appliance designed for the kitchen; it bundles TV, the Internet, e-mail, and multimedia. Also, iReady will show an Internet faxing device while Compaq combines printing, faxing, and copying on one device. Sleek new Compaq Presario PCs such as the $999 EZ2000 Toaster PC have features like the "digital dashboard" to alert you to new e-mail.

Want your VTV?

New set-top boxes combine on-demand digital TV and video with Internet access. Eagle Wireless is expected to demonstrate Web Flyer, a set-top box supporting DVD, MP3, and MPEG. It launched a new division, BroadbandMagic.com, to handle its CSTB (convergence set top box) line.

Meanwhile, Replay will show off the new Replay TV 3000, while Ravisent unveils a Web-enabled TV set-top box that allows simultaneous DVD playback and HDTV-to-PC software for PCs. TIVO offers new set-top technologies for downloading video, and Philips Electronics plans to introduce a new Internet TV.