Trends elusive at Consumer Electronics Show

By Jack Poorman
CNN.com Reviewer

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Picking up trends at this year's Consumer Electronics Show was a bit like noticing your own weight gain; it happens gradually and is hard to notice -- or admit to.

As the annual event winds to a close today, much of the 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space at the 2001 International CES was remarkably similar to last year's event, with few completely new innovations from last year. Here are some of the exceptions:

  • Microsoft gave a much-anticipated peek at its Xbox, and from the demo we saw, this box is a whole new experience in gaming. Imagine really being inside "Toy Story 2," with great imaging, lifelike shadows and seamless 3-D. Game characters blink and fidget when not in play. The Xbox offers game designers a chance to build a no-limits environment. Our demo unit was very fast (no lag at all) and was just one-fifth the processing speed of the Xbox that will hit stores in fall 2001. Quite impressive. You may never see your teen-ager again.

Consumer Electronics Show opens in Las Vegas January 5, 2001 Keynote: Intel CEO sees 'Extended PC Era' January 5, 2001 Digital music streams beyond the PC January 8, 2001 Palm boasts first PDA credit card purchase January 8, 2001    VIDEO Watch the first part of Bill Gates' keynote address to the Consumer Electronics Show (Courtesy GCTV) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Ed Curran reports on the Xbox's amazing graphics and incredible sound Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Ed Curran demonstrates Intel's new prototype that will allow wireless web access Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

  • Microsoft also scored a major coup with Ultimate TV. This is phase two of the Personal Video Recorder. Two tuners with picture-in-picture (PIP) and full PVR features. All the functions you get with TiVo and ReplayTV with 35 hours of recording time at DVD quality. UTV also integrates Web TV and interactive television functions. Look for it this spring.

  • Sonigistix, the company that brings inexpensive flat panel joy to computer audio is entering the home theater market with the Monsoon FPF 600, 100 and 1600 models. These streamlined speakers give listeners amazing depth of imaging and clarity with planer technology at greatly reduced price. (Songistix says they have found a way to avoid the painstaking hand-manufactured process.) Get into the audiophile elite without the county club membership. The FPF series is due out in March.

  • The MP3 category is not wildly different this year. There's more storage in smaller units with a few more features. Intel showed its Pocket Concert Audio Player (it also plays Windows Media files) that packs 4 hours of music into a small handheld. Creative Technologies featured smaller and higher capacity versions of its 6 GB Nomad Jukebox that will house 8 and 10 GB microdrives.

  • Speaking of drives, DataPlay could make you forget that they are not one of the most exciting subjects in the world. Its tiny quarter-size 500 MB optical disk won a best of show and could revolutionize digital imaging and music distribution from the major record labels. DataPlay expects to sell the blank 500 MB disks for $10 each ($5 for 250 MB version).

  • In the networked home category, Be At Home offers Web access to your household appliances. Mom and Dad can monitor things like when the front door was last opened, who was in the liquor cabinet and how many people are in Johnny's room -- and you thought you had it tough when you were growing up. Never fear that "Oh my God I left the iron on" feeling as you drive away on vacation by calling your home server or visiting your "home" page to shut it off. Best feature: You can get a call from your house telling you that you've just been robbed, go to the Web page and admire the thief.

  • Digiscents is showing a prototype of their much-hyped device that adds "smellivision" to your multimedia. As you move through a movie clip, presentation or Web page, Digiscents adds olfactory textures on cue. Smells are pretty similar but promising. This concept could be beneficial if they can refine it a little before launch. Now that's what I call vaporware.

DataPlay's optical disks are the size of a quarter and can store up to 500 MB of data

  • Gateway brought out its hit from Comdex, the Connected Touch Pad Internet appliance. The Touchpad is much faster than 3Com's Audrey with its well thought out interface at a slightly higher price point in this category ($599). Unlike the MSN Companion and Audrey, the Touchpad employs the Transmeta Crusoe chip -- ergo the speed.

  • 3Com's Kerbango radio offers Internet radio stations from around the world to the comfort of your house without a PC -- though it does need dial-up access or broadband. Of the several companies serving up Internet media, Kerbango has the edge in design and features, and it seemed to be a hit with attendees.

And of the plethora of products screaming for the attention of the 110,000 CES attendees, we round out the list (and I think you know what I mean) with the instinctual form factor for the every man. There is a bevy of "high-tech" Barcaloungers created to enhance the home theater experience: reclining chairs with sound and vibrating "magic hands," and built-in cup holders. Ooh whee.

Just another day in consumer electronics paradise.

Jack Poorman is executive producer for CNN Inflight, a Turner Private Networks program featured on Delta Air Lines flights

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2001 International CES
Xbox
UltimateTV
Sonigistix
Intel
Creative Technologies
DigiScents
Gateway
Kerbango

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