Canon’s latest Selphy printer adds Instagram-sized square stickers
We’ll forgive you if you’ve never heard of Canon’s Selphy printer. It’s an adorable little $100 printer that, in its latest iteration, has an especially zietgeist-y new feature: square sticker printing. “For the Instagram crowd,” a Canon rep laughingly explained as we checked out the Selphy CP910 at CES 2014.
Beyond the new square printing, little has changed from the previous Selphy. It still features ink cartridges bundled with paper, ensuring you’ll never run out of hot dogs before you run out of buns. Moreover, with WiFi built-in, your latest Instagram selfie can be printed on the Selphy without having to move images. Pretty neat! Should that new feature be enough to spark your interest, Canon’s Sephy CP910 ships to retailers “mid-month” for $100.
Canon’s also got a new Pixma photo printer here, and it’s just $300 — pretty great for an entry level photo printer. It’s that big guy above! Head into the gallery below for a deeper look at both the Selphy and Pixma straight from CES 2014.
Filed under: Canon
Martian Notifier watch uses custom vibration patterns to signal what app’s bugging you
Martian Watches is back at CES this year, bringing with it a new semi-smartwatch in the company’s traditional timepiece style. The Martian Notifier, as it’s known, is a slight departure from previous efforts given it drops voice control — the feature that’s previously been the company’s “hook” (although you can still remotely trigger Siri or Google Now with the press of a button). The watch keeps all other good stuff common to Martian’s range, though, like the small OLED screen for displaying contact names or text messages, and the ability to engage a device’s camera shutter remotely, among other things.
The Notifier pairs with iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth, and as the name suggests, it’s focus is on alerting you to notifications. Rather than just vibrating every time something happens on your phone, though, you can select exactly what will trigger a buzz on your wrist. Furthermore, using the companion app, you can set up vibration patterns, so you know one long buzz and two short buzzes means someone’s calling you out on Twitter, for example. Any software that uses the iOS or Android notification back-end will feed into the watch app’s settings, so you aren’t reliant on this or that app specifically including support. While simple, we think it’s actually pretty clever, and doesn’t look half bad, which is a bonus. Anyone that’s intrigued by the Notifier and its semi-smarts will have to wait until Q2 2014 to pick one up, when Martian will start selling them for around 130 bones.
Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
Filed under: Misc, Peripherals, Wearables, Mobile
RCA will launch budget Android Ultra HD TVs, Roku Ready 1080p versions and even curved LCDs
As predicted, CES 2014 is featuring a flood of Ultra HD televisions, and they’re not all from the big names. RCA is at Digital Experience showing off a 65-inch version of its new series with 3,840 x 2,160 res screens. Manufactured by On Corporation, they’re also smart TVs, including the Android TV platform (formerly known as Google TV), complete with Search, Chrome and the PrimeTime guide, plus Miracast for screen mirroring. The LED-lit TVs will ship in 55-, 65- and 84-inch variants later this year and while they don’t have pricetags yet, we’re expecting these to come in at a lower price, similar to previous TVs from the brand. Not ready to make the 4K jump? RCA will also have Roku Ready TVs that ship with the Streaming Stick packed-in available in a multitude of sizes, Android-packing 1080p TVs, and even promises two curved LCDs in 46- and 55-inch sizes.
Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD
Source: RCA
Intel partners with the fashion industry on a stylish smart bracelet
Intel knows that wearable technology will only take off if people look good wearing it, so it’s taking the next logical step of working with the fashion industry. The company is collaborating with design house Opening Ceremony on a smart bracelet that Barneys New York will eventually sell. Intel isn’t saying exactly what the bracelet will do, but you can expect it to be “beautifully” crafted, according to Barneys. The semiconductor firm isn’t stopping there, as it’s also teaming up with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to foster stronger overall ties between fashion and tech. Unlike the other wearable devices announced this evening, it’s not clear just when this stylish device will be available — we wouldn’t count on it arriving very soon, though.
Source: Intel
Resonance charging is coming to Qi devices soon
Qi is one of the most popular wireless charging standards out there, but it’s certainly not perfect — and its limitations have been a burden that its competitors like the A4WP Rezence have taken advantage of. One of its most pressing issues is the fact that it only supports inductive charging, which means you need to stick your phone or tablet directly on the charging pad in a very specific fashion, lest you wake up in the morning to a dead device. The WPC has been working on righting that wrong, however, because it’s come to Vegas with resonance charging prototypes. The new transmitter is able to charge any Qi device from up to 18 millimeters away and through obstructions; it’s backwards compatible, so older phones and tablets are included. Reps weren’t able to give us an estimated time of arrival, but the prototype was definitely convincing enough, which tells us it shouldn’t be too far away. As we expected, the transmitter we saw tonight is less efficient than a standard inductive charger — it’s currently at around 65 percent — but we were told that this wrinkle is a result of this early unit and will continue to improve as the tech develops.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Wireless, Mobile
Hands-on with LG’s smart TV running webOS (video)
Since LG informed the world that webOS is coming to 70 percent of its smart TVs this year, naturally we were keen to take it for a spin. So, when they offered to let us take it for a spin, and have Director of Product Managment Colin Zhao and Head of Product Management and Design Itai Vonshak walk us through the new UI, we jumped at the chance. And, not only did we get to see it in action, we also learned a bit about the philosophy behind LG’s move to webOS on the big screen.
For folks thinking LG’s version of webOS might favor its prior mobile implementation, think again. While the underpinnings are the same, the card-based UI has been ditched — according to Vonshak “content is king on the television, and we didn’t want to pull the user out of the viewing experience” by dumping them into an all-card view. When you hit the home button on the remote, you’re greeted by a rail of parallelogram-shaped colorful icons at the bottom of the screen overlaid on top of whatever you’re watching. Those icons include a Today recommendation engine (provided by an unnamed third party) that shows content popular with the viewing public, plus any and all content sources available to the TV, be it online video, localized media, live TV, gaming console or media streamer. Naturally, Netflix is red, Hulu is green, Roku is purple, and so on. As you’ll see in our video below, navigate the menu to the left and you’re greeted by panes that show your viewing history. Slide to the right within the menu and you’ll see the rest of your video sources that couldn’t fit on the home screen. Speaking of, that home screen comes with a preselected set of apps, but it’s completely customizable by the user.
Navigating amongst the icons is fast and easy, and the LG TV swapped sources without issue. “We wanted to treat the web like a first class, not second-class citizen,” said Zhao. The aim is to provide an equally enjoyable user experience regardless of where content comes from — and from our limited demo time, we’d say that LG is on the right track. This seamless and simple switching amongst content is one of the three guiding principles in designing the UI. Along with switching, setup and discovery are the other two.
We already mentioned the Today recommendation engine, and it is the main way that LG’s discovery principle has taken form, but it’s not the only method for discovery. When hovering over the icons for various streaming services, the screen automatically populates screen shots from popular content they provide — rolling over Netflix, for example, caused a picture of the cast of House of Cards to fill the screen.
LG has taken an interesting approach in helping customers set up its new smart sets — it’s attempting to make the process entertaining. To do so, LG created a series of cute cartoon shorts featuring a little black avian character called Beam Bird. The system alternates between screens for setting up WiFi connections and streaming accounts and the aforementioned shorts. While we only got to witness a video cut together showing the process, we imagine that the cartoons will definitely appeal to many. And even for folks who aren’t super keen on the idea, Vonshak assured us that the bird will only appear at setup, and they’ve kept the cartoons short enough to avoid user fatigue: “we didn’t want Beam Bird to turn into Clippy.”
We didn’t get to spend a tremendous amount of time using this new version of webOS, but we did see enough to say that Zhao and Vonshak are definitely on the right track. In fact, we’d say its the best Smart TV UI we’ve ever used
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD, LG
Polaroid’s C3 is an action camera in tiny cube form (hands-on)
We were hoping to get our hands on Polaroid’s Socialmatic camera, but unfortunately the company only had the shell of a prototype on hand. Luckily, though, we found something even more interesting when we stopped by the booth: the C3 action sports video camera.
It’s a tiny cube of a thing — a 35mm square, to be exact — but its wide-angle lens captures 120 degrees of action, and the form factor lends itself well to going on the road. (It’s also perfect for stacking — but just for fun.) It’s called an “action sports” camera, but we don’t really see it holding up when you’re snowboarding or biking. It is, however, waterproof for up to 2 meters. We also don’t know how practical this guy is, given that WiFi isn’t on board and you’ll need to transfer photos and video via micro-SD. Its compact size, in other words, is the selling point.
Like the Socialmatic, the C3 is still in the prototype phase, though the models on hand seemed closer to final production, with the sensor built in. It has a soft-touch finish and feels very light. We like how the classic Polaroid rainbow carries over to this product, with versions in red, blue and black. There’s a button on top, which you’ll press to record video or snap a photo. The C3 ‘s 5-megapixel cam shoots in 1,280 x 720 or 640 x 480 resolution — we obviously can’t speak to image quality quite yet, but we’re intrigued to see how this gadget works when it debuts in the summer. It will cost $99, and a Polaroid rep told us there will be straps to make the C3 wearable, along with other accessories. Check out our hands-on below.
Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Filed under: Cameras
LG Chromebase: Handling Chrome OS on an all-in-one (video)
LG’s first foray into Chrome OS is also a first for the Google operating system, debuting in an all-in-one. Not a Chromebox then, nor a Chromebook, but a Chromebase, consisting of a 21.5-inch screen connected to a curved hinge. The 1080p IPS LCD was more than adequate for a session of browsing, typing within Google Docs and, er, taking another look at the new House of Cards trailer on YouTube. The screen is good, but we’re keeping our judgment tempered until we hear a specific price.
With three USB ports to connect to companion keyboards and mice (and something else), using the Chromebase was like using any typical all-in-one. Interestingly, because both are relegated to peripherals here (like a Chromebox) you’ll be able to connect your favorite mechanical keyboard and laser-precision mouse, negating the Chromebook series’ occasional trackpad-keyboard woes. That said, LG’s ‘board and mouse worked fine, with both coated in the same matte finish of the AIO unit. There’s also the two color options planned, with a fetching matte black finish launching alongside the white model sometime in this half of 2014. We’ve got a closer look, on video, right after the break.
Canon’s latest PowerShot arrives in May for $350, we go hands-on right now
You’ve read about the new Canon PowerShot N100, but do you really know the new little guy? It’s got an adjustable rear viewing window which shows more than just the world in front of you — it’s also got your face staring back at you. The dual capture mode is the main new feature of the N100, which pulls down a unique perspective on everyday life — both the subject and the videographer are part of the story, at once. Looking for specs? We’ve got you covered: 12-megapixel CMOS sensor, Canon’s DIGIC 6 processor, a 5x f/1.8-5.7 (24-120mm) optically stabilized zoom lens, and a 3-inch, 922k-dot touchscreen that flips up 90 degrees rounds out the specs list.
The new PowerShot won’t arrive until May, but we thankfully got an early hands-on this evening at CES 2014. Head past the break for a video with the N100, and just below for a full gallery of close-ups with the cute little point-and-shoot.
Apple’s ‘Red Friday’ Lunar New Year Sale to Take Place on January 10 in Asia
Apple today announced its annual Lunar New Year sale, a one day event for Asian countries that is also known as “Red Friday” because of its similarity to November’s Black Friday sales.
During the event, which celebrates the Chinese New Year, Apple will be offering deals on Macs, iPads, iPods, and accessories like the Smart Cover. It is unclear whether Apple will offer traditional price cuts or instead give customers gift cards with purchase as it did in the United States during Black Friday. In previous years, Apple has offered modest cash discounts on products.
Discounted prices will be available in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, on Friday, January 10. Last week, Apple also held its annual “Lucky bag“ promotion for Japanese customers.
(Thanks, Andrew!)
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